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US 6,637,635 B2Granted
Clinching mechanism for staplers
AssigneeIsaberg Rapid AB
InventorsMarcus Borjesson, Frank Ambjornsson, Trygrve Gustafsson, Mats Andersson
Life of this patent
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AssigneeIsaberg Rapid AB
InventorsMarcus Borjesson, Frank Ambjornsson, Trygrve Gustafsson, Mats Andersson
Estimating the term…
A clinching mechanism has an anvil composed of first (1), second (2) and third (3) plates arranged in a spaced apart stack with the second plate (2) positioned between the other two. The plates (1, 2, 3) are mounted on a housing (43) so as to be slidable relative thereto and the second plate is also connected to the first and third plates (1, 3) so as to be slidably movable relative to said first and third plates between a first aligned position in which at least one edge of the first, second and third plates (1, 2, 3) are aligned to form and anvil face and a second retracted position in which the second plate (2) is retracted from the anvil face. With the second plate in its aligned position, a staple to be clinched in received with its two legs (72) on either side of the second plate (2), the second plate operating to guide the legs (72) into engagement with associated clinching device (7, 8, 17, 18) positioned between the first and second, and the second and third plates. Once the staple is located, the second plate (2) is moved to its retracted position in which it is partially retracted from between the legs. The clinching device are then operated to fold the legs (72) towards the staple crown and also urge the legs (72) laterally towards each other, the retraction of the second plate (2) permitting the legs (72) to be clinched into close alignment with each other.
A clinching assembly for guiding and clinching a staple, comprising first, second and third plates arranged in a spaced apart stack with said second plate positioned between said first plate and said third plate, first clinching apparatus located between said first plate and said second plate and operable, in use, to clinch a first staple leg received in a first slot formed by the space between said first plate and said second plate, and second clinching apparatus located between said second plate and said third plate and operable, in use, to clinch a second staple leg received in a second slot formed in the space between said second plate and said third plate, wherein said first and third plates have at least one aligned edge forming an anvil surface of the clinching assembly, and said second plate is movable relative to said first and third plates between a first aligned position in which it has an edge aligned with said anvil surface so as to prevent interference between the staple legs as they engage in their respective slots, and a second retracted position in which said edge is withdrawn from said anvil surface so as, in use, to be at least partially retracted from between said inserted staple legs.
A method of clinching a staple comprising the steps of inserting the staple legs through a work piece into a clinching assembly on opposite sides of a guide plate, retracting the guide plate from between the staple legs and then clinching the staple legs.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.