Patent Publication Number: US-2005133581-A1

Title: Automatic actuation device and method for use in punching apparatus

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention relates to an automatic actuation device and an automatic actuation method, and particularly to an automatic actuation device and an automatic actuation method for use in a punching apparatus.  
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      A punching apparatus is widely used to punch holes in an edge margin of a stack of paper sheets to be filed. With the increasing demand on enhancing punching speed and saving effort, automatic punching apparatuses are developed. Referring to  FIG. 1 , a conventional automatic punching apparatus is shown. The automatic punching apparatus  10  comprises a base  11 , a cutting tool  12 , a fixture plate  13 , a motor  14  and a button switch  15 . The cutting tool  12  has a plurality of punch pins  120  parallel to one another. The fixture plate  13  has a plurality of openings  130  corresponding to the punch pins  120 . The region between the cutting tool  12  and the fixture plate  13  defines a feeding entrance  17  for feeding therefrom paper sheets to be punched.  
      For punching holes, the paper sheets  16  are firstly placed on a top surface of the base  11  with a front thereof fed into the feeding entrance  17 . The button switch  15  is then pressed down so as to actuate the motor  14 . The cutting tool  12  is driven by the motor  14  to transmit the plurality of punch pins  120  to move downward and dig into the paper sheets, thereby punching holes on the paper sheets.  
      When operating the above automatic punching apparatus, the user generally holds the paper sheets  16  with one hand and pushes the button switch  15  with the other hand. Therefore, misalignment of paper sheets may occur. In addition, when the number of paper sheets fed into the feeding entrance  17  is small, well alignment of paper sheets cannot be easily accomplished because they are too light to well sustain against the alignment wall inside the feeding entrance  17 .  
      Referring to  FIG. 2 , another conventional automatic punching apparatus for solving the above problem is shown. In the automatic punching apparatus  20 , the base  11 , the cutting tool  12 , the fixture plate  13  and the motor  14  included therein are similar to those shown in  FIG. 1 , and are not to be redundantly described herein. This automatic punching apparatus  20  is actuated by stepping on the pedal of a pedal switch  25  after the paper sheets  16  have been properly disposed inside the feeding entrance  17 . The additional pedal switch  25  apparently requires additional operating space and results in increased fabricating cost.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention provides an actuation device and an actuation method of a punching apparatus so as to enhance alignment of the paper sheets to be punched in limited operating space.  
      The present invention also provides an automatic punching apparatus having such an actuation device.  
      In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided with an actuation device of a punching apparatus. The actuation device comprises a first signal generator, a first signal receiver and a signal discriminator. The first signal generator generates a first signal in a first preset pattern. The first signal receiver is used for receiving the first signal. The signal discriminator is electrically connected to the first signal receiver to determine whether the first signal receiver receives the first signal in the first preset pattern, and asserts an actuation signal to actuate a punching operation of the punching apparatus when the first signal is interrupted from the first preset pattern.  
      In an embodiment, the first preset pattern is to have the first signal generator continuously generate the first signal and have the first signal receiver continuously receive the first signal. The actuation signal is asserted when the first signal is interrupted from continuous generation for a predetermined time period.  
      In another embodiment, the first preset pattern is to have the first signal generator periodically generate the first signal and have the first signal receiver periodically receive the first signal.  
      Preferably, the first signal is an infrared-ray (IR) signal.  
      In an embodiment, the punching apparatus comprises a base, a controlled switch, a cutting tool and a fixture plate. The base is used for placing thereon an object to be punched. The controlled switch is electrically connected to the signal discriminator and the motor, and switched on to actuate the motor in response to the actuation signal. The cutting tool has a plurality of punch pins driven by the motor to dig into the object so as to perform the punching operation. The fixture plate has a plurality of openings for receiving the punch pins, wherein a feeding entrance is defined between the cutting tool and the fixture plate defining for feeding therefrom the object to be punched.  
      In an embodiment, the first signal generator and the first signal receiver are arranged at the same side of the base and opposite to each other so that the object, once placed into the feeding entrance, interrupts the first signal in the first preset pattern.  
      In an embodiment, the actuation device further comprises a second signal generator and a second signal receiver. The second signal generator is disposed at a side of the base distant from the first signal generator and generates a second signal in a second preset pattern. The second signal receiver is used for receiving the second signal in the second preset pattern. The second signal receiver is electrically connected to the signal discriminator and disposed at the same side of the base as the second signal generator. The signal discriminator asserts the actuation signal when both of the first and the second signal are interrupted from the first and second preset patterns, respectively, by the object placed into the feeding entrance.  
      Preferably, the second signal is an infrared-ray (IR) signal.  
      In an embodiment, the signal discriminator is a micro-controller.  
      Preferably, the actuation device is suitable for use in a paper puncher.  
      In accordance with a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided with an automatic punching apparatus. The automatic punching apparatus comprises a base, a cutting tool, a photo-sensing module, a controlled switch and a motor. The base is used for placing thereon an object to be punched. The cutting tool digs into the object to create holes. The photo-sensing module is disposed around a feeding entrance where the object is inserted between the base and the cutting tool, and generates an actuation signal when the photo sensing module detects the object has been in place. The controlled switch is electrically connected to the photo-sensing module and switches on in response to the actuation signal. The motor is electrically connected to the controlled switch and actuated to transmit the cutting tool to dig into the object when the controlled switch is on.  
      In accordance with a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided with a method for automatically actuating a punching apparatus. Firstly, at least one optical way is provided in a paper-feeding entrance of the punching apparatus. Then, it is monitored whether the optical way is interrupted. Then, an actuation signal is generated when the optical way is interrupted for a predetermined time period. Afterward, the punching apparatus is actuated to perform a punching operation in response to the actuation signal.  
      In an embodiment, two optical ways distant from each other are provided in the paper-feeding entrance, and the actuation signal is generated when both of the optical ways are interrupted for the predetermined time period.  
      The above contents of the present invention will become more readily apparent to those ordinarily skilled in the art after reviewing the following detailed description and accompanying drawings, in which: 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view showing a conventional automatic punching apparatus operated by pushing down a button switch;  
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view showing another conventional automatic punching apparatus operated by stepping on the pedal of a pedal switch;  
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view showing an automatic punching apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention;  
       FIG. 4  is a functional diagram schematically illustrating actuation device of the automatic punching apparatus in  FIG. 3 ;  
       FIG. 5  is a perspective view showing an automatic punching apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention; and  
       FIG. 6  is a functional diagram schematically illustrating actuation device of the automatic punching apparatus in  FIG. 5 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
      Please refer to  FIGS. 3 and 4 . An automatic punching apparatus  30  according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a base  31 , a cutting tool  32 , a fixture plate  33 , a motor  34  and an actuation device  35 . The cutting tool  32  has a plurality of punch pins  320  parallel to one another. The fixture plate  33  has a plurality of openings  330  corresponding to the punch pins  320 . Between the cutting tool  32  and the fixture plate  33  is defined with a feeding entrance  37  for feeding therefrom paper sheet(s)  36  to be punched.  
      The actuation device  35  is substantially a photo-sensing module including a photo-sensor  351  and a signal discriminator  353 . The photo-sensor  351  is disposed around the feeding entrance  37  and comprises a signal generator  3511  and a signal receiver  3512  facing to each other. The signal generator  3511  continuously generates an infrared-ray (IR) signal, which is supposed to be continuously received by the signal receiver  3512 . In such manner, an optical way from the signal generator  3511  to the signal receiver  3512  is created in the feeding entrance  37 . When the paper sheets  36  is intended to be placed on a top surface of the base  31  to be punched, a front thereof is fed into the feeding entrance  37  so as to interrupt the optical way. If the optical way is continuously interrupted for a predetermined time period, it is determined that there are paper sheets inserted into the feeding entrance  37  and ready to be punched. The predetermined time period, for example, is preferably set to be a time period enough for achieving proper alignment of the paper sheets. In response to the interruption of the optical way, the signal discriminator  353  asserts an actuation signal. In response to the actuation signal, the controlled switch  38  is switched on to actuate the motor  34  to drive the cutting tool  32  to move downward and dig into the paper sheets  36 , thereby creating holes in the paper sheets. The electric power for activating the apparatus can be provided by an AC power supply, and the controlled switch  38 , in this case, can be a thyristor. After the punching operation is finished, the punch pins  320  are released from the openings  330  so that the paper sheets  36  can be withdrawn from the feeding entrance  37 . Meanwhile, the optical way from the signal generator  3511  to signal receiver  3512  is conducted again to wait for next paper feeding and punching operation.  
      In another embodiment, the actuation device  35  further comprises an additional photo-sensor  352  in addition to the photo-sensor  351  and the signal discriminator  353 . The second photo-sensor  352 , like the first photo-sensor  351 , is disposed around the feeding entrance  37 , but a distance separate from the first photo-sensor  351 . Both of the first and second photo-sensors  351  and  352  are electrically connected to the signal discriminator  353  that is further electrically connected to the controlled switch  38 . The second photo-sensor  352  comprises a signal generator  3521  and a signal receiver  3522  facing to each other. The signal generator  3521  continuously generates an infrared-ray (IR) signal, which is supposed to be continuously received by the signal receiver  3522  to create another optical way in the feeding entrance  37 . In this embodiment, the actuation signal is asserted to switch on the controlled switch  38  so as to actuate the motor  34  when both of the optical ways in the feeding entrance are interrupted by the paper sheets  36  for a predetermined time period. It is understood from the above description that the punching operation will not be performed until both the photo-sensors  351  and  352  detect the inserted paper sheets. In other words, the punching operation will not be performed if the paper sheets are not placed in position. Therefore, the disposition of the second photo-sensor  352  facilitates the assurance of the well placement of the paper sheets in the feeding entrance, thereby obtaining perfectly aligned punched holes.  
      In the above embodiments, the optical ways are continuous IR signals. It is understood, however, that the optical ways can also be other types of optical signal, e.g. laser, or the optical ways can be generated in a non-continuous but constant pattern, e.g. intermittent or periodic emission. As long as the preset pattern is interrupted to some extent, it is determined that the paper sheets to be punched are placed in position. Moreover, signals other than optical signal can be applied to the present invention as long as the interruption of the signal can be detected. Of course, the number and positions of the sensors can vary with practical requirement such as cost and precision. Further, the predetermined time period waiting for actuating the motor as mentioned above can be adjusted according to practical requirement. In order to achieve this purpose, a micro-controller can be used as the signal discriminator. Alternatively, if desired, the motor can be actuated immediately when the optical way or ways are interrupted without waiting the predetermined time period or with the setting of the predetermined time period as zero.  
      Further, the present invention is illustrated with paper sheets as the example of the punched object. Other sheet material can also be punched to create holes therein according to the present invention.  
      From the above description, the automatic punching apparatus of the present invention permits well alignment of the object to be punched because the user can hold the object with both of his hands. In addition, since no pedal switch is required, limited operating space is enough for the punching operation.  
      While the invention has been described in terms of what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention needs not be limited to the disclosed embodiment. On the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims which are to be accorded with the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar structures.