# US 11,305,331 B2 · Binding machine and auxiliary member for binding machine > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,305,331 B2 - Document ID: US11305331B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/098,222 - Filed: 2020-11-13 - Published: 2021-03-11 - Granted: 2022-04-19 - Earliest claimed: 2016-11-10 - Assignees: Max Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Max Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Takeshi Morijiri; Takanori Ban - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11305331B2 ## CPC - B21F 15/04: without additional connecting elements or material, e.g. by twisting - B65B 13/025: {Hand-held tools} - B65B 13/18: Details of, or auxiliary devices used in, bundling machines {or bundling tools} - B65B 13/285: {Hand tools} - B65B 27/06: Bundling coils of wire or like annular objects - E04G 21/122: {Machines for joining reinforcing bars} - E04G 21/123: {Wire twisting tools (bundling articles by twisting, e.g. wire B65B13/28; bundling rods, sticks, or like elongated objects with, e.g. wire B65B27/10; tying devices for hops, vines or trees with, e.g. wire A01G17/08)} - B21F: WORKING OR PROCESSING OF METAL WIRE (rolling of metal wire B21B1/16; by drawing, auxiliary operations used in connection with metal-working without essentially removing material B21C) - B65B: MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING (bundling and pressing devices for cigars A24C1/44; devices for tensioning and securing binders adapted to be supported by the article or articles to be bound B25B25/00; applying closure members to bottles, jars or similar containers B67B1/00-B67B6/00; concurrent cleaning, filling and closing of bottles B67C7/00; emptying bottles, jars, cans, casks, barrels or similar containers B67C9/00) - E04G: SCAFFOLDING; FORMS; SHUTTERING; BUILDING IMPLEMENTS OR AIDS, OR THEIR USE; HANDLING BUILDING MATERIALS ON THE SITE; REPAIRING, BREAKING-UP OR OTHER WORK ON EXISTING BUILDINGS ## Abstract A binding machine includes a curl guide configured to guide a wire in a loop shape around a binding target and a twisting part configured to bind the binding target by twisting the wire guided in the loop shape around the binding target. The curl guide has a tapered protrusion at a tip end-side. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A binding machine comprising: a curl guide which guides a wire in a loop shape around a binding target as the wire is fed in a wire feeding direction, a twisting part which binds the binding target by twisting the wire guided in the loop shape around the binding target, and a protrusion which is separate from the curl guide and which is detachably connected to the curl guide or a binding machine main body which supports the curl guide, wherein at least a portion of the protrusion is downstream from the curl guide with respect to the wire feeding direction, wherein the protrusion comprises a protection part configured to cover at least a part of an outer surface of the curl guide from an outside of the curl guide, and wherein the protection part has an outer periphery protection surface extending along a periphery of the protrusion with respect to the wire feeding direction and which covers the at least part of the outer surface of the curl guide. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The binding machine according to claim 1, wherein the protrusion has a guide part provided on an outer periphery-side of the protrusion and arranged substantially perpendicularly to an extension line of a shaft of the twisting part. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The binding machine according to claim 2, wherein the guide part includes a planar surface. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The binding machine according to claim 2, wherein the guide part includes a convex portion or a concave portion. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The binding machine according to claim 2, wherein the protrusion has a pointed tip end, and the protrusion includes an inclined guide part configured to guide the binding target. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The binding machine according to claim 1, wherein the protrusion is mounted to be displaceable relative to the curl guide. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The binding machine according to claim 1, wherein the protection part has a side surface protection surface configured to cover at least one side surface of the outer surface of the curl guide, and the side surface protection surface extends from the outer periphery protection surface. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The binding machine according to claim 1, wherein the curl guide includes an outer peripheral surface and two side surfaces on opposite sides of the outer peripheral surface and wherein the protection part has a U-shaped section formed by the outer periphery protection surface and a pair of side surface protection surfaces on opposite sides of the outer periphery protection surface, and wherein: the outer periphery protection surface of the protrusion covers the outer peripheral surface of the curl guide; and the pair of side surface protection surfaces of the protrusion cover the two side surfaces of the curl guide. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The binding machine according to claim 1, wherein the protrusion has a width which gradually decreases toward a tip end-side of the protrusion. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The binding machine according to claim 9, wherein the protrusion has a pair of side surfaces, and the width which gradually decreases has a shape tapered toward one of the side surfaces. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The binding machine according to claim 1, wherein the protrusion has a side surface, and the side surface has a shape tapered toward a tip end-side of the protrusion. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The binding machine according to one of claim 1, wherein the protrusion has a mark indicative of a position, through which the wire is to pass, on an outer periphery-side or inner periphery-side surface. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The binding machine according to claim 1, wherein the protrusion is provided on at least one side surface of an outer surface of the curl guide. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The binding machine according to claim 1, wherein the protrusion includes two side portions spaced from each other in a direction orthogonal to the wire feeding direction, and wherein the outer periphery protection surface extends between the two side portions. ### Claim 15 An auxiliary member for a binding machine wherein the auxiliary member is mounted to a curl guide or to a binding machine main body which supports the curl guide, and the curl guide guides a wire in a loop shape as the wire is fed in a wire feeding direction, wherein the auxiliary member has a tapered protrusion that is positioned at an end of the curl guide when it is mounted to the curl guide or the binding machine main body, and at least a portion of the auxiliary member extends downstream from the curl guide with respect to the wire feeding direction, wherein the auxiliary member includes a protection part configured to cover at least a part of an outer surface of the curl guide, the protection part including an outer periphery protection surface configured to cover the outer surface of the curl guide, and the outer periphery protection surface extends along a periphery of auxiliary member; the auxiliary member including first and second sides spaced from each other in a direction orthogonal to the wire feeding direction when the auxiliary member is mounted on the curl guide or the binding machine main body, and the outer periphery protection surface extends between the first and second sides; the tapered protrusion is at a downstream side of outer periphery protection surface with respect to the wire feeding direction; and the auxiliary member is detachably mountable on the curl guide or the binding machine main body. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The auxiliary member for a binding machine according to claim 15, wherein the protrusion has a guide part at an outer periphery-side, which is arranged substantially perpendicularly to an extension line of a shaft of a twisting part configured to bind the binding target by twisting the wire guided in the loop shape around the binding target. ### Claim 17 A binding machine comprising: a curl guide which guides a wire in a loop shape around a binding target as the wire is fed in a wire feeding direction, the curl guide being one of an upper curl guide or a lower curl guide of the binding machine, a twisting part which binds the binding target by twisting the wire guided in the loop shape around the binding target, and a protrusion which is separate from the curl guide and which is detachably connected to the curl guide or a binding machine main body which supports the curl guide, wherein at least a portion of the protrusion is downstream from the curl guide with respect to the wire feeding direction where the curl guide is an upper curl guide or at least a portion of the protrusion is upstream from the curl guide with respect to the wire feeding direction where the curl guide is a lower curl guide, wherein the protrusion comprises a protection part configured to cover at least a part of an outer surface of the curl guide from an outside of the curl guide, and wherein the protection part has an outer periphery protection surface extending along a periphery of the protrusion with respect to the wire feeding direction and which covers the at least part of the outer surface of the curl guide. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The binding machine according to claim 17, wherein the protrusion includes two side portions spaced from each other in a direction orthogonal to the wire feeding direction, and the outer periphery protection surface extends between the two side portions; and wherein, with respect to the wire feeding direction, a width of the outer periphery protection surface narrows toward a downstream side of the protrusion where the curl guide is an upper curl guide or narrows toward an upstream side of the protrusion where the curl guide is a lower curl guide.