Geared hand tool

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10136583-B2
Application number	US-201615161862-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 23, 2016
Priority date	May 23, 2016
Publication date	Nov 27, 2018
Grant date	Nov 27, 2018

Abstract

A hand tool includes a first jaw; a first handle coupled to a second jaw, the second jaw pivotably coupled to the first jaw and having a first geared structure, the first geared structure including a first plurality of teeth and a first bearing surface; and, a second handle coupled to a lever, the lever pivotably coupled to the first jaw and including a second geared structure, the second geared structure including a second plurality of teeth and a second bearing surface, wherein the first and second handles are movable between a full open position and a full close position such that during movement from the full open position to the full close position, the first plurality of teeth are at least partially engaged with the second plurality of teeth and the first and second bearing surfaces are in rolling contact.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A one-hand operated tool, comprising:
a first jaw;
a second jaw rotatably coupled to the first jaw at a first pivot connection, the second jaw having a first set of projections, a support surface disposed between a pair of adjacent projections in the first set of projections, and a first bearing surface, wherein the first bearing surface has a first curvature, and wherein the first bearing surface is interconnected to the support surface such that the first bearing surface is positioned beyond a tip of a projection in the pair of adjacent of projections;
a lever coupled to the first jaw, the lever including a second set of projections and a second bearing surface, the second bearing surface having a second curvature;
a latch extending outward from the second set of projections of the lever; and
a lock lever coupled to the second jaw, wherein the lock lever is configured to move into engagement with the latch to lock the second jaw to the lever;
wherein the first and second jaws are movable between a full open position and a full close position, and wherein during movement of the first and second jaws from the full open position to the full close position, the first and second sets of projections are at least partially engaged and the first and second bearing surfaces are in rolling contact.

2. The one-hand operated tool of claim 1 , wherein the first curvature is non-circular, and wherein the second curvature is equal and opposite to the non-circular first curvature.

3. The one-hand operated tool of claim 1 , wherein a mechanical advantage is at a maximum amount at or near the full open position and at a minimum amount at or near the full close position, wherein the mechanical advantage is based on the rolling contact of the first bearing surface to the second bearing surface relative to the first pivot connection.

4. The one-hand operated tool of claim 1 ,
wherein the first set of projections have a first pitch curvature;
wherein the second set of projections have a second pitch curvature; and
wherein the first pitch curvature substantially matches the second pitch curvature.

5. The one-hand operated tool of claim 4 , wherein the first and second pitch curvatures substantially match the first and second curvatures of the first and second bearing surfaces.

6. The one-hand operated tool of claim 1 , wherein a distance between a projection in the first set of projections to the first pivot connection is different from a distance between at least one other projection in the first set of projections to the first pivot connection.

7. The one-hand operated tool of claim 1 , wherein each projection in the first and second sets of projections is structured as gear teeth.

8. The one-hand operated tool of claim 1 , wherein a projection in the second set of projections at least partially extends over the support surface when the projection in the second set of projections is at least partially engaged with a projection in the first set of projections.

9. A hand tool, comprising
a first jaw;
a first handle coupled to a second jaw, the second jaw pivotably coupled to the first jaw and having a first geared structure, the first geared structure including a first plurality of teeth, a support surface disposed between a pair of adjacent teeth in the first plurality of teeth, and a first bearing surface, wherein the first bearing surface is interconnected to the support surface such that the first bearing surface is positioned beyond a tip of a tooth in the pair of adjacent teeth;
a second handle coupled to a lever, the lever pivotably coupled to the first jaw and including a second geared structure, the second geared structure including a second plurality of teeth and a second bearing surface;
a latch extending outward from the second geared structure of the lever; and
a lock lever coupled to the second jaw, wherein the lock lever is configured to move into engagement with the latch to lock the second jaw to the lever;
wherein the first and second handles are movable between a full open position and a full close position, and wherein during movement from the full open position to the full close position, the first plurality of teeth at least partially engage with the second plurality of teeth and the first and second bearing surfaces are in rolling contact.

10. The hand tool of claim 9 , wherein the rolling contact between the first and second bearing surfaces defines a variable mechanical advantage profile of the hand tool.

11. The hand tool of claim 9 , further comprising a biasing member structured to bias the first and second handles towards the full open position.

12. The hand tool of claim 9 , wherein a tooth in the second plurality of teeth at least partially overlaps the support surface when the tooth in the second plurality of teeth is at least partially engaged with a tooth in the first plurality of teeth.

13. The hand tool of claim 9 , wherein the first bearing surface defines a first curvature, wherein the second bearing surface defines a second curvature, wherein the first curvature substantially matches the second curvature, and wherein the first and second curvatures are non-circular shaped.

14. The hand tool of claim 13 , wherein a rolling contact engagement point between the first and second bearing surfaces in the full open position is at a relatively greater distance from a pivot connection of the first jaw and the second jaw than a rolling contact engagement point between the first and second bearing surfaces in the full close position.

15. A hand tool, comprising:
a first jaw including a first functional member, the first jaw defining a first aperture and a second aperture;
a second jaw rotatably coupled to the first jaw at the first aperture, the second jaw including a second functional member and a first geared structure, the first geared structure including a first set of projections, a support surface disposed between a pair of adjacent projections in the first set of projections, and a first bearing surface having a first curvature, wherein the first bearing surface is interconnected to the support surface such that the first bearing surface is positioned beyond a tip of a projection in the pair of adjacent projections;
a lever coupled to the first jaw at the second aperture, the lever having a second geared structure, the second geared having a second set of projections and a second bearing surface having a second curvature;
a latch extending outward from the second geared structure of the lever; and
a lock lever coupled to the second jaw, wherein the lock lever is configured to move into engagement with the latch to lock the second jaw to the lever;
wherein the first jaw and second jaw are rotatable between a full open position and a full close position, wherein the first and second sets of projections are at least partially engaged during rotation from the full open position to the full close position while the first and second bearing surfaces are in rolling engagement from the full open position to the full close position.

16. The hand tool of claim 15 , wherein the rolling engagement between the first and second bearing surfaces defines a variable mechanical advantage profile for the hand tool.

17. The hand tool of claim 15 , wherein the first curvature matches the second curvature.

18. The hand tool of claim 15 , wherein the first set of projections defines a first pitch curvature and the second set of projections define a second pitch curvature, and wherein the first pitch curvature is equal and oppos

Assignees

• Fiskars Brands Inc

Inventors

• Dechant Stephen P
• Stokes Steven

Classifications

• B23D29/02

  Hand-operated metal-shearing devices · CPC title

• A01G3/02

  Secateurs; Flower or fruit shears · CPC title

• B26B13/285

  with means for applying pressure on the blades; with means for producing "drawing-cut" effect · CPC title

• A01G3/021 Primary

  characterized by the arrangement of pivots · CPC title

• B23D29/026

  for cutting sheets · CPC title