US 5,490,440 AGranted

Paper punch

AssigneeClix Products, Inc.

InventorsRobert G. Karlis, David S. Blumenthal

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Abstract

A paper punch for punching one or more holes into one or more sheets is disclosed. The paper punch includes a pair of top and bottom plates, formed of a polymer and hingelike mounted to one another along respective straight edges about an off-center pivot point located below the surface of the bottom plate. The off-center hingelike mounting assures an equal tolerance in entry as the punch head enters its punch hole. The hingelike mounting further includes integral mounting members designed to secure the paper punch about rings of a loose-leaf binder. The hingelike mounting includes male members formed on one of the pair of plates designed to cooperate with female members formed on the other plate. One of the pair of plates is formed with a reentrant segment to facilitate the angular separation of said pair of plates from one another preparatory to insertion of a sheet therebetween. The pivot is off-centered by a distance equal to the height of a male punching member.

Claims12

Dependent claims

Paper punch comprising:

(a) a pair of plates, including a top punch plate and bottom die plate, each having flat surfaces opposed to each other;
(b) each of said pair of plates bounded along its axial length by a straight edge and an opposed contoured edge;
and
(c) means for hingelike mounting said pair of plates to one another along their said respective straight edges and about a pivot point located off-center below said flat surface of said bottom die plate of said pair of plates;
(d) said pair of plates being formed of a substantially rigid, hard polymeric material;
(e) wherein said means is formed integral with each of said pair of plates and includes a pair of mounting members formed on one of said pair of plates, with the other of said pair of plates formed with recessed portions in its said straight edge, said recessed portions cooperating with said pair of mounting members to allow a hingelike separation between said pair of plates in excess of 120.degree., said contoured edge of one of said pair of plates formed with a reentrant segment at its mid-section;
and wherein said means for hingelike mounting of said pair of plates allows assembly and disassembly thereof and comprises male members formed on one of said pair of plates designed to be operatively received in female members formed on the other of said pair of plates, one of said male members formed with a pair of resilient bifurcated elements designed for axial deflection upon engaging its said female member.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.