Abstract:
The present invention is a new and improved scissors having handle portions which include an overmolding and ribbing. The ribbing is positioned to increase the ease and comfort of use while also providing a cost effective and pleasing appearance.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) from U.S. provisional application No. 60/611,360 filed on Sep. 20, 2004 and is incorporated herein in its entirety. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0003]     The present invention is related to cutting implements such as scissors. More particularly, the present invention is related to handles for cutting implements such as scissors.  
         [0004]     2. Description of Related Art  
         [0005]     Substantial effort has been expended in improving the construction and operation of stationery cutting implements for household and office use. Ever increasing demands have been placed on manufacturers of these products to increase the ease of use, the wear resistance, and the length of time in which the products can be comfortably used, while maintaining a competitive price. For example, typical household and office scissors have been unable to achieve a handle that conforms to a multitude of users&#39; hands while reducing fatigue/increasing comfort and reducing the incidence of blisters.  
         [0006]     It is known to manufacture scissors having steel blade members and integral steel handles or steel blade members and plastic handles. It is also known for scissors to have the plastic handles anatomically shaped to receive the user&#39;s fingers so as to maximize comfort and cutting control. Comfort in using the scissors depends not only on the shape but also on the extension of the surfaces of the finger-receiving holes that are contacted by the user&#39;s fingers. It has been found, however, that perfect adaptability of the handles by varying their shapes and dimensions is not possible due to the very variable characteristics of the hands of different individuals. One such example is the obvious difference between right-handed and left-handed persons.  
         [0007]     U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,000,138 and 6,397,478 to Bornancini disclose handles for cutting instruments, where each handle is made of a relatively rigid plastic material and has a lining ring of elastically deformable material, such as natural or synthetic rubber, surrounding the finger-receiving hole portion. The elastically deformable ring permits the scissor handles to adapt to the fingers of the user, independently of their size or whether the user is right- or left-handed. However, these handles have a complex construction, requiring an element for anchoring the elastically deformable material of the rings to the rigid plastic material of the handle.  
         [0008]     U.S. Pat. No. 6,493,947 to Stokes discloses handles for cutting instruments, where each of the handles has a forward portion formed as a rigid structure and a rearward portion formed from a form-stable but resilient and/or flexible material. The forward and rearward portions of the handle are separately formed and secured together by adhesive or fusion, or are co-molded together. While joining the forward and rearward portions together in this manner may provide a joint sufficiently strong to allow for light-duty use, it is questionable whether the joint would withstand extended use or heavy-duty use. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0009]     The present invention may be better understood and its numerous objects and advantages will become apparent to those skilled in the art by reference to the accompanying drawings in which.  
         [0010]      FIG. 1  is an exploded view of a pair of scissors in accordance with the invention;  
         [0011]      FIG. 2  is a front plan view of the scissors of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0012]      FIG. 3  is a rear plan view of the scissors of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0013]      FIG. 4  is side view of the scissors of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0014]      FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view taken along line  5 - 5  of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0015]      FIG. 6  is a rear plan view of the handle segment of the second cutting member of  FIG. 1 , showing the outer layer removed; and  
         [0016]      FIG. 7  is a front plan view of the handle segment of the first cutting member of  FIG. 1 , showing the outer layer removed. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0017]     With reference to the drawings wherein like numerals represent like parts throughout the several figures, a pair of scissors in accordance with the present invention is generally designated by the numeral  10 .  
         [0018]     Referring to  FIG. 1 , the pair of scissors  10  has two cutting members  12 ,  14  pivotally connected together at a pivot point  16  by a bolt or screw  18 . The first cutting member  12  has a forward blade segment  20  and a rearward handle segment  22  and the second cutting member  14  has a forward blade segment  24  and a rearward handle segment  26 . The blade segments  20 ,  24  of both cutting members  12 ,  14  are composed of metal and include a cutting portion  28 ,  28 ′, having a single cutting edge  30 ,  30 ′, and a tang portion  32 ,  32 ′.  
         [0019]     Now referring to  FIGS. 2-4 , the handle segment  22  of the first cutting member  12  has a front end portion  34  mounted to the tang portion  32  of the blade segment  20  and a rear end portion  36  forming the thumb bow  38 . The handle segment  26  of the second cutting member  14  has a front end portion  40  mounted to the tang portion  32 ′ of the blade segment  24  and a rear end portion  42  forming the finger bow  44 . The tang portions  32 ,  32 ′ of the blade segments  20 ,  24  are mounted to the front end portions  34 ,  40  of the handle segments  22 ,  26  and second by a fastener  18  for pivotal movement. As best illustrated in  FIG. 3 , the front end portion  34  has a smooth quasi-semi-cylindrical or convex shape so that the only exteriorly visible portions of the pivot fastening system is the head  18  or end of the fastener  18  as shown in  FIG. 2 .  
         [0020]     The position of the blade pivot  16  and the structure of the handle segments  22 ,  26  which engage the blade segments at the extreme pivotal opening position of the scissor blades may be configured and to provide an opening angle of approximately 80° or greater.  
         [0021]     The thumb and finger bows  38 ,  44  each have oppositely disposed forward portions  46 ,  48  and rearward portions  50 ,  52  and oppositely disposed inner portions  54 ,  56  and outer side portions  58 ,  60  that form openings  62 ,  64  that allow the passage of the thumb through the thumb bow  38 , and several fingers through the finger bow  44 . The thumb and finger bows  38 ,  44  each have a core  66 ,  68  formed from a rigid material, that may be a metal or an appropriate polymer material such as ABS, extending completely around the respective opening  62 ,  64 . The front end portion  34 ,  40  of each handle segment  22 ,  26  is also formed from the rigid material, and is preferably formed integrally with the core  66 ,  68  of the bow  38 ,  44 . A sleeve, or outer layer  70 ,  72  of resilient and/or flexible polymer material, such as TPE, envelopes the core  66 ,  68  of thumb bow  38  and the finger bow  44 , forming the aperture or passageway for the thumb through the thumb bow  38  and the fingers through the finger bow  44 .  
         [0022]     Preferably, the sleeves  70 ,  72  are formed by overmolding the outer layer  70 ,  72  over the core  66 ,  68  of the thumb bow  38  and finger bow  44 . The sleeves  70 ,  72  may also be formed by an injection molding procedure or any other similarly used process known in art.  
         [0023]     It should be appreciated that deformation of the flexible outer layer  70 ,  72  caused by pressure exerted by the user&#39;s fingers creates a shear stress on the joint  74 ,  76  between the outer layer  70 ,  72  and the core  66 ,  68 . The generally elliptical shape of the thumb and finger bows  38 ,  44  opposes any movement of the outer layer  70 ,  72  in the longitudinal direction that might separate the joint  74 ,  76 . The forward, rearward, inner side and outer side portions  46 ,  50 ,  54 ,  58  of the thumb bow core  66  and the forward, rearward, and inner side portions  48 ,  52 ,  56  of the finger bow core  68  each have an eccentric, non-circular cross-sectional profile that opposes rotational movement of the outer layer  70 ,  72  around the core  66 ,  68  that might separate the joint  74 ,  76 .  
         [0024]     As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , front end portion  40  has sides  78 ,  80 . The side segments  82 ,  84  of the front end portion  34  of the first cutting member  12  may surround the forward portion  34  of the thumb bow  38 . Similarly, one side segment  86  of the front end portion  40  of the second cutting member  14  may extend along the side  78  of the forward portion  48  of the finger bow  44 . Such structure provides greater mechanical strength to the handle segment  22 ,  26  and also provides a decorative effect, especially if the rigid material and the resilient material are of contrasting colors.  
         [0025]     As shown in  FIGS. 1-3 , alternating transverse ribs  88 ,  88 ′ and grooves  90 ,  90 ′ are provided in the portions of the surface of openings  62  and  64  that are generally engaged by the hand during cutting. More specifically, ribs  88 ,  88 ′ and grooves  90 ,  90 ′ are molded in the front surface  92  of the thumb bow opening  62  and the inside surface  94  of the finger bow opening  64 . The ribs  88 ,  88 ′ and grooves  90 ,  90 ′ allow the use of a thicker grip and provide increased resiliency in these areas of contact, creating a cushioning effect that reduces pressure on the operator&#39;s fingers, thereby reducing fatigue/increasing comfort and reducing the occurrence of blisters. The increased resiliency also helps maintain finger contact and thereby provides greater cutting precision, facilitates use of either two or three fingers in the finger bow, and increases the suitability for use by either right handed or left handed users.  
         [0026]     As shown in  FIGS. 5-7 , in addition, the forward portion  46  of the thumb bow  38  and the forward portion  48  and the inner portion  56  of the finger bow  44  have openings  96 ,  98 ,  100 . When the outer layers  70 ,  72  are molded, the material flows through the openings  96 ,  98 ,  100 , forming extensions  102  that connect the sides of the outer layers  70 ,  72 , to further prevent the grips from peeling from the core  66 ,  68  and/or rotating about the core  66 ,  68 . The smooth core/overmold interface facilitates the molding of the overmold.  
         [0027]     It should also be noted that the terms “first”, “second”, and “third” and the like may be used herein to modify various elements. These modifiers do not imply a spatial, sequential, or hierarchical order to the modified elements unless specifically stated.  
         [0028]     While the invention has been described with reference to one or more exemplary embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the disclosure without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiment(s) disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this invention, but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims.