Circular cutting blade

Abstract

A circular cutting blade is configured for cutting meat when turned about a rotation axis in a predetermined cutting direction. The cutting blade has a peripheral blade edge defined between the first and second sides and a plurality of circumferentially disposed cutting knives. Each cutting knife includes first and second knife sides and an arcuate knife edge that constitutes a portion of the peripheral blade edge. Each knife edge is titled and rises, relative to the rotation axis, between a first blade-edge location corresponding to a minor blade radius and a second blade-edge location corresponding to a major blade radius such that, when the circular blade is rotating in the predetermined cutting direction and cutting a work piece, the work piece first encounters the first blade-edge location of each cutting knife before encountering the second blade-edge location of that cutting knife.

Claims

1. A circular blade configured for cutting meat when turned about a rotation axis in a predetermined cutting direction, the cutting blade comprising: a single overall peripheral blade edge; and a plurality of circumferentially disposed cutting knives, each of which cutting knives includes (i) mutually convergent first and second knife sides, and (ii) an arcuate knife edge that is defined by the first and second knife sides, constitutes a portion of the peripheral blade edge, and rises, relative to the rotation axis, between a first blade-edge location corresponding to a minor blade radius and a second blade-edge location corresponding to a major blade radius, wherein (a) each knife edge is tilted such that an arc-bisecting line that bisects the knife edge at an arc mid-point, and that is oriented orthogonally to a tangent line including the arc mid-point, is non-parallel to a blade-radius line extending from the rotation axis through the arc mid-point; (b) the second blade-edge location of each cutting knife is situated, relative to the cutting direction, behind the first blade-edge location of the same cutting knife such that, when the circular blade is rotating and cutting a work piece, the work piece first encounters the first blade-edge location of each cutting knife before encountering the second blade-edge location of that cutting knife; (c) the peripheral blade edge further comprises a plurality of back slopes, each back slope is situated, relative to the cutting direction, behind the second blade-edge location of a first cutting knife and in front of the first blade-edge location of a second cutting knife located behind, and adjacent to, the first cutting knife; and (d) each back slope slopes more steeply than the knife edges between which that back slope is situated.

2. The circular cutting blade of claim 1 wherein the first and second knife sides of each cutting knife mutually converge to define a double bevel.

3. The circular cutting blade of claim 1 wherein the first and second knife sides of each cutting knife mutually converge to define a single bevel.

4. The circular cutting blade of claim 1 wherein the each back slope is configured and sloped such that, relative to that back slope, there exists a blade radius line that emanates from the rotation axis and passes through that back slope without passing through either of the two cutting knives between which that back slope is situated.

5. The circular cutting blade of claim 4 wherein the first and second knife sides of each cutting knife mutually converge to define a double bevel.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a side view of a circular cutting blade;

(2) FIG. 1A is a detail view of the blade portion indicated in FIG. 1;

(3) FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view into the plane II of FIG. 1;

(4) FIG. 2A is a detail view of the sectional blade portion indicated in FIG. 2;

(5) FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view into the plane III of FIG. 1;

(6) FIG. 3A is a detail view of the sectional blade portion indicated in FIG. 3; and

(7) FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a cutting knife in which the knife sides converge in a single bevel.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(8) The following description of variously embodied circular cutting blades is demonstrative in nature and is not intended to limit the invention or its application of uses. Accordingly, the various implementations, aspects, versions and embodiments described in the summary and detailed description are in the nature of non-limiting examples falling within the scope of the appended claims and do not serve to define the maximum scope of the claims.

(9) With initial reference to FIG. 1, an illustrative circular cutting blade 10 is configured for cutting a work piece WP when turned about a rotation axis A.sub.R in a predetermined cutting direction D.sub.C which, in FIG. 1, is indicated as counterclockwise. The cutting blade 10 comprises a planar substrate 20 having opposed first and second substrate sides 22 and 24, and a peripheral blade edge 26 defined between the first and second sides 22 and 24. In various illustrative versions, the substrate 20 is fabricated from a rigid, wear-resistant material such as steel, or alternative metal, or a ceramic, by way of non-limiting example.

(10) As shown in FIG. 1 and the detail view of FIG. 1A, the substrate 20 has formed thereon a plurality of circumferentially disposed cutting knives 50. Each cutting knife 50 includes first and second knife sides 52 and 54 corresponding with, respectively, the first and second substrate sides 22 and 24, and an arcuate knife edge 60 that constitutes a portion of the overall peripheral blade edge 26 and is oriented such that the arc defined thereby is concave relative to the rotation axis A.sub.R. Alternatively stated, each cutting knife 50 presents a convex arcuate knife edge 60 to a work piece WP undergoing cutting.

(11) In various versions, the arcuate knife edges 60 are circular arcs. Irrespective of constancy in the radius of curvature, however, the arcuate knife edge 60 of each cutting knife 50 is tilted relative to the rotation axis A.sub.R such that the knife edge 60 rises between a first blade-edge location L.sub.BE1 corresponding to a minor blade radius R.sub.MIN and a second blade-edge location L.sub.BE2 corresponding to a major blade radius R.sub.MAJ. For example, in an illustrative version in which each knife edge 60 defines a circular arc, the knife edge 60 is tilted such that a radial arc-bisecting line L.sub.B that bisects the knife edge 60 at an arc mid-point MP.sub.A (i) has as its origin a point P.sub.B that does not spatially coincide with the rotation axis A.sub.R and (ii) is non-parallel with a blade radius line L.sub.BR extending from the rotation axis A.sub.R through the arc mid-point MP.sub.A. Stated more generally for the inclusion of cases in which a knife edge 60 defines a non-circular arc, the knife edge 60 is tilted such that an arc-bisecting line L.sub.B that bisects that arcuate knife edge 60 at an arc mid-point MP.sub.A, and that is oriented orthogonally to a tangent line L.sub.T including the arc mid-point MP.sub.A, is non-parallel to a blade-radius line L.sub.BR extending from the rotation axis A.sub.R through the arc mid-point MP.sub.A.

(12) As indicated most clearly in FIG. 1A, each cutting knife 50 of some configurations further includes beveled primary and secondary knife-edge portions 70 and 80. As shown in FIG. 2, which is a cross-sectional view into the plane II of FIG. 1, and the detail view of FIG. 2A, the primary knife-edge portion 70 is beveled such that the first and second knife sides 52 and 54 mutually converge at a first bevel angle .sub.B1. However, as shown in FIG. 3, which is a cross-sectional view into the plane III of FIG. 1, and the detail view of FIG. 3A, along the secondary knife-edge portion 80, the first and second knife sides 52 and 54 mutually converge at a second bevel angle .sub.B2 that is less acute than the first bevel angle .sub.B1. Although the examples of FIGS. 2 through 3A depict the first and second knife sides 52 and 54 converging symmetrically about the blade plane B.sub.P in a so-called double bevel, it is to be understood that, absent express limitations to the contrary, the invention as defined in the appended claims is not so limited. For example, within the scope of various claims is the single bevel version of FIG. 4 in which the first knife side 52 is parallel to the blade plane B.sub.P, while the second knife side 54 is angled toward the first knife side 52. In the broadest aspects of the invention, therefore, the only condition that need be met is that the first and second knife sides 52 and 54 mutually converge to define a bevel which, in illustrative alternative versions, is a double bevel or single bevel.

(13) In the particular version shown in FIGS. 1 and 1A, the secondary knife-edge portion 80 of each cutting knife 50 has a shorter cutting length than the primary knife-edge portion 70 of the same cutting knife 50. However, it is to be generally understood that the version of FIGS. 1 and 1A is merely illustrative and, more particularly understood, that, absent explicit limitations to the contrary, within the scope and contemplation of the invention as defined in the appended claims are versions in which the cutting length of the secondary knife-edge portion 80 is equal to or greater than the cutting length of the primary knife-edge portion 70.

(14) Although more-than-implicit in the aforesaid explanation, it is also to be explicitly understood that within the scope and contemplation of the invention are embodiments in which the bevel angle is configured to be constant between the first blade-edge location L.sub.BE1 corresponding to the minor blade radius R.sub.MIN and the second blade-edge location L.sub.BE2 corresponding to the major blade radius R.sub.MAJ. Since this scenario is not only implicit, but readily imagined, the existing figures are deemed sufficiently supportive of such cases; constancy of the bevel angle along each cutting knife 50 can be conceptualized as a case in which the first bevel angle .sub.B1 is equal to the second bevel angle .sub.B2 and, consequently, in which there is an arbitrariness on referencing primary and secondary knife-edge portions 70 and 80. Accordingly, in most such cases, rather than reference primary and secondary knife-edge portions 70 and 80, reference is made instead to the first blade-edge location L.sub.BE1 corresponding to the minor blade radius R.sub.MIN and the second blade-edge location L.sub.BE2 corresponding to the major blade radius R.sub.MAJ where doing so is required or desirable in making sense of cutting direction and tilt of the knife edge 60 of each cutting knife 50, for example.

(15) With continued reference to FIGS. 1 and 1A, the peripheral blade edge 26 further includes a back slope 90 situated between first and second cutting knives 50 of each set of two adjacent cutting knives 50. Furthermore, each back slope 90 is situated, relative to the cutting direction D.sub.C, behind the secondary knife-edge portion 80 of a first cutting knife 50 and in front of the primary knife-edge portion 70 of a second cutting knife 50 located behind, and adjacent to, the first cutting knife 50. Although no particular profile of a back slope 90 is shown as viewed into cross-sectional plane including the blade rotation axis A.sub.R, such as planes II and III, for example, the back slopes 90 between cutting knives 50 of a first version are non-beveled while, in a second version, the back slopes 90 are beveled. It will be appreciated that non-beveled back slopes 90 contribute strength and rigidity to the peripheral blade edge 26. Moreover, as with the version of FIGS. 1 and 1A, a typical version is configured such that, as viewed from either side of the cutting blade 10, each back slope 90 slopes more steeply (less gradually) than the rates at which the knife edges 60 between which that back slope 90 is situated rise.

(16) As seen in the version of FIGS. 1 and 1A, each back slope 90 behind a first cutting knife 50, and in front of a second cutting knife 50, is not profiled so as to curl under any portion of the first cutting knife 50 behind which it is situation relative to the cutting direction D.sub.C, an aspect of the configuration that contributes to strength and rigidity. So, for instance, it can be readily envisioned that a blade radius line L.sub.BR extending from the rotation axis A.sub.R could pass through a back slope 90 of the illustrative configuration of FIGS. 1 and 1A without passing through or touching the cutting knife 50 forward of or behind that back slope 90. Although a single blade radius line L.sub.BR is shown in FIG. 1, there is not one shown passing through a back slope 90 as described. Inclusion of another blade radius line L.sub.BR was avoided in order to prevent crowding in the drawing and because its inclusion is deemed unnecessary in order to support its disclosure in light of the blade radius line L.sub.BR that is shown in combination with the explanation provided above. Imagining that there is an infinite number of blade radius lines L.sub.BR emanating from the rotation axis A.sub.R toward and through an equally infinite number of corresponding points along the overall peripheral blade edge 26 is well within the intellectual compass of a person of ordinary skill in the art to which the invention pertains.

(17) Because the unidirectionality of the cutting blade 10 is so critical to its functionality, and in distinguishing it from existing rotary cutting blades, a more exhaustive explanation in this regard is warranted. The predetermined cutting direction D.sub.C can be conceptualized with reference to either or both of a work piece WP external to the cutting blade 10 and the configurations of the cutting knives 50 themselves. With an eye toward maximizing clarity, the necessary unidirectionality of the cutting blade 10 is explained both ways. Moreover, for purposes of discussing cutting direction D.sub.C relative to a broader configuration of the cutting blade 10, reference is made to the first blade-edge location L.sub.BE1 corresponding to the minor blade radius R.sub.MIN and the second blade-edge location L.sub.BE2 corresponding to the major blade radius R.sub.MAJ since these locations are present in every version, regardless of whether any particular version also includes primary and secondary knife-edge portions 70 and 80 exhibiting disparate first and second bevel angles .sub.B1 and .sub.B2.

(18) Without reference to a work piece WP, the operative rotation direction D.sub.C is such that the first blade-edge location L.sub.BE1 of each cutting knife 50 leads the second blade-edge location L.sub.BE2 of that same cutting knife. Conversely, relative to the cutting direction D.sub.C, the second blade-edge location L.sub.BE2 of any given cutting knife 50 trails or follows the first blade-edge location L.sub.BE1 of that very same cutting knife 50. Referring to FIGS. 1 and 1A, the cutting direction D.sub.C is labeled, established and defined relative to the first blade-edge location L.sub.BE1 and the second blade-edge location L.sub.BE2 of each cutting knife 50. (The enlarged section shown in FIG. 1A shows the first and second blade-edge locations L.sub.BE1 and L.sub.BE2). In FIG. 1, the cutting direction D.sub.C is indicated as counter-clockwise by an arcuate arrow.

(19) Consider, for purposes of comprehension, a horizontal axis passing though the blade rotation axis A.sub.R and extending left to right on the drawing sheet (there's a dashed line there that can be referenced for purposes of the present explanation). If the cutting blade 10 is rotated counter-clockwise as indicated in FIG. 1, then the first blade-edge location L.sub.BE1 and, where applicable, the primary knife-edge portion 70, of each cutting knife 50 will pass across or cut through that axis (the dashed horizontal line) prior to the time that the second blade-edge location L.sub.BE2 and, where applicable, the secondary knife-edge portion 80 of the very same cutting knife 50 will pass across or cut through that axis. This is true whether we consider a cutting knife 50 on either the left or the right side of the drawing sheet; the cutting knives 50 on the left side approach the reference axis under consideration from the top down, and the cutting knives 50 on the right side of the drawing sheet approach the reference axis from the bottom up, but, relative to each cutting knife 50 individually, the first blade-edge location L.sub.BE1 crosses that reference axis prior to the second blade-edge location L.sub.BE2.

(20) Conversely to the cutting direction D.sub.C shown as counter-clockwise in FIG. 1, were the circular cutting blade 10 shown in FIG. 1 to be rotated clockwise instead, then the second blade-edge location L.sub.BE2 of each cutting knife 50 would lead the first blade-edge location L.sub.BE1 of the same cutting knife 50. However, the cutting blade 10 would not function if rotated thusly and, therefore, it makes sense to define the functional cutting direction D.sub.C as defined above relative to the first blade-edge location L.sub.BE1 and/or, where applicable, primary knife-edge portion 70 of each cutting knife 50 leading the second blade-edge location L.sub.BE2 and/or, where applicable, secondary knife-edge portion 80 of the same cutting knife 50.

(21) Having established that the functional cutting direction D.sub.C can be defined relative to the first and second blade-edge locations L.sub.BE1 and L.sub.BE2 and/or the primary and secondary knife-edge portions 70 and 80 of each cutting knife 50, consideration is now given as to how this functional cutting direction D.sub.C can also be defined relative to a work piece being cut, as it is in the present specification and at least some of the claims appended hereto. Imagine the work piece WP shown in FIG. 1 being linearly urged toward either (i) the blade rotation axis A.sub.R along a radial line or (ii) toward the right side of the drawing sheet along a horizontal plane (not shown) parallel to the horizontal dashed reference line in FIG. 1 discussed above. As the blade 10 is rotated counter-clockwise as indicated in this case, AND the work piece WP is advanced into the cutting blade 10 as described, it is easy to appreciate that, as the blade 10 is slicing through the work piece WP, the first blade-edge location L.sub.BE1 of or along each cutting knife 50 would enter into the work piece WP (from above) prior to the entry into the work piece WP of the second blade-edge location L.sub.BE2 of or along the same cutting knife 50.

(22) Another way of expressing that the first blade-edge location L.sub.BE1 and/or primary knife-edge portion 70 of each cutting knife 50 enters the work piece WP prior to the second blade-edge location L.sub.BE2 and/or secondary knife-edge portion 80 of that same cutting knife 50 in the manner explained above is to state that the work piece WP first encounters the first blade-edge location L.sub.BE1 and/or primary knife-edge portion 70 of each cutting knife 50 before encountering the second blade-edge location L.sub.BE2 and/or secondary knife-edge portion 80 of that (i.e., the same) cutting knife 50. Based on the preceding explanation and analysis, it would be equally clear, definite and valid to state, relative to each cutting knife 50, that the work piece WP is encountered first by the first blade-edge location L.sub.BE1 corresponding to a minor blade radius R.sub.MIN before being encountered by the second blade-edge location L.sub.BE2 corresponding to the major blade radius R.sub.MAJ.

(23) The foregoing is considered to be illustrative of the principles of the invention. Furthermore, since modifications and changes to various aspects and implementations will occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention, it is to be understood that the foregoing does not limit the invention as expressed in the appended claims to the exact constructions, implementations and versions shown and described.