Patent Publication Number: US-RE47416-E

Title: Cutting machine for window coverings

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates generally to a window covering, and more particularly to a cutting machine for window coverings. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Typically, there are two types of window blinds, which are venetian blinds and vertical blinds. In the present days, a consumer can buy window blinds in a store, and the window blinds are cut right in the store to meet the demand of the consumer. 
     The conventional venetian blind has several components, typically including a top rail, a bottom rail, and slats. Each component may have specified size and material. For example, the top rail and the bottom rail usually are made of strong metal, and the slats are made of light materials, like aluminum or PVC. It is obvious that these components shouldn&#39;t be cut by the same cutter due to different properties of different materials. However, the common cutting machine in the market only has one cutter, and such cutting machines are taught in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,761,099 and 6,681,673. 
     An improved cutting machine is provided with various cutters for different components of window blinds. Such cutting machine has two or more motors to drive the cutters respectively. But such cutting machines are complex and expensive. 
     Furthermore, all the conventional cutting machines as mentioned above can only cut one type of window blinds, which is not efficient. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a cutting machine for window coverings, which may cut two or more types of window blinds. It has a simple structure and is easy to operate. 
     According to the objective of the present invention, the components of the window coverings include a horizontal top rail, a horizontal bottom rail and horizontal slats of a venetian blind, and a vertical top rail and vertical slats of a vertical blind, and a cutting machine for cutting the components of window coverings includes a machine base for the components, a first cutting unit and a second cutting unit; the machine base is a substantially elongated member, which has a long axis and a short axis, wherein the machine has a first side and an opposite second side along the long axis, and has a third side and an opposite fourth side along the short axis; the first cutting unit is provided on the machine base and adjacent to the first side, including a base, a slat holding device, a cutter device, and a driving device; the base has a first bore and a first positioning bore to receive the horizontal slats and the horizontal top rail respectively; the slat holding device has a pressing block and a pushing member, wherein the pressing block is movably received in the first bore of the base and has a bore to receive the horizontal bottom rail; the pushing member moves the pressing block toward the first positioning bore; the cutter device is movably provided on the base, which has a first cutter and a second cutter which are adjacent to the first bore and the first positioning bore respectively, and the first cutter is used to cut off the horizontal slats and the horizontal bottom rail, the second cutter is used to cut off the horizontal top rail; and the driving device has a connecting member and an operating member, wherein the connecting member is connected to the cutter device, and the operating member is connected to the connecting member to move the cutter device; the second cutting unit is movably mounted on the machine base, which comprises a frame, a cutter, and a controller; the frame is movably provided on the machine base for a movement along the long axis of the machine base; the cutter is movably provided in the frame, wherein a second bore is formed between the cutter and the frame to receive the vertical slats; and the controller is connected to the cutter to move the cutter; wherein the frame has a movable base and two rails; the movable base is movably mounted on the machine base, and the rails are connected to the movable base; the rails are vertical to the movable base and are parallel to the short axis of the machine base; the cutter is provided between the rails with opposite sides engaging the rails; and the controller moves the cutter to move in the rail to cut the vertical slats off. 
     In an embodiment, the pushing member of the slat holding device of the first cutting unit has a block, a shaft, and a flexible member; the block is connected to the connecting member; the block has a opening, and the base has an opening; the shaft passes through the opening of the block and the opening of the base to connect to the pressing block; the flexible member is provided on the shaft and is between the block and the base to move the pressing block. 
     In an embodiment, the shaft has a protrusion at a side adjacent to the pressing block; the protrusion is outside of the base; and the flexible member is between the protrusion and the block. 
     In an embodiment, the second cutting unit&#39;s cutter is provided with a slot parallel to the short axis of the machine base; and the controller includes a sliding block, a linkage, and a control bar; the sliding block is received in the slot of the cutter to move in the slot; the linkage is pivoted on the sliding block; and the control bar is pivoted on the frame and engages the linkage, whereby when the control bar is moved, the cutter is moved via the linkage and the sliding block. 
     In an embodiment, the cutting machine further comprises a second restricting unit which has a fixing base and a restricting board; the fixing base is connected to the second side of the machine base, and the restricting board is movably provided on the fixing base to move along the long axis of the machine base. 
     In an embodiment, the cutting machine further comprising a first restricting unit provided on the machine base, wherein the first restricting unit is closer to the first side than the first cutting unit; the first restricting unit has a stop device, a transmitting device, and a fixing device; the stop device is beside the first cutting unit; the transmitting device is connected to the stop device and the driving device; when the driving device moves the cutter along the short axis of the machine base, the driving device moves the stop device between a first position and a second position, wherein the first position is closer to the cutter device than the second position; at the first position, the stop device rests against ends of the horizontal bottom rail and the horizontal slats in the first bore and the horizontal top rail in the first positioning bore; the fixing device is connected to the machine base; the transmitting device rests against the stop device when the stop device is on the first position, and the transmitting device leaves the stop device when the stop device moves toward the second position from the first position. 
     In an embodiment, the transmitting device has a transmitting board, a transmitting shaft, a first supporting shaft, a second supporting shaft, and a locking member; the transmitting board is pivoted on the machine base through an axle; the transmitting board has a slot; the transmitting shaft has an end connected to the connecting member of the driving device to move with the cutter device; the transmitting shaft has a post on an opposite end to engage the slot of the transmitting board; the first supporting shaft has an end fixed to the machine base and an opposite end engaging and passing through the stop device, whereby the stop device is free to move between the first position and the second position relative to the first supporting shaft; the second supporting shaft has an end engaging the base and an opposite end pivoted on the transmitting board; the locking member is connected to the second supporting shaft; the locking member is provided with a scale to secure the stop device at a specific position on the second supporting shaft; when the driving device moves the cutter device and the transmitting shaft, the post moves in the slot to swing the transmitting board which will move the second supporting shaft in a direction away from the base, as a result, the stop device is moved in a direction away from the first bore and the first positioning bore. 
     In an embodiment, the transmitting board of the transmitting device is closer to the first cutting unit than the fixing device of the first restricting member to be move to rest against or leave the fixing device. 
     In an embodiment, the connecting member of the driving device is a rack; the rack has teeth meshed with a gear set; and the gear set is connected to the operating member. 
     In an embodiment, the base is further provided with a second positioning bore adjacent to the first positioning bore to receive the vertical top rail; the first bore, the first positioning bore and the second positioning bore are located in order along the short axis of the machine base; the cutter device further has a third cutter beside the second positioning bore to cut the vertical top rail. 
     Therefore, the aforementioned cutting machine for window coverings has a simple structure, and is easy to operate. Moreover, it has the ability to cut components of different types of window blinds. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention, showing the first cutting unit and the first restricting unit; 
         FIG. 3  is a rear view of  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention, showing the base and the cutter device; 
         FIG. 5  is a top view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention, showing the stop device of the first restricting unit in the first position; 
         FIG. 6  is a top view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention, showing the stop device of the first restricting unit in the second position; 
         FIG. 7  and  FIG. 8  are right views of the second cutting unit of the preferred embodiment of the present invention, showing the cutter moving along the rail; and 
         FIG. 9  is a perspective view of the second restricting unit of the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       FIG. 1  shows a cutting machine of the preferred embodiment of the present embodiment, which is designed for cutting components of venetian blinds, vertical blinds, and any other types of window blinds. The venetian blind has a horizontal top rail, a horizontal bottom rail, and a plurality of horizontal slats. The vertical blind has a vertical top rail and a plurality of vertical slats. The size and structure of these components of the window blinds are well known for a person who is skilled in the art, so we do not describe the relating details here. As shown in  FIG. 1 , the cutting machine has a machine base  1 , a first cutting unit  2 , a first restricting unit  3 , a second cutting unit  4 , and a second restricting unit  5 . 
     The machine base  1  is a substantially elongated rectangular member. The components of the window blinds are put on the machine base  1  parallel to a long axis of the machine base  1 , and are movable along the long axis. The machine base  1  has a first side  11  and a second side  12  at the opposite sides of the long axis, and has a third side  13  and a fourth side at the opposite sides of a short axis which is vertical to the long axis. The machine base  1  is provided with a first scale  15  and a second scale  16  on a top side thereof. The first scale  15  is located adjacent to the second side  12 , and the second scale  16  is adjacent to the first side  11 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 2  to  FIG. 4 , the first cutting unit  2  is designed for cutting the horizontal top rails, the horizontal bottom rails, the horizontal slats of the venetian blinds, and the vertical top rails of the vertical blinds. The first cutting unit  2  is provided on the machine base  1  and is adjacent to the first side  11 . The first cutting unit  2  has a base  21 , a cutter device  23 , a driving device  24 , and a slat holding device. 
     The base  21  is provided on the machine base  1 , and has a first bore  211 , a first positioning bore  212 , and a second positioning bore  213  located in order from the third side  12  to the fourth side  14 . The horizontal slats, the horizontal top rail and the vertical top rail may respectively engage the first bore  211 , the first positioning bore  212 , and the second positioning bore  213 . The first positioning bore  212  and second positioning bore  213  respectively have a specified shape which fits cross sections of the horizontal top rail and the vertical top rail. 
     The cutter device  23  is provided on the base  21 , and is able to move along the short axis of the machine base  1 . The cutter device  23  has a first cutter  231 , a second cutter  232 , and a third cutter  233 , which are in association with the first bore  211 , the first positioning bore  212 , and the second positioning bore  213  respectively. 
     The driving device  24  is provided on the machine base  1 , which has a connecting member  241  and an operating member. The connecting member  241  is connected to the cutter device  23 , and is controlled by the operating member to move along the short axis of the machine base  1 . In this embodiment, the connecting member  241  is a toothed rack parallel to the short axis of the machine base  1 , and the operating member has a handle  242  and a gear set  243 . The gear set  243  is meshed with the rack  241 , and is connected to the handle  242 . Therefore, turning the handle  242  may rotate the gear set  243 , and then move the rack  241 , as well as the cutter device  23 . 
     The slat holding device is provided on the machine base  1 , which has a pressing block  22  and a pushing member  25 . The pressing block  22  is received in the first bore  211  and is adjacent to the third side  13 . The pressing block  22  is able to move along the short axis of the machine base  1  within the first bore  211 . The pressing block  22  has a bore  221  to engage the horizontal bottom rail, and the shape of the bore  221  fits the cross section of the horizontal bottom rail. The pushing member  25  has a block  251 , a shaft  252 , and a flexible member  253 . The block  251  is provided on the connecting member  241 . The block  251  has an opening (not shown). The shaft  252  is inserted into the opening of block  251  and an opening (not shown) on the base  21 , and then the shaft  252  is connected to the pressing block  22  in the first bore  211 . The shaft  252  has a protrusion  254  at a side adjacent to the pressing block  22 , and the protrusion  254  is outside of the base  21 . The flexible member  253  is a spring in the present embodiment. The spring  253  fits the shaft  252 , and is located between the protrusion  254  and the block  251  to push the block toward the fourth side  14  through the shaft  252 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 ,  FIG. 2 ,  FIG. 5 , and  FIG. 6 , the first restricting unit  3  is provided on the machine base  1 . The first cutting unit  2  is closer to the second side  12  than the first restricting unit  3 . The first restricting unit  3  includes a stop device  31 , a transmitting device  32 , and a fixing device  33 . 
     The stop device  31  is a substantially elongated plate on a side of the base  21  where corresponding to the first bore  211 , the first positioning bore  212  and the second positioning bore  213 . The stop device  31  is closer to the first side  11  than the base  21 . The stop device  31  has a slot  311  on a bottom side thereof. The slot  311  is an elongated slot parallel to the long axis of the machine base  1 . 
     The transmitting device  32  is connected to the stop device  31  and the driving device  24  to move the stop device  31  between a first position ( FIG. 5 ) and a second position ( FIG. 6 ) while the driving device  24  is moving the cutter device  23 . The first position is closer to the cutter device  23  than the second position. The transmitting device  32  has a transmitting board  321 , a transmitting shaft  322 , a first supporting shaft  323 , a second supporting shaft  324 , and a locking member  325 . The transmitting board  321  is an elongated board pivoted on the machine base  1  through an axle  326 . The transmitting board  321  has a slot  327 . The transmitting shaft  322  has an end connected to the connecting member  241  of the driving device  24  to move with the cutter device  23 , and the other end of the transmitting shaft  322  is provided with a post  328 . The post  328  engages the slot  327  of the transmitting board  321 . The first supporting shaft  323  has an end fixed to the machine base  1  and the other end engaging the slot  311  of the stop device  31 . The stop device  31  is able to move on the supporting shaft  323  between the first position and the second position. The second supporting shaft  324  has an end passing through the base  21  and the other end pivoted on the transmitting board  321 . The second supporting shaft  324  is pivoted on a side of the transmitting board  321 , which is opposite to the slot  327 . The second supporting shaft  324  is able to move along the long axis of the machine base  1  relative to the base  21 . The stop device  31  is fixed onto the second supporting shaft  324  at a predetermined position by the locking member  325 . 
     The fixing device  33  is a cube in the present embodiment. The fixing device  33  is fixed to the machine base  1 , and is adjacent to the transmitting board  321 . The transmitting board  321  is closer to the first cutting unit  2  than the fixing device  33 . The transmitting board  321  touches the fixing device  33  when the stop device  31  is moved to the first position ( FIG. 5 ), and the transmitting board  321  leaves the fixing device  33  when the stop device  31  is moved toward the second position ( FIG. 6 ). The locking member  325  has a third scale  329 . 
     When a user wants to cut the horizontal slats, the horizontal top rail and the horizontal bottom rail of a venetian blind with the cutting machine of the present invention, the user has to adjust the location of the stop device  31  using the third scale  329  of the locking member  325 , and then lock the locking member  325  to secure the stop device  31  at a specified position on the second supporting shaft  324 . At this time, the stop device  31  is at the first position, as shown in  FIG. 5 . Next, the user has to put the components of the venetian blind in the bores  211 ,  212 ,  221  (specifically, the horizontal slats for the first bore  211 , the horizontal top rail for the first positioning bore  212 , and the horizontal bottom rail for the bore  221 ), and push them toward the first side  11  until they touch the stop device  31 . If the user wants to cut the vertical top rail of a vertical blind, he/she has to put the rail in the second positioning bore  213  and adjust a location of the vertical top rail with the second scale  16 . 
     Next, the user operates the handle  242  to move the cutter device  23  toward the fourth side  14 . As a result, the cutters  231 - 233  will cut the components off respectively. 
     As shown in  FIG. 5  and  FIG. 6 , the transmitting shaft  322  moves with the driving device  24 , so that it will move the post  328  along the slot  327  and the transmitting board  321  at the same time. As a result, the second supporting shaft  324  is moved in a direction away from the base  21 . The stop device  31 , which moves with the second supporting shaft  324 , is moved to the second position from the first position. As a result, it is easy to remove the waste material after cutting from the first cutting unit  2 . 
     The top and bottom rails of the blinds usually are bent plates, and the rails all have a transverse middle section and two vertical side sections at opposite ends of the middle section. The bores  212 ,  213 ,  221  are shaped respectively to fit the rails, and they have a middle portion for fitting the middle section of the rails, and two side portions for fitting the side sections. The middle portions of the bores  212 ,  213 ,  221  are closer to the corresponding cutters  231 - 233  than the side portions. In other words, the middle section of the rails will be first portion to be cut when the cutters  231 - 233  are used to cut the rails. 
     When the user put horizontal slats in the first bore  211 , he/she may operate the handle  242  to move the pressing block  22  via the connecting member  241 , the block  251 , the flexible member  253 , the protrusion  254 , and the shaft  252 , so that the pressing block  22  presses the slats to hold them. The flexible member  253  cushions the pressure on the slats to avoid making indents on the slats. 
     While the stop device  31  is at the first position, and the rails or slats are put in the corresponding bores, the transmitting board  321  is rested against the fixing device  33  to avoid the transmitting device  32  and the stop device  31  from being moved by the rails or slats. It will firmly secure the stop device  31  to increase the accuracy in cutting. 
     As shown in  FIG. 7  to  FIG. 9 , the second cutting unit  4  and the second restricting unit  5  are provided to precisely cut the vertical slats of the vertical blinds. The second cutting unit  4  has a frame  41 , a cutter  42 , and a controller. The frame  41  is provided on the machine base  1 , which has a movable base  411  and two rails  412 . The movable base  411  has two wheels sets  413 , and therefore the movable base  411  may freely reciprocate along the long axis of the machine base  1 . The rails  412  are mounted on the movable base  411  at a side opposite to the wheel sets  413 . The rails  412  are parallel with each other, and they are set parallel to the short axis of the machine base  1 . The cutter  42  is provided in the frame  41 . The cutter  42  is set between the rails  412  and engages the rails  412  with both sides, so that the cutter  42  is able to move vertically. A second bore  46  is formed between the cutter  42  and the rails  412  to receive the slats. The cutter  42  has a slot  421  parallel to the short axis of the machine base  1 . The controller is connected to the cutter  42  to move the cutter  42 . In an embodiment, the controller has a sliding block  43 , a linkage  44 , and a control bar  45 . The sliding block  43  is received in the slot  421  of the cutter  42  and moves along the slot  421 . The linkage  44  has opposite ends pivoted respectively on the sliding block  43  and the control bar  45 , and the control bar  45  is further pivoted on the frame  41  to form a four-linkage mechanism. When a user operates the control bar  45 , it will move the cutter  42  up and down via the four-linkage mechanism. 
     The second restricting unit  5  has a fixing base  51  and a restricting board  52 . The fixing base  51  is provided to the second side  12  of the machine base  1 . The fixing base  51  has a slot  511  along the long axis of the machine base  1 . The restricting board  52  is provided on the fixing base  51  and engages the slot  511 , therefore the restricting board  52  is able to move along the long axis of the machine base  1 . 
     While operating, a user moves the second cutting unit  4  to a specified position according to the first scale  15 , and then puts the vertical slats in the second bore  46  and lets the vertical slats touch the restricting board  52  of the second restricting unit  5 . After securing the vertical slats, the user moves the restricting board  52  in a direction away from the second cutting unit  4  to separate the restricting board  52  from the vertical slats, and then operates the control bar  45  to let the cutter  42  cut the slats. 
     As a result, the vertical slats are precisely cut with the help of the restricting board  52 . If another vertical slats have to be cut for the same size, it doesn&#39;t need to move the second cutting unit  4 . Furthermore, moving the restricting board  52  in a direction away from the second cutting unit  4  before cutting is helpful to a fine cut of the slats. The waste materials of cutting are left between the second cutting unit  4  and the second restricting unit  5 . The user may remove the waste material easily because of moving away of the restricting board  52  before cutting. 
     The cutting machine of the present invention may cut the components of blinds in an easy way. It may cut different components by different cutters at the same time. The description above is only a few preferred embodiments of the present invention and the equivalence of the present invention is still in the scope of claim construction of the present invention.