Blade cartridge mechanism for a cutting device

A cutting device includes cutting device includes a housing including an aperture, and a blade cartridge removably coupled to the housing through the aperture. The blade cartridge is configured to hold a plurality of blades. The cutting device further includes a cartridge ejector configured to eject the blade cartridge from the housing.

BACKGROUND

Cutting devices such as box cutters have replacement blades that are stored within the housing of the box cutter. When the primary blade wears down and needs replacement the user will open the housing of the box cutter and physically replace the primary blade with a replacement blade. The process is time consuming and increases the likelihood of injury as the user is handling the replacement blade during the replacement process.

SUMMARY

The subject matter of the present application has been developed in response to the present state of the art, and in particular, in response to the problems and disadvantages associated with conventional cutting devices that have not yet been fully solved by currently available techniques. Accordingly, the subject matter of the present application has been developed to provide embodiments of a system, an apparatus, and a method that overcome at least some of the above-discussed shortcomings of prior art techniques. For example, according to one implementation, a cartridge mechanism for a cutting device is disclosed, which facilitates the replacement of blades in a relatively quick time period and reduces the times and manners of when the user needs to touch the blade and expose the user to potential injury.

Embodiments of a cutting device are described. In one embodiment, a cutting device includes a housing including an aperture, and a blade cartridge removably coupled to the housing through the aperture. The blade cartridge is configured to hold a plurality of blades. The cutting device further includes a cartridge ejector configured to eject the blade cartridge from the housing. Other embodiments of a blade cartridge for a cutting device are described.

In some embodiments, the cartridge ejector includes a retractable pin configured to engage the blade cartridge. In some embodiments, the cartridge ejector includes an ejector lever configured to rotate and eject the blade cartridge. In some embodiments, the retractable pin is configured to retract while the ejector lever rotates. In some embodiments, the cartridge ejector is attached to the housing. In some embodiments, the blade cartridge includes a plurality of blades positioned side by side. In some embodiments, the cutting device includes a retractable slider. The retractable slider is configured to engage an innermost blade of the plurality of blades.

In some embodiments, the blade cartridge includes a biasing element to bias the blades to an interior side of the blade cartridge. In some embodiments, the blade cartridge includes at least one protrusion configured to engage the housing. In some embodiments, the cartridge ejector includes a retractable pin and the blade cartridge includes a notch. The retractable pin of the cartridge ejector is configured to engage the notch of the blade cartridge. In some embodiments, the cartridge ejector includes an ejector lever configured to rotate and eject the blade cartridge. The ejector lever rotates into an interior side of the blade cartridge. In some embodiments, an exterior side of the blade cartridge is flush with an outer surface of the housing.

In some embodiments, the cartridge ejector includes an ejector button coupled to the retractable pin and the ejector lever. In some embodiments, the plurality of blades includes grooves. In some embodiments, the retractable slider further includes a blade engagement instrument including projections, and the projections engage the blade at the grooves. In some embodiments, the cutting device includes a blade release mechanism. The blade release mechanism is configured to engage the blade engagement instrument and decouple the blade from the projections

Embodiments of a blade cartridge for a cutting device are described. In one embodiment, a blade cartridge for a cutting device includes a cartridge configured to removably couple to a housing of a cutting device through an aperture in the housing. The cartridge is configured to hold a plurality of blades and the cartridge is ejectable from the cutting device. Other embodiments of a blade cartridge for a cutting device are described.

In some embodiments, the blade cartridge includes an exterior side covering a first side of the plurality of blades, an interior side extending from a bottom face to cover a lower portion of a second side of the plurality of blades, a front face including at least one protrusion, and a rear face including a notch.

In some embodiments, the blade cartridge includes a biasing element disposed between the exterior side and the plurality of blades. The biasing element is configured to bias the plurality of blades to the interior side of the blade cartridge. In some embodiments, the front face includes an opening for a blade of the plurality of blades to extend out of the blade cartridge through the front face

It will be appreciated that the drawings are illustrative and not limiting of the scope of the invention which is defined by the appended claims. The embodiments shown accomplish various aspects and objects of the invention. It is appreciated that it is not possible to clearly show each element and aspect of the invention in a single figure, and as such, multiple figures are presented to separately illustrate the various details of the invention in greater clarity. Similarly, not every embodiment need accomplish all advantages of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Other aspects, as well as features and advantages of various aspects, of the disclosed subject matter will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art through consideration of this disclosure and the appended claims.

This application relates generally to a cartridge mechanism which is easy to load and safe to operate. This cartridge design may be used in many different applications. The example used for the illustrative purposes of this patent is a blade magazine designed for utility knifes. Embodiments may be used for various cutting devices with a retractable blade.

A utility knife is a manual tool designed with a retractable blade. The metal blades have a specific shape and are readily available. The blade edge is extremely sharp and durable. Fresh blades are normally stored in the knife body and are used to replace blades that have lost their edge and have become dull.

The utility knife is designed to be a multi-purpose cutting tool. The design is lightweight, portable and commonly used by a variety of contractors including electricians, insulators, sheet rockers and roofers. Utility knives are put to work in virtually every warehouse to cut tape, strapping, cardboard, or other packaging materials.

The benefits of using a utility knife are enormous. The construction and packaging industries would greatly suffer without it. On the other hand, a sharp knife can be dangerous. The operator can be injured when the tool is used incorrectly. Accidents may happen when the blade comes into contact with the human hand. Problems arise when the old blade is removed and replaced with a new blade. Injuries may occur if the operator is careless or in a hurry.

The present disclosure provides embodiments that provide solutions to the problems discussed above. Embodiments of a blade cartridge as disclosed herein enable the operator to replace an old blade with minimal contact. Each blade cartridge contains a set of new utility blades and is easily removed or inserted into the knife housing. The retractable slider automatically connects to the next blade and allows the operator to continue cutting with a seamless operation.

In an embodiment, a cutting tool comprises of three components—a blade cartridge, a cartridge ejector and the retractable slider. The blade cartridge is a rigid casing and may be constructed with plastic or a similar material. The shape of the casing is designed to contain and release a set of standard utility blades. One end of the casing has an opening which allows the blades to be individually removed.

The housing has an opening with a specific geometric shape which is designed to accept and secure the blade cartridge. The cartridge ejector utilizes retractable pin to attach the blade cartridge to the housing and a separate ejector lever to release and eject the blade cartridge. Both the retractable pin and the ejector lever are controlled by a single ejector button which is located on the outside of the knife housing and operated with a single hand.

The retractable slider has a specific shape which automatically attaches to the utility blade. The slider has a set of guides which enable the unit to extract or retract the blade from one end of the knife housing. The slider is controlled by a separate button which is located on the outside of the knife housing. Attached to the slider is a spring index which enables the blade to be extracted or retracted incrementally.

In addition, there is a release button at one end of the knife housing. This button releases the blade from the retractable slider and enables the operator to quickly remove the old blade.

Disclosed herein is a blade cartridge mechanism which allows an operator to rapidly reload a standard utility knife. This improvement over existing tool designs eliminates the danger associated with manually replacing the used blades. The hand of the operator never comes into contact with the blade when reloading the system. In addition, this device is faster and easier to operate.

Referring toFIG. 1, a perspective view of a cutting device100is shown. Although a box cutter or utility knife is shown any type of cutting device may utilize the features and processes described herein. Although the cutting device100is shown and described with certain components and functionality, other embodiments of the cutting device100may include fewer or more components to implement less or more functionality. The cutting device100includes a housing140, a blade cartridge120(housing a plurality of blades102), a retractable slider110, a blade release mechanism150, and a cartridge ejector130, which are described below.

In the illustrated embodiment, the cutting device100includes a blade102. The blade102is a retractable blade102that is extendable out and retractable back into the housing140. Although not shown inFIG. 1, the blade102may retract fully into the housing140by use of the retractable slider110. The slider button112may move along a track118that may force a translational movement of the blade102. The slider button112is shown in a forward position with the blade102extended out an opening of the housing140. As the slider button112is moved along the track118in a rearward direction, the blade102retracts into the housing140

The housing140is configured to receive the blade cartridge120through an aperture146in the housing. The housing140is further configured to house the retractable slider110, the blade release mechanism150, and the cartridge ejector130.

In the illustrated embodiment, the housing140includes a first housing portion142and a second housing portion144which are joined together to form the housing140. The second housing portion144includes the aperture146. The aperture146is configured or operable to receive the blade cartridge120. The aperture146is depicted inFIG. 4with the blade cartridge120removed. Although described as two pieces, the housing140may include a plurality of pieces that are interconnected to form the housing140or may, in some embodiments, include a unitary housing.

The illustrated cutting device100includes a blade cartridge120. The blade cartridge120is removable from the housing140. As described more fully herein, the blade cartridge120is ejectable from the cutting device100by the cartridge ejector130.

The illustrated blade cartridge120is a substantially trapezoidal casing that houses a plurality of blades102. The blade cartridge120is configured to hold a plurality of blades102. The blades102are aligned side by side (see, for example,FIG. 5which depicts a plurality of blades102without the blade cartridge120). The blade cartridge120includes an exterior side126which is visible and exposed when the blade cartridge120is inserted and engaged with the housing140. The exterior side126sits flush with an outer surface of the second housing portion144when the blade cartridge120is inserted and engaged with the housing140.

The blade cartridge102further includes an interior side124, opposite the exterior side126, which only partially covers the blades102. The interior side124covers a lower portion of the blades102while exposing an upper portion of the blades102. The exposed upper portion of the blades102allows for the retractable slider110to engage the blade102closest to the interior side124. The blade cartridge120further includes a bottom face123, a top face125, a front face127, and a rear face129. The bottom face123protects the operator from exposure to the sharp edge of the blades102while handling the blade cartridge120.

The blade cartridge120further includes various mechanical features configured to interact with the housing140and the cartridge ejector130. Referring toFIGS. 2 and 4, the blade cartridge120includes two protrusions122which extend out from the front surface127. The protrusions122are configured to interact and engage a lip148of the second housing portion144. The protrusions122engage the lip148to restrict the blade cartridge120from falling out of the housing140.

Referring toFIG. 6, the blade cartridge120further includes a notch128(or aperture) which is configured to interact and engage with the cartridge ejector130, and more specifically, a retractable pin134of the cartridge ejector130. The retractable pin134, when in a forward position, engages the notch128and restricts the blade cartridge120from falling out of the housing140. As can be understood by the description herein and the Figures, the retractable pin134in conjunction with the protrusions122function to hold the blade cartridge in the housing140.

The blade cartridge120further includes a biasing element (such as a spring) that biases the blades102to the interior side124. The innermost blade (that is, the blade positioned closest to the interior side124engages with the retractable slider110and moves in conjunction with the retractable slider110. The biasing element is located between the exterior side126of the blade cartridge120and blades102.

In some embodiments, the cartridge is reversible. That is, the blades extend from either face and the retractable slider is configured to engage both sides of the blade.

The retractable slider110includes a slider button112interconnected with a blade engagement implement116. The blade engagement implement116includes two projections114that are biased (by a biasing element such as a spring119) towards the blade cartridge120. The spring119biases the blade engagement implement116and when aligned the projections114engage grooves104in the blade102. In some embodiments, the projections114are sloped surfaces. Referring toFIG. 3, the projection114on the left protrudes further out in a direction towards the blade cartridge120as one moves from left to right on the Figure. In an opposite manner, the projection114on the right protrudes further out in a direction towards the blade cartridge120as one moves from right to left on the Figure.

Referring toFIG. 3, the blade engagement implement116and more specifically, the projections114engage with the grooves104of the blade102which results in the blade102translating along with the retractable slider110. The projections114will engage the grooves104and move the blade closest to the retractable slider116. The projections protrude enough to engage only the closest blade102. The remaining blades102in the blade cartridge120will remain in the blade cartridge120until the currently engaged blade102is removed. When a blade102dulls and needs replacing, the blade102may be removed easily by use of the blade release mechanism150.

Referring back toFIG. 1, the cutting device100includes a blade release mechanism150. The blade release mechanism150is configured, when pressed, to disengage the blade102from the slide mechanism110and allow for easy removal of the blade102from the cutting device100.

Referring toFIG. 5, the blade release mechanism150is a button exposed out of the housing140which when depressed will displace or push the blade engagement implement116, and more specifically, the projections114away from the blade102to disengage the projections114from the grooves104of the blade102. The blade102can then be easily removed from the housing140by sliding the blade102out of the opening as the blade engagement implement116no longer restricts movement of the blade102. There is no need to open the housing140.

After removing the blade102, there is no need to open the housing to place a replacement blade102. The remaining blades102in the blade cartridge120merely slide over to the interior side124as they are biased by the biasing element within the blade cartridge120. The retractable slider110is slid back to a rear position. Once in the rear position, the blade engagement implement116, and more specifically, the projections114engage the next blade102in the blade cartridge120which will now move with the retractable slider110. This allows for a seamless transition to the next blade102within the blade cartridge120. With a plurality of blades102within the blade cartridge, an operator can quickly and efficiently work cycle through multiple blades102without any need to open the housing140and replace the dull blade102.

Some embodiments include a cartridge ejector130. The cartridge ejector130is configured to catch or hold the blade cartridge120in place and also eject the blade cartridge120. The cartridge ejector130includes an ejector button132extending out of the housing140. The ejector button132may be depressed and slid back. As the ejector button132is moved back to a rear position, two actions occur. First, a retractable pin134retracts in the same direction as the ejector button132. Second, an ejector lever136pivots and ejects the blade cartridge120.

The retractable pin134is depicted in a forward position inFIGS. 4 and 5. In a forward position, the retractable pin134engages with the blade cartridge120as the retractable pin134is inserted into the notch128of the blade cartridge120. The retractable pin134in the forward position restricts the blade cartridge120from falling out of the housing140.

The retractable pin134is depicted in a retracted position inFIGS. 2 and 6. In a retracted position, the retractable pin134disengages with the blade cartridge120as the retractable pin134is retracted from the notch128of the blade cartridge120. The retractable pin134in the retracted position no longer restricts the blade cartridge120from falling out of the housing140.

Referring now toFIG. 5, the cartridge ejector130further includes a lever engagement pin139which extends perpendicular to the motion of the retractable pin134. The lever engagement pin139also moves in a rearward direction as the retractable pin134is retracted. The lever engagement pin139engages a first end of a lever136. The lever136includes a pivot137which is coupled to a fulcrum148which resists translation of the lever136and causes the lever136to rotate about the pivot137. As the lever136pivots, a second end135of the lever136engages the interior side124of the blade cartridge120and pushes the blade cartridge120out of the housing140. The fulcrum148is attached to the first housing portion142.

Referring toFIG. 7, a schematic diagram of a system200according to one or more embodiments is shown. The system200includes a retractable slider110, a blade cartridge120, and a cartridge ejector130. The retractable slider110may include any of the examples described herein. The retractable slider110drives the blade102in and out of the housing. The blade cartridge120may be any of the examples described herein may also include different shapes or different sizes to accommodate varying shapes and sizes of blades.

The cartridge ejector130may take many forms including the various embodiments described above. In another embodiment, instead of a lever, the apparatus that ejects the blade cartridge may be an inclined wedge that pushes out the blade cartridge. Other types of mechanical machines may also be utilized. In another embodiment, instead of a retractable pin, another type of apparatus may catch and hold the blade cartridge such as a magnet or other type of grabber.