LAMINA CUTTER WITH DISPOSABLE GUARD
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A safety cutter for cutting a lamina which comprises:
- a handle having a first surface and an opposite substantially parallel second surface, a proximal end and a distal end, and a first edge and a second edge extending between the surfaces and between the ends, said handle forming a groove positioned between said first surface and said second surface adjacent the distal end and extending from the first edge toward the second edge;
a guarded blade including a planar blade member permanently bonded to a guard member, with said blade member having a top surface and a bottom surface with a substantially uniform distance “
u”
therebetween, and said blade member having a first side edge and a second side edge opposite thereto, with a cutting edge and a distal edge respectively extending between the first and second edges, and with said guard member having a first edge, wherein said guard member is bonded directly to the first side edge of said blade member; and
means for detachably connecting the second side edge of the blade member to the groove in the handle to hold said blade member in a channel having a width “
w”
greater than zero between said handle and said guard member, wherein the channel extends between the cutting edge and the distal edge of said blade member, with said top surface and said bottom surface of said blade member being exposed in the channel from the cutting edge to the distal edge.
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Abstract
A lamina cutter includes a handle with opposite parallel surfaces, proximal and distal ends, and edges that extend between the surfaces and between the ends. Further, the handle forms a groove positioned between the surfaces adjacent the distal end. Also, the lamina cutter includes a plurality of disposable guarded blades. Each guarded blade includes a planar blade member permanently bonded to a guard member. Specifically, each blade member has opposite side edges, with one side edge mounted within, and bonded to the guard member. Further, the opposite side edge of the blade is received within, and detachably connected to, the groove of the handle.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A safety cutter for cutting a lamina which comprises:
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a handle having a first surface and an opposite substantially parallel second surface, a proximal end and a distal end, and a first edge and a second edge extending between the surfaces and between the ends, said handle forming a groove positioned between said first surface and said second surface adjacent the distal end and extending from the first edge toward the second edge;
a guarded blade including a planar blade member permanently bonded to a guard member, with said blade member having a top surface and a bottom surface with a substantially uniform distance “
u”
therebetween, and said blade member having a first side edge and a second side edge opposite thereto, with a cutting edge and a distal edge respectively extending between the first and second edges, and with said guard member having a first edge, wherein said guard member is bonded directly to the first side edge of said blade member; and
means for detachably connecting the second side edge of the blade member to the groove in the handle to hold said blade member in a channel having a width “
w”
greater than zero between said handle and said guard member, wherein the channel extends between the cutting edge and the distal edge of said blade member, with said top surface and said bottom surface of said blade member being exposed in the channel from the cutting edge to the distal edge. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for manufacturing a safety cutter for cutting a lamina which comprises the steps of:
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forming a handle having a first surface and an opposite substantially parallel second surface, a proximal end and a distal end, and a first edge and a second edge extending between the surfaces and between the ends, said handle forming a groove positioned between said first surface and said second surface adjacent the distal end and extending from the first edge toward the second edge;
creating a guarded blade including a planar blade member permanently bonded to a guard member, with said blade member having a top surface and a bottom surface with a substantially uniform distance “
u”
therebetween, and said blade member having a first side edge and a second side edge opposite thereto, with a cutting edge and a distal edge respectively extending between the first and second edges, and with said guard member having a first edge, wherein said guard member is bonded directly to the first side edge of said blade member; and
detachably connecting the second side edge of the blade member to the groove in the handle to hold said blade member in a channel having a width “
w”
greater than zero between said handle and said guard member, wherein the channel extends between the cutting edge and the distal edge of said blade member, with said top surface and said bottom surface of said blade member being exposed in the channel from the cutting edge to the distal edge. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for cutting laminae with a safety cutter which comprises the steps of:
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providing a safety cutter comprising a handle having a first surface and an opposite substantially parallel second surface, a proximal end and a distal end, and a first edge and a second edge extending between the surfaces and between the ends, said handle forming a groove positioned between said first surface and said second surface adjacent the distal end and extending from the first edge toward the second edge;
a plurality of guarded blades, with each guarded blade including a planar blade member permanently bonded to a guard member, with said blade member having a top surface and a bottom surface with a substantially uniform distance “
u”
therebetween, and said blade member having a first side edge and a second side edge opposite thereto, with a cutting edge and a distal edge respectively extending between the first and second edges, and with said guard member having a first edge, wherein said guard member is bonded directly to the first side edge of said blade member;
selecting a guarded blade;
connecting the second side edge of the blade member of the selected guarded blade to the groove in the handle to hold said blade member in a channel having a width “
w”
greater than zero between said handle and said guard member, wherein the channel extends between the cutting edge and the distal edge of said blade member, with said top surface and said bottom surface of said blade member being exposed in the channel from the cutting edge to the distal edge;
gripping the proximal end of the handle;
positioning a lamina adjacent the cutting edge of the blade member;
pulling the proximal end of the handle away from the distal end of the handle to advance the lamina through the channel and against the cutting edge to cut the lamina;
disconnecting the second side edge of the blade member of the selected guarded blade from the groove in the handle;
selecting another guarded blade; and
repeating the connecting, gripping, positioning, pulling and disconnecting steps for each selected guarded blade. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification