The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 16, 1996
Filed:
May. 19, 1994
Yoichiro Irie, Osaka, JP;
Mita Industrial Co., Ltd., Osaka, JP;
Abstract
A method and apparatus for punching holes in a stack of sheets using a hole puncher. The method includes the steps of activating the hole puncher, determining whether the hole puncher has completely punched a hole in the stack of sheets, and repeating the activating step in response to the determining step until the hole punching is successful. The method also includes determining whether a reference number of unpunched sheets, which is not greater than a single punch capacity of the hole puncher, has been stacked. Upon determining that the reference number of sheets has been reached, the method includes discontinuing the stacking of further sheets and applying a punching operation to the reference number of sheets. The method also includes reinitiating the stacking operation if the number of sheets to be stacked is greater than the reference number of sheets. The invention also includes an apparatus for carrying out the noted method steps. Thus, a large quantity of sheets can be punched under the invention without having to enhance the structure of the hole puncher.