1. Technical Field
The present disclosure generally relates to shears for cutting hair and other materials.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various devices and methods are used to cut hair, paper, and other cuttable material or structures. In many cases, “X” shaped shears are used having a pair of handles attached to a pair of blades via a hinge point. Such shears often comprise two handle-blade pieces attached to and crossing each other at the hinge point.
In some embodiments, shears include a handle assembly. The handle assembly can include a first handle having a base end and a free end. In some embodiments, the handle assembly includes a second handle having a base end and a free end movable toward and away from the free end of the first handle. The shears can include a first blade having a base end and a free end. In some embodiments, the shears include a second blade having a base end and a free end moveable toward and away from the free end of the first blade. The shears can include a joint assembly connecting the first blade and second blade to the handle assembly. The joint assembly can include a pivot plate. In some embodiments, the joint assembly includes a first pivot rotatably connecting the pivot plate to the base end of the second handle. In some cases, the joint assembly includes a second pivot rotatably connecting the pivot plate to the base end of the first handle. The joint assembly can include a third pivot rotatably connecting the base end of the second handle to the base end of the second blade. In some cases, the joint assembly includes a fourth pivot rotatably connecting the base end of the first blade to the base end of the second blade. In some embodiments, the joint assembly includes a biasing assembly installed on one of the first, second, third, or fourth pivots. The biasing assembly can be configured to bias the free end of the first blade away from the free end of the second blade. The biasing assembly can include a spring configured to generate a biasing force when the free ends of the first and second blades are moved toward each other. In some embodiments, the biasing force biases the free ends of the first and second blades away from each other.
In some embodiments, movement of the free end of the second handle away from the free end of the first handle moves the free end of the second blade away from free end of the first blade. In some embodiments, the upward movement of the free end of the second handle away from the free end of the first handle moves the free end of the second blade upward away from the free end of the first blade.
In some cases, the biasing assembly comprises an axis of rotation. The biasing assembly can include a first frame portion having a base portion and a spring housing portion extending from the base portion. In some embodiments, the biasing assembly includes a second frame portion having a base portion and a mating post extending from the base portion along the axis of rotation and into the spring housing portion of the first frame portion when the second frame portion is mated with the first frame portion, the second frame portion configured to rotate with respect to the first frame portion about the axis of rotation. In some cases, the biasing assembly includes a coil spring housed in the spring housing portion. The coil spring can have a center portion fixedly connected to the mating post and an outer portion extending out from the spring housing portion. In some embodiments, the outer portion of the coil spring is inhibited from rotating about the axis of rotation in at least one direction with respect to the first frame portion. In some cases, movement of the free end of the second blade away from the free end of the first blade is configured to rotate the second frame portion with respect to the first frame portion about the axis or rotation.
In some embodiments, the third pivot is configured to move toward the second pivot when the free end of the second blade is moved away from the free end of the first blade.
According to some variants, the biasing assembly includes a fastener inserted through one of the first, second, third, and fourth pivots. The biasing assembly can include a spring connection structure on the second blade between the base end and the free end of the second blade. In some cases, the biasing assembly includes a protrusion on the first blade between the free end of the first blade and the base end of the first blade. The biasing assembly can include a leaf spring having a first end connected to the fastener, a second end connected to the spring connection structure, and a flex point between the first and second ends of the leaf spring. The leaf spring can be configured to bend about the protrusion when the free end of the second blade is moved toward the free end of the second blade. In some embodiments, bending of the leaf spring biases the free end of the second blade away from the free end of the first blade.
In some embodiments, the spring connection structure is a protrusion extending from the second blade between the first and second blades. In some embodiments, the second blade includes a spring cavity in a side of the second blade opposing the first blade, and wherein the leaf spring and spring connection structure are positioned at least partially within the spring cavity.
According to some variants, shears can be configured to transition between a closed position and an opened position. The shears can include a first handle. In some embodiments, the shears include a second handle connected to the first handle. The shears can include a first blade connected to the first handle and to the second handle. The first blade can be configured to remain stationary with respect to the first handle when the shears transition between the closed position and the opened position. In some embodiments, the shears include a second blade connected to the first blade, to the first handle, and to the second handle. The second blade can be configured to move relative to the second handle when the shears transition between the closed position and the opened position. In some cases, the shears include a biasing assembly installed at a connection point between two of the first handle, the second handle, the first blade, and the second blade. The biasing assembly can be configured to bias the shears to the opened position. In some embodiments, the biasing assembly includes a spring configured to generate a biasing force when the shears are in the closed position.
In some embodiments, the biasing assembly comprises a spring connection structure on the second blade. The biasing assembly can include a protrusion on the first blade. In some cases, the biasing assembly includes a leaf spring. The leaf spring can have a first end connected to a connection point between two of the first handle, the second handle, the first blade, and the second blade; a second end connected to the spring connection structure; and a flex point between the first and second ends of the leaf spring. The leaf spring can be configured to bend about the protrusion when the shears transition between the opened position and the closed position. In some embodiments, bending of the leaf spring biases the shears to the opened position.
In some embodiments, the shears include a pivot plate rotatably connected to two of the first blade, the second blade, the first handle, and the second handle. In some embodiments, the pivot plate is rotatably connected to the first handle and to the second handle.
According to some variants, the biasing assembly comprises an axis of rotation. The biasing assembly can include a first frame portion having a base portion and a spring housing portion extending from the base portion. In some cases, the biasing assembly includes a second frame portion having a base portion and a mating post extending from the base portion along the axis of rotation and into the spring housing portion of the first frame portion when the second frame portion is mated with the first frame portion. The second frame portion can be configured to rotate with respect to the first frame portion about the axis of rotation. In some embodiments, the biasing assembly includes a coil spring housed in the spring housing portion. The coil spring can have a center portion fixedly connected to the mating post and an outer portion extending out from the spring housing portion. In some embodiments, the outer portion of the coil spring is inhibited from rotating about the axis of rotation in at least one direction with respect to the first frame portion. In some cases, movement of the shears between the opened configuration and the closed configuration is configured to rotate the second frame portion with respect to the first frame portion about the axis or rotation.
In some embodiments, each of the first frame portion and the second frame portion include a blade-engaging feature configured to rotational lock the first and second frame portions to the first and second blades, respectively. In some cases, each of the first frame portion and the second frame portion include a blade-engaging feature configured to rotational lock the first and second frame portions to the second and first blades, respectively.
In some cases, the shears comprise a first pivot where the pivot plate connects to the first handle; and a second pivot where the first blade connects to the second blade. In some embodiments, a distance between the first pivot and the second pivot remains constant as the shears transition between the closed position and the opened position.
According so certain variants, shears can be configured to transition between a closed position and an opened position. The shears can include a first handle and a second handle. In some embodiments, the shears include a first blade forming a monolithic part with the first handle and a second blade connected to the first blade and to the first handle. The second blade can be configured to move relative to the second handle when the shears transition between the closed position and the opened position. In some embodiments, the shears include a biasing assembly installed at a connection point between two of the first handle, the second handle, the first blade, and the second blade. The biasing assembly can be configured to bias the shears to the opened position.
In some embodiments, the shears include a pivot plate rotatably connected to the first handle and rotatably connected to the second handle. In some embodiments, the shears include a first pivot where the second blade rotatable connect to the second handle; and a second pivot where the pivot plate connects to the first handle. In some cases, the first pivot moves toward the second pivot when the shears transition from the closed position to the opened position. In some embodiments, the shears include a second biasing assembly installed at a connection point between two of the first handle, the second handle, the first blade, and the second blade.
The present disclosure is described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters reference like elements, and wherein:
Embodiments of the inventions will now be described with reference to the accompanying figures, wherein like numerals refer to like elements throughout. Although several embodiments, examples and illustrations are disclosed below, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that the inventions described herein extends beyond the specifically disclosed embodiments, examples and illustrations, and can include other uses of the inventions and obvious modifications and equivalents thereof. The terminology used in the description presented herein is not intended to be interpreted in any limited or restrictive manner simply because it is being used in conjunction with a detailed description of certain specific embodiments of the inventions. In addition, embodiments of the inventions can comprise several novel features and no single feature is solely responsible for its desirable attributes or is essential to practicing the inventions herein described.
As illustrated in
Referring to
In some embodiments, the set of blades 12 can include a first blade 22 and a second blade 24. One or more of the first blade 22 and the second blade 24 can be mechanically linked to one or more of the handles 18, 20 such that movement of the linked handle moves the linked blade. For example, the first blade 22 can be mechanically linked to the first handle 18. In some embodiments, one of the blades 22, 24 is monolithic with one of the handles 18, 20 while the other blade 22, 24 is separated from the other handle 18, 20. In some embodiments, the first blade 22 and first handle 18 form a monolithic part. The second handle 20 can be mechanically linked to the second blade 24. In some embodiments, the second handle 20 is separate from, but associated with the second blade 24. One of the handles 18, 20 can be formed as a monolithic part with one of the blades 22, 24 and be attached to the other handle 18, 20 and other blade 22, 24 via one or more connections (e.g., hinged connections). In some embodiments, one of the two handles 18, 20 is separate from the blades 22, 24 but pivotably connected to one or both of the blades 22, 24, while the blade 22, 24 to which the one of the two handles 18, 20 is pivotably connected to the other blade 18, 20 and the other of the two handles is linked to the other blade 18, 20. For example, the first handle 18 can be separated from the first and second blades 22, 24, but pivotably connected to the first blade 22. The first blade 22 can be pivotably connected to the second blade 24 and the second handle 20 can be linked (e.g., monolithic with) to the second blade 24.
In some embodiments, movement of the second handle 20 toward the first handle 18 moves the second blade 24 toward the first blade 22 (e.g., toward a closed position, as illustrated in
As illustrated in
The blades 12 can be oriented such that the free ends 22a, 24a are positioned closer (e.g., into and out of the page of
Referring to
In some embodiments, the first pivot 26 rotatably couples the second handle 20 to the first end of a pivot plate 32. A second end of the pivot plate 32 can be rotatably connected to a third pivot 34. The third pivot 34 can rotatably couple the pivot plate 32 to a base portion 36 of the first handle 18.
As illustrated in
According to some embodiments, transition of the blades 12 from a closed position (
In some embodiments, the shears 10 can include a biasing member. The biasing member can be configured to bias the blades 12 toward the opened position. In some embodiments, the biasing member biases the blades toward the closed position. For example, one or more of the pivots can include a biasing assembly. In some embodiments, the biasing assembly acts against two or more of the components of the shears 10 which are moveable relative to each other. For example, the biasing assembly can act against the second handle 20 and the first handle 18, against the first blade 22 and the second blade 24, against the second blade 24 and the second handle 20, against the first blade 22 and the first handle 18, against the pivot member 32 and the second handle 20, against the pivot member and the first handle 18, against the first blade 22 and the second handle 22, against the first handle 18 and the second blade 24, against the first blade 22 and the pivot member 32, and/or against the second blade 24 and the pivot member 32. The one or more biasing assemblies can include a spring (e.g., a coil spring, leaf spring, tension spring, compression spring, etc.) configured to rotationally bias one or more components connected to the pivot(s) which include biasing assemblies.
As illustrated in
In some embodiments, the shears 10 include one or more caps 48 positioned adjacent the housing 42. The one or more caps 48 can be configured and positioned to reduce the likelihood that the housing 42 or some other component of the biasing assembly 40 detaches or decouples from the shears 10. In some embodiments, the one or more caps 48 reduce the likelihood that dirt, hair, or other debris gain access to the biasing assembly 40.
A spring can be positioned at least partially within the housing 42. For example, a coil spring 50 can be positioned at least partially within the housing 42. The coil spring 50 can include at least one coupling portion configured to couple with a portion of one or more of the first and second frame portions 44, 46. For example, the coil spring 50 can include a first coupling portion configured to couple with the first frame portion 44 and a second coupling portion configured to couple with the second frame portion 46. In some embodiments, the first coupling portion of the coil spring 50 is rotationally fixed to or limited by (e.g., with respect to the axis of rotation 47 of the biasing assembly) the first frame portion 44 during use of the shears 10. In some embodiments, the second coupling portion of the coil spring 50 is rotationally fixed to or limited by the second frame portion 46 during use of the shears 10.
In some embodiments, the first coupling portion is an outer portion 52 of the coil spring 50. The outer portion 52 of the coil spring 50 can comprise one end of the spring material of the coil spring 50. The first frame portion 44, or some portion thereof, can limit or prevent movement of the outer portion 52 of the coil spring 50 in at least one direction about the axis of rotation 47 with respect to the first frame portion 44.
In some embodiments, the second coupling portion is a central portion 54 of the coil spring 50. The central portion 54 can comprise one end of the spring material of the coil spring 50. In some embodiments, the central portion 54 is configured to mate with a mating portion of one or more of the first and second frame portions 44, 46. For example, the central portion 54 can mate with a mating structure of the second frame portion 46. The mating structure of the second frame portion 46 can limit or prevent movement of the central portion 54 of the coil spring 50 in at least one direction about the axis of rotation 47 with respect to the first frame portion 44.
As illustrated in
The second frame portion 46 can include a mating post 62. The mating post 62 can extend from a base portion 64 of the second frame portion 46 toward the first frame portion 44. The mating post 62 can include a slit 66 or recess configured to receive the central portion 54 of the coil spring 50. Coupling between the central portion 54 of the coil spring 50 and the slit 66 can limit or prevent rotation of the central portion 54 about the axis of rotation 47 with respect to the second frame portion 46.
As illustrated in
One or both of the first and second frame portions 44, 46 can include an alignment structure. The alignment structure can be configured to rotationally align one or more of the frame portions 44, 46 about the axis of rotation 47 with respect to one of the blades 12. In some embodiments, the alignment structure is a notch, a protrusion, a knob or some other structure. For example, the second frame portion 46 can include a notch 72 configured to engage with a portion of the second blade 24. The first frame portion 44 can include an alignment structure configured to engage with a portion of the first blade 22.
In some embodiments, the biasing assembly 40 can bias the shears 10 to an opened position. The biasing assembly 40 can be configured such that transition of the shears 10 from an opened position to the closed position of
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
Although these inventions have been disclosed in the context of certain preferred embodiments and examples, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the present inventions extend beyond the specifically disclosed embodiments to other alternative embodiments and/or uses of the inventions and obvious modifications and equivalents thereof. For example, the biasing assemblies 40, 77 can be positioned in or on the first, second, third, and/or fourth pivots 26, 30, 34, 38. In some cases, joint assemblies 16, 76 include more than one biasing assembly. Additionally, the skilled artisan will recognize that any of the above-described methods can be carried out using any appropriate apparatus. Further, the disclosure herein of any particular feature, aspect, method, property, characteristic, quality, attribute, element, or the like in connection with an embodiment can be used in all other embodiments set forth herein. For all of the embodiments described herein, the steps of the methods need not be performed sequentially. Thus, it is intended that the scope of the present inventions herein disclosed should not be limited by the particular disclosed embodiments described above.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
21369 | Roome | Aug 1858 | A |
25140 | Roome | Aug 1859 | A |
173010 | Humpheries | Feb 1876 | A |
192426 | Foltz et al. | Jun 1877 | A |
203112 | Broadbrooks | Apr 1878 | A |
663565 | Fisher | Dec 1900 | A |
883457 | Geis | Mar 1908 | A |
942043 | Searight | Nov 1909 | A |
1012289 | Stich | Dec 1911 | A |
2084633 | Erickson | Jun 1937 | A |
2442424 | McGary et al. | Jun 1948 | A |
2528816 | Boyer | Nov 1950 | A |
2607114 | Keiser, Jr. | Aug 1952 | A |
2689401 | Kalish | Sep 1954 | A |
2744323 | Kuhlman | May 1956 | A |
3296697 | Hedstrom | Jan 1967 | A |
3486227 | Somervell | Dec 1969 | A |
3572192 | Juras | Mar 1971 | A |
3791013 | Rogers | Feb 1974 | A |
3834022 | Students | Sep 1974 | A |
4525929 | Brophy, Sr. et al. | Jul 1985 | A |
5014433 | Tepic | May 1991 | A |
5355585 | Tepic | Oct 1994 | A |
5918371 | Herrmann et al. | Jul 1999 | A |
6000138 | Bornancini | Dec 1999 | A |
6685716 | Flaherty et al. | Feb 2004 | B1 |
6752054 | Knight | Jun 2004 | B2 |
20070101583 | Tsai | May 2007 | A1 |
20090223059 | Yu Chen | Sep 2009 | A1 |
20120030951 | Seloff | Feb 2012 | A1 |
20130031786 | Wang | Feb 2013 | A1 |
Number | Date | Country |
---|---|---|
404003 | Jul 1998 | AT |
652637 | Nov 1985 | CH |
2837126 | Sep 2003 | FR |
1522144 | Aug 1978 | GB |