Abstract:
An automated book punch includes a base, a positioning mechanism, a punching mechanism, a conveying mechanism, a transfer mechanism and a paper straightening/collection mechanism: the base has a paper tray; the positioning mechanism at a fixed position (an open position) locates a book held in the paper tray (allows the book to pass); the punching mechanism is used to punch a book held in the paper tray; the conveying mechanism conveys a book in the paper tray; the transfer mechanism is able to shift a punched book from the conveying mechanism to a predetermined position; the paper straightening/collection mechanism collects and straightens a book from the transfer mechanism.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a punch, particularly an automated book punch. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     An ordinary loose-leaf book composed of a plenty of papers whose margins have a number of punched holes arranged in a predetermined spacing is formed with a spiral coil threaded through the holes. 
     In general, the methods to punch a book are classified into full-manual punching and semi-automatic punching: the former depends on pure manual operation which requires obvious manpower/time and is unfavorable to mass production of loose-leaf books; the latter needs a worker to insert each book into a punch, remove, collect and stack the punched book and still fails to match demands of mass production despite less time/manpower spent than that of the full-manual punching. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The object of the present invention is to provide an automated book punch which is able to save time and manpower effectively. 
     The other object of the present invention is to provide an automated book punch which is applicable to punching a plenty of books. 
     The automated book punch achieving the above purposes comprises: a base with a paper tray; a positioning mechanism held in the base for reciprocal movement from a fixed position at which the positioning mechanism locates each book in the paper tray to an open position at which the positioning mechanism allows the book in the paper tray to pass; a punching mechanism held in the base and used to punch each book in the paper tray; a conveying mechanism installed in the base and conveying each book held in the paper tray; a transfer mechanism installed in the base and used to transfer each punched book to a predetermined position from the conveying mechanism; a paper straightening/collection mechanism which is used to collect and straighten all books from the transfer mechanism. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The drawings disclose an illustrative embodiment of the present invention which serves to exemplify the various advantages and objects hereof, and are as follows: 
         FIGS. 1 and 2  are schematic perspective views illustrating the present invention of an automated book punch. 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic perspective view illustrating partial components in the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic perspective view of a positioning mechanism. 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a punching mechanism installed on a base. 
         FIG. 6  is a schematic perspective view of a punching mechanism. 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a conveying mechanism installed on a base. 
         FIG. 8  is a schematic perspective view of a conveying mechanism. 
         FIG. 9  is a perspective view of a transfer mechanism installed on a base. 
         FIG. 10  is a schematic perspective view of a transfer mechanism. 
         FIG. 11  is a schematic perspective view of a paper straightening/collection mechanism. 
         FIG. 12  is a schematic view which illustrates a book to be punched is held in a paper tray on a base. 
         FIG. 13  is a schematic view which illustrates a book is moved and resists locators. 
         FIG. 14  is a schematic view which illustrates a pivot plate driven by a transfer motor is removed to a lower position from an upper one. 
         FIGS. 15 and 16  are schematic views which illustrate a push-off plate driven by a paper straightening motor is used to straighten books. 
         FIG. 17  is a schematic view which illustrates a debris collection box can be removed from a base. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2  which illustrate the present invention of an automated book punch comprising a base  1 , a positioning mechanism  2 , a sensor  3 , a punching mechanism  4 , a conveying mechanism  5 , a transfer mechanism  6 , a paper straightening/collection mechanism  7  and a debris collection box  8 : 
     The base  1  which is firmly situated on a plane (e.g., ground level) is provided with a paper tray  11 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 3 and 4  which illustrate the positioning mechanism  2  situated at an exit of the paper tray  11  on the base  1  is used in positioning a book  99  to be punched. The positioning mechanism  2  comprises two slide bars  21 , a slide carriage  22 , a knob  23 , a positioning motor  24 , two locators  25  and a sensor  3 : the slide bars  21  are horizontally held in the base  1 ; the slide carriage  22  is movably connected to the slide bars  21  and linearly and reciprocally shifted along the slide bars  21  under effect of an external force; the knob  23  locked on the slide carriage  22  can be screwed (or unscrewed) so that the slide carriage  22  is incapable of (capable of) completing relative sliding along the slide bars  21  under effect of an external force; the positioning motor  24  is situated on the slide carriage  22 ; the two locators  25 , which are parallel to each other and link and are driven by the positioning motor  24 , complete reciprocal movement between a fixed position and an open one; the sensor  3  installed on the slide carriage  22  of the positioning mechanism  2 . In the present invention, the slide carriage  22  on the positioning mechanism  2  can be flexibly positioned according to dimensions of the book  99  to be punched: (a) unscrew the knob  23 ; (b) move the slide carriage  22  along the slide bars  21  until a proper position; (c) screw the knob  23  to correctly position the slide carriage  22 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 5 and 6  which illustrate the punching mechanism  4  installed behind the paper tray  11  on the base  1  is used to punch the book  99  held in the paper tray  11  on the base  1 . The punching mechanism  4  comprises a punch motor  41 , an output shaft  42 , a plurality of cams  43  and a punching tool  44 : the punch motor  41  is held in the base  1 ; the output shaft  42  which links and is driven by the punch motor  41  turns locally; the cams  43  are coupled with the output shaft  42 ; the punching tool  44  links and coordinates the cams  43  to punch the book  99  when the output shaft  42  is driven to rotate by the punch motor  41 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 7 and 8  which illustrate the conveying mechanism  5  installed in front of the paper tray  11  on the base  1  is used to convey the book  99  held in the paper tray  11 . The conveying mechanism  5  comprises a conveying motor  51 , a master wheel  52 , a slave wheel  53  and a belt  54 : the conveying motor  51  is securely held in the base  1 ; the master wheel  52  which links and is driven by the conveying motor  51  turns locally; the slave wheel  53  is properly pivoted to the base  1  and turns locally; the belt  54  encircling both the master wheel  52  and the slave wheel  53  is driven to turn by the master wheel  52  and comprises a number of conveying columns  55  situated on an external surface and arranged in a predetermined spacing. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 9 and 10  which illustrate the transfer mechanism  6  installed at left back of the base  1  is used to transfer the punched book  99  to a predetermined gathering position from the conveying mechanism  5 . The transfer mechanism  6  comprises a backup plate  61 , a baffle  62 , two transfer motors  63  and a pivot plate  64 : the backup plate  61  is installed on the base  1 ; the baffle  62  situated on the backup plate  61  moveably slides along the backup plate  61 ; the transfer motors  63  are installed on the backup plate  61 ; the pivot plate  64  linking and driven by the transfer motors  63  is able to complete reciprocal movement between an upper position and a lower one and comprises a transfer slot  65  which accesses the paper tray  11  on the base  1  when the pivot plate  64  is moved to the upper position. In the present invention, the baffle  62  on the transfer mechanism  6  is flexibly positioned according to dimensions of the book  99  to be punched. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  11  which illustrate the paper straightening/collection mechanism  7  is used to receive and straighten the book  99  conveyed from the transfer mechanism  6 . The paper straightening/collection mechanism  7  comprises a collection platform  71 , a plurality of limited posts  72  and a paper straightening device  73 : the collection platform  71  located at one side of the base  1  and under the transfer mechanism  6  comprises a number of spacing holes  711  arranged in a predetermined spacing as well as a book access slot  712 ; the limited posts  72  are flexibly plugged into the spacing holes  711  in accordance with dimensions of the book  99 ; the paper straightening device  73  situated at one corner of the collection platform  71  is used to push the book  99  on the collection platform and provided with a paper straightening motor  731 , a paper straightening base  732  and a pair of push-off plates  733 : the paper straightening motor  731  is installed on the collection platform  71 ; the paper straightening base  732  is synchronously actuated with the paper straightening motor  731 ; the pair of push-off plates  733  is situated on the paper straightening base  732 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 17  which illustrates the separable debris collection box  8  installed on the base  1  and under the paper tray  11  is used to collect remaining debris with the book  99  punched by the punching mechanism  4 . 
     The above disclosure introduces a preferred embodiment of the present invention of an automated book punch, all components thereon and an assembling method thereof. The method to use the present invention is disclosed as follows: 
     As shown in  FIG. 12 , the book  99  to be punched by the present invention of an automated book punch should be held in the paper tray  11  on the base  1  and pushed to resist the locators  25  in the positioning mechanism  2  ( FIG. 13  for the locators  25  which are situated at a predetermined position and extends in the paper tray  11 ). When the book  99  is detected by the sensor  3 , the punch motor  41  of the punching mechanism  4  is actuated to initiate a punching process of the book  99  with the punching tool  44  driven by both the output shaft  42  and the cams  43 . After a punching process completed with the punching tool  44 , the locators  25  which are driven by the positioning motor  24  of the positioning mechanism  2  are moved to an open position from a fixed one, receding and staying beyond the paper tray  11 . The book  99  is conveyed and transferred to the transfer slot  65  of the pivot plate  64  in the transfer mechanism  6  by the belt  54  and the conveying columns  55  thereon which encircle both the master wheel  52  and the slave wheel  53  under effect of the conveying motor  51  of the conveying mechanism  4 . The function of the conveying motor  51  is interrupted when the conveying columns  55  contact the sensor  3 ′ near the master wheel  52  ( FIG. 8 ). 
     Next, the book  99  conveyed to the transfer slot  65  will be resisted by the baffle  62  and removed from an upper position to a lower one by the pivot plate  64  which is driven by the transfer motor  63  in the transfer mechanism  6  ( FIG. 14 ), placed on the collection platform  71  of the paper straightening/collection mechanism  7 , removed by the pair of push-off plates  733  which is driven by the paper straightening motor  731  of the paper straightening device  73  ( FIGS. 15 and 16 ), resisted by the limited post  72 , and collected/straightened in a punching process. As previously mentioned, a fast precise punching process is completed and operated repeatedly. 
     Moreover, the debris collection box  8  can be removed from the base  1  with the punching process initiated quite a while ( FIG. 17 ) for gathering debris in the debris collection box  8 . As such, the present invention contributes to not only recycling but also tidy and clean surrounding. 
     Many changes and modifications in the above described embodiment of the invention can, of course, be carried out without departing from the scope thereof. Accordingly, to promote the progress in science and the useful arts, the invention is disclosed and is intended to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.