SPRING ACTUATED PLIERS STAPLER

• US 20090114698A1
• Filed: 09/24/2008
• Published: 05/07/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Worktools Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Worktools Incorporated
• Inventors: MARKS, JOEL S.
• Granted Patent: US 7,950,558 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 227/132
• CPC Class Codes: B25C 5/0292 with the objects to be stapled together introduced perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the tool in an opening formed by an anvil and a plunger
• CPC Class Codes: B25C 5/11 operated by manual or foot power
• CPC Class Codes: B25C 5/1696 Staple support displaceable relative to the tool to allow re-loading

Abstract

A spring-energized stapler having a pliers type configuration, wherein papers and like items are fastened at a front end and the stapler is normally gripped and squeezed at a rear end. A compact mechanism and independent handle linkages provide a compact overall shape in a high efficiency action. An upper handle is pivoted at a front, top of a housing with a pressing area spaced at least one half the handle length away from the upper handle pivot. A lower handle includes a multi-segment cam link to a base to provide a minimal gripping distance with a large clamping force at an anvil. A simplified front-loading mechanism provides a compact, low cost assembly. A release latch holder is located behind the striker for a compact front end.

Claims

1. A pliers type stapler for dispensing staples, comprising:

a housing body;

a staple track disposed near a bottom of the housing body;

a striker movable vertically in the housing body between an upper position above the staple track and a lower position in front of the staple track;

an upper handle pivotably attached at a front, top of the housing body at an operative hinge location immediately behind the striker and extending rearward toward a pressing area of the handle above a rear of the housing body, wherein pressing the upper handle about the operative hinge causes a bias on the striker toward the staple track;

wherein the pressing area of the upper handle is spaced rearward from the operative hinge by a distance of about at least one half of an overall length of the upper handle; and

a base pivotably attached to the housing body, the base having an anvil disposed below the striker.

2. The pliers stapler of claim 1, wherein the housing body includes a track chamber, and the upper handle extends entirely above the track chamber.

3. The pliers stapler of claim 1, wherein the pliers stapler further comprises a power spring which provides a link between the upper handle and the striker, the power spring being deflected to store energy, the power spring extends below the upper handle, and upper handle includes ribs surrounding sides of the power spring.

4. The pliers stapler of claim 1, wherein a lower handle is pivotably attached on a lower handle pivot axis of the housing toward a front, bottom of the housing, the lower handle extending under the housing toward a rear of the housing, the upper and lower handles being independently pivoted to the body including the upper handle being pivoted above a ceiling of a staple chamber of the stapler, and the lower handle being pivoted near or below the ceiling of the staple chamber.

5. The pliers stapler of claim 4, wherein a base is pivotably attached toward a rear of the housing, and the base includes an anvil below the striker, and a closed position of the base wherein the anvil is adjacent to a bottom of the striker, the lower handle is linked to the base through a cam wherein an initial range of motion includes the base moving rapidly in relation to the lower handle toward the housing, and a further range of motion includes the base moving slowly in relation to the lower handle toward the housing.

6. The pliers stapler of claim 4, wherein the lower handle includes a snap fit within an opening of the housing to confine the lower handle to rotate about the pivot axis.

7. A pliers type stapler, comprising:

a housing body;

a staple track contained in the housing body;

a power spring disposed inside the body;

a striker at a front of the housing body and movable vertically between an upper position above the staple track and a lower position in front of the staple track, the striker linked to the power spring;

a handle pivotably attached to the housing at the front of the housing body, the handle including a pressing area at a rear of the housing, the handle linked to the power spring wherein pressing the handle from an initial rest position away from the housing to a pressed position near the housing causes the power spring to deflect and store energy, and at a predetermined position of the handle, the striker is suddenly released to move to the lower striker position under bias of the power spring;

a base pivotably attached toward a rear of the housing, the base including an anvil below the striker, and having a closed position of the base wherein the anvil is adjacent to a bottom of the striker; and

upper and lower gripping areas including the handle pressing area wherein a distance between the upper gripping area and the lower gripping area is between about 3 and 3.5 inches in the rest position of the handle.

8. The pliers type stapler of claim 7, wherein the distance is about 3.2 inches.

9. The pliers type stapler of claim 7, wherein at a location of the striker, the stapler housing body includes a vertical height as measured between a staple exit area and a top of the housing body of between about 0.9 to 1.3 inch.

10. The pliers type stapler of claim 9, wherein the vertical height is about 1.1 inch.

11. A spring actuated stapler, comprising:

a housing body;

a handle pivotably attached to the housing;

a striker movable vertically in the housing between a normal initial upper position above a staple track and a lower position in front of the staple track;

a power spring disposed inside the housing body;

a handle pivotably attached to the housing, the handle including a pressing area, the handle linked to the power spring wherein pressing the handle from an initial handle rest position away from the housing to a pressed handle position near the housing causes the power spring to deflect and store energy, and at a predetermined position of the handle the striker is suddenly released to move to the lower striker position under bias of the power spring; and

a latch holding the striker in the upper rest position as the power spring deflects;

a latch holder immediately adjacent to and behind the striker, movable within the housing from an initial position to an actuated position, the latch holder, in the latch holder initial position, retaining the latch to hold the striker, and the latch holder being actuated at the predetermined position of the handle.

12. The spring actuated stapler of claim 11, wherein a cage confines and pre-loads the power spring in the rest position of the handle, and in the pressed position of the handle, a front of the cage is moved downward in the housing to contact and actuate the latch holder.

13. The spring actuated stapler of claim 11, wherein the latch includes tabs, and extensions of the latch holder engage the tabs in the initial position of the latch holder.

14. The spring actuated stapler of claim 12, wherein the latch includes tabs, and extensions of the latch holder engage the tabs in the initial position of the latch holder.

15. The spring actuated stapler of claim 14, wherein the latch holder moves downward in the housing from the initial position to the actuated position.

16. A stapler device, comprising:

a housing body including a track chamber along a bottom thereof;

a handle pivotably attached to the housing body;

a striker movable vertically in the housing body between a normal initial upper position above a staple track and a lower position in front of the staple track;

a track co-extensive with the track chamber, the track including a closed operative position under the housing body, and a track-open position extending forward from the housing body; and

a track release pivotably attached at a rear of the housing body including a normal engaged position retaining the track in the closed operative position, the track release including a pressing area exposed at a rear of the housing body, and a catch of the track release below the track, the track release including a single plastic molded element including the pressing area and the catch.

17. The stapling device of claim 16, wherein a base is pivotably attached to the housing body, the base including an anvil located below the striker, and wherein a base bias spring is fitted to the base including a rearward extending spring arm pressing the track release toward the normal engaged position.

18. The stapling device of claim 17, wherein a rib of the track release extends from the track release, and the rearward-extending arm of the spring presses the rib.

19. The stapling device of claim 17, wherein a forward extending arm of the spring presses an underside of the housing body, wherein the base is biased to move away from the housing body.

20. The stapling device of claim 16, wherein the track release includes resilient arms of the plastic molded element, and the resilient arms bias the track toward the track-open position.

21. A stapling device, comprising:

a housing body having a staple track formed therein;

a handle pivotably attached to the housing body;

a striker movable vertically in the housing body between a normal initial upper position above the staple track and a lower position in front of the staple track;

a power spring disposed within the housing body, wherein the power spring is elongated within the housing body from a front of the power spring near the striker toward a rear of the housing body;

a handle pivotably attached to a front, top, of the housing body, the handle linked to the power spring wherein pressing the handle from an initial handle rest position away from the housing body to a pressed handle position near the housing body causes the power spring to deflect and store energy, and at a predetermined position of the handle, the striker is suddenly released to move to the lower striker position under bias of the power spring;

a cage confining and pre-loading the power spring in the rest position of the handle, the cage extending along a length of the power spring to confine the power spring at separate front, center and rear locations;

wherein the cage is pivotably attached to the housing toward a rear of the housing, and in the pressed position of the handle a front of the cage is moved downward; and

wherein the handle is connected to the cage at a link location of the cage between the center and the front locations of the power spring, and the cage provides a connection between the handle and the power spring.

22. The stapling device of claim 21, wherein a link connects the handle to the cage, the link having a cam to provide varying leverage between the handle and the cage as the power spring is energized.

23. The stapling device of claim 21, wherein, as the handle is pressed, the link location of the cage moves vertically within the housing faster than the center location of the power spring.

24. The stapling device of claim 22, wherein the link is elongated and includes an angle in relation to a length of the cage in a rest position of the stapler, and a vertical position of the link within the housing body in a pressed position of the stapler.

25. The stapling device of claim 21, wherein the handle is pivotably attached to the housing immediately behind the striker.

26. A pliers type stapler, comprising:

an elongated housing body having a partially open top and a staple chamber therein;

a striker vertically movable at a front end of the housing body;

a staple track disposed to a bottom of the housing body, slidable to an open position forward of a front end of the stapler;

an upper handle nested into the open top of housing body and pivoted to the front end of the housing;

a base positioned beneath the housing body and pivoted to a back end of the housing body;

a lower handle having arms pivotably attached to the housing body, wherein the base nests into the lower handle, and wherein the lower handle engages the base via a cam surface; and

an energy storage means for urging the striker toward the staple track, disposed above the staple track, wherein the upper handle actuates the energy storage means.

27. The pliers stapler of claim 26, wherein the energy storage means includes a cage and a power spring pre-loaded by and assembled to the cage, and wherein at least one of the cage and power spring engages the striker, and the cage is pivoted at a back end to the back end of the housing body.

28. The pliers stapler of claim 27, wherein the stapler further comprises an independent link having opposed cam surfaces that act on the handle and the cage.

29. The pliers stapler of claim 26, wherein the stapler further comprises a latching means disposed behind the striker and selectively blocking movement of the striker, wherein the cage actuates the latching means.

30. The pliers stapler of claim 29, wherein the latching means further comprises a latch that blocks movement of the striker, a latch holder biased away from the latch and having hooked tabs that capture the latch, and wherein the cage at least one of directly and indirectly moves the latch holder to unhook the latch to release the striker.