SLIT-CUTTING DEVICE
A slit-cutting device includes a first holder, a second holder, a first contactable member a second contactable member, and a protrusion member. The first holder includes a medium faceable area and a first contactable member. The second holder holds a blade and includes a second contactable member. A cutting edge of the blade may cut a medium between the first holder and the blade. The first contactable member and the second contactable member contact each other and defined a closest approach distance between the cutting edge and the first holder. The closest approach distance is longer than zero and below a thickness of the medium. The protrusion member protrudes more than the closest approach distance from a part of the medium faceable area. The cutting edge may make a cut line includes at least a part of a slit-cut and a full-cut in a cutting edge direction in the medium.
This application claims priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2017-073167 filed on Mar. 31, 2017, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
FIELD OF DISCLOSUREThe disclosure relates to a slit-cutting device.
BACKGROUNDKnown cutting devices include a plate to which a medium may contact and a blade that may face the plate. The cutting devices cut a medium incompletely or completely using the plate and blade. Cutting includes half cutting and full cutting. In half cutting, the cutting devices cut incompletely a medium located between the blade and plate, in a medium thickness direction, to form a non-penetrating slit in the medium. In full cutting, the cutting devices cut completely the medium located between the blade and plate, in the medium thickness direction, to divide the medium into two portions. Some of the known cutting devices includes a cutting blade for performing half cutting on a tape, which is an example of the medium, and a movable blade for performing full cutting on the tape. The cutting blade and the movable blade are disposed next to each other in a direction in which the tape is conveyed.
SUMMARYNevertheless, such a configuration might not enable the printer to cut a predetermined slit line including both a non-penetrating slit and a penetrating slit, into the tape, along a plane extending orthogonal to a surface of the tape, in a single cutting operation.
Accordingly, some embodiments of the disclosure provide for a slit-cutting device that may cut a slit line including both a non-penetrating slit and a penetrating slit, into a medium in a single slit-cutting operation.
A slit-cutting device includes a first holder, a second holder, a first contactable member, a second contactable member, and a protrusion member. The first holder includes a medium faceable area. The second holder holds a blade. A cutting edge of the blade may cut a medium between the first holder and the blade. The first holder includes a first contactable member. The second holder includes a second contactable member. The first contactable member and the second contactable member contact each other and defined a closest approach distance between the cutting edge and the first holder. The closest approach distance is greater than 0 and below a thickness of the medium. The protrusion member protrudes more than the closest approach distance from a part of the medium faceable area. The cutting edge may make a cut line includes at least a part of a slit-cut and a full-cut in a cutting edge direction in the medium.
Aspects of the disclosure are illustrated by way of example and not by limitation in the accompanying figures in which like reference characters indicate similar elements.
Hereinafter, a slit-cutting device 100 according to a first illustrative embodiment will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The slit-cutting device 100 is included in a printer 1. Hereinafter, directions, e.g., top, bottom, right, left, front and rear, indicated by arrows in each drawing may be defined as orientation of the printer 1 that may be disposed in which it may be intended to be used as depicted in
The printer 1 of
Referring to
Referring to
The multi-layered sheet 24 may pass through a discharge port 27 of the case 5. The ribbon take-up spool 12, the sheet bonding roller 16, and the conveyance roller 22 are connected to the drive motor 25 disposed in the case 5. Therefore, the conveyance roller 22 may convey the multi-layered sheet 24 in cooperation with the sheet bonding roller 16. A direction in which the multi-layered sheet 24 is conveyed between the conveyance roller 22 and the discharge port 27 corresponds to the front-rear direction. When the multi-layered sheet 24 is being conveyed between the conveyance roller 22 and the discharge port 27, a thickness direction of the multi-layered sheet 24 (also simply referred to as a medium thickness direction) corresponds to the top-bottom direction and a width direction of the multi-layered sheet 24 (also simply referred to as a medium width direction) corresponds to the right-left direction. When the multi-layered sheet 24 is located between the conveyance roller 22 and the discharge port 27, the release material layer 13C is positioned below the base layer 13A and the outer layer sheet 8 is positioned above the base layer 13A (refer to
The printer 1 further includes a full-cutting device 85 between the conveyance roller 22 and the discharge port 27. The full-cutting device 85 is configured to cut the multi-layered sheet 24 completely in the medium thickness direction across the multi-layered sheet 24 with respect to the medium width direction to divide the multi-layered sheet 24 into two portions, i.e., to separate a portion of the multi-layered sheet 24 from the remainder of the multi-layered sheet 24. The full-cutting device 85 includes a fixed blade 81 and a movable blade 82. The fixed blade 81 is disposed below a path in which the multi-layered sheet 24 moves. The fixed blade 81 is fixed to the inside of the case 5 with its upper edge being sharpened for cutting. The movable blade 82 is disposed above the fixed blade 81 and the path in which where the multi-layered sheet 24 moves. The movable blade 82 is configured to move up and down relative to the fixed blade 81. The movable blade 82 is connected to a lever disposed at the case 5 with its lower edge being sharpened for cutting. The cutting edges of the fixed blade 81 and the movable blade 82 each extend in the right-left direction and have a length greater than the width of the multi-layered sheet 24. The movable blade 82 is configured to move downward toward the fixed blade 81 in response to a user's operation for moving the lever. The full-cutting device 85 cuts the multi-layered sheet 24 completely in the medium thickness direction along the entire width of the multi-layered sheet 24 by pinching the multi-layered sheet 24 between the lower cutting edge of the movable blade 82 and the upper cutting edge of the fixed blade 81.
Referring to
The first holder 70 is fixed to the inside of the case 5 (refer to
In the first illustrative embodiment, for example, three protrusions 77 are spaced from each other at regular intervals in the right-left direction. The intervals between protrusions 77 may be, for example, 24 mm or shorter. The intervals between protrusions 77 may be a maximum distance that a particular area of the multi-layered sheet 24 between adjacent protrusions 77 can be applied with an appropriate degree of force from the cutting edge 41. A protruding amount of each protrusion 77 that protrudes upward from the medium faceable area 75 corresponds to a dimension L1 of
As illustrated in
The blade 46 is supported by the second holder 49. The blade 46 has a hole at a substantially central portion thereof. The second holder 49 includes a projection that protrudes in the front-rear direction. The projection of the second holder 49 is engaged with the hole of the blade 46 to retain the blade 46 relative to the second holder 49. The blade 46 is made of material that is harder than the protrusions 77. In the first illustrative embodiment, for example, the blade 46 may be a plate-shaped member made of metallic material. The blade 46 has a cutting edge 41 sharpened in a V-shape for cutting. The cutting edge 41 extends linearly in the right-left direction and has a length no shorter than the width of the multi-layered sheet 24 (e.g., the dimension of the multi-layered sheet 24 in the right-left direction). The support shaft 47 is positioned on an extension of the cutting edge 41. In other words, the support shaft 47 is disposed to one side of the cutting edge 41 with respect to a direction in which the cutting edge 41 extends. Portions of the cutting edge 41 may face the respective protrusions 77 in the circumferential direction of the support shaft 47 and other portions of the cutting edge 41 may face the medium faceable area 75 in the circumferential direction of the support shaft 47. That is, the cutting edge 41 may face at least both the medium faceable area 75 and the protrusions 77 in the circumferential direction of the support shaft 47.
In the first illustrative embodiment, for example, the second contactable portion 61 is included in the second holder 49. The second holder 49 includes a protruding portion that protrudes relative to the cutting edge 41. The protruding portion is disposed opposite to the support shaft 47 relative to the blade 46. The protruding portion includes the second contactable portion 61 at its protruding end. The second contactable portion 61 is a flat surface extending in the front-rear direction and in the right-left direction. The second contactable portion 61 may contact the first contactable portion 91 in the circumferential direction of the support shaft 47. In other embodiments, for example, the second contactable portion 61 may be disposed at any location that is outside, in the right-left direction, at least a range in which the cutting edge 41 may face the multi-layered sheet 24 in the circumferential direction of the support shaft 47.
The power transmission unit 52 includes a gear 53 and a motor 51. The gear 53 is configured to rotate on a shaft extending along the front-rear direction. The gear 53 includes the pin 44 extending in the front-rear direction. The pin 44 is engaged with the elongated hole 45 of the second holder 49 slidably relative to the elongated hole 45. The motor 51 is connected to the gear 53 via a gear train 56. With this configuration, in response to rotation of the gear 53 by driving of the motor 51, the pin 44 causes the second holder 49 to pivot on the support shaft 47. In response to pivoting of the second holder 49, the blade 46 moves pivotably. The blade 46 is configured to move pivotably between a non-cutting position (refer to
Referring to
The second distance may be a distance to the second contactable portion 91 from the cutting edge 41 in the direction in which the cutting edge 41 and the medium faceable area 75 face each other when the first contactable portion 91 and the second contactable portion 61 are in contact with each other. The second distance may be represented by a positive or negative real number. Positive represents a direction from the cutting edge 41 toward the medium faceable area 75, and negative represents its opposite direction. In the first illustrative embodiment, the second distance is represented by a positive real number and corresponds to a dimension E2 of
The closest approach distance may be a shortest distance between the cutting edge 41 and the medium faceable area 75 when the first contactable portion 91 and the second contactable portion 61 are in contact with each other. The closest approach distance may be a value represented by a sum of the first distance and the second distance. The sum of the first distance and the second distance is greater than 0 (zero). Therefore, in the first illustrative embodiment, the closest approach distance corresponds to the distance E2 of
Referring to
As illustrated in
The blade 46 further pivotally moves to the cutting position. The blade 46 is positioned at the cutting position through contacting of the second contactable portion 61 and the first contactable portion 91 each other. In response to positioning of the blade 46 at the cutting position, the motor 51 stops driving for moving the second holder 49. In a state where the blade 46 is positioned at the cutting position, the cutting edge 41 extends in the right-left direction at substantially the same level in the top-bottom direction as the axis of the support shaft 47 while being located above the medium faceable area 75.
Referring to
The closest approach distance is equal to or less than the thickness of the release material layer 13C and is greater than 0 (zero). When the blade 46 is located at the cutting position, the cutting edge 41 penetrates in the multi-layered sheet 24 at locations where no protrusion 77 is provided at the first holder 70 and the cutting edge 41 does not face the protrusions 77, and more specifically, at a location between the right protrusion 77 and the central protrusion 77 and a location between the central protrusion 77 and the left protrusion 77 in the right-left direction. In other words, the cutting edge 41 penetrates only partial thickness of the release material layer 13C of the multi-layered sheet 24 at those locations. Thus, the cutting edge 41 pinches the multi-layered sheet 24 in cooperation with the medium faceable area 75 and has cut the multi-layered sheet 24 incompletely in the medium thickness direction at two locations where the cutting edge 41 and the medium faceable area 75 face each other. More specifically, for example, the cutting edge 41 has cut the entire thickness of the outer layer sheet 8, the base layer 13A, and the adhesive layers 13B, but has cut the partial thickness of the release material layer 13C, e.g., only an upper portion of the release material layer 13C in the medium thickness direction.
After the blade 46 reached the cutting position, the motor 51 rotates in an opposite direction to move the blade 46 in an opposite direction. In response to this, the blade 46 pivotally moves to the non-cutting position (refer to
Referring to
As described above, the range in which the second holder 49 supported by the support shaft 47 moves relative to the first holder 70 corresponds to the range in which the cutting edge 41 moves closer to or away from the multi-layered sheet 24. The closest approach distance (e.g., the dimension E2 of
The right protrusion 77 is disposed at a position where the right end the multi-layered sheet 24 may face. The left protrusion 77 is disposed at a position where the left end the multi-layered sheet 24 may face. This configuration may therefore enable the slit-cutting device 100 to cut a penetrating slit into each end portion of the multi-layered sheet 24 in the right-left direction (e.g., in the medium width direction). Thus, the user may put a fingertip at one of the penetrating slits formed in the respective end portions of the multi-layered sheet 24 in the right-left direction to remove the outer layer sheet 8 and the base layer 13A from the release material layer 13C. Such a multi-layered sheet 24 may therefore enable the user to easily remove the outer layer sheet 8 and the base layer 13A from the release material layer 13C.
When the multi-layered sheet 24 is located above the medium faceable area 75, the right end of the multi-layered sheet 24 is positioned between the first end 77A and the second end 77B of the right protrusion 77 in the right-left direction. That is, the right protrusion 77 has a surface that continuously extends between a particular position, which is to the left of the right end of the multi-layered sheet 24 within the medium faceable area 75, and another particular position, which is to the right of the right end of the multi-layered sheet 24 out of the medium faceable area 75. When the multi-layered sheet 24 is located above the medium faceable area 75, the left end of the multi-layered sheet 24 is positioned between the first end 77A and the second end 77B of the left protrusion 77 in the right-left direction. That is, the left protrusion 77 has a surface that continuously extends between a particular position, which is to the right of the left end of the multi-layered sheet 24 within the medium faceable area 75, and another particular position, which is to the left of the right end of the multi-layered sheet 24 out of the medium faceable area 75. This configuration may therefore the blade 46 that pivotally moves toward the cutting position to cut a penetrating slit into each end portion of the multi-layered sheet 24 in the medium width direction readily and reliably.
The closest approach distance may be a value represented by a sum of the first distance and the second distance. During manufacturing the slit-cutting device 100, if each of the first distance and the second distance is adjusted with reference to the value represented by the sum of the first distance and the second distance, the closest approach distance may be allowed to be set to a value that is greater than 0 (zero) and smaller than the thickness of the multi-layered sheet 24. For example, if one of the first distance and the second distance is greater than the dimension E2, the other of the first distance and the second distance may be reduced by an excess amount from the dimension E2 to make the sum of the first distance and the second distance equal to the dimension E2. Therefore, the slit-cutting device 100 having such a configuration may also cut a non-penetrating slit into the multi-layered sheet 24 reliably.
The first contactable portion 91 and the second contactable portion 61 are both disposed opposite to the support shaft 47 with respect to the cutting edge 41. This configuration may decrease a reaction force to be received by the support shaft 47 in response to contact of the second contactable portion 61 to the first contactable portion 91 as compared with a case where the first contactable portion 91 and the second contactable portion 61 are both disposed on the same side at the side where the support shaft 47 is disposed with respect to the cutting edge 41. The closest approach distance is equal to or less than the thickness of the release material layer 13C. Therefore, the slit-cutting device 100 may reliably cut the entire thickness of both of the outer layer sheet 8 and the base layer 13A to form a non-penetrating slit 29.
Various changes or modifications may be applied to the slit-cutting device 100. For example, the orientation of the printer 1 when used is not limited to the orientation of the printer 1 of
The first holder 70 of the slit-cutting device 100 might not necessarily be fixed to the case 5. In other embodiments, for example, the first holder 70 may be supported inside the case 5 so as to be movable relative to the second holder 49. In this case, the first holder 70 and the second holder 49 may be both supported inside the case 5 so as to be movable relative to a conveyance path of the multi-layered sheet 24.
In other embodiments, for example, the protrusions 77 may be made of resin, e.g., urethane or silicone, or may be made of fabric. The first contactable portion 91 and the second contactable portion 61 may be disposed on the same side as the side where the support shaft 47 is disposed, with respect to the direction in which the cutting edge 41 extends. The first holder 70 may be configured to pivot on another shaft (not illustrated) extending parallel to the support shaft 47. In this case, the first holder 70 may be connected to another motor (hereinafter, referred to as a specific motor) instead to the motor 51 (refer to
Referring to
The first holder 71 is pivotably supported by the support shaft 47 that is positioned at a right end portion of the first holder 71. That is, the first holder 71 is movable relative to the second holder 59. The first holder 71 has an elongated hole (not illustrated). The pin 44 (refer to
The first holder 71 has a medium faceable area 75 at one end surface thereof that may be a leading end surface when the first holder 71 pivots on the support shaft 47 in a counterclockwise direction when viewed in the axial direction of the support shaft 47. The medium faceable area 75 may face the release material layer 13C of the multi-layered sheet 24 supported by the support member. A plurality of, for example, two protrusions 77 are disposed at the medium faceable area 75. The protrusion 77 (e.g., the right protrusion 77) positioned closer to the support shaft 47 than the other protrusion 77 may face the right end of the multi-layered sheet 24. The other protrusion (e.g., the left protrusion 77) positioned farther from the support shaft 47 than the one protrusion 77 may face the left end of the multi-layered sheet 24. A protruding amount of each protrusion 77 that protrudes from the medium faceable area 75 toward the cutting edge 41 corresponds to the protruding amount of each protrusion 77 of the slit-cutting device 100 (e.g., the dimension L1 of
Referring to
As illustrated in
Referring to
The slit-cutting device 200 includes a protrusion 78 instead of the protrusions 77. The protrusion 78 is disposed at a substantially middle portion of a medium faceable area 75 of a first holder 70 in the right-left direction. The medium faceable area 75 may face end portions of the multi-layered sheet 24 in the medium width direction. The protrusion 78 includes a plurality of, for example, two walls 79. The walls 79 extend along the right-left direction. The walls 79 are spaced from each other to define therebetween a predetermined area 75A in the medium faceable area 75 and are disposed next to each other in the front-rear direction. The predetermined area 75A is included in the medium faceable area 75. The predetermined area 75A may face a middle portion of the cutting edge 41 that moves pivotably in the circumferential direction of the support shaft 47. A protruding amount of the protrusion 78 that protrudes from the medium faceable area 75 toward the cutting edge 41 corresponds to a dimension L2 in
The slit-cutting device 200 includes a first contactable portion 93 instead of the first contactable portion 91 of the first illustrative embodiment. The first holder 70 includes a protruding portion disposed to the left of the medium faceable area 75. The protruding portion protrudes relative to the medium faceable area 75. The protruding portion includes the first contactable portion 93 at its protruding end. The first contactable portion 93 is a flat surface extending in the front-rear direction and in the right-left direction. The slit-cutting device 200 further includes a second contactable portion 63 instead of the second contactable portion 61 of the first illustrative embodiment. The second contactable portion 63 is included in a second holder 49. The second contactable portion 63 is a flat surface that is disposed opposite to the first holder 70 relative to the cutting edge 41 in the circumferential direction of the support shaft 47. The second contactable portion 63 may face the first contactable portion 93 in the circumferential direction of the support shaft 47.
Referring to
Referring to
According to the second illustrative embodiment, the range in which the second holder 49 supported by the support shaft 47 moves relative to the first holder 70 corresponds to the range in which the cutting edge 41 moves closer to or away from the multi-layered sheet 24. The cutting edge 41 cuts a penetrating slit into the multi-layered sheet 24 at the location where the cutting edge 41 faces the protrusion 78, and also cuts non-penetrating slits into the multi-layered sheet 24 at the other locations where the cutting edge 41 does not face the protrusion 78. Accordingly, the slit-cutting device 200 may cut a predetermined slit line including both the non-penetrating slits and the penetrating slit, into the multi-layered sheet 24, along the cutting edge 41 of the blade 46 located at the cutting position, in a single slit-cutting operation. Accordingly, the second illustrative embodiment may implement the slit-cutting device 200 that may cut, into the multi-layered sheet 24, a predetermined slit line including both a non-penetrating slit and a penetrating slit, across the multi-layered sheet 24 with respect to the medium width direction, in a single slit-cutting operation.
The protrusion 78 is disposed at the medium faceable area 75 of the first holder 70 such that the protrusion 78 may face a substantially middle portion of the multi-layered sheet 24 facing the medium faceable area 75 in the medium width direction. This configuration may therefore enable the slit-cutting device 200 to cut a penetrating slit into a substantially middle portion of the multi-layered sheet 24 in the medium width direction. Thus, the user may put a fingertip at the penetrating slit formed in the substantially middle portion of the multi-layered sheet 24 in the medium width direction to remove the outer layer sheet 8 and the base layer 13A from the release material layer 13C. Such a multi-layered sheet 24 may therefore enable the user to easily remove the outer layer sheet 8 and the base layer 13A from the release material layer 13C.
Referring to
The support table 90 is disposed below the second holder 69 and is fixed facing the second holder 69. The support table 90 has a recessed portion 99 that is recessed downward. The first holder 72 is disposed in the recessed portion 99 so as to be movable up and down. The first holder 72 has a dimension in the top-bottom direction (e.g., a height) shorter than a dimension in the top-bottom direction (e.g., a depth) of the recessed portion 99. The first holder 72 has a medium faceable area 75 at its upper end surface. The medium faceable area 75 may face the multi-layered sheet 24. The medium faceable area 75 may face the cutting edge 41 in the top-bottom direction. The medium faceable area 75 may face the release material layer 13C (refer to
Each of the protrusions 87 may be a plate-shaped metallic member and may be made of material harder than the cutting edge 41. The protrusions 87 are disposed with partially overlapping a left end portion and a right end portion, respectively, of the medium faceable area 75. The protrusions 87 are connected to the elastic members 88 indirectly via the first holder 72. That is, force that the protrusions 87 has received from the cutting edge 41 transfers to the first holder 72 and further transfers to the elastic members 88. The protrusions 87 may face the right and left ends, respectively, of the release material layer 13C (refer to
Referring to
Referring to
The blade 46 further moves downward to cause the cutting edge 41 and the medium faceable area 75 to sandwich the multi-layered sheet 24 therebetween. In accordance with the downward movement of the blade 46, the first holder 72 moves downward against elastic force of the elastic members 88. In other words, elastic deformation of the elastic members 88 allow the downward movement of the first holder 72. As elastic deformation of the elastic members 88 increases, the elastic force that the elastic members 88 apply to the first holder 72 increases correspondingly. This therefore increases the force that the cutting edge 41 and the protrusions 87 sandwich the multi-layered sheet 24 therebetween and the force that the cutting edge 41 and the medium faceable area 75 sandwich the multi-layered sheet 24 therebetween.
Before the second contactable portion 64 contacts the first contactable portion 94, the cutting edge 41 cuts penetrating slits into the multi-layered sheet 24 at respective locations where the cutting edge 41 faces the protrusions 87, and thus the cutting edge 41 contacts the protrusions 87. Simultaneously, the cutting edge 41 cuts a non-penetrating slit into the multi-layered sheet 24 at another location where the cutting edge 41 faces the medium faceable area 75. Therefore, a slit line including a penetrating slit 28, a non-penetrating slit 29, and another penetrating slit 28 successively is cut into the multi-layered sheet 24 across the multi-layered sheet 24 with respect to the medium width direction. When the second contactable portion 64 contacts the first contactable portion 94, the blade 46 reaches the cutting position. When the blade 46 is located at the cutting position, the blade 46 presses the first holder 72 via the multi-layered sheet 24 and thus the medium faceable area 75 is flush with the upper end of the recessed portion 99 (refer to
According to the third illustrative embodiment, the range in which the second holder 69 supported by the slide rail 48 moves relative to the first holder 72 corresponds to the range in which the cutting edge 41 moves closer to or away from the multi-layered sheet 24. The cutting edge 41 cuts penetrating slits into the multi-layered sheet 24 at respective locations where the cutting edge 41 faces the protrusions 87, and also cuts a non-penetrating slit into the multi-layered sheet 24 at another location where the cutting edge 41 face the medium faceable area 75. Accordingly, the slit-cutting device 300 may cut, into the multi-layered sheet 24, a slit line including both the non-penetrating slit and the penetrating slits, across the multi-layered sheet 24 with respect to the medium width direction, along the cutting edge 41 located at the cutting position, in a single slit-cutting operation. Accordingly, the third illustrative embodiment may implement the slit-cutting device 300 that may cut, into the multi-layered sheet 24, a predetermined slit line including both a non-penetrating slit and a penetrating slit, in a single slit-cutting operation.
Various changes or modifications may be applied to the slit-cutting device 300. Referring to
The slit-cutting device 301 includes a support table 98 instead of the support table 90. The support table 98 has a recessed portion 99. A first holder 73, which is different from the first holder 72, is disposed in the recessed portion 99. The first holder 73 is made of an elastically deformable material. The first holder 73 has a medium faceable area 75 at its upper end surface. When a blade 460 is located at the non-cutting position, the medium faceable area 75 is located above the upper end of the recessed portion 99. In
A plurality of protrusions 87 are disposed at the medium faceable area 75. The protrusions 87 are connected to the first holder 87 directly. That is, force that the protrusions 87 has received from the cutting edge 41 transfers to the first holder 73 from the protrusions 87. The support table 98 includes a first contactable portion 95. The first contactable portion 95 is a flat surface that constitutes a portion of an upper end surface of the support table 98 and that extends in the horizontal direction. The first contactable portion 95 is flush with the upper end of the recessed portion 99.
The slit-cutting device 301 further includes a second holder 89 instead of the second holder 69. The second holder 89 is supported by the slide rail 48 so as to be movable up and down. The second holder 89 is connected to the lever (not illustrated) disposed at the case 5. The slit-cutting device 301 includes the blade 460 instead of the blade 46. The blade 460 includes a cutting edge 41 and a second contactable portion 65 that is disposed at a different position than the cutting edge 41. The second contactable portion 65 is a flat surface that extends in the horizontal direction. The second contactable portion 65 is flush with the cutting edge 41 of the blade 46.
Referring to
Similar to the slit-cutting device 300, in the slit-cutting device 301, the user manually operates the lever to move the blade 46 from the non-cutting position to the cutting position. Before the second contactable portion 65 contacts the first contactable portion 95, the cutting edge 41 penetrates into some layers of the multi-layered sheet 24 at locations where the cutting edge 41 faces the protrusions 87 and sandwiches the multi-layered sheet 24 in cooperation with the medium faceable area 75 at a location where the cutting edge 41 faces the medium faceable area 75. Elastic deformation of the first holder 73 allows the downward movement of the protrusions 87. When the second contactable portion 65 contacts the first contactable portion 95, the blade 460 reaches the cutting position (refer to
Referring to
According to the one or more aspects of the disclosure, in a single slit-cutting operation, the cutting edge may cut a penetrating slit into the medium at a location where the cutting edge faces the protrusion, and also cut a non-penetrating slit into the medium at another location where the cutting edge faces the medium faceable area. Therefore, the slit-cutting device may cut both a non-penetrating slit and a penetrating slit in the medium along the cutting edge in a single slit-cutting operation. Accordingly, some embodiments of the disclosure may implement the slit-cutting device that may cut a predetermined slit line including both a non-penetrating slit and a penetrating slit, into a medium in a single slit-cutting operation.
Claims
1. A slit-cutting device comprising:
- a first holder including a surface configured to support a medium having a cross-section described by a thickness direction and a width direction, the first holder including a contactable member;
- a blade with a cutting edge configured to contact the medium in a first direction relating to the thickness direction of the medium and across the medium in a second direction relating to the width direction of the medium;
- a second holder supporting the blade, wherein the first holder and the second holder move relative to each other, the second holder including a contactable member that is configured to contact the contactable member of the first holder such that, when the contactable member of the second holder contacts the contactable member of the first holder, a distance in the first direction between the cutting edge and the surface is greater than zero and the distance is less than the thickness of the medium in the first direction; and
- at least one protrusion member that is a softer material than the cutting edge, wherein the at least one protrusion member is located on the surface and protrudes more than the distance in the first direction from the surface.
2. The slit-cutting device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one protrusion member extends in the second direction.
3. The slit-cutting device according to claim 2,
- wherein the at least one protrusion member includes two protrusion members spaced apart in the second direction.
4. The slit-cutting device according to claim 2,
- wherein the at least one protrusion member extends continuously in the second direction between a first point on the surface and a second point on the surface,
- wherein the first point is located such that, when the medium is supported by the surface, the first point is between outer edges of the medium in the second direction, and
- wherein the second point is located such that, when the medium is supported by the surface, the second point is spaced outside of one of the outer edges of the medium in the second direction.
5. The slit-cutting device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one protrusion member is positioned on the surface inside of an edge of the medium extends less than the width of the medium in the second direction.
6. The slit-cutting device according to claim 1,
- wherein the distance is a value represented by a sum of a first distance and a second distance,
- wherein the first distance is a distance from the surface to the contactable member of the first holder in the first direction when contacting the contactable member of the second holder and represented by a positive number or a negative number, and
- wherein the second distance is a distance from the cutting edge to the contactable member of the second holder in the first direction when contacting the contactable member of the first holder and represented by a positive number or a negative number.
7. The slit-cutting device according to claim 1, further comprising:
- a support member having an axis about which the first holder and second holder pivot relative to each other, wherein the axis is spaced from the contactable member of the second holder in a direction along a length of the cutting edge of the blade.
8. The slit-cutting device according to claim 1,
- wherein the medium is a multi-layered sheet including a first layer and a multi-layered second layer,
- wherein the surface is configured to contact the first layer, and
- wherein the distance is a thickness of the first layer or less.
9. The slit-cutting device according to claim 8, wherein the first layer of the multi-layered sheet is a release material layer and one of the layers of the multi-layered second layer is a base layer.
10. The slit-cutting device according to claim 1, further comprising:
- a support member having an axis about which the first holder and second holder pivot relative to each other,
- wherein the medium is a multi-layered sheet including a first layer and a multi-layered second layer,
- wherein the axis is spaced from the contactable member of the second holder in a third direction along a length of the cutting edge of the blade,
- wherein the contactable member of the first holder is recessed from the cutting edge in the first direction,
- wherein the contactable member of the second holder extends past the cutting edge in a direction perpendicular to the third direction,
- wherein the contactable member is spaced from the support member in the third direction with the blade located between the support member and the contactable member of the second holder,
- wherein a distance in the perpendicular direction between the contactable member of the second holder and the cutting edge is less than or equal to a thickness of the first layer of the medium, and
- wherein the at least one protrusion member includes three protrusions spaced from each other in the second direction with a first of the three protrusions positioned to extend on both sides of a first edge of the medium in the second direction when supported by the surface, a second of the three protrusions positioned to extend on both sides of a second edge of the medium in the second direction, and a third of the three protrusions spaced between the first and second protrusions.
11. The slit-cutting device according to claim 1,
- wherein the contactable member of the first holder does not extend beyond the surface in the first direction, and
- wherein the contactable member of the second holder extends as far as the cutting edge of the blade in the first direction.
12. The slit-cutting device according to claim 1,
- wherein the contactable member of the first holder does not extend beyond the surface in the first direction, and
- wherein the contactable member of the second holder extends beyond the blade in the first direction.
13. The slit-cutting device according to claim 1,
- wherein the contactable member of the first holder extends beyond the surface in the first direction, and
- wherein the contactable member of the second holder does not extend beyond the cutting edge of the blade in the first direction.
14. A slit-cutting device comprising:
- a blade with a cutting edge extending in a cutting edge direction;
- a surface positioned to support a medium to be cut by the cutting edge of the blade, the surface including at least one protrusion that extends away from the surface towards the cutting edge; and
- at least one projection with a length sufficient to prevent the cutting edge from contacting the surface but permitting the cutting edge to extend into the at least one protrusion,
- wherein the at least one protrusion does not extend fully across the surface in the cutting edge direction.
15. The slit-cutting device according to claim 14, further comprising:
- a first holder including the surface configured to support the medium having a cross-section described by a thickness direction and a width direction, the first holder including a contactable member, and
- a second holder supporting the blade, wherein the first holder and the second holder move relative to each other, the second holder including the at least one projection that is configured to contact the contactable member of the first holder such that, when the at least one projection contacts the contactable member of the first holder, a distance in a first direction relating to the thickness direction of the medium between the cutting edge and the surface is greater than zero and the distance is less than the thickness of the medium in the first direction.
16. The slit-cutting device according to claim 14, further comprising:
- a first holder including the surface configured to support a medium having a cross-section described by a thickness direction and a width direction, the first holder including a contactable member, wherein the contactable member of the first holder is flush with the surface in a first direction relating to the thickness direction of the medium, and
- a second holder supporting the blade, wherein the first holder and the second holder move relative to each other, the second holder including the at least one projection, wherein the at least one projection extends as far as the cutting edge of the blade in the first direction.
17. The slit-cutting device according to claim 14,
- wherein the at least one protrusion member is a softer material than the cutting edge.
18. A slit-cutting device comprising:
- a first holder including a surface configured to support a medium having a cross-section described by a thickness direction and a width direction, the first holder including a contactable member, wherein the contactable member is flush with the surface;
- a blade with a cutting edge extending in a cutting edge direction, wherein the cutting edge configured to contact the medium in a first direction relating to the thickness direction of the medium and across the medium in a second direction relating to the width direction of the medium;
- a second holder supporting the blade, wherein the first holder and the second holder move relative to each other, the second holder including a contactable member extends as far as the cutting edge of the blade in the first direction such that, when the contactable member of the second holder contacts the contactable member of the first holder, a distance in the first direction between the cutting edge and the surface is greater than zero and the distance is less than the thickness of the medium in the first direction; and
- at least one tape is located on the surface and protrudes more than the distance in the first direction from the surface, wherein the at least one tape does not extend fully across the surface in the cutting edge direction.
19. The slit-cutting device according to claim 18, further comprising:
- a support member having an axis about which the first holder and second holder pivot relative to each other, wherein the axis is spaced from the contactable member of the second holder in a direction along a length of the cutting edge of the blade;
- the contactable member of the first holder is disposed on one side of the surface in the direction along a length of the cutting edge of the blade, and
- the at least one tape is located on the other side of the surface in the direction along a length of the cutting edge of the blade.
Type: Application
Filed: Sep 28, 2017
Publication Date: Oct 4, 2018
Inventor: Kiyoshi Sugimoto (Kuwana-shi)
Application Number: 15/718,167