Patent Application
20050132865
This invention relates to a cutting system with enhanced cutting blade depth control. The invention has importance in the custom framing mat industry or other industries where flat sheets of material require cutting. Custom framing mats with various shaped and sized openings are highly desirable to customers having uniquely sized photographs or paintings. Additionally, mat purchasers desire mats with decorative cuts. These mats by their very custom nature cannot be off the shelf mass-produced items. Local hobby and craft stores require cutting systems that may provide mats with varying cutouts or openings as well as decorative cuts carved into the mats. Systems having cutting blade depth control provide increased flexibility and customer satisfaction. The cutting system of this invention may be used for mat cutting as well as other material cutting applications where fine control of blade depth is important. Too little cutting depth will not allow a complete cut through a mat or other material while too much cutting depth may cause ragged or rough surfaces on at least one face of the cut material. Too much cutting depth may inhibit a cutting system from making decorative grooved cuts that may not be cuts all the way through the material.
The cutting system includes a two dimensional X-Y axis carrier system for transporting the blade control mechanism around a cutting board or support frame. The support frame holds the item to be cut, which may be a paper, cardboard, or synthetic material. The blade control mechanism includes a hollow shaft blade cutting direction motor. The hollow shaft motor has a hollow shaft that has at least one end protruding from the motor. This protruded portion of the hollow shaft is directed towards a mat holding area of the support frame when the blade control mechanism is installed in the X-Y carrier. The protruded portion of the hollow shaft of the blade control mechanism is engaged to a blade holder for rotating the blade holder. The blade holder may be engaged to a blade. As the blade control mechanism is carried around the X-Y axis of the cutting board or support frame, the hollow shaft motor rotates the blade using the hollow shaft and the blade holder through 360 degrees of movement. The blade cuts tangent to the curve it is cutting or cutting a straight line.
A depth control or plunge rod is engaged at one end to a depth control operator. The plunge rod passes through the hollow shaft of the hollow shaft motor to contact a blade carrier portion of the blade holder. When the depth control operator drives the plunge rod into and through the hollow shaft, the plunge rod in turn increases effective blade extension from the blade cutter by pushing and sliding the blade outwards along the blade carrier portion of the blade holder. The depth control operator may be a pneumatic or hydraulic cylinder that allows for movements of the blade for different blade cutting depth or cutting height adjustments. In the alternative, the depth control operator may be a linear motor that may allow for infinite blade cutting depth variations within the blade movement range. The depth control operator, whether pneumatic, hydraulic, or electric motor driven may be driven manually as well as from a computer programmed for a design or cut.
Additional effects, features and advantages will be apparent in the written description that follows.
The novel features believed characteristic of the invention are set forth in the appended claims. The invention itself however, as well as a preferred mode of use, further objects and advantages thereof, will best be understood by reference to the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
A cutting system as shown in
The blade control mechanism 101, 201, or 301 includes a hollow shaft blade cutting direction motor 102 with a hollow shaft 103. The hollow shaft 103 has at least one protruded end portion 104 protruding from the hollow shaft motor 102. This protruded end portion 104 of the hollow shaft 103 is directed towards a mat holding area of the support frame when the blade control mechanism 101 or 201 is installed in the X-Y carrier 130.
The protruded portion 104 of the hollow shaft 103 of the blade control mechanism 101 or 201 is engaged to a blade holder 105 for rotating the blade holder 105 and hence determining the cutting direction of a blade 108. The blade holder 105 may be engaged to a blade 108. The blade 108 may be a razor type knife or other blade capable of piercing and cutting the work material. In the preferred embodiment, the blade 108 is at a 45-degree angle from the cutting surface when the material to be cut is a mat board, although this angle may vary depending on the material to be cut and varying thickness.
As the blade control mechanism 101, 201, or 301 is carried around the X-Y axis of the cutting board or support frame 130, the hollow shaft motor 102 rotates the blade 108 using the hollow shaft 103 and the blade holder 105 through 360 degrees. Where the hollow shaft motor 102 is a stepper motor known in the art of electronics, it has the capability of rotating the blade 108 through these 360 degrees in over 3000 discrete movements. This allows flexibility in cut designs due to the increased variability of these blade steering movements. The blade cuts tangent to the curve it is cutting or cutting a straight line.
A depth control or plunge rod 106 is engaged at one end to a depth control operator 119 or 219 or 319. The depth control operator 119 may be connected to the hollow shaft motor 102 although this is not a necessity. The plunge rod 106 passes through the hollow shaft 103 of the hollow shaft motor 102 to contact a blade carrier portion 109 of the blade holder 105. When the depth control operator 119 or 219 drives the plunge rod 106 into and through the hollow shaft 103, the plunge rod 106 in turn increases effective blade extension from the blade cutter by sliding the blade 108 outwards along the blade carrier portion 109 of the blade holder 105. The blade carrier portion 109 may be slide channel formed to allow movement of the blade 108 through it. When the depth control operator 119 withdraws the plunge rod 106 through the hollow shaft 103, a spring or other potential energy storing mechanism will force the blade 108 back up the blade carrier portion 109 of the blade holder 105. Thus the depth of the blade extension is reduced and the blade 108 is withdrawn fully or partially into the blade holder 105. The spring may uniquely be a compression spring.
In one embodiment, the blade holder 105 may be similar to the unique design shown as blade holder as shown in FIGS. 5 to 11. In this embodiment the blade (108) is not locked in firmly until the final rotation of a rotating cam. The rotating cam incorporates a pin 250 located in slots (251). Cam (243) is used to lock shaft in open position. There is a blade cartridge 240 upon which a blade is installed. There is a foot 245 through which the blade is inserted outward. The cam 243 has rotating shaft 244. The rotating shaft 244 passes through the outer walls of the housing as well as through the blade carrier (260). There is a slot 236 in the outer walls of the (housing) 205 allowing insertion movement of the rotating shaft 244 as well as the carrier (260). The blade cartridge 240 as shown in
The following explanation should help clarify the operation of the blade holder 105 structure described above. The plunge rod 106 only moves in an upward and downward direction. The plunge rod 106 only pushes on a horizontal angle slide pin 242. The blade cartridge carrier (260) slides at a 45 degree angle down and forward as the plunge rod 106 pushes on the pin 242. The pin 242 slides across the bottom of the plunge rod 106 as the plunge rod is moving downward allowing the carrier (260) attached to it to move downward at a 45 degree angle carrying the blade cartridge (204) and blade (208) with it into cutting position. The mechanism 101 or 102 is imparting only a downward force with the plunge rod 106 but since the rod 106 is pushing on pin (242) mounted on the carrier (260) it is converting a vertical downward force to a 45-degree downward force. The blade 208 is mounted on the blade cartridge 240, which is removed from the carrier 260 for replacing the blade 208. The blade cartridge (240) is inserted into a sliding cartridge carrier (260), which moves downward and forward by force from the plunge rod carrying the blade cartridge 240 and blade 208 with it. The following items are meant to securely hold the blade cartridge 240 in place during cutting. A handle 270 on the end of the shaft (244) is rotated until a semicircular notch (264) in the cam shaped disc 243 aligns with a pin 263 protruding from the side of the housing (205) and the notch 264 falls over the pin 263 therefore locking the unit open so the blade cartridge 240 can be removed. After a new blade is placed in the blade cartridge (240) (being held in place temporarily with a magnet 140) the blade cartridge (240) is inserted into a matching slot in the blade cartridge carrier (260). There is a small locking pin 250 mounted horizontally on the rotating main shaft 244 that will eventually line up with a slot 252 on the back of the blade cartridge (240). As the blade cartridge (240) is manually pushed forward into the blade cartridge carrier (260) the force exerted will push the blade cartridge carrier (260) forward and cause the semi circle notch 264 in the cam 243 to be lifted off the pin 263 that was holding it in place and a torsion spring 271 mounted on the side of the housing (205) and connected to the main shaft will cause the main shaft 244 to rotate and the locking pin (250) will fall into the slot 252 on the back of the blade cartridge 240. Due to the large force of the tension spring 271 and the close proximity of the locking pin 250 so close to the center of rotation of the main shaft 244 it creates a very large lever advantage at the locking pin 250 therefore holding the blade cartridge (240) firmly in place. Since the blade 208 thickness is slightly thicker than the blade indented area or blade receiving slot 261 on the blade cartridge 240 the blade 208 is firmly pushed against the blade cartridge 240 and therefore locking the blade 208 in place while plunging and un-plunging into and out of the mat board.
The Blade Cartridge (240) with magnet 140 carries and holds the blade (208) in precise cutting position. As the cartridge (240) is inserted into the carrier (260) the thin end (210) end slides under the shaft (244) until it stops against the shaft (244) at the ledge created at the notch (252). When slightly more force is exerted by the operator, it causes the carrier (260) to move forward along with the shaft (244). This continued forceful movement causes the semicircle (264) in the cam (243) to disengage from the pin (263), allowing the shaft 244 to rotate powered by the torsion spring 271, therefore causing the locking pin (250), that is part of the shaft (244), to engage slot (252) in the cartridge. The Blade cartridge Carrier (260) carries the blade (108) and blade cartridge (240) at a 45-degree [or other angle] angle relative to the mat board. The shaft 244 engages a loose hole in the carrier (260) to allow rotation for locking. The shaft 224 then rotates to allow clamping of blade cartridge (240) and blade (208). The shaft 244 has cam (243) on end to allow locking in the open position for changing blades and the shaft contains a small horizontal offset locking pin (250), which snaps into slot (251). This pin 250 acts like a cam that engages into the slot (252) in the blade cartridge (260) thereby clamping the blade cartridge and blade in place when the shaft (244) is rotated. A finger handle 270 is attached to the end of the shaft (244) for rotating shaft into an open position-engaging semicircle (264) with pin (263) to allow removal of the blade cartridge and blade. See
The rotating shaft 244 of the cam 243 has a semi-circular region and locking pin are 250 in the middle area. The semi-circular region or edge carrying region may have notches 251 with a pin 250 that acts as a cam at the interface with the circular end regions of the rotating shaft 244. The blade cartridge 208 has a magnet for initial holding of the blade. This cartridge 208 is inserted into the blade cartridge 240 until the locking notch aligns with the rotating shaft of the cam 243. At which time a torsion spring 271 rotates the cam 243 locking the blade cartridge 208 and wedging the blade into place. For this embodiment, the plunge rod 106 is similar to the plunge rod 106 above. The depth control operator drives the plunge rod 106 downward passing side support 230 that is engaged to slots 232 in the back wall 231. The plunge rod 106 initially contacts the blade cartridge 240, moving the unit with the blade 208, the blade cartridge, and the blade cartridge 240 downward along the slot 236 in the outer walls of the blade holder 205 and placing the blade into a cutting position.
The following explanation should help clarify the operation of the blade holder 205 structure described above. The plunge rod 106 only moves in an upward and downward direction. The plunge rod 106 only pushes on a horizontal angle slide pin 242 mounted on the blade cartridge carrier 240. The blade cartridge carrier 240 slides at a 45 degree angle forward as the plunge rod 106 pushes on it and the pin 242 slides along the bottom end of the plunge rod 106 as it moves the pin 242 forward and down at 45 degrees. The mechanism 101 or 102 is imparting only a downward force with the plunge rod 106 but since the rod 106 is mounted on the sliding carrier 240 it is converting a vertical downward force to a 45-degree downward force. The blade 208 is mounted on the blade cartridge 240, which is removed from the foot block 260 for replacing the blade 208. The blade cartridge 208 is inserted into a sliding cartridge carrier 240, which moves downward and forward by force from the plunge rod carrying the blade cartridge 240 and blade 208 with it. The following items are meant to securely hold the blade cartridge 240 in place during cutting. A handle 270 on the side of the foot block 260 is rotated until a semicircular notch 264 in the cam shaped disc 243 aligns with a pin 263 protruding from the side of the foot block 260 and the notch 264 falls over the pin 263 therefore locking the unit open so the blade cartridge 240 can be removed. After a new blade is placed in the blade cartridge 208 (being held in place temporarily with a magnet 140) the blade cartridge 208 is inserted into a matching slot in the blade cartridge carrier 240. There is a small locking pin 250 mounted horizontally on the rotating main shaft 244 that will eventually line up with a slot on the back of the blade cartridge 208. As the blade cartridge 208 is manually pushed forward into the blade cartridge carrier 240 the force exerted will push the blade cartridge carrier 208 forward and cause the semi circle notch 264 in the cam 243 to be pushed off the pin 263 that was holding it in place and a torsion spring 271 mounted on the side of the foot block and connected to the main shaft 244 will cause the main shaft to rotate and the locking pin 250 will fall into the slot 252 on the back of the blade cartridge 240. Due to the large force of the torsion spring 271 and the close proximity of the locking pin 250 so close to the center of rotation of the main shaft 244 it creates a very large lever advantage at the locking pin 250 therefore holding the blade cartridge 208 firmly in place. Since the blade 208 thickness is slightly thicker than the blade indented area or blade receiving slot 261 on the blade holder 240 the blade 208 is firmly pushed against the blade cartridge carrier 240 and therefore hopefully locking the blade 208 in place while plunging and un-plunging into and out of the mat board.
The depth control operator may be a pneumatic cylinder system 119 that allows for discrete or finite movements or of the blade 108 for different blade cutting depth or cutting height adjustments. This is shown in the embodiment shown in
The depth of blade 108 plunge may be adjusted manually through a pneumatic cylinder knob or adjuster 124 that rotates an end stop shaft 123 to raise or lower an end stop 125. The end stop 125 has an upper stop surface. The lower portion of the piston 121 comes to rest against the upper stop surface of the end stop 125 at the predetermined blade extension stop. The predetermined blade extension stop may be set by the pneumatic cylinder knob 124 adjustment of the height of the end stop 125. The adjustable end stop 125 makes the pneumatic cylinder 119 have a variable effective size due to the varied piston 121 movement.
In the embodiment shown in
In one commercialized embodiment, the cylinder knob or adjuster is located on top of the cylinder 119 head and is calibrated in 24 segments. Each segment represents a 0.006-inch plunge of the blade 108 through a material to be cut. If the material is mat board, its thickness may vary from 0.050″ to 0.200″ and the desired blade protrusion through the backside of the mat would be 0.010″ to fully cut out the opening. In situations where decorative cuts are made in the face of the mat without cutting all the way through, the blade is set for a depth that is less than the overall mat thickness. The cutting mechanism 101 or 201 is then directed for return pass in the other direction. An angled blade 108 allows for such Vee channels to be cut into the face of the mat material. The pneumatic cylinder knob 124 in this one embodiment is designed to rotate the end stop 125 through the end stop shaft 123 to the desired location to achieve the desired blade 108 depth. The cutting system described here is in no way limited to the above specifications. This commercialized embodiment is only described as way of example of a preferred but not the only workable embodiment of a cutting system.
The depth of the blade 108 plunge may also be adjusted automatically through an external driver unit such as pneumatics, hydraulics, electromagnets, or motor which would take the place of the pneumatic cylinder knob 124.
In an alternative embodiment, the depth control operator may be a linear motor 219 that may allow for infinite blade cutting depth variations within the blade movement range. This is shown in the embodiment in
The depth control operator electric motor 219 driven may be driven manually as well as from a computer 111 programmed for a design or cut. The hollow shaft motor may also be driven by a computer or chip 111 programmed to coordinate the three dimensions of cuts in materials; the hollow shaft motor 102 controlling the X and Y direction, the X-Y carrier system X-Y location and the depth control operator controlling the Z or height axis.
As described above, the embodiments of the cutting system provide a number of advantages, some of which have been described above and others of which are inherent in the invention. Also modifications may be proposed to the embodiments of the cutting system without departing from the teachings herein.
