Abstract:
The method employs attaching two handle/jaw pieces together with a third coverplate piece thereon in the hinge area so that a flange surface of the coverplate opposes a flange surface of one of the handles. A flange surface on the second handle similarly opposes a second flange surface of the first handle. These opposing flange surfaces together creates a type of modified box joint that is robust, accurate, and capable of simple disassembly. A joint in combination with a hand tool that employs this method.

Description:
FIELD OF INVENTION  
       [0001]     This invention relates generally to the field of hand tool manufacturing. More particularly, the invention relates to a tool, such as a cuticle nipper, with a unique modified box joint system and a method of making the same.  
       BACKGROUND OF INVENTION  
       [0002]     Current methods for making hand tools typically entail either the use of a lap joint or a box joint for the joint system between the opposing handle elements.  
         [0003]     The term hand tool herein includes any manual, or semi-manual, tool that has two counteracting arms that rotate about an axis, or pin. In no way is the example meant to limit the definition, but an example of the type of hand tools herein include cuticle nippers and the like.  
         [0004]     In constructing a tool with a lap joint, the two handle/jaw pieces of the nipper are placed over each other so as to line up the hinging holes therein. A pin in driven through the two aligned hinging holes. The end of the pin is then peened over (e.g., struck with a force). The peened pin end(s) are then ground smooth so as to be relatively camouflaged on the outside of the joint. The nipper cutting jaw edges may then be hand sharpened and finished.  
         [0005]     Contrastingly, in box joint construction, one of the two forged handle/jaw pieces has a “box”-type construct, that has a drilled or milled slot in it. The slot area of the box is heated and then expanded by driving a mandril through it. The second handle/jaw/blade piece is then inserted through this expanded, heated opening of the box. The opening is then beaten closed (e.g., struck with a force) locking together the two handle elements. A pin similarly is placed through the aligned holes; then peened to adjust tension; and ground as in the lap jaw. The nipper cutting jaw edges are then hand sharpened and finished.  
         [0006]     Both lap joints and box joints have their inherent advantages and disadvantages.  
         [0007]     Clearly, the lap joint is easier and cheaper to manufacture. The box joint is more robust, however. Both joint constructs with their overall manufacturing methods, including the peening and the heating and use of the mandril, result in free play between the jaws which then leads to undesirable “scissoring” of the jaws. Ultimately, neither joint is able to be easily and accurately sharpened and/or resharpened. Adjustment and/or readjustment of the tool and cleaning are also impracticable. The overall quality control of the resultant nipper, with either joint construction, is suspect.  
         [0008]     Accordingly, there is a need in the field of hand tool manufacturing for an improved joint design and a method of making the same that offers advantages over the prior art joint construction types.  
       SUMMARY OF INVENTION  
       [0009]     The present invention provides an improved type ofjoint for use on hand tools, and the tool and methods of employing the same.  
         [0010]     A first general aspect of the invention provides a method of making a jawed hand tool, the steps comprising:  
         [0011]     providing a first element having a first jaw distal to a first handle and a first flange surface therebetween;  
         [0012]     providing a second element having a second jaw distal to a second handle and a second flange surface and a third flange surface therebetween, further wherein said second flange surface and third flange surface are on opposing sides of said second element;  
         [0013]     providing a third element having a fourth flange surface;  
         [0014]     rotatably attaching said second element between said first element and said third element so that said first flange surface abuts said second flange surface and said third flange surface abuts said fourth flange surface, further wherein said first jaw and said second jaw oppose each other.  
         [0015]     A second general aspect of the invention provides a hinged joint in combination with a hand tool comprising:  
         [0016]     two elements rotatably attached together at said hinged joint to form a nipper, each element comprising a jaw distal to a handle; and  
         [0017]     said hinged joint comprising four flange surfaces wherein a first flange surface on said first element faces a second flange surface on said second element and a joint cover having a fourth flange surface faces a third flange surface on said second element, further wherein said second flange surface and said third flange surface are on opposing sides of said second element, further wherein said joint cover is removably attached to said first element.  
         [0018]     The foregoing and other features of the invention will be apparent from the following more particular description of various embodiments of the invention. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS  
       [0019]     Some of the embodiments of this invention will be described in detail, with reference to the following figures, wherein like designations denote like members, wherein:  
         [0020]      FIG. 1  depicts an exploded top, perspective view of an embodiment of hand tool, in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0021]      FIG. 2  depicts a close up, top view of the jaws and modified box joint portion of an embodiment of a hand tool, in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0022]      FIG. 3A  depicts a close-up side view of a first jaw of an embodiment of a hand tool, in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0023]      FIG. 3B  depicts a close-up side view of a second jaw of an embodiment of a hand tool, in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0024]      FIG. 4  depicts a close-up side view of the jaws and modified box joint portion of an embodiment of a hand tool, in accordance with the present invention; and  
         [0025]      FIG. 5  depicts a close-up sectional elevation view of the modified box joint portion of an embodiment of a hand tool, in accordance with the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0026]     Although certain embodiments of the present invention will be shown and described in detail, it should be understood that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the appended claims. The scope of the present invention will in no way be limited to the number of constituting components, the materials thereof, the shapes thereof, the relative arrangement thereof, etc., and are disclosed simply as an example of an embodiment. Although the drawings are intended to illustrate the present invention, the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale.  
         [0027]     Turning to the figures, an exploded perspective view of an embodiment of the invention, is depicted in  FIG. 1 , while  FIGS. 2-4  show various close-up views of details of the invention.  
         [0028]      FIG. 1  shows an exploded view, in perspective, of an embodiment of a hand tool, denoted with a  10 , employing the aspects of the present invention. The hand tool  10  in this preferred embodiment is a nipper, or cuticle cutter. It should be noted that the invention may be employed in other hand tools that use opposing handles and jaws with a pivoting hinge. For example, pliers, scissors, wire cutters, bolt cutters, and the like.  
         [0029]     The tool  10  includes a first element  20 , a second element  40 , and a third element  60 . The modified box joint  15  of the present invention is located essentially in the hinge, or joint, area of the tool  10 . The joint  15  is located between a jaw  22  of the first element  20 , a jaw  42  of the second element  40 , and a handle  21  of the first element  20  and a handle  41  of the second element  40 .  
         [0030]     The first element  20  includes a jaw  22  and a handle  21 . Between the jaw  22  and handle  21  is a hinge area. Part of the hinge area includes a first flange face  23  with a hole  25  therethrough. The hole  25  may include threads  25  for receiving threads  72  on a screw  70 . The first flange face  23  may be ground, cut, or milled substantially flat.  
         [0031]     Optionally, there may be a hinged locking element  85  for locking the first element  20  and second element  40  together during non-use.  
         [0032]     Similarly, the second element  40  includes a jaw  42  and a handle  41 . Between the jaw  42  and the handle  41  is a hinge area. Part of the hinge area includes a second flange face  43  and an opposed third flange face  44  with a hole  45  therethrough. The second and third flange faces  43 ,  44  may be ground, cut, or milled substantially flat.  
         [0033]     Optionally, there may be a spring means  80  for providing a spring bias between the two elements  20 ,  40  during use. The spring means  80  may be a rotatably leaf spring (see  FIG. 1 ), a coil spring, or similar spring types located at the joint  15  or other areas of the tool  10  that provides a spring bias to the jaws  22 ,  42  for opening.  
         [0034]     A third element  50  includes a fourth flange face  61  with a hole  62  therethrough. The third element  50  functionally acts, in some aspects, as a joint cover.  
         [0035]     As  FIG. 1  depicts the first and second elements  20 ,  40  are placed over each other so that the first flange face  23  and the second flange face  42  abut. Similarly, the third element  60  is placed over the second element  40  so that the third flange face  43  and the fourth flange face  61  similarly abut. The term abut means that the faces oppose each other and are adjacent. They need not contact each other. A pin  70  is placed to its shank  72  goes through the various holes  62 ,  45 ,  25 . The pin  70  may be a screw with threads  71  wherein corresponding threads  26  located on the hole  25  through the first flange face  23 . The pin  70  serves as a hinge pin, of sorts, to allow for rotation of the elements  20 ,  40  around the pin  70 .  
         [0036]     Alternatively, the pin  70  may be a bolt (not shown) with a corresponding nut (not shown) that provides a similar rotating capability to the tool  10 .  
         [0037]     As the sectional view close up in  FIG. 5  and the close up view in  FIG. 4  show more apparently, the third element  60  and the first element  20  may include corresponding configurations that provide added strength to the joint  15  once completed. For example, the first element  20  may include at least one recess  28 A,  28 B that match is size and shape at least one projection  66 A,  66 B located on the periphery of the third element  60 . In this manner, the third element  60  may be slid horizontally into place over the second element  40  so that the projections  66 A,  66 B slid into the recesses  28 A,  28 B. Once then the pin  70  is placed, and if applicable, tightened, the recesses  28 A,  28 B provide a location for increased purchase for the third element  60  to the first element  20 , via the projections  66 A,  66 B. Alternative types and shapes of means for increasing this purchase between the third element  60  and first element  20  may be used. For example, detents, keys, keyways, and the like can be used. Alternatively, the end of the third element  60  may be substantially smooth, or unadulterated with any structural purchasing enhancements. That is the third element  60  may be placed on top of the first element  20  so that the third element  60  simply abuts and aligns with portions of the first element  20 . The placement will allow free rotation of the second element  40  between the first element  20  and third element  60  (and vice versa). In whatever embodiment that is employed, as a result, when the pin  70  is placed, the first and third element  20 ,  60  effectively act as a monolithic joint construct (i.e., modified box joint) around the second element  40  that is robust, strong, prevents scissoring of the jaws  22 ,  42  and, yet, is readily able to be disassembled.  
         [0038]      FIGS. 2, 3A , and  3 B, in particular, show close up view of the jaws  22 ,  42  and their interplay. The jaw  22  on the first element  20  includes an interior jaw face  31  and an exterior jaw face  32  and a jaw edge  33  that is formed between the two (See  FIG. 3A ). Similarly, the jaw  42  on the second element  40  includes an interior jaw face  51  and an exterior jaw face  52  and a jaw edge  53  that is formed between the two (See  FIG. 3B ).  
         [0039]     As  FIG. 2  shows, the interior jaw faces  31 ,  51  lined up and face each other and abut when the jaws  22 ,  42  of the tool are closed. Similarly, the exterior jaw faces  32 ,  52  line up, when the jaws  22 ,  42  are closed, so that they form essentially a co-planar surface.  
         [0040]     The uniformity in the construction of the various flange faces  23 ,  43 ,  44 ,  61  provides for a high quality tool that has limited, or no, susceptibility to scissoring of the jaws over time. That is the interior jaw faces  31 ,  51  lined and match each other when the jaws are closed  22 ,  42 . The flange faces  23 ,  43 ,  44 ,  61  also provide for an excellent “datum”, or attachment, surface for sharpening, cleaning, and the like, of the various parts of the elements  20 ,  40  either prior to construction, or after use.  
         [0041]     For example, the tool  10  can be placed on the material handling device, patented by this same inventor, under U.S. Pat. No. 6,821,193, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, for sharpening or other material handling (e.g., buffing, etc.). For example, the tool  10  could be taken apart and the first element  20  can be placed and clamped on the table of the handling device for subsequent sharpening. Similarly, the second element  40  can be sharpened at the device via similar methods and means.  
         [0042]     Note that the FIGs. throughout depicts flange faces  23 ,  43 ,  44 ,  61  that are substantially smooth. That is the faces  23 ,  43 ,  44 ,  61  may be ground or cut smooth after manufacture, or forged with smooth faces  23 ,  43 ,  44 ,  51  during manufacture. Alternatively, the faces  23 ,  43 ,  44 ,  61  need not be an entirely smooth face. The faces  23 ,  43 ,  44 ,  61  may, for example, have various depressions, projections, keying, detents, and the like (not shown), that would still allow for suitable rotation of the first and second elements  20 ,  40 . If employed, the use of any of these types of enhancements may further assist in the tracking of the elements  20 ,  40  as they rotate about the joint  15  so as to minimize scissoring of the jaws  22 ,  42  and maximize the utility of the tool  10 .  
         [0043]     While this invention has been described in conjunction with the specific embodiments outlined above, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the embodiments of the invention as set forth above are intended to be illustrative, not limiting. Various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.