Patent Publication Number: US-9403397-B2

Title: Semi-automatic book sewing machine

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present disclosure relates to a book sewing machine, particularly a semi-automatic book sewing machine. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     A book sewing machine is a conventional device to wind a spiral coil at the lateral side of a stack of paper. 
     Conventional book sewing machines are divided into two types: the full-automatic book sewing machine based on full-automatic control for convenient operation features bulky volume and numerous costly components which occupy more space and impose financial burden on a small enterprise or company not specializing in book publishing; the full-manual book sewing machine features advantages such as small volume, fewer components, less space requirement, inexpensiveness and full-manual operation but disadvantages like strenuous effort and time consuming operation which are inconvenient to a small enterprise or company occasionally binding stacks of paper. 
     Furthermore, resources may be wasted in more than one book sewing machine purchased by a company owner, which requires spiral coils different in diameter to be wound on stacks of paper, because either a full-automatic book sewing machine or a full-manual book sewing machine is applicable to one type of spiral coil with a single dimension. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     For development of an alternative book sewing machine which is distinct from a conventional one, characteristic of less space requirement, fewer components and convenient use, and applicable to spiral coils different in diameter, a semi-automatic book sewing machine in the present disclosure comprises: a base with a book storage region, a spiral coil storage region and a coiling rack thereon and a base fixture block at one side; an actuation device with a mobile platform, a motor, a rotary drum, a bottom panel, a manual adjustment kit, two slip joint plates, a linkage, at least a push-pull member, a binder plate and a touch switch. The mobile platform which is opposite to and glidingly contacts the base has a first elliptical hole; the motor is installed on the mobile platform for output of a rotary force; the rotary drum mounted on the mobile platform and connected to the motor is driven to spin locally by the motor; the bottom panel installed on the bottom of the mobile platform develops a second elliptical hole and comprises a panel fixture block at one side; the manual adjustment kit comprising a shaft, a first cam eccentrically connected to the shaft and held in the first elliptical hole, a second cam eccentrically connected to the shaft and held in the second elliptical hole, and a rotary knob connected to and coacting with the shaft is used in driving the mobile platform and the bottom panel for displacement; the two slip joint plates glidingly contact both the base and the mobile platform; the linkage is connected between the two slip joint plates; the two push-pull members are connected to the linkage for outward and inward movements back and forth; the binder plate pivotally fitted at the linkage communicates with the push-pull members for pivotal compression and separation under effect of the push-pull members; the touch switch installed on the mobile platform is used to control and deactivate the motor when the touch switch is contacted. As such, a semi-automatic book sewing machine which occupies less space and consists of fewer components can be easily operated and applicable to spiral coils of different diameters. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Drawings disclosing illustrative embodiments of the present invention exemplifying advantages and objects thereof are, as follows: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view illustrating a semi-automatic book sewing machine assembled in a preferred embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view illustrating a semi-automatic book sewing machine in an embodiment. 
         FIG. 3  is an exploded perspective view illustrating partial components of a semi-automatic book sewing machine in an embodiment. 
         FIG. 4  is a bottom plan view illustrating partial components of a semi-automatic book sewing machine in an embodiment. 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view illustrating partial components of a semi-automatic book sewing machine in an embodiment. 
         FIG. 6  is a schematic view illustrating paper placed on a semi-automatic book sewing machine. 
         FIG. 7  is a schematic view which illustrates a spiral coil&#39;s diameter. 
         FIG. 8  is a side view of a semi-automatic book sewing machine. 
         FIG. 9  is a side view which illustrates a semi-automatic book sewing machine is activated. 
         FIG. 10  is a sectional view for Section A-A in  FIG. 6 . 
         FIG. 11  is a sectional view for Section B-B in  FIG. 7 . 
         FIG. 12  is a schematic view which illustrates a spiral coil placed on a semi-automatic book sewing machine. 
         FIG. 13  is a side view along with a partial enlargement view of a semi-automatic book sewing machine. 
         FIG. 14  is a top view illustrating a semi-automatic book sewing machine. 
         FIG. 15  is a sectional perspective view for Section C-C in  FIG. 14 . 
         FIG. 16  is a sectional perspective view for Section C-C in  FIG. 14  with a semi-automatic book sewing machine activated. 
         FIG. 17  is a partial enlargement view for “a” in  FIG. 15 . 
         FIG. 18  is a partial enlargement view for “b” in  FIG. 15  with some components activated. 
         FIG. 19  is a sectional view for Section D-D in  FIG. 14  with a semi-automatic book sewing machine activated. 
         FIG. 20  is another sectional view for Section D-D in  FIG. 14  with a semi-automatic book sewing machine activated. 
         FIG. 21  is a schematic view which illustrates a semi-automatic book sewing machine in operation. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     A semi-automatic book sewing machine will be further illustrated with embodiments as well as accompanying drawings for clear understanding of its characteristics and distinguishing features. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1  through  FIG. 4  which illustrate a semi-automatic book sewing machine in a preferred embodiment comprises a base  1 , an actuation device A and a housing  4 : 
     Base  1  steadily placed on a plane (e.g., desktop) comprises a thickness measurement region  11  which consists of indents  12  varying in width and longitudinally linking one another, a book storage region  13 , a spiral coil storage region  14 , a coiling rack  15 , and a base fixture block  16  at one side of base  1 ; base  1  further comprises longitudinal grooves  17 ( FIG. 2 ), transverse grooves  18  and lifting grooves  19  extending at both sides. 
       FIG. 3  illustrates the actuation device A installed on base  1 . The actuation device A comprises a mobile platform  2 , a motor  3 , a rotary drum  25 , a bottom panel  24 , a manual adjustment kit  6 , two slip joint plates  53 , a linkage  52 , two push-pull members  51 , a binder plate  31  and a touch switch  32 : the mobile platform  2  which is opposite to and glidingly contacts the base  1  has a first elliptical hole  21  and arc-shaped grooves  22  as well as transverse slippery columns  23  at both sides wherein each of transverse slippery columns  23  is glidingly held in one transverse groove  18  of base  1 ; motor  3  is installed on mobile platform  2  for output of a rotary force; rotary drum  25  mounted on mobile platform  2  and connected to motor  3  is driven to spin locally by motor  3 ; bottom panel  24  installed on the bottom of mobile platform  2  develops a second elliptical hole  241  and comprises a panel fixture block  242  ( FIG. 4 ) at one side; manual adjustment kit  6  comprises a shaft  61 , a first cam  62  eccentrically connected to shaft  61 , a second cam  63  eccentrically connected to shaft  61 , and a rotary knob  39  connected to and coacting with shaft  61  such that first cam  62  and second cam  63  are held in first elliptical hole  21  and second elliptical hole  241 , respectively; two slip joint plates  53  allows two lifting studs  43  to slide in the two arc-shaped grooves  22  on mobile platform  2  and two lifting grooves  19  on base  1  simultaneously for curve movements along arc-shaped grooves  22  and vertical slides along lifting grooves  19 ; each of slip joint plates  53  comprises at least a longitudinal sliding stud  54  contiguously slipping in longitudinal groove  17  on base  1 ; linkage  52  is connected between two slip joint plates  53 ; two push-pull members  51  are connected to linkage  52  based on a default distance for outward and inward movements back and forth; binder plate  31  pivotally fitted at linkage  52  communicates with push-pull members  51  for pivotal compression and separation relative to linkage  52  under effect of push-pull members  51 ; touch switch  32  is installed on mobile platform  2  ( FIG. 4 ). 
     Housing  4  mounted on base  1  is used to cover actuation device A; rotary knob  39  of actuation device A is rotationally installed on housing  4  and operated by a user. 
     The above descriptions present components installed on a semi-automatic book sewing machine in a preferred embodiment. The characteristics of a semi-automatic book sewing machine in service are specified as follows: 
     A stack of paper  41  to be bound with a spiral coil should be placed on thickness measurement region  11  of base  1  for checking a thickness of stack of paper  41  and transferred to book storage region  13  ( FIG. 6 ). A spiral coil  42  with a diameter matching the thickness of the stack of paper  41  is inserted between base fixture block  16  and panel fixture block  242  ( FIG. 7 ). A user rotates rotary knob  39 , driving first cam  62  as well as second cam  63  to spin by shaft  61  simultaneously and mobile platform  2  as well as bottom panel  24  to be shifted synchronously for translational movement of mobile platform  2  along transverse grooves  18  ( FIGS. 8 and 9 ). Linkage  52 , push-pull members  51 , and binder plate  31  slide with slip joint plates  53  along arc-shaped grooves  22  ( FIGS. 8 and 9 ) and make no translational movement related to active mobile platform  2 ; slip joint plates  53  vertically moving along lifting grooves  19  and longitudinal grooves  17  properly drive linkage  52 , push-pull members  51  and binder plate  31  upward or downward ( FIGS. 8 and 9 ). A user can stop rotating rotary knob  39  with both panel fixture block  242  and base fixture block  16  just contacting spiral coil  42 . 
     A user should place spiral coil  42  into spiral coil storage region  14  of base  1  ( FIG. 10 ) and press an electric control switch (now shown in  FIG. 10 ) so that push-pull members  51  drawn inward drive binder plate  31  to pivotally spin downward ( FIGS. 10 and 11 ) and gently press spiral coil  42  on rotary drum  25  ( FIG. 12 ). Motor  3  starts driving rotary drum  25  to revolve and lead spiral coil  42  to forward move rotationally along coiling rack  15  and penetrate thorough holes  45  on the stack of paper  41  ( FIG. 13 ). Spiral coil  42  arriving at a default position resists touch switch  32  ( FIG. 14 ) and deactivates motor  3  through active touch switch  32 ; push-pull members  51  retreating outward drive binder plate  31  to pivotally spin upward ( FIG. 15 ). Finally, the stack of paper  41  bounded with spiral coil  42  can be taken from a book sewing machine ( FIG. 16 ). 
     In present disclosure, a semi-automatic book sewing machine which features fewer components and reduced volume in contrast to a conventional full-automatic book sewing machine and needs less time and manpower in coiling compared with a conventional full-manual book sewing machine is a competitive tool with advantages of full-automatic and full-manual book sewing machines. 
     Moreover, a semi-automatic book sewing machine in present disclosure is used in binding stacks of paper of distinct thicknesses with spiral coils different in diameter and contributes to not only convenient use but also cost down because of no requirement for purchasing or book sewing machines used in stacks of paper of distinct thicknesses or spiral coils different in diameter. 
     Additionally, actuation device A in the above embodiment comprises two electromagnetic devices  5  ( FIG. 3 ), each of which links one of push-pull members  51  and supplies power to push-pull members  51  for outward or inward movement. 
     In the above embodiment, actuation device A comprises at least a convey belt  46  ( FIG. 2 ) which is connected between an output shaft  47  of motor  3  and a spindle  49  of rotary drum  25  and used in conveying a rotary force of motor  3  to rotary drum  25  for rotation. 
     In the above embodiment, actuation device A comprises a baffle  48  and a sensor  44  ( FIGS. 3 and 12 ). Baffle  48  is installed on mobile platform  2  and driven with touch switch  32 ; sensor  44  is mounted on mobile platform  2 ; baffle  48  is shifted with touch switch  32 , which is contacted by spiral coil  42  and shifted upward, and blocks sensor  44  for deactivating motor  3  by a signal from sensor  44 . 
     above descriptions are examples of preferred embodiments which do not restrict scope of a semi-automatic book sewing machine; any equivalent change or improvement without departing from spirit of semi-automatic book sewing machine should be incorporated in claims herein. Many changes and modifications in the above described embodiment of invention can, of course, be carried out without departing from the scope thereof. Accordingly, to promote progress in science and useful arts, the present invention is disclosed and is intended to include all embodiments within scope of appended claims.