Abstract:
A stapler apparatus is equipped with linked staples and includes a staple feed member configured for feeding staples to a driving position, a staple driver operable to drive the staples from the driving position into a stack of sheets, and an anvil unit operable to engage and clamp the stack of sheets to be stapled. The staple feed member is powered by movement of the anvil unit.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a stapler apparatus which binds media (a sheet bundle), such as a plurality of documents printed with a copying machine, a printer, or a composite of machines thereof, etc., with staples. 
     Conventionally, this type of stapler has a staple feed pawl which successively advances and feeds staples composed of a belt roll of staples or stacked sheets of sheet shaped staples loaded in a cartridge to a driving position, arranges a driver means for driving staples into the bundle of sheets on the side provided with the staple feed pawl, arranged a clincher means for appropriately bending the ends of the staple driven and pierced through the bundle of sheets with the driver means on the opposite side with the staple band as a boundary, and stapled the bundle of sheets interposed between this driver means and the clincher means by swinging in the direction for being made adjacent to each other or separated from each other. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     However, the advance feeding of staples at this time is executed by linking the charging operation of the staple feed pawl with the operation of punching staples into the bundle of sheets with the driver means and the advance feeding operation of the staple feed pawl is not executed according to the reciprocating movement of the driver means. 
     However, a method for advancing the staple feed pawl through the reciprocal movement of the driver means, the driver means places the staple feed pawl in a charged state when drawing a staple formed into a U-shape by the former means and drives the staple into a binding media but does not act to push the staple band to the driving position and is easily offset. Formed staples are offset by any shock so the driver means is unable to support the crown portion of the staple so staples are received in such a state and when driving the staples into a binding media, the drive of the driver means on the staple is offset resulting in not being able to complete drive the staple into the binding media which is a cause of binding problems. 
     An object of the present invention in view of the aforementioned problem, is to check the occurrence of trouble of binding problems by making at least no staple position offsets, and to drive staples at the driving position with the staple feed pawl advancing to prevent the occurrence of mis-positioning of staples when driving staples when driving staples into a binding media using the driver means. 
     In one embodiment, the invention provides a stapler apparatus comprising staples linked in series by adhesive, a feed means that feeds these staples to the staple driving position and urges these staples to the staple driving position and a staple driving means to drive the staples at the staple driving position into a binding media. An actuating means actuates the staple feeding means to urge the next staple linked to staple driving position before the aforementioned staple driving means touches the aforementioned staple with the driving action. 
     This structure can urge the staple to drive into the binding media with the driver means without offsetting from the driving position by the staple feeding means and stabilizes the positional relationship of the driver means and staple to securely staple and hold down binding problems. 
     In one aspect of the invention, the stapler apparatus moves the aforementioned actuating means thereby charging the aforementioned staple feeding means and releasing that charge. 
     According to this invention, to make it possible to charge and to release a charge by the reciprocal movement of the staple feeding means, the time that the staple feeding means is charged can be released without waiting for the recovery after completing the stapling process, compared to conventionally not being able to continue until the recovery after completing the stapling process so the load applied to the charging of the staple feeding means can be performed in a timing that does not mal-affect the stapling action. 
     Also, it is possible to actuate by the staple feeding means staple feeding ability even at the recovery to thoroughly ensure the feeding amount of the staple feed. 
     In another aspect of the invention, the actuating means retracts from the actuating position of the aforementioned staple feeding means. 
     This invention does not require excessive staple feeding if the staple feeding means staple feeding ability is enough. 
     In yet another aspect of the invention, the actuating means is disposed with a nipping member that nips the binding media. 
     According to this invention, specifically an actuating means is disposed on a nipping member and by using the reciprocal movement thereof, there is no need to dispose a separate drive mechanism. 
     In a further aspect of the invention, the staple feeding means includes a leaf spring that swingingly urges in one direction and a feeding pawl to feed staples urged by the leaf spring. 
     According to this invention, it is possible to stop and release staples by the elastic deformation of a single leaf spring and requires no special mechanism. 
     Below, an embodiment of the stapler apparatus according to the present invention will be described in accordance with the figures. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an external perspective view of a sectional portion comprising the stapler apparatus according to the invention. 
         FIG. 2  is an external perspective view of the disassembled units of the stapler apparatus according to the instant invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a partially expanded status view to explain the relationship between the staple feeding means and the feed pawl charging means according to the invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a partially expanded status view to explain the feed pawl charging means according to the invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a partially expanded status view to explain the staple feeding means according to the invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a partially expanded status view to explain the relationship of the series of operations between the staple feeding means and the feed pawl charging means according to the invention. 
         FIG. 7  is a timing chart of the operations of the stapler apparatus according to the embodiment of the instant invention. 
       
         
           
                 
               
                 
                 
                 
               
             
                 
                     
                 
                 
                   Description Of The Reference Numerals 
                 
                 
                     
                 
               
               
                 
                     
                 
               
            
             
                 
                     
                   100 
                   Staple cartridge 
                 
                 
                     
                   101 
                   Staple band material (staples) 
                 
                 
                     
                   106 
                   Leading edge stopper 
                 
                 
                     
                   107 
                   Feed pawl advancing protrusion 
                 
                 
                     
                   200 
                   Cartridge holder 
                 
                 
                     
                   202 
                   Staple feed means 
                 
                 
                     
                   202a 
                   Feed pawl member 
                 
                 
                     
                   202a2 
                   Feed pawl 
                 
                 
                     
                   202a4 
                   Cartridge advancing arm 
                 
                 
                     
                   202b 
                   Feed pawl spring 
                 
                 
                     
                   300 
                   Stapler unit 
                 
                 
                     
                   332 
                   Driver (staple driving means) 
                 
                 
                     
                   333 
                   Former (staple driving means) 
                 
                 
                     
                   355 
                   Feed pawl charging means (actuating means) 
                 
                 
                     
                     
                 
               
            
           
         
       
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG. 1  is an external perspective view showing a section of part of the entire stapler apparatus, mainly comprising the staple cartridge  100 , the cartridge holder  200  and the stapler unit  300 . 
     Firstly, to describe the apparatus according to the sequence of its assembly, the stapler unit  300  comprises the unit frame  310 , the electric drive unit, not shown in the figures, the staple head unit  330 , the actuating lever  340 , the anvil unit  350 , the clincher unit  360 , the interlock lever  370 , the anvil spring  380 , the paper thickness absorbing spring  390 , the clincher spring  400  and the manual drive plate  500 . 
     The unit frame  310  is sheet metal pressed formed into a sectional U-shape comprising sides established left, right and a bottom. It internally holds the electric drive unit, thereabove the holder guide  301 , which is shown in FIG.  2  and the staple head unit  330  in the leading edge and properly supports other units on the outside side walls thereof. 
     Note that the electric drive unit, which is not shown in the figures, is composed of a direct current motor that is the stapler drive source, the gear train that decelerates the rotation of the motor to a determined rotating speed and the transmission cams that are decelerated to the determined speed and rotate. Each transmission cams drive the staple head unit  330  and the anvil unit  350  via the actuating lever  340  and the interlock lever  370  and by driving the clincher unit  360  it controls the series of operations of the stapler. 
     The staple head unit  330  comprises the sheet loading table  331 , the driver  332 , the former  333 , the sheath  334  and the bending block  335 . 
     Furthermore, the staple head unit  330  starts the upward direction displacement of the driver  332  pressed formed with a leaf spring material by the driver drive cam pin disposed on the last level of the electric drive unit. 
     Displacement of the driver  332  abuts the former abutting piece  332   a  on the driver  332  against the former  333 . The driver  332  and former  333  follow a stepped surface, not shown in the figures, formed on the sheath  334  upward to a position where that abutment is released. 
     The former  333  bends into a U-shape staples drawn to the staple bending position of the bending block bending block  335  and holds to guide U-shaped staples on the sides of the former  333  thereof to enable driving. Note that the position where the staple is bent by the former  333  corresponds to the staple driving position below. 
     In this state, the driver  332  released from abutting the former  333  by the protrusion, not shown in the figures, formed at the sheath  334  is displaced further upward leaving the former  333  in that position. 
     By displacing upward, the staple driving unit  332   b  positioned at the leading edge of the driver  332  displaces the bending block  335  to the front from the region of movement of the driver  332  and retracts. 
     The staple driving unit  332   b  of the driver  332  displaced further upward separates from the adhesive staples that have been bent and are adhering to the next staple by adhesive tape. Formed and separated staples are driven by the binding media. 
     Next, the actuating lever  340  has arms extending left and right along the side surfaces of the anvil unit  350 . While nipping in the unit frame  310 , they are supported by the interlocking pivot shaft  331  disposed on the anvil unit  350  sides. 
     In addition, the paper thickness absorbing springs  390  are stretched between the anvil unit  350  in a central location on the left and right arms of the actuating lever  340 . These springs  390  constantly urge in the counterclockwise direction around the interlocking pivot shaft  331  to contact with the stopper  351  formed on the anvil unit  350 . 
     The notch  341  comprising an edge to abut with the anvil drive lever, which is not shown in the figures, driven to displacement by the electric drive unit is formed on the leading edge of the arm positioned on the other edge of the left and right arms. The anvil drive lever swings it clockwise around the interlocking pivot shaft  331  which is pressed and urged downward. 
     The anvil unit  350 , the anvil rocking pivot  352  on one side thereof rockingly supported on the pivot shaft  312  on the unit frame  310 , is constantly rotatingly urged in the clockwise direction by the anvil spring  380  around the pivot shaft  312 . 
     The anvil head  353  on the other side follows the rocking of the actuating lever  340  and rocks counter-clockwise resisting the urging force of the anvil spring  380  to nip and support the binding media at a position that corresponds to the thickness thereof. 
     Note that after the anvil unit  350  nips and supports the binding media by the paper thickness absorbing springs  390 , the actuating lever  340  continues acting alone in resistance to the resilient force of the paper thickness absorbing springs  390  because the anvil unit  350  is locked in that nipping position. 
     To the anvil head  353  that nips the binding media on the anvil unit  350 , the clincher unit  360  that has the left and right paired clinchers  354  for bending the leading edges of staples that have penetrated the binding media driven from below the binding media, is disposed to follow. 
     The clincher unit  360  comprises the clincher lever  361  and is supported by the pivot shaft  312  on the unit frame  310  which is also the pivot for the anvil rocking pivot  352  on the anvil unit  350 . To the leading edge of the clincher unit  360  is mounted the clincher head  362  that bends staples that have been driven and rocks the clincher  354  mounted to the anvil head  353  on the anvil unit  350 . 
     The clincher head  362  is press formed using a steel plate for a spring with a thickness of 1.5 mm while the clincher lever  361  is formed using a plated steel plate of a thickness of 2.0 mm, to absorb the difference in pressing stroke of the clincher  354 . 
     Next, the interlock lever  370  follows the rocking of the anvil unit  350  via the clincher spring  400  to rock the clincher unit  360  and is disposed to continue rotating with the rocking of the clincher drive lever, not shown in the drawings, while the anvil unit  350  nips and stops the binding media and after the anvil unit  350  stops at the nipping position that corresponds to the thickness of the binding media, it continues rotating to bend the staples. 
     The manual drive plate  500  is for resetting stapling defects by manually operating the stapler when a staple is not properly driven by the binding media and the defective staple prevents the stapler apparatus from operating and thus causes a stapling problem, when driving staples, and is mated to the rotating shaft extending to the back side of the output shaft of the direct current motor of the electric drive unit, which is not shown, when manual operations are necessary. 
       FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view showing the cartridge holder  200  and staple cartridge  100  that are mounted on the stapler unit  300  in  FIG. 1 , pulled out. 
     When pulling from the stapler unit  300 , first the cartridge lock lever  600  which abuts the staple cartridge  100  and urgingly supports in the mounting direction is manually pressed downward to release the abutting, then the staple cartridge  100  is pulled from the cartridge holder  200 . 
     Then, the cartridge holder  200  is pulled from the stapler unit  300 . Conversely, it is also possible to remove the staple cartridge  100  from the cartridge holder  200  after pulling out the cartridge holder  200  while the staple cartridge  100  is mounted to the cartridge holder  200 . 
     Note that the reverse procedures are acceptable when mounting the staple cartridge  100  and cartridge holder  200  to the stapler unit  300 . 
     The staple cartridge  100  is composed of a semi-transparent plastic case and comprises the storage unit  102  that stores the staple band material  01  into which sheets of a plurality of straight staples linked into a band are wrapped into a roll, and the pull-out guide  103  for pulling out the staple band material  101 . 
     The pull-out guide  103  is mounted to the cartridge holder  200  and is equipped with the opening  104  the guide surface on the leading top side being widely cut away to abut the staple feed means  202  on the cartridge holder  200 , the back-feed stopper pawl  105  to arrest so that the staple band material  101  pulled out from the storage unit  102  does not return back into the storage unit  102 , and the leading edge stopper  106  that restricts the leading edge of the staple band material  01  that has been pulled out and that positions the leading edge thereof at the binding position while mounted to the stapler unit  300 . 
     Also, it comprises the feed pawl advancing protrusion  107  that protrudes into the guide surface on the top-side of the leading edge formed on the opening  104  on the pull-out guide  103  and advances the staple feed means  202  when mounting to the cartridge holder  200  to press the leading edge of staples in the staple band material  101  to the edge stopper  106 . 
     Furthermore, to both sides of the staple cartridge  100  are equipped the guide protrusion  108  guided when mounting to the cartridge holder  200  and the stopper pawl  109  stopped when mounting to the cartridge holder cartridge holder  200 . 
     Though not shown in the figures, it is possible to bend open the bottom portion the staple cartridge  100  from an appropriate position on the back-feed stopper pawl  105  and the edge stopper  106  to the storage unit  102 . By opening, the back-feed stopper pawl  105  is released from stopping the staple band material  101  thereby making it possible to discard all remaining staples when discarding. 
     The cartridge holder  200  is composed of the holder unit  201 , the staple feed means  202 , the magnet  203 , the guide plate  204  comprising a non-magnetic body, the opening  205 , the guide  206 , the abutting hole  207  and the auxiliary table  208 . 
     The holder unit  201  is formed of a plastic material to cover the front half of the staple cartridge  100 . 
     The staple feed means  202  is rockingly supported on the holder unit  201  and is constantly urged to the staple pull-out direction by a leaf spring, which is not shown in the figures. It is interlocked to the nipping action of the binding means by the anvil unit  350  and charged. It comprises a feed pawl for pressing the staple sheet surface of the staple band material  101  with the recovery action caused by the release of the charge to advance the staple band material  101 . 
     The magnet  203  and the guide plate  204  faces the staple to be driven at the binding position when mounted to the stapler unit  300  and the magnetic attraction of the magnet attracts mis-driven staples to discharge them outside from the stapler unit  300 . 
     The opening  205  is for setting the leading edge of the stopper  106  on the staple cartridge  100  and the leading edge of the staple to protrude and be set at the binding position. 
     The guide  206  is for guiding the guide protrusion  108  on the staple cartridge  100  and is composed of a cutout groove and a bottom surface. 
     The abutting hole  207  abuts the stopper pawl  108  on the staple cartridge  100  and it is one of the supplementary stopping means on the staple cartridge  100  until the staple cartridge  100  is locked by the cartridge lock lever  600 . 
     The supplementary table  208  acts as the loading table where the binding media is loaded along with the table  331  on the staple head unit  330 , as shown in  FIG. 1 , when mounted to the stapler unit  300 . 
       FIG. 3  to  FIG. 6  explains the process to charge the staple feeding means  202  by the feeding charge means  355  on the anvil unit  350  in the process for the anvil unit  350  to nip the binding media and to advance staples by the binding action that advances the stable band  101  by releasing that charge. 
       FIG. 3  shows the portion relating to the staple advance in the state shown in  FIG. 1 , with the anvil unit  353 , clincher  354 , feed pawl charging means  355 , staple feeding means  202  and staple cartridge  100  pulled out. 
       FIG. 4  shows particularly the feed charging means  355  of  FIG. 3  separated from the anvil head  353 . Firstly, after mounting the leaf spring  355   b  to the mounting screw portion  353   a  on the anvil head  353 , the feeding pawl charge lever  355  is swingingly supported on the mounting bearing  353   b  on the anvil head  353 . 
     Note that the feed pawl charge lever  355   a  abuts the swinging shaft hole  355   a   1  supported by the mounting bearing  353  on the anvil head  353  and the abutting arm  202   a   3  on the staple feeding means  202  shown in FIG.  5 . The staple feeding means  202  swings in the counterclockwise direction around the shaft  202   a   1 , is charged. The feed pawl charge release step surface  355   a   2  is formed to release that charge with the subsequent action. 
       FIG. 5  shows a perspective view of a disassembled staple feeding means  202 , composed of the feed pawl member  202   a  and the feed pawl spring  202   b.    
     This feed pawl member  202   a  as described with  FIG. 2 , comprises the shaft  202   a   1  swingingly supported on the cartridge holder  200 , the feed pawl  202   a  that touches the surface of the staple sheet on the stable band  101 , the abutting arm  202   a   3  abut by the feeding pawl charge lever  355 , and the cartridge advancing arm  202   a   4  to urgingly charge by the staple cartridge  100  when mounting the staple cartridge  100  to the cartridge holder  200 . 
     Also, the feed pawl spring  202   b  is swingingly mounted to the cartridge holder  200  in the same way as the feed pawl member  202   a  and discharges the urging force swingingly in the charging direction of the feed pawl member  202   a  when pulling the staple cartridge  100  from the cartridge holder  200 . 
     Actually, the feed pawl spring  202   b  is formed by the leaf spring into a U-shape, and is composed of the cartridge pressing member  202   b   1  pressed by the staple cartridge  100  extended on both sides thereof, and the feed pawl urging member  202   b   2  that urges the feed pawl member  202   a  by the elastic deformation by the pressing of the cartridge pressing member  202   b   1 . 
       FIG. 6  explains the actuating state of the feeding pawl charge lever  355   a  and the feed pawl member  202   a  in the advancing of the stable band  101  by the staple feeding means  202 . 
     First, FIG.  6 ( a ) shows the idling state that can execute the stapling action shown in FIG.  1  and FIG.  3 . 
     FIG.  6 ( b ) shows at the timing that avoids the former  333  explained in  FIG. 1  touching the leading staple and the driver  332  driving the staple into the binding media, the feed pawl charge lever  355   a  abutting the abutting arm  202   a   3  on the feed pawl member  202   a  and the feed pawl member  202   a  swung in the counterclockwise direction and charged immediately after touching the staple. 
     Note that staples are formed to a U-shape by the former  333  and if adhering to the next staple, there will be no problem of the staple band  100  returning back, even if the feed pawl charge lever  355   a  is charged and retracted. 
     However, in FIG.  6 ( c ), when the driver  332  drives the staple into the binding media, the charge is released to move the stable band  100  by the feeding force of the feed pawl member  202   a  so that when following from the former  333 , the staple is positioned securely at the driving position so that the driver  332  can press without hitting a shoulder of the crown. 
     FIG.  6 ( d ) shows pressing force of the feed pawl urging portion  202   b   2  explained in  FIG. 5  overpowering the pressing force of the leaf spring  355   b  explained in  FIG. 4  to retract the feeding pawl charge lever  355   a  in the clockwise direction by the abutting arm  202   a   3  on the feed pawl member  202   a , so that the feeding pawl charge lever  355   a  does not charge the feed pawl member  202   a  again when recovering from the binding media after the anvil unit  350  completes the stapling process. 
       FIG. 7  is a timing charge to illustrate the operation of each of the driver, former, anvil and clincher units&#39; processes. The horizontal axis indicates the angle of rotation of the drive cam that drives each unit and the vertical axis shows the amount of displacement of the levers for each unit. The following generally describes the series of actions according to FIG.  1 . 
     Initially, along with the setting to the stapling position of the binding media a staple execution instruction signal is output to the stapler apparatus from an outside source. 
     The instruction signal starts the rotation of the direct current motor in the electric drive unit, which is not shown in the drawings, first pushing the actuating lever  340  in the downward direction by the anvil drive cam, which is not shown in the drawings, resisting the anvil spring  380 . 
     Following the displacement of the actuating lever  340 , the anvil unit  350  moves downward to start nipping the binding media. 
     Note that interlocked to the nipping of the anvil unit  350 , the clincher unit  360  interlocked by the interlock lever  370  and the clincher spring  400  follows the anvil unit  350 . 
     In describing the operation of the anvil unit  360 , beginning from the idling position A 0 , rocking stops at a nipped position according to the thickness (the number of sheets) of the binding media set at the binding position, between the position A 1  where, for example, 100 pages of binding media are nipped to the position A 2  where 0 pages are nipped of binding media. 
     After nipping the binding media by the anvil unit  360 , only the actuating lever  340  continues displacement resisting the paper thickness absorbing springs  390 . The anvil unit  360  maintains a displaced state to the position equivalent to the position A 3  by applying an over-stroke to the position A 2  to enable the secure nipping even if there are 0 pages of binding media, in consideration of variations in parts and their assembly, to complete the nipping operation of the binding media using the anvil unit  360 . 
     Before operating to the position A 3  to complete the nipping operation of the binding media using the anvil unit  360 , the driver drive cam CA 40 , shown in  FIG. 4  displaces the driver  332 , which is not shown in the drawing, upward, and the former  333  following this displacement is pressed upward. 
     The driver  332  begins moving from the position D 1  when the clincher unit  360  is beyond the position A 1 , at position D 2 , the former  333  presses the staple drawing to the driving position and starts forming the staple into a U-shape. In the continuing stroke, by pushing both leading edges of bent staples formed into that shape against the sides of the bending block  335  to guide it, both leading edges of the staple are secured front, back left and right by the non-magnetic materials of the guide plate  204  walls composed of the former  333 , the bending block  335  and the cartridge holder  200 . 
     Then, the leading edges that touch the formed staple of the driver  332  are pressed into the oblique surfaces of the bending block  335 . The leading edge portion of the driver  332  touches the formed staple at the position D 3  with the bending block  335  retracted from the area of movement of the leading edge of the driver  332 . The leading edge of the formed staple pressed by the driver  332  delayed from the position A 3  where the anvil  350  nips the binding media reaches the position D 4  that touches the surface of the sheet of the binding media to start driving the formed staple into the binding media by the driver  332 . 
     After the driver  332  starts driving the staple, at the same time that the abutting portion that was abutting the former  333  on the driver  332  is released from abutting, by the level protrusion on the sheath  334  at the slightly delayed position D 5 , the former  333  is released from abutting with the driver  332  at the position D 6  just prior to the leading edge of the former  333  touching the surface of the sheets in the binding media and the former  333  stops and the former guides the bend staple driven by the driver  332 . 
     Continuing on, the formed staple is driven by the driver  332 , and after the formed staple crown touches the surface of the sheets in the binding media at the position D 7 , the driver  332  is further driven by the driver drive cam at the position D 8 , but because the driver  332  cannot press the formed staples in, the driver  332  comprising a leaf spring, itself is elastically deformed the amount of the over-stroke to absorb the difference of the mounting position to securely drive the formed staple. 
     The clincher unit  360  is rocked by the clincher drive unit  602  pressed downward by the clincher drive cam CA 10  shown in  FIG. 11  from position C 1  immediately after the position D 8  where the formed staple is driven by the driver  332 , pressing the clincher  354  to complete the clinching operation at the position C 2  by bending the leading edges of the staples that have penetrated the binding media. 
     After the clinching operation is completed, first, the recover operation is started for the driver  332  at the position D 11 . The former  333  part way is re-interlocked and returned to the position D 0  which is equivalent to the initial position passing through the positions of D 12  and D 13 . 
     The anvil unit  350  recovery operation is started slightly delayed to the recovery operation of the driver  332  and is returned to the position A 7  which is equivalent to the initial position passing through the position A 6 . 
     Finally, the anvil unit  360  recovery operation is started slightly delayed to the recovery operation of the driver  350  and is returned to the position c 4  which is equivalent