Patent Application
20050034584
The present invention relates to cutting devices for use in combination with dispensing containers, and more particularly, to a new and useful cutting assembly which produces a low profile container geometry, strengthens/reinforces the dispensing container, produces a clean, even cut, while enhancing safety.
Plastic wraps, metal foils and waxed papers, etc. are commonly employed to package, protect and preserve food products before and/or after preparation. These materials are typically fabricated in sheets, rolled/wrapped over a tubular structure, e.g. a cylindrical cardboard tube, and disposed/sold in an elongate box, which commonly functions as a dispenser in addition to a container for the rolled-material. The box dispenser may comprise a serrated metal strip along an edge of the box to cut/separate the material into desired lengths for use. To dispense the material, the consumer holds an end of the material in one hand and the box dispenser in the other, pulls the two apart applying tension to the material, and rotates or otherwise orients the box so as to cause the serrated cutting edge to grab and cut the material. While box dispensers of this type have and are still widely used for dispensing such materials, most consumers are familiar with (and tolerate) the various drawbacks and difficulties of such dispensing devices. Also, the application of tension may cause recoil or spring-back of the material (upon itself) requiring cumbersome (and, oftentimes, frustrating) separation/straightening of the material (into a flat sheet). The tendency for the material to spring back and fold upon itself maybe even more problematic in materials having resilient properties (i.e. a low elastic modulus) such as plastic wraps.
Other difficulties relate to the inability for such serrated cutting blades to produce a clean, even cut, i.e., parallel to the axis of the webbed material. It will be appreciated that the serrated blades, which essentially puncture the material to create aligned perforations, produce a rough or tattered edge. While shaper blades produce a cleaner cut, such blades may be hazardous inasmuch as the blades are typically mounted to an edge of the container and are exposed.
Other cutting devices employ a cutting blade attached to and slideable within a guide track. The web material is dispensed, laid across the track, and cut by passing the cutting blade edgewise through the material. While these cutting devices produce a clean, even cut, the track and blade typically protrude well beyond the exterior of the dispensing container thereby producing an unstreamlined external geometry. Aside from aesthetic drawbacks, the cutting device produces difficulties storing, packaging and stacking the dispensing containers. Inasmuch as the dispensing container typically functions as both a dispensing device and a product packaging container, integration of the cutting device into the container produces an asymmetric geometric profile and prevents organized packing or stacking of the containers for shipment or store display.
Yet another difficulty relates to the structural integration of such cutting devices with the dispensing container. As discussed earlier, serrated cutting blades are typically located and mounted along an edge of the container where the blade is supported by the compressive strength/buckling stability of a container wall. A downward load imposed on the cutting blade is reacted in compression by the underlying container wall. Track-guided cutting devices, however, typically require mounting along a planar surface and impose shear loads within the sidewall structures of a container. As such, the containers are prone to failure, particularly after multiple cycles of use, in areas subject to shear loading, e.g., corners of the container.
A need therefore exists for a cutting assembly which provides a favorable geometric profile, obviates structural flaws, produces a clean even cut through the webbed material, is aesthetically pleasing and safe for consumer use.
A cutting assembly adapted for use in combination with a container for dispensing a web of material. The dispensing container of the present invention in one embodiment includes a plurality of adjoining sidewall structures which define an external geometric profile. The cutting assembly comprises an elongate guide disposed in combination with a sidewall structure of the container and a cutter adapted for traversing within the elongate guide in a desired cutting direction. Furthermore, guide and bearing surfaces, formed on the guide and cutter, respectively, cooperate to permit sliding motion therebetween in the cutting direction and interlock to delimit displacement of the cutter relative to the guide in directions orthogonal to the cutting direction. A portion of the guide and cutter is disposed proximal to a corner of the container and recessed relative to its external geometric profile to facilitate container storage and display while additionally producing an aesthetically pleasing appearance.
The cutting assembly may also comprise a strengthening member for structurally reinforcing the corner of the container. The strengthening member may be integrally formed with the cutting assembly guide and engage a surface of at least one of the adjoining sidewalls. The strengthening member may have a substantially L-shaped cross sectional configuration and engage the exterior and/or interior surfaces of the adjoining sidewalls of the container.
For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there is shown in the drawings various forms that are presently preferred; it being understood, however, that this invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and constructions particularly shown.
a is an enlarged view of
b is a cross sectional view taken substantially along line 4b-4b of
a is an enlarged cross sectional view of the cutting assembly taken substantially along line 6a-6a of
b depicts an alternate embodiment of the cutting assembly wherein the strengthening member is disposed in combination with the interior sidewalls of the container.
c depicts an alternate embodiment of the cutting assembly wherein the strengthening member employs a split leg for receiving the end of an adjacent sidewall of the container.
Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference numerals identify like elements, components, subassemblies etc.,
In the described embodiment, the container 12 comprises a plurality of adjoined sidewalls 16, the external surface(s) 16S thereof defining an external geometric profile GP (shown in
The container 12 may contain a folding or hinged lid 22 (
In
In
The cutter 30 comprises a sharpened cutting blade 44 along at least one edge 44E thereof, a handle 46 disposed in combination with the cutter 30 for traversing the cutter 30 within the guide 26 and one or more bearing surfaces 48 for engaging one or more of the guide surfaces 28. In the preferred embodiment, cutting blades 44 are formed on oppositely disposed edges 44E1, 44E2 of the cutter 30 to facilitate cutting operations in either cutting direction within the guide 26.
The guide and bearing surfaces 28, 48 cooperate to permit sliding motion therebetween in the cutting direction (shown as an arrow DC in
To improve the profile geometry of the cutting assembly 10 yet further and prior to use, it may be desirable to incorporate design features which facilitate assembly/disassembly of the cutter 30 relative to the guide 26. That is, to facilitate packaging/shipping/store display, the guide 26 may be integrated with the container 12 as described and illustrated herein (i.e., recessed and proximal to a corner of the container), however, the cutter 30 may be provided as a separate component for subsequent assembly/installation. Regarding the latter, an aperture or enlarged opening (not shown) is provided in the guide 26 to facilitate receipt and installation of the cutter 30 within the guide 26. Alternatively, the guide and bearing surfaces 28, 48 may be resilient to permit a small degree of flexure, thereby enabling the guide surfaces 28 to move apart when introducing the cutter 30 into the guide 26.
In operation, and referring collectively to
In yet another embodiment of the invention, the cutting assembly 10 is adapted to reinforce and strengthen the corner 12C of the container 12 nearest the cutting assembly 10, and more particularly, nearest the guide 26. While developing the cutting assembly 10 of the present invention, the inventors experienced difficulties as a result of loads imposed by the cutter 30 on the container 12. Specifically, in a number of instances, the corner of the container 12 failed, thereby separating the adjoining sidewalls 16a, 16b. To visualize the loads acting on the container 12 leading to failure, reference is made to
In this embodiment of the invention, and referring to
In the embodiments shown, the strengthening members 50, 50′, 50″ may or may not be adhesively bonded to or otherwise affixed to the sidewalls 16a, 16b. When bonded, the shear and moment loads acting on the corner 12C are reacted as a function of the compressive strength of the sidewall 16b (reacting the vertical shear load) and of the tensile or compressive strength of the bonding adhesive (reacting the moment load). In
When the strengthening member 50 is not bonded or otherwise affixed to the exterior or interior surfaces 16SE, 16SI, the member 50 functions to augment the reaction only one of the imposed loads, i.e., either the vertical shear load or moment load.
While the invention has been described in the context of a conventional elongate cardboard container, it should be understood that the inventive cutting assembly may be employed with any dispenser, which may or may not dispense sheet material which has been rolled. Further, while the invention has particular application to small containers typically used to dispense household products such as plastic wraps, foils or paper, the invention has utility in more sophisticated commercial/industrial applications, for example for cutting a web of material in a manufacturing environment.
The illustrated embodiments of the cutting assembly depict various components thereof which are assembled in combination with a dispensing container. However, it should be appreciated that various cutting assembly components may be formed integrally with the container. Further, it should be understood that the inventive cutting assembly may be fabricated and sold to a consumer as an assembled unit, or may be provided as an independent element and installed/assembled with the container subsequent to sale or delivery.a
In summary, the structural and functional elements described herein provide the teachings necessary to design and fabricate a low profile cutting assembly for a dispensing container. Consequently, the resulting dispensing containers will facilitate packaging, storage, stacking and/or store display. Further, alternate embodiments of the cutting assembly have been described to obviate structural flaws tending to diminish the usefulness or fatigue life of such dispensing containers. Finally, the low profile cutting assembly provides a simple, pragmatic and reliable alternative to the cutting devices of the prior art.
A variety of modifications to the embodiments described will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the disclosure provided herein. Thus, the present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof and, accordingly, reference should be made to the appended claims, rather than to the foregoing specification, as indicating the scope of the invention.
