Apparatus and system for cutting a pattern in a sheet material

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10035277-B2
Application number	US-201514951778-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 25, 2015
Priority date	May 18, 2015
Publication date	Jul 31, 2018
Grant date	Jul 31, 2018

Abstract

An apparatus for cutting a pattern in a sheet material includes a template having a channel with a predetermined shape. The apparatus also includes a cutting device, including a base having one or more projections configured to interact with the channel, a handle coupled to the base and moveable relative to the base between a first position and a second position, and a retractable rotary blade coupled to the handle. The retractable rotary blade is moveable between a refracted position when the handle is in the first position, and an extended position when the handle is in the second position. The retractable rotary blade is configured to cut a pattern according to the predetermined shape of the channel when the cutting device is tracked along the channel while both the handle is in the second position and the one or more projections are positioned within the channel.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A cutting device, comprising:
a base defining a longitudinal axis extending therethrough, the base, when in an upright position, comprising:
a bottom surface; and
one or more projections extending from the bottom surface and configured to interact with a channel;

a handle engaging the base, the handle disposed annularly about the longitudinal axis and configured to move relative to the base in a first movement and a second movement different from the first movement, wherein the first movement is in a direction axially along the longitudinal axis between a first position and a second position; and
a blade cartridge engaging the handle and the base, the blade cartridge comprising a rotary blade moveable between a retracted position when the handle is in the first position and an extended position when the handle is in the second position,
wherein in the retracted position, the blade is disposed above the bottom surface of the base, and
wherein in the extended position, at least a portion of the blade is disposed below the bottom surface of the base and in line with the one or more projections.

2. The cutting device of claim 1 , wherein in the second movement, the handle is freely rotatable annularly about the longitudinal axis, relative to the base.

3. The cutting device of claim 1 , further comprising a biasing member positioned between the blade cartridge and the base, the biasing member biasing the handle in the first position, and wherein the handle is moveable to the second position in response to a force applied to the handle in the direction along the longitudinal axis.

4. The cutting device of claim 3 , wherein the biasing member is a spring, the spring biasing the rotary blade to the retracted position.

5. The cutting device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more projections include two projections, and wherein the blade extends between the two projections when the rotary blade is in the extended position.

6. The cutting device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more projections include chamfers.

7. The cutting device of claim 1 , wherein the rotary blade is configured to cut a circular pattern having a predetermined radius when the cutting device is tracked along a channel having a semi-circular shape having a predetermined radius while both the handle is in the second position and the one or more projections are positioned within the channel.

8. The cutting device of claim 1 , wherein the rotary blade extends a further distance from the bottom surface than the one or more projections when the handle is in the second position.

9. The cutting device of claim 1 , wherein the handle comprises a body and a cap removably coupled to the body, and wherein the cap is removable so as to provide access to the blade cartridge where the body and the cap define the engagement with the blade cartridge and the body defines the engagement with the base.

10. The cutting device of claim 9 , wherein the blade cartridge further comprises a tab that is graspable by a user of the cutting device to remove the blade cartridge from the cutting device, and wherein the tab is accessible when the cap is de-coupled from the body.

11. The cutting device of claim 10 , wherein the cap comprises a pocket that is sized and shaped to accommodate the tab, and wherein the cap further comprises a projection within the pocket that engages the tab when the handle is moved to the second position, causing the rotary blade to extend from the base.

12. The cutting device of claim 1 , wherein the blade cartridge further comprises a housing and a flange extending from the housing and defining the engagement with the handle; and wherein the rotary blade is coupled to the housing.

13. The cutting device of claim 1 , wherein the handle further comprises an annular body and an opening extending axially through the body, the opening receiving at least a portion of the base and the blade cartridge therein.

14. A system, comprising:
a template comprising a channel having a predetermined shape; and
a cutting device, including:
a base defining a longitudinal axis extending therethrough, the base, when in an upright position, comprising:
a bottom surface; and
one or more projections extending from the bottom surface and configured to interact with the channel;

a handle engaging the base, the handle configured to rotate relative to the base about the longitudinal axis;
wherein the handle is moveable relative to the base axially along the longitudinal axis, between a first position and a second position, and

a removable blade cartridge engaging the handle and the base, the blade cartridge including a rotary blade moveable with the blade cartridge between a retracted position when the handle is in the first position and an extended position when the handle is in the second position,
wherein in the retracted position, the blade is disposed above the bottom surface of the base, and
wherein in the extended position, at least a portion of the blade is disposed below the bottom surface of the base and in line with the one or more projections, and

wherein the rotary blade is configured to cut a pattern according to the predetermined shape when the cutting device is tracked along the channel while both the handle is in the second position and the one or more projections are positioned within the channel.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the blade cartridge includes a guide received in a corresponding feature formed in the base, aligning the removable blade cartridge with the base such that the rotary blade cuts in a direction that is tangential to the pattern.

16. The system of claim 14 , wherein the cutting device further comprises a biasing member positioned between the blade cartridge and the base, the biasing member biasing the blade cartridge in the retracted position and wherein the blade cartridge is moveable to the extended position in response to a force applied to the handle in a direction along the longitudinal axis.

17. The system of claim 14 , wherein the blade cartridge further comprises a flange defining the engagement with the handle.

18. The system of claim 14 , wherein the template comprises:
a bottom surface; and
a stop coupled to the bottom surface, the stop raised relative to the bottom surface and configured to align a sheet of material to be cut.

19. The system of claim 18 , wherein the stop includes a plurality of strips having the channel positioned in between.

20. The system of claim 18 , wherein the stop is positioned across a diameter of the channel, such that a portion of the channel on one side of the stop has a semi-circular shape.

21. The system of claim 18 , wherein the template further comprises a top surface opposite the bottom surface, and a raised outer edge bordering rear and side portions of the top surface.

22. The system of claim 21 , wherein the raised outer edge includes an upper ledge providing a lift point for the template.

Assignees

• Fiskars Brands Inc

Inventors

• Lipscomb Daniel J
• Nelson Douglas R
• Dechant Stephen P

Classifications

• B26B29/06

  Arrangements for guiding hand cutting tools (guiding equipment or arrangements for specific cutting tools, see the particular places, e.g. for hair trimming devices A45D24/36, for saw blades B27B11/02, B26B13/10) · CPC title

• B26B25/005 Primary

  Manually operated, e.g. pizza cutters · CPC title

• B26B5/003

  comprising retraction means for the blade or the blade holder · CPC title