Patent Description:
A wide array of C-type tubing cutters are known in the art. Most cutters utilize a cutting implement which must be replaced after excessive use. Replacement of the cutting implement typically requires partial disassembly of the cutter and in many instances also requires the use of one or more tools. As will be appreciated, it is undesirable to disassemble such cutters as their components may become lost during the disassembly and/or re-assembly process. Also, it is undesirable to require other tools in order to install a new cutting implement because then a user must carry such tools or travel to a location where such tools are located.

Accordingly, a need exists for a C-type tubing cutter that does not require disassembly nor tools in order to change its cutting implement. Document <CIT> discloses a tangential feed pipe cutter capable of cutting pipe in restricted spaces, formed of two semi-circular annular body segments hinged together to form a ring for encircling the pipe to be cut. Two pairs of rollers journaled in one of the segments engage the pipe at two roller contact points at circumferentially spaced locations on the pipe surface and a cutting wheel or blade for contacting the pipe at a contact point opposite the midregion between the rollers is slidable in the other segment and adjusted by a feed screw and feed nut along a rectilinear path paralleling a line connecting the two roller contact points. Document <CIT> discloses a tube cutter comprising a housing with first and second parallel rollers defining a cradle for receiving a tube to be cut with the tube axis generally parallel to the axes of the rollers, a cutter head reciprocally mounted on the housing for sliding linearly in a direction toward and away from the rollers, the cutter head having a base and an upstanding arm supporting a cutter wheel rotatable about an axis generally parallel to the axes of the rollers and facing the tube in the cradle, a spring element biasing the cutter wheel in the stated direction and toward the rollers, and a threaded shaft between the housing and cutter head, and rotatable to move the cutter head linearly toward the housing, whereby the cutter wheel engages the tube and the spring element creates a cutting force pushing the cutter wheel against the tube for cutting the tube. Document <CIT> discloses a pipe cutter comprising a rotary head having an axis of rotation, and a housing gear is coaxial with the rotary head such that the housing gear and rotary head have a common axis of rotation. A pipe slot extends into the rotary head and the housing gear, and a pipe cradle is provided in the pipe slot, and serves to receive a pipe. A cutting wheel is associated with the rotary head and a wheel biasing member urges the cutting wheel to extend into the pipe slot. A primary drive source is operatively connected to the housing gear by a gear system that rotates the housing gear and the rotary head about the common axis of rotation. Because the cutting wheel is biased to extend into the pipe slot and contacts a pipe placed therein, the cutting wheel revolves around the pipe and cuts into the pipe during rotation of the rotary head. The primary drive source may be manual or automated. Document <CIT> discloses a pipe cutter wheel and its supporting structure. Document <CIT> discloses a manual tubular product cutting device comprising a housing defining a first outer face, a second outer face oppositely directed from the first face, a work region for receiving a workpiece to be cut and an axle slot; at least one roller rotatably supported in the housing and accessible in the work region;a cutting wheel and axle assembly removably retained within the housing, the cutting wheel and axle assembly including an axle pin, the axle pin being disposed in the slot and positionable between a first end of the slot and a second end of the slot, opposite the first end.

The invention is defined in independent claims. Dependent claims concern particular embodiments of the invention. Any subject matter presented in the description but not falling under the claims constitutes an aspect of the disclosure which may be useful for understanding the invention.

The difficulties and drawbacks associated with previous approaches are addressed in the present disclosure as follows.

In one aspect, the present invention provides a handheld cutting tool comprising the features of claim <NUM>.

In another aspect, the present invention provides a method of replacing a cutting wheel of a handheld cutting tool including the steps of claim <NUM>.

As will be realized, the invention is capable of other and different embodiments and its several details are capable of modifications in various respects, all without departing from the claimed invention. Accordingly, the drawings and description are to be regarded as illustrative and not restrictive.

The present invention relates to a handheld cutting tool. The handheld cutting tool features a cutting wheel that can be replaced without disassembly of the housing and without any tools.

The tubing cutters generally include a removable pin which also serves as an axle for a cutting wheel. In certain aspects of the present disclosure, the axle pin includes an enlarged head. The tubing cutters also include a slot in the housing within which the axle pin is positioned. In many aspects of the present invention, the axle pin is slidably positionable within the slot. Replacement of the cutting wheel is performed by (i) removing the axle pin which thereby allows the cutting wheel to be removed, (ii) removing the cutting wheel, (iii) inserting a new cutting wheel in the cutter, and (iv) inserting the axle pin in the new wheel and in the slot of the cutter housing.

After insertion of the axle pin in the new or replacement wheel and in the housing of the cutter, the new wheel is retained with the housing. Next, a series of operations are performed to properly position the cutting wheel in the housing and relative to a work region defined by the housing.

Upon initially inserting the axle pin, the pin is inserted at one end of the housing slot. A user then begins a tube cutting operation by positioning a tube to be cut in the work region of the cutter. Contact between the cutting wheel and the tube occurs, and as the user urges the tube toward the center of the cutter in order to cut the tube, the axle pin and cutter wheel are moved along the slot toward an opposite end of the slot.

As the user rotates the cutter relative to the tube in order to cut the tube, the axle pin rotates about its axis such that the elongated rectangular shaped head of the pin extends over the slot. This serves to "lock" the axle pin and wheel within the tool. In addition, the axle pin and the cutter wheel move back toward the original or first end of the slot. It will be understood that instead of urging a tube into the work region and contacting the cutter wheel to move the wheel and axle pin within the slot and as described herein, it is also possible to grip or otherwise move the axle pin within the slot by using one's fingers. Thus, although use of a tube is desirable in many instances, such is not required.

<FIG> is a perspective view of an aspect of the invention. The tubing cutter <NUM> comprises two or more separable and interengaging first and second housing portions <NUM> and <NUM>, respectively. The housing portions are configured such that upon engagement and contact with each other, they form a generally cylindrically shaped housing defining a first outer face <NUM> provided by the first housing portion <NUM>, and a second outer face <NUM> provided by the second housing portion <NUM>. The second face <NUM> is oppositely directed relative to the first face <NUM>. The housing may also include one or more ridges <NUM> and/or depressions <NUM> extending between the faces <NUM> and <NUM> and disposed on or formed within a circumferential wall or region of the housing to promote gripping of the cutter <NUM>. Although a two component cylindrical housing has been generally described, it will be appreciated that the present disclosure includes a variety of other shapes and/or configurations for the housing of the tubing cutter.

The cutter <NUM>, and more particularly the housing portions <NUM> and <NUM>, define a work region <NUM> which is sized and shaped to receive a tube, pipe, conduit or other workpiece to be cut. Typically, the work region extends between the faces <NUM> and <NUM> and is cylindrical in shape or substantially so. The work region <NUM> is also radially accessible by an access port <NUM>. The access port <NUM> is also sized and shaped to enable a tube, pipe, conduit, or other workpiece to be positioned within the work region <NUM> of the cutter without having to access an end of the tube, pipe, conduit, or other workpiece.

The cutter <NUM> also comprises at least one roller <NUM> and in many aspects of the disclosure, a pair of cylindrical rollers <NUM> and <NUM>. The roller(s) such as rollers <NUM>, <NUM>, is rotatably affixed within the housing portions <NUM>, <NUM> by associated axles <NUM> and <NUM>. In the cutter version shown in <FIG>, the first roller <NUM> includes an axle <NUM>. The roller <NUM> is received in a roller region <NUM> defined in the cutter housing. The second roller <NUM> includes an axle <NUM>. The roller <NUM> is received in a roller region <NUM> defined in the cutter housing. The rollers <NUM> and <NUM> are at least partially accessible and exposed within the work region <NUM> of the cutter <NUM>. It will be understood that that present disclosure is not limited to this particular assembly, and instead includes a range of variant assemblies and components for rotatably engaging one or more rollers in the housing of the cutter.

The cutter <NUM> also includes one or more fasteners such as fasteners <NUM>, <NUM>, for securing the housing portions <NUM> and <NUM> together. The fasteners <NUM>, <NUM> are disposed in corresponding apertures in one or both of the housing portions such as for example, apertures <NUM> and <NUM> defined in the first housing portion <NUM>. In many aspects of the disclosure, the fasteners <NUM>, <NUM> are in the form of threaded fasteners. Corresponding threaded receiving regions can be provided in the other housing portion such as the second housing portion <NUM>. Thus, the housing portions are secured together by the first fastener <NUM> extending through the aperture <NUM> defined in the first housing portion <NUM> and being threadedly engaged in the corresponding receiving region (not shown) provided in the second housing portion <NUM>; and the second fastener <NUM> extending through the aperture <NUM> defined in the second housing portion <NUM> and being threadedly engaged in a corresponding receiving region <NUM> provided in the second housing portion <NUM>. It will be understood that the aspects of the present disclosure are not limited to this particular assembly and instead includes other arrangements, techniques, and/or components for securing the housing portions together.

The cutter <NUM> also includes a cutting wheel <NUM> and an axle pin <NUM>. The cutting wheel <NUM> defines an outer circumferential cutting edge <NUM> and a central bore <NUM> for receiving the axle <NUM>. The axle pin <NUM> defines a shaft <NUM> extending between an enlarged head end <NUM> and a distal end <NUM>. In certain versions, the enlarged head <NUM> is rectangular shaped. The bore <NUM> and/or the shaft <NUM> are sized so that upon insertion of the axle pin <NUM> into the bore <NUM> of the wheel <NUM>, the wheel <NUM> can rotate about the axle pin <NUM>, to thereby form a wheel and axle assembly. As described in greater detail herein, the cutting wheel <NUM> is generally received within and disposed between the housing portions <NUM>, <NUM>. The cutting wheel <NUM> is at least partially accessible and exposed within the work region <NUM> of the cutter <NUM>. The axle pin <NUM> is slidably disposed within an axle slot <NUM> defined in both of the first and second housing portions <NUM>, <NUM>. These and other aspects are described in greater detail herein.

The cutter <NUM> is assembled with or without the cutting wheel <NUM> and its axle pin <NUM>. That is, the housing portions <NUM>, <NUM> can be engaged together while generally enclosing and rotatably supporting the rollers <NUM>, <NUM> by fasteners <NUM>, <NUM> used to secure the resulting assembly together, with or without the wheel <NUM> and axle pin <NUM>. After assembly of the housing, the wheel <NUM> and axle pin <NUM> can be incorporated therewith using the same procedure as when replacing a cutting wheel. The cutter <NUM> also comprises a spring <NUM> that biases the wheel <NUM> to a particular position as described in greater detail herein.

<FIG> illustrate the cutter <NUM> and replacement of its cutting wheel <NUM>. In order to replace the wheel <NUM> (not shown in <FIG>), a user removes the axle pin <NUM> from the axle slot <NUM> by pulling the axle <NUM> from slot <NUM> and generally away from the face <NUM> of the housing portion <NUM> such as in the direction of arrow A. After removal of the axle pin <NUM> from the wheel <NUM>, which can be accomplished by removal of the axle pin <NUM> from the slot <NUM>, the cutting wheel <NUM> is separable from the housing portions <NUM>, <NUM> and can be removed through either or both of the work region <NUM> and/or the access port <NUM>.

Upon obtaining a new or replacement cutting wheel, the operations previously described in association with <FIG> are performed in reverse. Thus, the new cutting wheel <NUM> is inserted into the work region <NUM> and partially within a receiving region defined in the housing so that the bore <NUM> of the wheel <NUM> is aligned with and accessible via the slot <NUM>. The axle pin <NUM> is then inserted into the slot <NUM> and through the bore <NUM> of the cutting wheel <NUM>. At this stage in the wheel replacement, the axle pin <NUM> is generally positioned at one end of the slot <NUM> as shown in <FIG>. This end of the slot <NUM> is shown in <FIG> as slot end <NUM>. At this stage of wheel replacement, the position of the axle at this slot end is referred to herein as an interim position. As described in greater detail herein, upon incorporation of the wheel <NUM> in the housing, the axle pin <NUM> is positioned toward the other slot end <NUM>, opposite from the interim end <NUM>. Upon final installation of the wheel <NUM> in the housing, the axle pin <NUM> is returned to the previous slot end <NUM>. This is described in greater detail herein.

<FIG> illustrate the axle pin <NUM> and its associated cutting wheel <NUM>, located at the interim position proximate the slot end <NUM> (best shown in <FIG>). In certain aspects of the present disclosure, one of the housing portions such as the first portion <NUM> defines a recessed region <NUM> along the outer face <NUM>. The depth of the recessed region <NUM> is generally such that upon full insertion of the axle pin <NUM> into the slot <NUM>, the axle <NUM> and its head <NUM> do not project beyond the outer face <NUM>. However, it will be appreciated that the present disclosure is not limited to this configuration and includes other arrangements.

Upon initial or temporary placement of the wheel <NUM> and axle pin <NUM> at the interim position near or adjacent to the slot end <NUM>, the wheel <NUM> and axle <NUM> are displaced toward their secondary position as shown in <FIG>. In this secondary position, the axle pin <NUM> is located near, proximate, and/or adjacent to the end <NUM> of the slot <NUM>. Displacement of the axle pin <NUM> and the wheel <NUM> from the interim position at slot end <NUM> to the secondary position at slot end <NUM> can be facilitated by urging a workpiece <NUM> as shown in <FIG> through the access port <NUM> and into the work region <NUM>. Contact between the cutting wheel <NUM> and the workpiece <NUM> causes movement of the wheel <NUM> and the axle pin <NUM> toward the slot end <NUM>. As shown in the referenced figures, the slot end <NUM> is closer to the access port <NUM> than the slot end <NUM>. And the interim position of the wheel <NUM> and axle pin <NUM> is closer to the access port <NUM> than the secondary position of the wheel and axle.

In many aspects of the invention, upon urging the cutting wheel <NUM> and axle pin <NUM> from the slot end <NUM> toward the slot end <NUM>, the axle <NUM> rotates about its axis such that the enlarged head <NUM> of the axle pin <NUM> changes its position relative to the slot <NUM>, as best shown by comparing the position of the head <NUM> in <FIG> and <FIG>. Upon rotation of the axle pin <NUM> about its longitudinal axis to the position shown in <FIG>, the position of the enlarged head <NUM> serves to further engage the axle <NUM> and wheel <NUM> within the housing.

During use, i.e. cutting, of the tool <NUM>, the axle pin <NUM> and cutting wheel <NUM> typically move back to the slot end <NUM>. This is shown in <FIG>. Thus, after final installation of a wheel <NUM>, the axle and wheel are positioned in their use position proximate the slot end <NUM>. The previously noted spring <NUM> can be used to urge the wheel <NUM> toward the slot end <NUM>.

In many aspects of the present invention, the slots defined in the housing such as for example slot <NUM>, are arcuate in shape. That is, the slot extends along an arc or curve between its ends, e.g., ends <NUM> and <NUM>. However, it will be appreciated that the present disclosure includes the use of non-arcuate slots such as linear straight slots or stepped slots. In many aspects of the disclosure, the slot <NUM> extends between and is accessible along the first and second faces of the housing, i.e., <NUM> and <NUM>. However, the present disclosure includes cutters in which the slot is accessible on only one face.

The tubing cutters of the present invention are constructed of conventional materials known and/or used in the field of tools. The housing components can be formed from suitable polymeric materials and the cutting wheel is typically steel or other metal(s). The tubing cutters and their associated work regions and access ports are appropriately sized to accommodate tubing having an outer diameter within a range of from about <NUM>/<NUM> inch (<NUM>) to about <NUM> inch (<NUM>). However, the present disclosure includes sizing and configuring the cutters to accommodate tubes, pipes, conduits, or other workpieces smaller or larger than the noted representative range.

A significant advantage of the tubing cutters described herein is the ease in which a cutting wheel can be replaced. Many other C-type tubing cutters are known in which the cutter housing must be at least partially disassembled in order to replace the wheel. Other C-type tubing cutters are known in which one or more tools are needed in order to replace the cutting wheel. The tubing cutters described herein feature a cutting wheel that can be quickly and easily replaced without tools and without disassembly of the housing.

Many other benefits will no doubt become apparent from future application and development of this technology.

The present invention includes all operable combinations of features and aspects described herein. Thus, for example if one feature is described in association with an aspect and another feature is described in association with another aspect, it will be understood that the present invention includes aspects having a combination of these features.

Claim 1:
A handheld cutting tool (<NUM>) comprising:
a housing (<NUM>, <NUM>) defining a first outer face (<NUM>), a second outer face (<NUM>) oppositely directed from the first face (<NUM>), a work region (<NUM>) for receiving a workpiece to be cut and an axle slot (<NUM>), wherein only one of the first and second outer faces (<NUM>, <NUM>) is formed to provide an access to the slot (<NUM>);
at least one roller (<NUM>, <NUM>) rotatably supported in the housing (<NUM>, <NUM>) and accessible in the work region (<NUM>);
a cutting wheel (<NUM>) and axle assembly removably retained within the housing (<NUM>, <NUM>), the cutting wheel and axle assembly including an axle pin (<NUM>), the axle pin (<NUM>) being disposed in the slot (<NUM>) and positionable between a first end (<NUM>) of the slot (<NUM>) and a second end (<NUM>) of the slot (<NUM>), opposite the first end (<NUM>), wherein the axle pin (<NUM>) defines an enlarged head end (<NUM>).