How a Handheld Punch Creates Custom Jewelry Display Cards
A specialized handheld punch tool that cuts precise holes and slots into cardstock, allowing jewelry makers to create custom display cards for earrings, necklaces, and other accessories.
Original patent title: “USRE46627E1 - Hand held punches for use in making individual jewelry display cards and kit encompassing same”
A specialized handheld punch tool that cuts precise holes and slots into cardstock, allowing jewelry makers to create custom display cards for earrings, necklaces, and other accessories. Granted to Individual in 2017 with 11 claims and 1 forward citation.
Key facts
Coverage
What does this patent actually cover?
This device functions like a heavy-duty hole puncher designed specifically for jewelry display. It uses a U-shaped frame holding two aligned templates that guide sharp, elongate cutting elements through a piece of cardstock. When the user presses the activation lever, the cutting elements pass through the templates to punch out specific shapes, such as slots for necklace chains or holes for earring posts. The device also includes a built-in collection area to catch the small waste pieces of paper created during the punching process.
The gap
What does this patent NOT cover?
- Does not cover general-purpose hole punches that lack the specific U-shaped frame and dual-template alignment system.
- Does not cover electronic or automated die-cutting machines that use digital files rather than physical templates.
- Does not cover punches designed to cut shapes out of materials other than cardstock, such as metal or heavy plastic.
These exclusions are unique to PatentBrief — derived from the actual claim language, not patent-office boilerplate.
What made this novel
The use of dual templates in a U-shaped frame ensures the cutting elements remain perfectly aligned with the cardstock, preventing the paper from tearing or buckling during the punch, which is a common failure point in standard office punches.
Schematic visualization of the patent's claim structure. Hand-drawn diagrams in progress for each landmark patent.
Where you've seen this
Real-world examples
Handheld jewelry display card punchers
DIY earring card making tools
Small-batch craft retail packaging
Why it matters
The bigger picture
For small-scale jewelry designers and crafters, professional-looking packaging is a significant hurdle. This patent provides a mechanical solution for transforming everyday materials like business cards into functional retail displays, lowering the barrier to entry for independent sellers.
Filed
June 25, 2015
Granted
December 12, 2017
Market context
Who's building on this
Companies in this space
The technology is primarily utilized by manufacturers of scrapbooking and craft tools. Companies in the hobby and craft industry, such as those producing specialized paper-crafting equipment, continue to refine these manual punching mechanisms for niche retail applications.
Market impact
This patent helped standardize the design of portable, manual tools for the jewelry-making hobbyist market. It enabled the creation of a specific sub-category of craft tools that allow individual sellers to produce professional retail-ready packaging at home without needing expensive industrial equipment.
Claim 1 — Plain English
What this patent covers
This device functions like a heavy-duty hole puncher designed specifically for jewelry display. It uses a U-shaped frame holding two aligned templates that guide sharp, elongate cutting elements through a piece of cardstock. When the user presses the activation lever, the cutting elements pass through the templates to punch out specific shapes, such as slots for necklace chains or holes for earring posts. The device also includes a built-in collection area to catch the small waste pieces of paper created during the punching process.
The clever bit
The use of dual templates in a U-shaped frame ensures the cutting elements remain perfectly aligned with the cardstock, preventing the paper from tearing or buckling during the punch, which is a common failure point in standard office punches.
What it does not cover
- Does not cover general-purpose hole punches that lack the specific U-shaped frame and dual-template alignment system.
- Does not cover electronic or automated die-cutting machines that use digital files rather than physical templates.
- Does not cover punches designed to cut shapes out of materials other than cardstock, such as metal or heavy plastic.
Patent timeline
Application submitted to the patent office
Application published, typically 18 months after filing
Patent officially issued
PatentBrief Score
Impact Score
Early stage
Citation count
6/40
Early citations
Claim breadth
7/20
Moderate scope
Recency
10/20
Granted 5–10 years ago
Assignee scale
0/20
Independent or smaller assigneeassigneeThe entity that owns the patent — usually the inventor's employer or a company.Read more →
PatentBrief Impact Score — based on citation count, claim breadth, recency, and assignee scale. Not a legal assessment.
Heuristic Value Estimate
What this patent might be worth
$60K – $192K
Midpoint $120K · 9.0 yr remaining · industry ×1.6
Heuristic only — blends forward/backward citation counts, claim scope, time remaining, litigation history, and CPC-derived industry baseline. Real valuations need a professional appraisal.
The original legal language
Original claims
11 claims as filed with the patent office.
Concepts involved
Citations
Patent lineage
Cite this patent
Hunter, A. G. (2017). How a Handheld Punch Creates Custom Jewelry Display Cards (U.S. Patent No. RE46,627). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/RE46627/aubagio-teriflunomide
Auto-generated from the patent record. Double-check author order and the issue date against the official USPTO document before submitting.
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Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What does How a Handheld Punch Creates Custom Jewelry Display Cards cover?
A specialized handheld punch tool that cuts precise holes and slots into cardstock, allowing jewelry makers to create custom display cards for earrings, necklaces, and other accessories.
Who owns patent US RE46627?
Individual owns this patent, granted in 2017.
When does this patent expire?
This patent is expected to expire on December 12, 2037, when the invention enters the public domain.
What is patent US RE46627 cited by?
This patent has been cited by 1 later patents that build on its ideas.
What problem does this patent solve?
For small-scale jewelry designers and crafters, professional-looking packaging is a significant hurdle. This patent provides a mechanical solution for transforming everyday materials like business cards into functional retail displays, lowering the barrier to entry for independent sellers.
What does this patent NOT cover?
Does not cover general-purpose hole punches that lack the specific U-shaped frame and dual-template alignment system.
Same assignee
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