EP0401890A1

EP0401890A1 - A small size paper cutter for letter opening

Info

Publication number: EP0401890A1
Application number: EP90201291A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Mario Bruno
Original assignee: Costa Giulio
Current assignee: Costa Giulio
Priority date: 1989-06-08
Filing date: 1990-05-19
Publication date: 1990-12-12
Also published as: IT8967459A0; CN2089418U; IT1235373B; JPH037369U

Abstract

A blade (1) adapted to cut (at 3), is either sandwiched between two thin rigid sheets (5), or embedded in a body (7) of rigid plastic material, also thin, and positioned at the bottom (9) of an open narrow slit or slot (11) and forming with this latter (slit) an acute cutting angle; the front guide member of the blade (1) being represented by the walls (13) of the slit itself (11); said slit (11) further realizing an effective protection member for the cutting edge (3) of the small size cutter (1).

Description

The present invention relates to an improved small size paper cutter for letter opening.
There are known paper cutters with a cutting blade and a front guide member, that are provided either as a single item or associated to other articles.
Reference is made for example to the Italian Utility Model No. 202 447 filed on March 19 th, 1985 and granted on November 24th, 1986 to the present Applicants.
In the above proposal, the cutter is provided with a cutting angle and a guide member, and the cutting edge is protected through members that are external to the cutter.
The object of the present invention is to improve said cutter, by realizing it with a simpler construction, such as to allow for the incorporation thereof into coupled rigid thin bodies, e.g. plastics covered cards, or into a similar plastic material rigid body, at the same time conferring a protection for the cutting edge, thus realizing an improved small size cutter that is simple and safe.
It is to note that the improved cutter for letter opening realized according to the invention, thanks to the design simplicity, provides for a cutter that is extremely thin and tiny, adapted to be used in a great number of ways.
That is, said small size cutter can be fitted to different articles such as a ruler, a pen cap, a stationery article, and so on, either parallel or perpendicular to the article.
The subject small size cutter substantially consists of a cutting blade body either sandwiched between two thin rigid sheets coupled together, or embedded in a body of rigid plastic material, also thin, positioned at the bottom of an open slit and forming with such slit an acute cutting angle; the guide member being formed by the wall of the slit itself, which slit constitutes an effective protection member for the cutting edge of the small size cutter, thanks to the above placement thereof in the cutter.
The invention will now be described with more details with particular reference to the attached drawings, supplied with exemplary purposes only, in which:

Fig. 1 is a scrap side view of a small size cutter according to the invention applied to the corner of a card;
Fig. 2 is a scrap side view of a small size cutter applied to the rounded corner of a card;
Fig. 3 is a scrap front view of the small size cutters of Fig.s 1 and 2;
Fig. 4 is a scrap side view of a small size cutter according to the invention equipped with a spacing member;
Fig. 5 is a plan view of the small size cutter of Fig. 4.

As it is evident from the figures, the small size cutter substantially comprises a blade body 1, with a sharp edge at 3, either sandwiched between two thin rigid sheets 5 coupled together, or embedded in a body 7 of rigid plastic material, also thin, positioned at the bottom 9 of an open slit 11, and forming with such slit an acute cutting angle.
The guide member of the body 7 (or 5) of the small size cutter, and therefore of the small size cutter itself, is formed by the walls 13 of the open slit 11.
Said slit 11, thanks to the placement of the blade body 1 provided at the bottom thereof, constitutes an effective protection member for the cutting edge 3 of said blade body 1 of the small size cutter.
In Fig.s 4 and 5 it is shown an application of the small size cutter according to the invention at the end of a pen cap or the like.
When it is desired to laterally position the small size cutter over bodies having a flat surface such as the cap of a pen or the like, the body 7 which is of course thin and tiny, and already embeds the blade body 1 of the small size cutter, is applied spaced from the wall 15 of the cap, such wall being substantially parallel to the body 7 of the small size cutter so as to make easier its insertion into the envelopes to be opened, which would otherwise be difficult.
It is evident that the invention is not limited to the embodiments that have been disclosed and illustrated, but several modifications and additional improvements can be applied thereto within the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A small size paper cutter for letter opening, characterized in that it substantially comprises a blade body (1) with a sharp edge (at 3), either sandwiched between two thin rigid sheets (5) coupled together, or embedded in a body (7) of rigid plastic material, also thin, positioned at the bottom (9) of an open slit (11) and forming with such slit an acute cutting angle; the guide member being formed by the walls (13) of the open slit (11), which slit (11) constitutes an effective protection member for the cutting edge (3) of the blade body (1), and therefore of the small size cutter itself, thanks to the above placement of the body (1) in the slit.

2. A small size paper cutter for letter opening as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the body (7) incorporating the blade body (1) of the small size cutter is applied either parallel or orthogonal in respect of the surface of the article to be associated with; and in case it is applied parallel, a suitable spacing is provided for between the body (7) and the article surface (15) in order to make easier the insertion of the small size cutter itself into envelopes and the like.