Self-inking ink stamp

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6626105
  • Patent Number
    6,626,105
  • Date Filed
    Wednesday, October 9, 2002
    22 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, September 30, 2003
    21 years ago
  • Inventors
  • Examiners
    • Hirshfeld; Andrew H.
    • Williams; Kevin D.
    Agents
    • Jack; Kenneth H.
    • Davis & Jack, L.L.C.
Abstract
A self-inking ink stamp consisting of a platen having upper and lower surfaces, having a slot or aperture extending from the lower surface to the upper surface, and having lugs and slide tracks respectively extending outwardly and downwardly from the platen, the lugs and slide tracks adapting the platen for rotating and linearly moving from an inking position to a stamping position; an “H” clip; a first ink stamping die fixedly attached to the upper surface of the platen; a second interchangeable ink stamping die received by the “H” clip; and a cantilevered arm having proximal and distal ends, the proximal end of the cantilevered arm being adhesively mounted upon the platen, the distal end of the cantilevered arm being received by the “H” clip; the cantilevered arm extending the second interchangeable ink stamping die upwardly through the slot or aperture.
Description




FIELD OF THE INVENTION




This invention relates to apparatus for ink printing. More particularly, this invention relates to hand operated self-inking ink stamp printers.




BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION




Self-inking stamping devices of the type described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,432,281 issued Feb. 21, 1984 to Wall, et al., are typically adapted for ink printing of a fixed set of printed indicia (e.g., letters, numerals, etc.) via fixed adhesive applications of rubber printing dies upon the stamp's platen. Such self-inking ink stamps typically have no capacity for interchangeability of ink stamping dies. As a result, such stamps are typically unable to stamp a current calendar date. The instant invention overcomes such deficiency by providing a mechanically simple and economically constructed modification of such ink stamps which enables such ink stamps to support and perform printing with both fixed and interchangeable ink stamping dies.




BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION




A primary structural component of the instant inventive self-inking ink stamp comprises a platen including a plate member having an upper surface, and having a lower surface. Preferably, the plate member of the platen is generally circular or rectangular in shape, though suitably such member may assume other geometric configurations such as a square or an oval. The required platen is preferably composed of durable plastic, though other materials such as wood or metal may be suitably utilized.




The required platen element necessarily further includes or incorporates means for facilitating linear and rotating motion within a common self-inking ink stamp housing of the type described in Wall, et al., supra, such motion being between inking and stamping positions. Preferably, such means comprises oppositely extending lugs or journals facilitating pivoting motion and guiding linear sliding motion, and further comprises paired downwardly extending slide tracks for receiving rotation guiding lugs which commonly extend inwardly and oppositely from such typical self-inking ink stamp housing. Suitably, other linear and rotary motion guiding means may be incorporated as a part of or mechanically associated with the platen such as rack and pinion combinations or tie, track, and pulley combinations. Structures associated with the preferred lug and slide track means most advantageously comprise wholly formed plastic injection molded components. Also preferably, a slide track reinforcing wall or ridge is further incorporated, the wall spanning between, interconnecting, and reinforcing the preferred downwardly extending slide tracks.




The platen of the instant inventive self-inking ink stamp necessarily further comprises a slot or aperture extending from its plate's lower surface to its plate's upper surface, the slot or aperture being loosely fitted for receipt of an upwardly extending removably attachable ink stamping die. A traditional rubber or elastomeric ink stamping die is preferably adhesively mounted upon an upper surface area of the platen which is not occupied by the interchangeable die receiving slot or aperture.




A further necessary component of the instant inventive ink stamp comprises an elongated “H” clip whose upwardly and downwardly extending arms respectively define upwardly and downwardly opening stamping die receiving channels. Preferably, the “H” clip comprises semi-rigid and extruded vinyl plastic, allowing the upwardly and downwardly extending arms to flexibly and respectively grasp the interchangeable die and an “H” clip mounting ridge in the manner of spring clips. Suitably, the “H” clip may alternately comprise metal.




Means for interconnecting the “H” clip and the platen are necessarily provided, such means preferably comprising a plastic cantilevered arm having proximal and distal ends. The distal end of the cantilevered arm preferably forms the “H” clip mounting ridge which is nestingly received by the downwardly extending arms of the preferred vinyl “H” clip. The proximal end of the cantilevered arm is preferably fixedly attached to the platen. Necessarily, the preferred cantilevered arm “H” clip interconnecting means is configured for extending an ink stamping die held by the “H” clip upwardly through the platen's slot or aperture. Also preferably, the cross-sectional shape of the cantilevered arm has a “J” configuration with the tail of the “J” forming the “H” clip mounting ridge and supporting the “H” clip and interchangeable die. The head of the “J” (i.e., proximal end of the cantilevered arm) is preferably adhesively attached to under surfaces of the platen, utilizing the lower surface of the platen's plate and a side surface of the platen's preferred reinforcing wall as gluing surfaces. Suitably, the proximal end of the preferred cantilevered arm may be alternately attached to inner surfaces of the platen's preferred slide tracks, such attachment functionally replacing the preferred slide track supporting wall or flange. Also suitably, the attachments of the proximal end of the preferred cantilevered arm to the platen may alternately comprise wholly formed joints.




In use of the instant inventive self-inking ink stamp, and assuming such stamp is mounted within a housing of the type described in Wall '281, the platen is rotated and linearly moved to its ink stamping position, and held in such position. Thereafter, forceps or tweezers are utilized to grasp the “H” clip from above, drawing the “H” clip upwardly away from the upturned distal end of the preferred “J” configured cantilevered arm. Upon disengagement of the “H” clip and its previously received interchangeable ink stamping dies, such dies may be interchanged with different ink stamping dies. For example, the previously received dies may represent a past calendar date, while the immediately interchanged dies may represent a current calendar date. Thereafter, the “H” clip and dies assembly is remounted over the distal end of the “J” shaped cantilevered arm. Thereafter, self-inking stamping may proceed in normal fashion.




Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a self-inking ink stamp which provides a mechanically simple and economical means for interchanging stamping die elements. It is a further object of the present invention to provide such an ink stamp which incorporates an “H” clip which dually and interchangeably engages overlying ink stamping dies and underlying “H” clip mounting means.











Other and further objects, benefits, and advantages of the present invention will become known to those skilled in the art upon review of the Detailed Description which follows, and upon review of the appended drawings.




BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS





FIG. 1

is an isometric view of the instant inventive self-inking ink stamping die.





FIG. 2

is a sectional view as indicated in FIG.


1


.





FIG. 3

depicts the inventive self-inking ink stamp mounted within a common self-inking stamp housing.











DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT




Referring now to the drawings, and in particular to

FIG. 1

, the instant inventive self-inking ink stamp is referred to generally by Reference Arrow


1


, the stamp


1


having a platen comprising a circular plate


3


, oppositely extending lugs or journals


4


, and comprising downwardly extending slide tracks


20


having slide channels


19


, the slide tracks


20


and slide channels


19


being positioned at opposite ends of a reinforcing wall


9


.




Referring further to

FIG. 1

, a first rubber ink stamping die


17


is adhesively mounted upon the upper surface of plate


3


, such fixed ink stamping die


17


having raised characters


27


. Immediately adjacent to the fixed ink stamping die


17


, rubber block dies


16


and


24


are slidably and interchangeably mounted within slot


8


, dies


16


and


24


having raised characters


26


and


25


similar to those of die


17


.




Referring simultaneously to

FIGS. 1 and 2

, an extruded vinyl plastic “H” clip is referred to generally by Reference Arrow


23


, the “H” clip


23


having paired upwardly extending arms


30


and


31


, and having paired downwardly extending arms


29


and


28


. The interchangeable block dies


16


and


24


are nestingly receiving within the channel defined by arms


30


and


31


of “H” clip


23


, such arms preferably biasing inwardly upon said dies and clamping said dies in place in the manner of a spring clip.




Referring further simultaneously to

FIGS. 1 and 2

, “H” clip mounting means preferably comprising a cantilevered arm having a proximal end


13


and a distal end


14


is referred to generally by Reference Arrow


10


. Preferably, the cantilevered arm “H” clip mounting means


10


has a “J” shaped cross-sectional shape, the upturned distal or tail end of the “J” being nestingly received by the downwardly extending arms


28


and


29


of “H” clip


23


. Similarly, with the clamping action of the upper arms


30


and


31


upon interchangeable dies


16


and


24


, arms


28


and


29


preferably inwardly bias against the upturned distal end


14


in the manner of a spring clip. Preferably, an upper edge of the upturned distal end


14


of arm


10


has a chamfered face


33


which facilitates outwardly splaying of arms


28


and


29


upon downward installation of “H” clip


23


thereover. Preferably, adhesive bonds


11


,


12


, and


22


securely and fixedly attach the proximal end


13


of cantilevered arm


10


upon the platen, such bonds utilizing the lower surface of plate


3


and side and lower surfaces of wall


9


as gluing surfaces.




Referring simultaneously to

FIGS. 1 and 3

, the instant inventive self-inking ink stamp is shown in an upright stamping and die interchanging position in

FIG. 1

, and is shown in

FIG. 3

inverted in an inking position within a common ink stamp housing referred to generally by Reference Arrow


18


. Upon slidable downward movement of upper sleeve


2


of housing


18


into such housing's lower ink stamp chamber


21


, the lower walls of slots


6


drive lugs or journals


4


of ink stamp


1


upwardly, driving the ink stamp


1


upwardly along curved slot


5


. Fixed pivot lugs (not depicted within view of

FIG. 3

) extend inwardly and oppositely from radius points


7


, such lugs protruding into slide channels


19


of slide tracks


20


of ink stamp


1


. Upon such upward motion of the self-inking ink stamp


1


along slot


5


, lugs


4


are carried by slots


6


along slots


5


and around radius points


7


, rotating the ink stamp


1


from the depicted inking position to the position depicted in FIG.


1


. Upon completion of such motion, ink stamping may occur, or stamping dies


16


and


24


may be interchanged.




Referring simultaneously to

FIGS. 1 and 2

, forceps (not depicted) may be utilized for upwardly withdrawing the “H” clip


23


and its received stamping dies


16


and


24


from slot


8


; one arm of the forceps extending downwardly through gap


32


for frictional engagement with the inwardly facing wall of “H” clip


23


, and the opposite arm of the forceps frictionally engaging the outwardly facing wall of “H” clip


23


. Upon such extraction of the “H” clip and die assembly, dies


16


and


24


may be manually withdrawn from the “H” clip


23


, and such dies may be manually replaced with alternate dies having different print characters. Thereafter, the newly configured “H” clip and die assembly may be either manually reinstalled over the distal end


14


of cantilevered arm


10


, or forceps may be utilized for reinstallation.




While the principles of the invention have been made clear in the above illustrative embodiment, those skilled in the art may make modifications in the structure, arrangement, portions and components of the invention without departing from those principles. Accordingly, it is intended that the description and drawings be interpreted as illustrative and not in the limiting sense, and that the invention be given a scope commensurate with the appended claims.



Claims
  • 1. A self-inking ink stamp comprising:(a) a platen having upper and lower surfaces, having a slot or aperture extending from the lower surface to the upper surface, and comprising means for rotating and linearly moving the upper surface between an inking position and a stamping position; (b) an “H” clip; (c) a first ink stamping die having an upper end, the “H” clip receiving the first ink stamping die; (d) mounting means interconnecting the “H” clip and the platen, the mounting means upwardly extending the first ink stamping die through the platen's slot or aperture.
  • 2. The self-inking ink stamp of claim 1 further comprising a second ink stamping die having an upper end and being adhesively mounted upon the upper surface of the platen, and wherein the “H” clip mounting means comprises a cantilevered arm having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end of the cantilevered arm being fixedly attached to or formed wholly with the platen, the “H” clip further receiving the distal end of the cantilevered arm.
  • 3. The self-inking ink stamp of claim 2 wherein the cantilevered arm has a “J” shaped cross section.
  • 4. The self-inking ink stamp of claim 2 wherein the platen, the “H” clip, and the cantilevered arm comprise plastic, and wherein the first and second ink stamping dies comprise an elastomeric material.
  • 5. The self-inking ink stamp of claim 4 further comprising a third ink stamping die, the “H” clip further receiving the third ink stamping die.
  • 6. The self-inking ink stamp of claim 5 wherein the means for rotating and linearly moving comprises oppositely extending lugs, downwardly extending slide tracks, and a reinforcing wall spanning between and interconnecting the slide tracks.
  • 7. The self-inking ink stamp of claim 1 wherein the “H” clip has a pair of downwardly extending and elastically splayable arms, said arms biasing inwardly upon the distal end of the cantilevered arm.
  • 8. The self-inking ink stamp of claim 5 wherein the upper end of the second ink stamping die extends upwardly above the upper surface of the platen to an elevation, and wherein the upward extension of the first ink stamping die raises the upper end of said first ink stamping die to said elevation.
  • 9. The self-inking ink stamp of claim 8 wherein the distal end of the cantilevered arm has a chamfered edge.
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38315 McClement Mar 1863 A
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1353994 Folger et al. Sep 1920 A
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1607849 Schulz Nov 1926 A
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3490370 Pfannenschwarz Jan 1970 A
3631799 Funahashi Jan 1972 A
3714894 Robinson Feb 1973 A
4054093 Funahashi Oct 1977 A
4291622 Bengtsson Sep 1981 A
4432281 Wall et al. Feb 1984 A
4838158 Marshall et al. Jun 1989 A
4841860 Fehling Jun 1989 A
5048415 Shih Sep 1991 A
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6360658 Benson Mar 2002 B1
6453813 Faber Sep 2002 B1