STAPLER

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a stapler according to the preamble of claim 1.

[0002] Such staplers (cf. US 2021 / 0205970 A1), also known as magnetic staplers, are characterized by the fact that the staples are driven through the sheet material to be stapled not by manually pressing down the driver, but by the driver being actuated by the actuating device. During the stapling process, the magnetic coil is energized, drawing the firing pin into it and, in doing so, acting on the driver anvil with an actuating element, causing the driver to move abruptly downwards and drive the foremost staple in the staple magazine through the gap, allowing it to penetrate the sheet material lying on the anvil. The driver's movement counteracts the restoring force of a driver spring. The staple magazine is also supported on the anvil leg by a magazine spring, whereby the magazine spring is weaker than the driver spring.This means that during the stapling process, the staple magazine is first pressed onto the anvil with its front end, which has the gap, before the driver is moved downwards.

[0003] A common disadvantage of such conventional magnetic staplers is the loud noises that occur during the stapling process. This occurs particularly when the staple cartridge impacts the anvil plate or the sheet material resting on the anvil plate.

[0004] It is therefore an object of the invention to further develop a stapler of the type mentioned at the outset in such a way that the stapling process causes less noise.

[0005] This object is achieved according to the invention by a stapler having the features of claim 1. Advantageous developments of the invention are the subject of the dependent claims.

[0006] The invention is based on the idea of ​​at least largely avoiding the noise generated when the staple magazine impacts the sheet material by having the staple magazine already rest on the anvil leg or anvil plate when the stapling process is triggered. The force of the firing pin then no longer strikes the anvil plate or anvil leg at high speed, but at most moves it a short distance towards the anvil. While the staple magazine rests on the anvil leg or anvil plate in its resting state, i.e. in the absence of external forces, it can also be raised slightly, particularly for inserting sheet material between the staple magazine and the anvil plate.

[0007] The staple magazine expediently has a spacer on its underside facing the anvil leg, which rests on the anvil leg or the anvil plate in the absence of external forces. The staple magazine then does not rest directly with its base on the anvil leg or the anvil plate, but with the spacer. This can be a plate that extends over part of the length of the staple magazine between the gap and the transverse axis. According to an advantageous embodiment, the spacer is elastically compressible and is made of rubber, for example. This embodiment is particularly advantageous when the gap is arranged at a distance above the anvil plate in the absence of external forces, for example to facilitate the insertion of sheet material between the anvil plate and the staple magazine. It is then possible, for example, to lower the gap by compressing the spacer onto the anvil plate.Because the spacer is already resting on the anvil leg or the anvil plate when the stapling process is triggered, the noisy impact of the staple magazine on the anvil leg or the anvil plate is avoided.

[0008] The stapler conveniently features a guide for inserting sheets between the staple cartridge and the anvil plate. This guide has a sloped rearward direction. This guide facilitates the insertion of sheets without having to deliberately lift the staple cartridge.

[0009] According to a first embodiment, the insertion aid is attached to the staple magazine and projects forward from it. The insertion aid can be designed, for example, as a wire bracket or as a plastic part. In the first embodiment, it can expediently be lifted relative to the staple magazine against a restoring force. It is also possible for the stapler to have a hood that covers the staple magazine and accommodates the actuating device, so that the risk of a user placing a finger between the staple magazine and the anvil plate and being injured during the stapling process is minimized. The hood can have a flap on its front that can be pivoted to a limited extent and that covers the insertion aid in a first end position and releases the insertion aid in a second end position.

[0010] According to a second embodiment, the insertion aid is formed by a sloping, rearwardly sloping surface of the hood covering the staple magazine and accommodating the actuating device. In the second embodiment, it is preferred that the hood not have a pivoting flap, but always completely cover the staple magazine.

[0011] In the following, the invention is explained in more detail with reference to two exemplary embodiments shown schematically in the drawing. Fig. 1, 2 a stapler in longitudinal section according to a first embodiment in a rest position and with raised staple magazine and Fig. 3, 4 a stapler according to a second embodiment in longitudinal section in rest position and with raised staple magazine.

[0012] The Fig. 1 , 2 The stapler 10 according to the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1 has, like the one shown in Fig. 3 ,4 The stapler 10' shown according to the second embodiment has an anvil leg 12, on the underside of which feet 14 are arranged for placement on a surface, such as a table top, and in the front region 16 of which an anvil plate 18 is arranged on the upper side facing away from the underside, which anvil plate has forming contours for forming staple legs. In the rear region 20 of the anvil leg 12, a transverse axis 22 is arranged, about which a staple magazine 24 is pivotally mounted relative to the anvil leg 12. At its front end 26, the staple magazine 24 has a gap 28 on its underside facing the anvil leg 12, through which the foremost of the staples held in the staple magazine 24 can be passed by means of a vertically displaceable driver 30 and driven through the sheet material to be stapled lying on the anvil plate 18.

[0013] The stapler 10, 10' also has a hood 32, which is connected to the anvil leg 12 and covers the staple magazine 24. The hood 32 also houses the driver 30 together with an actuating device 34. This device has a magnetic coil 36, which is supplied with power via a connecting cable 38. A firing pin 40 is mounted in the magnetic coil 36 so as to be displaceable in a substantially vertical direction. The firing pin 40 has a magnetic section 42 made of a ferromagnetic material that projects upwards from the magnetic coil 36, as well as a plastic striking section 44 that projects downwards from the magnetic coil 36. Arranged below the firing pin 40 is a driving anvil 46 that is firmly connected to the driver 30 and is supported on the staple magazine 24 by means of a driving spring 48 in the form of a compression spring.When the magnetic coil 36 is energized, the magnetic section 42 is suddenly drawn into it, so that the striking section 44 strikes the driver anvil 46 and abruptly pushes the driver 30 downward against the force of the driver spring 48. The driver 30 then acts on the staple arranged at the front in the staple magazine 24, so that it is passed through the gap 28 and driven through the sheet material lying on the anvil plate 18 and formed along the forming contours.

[0014] The staple magazine 24 is supported on the anvil leg 12 by means of a magazine spring 50, also designed as a compression spring. The magazine spring 50 is designed to be considerably weaker than the driver spring 48 and has a significantly lower spring constant. It is arranged between the front end 26 and the transverse axis 22 and is dimensioned such that it cannot keep the staple magazine 24 suspended above the anvil leg 12. The staple magazine 24 is located in the Fig. 1 , 3shown rest position, in which no external forces act on the stapler 10, with a spacer 54 in the form of a rubber plate arranged on its underside 52 on the anvil leg 12. The spacer 54 is arranged between the gap 28 and the transverse axis 22, so that in the rest position the gap 28 is held at a small distance above the anvil plate 18. If the actuating device 34 is actuated by energizing the magnetic coil 36, the spacer 54 is first compressed and the magazine spring 50 is shortened a little further until the front end 26 of the staple magazine 24 rests on the anvil plate 18 or on the sheet material lying on the anvil plate 18. Since no further downward movement of the staple magazine 24 is then possible, the driver 30 is moved downwards against the restoring force of the driver spring 48 and the sheet material is stapled together.The staplers 10, 10' according to the two embodiments are identical with regard to the features described above and their functioning resulting from these features. To better illustrate their functioning, they are shown in . Fig. 2 , 4 also shown with the staple magazine 24 raised.

[0015] The staplers 10, 10' according to the two embodiments also each have an insertion aid 56 with a slope 58 sloping backwards towards the anvil leg 12, which facilitates the insertion of sheet material under the gap 28. In the stapler 10 according to the first embodiment, the slope 58 is formed by a wire bracket 60 fastened to the front end 26 of the staple magazine 24, which is also arranged under the hood 32. The hood 32 has a flap 62 on its front side, which is pivotable to a limited extent and covers the wire bracket 60 in a first end position and in a second end position, which Fig. 1 , 2is shown. If the flap 62 is moved out of its first end position, a switch (not shown in the drawing) is actuated, which prevents energization of the magnetic coil 36, so that a person reaching under the wire clip 60 cannot injure themselves by accidentally triggering a stapling operation. In the stapler 10' according to the second embodiment, however, the bevel 58 is formed by a front surface 64 of the hood 32.

[0016] In summary, the following can be stated: The invention relates to a stapler 10, 10' with an anvil leg 12 carrying an anvil plate 18 in its front region 16, with a staple magazine 24 which can be pivoted to a limited extent with respect to the anvil leg 12 about a transverse axis 22 arranged in the rear region 20 of the anvil leg 12, with a driver 30 for feeding staples through a gap 28 arranged above the anvil plate 18 at the front end 26 of the staple magazine 24 and with an actuating device 34 for acting on the driver 30 in the direction of the anvil plate 18 against the restoring force of a driver spring 48,The actuating device 34 comprises a magnetic coil 36 and a firing pin 40 movable by means of the magnetic coil 36 for actuating a driver anvil 46 rigidly connected to the driver 30. The staple magazine 24 is supported on the anvil leg 12 between the gap 28 and the transverse axis 22 by means of a magazine spring 50. According to the invention, the magazine spring 50 is dimensioned such that the staple magazine 24 rests on the anvil leg 12 or on the anvil plate 18 in the absence of external forces.

Claims

1. A stapling device comprising an anvil leg (12), which bears, in its front region (16), an anvil plate (18), a staple magazine (24), which can be pivoted to a limited extent relative to the anvil leg (12) about a transverse axis (22) arranged in the rear region (20) of the anvil leg (12), a driver (30) for passing staples through a gap (28) at the front end (26) of the staple magazine (24), said gap being arranged above the anvil plate (18), and an actuation apparatus (34) for acting upon the driver (30) toward the anvil plate (18) against the restoring force of a driver spring (48), wherein the actuation apparatus (34) has a solenoid (36) and a striking pin (40) for acting upon a driver anvil (46) fixedly connected to the driver (30), the striking pin (40) being movable by means of the solenoid (36), and wherein, between the gap (28) and the transverse axis (22), the staple magazine (24) is supported on the anvil leg (12) by means of a magazine spring (50), characterized in that the magazine spring (50) is dimensioned in such a way that, in the absence of external forces, the staple magazine (24) rests on the anvil leg (12) or on the anvil plate (18).

2. The stapling device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, on its underside (52) facing the anvil leg (12), the staple magazine (24) has a spacer (54), which, in the absence of external forces, rests on the anvil leg (12) or the anvil plate (18).

3. The stapling device as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that the spacer (54) is a plate which extends between the gap (28) and the transverse axis (22) over part of the length of the staple magazine (24).

4. The stapling device as claimed in claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the spacer (54) is elastically compressible.

5. The stapling device as claimed in any of the preceding claims, characterized in that, in the absence of external forces, the gap (28) is arranged at a distance above the anvil plate (18).

6. The stapling device as claimed in claim 4 and as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that the gap (28) can be lowered onto the anvil plate (18) by compressing the spacer (54).

7. The stapling device as claimed in any of the preceding claims, characterized by an insertion aid (56) for the insertion of sheet material between the staple magazine (24) and the anvil plate (18), which insertion aid has an oblique surface (58) which slopes down toward the rear.

8. The stapling device as claimed in claim 7, characterized in that the insertion aid (56) is secured on the staple magazine (24) and projects forward from the latter.

9. The stapling device as claimed in claim 8, characterized in that the insertion aid (56) can be raised with respect to the staple magazine (24) against a restoring force.

10. The stapling device as claimed in any of the preceding claims, characterized by a hood (32), which covers the staple magazine (24) and accommodates the actuation apparatus (34).

11. The stapling device as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that, on its front side, the hood (32) has a flap (62) which can be pivoted to a limited extent, which covers the insertion aid (56) in a first end position and exposes the latter in a second end position.

12. The stapling device as claimed in any of claims 7 to 9 and as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that the insertion aid (56) is formed by a surface (64) of the hood (32) which slopes obliquely down toward the rear.