Implements or apparatus for applying pushing or pulling force – Staple puller
Reexamination Certificate
2002-10-07
2003-11-04
Wilson, Lee D. (Department: 3723)
Implements or apparatus for applying pushing or pulling force
Staple puller
Reexamination Certificate
active
06641114
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a staple remover for use in connection with removing staples and simultaneously removing the used staples. The magnetic staple remover has particular utility in connection with simple and efficient removal of staples without the need to gather and dispose of the waste staples.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Staple removers are desirable for removing staples so that stapled papers can be separated. A means of holding the released staple is also important in that staples are small and easily misplaced. When staple are removed from paper or other surface which had been fastened with the staple, they tend to randomly fly away from their prior location. In addition, staples tend to accumulate in crevices on a desk or on the floor where it is difficult or time-consuming to remove them. The staples are frequently caught up in the papers previously bound together and must be removed carefully if the papers are to be placed in a photocopier to prevent damage to the photocopier. It is therefore advantageous to provide a means for retaining the waste staples after they have been removed form the paper or other material.
The use of magnetized staple removers are known in the prior art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,054,263 to Delia discloses a standard style staple remover with two pivotal arms ending in a pincher having magnetic plates behind the pinchers forming a cavity into which the staples can fall. However, Delia's patent does not provide a cup or other recess isolated for the collection of staples where the staples can not be easily dislodged during use and easily discarded, and has further drawbacks of not providing a rounded outer body style.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,957,430 to Olson discloses a standard style magnetized staple remover having a plurality of magnets laterally outside of the pincher elements to capture and hold the staples once they have been removed. U.S. Pat. No. 3,974,999 to Bertolet discloses a standard style staple removing and retrieval device having a permanent magnet in the pincher elements that retain the staples. U.S. Pat. No. 6,105,936 to Malek discloses a staple remover that uses the heel of the palm to facilitate a more natural action for removing staples and optionally has a magnet located below the pincher element. Lastly, U.S. Pat. No. 4,553,737 to Yi discloses a prying staple remover with a magnet in the head portion for retaining staples.
None of these patents provide for a cup or other recessed area that can hold the staples without the concern on knocking them off the magnet or magnets. They are limiting in that the user must often remove the staples collecting on the magnet to eliminate accidentally brushing the staples off the magnet. Further, none of these patents provides for a convenient means to dispose of the staples, requiring the user to brush the staples off the magnet, countering the magnetic pull and subjecting fingers to potential harm on the sharp edges of the staple removers known in the art. Additionally, the patents described hereinabove do not provide a rounded outer body style that is pleasing to the eye as well as comfortable to grip.
While the above-described devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not describe a magnetic staple remover that allows the user to automatically collect staples once they have been removed from fastening paper or another material into a cup or other recess area that can be removed to facilitate disposal of the waste staples. Also, the above-mentioned patents make no provision for a rounded body for the staple remover.
Therefore, a need exists for a new and improved magnetic staple remover that can be used for removing staples and retaining the staple within the remover for easy disposal. In this regard, the present invention substantially fulfills this need. In this respect, the magnetic staple remover according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in doing so provides an aesthetically pleasing apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of removing and retaining staples.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of staple removers now present in the prior art, the present invention provides an improved magnetic staple remover, and overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages and drawbacks of the prior art. As such, the general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new and improved magnetic staple remover and method which has all the advantages of the prior art mentioned heretofore and many novel features. This results in a magnetic staple remover that is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by the prior art, either alone or in any combination thereof.
To attain this, the present invention essentially comprises a magnetic staple remover comprising an upper hemisphere having teeth, which extend from the front face and a lower hemisphere having teeth extend from the front face. The rear face of the lower hemisphere is pivotally attached to the rear face of the upper hemisphere. This attachment is, for example, a pin and spring or a ball detent and recess. The staple remover also has a magnet on the interior surface of the lower hemisphere and a cup adapted to fit into the interior surface of the lower hemisphere above the magnet. Preferably, the magnetic staple remover also comprises a slot in the cup and an ejection tit in the upper hemisphere. This ejection tit rotates into the slot when the upper hemisphere is rotated away from the lower hemisphere as the staple remover is fully opened.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated.
The invention may also include a gel grip on the top of said upper hemisphere for ease in gripping the staple remover.
In one embodiment, the staple remover is approximately 4-5 inches in diameter and approximately 2.5 inches tall. The two hemispheres may be formed from a colored hard plastic. Other moldable materials are also appropriate. Similarly, the gel grip may also be colored to make the staple remover more aesthetically appealing.
There are, of course, additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims attached.
Numerous objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon a reading of the following detailed description of presently preferred, but nonetheless illustrative, embodiments of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In this respect, before explaining the current embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. In addition, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of descriptions and should not be regarded as limiting.
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention. For example, a staple remover that is substantially oval is also contemplated in the
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