Abstract:
A flooring material cutting device adapted to cut flooring material to fit around a door frame having a given geometry. The flooring material cutting device is comprised of a blade formed from a sharpened segment of material having the given geometry wherein the blade is adapted to cut the flooring material. The flooring material cutting device is further comprised of a blade box adapted to securely hold the blade relative to the flooring material. In addition, the flooring material cutting device is comprised of a cutting assembly adapted to engage the flooring material against the blade, thereby cutting the flooring material.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This patent application is a divisional of co-pending application Ser. No. 11/155,697, filed on Jun. 17, 2005, entitled “FLOORING MATERIAL CUTTING DEVICE”. 
     
    
     FIELD  
       [0002]     The present invention relates to the field cutting flooring material such as carpet, tile and vinyl composition tile.  
       BACKGROUND  
       [0003]     Industrial and commercial buildings have many doors. Most of these doors are encased in an industrial, standardized door frame. When the buildings are constructed, door frames are permanently placed well before any flooring material is laid down. Near the end of construction, or at any time when flooring material is replaced, the flooring material needs to be custom fit around each door frame.  
         [0004]     The current manner of placing flooring material is very time consuming, not very precise, and might be dangerous. A flooring job takes a lot of time to complete and may produce an unsightly finished product. At present, in order to place a flooring material around a standard door frame, an installer must take multiple measurements around the door frame, in two dimensions, and transfer these measurements by drawing the measurements on the flooring material using a pencil or some other writing instrument. Once the measurements have been drawn on the flooring material, it is then heated to make it more pliable. The hot material is then cut along the transferred measurements with some type of razor or knife. Handling a heated piece of flooring material with one hand and a sharp, exposed blade with the other is dangerous and can lead to injuries to the installer, either by burns, cuts, or both.  
         [0005]     As can be appreciated, the cuts made in this manner may not be very precise and are very time consuming. It is very difficult to accurately transfer the measurements taken on the floor around the door frame to the flooring material. The inherent imprecision often results in a cut piece of flooring material that does not fit very well around the door frame. The corners of these cuts may have sharp angles that do not exactly abut the rounded edges of a door frame. The resulting gaps between the door frame and the poorly fitting piece of flooring material must then be caulked. The caulking around the door gives a messy and unsightly appearance. In addition, if the cuts do not completely remove the measurement markings placed on the flooring, those remaining markings contribute to the messy appearance of the floor. What is needed is a device which allows an installer to safely, quickly and precisely cut flooring material to fit around door frames.  
       SUMMARY OF THE EMBODIMENTS  
       [0006]     The above and other needs are met by a flooring material cutting device. The flooring material cutting device is adapted to cut flooring material to fit around a door frame having a given geometry. The flooring material cutting device is comprised of a blade formed from a sharpened segment of material having the given geometry wherein the blade is adapted to cut the flooring material. The flooring material cutting device is further comprised of a blade box adapted to securely hold the blade relative to the flooring material. In addition the flooring material cutting device is comprised of a cutting assembly adapted to engage the flooring material against the blade, thereby cutting the flooring material. In one embodiment of the invention, the device has a frame box for structurally supporting the blade box, measuring devices and a finish trimmer.  
         [0007]     In another embodiment of the invention, the flooring material cutting device is made to be more easily transportable. In this embodiment, the blade box is attached to a handle, to create a hand-held cutting device.  
         [0008]     The blade box cuts out the shape of a door frame from a piece of flooring material in a single cut. Thus, the operator does not have to hold a heated piece of flooring material in one hand, while using an exposed blade to cut it in the other, reducing the chance that the operator will be burned, cut or both. Because the blade box cuts the shape of the door frame into a piece of flooring material in a single cut, significant time is saved over the old method of making multiple cuts. In addition, the operator does not have to transfer the dimensions of the area to be cut onto the piece of flooring material before it is placed in the flooring material cutting device, thereby reducing the unsightly appearance of lines drawn onto the flooring material. Further, because the blade box is designed to accurately replicate the geometry of the door frame, the flooring material which it cuts fits around a door frame very neatly, without having to add additional unsightly caulking. Thus, the use of the flooring material cutting device saves time, reduces the chance for injury on the work site and provides a more slightly finished flooring project. The flooring material cutting device is adapted to cut tiled flooring material as well as flooring material provided in sheets. The flooring material cutting device cuts carpet as well as vinyl composition tile. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0009]     Further advantages of the invention are apparent by reference to the detailed description when considered in conjunction with the figures, which are not to scale so as to more clearly show the details, wherein like reference numbers indicate like elements thorough out the several views and wherein:  
         [0010]      FIG. 1  is a drawing of a flooring material cutting device, from a first angle;  
         [0011]      FIG. 2  is a drawing of a flooring material cutting device, from a second angle;  
         [0012]      FIG. 3  is a drawing of a flooring material cutting device, from a third angle;  
         [0013]      FIG. 4  is a drawing of a flooring material cutting device, from a fourth angle;  
         [0014]      FIG. 5  is a drawing of a flooring material cutting device attachable finish trimmer from a first angle;  
         [0015]      FIG. 6  is a drawing of a flooring material cutting device attachable finish trimmer from a second angle; and,  
         [0016]      FIG. 7  is a drawing of a hand-held cutting device. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0017]     The present invention relates to a flooring material cutting device  20  for cutting flooring material to fit around door frames, such as standard commercial door frames.  
         [0018]      FIG. 1  is a drawing of the preferred embodiment of flooring material cutting device  20 . The device contains frame box  22 , which is made up of bottom front  24 , back  26 , left  28  and right  30  bars, top back  32 , front  34 , right  36  and left  38  bars, as well as right back  40  and front  42  vertical bars and left back  44  and front bars  46 . The frame box  22  provides structural support for the remaining elements of the device  20 .  
         [0019]      FIG. 2  is a drawing of cutting assembly  48 . Cutting assembly  48  includes a center support bar  50 . Center support bar  50  is attached to the top right bar  36  and top left bar  38 , so that it is parallel to top front and back bars  32  and  34 . Right and left sleeve bearing surface brackets  52  and  54  are attached to the center support bar  50  and the top front bar  34 .  
         [0020]     Depending from the center support bar  50  are right and left support brackets  56  and  58 . Right and left guide bearings  60  and  62  are attached to the right and left support brackets  56  and  58 , respectively.  
         [0021]     Right and left pivot pins,  64  and  66 , are attached to the top back bar  32  of the frame box  22 . Right and left blade box arms  68  and  70  are pivotally attached to the right and left pivot pins  64  and  66 . The right and left blade box arms  68  and  70  are parallel to the left and right top and bottom bars  28 ,  30 ,  36  and  38  of the frame box  22 .  
         [0022]     A cam roller bearing block  72  is attached perpendicularly between the right and left blade box arms  68  and  70 . A right spring  74  is attached between the center support bar  50  and the right blade box arm  68 . A corresponding left spring  76  is similarly attached between the center support bar  50  and the left blade box arm  70 .  
         [0023]     A cam  78  is located between the sleeve bearing brackets  52  and  54  and the cam roller bearing block  72 . The cam  78  has right and left off-set bearings  80  and  82 . The cam also has right and left sleeve bearings  84  and  86 . A cam handle  88  is attached to the cam  78 .  
         [0024]     A blade box  90  is attached to the right and left blade box arms  68  and  70 , parallel to the cam roller bearing block  72 . The blade box  90  has a top blade box side  92 , a right blade box side  94  and a left blade box side  96 . The top  92 , right  94  and left  96  blade box sides are attached together to form a receptacle for holding a blade  98 . The blade  98  can be made from a sharpened segment of a door frame, from a segment of metal which has been formed to substantially correspond to the geometry of a door frame or from a piece of ceramic which has been formed to substantially correspond to the geometry of a door frame. The blade  98  is placed in the blade box  90  by blade attachments  100 . A blade placement guide  102  can be provided in the top blade box side  92  to correctly position the blade  98  in the blade box  90 .  
         [0025]     A base panel  104  is attached to the frame box  22 . The base panel  104  has a top side  106  and a bottom side  108 , as well as right  110 , left  112 , back  114  and front  116  sides. The right side  110  of the base panel  104  attaches to the bottom right bar  28  of the frame box  22 . The left side  112  of the base panel  104  attaches to the bottom left bar  30  of the frame box  22 . The back and front sides  114  and  116  of the base panel  104  attach to the bottom back and front bars  24  and  26  of the frame box  22 , respectively.  
         [0026]     Referring now to  FIG. 3 , blade receiving mat  118  is located at the front side  116  of the base panel  104 , beneath the blade box  90 . The blade receiving mat  118  has a top layer  120 . The top layer  120  has a top layer front side  122 , top layer back side  124 , top layer left side  126  and a top layer right side  128 . In addition, the blade receiving mat  118  has a bottom layer  130 . The bottom layer  130  has a bottom layer front side  132 , a bottom layer back side  134 , a bottom layer left side  136  and a bottom layer right side  138 . The top layer front side  122  has a blade receiving portion  140  removed from it. The blade receiving portion  140  is sized and shaped to correspond to the dimensions of blade  100 , such that when the blade  98  is engaged, it will not touch top layer  120 .  
         [0027]     The blade receiving mat  118  is attached to the flooring material cutting device  20  by placing the bottom panel  130  beneath base panel  104  so that the bottom layer front side  132  is oriented in the same direction as the base panel front side  116 . Next a backing  142  is placed on the bottom layer  130 . The top layer  120  is then placed over the backing  142 , so that the top layer front side  122  is oriented in the same direction as the bottom layer front side  132 . The blade receiving portion  140  of top layer  120  keeps the blade  98  from warping when it is in use.  
         [0028]     Referring now to  FIG. 4 , a left measuring device  144  and a right measuring device  146  is also provided. The left measuring device  144  is parallel to the bottom left bar  30 . Similarly the right measuring device  146  is oriented so that it is parallel to the bottom right bar  28 . Left measuring device  144  and right measuring device  146  are secondary measuring devices which can be used individually or in connection with an adjustable measuring device  148 .  
         [0029]     The adjustable measuring device  148  has a left side arm  150 , a right side arm  152  and a central measuring device  158 . The left side arm  150  is attached to the left front vertical bar  46  and the left back vertical bar  44  of the frame box  22 , so that it is parallel to the bottom left bar  30 . A right side arm  152  is attached to frame box  22  between the right front vertical bar  42  and the right back vertical bar  40 . The right side arm  152  is parallel to the bottom right bar  28  of the frame box  22 . A left side positioner  154  moves along the length of the left side arm  150 . A right side positioner  156  moves along the length of the right side arm  152 . A central measuring device  158  is attached to the left and right side positioners  154  and  156 , so that the central measuring device  158  is parallel to the bottom back bar  24  and bottom front bar  26  of the frame box  22 . The central measuring device  158  can be positioned toward the back side  114  or front side  116  of the base panel  104  or anywhere in between. The central measuring device  158  is positioned by moving the left and right side positioners  154  and  156  along the left and right side arms  154  and  152 . The left and right side positioners  154  and  152  can be fixed in place with locking devices  160 .  
         [0030]     Referring to  FIG. 5 , in a further embodiment, an attachable finish trimmer  170  can be attached to the frame box  22  for completing any partial cuts. The finish trimmer  170  is comprised of a lower blade base  172 . The lower blade base  172  is comprised of a lower blade base back side  174 , a lower blade base front side  176 , a lower blade base top side  178  and a lower blade base bottom side  180 . The lower blade base  172  is further comprised of a left arm  182 . The left arm  182  has a front  184  and a back  186 . Parallel to the left arm  182 , the lower blade base has a right arm  188 . The right arm  188  has a front  190  and a back  192 .  
         [0031]     Feet  194  are attached to the bottom  180  of the lower blade base  172  hold the finish trimmer  170  steady while it is in use. Additionally, stabilizers  196  are attached between the feet  194  and the left and right arms,  182  and  188 , to keep the finish trimmer  170  from warping while force is being exerted upon it.  
         [0032]     The left and right arms,  182  and  188 , as well as the feet  194  and stabilizers  196  are made from a sturdy material such as steel. The left and right arms,  182  and  188 , are attached to the feet  194  by bolts, screws, welding or other ways known to the trade. The stabilizers  196  are also attached by welding, bolts, screws or other ways known to the trade.  
         [0033]     The finish trimmer  170  is removably attached to the frame box  22  of the flooring material cutting device  20 . The finish trimmer  170  can be attached to either the bottom right bar  28  or the bottom left bar  30  of the frame box  22 , allowing the flooring material cutting device  20  to be customized for either right-handed or left-handed operators.  
         [0034]     The finish trimmer  170  is attached to the frame box  22  by attaching the left arm  182  to the bottom right bar  28 , to provide an orientation preferred by most right-handed operators. The left arm  182  can be attached to the bottom right bar  28  by welding, bolts, screws or other ways known to the trade.  
         [0035]     To provide an orientation preferred by most left-handed operators, the right arm  188  of the finish trimmer  170  is attached to the bottom left bar  30  of the frame box  22 , by welding, bolts, screws or other ways known to the trade.  
         [0036]     In addition, a lower blunt blade  198  is provided. The lower blunt blade  198  has a front end  200  and a back end  202 . If the finish trimmer  170  is attached to the bottom right bar  28  of the frame box  22 , the lower blunt blade  198  is preferably attached to the left arm  182  of the lower blade base  172 , so that the lower blunt blade  198  can more easily be replaced as it wears. The lower blunt blade  198  is preferably made from steel.  
         [0037]     Alternatively, if the finish trimmer  170  is attached to the bottom left bar  30  of the frame box  22 , then the lower blunt blade  198  is preferably attached to the right arm  188  of the lower blade base  172 .  
         [0038]     The lower blunt blade  198  is attached to either the left arm  182  or the right arm  188  of the lower blade base  172  by screws, so that it can be quickly replaced as it wears.  
         [0039]     In addition, a space maintainer  204  is provided. The space maintainer  204  attaches between the back end  186  of the left arm  182  and the back end  192  of the right arm  188 . The space maintainer  204  can be made of steel. It can be attached by welding, screws, bolts, pins or other ways known to the trade. The space maintainer  204  creates space between the left arm  182  and the right arm  188  of the lower blade base  172 .  
         [0040]     The finish trimmer  170  is further comprised of an upper blade base  206 . The upper blade base  206  has a front end  208  and a back end  210 . The upper blade base  206  is preferably made from steel. It can be attached to the lower blade base  172  by welding, screws, bolts or other ways known to the trade.  
         [0041]     The upper blade base  206  has a stabilizer  212  attached to prevent warping of the finish trimmer  170  while pressure is being exerted upon it. The stabilizer  212  is preferably comprised of a sturdy material such as steel. The stabilizer  212  is attached to the upper blade base  206  by welding.  
         [0042]     Referring to  FIG. 6 , the upper blade base  206  is further comprised of an upper bevelled blade  214 . The upper bevelled blade  214  has a back end  216 , a front end  218 , as well as a bevelled side  220 . The upper bevelled blade  214  is preferably comprised of steel. The upper bevelled blade  214  is attached to the upper blade base  206 , such that the bevelled side  220  is oriented toward the lower blade base  172 . The back  216  of the upper bevelled blade  214  attaches to the back  210  of the upper blade base  206  by screws, pins or other ways known to the trade, such that it can be easily removed and replaced as it wears. The front side  218  of the upper bevelled blade  214  extends past the front end  208  of the upper blade base  206 .  
         [0043]     The upper blade base  206  is additionally comprised of an L-shaped handle  222 . The L-shaped handle  222  has a grasping end  224  for operating the finish trimmer  170 , an elbow  226  and a short arm  228 . The short arm  228  of the L-shaped handle  222  is attached to the front  208  of the upper blade base  206 . The L-shaped handle is preferably made from a sturdy material such as steel or wood or other materials known to the trade.  
         [0044]     In addition, the upper blade base  206  is comprised of a leveraging connector  230 . The leveraging connector  230  has an upper end  232  and a lower end  234 . The upper end  232  of the leveraging connector  230  attaches to the elbow  226  of the L-shaped handle  222 . The lower end  234  of the leveraging connector  230  attaches to the front side  218  of the upper bevelled blade  214 . The leveraging connector  230  is attached to the L-shaped handle  222  and the upper bevelled blade  214  by bolts, pins or screws such that when the L-shaped handle  222  is activated, the leveraging connector  230  can pivot while exerting force on the upper bevelled blade  214 .  
         [0045]     When a piece of flooring material is placed in the finish trimmer  170 , it is oriented so that it rests upon the lower blade base  172  and the upper bevelled blade  214  is aligned with the portion of the flooring material to be cut. The L-shaped handle  222  is activated, causing the upper bevelled blade  214  to descend through the flooring material, against the lower blunt blade  198  and into the space created by the space maintainer  204 . When the L-shaped handle  222  is returned to resting position, the cut flooring material is removed from the finish trimmer  170 .  
         [0046]     The finish trimmer  170  is used to complete cuts begun by the blade box  90 , when the blade box  90  does not create a cut which continues to the edge of the flooring material, by extending those cuts. In addition, the finish trimmer  170  can cut flooring material into precise increments in horizontal, vertical or diagonal orientations.  
         [0047]     In a preferred embodiment, measuring device  236  can be placed on the left arm  182  or right arm  188  of the lower blade base  172  to aid in orienting the flooring material in the finish trimmer  170 .  
         [0048]     As seen in  FIG. 7 , in another embodiment, a hand-held cutting device  162  is provided, which is more easily transportable than the flooring material cutting device  20 . The hand held cutting device  162  is comprised of a handle  164  and a blade box  90 , which can be the same blade box  90  as is incorporated in the flooring material cutting device  20 . The handle  164  has a blade box end  166  which is sized to accommodate the attachment of a blade box  90 . Opposite the blade box end  166 , the handle has a grasping end  168  provided for an operator to hold while engaging the hand held cutting device  162 . The handle  164  is preferably made from steel, but can be made from wood, plastic or any material known to the trade.  
         [0049]     Blade box  90  has a top blade box side  92 , a right blade box side  94  and a left blade box side  96 . The top, right and left blade box sides  92 ,  94 , and  96  are attached together to form a receptacle for holding a blade  98 . The blade box  90  is preferably made from steel, but can be made from other materials such as plastic or wood or other materials known to the trade. The blade box  90  is attached to the blade box end  166  of the handle  164  by welding. The blade box  90  can also be attached to the blade box end  166  of the handle  164  by screws, bolts, glue or other ways known to the trade. Alternatively, top, right and left blade box sides  92 ,  94 , and  96  can be created from a single piece of material, such as by pouring plastic or metal into a mold or by carving the piece from a single block of wood or metal. In a further refinement of this embodiment, the handle  164  and the blade box  90  can be formed from a single piece of material, such as by pouring plastic or metal into a mold or by carving a single piece of wood or metal.  
         [0050]     In another alternative, the top, right and left blade box sides  92 ,  94 , and  96  can be separately attached to the blade box end  166  of the handle  164 , maintaining the configuration required to hold a blade  98 . In this embodiment, the top, right and left sides  92 ,  94 , and  96  are not attached to each other, but are attached separately to the handle  164 .  
         [0051]     Once the handle  164  and the blade box  90  have been joined, the blade  98  is placed in the blade box  90  by blade attachments  100 . Blade attachments  100  can be screws, bolts or other attachments known to the trade. A blade placement guide  102  can be provided in the top blade box side  92  to correctly position the blade  98  in the blade box  90 . The blade placement guide  102  can be screws, brads or other materials known to the trade.  
         [0052]     The hand-held cutting device  162  can be configured such that the blade box  90  can be rotated 180° on the handle  162 . In this embodiment, the blade box  90  is not permanently attached to the blade box end  166  of the handle  164 . The blade box  90  is loosened from the handle  164  and either twisted 180° on the handle  164  or completely removed from the blade box, turned and replaced, before tightening the blade box to the handle.  
         [0053]     In order to use the flooring material cutting device  20 , an operator first measures where a door frame cut will need to be made on a piece of flooring material. The operator then prepares the piece of flooring material according to the recommended industry practice. The operator then places the piece of flooring material into the cutting device  20 , balancing it upon the base panel  104 . Using the left measuring device  144 , the right measuring device  146  and the adjustable measuring device  148 , the operator quickly orients the piece of flooring material. The operator next engages the cam handle  88 , causing the blade box  90  to depress into the flooring material, creating a cut whose shape exactly corresponds to the geometry of a door frame.  
         [0054]     If the cut in the flooring material does not extend to the periphery of the piece, the flooring material can be placed into the finish trimmer  170 , found on either the right or left side of the frame box  22 . The piece of flooring material is aligned so that the lower blunt blade  198  is below the area which needs to be cut. The operator then engages the L-shaped handle  222 , causing the upper beveled blade  214  to descend against the lower blunt blade  198 , creating the desired cut in a single motion. The finish trimmer  170  can also be used to cut the flooring material into smaller pieces to fit into corners or around the perimeter of a room, quickly and easily making vertical, horizontal and diagonal cuts.  
         [0055]     Alternatively, the operator may choose to use the hand held cutting device  162 . The hand held cutting device  162  is used by positioning it over a piece of flooring material which has been prepared according to industry practices, with the blade  98  resting against the flooring material above where the desired cut should be. A heavy object, such as a hammer or mallet is then used to strike the blade box end  166 , causing the blade to cut through the flooring material, creating a cut which, again, exactly corresponds to the geometry of a door frame.  
         [0056]     The benefits of using the hand held cutting device  162  and the flooring material cutting device  20  include always producing an exact cut, which can fit around a door frame without having to add unsightly caulk to fill in any spaces. The exact fit has a more aesthetic appearance and allows the floor around the door frame to stay cleaner because dirt and debris does not collect into open seams on improperly fitting flooring material. The operator appreciates the devices  20  and  162  because they save time, creating a complex cut in a single motion, instead of having to take multiple measurements, transfer them to the piece of flooring material, then make multiple cuts. Both the flooring material cutting device  20  and the hand held cutting device  162  are safer to use because they do not require an operator to hold a heated piece of flooring material in one hand, while attempting to cut it with an open blade in the other.  
         [0057]     The foregoing description of preferred embodiments for this invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. Obvious modifications or variations are possible in light of the above teachings. The embodiments are chosen and described in an effort to provide the best illustrations of the principles of the invention and its practical application, and to thereby enable one of ordinary skill in the art to utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. All such modifications and variations are within the scope of the invention as determined by the appended claims when interpreted in accordance with the breadth to which they are fairly, legally, and equitably entitled.