Cutting device with actuating mechansim

• US 8,171,647 B2
• Filed: 07/27/2007
• Issued: 05/08/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Gullicks, Scott D., Mueller, Gerald E., Packard, Joy A., Pearson, Scott D.
• Primary Examiner(s): LANDRUM, EDWARD F
• Application Number:
  US11/829,242
• Publication Number:
  US 20080040932A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,747 Days
• Field of Search: 30/2, 302/78, 302/80, 302/86, 30289-291, 302/94, 302/95, 303/14, 303/17, 836/14, 835/66, 835/68, 839/16, D8/98, D81/02
• US Class Current: 30/294
• CPC Class Codes: B26B 11/00 Hand knives combined with other implements, e.g. with corkscrew, with scissors, with writing implement combined table-ware A47G21/06
• CPC Class Codes: B26B 29/02 Guards or sheaths for knives
• CPC Class Codes: B26B 3/00 Hand knives with fixed blades handles, attaching the handles B25G
• CPC Class Codes: B26D 5/02 Means for moving the cutting member into its operative position for cutting
• CPC Class Codes: B26D 7/015 for sheet material or piles of sheets B26D7/018 and B26D7/02 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/0572 Plural cutting steps effect progressive cut

Abstract

A device for cutting media is provided. The device includes a cover having a sidewall extending therefrom; a guide disposed substantially beneath the cover and comprising a blade; an actuating mechanism disposed in at least one of the cover and the guide; and an actuating wall disposed between the cover and the guide. Engagement of the actuating mechanism creates a cutting action between the blade and the actuating wall.

Claims

1. A device for cutting media comprising:

a cover having a sidewall extending therefrom and the cover having a top surface, an exposed end, an inner surface opposite the top surface, and an aperture having a continuous perimeter extending through the top surface of the cover;

a guide disposed from the inner surface of the cover and comprising a blade and a guide surface facing the inner surface, wherein;

the guide surface is spaced from and faces the inner surface to define a gap open at the exposed end for receiving media to be cut,

the blade forms a cutting edge having a length between opposing leading and trailing regions, the length being greater than a width of the cutting edge, and the leading region proximate to and the trailing region distal to the exposed end, and

the cutting edge projects from the guide surface and across a portion of the gap, with the leading region being located at the guide surface and the trailing region being transversely spaced from the guide surface in a direction of the inner surface such that a linear distance between the cutting edge and the guide surface in the direction of the inner surface increases from the leading region to the trailing region

with reference to the cutting edge, the sidewall has a media contact point that is disposed away from the trailing edge in the direction of the leading edge;

an actuating mechanism disposed in the aperture in the cover, and wherein one end of the actuating mechanism forms a contact region at the top surface of the cover; and

an actuating wall disposed between the cover and the guide;

wherein upon engagement of the actuating mechanism, the actuating wall moves substantially parallel to the y-axis-when the origin of a Cartesian coordinate system coincides with the leading edge of the cutting edge and the x-z plane lies substantially coplanar with the top surface of the guide; and

wherein the device is configured such that as the device slides into media during use, the cutting edge and the media contact point on the sidewall deform the media in the area of the media that is presented to the cutting edge.

2. The device of claim 1 further comprising a handle extending from a rear end of the cover and a rear end of the guide.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the actuating wall includes opposing first and second ends, the first end proximate to and the second end distal to the exposed end of the cover, and wherein the aperture is sized for the actuating wall.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the actuating wall includes a slit creating two arms that straddle the blade when the actuating mechanism is in use.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein each of the arms is flexible and includes a curved portion disposed proximate to the blade when the actuating mechanism engaged.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the actuating mechanism is made from a material selected from the group consisting of metals, polymers, ceramics, wood, and combinations thereof.

7. A method of cutting media comprising the steps of:

providing a cutting device of claim 1;

bringing the media and the device into contact such that the media is disposed between the cover and the guide; and

engaging the actuating mechanism to clip the media.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein after the media has been clipped, the method further includes the step of cutting the media by a zipping-type cutting action.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the clipping and zipping cutting steps are repeated.