Dual mini-blind cutter
AssigneeNewell Operating Company
InventorsJames L. Daniels, David Jarecki, Michael J. Walsh, Roger L. Anderson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A mini-blind cutter for selective manual in-store sizing of a first mini-blind product having a vinyl headrail and bottom rail and a second mini-blind product having a steel headrail and bottom rail. The mini-blind cutter includes a die assembly movable from a first position to a second position having a first and second region to receive the first and second mini-blind products. The handle operation preferably rotates in a horizontal plane, the die assembly is adapted to cut different shape product in its two positions and the cutter sequences movement of the die assembly to reduce the force required to cut several components of a mini-blind in a sizing operation.
Claims16
A blind cutter for selective in-store sizing of a first mini-blind product and a second mini-blind product having a different geometric configuration, each mini-blind product including a headrail, a plurality of slats, and a bottom rail, the blind cutter comprising:
- a framework;
- a die assembly coupled to the framework and moveable from a first position to a second position with respect to the framework, the die assembly having a first region for receiving a portion of each of the headrail, slats and bottom rail of the first mini-blind product, and a second region separate from the first region for receiving a portion of each of the headrail, slats and bottom rail of the second mini-blind product;
- a blade carrier assembly attached to the framework, the blade carrier assembly including at least one blade attached thereto;
- and
- a drive system being connected to the framework and blade carrier assembly to provide translation of the at least one blade proximate the first region of the die assembly to size the first mini-blind product when the die assembly is in the first position, and proximate the second region of the die assembly to size the second mini-blind product when the die assembly is in the second position.
A method of selectively sizing a first mini-blind product and a second mini-blind product having a different geometric or material configuration, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing a mini-blind cutter having a framework, a die assembly moveably attached to the die, a drive system attached to the framework, and a blade coupled to the drive system, the die assembly having a first receiving area for receiving a portion of the first mini-blind product and a second receiving area for receiving a portion of the second mini-blind product, the die assembly movable to a first position for cutting the first mini-blind product and to a second position for cutting the second mini-blind product;
- selecting one of the first and second mini-blind products;
- slidably moving the die assembly to the corresponding position for the selected mini-blind product;
- loading the selected mini-blind product within the appropriate receiving area;
- and
- cutting the selected mini-blind product.
A blind cutter for selective in-store sizing of a first mini-blind product and a second mini-blind product having a different geometric configuration, each mini-blind product including a head rail, a plurality of slats, and a bottom rail, the blind cutter comprising:
- a framework;
- a die assembly coupled to the framework and moveable from a first position to a second position with respect to the framework, the die assembly having a first region for receiving a portion of each of the head rail, plurality of slats and bottom rail of the first mini-blind product, and a second region separate from the first region for receiving a portion of each of the head rail, plurality of slats and bottom rail of the second mini-blind product;
- a blade carrier assembly attached to the framework, the blade carrier assembly including at least one blade attached thereto;
- a drive system being connected to the framework and blade carrier assembly to provide translation of the at least one blade proximate the first region of the die assembly to size each of the bottom rail, plurality of slats, and bottom rail of the first mini-blind product when the die assembly is in a first position, wherein the die assembly is not moved during the sizing of the first mini-blind product;
- and
- the drive system providing translation of the at least one blade proximate the second region of the die assembly to size the second mini-blind product when the die assembly is in the second position, wherein the die assembly is not moved during the sizing of the second mini-blind product.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.