초록 ▼

A stapler includes a body and a strike plate movably mounted to the body between a rest position and a loaded position. The strike plate is adapted to drive a staple into a target object. The strike plate may be moved from the rest position to the loaded position by a loading mechanism against the b

A stapler includes a body and a strike plate movably mounted to the body between a rest position and a loaded position. The strike plate is adapted to drive a staple into a target object. The strike plate may be moved from the rest position to the loaded position by a loading mechanism against the bias of a power spring, whereupon the energy stored in the power spring is applied to the strike plate to drive the staple. A stapler may include a lockout which inhibits movement of the strike plate toward the loaded position unless a work piece is beneath the stapler body.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A desktop stapler, comprising: a body having a staple chamber; a strike plate movably mounted to the body between a rest position and a loaded position, the strike plate being adapted to drive a staple from the staple chamber and into an object, the strike plate comprising an

What is claimed is: 1. A desktop stapler, comprising: a body having a staple chamber; a strike plate movably mounted to the body between a rest position and a loaded position, the strike plate being adapted to drive a staple from the staple chamber and into an object, the strike plate comprising an opening; a power spring comprising at least one leaf spring the power spring having a first, fixed end fixedly mounted to the body and a second, free end formed as a tab adapted to engage with an edge of the opening in the strike plate, the power spring being adapted to repeatedly move the strike plate from the loaded position to the rest position to drive the staple, with the power spring adapted to provide an output force on the strike plate when the strike plate is in the loaded position, wherein the power spring comprises a rest configuration when the strike plate is in the rest position and a loaded configuration when the strike plate is in the loaded position; a loading mechanism mounted in the body and adapted to repeatedly move the strike plate from the rest position toward the loaded position, the loading mechanism comprising: a lever pivotally mounted to the body at a pivot, the lever having a first end and a second end; and a trigger pivotally mounted to the second end of the lever, the trigger having a trigger foot adapted to engage with the power spring; an actuation surface adapted to cooperate with the trigger to rotate the trigger foot; and a handle pivotally mounted to the body, the handle having a first area contoured to cause the lever to rotate about its pivot point, whereby pivoting the handle causes the first area of the handle to act on the first end of the lever to pivot the lever such that the second end of the lever moves the trigger into contact with the actuation surface and thereby loads the power spring and raises the strike plate from the rest position toward the loaded position whereupon the trigger pivots relative to the lever arm to disengage from the power spring when the strike plate is in the loaded position; and at least one dampener mounted to the body and adapted to absorb some impact of the power spring upon return from the loaded configuration to the rest configuration. 2. The stapler according to claim 1, wherein a distance between the rest position and the loaded position is about 0.400 inches. 3. The stapler according to claim 1, wherein the handle has an input location adapted to receive an input force from a user, wherein a ratio of the output force on the strike plate, when the strike plate is at the loaded position, to the input force on the handle at the input location is about 2.25:1. 4. The stapler according to claim 1, wherein the loading mechanism further comprises a spring coupled between the lever and the trigger to bias the trigger foot into engagement with the power spring. 5. The stapler according to claim 1, wherein the at least one dampener comprises a U-shaped elastomeric material. 6. The stapler according to claim 1, wherein the staple chamber comprises a pivotally mounted cover, the chamber adapted to hold a plurality of staples including at least one stored staple and a driven staple, the cover adapted to support the at least one stored staple that is adjacent to the driven staple. 7. The stapler according to claim 1, further comprising a base pivotally mounted to the body, the base comprising an anvil. 8. The stapler according to claim 7, wherein the staple chamber comprises a pivotally mounted cover. 9. The stapler according to claim 1, further comprising a lockout mounted to the body and operating in a manner to inhibit movement of the strike plate and subsequent driving of a staple unless the body is adjacent to the object. 10. The stapler according to claim 1, wherein the at least one leaf spring is a plurality of leaf springs, each with a different length, clamped together. 11. The stapler according to claim 1, wherein the handle comprises a cam surface adapted to cooperate with the loading mechanism to cause movement of the strike plate. 12. The stapler according to claim 11, wherein the actuation surface comprises the cam surface. 13. A desktop stapler, comprising: a body; a strike plate movably mounted to the body between a rest position and a loaded position, the strike plate being adapted to drive a staple; a leaf spring having a first, fixed portion fixedly mounted to the body and a second, free portion coupled to the strike plate, the leaf spring being adapted to repeatedly move the strike plate from the loaded position to the rest position to drive the staple; and a loading mechanism mounted in the body and arranged to repeatedly move the strike plate from the rest position toward the loaded position, the loading mechanism comprising: a lever pivotally mounted to the body at a pivot, the lever having a first end and a second end; and a trigger pivotally mounted to the second end of the lever, the trigger having a trigger foot adapted to engage with the leaf spring; an actuation surface adapted to cooperate with the trigger to rotate the trigger foot; and a handle pivotally mounted to the body, whereby pivoting the handle causes a first area of the handle to act on the first end of the lever to pivot the lever such that the second end of the lever moves the trigger into contact with the actuation surface and thereby loads the leaf spring and raises the strike plate from the rest position toward the loaded position whereupon the trigger pivots relative to the lever arm to disengage from the leaf spring when the strike plate is in the loaded position. 14. The stapler according to claim 13, wherein a distance between the rest position and the loaded position is between about 0.350 inches to about 0.500 inches. 15. The stapler according to claim 14, wherein the distance between the rest position and the loaded position is about 0.400 inches. 16. The stapler according to claim 13, wherein the leaf spring comprises at least one flat spring. 17. The stapler according to claim 13, wherein the leaf spring has a variable flexibility along a length of the leaf spring. 18. The stapler according to claim 17, wherein the leaf spring comprises a plurality of leaf springs cooperating together. 19. The stapler according to claim 18, wherein the plurality of leaf springs comprises three leaf springs clamped together. 20. The stapler according to claim 18, wherein each leaf spring has a length that is different from each other leaf spring. 21. The stapler according to claim 13, wherein the strike plate comprises an opening and wherein the second, free portion of the leaf spring is disposed within the opening of the strike plate. 22. The stapler according to claim 21, wherein the second, free portion of the leaf spring comprises a tab. 23. The stapler according to claim 13, wherein the actuation surface is located on the handle. 24. The stapler according to claim 13, wherein the leaf spring comprises a rest configuration when the strike plate is in the rest position and a loaded configuration when the strike plate is in the loaded position, the stapler further comprising at least one dampener mounted to the body and adapted to absorb at least some impact of the leaf spring upon return from the loaded configuration to the rest configuration. 25. The stapler according to claim 24, wherein the at least one dampener comprises a U-shaped elastomeric material. 26. The stapler according to claim 25, wherein the at least one dampener comprises a plurality of dampeners mounted to the body in spaced apart relation along a length of the leaf spring. 27. The stapler according to claim 13, wherein the body comprises a staple chamber, the staple chamber comprising a pivotally mounted cover, the chamber adapted to hold a plurality of staples including at least one stored staple and a driven staple, the cover adapted to support the at least one stored staple that is adjacent to the driven staple. 28. The stapler according to claim 13, further comprising a base pivotally mounted to the body, the base comprising an anvil. 29. The stapler according to claim 28, wherein the body comprises a staple chamber, the staple chamber comprising a pivotally mounted cover. 30. The stapler according to claim 13, further comprising a lockout mounted to the body and operating in a manner to inhibit movement of the strike plate and subsequent driving of a staple unless the body is adjacent to a target object. 31. The stapler according to claim 13, wherein the handle comprises a cam surface adapted to cooperate with the loading mechanism to cause movement of the strike plate. 32. The stapler according to claim 31, wherein the actuation surface comprises the cam surface. 33. The stapler according to claim 13, wherein a distance between the rest position and the loaded position is between about 0.300 inches and about 0.600 inches. 34. The stapler according to claim 13, wherein the first area is contoured to cause the lever to rotate about its pivot point. 35. A desktop stapler, comprising: a body; a strike plate movably mounted to the body between a rest position and a loaded position, the strike plate being adapted to drive a staple; a leaf spring coupled to the body and cooperating with the strike plate, the leaf spring being adapted to provide an output force on the strike plate when the strike plate is in the loaded position; a loading mechanism mounted in the body and arranged to repeatedly move the strike plate from the rest position toward the loaded position, the loading mechanism comprising: a lever pivotally mounted to the body at a pivot; and a trigger having a trigger foot adapted to engage with the leaf spring; an actuation surface; and a handle mounted to the body and cooperating with the loading mechanism, whereby pivoting the handle causes the lever to pivot such that the lever moves the trigger into contact with the actuation surface and thereby loads the leaf spring and raises the strike plate from the rest position toward the loaded position whereupon the trigger foot disengages from the leaf spring. 36. The stapler according to claim 35, wherein the handle has an input location adapted to receive an input force from a user, wherein a ratio of the output force on the strike plate, when the strike plate is at the loaded position, to the input force on the handle at the input location is in a range between about 2:1 and about 4:1. 37. The stapler according to claim 35, wherein the ratio of the output force to the input force is about 2.25:1. 38. The stapler according to claim 35, wherein the leaf spring has a variable flexibility along a length of the leaf spring. 39. The stapler according to claim 38, wherein the leaf spring comprises a plurality of leaf springs cooperating together. 40. The stapler according to claim 39, wherein the plurality of leaf springs comprises three leaf springs clamped together. 41. The stapler according to claim 39, wherein each leaf spring has a length that is different from the other leaf springs. 42. The stapler according to claim 35, wherein the lever has a first end and a second end engaged with the leaf spring, wherein movement of the first end about the pivot causes the strike plate to move from the rest position toward the loaded position. 43. The stapler according to claim 42, wherein the trigger is mounted to the second end of the lever. 44. The stapler according to claim 43, wherein the trigger is pivotally mounted to the second end of the lever. 45. The stapler according to claim 44, wherein the handle comprises the actuation surface, and further comprises a loading mechanism engaging surface adapted to engage the first end of the lever. 46. The stapler according to claim 35, wherein the leaf spring comprises a rest configuration when the strike plate is in the rest position and a loaded configuration when the strike plate is in the loaded position, the stapler further comprising at least one dampener mounted to the body and adapted to absorb at least some impact of the leaf spring upon return from the loaded configuration to the rest configuration. 47. The stapler according to claim 46, wherein the at least one dampener comprises a U-shaped elastomeric material. 48. The stapler according to claim 46, wherein the at least one dampener comprises a plurality of dampeners mounted to the body in spaced apart relation along a length of the leaf spring. 49. The stapler according to claim 35, wherein the body comprises a staple chamber, the staple chamber comprising a pivotally mounted cover, the chamber adapted to hold a plurality of staples including at least one stored staple and a driven staple, the cover adapted to support the at least one stored staple that is adjacent to the driven staple. 50. The stapler according to claim 35, further comprising a base pivotally mounted to the body, the base comprising an anvil. 51. The stapler according to claim 50, wherein the body comprises a staple chamber, the staple chamber comprising a pivotally mounted cover. 52. The stapler according to claim 35, further comprising a lockout mounted to the body and operating in a manner to inhibit movement of the strike plate and subsequent driving a staple unless the body is adjacent to a target object. 53. The stapler according to claim 35, wherein the handle having an input location adapted to receive an input force from a user, wherein a ratio of the output force on the strike plate, when the strike plate is at the loaded position, to the input force on the handle at the input location is in a range between about 2:1 and about 5:1. 54. The stapler according to claim 35, further comprising a cam surface on the handle, wherein the cam surface is adapted to cooperate with the loading mechanism to cause movement of the strike plate. 55. The stapler according to claim 54, wherein the actuation surface comprises the cam surface.