Patent Publication Number: US-2009223341-A1

Title: Paper punch with consecutive operation links

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a paper punch with consecutive links which activate punch heads to punch sheets in sequence so as to save effort. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     A conventional paper punch  6  is shown in  FIGS. 8 and 9 , and generally includes a board  61  connected to a base and two support plates  62  extend from the board  61 , and an arm  63  pivotably connected to the support plates  62 . A plurality of punch units  64  are located between the board  61  and the arm  63 , each punch unit  64  includes a punch head  66  to which a spring  65  is mounted. The top ends of the punch heads  66  are located beneath the arm  63  so that when pivoting the arm  63  downward, the punch heads  66  are pushed downward and the blade portions  68  on the lower ends of the punch heads  66  penetrate through sheets of paper in the slots  67  located at a lower end of the punch units  64 . After releasing the arm  63 , the springs  65  bounce the punch heads  66  upward. 
     However, it requires a significant force to punch a thick layer of sheets and the multiple punch heads are applied a strong reaction force from the sheets of paper, this makes the punching action to be difficult for some users. 
     The present invention intends to provide a paper punch which includes an arm, a first link and a second link, each of the arm, the first link and the second link activates a punch head in sequence so that the user can easily punch with less force applied to the arm. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a paper punch which comprises an arm having a pivotal end pivotably connected to one of connection plates of a support part fixed on a base. A torsion spring is received in the pivotal end of the arm and an elongate recess is defined in the arm. A first link includes a first rolling end movably engaged with the elongate recess in the arm and a first fixed end is connected to the other one of the connection plates on the support part. A second link includes a second rolling end movably engaged with the elongate recess in the arm and a second fixed end of the second link is pivotably connected to yet another connection plate. The second rolling end is located beneath the first rolling end. A plurality of punch units each have a frame, a punch head and a spring which is mounted to the punch head. The frames are connected beneath of the support part. Respective top ends of the punch heads extend through the through holes in the support part. The first link, the second link and the arm respectively contact the top ends of the punch heads. Respective lower ends of the punch head movably extend through the frames. The support part and the punch units are fixed to the base. 
     The primary object of the present invention is to provide a paper punch which includes an arm, a first link and a second link, each of which activates a punch head and the three punch heads are lowered to punch sheets of paper one by one when pivoting the arm of the paper punch. By this way, less force is needed to operated the paper punch. 
     The present invention will become more obvious from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which show, for purposes of illustration only, a preferred embodiment in accordance with the present invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded view to show the paper punch of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view to show the paper punch of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a side view to show the paper punch of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  shows that the arm is pivoted downward to pivot the first and second links; 
         FIG. 5  shows that the punch heads are lowered by continuously pivoting the arm; 
         FIG. 6  shows that the arm is pivoted to its lowest position and the punch heads punch the sheets of paper; 
         FIG. 7  shows the perspective view of the paper punch in the status in  FIG. 6 ; 
         FIG. 8  is a cross sectional view to show a conventional paper punch, and 
         FIG. 9  shows the arm of the conventional paper punch is pivoted downward. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 to 3 , the paper punch of the present invention comprises a base  5  which has a plurality of engaging recesses  51  with which the frames  41  of the punch units  4  are engaged. A support part  3  is fixed to the base  5  by a fixing plate  34  and includes a plurality of connection plates  31  extending therefrom. 
     An arm  1  has a pivotal end  13  which is pivotably connected to one of the connection plates  31  and a torsion spring  14  is received in the pivotal end  13 . An elongate recess  11  is defined in the arm  1  and a rail  12  extends from an inside of the elongate recess  11  of the arm  1 . A first pin  15  extends through the pivotal end  13 . 
     A link unit  2  includes a first link  21  and a second link  22 , wherein the first link  21  includes a first rolling end  211  movably engaged with the rail  12  in the elongate recess  11  in the arm  1  and a first fixed end  213  which is pivotably connected to another one of the connection plates  31 . The second link  22  includes a second rolling end  221  movably engaged with the rail  12  in the elongate recess  11  in the arm  1  and a second fixed end  223  which is pivotably connected to yet another connection plate  31 . The first link  21  includes a first roller  212  connected to the first rolling end  211  and the second link  22  includes a second roller  222  connected to the second rolling end  221 , the first and second rollers  212 ,  222  are movable along the rail  12  in the elongate recess  11 . The second rolling end  221  is located beneath the first rolling end  211 . The first link  21  includes a second pin  214  connected thereto and the second link  22  includes a flange  224  extending outward from a lower end thereof. 
     The support part  3  includes a plurality of through holes  32  and an aperture  33  defined through the support part  3 . An end of the torsion spring  14  contacts against the first pin  15  and the other end of the torsion spring  14  is inserted into the aperture  33 . 
     The punch units  4  each have a frame  41 , a punch head  42  and a spring  43  which is mounted to the punch head  42 . Each of the punch heads  42  includes a groove  421  with which a clip  422  is engaged, the springs  43  in the frames  41  contacts the clips  422  respectively. The frames  41  connected beneath of the support part  3  and respective top ends of the punch heads  42  extend through the through holes  32  in the support part  3 . The second pin  214  of the first link  21 , the flange  224  of the second link  22  and the first pin  15  of the arm  1  respectively contact the top ends of the punch heads  42 . Respective lower ends of the punch head  42  movably extend through the frames  41  and the slots  411  located at lower ends of the frames  41 . Paper sheets can be inserted into the slots  411  so as to be punched when the punch heads  42  are lowered. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 4 to 7 , when pivoting the arm  1  downward, the first roller  212  of the first link  21  moves along the rail  12  and the first link  21  is pivoted and lowered. The second pin  214  pushes the punch head  42  to move downward to punch the sheets of paper. The second roller  222  of the second link  22  moves along the rail  12  when continuously pivoting the arm  1 , the second link  22  is pivoted and lowered. The flange  224  pushes the punch head  42  corresponding thereto downward to punch the sheets of paper. When the arm  1  is pivoted and reaches to its lowest position as shown in  FIG. 6 , the first pin  15  pushes the punch head  42  corresponding thereto downward to punch the sheets of paper. The punch heads  42  punch the sheets of paper one by one at different positions and times so that the reaction force applied to the punch heads  42  is less and the user can easily operate the paper punch with less force. 
     When releasing the arm  1 , the torsion spring  14  pushes the arm  1  backward and the first and second links  21 ,  22  are pivoted upward to the status as shown in  FIG. 3 . 
     While we have shown and described the embodiment in accordance with the present invention, it should be clear to those skilled in the art that further embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.