Binding machine

Abstract

This binding machine comprises: a binding unit including a driver that is movable in a first direction and a second direction opposite to the first direction, and a clincher part that deforms a staple that is pressed by the driver moving in the first direction to move in the first direction, so as to engage with a target object; a cover unit that is disposed at a position facing the clincher part in an axial direction of the target object when engaging the staple with the target object, and is movable in the axial direction; and a cover opening / closing unit that separates the cover unit from the clincher part in the axial direction.

Description

Binder

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a binder.

[0002] Staples for holding stems, vines, branches, etc. of plants and trees on guide elements such as wires, beams, strings, rods, pipes, and tree branches are known.

[0003] Patent Documents 1 to 3 disclose such staples and binders for binding using such staples. The staple described in Patent Document 2 includes two legs and a main body portion (sometimes referred to as a "crown") connecting these legs, and the tip of one leg is deformed so that the tip advances spirally along the outer periphery of the object, thereby engaging with a guide element (sometimes referred to as an "object" or "binding object").

[0004] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2022-74007, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2023-13307, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2023-13317

[0005] In the binder described in Patent Document 3, during the binding operation of binding the binding object with staples, a cover portion is provided so as to cover the upper surface of the staple in a downwardly biased state. After binding the binding object, the cover portion is raised to remove the staple from the binder. However, in the binder described in Patent Document 3, for example, the staple after binding is not removed, and when the opened cover portion is closed for the next binding operation, there is a possibility that the staple may be sandwiched between the binder body and the cover portion. At this time, in order to remove the sandwiched staple, the user has to manually lift the downwardly biased cover portion, which may reduce the efficiency of continuous binding work.

[0006] Therefore, an object of the present disclosure is to provide a binder capable of suppressing a decrease in the efficiency of binding work.

[0007] A fastening machine according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a fastening section comprising a driver configured to be movable in a first direction and a second direction opposite to the first direction, and a clincher section which deforms a staple moving in the first direction, when pressed by the driver moving in the first direction, so as to engage with an object, and a cover opening / closing section which separates a cover section, which is disposed at a position opposite to the clincher section in the axial direction of the object and is movable in the axial direction, from the clincher section, the cover opening / closing section having an operating section that can be operated by a user.

[0008] Here, staples (sometimes called "linear fasteners") are made from flexible wires that are plastically deformable and include components (including those with a plated surface or coated with resin, etc.) that engage with an object by deforming. Staples are also sometimes called wires, clips, wires, or fasteners.

[0009] The staple may be composed of any shape including two legs and a connecting portion (sometimes called a crown) that connects the two legs. Here, the two legs may be formed as parallel line segments, as non-parallel line segments, curves, or a combination thereof. The crown may be formed as a straight line or as a curve. For example, the staple may have an asymmetrical shape, as illustrated in this embodiment.

[0010] Furthermore, binding includes restraining the relative movement of one object and another object using staples. For example, binding of objects may be achieved by surrounding one object (sometimes called the "second object" or "second object to be bound," for example, a plant) with staples and engaging, for example, both ends (two tips) of the staples with the other object (sometimes called the "first object," "first object to be bound," "guide," or "guide element," for example, a wire, beam, string, rod, pipe, tree branch, etc.).

[0011] The term "top view" refers to a viewpoint taken from a direction perpendicular to the plane through which the first leg, second leg, and main body of the staple are passed before fastening, and may also be called a "plan view."

[0012] This disclosure provides a binding machine that can suppress a decrease in the efficiency of binding work.

[0013] Figure 1A is a plan view (top view) showing staples before deformation, fastened by a fastening machine according to one embodiment. Figure 1B is a perspective view showing staples after deformation, fastened by a fastening machine according to one embodiment. Figure 2 is a perspective view of the fastening machine according to one embodiment. Figure 3 is a top view of the fastening machine according to one embodiment. Figure 4 is a side view of the fastening machine according to one embodiment. Figure 5A is a side view of the fastening machine according to one embodiment. Figure 5B is a perspective view of the fastening machine according to one embodiment. Figure 6A is a side view of the fastening machine according to one embodiment. Figure 6B is a side view of the fastening machine according to one embodiment. Figure 7A is a side view of the fastening machine according to one embodiment. Figure 7B is a side view of the fastening machine according to one embodiment. Figure 8A is a side view of the fastening machine according to one embodiment. Figure 8B is a side view of the fastening machine according to one embodiment. Figure 9 is a side view of the fastening machine 800. Figure 10 is a side view of the fastening machine 800. Figure 11 is a side view of the fastening machine 800. Figure 12 is a side view of the fastening machine according to one embodiment. Figure 13 is a side view of a strapping machine according to one embodiment. Figure 14 is a side view of a strapping machine according to one embodiment. Figure 15 is a side view of a strapping machine according to one embodiment. Figure 16 is a side view of a strapping machine according to one embodiment. Figure 17 is a side view of a strapping machine according to one embodiment.

[0014] The embodiments of this disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. The embodiments described below are illustrative examples for illustrating this disclosure and are not intended to limit this disclosure to these embodiments only.

[0015] [Structure of Staple S] First, the structure of staple S according to this embodiment will be described. Staple S is made of a wire that is plastically deformable. Staple S may be called a wire or a clip. Staple S includes, for example, a metal wire or wire (including those whose surface is plated or coated with resin, etc.).

[0016] Figure 1A is a top view plan of the staple S in the state before fastening (sometimes referred to as "before deformation"; the same applies hereafter) according to this embodiment. Figure 1B is a perspective view of the staple S in the state after fastening (sometimes referred to as "after deformation," or "when engaged," etc.; the same applies hereafter) according to this embodiment.

[0017] First, let's describe the structure of the staple S before fastening. This staple S has a first leg portion S1, a second leg portion S2, and a main body portion S3 that connects the first leg portion S1 and the second leg portion S2. In the state before fastening, the first leg portion S1 and the second leg portion S2 of the staple S are spaced apart, so an opening is provided between the first leg portion S1 and the second leg portion S2. In this embodiment, the direction from the main body portion S3, which is the closed portion, toward the opening (to the left in Figure 1A) is sometimes called the opening direction DR1 (of the staple S). Also, the direction that is perpendicular to the extension direction of the staple S (for example, the opening direction DR1 for the second leg portion S2 of the staple S in this embodiment) and perpendicular to the stacking direction, which will be described later, is sometimes called the lateral direction (of the part of the staple S), and the surface of the staple S facing the lateral direction is sometimes called the side of the staple S. Furthermore, the direction perpendicular to the lateral direction, in which multiple staples S are connected, is called the stacking direction or connecting direction. In particular, the direction perpendicular to the plane of the paper in Figure 1A is sometimes called the stacking direction upward (of the staples S), and the depth direction perpendicular to the plane of the paper in Figure 1A is sometimes called the stacking direction downward.

[0018] More specifically, the staple S comprises a main body S3 that connects a first leg S1 and a second leg S2 and surrounds a second object P such as a stem; a first leg S1 connected to one end of the main body S3 and having a first part S11 that bends and extends outward and a second part S12 that bends further from the first part S11 and extends in the opening direction DR1; and a second leg S2 connected to the other end of the main body S3 and having a third part S23 that extends in the opening direction DR1 and a fourth part S24 that is bent outward from the tip of the third part S23. As shown in the figure, the main body S3 is formed in a curved shape, from C-shape to semicircular arc shape. The first part S11 that connects the main body S3 and the second part S12 may be called a crank part, and the second part S12 that connects to the first part S11 and extends linearly in the opening direction DR1 may be called a straight part. Furthermore, the fourth part S24, which corresponds to the other end of the staple S and is bent at an acute angle relative to the third part S23, is sometimes called the hook part.

[0019] As shown in Figure 1B, which illustrates the deformed state, the hook portion S24, which corresponds to the tip of the second leg portion S2, engages with the first object G when the second leg portion S2 is bent in a direction approaching the first object G by the fastening machine 100 described later and hooked onto the first object G. At this time, the opening that was provided between the two legs in the state before deformation is closed when viewed from above, so that the second object P can be surrounded using staples S.

[0020] When the hook portion S24 is engaged with the first object G, the third portion S23 exerts an elastic force in the direction that widens the opening and returns it to its original position. As a result, the hook portion S24 can apply tension to the first object G in the direction that widens the opening, that is, in the direction that separates it from the first leg portion S1 and returns it to its original position. This makes it possible to prevent the first object G from bending and the encirclement of the second object P by the staples S from being released.

[0021] [Configuration of the Binding Machine] Below, an example of the configuration of a binding machine 100 for bending staples S shown in Figure 1A as shown in Figure 1B will be described. However, the binding machine may have other known configurations.

[0022] Except for some aspects where the configuration is reversed left to right (i.e., the first and second displacement parts of the binding machine disclosed in Patent Document 3, etc. are reversed left to right), the basic configuration of the binding machine 100 of this embodiment is the same as that of the binding machine disclosed in the said document, etc. Therefore, the configurations of the binding machine 100 will be described in an appropriate manner, with omissions and simplifications, so that it can be implemented by a person skilled in the art based on the said document, the description in this specification, and the state of the art at the time of filing this application.

[0023] Furthermore, in order to explain the relative directional relationships, for convenience, the direction to the right of the paper in Figure 4 (described later) is sometimes called the front X1, the opposite direction to the left of the paper is called the rear X2, and both directions are collectively referred to as the front-rear direction X. As described above, the front X1 corresponds to the direction in which the connected upper end staple S supported by the magazine 140 separates from the other staples S and moves, and also coincides with the opening direction DR1 of the staple S (Figure 1A).

[0024] Furthermore, in Figure 4, the direction upwards on the paper is sometimes referred to as upward Z1, and the opposite direction downwards on the paper is sometimes referred to as downward Z2, and both directions are sometimes collectively referred to as the up-down direction Z. In this embodiment, the up-down direction Z corresponds to the extension direction of the magazine 140 and also coincides with the connection direction (stacking direction) of the connected staples S supported by the magazine 140. Furthermore, in the same figure, the depth direction perpendicular to the paper is sometimes referred to as leftward Y1, and the opposite direction perpendicular to the paper towards the front is sometimes referred to as rightward Y2, and both directions are sometimes collectively referred to as the left-right direction Y. Furthermore, the top view (bottom view) refers to the viewpoint when the strapping machine 100, etc. is viewed from an upward Z1 (downward Z2) position looking downward Z2 (upward Z1), the front view (rear view) refers to the viewpoint when the strapping machine 100, etc. is viewed from a forward X1 (rearward X2) position looking rearward X2 (forward X1), and the right side view (left side view) refers to the viewpoint when the strapping machine 100, etc. is viewed from a rightward Y2 (leftward Y1) position looking leftward Y1 (rightward Y2).

[0025] Figure 2 is a perspective view of the strapping machine 100 from above Z1. Figure 3 is a top view of the strapping machine 100 from above Z1 (top view of the strapping machine 100), Figure 4 is a side view of the strapping machine 100 from the Y2 direction, Figure 5A is a side view of the strapping machine 100 from the Y1 direction, and Figure 5B is a perspective view of a part of the strapping machine 100 from above Z1.

[0026] As shown in Figures 2, 4, 5A, and 5B, the stapling machine 100 includes a grip portion 120 that extends vertically so as to be grasped by the user and is equipped with a switch for driving the stapling machine 100, a magazine 140 configured to support (hold) a plurality of staples S (sometimes referred to as "connected staples S") stacked and connected vertically, and a stapling portion configured to fasten two objects, a first object G and a second object P, using a single staple S. Here, the part of the stapling machine 100 excluding the detachably provided magazine 140, including the grip portion 120 and the stapling portion, is sometimes referred to as the main body portion 150.

[0027] [Configuration of the Binding Section] Below, an example of the configuration of the binding section of a binding machine 100 for bending the staple S shown in Figure 1A as shown in Figure 1B will be described. However, other known configurations may be used as means for deforming the staple.

[0028] The fastening machine 100 includes a fastening section in addition to the magazine 140 and the like described above. The fastening section is the part that bends staples to fasten objects together. The fastening section of this embodiment includes a first displacement section 200 that displaces the first leg S1 of the staple S so as to be able to engage with the first object G, and a second displacement section 300 that displaces the second leg S2 of the staple S so as to be able to engage with the first object G.

[0029] The first displacement portion 200 is located in front of the first leg portion S1 and has a hole with an inner wall surface including a cylindrical surface. With the first object G inserted on the central axis of this cylindrical surface, the stapling machine 100 causes the tip S1P of the first leg portion S1 of the staple S, which is advanced by the driver 142 (see Figure 3, etc.), to come into contact with (collide with) the inner wall surface, deforming the tip portion ST into a spiral shape so as to surround the first object G, thereby engaging the tip portion ST with the first object G. On the other hand, the second displacement portion 300 has a wall portion located in front of the second leg portion S2. The stapling machine 100, with the first leg S1, second leg S2, and main body S3 of the staple S surrounding the second object P, uses the driver 142 to advance the staple S, causing the second leg S2 to come into contact with (collide with) the wall, bending the hook portion S24 of the second leg S2 so that it engages with the first object G, thereby engaging the hook portion S24 with the first object G. The stapling machine 100 is configured to fasten the first object G and the second object P together by engaging both ends of the staple S with the first object G while the staple S surrounds the second object P.

[0030] Specifically, the stapling machine 100 includes a driver 142 that pushes the staple S located at the upper end forward X1, coinciding with the opening direction DR1, thereby separating the staple S located at the upper end from other staples S and moving it forward X1; a moving mechanism for moving the driver 142; a first displacement part 200 (sometimes called a "clincher part") for curving and spirally deforming the first leg portion S1 of the staple S; and a second displacement part 300 for deforming the second leg portion S2 of the staple S by curving or bending it.

[0031] [Driver and Driver Movement Mechanism] As described in Patent Document 3 and other documents, the binding machine 100 is configured to move the nut component and the driver 142 fixed thereto forward or backward by rotating a ball screw, which is installed extending in the front-rear direction from approximately the center of the binding machine 100, in the forward or reverse direction using a built-in motor. The nut component and the driver 142 are configured to move forward X1 and backward X2, and are therefore sometimes referred to as movable parts. The binding machine 100 may further include a reduction gear connected to the output shaft of the motor and a printed circuit board on which a CPU (CENTRAL PROCESSING UNIT) equivalent to a motor control device is mounted.

[0032] The driver 142 is configured to move forward X1, thereby separating the uppermost staple S from the other staples S among the multiple staples S held in the magazine 140 and stacked vertically, while maintaining a front-to-back relationship where the opening of the staple S is in the front and the main body S3 is in the back, and then moving forward X1. The driver 142 is configured to move the separated staple S further forward X1, causing the first leg S1 to come into contact with the first displacement part 200, thereby plastically deforming the first leg S1, and causing the second leg S2 to come into contact with the guide wall included in the second displacement part 300, thereby plastically deforming the second leg S2.

[0033] [First Displacement Section] The first displacement section 200 (an example of the "displacement section") has the function of displacing the first leg portion S1 of the staple S, which is moved forward X1 by the driver 142, in a spiral shape so as to surround the first object G, thereby enabling engagement with the first object G. Accordingly, the displacement section according to this embodiment may include, for example, the driver 142 and a drive unit that operates the driver (for example, the motor described above). As shown in Figures 2 to 5A, the first displacement section 200 is provided to the left (Y1 direction) of the binding machine 100.

[0034] The first displacement portion 200 according to this embodiment includes a hole with a cylindrical inner wall surface into which the tip S1P of the second portion S12 of the first leg portion S1 of the staple S is inserted as it moves forward by the driver 142, causing the tip portion ST of the first leg portion S1 to advance downward Z2 (downward in the stacking direction) while curving in an arc or spiral shape, and a groove that guides the tip portion of the first leg portion S1 into the hole. The hole is provided in front of the first leg portion S1 X1 such that the axial direction of the cylindrical surface is parallel to the vertical direction Z, so that as the staple S moves forward, the tip S1P of the second portion S12 comes into contact with the inner wall surface of the hole, and the tip portion ST is displaced so that it advances spirally according to the shape of the inner wall surface. Furthermore, in order to facilitate the downward movement of the tip portion ST in Z2, the stapling machine 100 may be provided with a lid portion (cover portion 250 shown in Figure 5B) that closes the upper part of the hole (the top surface of the cylinder), and the lid portion (cover portion 250) may have a tapered surface that slopes downward in Z2 along the circumferential direction in order to facilitate the downward movement of the tip portion S1P of the staple S in Z2.

[0035] With this configuration, for example, by positioning the first object G, which is a guide string, so as to extend vertically along the central axis of the hole, and inserting the tip S1P of the first leg S1 into the hole, the tip S1P moves in a spiral motion along the cylindrical inner wall surface of the hole. This causes the tip ST to deform spirally around the first object G, making it possible to engage the tip ST with the first object G. In this embodiment, the hole described here is realized by the clincher portion 210 described later.

[0036] [Second Displacement Section] The second displacement section 300 (an example of a "displacement section") has the function of displacing the second leg portion S2 of the staple S, which is moved forward X1 by the driver 142, so that it can engage with the first object G. As shown in Figures 2 to 5A, the second displacement section 300 is provided in the Y2 direction of the binding machine 100.

[0037] A detailed explanation will be omitted as it can be easily implemented by those skilled in the art based on the state of the art at the time of this application, including the above-mentioned Patent Document 3, etc. However, the second displacement part 300 according to this embodiment is configured to displace the second leg portion S2 inward of the staple S as the driver 142 moves forward X1. Specifically, the second displacement part 300 is provided on the outside of the second leg portion S2 in the initial state before the staple S starts to be displaced, and has a first guide wall that causes the second leg portion S2 to bend when it comes into contact with the second leg portion S2 of the staple S moving in the opening direction DR1 (forward X1). This first guide wall has a recess that is recessed toward the outside of the staple S.

[0038] Furthermore, the second displacement section 300 is provided in front of the second leg portion S2 X1 in the initial state before the staple S begins to be displaced, and includes a second guide wall that bends the second leg portion S2 when it comes into contact with the second leg portion S2 of the staple S moving in the opening direction DR1. This second guide wall has a wall surface facing rear X2 and a protrusion that further protrudes rear X2. In the initial state, this protrusion is provided in front of the second leg portion S2 in the front-rear direction and inward of the second leg portion S2 in the left-right direction, and is provided at the inner end of the second guide wall such that the amount of protrusion to the rear X2 increases as it moves inward.

[0039] With this configuration, the second leg portion S2 of the staple S, which is advanced by the driver 142, comes into contact (collides) with the first guide wall and the inner wall surface of the second guide wall, making it possible to bend the third portion S23 of the second leg portion S2 so that it curves significantly. This makes it possible to displace the hook portion S24 in a direction that approaches the first object G and hook it onto the first object G.

[0040] As described above, of the staples S advanced by the driver 142, the first leg portion S1 is deformed spirally by the first displacement portion 200 and engages with the first object G, and the second leg portion S2's hook portion S24 is hooked onto the first object G by the second displacement portion 300 and engages with it, making it possible to fasten the first object G and the second object P together.

[0041] As shown in Figures 2 to 5A, the binding machine 100 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure may further include a discharge unit 400 for discharging the staples S after binding, the first object G (e.g., guide string) and the second object P (e.g., stem) bound by the staples S from the binding machine 100. The binding machine 100 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure may also include a cover sensor 600 for detecting the opening and closing of the cover (cover unit 250 described later) of the first displacement unit 200, and a cover opening / closing unit 700 that can operate the opening and closing of the cover.

[0042] The following describes in detail the binding machine 100 according to this embodiment, focusing on the cover opening / closing section 700.

[0043] The binding machine 100 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure includes a binding section comprising a driver 142 configured to be movable in a first direction (forward X1) and a second direction (rearward X2) opposite to the first direction X1, and a clincher section that deforms a staple S moving in the first direction X1, which is pressed by the driver 142 moving in the first direction X1, so as to engage with an object (guide string G). When the staple S is engaged with the object (guide string G), the binding section comprises a clincher section 210, a cover section 250 disposed at positions opposite to the object (guide string G) in the axial direction (Z direction) and movable in the axial direction (Z direction), and a cover opening / closing section 700 that separates the cover section 250 from the clincher section 210 in the axial direction (Z direction), the cover opening / closing section 700 having an operating section 710 that can be operated by the user. Furthermore, the binding machine 100 according to this embodiment includes a lifter section 215 connected to the cover section 250, and a lift guide section 216 for moving the lifter section 215 up and down.

[0044] The bundling machine 100 according to this embodiment can suppress a decrease in the efficiency of the bundling operation as described below with the above configuration. For example, in the bundling machine described in Patent Document 3 above, during the bundling operation of bundling the object to be bundled with staples, the cover portion is configured to cover the upper surface of the staples, and after bundling the object to be bundled, the cover portion is raised to remove the staples from the bundling machine. However, for example, when the staples after bundling are not removed, it is considered that there is a possibility that the staples will be sandwiched between the bundling machine body and the cover portion when the opened cover portion is closed for the next bundling operation. At this time, in order to remove the sandwiched staples, the user operating the bundling machine may need to manually lift the cover portion that is biased downward. In particular, when the cover portion is biased downward by a spring or the like, when a staple jam occurs, the user has to lift the cover portion with both hands.

[0045] For example, even when the cover portion is lifted with the left hand while gripping the grip with the right hand, when the left hand is released, the cover portion will drop by the force of the spring, so it may be difficult to remove the staples. Therefore, for example, it takes time to remove the staples, such as releasing the right hand from the grip and removing the staples sandwiched by the right hand from the bundling machine while lifting the cover portion with the left hand, so there is a problem of reducing the efficiency in continuous operation. Thus, in the bundling machine described in Patent Document 3 above, it is considered that there is a possibility that the efficiency will decrease when performing the bundling operation continuously.

[0046] In the stapling machine 100 according to this embodiment, a cover opening / closing section 700 is provided that is configured to open and close the cover section 250. Therefore, in the stapling machine 100 according to this embodiment, the cover section 250 can be raised to the open position and maintained in the open state. Furthermore, the cover opening / closing section 700 is equipped with an operating section 710 that can be operated by the user, and the operating section 710 may include, for example, an operating lever that can be operated with one hand. In this case, the user can operate the cover opening / closing section 700 with the other hand while holding the grip section 120 with one hand, so that even if a staple S gets caught between the cover section 250 and the peripheral part of the clincher section 210, the caught staple S can be removed with one hand. Therefore, it becomes possible to perform stapling work efficiently and continuously.

[0047] First, with reference to Figures 6A to 8B, the operation of the lifter section 215, which is provided with a lift guide section 216 and a cover section 250, in the strapping machine 100 according to this embodiment will be described. Figures 6A to 8B are side views of a part of the strapping machine 100 according to this embodiment, viewed from the Y1 direction. As will be described below, in the strapping machine 100 according to this embodiment, the movement of the driver 142 and the operation of the lift guide section 216 are linked. Furthermore, by linking the movement of the driver 142 and the operation of the lift guide section 216, the vertical movement of the cover section 250 is also linked. Figure 6A shows the state before the first object G and the second object P are inserted into the strapping machine 100, and Figure 6B shows the state after the strapping of the first object G and the second object P with staples S is completed. Figure 7A shows the state after the cover section 250 has finished rising, and Figure 7B shows the state after the discharge section 400 has been rotated. Furthermore, Figure 8A shows the state after the discharge of the staples S is complete, and Figure 8B shows the state after the downward movement (in the Z2 direction) of the cover portion 250 is complete.

[0048] As shown in FIGS. 6A to 8B, the binding machine 100 has a process plate 146 which is a component that moves in the front-rear direction (X direction) in conjunction with the driver 142. As described below, in the binding machine 100 according to the present embodiment, a lid portion (cover portion 250) disposed above the axial direction (Z direction) of the clincher portion 210, a pin (pin 218) connected to the lid portion (cover portion 250), and a plate (process plate 146 (also referred to as a lift guide moving portion)) may be provided. Further, the pin 218 may be provided with a roller 217 (hereinafter, the pin 218 and the roller 217 are also referred to as an engaging portion 219) rotatably disposed on the pin 218. In the present embodiment, by further providing the roller 217, for example, the lift guide portion 216 with respect to the process plate 146 can be interlocked while engaging the roller 217 with the process plate 146, so that the lift guide portion 216 can operate more accurately.

[0049] The process plate 146 is connected to the driver 142, and has a third path R3 that engages with the roller 217 when the driver 142 moves in the first direction (X1 direction), and is provided above the axial direction (Z direction) of the third path R3. A first path R1 that engages with the roller 217 when the driver 142 moves in the second direction (X2 direction), a fourth path R4 that connects the third path R3 and the first path R1 at the rear (rear X2), and a second path R2 that connects the first path R1 and the third path R3 at the front (front X1). Also, when the roller 217 is present in the third path R3 in the binding machine 100, a disc spring 228 is disposed between the lift guide portion 216 and the lifter portion 215 so as to suppress the upward movement of the cover portion 250 that may occur due to the force in the Z1 direction generated when engaging the staple S with the guide string G by applying a force downward in the axial direction (Z direction) to the cover portion (cover portion 250).

[0050] In the binding machine 100 according to this embodiment, a path R is formed in the process plate 146. As described above, the path R includes a first path R1 extending forward (in the X1 direction), a second path R2 connected to the front end of the first path R1 and extending in a direction inclined downward (in the Z2 direction) and backward (in the X2 direction), a third path R3 connected to the rear end of the second path R2 and extending backward (in the X2 direction), and a fourth path R4 connected to the rear end of the third path R3 and extending in a direction inclined upward (in the Z1 direction) and forward (in the X1 direction) and connected to the rear end of the first path R1. Each path R1 to R4 is defined, for example, by four wall surfaces of a parallelogram-shaped wall portion projecting to the left (in the Y1 direction).

[0051] However, these four paths do not necessarily have to be formed parallel to each other, nor do they necessarily have to be formed in a straight line; they may be formed in a curved shape. In particular, the second path R2 and the fourth path R4 do not have to be parallel. By changing the inclination angle of the second path R2 and the fourth path R4, it is possible to change the path length of the second path R2 and the fourth path R4. Therefore, by changing the angle of the second path R2 and the fourth path R4, it is possible to change, for example, the timing of moving the cover portion 250 up and down.

[0052] In this embodiment, the lift guide portion 216 is provided with a pin 218 and a roller 217 rotatably mounted on the pin 218. The roller 217 is configured to engage with the path R and move along the path R. The binding machine 100 may also be provided with two shaft portions (a first shaft portion 222 and a second shaft portion 224 (Figure 6A, etc.)) that restrict the movement of the lifter portion 215 in the front-rear direction (X direction).

[0053] The pin 218 is formed in a cylindrical shape, for example, protruding to the left (Y1 direction), and a rotatably positioned roller 217 is provided to the right (Y2 direction). The roller 217 is configured to move along the four wall surfaces of the parallelogram-shaped wall portion of the process plate 146.

[0054] The lift guide section 216 extends in the front-rear direction (X direction) and engages with one first shaft section 222 at a hole provided in the front X1 and with the other second shaft section 224 at another hole provided in the rear X2. Since each shaft section extends in the vertical direction and is fixed to the main body of the binding machine 100, the movement of the lift guide section 216 in the front-rear direction is restricted by the two shaft sections.

[0055] A cover portion 250 is fixed to the upper part Z1 of the lifter portion 215. In addition, the two shaft portions (first shaft portion 222 and second shaft portion 224) are provided with multiple elastic members into which the two shaft portions are inserted on the inner circumference side. The lifter portion 215 is configured to move up and down as the roller 217 moves up and down along the path R, causing the lift guide portion 216 to move up and down, which in turn causes the elastic force generated by the elastic members pressed by the lift guide portion 216 to change, thereby causing the cover portion 250 fixed above the lifter portion 215 to move up and down. With this configuration, it is possible to link the up and down movement of the roller 217 with the up and down movement of the cover portion 250. Furthermore, the up and down movement of the roller 217 is linked to the process plate 146 which moves in conjunction with the driver 142. Therefore, it is possible to link the movement of the driver 142 with the up and down movement of the cover portion 250.

[0056] As shown in Figure 6A, which represents the state before the first object G and the second object P are inserted, the pin 218 and roller 217 are located on the second path R2 in this initial state.

[0057] As shown in Figure 6B, which depicts the state after the first object G and the second object P have been fastened together with staples S, when the driver 142 moves in the X1 direction and fastens together with staples S, the roller 217, which is initially located in the second path R2, moves relatively along the third path R3 in the X2 direction. As a result, after moving to the furthest rear of the third path R3, it is biased by the lower compression spring and moves to the fourth path R4.

[0058] In detail, as the driver 142 moves forward, the process plate 146 moves forward, and the pins 218 and rollers 217 located in the inclined second path R2 move downward (in the Z2 direction) along the second path R2. As the pins 218 and rollers 217 move downward, the lift guide portion 216 also moves downward.

[0059] As shown in Figure 6A and the like, an elastic disc spring 228 is provided between the lift guide portion 216 and the process plate 146, with the first shaft portion 222 passing through its inner circumference.

[0060] Therefore, as shown in Figure 6B, when the lift guide portion 216 descends, the disc spring 228 is compressed, resulting in an increased downward force (in the Z2 direction) pushing down the process plate 146. Consequently, the cover portion 250 connected to the process plate 146 presses down (in the Z2 direction) with strong force near the clincher portion 210, thereby guiding the staple S inserted into the clincher portion 210 so that the tip of the first leg portion S10 of the staple S advances downward (in the Z2 direction) and forms a spiral coil shape.

[0061] Furthermore, while the driver 142 and process plate 146 are moving forward, the roller 217 moves along the third path R3. As a result, the roller 217 is maintained in a relatively lower position Z2. Therefore, by configuring the roller 217 to be on the third path R3 during the binding operation, the lift guide portion 216 is maintained in a relatively lower position, making it possible to realize a configuration in which the cover portion 250 continues to press downward (in the Z2 direction) during the binding operation.

[0062] As shown in Figure 6B, when the driver 142 and process plate 146 are at their furthest forward position, the roller 217 moves from the third path R3 to the fourth path R4. Since the fourth path R4 extends in a direction that is inclined upward (Z1 direction) and forward (X1 direction), the lift guide portion 216, the pin 218, and the roller 217 move upward Z1 due to the elastic force of the lower compression spring.

[0063] In other words, at this time, the roller 217 rises along the fourth path R4 from the state shown in Figure 6B. Consequently, as the roller 217 moves upward (in the Z1 direction), the lift guide section 216 rises, and as a result the lifter section 215 rises, so the cover section 250 fixed above the lifter section 215 rises, and the raising of the cover section 250 is completed as shown in Figure 7A. At this time, the roller 217 is located between the first path R1 and the fourth path R4.

[0064] In other words, after the driver 142 completes its forward movement, when the driver 142 begins to move backward X2, the roller 217 begins to move upward (in the Z1 direction) according to the fourth path R4. As the roller 217 moves along the fourth path R4, the elastic force of the lower compression spring causes the roller 217 to move upward (in the Z1 direction), and the lift guide portion 216 moves upward Z1, thereby raising the lifter portion 215 and moving the cover portion 250 upward (in the Z1 direction). As a result, the blockage near the clincher portion 210 by the cover portion 250 is released, and the area near the clincher portion 210 is opened. In this way, the first object G, which has the first leg portion S10 of the staple S engaged, can be removed from the stapling machine 100.

[0065] Furthermore, elastic members for pushing upward (in the Z1 direction) may be provided in portions other than the first shaft portion 222 and the second shaft portion 224.

[0066] When the cover portion 250 completes its upward (Z1 direction) movement (Figure 7A), the driver 142 and process plate 146 move backward X2, and the roller 217 engages with the first path R1 and moves relatively forward X1, so the roller 217 is maintained at the position upward Z1 where the first path R1 is provided. Therefore, the vertical (Z direction) position of the lift guide portion 216 is maintained upward Z1, and the vertical (Z direction) position of the lifter portion 215 is maintained upward Z1. Thus, it is possible to realize a mechanism in which the cover portion 250 is lifted upward (Z1 direction) while the driver 142 returns to its initial state after binding.

[0067] With the above configuration, the cover portion 250 moves up and down during the binding operation by the driver 142. At the same time, the discharge portion 400 provided on the lifter portion 215 also moves up and down in conjunction with the forward and backward movement of the driver 142. Therefore, in the state shown in Figures 6A and 6B, the discharge portion 400 is relatively close to the process plate 146 (located relatively below (in the Z2 direction)), and in the state shown in Figure 7A, the discharge portion 400 is relatively far from the process plate 146 (located relatively above (in the Z1 direction)).

[0068] Furthermore, the movement of the driver 142 in the X direction (movement in the X1 direction and movement in the X2 direction) described above may be configured to be started and controlled by the control unit when the trigger unit 168 is pressed.

[0069] With the cover portion 250 moved upward Z1, the discharge portion 400 is rotated (Figure 7B). At this time, the rear end X2 of the discharge portion 400 comes into contact with the operating portion 144 and the front end X1 of the discharge portion 400 moves in the Y2 direction. Consequently, the front end X1 of the discharge portion 400 comes into contact with, for example, the coil portion of the staple S, thereby removing the staple S from the binding machine 100, and as shown in Figure 8A, the first object G and the second object P bound by the staple S are removed from the binding machine 100.

[0070] Subsequently, as shown in Figure 8B, the roller 217 returns to the second path R2, and as the roller 217 moves downward (in the Z2 direction) along the second path R2, the lift guide section 216 descends. As a result, the lifter section 215 is biased downward by the upper compression spring, and the cover section 250 is closed.

[0071] With the above configuration, in the binding machine 100 according to this embodiment, the vertical movement of the cover portion 250 can be linked to the movement of the driver 142 in the front-rear direction (X direction) by the engagement of the path R of the process plate 146 with the roller 217.

[0072] Here, with reference to Figures 9 to 11, we will explain the problems related to the decrease in work efficiency in the conventional binding machine 800 described in the above-mentioned Patent Document 3, etc. In the binding machine 800, as explained with reference to Figures 6A to 8B, etc., the pins 918 and rollers 917 provided on the lifter section 915 engage with the path R8 of the process plate 846, thereby enabling the lifter section 915 to move up and down in conjunction with the driver 842.

[0073] Figures 9 to 11 are side views of the stapling machine 800 as seen from the left (Y1 direction). Figure 9 shows the cover portion 950 in the closed state, Figure 10 shows the cover portion 950 in the open state, and Figure 11 shows the staple S sandwiched between the cover portion 950 and the peripheral portion of the clincher portion 910.

[0074] In the stapling machine 800, the stapling operation is performed with the cover portion 950 closed (Figure 9). Subsequently, the cover portion 950 rises in conjunction with the rise of the lifter portion 915, and with the cover portion 950 open (Figure 10), the staples S and the first object G and second object P, which are bound together by the staples S, are removed from the stapling machine 800. After that, when the stapling machine 800 returns to the standby state, the cover portion 950 returns to the closed state. However, as shown in Figure 11, the staples S after binding may get stuck between the cover portion 950 and the periphery of the clincher portion 910. In this case, as described above, it may be necessary to raise the cover portion 950 when removing the stuck staples S. Also, in the stapling machine 800, if the cover portion 950 is raised while removing the staples S, it may be necessary for the user to raise the cover portion 950 with one hand and then maintain it in the raised position. In this case, for example, the other hand holding the binding machine 800 would have to be released from the binding machine 800 before the staples S could be removed, which could lead to a decrease in work efficiency, such as the time required to remove the staples S.

[0075] In the binding machine 100 according to the embodiment of this disclosure, a cover opening / closing unit 700 is provided that is configured to open and close the cover 250. For example, staples S can be quickly removed during the binding process, making it possible to perform the binding process efficiently and continuously. The cover opening / closing unit 700 may be provided separately from the driver 142. If the cover opening / closing unit 700 is provided separately from the driver 142, the movement of the driver 142 and the cover opening / closing unit 700 will not be linked.

[0076] In the strapping machine 100 of this embodiment, the cover opening / closing section 700 includes an operating section 710 and a contact section 720. The operating section 710 has an operating lever 712 that is configured to be rotatable by the user's fingers, and the contact section 720 may have a curved contact surface 722 that rotates in conjunction with the rotation of the operating lever 712 and contacts the contact surface 262 of the lifter section 215, displacing the cover section 250 in the axial direction (Z direction) away from the clincher section 210.

[0077] Referring to Figures 12 and 13, a strapping machine 100 having an operating lever 712 as the operating part 710 of the cover opening / closing section 700 will be described. Figures 12 and 13 are side views of the strapping machine 100 according to this embodiment, viewed from the left (Y1 direction). Figure 12 shows the strapping machine 100 with the cover section 250 closed (in the closed position), and Figure 13 shows the strapping machine 100 with the cover section 250 open (in the open position).

[0078] As shown in Figure 12, the strapping machine 100 includes a cover opening / closing section 700, which has an operating lever 712 and a contact section 720 having a curved contact surface 722. The contact surface 722 may, for example, be arc-shaped in side view. The contact section 720 is, for example, a cam and is fixed to the operating lever 712. Therefore, the contact section 720 rotates in conjunction with the rotation of the operating lever 712.

[0079] The lifter section 215 is provided with a contact member 260 that is trapezoidal in side view, for example, downward (in the Z2 direction). The contact member 260 has a contact surface 262, and the contact surface 722 of the contact section 720 of the cover opening / closing section 700 is configured to contact the contact surface 262 of the contact member 260. In the example shown in Figure 12, the contact surface 262 of the contact member 260 has, for example, a first contact surface 262a that is inclined with respect to the Z direction and a second contact surface 262b that is parallel to the X direction.

[0080] In the strapping machine 100, when the cover portion 250 is in the closed position (Figure 12), the user can open the cover portion 250 by rotating the operating lever 712. For example, the user operates the strapping machine 100 so that it faces the objects to be strapped (first object G and second object P), so the user operates the strapping machine 100 while positioned behind (in the X2 direction) the strapping machine 100. Therefore, the user grasps the grip portion 120 such that, for example, the strapping portion (first displacement portion 200 and second displacement portion 300) is in front of the user and the grip portion 120 is facing towards the user. The user grasps the grip portion 120 with one hand.

[0081] In this state, the user pulls the operating lever 712 towards them. This causes the operating lever 712 to rotate diagonally upward (in the X2 and Z1 directions, which is counterclockwise in Figure 12). At this time, the contact surface 722 of the contact portion 720 of the cover opening / closing portion 700 first contacts the first contact surface 262a of the contact member 260 provided below the lifter portion 215, and as the operating lever 712 is rotated further, the contact surface 722 comes into contact with the second contact surface 262b, as shown in Figure 12.

[0082] In the binding machine 100, the first contact surface 262a is positioned to be inclined in the Z direction. As the operating lever 712 rotates, the contact portion 720 rotates, causing the contact surface 722 of the contact portion 720 to contact the first contact surface 262a, and the position in which it contacts the diagonally downward portion of the first contact surface 262a to move. The height of the contact surface 722 also rises as the operating lever 712 rotates. Consequently, as the operating lever 712 rotates, the lifter portion 215 rises via the contact member 260.

[0083] Next, as the operating lever 712 is rotated further, the contact surface 722 of the contact portion 720 comes into contact with the second contact surface 262b (Figure 13). The second contact surface 262b is a plane parallel to the X direction, and when the contact portion 720 is rotated to a position parallel to the Z direction, the contact surface 722 reaches its highest position in the Z direction. As shown in Figures 12 and 13, as the contact portion 720 rotates, the contact member 260 that comes into contact with the contact surface 722 rises in the Z1 direction, thereby raising the lifter portion 215. In this way, the cover portion 250 provided above the lifter portion 215 is raised.

[0084] In the strapping machine 100 according to this embodiment, as shown in Figures 12 and 13, the operating lever 712 may be provided as a separate component from the trigger unit 168, which is capable of starting the strapping operation of the strapping machine 100. That is, the strapping machine 100 further comprises a grip unit 120 for the user (worker) to grasp, and a trigger unit 168 for operating the strapping unit (first displacement unit 200 and second displacement unit 300) by the user grasping the grip unit 120 and pressing with their fingers, and the operating lever 712 may be configured to be rotatable by the user grasping the grip unit 120 and placing their fingers on it.

[0085] For example, if the operation of the operating part 710, such as the operating lever 712, is linked to the operation of the trigger part 168, there is a possibility that the fastening operation by the driver 142, which is linked to the trigger part 168, may start while the cover part 250 is being raised by the operation of the operating lever 712. In the fastening machine 100 according to this embodiment, the above configuration makes it possible to not link the operation of the operating part 710, such as the operating lever 712, to the operation of the trigger part 168. Therefore, for example, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of malfunctions in which the fastening operation by the driver 142 is performed while the cover part 250 is in the open position and the staples S are being removed.

[0086] Furthermore, in the binding machine 100 according to this embodiment, as shown in Figures 12 and 13, the operating lever 712 may have, for example, a first straight section 712a and a second straight section 712b provided so as to intersect with the first straight section 712a. The extension direction of the first straight section 712a is, for example, an oblique direction from the upper right to the lower left on the plane of Figure 12 when the cover section 250 is in the closed position as shown in Figure 12, and parallel to the Z direction on the plane of Figure 13 when the cover section 250 is in the open position as shown in Figure 13. The extension direction of the second straight section 712b is, for example, an oblique direction from the upper left to the lower right on the plane of Figure 12 when the cover section 250 is in the closed position as shown in Figure 12, and parallel to the X direction when the cover section 250 is in the open position as shown in Figure 13.

[0087] In this embodiment, the operating lever 712 has a configuration having a first straight section 712a and a second straight section intersecting the first straight section. As described above, when the operating lever 712 is configured to be rotatable by the user placing their fingers on it, for example, it can be made easier for the user to place their fingers on it, thereby improving the operability of the strapping machine 100 by the user. Furthermore, as shown in Figures 12 and 13, in this embodiment, the first straight section 712a and the second straight section 712b are orthogonal to each other, which can further improve operability.

[0088] Furthermore, the strapping machine 100 illustrated in Figures 12 and 13 is used, for example, by an operator using the strapping machine 100 with their right hand, by grasping the grip portion 120 with their right hand and operating the trigger portion 168. Also, by the operator grasping the grip portion 120 with their right hand and operating the operating lever 712 with their right index finger, the operator can move the cover portion 250 to the open position with one hand. The strapping machine 100 illustrated in Figures 12 and 13 may also be operated by the operator with their left hand. In this case, since the operating lever 712 has a configuration having a first straight portion 712a and a second straight portion 712b that intersect each other as described above, the operating lever 712 is less likely to interfere with the operator's operation even when the strapping machine 100 is grasped with the left hand.

[0089] Furthermore, in the stapling machine 100 according to this embodiment, the contact portion 720 may be rotated to a position further rotated from the vertical direction (Z direction) when the cover portion 250 is in the open position. That is, the operating lever 712 may be rotatable in a first rotation direction (counterclockwise in Figures 12 and 13) which is the direction in which the cover portion 250 is displaced in the axial direction (Z1 direction) away from the clincher portion 210, and in a second rotation direction (clockwise in Figures 12 and 13) which is the direction in which the cover portion 250 is displaced in the axial direction (Z2 direction) closer to the staple S. Also, the cover opening / closing portion 700 is configured to be rotatable by a first angle (first angle θ1) in the first rotation direction from the position in which the contact portion 720 is highest in the axial direction (Z direction), and the first angle may be, for example, 45° or less.

[0090] As shown in Figure 13, the direction of the central axis of the contact portion 720, which is composed of a cam, for example (indicated as L2 in Figure 13), is rotated further than the direction parallel to the Z direction (indicated as L1 in Figure 13). For example, if the rotation of the contact portion 720 stops at the highest position in the Z direction, or at a position before the highest position in the Z direction (a position that is clockwise back from the highest position in the Z direction in Figure 13), the load of the lifter portion 215 may cause the contact portion 720 to rotate clockwise in Figure 13. In this case, the contact portion 720 will descend in the Z2 direction, which may cause the cover portion 250 to become blocked.

[0091] In the binding machine 100 according to this embodiment, the contact portion 720 is configured to stop rotating at a position where the direction of the central axis of the contact portion 720 (indicated as L2 in Figure 13) is further rotated than the direction parallel to the Z direction (indicated as L1 in Figure 13), so that even when subjected to a load from the lifter portion 215, the lifter portion 215 can maintain its raised position.

[0092] In the binding machine 100 according to this embodiment, the first angle θ1 may be set to any angle of 45° or less, as described above, or it may be 1° or more and 10° or less.

[0093] In this embodiment, the binding machine 100, with the above configuration, allows a user to, for example, hold the binding machine 100 with their right hand and rotate the operating lever 712 with their left hand to raise the lifter section 215 and open the cover section 250. For example, when the operating lever 712 is rotated in the direction of maximum opening, the contact section 720, which is the part that contacts the lifter section 215, rotates to an angle (first angle θ1) that exceeds the line connecting the movable direction of the lifter section 215 and the rotation center of the operating lever 712 before stopping. This structure prevents a force from acting in the direction of rotation that returns the operating lever 712 (clockwise in Figure 13) even if a force acts to lower the lifter section 215 (for example, a load from a spring), thus maintaining the lifter section 215 in the raised position. This allows the user, for example, to hold the grip portion 120 with their right hand and operate the operating lever 712 with their left hand to raise the lifter portion 215 and maintain that position, thereby enabling them to remove the staples S with their left hand. Consequently, a decrease in the efficiency of the user's tying work can be prevented.

[0094] The strapping machine 100 according to this embodiment may be provided with a rotation restricting member 152, as shown in Figure 13, and the rotation restricting member 152 may be configured to maintain the position of the contact portion 720 at a first angle θ1 from the Z direction. Furthermore, such a rotation restricting member 152 may be provided in a position that can also restrict the rotation of the operating lever 712 in the reverse direction (clockwise in Figure 13). That is, the strapping machine 100 according to this embodiment may be provided with a rotation restricting member 152 downstream of the operating lever 712 in the first rotation direction (counterclockwise in Figure 13) and downstream of the second rotation direction (clockwise in Figure 13), which restricts the rotation of the operating lever 712 in the first rotation direction (counterclockwise) and the second rotation direction (clockwise).

[0095] With this configuration, the strapping machine 100 according to this embodiment can maintain the open position of the cover portion 250 when it is opened, and after the cover portion 250 is closed, the operating lever 712 can be stopped without being rotated further, thus further improving the operability of the strapping machine 100.

[0096] Although the strapping machine 100 shown in Figures 12 and 13 was described as having a contact member 260, the strapping machine 100 according to this embodiment does not need to have a contact member 260. For example, the strapping machine 100 may be configured without a contact member 260, such that the lower surface (in the Z2 direction) of the lifter portion 215 becomes a contact surface that can be contacted by the contact surface 722 of the contact portion 720 of the cover opening / closing portion 700.

[0097] In this embodiment, the binding machine 100 has been described as having a cover opening / closing section 700 that moves the cover section 250 between an open position and a closed position using an operating lever 712 and a contact section 720, but it is not limited to this. Referring to Figures 14 and 15, other examples of cover opening / closing sections 730 will be described.

[0098] Figures 14 and 15 are side views of a strapping machine 100A equipped with another example of a cover opening / closing section 730, viewed from the left (Y1 direction). Figure 14 shows the strapping machine 100A with the cover section 250 closed (in the closed position), and Figure 15 shows the strapping machine 100A with the cover section 250 open (in the open position).

[0099] As shown in Figures 14 and 15, the binding machine 100A has a cover opening / closing section 730 including an electric motor 732 instead of an operating lever 712 and a contact section 720. As shown in Figures 14 and 15, the electric motor 732 may be configured to extend and retract in the Z direction. As shown in Figure 14, the electric motor 732 may be configured to close the cover section 250 by contracting in the Z direction, and to open the cover section 250 by extending in the Z direction, as shown in Figure 15. The electric motor 732 can be implemented using, for example, a solenoid or a motor. The cover opening / closing section 730 may be provided separately from the driver 142. If the cover opening / closing section 730 is provided separately from the driver 142, the movement of the driver 142 and the cover opening / closing section 730 will not be linked.

[0100] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 16 and 17, the cover opening / closing section 740 of the strapping machine 100B according to this embodiment may have an inclined surface that is inclined with respect to the Z direction, and the lifter section 215 may have an inclined surface that is inclined to face the inclined surface of the cover opening / closing section 740. That is, in the strapping machine 100B according to this embodiment, the cover opening / closing section 740 has a first inclined surface 742 that is inclined with respect to the axial direction (Z direction) and is configured to be movable in a direction intersecting the axial direction (Z direction), and the lifter section 215 has a second inclined surface 272 that is positioned facing the first inclined surface 742, and the cover opening / closing section 740 may be configured to move in the direction of the intersecting direction so that the first inclined surface 742 comes into contact with the second inclined surface 272 and displace the cover section 250 in the axial direction (Z1 direction) away from the clincher section 210. As shown in Figures 16 and 17, the lifter section 215 may be configured such that an inclined member 270 is provided downward (in the Z2 direction), and a second inclined surface 272 is provided on the inclined member 270. The cover opening / closing section 740 may be provided separately from the driver 142. If the cover opening / closing section 740 is provided separately from the driver 142, the movement of the driver 142 and the cover opening / closing section 740 will not be linked.

[0101] As shown in Figures 16 and 17, in the strapping machine 100B according to this embodiment, for example, the first inclined surface 742 and the second inclined surface 272 may be configured to be parallel. However, this embodiment is not limited to this. The first inclined surface 742 and the second inclined surface 272 do not have to be parallel, and even in this case, for example, by moving the cover opening / closing part 740, the first inclined surface 742 and the second inclined surface can be brought into contact, thereby moving the lifter part 215 up and down and opening and closing the cover part 250.

[0102] Furthermore, while Figures 16 and 17 illustrate the case where the first inclined surface 742 and the second inclined surface 272 are planar, the invention is not limited to this. For example, at least one of the first inclined surface 742 and the second inclined surface 272 may be a curved surface. This configuration makes it possible to arbitrarily change the amount of vertical movement (Z direction) of the lifter section 215 relative to the amount of horizontal movement (X direction) of the cover opening / closing section 740.

[0103] As shown in Figure 16, in the binding machine 100B according to this embodiment, when the cover portion 250 is in the closed position, the cover opening / closing portion 740 and the lifter portion 215 (inclined member 270 of the lifter portion 215) are provided such that the first inclined surface 742 and the second inclined surface 272 are in contact with each other. Then, with the first inclined surface 742 and the second inclined surface 272 in contact with each other, the cover opening / closing portion 740 is moved forward (in the X1 direction) relative to the lifter portion 215, causing the second inclined surface 272 to be lifted upward (in the Z1 direction) and the lifter portion 215 to rise. As a result, the cover portion 250 provided on the lifter portion 215 is lifted and placed in the open position.

[0104] In the binding machine 100B, the cover opening / closing section 740 may be moved manually, for example, or it may be configured to be movable using an electric motor or the like.

[0105] This disclosure is subject to various modifications without departing from its essence. For example, within the ordinary creative ability of a person skilled in the art, some components of one embodiment may be added to other embodiments. Also, some components of one embodiment may be replaced with corresponding components of other embodiments.

[0106] Although various embodiments have been described above with reference to the drawings, it goes without saying that this disclosure is not limited to such examples. It is clear to those skilled in the art that various modifications or alterations can be conceived within the scope of the claims, and these will naturally also fall within the technical scope of this disclosure. Furthermore, the components of the above embodiments may be combined in any way without departing from the spirit of the invention.

[0107] This application is based on the Japanese Patent Application No. 2024-208385 filed on November 29, 2024, the contents of which are incorporated by reference within this application.

[0108] This disclosure provides a binding machine that can suppress a decrease in the efficiency of binding work.

[0109] 100, 100A, 100B Binding machine 210 Clincher section 120 Grip section 142 Driver 152 Rotation restricting member 168 Trigger section 200 First displacement section (binding section) 210 Clincher section 215 Lifter section 217 Roller 218 Pin 250 Cover section 260 Contact member 262 Contact surface 262a First contact surface 262b Second contact surface 270 Inclined member 272 Second inclined surface 300 Second displacement section (binding section) 400 Discharge section 700, 730, 740 Cover opening / closing section 710 Operating section 712 Operating lever 712a First straight section 712b Second straight section 720 Contact section 722 Contact surface 732 Electric motor 742 First inclined surface S staple

Claims

1. A fastening machine comprising: a driver configured to be movable in a first direction and a second direction opposite to the first direction; a clincher portion which, when pressed by the driver moving in the first direction, deforms a staple moving in the first direction so as to engage with an object; a cover portion which, when the staple is engaged with the object, is disposed at a position opposite the clincher portion and the object in the axial direction and is movable in the axial direction; and a cover opening / closing portion which separates the cover portion from the clincher portion in the axial direction, wherein the cover opening / closing portion has an operating portion which can be operated by a user.

2. The binding machine according to claim 1, which has a lifter portion connected to the cover portion and configured to be movable in the axial direction in conjunction with the movement of the driver in the first and second directions, wherein the cover opening / closing portion has a contact portion that contacts the lifter portion to separate the cover portion from the staples.

3. The strapping machine according to claim 2, wherein the operating section has an operating lever configured to be rotatable by the user placing their fingers on it, and the contact section has a curved contact surface that rotates in conjunction with the rotation of the operating lever and contacts the contact surface of the lifter section, thereby separating the cover section from the clincher section in the axial direction.

4. The binding machine according to claim 3, further comprising: a grip portion for the user to grasp; and a trigger portion for operating the binding portion by the user grasping the grip portion and pressing with their fingers, wherein the operating lever is configured to be rotatable by the user grasping the grip portion and placing their fingers on it.

5. The strapping machine according to claim 3, wherein the operating lever includes a first straight section and a second straight section that intersect each other.

6. The operating lever is rotatable in a first rotational direction, which is a direction in which the cover portion is displaced in one axial direction away from the staple, and in a second rotational direction, which is a direction in which the cover portion is displaced in the other axial direction approaching the staple, and the operating lever is configured to be rotatable by a first angle in the first rotational direction from the position in which the contact portion is highest in the axial direction, and the first angle is 45° or less, the binding machine according to claim 3.

7. The strapping machine according to claim 6, wherein the first angle is 10° or less.

8. The binding machine according to claim 6, wherein rotation restricting members are provided downstream of the operating lever in the first rotation direction and downstream of the operating lever in the second rotation direction, for restricting the rotation of the operating lever in the first rotation direction and the rotation of the operating lever in the second rotation direction.

9. The binding machine according to claim 2, wherein the cover opening / closing section includes an electric motor configured to move the lifter section in the axial direction.

10. The binding machine according to claim 2, wherein the cover opening / closing section has a first inclined surface that is inclined with respect to the axial direction and is configured to be movable in a direction intersecting the axial direction, the lifter section has a second inclined surface that is positioned opposite to the first inclined surface, and as the cover opening / closing section moves in the intersecting direction, the first inclined surface comes into contact with the second inclined surface, displacing the cover section in the axial direction away from the clincher section.

11. The binding machine according to claim 1, wherein the cover opening / closing part is provided separately from the driver.

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