This application claims priority to U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 60/668,546 filed Apr. 5, 2005, the entirety of which is hereby incorporated by reference.
Handling cutting blades presents a risk for injury. During various cutting operations, blades must customarily be changed out, either because a blade has become dull or because a different style of blade is desired to achieve a different effect. Often, cutting tools require a specific blade size and type for the specific tool, requiring a user to have a variety of extra blades and blade styles for each type of cutting tool.
What is needed is a safe and efficient way to remove, handle and transport cutting blades for a cutting tool when not in use. What is also needed is a blade that is interchangeable with a variety of types of cutting tools.
Various features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following descriptions which taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, illustrate by way of example only, the principles of the invention.
The present invention provides a blade cartridge for interchangeable use in a variety of rotary cutting tools and the combination of the blade cartridge with those tools. The blade cartridge comprises a cartridge housing comprising a front cartridge housing portion and a rear cartridge housing portion attached to the front cartridge housing. The cartridge housing has a generally cylindrical shape defined by an arcuate sidewall, the sidewall including a plunger receiving aperture disposed for receiving a blade activation device and a blade deployment aperture sized to permit a rotary blade to protrude from the cartridge housing when the blade activation device is inserted into the plunger receiving aperture, wherein the cartridge housing further comprises means for mounting the blade cartridge into a cutting tool. The blade cartridge also comprises a rotary blade assembly contained within the cartridge housing.
The rotary blade assembly comprises a piston assembly comprising a piston and a spring. The piston has a first end aligned with the plunger receiving aperture of the cartridge housing and an opposite second end for receiving the spring, the piston further including a piston axle aperture located between the first end and the opposite second end. The spring is mounted adjacent the second end so as to bias the first end of the piston towards the plunger receiving aperture of the cartridge housing. The rotary blade assembly further comprises a rotary blade having a central blade aperture therein for rotatable mounting onto the piston assembly and an axle inserted through the central blade aperture and the piston axle aperture to rotatably couple the blade to the piston assembly.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following more detailed description of the preferred embodiment, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the invention.
a is a front view of a blade cartridge for use with a cutting system according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention.
b is a side view of a blade cartridge for use with a cutting system according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention.
c is a rear view of a blade cartridge for use with a cutting system according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention.
a and 5b further illustrate a rail cutter and blade cartridge for insertion therein.
a and 10b illustrate side views of a circle cutter for use with a blade cartridge according to yet another exemplary embodiment of the invention.
Where like parts are shown in more than one figure, like reference numbers are maintained for ease of reference.
Exemplary embodiments of a cutting system having interchangeable rotary blade cartridges are disclosed. The cutting system may include a blade cartridge alone, or the blade cartridge in combination with one or more of the following cutting tools, each of which are described in more detail herein: a primary workstation, a compact workstation, a circle cutter, and a freeform cutter. Each cutting tool is capable of receiving at least one rotary blade cartridge, and the cartridge may be freely interchanged between the tools. The cartridge keeps a rotary blade housed in a retracted state, except when the cartridge is inserted into one of the tools of the cutting system, at which point the cartridge is locked into place in the cutting tool. Upon activation by a user, the tool activates the cartridge to move the blade assembly to an operative cutting position wherein the rotary blade protrudes from the housing and is exposed for cutting operations. The cartridge housing may be of any shape and size to house a retractable rotary blade assembly and permit blade protrusion upon activation, and is not limited to the cylindrical embodiment shown.
Referring now to
As shown in
The rotary blade 12 can be designed or selected to produce any desired cutting pattern. As shown in
As shown in
An axle 22, such as a fastening pin, passes through a central blade aperture 21 of the rotary blade 12 and provides an axis about which the rotary blade 12 can rotate during cutting operations. One or more hubs 24 may be provided on the axle 22 on either side or both sides of the rotary blade 12 to maintain a desired space between the blade 12 and the cartridge housing 11 and to permit unimpeded rotation of the rotary blade 12. As illustrated in
To extend the rotary blade 12, a force is applied to the piston 34, such as via a plunger or similar extension of a cutting tool that protrudes into the plunger receiving aperture 38, the plunger receiving aperture 38 in substantial registration with the first end 35 of the piston 34. When a sufficient force is applied to overcome the resistance of the piston spring 32, the plunger causes the piston 34 to descend, compressing the piston spring 32 against an interior sidewall of the rear cartridge housing 16. In a corresponding manner, this causes the rotary blade 12 to descend from the cartridge 10, exposing the blade 12 for use in cutting operations.
Preferably, the plunger is part of and/or actuated by a cutting tool designed to receive the cartridge 10. Thus, unless a person causes the blade 12 to descend by applying a force to the piston 34 through the plunger receiving aperture 38 other than while seated in the cutting tool, the blade 12 remains biased in a retracted position and can safely be carried, stored or handled, such as during interchange between cutting tools.
The preferred manner in which the cartridge 10 is inserted into a cutting tool and the mechanism by which the plunger causes the blade 12 to descend is illustrated with reference to
As shown in
b shows a rail cutter 50 mounted on a rail for use with a cutting tool, showing the blade cartridge 10 rotated into its locked position. Preferably, the twist and lock feature is accomplished using one or more slots 43 formed in the sidewall of the front cartridge housing 14 of the blade cartridge 10, as best seen in
The cutter body 56 includes a plunger 57, which may be integral with the cutter body 56, as better seen in
The rail cutter 50 is preferably spring loaded, with springs (not shown) inserted into one or more spring tubes 53 formed in the rail guide 52 that bias the cutter body 56 away from the rail guide 52. When a downward force is applied to the cutter body 56, the springs are depressed and the plunger 57 descends through the plunger receiving aperture 38 to deploy the rotary blade 12 as described above. When the force is removed, the springs urge the cutter body 56 away from the rail guide 52, and the plunger 57 retreats from the plunger receiving aperture 38 of the blade cartridge 10. Thus, even when a cartridge 10 is in the rail cutter 50, the blade 12 may remain biased in the retracted position until an external force is applied.
The rail cutter 50 can be used in combination with a primary workstation 100 as shown in
As shown in more detail in
As better seen in
Referring again to
The workstation base 124 may also include a handle 145, as better seen in the exploded view of the primary workstation 100 shown in
In some cases, it may be desirable to make square cuts to a workpiece. To assist with this aspect of cutting operations, a T-square attachment 140 may be provided that can be attached to the rail 110, preferably by placing the T-square attachment 140 over one of the rail cap assemblies 115.
Another cutting tool with which the blade cartridges 10 can be used interchangeably as part of the cutting system of the present invention includes a compact workstation 200, as shown in
The compact workstation base 220 may also include an extendable arm 225 to provide a straight edge against which a workpiece may be abutted during cutting operations. For example, the extendable arm 225 may be fixed to the base 220 by a pin (not shown) on one end in a manner so that the arm 225 can be pivoted ninety degrees from a home position to an extended position. Advantageously, the extendable arm 225 may be ruled to provide a convenient way for a user to measure a workpiece and accomplish an accurate cut.
Yet another cutting tool that may be used with the blade cartridges is a circle cutter 300 as shown in
As better seen in the exploded view shown in
The base portion 320 of the circle cutter 300 includes a post 322 that defines an axis of rotation for the base portion 320. The base portion 320 also includes a stationary foot 324 to which the post 322 is attached, at least a portion of the post being threaded. The stationary foot 324 does not rotate, but permits the rest of the base portion 320 to rotate about its axis. The stationary foot 324 may include grips 326, such as rubber grips, tacky grips, or suction cups by way of example only, on an outer surface of the foot 324. The grips provide friction and may prevent slipping, such as when the circle cutter 300 is used on the cutting surface 127 of the primary workstation 100. The stationary foot 324 may also include a magnet 328 for attraction to the magnetic support 129 of the primary workstation's 100 cutting region 126. This also prevents slipping when the circle cutter 300 is used in conjunction with the primary workstation 100. Thus, the magnet 328 holds the circle cutter 300 firmly to the cutting surface, facilitating one handed operation of the circle cutter 300, for example, by using a knob 356 on the cutter portion 350.
The radial arm 310 can be adjusted to vary the distance between the cutter portion 350 and the base portion 320. The base portion has a threaded cap 323 that screws to the threaded post 322. Loosening the cap 323 from the post 322 allows the radial arm 310, which is preferably ruled, to be adjusted to produce the desired radius for the circle to be cut from the workpiece. When the desired position is achieved, the cap 323 is tightened on the threaded post 322 by screwing the cap 323 in the opposite direction, thereby applying pressure to the radial arm 310 to hold it in place.
Still another cutting tool that can be used with the interchangeable blade cartridges 10 as part of a cutting system is a freehand or freeform cutter 400 that can be used to cut any desired shape. As shown in the exploded view of
Preferably, the plunger end 421 of the lever 420 locks into place as it descends to retain the rotary blade 12 in an extended position for use in cutting operations. When the user is finished using the freeform cutter 400 and wants to retract the blade 12, depressing a release button 454 releases the lever 420 from its locked position and the lever spring 425 decompresses. The lever spring 425 urges the plunger 457 upward, thus allowing the blade 12 to return its retracted position, as urged by the bias of the piston spring 32 in the blade cartridge 10.
The handle portion 410 of the freeform cutter 400 is preferably slightly curved to provide a contoured, ergonomic grip, thereby reducing stress and fatigue of the user's hand.
The figures attached hereto further illustrate various features and embodiments of cutting tools and blade cartridges that are within the scope of the present invention.
While the invention has been described with reference to a preferred embodiment, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiments disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this invention.
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