JPH0125672B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Technical Field of Application of the Invention) The present invention relates to a staple feeding device in an electric stapler.

(Prior art) As a staple feeding method for a conventional electric stapler, for example, a cartridge containing coiled staples made by connecting a large number of wire-shaped staple materials in a coiled manner with an adhesive is set in a magazine, and the staples are fed in one place. In some cases, this was done by sending the cartridges one by one below the driver plate at the front end of the magazine using a feeding means such as a feeding claw provided at the bottom of the cartridge.

However, according to such a feeding method,
First, a considerable amount of feeding accuracy is required in order for the feeding means to feed out the staple by one width, which complicates the apparatus. Second, after the staples have been fed out, when driving the foremost staple into the material with the driver plate, a non-return means such as a non-return pawl must prevent the connected staple from being pushed back. Must be. This has the disadvantage that the feeding device becomes large.

In addition, as a conventional staple feeding mechanism, as shown in Japanese Utility Model Application No. 51-60584,
A method is also known in which a transfer belt is brought into contact with the lower surface of the staples in the lower stage in the cartridge, and the staples are fed out from the outlet of the cartridge. However, this requires two feeding mechanisms,
It is unavoidable that the equipment becomes more complex and larger.

(Technical Problem of the Invention) This invention was developed in view of the above circumstances, and has a particularly simple structure that allows the connected staple to be reliably fed without requiring a non-return means such as a non-return claw. The purpose of this invention is to propose a staple feeding device for an electric stapler.

(Technical Means for Solving the Problems) That is, the staple feeding device in the electric stapler according to the present invention stores sheet-like staples formed by connecting a large number of straight staple needles in a sheet-like manner in multiple stages, and stores the sheet-like staples in the lowest stage. A staple cartridge having a bottom opening that exposes the lower surface of a sheet-like staple, a magazine into which the staple cartridge can be attached, and a forming and driving method for forming straight staple needles into a U-shape and driving the formed staple needles into the cartridge. An electric stapler comprising: a device; a transfer path for transporting and guiding the lowest sheet staple in the staple cartridge to a forming and driving device; and an electric drive source that continuously drives the forming and driving device for one cycle. A magnet is disposed on the transfer path from a position opposite to the bottom opening of the needle cartridge to the forming/driving device, and a magnet is disposed on the transfer path from a position opposite to the bottom opening of the needle cartridge, and a magnet is placed between the magnet and the lowermost part exposed from the bottom opening of the needle cartridge. A transfer belt that moves toward the forming/driving device along the transfer path is stretched between the sheet-like staples, and the transfer belt is moved at least immediately before the forming/striking device starts.
The present invention is characterized in that the driving device is operated by the electric drive source until the leading staple is peeled off from the sheet staple by the driving device.

(Example) An example of implementing the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral A indicates an electric stapler. This electric stapler A has a magazine 2 pivotally mounted on a base 1, a staple cartridge 3 and a staple feeding device 4 at the rear of the magazine 2, and a staple forming/forming device 4 at the front of the magazine 2. A driving device 5 is provided, and these staple feeding device 4 and forming/driving device 5 are mounted on the base 1.
It is driven by an electric drive source (not shown) such as a motor provided in the main body.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the staple cartridge 3 includes a staple storage section 10 inside a main body 3a, and a guide rib 11 on the front surface of the main body 3a.
In addition, a staple outlet 12 is formed at the lower part of the guide rib 11, and the staple outlet 12 is provided to be detachably attached to the magazine. Attachment pieces 13 are provided on both sides of the main body 3a, and a locking protrusion 14 is formed protruding from the inside of the lower end of the attachment piece 13. The upper part of the main body 3a is open, and engaging claws 15, 15 protruding inward are formed on both sides of the upper end. Further, an opening 16 is formed at the bottom of the main body 3a, and holding protrusions 17, 17 are formed on both sides of the lower end. Furthermore, the needle cartridge 3 is used with a weight 18.

The staples S include a large number of wire-like straight staples connected together in a sheet shape with an adhesive, and are stored in the storage section 10 of the staple cartridge 3 in a multi-layered manner. A weight 18 is placed on top of the stored laminated staple. This weight 18 has engaging claws 15 on both sides of the upper end of the main body 3a,
15 is unfolded and loaded into the storage section 10. When there are no more sheet staples in the storage section 10, the weight 18 is also removed from the main body 3a.
Also, among the laminated staples S, S, S..., the lowest sheet staple Sa is in the staple cartridge 3.
The front surface of the sheet staple Sa is held on the staple holding protrusion 17 of the staple cartridge 3.
The lower surface is exposed forward from the outlet 12 at the lower end of the front surface, and the lower surface is exposed downward from the opening 16.

Next, the outlet port 12 of the needle cartridge 3 and the molding
A transport path 8 is provided between the needle cartridge 3 and the driving device 5 for transporting and guiding the lowermost sheet-like staple Sa in the staple cartridge 3 to the forming/driving device 5.

The staple feeding device 4 has a magnet 6 disposed on a transfer path 30 from a position opposite to the bottom opening 16 of the staple cartridge 3 to the forming and driving device 5, and also connects the magnet 6 and the bottom of the staple cartridge 3. The transfer path 3 is placed between the lowermost sheet staple Sa exposed from the opening 16.
0 in the direction of the forming and driving device 5, and the transfer belt 8
is operated by the electric drive source at least from immediately before the forming and driving device 5 starts until the leading staple needle is peeled off from the sheet staple Sa by the forming and driving device 5. This is what I did. The moving belt 8 has pulleys 7 provided before and after the magnet 6.
One pulley 7 is connected to the electric drive source of the base 1 via a belt, gears, etc.

When installing the needle cartridge 3 into the magazine, press it against the specified position of the magazine from above.
A locking protrusion 14 at the lower end of the needle cartridge 3 locks into a locking receiving portion (not shown) formed on the magazine 2, and the needle cartridge 3 is stably mounted on the magazine 2 by this locking. At this time, the tip of the guide rib 11 of the staple cartridge 3 engages with the bottom of the staple cover 20 attached to the front part of the magazine 2, and the guide rib 11 and the bottom surface of the staple cover 20 are continuous in a plane, and the sheet staple S Form a guide part. Further, the magnet 6 of the staple feeding device 4 faces below the bottom opening 16 of the staple cartridge 3, and the upper surface of the transfer belt 8 comes into contact with the lower surface of the lowermost sheet-like staple Sa in the staple cartridge 3.

Next, the operating mode of the staple feeding device 4 having the above configuration will be explained.

First, the staple cartridge 3 has sheet-like staples S stacked in multiple stages and a weight on the top.
Attach it to magazine 2. When the electric drive source rotates the pulley 7 of the staple feeding device 4 in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 1, the transfer belt 8 moves forward. Since the sheet staple Sa at the lowest stage in the staple cartridge 3 is in strong contact with the transfer belt 8 due to the magnetic attraction force of the magnet 6, the contact friction force between the sheet staple Sa and the transfer belt 8 is equal to that of the sheet. larger than that between the sheet-like staple Sa and its upper sheet-like staple. Therefore, as the transfer belt 8 moves, the lowermost sheet-like staple Sa also moves along the movement path 30 and is sent forward from the outlet 12 of the staple cartridge 3, and the staple forming/driving device 5
will be transferred to. The feeding operation of the staples by the transfer belt 8 continues continuously while the magazine operates for one cycle, thereby performing forming and driving as described below. Normally, one staple is consumed during one cycle of operation, so the feed only needs to be one staple, but since the transport belt 8 travels much longer than that, After moving by one length, the sheet-like staple S is conveyed by the suction force of the magnet 6 while being in strong contact with the transfer belt 8, and is urged forward.

Next, when the staples are consumed and the lowest sheet staple Sa in the staple cartridge 3 is sent out of the staple cartridge 3, the sheet staple Sa in the next stage is lowered and is absorbed by the suction force of the magnet 6. It strongly contacts the surface of the transfer belt 8, is sent out in the same way, and engages with the rear end of the previous sheet-like staple.

Note that the sheet staple Sa at the bottom is the third
As shown in the figure, the magnet 6 is facing from the bottom opening 16, but if there is no inclusion between the sheet staple Sa and the magnet 6, the magnetic attraction force of the magnet 6 will directly act on the sheet staple Sa.
The driving force for feeding increases. Therefore, it is preferable to make the protruding width of the holding protrusion 17 of the needle cartridge 3 as small as possible and to form the opening 16 as large as possible.
Further, the magnetic force of the magnet 6 is increased by surrounding it with an iron sheet metal (not shown).

Next, the sheet-like staples transported forward by the staple feeding device 4 are shaped by the staple forming/driving device 5 and driven into the binding paper material. Staple forming/driving device 5
The plate holder 21 is provided in the front part of the magazine 2 so as to be movable up and down, and the plate holder 2
1 with a forming plate 22 and a driver plate 23 superimposed on each other. To briefly explain its operation, this staple forming/driving device 5 operates for one cycle simultaneously with the above-described staple feeding device 4 by a link mechanism and a solenoid mechanism linked to the above-mentioned electric drive source. In this case, as shown in FIGS. 4a and 4b, when the holder 21 is first moved downward, the staple S1 (formed) at the forefront of the sheet-like staple S is pushed down by the driver plate 23, and the second The staple is peeled off from the second staple S2 and driven into a binding paper material (not shown) to perform binding. At the same time, the second staple S2 from the front is formed into a U-shape on the anvil 19 by the pressing down of the forming plate 22. After that, the holder 21 is raised and one cycle is completed. When the holder 21 is raised, the U-shaped staples are transferred under the driver plate 23 by the pusher (not shown) and the staple feeding device 4, and are driven in the next cycle.
The subsequent staples are formed on forming plate 2.
It is molded in 2. Thereafter, the same operation is repeated.

In this way, the sheet-shaped staples transferred by the feeding device 4 are formed and driven, but according to the staple feeding device 4, the sheet-shaped staples are strongly urged forward by the transfer belt 8 during this time. ing. Therefore, even without providing a conventional staple nonreturning means, it is possible to effectively prevent buckling when formed and driven staples separate from other staples.

It is preferable that the magnet 6 is provided so as to protrude in front of the outlet of the needle cartridge 3. This is because even if the sheet staple S comes out from the outlet 12 of the staple cartridge 3, the suction force of the magnet is applied to the protruding portion, and the feeding force by the feeding device 4 is maintained for a long time. On the other hand, if the amount of overhang of the magnet is small, the overhanging portion 2 of the sheet staple S will become larger as shown in FIG.
On the other hand, the feeding force of the magnet 6 is weak, but the suction force of the magnet 6 is applied to the sheet staple Sp in the next stage, so the sheet staple Sp in the next stage presses down the sheet staple S in the lowest stage and prevents it from advancing. Sometimes it happens.

In addition, the reason why the transfer belt 8 needs to be fed is as follows.
As shown in the drive cycle of the electric stapler in FIG. This is the number of cycles. In the remaining half cycle, there is no need to feed the sheet staple. On the other hand, strong friction is generated between the transfer belt 8 and the sheet staples due to the magnetic force of the magnet 6, so if the transfer belt 8 is moved while holding the sheet staples in the same position, the transfer belt 8 will wear out. do. Therefore, unnecessary feeding will reduce wear on the transfer belt 8. For this reason, it is preferable that the transfer belt 8 is fed intermittently, so that it is driven for half the magazine drive cycle and stopped for the other half cycle. As shown in Figure b, this type of intermittent feeding is achieved by providing an engaging tooth 24 on a part of the pulley and forming a groove 25 on the inner surface of the transfer belt 8. This can be achieved by synchronizing the cycle and driving the belt 8 by half a rotation of the pulley only when the engagement tooth 24 engages the groove 25 of the transfer belt 8.

(Effects of the Invention) As explained in detail above, according to the staple feeding device in the electric stapler according to the present invention, the sheet-like staples in the staple cartridge are sequentially moved in a state in which they are in strong contact with the transfer belt by the magnetic attraction force. It can be transported to a forming/driving device, and the distance traveled by the transport belt is much larger than the diameter of a single staple needle. Moreover, the transfer belt is operated by an electric drive source at least from immediately before the forming/driving device starts until the leading staple is peeled off from the sheet staple by the forming/driving device. Therefore, the feeding force necessary when the leading staple is separated from the sheet staple is realized by the feeding force of the transfer belt itself. Therefore, there is no need to provide a non-return means or a separate feeding mechanism, and the structure can be simplified, and the device can also be simplified.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of an electric stapler including a staple feeding device according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the main parts of the staple feeding device, and FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the main parts of the staple feeding device. , FIGS. 4a and 4b are explanatory diagrams of the forming and driving mode of staples, FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing the feeding state of sheet-shaped staples, and FIG. 6a is an illustration of the drive cycle of the electric stapler and the sheet-shaped staple. FIG. 1B is a diagram illustrating the intermittent feeding of the transfer belt. Code A... Electric stapler, S... Sheet staple, Sa... Bottom sheet staple,
1... Base, 2... Magazine, 3... Needle cartridge, 4... Staple feeding device, 5... Forming/
Driving device, 6... magnet, 7... pulley,
8... Transfer belt, 21... Holder, 22...
Forming plate, 23...driver plate, 30...transfer path.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A staple cartridge that stores sheet-like staples in multiple stages, each consisting of a large number of straight staples connected in a sheet-like manner, and has a bottom opening that exposes the lower surface of the sheet-like staple in the lowest stage. ,
A magazine into which the staple cartridge can be attached, a forming/driving device that forms straight staples into a U-shape and drives the formed staples, and a forming/driving device that forms the lowest sheet staple in the staple cartridge. an electric drive source that continuously drives the forming and driving device for one cycle; A magnet is disposed on the transfer path to the needle cartridge, and a magnet is placed between the magnet and the lowermost sheet staple exposed from the bottom opening of the staple cartridge along the transfer path in the direction of the forming/driving device. A moving transfer belt is set up, and the transfer belt is operated by the electric motor at least from immediately before the forming and driving device starts until the leading staple is peeled off from the sheet staple by the forming and driving device. A staple feeding device characterized in that it is operated by a drive source.