Cutting tool with a variable pivot system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10321635-B2
Application number	US-201715490209-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 18, 2017
Priority date	Nov 20, 2013
Publication date	Jun 18, 2019
Grant date	Jun 18, 2019

Abstract

A hand operated cutting tool includes a first handle coupled to a first cutting member, the first handle having a first set of projections; and, a second handle coupled to a second cutting member and movably coupled to the first handle, the second handle having a second set of projections. The handles are movable between a full open position and a full closed position, wherein a first region of movement is defined by the first and second sets of projections being at least partly engaged, and wherein a second region of movement is defined by the first and second sets of projections being disengaged.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A hand operated cutting tool, comprising:
a first handle rotatably coupled to a first cutting member, the first handle having a first set of projections; and
a second handle coupled to a second cutting member and movably coupled to the first handle, the second handle having a second set of projections;
wherein the handles are movable between a full open position and a full closed position, wherein a first region of movement is defined by the first and second sets of projections being at least partly engaged such that the first handle rotates relative to the first cutting member, and wherein a second region of movement is defined by the first and second sets of projections being disengaged.

2. The hand operated cutting tool of claim 1 , wherein the first region of the movement corresponds with a handle angle between the first and second handles of approximately 30 degrees to 5 degrees and the second region of the movement corresponds with a handle angle between the first and second handles of approximately 5 degrees to 0 degrees.

3. The hand operated cutting tool of claim 1 , wherein the first region of the movement occurs when the first and second handles are in the full open position and are moved to the full closed position while the second region of the movement occurs after the first region of the movement as the first and second handles are moved into the full closed position.

4. The hand operated cutting tool of claim 1 , wherein the second handle includes an elongated member, wherein the elongated member at least partially overlays the first handle throughout a movement of the handles from the full open position to the full closed position, and wherein the second set of projections are positioned on an interior surface of the elongated member proximate the first handle.

5. The hand operated cutting tool of claim 1 , wherein the first and second sets of projections are structured as gear projections.

6. The hand operated cutting tool of claim 1 , wherein the hand operated cutting tool is a pruner.

7. The hand operated cutting tool of claim 1 , further comprising a biasing member coupled to the first and second handles, the biasing member configured to bias the handles in the full open position.

8. The hand operated cutting tool of claim 1 , wherein the second handle includes a locking device configured to lock the handles in the full closed position.

Assignees

• Fiskars Finland Oy Ab

Inventors

• Cunningham Daniel

Classifications

• B26B13/26 Primary

  with intermediate links between the grips and the blades, e.g. for remote actuation · CPC title

• B26B17/02

  with jaws operated indirectly by the handles, e.g. through cams or toggle levers · CPC title

• A01G3/021

  characterized by the arrangement of pivots · CPC title

• A01G3/025

  having elongated or extended handles · CPC title

• A01G3/0251 Primary

  Loppers, i.e. branch cutters with two handles (hedge shears A01G3/0475) · CPC title