Compound tools – Plier type – With cutter
Reexamination Certificate
2000-05-16
2001-12-04
Smith, James G. (Department: 3723)
Compound tools
Plier type
With cutter
C007S129000, C030S254000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06324712
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to a wire cutter structure for a hand tool, and, more particularly, to a wire cutter structure formed on plier jaws of a compact multipurpose tool.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Compact multi-purpose hand tools contain pliers, screwdrivers, knife blades, saws, can and bottle openers, and other tool elements arranged and connected to a handle structure in such a way that the size of the tool is reduced when the tool is not in use. Examples of such tools are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,888,869 to Leatherman, 5,142,721 to Sessions et al., 5,267,366 to Frazer, and 6,009,582 to Harrison et al. The pliers in such tools, to provide added functions for the user, preferably include wire cutters, and for case of manufacture, the wire cutters are preferably formed on a pair of plier jaws and have sharp edges that pass by each other in scissors fashion.
The wire cutters disclosed in the patents referenced above cleanly cut wires whose hardness is significantly less than the hardness of the wire cutters. However, when used to cut wires whose hardness approaches that of the sharp wire cutter edges, the edges may be deformed by the hard wire (e.g., burred). Such deformation of the wire cutter edges may cause the inner surfaces of the wire cutters to bind against each other and either lock the plier jaws in a closed position and/or prevent the plier jaws from opening and closing properly. This is especially alarming for compact, multipurpose tools for two reasons. First, since the plier jaws included with such tools are pivotally connected to and fold within channels formed in the handle structures, any additional force required to separate plier jaws binded by deformations may cause unintended folding and partial closure of the handles with respect to the jaws without necessarily opening the binded jaws. Second, if the plier jaws are successfully separated, a user may have difficulty returning the tool to its most compact configuration because the deformations will prevent the plier jaws from closing completely.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,826,338 to Chilton et al. discloses a multipurpose tool with plier jaws having wire cutter blades
50
with notches
60
. Chilton seeks to alleviate the problems caused by deformations on the wire cutter blades
50
by disclosing notches
60
with bottom surfaces
63
that do not pass entirely by each other when the plier jaws are in the fully closed position. Thus, Chilton's notches are formed so that a clearance space
66
is left between opposed bottom surfaces
63
of notches
60
when the plier jaws are completely closed (see
FIGS. 9 and 10
of the Chilton patent). Thus, even if small burrs are formed on or adjacent the bottom surfaces of the notches, the notches do not need to clear each other and the burrs, therefore, do not adversely impact opening or closing of the plier jaws.
As mentioned above, however, Chilton's notches do not completely pass one another when the plier jaws are fully closed. Thus, the Chilton device will not properly cut some small diameter wires because the bottom surfaces of the notches will not make sufficient contact with these wires.
If no clearance space is left between the bottom surfaces of the notches, then the flat bottom surfaces are nonetheless desirable because they are less likely to be deformed by hard wires than are sharp cutting edges. However, such flat bottom surfaces still deform upon cutting hard wire, and cause binding of the plier jaws if no clearance is left between those surfaces.
It is therefore desirable to provide a notched wire cutting structure capable of cutting wires of all sizes, while minimizing or negating the effects of deformations caused by hard-wire cutting.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In a preferred embodiment, the present invention relates to a hand-operated wire cutting tool comprising a pair of jaw members interconnected and movable with respect to each other about a pivot axis, between an open position and a closed position; a wire cutter portion formed in each of the jaw members, each wire cutter portion having an inner surface and an outer surface, the inner surface defining a cutting plane and the outer surface intersecting the inner surface to form a sharp edge, the sharp edges passing closely alongside each other in the cutting plane as the jaw members move from the open to the closed position; and a recess formed on a portion of the inner surface of at least one of the wire cutter portions, the recess forming a gap between the inner surfaces of the wire cutter portions when the jaw members are in the closed position such that any deformation of the sharp edges is accommodated in the gap and the jaw members freely open and close despite such deformation. The gap between the inner surfaces of the wire cutter portions is preferably large enough to accommodate typical deformations caused from cutting hard wire, such as 0.2 mm.
The jaw members may further comprise a notch formed in each of the sharp edges, each notch having a bottom surface angled less than 90 degrees to the cutting plane. The recess may be formed adjacent or contiguous with the notch. The jaw members may also comprise a bump contiguous with each notch on each sharp edge, and projecting in a direction parallel to the cutting plane, wherein the bumps aid in guiding and retaining a wire in the region of the notches.
In one application, the invention is incorporated in a compound, multiple function, foldable tool having first and second handles, a tool head with pivotal jaw members (i.e., plier jaws), and a plurality of additional tools. The jaw members are stored within channels on the handles so that the tool folds completely into a compact unit. The tool may further comprise a first camming surface formed on a tang portion of each of the jaw members and a second camming surface on each of the handle members wherein the first camming surface abuts the second camming surface when the jaw members are in use to prevent unintended pivoting of the handle members with respect to the jaw members.
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p
Pennie & Edmonds LLP
Smith James G.
Victorinox AG
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