End machine

Abstract

To provide a binding machine which enables easy adjustment for adapting an operation to a shape of a bound object.SOLUTION: A binding machine 10 includes: a driver 30 which pushes out each staple 80 toward a bag BG; a clincher 400 which sandwiches the staple 80 pushed out with the driver 30 to deform the staple 80; and a contact member 450 which adjusts a position of the clincher 400 along a moving direction of the driver 30.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 13

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a bundling machine for bundling an object to be bundled.

Background Art

[0002] A bundling machine is a device for bundling, for example, the entrance part of a bag containing fruits and vegetables using staples. As described in Patent Document 1 below, the bundling machine includes a driver that operates to push out staples toward the object to be bundled, and a clincher that sandwiches and deformes the staples together with the driver.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] The extent to which the driver should push out the staples to a position close to the clincher varies depending on the shape of the portion of the object to be bundled that is to be bundled. In order to be able to bundle objects of various shapes, for example, it is conceivable to provide the bundling machine with a mechanism for adjusting the operating range of the driver. However, since the driver is a member that operates inside the bundling machine, the operation of adjusting the operating range of the driver is considered to be carried out after disassembling the bundling machine and exposing the driver to the outside. In this case, the adjustment for adapting to the shape of the object to be bundled becomes a very laborious task.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a bundling machine that can easily perform adjustment for adapting to the shape of the object to be bundled.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The strapping machine according to the present invention is a strapping machine that straps objects to be strapped together with staples, and comprises a driver that pushes staples toward the objects to be strapped, a clincher that deforms staples by clamping them together with the driver, and an adjustment mechanism that adjusts the position of the clincher along the direction of movement of the driver.

[0007] The strapping machine with the above configuration allows for adjustment of the clincher's position along the driver's direction of movement using an adjustment mechanism. In other words, instead of changing the driver's operating range, the distance between the driver and the clincher at the time of completion can be adjusted by changing the clincher's position. Since the clincher is located relatively far out on the strapping machine, the user can easily make the above adjustments. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] The present invention provides a binding machine that can be easily adjusted to adapt to the shape of the object to be bound. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] Figure 1 shows the external appearance of a strapping machine according to the first embodiment. [Figure 2] Figure 2 shows the external appearance of the strapping machine according to the first embodiment. [Figure 3] Figure 3 shows the external appearance of the strapping machine according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4] Figure 4 shows the bundled items with their entrances secured. [Figure 5] Figure 5 shows the configuration of the staples. [Figure 6] Figure 6 shows the configuration of a connected body in which multiple staples are linked together. [Figure 7] Figure 7 shows the external appearance of the strapping machine according to the first embodiment. [Figure 8]FIG. 8 is a diagram showing the configuration of a portion for guiding a connecting body in the bundling machine according to the first embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a diagram showing the internal configuration of the bundling machine according to the first embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the internal configuration of the bundling machine according to the first embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing the configuration of a clincher included in the bundling machine according to the first embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a diagram showing the configuration of a clincher included in the bundling machine according to the first embodiment. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing the configuration of a clincher and its vicinity in the bundling machine according to the first embodiment. [Figure 14] FIG. 14 is a diagram showing the configuration of a clincher and its vicinity in the bundling machine according to the first embodiment. [Figure 15] FIG. 15 is a diagram showing the configuration of a portion for holding a clincher in the bundling machine according to the first embodiment. [Figure 16] FIG. 16 is a diagram showing the configuration of a clincher and its vicinity in the bundling machine according to the second embodiment. [Figure 17] FIG. 17 is a diagram showing the configuration of a clincher and its vicinity in the bundling machine according to the second embodiment. MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0010] Hereinafter, this embodiment will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. For ease of understanding the description, the same reference numerals are given to the same components in each drawing as much as possible, and redundant descriptions are omitted.

[0011] The first embodiment will be described. The bundling machine 10 according to this embodiment is a device for bundling the entrance portion of a bag containing fruits and vegetables or the like, and is used, for example, in the backyard of a supermarket or the like. FIGS. 1 to 3 show the appearance of the bundling machine 10.

[0012] Figure 4 shows the bag BG after being tied using the tying machine 10. The bag BG contains fruits and vegetables or the like inside, and its entrance portion is tied by staples 80. The staples 80 are, for example, substantially rod-shaped members formed of resin. The staples 80 are wound around the entrance portion of the bag BG by the tying machine 10 to tie the entrance portion. Note that the object to be tied may be the bag BG as in this embodiment, or other objects. The configuration of the tying machine 10 described below can also be applied to, for example, a tying machine for bundling a plurality of members together.

[0013] Figure 5 shows the shape of the staples 80 in the initial state before tying. As shown in the figure, the staples 80 have a shape in which a pair of legs 81 are connected by a connecting portion 82, and the whole is substantially U-shaped. On the opposite side of the connecting portion 82, the space between the respective legs 81 is open.

[0014] In order to be able to continuously perform tying by the tying machine 10, the staples 80 are arranged in a plurality along the depth direction of the paper surface in FIG. 5, and are connected to each other via a connecting portion 83. In other words, the plurality of staples 80 are integrally formed so as to be connected to each other via the connecting portion 83 and form a single string-like shape. The plurality of staples 80 connected and formed into a string-like shape are hereinafter also referred to as a "connector 800". The connector 800 is held by a connector holding portion 170 (see FIG. 1) of the tying machine 10 in a state of being wound around a bobbin 700 as shown in FIG. 6.

[0015] The configuration of the strapping machine 10 will be explained with reference to Figure 1 and other figures. In Figure 1, the direction from left to right on the page is defined as the x-direction, and the x-axis is set along this direction. The direction perpendicular to the x-direction, from the back of the page to the front of the page, is defined as the y-direction, and the y-axis is set along this direction. Furthermore, the direction perpendicular to both the x-direction and the y-direction, from the bottom of the page to the top of the page, is defined as the z-direction, and the z-axis is set along this direction. In the other figures, the x-axis, y-axis, and z-axis are set to correspond to those in Figure 1. In the following explanation, the terms "x-direction," "y-direction," and "z-direction" will be used as appropriate. Figure 1 is a view of the strapping machine 10 from the y-direction side, Figure 2 is a view of the strapping machine 10 from the -y-direction side, and Figure 3 is a view of the strapping machine 10 from the x-direction side.

[0016] First, let me explain the components of the strapping machine 10 that are visible externally. The strapping machine 10 comprises a main frame 100, a connecting body holding part 170, a motor unit 20, a battery unit 60, and a cutter unit 500.

[0017] The main frame 100 is the main body portion of the strapping machine 10 and holds each component of the strapping machine 10. The main frame 100 is constructed by combining multiple substantially flat plate-shaped members, etc., which are parallel to the plane of the paper in Figure 1. A handle 150 is provided at the upper end of the main frame 100 for gripping by the user of the strapping machine 10.

[0018] A guide groove 110 is formed in the main frame 100 so as to extend downward from its upper end. A switch member 111 is provided at the lower end of the guide groove 110. The user of the strapping machine 10 passes the portion of the bag BG to be strapped through the guide groove 110 and lowers the bag BG along the guide groove 110. When the bag BG hits the switch member 111 and rotates the switch member 111, an internal driver 30 (not shown in Figure 1, see Figure 9) etc. operates as will be explained later, and the opening portion of the bag BG is strapped with staples 80.

[0019] The connecting body holder 170 is the part that holds the bobbin 700 around which the connecting body 800 is wound. The connecting body holder 170 is formed as a rod-shaped shaft extending along the y-direction (i.e., the width direction of the strapping machine 10), and its rear end in Figure 1 is connected to the main frame 100. As shown in Figure 6, a through hole 701 is formed in the center of the bobbin 700. As shown in Figure 1, the bobbin 700 is attached to the strapping machine 10 by passing the through hole 701 through the connecting body holder 170. As a result, the connecting body 800 is held wound around the connecting body holder 170. When the strapping machine 10 is in use, as shown in Figure 7, the connecting body 800 pulled out from the bobbin 700 extends to the roller 161 and guide rail 162, but this is omitted from the illustration in Figures 1 to 3.

[0020] The roller 161 and the guide rail 162 are both components that guide the connecting body 800, which has been pulled out from the bobbin 700 as described above, to a predetermined position on the main frame 100. As shown in Figures 1 and 3, the roller 161 and the guide rail 162 are provided at positions on the y-direction side of the main frame 100.

[0021] Figure 8 shows an enlarged view of the roller 161, guide rail 162, and their vicinity from Figure 3, along with the connecting body 800 that they guide. In Figure 8, some of the structures shown in Figure 3 have been omitted to make the connecting body 800 easier to see.

[0022] The roller 161 is a roughly cylindrical rotating body positioned with its axis of rotation aligned with the z-direction. The connecting body 800 is pulled out from the bobbin 700 and generally towards the x-direction, and then guided along the side of the roller 161 to change direction generally towards the -y-direction. As shown in Figure 8, the connecting body 800 is guided by the roller 161 with the connecting portions 82 of each staple 80 facing inward and the tips of the leg portions 81 facing outward.

[0023] As shown in Figure 1, the guide rail 162 is positioned slightly to the x-direction of the roller 161. As shown in Figure 8, the guide rail 162 extends linearly from the vicinity of the roller 161 toward the -y-direction. The guide rail 162 is a generally flat plate-shaped member, positioned with its normal direction aligned with the z-direction.

[0024] The connecting body 800 is configured such that the guide rail 162 is inserted from the x-direction side between the pair of legs 81 of the staple 80. This holds the connecting body 800 in a state where it can slide along the guide rail 162 in the -y-direction. The staple 80 at the very front of the connecting body 800 is positioned in the area of ​​the main frame 100 through which the driver 30 described later passes (i.e., the operating area of ​​the driver 30), and is used to fasten the bag BG in the next operation. The guide rail 162 can be said to guide the connecting body 800, which has been pulled out from the connecting body holding part 170, along the width direction (y-direction) to the operating area of ​​the driver 30.

[0025] As shown in Figure 8, a feed member 280 is provided on the upper side of the guide rail 162, and a check member 290 is provided on the lower side of the guide rail 162.

[0026] The feed member 280 is a plate-shaped member with a feed claw 282 formed at its tip. The feed member 280 is attached to the link member 270 via a shaft 281. The feed member 280 is rotatable around the shaft 281 and is biased in the clockwise direction in Figure 8 by a spring (not shown).

[0027] The link member 270 is a member that is operably attached to the main frame 100. The portion of the link member 270 to which the feed member 280 is attached is biased toward the -y direction by a spring (not shown). The feed member 280 is biased toward the -y direction as described above, with the feed claw 282 inserted into a part of the connecting body 800. Therefore, the connecting body 800 is also biased toward the -y direction by the force from the feed claw 282.

[0028] When the binding is performed by the binding machine 10, the staple 80 that was at the very tip of the connecting body 800 disappears, and the force from the feed claw 282 feeds the connecting body 800 toward the -y direction. Subsequently, the link member 270 moves toward the y direction by a mechanism not shown. As the feed claw 282 moves toward the y direction together with the link member 270, it detaches from the connecting body 800 once, and then re-enters a part of the connecting body 800 at a position one step further toward the y direction than before.

[0029] The check valve member 290 is a plate-shaped member with a check claw 292 formed at its tip. The check valve member 290 is attached to the base member 102 via a shaft 291. The base member 102 is a member attached to the main frame 100. The check valve member 290 is rotatable around the shaft 291 and is biased in the counterclockwise direction in Figure 8 by a spring (not shown). The check valve member 290 is in a state where the check claw 292 is inserted into a part of the connecting body 800.

[0030] When the binding machine 10 performs the binding, the feed claws 282 operate as described above, and the connecting body 800 is fed in the -y direction. The check member 290 is a member that prevents the connecting body 800 from moving in the reverse direction at that time, by the check claws 292.

[0031] Let's return to Figure 1 and continue the explanation. The motor unit 20 houses the electric motor 50 and other components inside. The electric motor 50 is a rotating electric machine provided as a drive source for operating the binding machine 10. The electric motor 50 operates by receiving power from the battery unit 60 and drives the driver 30, which will be described later. Inside the motor unit 20, in addition to the electric motor 50, there is also a control board (not shown) for controlling the operation of the binding machine 10.

[0032] The motor unit 20 is located on the lower part of the main frame 100, on the y-direction side. A switch 25 is provided on the y-direction side of the motor unit 20. When the user operates the switch 25, the control board is activated, and the bundling machine 10 enters standby mode.

[0033] The battery unit 60 is a unitized system combining a battery (e.g., a lithium-ion battery) for storing the power necessary for the operation of the strapping machine 10 with a control board 62 (see Figure 3) for controlling the charging and discharging of the battery. The battery unit 60 is pre-charged by an external charger and then installed in the battery mounting section 600 of the strapping machine 10. The power supplied from the battery unit 60 via the battery mounting section 600 is supplied to the electric motor 50 and also to the control board for controlling the operation of the strapping machine 10. As shown in Figure 3, a display unit 61 is provided on the outer surface of the battery unit 60. The display unit 61 displays information such as the remaining battery charge by the illumination status of LEDs.

[0034] In this embodiment, the battery mounting section 600 is provided on the bundling machine 10 as part of the motor unit 20. Specifically, the portion of the motor unit 20 that is on the x-direction side and the -y-direction side is configured as the battery mounting section 600. As shown in Figure 3, a space for arranging the battery unit 60 is formed between the battery mounting section 600 and the main frame 100. The user can attach the battery unit 60 to the battery mounting section 600 by sliding the battery unit 60 towards the -x direction while facing the battery mounting section 600 from the -y-direction side. The battery unit 60 is held by the battery mounting section 600 with its internal control board 62 perpendicular to the y-direction (width direction).

[0035] The cutter unit 500 is used to cut off the excess portion of the bag BG beyond the staples 80 after the bag BG has been secured. The cutter unit 500 has a straight groove 501 formed therein, and a blade 510 is provided along the inner surface of the groove 501.

[0036] Once the bag BG is secured, the user can pull the bag BG up along the guide groove 110, then move the bag BG inside the groove 501, and cut off the excess portion of the bag BG with the blade 510. Alternatively, the bag BG may be configured to automatically cut off after the securing is complete by a mechanism not shown.

[0037] The internal configuration of the strapping machine 10 will be explained with reference primarily to Figure 9. As shown in the figure, the strapping machine 10 includes reduction gears 210 and 220, a cam gear 230, a crank 240, a coupling link 250, a driver 30, and a clincher 400. All of these are located inside the main frame 100 and are held in place by the main frame 100.

[0038] The reduction gears 210 and 220 are a pair of gears that mesh with each other, and they transmit the rotation of the drive shaft 51 of the electric motor 50 to the cam gear 230, which will be described later, while reducing its speed. The drive shaft 51 is provided with its longitudinal direction aligned with the width direction (y direction), and a part of it is embedded inside the main frame 100. The portion of the drive shaft 51 embedded inside the main frame 100 is equipped with a gear that meshes with the reduction gear 210, but this gear is not shown in Figure 9.

[0039] The cam gear 230 rotates upon receiving force from the reduction gear 220 and is a component that operates the crank 240. The crank 240 is rotatably mounted to the vicinity of the outer circumference of the cam gear 230 via a shaft 231. As the cam gear 230 rotates, the crank 240 reciprocates along the x-axis, changing its angle as appropriate. Figure 9 shows the state when the crank 240 is furthest towards the -x direction, and Figure 10 shows the state when the crank 240 is furthest towards the x direction. In the standby state before binding is performed, the state is as shown in Figure 9.

[0040] The connecting link 250 is a component that connects the crank 240 and the driver 30. One end of the connecting link 250 is rotatably attached to the end of the crank 240 opposite to the shaft 231 via the shaft 251. The other end of the connecting link 250 is rotatably attached to the end of the driver 30 on the -x direction side via the shaft 261. Force from the crank 240 is transmitted to the driver 30 via the connecting link 250.

[0041] The driver 30 is a component for pushing the staple 80 toward the bag BG (object to be stapled) which is passed through the guide groove 110. Inside the main frame 100, a pair of guide members 121 and 122 are provided, facing each other along the z direction, and a part of the driver 30 is sandwiched between them. The guide members 121 and 122 hold the driver 30 in a state where it can move only in the direction along the x axis. In other words, the direction of movement of the driver 30 is along the x axis. The position where the guide members 121 and 122 are provided is the position where the tip portion of the driver 30 on the x-direction side is sandwiched from above and below in the state shown in Figure 9, and corresponds to the position of the guide rail 162 mentioned earlier.

[0042] When the crank 240 is operated by the driving force of the electric motor 50, the driver 30 moves from the position in Figure 9 to the position in Figure 10. At this time, the x-side end of the driver 30 strikes the staple 80 at the very front (i.e., the -y side) of the connecting body 800, pushing the staple 80 toward the x-side. After the staple 80 is separated from the other staples by the cutting of the connecting portion 83, it moves toward the x-side together with the tip of the driver 30.

[0043] The clincher 400 is a component that deforms the staple 80 by clamping it together with the driver 30 as described above. As shown in Figure 9, the position where the clincher 400 is provided is opposite the tip of the driver 30 from the x-direction side, and further towards the x-direction than the guide groove 110. A groove 411 (see Figure 11) is formed on the -x-direction side of the clincher 400, that is, the clinching surface opposite the tip of the driver 30, to guide the deformation of the leg portion 81 of the staple 80. The specific configuration of the clincher 400 and its vicinity will be described later.

[0044] The staple 80 is pushed out in the x-direction by the driver 30 with the tip of its leg portion 81 facing the clincher 400. When the driver 30 reaches the position furthest to the x-direction within its range of motion, the tip of the leg portion 81 contacts the clinching surface of the clincher 400 and deforms into a predetermined shape while being guided by the groove 411 on the clinching surface. At this time, the opening portion of the bag BG is sandwiched between the legs 81. Therefore, the opening portion of the bag BG is fastened by the deformed staple 80, resulting in the state shown in Figure 4.

[0045] Inside the main frame 100, in addition to the driver 30 and clincher 400 described above, a convergence member 300 and a link member 260 are further provided.

[0046] The converging member 300 is a member used to pre-converge the portion of the bag BG (object to be bound) that passes through the guide groove 110 so that it is sized to be sandwiched between the legs 81 of the staple 80 before binding. The converging member 300 is a substantially flat plate parallel to the xz plane. One end of the converging member 300 along its longitudinal direction is provided with a pressing portion 320 that abuts against and presses against the bag BG. The other end of the converging member 300 along its longitudinal direction has a rotating hole through which the shaft 311 passes. The shaft 311 is a cylindrical shaft extending along the y direction, and its y-direction end is attached to the main frame 100. The converging member 300 is supported in a state that allows it to rotate around the shaft 311.

[0047] The convergent member 300, which is roughly flat, has an elongated hole 312 that penetrates it in the y-direction. The elongated hole 312 is a long, narrow hole formed to extend from the shaft 311 side toward the pressing part 320 side. The shaft 262, provided on the link member 260 described later, is inserted through the elongated hole 312. The convergent member 300 rotates around the shaft 311 due to the force it receives from the shaft 262. In the standby state before the binding operation is performed (Figure 9), the convergent member 300 is in standby position at the most clockwise position within its range of motion due to the force from the spring 351. In this state, the entire convergent member 300 does not overlap with the guide groove 110, and the pressing part 320 is positioned above the guide groove 110.

[0048] The link member 260 is a component for operating the converging member 300 in conjunction with the operation of the driver 30. The link member 260 is held in a state in which it can be moved parallel only in the direction along the x-axis. Like the converging member 300, the link member 260 is a substantially flat plate parallel to the xz plane. One end of the link member 260 along its longitudinal direction overlaps a part of the converging member 300 from the y-direction side. The shaft 262 described above is provided in this portion, and this shaft 262 is inserted through the elongated hole 312.

[0049] A circular hole is formed in the other end of the link member 260 along its longitudinal direction, and a shaft 261 is inserted through this hole. As mentioned earlier, the shaft 261 is the shaft that rotatably connects the coupling link 250 and the driver 30.

[0050] In the configuration described above, when the driver 30 moves in the x-direction, the link member 260 also moves in the x-direction along with the driver 30. The shaft 262 of the link member 260 moves in the x-direction while remaining inserted through the elongated hole 312 of the converging member 300. The converging member 300 rotates in the counterclockwise direction in Figure 9, resisting the force of the spring 351 due to the force that the edge of the elongated hole 312 receives from the link member 260. As a result, the pressing portion 320 of the converging member 300 moves downward along the guide groove 110, reaching the state shown in Figure 10.

[0051] The sequence of operations when the strapping machine 10 straps the bag BG will now be explained again. When the user passes the bag BG through the guide groove 110 and lowers it, and rotates the switch member 111, the electric motor 50 is driven. The driving force of the electric motor 50 causes the cam gear 230 and crank 240 to operate, moving the driver 30 in the x direction. The driver 30 moves from the standby position shown in Figure 9 to the strapping completed position shown in Figure 10.

[0052] Simultaneously, the link member 260 moves toward the x-direction along with the driver 30, causing the converging member 300 to rotate counterclockwise. The pressing portion 320 of the converging member 300 moves downward along the guide groove 110, and its tip comes into contact with the bag BG. The portion of the bag BG that passes through the guide groove 110 is deformed by the pressure from the pressing portion 320, and becomes pre-converged before the staples 80 reach it.

[0053] As described above, the driver 30 moves toward the x-direction, pushing the staple 80 that was at the tip of the connector 800 toward the x-direction. The staple 80 moves toward the bag BG located toward the x-direction, with the tip of its leg portion 81 pointed toward the clincher 400.

[0054] By the time the staple 80 reaches the position of the bag BG, the bag BG has converged due to being pressed by the pressing part 320 as described above, and is small enough to be sandwiched between the legs 81. Therefore, the staple 80 reaches the position of the clincher 400 while inserting the bag BG between the legs 81. After that, the staple 80 is deformed by being sandwiched between the driver 30 and the clincher 400, and the bag BG is fastened together.

[0055] Even after the binding is complete, the electric motor 50 continues to operate. The driver 30 moves from the position shown in Figure 10 toward the -x direction. Consequently, the converging member 300 rotates clockwise. Finally, each member returns to the standby position shown in Figure 9, at which point the electric motor 50 stops operating. During the period from when the electric motor 50 starts operating for binding until it stops, the cam gear 230 rotates 360 degrees.

[0056] The configuration of the Clincher 400 will be explained with reference to Figures 11 and 12. Both Figures 11 and 12 are perspective views of the Clincher 400 detached from the main frame 100. In Figure 11, the side of the Clincher 400 that is facing towards the viewer in Figure 9 is depicted facing upwards, while in Figure 12, the opposite side is depicted facing upwards.

[0057] As shown in Figure 11, the clincher 400 has a first member 410 and a second member 420, which are fastened together by screws 401, 402, and 403. The first member 410 is the member that the staple 80 pushed out by the driver 30 makes contact with. A groove 411 is formed on the surface of the first member 410. As mentioned earlier, the groove 411 is a pair of grooves formed to guide the deformation of the leg portion 81 of the staple 80.

[0058] The second member 420 is a member that holds the first member 410 in a detachable state and is attached by the main frame 100. By removing screws 401, 402, and 403, the first member 410 can be removed from the second member 420 and replaced. By making the first member 410, which is a consumable part, removable and replaceable, the cost of replacement parts can be reduced compared to a configuration in which the entire clincher 400 is replaced.

[0059] Figures 13 and 14 show the clincher 400 attached to the main frame 100. The portion of the main frame 100 to which the clincher 400 is attached includes the plate-shaped members 130 and 140 shown in Figure 13, etc. The clincher 400 is fastened and fixed to the plate-shaped members 130, etc. by screws 135 and 136. Both screws 135 and 136 penetrate the second member 420 and the plate-shaped members 130 and 140 along the y-direction.

[0060] As shown in Figure 13, etc., a folded portion 131 is provided on the x-direction side of the clincher 400 by folding back a part of the plate-shaped member 130. The folded portion 131 is a substantially flat plate-like portion along the yz plane. A through hole (not shown) is formed in the folded portion 131 so as to penetrate it along the x-direction, and a contact member 450 is inserted through this through hole.

[0061] The contact member 450 is a rod-shaped member whose longitudinal direction is aligned with the direction of movement of the driver 30 (i.e., the x-direction). A male screw 452 is formed on the outer circumferential surface of the contact member 450. In addition, a nut 462 is press-fitted from the -x-direction side into the portion of the folded portion 131 through which the contact member 450 is inserted, and is fixed to the folded portion 131. The contact member 450 is attached with the male screw 452 screwed into a female screw (not shown) formed on the inner circumferential surface of the nut 462. Therefore, when the contact member 450 is rotated around its central axis, the contact member 450 moves along its longitudinal direction (x-direction). The -x-direction end of the contact member 450 abuts against the portion of the clincher 400 opposite to the driver 30, specifically, the x-direction end of the second member 420. The end of the contact member 450 on the x-direction side protrudes further in the x-direction than the folded portion 131, and a recess 451 is formed on its tip surface. The recess 451 is for receiving the tip of a tool such as a hex wrench when the contact member 450 is rotated around its central axis. The recess 451 may be, for example, a hexagonal hole or a groove with a + or - shape. Instead of the recess 451, a two-sided width for rotation with, for example, a spanner may be formed on the outer circumference of the contact member 450.

[0062] A nut 461 is screwed onto the portion of the contact member 450 that protrudes from the folded portion 131 toward the x-direction. The nut 461 is fastened with the folded portion 131 sandwiched between it and a nut 462. Under normal circumstances, the contact member 450 is fastened and fixed by tightening the nut 461 while inserted through the nut 462, and it is not possible to move the contact member 450 along the x-direction.

[0063] By the way, the extent to which the driver 30 should push the staples 80 closer to the clincher 400 for fastening depends on the shape of the part of the object being fastened. For example, if the bag BG is thick, it is preferable to reduce the amount the driver 30 pushes out (i.e., reduce the amount of deformation of the staples 80), and if the bag BG is thin, it is preferable to increase the amount the driver 30 pushes out (i.e., increase the amount of deformation of the staples 80).

[0064] Therefore, the binding machine 10 of this embodiment is configured to appropriately bind objects of various shapes by making it possible to adjust the position of the clincher 400 along the x-direction.

[0065] To change the position of the clincher 400, the user should loosen screws 135 and 136 and nut 461. Then, the user should use a screwdriver or similar tool to rotate the contact member 450 around its central axis, thereby changing the position of the contact member 450 along the x-direction as appropriate.

[0066] As shown in Figures 11 and 13, a recess 421 is formed at the -x-direction end of the second member 420 so as to recede toward the x-direction. Also, as shown in Figures 13 and 15, a projection 141 is formed on the plate-shaped member 140 that protrudes toward the y-direction, and the projection 141 fits inside the recess 421. As shown in Figure 13, a spring 430 is positioned between the bottom of the recess 421 and the projection 141. The spring 430 biases the second member 420 toward the x-direction. As a result, the entire clincher 400 is biased toward the contact member 450, and the state in which the tip of the contact member 450 is in contact with the clincher 400 is maintained. The spring 430 corresponds to the "biasing part" in this embodiment.

[0067] When the position of the contact member 450 along the x-direction is adjusted as described above, the clincher 400 moves along the x-direction while remaining in contact with the contact member 450. In this way, rotating the contact member 450 around its central axis causes the contact member 450 to move along its longitudinal direction, thereby adjusting the position of the clincher 400. The contact member 450 and the folded portion 131 that supports it function as an "adjustment mechanism" for adjusting the position of the clincher 400 along the x-direction. Having such an adjustment function allows the user of the binding machine 10 to easily perform the above adjustment to adapt to the shape of the object to be bound. The recess 451 of the contact member 450 is the part that is operated by the user to adjust the position of the clincher 400 (specifically, the part to which the tip of a hex wrench or the like is applied), and corresponds to the "operated part" in this embodiment.

[0068] As shown in Figure 11, a concave groove 427 is formed on the surface of the second member 420 that faces the plate-like member 140. The groove 427 is formed to extend linearly from the bottom of the recess 421 toward the x-direction.

[0069] Figure 15 shows the clincher 400 removed from the second member 420. As shown in the figure, a projection 147 is formed on the portion of the second member 420 facing the clincher 400, projecting toward the clincher 400. When the clincher 400 is attached to the second member 420, the projection 147 is recessed into the groove 427.

[0070] The dimension of the projection 147 along the z-direction is approximately the same as the dimension of the groove 427 along the same direction. Furthermore, the projection 147 has a flattened shape extending along the x-direction, and its inner surface on the z-direction side and its inner surface on the -z-direction side are both flat surfaces. Therefore, the clincher 400 is guided by the projection 147 so that it can move only along the x-direction, and it is not possible to rotate the clincher 400 around the projection 147. The interlocking projection 147 and groove 427 constitute a "guide section" that guides the clincher 400 to move parallel along the direction of movement of the driver 30 (i.e., the x-direction). By providing such a mechanism, the user can further adjust the position of the clincher 400.

[0071] Furthermore, the elongated holes 145 and 146 shown in Figure 15 are holes through which the screws 135 and 136 shown in Figure 14 are inserted, respectively. Both elongated holes 145 and 146 are formed as elongated holes extending in the x-direction. This makes it possible to adjust the position of the clincher 400 along the x-direction while the screws 135 and 136 are inserted.

[0072] After the clincher 400 has been adjusted to the correct position, the user completes the adjustment by tightening screws 135 and 136 and nut 461, respectively.

[0073] Furthermore, to enable adjustments to adapt to the shape of the items to be bundled, for example, a mechanism for adjusting the operating range of the driver 30 could be provided in the bundling machine 10. However, since the driver 30 is a component that operates inside the bundling machine 10, adjusting the operating range of the driver 30 would require disassembling the bundling machine 10 and exposing the driver 30 to the outside. In this case, adjusting to the shape of the items to be bundled would become a very time-consuming task.

[0074] In contrast, the strapping machine 10 according to this embodiment allows the position of the clincher 400 along the direction of movement of the driver 30 to be adjusted by the adjustment mechanism described above. In other words, instead of changing the operating range of the driver 30, the distance between the driver 30 and the clincher 400 at the time of completion of strapping can be adjusted by changing the position of the clincher 400.

[0075] Since the clincher 400 is located in a relatively outer position on the tying machine 10, the user can easily perform the adjustments described above. In particular, in this embodiment, a part of the contact member 450, specifically the recessed part 451 (operated part) that the tip of a hex wrench or the like makes contact with, is exposed to the outside, making the adjustment work by the user even easier.

[0076] Furthermore, "exposed to the outside" as used here means that it can be seen from the outside without having to remove any part of the strapping machine 10. For example, there may be a hole in a part of the strapping machine 10, and the contact member 450 may be visible inside that hole.

[0077] As in this embodiment, it is particularly preferable to have a configuration in which the recess 451 (operated portion) of the contact member 450 protrudes outward. This makes the adjustment work by the user even easier.

[0078] Furthermore, instead of the configuration in this embodiment where only a part of the adjustment mechanism is exposed to the outside, the entire adjustment mechanism may be exposed to the outside.

[0079] The second embodiment will now be described. The following will primarily focus on the differences from the first embodiment, while common points will be omitted as appropriate.

[0080] As shown in Figures 16 and 17, the strapping machine 10 according to this embodiment does not have a contact member 450, but instead has a contact member 470. The contact member 470, like the contact member 450, has a portion of it in contact with the clincher 400 and constitutes the "adjustment mechanism" in this embodiment.

[0081] The contact member 470 is a substantially disc-shaped member that is held rotatably around a rotation axis 472 aligned with the y-direction relative to the main frame 100. The rotation axis 472 holds the contact member 470 at an eccentric position from its center. Multiple protrusions 473 are formed on the outer circumferential surface of the contact member 470 on the x-direction side to facilitate user operation.

[0082] Since the contact member 470 is held in an eccentric position as described above, when the contact member 470 rotates around the rotation axis 472, the distance from the part in contact with the clincher 400 to the rotation axis 472 changes. In this embodiment as well, the clincher 400 is biased in the x-direction by the spring 430 (not shown in Figure 17) and pressed against the contact member 470. Therefore, when the contact member 470 is rotated around the rotation axis 472 with the screws 135, 136 and the nut 461 loosened, the position of the clincher 400 along the x-direction changes. This allows the user to adjust the position of the clincher 400. The rotation axis 472 may be a separate component from the contact member 470 as in this embodiment, or it may be formed integrally with the contact member 470.

[0083] Thus, the contact member 470 in this embodiment is configured as a "cam" that rotates around the rotation axis 472, thereby changing the distance from the portion in contact with the clincher 400 to the rotation axis 472. This configuration also produces the same effects as those described in the first embodiment.

[0084] The embodiments have been described above with reference to specific examples. However, this disclosure is not limited to these specific examples. Modifications made to these specific examples by those skilled in the art are also included within the scope of this disclosure, as long as they retain the features of this disclosure. The elements, their arrangement, conditions, shapes, etc., of each of the aforementioned specific examples are not limited to those illustrated and can be modified as appropriate. The elements of each of the aforementioned specific examples can be combined in different ways as appropriate, as long as no technical inconsistencies arise. [Explanation of symbols]

[0085] 10: Binding machine 30: Driver 80: Staples 147: Protrusion 400: Clincha 410: First component 420: Second component 427: Groove 430: Spring 450: Contact member 451: Recess 452: Male screw 472: Rotation axis BG: Bag

Claims

1. A binding machine that binds objects to be bound together using staples, A driver that pushes the staple toward the object to be fastened, A clincher that deforms the staple by clamping it together with the driver after it has been pushed out, The system includes an adjustment mechanism for adjusting the position of the clincher along the direction of movement of the driver, The adjustment mechanism is, A contact member, which abuts against the portion of the clincher opposite to the driver, and whose longitudinal direction is aligned with the direction of movement of the driver, and which has a male screw formed on its outer circumference for adjusting the position of the clincher by moving along the longitudinal direction when rotated around its central axis, A member that screws into the aforementioned male screw and fixes the longitudinal movement of the contact member. A binding machine having a binding mechanism.

2. The binding machine according to claim 1, further comprising a biasing unit for biasing the clincher toward the contact member side.

3. The strapping machine according to claim 1, further comprising a guide for guiding the clincher to move in parallel along the direction of movement of the driver.

4. The aforementioned clincher is The first member that the staple pushed out by the driver makes contact with, The binding machine according to claim 1, further comprising a second member for holding the first member in a detachable state.

5. The binding machine according to claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the adjustment mechanism is exposed to the outside.

6. The adjustment mechanism has an operated part, which is a part operated by the user to adjust the position of the clincher, The binding machine according to claim 5, wherein the operated part is exposed to the outside.

7. The binding machine according to claim 6, wherein the operated portion protrudes outward.

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