Abstract:
A cutting apparatus for cutting a corner from sheet material to a selectable profile. In one set of embodiments, the cutting apparatus comprises a cutting assembly that includes a cutting element having a plurality of cutting profiles wherein each cutting profile may have a unique profile. The cutting assembly is configured such that an active cutting profile is selectable from the plurality of cutting profiles available on the cutting element. Engagement of the active cutting profile with one or more pieces of sheet material cuts a corner from the sheet material to a profile indicative of the active cutting profile. Cutting profiles may include curves having a uniform or variable radius of curvature and other forms appropriate for cutting a corner of sheet material.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates generally to the field of devices to cut sheet material. More particularly the present invention relates to devices for cutting the corners from sheet material. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    This section is intended to provide a background or context to the invention that is recited in the claims. The description herein may include concepts that could be pursued, but are not necessarily ones that have been previously conceived or pursued. Therefore, unless otherwise indicated herein, what is described in this section is not prior art to the description and claims in this application and is not admitted to be prior art by inclusion in this section. 
         [0003]    Various conventional systems for cutting a corner from sheet material are known. Some such systems provide for a corner cutting system comprising at least one moveable cutting element configured to cut a corner from a sheet of material. The cutting element is generally coupled to a handle or other member for operation of the cutting element. The handle may be biased with respect to a base structure that is configured to accept the sheet material and the cutting element. Some such systems allow for the disassembly of the cutting element from the system and installation of a different cutting element, while other systems include multiple cutting elements and a base, with multiple corresponding cutting areas preconfigured to accept the cutting elements. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    Various embodiments of the present invention comprise systems and methods for cutting a corner from one or more pieces of sheet material. Embodiments of the system are configurable such that corners of sheet material may be cut to multiple unique profiles. 
         [0005]    In one set of embodiments, a cutting apparatus comprises a cutting assembly that includes a cutting element having a plurality of cutting profiles, wherein each cutting profile may have a unique profile. The cutting assembly is operatively coupled to at least one of a pair of operatively coupled handles. The cutting assembly is configured such that an active cutting profile is selectable from the plurality of cutting profiles available on a cutting element. A selection tab operatively coupled to the cutting assembly may be provided for selection of the active cutting profile. The selection tab may be configured such that it can be orientated in a secured orientation, where the selection tab is at least partially received in one of the handles, or in an unsecured orientation, where the selection tab is at least partially elevated away from the handle for efficient operation. In the unsecured orientation, the active cutting profile may be selected by operation of the selection tab. In the secured orientation, the active cutting profile is substantially constrained for cutting operations. By compressing the operatively coupled handles, the active cutting profile engages and cuts a corner from the one or more pieces of sheet material to a profile indicative of the active cutting profile. Cutting assemblies may include a plurality of cutting profiles having unique profiles, such as curves having a uniform or variable radius of curvature appropriate for cutting a corner from sheet material. 
         [0006]    Embodiments of the present invention permit a corner having a selected profile to be cut from sheet material. A convenient flip-up selection tab may be provided to permit selection of the active cutting profile from a plurality of cutting profiles available on the corner cutter. The flip-up tab also ensures that the active cutting profile is properly aligned with the material to be cut and further secures the active cutting profile with respect to the handles of the corner cutter during cutting operations. By providing a plurality of cutting profiles that are conveniently selectable, an efficient apparatus for cutting a corner from sheet material is provided. 
         [0007]    These and other advantages and features of the invention, together with the organization and manner of operation thereof, will become apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like elements have like numerals throughout the several drawings described below. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]      FIG. 1  is a top perspective view of one embodiment of the present invention, showing a top handle, a bottom handle, a cutting assembly, and selection tab; 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is a bottom perspective view of the corner cutter of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is an exploded view of the corner cutter of  FIG. 1 , showing components of the corner cutter including a cutting element, an upper collar, and a rotator; 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  is a bottom perspective view with a piece of sheet material inserted in the corner cutter of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0012]      FIG. 5A  is a detailed bottom perspective view of the cutting element of  FIG. 3 ; 
           [0013]      FIG. 5B  is a detailed top perspective view of the cutting element of  FIG. 3 ; 
           [0014]      FIG. 6A  is a detailed bottom perspective view of the upper collar of  FIG. 3 ; 
           [0015]      FIG. 6B  is a detailed top perspective view of the upper collar of  FIG. 3 ; 
           [0016]      FIG. 7  is an end view of the corner cutter of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0017]      FIG. 8A  is a detailed bottom perspective view of the rotator of  FIG. 3 ; and 
           [0018]      FIG. 8B  is a detailed top perspective view of the rotator of  FIG. 3 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0019]      FIG. 1  illustrates a corner cutter  10  constructed in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The corner cutter  10  comprises a top handle  100  operatively coupled to a bottom handle  200  at a hinge  130 . The cutting system may further comprise a cutting assembly  400  operatively coupled to the top handle  100 . The cutter assembly may further be selectively orientated with respect to the top handle  100  by operation of a selection tab  140 . 
         [0020]    In the embodiment of  FIG. 1 , the top handle  100  generally comprises an elongated member including a top member  110  and an upper side member  120  extending downward from the top member  110 . The upper side member is disposed about at least a portion of the perimeter of the top member  110 . As seen in  FIG. 3 , the upper side member  120  includes a pair of coaxial holes  330  disposed at the location of the hinge  130 . The bottom handle  200  has a substantially similar configuration to that of the of the top handle  100  and generally comprises an elongated member including a bottom member  210  and a lower side member  220  extending upward from the bottom member  210 . The lower side member is disposed about at least a portion of the perimeter of the bottom member  210 . The lower side member  200  includes a pair of coaxial axle portions  230  disposed at the location of the hinge  130 . The pair of coaxial holes  330  of the upper handle are configured to operatively align with the corresponding pair of axle portions  230  to rotatably couple the top handle  100  and the bottom handle  200 . Application of a compressive load on the top handle  100  and the bottom handle  200  decreases the distance between a leading edge  170  of the top handle  100  and a leading edge  270  of the bottom handle  200 . 
         [0021]    As seen in  FIG. 3 , a bottom surface  310  disposed on the underside of the top member  110  and a medial surface  320  disposed on the interior of the upper side member  120  partially form a region  340  on the underside of the top handle  100 . The cutting assembly  400  is partially contained within the region  340 . The cutting assembly  400  is coupled to the top handle, with a bracket  360  and one or more fasteners  355 . Alternatively, the cutting assembly  400  can be coupled to the top handle  100  by other methods of securement known in the art. One or more fasteners  355  may further secure a material guide  350  to the cutting assembly  400  and the top handle  100 . The material guide  350  is disposed partially within the region  340  and comprises a raised surface  356 , a guide slot  352 , and a first material stop  358 . As seen in  FIG. 2 , the guide slot  352  is configured to accept one or more sheets of material to be cut in the corner cutter  10 . A piece of material  50  is slid under the raised surface  356  up to the first material stop  358 . As seen in  FIG. 4 , the material  50  is further orientated by positioning the material such that it abuts a second material stop  124  disposed on the upper side member  120 . Optionally, positioning indicia  354  may be included on the material guide  350  to guide orientation of the material with respect to the corner cutter  10 . 
         [0022]      FIG. 3  illustrates an embodiment of the corner cutter  10  with the components of the cutting assembly  400 . The cutting assembly  400  comprises a lower collar  410 , a cutting die  420 , one or more biasing members  430 , an upper collar  440 , and a rotator  480 . The cutting die  420  is slidingly constrained within a housing formed by the lower collar  410  and the upper collar  440 . The lower collar  410  is secured to the upper collar  440  by one or more fasteners  405  passing through one or more corresponding holes  412  disposed in the lower collar  410  and threadedly engaging one or more corresponding bosses  442  disposed on the upper collar  440 . The one or more biasing members  430  are positioned between and are operatively coupled to the upper collar  440  and the cutting die  420  such that the one or more biasing members  430  assert a substantially normal biasing force on the cutting die  420 , biasing the cutting die  420  toward the lower collar  410 . The upper collar  440  and the cutting die  420  may further include one or more biasing member retaining protrusions  428  configured to operatively couple to and assist in maintaining the orientation of the corresponding one or more biasing members  430 . The height of the biasing member retaining protrusions  428  may be configured to limit translation of the cutting die  420  between the lower collar  410  and the upper collar  440  to prevent over compression of the biasing members  430 . 
         [0023]    In the embodiment illustrated in  FIGS. 5A and 5B , the cutting die  420  comprises a bottom surface  510  and a top surface  520 . A cutting element  530  is disposed on the top surface  520  and extends upwardly from the top surface  520  and is configured with one or more cutting profiles. In the embodiment of  FIG. 5A , a first cutting profile  532  and a second cutting profile  534  are orientated on the cutting element  530  about 180 degrees from each other. However, other configurations of the cutting die  420  and the cutting element  530  may be constructed. For example, an embodiment of the cutting element  530  could be constructed with four cutting profiles, each cutting profile located about 90 degrees from an adjacent cutting profile. Also, the cutting die  420  could be constructed with more than one cutting element  530 , each including one or more cutting profiles. Each cutting profile may have a unique profile. In the embodiment of  FIG. 5A , the first cutting profile  532  is configured with a profile having a particular radius of curvature, and the second cutting profile  534  is configured with a profile having a lesser radius of curvature than that of the first cutting profile  532 . Numerous configurations of the cutting profiles may be constructed having greater or lesser radii of curvature than illustrated or having alternative profiles, including, but not limited to, linear, elliptical, parabolic, corrugated, or other profiles desirable for cutting a corner from sheet material. The cutting patterns may also comprise more irregular shapes, resulting in a wide variety of potential patterns. 
         [0024]    As shown in  FIG. 3 , the lower collar  410  includes a through hole  416  that provides access to the bottom surface  510  of the cutting die  420 . As seen in  FIG. 7 , the bottom handle  200  includes an actuating probe  250  extending upwardly from an inner surface  212  of the bottom member  210  of the bottom handle  200 . The actuating probe  250  engages the bottom surface  510  of the cutting die  420  when a compressive load is applied to the top handle  100  and the bottom handle  200 . Further compression of the top handle  100  and the bottom handle  200  results in application of a substantially normal force to the bottom surface  510 . Upon sufficient compressive load to the top handle  100  and the bottom handle  200 , the biasing force of the biasing members  430  is overcome, compressing the biasing members  430  and translating the cutting die  420  toward the upper collar  440 . Reduction of the compressive load from the top handle  100  and the bottom handle  200  results in the one or more biasing members  430  acting with the biasing force on the cutting die  420  to translate the cutting die  420  and the actuating probe  250  back toward to their respective initial positions. The one or more biasing members  430  are selected to provide sufficient biasing force to actuate the return of the cutting die  420  to its initial position and to return the top handle  100  and the bottom handle  200  to an open orientation with release of the compressive load. The one or more biasing members  430  are also selected to provide for comfortable operation so that a reasonable load applied by a user to the top handle  100  and the bottom handle  200  actuates the cutting die  420  to cut the corner from the sheet material  50 . Coil springs may be used as the biasing members  430  in a particular embodiment. In other embodiments, alternative biasing structures known in the art may be used as the biasing members. 
         [0025]      FIGS. 6A and 6B  show an embodiment of the upper collar  440  in detail. The upper collar  440  includes a opening  441  that permits passage of the cutting element  530  during operation. As shown, the opening  441  has a substantially similar shape to that of the cutting element  530  but is slightly larger to permit sufficient clearance for the passage of the cutting element  530 . Correlation of the shape and size of the opening  441  to the cutting element  530  enhances the cutting efficacy of the corner cutter  10 . The upper collar  440  also includes one or more material slots  444  disposed around the perimeter of the upper collar  440  and configured for sliding the material  50  into the upper collar  440  for cutting. The location of the one or more material slots  444  correspond to the configuration of the cutting element  530 . For example, for the embodiment of the cutting element depicted in  FIG. 5A , the one or more material slots  444  are configured for access by the material  50  to the first cutting profile  532  and to the second cutting profile  534 . 
         [0026]      FIG. 3  shows an assembly comprising the lower collar  410 , the cutting die  420 , and the upper collar  440 , which is coupled to the rotator  480 , and thereby forming the cutting assembly  400 . The rotator  480  is operatively coupled to the top handle  100  and retained by the bracket  360 . The bracket  360  is secured to the top handle  100  with the fasteners  355  or by other methods of securement known in the art. The bracket  360  permits rotation of the rotator  480  within the top handle  100  and the cutting assembly  400  about an axis substantially normal to a plane defined by the material  50  inserted into the corner cutter  10 , as shown in  FIG. 4 . The cutting assembly  400  is rotated with respect to the top handle  100  to align the cutting element  530  such that a cutting profile of the cutting element  530 , such as the first cutting profile  532  or the second cutting profile  534 , is substantially aligned in relation to the first material stop  358  and the second material stop  124  and a corner of the material  50 . 
         [0027]    The cutting assembly  400  may also be configured such that it is disengageable from the top handle  100  and interchanged with a new cutting assembly  400 . Interchange of the cutting assembly permits replacement of the cutting element  530  if it is worn or insertion of a cutting assembly  400  with different cutting profiles. Alternatively, the cutting assembly  400  may also be configured such that the cutting element  530  is interchangeable instead of the whole of the cutting assembly  400 . Interchange of the cutting element  530  offers the same advantages of interchange of the cutting assembly  400  in a potentially more economical manner. 
         [0028]    As depicted in  FIG. 5A , the cutting die  420  includes the cutting element  530  having a first cutting profile  532  and a second cutting profile  534 , the cutting assembly  400  is configured to be orientated with respect to the top handle  100  in a first orientation corresponding to use of the first cutting profile  532  and a second orientation corresponding to use of the second cutting profile  534 . The cutting profile orientated for use is the active cutting profile. In this embodiment, the first orientation is disposed about 180 degrees from the second orientation. The cutting assembly  400  is capable of a full 360 degree rotation or is alternatively limited to a rotation of about 180 degrees, with respect to the top handle  100  to achieve the first and second orientations. A selection tab  140  may be operatively coupled to the cutting assembly  400  to facilitate rotation of the cutting assembly  400 . 
         [0029]    As shown in  FIG. 3 , the selection tab  140  is operatively coupled to the rotator  480  by an axle  148  partially residing within a through hole  145  in the selection tab  140 . As seen in  FIGS. 8A and 8B , a pair of coaxial holes  488  are provided in the rotator  480  and are configured to slidingly accept the axle  148 . In this configuration, the selection tab  140  is deployed by rotating the selection tab  140  outwardly from a lowered secured position away from the top handle  100  about the axle  148 . The selection tab  140  is readily graspable by a user in the deployed unsecured position to assist in the rotation of the cutting assembly  400 . As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the top member  110  may be configured with a tab recess  112  to at least partial accommodate the selection tab  140  in the top handle  100  when the selection tab  140  is in the secured position. When rotating the cutting assembly  400 , proper orientation of the of the cutting assembly  400  in the first or the second orientation is readily achieved by aligning the selection tab  140  with the tab recess  112 . One or more detents may also be used to secure the cutting assembly  400  in a proper position. Additionally, by lowering the selection tab  140  into the tab recess  112 , the selection tab  140  may be substantially secured, thereby locking the rotational position of the cutting assembly and the active cutting profile, in the desired orientation for cutting operations. An access recess  115  may be disposed on the top member  110  proximate to the tab recess  112  to facilitate access to the selection tab  140  when in the lowered position. Indicia representative of the cutting profiles may be included on the selection tab  140  and/or the cutting assembly  400  to readily indicate to the user the active cutting profile. 
         [0030]    Material is cut with the corner cutter  10  by first selecting the active cutting profile from the available cutting profiles of the cutting element  530 . If the cutting assembly  400  is orientated in the top handle  100  such that the desired cutting profile is not the active cutting profile, then the cutting assembly  400  is rotated until the desired cutting profile is positioned for use as the active cutting profile. Rotation of the cutting assembly  400  is accomplished by lifting the selection tab  140  from the secured position in the tab recess  112  to the unsecured position and then rotating the selection tab  140  until the cutting assembly  400  obtains the desired position. The rotational position of the cutting assembly  400  is maintained by lowering the selection tab  140  back into the tab recess  112 . Next, the material  50  to be cut is orientated in the corner cutter  10 , as shown in  FIG. 4 . Orientation of the material  50  is achieved by inserting a corner of the material  50  into the material slot  444  a first edge  52  of the material  50  into the guide slot  352  and under the raised surface  356  until the first edge  52  abuts the first material stop  358  and a second edge  54  of the material  50  abuts the second material stop  124 . Next, a compressive load is gradually applied to the top handle  100  and the bottom handle  200  thereby reducing the distance between the leading edge  170  of the top handle  100  and the leading edge  270  of the bottom handle  200 . Simultaneously, the actuating probe  250  engages the bottom surface  510  of the cutting die  420  and translates the cutting die  420  toward the material  50  captured in the upper collar  440 . In translating the cutting die  420 , the active cutting profile of the cutting element  530  impinges the material  50 , thereby cutting the corner from the material  50  to the profile of the active cutting profile. The compressive load is then gradually removed from the top handle  100  and the bottom handle  200 , allowing the biasing force of the one or more biasing members  430  to act on the cutting die  420  and translate the cutting die  420  back toward the lower collar  410 . Simultaneously, the distance between the leading edge  170  of the top handle  100  and the leading edge  270  of the bottom handle  200  is increased. The material  50 , having been cut, is then removed from the corner cutter  10 . The process, as described immediately above, may be repeated to cut remaining corners of the material  50  or additional material. 
         [0031]    Embodiments of the present invention are particularly useful for rounding the corners of paper materials. However, one skilled in the art will appreciate that the present invention is not limited to the rounding of corners but may be employed to cut a variety of shapes in paper and other relatively thin sheet materials, including fabrics, polymer and rubber type materials, metals, and woods. Additionally, it will be appreciated that multiple layers of the same or different materials may be cut simultaneously using the present invention. 
         [0032]    The foregoing description of embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the present invention to the precise form disclosed, and modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings or may be acquired from practice of the present invention. The embodiments were chosen and described to explain the principles of the present invention and its practical application to enable one skilled in the art to utilize the present invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.