Patent Grant
10137587
The invention relates to an axe as defined in the preamble of independent claim 1.
The invention also relates to an axe head as defined in the preamble of independent claim 11.
Publication U.S. Pat. No. 4,199,016 presents an axe comprising a blade formed of flat plate stock of generally uniform thickness, and a U-shaped handle attaching strap formed of flat plate stock of generally uniform thickness, the strap is fixedly mounted on a handle end portion with the bight portion and leg portions thereof substantially circumferentially surrounding the handle end portion and free end portions thereof extending therefrom in generally parallel relation beyond a leading edge of the handle end portion. The blade is rigidly mounted with its attaching portion disposed between the free end portions of the attaching strap and a trailing edge thereof facing the leading edge of the handle portion. The cutting edge of the blade is of uniform wedge-shaped cross-sectional configuration throughout its extent, the wedge shape being formed by generally straight bevel surfaces.
Publication WO 02/062539 presents an axe comprising a blade provided with a cutting edge at one end, and a handle. The centre of gravity of the axe is located at a distance from the cutting edge of the blade and lies in a centre-of-gravity plane of the axe located at a distance from a blade plane of the axe parallel with both the centre-of-gravity plane and a normal working motion plane of the axe. The cutting edge of the blade and the centre of gravity of the axe are arranged to cooperate when the blade hits wood and the cutting edge of the blade partly penetrates into the wood such that at least some of the impact force of the blade is converted into a rotational motion. On the side of the blade plane of the axe on which the centre of gravity of the axe lies, the axe is equipped with first stop elements arranged to hit the wood during the rotational motion of the blade.
Publication WO 2010/122230 presents an axe comprising a blade provided with a cutting edge at one end, and a handle, and in which the centre of gravity of the axe is located at a distance from the cutting edge of the axe and lies in a centre-of-gravity plane of the axe located at a distance from a blade plane of the axe parallel with both the centre-of-gravity plane and a normal working motion plane of the axe, and in which the cutting edge of the blade and the centre of gravity of the axe are arranged to cooperate when the blade hits wood and the cutting edge of the blade partly penetrates into the wood such that at least some of the impact force of the blade is converted into a rotational motion and a motion of the blade in a curvilinear trajectory, the blade is attached to the handle so that the handle is uncircled by the blade.
The object of the invention is to provide an improve axe and an improved axe head that is easy to manufacture.
In the following the invention will described in more detail by referring to the figures, of which
The figures show examples of an axe and an axe head according to the invention.
First the axe and some preferred embodiments and variants of the axe will be described in greater detail.
The axe comprising an axe head 1 and a handle 2 to which one end portion the axe head 1 is mounted.
The axe head 1 is formed of a flat blade stock 21 of generally uniform thickness. The flat blade stock 21 is preferable, but not necessarily, made of steel such as duplex steel.
The axe head 1 has a sharpened cutting edge 3.
The axe head 1 has a frame section 4 comprising a first side face 5 and a second side face 6, and a first side edge 7 and a second side edge 8 between the first side face 5 and the second side face 6.
The axe head 1 defining a first axe head side 9 on the side of the first side face 5 of the frame section 4 and a second axe head side 10 on the second side face 6 of the frame section 4.
The centre of gravity (C) of the axe is located on a centre-of-gravity plane (A), which is parallel with a blade plane (B) on which the sharpened cutting edge 3 of the axe head 1 is located and which is located at a distance from the blade plane (B) and which is parallel with a normal working motion plane (D) of the axe.
The sharpened cutting edge 3 of the axe head 1 and the centre of gravity (C) of the axe are arranged to cooperate when the sharpened cutting edge 3 of the axe head 1 hits wood 11 to be split with the axe and the sharpened cutting edge 3 of the axe head 1 penetrates into the wood 11 such that at least some of the impact force of the axe head 1 is converted into a rotational motion of the axe head 1 and a motion of the axe head 1 in a curvilinear trajectory.
The axe head 1 having a first handle attaching structure 12, which extends from the first side edge 7 of the frame section 4 of the axe head 1 and which is located on the first axe head side 9 of the axe head 1.
The axe head 1 having a second handle attaching structure 13, which extends from the second side edge 8 of the frame section 4 of the axe head 1 and which is located on the first axe head side 9 of the axe head 1.
The frame section 4 of the axe head 1, the first handle attaching structure 12 of the axe head 1, the second handle attaching structure 13 of the axe head 1 are parts of a one-piece structure (not marked with a reference numeral) formed by plastically deforming and cutting said flat blade stock 21 of generally uniform thickness.
The first handle attaching structure 12 is provided with a first opening 14 that is penetrated by the handle 2. The first opening 14 is preferably, but not necessarily, elliptic in shape, as shown in the drawings. The cross-sectional shape and the dimensions of the first opening 14 corresponds preferably, but not necessarily, to the cross-sectional shape of the section of the handle 2 that is located inside the first opening 14.
The second handle attaching structure 13 is provided with a second opening 15 that is penetrated by the handle 2. The second opening 15 is preferably, but not necessarily, elliptic in shape, as shown in the drawings. The cross-sectional shape and the dimensions of the second opening 15 corresponds preferably, but not necessarily, to the cross-sectional shape of the section of the handle 2 that is located inside the second opening 15.
If the first opening 14 is elliptic in shape and second opening 15 elliptic in shape and if the handle 2 has an elliptic cross-sectional form, an imaginary extension the major axis (not marked with a reference numeral) of at least one of the first opening 14 and the second opening 15 cuts preferably, but not necessarily, the blade plane B at the sharpened cutting edge 3 of the axe head 1. This helps a user of the axe to know the location and the direction of the sharpened cutting edge 3 of the axe head 1 when using the axe.
The frame section 4 of the axe head 1 of the axe may, as in the embodiments shown in the figures, be essentially flat so that the first side face 5 and the second side face 6 of the frame section 4 of the axe head 1 are parallel. In such embodiments the first handle attaching structure 12 may, as in the embodiments shown in the figures, be essentially flat.
If the frame section 4 of the axe head 1 is essentially flat and the first handle attaching structure 12 is essentially flat, the first handle attaching structure 12 may extend essentially perpendicularly from the first side edge 7 of the frame section 4 of the axe head 1 in relation to the frame section 4 of the axe head 1.
The first handle attaching structure 12 may, as in the embodiments shown in the
The first stop element 16 may, as in the embodiments shown in the
The first stop element 16 may, as in the embodiments shown in the
The first stop element 16 may, as in the embodiments shown in the
If the frame section 4 of the axe head 1 is essentially flat and the first stop element 16 is essentially flat, the first stop element 16 may extend essentially perpendicularly in relation to the frame section 4 of the axe head 1.
If the first handle attaching structure 12 is essentially flat and the first stop element 16 is essentially flat, the first handle attaching structure 12 and the first stop element 16 form preferably, but not necessarily, as shown in the embodiments shown in the
The frame section 4 of the axe head 1 of the axe may, as in the embodiments shown in the figures, be essentially flat so that the first side face 5 and the second side face 6 of the frame section 4 of the axe head 1 are parallel. In such embodiments the second handle attaching structure 13 may, as in the embodiments shown in the figures, be essentially flat.
If the frame section 4 of the axe head 1 is essentially flat and the second handle attaching structure 13 is essentially flat, the second handle attaching structure 13 may extend essentially perpendicularly from the second side edge 8 of the frame section 4 of the axe head 1 in relation to the frame section 4 of the axe head 1.
The second handle attaching structure 13 may, as in the embodiments shown in the
The second stop element 17 may, as in the embodiments shown in the
The second stop element 17 may, as in the embodiments shown in the
The second stop element 17 may, as in the embodiments shown in the figures, be essentially flat.
If the frame section 4 of the axe head 1 is essentially flat and the second stop element 17 is essentially flat, the second stop element 17s may extend essentially perpendicularly in relation to the frame section 4 of the axe head 1.
If the second handle attaching structure 13 is essentially flat and the second stop element 17 is essentially flat, the second handle attaching structure 13 and the second stop element 17 form preferably, but not necessarily, as shown in the embodiments shown in the
The attaching section of the axe head 1 may, as in the embodiment shown in the
The sharpened cutting edge 3 may, as in the embodiment shown in the figures, be formed in a cutting portion 19 that is a part of the one-piece structure formed by plastically deforming and cutting said flat blade stock 21 of generally uniform thickness. The cutting portion 19 may, as in the embodiment shown in the figures, be essentially flat and the cutting portion 19 may, as in the embodiment shown in the figures, extend in an angle in relation to the attaching section of the axe head 1 on the second axe head side 10 of the axe head 1. The connection point between the cutting portion 19 and the frame portion may form a stop member 20 configured for preventing the axe head 1 from penetrating too deeply into the wood 11 before the rotational motion starts. The cutting portion 19 may alternatively extend in an at least partly curved configuration in relation to the attaching section of the axe head 1 on the second axe head side 10 of the axe head 1.
The first opening 14 of the first handle attaching structure 12 have preferably, but not necessarily, different shape and/or dimensions than the second opening 15 of the second handle attaching structure 13.
The first opening 14 of the first handle attaching structure 12 may have the same shape, but different dimensions than the second opening 15 of the second handle attaching structure 13.
The first opening 14 of the first handle attaching structure 12 and the second opening 15 of the second handle attaching structure 13 may in some embodiments have essentially identical configuration so that the first opening 14 of the first handle attaching structure 12 and the second opening 15 of the second handle attaching structure 13 are provided in an unaligned relationship with respect to the frame section 4 of the axe head 1.
The axe may, as shown in
In an embodiment of the axe, the end portion of the handle 2 at which the axe head 1 is mounted defines an attaching portion (not marked with a reference numeral) of the handle 2 and the opposite portion of the handle 2 defines a grab portion (not marked with a reference numeral) of the handle 2. In this embodiment of the axe the cross-sectional of the handle 2 tapers between the first opening 14 in first attaching structure 12 of the axe head 1 and the second opening 15 in the second attaching structure 13 of the axe head 1 towards the grab section of the handle 2. In this embodiment of the axe the cross-sectional of the first opening 14 in first attaching structure 12 of the axe head 1 is smaller than the cross-sectional of the second opening 15 in the second attaching structure 13 of the axe head 1. A such embodiment provides for good fastening of the axe head 1 to the handle 2, because for example the centrifugal force created during the use of the axe forces the axe head 1 towards the end of the handle 2 i.e. the attaching portion of the handle 2 having the larger cross-section resulting in a fixing force being created between the axe head 1 and the handle 2 each time the axe is used. In this preferred embodiment of the axe, the first opening 14 is preferably, but not necessarily, elliptic in shape and second opening 15 elliptic is preferably, but not necessarily, in shape so that the first opening 14 and the second opening 15 has preferably, but not necessarily, essentially identical shape, but different dimensions so that the first opening 14 has a smaller cross-sectional area than the second opening 15. In this preferred embodiment of the axe, the handle 2 has preferably, but not necessarily, an elliptic cross-sectional form that is smaller in the first opening 14 than in the second opening 15 so that cross-sectional shape so that the dimensions of the first opening 14 corresponds to the cross-sectional shape of the section of the handle 2 that is located inside the first opening 14 and so that the cross-sectional shape and the dimensions of the second opening 15 corresponds to the cross-sectional shape of the section of the handle 2 that is located inside the second opening 15.
An embodiment of the axe comprises least one weight-saving aperture 24 in the frame section 4, as shown in
The axe may comprise releasable fastened weights (not shown in the figures) or fixedly fastened weights (not shown in the figures) for increasing/decreasing the weight of the axe.
A protective sleeve 25, such as a protective sleeve made of polymer may be provide at least partly around the handle 2 in the vicinity of the axe head 1 for protecting the handle 2 against impacts.
In the following the axe head 1 and some preferred embodiments of the axe head 1 will be described in greater detail.
The axe head 1 is formed of a flat blade stock 21 of generally uniform thickness. The flat blade stock 21 is preferable, but not necessarily, made of steel such as duplex steel.
The axe head 1 has a sharpened cutting edge 3.
The axe head 1 having a frame section 4 comprising a first side face 5 and a second side face 66, and a first side edge 7 and a second side edge 8 between the first side face 5 and the second side face 6.
The axe head 1 defining a first axe head side 9 on the side of the first side of the frame section 4 and a second axe head side 10 on the second side face 6 of the frame section 4.
The axe head 1 having a first handle attaching structure 12, which extends from the first side edge 7 of the frame section 4 of the axe head 1 and which is located on the first axe head side 9 of the axe head 1.
The axe head 1 having a second handle attaching structure 13, which extends from the second side edge 8 of the frame section 4 of the axe head 1 and which is located on the first axe head side 9 of the axe head 1.
The frame section 4 of the axe head 1, the first handle attaching structure 12 of the axe head 1, the second handle attaching structure 13 of the axe head 1 are parts of a one-piece structure formed by plastically deforming and cutting said flat blade stock 21 of generally uniform thickness,
The first handle attaching structure 12 is provided with a first opening 14 for a handle 2. The first opening 14 is preferably, but not necessarily, elliptic in shape, as shown in the drawings.
The second handle attaching structure 13 is provided with a second opening 15 for a handle 2. The second opening 15 is preferably, but not necessarily, elliptic in shape, as shown in the drawings.
If the first opening 14 is elliptic in shape and second opening 15 elliptic in shape, an imaginary extension the major axis (not marked with a reference numeral) of at least one of the first opening 14 and the second opening 15 cuts preferably, but not necessarily, the sharpened cutting edge 3 of the axe head 1 or an imaginary extension (not shown in the drawings) of the sharpened cutting edge 3 of the axe head 1.
The frame section 4 of the axe head 1 of the axe may, as in the embodiments shown in the figures, be essentially flat so that the first side face 5 and the second side face 6 of the frame section 4 of the axe head 1 are parallel. In such embodiments the first handle attaching structure 12 may, as in the embodiments shown in the figures, be essentially flat.
If the frame section 4 of the axe head 1 is essentially flat and the first handle attaching structure 12 is essentially flat, the first handle attaching structure 12 may extend essentially perpendicularly from the first side edge 7 of the frame section 4 of the axe head 1 in relation to the frame section 4 of the axe head 1.
The first handle attaching structure 12 may, as in the embodiments shown in the
The first stop element 16 may, as in the embodiments shown in the
The first stop element 16 may, as in the embodiments shown in the
The first stop element 16 may, as in the embodiments shown in the
If the frame section 4 of the axe head 1 is essentially flat and the first stop element 16 is essentially flat, the first stop element 16s may extend essentially perpendicularly in relation to the frame section 4 of the axe head 1.
If the first handle attaching structure 12 is essentially flat and the first stop element 16 is essentially flat, the first handle attaching structure 12 and the first stop element 16 form preferably, but not necessarily, as shown in the embodiments shown in the
The frame section 4 of the axe head 1 of the axe may, as in the embodiments shown in the figures, be essentially flat so that the first side face 5 and the second side face 6 of the frame section 4 of the axe head 1 are parallel. In such embodiments the second handle attaching structure 13 may, as in the embodiments shown in the figures, be essentially flat.
If the frame section 4 of the axe head 1 is essentially flat and the second handle attaching structure 13 is essentially flat, the second handle attaching structure 13 may extend essentially perpendicularly from the second side edge 8 of the frame section 4 of the axe head 1 in relation to the frame section 4 of the axe head 1.
The second handle attaching structure 13 may, as in the embodiments shown in the
The second stop element 17 may, as in the embodiments shown in the
The second stop element 17 may, as in the embodiments shown in the
The second stop element 17 may, as in the embodiments shown in the
If the frame section 4 of the axe head 1 is essentially flat and the second stop element 17 is essentially flat, the second stop element 17s may extend essentially perpendicularly in relation to the frame section 4 of the axe head 1.
If the second handle attaching structure 13 is essentially flat and the second stop element 17 is essentially flat, the second handle attaching structure 13 and the second stop element 17 form preferably, but not necessarily, as shown in the embodiments shown in the
The attaching section of the axe head 1 may, as in the embodiment shown in the
The sharpened cutting edge 3 may, as in the embodiment shown in the figures, be formed in a cutting portion 19 that is a part of the one-piece structure formed by plastically deforming and cutting said flat blade stock 21 of generally uniform thickness. The cutting portion 19 may, as in the embodiment shown in the figures, be essentially flat and the cutting portion 19 may, as in the embodiment shown in the figures, extend in an angle in relation to the attaching section of the axe head 1 on the second axe head side 10 of the axe head 1. The connection point between the cutting portion 19 and the frame portion may form a stop member 20 configured for preventing the axe head from penetrating too deeply into the wood 11 before the rotational motion starts. The cutting portion 19 may alternatively extend in an at least partly curved configuration in relation to the attaching section of the axe head 1 on the second axe head side 10 of the axe head 1.
The first opening 14 of the first handle attaching structure 12 have preferably, but not necessarily, different shape and/or dimensions than the second opening 15 of the second handle attaching structure 13.
The first opening 14 of the first handle attaching structure 12 may have the same shape, but different dimensions than the second opening 15 of the second handle attaching structure 13.
The first opening 14 of the first handle attaching structure 12 and the second opening 15 of the second handle attaching structure 13 may in some embodiments have essentially identical configuration so that the first opening 14 of the first handle attaching structure 12 and the second opening 15 of the second handle attaching structure 13 are provided in an unaligned relationship with respect to the frame section 4 of the axe head 1.
The axe head 2 may comprise releasable fastened weights (not shown in the figures) or fixedly fastened weights (not shown in the figures) for increasing/decreasing the weight of the axe head 2.
It is obvious for a person skilled in the art that even if the axe illustrated in
It is apparent to a person skilled in the art that as technology advanced, the basic idea of the invention can be implemented in various ways. The invention and its embodiments are therefore not restricted to the above examples, but they may vary within the scope of the claims.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20145084 | Jan 2014 | FI | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/FI2015/050045 | 1/26/2015 | WO | 00 |
| Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| WO2015/110708 | 7/30/2015 | WO | A |
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4199016 | Eads | Apr 1980 | A |
| 4294298 | Otte, Jr. | Oct 1981 | A |
| 4300606 | Branson | Nov 1981 | A |
| 4357974 | Nannen | Nov 1982 | A |
| 4412572 | Clark | Nov 1983 | A |
| 4445555 | Klempirik | May 1984 | A |
| 4456044 | Cloncs | Jun 1984 | A |
| 4522240 | Green | Jun 1985 | A |
| 4537235 | Aderneck | Aug 1985 | A |
| 4586258 | Burke | May 1986 | A |
| 4817221 | Ryan | Apr 1989 | A |
| 5090125 | Sogan | Feb 1992 | A |
| 5141353 | Meredith, Jr. | Aug 1992 | A |
| 5152065 | Harding | Oct 1992 | A |
| 8925207 | Karna | Jan 2015 | B2 |
| 20120036723 | Karna | Feb 2012 | A1 |
| 20160354941 | Karna | Dec 2016 | A1 |
| Number | Date | Country |
|---|---|---|
| 2380788 | Oct 2003 | CA |
| 1 953 198 | Jan 1967 | DE |
| 807893 | Jan 1959 | GB |
| WO 02062539 | Aug 2002 | WO |
| WO 2010122230 | Oct 2010 | WO |
| WO 2017182710 | Oct 2017 | WO |
| Entry |
|---|
| International Search Report (PCT/ISA/210) dated Apr. 22, 2015, by the European Patent Office as the International Searching Authority for International Application No. PCT/FI2015/050045. |
| Written Opinion (PCT/ISA/237) dated Apr. 22, 2015, by the European Patent Office as the International Searching Authority for International Application No. PCT/FI2015/050045. |
| Search Report dated Sep. 30, 2014, by the Finnish Patent and Registration Office in corresponding European Patent Application No. 20145084. |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20160354941 A1 | Dec 2016 | US |
