Patent Publication Number: US-10786923-B2

Title: Magnetic cutting platform for use with a die cutting machine

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to a magnetic cutting platform to receive a compressive cutting force generated by a die cutting machine so that designs can be accurately cut from a sheet material. The magnetic cutting platform has a magnetic base to hold the position of a cutting die on the sheet material and thereby prevent the position of a downwardly facing cutting edge of the die from changing relative to the design to be cut from the sheet. 
     2. Background Art 
     Die cutting machines have been regularly used by schools, libraries, and similar institutions when it is desirable to cut various designs, such as letters, shapes, and the like from sheet material for the purpose of making a sign, banner or a display to attract the attention of passersby. A user manipulates a handle or a similar pushing surface of the machine to cause a cutting force to be generated. The cutting force is transferred to a die cutting assembly which carries the sheet material to be cut. The die cutting assembly includes a cutting die which cuts the design from the sheet material. 
     On occasion, the position of the cutting die is susceptible to change relative to the design to be cut out of the sheet material. For example, handling the die cutting assembly prior to and during the application of the cutting force from the die cutting machine to the cutting die has been known to cause a displacement of the cutting die from its initial position in registration with the design to be cut from the sheet material. Moreover, in many cases, the cutting die lies below the sheet material and the cutting edge thereof faces upwardly, whereby it is often difficult to accurately position and hold the cutting edge in alignment with the design to be cut. As a consequence of the foregoing, the shape that is ultimately cut from the sheet material is offset and shifted with respect to the design that is printed on the sheet material and intended to be cut therefrom. Thus, the accuracy and aesthetic appearance of the die cut are negatively impacted. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In general terms, a magnetic cutting platform is disclosed which includes a (e.g., steel) cutting die by which to accurately cut out designs that are printed on a sheet material. The magnetic cutting platform is adapted to be used in combination with, for example, a portable hand-operated die cutting machine that is capable of generating a compressive cutting force by which to press a cutting edge of the cutting die through the sheet material to cut out the design with which the die is aligned. 
     The magnetic cutting platform includes a magnetic base in which an array of magnets is embedded. A cover sheet is attached (e.g., adhesively bonded) over the top of the magnetic base to prevent the magnets from inadvertently falling out. A lower cutting pad is laid across the cover sheet at the top of the magnetic base, and the sheet bearing the design to be cut is laid on top of the lower cutting pad. The cutting die has a cutting edge facing downwardly therefrom. The cutting die is positioned on the sheet material such that the downwardly facing cutting edge is aligned with the design to be cut. An upper cutting pad is laid over the cutting die to complete the assembly of the magnetic cutting platform so that the cutting die and the sheet material are sandwiched between the upper and lower cutting pads. 
     The assembled magnetic cutting platform is laid upon and advanced along a cutting table of the die cutting machine in response to a rotation of a handle of the cutting machine. A compressive cutting force generated by the die cutting machine is transmitted to the cutting die by way of the upper cutting pad. Thus, the downwardly facing cutting edge of the die is pushed through the sheet material to cut the design therefrom. The array of magnets embedded in the magnetic base holds the cutting die in place on the sheet material so that the cutting edge thereof remains in accurate alignment with the design throughout the cutting process. The lower cutting pad of the magnetic cutting platform which lies between the cutting die and the magnetic base prevents damage to the magnetic base when the cutting edge of the die cuts through the sheet material. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view of a magnetic cutting platform according to a preferred embodiment which includes a cutting die by which to accurately cut a design out of a sheet material carried by the cutting platform; 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded side view of the magnetic cutting platform shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is an enlarged detail of the magnetic cutting platform shown in  FIG. 3 ; and 
         FIG. 4  shows an example of a hand-operated die cutting machine adapted to generate a compressive cutting force against the cutting die of the magnetic cutting platform to cut the design from the sheet material. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     A preferred embodiment for a magnetic cutting platform  1  which has particular application for use with a hand-operated die cutting machine (designated  20  in  FIG. 4 ) is described while referring currently to  FIGS. 1-3  of the drawings. The cutting platform  1  includes a magnetic base  3 . The magnetic base  3  is preferably manufactured from a non-magnetic material such as, for example, polypropylene or ABS plastic. An array of magnets  5  are embedded within the magnetic base  3  so as to lie flush with the top thereof. The flush-disposed magnets  5  advantageously ensure that the top of the base  3  will be a completely flat surface. The magnets  5  can be manufactured from a rare earth magnetic material or any other suitable magnetic material. Each magnet  5  preferably has a disk shape with a thickness of about 2 mm and a diameter of about 10 mm. A total of forty magnets  5  (as shown in  FIG. 1 ) are uniformly spaced from one another across the top of the magnetic base  3 . However, the number, dimensions and shape of the magnets  5  in the array thereof should not be taken as a limitation of this invention. 
     To prevent the magnets  5  from inadvertently falling out of the magnetic base  3  of the magnetic cutting platform  1 , a thin non-magnetic cover sheet  7  is placed across the top of base  3 . The cover sheet  7  is preferably adhesively bonded to the magnetic base  3  to lie over top the array of magnets  5  that are recessed therewithin. By way of example only, the cover sheet  7  may be made of paper, or the like. 
     A wear-resistant, lower cutting pad  9  is laid over the cover sheet  7  that is attached across the magnetic base  3  over top the magnets  5 . The lower cutting pad  9  is manufactured, for example, from polycarbonate or any other suitable relatively hard material that is capable of withstanding being penetrated by a cutting edge of a soon-to-be described cutting die  10  to be positioned above cutting pad  9 . The cutting pad  9  is ideally about 3 mm thick in order to create a protective intermediate surface between the cutting die  10  and the magnetic base  3  to prevent scarring of and damage to the magnetic base  3  when the magnetic cutting platform  1  is utilized within a die cutting machine (designated  20  in  FIG. 4 ). In this case and as was earlier explained, each magnet from the array thereof has a thickness of about 2 mm in order to generate sufficient magnetic force through the lower cutting pad  9  for preventing the cutting die  10  from shifting as will soon be described. 
     The aforementioned cutting die  10  is used to cut any one of a variety of designs  12  from a sheet material  14  when the cutting die is forced downwardly against the sheet material. By way of example, the sheet material  14  may be manufactured from paper, plastic, leather, etc., and the design  12  to be cut therefrom may be printed on the sheet material so as to have a shape and/or size that suits the needs of a user of the cutting machine. The cutting die  10  has a cutting edge  11  (best shown in  FIG. 3 ) facing downwardly from the bottom thereof which is adapted to cut through the sheet material  14  in response to a cutting force applied to the die  10  by the die cutting machine. The cutting die  10  is manufactured from a magnetic material (e.g., steel) for a purpose that will soon be described. 
     As is best shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the sheet material  14  bearing the design  12  to be cut therefrom is laid upon the cutting pad  9 . The cutting die  10  is then laid over the sheet material  14  such that the cutting blade  11  of cutting die  10  surrounds the periphery of the design  12 . It may therefore be appreciated that the shape and size of the cutting die  10  conform to the shape and size of the design  12  to be cut from the sheet material  14  such that the die is aligned in registration with the design. 
     The magnetic cutting platform  1  is completed when an upper cutting pad  16  is laid over top the cutting die  10 . As is also best shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , with the cutting platform  1  assembled and ready to be used with the die cutting machine  20 , the sheet material  14  and the cutting die  10  laying thereon are sandwiched between the lower and upper cutting pads  9  and  16 , such that a compressive cutting force generated by the cutting machine is transmitted to the cutting die  10  by way of upper cutting pad  16 . Like the lower cutting pad  9 , the upper cutting pad  16  is manufactured from a suitable relatively hard wear-resistant material, such as polycarbonate, or the like. 
     Turning now to  FIG. 4  of the drawings, there is shown a (e.g., portable hand-operated) die cutting machine  20  with which the magnetic cutting platform shown in  FIGS. 1-3  can be used to cut the design  12  from the sheet material  14 . That is, the die cutting machine  20  is adapted to apply a compressive cutting force to the cutting die  10  to force the cutting edge  11  of the die through sheet material  14 . However, it is to be expressly understood that the particular die cutting machine shown in  FIG. 4  is not to be considered a limitation of this invention. 
     By way of example only, one suitable hand-operated die cutting machine that is suitable to accept the magnetic cutting platform  1  is that known commercially as the BIG KICK manufactured by Ellison Educational Equipment, Inc. of Lake Forest, Calif. Reference can be made in this regard to U.S. Design Pat. No. D607,910 issued Jan. 12, 2010 for an illustration of such a die-cutting machine. 
     In this example, with the cutting die  10  and the sheet material  14  sandwiched between the lower and upper cutting pads  9  and  16 , the magnetic cutting platform  1  is laid on one side of a cutting table  22  of the cutting machine  20 . A rotational force applied to a handle  24  of the cutting machine  20  causes the cutting platform  1  to be advanced linearly along the cutting table  22  by means of a roller (not shown) that is housed inside a cover  26  of the cutting machine. As the cutting platform  1  is moved below the cover  26 , a cutting force is applied by the roller to the upper cutting pad  16 . However, other cutting machines, such as those which have a flat cutting force-generating plate, can be used in substitution of the cutting machine  20  shown in  FIG. 4 . 
     Accordingly, the cutting die  10  and the sheet material  14  are compressed against the cutting table  22  of the die cutting machine  20  and between the lower and upper cutting pads  9  and  16  of the cutting platform  1 . The cutting force being applied from machine  20  to the upper cutting pad  16  presses the cutting edge  11  of the cutting die  10  downwardly through the sheet material  14 , whereby to cut the design therefrom. The handle  24  of machine  20  is rotated until the magnetic cutting platform  1  is rolled past the cover  26  to the opposite side of the cutting table  22 . The magnetic cutting platform  1  can now be removed from the die cutting machine  20  and disassembled to enable the user to gain access to the design  12  that has just been cut out of the sheet material  14 . 
     By virtue of the magnetic cutting platform  1  shown in  FIGS. 1-3 , precise designs can be cut from the sheet material  14  as the cutting platform is advanced along the cutting table  22  of the die cutting machine  20 . More particularly, the array of magnets  5  embedded within the base  3  of cutting platform  1  holds the (e.g., steel) cutting die  10  in place on the sheet material  14  and prevents the downwardly facing cutting edge  11  of die  10  from moving out of its alignment with the design  12  on the sheet material  14 . To this end, and especially in the case where small cutting dies are employed, the magnets  5  embedded within the base  3  should ideally be spaced from one another so that there are at least two magnets located below the die to hold the die in place and prevent it from shifting over the sheet material. 
     Because the cutting edge  11  faces downwardly from the cutting die  10 , the die can be initially positioned on top of the sheet material  14  so as to surround and accurately define the design  12  to be cut. The magnets  5  hold the cutting die  10  in place and prevent the cutting edge  11  from moving when the magnetic cutting platform  1  is assembled with the cutting die  10  and sheet material  14  sandwiched between the lower and upper cutting pads  16  and  9 . The magnets  5  also hold the cutting die  10  in place when the magnetic cutting platform  1  is laid on and moved along the cutting table  22  of the die cutting machine  1  to receive the compressive cutting force generated by the machine  1  against the upper cutting pad  16 . 
     What is even more, and as has been explained above, the lower cutting pad  9  upon which the sheet material  14  is laid prevents scarring and damage to the magnetic base  3  and the magnets  5  thereof as a consequence of the downwardly facing cutting edge  11  of the cutting die  10  cutting through the sheet material  14 . This advantage avoids having to make frequent replacements of the magnetic base  3 . The upper cutting pad  12  which lies over top the cutting die  10  enables the compressive cutting force generated by the die cutting machine  20  to be uniformly distributed to die  10  to push the cutting edge  11  thereof cleanly through the sheet material  14  to cut the design  12  therefrom.