Abstract:
The present invention relates to a portable power tool, wherein the portable power tool is used to carve soft materials. The portable power tool comprises a drive handle, wherein the drive handle has an interior space. A carving tool retaining storage area is situated within the interior space of the drive handle. The carving tool retaining area further comprising a carving tool retaining mechanism, the carving tool retaining mechanism being used for the releasable retaining of a carving tool in the carving tool storage area. The drive handle also comprises a detachable access panel that allows access to the interior space of the drive handle, thus allowing for the mounting and demounting of a cutting tool within the interior space of the drive handle.

Description:
[0001]     This application claims the benefit, pursuant to 35 U.S.C. §119(e), of U.S. Provisional Patent Application entitled “D RIVE  H ANDLE AND  P OWER  S AW FOR  C ARVING  S OFT  M ATERIALS ,” filed on, Sep. 27, 2004 and assigned Ser. No. 60/613,676, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The present invention generally relates to tools that may be used to cut relatively soft materials. More particularly, the present invention relates to instruments that may be used to carve decorative features into soft shell materials (e.g., pumpkins, squash, gourds, watermelons, etc.).  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     A wide variety of cutting tools have long been known, and many such cutting tools are mechanically driven, for example, by electric motors. On one hand, these power tools may have a power cord that may be plugged into an electrical outlet. On the other hand, it is known that these power tools may be battery operated, as well. Many such power tools are robust so as to handle heavy-duty cutting jobs. Such tools include a variety of power saws, drills, and the like.  
         [0004]     Naturally, traditional power tools are not usually the type that may be used to cut soft materials such as the fleshy shells of fruits which include, for example, pumpkins, watermelons, squash, gourds, etc. Often, people desire to carve such fruits with decorative features, especially to celebrate festival holidays such as Halloween, Thanksgiving and even the Fourth of July. Traditionally, the carving of features into these fruits has been accomplished by employing manually operated tools.  
         [0005]     For a long time, such carving was done with pocketknives, paring knives and the like. Due to the size of these cutting instruments, a typical carver was only able to obtain limited, fairly large-scale decorative features. In more recent years, however, new techniques and tools were developed to carve more elaborate and decorative features into the shell of the fruit, especially pumpkins. These techniques were spurred by the introduction of the pumpkin carving kit that was developed and described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,828,114 issued to Bardeen. This kit included manually operated drills and saws having fine-toothed, small-dimensioned blades that could be used for more detailed cutting. An example of such a saw may be found the &#39;114 patent, with a more detailed example of such a saw being taught in U.S. Pat. No. 4,841,638 issued to Bardeen et al.  
         [0006]     Where a person seeks to carve a large number of fruits or carve very large and elaborate designs in the fruits, the use of hand operated saws can be tiresome and in some instances, somewhat frustrating. For example, as the user provides a vertical reciprocating motion, to create the sawing action, the user must also apply a forward motion in the cutting direction to move the blade against the material to be cut. Sometimes, this multiple action is difficult, and the user does not apply a uniform forward force or a uniform reciprocating force. This can frustrate the users ability to cut clean, even lines. Where intricate features are being carved such non-uniform force can create uneven cut lines and can even inadvertently tear the soft material that is being cut thereby ruining the carved design.  
         [0007]     Accordingly, there remains a need for improved cutting tools that may be used to cut soft materials. There is a need for sure tools that can cut the soft shell material of fruits, such as pumpkins, squash, gourds, watermelons and the like. There is a special need for such a tool that may be power operated. In addition, there is a desire that such a tool be able to employ existing tools that are used in the carving of delicate features in such soft shell materials.  
       SUMMARY  
       [0008]     The present invention generally relates to tools that may be used to cut relatively soft materials. More particularly, the present invention is directed to saws that may be used to carve decorative features into soft shell materials such as pumpkins, squash, gourds, watermelons or other fruits. Specifically, the present invention relates to a drive handle and power saw for carving such soft materials.  
         [0009]     An embodiment of the present invention relates to drive handle that is implemented within a portable power tool, wherein the portable power tool is used to carve soft materials. The drive handle has an interior space, within the interior space is situated a carving tool retaining storage area. The carving tool retaining area further comprises a carving tool retaining mechanism, the carving tool retaining mechanism being used for the releasable retaining of a carving tool in the carving tool storage area. The drive handle also comprises a detachable access panel that allows access to the interior space of the drive handle, thus allowing for the mounting and demounting of a cutting tool within the interior space of the drive handle.  
         [0010]     Further aspects of the drive handle allow for the drive handle to be configured to receive and supportably mount a cutting tool within the drive handle. Also a drive motor device is situated within the drive handle, the drive motor device being in mechanical communication with the cutting tool, wherein the drive motor device being configured to move the cutting tool in a reciprocating longitudinal direction.  
         [0011]     Additional aspects of the present provide the drive handle to comprise a power source, wherein the power source is in electrical communication with the drive motor device. Yet additionally, aspects of the present invention allow for a pre-existing manually operated longitudinally extending cutting tool to be mounted within the drive handle.  
         [0012]     An additional embodiment of the present invention relates to a portable power tool for carving soft materials. The power tool comprises a drive handle, the drive handle having an interior space and further comprising a carving tool retaining storage area with a carving tool retaining mechanism for the releasable retaining of a carving tool. Further aspects of the present invention provide for the cutting tool to comprise a pre-existing manually operated longitudinally extending cutting tool.  
         [0013]     The drive handle further comprises a detachable access panel that is detachable from the drive handle in order to allow access to the interior space of the drive handle, thus allowing for the mounting and demounting of a cutting tool within the interior space of the drive handle. Additionally the drive handle comprises a cutting tool, wherein the cutting tool is received and supportably mounted within the drive handle. A drive motor device is also situated within the drive handle, wherein the drive motor device is in mechanical communication with the cutting tool, the drive motor device being configured to move the cutting tool in a reciprocating longitudinal direction. Further aspects of the portable power tool provide for the drive handle to comprise a power source, the power source being in electrical communication with the drive motor device.  
         [0014]     Therefore, in view of the above descriptions, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and useful drive handle and power saw that may be used for carving soft materials. It is another object of the present invention to provide a battery operated drive handle that can mount pre-existing carving tools so as to provide the automatic reciprocation of those tools in the manner of a power saw.  
         [0015]     These and other objects of the present invention will become more readily appreciated and understood from a consideration of the following detailed description of the exemplary embodiment of the present invention when taken together with the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0016]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a power saw according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0017]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a prior art handheld saw of the type that is to be received by the drive handle of  FIG. 1  according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0018]      FIG. 3  is a side view in elevation of a drive handle of the power saw of the present invention.  
         [0019]      FIG. 4  is a top plan view of the drive handle of  FIG. 3 .  
         [0020]      FIG. 5  is an end view in elevation of the drive handle of  FIGS. 3 and 4 .  
         [0021]      FIG. 6  is a side view in elevation of the drive handle of  FIGS. 3-5  with a section of the case removed there from to illustrate the internal components thereof.  
         [0022]      FIG. 7  is an enlarged side view in elevation showing the distal end portion of the drive handle of  FIG. 6  with the carriage member removed so as to reveal the gear drive and guide member therefore.  
         [0023]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of the gear drive and drive member of  FIG. 7 .  
         [0024]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view of the carriage member that mounts in the guide member of  FIGS. 7 and 8  for sliding, reciprocating movement.  
         [0025]      FIG. 10  is a bottom plan view with the carriage member of  FIG. 9 .  
         [0026]      FIG. 11  is a side view in elevation of the distal end portion of the drive handle illustrating the mounting of the handheld tool  FIG. 2  in the carriage member of  FIGS. 9 and 10 . 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0027]     The present invention is particularly directed to carving decorative items into the soft, fleshy shells of fruits such as pumpkins, squashes, watermelons, gourds and the like. However, it should be understood that the present invention may be also used for the carving or cutting of other soft materials.  
         [0028]     Accordingly, power saw  10  according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention is introduced in  FIG. 1 . The power saw  10  comprises a drive handle  12  having a forward end portion  14  and a rearward end portion  16 . Forward end portion  14  terminates in a nose  18  having an opening  42  through which a saw blade  20  extends in a longitudinal direction with saw blade  20  being driven reciprocally in the direction of arrow “A” by drive handle  12 , as described more thoroughly below. An end cap  22  covers the rearward end portion  16  and is provided to allow access to a battery compartment enabling the user to replace the power source in the form of batteries received therein.  
         [0029]     Drive handle  12  is adapted to mount a handheld saw or other tool that is of the type known in the art. Such a tool is illustrated in  FIG. 2  as a handheld saw  24  that includes an elongated handle  26  that mountably supports the longitudinally extending saw blade  20 . Handle  26  includes a body portion  28  which as presently illustrated is hexagonal in cross-section. Handle  28  terminates in a forward flange  30  that is slightly larger in dimension so as to provide a rim  32  extending there around. The handle  26  is normally grasped manually by a user so as to manually reciprocate saw blade  20  during the carving of soft materials, such as a pumpkin shell, for creating decorative images therein. The drive handle  12  is adapted to receive a tool, such as saw  24 , in order to provide a power drive to the tool. It should be understood that the present invention is contemplated for use with such handheld saws, although other tools, if configured to have a handle similar to handle  26  may be operated as well. As noted below, modification of the carriage member could allow the use of differently configured handheld tools.  
         [0030]     The external components of drive handle  12  are illustrated in  FIGS. 3-5 . As illustrated in  FIGS. 3-5 , the drive handle  12  is constructed as two mating sections  34  and  36  that form a case therefore. Handle sections  34  and  36  may be snap fit together or otherwise secured in any convenient manner known in the art. Preferably, handle sections  34  and  36  are formed of injection molded plastic or other suitable material. As noted above, the end cap  22  is mounted on the rearward portion  16  of drive handle  12  in order to allow access to the battery compartment, wherein the end cap  22  is configured to be removable from the reward portion  16  of the drive handle  12 . A forward end portion  14  of drive handle  12  is provided with a transparent access panel  40  that is removable from the drive handle  12  in order to allow access to the interior of case  38  thereby to allow mounting and demounting of handheld saw  24  therein. Moreover, as is illustrated in  FIG. 5 , the nose  18  has a rectangular opening  42  that accommodates the saw blade  20  for unrestricted longitudinal reciprocal movement of the saw blade  20 . Also, with reference to  FIG. 5 , an optional opening  44 , shown in phantom, may be provided to allow storage of a poker tool such as those known in the art and as illustrated in  FIG. 6 . A switch button  46  is also supported by case  38  so that the user, by depressing switch button  46  may activate the drive handle for powered reciprocation of saw blade  20  and which, upon release acts to shut the drive handle into an off condition.  
         [0031]     The internal components of drive handle  12  are illustrated in  FIG. 6  wherein drive handle  12  is depicted with the handle section  34  and access panel  40  removed from the drive handle  12 . In this illustration, end cap  22  is shown in cross-section. Here, it may be seen that case  38  supports a centrally located battery operated drive motor  50  that is powered by batteries  52  received in battery compartment  48 . The end cap  22  includes a contact bridge  52  that both acts as a spring to mount batteries  52  as well as to establish electrical communication so that the batteries  52  are electrically connected in series. The motor  50  comprises a pinion gear that is used as an output drive gear  54  that turns a crown gear that is part of a reduction gear  56  that in turn drives a geared crank  58 . Reduction gear  56  and geared crank  58  are mounted for supported rotational movement with respect to handle section  36 . The ordinarily skilled person in this field could make other mechanical arrangements depending upon the drive motor and the desired speed of reciprocation.  
         [0032]     The forward end portion of drive handle  12  includes a guide member  60  that is mounted to handle section  36  and which supports a carriage member  80  for reciprocal movement in the direction of arrow “B” when gear crank  58  is rotated in the direction of arrow “C”. As noted above, an optional opening is provided to receive a prior art poking tool, such as poking tool  62  illustrated in  FIG. 6 . To this end, spring clip  64  may also be provided to releasably retain the poking tool  62  in a stored state. A user may withdraw poking tool  62  to create holes in the material to be carved so that saw blade  20  may be introduced into such holes. Alternatively, saw blade  20  may itself be used to poke through the material to start the cutting operation.  
         [0033]     With reference now to  FIGS. 7 and 8 , the drive train and guide member  60  is illustrated in greater detail. In these figures, it may be seen that guide member  60  is trough-shaped in configuration so as to have a longitudinal extending slide way  66  therein. Guide member  60  includes a plurality of ears  68  that may be mounted on bosses  70  by any suitable means, such as screws and the like. Reduction gear  56  is driven by drive gear  54  (shown in phantom) and includes a first gear element  72  driven by drive gear  54  and a reduction gear element  74 . Reduction gear element  74  engages the teeth of crank gear  76  that is provided with a crank pin  78 . Together, crank gear  76  and crank pin  78  make up geared crank  58 .  
         [0034]     Geared crank  58  acts to reciprocate carriage member  80 . To this end, carriage member  80  is best illustrated in  FIGS. 9 and 10 . It may be seen that carriage member  80  includes a longitudinally extending body  82  that is sized and adapted for supported, reciprocal movement in slide way  66  of guide member  60 . Body  82  is therefore trough-shaped in configuration so as to have a longitudinally extending bay  84  that is sized and adapted to receive handle  26  of handheld saw  24 . Forward end  86  of carriage member  80  terminates in a lip  88  that extends around the perimeter thereof and which is provided by an inwardly facing groove  90  that is sized and adapted to receive flange  30  of handle  26  of handheld saw  24 . Rearward end  92  of carriage member  80  includes a cross-bar  94  that has a transverse slot  96  that is sized to engage crank pin  78  of geared crank  58  when carriage member is mounted in slide way  66  of guide member  60 . Accordingly, as crank pin  78  revolves around gear axis “X,” shown in  FIGS. 7 and 8 , crank pin  78  will reciprocally drive carriage member  80  as it reciprocates in transverse slot  96 . Reduction gear  56  and crank gear  76  are selected so as to increase torque and reduce speed from the drive gear  54  of motor  50 .  
         [0035]     The assembly of these components may be further appreciated with reference to  FIG. 11 .  FIG. 11  shows that the handle  26  of handheld saw  24  is mounted in bay  84  of carriage  80 . Flange  30  is received in groove  90  so that handheld saw  24  is secured for corresponding movement with carriage member  80 . The carriage member  80  is mounted in slide way  66  of guide member  60 , and it should be understood that crank pin  78  resides in slot  96  of carriage member  80 . Rotation of crank gear  58  acts to reciprocally drive carriage member  80  and thus reciprocate saw blade  20  in the direction of arrow “A”. This occurs, of course, when an electrical connection is made between contacts  100  and  102 , illustrated in  FIGS. 7 and 11  that occurs upon depressing switch button  46 .  
         [0036]     While the carriage member  80  has been described herein with a configuration to receive the handle of saw  24 , it should be understood by the skilled person in this field that the structure of carriage member  80  could be modified to correspond to differently shaped hand held tools. Of course, depending upon modifications to carriage member  80 , it might also be necessary to modify the structure of guide member  60 . However, it is believed that such modifications would be within the normal ordinary skill of such persons.  
         [0037]     Accordingly, the present invention has been described with some degree of particularity directed to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention. It should be appreciated, though, that modifications or changes may be made to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention without departing from the inventive concepts contained herein.