Automatic clip driver

• US 6,318,619 B1
• Filed: 05/09/2001
• Issued: 11/20/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Yong-Woo Lee
• Original Assignee: Yong-Woo Lee
• Inventors: Lee, Yong-woo
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Scott A.
• Application Number:
  US09/851,777
• Time in Patent Office: 195 Days
• Field of Search: 227/19, 227/134, 227/127, 227/120, 227/123, 292/435.6, 298/09
• US Class Current: 227/134
• CPC Class Codes: B25B 31/00 Hand tools for applying fasteners nailing or stapling tools B25C
• CPC Class Codes: B42F 1/003 Devices for applying fasteners, e.g. clips, to bundles of sheets
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53783 Clip applier

Abstract

Disclosed is an automatic clip driver including an upper case having a cover coupling section formed with a clip insertion hole, and a knob mounting section having a knob slide slot for receiving a pushing knob to be longitudinally slidable, a lower case coupled to the upper case, an opening/closing cover hingably coupled to the upper case to selectively open the cover coupling section, a clip pushing member interposed between the upper and lower cases and adapted to forwardly urge clips received in a clip receiving space defined between the upper and lower cases, a first elastic member connected between the opening/closing cover and the clip pushing member and adapted to forwardly or rearwardly urge the clip pushing member in accordance with an opening or closing movement of the opening/closing cover, and a second elastic member connected between the pushing knob and the upper case and adapted to urge the pushing knob to be always positioned at a rear end of the knob slide slot.

Claims

1. An automatic clip driver comprising:

an upper case having a downwardly-opened rectangular box shape, the upper case including a cover coupling section formed with a longitudinally-extending spring receiving slot and a clip insertion hole arranged at the rear of the spring receiving slot, and a knob mounting section arranged at the front of the cover coupling section while being integral with the cover coupling section, the knob mounting section having a knob slide slot for receiving a pushing knob while allowing the pushing knob to be longitudinally slidable, and a pair of guide rails respectively arranged at opposite side surfaces of the knob mounting section and adapted to guide the sliding movement of the pushing knob;

a lower case coupled to the upper case while being mated with the upper case, the lower case being mounted with a pair of V-shaped plate springs at a front end thereof;

an opening/closing cover hingably coupled to a rear end of the upper case to selectively open the cover coupling section of the upper case;

the pushing knob received in the knob slide slot of the knob mounting section to be slidable along the knob slide slot;

a clip pushing member interposed between the upper and lower cases, the clip pushing member being in contact with the guide rails of the upper case to be longitudinally slidable along the guide rails and serving to forwardly urge clips received in a clip receiving space defined between the upper and lower cases;

a first elastic member connected between the opening/closing cover and the clip pushing member and adapted to forwardly or rearwardly urge the clip pushing member in accordance with an opening or closing movement of the opening/closing cover; and

a second elastic member connected between the pushing knob and the upper case and adapted to urge the pushing knob to be always positioned at a rear end of the knob slide slot.

2. The automatic clip driver according to claim 1, wherein the first elastic member comprises a tension coil spring connected at one end thereof to a fixing piece formed on an inner surface of the opening/closing cover at a front portion of the opening/closing cover while being connected at the other end thereof to a fixing piece formed on a lower surface of the clip pushing member at a front portion of the clip pushing member, the tension coil spring serving to rearwardly move the clip pushing member when the opening/closing cover is opened while being bent when the opening/closing cover is closed, so that it comes into contact with a rear end of the clip pushing member, thereby urging the clip pushing member to slide forwardly.

3. The automatic clip driver according to claim 1, further comprising:

engagement hooks extending downwardly from opposite side walls of the upper case, respectively; and

engagement grooves formed at the lower case and engaged with the engagement hooks, respectively, to couple the upper and lower cases to each other.