# US 11,027,449 B2 · Methods and apparatus for cutting cushioned divider material for use in creating sub-compartments in a container

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 11,027,449 B2
- Document ID: US11027449B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/900,545
- Filed: 2018-02-20
- Published: 2019-06-20
- Granted: 2021-06-08
- Earliest claimed: 2017-12-14
- Assignees: TrekPak, LLC
- Applicants: TrekPak, LLC
- Inventors: Gregory Schroll; Jared Brown
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11027449B2

## CPC

- B26D 3/006: {specially adapted for cutting blocs of plastic material}
- B24B 19/02: for grinding grooves, e.g. on shafts, in casings, in tubes, homokinetic joint elements
- B24B 21/00: Machines or devices using grinding or polishing belts (for sharpening cutting edges of tools B24B3/00; portable belt-grinding machines B24B23/06); Accessories therefor
- B24B 21/006: {for special purposes, e.g. for television tubes, car bumpers}
- B24B 23/06: with abrasive belts, e.g. with endless travelling belts; Accessories therefor
- B24B 27/06: Grinders for cutting-off
- B24B 27/08: being portable
- B26B 5/005: {specially adapted for cutting cardboard, or wall, floor or like covering materials}
- B26B 5/006: {specially adapted for using razor blades as blades (B26B5/001 takes precedence)}
- B26B 5/008: {for performing several incisions simultaneously; for cutting cubes}
- B26D 1/02: having a stationary cutting member (B26D1/547 takes precedence)
- B26D 1/03: with a plurality of cutting members
- B26D 1/065: {for thin material, e.g. for sheets, strips or the like}
- B26D 5/005: {Computer numerical control means}
- B26D 7/015: {for sheet material or piles of sheets (B26D7/018 and B26D7/02 take precedence)}
- B26D 7/18: Means for removing cut-out material or waste
- B26D 2001/006: {the cutting blade having a special shape, e.g. a special outline, serrations}
- 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)
- B24B: MACHINES, DEVICES, OR PROCESSES FOR GRINDING OR POLISHING (grinding of gear teeth B23F, of screw-threads B23G1/36; by electro-erosion B23H; abrasive or related blasting B24C; tools for grinding, buffing or sharpening B24D; polishing compositions C09G1/00; abrasives C09K3/14; electrolytic etching or polishing C25F3/00; grinding arrangements for use on assembled railway tracks E01B31/17); DRESSING OR CONDITIONING OF ABRADING SURFACES; FEEDING OF GRINDING, POLISHING, OR LAPPING AGENTS
- 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)

## Abstract

Particular embodiments of the inventive technology relate to apparatus and methods for cutting multi-layered material to reconfigure it so it may be used to construct sub-compartments in a larger storage container. The inventive technology, in particular embodiments may feature one or more of the following: dual blades, “staggered” blades (where one blade is more forward than another), a blade(s) angled upwards and forwards, blades separated in a left-right direction, prong recesses to accept trailing tips of blades, a rearwardly angled handle and/or a removed material ejection ramp, in conjunction perhaps with other features such as, e.g., a guide prong. One or more of such features may appear in the various manifestations of a defluting cutter or through cutting apparatus, whether guided or unguided, and/or manual or powered.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A cutter apparatus usable to reconfigure multi-layer, foam fluted board so said multi-layer, foam fluted board, upon reconfiguration, is usable as divider material in a storage container, said multi-layer, foam fluted board having a corrugated core layer sandwiched by upper and foam layers, said cutter apparatus comprising:
a guide prong insertable into a flute of said corrugated core layer;
a central vertical plane that divides said cutter apparatus into a right cutter portion and a left cutter portion, said cutter apparatus having a front-most portion;
a first blade to a right of said central vertical plane; and
a second blade to a left of said central vertical plane;
wherein said first and second blades each angle upwards and towards a front of said cutter apparatus, and wherein one of said first and second blades is closer to said front-most portion of said cutter apparatus than is the other of said first and second blades,
said cutter apparatus further comprising:
a cutter body to which said first and second blades are removably secured;
a handle established above said first and second blades, said handle having a handle longitudinal axis; and
a removed material ejection ramp established through said cutter body and rearward of said first and second blades, and having a rearward half that is rearward of at least a portion of said handle longitudinal axis and that projects substantially above said foam fluted board at an angle behind a location at which said foam fluted board is cut that is configured to divert removed material upward above said foam fluted board behind the cutter.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

A cutter apparatus as described in claim 1 and further comprising a first prong recess on a right side of said prong configured to accept a trailing portion of said first blade.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

A cutter apparatus as described in claim 1 and further comprising a second prong recess on a left side of said prong configured to accept a trailing part of said second blade.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

A cutter apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein said cutter apparatus is configured and arranged to remove a strip of material from said multi-layer, foam fluted board to create a valley in said board.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

A cutter apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein said handle longitudinal axis is upwards and rearwards at an angle with horizontal between 70° and 90°.

### Claim 6

A cutter apparatus usable to reconfigure multi-layer, foam fluted board so it is usable as divider material in a storage container, said multi-layer, foam fluted board having a corrugated core layer that includes flutes and that is sandwiched by a foam layer on each of both sides of said core, said cutter apparatus having a right side, a left side, and a front-most portion, and comprising:
a guide prong insertable into DA any one of said flutes of said corrugated core layer;
a first blade on said right side of said cutter apparatus;
a second blade on said left side of said cutter apparatus; and
a cutter body to which said first and second blades are removably secured;
wherein one of said first and second blades is closer to said front-most portion of said cutter apparatus than is the other of said first and second blades;
said cutter apparatus further comprising:
a handle established at an upper portion of said cutter apparatus; and
a removed material ejection ramp established through said cutter body and rearward of said first and second blades so that, during use of said cutter apparatus, material removed by said cutter apparatus is diverted upward and behind said cutter apparatus and that projects substantially above said foam fluted board at an angle behind a location at which said foam fluted board is cut that is configured to divert removed material upward above said foam fluted board behind the cutter.

### Claim 7

A cutter apparatus usable to reconfigure fluted board so it is usable as divider material in a storage container, said cutter apparatus comprising:
a guide prong insertable into a flute of said fluted board;
a central vertical plane that divides said cutter apparatus into a right cutter portion and a left cutter portion; and
at least one blade having an exposed portion in position to cut at least a portion of said sandwiched board,
wherein said at least one blade angles upwards and towards a front of said cutter apparatus,
said cutter apparatus further comprising:
a cutter body to which said at least one blade is removably secured;
a handle established substantially above said at least one blade; and
a removed material ejection ramp that is established rearward of said blade and that projects substantially above said fluted board at an angle behind a location at which said fluted board is cut that is capable of diverting removed material upward above said fluted board behind the cutter apparatus.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

A cutter apparatus as described in claim 7 wherein said handle has a longitudinal axis that is upwards and rearwards at an angle with horizontal between 70° and 90°.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

A cutter apparatus as described in claim 7 wherein said cutter apparatus comprises a through-cutter.

### Claim 10 (depends on 7)

A cutter apparatus as described in claim 7 wherein said cutter apparatus comprises a defluter cutter.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

A cutter apparatus as described in claim 10 wherein said cutter apparatus is usable to remove a strip of material from said fluted board.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

A cutter apparatus as described in claim 10 wherein said at least one blade comprises two blades.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

A cutter apparatus as described in claim 12 wherein said handle has a handle longitudinal axis and said apparatus further comprises a removed material ejection ramp that is established rearward of said blades and of said handle longitudinal axis.

### Claim 14 (depends on 7)

A cutter apparatus as described in claim 7 wherein said fluted board is multi-layer, foam fluted board configured and arranged as said divider material in a storage container, said multi-layer, foam fluted board having a corrugated core layer sandwiched by a foam layer on each of both sides of said core.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

A cutter apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein a rearward half of said removed material ejection ramp has an average angle relative to horizontal between 10° and 50°.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

A cutter apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein said handle is established directly above said first and second blades.

### Claim 17 (depends on 6)

A cutter apparatus as described in claim 6 wherein said first and second blades each angle upwards and towards said front-most portion of said cutter apparatus.

### Claim 18 (depends on 6)

A cutter apparatus as described in claim 6 wherein said handle has a handle longitudinal axis and a rearward half of said removed material ejection ramp is established rearward of at least a portion of said handle longitudinal axis.