PAD HOLDER FOR USE IN AN INSERTION COMPARTMENT FOR A SELF-INKING STAMP

Abstract

A pad holder (1) for use in an insertion compartment (2) of a self-inking stamp with upstroke inking as well as a self-inking stamp having such a pad holder, the pad holder (1) comprising: a bottom (6) and walls (7) projecting from the bottom (6) in a pan-shaped configuration, wherein the bottom (6) and the walls (7) surround a recess (8) for accommodating an ink pad (4), wherein the pad holder (1) has at least one restricting element (9, 10, 28, 29) on an outside, which restricting element (9, 10, 28, 29) is configured for restricting a displacement of the pad holder (1) with respect to the insertion compartment (2) and substantially parallel to the bottom (6) in a maintenance position of the pad holder (1), and wherein in the bottom (6) of the pad holder (1) at least one refill opening (11) is provided, the at least one refill opening (11) being arranged at least partially outside of the insertion compartment (2), in the maintenance position.

Claims

1. A pad holder (1) for use in an insertion compartment (2) of a self-inking stamp with upstroke inking, comprising: a bottom (6), and walls (7) projecting from the bottom (6) in a pan-shaped configuration, wherein the bottom (6) and the walls (7) surround a recess (8) for accommodating an ink pad (4), wherein the pad holder (1) has at least one restricting element (9, 10, 28, 29) on an outside, which restricting element (9, 10, 28, 29) is configured for restricting a displacement of the pad holder (1) with respect to the insertion compartment (2) and substantially parallel to the bottom (6) in a maintenance position of the pad holder (1), wherein in the bottom (6) of the pad holder (1) at least one refill opening (11) is provided, the at least one refill opening (11) being arranged at least partially outside of the insertion compartment (2), in the maintenance position.

2. The pad holder (1) according to claim 1, wherein the at least one refill opening (11) is surrounded by a nozzle (14).

3. The pad holder (1) according to claim 1, wherein the walls (7) of the pad holder (1) are formed by a frame (15), which is designed as a one-piece component and surrounds the recess (8), and wherein the bottom (6) of the pad holder (1) is formed by a push-in element (16) fitted into the frame (15).

4. The pad holder (1) according to claim 3, wherein the push-in element (16) on its part includes a plate (21) having the at least one refill opening (11) and walls (22) projecting from the plate (21) in a pan-shaped configuration, wherein the walls (22) of the push-in element (16) rest tightly against the walls (7) of the pad holder (1).

5. The pad holder (1) according to claim 1, wherein the at least one restricting element (28, 29) of the pad holder (1) is formed by a protrusion on an opening side (30) of the pad holder (1) opposite the bottom (6).

6. The pad holder (1) according to claim 5, wherein at least one further restricting element (9, 10) is provided on a bottom side (23) of the pad holder (1) opposite the opening side (30), preferably at a location substantially opposite the at least one restricting element (28, 29) arranged on the opening side (30).

7. The pad holder (1) according to claim 5, wherein all of the restricting elements (9, 10, 28, 29) are arranged in the region of only one longitudinal side (25) of the pad holder (1).

8. The pad holder (1) according to claim 5, wherein at least one of the restricting elements (28, 29) includes a chamfer (32) on an outer longitudinal edge (31).

9. The pad holder (1) according to claim 1, wherein the pad holder (1) includes at least one latching element (26, 27) on the outside, which latching element (26, 27) is configured for holding the pad holder (1) in the insertion compartment (2) in a use position of the pad holder (1).

10. A self-inking stamp, comprising: a stamp housing (3), an actuating member, a stamp unit, and an ink pad (4), wherein the stamp unit is supported rotatably and displaceably within the stamp housing (3), wherein the actuating member is coupled to the stamp unit supported within the stamp housing (3) and is displaceable, together with the stamp unit and with respect to the stamp housing (3), between an inking position, in which the stamp unit contacts the ink pad (4), and a stamping position, in which the stamp unit protrudes from the stamp housing (3) in the direction of a stamping side (5), wherein the ink pad (4) is accommodated in a pad holder (1) according to claim 1, which pad holder (1) is supported displaceably within an insertion compartment (2) of the stamp housing (3).

Description

[0019] The invention is explained in further detail below on the basis of particularly preferred exemplary embodiments, but without being limited to them, and with reference to the drawings. Individually, in the drawings:

[0020] FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of a bottom side of a pad holder according to the invention;

[0021] FIG. 2 shows a schematic view of an opening side of the pad holder of FIG. 1;

[0022] FIG. 3 shows a plan view of the opening side of the pad holder of FIG. 1;

[0023] FIG. 4 shows a side view of a longitudinal side of the pad holder of FIG. 1;

[0024] FIG. 5 shows a side view of a front face of the pad holder of FIG. 1;

[0025] FIG. 6 shows a sectional view of the pad holder according to FIG. 1 along line VI-VI in FIG. 3; and

[0026] FIG. 7 shows a schematic view of a stamp housing of a self-inking stamp having a pad holder arranged in a maintenance position therein.

[0027] FIG. 1 shows a pad holder 1 for use in an insertion compartment 2 (cf. FIG. 7) of a self-inking stamp with upstroke inking. Such stamps are widely known, for example from EP 1 603 7 54 B1, FIGS. 1-3 of which show exemplary embodiments of such a stamp. In general, a self-inking stamp with upstroke inking includes a stamp housing 3 (cf. FIG. 7), an actuating member, a stamp unit, and an ink pad 4 (cf. FIG. 6). The stamp unit is supported rotatably and displaceably within the stamp housing 3. The actuating member is coupled to the stamp unit supported within the stamp housing 3. Together with the stamp unit, it is displaceable with respect to the stamp housing 3 between an inking position, in which the stamp unit contacts the ink pad 4, and a stamping position, in which the stamp unit protrudes from the stamp housing 3 in the direction of a stamping side 5. Under control of the actuating member, the stamp unit may be turned inside the stamp housing 3, mostly by 180°, from the upper inking position to the lower stamping positions by a turning mechanism. This turning mechanism is also summarised by the term “up-stroke inking”. In the upper inking position, the idle position of the hand stamp, the stamping plate provided with stamp types (the printing block) rests against the ink pad 4. Here, the ink pad 4 is accommodated within a special container called a pad holder 1. The ink pad 4 or rather the pad holder 1 including the ink pad 4 may be displaced horizontally within an accommodation space or an insertion compartment 2 in the stamp housing 3, which is usually designed in the form of a slot, for example in order to soak the ink pad 4 by fresh stamp ink outside of the stamp housing 3.

[0028] The pad holder 1 illustrated in FIG. 1 comprises a bottom 6 and walls 7 projecting from the bottom in a pan-shaped configuration. The bottom 6 and the walls 7 surround a recess 8 (cf. FIG. 6) for accommodating an ink pad 4. On an outside, the pad holder 1 includes two restricting elements 9, 10. The restricting elements 9, 10 are configured for restricting a displacement of the pad holder 1 with respect to the insertion compartment 2 and substantially parallel to the bottom in a maintenance position of the pad holder 1. In the bottom 6 of the pad holder 1, five refill openings 11 are provided. In the maintenance position (cf. 38 in FIG. 7), the refill openings 11 are arranged at least partially outside of the insertion compartment 2. In the illustrated example, the refill openings 11 are arranged offset with respect to the restricting elements 9, 10 in the direction of displacement (i.e. parallel to the front faces 12, 13 of the pad holder 1). Each of the five refill openings 11 is surrounded by a respective associated nozzle 14.

[0029] The walls 7 of the pad holder 1 are formed by a frame 15. The frame 15 is designed and manufactured as a one-piece component, for example by an injection-moulding process, and surrounds the recess 8 for accommodating an ink pad 4. The bottom 6 of the pad holder 1 is formed by a push-in element 16 fitted into the frame 15. The push-in element 16 is fitted into the frame 15 by latching connections 17, 18, 19, 20. The push-in element 16 on its part includes a plate 21 and walls 22 projecting from the plate 21 in a pan-shaped configuration. The five refill openings 11 are provided in the plate 21. The walls 22 of the push-in element 16 rest tightly against the walls 7 of the pad holder 1 (cf. FIG. 6).

[0030] On the bottom side 23 of the pad holder 1 seen in FIG. 1, two restricting elements 9, 10 are provided. The two restricting elements 9, 10 are formed as hills continuing a longitudinal wall 24 of the push-in element 17 in a direction away from the plate 21 and projecting substantially vertically from the bottom side 23. As can further be seen in FIG. 1, restricting elements 9, 10 are arranged only in the region of one (i.e. exactly one) of the longitudinal sides 25 of the pad holder 1.

[0031] On the outside, the pad holder 1 includes two latching elements 26, 27, with one respective latching element 26, 27 arranged centred on each of the two front faces 12, 13 of the pad holder 1. The latching elements 26, 27 are configured for holding the pad holder 1 in the insertion compartment 2 in a use position of the pad holder 1.

[0032] The two restricting elements 28, 23 seen in FIG. 2 are protrusions formed on the frame 15, on an opening side 30 of the pad holder 1 opposite the bottom 6. These restricting elements 28, 29 are arranged offset to the inside from the outer edge of the pad holder 1, as can best be seen in FIG. 3. Individually, they are arranged at locations on the opening side 30 substantially opposite the restricting elements 9, 10 arranged on the bottom side 23, as can best be seen in the side views in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5.

[0033] The two restricting elements 28, 29 provided on the opening side 30 of the pad holder 1 include a chamfer 32 on an outer longitudinal edge 31 (cf. also FIG. 3). This means that the side face of the restricting elements 28, 29 closer to an outer edge 33 of the pad holder 1 is bevelled such that the cross-sections of the restricting elements 28, 29 narrow towards their upper ends.

[0034] The sectional view illustrated in FIG. 6 makes clear that, in the region of an opening side 30 of the pad holder 1 opposite the bottom 6, the frame 15 has a circumferential undercut 35 on the inside 34. In the region of the lateral edges, the ink pad 4 is thus held between the undercut 35 and the plate 21 of the push-in element 16. Furthermore, FIG. 6 shows a section through a refill opening 11 arranged in the centre having an associated nozzle 14. Together with the refill opening 11, the nozzle 14 forms a substantially pot-shaped reservoir 36 from which ink can seep into the ink pad 4 positioned therebelow.

[0035] FIG. 7 illustrates an alternative pad holder 37 in a maintenance position 38. Here, the major portion of pad holder 37 is displaced out of an insertion compartment 2 of a stamp housing 3 so each of the five refill openings 39 is accessible from outside of the stamp housing 3, and ink may be filled into each of the respective associated nozzles 40 for soaking an ink pad as required. In contrast to the first exemplary embodiment, restricting elements 43, 44 are provided on both longitudinal sides 41, 42 of this pad holder 37. In this case, the respective unused restricting elements 43, 44 (positioned in the maintenance position outside of the stamp housing) need to be passed when moving the pad holder 37 to a use position accommodated within the insertion compartment 2. Thus, the restricting elements 43, 44 can provide only little protection against, the falling out of the pad holder 37 from the stamp housing 3.