Patent Publication Number: US-6209434-B1

Title: Paper sheet decorative punching device

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates, in general, to paper sheet decorative punching devices and, more particularly, to a punching device designed to cut or punch a desired portion, such as a corner or a linear side, of a paper sheet, such as a photograph, a card or a letter paper, utilizing two or more different pattern punching blades, thus decorating such paper sheets. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     In a conventional paper sheet decorative punching device, a cutting hole is formed on the center of a lower fixed base. A punch holder is mounted to one end of the fixed base and is positioned to be normally spaced apart from the base at an interval. A punching blade guide hole, corresponding to the cutting hole of the base, is formed at the center of the punch holder. A spring-biased punching blade member, having a decorative pattern and a diameter slightly smaller than that of both holes, is held on the punch holder in a way such that the lower end of the blade member is normally positioned within the punching blade guide hole. A pressure plate is integrated with the upper end of the blade member. The punch holder is assembled with a housing having a pressure button hole, with a pressure button being set within the housing so as to be positioned on the pressure plate. 
     However, such a conventional punching device is designed to cut or punch a portion of a paper sheet utilizing one punching blade member, having a fixed decorative pattern, without allowing a user to freely form a variety of pattern holes on the paper sheet. 
     Therefore, the conventional punching device forces a user, wanting to form a variety of decorative pattern holes on a paper sheet, to separately purchase a plurality of punching devices with punching blade members having differently designed patterns. This is inconvenient to the user while making the user exceedingly waste money to purchase the devices. In addition, the conventional decorative punching devices are free from any guide means designed to appropriately set each corner of a paper sheet relative to the punching device when it is necessary to form a decorative pattern hole on each corner of the paper sheet, such as a rectangular photograph or a rectangular card. Therefore, the punched holes of the paper sheet may be not formed on corresponding positions and fail to desirably decorate the paper sheet. 
     In an effort to solve the above-mentioned problems, Korean U.M. Laid-open publication No. 98-15229 discloses a decorative punching device having four different decorative punching patterns around a punching blade member. Four guide members are diagonally formed on a die which is provided with a cutting hole having the same profile as that of the blade member. A punch holder, with a guide hole having the same profile as that of the blade member, is integrated with the upper end of the guide members. In this punching device, the four guide members form four paper sheet insert means. The above punching device thus easily and appropriately cuts or punches the corners of a paper sheet due to the four guide members. However, this decorative punching device is problematic in that it is impossible to form any additional decorative pattern on the corners after the corners are primarily cut or punched by the device. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, the present invention has been made keeping in mind the above problems occurring in the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to provide a paper sheet decorative punching device, which is designed to selectively cut the corners of a paper sheet or punch any desired portion of the sheet and to perform a punching operation for the corners of a paper sheet utilizing two different pattern punching blade parts at the same time. 
     In order to accomplish the above object, the present invention provides a paper sheet decorative punching device, comprising: a housing having a specifically designed profile, the housing including: a circular opening defined by a stop ring at a top end of the housing; and a cylindrical seat interiorly formed in a lower portion of the housing while communicating with the circular opening; a pressure unit movably held in the housing, the pressure unit consisting of: a cap-shaped pressure member having an annular stop flange along its lower edge and movably received in the opening of the housing with the stop flange being stopped by the stop ring of the housing; and two or more longitudinal guide pieces integrally extending from the lower edge of the pressure member downwardly to a length at diametrically opposite positions; a punching blade unit adapted for punching a paper sheet, the punching blade means consisting of: a flat plate positioned under a top wall of the pressure member and having two or more guide notches at diametrically opposite positions so as to allow the guide pieces of the pressure unit to be movable within a predetermined range, thus allowing the pressure member to be rotatable within the range; and first and second punching blade parts integrally extending from a lower surface of the flat plate downwardly in a vertical direction, the first and second blade parts having different punching patterns and different lengths; elastic means for normally biasing both the pressure unit and the punching blade unit upwardly, thus letting the pressure unit be normally and elastically projected from the housing upwardly; a base unit assembled with the lower end of the housing and used for holding the device on a flat support surface, the base unit consisting of: a base plate having the same profile as that of the lower end of the housing and having both a seat and a cutout discharging hole; and two edge guide members symmetrically hinged to the base plate using hinge joints and adapted for guiding an edge of the paper sheet during a punching operation, the edge guide members individually having both an edge contact blade at one side thereof and a stop shoulder at a position around the hinge joint; and a jig unit supported on the base unit and consisting of: a holder member seated within the cylindrical seat of the housing and provided with first and second guide holes for guiding the two punching blade parts, the holder member also having diametrically opposite guide slots for selectively guiding the guide pieces of the pressure unit; and a cutting member seated in the seat of the base plate and having first and second cutting holes at positions corresponding to the first and second guide holes of the holder member, the cutting member being assembled with the holder member by a connection plate, the connection plate having a bent plate portion forming a paper sheet insert gap between the cutting member and the holder member. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The above and other objects, features and other advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
     FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a paper sheet decorative punching device in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a front sectional view of the punching device of this invention; 
     FIG. 3 is a side sectional view of the punching device of this invention; 
     FIG. 4 is a bottom view of a decorative punching blade unit included in the device of this invention; 
     FIG. 5 a  is a plan view, showing a paper sheet guide operation of two hinged edge guide members included in the device of this invention when the device performs a punching operation for a corner of a paper sheet; 
     FIG. 5 b  is a plan view, showing a paper sheet guide operation of the two hinged edge guide members when the device performs a punching operation for a linear side of a paper sheet; 
     FIG. 6 a  is a sectional view, showing a punching operation of the device exclusively utilizing a first punching blade part included in the blade unit of FIG. 4; and 
     FIG. 6 b  is a sectional view, showing a punching operation of the device utilizing first and second punching blade parts included in the blade unit of FIG.  4 . 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a paper sheet decorative punching device in accordance with the preferred embodiment of this invention. FIG. 2 is a front sectional view of the above punching device. As shown in the drawings, the paper sheet decorative punching device  1  of this invention comprises a housing  2  having a specifically designed appearance. A pressure unit  3  is movably set in the housing  2 . The punching device  1  also has a decorative punching blade unit  4  used for forming one or two different pattern holes on a paper sheet. An elastic means  5  normally biases both the pressure unit  3  and the punching blade unit  4  upwardly, thus letting the pressure unit  3  be normally and elastically projected from the top wall of the housing  2  upwardly. The punching device  1  further comprises a jig unit  6  with a paper sheet insert gap  68  and blade guide holes  65  and  66  having the same profile as the cross-sectioned profile of the punching blade unit  4 . A base unit  7  is assembled with the jig unit  6 . The above base unit  7  is used for holding a paper sheet inserted into the paper sheet insert gap  68  of the jig unit  6 , thus preventing the paper sheet from being undesirably moved during an operation of the punching device. 
     In a detailed description, the housing  2  has a specifically designed configuration, such as a conventional punch shape, an animal shape or a shoe shape, thus having an attractive design. The above housing  1  has a circular opening  21  through which a cap-shaped pressure member  31  of the pressure unit  3  passes upwardly so as to be projected from the opening  21  upwardly. The above opening  21  is defined by a stop ring  22  at the top end of the housing  1 . A cylindrical seat  23  is interiorly formed in the lower portion of the housing  1  while communicating with the circular opening  21 . The above seat  23  is used for seating a holder member  60  therein as will be described later herein. 
     The pressure unit  2  comprises the cap-shaped pressure member  31  movably received in the opening  21  of the housing  1  upwardly. The pressure member  31  has an annular stop flange  32  along its lower edge, and so the member  31  is stopped by the stop ring  22  of the opening  21  at the stop flange  32  when it is biased upwardly. The pressure member  31  is thus prevented from being undesirably separated from the housing  1 . Two or more longitudinal guide pieces  33  integrally extend from the lower edge of the pressure member  31  downwardly in a vertical direction to a length at diametrically opposite positions. 
     The punching blade unit  4  comprises a flat plate  41  which is closely positioned under the top wall of the cap-shaped pressure member  31 . As shown in FIG. 3, the flat plate  41  has two or more guide notches  44  at diametrically opposite positions so as to allow the guide pieces  33  of the pressure unit  3  to be movable within a predetermined range. That is, the guide notches  44  limits a rotating action of the pressure unit  3  within a range. Two blade parts, first and second punching blade parts  42  and  43 , are integrally formed on the lower surface of the flat plate  41 . 
     In order to accomplish the object of this invention, the first and second blade parts  42  and  43  of the blade unit  4  have different lengths. In the preferred embodiment, the blade unit  4  is designed so that the first part  42  is longer than the second part  43 . However, it should be understood that the blade unit  4  may be designed so that the first part  42  is shorter than the second part  43  without affecting the functioning of this invention. 
     The elastic means  5  normally biases both the pressure unit  3  and the blade unit  4  upwardly, thus letting the pressure unit  3  be normally and elastically projected from the opening  21  of the housing  1  upwardly. In the preferred embodiment, the elastic means  5  comprises a compression coil spring which normally biases both the pressure unit  3  and the blade unit  4  upwardly. The pressure unit  3  is thus moved down along with the blade unit  4  while overcoming the spring force of the compression coil spring  5  when the unit  3  is pressed down by a user at a position outside the housing  1 . Of course, when an external pressing force is removed from the pressure unit  3 , the unit  3  elastically returns to its original position or the fully projected position along with the blade unit  4  due to the restoring force of the compression coil spring  5 . In the preferred embodiment, the first and second blade parts  42  and  43  of the blade unit  4  are commonly fitted within the coil spring  5 , with the top end of the spring  5  being stopped by the lower surface of the flat plate  41 . 
     The base unit  7  comprises a base plate  70  having the same profile as that of the lower end of the housing  1 . As shown in FIG. 3, the base plate  70  seats a cutting member  60   a  of the jig unit  6  therein, with a cutout discharging hole  75  being formed at the center of the base plate  70 . Two edge guide members  71  are symmetrically hinged to the top surface of the base plate  70  using hinge joints  74 . The edge guide members  71  individually have both an edge contact blade  73  at one side thereof and a stop shoulder  76  at a position around the hinge joint  74 . The edge guide members  71  also include outward extending tabs  72  at an end opposite the stop shoulder  76 . During an operation of the punching device  1 , the edge guide members  71  are brought into contact with the edge of a paper sheet  100  at the edge contact blades  73 . The edge guide members  71  are symmetrically rotatable around the hinge joints  74  between a fully open position with the contact blades  73  forming a straight line or an angle of 180° and a fully closed position with the contact blades  73  forming a right angle between them. 
     The jig unit  6 , supported on the base unit  7 , comprises a holder member  60  which is provided with first and second guide holes  65  and  66  for guiding the two punching blade parts  42  and  43 . Two or more diametrically opposite guide slots  67  are formed on the holder member  60  to guide the two or more guide pieces  33  of the pressure unit  3 . The jig unit  6  also has a cutting member  60   a . In the cutting member  60   a , first and second cutting holes  61  and  62  are formed at positions corresponding to the first and second guide holes  65  and  66  of the holder member  60 . The cutting member  60   a  is assembled with the holder member  60  by a connection plate  63 . The connection plate  63  has a bent plate portion  64  forming a paper sheet insert gap  68  between the cutting member  60   a  and the holder member  60 . 
     The operation effect of the punching device  1  of this invention will be described hereinbelow. 
     In order to perform a punching operation exclusively using the first blade part  42 , the device  1  is primarily laid on a flat support surface. Thereafter, the edge guide members  71  is adjusted to meet the edge of a paper sheet  100 . In such a case, the guide members  71  may be rotated around the hinged joints  74  to the closed position as shown in FIG. 5 a  or to the open position as shown in FIG. 5 b . In the open position of FIG. 5 b , the stop shoulders  76  of the guide members  71  are stopped by the bent plate portion  64  of the connection plate  63 , thus preventing the guide members  71  from being further opened. When the edge guide members  71  are adjusted to the closed position as shown in FIG. 5 a , a desired corner of the paper sheet  100  is inserted into the paper insert gap  68  of the jig unit  6  with the corner edges of the sheet  100  substantially meeting the edge contact blades  73  of the two guide members  71 . On the other hand, When the edge guide members  71  are adjusted to the open position as shown in FIG. 5 b , a side of the paper sheet  100  is inserted into the paper insert gap  68  with the linear edge of the sheet  100  substantially meeting the edge contact blades  73 . 
     After adjusting the edge guide members  71  and setting the paper sheet  100  in the punching device  1 , the pressure member  31  is rotated counterclockwise from a position A to a position B of FIG.  4 . In such a case, the guide pieces  33  of the pressure member  31  move within the guide notches  44  of the blade unit  4  in the same direction until they are stopped by one edge of the notches  44 . 
     After the pressure member  31  is completely rotated, it is pressed down by a user, thus being lowered along with the blade unit  4  while compressing the elastic means  5  as shown in FIG. 6 a . In such a case, the compression of the elastic means  5  is accomplished by the flat plate  41  which is pressed down along with the pressure member  31 . The first and second blade parts  42  and  43  of the blade unit  4  are thus lowered within the first and second guide holes  65  and  66  of the holder member  60  seated in the cylindrical seat  23  of the housing  1 . 
     Such a lowering action of both the pressure unit  3  and the blade unit  4  is continued until the guide pieces  33  of the pressure member  31  are brought into contact with and are stopped by the top surface of the holder member  60 . In such a case, only the first blade part  42  of the blade unit  4  is substantially long enough to completely pass through the first guide hole  65  prior to passing through the sheet  100  and being inserted into the first cutting hole  61  of the cutting member  60   a . However, the second blade part  43  is short, and so it fails to completely pass through the second guide hole  66  of the holder member  60 . Therefore, the punching device  1  in this operation punches the paper sheet  100  utilizing only the first blade part  42  and forms a decorative pattern hole, provided by the first blade part  42 , on the sheet  100 . 
     When an external pressing force is removed from the pressure member  31 , the member  31  elastically returns to its original position or the fully projected position along with the blade unit  4  due to the restoring force of the compression coil spring  5 . In such a case, the pressure member  31  is stopped by the stop ring  22  of the housing  1  at the stop flange  32 , thus being retained at the fully projected position without being undesirably separated from the housing  1 . 
     In order to perform a punching operation using both the first and second blade parts  42  and  43  at the same time, the pressure member  31  is rotated clockwise from the position B to the position A of FIG.  4 . In such a case, the guide pieces  33  of the pressure member  31  move within the guide notches  44  of the blade unit  4  in the same direction until they are stopped by the other edge of the notches  44 . Thereafter, the pressure member  31  is pressed down by a user, thus being lowered along with the blade unit  4  while compressing the elastic means  5 . 
     The first and second blade parts  42  and  43  of the blade unit  4  are thus lowered within the first and second guide holes  65  and  66  of the holder member  60 . In such a case, the guide pieces  33  of the pressure member  31  are positioned to be aligned with the guide slots  67  of the holder member  60 , and so the pressure unit  3  and the blade unit  4  are further lowered by a length equal to the depth of each guide slot  67  in comparison with the above-mentioned punching operation utilizing only the first blade part  43 . 
     Therefore, in addition to the longer first blade part  42  completely passing through the first guide hole  65  prior to being inserted into the first cutting hole  61  of the cutting member  60   a , the shorter second blade part  43  completely passes through the second guide hole  66  of the holder member  60  prior to being inserted into the second cutting hole  62  of the cutting member  60   a . Therefore, the punching device  1  punches the paper sheet  100  utilizing the first and second blade parts  42  and  43  and forms two different decorative pattern holes, respectively provided by the two blade parts  42  and  43 , on the sheet  100  at a time. 
     That is, the punching device  1  of this invention is designed to form one or two different decorative pattern holes on a paper sheet in accordance with a rotated position of a pressure unit  3 . This object is accomplished by a punching blade unit  4  with two blade parts, or first and second parts  42  and  43  having different lengths. In the present invention, the blade unit  4  may be designed so that the first blade part  42  is longer than the second part  43  as described for the preferred embodiment. However, it should be understood that the blade unit may be designed so that the second blade part is longer than the first part. 
     As described above, the present invention provides a paper sheet decorative punching device. The punching device is designed to cut or punch a desired portion, such as a corner or a linear side, of a paper sheet, such as a photograph, a card or a letter paper, utilizing two different pattern punching blades, thus decorating such paper sheets. The punching device also allows a user to form any additional decorative pattern on a paper sheet after the sheet is primarily cut or punched by the device. Another advantage of the punching device resides in that it selectively forms two different decorative pattern holes on a paper sheet at a time when necessary. 
     Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications, additions and substitutions are possible, without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as disclosed in the accompanying claims.