Hole cutter with multiple fulcrums

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2024278338-A1
Application number	US-202418651211-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 30, 2024
Priority date	Jan 13, 2010
Publication date	Aug 22, 2024
Grant date	—

Abstract

A hole cutter has a cylindrical blade body including a cutting edge and one or more axially-elongated apertures formed within a side wall of the blade body. The axially-elongated aperture is configured to receive a lever, such as a screwdriver, therethrough. Each axially-elongated aperture includes a first fulcrum axially spaced adjacent to the cutting edge, a second fulcrum axially spaced further away from the cutting edge than the first fulcrum, and optionally a third fulcrum axially spaced between the first and second fulcrums. A lever, such as a screwdriver, can be inserted into the aperture and placed against each of the fulcrums to lever slugs out of the interior of the blade body.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method of levering a slug out of an interior of a hole cutter that includes a cylindrical blade body having a smooth outer wall, a base coupled to a first end of the body, and a peripheral cutting edge coupled to an opposite second end of the body, the method comprising:
inserting a lever into a first aperture portion formed through the blade body and spaced from the cutting edge such that a portion of the blade body extends between the cutting edge and the first aperture portion, the first aperture portion defined at least in part by a first bottom edge defining a first fulcrum and spaced from the cutting edge by a first distance, a first top edge opposite the first bottom edge and spaced from the cutting edge by a second distance that is less than the first distance, and a first side edge connecting the first bottom edge to the first top edge and oriented at a first acute angle to a longitudinal axis of the blade body; levering the lever against the first fulcrum to push the slug at least partially out of an interior of the blade body by applying a sufficient levering force against the first fulcrum to lever the slug towards the cutting edge; inserting the lever into a second aperture portion formed through the blade body and spaced from the cutting edge such that a portion of the blade body extends between the cutting edge and the second aperture portion, the second aperture portion defined at least in part by a second bottom edge defining a second fulcrum and spaced from the cutting edge by a third distance that is less than the second distance, a second top edge opposite the second bottom edge and spaced from the cutting edge by a fourth distance that is less than the third distance, and a second side edge connecting the second bottom edge to the second top edge and oriented at a second acute angle to the longitudinal axis of the blade body, at least a portion of the first aperture portion and the second aperture portion aligned along a line parallel to the longitudinal axis; and levering the lever against the second fulcrum to push the slug further out of the interior of the blade body by applying a sufficient levering force against the second fulcrum to lever the slug towards the cutting edge.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first aperture portion is in communication with the second aperture portion via a slot portion.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first bottom edge is a straight edge that is parallel to the cutting edge.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the first top edge is parallel to the first bottom edge.

5 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the second bottom is a straight edge that is parallel to the cutting edge.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the second top edge is parallel to the cutting edge.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the lever comprises a number 2 screwdriver and each of the first aperture portion and the second aperture portion defines a width of at least 0.27 inch.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first aperture portion or the second aperture portion is elongated in a direction that extends from the base to the cutting edge.

9 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising a first curved corner between the first bottom edge and the first side edge and a second curved corner between the second bottom edge and the second side edge.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the second fulcrum is angularly spaced around a circumference of the blade body relative to the first fulcrum.

11 . A method of levering a slug out of an interior of a hole cutter that includes a cylindrical blade body having a smooth outer wall, a base coupled to a first end of the body, and a peripheral cutting edge coupled to an opposite second end of the body, the method comprising:
inserting a lever into a first aperture portion formed through the blade body and spaced from the cutting edge such that a portion of the blade body extends between the cutting edge and the first aperture portion, the first aperture portion defined at least in part by a first bottom edge, a first side edge oriented at a first acute angle to a longitudinal axis of the blade body, and a first fulcrum at a first curved corner between the first bottom edge and the first side edge, the first fulcrum spaced from the cutting edge by a first distance; levering the lever against the first fulcrum to push the slug at least partially out of an interior of the blade body by applying a sufficient levering force against the first fulcrum to lever the slug towards the cutting edge; inserting the lever into a second aperture portion formed through the blade body and spaced from the cutting edge such that a portion of the blade body extends between the cutting edge and the second aperture portion, the second aperture portion defined at least in part by a second bottom edge, a second side edge oriented at a second acute angle to the longitudinal axis of the blade body, and a second fulcrum at a second curved corner between the second bottom edge and the second side edge, the second fulcrum spaced from the cutting edge by a second distance that is less than the first distance, with at least a portion of the first aperture portion and the second aperture portion aligned along a line parallel to the longitudinal axis; and levering the lever against the second fulcrum to push the slug further out of the interior of the blade body by applying a sufficient levering force against the second fulcrum to lever the slug towards the cutting edge.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the first aperture portion is in communication with the second aperture portion via a slot portion.

13 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the first bottom edge comprises a straight edge that is parallel to the cutting edge.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the second bottom edge comprises a straight edge that is parallel to the cutting edge.

15 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the lever comprises a number 2 screwdriver and each of the first aperture portion and the second aperture portion defines a width of at least 0.27 inch.

16 . The method of claim 11 , wherein at least one of the first aperture portion or the second aperture portion is elongated in a direction that extends from the base to the cutting edge.

17 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the second fulcrum is angularly spaced around a circumference of the blade body relative to the first fulcrum.

18 . A method of levering a slug out of an interior of a hole cutter that includes a cylindrical blade body having a smooth outer wall, a base coupled to a first end of the body, and a peripheral cutting edge coupled to an opposite second end of the body, the method comprising:
inserting a lever into a first aperture portion formed through the blade body and spaced from the cutting edge such that a portion of the blade body extends between the cutting edge and the first aperture portion, the first aperture portion defined at least in part by a first bottom edge spaced from the cutting edge by a first distance, a first top edge opposite the first bottom edge and spaced from the cutting edge by a second distance that is less than the first distance, and a first side edge connecting the first bottom edge to the first top edge and oriented at a first acute angle to a longitudinal axis of the blade body; levering the lever against the first bottom edge to push the slug at least partially out of an interior of the blade body by applying a sufficient levering force against the fi

Assignees

• Black & Decker Inc

Inventors

• Novak Joseph Thomas
• Green Matthew Christopher

Classifications

• B23B51/0453 Primary

  with ejecting devices · CPC title

• Y10T408/8953

  with lateral outlet · CPC title

• Y10T408/895

  Having axial, core-receiving central portion · CPC title

• B23B2260/082

  Holes · CPC title

• B23B51/0467 Primary

  Details of the tubular body sidewall · CPC title