Abstract:
A cutting tool for cutting building materials, such as vinyl and PVC flooring, in a straight and predicable manner using an arc cutting motion. The cutting tool utilize a cam to force a pivot connected blade holder with a blade downward through a piece of building material placed under the blade.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    This invention relates to a cutting tool for cutting building materials, for example vinyl or polyvinyl chloride (PVC) flooring. More specifically, this invention relates to a cutting tool including a base with a pair of support supporting a cam rotatably connected to the pair of supports and a blade holder with a blade, the blade holder pivotally connected to the pair of supports to move in an arc and movable downward by rotating the cam. 
         [0003]    2. Discussion of Related Art 
         [0004]    Various tools are currently used to cut building materials, however most are bulky, heavy, require power to be operated, produce large amounts of dust during the cutting process, and/or result in uneven or splintered cuts. Accordingly, there is a need for an improved cutting tool for cutting building materials. There is a need for a portable, non-power operated cutting tool capable of cutting building materials, particularly vinyl and PVC flooring, in a predictable and straight fashion without splintering, cracking or similar problems and without creating dust. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    The present invention provides a portable, non-power operated cutting tool for cutting sheets of building materials, for example, but not limited to, vinyl and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) flooring, in a clean, straight manner without tearing, splintering or cracking. 
         [0006]    According to an embodiment of this invention, the cutting tool includes a base with a support surface for supporting the building material that is to be cut. The support surface preferably further includes a guide rail for aligning the material. The guide rail may be adjustable, allowing the building material to set at a range of angles to the blade in a horizontal plane. The base further includes a pair of supports extending vertically from the base. The supports are preferably positioned on either side of the base with a blade holder and a cammed axle extending between the supports. 
         [0007]    The blade holder is preferably connected with a pivot connection to the supports and spaced from the support surface to allow the building material to slide under the blade holder. In a preferred embodiment, the blade holder includes a main body with arm extending from the main body. The main body preferably includes a slot with a threaded connection for connecting a blade to the blade holder. The threaded connection allows for the blade to be removed for replacement or repairs. Alternatively, the blade may be connected with any type of connection, such as an adhesive or weld connection. In another embodiment, the blade holder and the blade may be integrally formed together. The arm extends from the main body and includes a connection for a pivot connection to the pair of supports. In a preferred embodiment, the connection comprises an axle connection between each support and each arm. With the axle connection the blade moves in an arc, where the arc includes a radius equal to a distance between the axle and the blade. The circular motion of the arc improves the ability of the cutting tool to cut through building materials such as vinyl and PVC flooring. 
         [0008]    The cammed axle is rotatably connected to the supports and positioned over and in contact with the blade holder. The blade holder and the blade are moveable between an open position, where the blade is separated from the base, and a closed position, where the blade is in contact or nearly contacting the base, by rotating the cammed axle. In the open position, the cammed axle contacts the blade holder at a relatively small radius of the cam, as the cam rotates, the cammed axle contacts the blade holder at a gradually increasing radius forcing the blade holder downward until the blade contacts a blade stop, the closed position. In a preferred embodiment, a spring is positioned between the base and the blade holder. The spring biases the blade holder in the open position and is compressed as the blade holder moves downward. In a preferred embodiment, a handle is connected to the cammed axle to assist in rotating the cam. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a cutting tool in a closed position according to one embodiment of this invention. 
           [0010]      FIG. 2   a  is a side view of the cutting tool shown in  FIG. 1  in an open position. 
           [0011]      FIG. 2   b  is a close-up of the side view shown in  FIG. 2   a  with elements of the cutting tool removed for explanatory purposes. 
           [0012]      FIG. 3   a  is a side view of the cutting tool shown in  FIG. 1  in the closed position. 
           [0013]      FIG. 3   b  is a close-up of the side view shown in  FIG. 3   a  with elements of the cutting tool removed for explanatory purposes. 
           [0014]      FIG. 4   a  is a rear view of the cutting tool shown in  FIG. 1  in the closed position. 
           [0015]      FIG. 4   b  is a rear view of the cutting tool shown in  FIG. 1  in the open position. 
           [0016]      FIG. 5  is a top view of the cutting tool shown in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0017]      FIG. 6  is a bottom view of the cutting tool shown in  FIG. 1 . 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0018]      FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of a cutting tool  10  according to one embodiment of this invention. The cutting tool  10  as described is preferably used to cut building materials, not shown, such as, but not limited to, vinyl and PVC flooring materials. The cutting tool  10  utilizes an arc cutting motion which easily severs the building material and prevents damaging the building materials during cutting. 
         [0019]    As shown in  FIGS. 1-6 , the cutting tool  10  includes a base  14 , a support surface  16 , a pair of supports  12 , a blade holder  18 , blade  20 , and a cam  22  with a handle  24 . As best shown in  FIG. 6 , the base  14  comprises an “I” shape with cross braces to provide rigidity and stability for the cutting tool  10 , however the base  14  is not limited to this shape and may comprises any shape that provides a stable base for the cutting tool  10 . The base  14  may be formed of steel, aluminum or another material with durable qualities capable of withstanding the force required to cut the building materials. 
         [0020]    In an embodiment, the support surface  16  is mounted on the base  14  with threaded connections. In an alternative embodiment the support surface  16  and the base  14  may be integrally formed as a single component. The support surface  16  preferably includes a textured or a high friction, non-slip surface that prevents the building material from slipping or moving during cutting process. The support surface  16  is preferably made of lightweight and durable materials, such as plastic, rubber, metal and composite materials, but may be made of any material capable of supporting the building materials and withstanding the cutting force. The base  14  and support surface  16  are preferably sized to accommodate standard sizes of materials, such as a vinyl and PVC flooring tiles, and may correspond in width to such materials. 
         [0021]    The support surface  16  preferably includes a guide rail  26  on support surface  16  that can be used to align the building materials to the blade  20 . In an alternative embodiment, the guide rail  26  may be adjustable to cut the material at a range of angles to the blade  20 . The guide rail  26  may further include a ruler for measuring the material to be cut. 
         [0022]    In a preferred embodiment of this invention, the pair of supports  12  are connected to the base  14  and extend generally perpendicular to a plane of the support surface  16 . In this embodiment, the pair of supports  12  are connected to the base with a threaded connection and are positioned on either side of the base  12  at a width sufficient to accommodate the material to be cut. The pair of supports  12  may be formed of durable materials such as, but not limited to, steel, aluminum or similar rigid materials which are capable of withstanding the force created during cutting. In other embodiments, the pair of supports  12  can be welded to or integrally formed to the base  14  or connected in any other means known to one of skill in the art. 
         [0023]    As best shown in  FIGS. 4   a - b , the blade holder  18  is positioned between the pair of supports  12  and below the cam  22  with a blade holder pivot connection  28  which allows the blade holder  18  to move in an arc pattern from the open position to the closed position. As best shown in  FIGS. 2   b  and  3   b , the blade holder  18  includes a main body  30  and an arm  32  extending from the main body  30 . The blade holder pivot connection  28  preferably comprises an axle which extends through a distal end of the arm  32  opposite the blade  20  and through the support  12 . In this embodiment, the axle comprises a pair of axles, one for each of the supports  12 . Alternatively, the axle may comprise a single axle extending through the arm of the blade holder  18  and both pairs of supports  12 . In a preferred embodiment, the blade  20  moves in an arc pattern having a radius of the distance between the blade  20  and the blade holder pivot connection  28 . This arc pattern provides a clean cut through various building materials, especially vinyl and PVC flooring. The blade holder  18  may be formed of durable materials such as, but not limited to, steel, aluminum or similar rigid materials which are capable of withstanding the force created during cutting. 
         [0024]    In a preferred embodiment, the blade  20  is attached to the blade holder  18  with a threaded connection. With this arrangement, the blade  20  can be removed from the blade holder  18  for repairs, sharpening and to select a specialty blade for a type of material. In an alternative embodiment, the blade  20  can be integrally formed with the blade holder  18 . The blade  20  is preferably formed of steel or another material capable of repeatedly cutting the building material. 
         [0025]    As shown in  FIGS. 4   a - b , the cam  22  is positioned between the pair of supports  12  and over and in contact with the blade holder  18 . In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the cam  22  contacts the blade holder  18  in proximity to the blade  20 . The cam  22  preferably includes an axle  34  which extends through the pair of supports  12  to provide a rotatable connection between the cam  22  and the supports  12 . Alternatively, any type of connection may be used to provide a rotatable connection. As best shown in  FIGS. 2   b  and  3   b , the cam  22  includes a cam edge  36  with a gradually increasing radius from a small radius  38  to a large radius  40 . As the cam  22  rotates, the increasing radius of the cam edge  36  forces the blade holder  18  downwards from the open position, see  FIG. 2   b , to the closed position, see  FIG. 3   b . In an embodiment, at least one of the cam  22  and the blade holder  18  may include a low friction durable surface to minimize the friction between the cam  22  and the blade holder  18 , as the cam is rotated. In another embodiment, a bearing or other low-friction device may be used. 
         [0026]    In a preferred embodiment, the cutting tool includes the handle  24  which is connected to the cam  22  to assist a user to rotate the cam  22 . A distal end of the handle  24  preferably includes a hand grip for the user to manually grab or engage. In an alternative embodiment, the handle  24  may be adjustable and/or extendible to provide additional assistance to cut through tough-to-cut materials. 
         [0027]    In an embodiment of this invention, as shown in  FIGS. 2   b  and  3   b , the base  14  may include a blade stop  42  with a contact element  44  and a brace  46 . The contact element  44  is preferably manufactured of a softer material that causes minimal damage to an edge of the blade  20  such as, but not limited to, nylon. The brace  46  is preferably manufactured of a durable material such as, but not limited to, steel and aluminum. Preferably, the contact element  44  and the brace  46  are connected to the base  14  with a threaded connection that allows the contact portion  44  to be easily replaced as it wears. In an alternative embodiment, the blade stop and the contact element may be manufactured from a durable material such as, but not limited to, steel and aluminum to withstand the impact of the blade. 
         [0028]    According to a preferred embodiment, the blade holder  18  is biased upward into the open position by a spring  48 . As shown in the figures, the spring  48  is positioned between the base  14  and the blade holder  18  and maintained in position with a pair of alignment pins  50 . The strength and configuration of the spring  48  may be adjusted depending on the desired application. 
         [0029]    In operation, the cutting tool  10  of this invention starts in the open position as shown in  FIGS. 2   a - b  and  4   b . In the open position, the spring  48  biases the blade holder  18  and the blade  20  upward and the cam  22  contacts the blade holder  18  at the relatively small radius  38 , this provides an opening between the blade  20  and the blade stop  42  of the base  14 . The material to be cut is placed onto the support surface  16  of the base  14  and through the opening formed between the blade  18  and the blade stop  42 . To cut the material, the handle  24  is lowered to rotate the cam  22 . By rotating the cam  22 , a gradually increasing radius of the cam edge  36  pushes the blade holder  18  and blade  20  downward through the material until the relatively larger radius  40  of the cam  22  contacts the blade holder  18  and the blade  20  contacts the blade stop  42  thereby severing the material. The resulting cut is optimally free of splinters and a resulting cut end of the material is otherwise clean and straight. 
         [0030]    While in the foregoing specification this invention has been described in relation to certain preferred embodiments thereof, and many details have been set forth for purpose of illustration, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the material cutter is susceptible to additional embodiments and that certain of the details described herein can be varied considerably without departing from the basic principles of the invention.