GB2226985A

GB2226985A - Hand stamp and ink pad

Info

Publication number: GB2226985A
Application number: GB8830155A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Wilson Mee Shuen Tse
Original assignee: FEN HIN CHON ETS Ltd
Current assignee: FEN HIN CHON ETS Ltd
Priority date: 1988-12-23
Filing date: 1988-12-23
Publication date: 1990-07-18
Anticipated expiration: 2008-12-23
Also published as: CN2056125U; GB8830155D0; GB2226985B; HK69592A

Abstract

A hand stamp 12 is provided with a cover 14 which may be a snap-fit over the relief face 26 of printing member 24, the cover containing ink pad 16 backed by resiliently compressible foam layer 60. The foam layer urges the pad towards face 26 when the cover is in position so as to maintain contact irrespective of wear in member 24 or depletion of ink in pad 16. <IMAGE>

Description

INK STAMP This invention relates to ink stamps.

Ink stamps for printing information on paper are well known and the invention relates to the type of stamp which has its own pre-inked pad and the relief-shaped printing face of the stamp is kept in contact with that inked pad which is held in a cover joined to the stamp when the stamp is in its storage position. When the stamp is to be used, however, the stamp is removed from the pad and the inked relief-shaped printing face is ready for use.

There is a problem with such stamps in that, during use, the surface of the inked pad and the relief-shaped printing face may wear and as the pad becomes depleted in ink its thickness changes. Therefore, there may cease to be good contact between the inked face of the pad and the printing face. However, if the two surfaces are pressed together too forcefully initially in an attempt to keep them in contact for a longer period, then this may damage the relief shaped printing face.

According to the invention there is provided an ink stamp comprising a support for a relief-shaped printing face including a handle for holding the stamp in use, an ink pad held in a holder arranged to cover the printing face when the stamp is not in use with the inked surface of the pad in contact with the relief portions of the printing face so as to ensure that they are inked ready for use, and resilient means supporting the pad and urging it towards the relief-shaped printing face so as to maintain contact between the two irrespective of wear or change in the thickness of the ink pad as it becomes depleted.

The resilient means ensure that the relief printing face of the stamp remains in good contact with the surface of the ink pad so that it will always have a wet inked surface when removed for use but at the same time any problems of damage to that surface caused by undue pressure when the pad is new can be avoided. Thus the presence of the resilient means enables a substantially constant pressure between the printing face and the surface of the ink pad throughout the life of the ink stamp.

According to one simple embodiment of the invention the resilient means are a layer of resilient foam synthetic plastics material, the foam layer being compressed as necessary when the cover and stamp are brought together. The resiliency of the layer will however keep the surface of the the pad and the printing face lightly in contact with one another to ensure that the printing face is inked ready for use when the cover is removed. The force between the two surfaces can be quite small however and will not damage them.

An ink stamp according to the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fiqure 1 is an upriqht section through the ink stamp with the two parts shown separated ready for use; and Figure 2 is a similar section showing the parts assembled and in their storage position.

The ink stamp 10 shown in the drawings comprises a stamp 12 and a removable cover 14 which also contains a pre-inked pad 16.

The stamp 12 comprises an upright handle 20 by means of which it is held and used. The handle is joined to an integral support 22. This supports a conventional rubber printing stamp 24 having a lower relief shaped face 26 which has been shaped in relief so that its upstanding relief surfaces will print a desired message on a piece of paper. Such printing stamps 24 are entirely conventional and in wide-spread use and so are not felt to require any further explanation.

The support 22 has a flat underside 28 and adhered to this is a thin layer 30 of resilient foamed rubber to cushion the stamping of the face 26. Again such a layer is conventional. The layer 30 has an adhesive surface layer 32 and the printing stamp, after having been given the required relief surfaces, has been adhered to this.

Around the outer periphery of the support 22 is a downwardly depending flange 34. This includes a downwardly extending lip 36 and a flat abutment surface 38. Meanwhile around the upper rim of the cover 14 is an upwardly extending ridge 40 having an outer side wall 42. The ridge is desiqned to engage against the surface 38. Outwardly of the ridge 40 is a ledge 44. In use the flange 34 on the support is designed to be a reasonably tight fit over the ridge 40, the lip 36 being a friction fit over the side wall 42 and the surface 38 contacting the top of the ridge 40. The fit between these parts will normally hold the cover 14 in place but, when the stamp is to be used, the cover 14 can be removed.

The cover 14 is in two parts. A lower bowl 50 and an upper band 52. The ridge 40 is formed on the upper surface of that band 52. The bowl 50 has around its top a hook-sectioned upright flange 33 which is a snap fitting engagement with a downwardly depending flange 54 on the band 52. The bowl 50 and the band 52 can, therefore, be permanently joined during assembly by snap-fitting them together.

Within the bowl 50 and beneath the pre-inked pad 16 and supporting that pad is a layer 60 of foamed synthetic plastics material. This is designed to be readily compressible but to have sufficient strength to support the pad 14. Thus, when the the cover 14 is removed from the stamp 12 as shown in Figure 1, the layer 60 supports the pad 16 in an upper position. However, when the stamp is joined to the cover 14 as shown in Figure 2, the relief face 26 of the stamp 24 contacts the inked surface of the pad 16 and presses down on this so compressinq the foam layer 60. As explained above the layer 60 is readily compressible and the force on the face 26 is not enough to damage it. However, the resiliency of the foam layer 60 urges the pad 16 into contact with the face 26 so that it is inked and ready for immediate use when required. This is not dependant upon wear of the face 26, or upon whether the pad is freshly inked or not, and differences such as this are easily accommodated by differences in the extent of compression of the layer 60 without significant differences in the forces on the relief face 26.

Claims

1. An ink stamp comprising a support for a relief-shaped printing face including a handle for holding the stamp in use, an ink pad held in a holder arranged to cover the printing face when the stamp is not in use with the inked surface of the pad in contact with the relief portions of the printing face so as to ensure that they are inked ready for use, and resilient means supporting the pad and surging it towards the relief-shaped printing face so as to maintain contact between the two irrespective of wear or changes in thickness of the ink pad as it becomes depleted.

2 A stamp as claimed in Claim 1 in which the resilient means are a layer of resilient foamed material supporting the ink pad.

3 An ink stamp substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.