Patent Application
20240032480
This invention relates to cutting devices, including cutting devices with a plant stem holder at a preset angle.
It is a well-known practice in the agriculture and botany industries to trim the stems of flowers and buds at an offset angle with respect to the longitudinal length of the stem when harvesting and pruning. One purpose for this is that an angled cut provides greater surface area and a corresponding increased water uptake for the harvested plant. For example, flowers with stems cut at a 45° tend to last longer in water for flower arrangements compared to flowers cut at a right angle. In addition, cutting stems at an angle during pruning promotes faster healing of the pruned plant compared to cutting at a right angle (cuts that are flat or nearly flat tend to collect water which may lead to decay).
However, it is oftentimes difficult to manually cut the stem of a plant at a 45° angle given that this requires one to approximate the angle of the shears while holding the plant stem secure during the cut.
Accordingly, there is a need for a cutting tool that holds the stem of a plant at a desired angle while facilitating the easy cut of the plant. The presently disclosed assembly addresses these needs.
Various other objects, features and attendant advantages of the present invention will become fully appreciated as the same becomes better understood when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the several views, and wherein:
In general, and according to exemplary embodiments hereof, a plant stem cutting assembly is provided. In some embodiments, the cutting assembly includes a pair of shears (also referred to as scissors) equipped with a plant stem holding device. The plant stem holding device is configured with one or both blades of the shears and includes a channel adapted to secure the stem of the plant at a predefined angle with respect to the shear's blade(s). In this way, a user may place the stem of the plant into the stem holding device and easily cut the stem at the desired angle.
This specification will start with an overview of shears to provide background information, followed by a detailed description of the plant stem cutting assembly of the present invention.
As is known in the art and as shown in
In some designs, the two blades B1, B2 are made to twist or curve slightly toward one another so that the blades B1, B2 may only touch one another in two places: (i) at the pivot point, and (ii) at the point along the blades B1, B2 where the cutting occurs.
Specialized shears for particular purposes also are popular. For example, pruning shears are a type of shear used for cutting plant materials. Anvil pruning shears include a single blade that closes onto a flat surface. Bypass pruning shears typically function similar to standard shears, but with at least one of the blades being curved, e.g., with a convex upper blade and either a concave or straight lower blade. Parrot-beak pruning shears consist of two concave passing blades, which trap the stem between the blades while the cut is made.
In one exemplary embodiment hereof, as shown in
For the purpose of this specification, the plant stem cutting assembly 10 will be described predominantly as including a cutting device 100 resembling a pair of shears configured with the plant stem holding mechanism 200. However, it is understood that the plant stem cutting assembly 10 may include any type of cutting instrument (e.g., any variant of shears) and that the scope of the assembly 10 is not limited in any way by the type(s) of cutting instrument(s) that it may include. It also is understood that the plant stem cutting assembly 10 may be used to cut other items that may benefit from its functionalities in addition to plant stems and that the scope of the assembly 10 is not limited in any way by the item(s) that it may be used to cut.
Cutting Device 100
In some embodiments as shown in
In some embodiments, the first blade 102 and the second blade 106 are configured as a pair of shears as described above. Accordingly, the blades 102, 106 and corresponding cutting edges 103, 105, respectively, are designed to come into contact at a cutting point during use.
In some embodiments, as shown in
In some embodiments, the removable cutting edge 110 includes a razor blade or other type of removable blade that may be secured to the blade 106. The blade 106 may include a holder 112 (e.g., a recess or other type of receptacle) adapted to receive the removable cutting edge 110 and to hold it in proper alignment with the blade 106 so that its edge may be engaged as the assembly's 10's cutting edge when the overall assembly 10 is utilized. As will be described in other sections, it is preferable that the cutting edge of the removable cutting edge 110 engages the plant stem to be cut in the region of the plant stem holding mechanism 200 during use.
In some embodiments, as shown in
It also is contemplated that the removable cutting edge 110 may be attached to the blade 106 (e.g., to the holder 112) using small screws, clips, latches, detents, side notches, pressure fit, other types of attachment mechanisms, and any combinations thereof.
Plant Stem Holding Mechanism 200
In some embodiments as shown in
In some embodiments as shown in
In some embodiments as shown in
In some embodiments, as shown in
In some embodiments, the upper facing edge 116 of the cutout 114 is preferably sharpened to facilitate the cutting of a stem extending through the cutout 114 during use. Accordingly, in these embodiments, the upper facing edge 116 essentially becomes a portion of the first blade's cutting edge 103. The cutting edge 105 of second blade 106 is adapted to engage the sharpened upper facing edge 116 (acting as a portion of the first blade's cutting edge 103) to make the cut.
It also is contemplated that the upper channel 206 is coupled to the first blade 102 using a support structure such that the second end 205 of the stem holder 202 is not abutted directly to the cutting edge 103. The support structure may resemble the support structure 208 as described below such that the details of the support structure 208 also apply to this embodiment.
In some embodiments, as shown in
In the embodiments of
In another embodiment of a double-sided stem holder 202 as shown in
In some embodiments as shown in
In Use
To use the plant stem cutting assembly 10, a user simply places the stem of a plant to be cut into the channel 206 of the plant stem holder body 204 and closes the first and second blades 102, 106 of the cutting assembly 10 together. During this procedure, the blades 102, 106 (and the removable cutting edge 110 if it exists) engage one another to make the cut. By being held at an offset angle θ within the channel 206 with respect to the cutting blades 102, 106, the plant stem is cut at the desired angle θ.
It also is contemplated that the plant stem holder 202 may include an upper portion (e.g., a latch or cap) that may be closed over the open top of the channel 206 during use to hold the plant stem in place within the channel 206. In this way, the upper portion may help hold the plant stem in place within the channel 206 during the cutting process.
It is understood that the elements of the assembly 10 with respect to the first and second blades 102, 106 may be reversed, e.g., so that the plant stem holder 200 is configured with the second blade 106 instead of the first blade 102.
It is understood that any aspect and/or element of any embodiment of the assembly 10 described herein or otherwise may be combined in any way with any other aspect and/or element of any other embodiment to form additional embodiments of the assembly 10 all of which are within the scope of the assembly 10.
Where a process is described herein, those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the process may operate without any user intervention. In another embodiment, the process includes some human intervention (e.g., a step is performed by or with the assistance of a human).
As used herein, including in the claims, the phrase “at least some” means “one or more,” and includes the case of only one. Thus, e.g., the phrase “at least some ABCs” means “one or more ABCs”, and includes the case of only one ABC.
As used herein, including in the claims, term “at least one” should be understood as meaning “one or more”, and therefore includes both embodiments that include one or multiple components. Furthermore, dependent claims that refer to independent claims that describe features with “at least one” have the same meaning, both when the feature is referred to as “the” and “the at least one”.
As used in this description, the term “portion” means some or all. So, for example, “A portion of X” may include some of “X” or all of “X”. In the context of a conversation, the term “portion” means some or all of the conversation.
As used herein, including in the claims, the phrase “using” means “using at least,” and is not exclusive. Thus, e.g., the phrase “using X” means “using at least X.” Unless specifically stated by use of the word “only”, the phrase “using X” does not mean “using only X.”
As used herein, including in the claims, the phrase “based on” means “based in part on” or “based, at least in part, on,” and is not exclusive. Thus, e.g., the phrase “based on factor X” means “based in part on factor X” or “based, at least in part, on factor X.” Unless specifically stated by use of the word “only”, the phrase “based on X” does not mean “based only on X.”
In general, as used herein, including in the claims, unless the word “only” is specifically used in a phrase, it should not be read into that phrase.
As used herein, including in the claims, the phrase “distinct” means “at least partially distinct.” Unless specifically stated, distinct does not mean fully distinct. Thus, e.g., the phrase, “X is distinct from Y” means that “X is at least partially distinct from Y,” and does not mean that “X is fully distinct from Y.” Thus, as used herein, including in the claims, the phrase “X is distinct from Y” means that X differs from Y in at least some way.
It should be appreciated that the words “first,” “second,” and so on, in the description and claims, are used to distinguish or identify, and not to show a serial or numerical limitation. Similarly, letter labels (e.g., “(A)”, “(B)”, “(C)”, and so on, or “(a)”, “(b)”, and so on) and/or numbers (e.g., “(i)”, “(ii)”, and so on) are used to assist in readability and to help distinguish and/or identify, and are not intended to be otherwise limiting or to impose or imply any serial or numerical limitations or orderings. Similarly, words such as “particular,” “specific,” “certain,” and “given,” in the description and claims, if used, are to distinguish or identify, and are not intended to be otherwise limiting.
As used herein, including in the claims, the terms “multiple” and “plurality” mean “two or more,” and include the case of “two.” Thus, e.g., the phrase “multiple ABCs,” means “two or more ABCs,” and includes “two ABCs.” Similarly, e.g., the phrase “multiple PQRs,” means “two or more PQRs,” and includes “two PQRs.”
The present invention also covers the exact terms, features, values and ranges, etc. in case these terms, features, values and ranges etc. are used in conjunction with terms such as about, around, generally, substantially, essentially, at least etc. (i.e., “about 3” or “approximately 3” shall also cover exactly 3 or “substantially constant” shall also cover exactly constant).
As used herein, including in the claims, singular forms of terms are to be construed as also including the plural form and vice versa, unless the context indicates otherwise. Thus, it should be noted that as used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural references unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.
Throughout the description and claims, the terms “comprise”, “including”, “having”, and “contain” and their variations should be understood as meaning “including but not limited to”, and are not intended to exclude other components unless specifically so stated.
It will be appreciated that variations to the embodiments of the invention can be made while still falling within the scope of the invention. Alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose can replace features disclosed in the specification, unless stated otherwise. Thus, unless stated otherwise, each feature disclosed represents one example of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.
The present invention also covers the exact terms, features, values and ranges, etc. in case these terms, features, values and ranges etc. are used in conjunction with terms such as about, around, generally, substantially, essentially, at least etc. (i.e., “about 3” shall also cover exactly 3 or “substantially constant” shall also cover exactly constant).
Use of exemplary language, such as “for instance”, “such as”, “for example” (“e.g.,”) and the like, is merely intended to better illustrate the invention and does not indicate a limitation on the scope of the invention unless specifically so claimed.
While the invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the disclosed embodiment, but on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.
This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/226,955, filed on Jul. 29, 2021, the entire contents of which are hereby fully incorporated herein by reference for all purposes.
