Abstract:
A stapler is provided for stapling decorative staples into a sheet media, where the decorative staples have an indicia platform and a plurality of prongs. The stapler includes a base and a cartridge assembly pivotably mounted to the base. The cartridge assembly has a magazine for storing the decorative staples. A stapler head is provided with a ram configured to press downwardly on the indicia platform of the decorative staple, pushing the decorative staple out of the magazine such that the prongs enter a top side of a sheet media and deformed against the base on a bottom side of the sheet media. The ram is provided with ridges that extend below a table portion of the ram such that the ridges are disposed substantially directly above the prongs on the decorative staples.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to a stapler. More specifically, the present invention relates to an improved stapler for stapling decorative staples. 
   BACKGROUND 
   In the field of fastening devices, staplers are a commonly used device to bind multiple pages of sheet media, such as paper. In addition to staplers being used in office supply situations, they are becoming more prevalent in the craft industry where decorative sheet media are being fastened to one another in an artistic manner. 
   The office supply versions of staplers can work in this capacity in a utilitarian manner, but they lack the decorative qualities desired in the craft industry. One of the qualities that the craft industry desires is the ability to decorate the face of the staple. Artistic designs or other such information can compliment the art project in which the staples are being used. The narrow utility staples of the office supply industry are insufficient in this respect. 
   As illustrated in  FIGS. 1A–1C , U.S. Pat. No. 5,414,991 demonstrates office supply staples that have been created that provide a platform for including company logos and advertisements. These staples use additional prongs above the standard two prong staple in order to provide support for the indicia platform. However, the prior art does not show a means for using such staples in a craft environment. The craft industry requires not only ease of use and cost effective production, but also requires additional features for enhancing staple placement beyond the normal corner insertion used in a standard office setting and also requires that thicker sheet media and larger numbers of sheet media be fastened to one another. 
   OBJECT AND SUMMARY 
   The present invention solves the drawbacks of the prior art by providing a combination of decorative staples and an improved stapler useful for the craft industry. 
   In this respect, it is a first object of the present invention to provide an easy loading and simply constructed stapler for use with decorative staples. 
   It is another object of the present invention to provide an accurate way to placing decorative staples within the center surface of the desired sheet media. 
   It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a device for securely placing decorative staples through thicker or multiple sheet media. 
   As such, the present invention provides for a stapler for stapling decorative staples into a sheet media. The decorative staples have an indicia platform and a plurality of prongs. The stapler maintains a base and a cartridge assembly, pivotably mounted to said base, having a magazine for storing the decorative staples. A stapler head is provided with a ram, configured to press downwardly on the indicia platform of the decorative staple, pushing it out of the magazine such that the prongs enter the top side of the sheet media and deform against the base on the bottom side of the sheet media. The ram is provided with ridges that extend below a table of the ram such that the ridges are disposed substantially directly above the prongs on the decorative staples. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The subject matter regarded as the invention is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the concluding portion of the specification. The invention, however, both as to organization and method of operation, together with features, objects, and advantages thereof may best be understood by reference to the following detailed description when read with the accompanying drawings in which: 
       FIGS. 1A–1C  show prior art staples that maintain an indicia platform; 
       FIG. 2  illustrates a perspective view of a decorative stapler, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 3  illustrates an elevated side view of an improved stapler, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 4  illustrates an elevated side view of the improved stapler of  FIG. 3  with an open staple magazine, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 5  illustrates a front view of the improved stapler of  FIG. 3 , in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 6  illustrates a close up underside perspective view of a the improved stapler of  FIG. 3  with an extended staple ram, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention; and 
       FIG. 7  illustrates a close up front view of the staple ram from  FIG. 6 , in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   In one embodiment of the present invention, as illustrated in  FIG. 2 , a decorative staple  10  is shown for use in fastening two or more sheet media to one another. A typical example of two sheet media being fastened together in the craft industry would be to secure a first photograph or image to a piece of craft or construction paper in a scrapbook. Although decorative staple  10  is contemplated for many uses in the craft industry it is not limited in this respect. Any use of decorative staple for fastening two or more sheet media to one another is within the contemplation of the present invention. 
   Turning to the structure of decorative staple  10 , as shown in  FIG. 2 , staple  10  maintains an indicia platform  12  and four prongs  14 . Decorative staple  10  is preferably constructed of metal that is both rigid enough to penetrate the sheet media with which is being used, yet sufficiently deformable so that prongs  14  can be bent on the back side of the sheet media to ensure that the media are secured to one another. The metal used in decorative staple  10  can be the standard steel or aluminum or it can be a colored metal such as brass, bronze, copper or other such metal/alloy to provide more attractive colors. 
   Indicia platform  12  is shown in a rectangular shape for exemplary purposes but can take any form that is compatible with the stapler in which it is being used. A design  16  is typically placed on the surface of indicia platform  12 , although such a design  16  is not required. Design  16  can be made by embossing the metal during printing of decorative staples  10 , or, alternatively, design  16  may be printed or etched onto indicia platform  12 . 
   In one embodiment of the present invention, as illustrated in  FIG. 3 , a stapler  20  is provided for applying decorative staples  10  to the desired sheet media. Stapler  20  may be constructed of either metal of plastic or a combination of both, depending on the desired weight, sturdiness, durability, design and price. Unless stated specifically, the individual components of stapler  20  may be constructed of either material. Also, as noted above, for exemplary purposes, stapler  20  is shown for use with a rectangular staple, such as decorative staple  10 , shown in  FIG. 2 . However, the invention is not limited in this respect. A stapler  20  may be constructed of any dimension so long as it is compatible with the decorative staple to be used therein. 
   As shown in  FIG. 3 , stapler  10  maintains a base  30 , a cartridge assembly  50 , and a stapler head  70 . Base  30  maintains a first pivot end  32  for attachment with cartridge assembly  50 . Extending from pivot end  32 , down the center of base  30 , to the front near stapler head  70 , is a notched groove  34 , configured to support a sheet media alignment stop  36 . A user can manipulate sheet media alignment stop  36 , using gripping portions  37  and moving it along notched groove  34 . 
   As shown in  FIG. 3 , base  30  maintains a metal anvil  38  for receiving the prongs  14  from decorative staple  10  and deforming them to secure the sheet media to one another. Anvil  38  maintains dual indentations  40  on both sides, so as to accept the dual prong  14  configuration of decorative staple  14 . 
   Notched groove  36  also maintains graduated depth markings  42  measured from anvil  38  to pivot end  32  of base  30 . In this configuration, because pivot end  32  of base  30  is far removed from stapler head  70  of stapler  20 , stapler head  70  has a wide range of depths that it can reach within a surface of a sheet media. Using graduated depth markings  42  a user can place decorative staple  10  at a pre-measured depth, well within the surface of the sheet media being fastened, which is particularly useful in the craft and scrapbooking industry. 
   As illustrated in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , cartridge assembly  50  is pivotably mounted at a mounting end  52  to pivot end  32  of base  30 . Cartridge assembly  50  extends from mounting end  52  towards the front of stapler  20  and terminates at stapler head  70 . Cartridge assembly  50  rests on spring loaded stopper  44 , illustrated in  FIG. 5 , near mounting end  52  which acts to keep stapler head  70  biased above metal anvil  38  when stapler  20  is not in use. A magazine cover  54 , extending from mounting end  52  to stapler head  70  is pivotably mounted to the top of cartridge assembly  50  to allow a user to easily load and clear decorative staples  10  into/from stapler  20 . 
   As shown in  FIG. 4 , when magazine cover  54  is pivoted open from mounting end  52 , a magazine  56  is exposed. Magazine  56  is principally composed of a metal track  58  fit within cartridge assembly  50 . Metal track  58  runs the length of cartridge assembly  50  from mounting end  52  all the way through to the front of attached stapler head  70 . Metal track  58  is configured to support a column of interconnected decorative staples  10  to be used with stapler  20 . 
   A metal guide rail  60  runs down the center of metal track  58  starting at the mounting end  52  and terminating just before the front end, within stapler head  70 . Metal guide rail  60  is outfitted with a spring  62  beginning at mounting end  52  and terminating into a staple block  64 . Spring  62  is configured such that when magazine  56  is closed, staple block  64  mounted on guide rail  60  is biased in a direction towards stapler head  70  so that decorative staples  10  are positioned to be stapled into the desires sheet media. 
   As illustrated in  FIG. 4 , when magazine cover  54  is opened, a block retractor  66  is coupled to the under side of cover  54  at one end and is coupled to a retractor track  68  on the side walls of metal track  58  at the other end. When cover  54  is opened, block retractor  66  slides against staple block  64  forcing it back in magazine  56 , away from stapler head  70 , so that a user can insert or remove decorative staples  10  into/from metal track  58 . When magazine cover  54  is closed, block retractor  66  slide forward in retractor track  68  is of length that is no longer exerts a force on staple block  64 , allowing spring  60  to bias staple block  64  back towards stapler head  70 . 
   As shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , stapler head  70  maintains a stapling button  72 , configured to allow the user to staple decorative staple  10  into the desired sheet media. Stapling button  72  is mounted onto a spring loaded stapling shaft  74  which enters into the top of stapler head  70 . Within stapler head  70 , a spring acts to keep stapler shaft  74  and stapling button  72  biased in an upward direction when not in use. Extending out of the bottom of stapler head  70  is a track terminus  76  configured to secure the front end of metal track  58 . 
   Ram  78  is provided with a substantially flat table portion  80  which is substantially the same size and indicia platform  12  of decorative staple  10 . In one embodiment of the present invention, as shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 , ridges  82  at either end of table portion  80  along the two sides that are axial aligned with the length of stapler. Ridges  82  are configured to press down upon the portions of indicia platform  12  which are directly above the four prongs  14  which provide additional stability to the pressing force, assisting prongs  14  in penetrating the desired sheet media. Because prongs  14  for decorative staples  10  are wider than typical two prong office staples, ridges  82  assist in focusing the pressure over prongs  14 . This arrangement allows for a significant number of sheet media or thicker sheet media such as photographs or sturdy craft paper to be fastened to one another using the multi-prong  14  decorative staples  10 . 
   In one embodiment of the present invention, when a user desires to staple decorative staple  10  into a sheet media, a user presses on stapling button  72 . As shown in  FIG. 6 , when stapling button  72  is pressed, stapler shaft  74  is moved downward against the internal spring bias within stapling head  70 , forcing a ram  78  downward against the first decorative staple  10  in the front end of metal track  58 . It is understood that metal track  58  of magazine  56  has an opening at the stapler head  70  end that is sufficient to allow exactly one decorative staple  10  and ram  78 , which are substantially the same size, to pass therethrough. 
   During stapling, the entire cartridge assembly  50  also lowers against spring loaded stopper  44  on base  30  allowing ram  78  to press decorative staple  10  directly against anvil  38  to that prongs  10  can be sufficiently deformed to bind the sheet media to on another. Once a decorative staple  10  has been punched and the user removed there hand from stapler  20 , the entire cartridge assembly is again biased upwards away from base  30  by spring loaded stopper  44 . Simultaneously, stapling button  72  is again biased upward, allowing ram  78  to retract out above magazine  56  whereby staple block  64  is biased forward by spring  62  within magazine  56  forcing the next decorative staple  10  into position to be stapled by ram  78 . 
   While only certain features of the invention have been illustrated and described herein, many modifications, substitutions, changes or equivalents will now occur to those skilled in the art. It is therefore, to be understood that this application is intended to cover all such modifications and changes that fall within the true spirit of the invention.