초록 ▼

A cutting implement with blades that can be replaced or interchanged without using tools. The cutting implement has shock absorbing handles and may also have at least one bumper to reduce the forces transmitted to the user's hands and arms. The cutting implement may be a saw, pruners, lopper, grass

A cutting implement with blades that can be replaced or interchanged without using tools. The cutting implement has shock absorbing handles and may also have at least one bumper to reduce the forces transmitted to the user's hands and arms. The cutting implement may be a saw, pruners, lopper, grass shears, hedge shears, or garden shears.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A fulcrum fastening system for a cutting implement having interchangeable and replaceable blades, said fastening system comprising: a bolt having a threaded shank;a head integral with said shank;a head cover mounted onto said head, said head cover having a smooth exterior surface;a bail hingedly

1. A fulcrum fastening system for a cutting implement having interchangeable and replaceable blades, said fastening system comprising: a bolt having a threaded shank;a head integral with said shank;a head cover mounted onto said head, said head cover having a smooth exterior surface;a bail hingedly attached to said head cover, said bail having a surface, said bail positionable between a first position with said bail surface substantially flush with said exterior surface of said head cover and a gripping position where said bail surface is substantially perpendicular to said exterior surface and said bail is grippable between a user's fingers for rotation of said bolt about an axis extending longitudinally through said shank. 2. The fastening system of claim 1, further comprising a hinge pin extending through holes in said bail and said head cover to join said bail to said head cover. 3. The fastening system of claim 1, wherein said hinge pin extends through a hole in said head to join said head cover and bail to said head. 4. The fastening system of claim 1, further comprising a nut, said nut comprising a head having a smooth exterior surface and an internally threaded nut shank having a first portion with a polygonal cross section and a second portion with a round cross section; wherein: said internally threaded nut shank is matable with said threaded end of said bolt shank;said polygonal portion of said nut shank is lockable with a handle and blade of the cutting implement; andsaid round portion of said nut shank provides a fulcrum for rotation of a second handle and blade of the cutting implement. 5. The fastening system of claim 4, wherein said bolt head cover and said nut head are formed to provide smooth exterior surfaces when said nut is joined to said bolt. 6. A cutting implement comprising: first and second handles, wherein: at least one cushioned grip is secured onto each handle, said grip formed from a resilient material and at least partially enclosing cells containing a softer material;each handle comprises a blade securing portion at one end, with each blade securing portion having an interior surface facing toward the other of said blade securing portions and an exterior surface facing away from the other of said blade securing portions;two blades, each blade attached to one of said handles, wherein at least one of said blades is removable and replaceable; andmeans for retaining and releasing at least one of said blades, said means for retaining and releasing said blade comprising: a bolt having a threaded shank and a head with a hingedly attached bail, said bail positionable between a first position in contact with a flat surface on said head and a gripping position where said bail is grippable between a user's fingers, said bolt head positioned against said outside surface of one of said handle ends; anda nut mated with said bolt and positioned against said outside surface of the other of said handles;wherein:said means for retaining is pivotable with application of force by a user's fingers and grippable by a user's fingers for removing and replacing said blade without tools;said means for retaining has a narrow, smooth profile substantially parallel to said blade;said means for retaining has a narrow, smooth profile substantially parallel to said blade and secures said blade between said handles; anda cutting plane is defined between said blades. 7. The cutting implement of claim 6, wherein said grip is formed from a material selected from thermoplastic elastomers, silicone, and combinations thereof. 8. The cutting implement of claim 6, wherein said softer material in said cells comprises a material selected from clear elastomers, gels, air, and combinations thereof. 9. The cutting implement of claim 6, wherein at least one of said blades is removably and replaceably locked to said interior surface of one of said handles by a plurality of interlocking tabs and notches. 10. The cutting implement of claim 6, wherein said cutting implement is selected from pruners, loppers, and garden shears. 11. The cutting implement of claim 6, wherein said bolt comprises: a head with an integral shank, said shank having a threaded end and a smooth-surfaced portion between said head and said threaded end;a head cover mounted onto said head, said head cover having a substantially smooth and flat exterior surface;a bail handle attached to said head cover and said head with a hinge, said handle having an exterior surface and rotatable about said hinge between a first position with its exterior surface substantially coplanar with said exterior surface of said head cover and a second position with its exterior surface substantially perpendicular to said exterior surface of said head cover;wherein said handle is sized for easy gripping between a user's thumb and fingers when in said second position. 12. The cutting implement of claim 6, wherein: said mated bolt and nut have a length defined between an outside surface of said bolt head and an outside surface of said nut; andsaid cutting plane divides said length into two unequal distances. 13. The cutting implement of claim 6, wherein: each of said handles has a blade securing portion at one end, said blade securing portion having an interior surface adjacent said blade and an exterior surface facing away from said blade; andsaid cutting implement comprises two cooperating blades sandwiched between said blade securing portions of said handles, with a cutting plane defined between said two blades, with each blade having interlocking key features that mate with complementary key features on said interior surface of said adjacent handle end to prevent rotational motion of each blade relative to said adjacent handle;at least one of said bolt and said nut, when mated to retain said handle ends and blades, passes through holes extending through said handles and blades;said mated bolt and nut have a length defined between an outside surface of said bolt head and an outside surface of said nut; andsaid cutting plane divides said length into two unequal distances. 14. The cutting implement of claim 13, further comprising means for detecting a state of wear of said blades and for determining whether a branch to be cut has a diameter suitable for said cutting implement. 15. The cutting implement of claim 14, wherein: said means for detecting wear and branch size suitability comprises projections extending toward each other from said handles and defining a rounded gap between said projections when said handles are closed, the gap having a diameter;wherein:said cutting implement is designed to cut branches having branch diameters substantially equal to or less than the gap diameter with the handles closed when said cutting implement is in a first state of wear; andsaid cutting implement is in a second state of wear sufficient to require blade replacement or sharpening when said cutting implement cannot cut a branch having a diameter substantially equal to the gap diameter. 16. The cutting implement of claim 13, wherein one of said blades includes a notch for cutting objects selected from wires and ties. 17. The cutting implement of claim 13, further comprising a lock mechanism for locking said handles and blades in a closed position. 18. The cutting implement of claim 17, wherein said lock mechanism is biased in an unlocked position. 19. The cutting implement of claim 13, further comprising a spring for biasing said handles and blades in an open position. 20. The cutting implement of claim 6, wherein a first blade is integral with a first blade securing portion of said first handle, and a second blade is sandwiched between said first blade and a second blade securing portion of said second handle. 21. The cutting implement of claim 20, wherein: said cutting implement further comprises a washer having a plate sandwiched between said nut and an outer surface of said second blade securing portion, said washer having prongs extending through openings in said second blade securing portion and said second blade; andsaid bolt head is positioned against an outside surface of said first blade securing portion. 22. The cutting implement of claim 20, wherein: said first blade has an exterior surface and an interior surface;said second blade is removable and replaceable, has interlockable key features, and has interior and exterior surfaces,said cutting plane is defined between said interior surfaces of said first and second blades;said blade securing portion of said second handle has interlockable key features aligned with said key features on said second blade;said bolt extends through holes in said first blade, said second blade, and said second blade securing portion; andsaid means for retaining further comprises a lock washer having prongs extending from said exterior surface of said blade securing portion of said second handle into said aligned interlockable key features of said second blade securing portion and said second blade;said bail has an exterior surface and is rotatable about a hinge between a first position with its exterior surface substantially parallel to said exterior surface of said first blade retaining portion and a second position with its exterior surface substantially perpendicular to said exterior surface of said first blade securing portion, said bail sized for gripping between a user's fingers for removing and replacing said blade without tools. 23. The cutting implement of claim 22, wherein: said nut comprises: a head having an exterior surface substantially flush with said exterior surface of said second blade securing portion; andan internally threaded nut shank having a first portion with a polygonal cross section and a second portion with a round cross section;said washer, said second blade securing portion and said second blade include polygonal through holes dimensioned to lock around said polygonal portion of said nut shank; andsaid first blade includes a round through holes dimensioned to rotate about said cylindrical portion of said nut shank. 24. The cutting implement of claim 22, further comprising projections extending toward each other from said handles and defining a rounded gap between said projections when said handles are closed, the gap having a diameter; and wherein:said cutting implement is designed to cut branches having branch diameters substantially equal to or less than the gap diameter a with the handles closed when said cutting implement is in a first state of wear; andsaid cutting implement is in a second state of wear sufficient to require blade replacement or sharpening when said cutting implement cannot cut a branch having a diameter substantially equal to the gap diameter. 25. The cutting implement of claim 22, wherein one of said blades includes a notch for cutting objects selected from wires and ties. 26. The cutting implement of claim 22, further comprising a lock mechanism for locking said handles and blades in a closed position. 27. The cutting implement of claim 26, wherein said lock mechanism is biased in an unlocked position. 28. The cutting implement of claim 22, further comprising a spring for biasing said handles and blades in an open position. 29. The cutting implement of claim 6, wherein: said cutting implement is selected from grass shears and hedge shears;said handles are a fixed handle and a movable handle joined at a first pivot joint;said blades comprise a fixed blade and a movable blade;said means for retaining and releasing further comprises a blade chassis having an integral internally threaded boss into which said bolt shank is screwed, wherein said boss replaces said nut of said means for retaining and releasing;said cutting implement comprises: a handle assembly, comprising said fixed handle, said movable handle joined to said fixed handle at said first pivot joint, a bent rod, and a nut within said movable handle engageable with a threaded end of said rod, wherein said movable handle is movable in a first plane about said first pivot joint relative to said fixed handle; anda blade assembly, comprising said blade chassis, a key blade locked to said movable blade, said fixed blade locked to said chassis, and said bolt, with said bolt shank passing through openings in said blades and forming, with said threaded boss, a second pivot joint for motion of said movable blade relative to said fixed blade with a cutting plane defined between said movable and fixed blades;said bent rod extends from said handle assembly and engages with said key blade to move said movable blade about said second pivot joint when said movable handle is pivoted about said first pivot joint; andsaid blade chassis is joined to said handle assembly at a third pivot joint, with said blade assembly rotatable about said third pivot joint to change the angle between said first plane and said cutting plane. 30. The shears of claim 29, further comprising: a spring that biases said handles in an open position; anda lock mechanism to lock said handles and said blades in a closed position. 31. The shears of claim 29, further comprising a flexible, removable finger security device attached to said movable handle. 32. The shears of claim 29, further comprising a nose cover mounted over said chassis and said rod. 33. The shears of claim 29, wherein: said fixed handle comprises a substantially planar face adjacent said blade chassis, said handle face including a series of depressions spaced along an arc;said blade chassis comprises a substantially planar face positioned against said handle face and including a projection that interfaces with said depressions as said blade chassis rotates relative to said handle assembly about said third pivot joint. 34. The cutting implement of claim 29, wherein: said bent rod has a first threaded end and a second end,said nut is within said movable handle and engageable with said first threaded end of said rod, wherein said movable handle is rotated in a first plane about said first pivot joint relative to said fixed handle; andsaid blade chassis has an integral internally threaded boss;said key blade is adjacent to said blade chassis;said movable blade is locked to said key blade;said fixed blade is locked to said chassis;said bolt has a head with a narrow, smooth profile substantially parallel to an exterior surface of said movable blade; a shank fixed to and extending from said head and passing through openings in said blades, said shank having a threaded end mated with said boss of said chassis, with said bail rotatable with application of force by a user's fingers and grippable by a user's fingers for removing and replacing said bolt from said nut to remove and replace said movable and fixed blades without tools;said rod extends from said handle assembly and engages with said key blade to rotate said movable blade about said second pivot joint when said movable handle is rotated about said first pivot joint;said bolt forms, with said threaded boss, a second pivot joint for motion of said movable blade relative to said fixed blade with a cutting plane defined between said movable and fixed blades;said bolt provides a fulcrum for relative rotational motion of said movable blade relative to said fixed blade; andsaid blade chassis is joined to said handle assembly at a third pivot joint, with said blade assembly rotatable about said third pivot joint to change the angle between said first plane and said cutting plane. 35. A cutting implement comprising: a handle portion with a cushioned grip secured onto said handle portion, said grip formed from a resilient material and at least partially enclosing cells containing a softer material;a removable and replaceable blade, said blade being substantially planar and having a non-cutting portion formed for retention along an axial plane within said handle portion and a hole passing through said non-cutting portion; andmeans for retaining and releasing said blade, said means for retaining comprising a locking pin attached to a paddle, said paddle attached to said handle portion via at least one hinge and pivotable about said hinge between a lockable position for retaining said blade and a release position wherein said blade is released and removable from said handle;wherein:said paddle urges said locking pin into the opening in said blade when in said lockable position, and said paddle pulls said locking pin out of the opening in said blade when in said release position;said means for retaining and releasing is pivotable with application of force by a user's fingers and grippable by a user's fingers for removing and replacing said blade without tools; andsaid means for retaining has a narrow, smooth profile substantially parallel to said blade. 36. The saw of claim 35, comprising paired handle portions mated along said axial plane. 37. The saw of claim 35, further comprising a lock mechanism engageable with said paddle and operative to lock said paddle in said lockable position. 38. The cutting implement of claim 35, wherein: said handle portion comprises a longitudinal axial plane;said paddle is attached to one side of said handle portion in an orientation substantially parallel to said axial plane; andsaid paddle is substantially parallel to said axial plane in said lockable position and substantially perpendicular to said axial plain in said release position. 39. The cutting implement of claim 38, wherein said grip is formed from a material selected from thermoplastic elastomers, silicone, and combinations thereof. 40. The cutting implement of claim 38, wherein said softer material in said cells comprises a material selected from clear elastomers, gels, air, and combinations thereof. 41. A thickness and wear gauge for a cutting implement having a first blade secured to a first handle and a second blade secured to a second handle, with said blade and handle combinations pivotable about a fulcrum between a closed position and an open position, said gauge comprising: projections extending toward each other from said handles and defining a rounded gap between said projections when said handles are in said closed position, the gap having a diameter;wherein:said cutting implement is designed to cut objects having object diameters substantially equal to or less than the gap diameter with the handles in said closed position when said cutting implement is in a first state of wear; andsaid cutting implement is in a second state of wear sufficient to require blade replacement or sharpening when said cutting implement cannot cut an object having a diameter substantially equal to the gap diameter. 42. A cutting implement, comprising: a first removable and replaceable blade having interlockable key features;a second removable and replaceable blade that cooperates with said first blade with a cutting plane defined between said two blades, said second blade having interlockable key features;a first handle, having a first blade securing portion at one end, said first blade securing portion having an interior surface adjacent said first blade and an exterior surface facing away from said first blade, said first blade securing portion having interlockable key features that complement said key features on said first blade;a second handle, having a second blade securing portion at one end, said second blade securing portion having an interior surface adjacent said second blade and an exterior surface facing away from said first blade, said second blade securing portion having interlockable key features that complement said key features on said first blade; andfulcrum means extending through said first blade securing portion, said first blade, said second blade, and said second blade securing portion;wherein:said fulcrum means has a narrow, smooth profile substantially parallel to said exterior surface of said first blade securing portion and a bail handle having an exterior surface and rotatable about a hinge between a first position with its exterior surface substantially parallel to said exterior surface of said first blade retaining portion and a second position with its exterior surface substantially perpendicular to said exterior surface of said first blade securing portion, said bail handle sized for gripping between a user's fingers for removing and replacing said blade without tools;said fulcrum means has a second exterior surface substantially flush with said exterior surface of said second blade securing portion;said interlocking key features of said first blade and said first blade securing portion lock said first blade to said first handle for rotational motion about said fulcrum means; andsaid interlocking key features of said second blade and said second blade securing portion lock said second blade to said fulcrum means. 43. The cutting implement of claim 42, wherein: said fulcrum means comprises a nut and a bolt;wherein at least one of said bolt and said nut, when mated to retain said handle ends and blades, passes through holes extending through said blade retaining portions and blades;said fulcrum means has a length defined between its exterior surfaces; andsaid cutting plane divides said length into two unequal distances. 44. The cutting implement of claim 42, wherein: said fulcrum means comprises a nut and a bolt;said bolt comprises: a head having a handle grippable by a user's fingers for rotational motion selected from screwing said bolt into said nut and unscrewing said bolt from said nut; anda threaded bolt shank mateable with said nut; anda cylindrical portion between said head and said shank;said nut comprises: a head having an exterior surface substantially flush with said exterior surface of said second blade securing portion;an internally threaded nut shank having a first portion with a polygonal cross section and a second portion with a round cross section;said second handle portion and said second blade include polygonal through holes dimensioned to lock around said polygonal portion of said nut shank; andsaid first handle portion and said first blade include round through holes dimensioned to rotate about said cylindrical portion of said nut shank. 45. The cutting implement of claim 42, wherein: each of said handles has a grip formed from a material selected from thermoplastic elastomers, silicone, and combinations thereof, said grip including cells containing a softer material. 46. The cutting implement of claim 42, wherein said softer material in said cells comprises a material selected from clear elastomers, gels, air, and combinations thereof. 47. The cutting implement of claim 42, further comprising projections extending toward each other from said handles and defining a rounded gap between said projections when said handles are closed, the gap having a diameter; and wherein:said cutting implement is designed to cut branches having branch diameters substantially equal to or less than the gap diameter a with the handles closed when said cutting implement is in a first state of wear; andsaid cutting implement is in a second state of wear sufficient to require blade replacement or sharpening when said cutting implement cannot cut a branch having a diameter substantially equal to the gap diameter. 48. The cutting implement of claim 42, wherein one of said blades includes a notch for cutting objects selected from wires and ties. 49. The cutting implement of claim 42, further comprising a lock mechanism for locking said handles and blades in a closed position. 50. The cutting implement of claim 49, wherein said lock mechanism is biased in an unlocked position. 51. The cutting implement of claim 42, further comprising a spring for biasing said handles and blades in an open position. 52. The cutting implement of claim 22, wherein: said means for retaining and releasing has a length defined between its exterior surfaces; andsaid cutting plane divides said length into two unequal distances.