Cutting machine having a reduced form factor
AssigneeCricut, Inc.
InventorsJeremy Burton Crystal, Sterling Kingdon, Kay Beauwen Freckleton, Adam Worsham
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A cutting machine includes a working surface, a carriage, a tool, and a drive mechanism. The carriage is disposed above the working surface. The tool is removably secured to the carriage and configured to move (i) toward the working surface along a first axis, (ii) relative to the working surface along a second axis transverse to the first axis, and (iii) relative to the working surface along a third axis transverse to the first axis and the second axis. The drive mechanism is offset from the first axis and configured to move the tool along the first axis.
Claims12
A cutting machine comprising:
- a working surface;
- a passive carriage disposed above the working surface, the passive carriage comprising a first portion and a second portion;
- a drive mechanism separated from the passive carriage and configured to move a first portion of the carriage in a first direction relative to the working surface;
- a drive belt configured to move the passive carriage in a second direction relative to the working surface, the second direction transverse to the first direction;
- and
- a side portion offset from the passive carriage in the second direction, wherein the drive belt is disposed within the side portion,
- wherein the drive mechanism comprises:
- a rack-and-pinion mechanism coupled to the passive carriage;
- a shaft engaging the rack-and-pinion mechanism;
- and
- a motor disposed behind the passive carriage and outside of the side portion, the motor configured to rotate the shaft via the drive belt and one or more gears.
A cutting machine comprising:
- a working surface;
- a passive carriage disposed above the working surface, the passive carriage comprising a first portion and a second portion;
- a drive mechanism separated from the passive carriage and configured to move a first portion of the carriage in a first direction relative to the working surface;
- and
- a drive belt configured to move the passive carriage in a second direction relative to the working surface, the second direction transverse to the first direction,
- wherein the passive carriage comprises a vertical guide bar extending behind the passive carriage and secured to the second portion of the passive carriage,
- wherein the first portion of the passive carriage comprises an arm extending rearward from the first portion through the second portion, the arm being slidably engaged with the vertical guide bar, and
- wherein the second portion of the passive carriage comprises an opening, the arm of the first portion extending through the opening.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.