EP3305484B1 - Knife for cutting and installing a flexible floor covering - Google Patents

Description

TECHNICAL AREA

The present invention relates to the technical field of knives specially used by an operator for the cutting and laying of a flexible floor covering, such as, for example, flexible polyvinyl chloride floor coverings, linoleums, carpets, carpets, synthetic turfs, etc. Such knives are also known as blade holders.

These knives allow the realization of cuts and finishes, for example, to prepare lifts skirting of the flooring.

PRIOR ART

It is known from the state of the art the documents US 4,662,070 and US5,561,906 which describe a knife for cutting and laying a flexible floor covering. The document DE 203 18 919 U1 describes a cutter having a handle consisting of two half-shells.

In general, the knife comprises a handle consisting of two half-shells interconnected pivotally and held against each other by a knurled screw. The handle comprises a first grip portion by a user, extending longitudinally along a first axis, and a second support portion of a blade, extending longitudinally along a second axis defining an angle, for example between 5 ° and 10 ° with respect to the first axis. The blade, for example straight or eighth, is held in fixed position and overflow at one end of the handle, for example by means of at least one positioning pin. A spare blade storage area is generally provided between the two half-shells.

However, the grip of this type of knife can be improved. Indeed, in the knife of the state of the art, the knurled clamping screw protrudes laterally or on top of the knife which hinders the grip. By "top of the knife" is meant the face that is opposite to the cutting edge of the blade.

Moreover, in the knife of the document US 4,662,070 it is difficult for a user to position the crooked blade so as to obtain a good restitution of the applied force for cutting. Indeed, since the cutting edge of the blade is in the hollow form of the crooked blade, the user is encouraged to tilt the handle too strongly or pull too hard on it. It follows that the user takes a bad posture, and the repeated use of the knife can lead to musculoskeletal disorders.

The knife of the document US5,561,906 includes a pointed rear end allowing the user, during installation, to break the floor covering at its junction between the floor and the wall. However, the shape of the rear portion of the knife makes it difficult to apply sufficient force to bend or crease the floor covering along the skirting boards.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

One of the aims of the invention is therefore to provide a knife whose ergonomics are optimal and allowing a good grip by a user during cutting operations and poses of the flooring.

Another object of the invention is to provide a knife which ensures effective clamping of the blade support means.

For this purpose, it has been developed a knife for cutting and laying a flexible floor covering, according to that of the state of the art in that it comprises a handle consisting of first and second half -coques interconnected pivotally, and held against each other by locking means for gripping and maintain a fixed blade overflow at one end of the handle.

To solve the aforementioned problems, and in accordance with the invention, the locking means are arranged between the two half-shells and are accessible and actuatable by a bottom face of the handle located on the cutting edge side of the blade.

In this way, the user can freely apply a force necessary for cutting with the palm of his hand, without being obstructed by the locking means.

According to an advantageous characteristic of the invention, the handle comprises a gripping portion extending longitudinally along a first axis, and extended by a support portion of the blade extending along a second inclined axis, preferably an angle included between 10 ° and 35 °, and in particular between 15 ° and 30 ° relative to the first axis.

The inclination between the axis of the gripping portion and the axis of the blade support portion allows a better grip by the user, especially when it comes to cutting with eighths leafs. The user guides more easily the sharpest portion of the blade, which is at the central point of the arc formed by the crooked blade, along and in contact with the edge of the flooring during cutting. Ergonomics is optimal. As a result, the user feels less fatigue than with the knife of the state of the art after repeated cuts.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the knife comprises a rear portion extending the gripping portion opposite the support portion, and extending longitudinally along a third axis inclined at an angle between 5 and 30 ° by compared to the first axis.

The inclination between the axis of the gripping portion and the axis of the rear portion allows the user to be able to use the rear portion of the knife, which is preferably bevelled, to bend or groove the flooring when laying, at a corner portion or a floor / wall interface, while having a good grip of the handle. Ergonomics is optimal.

SUMMARY DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

• la figure 1 illustre, de manière schématique et de côté, un couteau pour la découpe et la pose d'un revêtement de sol souple selon l'invention ;
• la figure 2 illustre, de manière schématique en coupe transversale et vue de face, les deux demi-coques du manche du couteau en position ouverte ;
• la figure 3 représente une vue du couteau avec ces deux-demi-coques en position fermée, avec l'une des demi-coque ayant été effacée, et illustre de manière schématique et de côté les moyens de verrouillage en position ouverte ;
• la figure 4 est une vue schématique similaire à celle de la figure 3, les moyens de verrouillage étant en position fermée de verrouillage.

Other advantages and characteristics of the invention will emerge more clearly from the description which follows, given by way of non-limiting example, with reference to the appended figures in which:

• the figure 1 illustrates, schematically and from the side, a knife for cutting and laying a flexible floor covering according to the invention;
• the figure 2 illustrates, schematically in cross section and front view, the two half-shells of the knife handle in the open position;
• the figure 3 represents a view of the knife with these two half-shells in the closed position, with one of the half-shell having been erased, and schematically illustrates and side locking means in the open position;
• the figure 4 is a schematic view similar to that of the figure 3 , the locking means being in the closed locking position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference to Figures 1 to 4 it is described a knife (1), or blade holder, for cutting and laying a flexible floor covering, such as a PVC-based floor, a linoleum, a carpet, a carpet, a lawn synthetic, etc.

The knife (1) allows a user to make cuts and finishes, for example for the preparation of skirting lifts of the flooring.

The knife (1) comprises a handle (2) consisting of a gripping portion (2a) extended on the one hand by a support portion (2b) of a fixed blade (3) and, on the other hand, by a rear part (2c).

With reference to the figure 1 , the gripping portion (2a) by a user extends longitudinally along a first axis (4). For a better grip and optimal cutting ergonomics, the blade support portion (2b) extends longitudinally along a second axis (5) inclined at an angle of between 10 ° and 35 °, and preferably between 15 ° and 30 ° with respect to the first longitudinal axis (4) of the gripping portion (2a).

To allow the user to perform folding operations or creasing of the flooring during installation, at a corner portion or a floor / wall interface, while having a good grip of the handle (2), the rear portion (2c), preferably bevelled, extends longitudinally along a third axis (6) inclined at an angle of between 5 and 30 ° relative to the first axis (4) longitudinal of the gripping portion (2a). The first axis (4), second axis (5) and third axis (6) are preferably located in the same plane.

The blade (3) is fixed at the blade support portion (2b) (3) and overflow of the handle (2). The blade (3), which may be square or straight, is fixed in any appropriate manner and well known in the state of the art, for example by positioning pins.

With reference to the figure 2 , the blade (3) is, for example, clamped and held firmly between first and second half-shells (7, 8) constituting the handle (2) and pivotally interconnected. These two half-shells (7, 8) can define between them a storage space (9) blades (3) spare. These half-shells (7, 8) are moved to the open position to allow removal of the blade (3) and its replacement.

The first and second half-shells (7, 8) are held against each other by locking means (10), for example of the wheel or lever type. The locking means (10) are arranged between the two half-shells (7, 8) and are accessible and operable by a bottom face of the handle (2), and preferably operable in the direction of the rear portion (2c) of the sleeve (2). In other words, the locking means (10) are located on the underside of the knife (1) and do not interfere with the grip by the user. By "underside" means the face of the knife (1) located on the cutting edge side of the blade (3). In addition, the locking means (10) are operable in the direction of the rear portion (2c) of the knife (1), which means that they can be actuated in a direction identical to the direction of use of the knife (1). . Thus, when the user pulls the knife (1) back to perform a cutting operation, it forces the locking means (10) in the locked position. Any accidental unlocking is avoided. For example, in one embodiment shown, the locking means comprise a wheel cooperating with a thread. According to the invention, the corresponding thread is oriented so that a rotation of the wheel in the direction of the rear portion (2c) of the knife (1) allows the locking of the two half-shells (7, 8).

With reference to Figures 3 and 4 , which represent a view of the knife (1) with the two half-shells (7, 8) in the closed position, and in which the half-shell (7) has been erased, the locking means (10) comprise, by for example, a retaining tongue (11) fixed on the first half-shell (7), and a lever (12) pivotally mounted relative to a lateral axis (13) on the second half-shell (8). The pivoting of the lever (12) around its lateral axis (13) makes it possible to tilt it from an open position ( Fig. 3 ) in which it does not cooperate with the retaining tongue (11) and allows the half-shells (7, 8) to move away from each other and the handle (2) to be opened at a position of lock ( Fig. 4 ), tilted towards the rear portion (2c) of the handle (2), wherein one end of the lever (12) is housed between the retaining tongue (11) and the inner wall of the first half-shell (7). ) to lock the half-shells (7, 8) in the closed position against each other.

Preferably, the retaining tongue (11) has an inclined portion (11a) facing the first half-shell (7) so as to gradually bring the half-shells (7, 8) against each other at as the lever (12) tilts to the locked position. Thus, when the user pulls the knife (1) back to perform a cutting operation, it increases the holding force applied by the retaining tongue (11) on the inclined portion (11a) in the locked position.

Preferably, the handle (2) is made of aluminum and the blade support portion (2b) (3) is an insert made of stainless steel. In this way the edges of the blade (3) are supported on a stronger material which allows a better cutting accuracy.

Claims (8)

1. Knife (1) for cutting and laying a flexible floor covering, comprising a handle (2) consisting of first and second half-shells (7, 8) pivotally connected to each other and held together by locking means (10) for clamping and holding a fixed blade (3) in overhang at one end of the handle (2), characterized in that the locking means (10) are arranged between the two half-shells (7, 8) and are accessible and operable by a bottom face of the handle (2) located on the edge side of the blade (3), and in that the handle comprises a gripping part (2a) extending longitudinally along a first axis (4), and extended by a support part (2b) of the blade (3) extending along a second axis (5) inclined with respect to the first axis (4), the handle also includes a rear part (2c) extending the gripping part (2a) opposite the support part (2b), and extending longitudinally along a third axis (6) inclined at an angle of between 5 and 30° with respect to the first axis (4).
2. Knife (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the locking means (10) are operated in the direction of a rear part (2c) of the handle (2) opposite the blade (3).
3. Knife (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that the locking means (10) comprise a retaining tab (11) fixed to the first half-shell (7), and a lever (12) pivotally mounted with respect to a lateral axis (13) on the second half-shell (8), so as to adopt an open position in which it does not cooperate with the retaining tab (11) and allows the distance of the half-shell (7, 8) and opening the handle (2), and a locking position, tilted towards the rear part (2c) of the handle (2), in which one end of the lever (12) is accommodated between the retaining tab (11) and the first half shell (7) to lock the half shells (7, 8) in the closed position against each other
4. Knife (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that the retaining tab (11) has an inclined portion facing the first half-shell (7) so as to gradually bring the half-shells (7, 8) back together as the lever (12) tilts into the locking position.
5. Knife (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the angle of inclination of the second axis (5) is between 10° and 35°.
6. Knife (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the rear part (2c) is tapered.
7. Knife (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the blade (3) is held in a fixed position by means of at least one positioning pin.
8. Knife (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the first axis (4), the second axis (5) and the third axis (6) are located in the same plane.

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