Patent Application
20100175268
1. Field of the Invention
The object of the present invention is a device for proceeding with cuttings. It notably but not exclusively, relates to a device which may be used by children quite safely and which allows paper or cardboard to be cut out.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is known that there exist devices with which paper or cardboard may be cut, which consist of a sliding blade in a handle with a slide. Nevertheless, these cutter type devices are dangerous, notably for children, because of the extremely sharpness of their blade. Further, the handle of these cutters does not have ergonomics adapted to the hands of children, which makes their use difficult by the latter.
More particularly the object of the invention is to suppress these drawbacks by proposing a device with which it is possible to proceed with cutting out material such as paper or cardboard, comprising a body having ergonomics adapted to children, as well as at least one blade positioned so as to not form a risk of injury for the users.
For this purpose, it proposes a device with which it is possible to proceed with cutting out material such paper or cardboard, comprising a body which comprises gripping means and means for attaching at least one optionally retractable blade, one end of which extends protruding relatively to a determined area of the surface of the body, in the position of use of the device, characterized in that the height of the blade jutting out from the aforesaid area is comprised between 10 microns and 104 microns, preferably 102 microns and in that said area has a relatively large surface area of the order of 0.5 to 15 cm2.
In this device, the height of the protruding portion of the blade is just sufficient for carrying out for example the cutting-out of a sheet of standard thickness, i.e. 0.1 millimeter.
Nevertheless, contrary to the prejudices of one skilled in the art, this blade is not capable of making cuts on the skin of a user, for example of a child. Indeed, taking into account the extent of the supporting surface surrounding the blade, the pressure exerted on the skin will not be significant and cannot generate a punching effect. Consequently, at the blade, the skin retains its flexibility and withdraws upon contacting the blade (all the more since the height of the blade is small). The sharp edge of the blade will therefore slide on the external relatively hard layer of the epidermis, by pushing it back gradually. The obtained effect (absence of cuts) is relatively surprising.
Advantageously, the upper portion of the body of the device according to the invention may have shape conformity with that of the palm of the hand of a child so that the latter may hold said device according to the invention with ease and steadiness. Preferentially, the upper portion of the body of the device according to the invention is convex while its lower portion comprises at least three supporting points with which great stability may be provided to said body.
Advantageously the body of the device according to the invention may be partly or totally transparent so that the contact area between the blade and the item to be cut out may be viewed perfectly.
According to an alternative embodiment of the invention, the device according to the invention may also comprise a protective and guiding part positioned under the item to be cut out, the latter being thereby placed between said body of the device according to the invention and said protective and guiding part; Said body, as well as the protective and guiding part, may each comprise an element which may be subject to magnetic attraction, positioned so as to be facing each other when the device according to the invention is in the position of use, so as to ensure attraction of both of these elements. With this protective and guiding part, it is thereby possible:
In this scenario, the blade may jut out from the determined area of the surface of the body by a height larger than 104 microns, the protective and guiding part enabling injuries to be prevented.
According to an alternative embodiment of the invention, the body of the device according to the invention may comprise an illumination means of the LED type positioned so as to illuminate the contact area between said blade and the item to be cut out.
The body of the device according to the invention may also comprise a magnifying glass positioned so as to be in the field of view of the user, the latter may thus see said contact area in a magnified way.
According to another alternative, the front portion of the body of the device may be tapered in order to allow the user to have an optimum view of the contact area between said blade and the item to be cut out.
Embodiments of the invention will be described hereafter, as non-limiting examples with reference to the appended drawings, wherein:
a and 4b are schematic views according to a vertical section of the front portion of the body of the device according to an alternative embodiment of the invention.
a and 5b are schematic views according to a vertical section of the front portion of the body of the device according to another alternative embodiment of the invention;
a is a schematic illustration as seen from the side of the device according to an alternative embodiment of the invention, in the cutting position.
b is a schematic illustration as seen from the front of the device illustrated in
c is a schematic illustration as seen from the side and partly as a section of the device illustrated in
In this example, as this is illustrated in
The front portion 3 of the body 2 of the device according to the invention 1 comprises at least one cavity 5, the orifice of which is comprised on the lower face of said front portion 3;
The cavity 5 of the front portion 3 of the body 2 of the device according to the invention 1 comprises a blade 6 positioned along a substantially vertical axis so as to be positioned in a plane substantially perpendicular to that of the item to be cut out 7, this blade 6 may be retractable.
As this is illustrated in
In this way, simple pressure on the head 10 of the pusher 8 enables the lower end of the blade 6 to be deployed out of said body 2, another pressure on the head 10 of the pusher 8 enabling this blade 6 to be retracted.
Advantageously, in the deployed position, the lower end of said blade 6 juts out from said body 2, by a distance of a few microns, preferably 102 microns, with which it is possible to prevent the user from cutting himself/herself.
According to an alternative embodiment, the pusher 8 may be positioned so that its head 10 opens out at the lower face of said body 2. The rod 9 in this case is in contact with the upper portion of the blade 6, appearing in another orifice also opening out at the lower face of said body 2, by means of an intermediate part which may be a jointed lever (not shown). In this way, by laying down the device according to the invention 1 on a support, it is possible to actuate the pusher 8 and therefore cause deployment of the blade 6.
According to another alternative embodiment, the body 2 of the device according to the invention 1 may also comprise a luminous means (not shown) such as a LED which may be comprised on the lower face of the front portion 3 of said body 2 or in a cavity opening into the one 5 where said blade 6 appears, this luminous means being oriented so as to illuminate the contact area between the blade 6 and the item to be cut 7.
Advantageously, the curved shape of the flanks of the wings 4, 4′ of the body 2 gives ergonomics to the assembly facilitating the handling of the device according to the invention 1. Further, the space comprised between the wings 4, 4′ of said body 2 enables the user to better view and therefore better control the cutting-out operation.
According to an alternative embodiment of the invention, as this is notably illustrated in
As this is illustrated in
With this protective and guiding part 13 it is notably possible to ensures guiding and control of the cutting-out operation, the element to be cut out 7 being maintained between said body 2 and the protective and guiding part 13.
According to an alternative embodiment of the invention, as this is illustrated in FIGS. 4.a and 4.b, said body 2 may comprise a magnet 14 mobile in vertical translation, connected to said blade 6 or to the rod 9 itself attached to the blade 6. The protective and guiding part 13 may be at least partly made in a metal material in this way, when this protective and guiding part 13 is positioned under the front portion 3 of said body 2, magnetic attraction between the magnet 14 and this part 13 is created and expressed by deployment of the lower end of the blade 6 out of said body 2, this solution having the advantage of making any direct contact between the blade 6 and the user impossible.
According to another alternative embodiment of the invention, as this illustrated in FIGS. 5.a and 5.b, the front portion 3 of the body 2 of the device according to the invention 1 may comprise a tubular cavity 5 becoming flared at its base and opening out on the lower face of said front portion 3. This cavity 5 may comprise a blade support 15 of a substantially tubular shape attached to the top of said cavity 5 by means of an elastic member 16 such as a cylindrical traction spring, this blade support 15 comprising a fitted-in blade 6, the lower end of which opens out at the base of the blade support 15. The front portion 3 of the body 2 of the device according to the invention 1 also comprises a part 17 substantially having the shape of a dome, the lower perimeter of which consists of metal material. This dome-shaped part 17 is connected with a joint to the blade support 15 substantially at its vertical axis.
The protective and guiding part 13, according to this alternative, substantially has the shape of a ring with a diameter substantially equal to that of the base of the dome-shaped part 17. This protective and guiding part 13 is at least partly magnetized in this way, when this protective and guiding part 13 is positioned under the front portion of said body 2, magnetic attraction is created between the dome-shaped part 17 and the protective and guiding part 13, which is expressed by lowering of the blade support 15 and therefore by deployment of the lower end of the blade 6 out of said body 2.
Advantageously, by attaching the dome-shaped part 17 to the blade support 15 with a joint, it is possible to cause deployment of the blade 6 out of said body 2 only if, when the protective and guiding part 13 is positioned under the front portion of said body 2, said vertical axis of this protective and guiding part 13 coincides with that of the dome-shaped part 17.
According to another alternative embodiment of the invention, as this is illustrated in
In this way, after having connected the supporting element 18 to the body 2 of the device 1 according to the invention (the supporting element 18 being positioned so as to surround the base of said body 2), and having placed an item to be cut out 7 under the thereby formed assembly, the protective and guiding part 13 may be positioned under this item to be cut out 7, the body 2 and this protective and guiding part 13 being connected through magnetic attraction.
Advantageously, the supporting element 18-body 2 assembly is conformed so as to be able to be subject to an oscillating movement around its vertical axis when the protective and guiding part 13 is set into place, this feature making it possible to give the assembly larger handiness.
Advantageously, the device according to the invention 1 may be conformed so that its vertical axis is substantially perpendicular to the plane of the palm of the hand of the user when the latter uses it.
In the example illustrated in
This free end of the body 2, which may optionally consist of a portion which may be clip-fastened on said body 2, is provided with an axial bore optionally extended with a chimney into which a removable tool-holder 51 engages and will be clip-fastened, comprising:
The distance comprised between the head 52 and the protrusion 56, 56′ is substantially equal to the length of the bore.
By means of these arrangements, in order to assemble to tool-holder 51 in the body 2, the end of the fork 54 is first of all introduced into the bore. During this introduction, the action of the edge of the bore on the beveled outer face of the protrusions 56, 56′ causes elastic flexure of the branches 55, 55′ of the fork 54 until the protrusions 56, 56′ are engaged into the bore. The cylindrical section 53/fork 54 assembly may then be engaged into the bore until the protrusions 56, 56′ jut out on the outside of the bore. The branches 55, 55′ of the fork 54 then resume their initial position while the protrusions 56, 56′ cooperate with the inner edge of the bore or of the chimney in order to ensure axial blocking of the tool-holder 51 in the body 2.
A particularity of the device described earlier consists in that in the position of use, the ends of the body 2 and of the wings 50 are maintained pressed on the sheet which one wants to cut out, as a tripod. However, the device is not stable in this position. Indeed, the distribution of the masses is provided so that the device topples over as a toppling toy, the wings 50 then playing the role of curved rockers. With this particularity it is possible on the one hand to prevent the support on which the device is laid, from being involuntarily scratched and on the other hand, the blade from being subject to impacts notably upon falling of the device.
Advantageously, the tool-holder 51 may be mounted so as to be able to be subject to a rotary movement relatively to said body 2, which notably allows improvement in the comfort and accuracy of the cutting-out operations.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0703896 | May 2007 | FR | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/FR08/00694 | 5/15/2008 | WO | 00 | 1/22/2010 |
