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US 7,395,955 B2Granted
Stapler
AssigneeStaples The Office Superstore, LLC
InventorsKenneth Zins, Paul Severino, Robert Doran, Mitch Maiman, Yuri Gofman, Ryan McGann
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A stapler includes a body and a strike plate movably mounted to the body between a rest position and a loaded position. The strike plate is adapted to drive a staple into a target object. The strike plate may be moved from the rest position to the loaded position by a loading mechanism against the bias of a power spring, whereupon the energy stored in the power spring is applied to the strike plate to drive the staple. A stapler may include a lockout which inhibits movement of the strike plate toward the loaded position unless a work piece is beneath the stapler body.
Claims55
A desktop stapler, comprising:
- a body having a staple chamber;
- a strike plate movably mounted to the body between a rest position and a loaded position, the strike plate being adapted to drive a staple from the staple chamber and into an object, the strike plate comprising an opening;
- a power spring comprising at least one leaf spring the power spring having a first, fixed end fixedly mounted to the body and a second, free end formed as a tab adapted to engage with an edge of the opening in the strike plate, the power spring being adapted to repeatedly move the strike plate from the loaded position to the rest position to drive the staple, with the power spring adapted to provide an output force on the strike plate when the strike plate is in the loaded position, wherein the power spring comprises a rest configuration when the strike plate is in the rest position and a loaded configuration when the strike plate is in the loaded position;
- a loading mechanism mounted in the body and adapted to repeatedly move the strike plate from the rest position toward the loaded position, the loading mechanism comprising:
- a lever pivotally mounted to the body at a pivot, the lever having a first end and a second end;
- and
- a trigger pivotally mounted to the second end of the lever, the trigger having a trigger foot adapted to engage with the power spring;
- an actuation surface adapted to cooperate with the trigger to rotate the trigger foot;
- and
- a handle pivotally mounted to the body, the handle having a first area contoured to cause the lever to rotate about its pivot point, whereby pivoting the handle causes the first area of the handle to act on the first end of the lever to pivot the lever such that the second end of the lever moves the trigger into contact with the actuation surface and thereby loads the power spring and raises the strike plate from the rest position toward the loaded position whereupon the trigger pivots relative to the lever arm to disengage from the power spring when the strike plate is in the loaded position;
- and
- at least one dampener mounted to the body and adapted to absorb some impact of the power spring upon return from the loaded configuration to the rest configuration.
9 more elements
A desktop stapler, comprising:
- a body;
- a strike plate movably mounted to the body between a rest position and a loaded position, the strike plate being adapted to drive a staple;
- a leaf spring having a first, fixed portion fixedly mounted to the body and a second, free portion coupled to the strike plate, the leaf spring being adapted to repeatedly move the strike plate from the loaded position to the rest position to drive the staple;
- and
- a loading mechanism mounted in the body and arranged to repeatedly move the strike plate from the rest position toward the loaded position, the loading mechanism comprising:
- a lever pivotally mounted to the body at a pivot, the lever having a first end and a second end;
- and
- a trigger pivotally mounted to the second end of the lever, the trigger having a trigger foot adapted to engage with the leaf spring;
- an actuation surface adapted to cooperate with the trigger to rotate the trigger foot;
- and
- a handle pivotally mounted to the body, whereby pivoting the handle causes a first area of the handle to act on the first end of the lever to pivot the lever such that the second end of the lever moves the trigger into contact with the actuation surface and thereby loads the leaf spring and raises the strike plate from the rest position toward the loaded position whereupon the trigger pivots relative to the lever arm to disengage from the leaf spring when the strike plate is in the loaded position.
8 more elements
A desktop stapler, comprising:
- a body;
- a strike plate movably mounted to the body between a rest position and a loaded position, the strike plate being adapted to drive a staple;
- a leaf spring coupled to the body and cooperating with the strike plate, the leaf spring being adapted to provide an output force on the strike plate when the strike plate is in the loaded position;
- a loading mechanism mounted in the body and arranged to repeatedly move the strike plate from the rest position toward the loaded position, the loading mechanism comprising:
- a lever pivotally mounted to the body at a pivot;
- and
- a trigger having a trigger foot adapted to engage with the leaf spring;
- an actuation surface;
- and
- a handle mounted to the body and cooperating with the loading mechanism, whereby pivoting the handle causes the lever to pivot such that the lever moves the trigger into contact with the actuation surface and thereby loads the leaf spring and raises the strike plate from the rest position toward the loaded position whereupon the trigger foot disengages from the leaf spring.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.