DESCRIPTION STAPLER
Technical Field
The present invention relates to a stapler having a positioning member which sets a position of a bunch of papers when binding.
Background Art
Generally, a stapler employs a mechanism in which a staple storing magazine having an ejecting part at its distal end and driving means having a driver plate which drives the staple from the ejecting part toward a clinching groove on the binding table are rotatably provided on a base plate having a binding table, as means for binding bunch of papers.- --• •-
When the bunch of papers is bound at a plurality of points along edges of thereof, it is desirable that the staples are struck in at a determined distance from end parts of the bunch of stapled papers. For example, Japanese patent unexamined publications No. JP-A-2005-138247 and JP-A-2005-138248 discloses a stapler which is provided with a positioning member for determining a position to a depth from the clinching groove thereby to make a binding position from the ends of the bunch of papers constant.

Moreover, besides binding the bunch of papers along the edges thereof, there are some cases where it is necessary to bind the bunch of papers in a corner part thereof. Also in such cases, a binding position from the corner part the bunch of papers is important, and the staple had better be set at equal angles with respect to both side edges of the corner part, for obtaining good finished appearance. Besides, when a large number of copies are bound, it would be desirable that all the copies are uniformly bound at the same position and at the same angle.
However, there has been no stapler which has a function of binding the corner part of the papers, and there has been no way but to utilize an already existing member to bind the corner part. For example, the gauge (a positioning member) disclosed in the above mentioned Japanese Patent Unexamined •Publications No. JP-A-2005-138247 and•--JP-A-2005—138248 has operating knobs formed upright at both ends thereof. It is considered to make use of these operating knobs, and to insert the corner part of the bunch of papers between these knobs at both sides thereby to perform corner binding.
However, in such a structure that the knobs are utilized, a distance between the knobs is too large to mark the binding position. It is possible to bind the bunch of papers by abutting both side ends of the corner part of the bunch of papers against the knobs, in case where the bunch of papers are bound at a

position remote from the corner part. However, because inner side faces of the knobs are inclined, the papers slide or the papers are bent upwards when they are abutted against the knobs . Further, even by utilizing the member of the stapler as a mark, as describe above, it cannot bear for a practical use. Therefore, an operator has to conduct the corner binding by his or her own eyes.
Disclosure of the Invention
One or more embodiments of the present invention provides a stapler which can easily and reliably conduct a paper positioning, even in case of corner binding.
According to one or more embodiments of the invention, a stapler includes: a base plate having a binding table on which a clinching groove is formed; a staple storing magazine which is ro-tatably- provided on the base plate; a handle which -is rotatably provided on the base plate, the handle having a driver plate for driving the staple toward the clinching groove; and a positioning member which is provided on the base plate so as to be slidable along a longitudinal direction of the base plate, the positioning member having an opening at a portion below the staple storing magazine. The positioning member includes: a first guiding surface which guides an end face of the bunch of papers on a binding side; and a pair of second guiding surfaces provided on both sides of the opening. When

a corner part of the bunch of papers is inserted to the opening, the pair of second guiding surfaces guides end faces of the bunch of papers on both sides of the corner part.
According to one or more embodiments of the invention, the positioning member may further include a slip preventing part which prevents the papers from slipping underneath the staple storing magazine, wherein an upper end of the slip preventing part is positioned higher than a lower surface of the staple storing magazine.
According to one or more embodiments of the invention, the stapler may further include an operating lever which is rotatably supported on the positioning member, and the positioning member may further include an engaging piece, wherein graduation grooves are formed on the base plate along a longitudinal direction of the base plate, and the engaging piece-is-en-gaged-or disengaged with respect-to- the- graduation • grooves in accordance with a rotation of the operating lever.
According to one or more embodiments of the invention, the operating lever may include a block part which turns up or turns down in accordance with the rotation of the operating lever, wherein the blockpart is locatedbelow the staple storing magazine, and an upper end of the block part is positioned higher than the clinching groove when the operating lever is tuned up.
According to one or more embodiments of the invention,

the first guiding surface and the pair of second guiding surfaces may be perpendicular to the binding table, and the pair of second
guiding surfaces is at an angle of 45° with respect to a center
line of the base plate in the longitudinal direction thereof.
According to one or more embodiments of the invention,
mark lines may be formed on the base plate on both sides of
the clinching groove at an angle of 45° with respect to a center line of the base plate in the longitudinal direction thereof.
According to one or more embodiments of the invention, the stapler may further include a biasing member which biases the operating lever in a direction in which the engaging piece engages with the graduation grooves.
According to one or more embodiments of the invention,
operating lever may include a pressing part which presses an
upper face of the engaging piece, and an engaging hook which
engages--with a-lower side of the engaging -piece. -
According to one or more embodiments of the invention, by abutting the end face of the bunch of papers against the first guiding surface at a time of binding, the distance between the end face of the bunch of papers and the clinching groove is fixed. Then, by sliding the bunch of papers along the first guiding surface, it is possible to bind the bunch of papers always at the same distance from the end face of the bunch of papers. Therefore, good finished appearance can be obtained. Moreover, when a page is turned, the turned page is aligned

along an extension of the initial page, and the pages are not scattered up and down. Thus, it becomes easy to see the pages.
In case of binding only the corner part of the bunch of papers, the corner part of the bunch of papers is inserted to the opening of the positioning member. Then, the end faces at both sides of the corner part of the bunch of papers are guided by the second guiding surfaces, whereby the bunch of papers can be reliably positioned.
Moreover, the position of the binding part can be freely selected, by rendering the positioning member retreat from the clinching groove or approach to the clinching groove.
According to one or more embodiments of the invention,
it is possible to effectively prevent the papers from slipping
underneath the magazine from between the positioning member
and the magazine, when the bunch of papers is set on the binding
table. - -
According to one or more embodiments of the invention, by rotating the operating lever, it is possible to engage the engaging piece of the positioning member with the graduation grooves formed on the base plate. Accordingly, it is possible to stop the positioning member and hold it at a determined position. Therefore, even if a heavy bunch of numbers of papers is abutted against the first guiding surface of the positioning member, the positioning member does not move, and it is possible to always strike the staple at theposition set by the positioning

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a stapler according to the embodiment of the invention, and Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the same. In the drawings, numeral 1 designates a base plate. The base plate 1 is provided, at its one side, with a binding table 2 on which bunch of papers 100 is placed. At an end part of the other side of the base plate 1, a first support plate 3 and a second support plate 4 are formed in an upright state. A magazine 6 and an inner handle 7 are rotatably provided on a first support shaft 5 which is provided on the first support plate 3. Moreover, an outer handle 10 for actuating the inner handle 7 is rotatably provided on a second support shaft 8 which is provided on the second support plate 4.
The magazine 6 has a space therein for storing staples 1-1 connected-together, and an ejecting part 12-which opens-is formed at its distal end part. A staple pusher 13 pushes the aforesaid connected staples 11 toward the ejecting part 12 is disposed inside the magazine 6.
A driver plate 14 is held at a distal end part of the inner handle 7.
The outer handle 10 actuates the inner handle 7, and includes two handle members lOa and lOb, long and short, which are integrally coupled together. An outer side of the outer handle 10 is covered with a cover lOc formed of resin. Guide

grooves 15 which are curved in an obtuse S-shape are formed on side faces of the short handle member lOb, and both ends of a drive shaft 16 projected from both sides of the inner handle 7 are engaged with the guide grooves 15. In this manner, a ratio in distance between a point of action (q) and a point of force (r) with respect to a pivot (p) of the outer handle 10 is made larger, thereby to constitute a power multiplying mechanism.
When the outer handle 10 is pushed down, the inner handle 7 and the driver plate 14 are driven downward together with the drive shaft 16 which is engaged with the guide grooves 15, and a headmost staple lla supplied to the distal end of the magazine 6 is driven from the ejecting part 12. Then, leg portions of the driven staple pass through the bunch of papers 100 which are placed on the binding table 2, and further, abutted against a- clinching- groove 17 which is-formed on-the-binding table 2 to be folded, whereby the bunch of papers can be bound. After the binding operation, the magazine 6, the inner handle 7 and the outer handle 10 return to the initial state as shown in Fig. 1, by means of a first spring 18 and a second spring 20, and at the same time, a piece of staple is forwarded to the ejecting part 12 by the staple pusher 13 to prepare for the next binding.
According to the stapler having the above described structure, even when the outer handle 10 is pushed down with

a small force, it is possible to obtain a driving force which is far larger than a force in case where the driver plate 14 is directly pushed down by the inner handle 7. Therefore, the stapler is suitable for binding a large number of papers.
The base plate 1 is further provided with a positioning member 21 for the bunch of papers 100 so as to slide in a longitudinal direction of the base plate I.
As shown in Fig. 3A and Fig. 3B, the positioning member
21 is formed of synthetic resin, and includes a first guiding
surface 22 for guiding an end face of the bunch of papers 100,
second guiding surfaces 24 for guiding a corner part of the
bunch of papers 100 at both sides of an opening 23 which is
formed at a center of the first guiding surface 22, and slip
preventing parts 25 for preventing slip of the papers which
extend f romboth sides of the first guiding surface 22 . Moreover,
the-positioningmember 21 is providedwith sliding protuberances
26 at both sides of a lower part thereof, which are engaged
with rail grooves (not shown) formed in a longitudinal direction
along inner faces of both side walls of the base plate 1.
As shown in Fig. 1, the aforesaid first guiding surface
22 is provided perpendicularly to the binding table 2. The
opening 23 which is formed at the center of the first guiding
surface 22 is a relief for avoiding interference with the
magazine 6 during the binding operation. The second guiding
surfaces 24 are formed at an angle of 45° with respect to a

center line of the base plate 1 in a longitudinal direction thereof. The second guiding surfaces 24 are also provided perpendicularly to the binding table 2.
The slip preventing parts 25 are formed on upright parts 27 projected upward from both sides of the first guiding surface 22 such that upper ends of the slip preventing parts 25 are positioned higher than a lower surface of the magazine 6 in a waiting position so as to have a height enough to prevent the papers 100 from slipping underneath the magazine 6 from between the first guiding surface 22 and the magazine 6, when the papers 100 is set on the binding table 2.
A plurality of mark lines 29 are formed diagonally at both sides of the clinching groove 17 of the binding table 2.
The respective mark lines 29 are formed at an angle of 45° with respect to the center line of the base plate 1. Further, guide lines -28 are-formed at both sides of--the base plate •••!-.-According to the above described structure, as shown in Fig. 4A and Fig. 4B, the positioning member 21 is slid to come into alignment with the appropriate guide line 28, and the end face of the bunch of papers 100 is abutted against the first guiding surface 22 for binding, whereby the distance between the end faces and the clinching groove 17 is fixed. Then, by sliding the bunch of papers 100 along the first guiding surface 22, it is possible to bind the bunch of papers 100 always at the same distance from the end face of the bunch of papers 100.

Therefore, good finished appearance canbe obtained. Moreover, when a page is turned, the turned page is aligned along an extension of the initial page, and the pages do not scatter up and down. Thus, it is easy to see the pages.
In case of binding only the corner part of the bunch of papers 100, the corner part of the bunch of papers 100 is inserted through the opening 23 of the positioning member 21. On this occasion, end faces at both sides of the corner part of the bunch of papers 100 is guided by the second guiding surfaces 24, whereby the bunch of papers 100 can be reliably positioned. Moreover, by aligning the end faces at the both sides of the corner part with the mark lines 29 of the binding table 2, it is possible to set a direction of the staple at the binding
position at an angle of 45° with respect to the end faces at the both sides, and good finished appearance can be obtained.
Moreover,--the-position of the binding-part-can-be freely-
selected, by rendering the positioning member retreat from the clinching groove or approach to the clinching groove.
Because the second guiding surfaces 24 are formed perpendicularly to the binding table 2, the bunch of papers 100 are not bent upwards or displaced, when the bunch of papers 100 is abutted against the second guiding surfaces 24.
Moreover, because a width of the opening 23 is slightly larger than a length of the clinching groove 17, there is no such disadvantage that the binding position is too remote from

the corner part.
Further, due to the slip preventing parts 25, it is possible to effectively prevent the papers from slipping underneath the magazine 6 from between the positioning member 21 and the magazine 6, when the bunch of papers 100 is set on the binding table 2.
By the way, when the number of the papers 100 is to be bound is small, the positioning member 21 does not move by pressing the bunch of papers 100 against the first guiding surface 22. However, in case where the number of the bunch of papers 100 is to be bound is large, the positioning member 21 may sometimes move, because an impact of pressing them against the first guiding surface 22 becomes larger. For this reason, it is considered to increase sliding resistance of the positioning member 21, or to use a screw or the like thereby to--inc-rease-frietion between the positioning-member 21 and a-surface of the base pi ate 1, when the opera ting member is stopped. In the above described stapler, there is employed a mechanism which can reliably stop thepositioningmember 21 at a determined position and can maintain the state.
More specifically, as shown in Fig. 5A and Fig. 5B, the base plate 1 is provided with minute graduation grooves 30 for positioning the bunch of papers 100, and the graduation grooves 30 are formed behind the clinching groove 17 along the longitudinal direction of the base plate 1. On the other hand,

an engaging piece 31 which can be engaged with the aforesaid graduation grooves 30 is formed in the lower part of the positioning member 21 so as to project toward a back face side
(an opposite side to the clinching groove 17) , as shown in Fig. 3A and Fig. 3B. Projected portions 32 are formed at both sides of the distal end of the engaging piece 31. The engaging piece 31 is integrally formed with the positioning member 21, such that it can swing up and down by being elastically flexed. Corresponding to the engaging piece 31, U-shaped grooves 34 which open downward are formed in lower parts of arms 33 extending from side walls which constitute inner side faces of the opening 23 of the positioning member 21 (See Fig. 5A) . The grooves 34 and an upper face of the engaging piece 31 form bearing parts. These bearing parts grasp a shaft portion 36 at a center of a shaft 42, thereby to rotatably hold an operating lever 35 for swi-nging-the - engaging pieee--31 up and-down. •
The shaft portion 36 which is engaged with the aforesaid bearing part is formed at a center of the operating lever 35
(See Fig. 5A) , and a block part 37 in a cubic shape is integrally formed at the center position opposed to the lower part of the magazine 6. At both sides of the shaft portion 36, there are formed Z-shaped wing parts 41 each including a wall part 38, a spring bearing part 39, and a tongue part 40 which are bent at a right angle to each other, so as to project diagonally outwardly. The shaft 42 fitted with a spring 45 (a biasing

member) is formed at one end of the aforesaid shaft portion 36. The spring 45 is engaged with a projecting piece 43 of the spring bearing part 39 at its one end, and engaged with an edge of the stepped part 46 at the other end, the other end being placed at a recess portion 44 formed in a base part of the tongue part 40. According to this structure, the operating lever 35 turns up or turns down by being rotated, while being biased by the spring 45 in a direction to be turned down. When the upright part 27 of the positioning member 21 and the tongue part 40 are grasped with fingers to rotate the operating lever 35 so as to turn it up against the spring 45, the tongue part 40 is engaged with a back face of the upright part 27 to stop the rotation, whereby the aforesaid block part 37 is brought into an upright state. The block part 37 is formed such that an upper end thereof is positioned higher than the clinching -groove -17 -in -the upright state.
Additionally, the positioning member 21 is provided with stepped parts 46 which are projected backward from a lower end of the first guiding surface 22 . The stepped parts 46 are formed such that when the wing parts 41 are turned up, the spring bearing parts 39 of the wing parts 41 may come into contact with the stepped parts 46, as shown in Fig. 3B.
Further, a pressing part 47 having a curved face in a barrel shape is formed at a base part of the block part 37 of the operating lever 35. Engaging hooks 38 are formed at both

sides of the pressing part 47.
The aforesaid pressing part 47 has a function of pressing an upper face of the engaging piece 31, when the operating lever 35 is rotated to be turned down, so as to swing the engaging piece 31 downward. At the same time, the engaging hooks 48 are moved away from the projected portions 32 at both sides of the engaging piece 31. On the other hand, when the operating lever 35 is rotated to be turned up, the engaging hooks 48 of the operating lever 35 engage with lower sides of the projected portions 32 of the engaging piece 31, thereby to swing the engaging piece 31 upward. At the same time, the pressing part 47 is moved away from the upper face of the engaging piece 31.
The reason why the engaging piece 31 is forcibly swung upward by the engaging hooks 48 of the operating lever 35 is to prevent permanent deformation of the engaging piece 31, which hinders a sufficient operation of the engaging piece 31 by its-own elasticity.
According to the above described structure, when the operating lever 35 is rotated to be turned down, as shown in Fig. 5A, the engaging piece 31 swings downward to be engaged with the graduation grooves 30. When the operating lever 35 is rotated to be turned up, as shown in Fig. 5B, the engaging piece 31 swings upward to be disengaged from the graduation grooves 30. Accordingly, by turning up the operating lever 35, it is possible to slide the positioning member 21, and by

pushing down the operating lever 35 at a desired position, it is possible to stop the positioning member 21 and hold it at the same position. Therefore, even when a large number of papers which are heavy in a stacked state are abutted against the first guiding surface 22 of the positioning member 21 to determine the binding position, the positioning member 21 does not move, and it is possible to always strike the staple at the position determined by the positioning member 21.
In case where the staples are jammed in the ejecting part 12 of the magazine 6, the operating lever 35 is turned up to make the block part 37 upright, as shown in Fig. 3B and Fig. 5B. Since the block part 37 lies at a lower position than the magazine 6, the lower surface of the magazine 6 cannot move lower than a position where it has abutted against the block part 37. The magazine 6 is held away from the clinching groove
17-. In this- state, the-handle is pushed down, and- the- staple-
11 jammed in the ejecting part is pushed out by the driver plate 14 to be discharged from the ejecting part. In this manner, it is possible to easily remove the staples, even when they are jammed.
Although the above described stapler is so constructed that a large binding force can be obtained even with a small force, owing to the aforesaid power multiplying mechanism, the stapler may be of ordinary system in which the stapler can be operated by directly pushing the inner handle (the handle),

without using the outer handle.
While there has been described in connection with the embodiment of the present invention, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modification may be made therein without departing from the present invention. It is aimed, therefore, to cover in the appended claim all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the present invention.
The subject patent application is based on a Japanese patent application No. 2005-324584 filed on November 9, 2005, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference.
Industrial Applicability
In a stapler, a positioning of a bunch of papers can be performed easily and reliably, even in case of corner binding.

CLAIMS
1. A stapler comprising:
a base plate having a binding table on which a clinching groove is formed;
a staple storing magazine which is rotatably provided on the base plate;
a handle which is rotatably provided on the base plate, the handle having a driver plate for driving the staple toward the clinching groove; and
a positioning member which is provided on the base plate so as to be slidable along a longitudinal direction of the base plate, the positioning member having an opening at a portion below the staple storing magazine,
wherein the positioning member comprises:
a first guiding surface which guides an end face
of the bunch of papers on a binding side; and
a pair of second guiding surfaces provided on both
sides of the opening,
wherein, when a corner part of the bunch of papers is inserted to the opening, the pair of second guiding surfaces guides end faces of the bunch of papers on both sides of the corner part.
2. The stapler according to claim 1, wherein the

positioning member further comprises:
a slip preventing part which prevents the papers from slipping underneath the staple storing magazine,
wherein an upper end of the slip preventing part is positioned higher than a lower surface of the staple storing magazine.
3. The stapler according to claim 1, further
comprising:
an operating lever which is rotatably supported on the positioning member,
wherein the positioning member further comprises an engaging piece,
wherein graduation grooves are formed on the base plate along a longitudinal direction of the base plate, and
-the engaging-piece is engaged or disengaged-with respect to the graduation grooves in accordance with a rotation of the operating lever.
4. The stapler according to claim 3, wherein the
operating lever comprises a block part which turns up or turns
down in accordance with the rotation of the operating lever,
wherein the block part is locatedbelow the staple storing magazine, and
an upper end of the block part is positioned higher than

the clinching groove when the operating lever is tuned up.
5. The stapler according to claim 2, further
comprising:
an operating lever which is rotatably supported on the positioning member,
wherein the positioning member further comprises an engaging piece,
wherein graduation grooves are formed on the base plate along a longitudinal direction of the base plate, and
the engaging piece is engaged or disengaged with respect to the graduation grooves in accordance with a rotation of the operating lever.
6. The stapler according to claim 5, wherein the
-operating lever comprises a block part which turns up-or tu-rns-
down in accordance with the rotation of the operating lever, wherein the block part is locatedbelow the staple storing
magazine, and
an upper end of the block part is positioned higher than
the clinching groove when the operating lever is tuned up.
7 . The stapler according to claim 1, wherein the first guiding surface and the pair of second guiding surfaces are perpendicular to the binding table, and

the pair of second guiding surfaces is at an angle of
45° with respect to a center line of the base plate in the longitudinal direction thereof.
8 . The stapler according to claim 1, whereinmark lines are formed on the base plate on both sides of the clinching
groove at an angle of 45° with respect to a center line of the base plate in the longitudinal direction thereof.
9. The stapler according to claim 3, further
comprising a biasing member which biases the operating lever
in a direction in which the engaging piece engages with the
graduation grooves.
10. The stapler according to claim 3, wherein the
operating-iever--comprises : .......... .._..
a press ing part which presses an upper face of the engaging piece; and
an engaging hook which engages with a lower side of the engaging piece.