Circular blade unit

• US 6,675,689 B2
• Filed: 02/26/2001
• Issued: 01/13/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Haramaki Holdings Limited
• Original Assignee: The Antioch Company
• Inventors: Reardon, James W., Cai, Erhua, Núnez, Carmen Lira
• Primary Examiner(s): Ashley, Boyer D.
• Application Number:
  US09/793,198
• Publication Number:
  US 20030154835A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,051 Days
• Field of Search: 835/65, 835/74, 835/78, 837/45, 836/14, 835/44, 834/78, 834/85, 834/55, 834/56, 303/19, 302/92, 303/07, 301/62, 301/51, 303/91, 305/14, 302/94, D 8/98
• US Class Current: 83/745
• CPC Class Codes: B26B 25/007 Operable only in combination with guiding means, e.g. paper cutters
• CPC Class Codes: B26B 29/06 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 Class Codes: B26D 1/0006 Cutting members therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B26D 1/185 for thin material, e.g. for sheets, strips or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B26D 2001/0046 rotating continuously about an axis perpendicular to the edge
• CPC Class Codes: B26D 2001/006 the cutting blade having a special shape, e.g. a special outline, serrations
• CPC Class Codes: B26D 3/10 Making cuts of other than simple rectilinear form cutting-out B26F
• CPC Class Codes: B26D 7/0006 Means for guiding the cutter for hand knives B26B29/06; for band-knives B26D1/54
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/68 Entirely work supported
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/7763 Tool carrier reciprocable rectilinearly
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/872 With guard means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/875 With templet surface following tool
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/8822 Edge-to-edge of sheet or web [e.g., traveling cutter]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/9464 For rotary tool

Abstract

A blade unit for cutting sheet material including a base member assembly mounting a circular blade and a cover member for detachable engagement with the base member assembly. The base member assembly includes a supporting wall having a circular upper edge and a guard flange extending around the circular upper edge and protecting a portion of an outer edge of the blade from contact. The base member assembly is further provided with a straight bottom edge and a portion of the blade extends below the bottom edge to define an exposed cutting edge for the blade. An elongated guide structure tab extends from the bottom edge parallel to and adjacent the exposed portion of the blade for guiding the blade unit along a slot in a guide template. The cover member is positionable in engagement with the base member assembly in a first, use position wherein a cavity of the cover member receives a portion of the base member assembly with the exposed portion of the blade located extending away from the cavity of the cover member. In a second position of the cover member relative to the base member assembly, the exposed portion of the blade is located within the cavity of the cover member to provide a protective cover over the exposed portion of the blade.

Claims

1. A blade unit for cutting sheet material, said blade unit comprising:

a base member including a supporting wall having a generally planar side and defining a substantially circular upper edge;

an aperture extending through said supporting wall at a diametrical center of said supporting wall with reference to said substantially circular upper edge;

an axis pin extending through said aperture, said axis pin including a flat portion for cooperating with a flat portion of aid aperture to prevent rotation of said axis pin in said aperture;

a circular bearing ridge extending axially from said planar side of said supporting wall;

said substantially circular upper edge of said supporting wall including terminal lower edges;

said supporting wall including a straight bottom edge extending between said terminal lower edges;

a circular cutting blade supported for rotation on said axis pin, said blade including an exposed portion extending past said bottom edge of said supporting wall;

an elongated guide structure extending downwardly from said bottom edge of said supporting wall for engagement in guide slot of a cutting template for guiding movement of the blade unit;

a guard flange extending around aid substantially circular upper edge of said supporting wall and protruding axially form said planar side of said supporting wall;

a pair of elongated latching ridges protruding radially to a predetermined height from said guard flange at diametrically opposite locations;

a plurality of elongated gripping ridges protruding radially from said guard flange to a height less than the height of said latching ridges, and located adjacent each of said latching ridges;

a cover member including generally semi-circular front and rear walls;

an arcuate top edge wall extending between said front and rear walls of said cover member to define a cavity bounded by said top edge wall and said front and rear walls;

a pair of slots defined on inner surfaces of said top edge wall at diametrically opposed locations on said cover member for receiving said latching ridges of said base member;

a plurality of elongated gripping ridges protruding radially from, an outer surface of said top edge wall and located at diametrically opposed locations adjacent the locations of said slots on said cover member; and

wherein said base member is positionable in engagement within said cover member in first and second positions, said first position comprising said latching ridges located in engagement with side slots and said exposed portion of said blade located extending away from said cavity, and said second position comprising said latching ridges located in engagement with said slots and said exposed portion of said blade located into said cavity.