Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
2112088
PEN BASE ELECTRIC HEAT SEALER
BACKGROUND O~ THF I~V~N'1'10N
The present invention relates to a heat
sealer, and more particularly to a pen base electric
heat sealer for sealing polyethylene bags, etc. by heat.
A variety of electric heat sealing apparatus
have been disclosed for industrial and home uses, and
have appeared on the market. Among these electric heat
sealing apparatus, stapler type electric heat sealing
apparatus are most popularly accepted by consumers. A
stapler type electric heat sealing apparatus, exemplars
of which are shown in U.S. Patent No. 5,142,123 and
- Japanese Patent No. 63-57206, is generally comprised of
a housing made in the form of a stapler. Because much
storage space is needed, a stapler type electric heat
lS sealing apparatus is not convenient for carrying with
oneself as one of personal accessories. Another
drawback of stapler type electric heat sealing apparatus
is that the heating action must be employed twice when
sealing the open side of a polyethylene bag. When
sealing the open side of a polyethylene bag with a
stapler type electric heat sealing apparatus,
one end of the open side of
the polyethylene bag is held in one hand as the other
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hand is holding the electric heat sealing apparatus to
seal the bag. Therefore, the corner area of the open
side of the polyethylene bag must be sealed later.
SUMMARY OF THE I~V~N'1' ~ON
The present invention eliminates the
aforesaid drawbacks. It is one object of the present
invention to provide a pen base electric heat sealer
which is as easy to use as a pen. It is another object
of the present invention to provide a pen base electric
heat sealer which is as easy to carry as a pen. It is
still another object of the present invention to provide
a pen base electric heat sealer which is automatically
turned on to produce heat for sealing as it is pressed
on the workpiece to be sealed, or turned off to stop
from producing heat as it is released from the
workpiece. The present invention uses a coil spring to
separate the electric heating unit from the DC power
supply unit. As the front end of the electric heating
unit is pressed on the workpiece to compress the coil
spring, the electric contacts on the electric heating
unit become electrically connected to the two opposite
contacts of the DC power supply unit, and therefore the
electric heating unit is turned on. As the electric
heating unit is released from the workpiece, the coil
spring immediately pushes the contacts of the electric
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heating unit away from the contacts of the DC power
supply unit. The cylindrical housing of the pen base
electric heat sealer is attached with a cap having a
clip convenient for hanging on the pocket.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Fig. 1 is an exploded view of a pen base
electric heat sealer according to the preferred
embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 2 is an elevational view of the pen base
electric heat sealer;
Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of
the pen base electric heat sealer;
Fig. 4 is a partial sectional view of the pen
base electric heat sealer showing the metal clamps of
the electric heat seal unit disconnected from the
contacts of the metal contact plates;
Fig. 5 is similar to Fig. 4 but showing the
~etal clamps electrically connected to the contacts of
the metal contact plates;
Fig. 6 is a schematic drawing showing the pen
base electric heat seale~ fastened to the pocket by the
clip on the cap thereof;
Fig. 7 is a schematic drawing showing the
operation of the present invention in sealing the open
side of a polyethylene bag through one stroke;
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Fig. 8 is a longitudinal sectional view of an
alternate form of the housing of the pen base electric
heat sealer according to the present invention;
Fig. 9 i~- another embodiment of the present
invention which uses an embedded stainless ball for the
sealing tip;
Fig. 10 is another embodiment of the present
invention which using a roller for the sealing tip;
Fig. 10A is a sectional view taken on line
10 10A-lOA of Fig. 10;
Fig. 11 is another embodiment of the present
invention which having an elbow-shape on the sealing tip
end of the pen.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring first to Figures 1, 2 and 3, a pen
base electric heat sealer in accordance with the
0 preferred embodiment of the present invention is
non-metallic
generally comprised of a/cylindrical housing 1 made in
the shape of a pen convenient for the holding of the
hand. The cylindrical housing 1 is comprised of a power
supply unit 3 and an electric heat seal unit 5
longitudinally connected to the power ~upply unit 3 at
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,~ .
one end. The power supply unit 3 comprises a
cylindrical battery chamber 30, which receives two dry
battery cells 4;4' connected in series (see Figure 3),
and a cylindrical connecting neck 31 in a relatively
5 smaller outer diameter extended from the battery chamber
30 at one end for connecting the electric heat seal unit
5 in a flush manner.
The battery chamber 30 has an opening 301 for
loading the dry battery cells 4;4' and a battery lid 37
. detachably covered on the opening 301. The battery lid
37 has two retainers 370;371 on two opposite ends
thereof for mounting on the opening 301.
The power supply unit 3 comprises two metal
contact plates 32;33, each having one end connected to
either pole of the dry battery cells 4;4' and an
opposite end extended out of the bottom wall 34 of the
battery chamber 30 and terminated to a respective
contact 36 or 35. One metal contact plate 32 is
connected in series to a power switch 38 for On/Off
switching control. The bottom wall 34 of the battery
chamber 30 is a division wall between the battery
chamber 30 and the heat seal unit 5.
The electric heat seal unit 5 is received in
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a socket 2. The~ socket 2 has a top open end 22 in a
relatively bigger diameter, into which the connecting
neck 31 fits, and a bottom open end in a relatively
smaller diameter terminated to a small opening 20. The
non-metallic
electric heat seal unit 5 comprises a/base 51 having a
top center hole 510 and a convexly curved surface
sealing tip 511, a coil spring 50 having one end
inserted in the hole 510 on the base 51 and an opposite
end stopped against the bottom wall 34 of the battery
chamber 30 ( see also Figure 4), two metal clamps 53;54
bilatreally fastened to the base 51 at the top,
an electric wire 52 fastened between the metal
clamps 53;54 and attached to the bottom edge of the
bottom projecting block 511 being disposed 15 out of the
15 socket 2 through the opening 20, a protective layer of
heat-resisting fibers 55 covered over the electric
heating wire 52 for protection.
Referring to Figure 4 the electric heat seal
unit 5 is retained inside the socket 2 between two stop
blocks 21;21' with the coil spring 50 stopped against
the bottom wall 34 of the battery chamber 30, and the
metal clamps 53;54 are respectively ~spaced below the
contacts 36;35. The stop blocks 21 ;21' are provided to
linear
-`~ guide the/movement of the electric heat seal unit S
along the longitudinal axis of the housing 1.
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Referring to Figure S, as the switch 38 is
switched on and the convexlY curved surface sealing tip
Sll of the electric heat seal unit 5 is pressed and slid
on the plastic films 6;6' to be sealed, the metal clamps
S53;54 become respectivelY connected to the contacts
36;35 to electrically connect the electric circuit, and
therefore the electric heating wire 52 is heated to give
heat through the protective layer of heat resisting
fibers SS for sealing the plastic films 6;6'. As soon
10as the sealing tip 511 of the electric heat seal unit 5
is removed from the plastic films 6;6'. the coil spring
50 immediately pushes base 51 outwards, and therefore
the metal clamps 53;54 are separated from the contacts
36;35 to disconnect the electric circuit. Therefore.
lSthe pen base electric heat sealer is as easy to use as a
pen.
Referring to Figure 6 and Figure 1 again,
there is provided a cap 7 with a clip 70 for covering
-the socket 2 and the electric heat seal unit S when the
20pen base electric heat sealer is not in use. By means
of the. clip 70, the pen base electric heat sealer can be
fastened to a pocket.
Referring to Figure 7, as the pen base
electric heat sealer is as easy to use as a pen, sealing
25the open side of a polyethylene bag can be done in one
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stroke.
Referring to Figure 8, therein illustrated is
an alternate form of the power supply unit 3. The
battery chamber 30 of the power supply unit 3 comprises
a rear opening 39 covered with an end cap 9 for loading
dry battery cells 4;4'. The end cap 9 has a conductor
90 on the inside. As the end cap 9 is fastened to the
battery chamber 30 of the power supply unit 3, the
conductor 90 and the metal contacts 32;33 and the dry
battery cells 4;4' form into a closed circuit. This
arranqement is designed to replace the aforesaid opening
301 and battery iid 37 for easy loading of the dry
battery cells 4;4'.
Referring to Figure 9, therein illustrated is
another embodiment of the present invention whlch uses
an embedded stainless ball 512 for the sealing tip. The
major purpose of using an embedded stainless ball for the
sealing tip is reducing friction between the sealing tip
and the plastic films, by changing sliding friction
to rolling friction, so as to avoid scratching the
- plastic films. The ball tip could also be useful for a
small curvature sealing path.
Referring to Figure 10 and Figure lOA,
p~
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which illustrate another embodiment of the present inven-
tion, similar to Figure 9 but using a roller 513 for the
sealing tip. The major purpose of using a roller is reduc-
ing friction and widening the sealing path. Furthermore,
the rolling surface of the roller 513 could be embossed
with one or more trademarks, advertising words or patterns
for improving a sense of beauty or advertising-effect.
Referring to Figure 11, therein illustrated is
another embodiment of the present invention which utilizes
a sealing tip 511, as already described, and having an
elbow-shape structure suitable for use in a hand-writing
manner and which could be used in a narrow working space.
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