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US 2008/0164278 A1Published application
Fastening Device
OwnerMartin Myerscoughinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A fastening system that enables a tab to be positioned around items to be joined, and a fastener to be passed through the tab and the items to be joined to fasten these. The invention relates to a fastening device for effecting the system, a magazine for storing and dispensing tabs and to the tabs.
Claims36
A fastening device for joining items, said fastening device comprising:
- a magazine holding at least one tab, said tab having a first portion with a free end, a second portion with a free end and a hinge, said first portion and said second portion being joined along said hinge such that said free ends of said first portion and said second portion are biased away from each other, said first portion having a different size and/or shape to said second portion, said magazine including an opening through which said tab is dispensed, said opening including a retainer for retaining said second portion of said tab from moving in a first direction whilst allowing said first portion of said tab to move in said first direction, said tab being removable from said magazine in a second direction generally perpendicular to said first direction to a fastening position, and a fastening mechanism for driving a fastener to join said tab and said items to be joined.
A tab for use with a fastener device, the tab comprising:
- a first portion with a free end, a second portion with a free end, and a hinge, said first portion and said second portion being joined along said hinge such that said free ends of said first portion and said second portion are biased away from each other, said first portion having a different size and/or shape to said second portion such that said second portion of said tab can be retained from moving in a first direction whilst allowing said second portion of said tab to move in said first direction, said tab being removable from a magazine in a second direction generally perpendicular to said first direction.
A method of joining items comprising:
- providing a tab having a first portion with a free end, a second portion with a free end, and a hinge, said first portion and said second portion being joined along said hinge such that said free ends of said first portion and said second portion are biased away from each other, said first portion having a different size and/or shape to said second portion, restraining said second portion of said tab from moving in a first direction whilst allowing said first portion of said tab to move in said first direction, providing a number of items to be stapled between said free ends of said first portion and said second portion of said tab, and moving said items in a second direction generally perpendicular to said first direction to abut against the join between said first portion and said second portion of said tab, and continuing the movement of said items to be joined to remove said tab in a second direction generally perpendicular to said first direction, and passing a fastener through said first portion and said second portion of said tab sandwiching said items to be joined.
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Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.