US4960019A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Vacuum die cutting method and apparatus
Assignee: Ontario Die Co Ltd
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Filing: 1988-07-21
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Granted: 1990-10-02
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Expires: 2008-07-21
Abstract
Abstract A stationary steel rule cutting die for cutting a fixed pattern in each of a plurality of stacked compressible material layers according to the shape of the steel rule die and including a vacuum system for reducing the stacked height of the compressible material layers prior to cutting. The die assembly includes an enclosure comprising an upper wall and collapsible side walls extending downwardly from the upper wall. A rigid annular structure is secured to the lower edge of the collapsible side walls. The enclosure is positioned over the stacked compressible material layers with an annular sealing surface defined on the lower peripheral edges of the rigid annular structure coacting with an upwardly facing, closed loop sealing surface defined on the steel rule cutting die to define a sealed chamber from which air is exhausted through the rigid annular structure to collapse the side walls of the enclosure and compress the material layers prior to cutting.
Inventors
- 👤 Martin M. Levene
- 👤 William W. Lessard
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 16:59
CPC Classifications
B; B26; B26F; B26F1/00; B26D; B26D7/00; B26D7/01; B26D7/018; B26D7/02; B26D7/025; B26F1/38; B26F1/40; B26F2210/00; B26F2210/12; B26F2210/16; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T83/00; Y10T83/04; Y10T83/0405; Y10T83/0419; Y10T83/0429; Y10T83/0476; Y10T83/202; Y10T83/2092; Y10T83/2096; Y10T83/2135; Y10T83/215; Y10T83/2155; Y10T83/2157; Y10T83/343; Y10T83/748
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 28
Claim 1
Independent Claim
180 words
A method of cutting compressible materials comprising: (a) providing a generally planar support structure; (b) providing an upwardly facing cutting edge on said support structure; (c) positioning a layer of compressible material over said cutting edge; (d) forming an enclosure over said layer of material and over said cutting edge including a top wall overlying said layer of material, collapsible side walls extending downwardly from said top wall, and a rigid annular structure secured to the lower edge of said side walls and adapted to seal on said support surface in circumferentially surrounding relation to said cutting edge and said layer of material; (e) evacuating air from said chamber through said rigid annular structure to vertically collapse said side walls to an extent to vertically compress said layer of material and substantially reduce its vertical thickness and to press said compressed reduced thickness layer of material downwardly against said edge; and (f) moving said cutting edge through said compressed reduced thickness layer of material to cut a fixed pattern in the material corresponding to the shape of the cutting edge.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
180 words
A method of cutting compressible materials comprising: (a) providing a generally planar support structure; (b) providing an upwardly facing cutting edge on said support structure; (c) positioning a layer of compressible material over said cutting edge; (d) forming an enclosure over said layer of material and over said cutting edge including a top wall overlying said layer of material, collapsible side walls extending downwardly from said top wall, and a rigid annular structure secured to the lower edge of said side walls and adapted to seal on said support surface in circumferentially surrounding relation to said cutting edge and said layer of material; (e) evacuating air from said chamber through said rigid annular structure to vertically collapse said side walls to an extent to vertically compress said layer of material and substantially reduce its vertical thickness and to press said compressed reduced thickness layer of material downwardly against said edge; and (f) moving said cutting edge through said compressed reduced thickness layer of material to cut a fixed pattern in the material corresponding to the shape of the cutting edge.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
62 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein: (g) a closed loop peripherl upwardlying facing sealing area is defined on said support structure around said cutting edge; and (h) said sealed chamber is formed by positioning said enclosure over said layer of material with the lower periphery of said rigid annular member sealingly engaging said closed loop sealing surface on said support structure.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
31 words
A method according to claim 2 wherein: (i) said enclosure side walls comprise an annular curtain of flexible air impervious sheet material which collapses in response to evacuation of said chamber.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method according to claim 3 wherein: (j) said flexible air impervious sheet material comprises a rubberized material.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
33 words
A method according to claim 2 wherein: (i) said rigid annular structure comprises a tubular frame secured to the lower edge of said side walls and sealingly engaging said closed loop sealing surface.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
38 words
A method according to claim 5 wherein: (j) an annular layer of resilient material is secured to the annular underface of said tubular frame to facilitate the sealing engagement of said frame with said closed loop sealing surface.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
34 words
A method according to claim 5 wherein: (j) said tubular frame includes perforations in a peripheral wall thereof; and (k) said evacuating step includes evacuating air laterally outwardly from said chamber through said perforations.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method according to claim 7 wherein: (l) said tubular frame has a generally flat lower wall for sealing on said surface and perforations are provided in said lower wall.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
52 words
A method according to claim 8 wherein: (m) an annular layer of resilient material is secured to the annular underface of said flat lower wall of said tubular frame; and (n) said layer of resilient material has perforations therein generally corresponding to the perforations in said lower wall of said tubular frame.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
31 words
A method according to claim 7 wherein: (l) said tubular frame includes an annular flange portion extending downwardly therefrom and sized to snugly engage the outer periphery of said support structure.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
53 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein: (g) said air is evacuated from said chamber through said rigid annular structure adjacent one end of said chamber; and (h) said method includes the further step of providing vacuum distribution means within said enclosure operative to establish the vacuum condition substantially uniformly throughout said chamber.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
42 words
A method according to claim 11 wherein: (i) said vacuum distribution means comprises a perforated tubular member positioned within said chamber proximate the underside of said top wall and extending from said one end of said chamber to an opposite end thereof.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
69 words
A method according to claim 12 wherein: (j) said top wall and said rigid annular structure are substantially rectangular so as to define a substantially rectangular chamber; and (k) said tubular member extends from said one end of said chamber, along one side of said chamber, across said opposite end of said chamber, and back along the other side of said chamber to said one end of said chamber.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
168 words
An apparatus for cutting compressible materials comprising: (a) a generally planar support structure; (b) a cutting edge extending upwardly from said support structure and adapted to have the compressible material to be cut positioned thereon; (c) enclosure means including a top wall overlying the compressible material to be cut, collapsible side walls extending downwardly from said top wall, and a rigid annular structure secured to the lower edge of said side walls and adapted to seat on said support structure in circumferentially surrounding relation to said cutting edge and to the material to be cut and coacting with said support structure, said collapsible side walls, and said top wall to form a sealed vertically collapsible chamber totally enclosing said cutting edge and the material to be cut; and (d) means for evacuating air from said chamber through said rigid annular structure to collapse said side walls and collapse said chamber to an extent to vertically compress the material and press the compressed material downwardly against said cutting edge.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
168 words
An apparatus for cutting compressible materials comprising: (a) a generally planar support structure; (b) a cutting edge extending upwardly from said support structure and adapted to have the compressible material to be cut positioned thereon; (c) enclosure means including a top wall overlying the compressible material to be cut, collapsible side walls extending downwardly from said top wall, and a rigid annular structure secured to the lower edge of said side walls and adapted to seat on said support structure in circumferentially surrounding relation to said cutting edge and to the material to be cut and coacting with said support structure, said collapsible side walls, and said top wall to form a sealed vertically collapsible chamber totally enclosing said cutting edge and the material to be cut; and (d) means for evacuating air from said chamber through said rigid annular structure to collapse said side walls and collapse said chamber to an extent to vertically compress the material and press the compressed material downwardly against said cutting edge.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
45 words
An apparatus according to claim 14 wherein: (e) said support structure defines a closed loop upwardly facing sealing surface in circumferentially surrounding relation to said cutting edge; and (f) said rigid annular structure seats on said closed loop sealing surface to define said sealed chamber.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
31 words
An apparatus according to claim 15 wherein: (f) said enclosure side walls comprise an annular curtain of air impervious flexible sheet material which collapses in response to evacuation of said chamber.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
16 words
An apparatus according to claim 16 wherein: (g) said flexible sheet material comprises rubberized nylon material.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
32 words
An apparatus according to claim 16 wherein: (g) said rigid annular structure comprises a tubular frame secured to the lower edge of said curtain and sealingly engaging said closed loop sealing surface.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
38 words
An apparatus according to claim 18 wherein: (h) an annular layer of resilient material is secured to the annular underface of said rigid frame to facilitate the sealing engagement of said frame with said closed loop sealing surface.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
37 words
An apparatus according to claim 18 wherein: (h) said tubular frame is perforated within said curtain; and (i) said evacuating means comprises means for drawing air out of said tubular frame and thereby out of said chamber.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
32 words
An apparatus according to claim 20 wherein: (j) said tubular frame has a generally flat lower wall for sealing on said sealing surface; and (k) perforations are provided in said lower wall.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
51 words
An apparatus according to claim 21: (l) an annular layer of resilient material is secured to the annular underface of said flat lower wall of said tubular frame; and (m) said layer of resilient material has perforations therein generally corresponding to the perforations in said lower wall of said tubular frame.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
29 words
Apparatus according to claim 20 wherein: (j) said tubular frame includes an annular flange structure extending downwardly therefrom and sized to snugly surround the periphery of said support structure.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
43 words
An apparatus according to claim 14 wherein said apparatus further includes: (f) means for drawing air out of said frame adjacent one end thereof; and (g) vacuum distribution means within said enclosure operative to establish the vacuum condition substantially uniformly throughout said chamber.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
42 words
An apparatus according to claim 24 wherein: (h) said vacuum distribution means comprises a perforated tubular member positioned within said chamber proximate the underside of said top wall and extending from said one end of said chamber to an opposite end thereof.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
69 words
An apparatus according to claim 25 wherein: (i) said top wall and said rigid annular structure are substantially rectangular so as to define a substantially rectangular chamber; and (k) said tubular member extends from said one end of said chamber, along one side of said chamber, across said opposite end of said chamber, and back along the other side of said chamber to said one end of said chamber.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1993-10-01 | 1994-04-02 | 1994-10-02 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1997-10-01 | 1998-04-02 | 1998-10-02 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2001-10-01 | 2002-04-02 | 2002-10-02 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |