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(11) | EP 4 245 485 A1 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
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| (54) | MANUAL MECHANICAL PERFORATOR WITH A BODY CONSISTING OF A SINGLE SHEET OF SHAPED MATERIAL |
| (57) The present invention relates to a manual mechanical perforator of thin sheets, used
to prepare such sheets for the use in ring binders, belonging to the stationery sector. The components of the perforators of the known solutions are subjected to numerous production steps and complex assembly steps. The technical issue underlying the present invention is that of reaching a functional synthesis, a streamlining of the number of components and production steps, and therefore the significant reduction of production costs. The main and modular body of the invention, therefore the functional elements defined therein, exclusively consists of a suitable arrangement of folds and holes produced on a single sheet of shaped material, characterized by specific mechanical and technological properties. |
[0001] The present invention relates to a manually actuated mechanical perforator for producing holes in sheets, for example made of paper, single or stacked in thin reams, conventionally used to prepare such sheets for the use in ring binders, belonging to the sector of stationery and office items, hereinafter referred to by the generic name "perforator".
[0002] As it is known, the conventional construction scheme of currently existing manual perforators provides for the connection of fixed and movable elements adapted to produce holes, circular or of other shapes, in single sheets or in reams of thin sheets, In said known scheme, an actuation lever pivoted to a fixed part, as well as, in a possible variant, a key sliding axially with respect to such fixed part, transmits the axial movement to one or more punches parallel to one another, which generally have the conventionally axial sliding seat in said fixed part. The pressure generated on the sheets interposed between the sharp ends of the punches and the respective die-holes, coaxial to the former and generally integral with the fixed part, will cause the cutting thereof according to the shape of the punch-die system. Elastic elements, conventionally steel springs, suitably placed, return the actuation lever and the punches to the initial resting position thereof. Generally, the punching scraps are collected in an openable compartment arranged on the bottom of the fixed part, below the die-holes.
[0003] The various components which contribute to the operation of currently known perforators are usually numerous and require multiple production steps and complex assembly steps. The technical issue underlying the present invention is that of reaching a functional synthesis, a streamlining/reduction of the number of components and production steps, and therefore the significant reduction of production costs.
[0004] The invention may be better understood and implemented with reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate a non-limiting embodiment and some variants:
Figure 1 shows a perspective view of the overall first embodiment of the invention, for producing 2 holes;
Figure 2 shows an exploded perspective view of the embodiment of Figure 1;
Figure 3 shows a perspective view of a punch according to the invention;
Figure 4 shows a front view and a section along the line A-A of said front view, of the embodiment of Figure 1;
Figure 5 shows a perspective view of the overall variant of the invention configured to produce 1 single hole;
Figure 6 shows a perspective view of the overall variant of the invention configured to produce 4 holes.
[0005] With reference to Figures 1 and 2, the perforator 1 substantially consists of a body 2, to which one or more punches 3 and a possible side abutment element 4 are connected, which allows to select the position of the sheet or of the stack of sheets, hereinafter indicated with the term "adjustable abutment element", which is optional and not essential for operation.
[0006] According to a peculiar feature of the invention, the body 2 exclusively consists of a single sheet suitably shaped by folding and provided with special holes, preferably (but not limited to) made of metal or plastic material, provided with specific mechanical and technological properties which confer mechanical strength, rigidity and elasticity thereto, depending on the extent of the folding to which the sheet itself is subjected, as it will be better explained below.
[0007] According to a peculiar feature of the invention, a suitable arrangement of the aforesaid folds and holes allows to form all the functional elements characterizing the body 2 of the perforator 1.
[0008] In particular, the folds provide dimensional stability and rigidity in the sections where they are obtained with small radii of curvature, while they provide flexibility and elasticity in the sections where they are obtained with larger radii of curvature, thus obtaining that these sections with large curvature are configured to provide the function of actual elastic elements.
[0009] The mechanical connection of the punches 3 and of the adjustable abutment element 4 (optional) to the body 2, is exclusively obtained by interlocking.
[0010] The body 2 may advantageously be obtained in a "modular" manner, i.e., as shown in the non-limiting examples of Figure 5 and Figure 6, it may be obtained with any suitable length value and provide any suitable number of punches, so as to be able to produce any type of punching on sheets of any format.
[0011] with reference to Figure 4 and in particular to the section of the perforator 1 shown therein, it should be noted that the single folds, or the specific sequences thereof, allow the correspondingly folded areas of the body 2 to perform the functions described below.
[0012] In general, the terms "section", "profile", used throughout the present description, indicate the entire length of the part of the body 2 shown in section by the aforesaid section, profile.
[0013] The axial movement of the punches 3, arranged parallel to one another for producing respective holes aligned along the same side of the sheet in the sheets of paper, is ensured by the presence of at least three coaxial holes 8, 9 and 10 arranged in the fixed part of the device, which as a whole define a guide or seat for the cylindrical part 38 of the respective punch 3. The edges of the aforesaid guide holes are preferably rounded to minimize the friction due to the sliding of the punch itself.
[0014] The drawn edge 11 of the hole 10, placed at the sharp lower end 39, is funnel-shaped so as to hide the cutting edges of the punch itself for safety when it is in the resting position.
[0015] Slotted holes 7 are also provided which allow the cylindrical portions 38 of the punches 3 to pass through the intermediate section 27 which joins the two sections 5 and 26, with a wide curvature of the elastic sheet, which act as elastic elements, during the actuation movement of the perforator. According to the invention, the sections 5, 27 and 26 are curved to form a sort of "S".
[0016] The positioning of the punches 3 in the seat is carried out by inserting them not only in said coaxial holes 7-10, but also in further holes 6, 19 and 20 coaxial to the previous ones, purposely arranged to insert each punch starting from the lower rigid part, until the upper end of the punch 3 comes into contact with the uppermost section 31 of the sheet itself. In particular, the coupling hole 6 is rectangular to allow the upper parallelepiped portion 34 of the punch to be inserted up to the cylindrical portion 36 with a reduced diameter which joins it to the lower cylindrical portion 38: at this point, the 90 degree rotation of the punch 3 on the axis thereof, determines the interlocking thereof into the coupling hole 6 so that it remains axially locked into the hole 6 itself, present in the final section 29 and resting against the inner surface 31 of the upper section 30.
[0017] The contrast of the sections 29 and 31 on the upper parallelepiped portion 34 of each punch 3, the suitable inclination of the section 29 and the inclination of the symmetrical planes 37 at the base of the cylindrical portion 36 with a reduced diameter, prevent the accidental rotation thereof, which may cause the release of the punch from the seat thereof.
[0018] The upper 33 and lower surfaces 35 of the parallelepiped section 34 of the punches 3 are rounded so as to accommodate the curvature of the sections of sheet with which they are in contact, and allow the assembly of the punches 3 to occur indifferently in the two possible orientations. It should be noted that the parallelepiped section 34 may also be obtained with a polygonal section instead of a rectangular one.
[0019] The structural rigidity of the actuation area 30 is advantageously conferred by the presence of the upper portion 34 of the punch 3, in contrast between the sections 29 and 30, and by the strut made from the final section 29 coupled to each punch 3 by means of the respective rectangular holes 6 for coupling to the cylindrical portion with a reduced section 36 of the punches 3.
[0020] The point of contact 31 of the parallelepiped portion 34 in the upper section 30 of the sheet, acting as a point of support during the actuation, is in fact the point of mechanical separation between the elasticity of the section 5 which acts as a spring and the rigidity of the sections 29-30 which remain substantially non-deformed.
[0021] The slit for inserting the sheets of paper is arranged in the lower rigid part of the device and, in particular, it is externally formed by two inclined upper 13 and lower sections 15, which act as a lead-in to facilitate the introduction of the sheets, while in the innermost part it is formed by the upper horizontal section 12 which is the seat of the drawings 11 of the holes 10, by the lower horizontal section 15 which is the seat of the die-holes 19 and by the vertical section 24 which is the abutment for inserting the sheets of paper and determines the distance of the holes produced by the edge of the sheets themselves.
[0022] The length of the lower inclined section 15 is advantageously greater with respect to that of the upper section 13 to allow the support base 17 to be increased frontally and to facilitate control of the centering of the sheets by means of a reference notch 32 shown on the inclined plane 15 itself.
[0023] The compartment V for collecting the cutting scraps, which emerge from the lower part of the die-holes 19, is formed by the sections 14, 15, 16, 17, 21, and is partially closed on the front sides by special inclined edges 18, which prevent the accidental escape of the scraps, but allow for a quick emptying thereof.
[0024] A lower curb C, defined by the vertical 21, horizontal 22 and vertical segments 23, is an area of discontinuity and mechanical separation between the "S-shaped" flexible section 5, 27 and 26 - which, as a whole, acts as an elastic element - and the lower part of the body which houses the sliding of the punches 3 and the die-holes 19, which is instead substantially rigid.
[0025] The curb itself is the seat for the sliding and stopping of the adjustable abutment element 4, carrying in the upper horizontal part 22 a series of interlocking holes 41 adapted to determine the stop, according to standard punching measurements, of a protruding element consisting of a pawl 40 obtained in the lower part of the adjustable abutment element 4 itself.
[0026] The selection of the position of the holes to be produced occurs by moving the adjustable abutment element 4 along the seat thereof. The rounded edges of the interlocking holes 41 and of the pawl 40 allow, with a slight force, the disengagement of the latter from the hole 41 which houses it and therefore the dragging of the adjustable abutment element 4, frictioned by the lower section 14 of the insertion slit which, together with section 15, act as an abutment and friction spring.
[0027] The distance between the section 14 and the section 22 of the curb is in fact slightly less than the overall thickness of the adjustable abutment element 4 combined with the height of the pawl 40, this prevents the accidental disengagement of the pawl from the hole 41 which houses it with the consequent loss of the selected punching position.
[0029] The lower section 25 is a horizontal junction between the curb C and the elastic section 26 and, with the section 17 present on the opposite side of the curb C, it forms the support base of the perforator 1.
[0030] The lower holes 20 present in the support section 17, in addition to allowing the insertion of the punches 3 during the assembly step, allow the possible fixing of the perforator 1 to an additional support base.
[0031] By pressing down the upper area 30, the "S-shaped" elastic section 5 and 26 compresses/deforms, pushing the punches 3, guided by the respective guide holes 8, 9, 10, to cross the corresponding die-holes 19 with the cutting edges 39 present at the lower end thereof. The pressure exerted by opposing the aforesaid edges 39 with the die-holes 19 will cause the cutting of the paper sheets interposed therebetween, present in the insertion slit, letting the scraps thereof fall into the lower collection compartment v adjacent to the curb C. During the elastic return of the "S-shaped" section, the rectangular coupling holes 6 of the section 29 bring the punches 3 axially back to the initial position thereof, when the elastic "S-shaped" section 5 and 26 returns to the resting position thereof.
1. A manually actuated sheet perforator (1), comprising a body (2) and one or more punches
(3) characterized in that said body (2) is obtained starting from a sheet of elastic material, shaped by multiple
folds and provided with special holes, said material having mechanical and technological
properties such that the aforesaid folds are dimensionally stable and substantially
rigid in the sections in which they are obtained with small radii of curvature, while
they are flexible and elastic in the sections (5, 26) in which they are obtained with
larger radii of curvature, thus allowing to obtain - for the latter sections - the
proper function of elastic elements, and wherein, following the folding, the following
functional elements are determined:
- at least one housing and sliding seat for each punch (3), consisting of a plurality of coaxial holes comprising: at least one rectangular or polygonal coupling hole (6), at least one slotted hole (7), one or more guide holes (8, 9, 10), at least one die-hole (19) and at least one insertion hole (20);
- at least one support base (17) and (25);
- at least one elastic section folded into an "s" (5 and 26) which acts as an elastic element;
- at least one substantially non-deformable actuation area (30), for applying the actuation force;
- at least one housing slit for inserting the sheets to be perforated, delimited by sections of sheet folded with small radius curvatures (13, 12, 24, 14, 15) provided with lead-ins (13) and (15), and provided with at least one abutment element (24) to define the distance of the holes from the edge of the sheets to be punched;
- at least one end-of-stroke element (28) of the "S-shaped" elastic section (5 and 26);
wherein each of said punches (3) is connected to the body (2) directly and exclusively by means of interlocking means, therefore without the aid of further components adapted to determine the aforesaid connection and without the use of any further structural junction means;
wherein said "S-shaped" elastic section is in the upper part of the body (2) of the perforator, while said one or more guide holes (8, 9, 10), said at least one die-hole (19) and said at least one insertion hole (20) are arranged in the lower part of the perforator which is substantially non-deformable;
said "S-shaped" elastic section being also configured to return said punches (3) to the initial resting position thereof.
2. A perforator (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that it provides one or more of the following elements:
- at least one lower compartment (v) for collecting the cutting scraps, delimited by the sections of sheet (14, 15, 16, 17, 21) folded with a small radius curvature;
- at least one pair of cutting scrap containment edges (18) placed at the ends of said collection compartment (v);
- at least one mechanical connection element (29) between the "S-shaped" elastic section (5 and 26) and said one or more punches (3).
3. A perforator (1) according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each guide hole (10) adjacent to the die-hole (19) is provided with a safety drawing
(11) to shield the sharp end edges (39) of the punches (3) in the resting position.
4. A perforator (1) according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said body (2) may be obtained with any suitable length value, keeping the cross-section
unchanged, so as to provide a number of punches (3) adapted to produce holes on sheets
of any format.
5. A perforator (1) according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it provides a lower curb (C), defined by the vertical (21), horizontal (22) and vertical
(23) segments of the sheet, the curb being an area of discontinuity and mechanical
separation between the "S-shaped" flexible section (5, 27 and 26) - which as a whole
acts as an elastic element - and the lower part of the body which houses the sliding
of the punches (3) and the die-holes (19), which is instead substantially rigid.
6. A perforator (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that said curb (C) is a seat for the sliding and stopping of an adjustable abutment element
(4), carrying in the upper horizontal part (22) a series of interlocking holes (41)
adapted to determine the stop, according to standard punching measurements, of a protruding
element consisting of a pawl (40) obtained in the lower part of the adjustable abutment
element (4) itself.
7. A perforator (1) according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the structural rigidity of the actuation area (30), which makes it substantially
non-deformable, is conferred by the presence, in combination, of: an upper portion
(34) of the punch (3), which is placed in contrast between the sections (29 and 30)
of the sheet, and a strut made from the final section (29) of the sheet itself coupled
to each punch (3) by means of the respective holes (6) for coupling to the cylindrical
portion with a reduced section (36) of the punches (3) themselves.
8. A perforator (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the contact point (31) of the upper end (33) of the parallelepiped portion (34) of
the punch with the upper section (30) is configured to act as a point of support during
actuation, and to be a point of mechanical separation between the elasticity of the
curved section (5), which acts as an elastic element, and the rigidity of the sections
(29-30) which remain substantially non-deformed.