Stapler having detachable mounting unit

Details Stapler having detachable mounting unit Stapler having detachable mounting unit

2003-04-03

2004-05-18

Smith, Scott A. (Department: 3721)

Elongated-member-driving apparatus

With means to move or guide member into driving position

Including supply magazine for constantly urged members

C227S119000, C227S136000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06736304

ABSTRACT:

TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a stapler used to staple a stack of paper discharged from an image forming device such as a photocopier or a printer.
BACKGROUND
The following is an explanation of the stapling operation of a prior art stapler with reference to FIG.
1
and FIG.
2
. The sheet of staples S shown in
FIG. 1
consists of a series of single staples. The sheet of staples S is rolled up and housed in the housing unit
50
a
of the cartridge
50
. Here, the sheet of staples S extends from the extraction opening
50
b
in the housing unit
50
a
. The cartridge
50
mounted in the housing unit
50
a
has a pair of walls
50
c
,
50
c
separated at a specific interval as an extension of the extraction opening
50
b
. The interval between the walls
50
c
,
50
c
is roughly equal to the width of the sheet of staples S. Therefore, the sheet of staples S extending from the extraction opening
50
b
passes between the walls
50
c
,
50
c
in the direction of the arrow shown in FIG.
1
.
Guides
51
,
51
are placed on the cartridge
50
to prevent the sheet of staples S from riding up from the extraction opening
50
b
. In other words, the sheet of staples S is restrained widthwise by wall
100
c
and prevented from riding up by the guides
51
,
51
so as to travel in the direction of the arrow. As shown in
FIG. 1
, a plate
52
is extended between the side walls
50
c
,
50
c
, and a reverse motion stopping tab
52
a
is formed on both ends of the plate
52
. The reverse motion stopping tab
52
a
makes contact with the sheet of staples S to prevent the sheet of staples S from moving in the direction opposite to the arrow back into the housing unit
50
a
. In other words, the sheet of staples S moves in the direction of the arrow shown in
FIG. 1
, and is not allowed to return to the housing unit
50
a.
The cartridge
50
is mounted in the main body of the device
70
shown in
FIG. 2
, and the pressure unit
53
formed in the cartridge
50
is brought to bear when the cartridge is mounted on the spring plate
55
on the advancing unit
54
of the main body of the device
70
. The pressure from the spring plate
55
keeps the advancing unit
54
in the position shown in FIG.
2
. When the driver
56
applying the staples is lowered from the position shown in
FIG. 2
, the protrusion
56
a
on the driver
56
is brought to bear on the protruding plate
54
a
formed on the advancing unit
54
. Therefore, the lowering force of the driver
56
is communicated to the advancing unit
54
via the protrusion
56
a
and the protruding plate
54
a
, and the advancing unit
54
resists the spring action of the spring plate
55
and is rotated counterclockwise in the drawing. When the advancing unit
54
has traveled a fill stroke, the protrusion
56
a
passes the position of the protruding plate
54
a
. When the protrusion
56
a
passes the position of the protruding plate
54
a
, the advancing unit
54
becomes free, and the advancing unit
54
subjected to the force of the spring
55
returns to its original position as shown in the figure.
An advancing tab
57
is located on the advancing unit
54
. This advancing tab
57
makes elastic contact with the sheet of staples S extending from the cartridge
50
. Therefore, the rotation of the advancing unit
54
causes the advancing tab
57
to advance the sheet of staples S in the direction of the driver
56
. When the advancing unit
54
rotates counterclockwise, the advancing tab
57
makes and maintains elastic contact with the sheet of staples S. When the advancing unit
54
rotates counterclockwise, force is applied to return the sheet of staples S. However, the reverse motion stopping tab
52
a
prevents the sheet of staples from returning.
Often several cartridges are provided containing rolled sheets of staples of varying lengths. These cartridges can be replaced to provide the desired type of staples.
When a cartridge
50
is replaced in a stapler, the cartridge
50
is removed with the advancing tab
57
bearing down on the sheet of staples S. When a cartridge
50
is removed with the advancing tab
57
bearing down on the sheet of staples S, the sheet of staples S is pulled out from the cartridge
50
. Because the revere movement stopping tab
52
s
bears down on the pulled out sheet of staples S, the staples do not return to their original position. As a result, some of the staples in the sheet of staples S are wasted.
Sometimes the cartridge
50
is divided in two and only the sheet of staples in the housing unit is replaced. However, even though the cartridge
50
is divided in two, the reverse motion stopping tab
52
a
continues to function and the section of the sheet of staples S drawn out by the reverse motion stopping tab
52
a
does not return to its original position. As a result, the section of the sheet of staples is wasted.
Therefore, there remains a need for a stapler that does not waste any staples when a staple cartridge or sheet of staples is replaced.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a stapler device including a frame and a mounting unit configured to be selectively attached to and removed from the frame. The mounting unit includes a staple cartridge, a staple advancing mechanism, a staple former, and a staple driver. In one embodiment, the stapler device further includes a motor coupled to the frame.
In one aspect of the invention, the staple cartridge is configured to be removed from a portion of the mounting unit including the staple advancing mechanism, the staple former, and the staple driver when the mounting unit is removed from the frame. In another aspect of the invention, when the mounting unit is attached to the frame, the staple advancing mechanism is in a first position that permits the staple advancing mechanism to engage staples to be fed from the staple cartridge, and when the mounting unit is removed from the frame, the staple advancing mechanism is in a second position that prevents the staple advancing mechanism from engaging the staples to be fed from the staple cartridge. The staple advancing mechanism can be automatically movable between the first and second positions when the mounting unit is attached to and removed from the frame.
In yet another aspect of the invention, the mounting unit further includes a reverse motion stopping mechanism. The reverse motion stopping mechanism is engaged with staples to be fed from the staple cartridge when the mounting unit is attached to the frame, and the reverse motion stopping mechanism is disengaged from the staples to be fed from the staple cartridge when the mounting unit is removed from the frame. The reverse motion stopping mechanism can be automatically engaged with the staples to be fed from the staple cartridge when the mounting unit is attached to the frame, and the reverse motion stopping mechanism can be automatically disengaged from the staples to be fed from the staple cartridge when the mounting unit is removed from the frame.
The invention also relates to a method of removing a staple cartridge from a stapler device having a frame and a mounting unit configured to be selectively attached to and removed from the frame. The mounting unit includes a staple advancing mechanism, a staple former, a staple driver, and the staple cartridge. The method includes removing the mounting unit from the frame such that each of the staple advancing mechanism, the staple former, the staple driver, and the staple cartridge are separated from the frame but remain coupled together in the mounting unit. In one aspect, the method further includes, after removing the mounting unit from the frame, removing the staple cartridge from a portion of the mounting unit including the staple advancing mechanism, the staple former, and the staple driver.
The invention further relates to a stapler device having a frame and a mounting unit configured to be selectively attached to and removed from the frame. The mounting unit includes a staple cartridge, a staple former, and a staple driver. The staple cartridge is further remova

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