US 2011/0226835 A1 · Plastic Fastener Dispensing Hand Tool Having a Novel Anvil Design

Abstract

An improved hand tool for dispensing plastic fasteners having a novel anvil design that prevents inadvertent user needle sticks during operation of the hand tool and a needle having a novel casing that further prevents inadvertent user needle sticks during the replacement of the hand tool needle. The hand tool has a gun shaped casing with a barrel portion and a handle portion. The casing has a needle assembly opening at the front of the barrel portion and a trigger slot at the front of the handle portion. The hand tool further has a hollow needle disposed on one end of a needle assembly. The needle assembly is slidably movable back and forth between a retracted position disposed substantially within the casing and an extend position disposed substantially out of the casing through the needle assembly opening. The hand tool further has a trigger that is pivotally mounted within the casing that extends out from the trigger slot. The trigger is capable of moving the needle assembly between the retracted and extended positions. The hand tool further has an anvil. The anvil has a needle guard, a main portion, and a fabric slot. The fabric slot separates the needle guard from the main portion.

Claims21

Dependent claims

A hand tool for dispensing plastic fasteners, comprising:

a gun shaped casing, said casing having a barrel portion, and a handle portion, said casing further having a needle assembly opening at the front of the barrel portion and a trigger slot on the front of said handle portion;
a hollow needle;
a needle assembly, said needle assembly being slidably movable back and forth between a retracted position disposed substantially within said casing and an extended position disposed substantially out of said casing through said needle assembly opening, said hollow needle disposed on one end of said needle assembly,
a trigger, said trigger being pivotally mounted within said casing and extending out from said trigger slot, said trigger being capable of moving said needle assembly between the retracted and extended positions;
and
an anvil, said anvil having a needle guard, a main portion, and a fabric slot, said fabric slot separating said needle guard from said main portion.

3 more elements

A method for replacing a needle of a hand tool for dispensing plastic fasteners comprising the steps of:

providing a hand tool having a gun shaped casing having a barrel portion, and a handle portion, said casing having a needle assembly opening at the front of the barrel portion, a hollow needle, said needle having a tip, a stem and a base portion, a needle assembly, a trigger, and an anvil, said anvil having needle guard, a main portion, and a fabric slot, said fabric slot separating said needle guard from said main portion;
providing a replacement needle having a protective needle casing, said replacement needle having a tip, a stem, and a base portion, said protective needle casing having a first end, a second end, and a tubular body, said tip of said stem of said replacement needle being inserted into said first end of said protective needle casing;
inserting said second end of said protective needle casing into said needle guard of said anvil;
depressing said trigger to advance said needle assembly forward until said tip and said stem of said hollow needle is inserted into said second end;
removing said protective needle casing from said finger guide portion of said anvil;
and
releasing said trigger.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Plastic Fastener Dispensing Hand Tool Having a Novel Anvil Design

Life of this patent

Plastic Fastener Dispensing Hand Tool Having a Novel Anvil Design

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims21