Reactor plate assembly and brush anvil for use in conjunction therewith

Abstract

A reactor plate assembly for a fastener dispensing device includes a metal reactor plate mounted onto the distal end of a fixed support arm for the device, the reactor plate including a flattened top surface shaped to define a pair of elliptical, needle-receiving holes. The reactor plate assembly additionally includes a brush anvil removably secured to the underside of the support arm. The brush anvil includes four separate bristle clusters that are retained within associated bores in a block, with a first pair of bristle clusters projecting into one needle-receiving hole and a second pair of bristle clusters projecting into the other needle-receiving hole. Each bristle cluster includes a group of individual nylon bristles, the free ends of the bristles lying flush with the top surface of the reactor plate to provide a planar support surface which can be penetrated by the needles of the device during the dispensing process.

Claims

1. A reactor plate assembly for a plastic fastener dispensing device, the reactor plate assembly comprising: (a) a reactor plate, the reactor plate being shaped to define first and second needle receiving holes; and (b) a brush anvil coupled to the reactor plate, the brush anvil comprising: (i) a base; and (ii) a plurality of bristle clusters coupled to the base, wherein at least one of the plurality of bristle clusters at least partially projects into the first needle receiving hole in the reactor plate and at least another one of the plurality of bristle clusters at least partially projects into the second needle receiving hole in the reactor plate and the base for the brush anvil includes a pair of mounting holes, the pair of mounting holes extending transversely through the base from the top wall to the bottom wall.

2. The reactor plate assembly of claim 1 wherein the brush anvil includes first, second, third and fourth bristle clusters.

3. The reactor plate assembly of claim 2 wherein the first and second bristle clusters project into the first needle receiving hole in the reactor plate and the third and fourth bristle clusters project into the second needle receiving hole in the reactor plate.

4. The reactor plate assembly of claim 3 wherein each bristle cluster comprises a plurality of individual bristles, each of the plurality of bristles having a free end.

5. The reactor plate assembly of claim 4 wherein the free ends of the plurality of individual bristles for the first, second, third and fourth bristle clusters are coplanar.

6. The reactor plate assembly of claim 5 wherein the reactor plate comprises a flattened top surface, an angled front surface and opposing side surfaces.

7. The reactor plate assembly of claim 6 wherein the free end of the plurality of individual bristles for the first, second, third and fourth bristle clusters lie flush with the top surface of the reactor plate.

8. The reactor plate assembly of claim 7 wherein the pair of needle receiving holes is formed in the flattened top surface of the reactor plate in a spaced apart, side-by-side relationship.

9. The reactor plate assembly of claim 8 wherein each of the pair of needle receiving holes is elliptical in transverse cross-section.

10. The reactor plate assembly of claim 1 wherein the base for the brush anvil includes a flat bottom wall, a flat top wall and angled front wall, an angled rear wall and a pair of opposing sidewalls.

11. The reactor plate assembly of claim 10 wherein the base is shaped to define a plurality of bores, each of the plurality of bores penetrating partially into base from the top wall and being dimensioned to receive one of the plurality of bristle clusters.

12. The reactor plate assembly of claim 11 wherein the plurality of bores formed in the base is linearly arranged.

13. The reactor plate assembly for claim 1 wherein each of the pair of mounting holes is countersunk in the bottom wall.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) In the drawings wherein like reference numerals represent like parts:

(2) FIG. 1 is an enlarged, fragmentary, front perspective view of a length of continuously connected ladder stock that is known in the art;

(3) FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of a plastic fastener dispensing device that is known in the art, the device being shown supplied with a reel of the ladder stock shown in FIG. 1, the device being shown with its front door removed therefrom for purposes of simplicity and clarity;

(4) FIG. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary, front perspective view of a reactor plate assembly constructed according to the teachings of the present invention, the reactor plate assembly being shown mounted on the support arm of a plastic fastener dispensing device;

(5) FIGS. 4(a)-(c) are perspective, top and left side views, respectively, of the anvil shown in FIG. 3, each bristle cluster being represented as a single enlarged bristle for ease of illustration;

(6) FIG. 5(a) is a top view of the base for the anvil shown in FIG. 4(a);

(7) FIG. 5(b) is a left side view of the base for the anvil shown in FIG. 5(a);

(8) FIG. 5(c) is a section view of the base for the anvil shown in FIG. 5(a), taken along lines 5C-5C;

(9) FIG. 5(d) is a section view of the base for the anvil shown in FIG. 5(a), taken along lines 5D-5D; and

(10) FIG. 6 is an enlarged, left side perspective view of the reactor plate assembly shown in FIG. 3, the reactor plate being shown with a pair of articles that are to be fastened together.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(11) Referring now to FIG. 3, there is a shown a reactor plate assembly for a fastener dispensing device, the reactor plate assembly being constructed according to the teachings of the present invention and identified generally by reference numeral 111. As will be described in detail below, reactor plate assembly 111 is designed to be installed on a fastener dispensing device and, in use, serves to provide support to articles during the fastener dispensing process.

(12) Reactor plate assembly 111 is designed to be seamlessly mounted onto the free end of the support arm for a dual-needle fastener dispensing device. For illustrative purposes only, reactor plate assembly 111 is shown herein replacing reactor plate 37 of prior art fastener dispensing device 30. However, it is to be understood that reactor plate assembly 111 is not limited for use with fastener dispensing device 30 but, rather, could be similarly utilized with other types of fastener dispensing devices without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

(13) Reactor plate assembly 111 comprises a reactor plate 113 and a brush anvil 115 that are removably coupled together. As can be seen, reactor plate 113 and brush anvil 115 together form an effective article support surface that is mounted onto the free end of reactor arm 35 in a seamless and inconspicuous manner, which is a principal object of the present invention.

(14) Reactor plate 113 is sir similar in construction to reactor plate 37 of prior art device 30 in that reactor plate 113 is formed as a unitary, shield-like member that is preferably constructed of a highly rigid and durable material, such as steel, to protect reactor arm 35 from inadvertently harmful contact from either the articles to be coupled or needles 59.

(15) Reactor plate 113 is shaped to include an enlarged, flattened top surface 117, a downwardly tapered, or angled, front surface 119, and opposing shortened side surfaces 121-1 and 121-2. As can be appreciated, distal end 35-1 of reactor arm 35 includes a recess in its top surface that is dimensioned to receive reactor plate 113 such that top surface 117 and side surfaces 121 lie generally flush with the corresponding top and side surfaces of reactor arm 35, thereby resulting in a seamless design. Furthermore, the downward taper of front surface 119 reduces the overall thickness of the resulting support surface at its free end, thereby facilitating the process of positioning articles thereon for subsequent coupling with plastic fasteners.

(16) Reactor plate 113 differs from reactor plate 37 primarily in that reactor plate 113 includes two, generally elliptical holes 123-1 and 123-2 rather than a single, elongated, lateral slot. Each hole 123 has a length L.sub.1 of approximately 7.0 mm and a width W.sub.1 of approximately 3.0 mm. Elliptical holes 123 are disposed side-by-side (i.e., such that the major axes, or transverse diameters, of holes 123 extend in a collinear fashion) and are spaced slightly apart from one another a distance D.sub.1 of approximately 1.0 mm.

(17) As will be described further below, each elliptical hole 123 is aligned to receive a corresponding needle 59 upon penetration through the particular articles to be fastened. The utilization of a pair of separate needle-receiving holes 123, as well as brush anvil 115, limits the amount of material that can be pushed into holes 123 by needles 59 during the fastening dispensing process and thereby resolves many of the shortcomings typically associated with reactor plates that include a single, widened slot, such as prior art reactor plate 37.

(18) Referring now to FIGS. 4(a)-(c), brush anvil 115 comprises a brush block, or base, 125 and four bristle clusters, or tufts, 127-1 thru 127-4 that are separately mounted onto base 125 and project outwardly therefrom, each bristle cluster 127 being represented in FIGS. 4(a)-(c) as a single, enlarged bristle for ease of illustration purposes only. As will be described further below, brush anvil 115 is adapted to be mounted onto the underside of distal end 35-1 such that bristle clusters 127-1 and 127-2 project into hole 123-1 and bristle clusters 127-3 and 127-4 project into hole 123-2, thereby further reducing the risk of material being pushed into holes 123 by needles 59 during the fastening dispensing process, which is a principal object of the present invention.

(19) Referring now to FIGS. 4(a)-(c) and 5(a)-(d), base 125 is formed as a unitary block that is preferably constructed out of a rigid, durable and inexpensive material, such as polyvinylchloride (PVC). As can be seen, base 125 includes a flat bottom wall 129, a flat top wall 131, a front wall 133, a rear wall 135 and a pair of opposing, flattened sidewalls 137-1 and 137-2.

(20) Base 125 is shaped to seamlessly integrate with reactor arm 35 as well as reactor plate 37 and thereby minimize its conspicuousness when mounted. Specifically, top wall 131 is provided with a slight downward pitch angle α.sub.1 of approximately 3 degrees in the rearward direction. Similarly, front wall 133 has an upward pitch angle α.sub.2 of approximately 40 degrees in the forward direction and is slightly rounded at its junction with top wall 131. Furthermore, rear wall 135 has an upward pitch angle α.sub.3 of approximately 30 degrees in the rearward direction and is largely rounded at its junction with top wall 131.

(21) Base 125 is shaped to define a pair of transverse, mounting, or through, holes 139-1 and 139-2, each through hole 139 being countersunk in bottom wall 129. Accordingly, it is to be understood that brush anvil 115 is adapted to be mounted onto support arm 35 by inserting an appropriately dimensioned fastening element (e.g., an enlarged head, hex screw) into each through hole 139 through bottom wall 129 and, in turn, into threaded engagement with a corresponding threaded bore formed in the underside of distal end 35-1.

(22) Base 125 is additionally shaped to define four, similarly dimensioned, cluster-receiving bares 141-1 thru 141-4. Each cluster-receiving bore 141 is generally circular in transverse cross-section with a diameter of approximately 3.0 mm and penetrates partially into base 125 from top wall 131 to a depth D.sub.1 of approximately 8.0 mm.

(23) As seen most clearly in FIG. 5(a), bores 141 are linearly arranged, with bores 141-1 and 141-2 spaced apart a distance D.sub.2 of approximately 1.0 mm and bores 141-3 and 143-4 similarly spaced apart a distance D.sub.3 of approximately 1.0 mm. Bores 141-2 and 141-3 are spaced apart a larger distance C) of approximately 3.0 mm, thereby separating bores 141-1 thru 141-4 into two distinct sets, or groups, of bores for reasons to become apparent below.

(24) Referring back to FIGS. 3 and 4(a)-(c), bristle clusters 127-1 thru 127-4 are disposed in bores 141-1 thru 141-4, respectively. Preferably, each cluster 127 is retained in its corresponding bore 141 through both a fitted relationship with base 125 as well as the use of a suitable adhesive, such as epoxy.

(25) Each cluster 127 preferably includes a plurality of individual bristles 143 that extends in parallel with one another and that is held, or grouped, tightly together to form a generally cylindrical bunch. Each bristle 143 is preferably constructed of a substantially strong yet flexible material, such as nylon, and is formed as an elongated, cylindrical strand that is approximately 0.4 mm in diameter and approximately 27.5 mm in length. Due to its construction, each bristle 143 is designed to bend, or laterally deflect, upon the application of a downward force on its free end. Upon removal of the downward force, each bristle 143 resiliently returns to its original orientation in relation to base 125.

(26) As referenced briefly above, the plurality of individual bristles 143 that form each cluster 127 is bundled as a generally cylindrical group and is, in turn, axially inserted down into its respective bore 141. Due to the uniformity of dimensions, the free ends 144 of bristles 143 for all four clusters 127 line in a generally planar relationship, as seers in FIGS. 4(a) and 4(c).

(27) With base 125 properly secured to the underside of distal end 35-1, bristle clusters 127-1 and 127-2 project through and substantially fill hole 123-1 in reactor plate 113 whereas bristle clusters 127-3 and 127-4 project through and substantially fill hole 123-2 in reactor plate 113, as shown in FIG. 3. Preferably, each bristle 143 is of a length such that its free end lies substantially flush with top surface 117. In this capacity, top surface 117 and bristles 143 together provide a near uniform, planar support surface for articles to be fastened.

(28) In use, reactor plate assembly 111 is designed to be installed on reactor arm 35 of fastener dispensing device 30 in the manner set forth in detail above and as shown in FIG. 6. Mounted as such, the relatively high density of bristles 143 and top surface 117 of reactor plate 113 together create a strong, planar surface, or anvil, that can appropriately support a pair of articles 145 and 147 (in this case, a pair of jeans and a merchandise tag) during the fastening dispensing process. In particular, reactor plate assembly 111 is suitably designed to support articles 145 and 147 during their penetration by needles 59-1 and 59-2.

(29) As a principal feature of the present invention, the ability of each bristle 143 to bend, or laterally deflect, ensures that needles 59-1 and 59-2 are able to penetrate through articles 145 and 147 and down into respective holes 123-1 and 123-2. In other words, if either needle 59, which typically has a diameter of approximately 0.085 inches and is downwardly urged with approximately 30 pounds of force, projects down onto the free end of an individual bristle 143, the downward force applied by needle 59 causes bristle 143 to laterally deflect to the extent necessary that needle 59 can penetrate to its required depth. As a consequence, reactor plate assembly 111 provides adequate support to articles 145 and 147 but, at the same time, does not inhibit penetration therethrough by needles 59, which is highly desirable.

(30) The embodiment shown above is intended to be merely exemplary and those skilled in the art shall be able to make numerous variations and modifications to it without departing from the spirit of the present invention. All such variations and modifications are intended to be within the scope of the present invention as defined in the appended claims.