Crimper for binding coil

Abstract

A crimper for spiral-binding coil comprises at least one, and preferably multiple, crimping assemblies including crimping elements that move generally parallel to each other to preferably cut, bend and/or reform an end of the coil for retaining the coil in the book or pamphlet. The movement of the crimping elements may be rotational in parallel planes, or translational in parallel lines. Preferably, multiple sets of crimping elements may be interchanged easily and without tools, for example, by being located on rotating members and are circumferentially spaced apart so that one set is used at a time. For each diameter of coil filament within the range of coil diameters for which a particular crimping set is designed, a member of the crimping assembly is adjusted to change the size/dimension(s) of the space into which the newly-cut end of the coil is forced, preferably adjusting that space to be slightly smaller than the diameter of the coil filament. This way, a bending member forces the newly-cut coil end against a bracing member and into the smaller space, and, in doing so, preferably heats, stretches, and generally reforms the end into a new crimped end that stays in that position over the use of the book.

1 . A crimper system for crimping all end of spiral-binding coil, the crimper system comprising:
 a spiral-binding coil having a longitudinal axis and all end; and   a crimping assembly comprising a first set of moveable crimping elements that move during crimping of the end and a plurality of stationary elements that do not move during crimping of the end, wherein the end of the coil is received between said first set of moveable crimping elements and said stationary elements prior to crimping; and   wherein the first set of moveable crimping elements move in parallel planes relative to each other during crimping and wherein said parallel planes are parallel to the longitudinal axis of said coil.   
   
   
       2 . A crimper system as in  claim 1 , wherein said first set of moveable elements is located on rotatable wheels that rotate in planes parallel to said longitudinal axis of the coil. 
   
   
       3 . A crimper system as in  claim 2 , wherein one element of said first set of moveable elements is located on each of two of said rotatable wheels. 
   
   
       4 . A crimper system as in  claim 3 , wherein said two rotatable wheels comprise a second set of moveable crimping elements, and wherein said two rotatable wheels are rotatable to place either of said first set or said second set adjacent to the stationary elements for selection of either said first set or said second set for crimping the coil. 
   
   
       5 . A crimper system as in  claim 4 , wherein said first set and said second set are about 180 degrees apart on outer perimeters of the two wheels. 
   
   
       6 . A crimper system as in  claim 1 , wherein said first set of moveable crimping elements comprises a bending member adapted to force a portion of the coil end into about a 90 degrees angle, and wherein the stationary crimping elements comprise a brace member against which the bending member forces said portion of the coil end, and wherein the brace member is adjustable, prior to crimping, toward or away from the bend member and lockable, prior to crimping, to determine width of a space between said bend member and said brace member into which said portion of the coil end is forced by the bend member. 
   
   
       7 . A crimper system as in  claim 6 , wherein said stationary crimping elements comprise a cut member adjacent to the bend member of said first set of moveable crimping elements, wherein said bend member forces the coil end against the cut member to cut off an outermost piece of the coil end prior to forcing said portion of the coil end into said space. 
   
   
       8 . A crimper system as in  claim 6 , wherein said second set of moveable crimping elements comprises a second bending member adapted to force a portion of the coil end into about a 90 degrees angle, wherein said second bending member forces said portion of the coil end against the brace member, and wherein the brace member is adjustable, prior to crimping, toward or away from the second bend member and lockable, prior to crimping, to determine width of a space between said second bend member and said brace member into which said portion of the coil end is forced by the second bend member. 
   
   
       9 . A crimper system as in  claim 4 , wherein said two wheels comprise a first wheel and a second wheel, the first and second wheels being coaxially rotatable, and the first and second wheels being operatively linked by a protrusion extending out from the second wheel to engage a spring received in a cavity of the first wheel, wherein the spring is sufficiently strong to withstand significant compression by said protrusion when the second wheel is rotating so that the second wheel forces the first wheel to rotate until the first wheel abuts against a stop, and wherein said spring compresses when said second wheel continues to rotate after said first wheel abuts against said stop. 
   
   
       10 . A crimper system as in  claim 5 , wherein said second wheel comprises a stop pin extending out from the second wheel and received in a closed-end slot in the first wheel, and wherein the second wheel is stopped from rotating when the stop pill abuts into a closed end of the first wheel. 
   
   
       11 . A method of crimping all end of a spiral-binding coil, the method comprising:
 providing a crimping assembly comprising a first set of moveable crimping elements that move during crimping of the end and a plurality of stationary elements that do not move during crimping of the end, wherein the end of the coil is received between said first set of moveable crimping elements and said stationary elements prior to crimping;   placing an end of a coil between said moveable crimping elements and said stationary crimping elements, wherein the coil has a longitudinal axis;   moving said first set of moveable crimping elements in parallel planes relative to each other and parallel to the longitudinal axis of said coil, until at least one member of the moveable crimping elements clamps the coil end against a brace member;   continuing to move a bend member of said first set, parallel to said longitudinal axis of the coil, to force a portion of the coil end against a cut member to cut through the coil end to form a newly-cut end; and   then continuing to move a bend member of said first set, parallel to said longitudinal axis of the coil, to force the newly-cut end to bend toward said brace member.   
   
   
       12 . A crimping method as in  claim 11 , wherein forcing the newly-cut end to bend toward said brace member also forces the newly-cut end into a space between the bend member and the brace member that is smaller than the diameter of the filament from which the coil is made. 
   
   
       13 . A crimping method as in  claim 11 , wherein moving said first set of moveable crimping elements comprises rotating a plurality of wheels on which said first set of moveable crimping elements is provided. 
   
   
       14 . A crimping method as in  claim 13 , wherein moving the bend member comprises rotating at least one of said plurality of wheels. 
   
   
       15 . A crimping method as in  claim 13 , wherein said plurality of wheels comprises a first wheel and a second wheel, and the second wheel drives the first wheel to rotate until the first wheel abuts against a rotation stop. 
   
   
       16 . A crimping method as in  claim 15 , wherein said second wheel and said first wheel are operatively linked by a protrusion extending out from said second wheel that engages a spring received in said first wheel, and wherein said second wheel continues to rotate after the first wheel abuts against a rotation stop by compressing said spring with said protrusion. 
   
   
       17 . A crimping method as in  claim 15 , wherein said first wheel comprises a clamp member that clamps the coil end against the brace member, wherein the brace member extends out from a housing that houses the first and second wheel, and wherein said second wheel comprises the bend member. 
   
   
       18 . A crimping method as in  claim 17 , wherein said first wheel and said second wheel, on their perimeters, comprise a second set of crimping elements spaced apart from said clamp member and said bend member, said second set of crimping elements being interchangeable with the clamp member and the bend member rotating both the first and second wheels greater than 45 degrees to place the second set of crimping elements adjacent to the brace member and the cut member for crimping the coil end. 
   
   
       19 . A crimping method as in  claim 18 , wherein the second set of crimping elements is sized differently than said clamp member and said bend member for crimping a coil having a different diameter. 
   
   
       20 . A crimping method as in  claim 18 , wherein the second set of crimping elements comprises all alternative clamp member and an alternative bend member, wherein the alternative clamp member is wide than said clamp member and the alternative bend member is narrower than said bend member.