1. Field of the Invention
[0001] The present invention relates to a latch assembly, and more particularly relates
to a latch assembly for a staple gun that can hold a handle of the staple gun conveniently
and safely when the staple gun is not being used.
2. Description of Related Art
[0002] A conventional staple gun is used extensively with decorations, shoemaking and leatherwear
and drives staples into objects. Accordingly, the staple is ejected from the staple
gun at a high speed. This may be dangerous if a handle of the staple gun is thoughtlessly
squeezed, which ejects a staple from the staple gun and may injure someone. Consequentially,
conventional staple guns usually have a protection device to hold the handle against
the staple gun when the staple gun is not being used to prevent the staples from being
shoot from the staple gun.
[0003] However, the protection device for the conventional staple gun has a complicated
structure and locking the handle to the staple gun by the protection device rubbing
against the staple gun isn't easy so the conventional staple gun is inconvenient to
use. In addition, the protection device will wear down and will not hold the housing
securely after a long time and may get someone hurt.
[0004] To overcome the shortcomings, the present invention provides a latch assembly for
a staple gun to mitigate or obviate the aforementioned problems.
[0005] The main objective of the present invention is to provide a latch assembly for a
staple gun can hold a handle of the staple gun conveniently and safely when the staple
gun is not being used.
[0006] A latch assembly for a staple gun in accordance with the present invention has a
front cover, a locking element, a pushing element and a staple driver. The front cover
is detachably mounted on the staple gun and has two bolt holes and a connecting bolt.
The locking element is pivotally mounted on the front cover and has at least one cam,
a locking block and a torsion spring. The at least one cam is rotatably mounted around
the connecting bolt. The locking block is formed with the at least one cam below the
connecting bolt. The torsion spring is mounted around the connecting bolt to push
the locking block moving backward to the front cover. The pushing element is slidably
mounted in the front cover and has a pushing lever and a pressing pin. The pushing
lever abuts the at least one cam. The pressing pin extends out of the front cover.
The staple driver is mounted slidably between the front cover and the staple gun and
has a locking hole, a through hole and an elastic panel. The locking hole is formed
through the staple driver and engages the locking block. The through hole is formed
through the staple driver. The elastic panel engages the through hole.
[0007] Other objectives, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more
apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the
accompanying drawings.
IN THE DRAWINGS:
[0008]
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a latch assembly for a staple gun in accordance with
the present invention, shown mounted on a staple gun;
Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the latch assembly and the staple gun in
Fig. 1;
Fig. 3 is a side view in partial section of the latch assembly mounted in the staple
gun in Fig. 1; and
Figs. 4 to 6 are operational side views in partial section of the latch assembly mounted
in the staple gun in Fig. 1.
[0009] With reference to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, a latch assembly in accordance with the present
invention is mounted in a staple gun (50) having a housing (51), a handle (52) and
a staple magazine (53) and the latch assembly comprises a front cover (10), a locking
element (20), a pushing element (30) and a staple driver (40).
[0010] The housing (51) is hollow, may be formed by two half-casings and has a front side,
a top edge and a bottom edge.
[0011] The handle (52) is connected pivotally to the housing (51), protrudes from the top
edge of the housing (51) and has an acting end (521) and a pressing end (522). The
acting end (521) of the handle (52) is pivotally mounted inside the housing (51) and
extends to the front side of the housing (51). The pressing end (522) of the handle
(52) extends out of the top edge of the housing (51).
[0012] The staple magazine (53) is mounted in the housing (51) at the bottom edge, holds
multiple staples and pushes the staples to a front of the staple magazine (53).
[0013] The front cover (10) may be U-shaped, is detachably mounted on the front side of
the housing (51) and has a top, a bottom, a front side, two sidewalls, two bolt holes
(11), a connecting bolt (12), multiple mounting holes (13), multiple fasteners (14),
a first spring mount (15) and a protecting cap (16).
[0014] The bolt holes (11) are transversally formed through the front side of the front
cover (10) near the top and align with each other.
[0015] The connecting bolt (12) is mounted in the bolt holes (11) of the front cover (10).
[0016] The mounting holes (13) are formed through the sidewalls of the front cover (10)
and align with each other.
[0017] The fasteners (14) are mounted in the mounting holes (13) of the front cover (10)
to connect the front cover (10) with the housing (51) of the staple gun (50).
[0018] The first spring mount (15) is formed on and protrudes from the front side of the
front cover (10) near the bottom.
[0019] The protecting cap (16) is detachably mounted on the front side of the front cover
(10) to form a mounting recess (17) between the front cover (10) and the protecting
cap (16).
[0020] The locking element (20) is pivotally mounted on the front cover (10) and has at
least one cam (21), a locking block (22) and a torsion spring (23).The at least one
cam (21) may be water drop shaped, is rotatably mounted around the connecting bolt
(12) of the front cover (10). Preferablytwo cams (21) are rotatably mounted around
the connecting bolt (12).
[0021] The locking block (22) is formed with the at least one cam (21) below the connecting
bolt (12), may be formed between the two cams (21) and has a locking end (221). The
locking end (221) of the locking block (22) is extended to the front side of the front
cover (10).
[0022] The torsion spring (23) is mounted around the connecting bolt (12) of the front cover
(10) to push the locking block (22) to the front side of the front cover (10).
[0023] The pushing element (30) is slidably mounted in the mounting recess (17) between
the front cover (10) and the protecting cap (16) and has an upper end, a lower end,
a pushing lever (31), a pressing pin (32), a second spring mount (33) and a pushing
spring (34).
[0024] The pushing lever (31) is formed on the upper end of the pushing element (30) and
abuts the at least one cam (21).
[0025] The pressing pin (32) is formed on the lower end of the pushing element (30) and
extends out of the bottom of the front cover (10).
[0026] The second spring mount (33) is formed on and protrudes from the pushing element
(30) above the first spring mount (15) of the front cover (10).
[0027] The pushing spring (34) is mounted between the spring mounts (15, 33) to press the
pressing pin (34) downward to extend out of the bottom of the front cover (10).
[0028] The staple driver (40) is mounted slidably between the front cover (10) and the housing
(51) of the staple gun (50) and has a lower end, an upper end, a locking hole (41),
a through hole (42) and an elastic panel (43).
[0029] The lower end of the staple driver (40) extends over the staple magazine (53) of
the staple gun (50).
[0030] The locking hole (41) is formed through the staple driver (40) near the upper end,
engages the locking end (221) of the locking block (22) and aligns with the acting
end (521) of the handle (52).
[0031] The through hole (42) is formed through the staple driver (40) below the locking
hole (41).
[0032] The elastic panel (43) engages the through hole (42) of the staple driver (40) in
the housing (51) of the staple gun (50) to provide an impulsive force to the staple
driver (40) to eject the staples in the staple magazine (53) out of the staple gun
(50).
[0033] With reference to Figs. 4 to 6, when a user wants to use the staple gun (50) that
has the latch assembly in accordance with the present invention to drive staples into
an object, first the pressing pin (32) of the pushing element (30) is placed on a
surface of the object to make the pushing lever (31) move upward relative to the front
cover (10) and the housing (51) to push the at least one cam (21). When the at least
one cam (21) is pushed by the pushing lever (31) of the pushing element (30), the
locking element (20) will rotate relative to the connecting bolt (12) and the locking
end (221) of the locking block (22) will separate from the locking hole (41) of the
staple driver (40) and the acting end (521) of the handle (52) will engage in the
locking hole (41) of the staple driver (40). Then, pressing the pressing end (522)
of the handle (52) relative to the housing (51) of the staple gun (50), and the staple
driver (40) will move upward relative to the front cover (10) and the elastic panel
(43) that engages the through hole (42) of the staple driver (40) will be bent by
the staple driver (40). When the pressing end (522) of the handle (52) moves close
to the top edge of the housing (51), the acting end (521) of the handle (52) will
separate from the locking hole (41) of the staple driver (40). Then, the bent elastic
panel (43) will provide an impulsive force to the staple driver (40) to eject the
staples in the staple magazine (53) out of the staple gun (50) into the object.
[0034] When moving the staple gun (50) away from the surface of the object, the pushing
spring (34) between the spring mounts (15, 33) will push the pressing pin (32) of
the pushing element (30) out of the bottom of the cover (10) and the locking element
(20) will be rotated relative to the connecting bolt (12) of the cover (10) by the
torsion spring (23) to make the locking block (22) move back to an original position
and make the locking end (221) of the locking block (22) securely engage the locking
hole (41) of the staple driver (40) so preventing staples being shoot from the staple
gun (50) when the handle (52) of the staple gun (50) is thoughtlessly squeezed.
[0035] By simplifying design of the latch assembly in accordance with the present invention
for the staple gun (50), manufacture and assemble are cheaper and quicker.
[0036] Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have
been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure
and features of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only. Changes may be
made in the details, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts
within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general
meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.
1. A latch assembly for a staple gun (50) having a housing, a handle (52) connected pivotally
to the housing (51) and a staple magazine (53) mounted in the housing (51) below the
handle (52), and
characterized in that the latch assembly comprises:
a front cover (10) being adapted to detachably mount on the housing (51) and having
a top;
a bottom;
a front side;
two sidewalls;
two bolt holes (11) being transversally formed through the front side of the front
cover (10) near the top and aligning with each other; and
a connecting bolt (12) being mounted in the bolt holes (11) of the front cover (10);
a locking element (20) being pivotally mounted on the front cover (10) and having
at least one cam (21) being rotatably mounted around the connecting bolt (12) of the
front cover (10);
a locking block (22) being formed with the at least one cam (21) below the connecting
bolt (12) and having a locking end (221) extending to the front side of the front
cover (10); and
a torsion spring (23) being mounted around the connecting bolt (12) of the front cover
(10) to push the locking block (22) to the front side of the front cover (10);
a pushing element (30) being slidably mounted in front side of the front cover (10)
and having
an upper end;
a lower end;
a pushing lever (31) being formed on the upper end of the pushing element (30) and
abutting the at least one cam (21); and
a pressing pin (32) being formed on the lower end of the pushing element (30) and
extending out of the bottom of the front cover (10); and
a staple driver (40) being mounted slidably between the front cover (10) and the staple
gun (50) and having
a lower end extending to over the staple magazine (53) of the staple gun (50);
an upper end;
a locking hole (41) being formed through the staple driver (40) near the upper end,
engaging the locking end (221) of the locking block (22) and being adapted to align
with the handle (52);
a through hole (42) being formed through the staple driver (40) below the locking
hole (41); and
an elastic panel (43) engaging the through hole (42) of the staple driver (40) in
the staple gun (50) to provide an impulsive force for the staple driver (40).
2. The latch assembly for a staple gun (50) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the front
cover (10) has a protecting cap (16) being detachably mounted on the front side of
the front cover (10) to form a mounting recess (17) between the front cover (10) and
the protecting cap (16), wherein the pushing element (30) is slidably mounted in the
mounting recess (17) between the front cover (10) and the protecting cap (16).
3. The latch assembly for a staple gun (50) as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein
the front cover (10) has a first spring mount (15) being formed on and protruding
from the front side of the front cover (10) near the bottom; and
the pushing element (30) has
a second spring mount (33) being formed on and protruding from the pushing element
(30) above the first spring mount (15) of the front cover (10); and
a pushing spring (34) being mounted between the spring mounts (15, 33) to press the
pressing pin (32) downward and extending out of the bottom of the front cover (10).
4. The latch assembly for a staple gun (50) as claimed in claim 1 or 3, wherein
the locking element (20) has two cams (21) being rotatably mounted around the connecting
bolt (12); and
the locking block (22) is formed between the two cams (21).
5. The latch assembly for a staple gun (50) as claimed in claim 1 or 4, wherein the front
cover (10) is U-shaped and has
multiple mounting holes (13) being formed through the sidewalls of the front cover
(10) and aligning with each other; and
multiple fasteners (14) being mounted in the mounting holes (13) of the front cover
(10) to connect the front cover (10) with the housing (51) of the staple gun (50).
6. The latch assembly for a staple gun (50) as claimed in claim 1 or 5, wherein each
cam (21) of the locking element (20) is water drop shaped.