Abstract:
A cutting unit ( 1, 11, 41 ) for trimming sheet material has a support plate ( 3, 13, 43 ) for supporting the sheet material ( 56 ) to be trimmed. At least one cutting device ( 4, 14, 15, 44, 59 ) is associated with the support plate ( 3, 13, 43 ). At least one storage compartment ( 10, 33, 53 ) is provided beneath the support plate ( 3, 13, 43 ) with a horizontal spacing from the at least one cutting device ( 4, 14, 15, 44, 59 ).

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS AND CLAIM TO PRIORITY  
       [0001]     This application is based upon utility model application number 20 2005 004 916.6, filed Mar. 23, 2005 in the Federal Republic of Germany, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference and to which priority is claimed.  
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The invention concerns a cutting unit for trimming sheet material such as paper or films, having a support plate for supporting the sheet material during the cutting operation, and having at least one cutting device associated with the support plate.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     Cutting units of the aforesaid kinds are intended in particular for office purposes. They are used to trim sheet material such as paper, films, or photographs. Such cutting units as a rule comprise a support plate on which the sheet material to be trimmed is placed for the cutting operation, and a cutting device, usually in the form of a guillotine cutting device, arranged on the edge of the support plate. To allow photographs to be trimmed more accurately, cutting units have also been developed that have two cutting devices on either side of the support plate, specifically a guillotine cutting device and a rotary cutting device (cf. DE 20 307 241 U and DE 20 319 003 U).  
         [0004]     Before or after a cutting operation, there is often a need for additional office items or for storage thereof, for example a staple remover for removing staples from stacks of pages, for storage of paper clips, for a stapler in order to staple pages together, or for writing instruments in order to write on them. If they are not present, they must be retrieved from appropriate locations. Apparatuses for storage in the vicinity of the cutting unit are especially necessary, or the items will be lying around loose.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]     It is the object of the invention to make provisions so that additional office items can be accommodated in the region of a cutting unit, in orderly fashion and without an additional space requirement.  
         [0006]     This object is achieved, according to the present invention, in that at least one storage compartment is provided beneath the support plate and with a horizontal spacing from the cutting device or devices. The basic idea of the invention is therefore to use as a storage compartment the space beneath the support plate hitherto unused in cutting units. Office accessories such as staple removers, staplers, or the like, but also other office items such as staples, writing instruments, or the like can be housed in this storage compartment without an additional space requirement. The cutting unit according to the present invention therefore creates the preconditions allowing the operations arising before or after a cutting operation to be performed contemporaneously and without delay, and the space around the cutting unit to remain clear for actual office work.  
         [0007]     In an embodiment of the invention, provision is made for the storage compartment to be openable by the fact that the support plate is at least partly removable from the region of the storage compartment, for example by at least partially swinging it up or displacing it laterally.  
         [0008]     According to a further feature of the invention, provision is made for at least one storage compartment, or a portion thereof, to be sealed in airtight fashion. This can be accomplished, for example, in that the storage compartment contains or comprises an airtight but openable box. The airtight nature means that objects sensitive to atmospheric influences, for example photographic papers, can be accommodated in the storage compartment or in the airtight portion.  
         [0009]     The invention furthermore provides for the storage compartment to be subdivided into sub-compartments in order to store different objects separately from one another. It is further proposed that the support plate be at least locally transparent in the region of the storage compartment. As a result, it is possible to determine at a glance whether the desired office item is actually present in the storage compartment.  
         [0010]     The size of the storage compartment should make the best possible use of the space beneath the support plate. It is therefore recommended to use at least 50% of the area of the support plate for the storage compartment located therebeneath, since the space beneath the support plate is usually empty, and the space for the reception of office items might not be large enough. In particular, the storage compartment should also be large enough to accommodate sheet material, such as paper or the like, for the trimming of which the respective at least one cutting device is designed in terms of size.  
         [0011]     The cutting unit according to the present invention can comprise a cutting device that is embodied as a guillotine cutting device, the guillotine cutting device comprising a pivotably mounted knife arm having a blade held thereon and a counterknife held in stationary fashion on the bed. Alternatively, the cutting device can also be embodied as a rotary cutting device that has a knife carriage displaceable on a guide bar and a circular knife rotatably mounted on that carriage. In a particularly preferred embodiment, however, both alternatives can also be combined with one another on one cutting unit, for example in such a way that the guillotine cutting device is arranged on one side of the bed and the rotary cutting device on the other side of the bed, preferably so that the cutting devices extend parallel to one another.  
         [0012]     According to a further feature of the invention, provision is made for there to be provided, between the guillotine cutting device and rotary cutting device, a stop bar that extends parallel to the cutting devices and is displaceably guided transversely to the cutting devices.  
         [0013]     In a further, preferred embodiment, the guillotine cutting device is embodied to be replaceable with the rotary cutting device and vice versa, so that one or the other cutting device can be fitted to the bed depending on the type of sheet material to be trimmed. For that purpose, the bed on the one hand, and the guillotine cutting device and rotary cutting device on the other hand, can comprise complementary retaining elements with which either the guillotine cutting device or the rotary cutting device can be attached to one side of the bed. The retaining elements can comprise latch devices which are embodied in such a way that they are self-latching upon attachment of the guillotine cutting device or rotary cutting device, but require a release actuation of the latch device upon removal.  
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0014]     The invention is illustrated in more detail, with reference to two exemplifying embodiments, in the drawings, in which:  
         [0015]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a first cutting unit having a guillotine cutting device, with the storage compartment closed;  
         [0016]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the cutting unit of  FIG. 1  with the storage compartment open;  
         [0017]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a second cutting unit having two cutting devices;  
         [0018]      FIG. 4  is a plan view of the cutting unit shown in  FIG. 3 ;  
         [0019]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a third cutting unit having a rotary cutting device, with the storage compartment closed;  
         [0020]      FIG. 6  is a view of the third cutting unit as shown in  FIG. 5  with the storage compartment open;  
         [0021]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the cutting unit shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , with the rotary cutting unit removed and with an associated guillotine cutting device. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0022]     Cutting unit  1  depicted in  FIGS. 1 and 2  comprises a frame plate  2 , forming a substantially semicircular outline, whose horizontal upper side forms a support plate  3  for sheet material to be trimmed. A guillotine cutting device  4  is located on the straight side of frame plate  2 .  
         [0023]     Guillotine cutting device  4  comprises a knife arm  5  that is mounted pivotably, in a bearing  6 , about a horizontal axis extending transversely to the longitudinal side there.  
         [0024]     Knife arm  5  is equipped on its lower side, substantially over its entire length, with a cutting knife that is concealed in this view. Configured at the free end of knife arm  5  is a handle  7  with which knife arm  5  can be pivoted upward and downward about bearing  6 . In the position shown, knife arm  5  is located in the lower terminal position.  
         [0025]     The larger portion of support plate  3  is separated from the remaining portion, and forms a cover plate  8 . It is mounted upwardly pivotably on one side via a hinge  9 , and can therefore be pivoted out of the closed position depicted in  FIG. 1  into an approximately vertical position, as shown in  FIG. 2 . Located beneath cover plate  8  is a storage compartment  10 , visible in  FIG. 2 , which is embodied as a storage tray that constitutes a bottom  10   a  on the lower side, is open at the top, and is hooked into frame plate  2 . The storage tray is subdivided by vertical ribs (labeled  10   b  by way of example) in such a way that storage compartment  10  comprises multiple sub-compartments (labeled  10   c  by way of example) separated from one another. Office items or small office accessories can then be accommodated in these sub-compartments  10   c.    
         [0026]     Cutting unit  11  depicted in  FIGS. 3 and 4  comprises a frame plate  12 , forming a substantially rectangular outline, whose horizontal upper side constitutes a support plate  13  for the support of sheet material to be trimmed. A guillotine cutting device  14  is arranged on the upper (in both views) longitudinal side, and a rotary cutting device  15  on the lower (in the views) longitudinal side. The two cutting devices  14 ,  15  extend parallel to one another.  
         [0027]     Guillotine cutting device  14  comprises a knife arm  16  that is mounted pivotably, in a bearing  17 , about a horizontal axis extending transversely to the longitudinal side there. Knife arm  16  is equipped on its lower side, substantially over its entire length, with a cutting knife that is concealed in these views. Configured at the free end of knife arm  16  is a handle  18  with which knife arm  16  can be pivoted upward and downward. In the position shown, knife arm  16  is located in the lower terminal position.  
         [0028]     The cutting knife of knife arm  16  corresponds to a counterknife that is recessed flush into frame plate  2 . Joined to knife arm  16  is a protective apparatus  19  that covers the cutting knife when knife arm  16  is lowered, and thus offers protection for the operator.  
         [0029]     Rotary cutting device  15  comprises a guide bar  20  that extends at a distance from support plate  13 , parallel to the cutting edge and cutting direction of guillotine cutting device  14 , between two holding blocks  21 ,  22 . A knife carriage  23  is guided on guide bar  20  displaceably in the direction of the longitudinal axis of guide bar  20 . It can be slid manually back and forth using handle  24 .  
         [0030]     A circular knife, covered by a protective cap  26 , is mounted rotatably on knife carriage  23 . Mounting is accomplished about a horizontal axis  27  that extends transversely to the longitudinal axis of guide bar  20 . The circular knife projects downward beyond knife carriage  23  and makes contact against a counterknife bar  28  that is recessed into support plate  13  and extends parallel to guide bar  20 .  
         [0031]     Extending between guillotine cutting device  14  and rotary cutting device  15 , parallel to them, is a stop bar  29  against which sheet material can be aligned. Stop bar  29  encompasses at the end a guide bar  30 , and is guided thereon in transversely displaceable fashion. Guide bar  30  extends at right angles to the cutting directions of guillotine cutting device  14  and rotary cutting device  15 .  
         [0032]     A portion of support plate  13  is separated from the remaining portion thereof, and forms a cover plate  31 . Cover plate  31  is joined to the remaining portion of support plate  13  via a hinge  32 , and can be swung upward about that hinge  32 . Located beneath cover plate  31  is a storage compartment  33  that is embodied in the shape of a tray and is delimited on the lower side by a bottom. Storage compartment  33  is open at the top and is closed off only by cover plate  31 . The latter is of transparent configuration, so that the contents of storage compartment  33  are recognizable from outside.  
         [0033]     Storage compartment  33  is sufficiently large that paper can also be placed into storage compartment  33 . The possibility moreover exists of setting into storage compartment  33  an airtight box, and placing therein, in protected fashion, objects (such as photographic papers) that are sensitive to atmospheric influences. A peripheral seal, with which an airtight closure can be achieved, can instead be provided between cover plate  31  and frame plate  2 .  
         [0034]     Cutting unit  41  depicted in  FIGS. 5 through 7  comprises, like cutting unit  11 , a frame plate  42 , forming a substantially rectangular outline, whose horizontal upper side forms a support plate  43  for the support of sheet material to be trimmed.  
         [0035]     As is evident from  FIGS. 5 and 6 , a rotary cutting device  44  is attached on the upper longitudinal side. It comprises a guide bar  45  on which a knife carriage  46  is displaceably guided. The latter can be slid manually back and forth along guide bar  45  using handle  47 .  
         [0036]     A circular knife (here concealed) is mounted rotatably on knife carriage  46 . Mounting is accomplished about a horizontal axis that extends transversely to the longitudinal axis of guide bar  45 . The circular knife projects downward beyond knife carriage  46  and makes contact against a counterknife bar  48  that is recessed into support plate  43  and extends parallel to guide bar  45 .  
         [0037]     Extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of guide bar  45  is a stop bar  49  against which sheet material can be aligned. Stop bar  49  encompasses at the end a guide bar  50 , and is guided thereon in transversely displaceable fashion. Guide bar  50  extends at right angles to rotary cutting device  44 .  
         [0038]     A portion of support plate  43  is separated from the remaining portion thereof, and forms a cover plate  51 . Cover plate  51  is joined to the remaining portion of support plate  43  via a hinge  52 , and can be swung upward about that hinge  52  out of the closed position in  FIG. 5  into an approximately vertical position, as visible in  FIG. 6 . Located beneath cover plate  51  is a storage compartment  53  that is closed off on the lower side by a bottom  54 . A storage tray  55  having a bottom  55   a  on the lower side is set into storage compartment  53 . Storage tray  55  is open at the top and is subdivided by vertical ribs (labeled  55   b  by way of example) into multiple sub-compartments (labeled  55   c  by way of example) separated from one another. Office items or small office accessories can then be accommodated in these sub-compartments  55   c.    
         [0039]     Located below storage tray  55 , depicted in the raised state, is an open space into which sheet material can be placed, for example photographic paper. The base outline of storage compartment  53  is dimensioned so that, for example, DIN A4 sheet material can be placed in it without having to be folded.  
         [0040]     As is evident from  FIG. 7 , rotary cutting device  44  can be removed completely from frame plate  52 . Provided for that purpose on frame plate  42  and on rotary cutting device  44  are complementary latch devices  57 ,  58  that latch to one another when inserted into one another. Rotary cutting device  44  can be removed by unlatching.  
         [0041]     Removal of rotary cutting device  44  makes it possible to replace it with guillotine cutting device  59 , likewise depicted in  FIG. 7 . Guillotine cutting device  59  comprises a knife arm  60  that is mounted pivotably, in a bearing  61 , about a horizontal axis extending transversely to the longitudinal axis of knife arm  60 . Knife arm  60  is equipped on its lower side, substantially over its entire length, with a cutting knife that is concealed in this view. Configured at the free end of knife arm  60  is a handle  62  with which knife arm  60  can be pivoted upward and downward. In the position shown, knife arm  60  is located in the lower terminal position.  
         [0042]     The cutting knife of knife arm  60  corresponds to a counterknife  61  that is secured to a frame portion  62 . Joined to knife arm  60  is a protective apparatus  63  that covers the cutting knife and thus offers protection for the operator.  
         [0043]     Frame portion  62 , like rotary cutting device  44 , comprises latch devices  64 ,  65  complementary to latch devices  57 ,  58 . Guillotine cutting device  59  can be joined to frame plate  42  by way of these latch devices  64 ,  65 , so that sheet material for which a guillotine cutting device  59  is more suitable than a rotary cutting device  44  can then be cut with cutting unit  41 .