# US 10,766,153 B2 · Cutting instrument, coating and method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,766,153 B2 - Document ID: US10766153B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/822,702 - Filed: 2017-11-27 - Published: 2018-05-17 - Granted: 2020-09-08 - Earliest claimed: 2003-11-24 - Assignees: Acme United Corporation - Applicants: Acme United Corporation - Inventors: Larry Buchtmann; Gary Pia - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10766153B2 ## CPC - B26B 13/00: Hand shears; Scissors - B26B 9/00: Blades for hand knives - B26B 25/007: {Operable only in combination with guiding means, e.g. paper cutters} - B26D 1/0006: {Cutting members therefor} - B26D 1/205: {for thin material, e.g. for sheets, strips or the like} - C23C 14/0635: {Carbides} - C23C 14/0641: {Nitrides (C23C14/0617 takes precedence)} - C23C 14/0664: {Carbonitrides} - C23C 14/3414: {Metallurgical or chemical aspects of target preparation, e.g. casting, powder metallurgy} - C23C 30/00: Coating with metallic material characterised only by the composition of the metallic material, i.e. not characterised by the coating process (C23C26/00, C23C28/00 take precedence) - C23C 30/005: {on hard metal substrates} - B26D 1/045: {for thin material, e.g. for sheets, strips or the like} - B26D 1/185: {for thin material, e.g. for sheets, strips or the like} - B26D 1/30: with limited pivotal movement to effect cut - B26D 2001/002: {Materials or surface treatments therefor, e.g. composite materials} - B26D 2001/004: {not rotating} - B26D 2001/0066: {having shearing means, e.g. shearing blades, abutting blades} - Y10T 83/9372: Rotatable type - B26B: HAND-HELD CUTTING TOOLS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR (for harvesting A01D; for horticulture, for forestry A01G; for butchering or meat treatment A22; for manufactering or repairing footwear A43D; nail clippers or cutters A45D29/02; kitchen equipment A47J; {vegetable slicers, julienne cutters and similar devices and holders therefor, B26D3/28}; for surgical purposes A61B; for metal B23D; cutting by abrasive fluid jets B24C5/02; plier-like tools with cutting edges B25B7/22; pincers B25C11/02; handles for hand implements, in general B25G; guillotine-type cutters B26D; {perforating by non-mechanical means, e.g. by fluid jet, B26F1/26}; for erasing B43L19/00; for textile materials D06H) - B26D: CUTTING; DETAILS COMMON TO MACHINES FOR PERFORATING, PUNCHING, CUTTING-OUT, STAMPING-OUT OR SEVERING (for growing crops or plants A01D, A01G; for fodder or straw A01F; for bulk butter A01J; for dough A21C; slaughtering A22B; for tobacco, cigars or cigarettes A24; marking-out, perforating or making buttonholes A41H25/00; manufacturing footwear A43D; brushmaking A46D; surgery A61B; disintegrating, mincing or shredding in general B02C; cutting wire, making pins or nails B21F, B21G; of the kind used formetal B23; cutting by abrasive fluid jets B24C5/02; hand-held cutting tools B26B; perforating, cutting-out, stamping-out or punching, or severing by means other than cutting B26F; for wood B27; for stone B28D; working of plastics or substances in a plastic state B29; making boxes, cartons, envelopes or bags, of paper or similarly worked materials, e.g. metal foil, B31B; article or web delivery apparatus incorporating cutting or line-perforating devices B65H35/00; for leather or upholstery B68, C14B; for glass C03B; making matches C06F; for peat C10F; for sugar C13B45/00; for textile materials D06H; civil engineering, building, mining, see Section E; for light guides G02B6/25; cutting processed photographic material G03D15/04) - C23C: COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL (making metal-coated products by extrusion B21C23/22; covering with metal by connecting pre-existing layers to articles, see the relevant places, e.g. B21D39/00, B23K; metallising of glass C03C; metallising mortars, concrete, artificial stone, ceramics or natural stone C04B41/00; enamelling of, or applying a vitreous layer to, metals C23D; treating metal surfaces or coating of metals by electrolysis or electrophoresis C25D; single-crystal film growth C30B; by metallising textiles D06M11/83; decorating textiles by locally metallising D06Q1/04) - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract A new and improved cutting instrument is provided having an enhanced coating. The coating includes titanium, chromium, nitrogen and carbon elements and provides increased wear resistance. The coating can be applied to a variety of metal and non-metallic substrates, which include scissors and knife blades. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method comprising: obtaining a cutting instrument having a cutting blade comprising steel, placing the cutting instrument in a position suitable for coating the cutting blade; cleaning the cutting blade; and depositing a single coating layer on the cutting blade, the coating layer comprising an amorphous material including chromium, titanium, carbon and nitrogen and being deposited directly on the cutting blade using physical vapor deposition, the overall thickness of the coating layer being in the range of 0.1 microns to 0.6 microns, wherein at least some of the chromium is in the form chromium carbonitride and titanium chromium carbonitride and at least some of the titanium is in the form of titanium carbonitride, and wherein the coating comprises chromium and titanium in a weight ratio in the range of 3:1 to 1:3. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the coating is deposited by reactive magnetron sputtering. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the coating has a nanoindentation hardness, as measured on a polished silicon wafer, of about 20 GPa to about 35.2 GPa. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the coating has a nanoindentation hardness, as measured on a polished silicon wafer, of about 32 GPa to about 35.2 GPa. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the coating has a nanoindentation hardness in the range of 12 GPa to 35.2 GPa. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the coating has a nanoindentation hardness in the range of 26.3 GPa to 35.2 GPa. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the coating comprises the elements chromium and titanium in a weight ratio of 1:1 to 3:1. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the coating is deposited by a cathode arc plasma process. ### Claim 9 A cutting instrument comprising: a cutting blade comprising steel; and a sputtered coating having only a single layer disposed directly on the cutting blade, the coating having a thickness of 0.1 to 0.6 microns and comprising an amorphous material including titanium, chromium, carbon and nitrogen, the titanium and chromium being present in a weight ratio in the range of 3:1 to 1:3, wherein at least some of the chromium is in the form chromium carbonitride and titanium chromium carbonitride and at least some of the titanium is in the form of titanium carbonitride. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The cutting instrument of claim 9, wherein the coating has a nanoindentation hardness, as measured on a polished silicon wafer, of about 20 GPa to about 35.2 GPa. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The cutting instrument of claim 9, wherein the coating has a nanoindentation hardness, as measured on a polished silicon wafer, of about 32 GPa to about 35.2 GPa. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The cutting instrument of claim 9, wherein the coating has a nanoindentation hardness in the range of 12 GPa to 35.2 GPa. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The cutting instrument of claim 9, wherein the coating has a nanoindentation hardness in the range of 26.3 GPa to 35.2 GPa. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The cutting instrument of claim 9, wherein the cutting instrument has first and second complementary cutting blades. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The cutting instrument of claim 9, wherein the coating comprises the elements chromium and titanium in a weight ratio of 1:1 to 3:1. ### Claim 16 A method comprising: obtaining a cutting instrument having a cutting blade comprising steel; placing the cutting instrument in a position suitable for coating the cutting blade; cleaning the cutting blade; depositing a first coating layer comprising an amorphous material including chromium, titanium, carbon and nitrogen directly on the cutting blade using physical vapor deposition, and depositing a second coating layer comprising an amorphous material including chromium, titanium, carbon and nitrogen on the first coating layer using physical vapor deposition, the second coating layer having an inner surface in direct contact with the first coating layer and an opposite outer surface, wherein at least some of the chromium in each layer is in the form chromium carbonitride and titanium chromium carbonitride and at least some of the titanium is in the form of titanium carbonitride, the first and second coating layers each comprise chromium and titanium in a weight ratio in the range of 3:1 to 1:3, the second coating layer has a higher ratio of chromium to titanium than the first layer, and the overall thickness of the first and second coating layers is in the range of 0.1 microns to 0.6 microns. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the coating is deposited by reactive magnetron sputtering. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the second coating layer has a nanoindentation hardness, as measured on a polished silicon wafer, of about 20 GPa to about 35.2 GPa. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the each of the first and second layers of the coating comprises the elements chromium and titanium in a weight ratio of 1:1 to 3:1.