Cable cutter system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9725165-B2
Application number	US-201414506286-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 3, 2014
Priority date	Oct 3, 2014
Publication date	Aug 8, 2017
Grant date	Aug 8, 2017

Abstract

Some examples of a cable cutting system include a first cutting apparatus that includes a recess to receive a cable. The system includes a second cutting apparatus separate from and attached to the first cutting apparatus. The second cutting apparatus includes multiple cutting surfaces arranged to cut the cable received at the recess.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A cable cutting system for a vehicle comprising:
a first cutting apparatus comprising a recess to receive a cable and a first cutting surface positioned in the recess, wherein the recess is disposed between a first guiding surface and a second guiding surface, and the first guiding surface is affixed to a surface of the vehicle;
a second cutting apparatus separate from and attached to the first cutting apparatus at a pivot position located proximate to the recess and the second guiding surface of the first cutting apparatus, the second cutting apparatus comprising a cutter wheel having a plurality of second cutting surfaces forming a plurality of cutting teeth having a space between adjacent cutting teeth to receive the cable, the plurality of teeth arranged about the cutter wheel to cut the cable received in the space between the adjacent teeth, wherein the space between the adjacent cutting teeth is larger than the recess; and
wherein the pivot position is located behind a position in the recess that provides a minimum clearance between the plurality of first cutting surfaces in the recess and the cable, and the cutter wheel is configured to rotate around the pivot position in response to the cable contacting the cutter wheel such that the second cutting surface contacting the cable forces the cable into contact with the first cutting surface of the first cutting apparatus, and both the first cutting surface and the second cutting surface cut the cable received in the space.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the cutter wheel has a circumferential surface on which the plurality of cutting teeth comprise five or more pointed cutting teeth arranged equidistantly.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first cutting surface comprises a plurality of first cutting surfaces.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the second cutting apparatus comprises a first cutting member and a second cutting member arranged to pivot about an axis that is perpendicular to the first cutting apparatus.

5. The system of claim 4 , further comprising a spring member in an energized state connected to the first cutting member, the spring member to force the first cutting member and the second cutting member toward each other in response to the cable being received between the first cutting member and the second cutting member.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the first cutting member is arranged above the second cutting member and the spring member is connected to the second cutting member.

7. The system of claim 5 , wherein the spring member comprises a trigger structure to release the spring member from the energized state to a de-energized state.

8. The system of claim 4 , wherein the first cutting member and the second cutting member form a four bar mechanism with a first support bar and a second support bar to force the first cutting member and the second cutting member toward each other in response to the cable being received between the first cutting member and the second cutting member.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the second cutting apparatus comprises:
a first cutting member comprising a first cutting surface and a second cutting member comprising a second cutting surface, the first cutting surface and the second cutting surface to continuously move to cut the cable; and
a movement generator connected to the first cutting member and the second cutting member, the movement generator to continuously move the first cutting surface and the second cutting surface in response to receiving the cable between the first cutting member and the second cutting member.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the movement generator is a torsion spring or an electric motor.

11. The system of claim 9 , further comprising a sensor connected to the first cutting member, the sensor to provide a signal to the movement generator in response to receiving the cable between the first cutting member and the second cutting member.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the sensor comprises a piezoelectric device.

13. The system of claim 1 , wherein a cutting force exerted by the cutting teeth of the cutter wheel on the cable increases as an angle between the cutting force and a vertical line passing through the pivot position decreases.

14. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a detent connected to the cutter wheel, the detent configured to position the space between adjacent cutting teeth to receive a next cable and prevent a spike formed by the cutting teeth from protruding into an open space of the recess.

15. The system of claim 1 , wherein the second cutting surface contacting the cable traverses from outside of the recess proximate to the second guiding surface to outside of the recess proximate to the first guiding surface after the cable has been cut.

16. A cable cutting system for a vehicle comprising:
a first cutting apparatus comprising:
a recess to receive a cable, and
a first cutting surface positioned in the recess,
wherein the recess is disposed between a first guiding surface and a second guiding surface, and the first guiding surface is affixed to a surface of the vehicle;

a second cutting apparatus separate from and attached to the first cutting apparatus at a pivot position located above the recess of the first cutting apparatus, the second cutting apparatus comprising a cutter wheel having a plurality of second cutting surfaces forming five or more pointed cutting teeth arranged equidistantly having a space between adjacent cutting teeth to receive the cable, the plurality of teeth arranged about the cutter wheel to cut the cable received in the space between the adjacent cutting teeth, wherein the space between the adjacent cutting teeth is larger than the recess; and
wherein the cutter wheel is configured to rotate around the pivot position in response to the cable contacting the cutter wheel such that the second cutting surface contacting the cable forces the cable downward into contact with the first cutting surface, and both the first cutting surface and the second cutting surface cut the cable received in the space, the pivot position being located behind a position in the recess that provides a minimum clearance between the first cutting surface in the recess and the cable, wherein a cutting force exerted by the cutting teeth of the cutter wheel on the cable increases as an angle between the cutting force and a vertical line passing through the pivot position decreases.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the second cutting apparatus comprises:
a first cutting member;
a second cutting member that includes the second cutting surface arranged to pivot about an axis that is perpendicular to the first cutting apparatus; and
a spring member in an energized state connected to the first cutting member, the spring member to force the first cutting member and the second cutting member toward each other in response to the cable being received between the first cutting member and the second cutting member.

18. The system of claim 16 , wherein the second cutting apparatus comprises:
a first cutting member comprising a first cutting surface and a second cutting member comprising the second cutting surface, the first cutting surface and the second cutting surface to continuously move to cut the cable; and
a movement generator connected to the first cutting member and the second cutting member, the movement generator to continuously move the first cutting surface and the second cutting surface in response to receiving the cable between the first cuttin

Assignees

• Bell Helicopter Textron Inc

Inventors

• Smith Michael
• Tho Cheng-Ho
• Marimuthu Anand Kumar

Classifications

• B26D2001/006

  the cutting blade having a special shape, e.g. a special outline, serrations · CPC title

• B64C27/006 Primary

  Safety devices · CPC title

• B26D1/12

  having a cutting member moving about an axis (B26D1/547 takes precedence; cup or like cutting members B26D1/44) · CPC title

• B26D2001/0066

  having shearing means, e.g. shearing blades, abutting blades · CPC title

• B26D1/25

  with a non-circular cutting member · CPC title