# US 7,610,838 B2 · Hole punch > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,610,838 B2 - Document ID: US7610838B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 11/731,785 - Filed: 2007-03-30 - Published: 2008-10-02 - Granted: 2009-11-03 - Earliest claimed: 2007-03-30 - Assignees: Staples The Office Superstore, LLC - Inventors: Michael Kent; William D. Hester; Kenneth Zins; Chinawut Paesang - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7610838B2 ## CPC - B26F 1/02: Perforating by punching, e.g. with relatively-reciprocating punch and bed - B26D 5/10: Hand or foot actuated means - Y10T 83/222: With receptacle or support for cut product - Y10T 83/8828: Plural tools with same drive means - Y10T 83/8831: Plural distinct cutting edges on same support - Y10T 83/885: Fixed axis lever - Y10T 83/9423: Punching tool - B26F: PERFORATING; PUNCHING; CUTTING-OUT; STAMPING-OUT; SEVERING BY MEANS OTHER THAN CUTTING (marking-out, perforating or making buttonholes A41H25/00; shoemaking A43D; surgery A61B; punching metal B21D; drilling metal B23B; cutting of metal by applying heat locally, e.g. flame cutting, B23K; cutting by abrasive fluid jets B24C5/02; details common to machines for severing B26D; drilling wood B27C; drilling stone B28D; working of plastics or substances in a plastic state B29; making boxes, cartons, envelopes or bags, of paper or similarly worked materials, e.g. metal foil, B31B; of glass C03B; of leather C14B; of textile materials D06H; for light guides G02B6/25; of tickets G07B) - B26D: CUTTING; DETAILS COMMON TO MACHINES FOR PERFORATING, PUNCHING, CUTTING-OUT, STAMPING-OUT OR SEVERING (for growing crops or plants A01D, A01G; for fodder or straw A01F; for bulk butter A01J; for dough A21C; slaughtering A22B; for tobacco, cigars or cigarettes A24; marking-out, perforating or making buttonholes A41H25/00; manufacturing footwear A43D; brushmaking A46D; surgery A61B; disintegrating, mincing or shredding in general B02C; cutting wire, making pins or nails B21F, B21G; of the kind used formetal B23; cutting by abrasive fluid jets B24C5/02; hand-held cutting tools B26B; perforating, cutting-out, stamping-out or punching, or severing by means other than cutting B26F; for wood B27; for stone B28D; working of plastics or substances in a plastic state B29; making boxes, cartons, envelopes or bags, of paper or similarly worked materials, e.g. metal foil, B31B; article or web delivery apparatus incorporating cutting or line-perforating devices B65H35/00; for leather or upholstery B68, C14B; for glass C03B; making matches C06F; for peat C10F; for sugar C13B45/00; for textile materials D06H; civil engineering, building, mining, see Section E; for light guides G02B6/25; cutting processed photographic material G03D15/04) - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract A hole punch includes a base and a lever system to actuate a punch. The lever system includes a first lever having an end pivotally connected to the first end of the base and a second lever having an end pivotally connected to the second end of the base. Actuation of a free end of the second lever causes the first lever to move. In one embodiment, a lock is operatively coupled to the lever system and engages the first and second levers to hold the levers in a stowed position. In another embodiment, the hole punch includes a third lever having a first end operatively coupled to the first lever and a second end operatively coupled to the second lever. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A hole punch, comprising: a base having a longitudinal axis, the base having a first end and a second end; a first lever having a first end pivotally connected to the first end of the base, the first lever constructed and arranged to pivot about an axis that is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis; a second lever having a first end pivotally connected to the second end of the base and a second free end, the second lever constructed and arranged to pivot about an axis that is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, the second lever cooperating with the first lever such that actuation of the free end of the second lever causes the first lever to move; a third lever having a first end operatively coupled to the first lever and a second end operatively coupled to the second lever; and at least one punch head mounted to the base, the punch head having a punch, with the third lever adapted to engage the punch and move the punch from a rest position to a deployed position upon actuation of the free end of the second lever. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The hole punch according to claim 1, wherein the first end of the third lever is connected to the first lever at location near the first end of the first lever and wherein the second end of the third lever is connected to the second lever at location near the first end of the second lever. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The hole punch according to claim 1, wherein the first and second ends of the third lever each comprises a slot, with the first lever and the second lever pinned to corresponding slot to allow sliding and pivoting motion of the third lever relative to the first and second levers. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The hole punch according to claim 1, wherein each of the first and second levers comprises a flange for coupling the first and second levers respectively to the third lever. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The hole punch according to claim 4, wherein each flange comprises a hole constructed and arranged to receive a pin, the pin coupling the flange to the third lever. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The hole punch according to claim 1, wherein the third lever is formed as a U-shaped channel member. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The hole punch according to claim 1, wherein the base comprises a first upstanding portion at the first end of the base and a second upstanding portion at the second end of the base, the first end of the first lever arm pivotally connected to the first upstanding portion, the first end of the second lever arm pivotally connected to the second upstanding portion. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The hole punch according to claim 1, wherein the first lever engages an underside of the second lever at approximately a mid section of the second lever. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The hole punch according to claim 8, wherein the underside of the second lever comprises a curved engagement surface. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The hole punch according to claim 1, further comprising a waste drawer slidingly received relative to the base and positionable beneath the at least one punch head to capture a resulting chad after paper is punched. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The hole punch according to claim 1, further comprising a slide rule constructed and arranged to aid with alignment of a sheet of paper relative to the punch heads, the slide rule having a first portion slidingly engaged in the base and a second, upstanding portion, the slide rule being formed of a first material, the upstanding portion comprising a cover formed of a second material that is different from the first material. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The hole punch according to claim 11, wherein the slide rule is formed of metal and the cover is formed of an overmolded thermoplastic material. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The hole punch according to claim 1, wherein the at least one punch head comprises a sheet-entry surface having a radius of approximately 11 mm. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The hole punch according to claim 1, wherein the first and second levers are movable from a pre-actuation position to a punch position, wherein the hole punch further comprises a lock constructed and arranged to engage with the first and second levers to hold the levers in a stowed position located at or between the pre-actuation position and the punch position. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The hole punch according to claim 14, wherein the lock is disposed in the second lever, the lock having a hook constructed and arranged to be selectively engageable with a pocket in the first lever upon actuation of the lock. ### Claim 16 A hole punch, comprising: a base having a longitudinal axis, the base having a first end and a second end; a lever system movable from a pre-actuation position to punch position, the lever system comprising: a first lever having a first end pivotally connected to the first end of the base, the first lever constructed and arranged to pivot about an axis that is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis; and a second lever having a first end pivotally connected to the second end of the base and a second free end, the second lever constructed and arranged to pivot about an axis that is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, the second lever cooperating with the first lever such that actuation of the free end of the second lever causes the first lever to move; at least one punch head having a punch and mounted to the base and operatively coupled to the lever system such that upon actuation of the lever system, the punch moves from a rest position to a deployed position; a lock operatively coupled to the lever system, the lock constructed and arranged to engage with the first and second levers to hold the levers in a stowed position located at or between the pre-actuation position and the punch position; wherein the lock is disposed in the second lever, the lock having a hook constructed and arranged to be selectively engageable with a packet in the first lever upon actuation of the lock; and a slide rule constructed and arranged to aid with alignment of a sheet of paper relative to the punch heads, the slide rule having a first portion slidingly engaged in the base and a second, upstanding portion, the slide rule being formed of a first material, the upstanding portion comprising a cover formed of a second material that is different from the first material. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The hole punch according to claim 16, wherein the slide rule is formed of metal and the cover is formed of an overmolded thermoplastic material. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The hole punch according to claim 16, wherein the lock further comprises a slide member coupled to the hook. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The hole punch according to claim 18, wherein the slide member comprises a surface that is constructed and arranged to be engaged with a finger of a user to move the hook into the desired position. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The hole punch according to claim 18, wherein in the slide member is positioned on the second lever and the hook is disposed through the second lever. ### Claim 21 (depends on 16) The hole punch according to claim 16, wherein the first lever comprises a pocket constructed and arranged to receive the hook. ### Claim 22 (depends on 18) The hole punch according to claim 18, wherein the second lever comprises a recess on an outer surface thereof, with the slide member being disposed at least partially within the recess. ### Claim 23 (depends on 16) The hole punch according to claim 16, further comprising a waste drawer slidingly received relative to the base and positionable beneath the at least one punch head to capture a resulting chad after paper is punched. ### Claim 24 A hole punch, comprising: a base having a longitudinal axis, the base having a first end and a second end; a lever system movable from a pre-actuation position to punch position, the lever system comprising: a first lever having a first end pivotally connected to the first end of the base, the first lever constructed and arranged to pivot about an axis that is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis; and a second lever having a first end pivotally connected to the second end of the base and a second free end, the second lever constructed and arranged to pivot about an axis that is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, the second lever cooperating with the first lever such that actuation of the free end of the second lever causes the first lever to move; at least one punch head having a punch and mounted to the base and operatively coupled to the lever system such that upon actuation of the lever system, the punch moves from a rest position to a deployed position; a lock operatively coupled to the lever system, the lock constructed and arranged to engage with the first and second levers to hold the levers in a stowed position located at or between the pre-actuation position and the punch position; wherein the lock is disposed in the second lever, the lock having a hook constructed and arranged to be selectively engageable with a pocket in the first lever upon actuation of the lock; and wherein the at least one punch head comprises a sheet-entry surface having a radius of approximately 11 mm. ### Claim 25 A hole punch, comprising: a base having a longitudinal axis, the base having a first upstanding portion at a first end of the base and a second upstanding portion at a second end of the base; a lever system movable from a pre-actuation position to punch position, the lever system comprising: a first lever having a first end pivotally connected to the first upstanding portion, the first lever constructed and arranged to pivot about an axis that is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, the first lever having a first flange near the first end of the first lever; a second lever having a first end pivotally connected to the second upstanding portion and a second free end, the second lever constructed and arranged to pivot about an axis that is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, the second lever having a second flange near the first end of the second lever, an underside surface of the second lever engaging the first lever such that actuation of the free end of the second lever causes the first lever to move; and a third lever having a first end connected to the first flange and a second end connected to the second flange; and at least one punch head mounted to the base, the punch head having a punch, with the third lever adapted to engage the punch and move the punch from a rest position to a deployed position upon actuation of the free end of the second lever; and a lock operatively coupled to the lever system, the lock comprising a hook disposed through the second lever and constructed and arranged to engage a pocket disposed on the first lever to hold the levers in a stowed position located at or between the pre-actuation position and the punch position. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) The hole punch according to claim 25, wherein the first and second ends of the third lever each comprises a slot, with the first and the second flanges of the first and second levers pinned to a corresponding slot to allow sliding and pivoting motion of the third lever relative to the first and second levers. ### Claim 27 (depends on 25) The hole punch according to claim 25, further comprising a waste drawer slidingly received relative to the base and positionable beneath the at least one punch head to capture a resulting chad after paper is punched. ### Claim 28 (depends on 25) The hole punch according to claim 25, further comprising a slide rule constructed and arranged to aid with alignment of a sheet of paper relative to the punch heads, the slide rule having a first portion slidingly engaged in the base and a second, upstanding portion, the slide rule being formed of a metal and the upstanding portion comprising a cover formed of an overmolded thermoplastic material. ### Claim 29 (depends on 25) The hole punch according to claim 25, wherein the at least one punch head comprises a sheet-entry surface having a radius of approximately 11 mm. ### Claim 30 (depends on 25) The hole punch according to claim 25, wherein the lock further comprises a slide member coupled to the hook, wherein in the slide member is positioned on the second lever, and wherein the slide member comprises a surface that is constructed and arranged to be engaged with a finger of a user to move the hook into the desired position. ### Claim 31 (depends on 30) The hole punch according to claim 30, wherein the second lever comprises a recess on an outer surface thereof, with the slide member being disposed at least partially within the recess.