Patent ID: 7661183

Claim:
A blade changing tool for use in a cutting device including a chuck table for holding a workpiece, and cutting means including a blade mount for rotatably supporting a cutting blade for cutting said workpiece held by said chuck table, wherein said cutting blade includes a circular base including an insertion hole for insertion of a mounting projection formed at the center of said blade mount, a circular hub formed integrally with said circular base on one side surface of said circular base, and a cutting edge formed along the outer circumference of said circular base so as to project radially outward, and said blade changing tool comprises: a C-shaped elastic cylindrical body including a cutout formed by cutting out a part of a circular cylinder; a holding groove formed on the inner circumferential surface of said cylindrical body at one end portion thereof and adapted to surround said circular hub of said cutting blade; and a grip portion adapted to be gripped by an operator for making a change from an inoperative condition where said circular hub of said cutting blade is surrounded by the inner circumference of said cylindrical body to an operative condition where said circular hub is held by the inner circumference of said cylindrical body, wherein said grip portion comprises: a thumb receiving portion for receiving the thumb of the right or left hand of said operator, said thumb receiving portion including, a first concave portion formed on the outer circumference of said cylindrical body and adapted to fittedly receive the thumb holding said grip portion, and a first stopper portion formed on the outer circumference of said cylindrical body at the same circumferential position as that of said first concave portion so as to project radially outward at said one end portion of said cylindrical body; and a three-finger receiving portion formed opposite to said thumb receiving portion with respect to said cutout for receiving the index finger, middle finger, and ring finger of the right or left hand of said operator said three-finger receiving portion including, second, third, and fourth concave portions formed on the outer circumference of said cylindrical body and adapted to respectively fittedly receive the index finger, middle finger, and ring finger holding said grip portion, and a second stopper portion formed on the outer circumference of said cylindrical body at the same circumferential position as that of said second, third, and fourth concave portions so as to project radially outward at said one end portion of said cylindrical body.