Chain saw cutter links
AssigneeBlount, Inc.
InventorSam Hutsell
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Embodiments of chain saw cutter links, and related apparatuses and methods. For example, in some embodiments, a cutter link may include a top plate, a sharpened surface having an upper end and a lower end, and a depth gauge having a top surface. The sharpened surface may define a reference line tangent to the sharpened surface at the upper end such that the reference line extends between the top plate and the sharpened surface, a sharpened width may be defined by a minimum distance between the reference line and the lower end of the sharpened surface, an opening width may be defined by a minimum distance between the reference line and the top surface of the depth gauge, and the sharpened width may be greater than the opening width.
Claims20
A cutter link, comprising:
- a top plate;
- a sharpened surface having an upper end and a lower end;
- and
- a depth gauge having a top surface;
- wherein:
- the sharpened surface defines a reference line tangent to the sharpened surface at the upper end such that the reference line extends between the top plate and the sharpened surface,
- a sharpened width is defined by a minimum distance between the reference line and the lower end of the sharpened surface,
- an opening width is defined by a minimum distance between the reference line and the top surface of the depth gauge,
- the sharpened width is greater than the opening width, and
- the top surface of the depth gauge is below the upper end of the sharpened surface.
A cutter link, comprising:
- a top plate;
- a sharpened surface extending from the top plate, the sharpened surface having an upper end and a lower end;
- and
- a depth gauge having a top surface;
- wherein:
- the sharpened surface defines a reference line tangent to the sharpened surface at the upper end such that the reference line extends between the top plate and the sharpened surface,
- an opening width is defined by a minimum distance between the reference line and the top surface of the depth gauge,
- the sharpened surface has an arc length,
- a chip drag coefficient is defined as equal to a ratio of the opening width to the arc length,
- the chip drag coefficient is less than or equal to approximately 0.55, and
- the top surface of the depth gauge is below the upper end of the sharpened surface.
A method of manufacturing a cutter link, comprising:
- forming a top plate in a material;
- forming a sharpened surface in the material, the sharpened surface having an upper end and a lower end;
- and
- forming a depth gauge in the material, the depth gauge having a top surface;
- wherein:
- the sharpened surface defines a reference line tangent to the sharpened surface at the upper end such that the reference line extends between the top plate and the sharpened surface,
- a sharpened width is defined by a minimum distance between the reference line and the lower end of the sharpened surface,
- an opening width is defined by a minimum distance between the reference line and the top surface of the depth gauge,
- the sharpened width is greater than the opening width, and
- the top surface of the depth gauge is below the upper end of the sharpened surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.