Two-piece paper fastener having rounded sides

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6217246
  • Patent Number
    6,217,246
  • Date Filed
    Tuesday, April 4, 2000
    24 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, April 17, 2001
    23 years ago
  • Inventors
  • Examiners
    • Wellington; A. L.
    • Henderson; Mark
    Agents
    • Rosenberg, Klein & Lee
Abstract
A two-piece paper fastener includes a prong base with two prongs extending from two ends of a top surface of the prong base. Each of two sides of the prong base has a first flange folded toward a bottom surface so as to define a rounded side. A compressor with two holes through which the two prongs extend and two retainers are slidably mounted to the compressor. Each of two sides of the compressor has a second flange folded toward a bottom surface of the compressor so as to define a rounded side.
Description




FIELD OF THE INVENTION




The present invention relates to an improved two-piece paper fastener wherein each side of the prong base and the compressor has a flange folded inward so as not to cut users' fingers.




BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION




A conventional two-piece paper fastener is shown in

FIGS. 5 and 6

and generally includes a prong base


40


and a compressor


30


. The prong base


40


has two prongs


41


extending from two ends thereof and two holes


31


are respectively defined through two ends of the compressor


30


so that the two prongs


41


extend through papers (not shown) and the two holes


31


so position the papers between the prong base


40


and the compressor


30


. Two retainers


32


are movably mounted to the compressor


30


so that the two prongs


41


can be folded toward each other and are retained by the two retainers


32


. The prong base


40


and the compressor


30


are generally made of metal sheets or plastic sheets, and the metal sheets or the plastic sheets are pressed into pieces of the prong bases


40


and the compressors


30


so that the sides of each the prong base


40


and the compressor


30


have sharp raw material which could cut users' fingers. Besides, the prong base


40


and the compressor


30


with sharp raw material on their sides could result in tragedies if children use them as toys so that the conventional two-piece paper fastener needs to be improved.




The present invention intends to provide a two-piece paper fastener that includes a prong base and a compressor, and each side of the prong base and the compressor has a flange folded inward so as to define a smooth side.




SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION




In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a two-piece paper fastener comprising a prong base with two prongs extending from two ends of a top surface of the prong base. Each of two sides of the prong base is a rounded side. A compressor with two holes defined through two ends of the compressor. Two retainers are slidably mounted to the compressor and each of two sides of the compressor is a rounded side.




The object of the present invention is to provide an improved two-piece paper fastener wherein the prong base and the compressor have rounded sides so that they will not cut users' fingers.




These and further objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more obvious from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which show, for purposes of illustration only, several embodiments in accordance with the present invention.











BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS





FIG. 1

is an exploded view to show a two-piece paper fastener of the present invention;





FIG. 2

is a perspective view to show the paper fastener of the present invention;





FIG. 3

is a side elevational view, partly in section, of the paper fastener of the present invention;





FIG. 3A

is an enlarged side elevational view, partly cutaway and in section of FIG.


3


.





FIG. 4

is a perspective view to show a pile of papers is collected by the paper fastener of the present invention;





FIG. 5

is an exploded view to show a conventional two-piece paper fastener, and





FIG. 6

is a side elevational view, partly in section, of the conventional paper fastener.





FIG. 6A

is an enlarged side elevational view, partly in section and cutaway of FIG.


6


.











DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT




Referring to

FIGS. 1

to


4


, a two-piece paper fastener in accordance with the present invention comprises a prong base


20


with two prongs


21


extending from two ends of a top surface of the prong base


20


. Each of two sides of the prong base


20


is a rounded side. Each of two sides of the prong base


20


has a first flange


22


folded toward a bottom surface of the prong base


20


so as to define the rounded side.




A compressor


10


has two holes


11


defined through two ends of the compressor


10


so that the two prongs


21


extend through a pile of papers as shown in FIG.


4


and through the two holes


11


in the compressor


10


. Two retainers


12


are slidably mounted to the compressor


10


and the two prongs


21


are folded and inserted between the retainers


12


and the compressor


10


. Each of two sides of the compressor


10


is a rounded side. Each of two sides of the compressor


10


has a second flange


13


folded toward a bottom surface of the compressor


10


so as to define the rounded side.




The first flanges


22


on the prong base


20


and the second flanges


13


on the compressor


10


can be mass-produced by machine so that the manufacturing cost is low. The rounded sides of each of the prong base


20


and the compressor


10


effectively avoid cutting of users' fingers.




While we have shown and described various embodiments in accordance with the present invention, it should be clear to those skilled in the art that further embodiments may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention.



Claims
  • 1. A two-piece paper fastener comprising:a prong base having opposing top and bottom surfaces and two prongs extending out from two ends of said prong base, each of two sides of said prong base having a first flange folded toward said bottom surface of said prong base to form a rounded side edge thereof; a compressor having opposing top and bottom surfaces and two holes respectively formed through two end portions of said compressor, each of two sides of said compressor having a second flange folded toward said bottom surface of said compressor to form a rounded side edge thereof; and, two retainers slidably mounted on said on said compressor.
US Referenced Citations (7)
Number Name Date Kind
1927623 Anderson Sep 1933
1978569 Dayton Oct 1934
3994606 Messmer Nov 1976
4070736 Land Jan 1978
4121892 Nes Oct 1978
5096323 Walker Mar 1992
5988925 Baggett Nov 1999