# US 8,464,620 B2 · Hole punch element > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,464,620 B2 - Document ID: US8464620B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/290,963 - Filed: 2011-11-07 - Published: 2012-03-01 - Granted: 2013-06-18 - Earliest claimed: 2005-08-30 - Assignees: WorkTools, Inc. - Applicants: Joel S. Marks - Inventors: Joel S. Marks - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8464620B2 ## CPC - B26F 1/14: Punching tools; Punching dies - B26D 5/10: Hand or foot actuated means - Y10T 83/8828: Plural tools with same drive means - Y10T 83/885: Fixed axis lever - Y10T 83/9423: Punching tool - Y10T 83/9428: Shear-type male tool - Y10T 83/9435: Progressive cutting - Y10T 83/9437: Shear-type female tool - Y10T 83/9476: Tool is single element with continuous cutting edge [e.g., punch, etc.] - 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 device that reduces the force required to create a hole in papers or other sheet media. A punch element of the hole punch device includes a locally sloped or indented floor to create a bend in the sheet media as it is punched to create an enlarged, oval hole. The punch pin may include an expanding sleeve surround the pin that forms a larger diameter during the cutting stroke and springs back to a smaller diameter during a pull out stroke. A coiled torsion return spring is positioned remotely from and non-coaxially with the punch pin. A keyed pin and support frame arrangement ensures a predetermined rotational orientation of the pin for sequential cutting for reduced cutting force. A long lead-in surface in the frame helps installing sheet media into the feed slot of the punch element. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A hole punch device for creating holes in paper sheets within the device, comprising: a substantially cylindrical punch pin having a pin axis; a frame guiding the punch pin along the pin axis, wherein the frame includes a base having a surface; a slot in the frame, wherein the slot includes a ceiling and a floor, the floor including an anvil cavity and a floor portion for a paper path with an offset surface contour, the offset being with respect to a distance from the ceiling, and wherein the floor coincides with the surface of the base of the frame; the paper sheets normally extending remotely from the pin in a perpendicular direction to the pin axis; and wherein the punch pin at a lowest position at least partially extends into the anvil cavity, and the punch pin presses the paper within the slot against the base so that the paper sheets, exclusive of a location within the anvil cavity, are forced to bend at the pin in relation to the perpendicular direction to follow the offset contour of the slot; and wherein the offset surface contour of the slot floor, exclusive of the anvil cavity, includes an upper floor segment and a lower floor segment, and an angled floor segment joins the upper floor segment to the lower floor segment, and the punch pin in the lowest position extends into the anvil cavity through the angled floor segment, and the paper sheets are biased to become bent at a location of the angled floor segment. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The hole punch device of claim 1, wherein the offset surface contour of the slot floor, exclusive of the anvil cavity, includes an upper floor segment and a lower floor segment, and a stepped floor segment joins the upper floor segment to the lower floor segment, and the punch pin in the lowest position extends into the anvil cavity through the stepped floor segment, and the paper sheets are biased to become bent at a location of the stepped floor segment. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The hole punch device of claim 1, wherein the angled floor segment includes an angle of 5° to 25° in relation to the upper floor segment. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The hole punch device of claim 3, wherein the angled floor segment includes an angle of 10° to 15° in relation to the upper floor segment. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The hole punch device of claim 1, wherein the punch pin creates a hole in the paper sheets at the anvil cavity, and the hole includes a diameter that is larger than a diameter of the pin. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The hole punch device of claim 5, wherein the hole includes an oval shape. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The hole punch device of claim 1 wherein the punch pin has two opposed cutting points at a lower cutting end of the pin. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The hole punch device of claim 7, wherein the pin is held at a substantially fixed orientation and the cutting points are held to each side of the offset surface contour of the floor. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The hole punch device of claim 1, wherein the pin is held at a substantially fixed orientation, a first cutting point is opposed to a second cutting point on a cutting end of the pin, and the first cutting point presses the paper sheets against the upper floor segment and the second cutting point presses the paper sheets against the lower floor segment, and wherein the paper sheets are forced to bend at a location of the cutting end. ### Claim 10 (depends on 2) The hole punch device of claim 2, wherein the pin is held at a substantially fixed orientation, a first cutting point is opposed to a second cutting point on a cutting end of the pin, and the first cutting point presses the paper sheets against the upper floor segment and the second cutting point presses the paper sheets against the lower floor segment, and wherein the paper sheets are forced to bend at a location of the cutting end. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The hole punch device of claim 1, wherein the ceiling adjacent the pin extends perpendicular to the pin axis, and as the pin is withdrawn from the slot the paper sheets are pressed against the ceiling, tilted and re-oriented toward extending perpendicular to the pin axis at a location of the pin. ### Claim 12 A hole punch device for creating holes in paper sheets within the device, comprising: a substantially cylindrical punch pin having a pin axis; a frame guiding the punch pin along the pin axis; a slot in the frame, wherein the slot includes a ceiling and a floor, the floor including an anvil cavity and a floor portion supporting a paper path with an offset surface contour; the ceiling adjacent the pin extends perpendicular to the pin axis; the paper path extending remotely from the pin in a perpendicular direction to the pin axis; and wherein the punch pin at a lowest position at least partially extends into the anvil cavity, the punch pin moves within the slot toward the offset surface contour of the floor so that the paper path is confined by the pin to become kinked at the offset surface contour but exclusive of a location within the anvil cavity; and wherein the offset surface contour of the slot floor, exclusive of the anvil cavity, includes an upper floor segment and a lower floor segment, and a further floor segment joins the upper floor segment to the lower floor segment, and wherein the punch pin in the lowest position extends into the anvil cavity through the further floor segment, and the paper path is kinked at a location of the further floor segment. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The hole punch device of claim 12, wherein the slot receives paper sheets therein, and the punch pin creates a hole in the paper sheets at the anvil cavity, and the hole includes a diameter that is larger than a diameter of the pin. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The hole punch device of claim 13, wherein the hole has an oval shape. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The hole punch device of claim 12, wherein the punch pin has two opposed cutting points at a lower cutting end of the pin. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The hole punch device of claim 15, wherein the pin is held at a substantially fixed orientation and the cutting points are held to each side of the offset surface contour of the floor. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The hole punch device of claim 12, wherein the slot receives paper sheets, and the pin is held at a substantially fixed orientation, a first cutting point is opposed to a second cutting point on a cutting end of the pin, and the first cutting point presses the paper sheets against the upper floor segment and the second cutting point presses the paper sheets against the lower floor segment, and wherein the paper sheets are forced to bend at a location of the cutting end. ### Claim 18 (depends on 13) The hole punch device of claim 13, wherein the paper sheets are biased to become not kinked by extending perpendicularly to the pin axis at a location of the pin as the pin is withdrawn from the slot.