Cutlery – Carton openers
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-10
2002-06-11
Ashley, Boyer (Department: 3724)
Cutlery
Carton openers
C030S090400, C030S289000, C030S278000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06401339
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates generally to an apparatus for cutting a coin roll wrapper and, more specifically, to an apparatus which includes a spring-biased blade and a safety spring secured within a housing.
2. Description of the Related Art
A variety of cutting devices for coin roll wrappers exist. Many of these devices, however, include a cutting blade or edge which is exposed and/or easily brought into contact with the fingers of the user. As a result, prior cutting devices often present a danger to the user who could accidentally bring a finger, hand, etc. into contact with the cutting blade. Thus, a need exists for a coin roll wrapper cutter which is particularly designed to address the aforementioned safety issue.
Another problem with prior cutting devices is that many of them are not well suited for cutting the wrappers of coin rolls that have different diameters. For example, prior cutting devices often fail to properly center the roll of coins relative to the cutting blade, or fail to position the roll of coins sufficiently close to the cutting blade. Thus, a need exists for a coin roll wrapper cutter which is suitable for coin rolls that have different diameters and which ensures proper positioning of the coin rolls relative to the cutting blade.
An additional problem with prior cutting devices is that they are often overly complex, bulky, expensive and/or difficult to assembly. Thus, a need exists for a coin roll wrapper cutter which addresses some or all of the aforementioned problems.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to an exemplary preferred embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus for cutting a coin roll wrapper includes a housing, a front cover, a blade spring assembly and a safety spring. The housing includes a top opening and a bottom opening, both of which are sized to receive a roll of coins therethrough. In a preferred embodiment, the blade spring assembly is positioned toward the bottom opening to lessen the chances that a user of the apparatus will be able to reach into the housing through the top opening and touch the blade assembly. An exemplary preferred blade spring assembly includes a cutting blade and a leaf spring with an end portion. The leaf spring mechanically couples the cutting blade to the front cover. The end portion of the leaf spring is positioned between the cutting blade and the bottom opening, thereby lessening the chances that the user of the apparatus will be able to reach into the housing through the bottom opening and touch the cutting blade. Additionally, the leaf spring flexes away from the bottom opening when its end portion is contacted by the user through the bottom opening. This further lessens the chances that the user will be able to inadvertently come in contact with the cutting blade.
The safety spring embodies yet another design feature directed toward lessening the chances that the user will inadvertently come into contact with the cutting blade. To this end, an exemplary preferred safety spring comprises a second leaf spring which is secured to the front cover between the top opening and the spring blade assembly. The safety spring serves a variety of purposes. First, the safety spring serves as a barrier to further lessen the chances that the user will be able to reach into the housing through the top opening and inadvertently contact the cutting blade. Second, the safety spring serves as a one-way “mechanical valve” to the extent that it allows a roll of coins to pass through the housing entering through the top opening and exiting through the bottom opening, but prevents a roll of coins which has been advanced into the housing through the top opening and past the safety spring from being pushed back out of the housing through the top opening. Furthermore, the bottom portion of the exemplary preferred spring blade assembly also serves as a one-way “mechanical valve” to the extent that it blocks a roll of coins entering into the housing through the bottom opening from advancing through the housing, but allows a roll of coins entering into the housing through the top opening to pass through the housing and exit through the bottom opening.
The safety spring and the blade spring serve still another function, namely, the centering of the roll of coins relative to the cutting blade as the roll of coins is advanced through the housing. More specifically, the springs are formed with symmetrical guide members such as flanges which accommodate coin rolls with different diameters and which ensure proper positioning of the coin rolls relative to the cutting blade.
The front cover includes an inside surface and is secured to a front portion of the housing. The safety spring and the blade spring each include a base portion which is secured to the inside surface of the front cover resulting in a low-profile, streamlined apparatus for cutting coin roll wrappers which is easy to assembly and takes up very little work space.
In another exemplary preferred embodiment, an apparatus for cutting a coin roll wrapper includes: a housing with a top opening and a bottom opening which are sufficiently large to receive a roll of coins in a wrapper; a blade with a cutting edge, the blade being secured within the housing such that the cutting edge makes a longitudinal cut along the wrapper as the roll of coins is advanced through the housing, entering through the top opening and exiting through the bottom opening; and a valve mechanism secured within the housing, the valve mechanism allowing the roll of coins to advance through the housing from the top opening to the bottom opening, but preventing the roll of coins from passing through the housing from the bottom opening to the top opening.
In another exemplary preferred embodiment, an apparatus for cutting a coin roll wrapper includes: a housing with a top opening and a bottom opening which are sufficiently large to receive a roll of coins in a wrapper; and a cutting assembly secured within the housing, the cutting assembly including a blade with a cutting edge, and a spring mechanically coupling the blade to the housing such that the cutting edge makes a longitudinal cut along the wrapper as the roll of coins is advanced through the housing, entering through the top opening and exiting through the bottom opening.
In another exemplary preferred embodiment, an apparatus for cutting a coin roll wrapper includes: a housing with a top opening and a bottom opening which are sufficiently large to receive a roll of coins in a wrapper, the housing including a front portion with at least one opening; a front cover secured to the front portion, the front cover including an inside surface; and a blade assembly with a cutting edge, the blade assembly being secured to the inside surface such that the blade assembly projects into the housing through the at least one opening and the cutting edge makes a longitudinal cut along the wrapper as the roll of coins is advanced through the housing, entering through the top opening and exiting through the bottom opening.
The above described and many other features and attendant advantages of the present invention will become apparent as the invention becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
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Jennings Dale E.
Schmidt G. Gerry
Ashley Boyer
Henricks Slavin & Holmes LLP
Jennings Dale E.
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