Cutting tool and method of operating same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9902519-B2
Application number	US-201514876317-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 6, 2015
Priority date	Dec 6, 2011
Publication date	Feb 27, 2018
Grant date	Feb 27, 2018

Abstract

A cutting tool and method of operating cutting tool. The tool includes a support having a first side and a second side. The tool further includes a handle coupled to at least one of the first side and the second side. The handle includes a blade, wherein the handle is configured to move the blade between a first position and a second position. An alignment guide is coupled to the support. The alignment guide includes a channel configured to receive the blade positioned in the second position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of operating a cutting tool to cut a tie wrap bound about at least one wire, the method comprising:
applying an outer surface of a guide member of the cutting tool to the at least one wire such that the tie wrap is positioned in a groove defined in and open to the outer surface and such that the outer surface contacts the at least one wire and maintains the at least one wire away from the tie wrap, wherein the outer surface of the guide member is concavely curved about a central axis to facilitate coupling at least a portion of the outer surface to a curved workpiece surface;
positioning a portion of the tie wrap within a channel of the guide member, the channel in flow communication with, and oriented substantially perpendicular to, the groove;
moving a blade of the cutting tool into the channel; and
at least partially cutting the tie wrap with the blade as the blade moves into the channel.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein applying the outer surface of the guide member to the at least one wire comprises positioning the groove of the guide member parallel to a longitudinal axis of the tie wrap.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the groove is defined by a pair of opposing sidewalls each having a length substantially perpendicular to the outer surface, and wherein applying the outer surface of the guide member to the at least one wire further comprises positioning the tie wrap at a pre-determined depth with respect to the blade within the channel, the pre-determined depth corresponding to the length of the opposing sidewalls.

4. The method according to claim 1 wherein the outer surface is a second outer surface of the guide member, the guide member further comprising a first outer surface opposing the second outer surface.

5. The method according to claim 1 wherein:
the channel includes a pair of opposing channel sides extending between a first end and a second end along a longitudinal axis of the channel,
the outer surface is a second outer surface of the guide member, the guide member further comprising a first outer surface opposing the second outer surface, and the groove is defined by a pair of opposing sidewalls that each extend in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and an end wall extending between the opposing sidewalls, and
positioning the portion of the tie wrap within the channel comprises contacting the end wall of the groove against the tie wrap.

6. The method according to claim 5 wherein moving the blade of the cutting tool into the channel comprises moving the blade into the groove.

7. The method according to claim 6 wherein contacting the groove against the tie wrap comprises positioning the opposing sidewalls of the groove parallel to a longitudinal axis of the tie wrap.

8. The method according to claim 7 wherein at least partially cutting the tie wrap with the blade as the blade moves into the channel comprises at least partially cutting the tie wrap along a lateral axis of the tie wrap.

9. The method according to claim 1 wherein the blade is coupled to a handle of the cutting tool, and wherein moving the blade of the tool into the channel comprises moving the handle relative to the guide member.

10. The method according to claim 9 wherein a support is coupled between the handle and the guide member, and wherein moving the handle relative to the guide member further comprises moving the handle relative to the support.

11. The method according claim 10 wherein moving the handle relative to the support comprises rotating the handle relative to the support.

12. The method according to claim 10 wherein:
the outer surface is a second outer surface of the guide member, the guide member further comprising a first outer surface opposing the second outer surface, and
the support is coupled to the first outer surface.

13. The method according to claim 12 wherein:
the channel includes a pair of opposing channel sides extending between a first end and a second end along a longitudinal axis of the channel,
the groove is defined by a pair of opposing sidewalls that each extend in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and an end wall extending between the opposing sidewalls, and
positioning the portion of the tie wrap within the channel comprises contacting the end wall of the groove against the tie wrap.

14. The method according to claim 13 wherein moving the blade of the tool into the channel comprises moving the blade into the groove.

15. The method according to claim 14 wherein contacting the end wall of the groove against the tie wrap comprises positioning the opposing sidewalls of the groove parallel to a longitudinal axis of the tie wrap.

16. The method according to claim 15 wherein at least partially cutting the tie wrap with the blade as the blade moves into the channel comprises at least partially cutting the tie wrap along a lateral axis of the tie wrap.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Wright David Scott
• Anderson Christine Mary
• Backman Curt
• Coffland Donald Wayne
• Ayers Aaron Robert
• Young Donald Richard

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

• B65B25/00

  Packaging other articles presenting special problems (bundling B65B27/00) · CPC title

• B26B25/005

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

• Y10T83/04

  Processes · CPC title

• B65B27/10

  Bundling rods, sticks, or like elongated objects · CPC title