Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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CUTTING APPARATUS
Field
[0002] The present invention relates generally to an electronic cutting
machine,
and more particularly to an electronic cutting machine that may be operated as
a stand-
alone machine without the need of connection to any other peripheral device
such as a personal computer.
BACKGROUND
[0003] As scrapbooking has become a national phenomenon, various new products
have been introduced to the mark to embellish and customize scrapbook pages.
One
product that has seen significant commercial success has been the introduction
of
various die cutting devices. Die cutting devices typically employ the use of
one or more
dies having a cutting blade of a particular configuration and a press for
firmly pressing a
die against a sheet of paper or other material in sheet form to cut the sheet
with the die
into the desired shape. These systems are typically hand operated.
[0004] Another system for cutting shapes in sheet materials is an electronic
vinyl
cutter. Electronic vinyl cutters are configured to cut a shape or series of
shapes in a
sheet of adhesive backed vinyl that can be peeled from the sheet and applied
to another
material, such as a banner, for forming a relatively inexpensive sign. These
electronic
vinyl cutters are relatively expensive and require connection to a computer
and computer
software to drive the electronic cutter.
[0005] The electronic vinyl cutters have been employed to cut paper materials
for
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use in the arts and crafts industry. The machines, however, are connected to
an external
computer running software to control the movement of the cutter. In addition,
the
machines themselves are not generally configured in a manner that makes them
simple
to operate.
[0006] As such, there exists a need for an electronic cutting machine that is
configured
specifically for cutting paper and other materials in sheet form that is easy
to operate
and can operate independently of a personal computer or other external device.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] The features and inventive aspects will become more apparent upon
reading the following detailed description, claims, and drawings, of which the
following
is a brief description. The following drawings illustrate exemplary
embodiments. Like
reference numerals refer to like parts in different views or embodiments in
the
drawings.
[0008] FIG. 1A is a perspective front view of an electronic cutter in a closed
configuration in accordance with the principles of the present invention.
[0009] FIG. 1B is a perspective front view of the electronic cutter shown in
FIG. 1
with the doors removed.
[0010] FIG. 1 C is a front view of the electronic cutter of FIG. 1A.
[0011] FIG. 1 D is an exploded perspective front view of the electronic cutter
of FIG.
1 A.
[0012] FIG. 1 E is a top view of the electronic cutter of FIG. 1A.
[0013] FIG. 1F is a side view of the electronic cutter of FIG. 1A.
[0014] FIG. 2A is a front perspective view of the cutter of FIG. 1A in an open
configuration.
[0015] FIG. 2B is a front perspective view of a user interface and user
display of the
electronic cutter of FIG. 1A.
[0016] FIG. 2C is a side cross-sectional view of the user display of FIG. 2B.
[0017] FIG. 3A is a top view of a first example of a user interface for use
with the
electronic cutter of FIG. 1A.
[0018] FIG. 3B is a top view of a second example of a user interface for use
with
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the electronic cutter of FIG. 1A.
[0019] FIG. 3C is a top view of a third example of a user interface for use
with the
electronic cutter of FIG. 1A.
[0020] FIG. 3D is a top view of a fourth example of a user interface for use
with the
electronic cutter of FIG. 1A.
[0021] FIG. 3E is a top view of a fifth example of a user interface for use
with the
electronic cutter of FIG. 1A.
[0022] FIG. 4 is a top view of a keyboard overlay in accordance with the
principles
of the present invention.
[0023] FIG. 5A is a perspective top view of an "ON" switch in accordance with
the
principles of the present invention.
[0024] FIG. 5B is an exploded perspective top view of the "ON" switch shown in
FIG. 5A.
[0025] FIG. 6 is a perspective front view of a cutter assembly in accordance
with
the principles of the present invention.
[0026] FIG. 7 is a perspective front view of a roller assembly in accordance
with the
principles of the present invention.
[0027] FIG. 8A is a perspective side view of a blade holder in accordance with
the
principles of the present invention.
[0028] FIG. 8B is an exploded perspective view of the blade holder shown in
FIG.
8A.
[0029] FIG. 8C is a cross-sectional side view of the blade holder shown in
FIG. 8A.
[0030] FIG. 8D is a partial cross-sectional side view of an alternative
embodiment
of a blade holder in accordance with the principles of the present invention.
[0031] FIG. 9 is a top view of a mat in accordance with the principles of the
present
invention.
[0032] FIG. 10A is a front perspective view of the electronic cutter of FIG. 1
in an
open configuration.
[0033] FIG. 10D is a perspective end view of the electronic cutter of FIG. 1A
with
the end-cap removed.
[0034] FIG. 10E is a semi-transparent perspective end view of the electronic
cutter
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of FIG. 1A with the end-cap removed.
[0035] FIG. 1OF is a semi-transparent perspective end view of the electronic
cutter
of FIG. 1A with the end-cap removed.
[0036] FIG. 1OG is an end view of the electronic cutter of FIG. 1A with the
end-cap
removed.
[0037] FIG. 1 OL is a semi-transparent front perspective view of the
electronic cutter
of FIG. 1A.
[0038] FIG. 10M is an exploded perspective view of the electronic cutter of
FIG. 1A
with the end-cap removed.
[0039] FIG. 10P is a cross-sectional end-view of the electronic cutter of FIG.
1A.
[0040] FIG. 11A is a perspective front side view of an overlay in accordance
with
the principles of the present invention.
[0041] FIG. 11B is perspective bottom side view of the overlay shown in FIG.
11A.
[0042] FIG. 12 is an exploded perspective right side view of a cartridge in
accordance with the principles of the present invention.
[0043] FIG. 13A is a top view describing the motion and orientation of
portrait mode
used by the electronic cutter of FIG. 1.
[0044] FIG. 13B is a top view describing the motion and orientation of
landscape
mode used by the electronic cutter of FIG. 1.
[0045] FIG. 14 is a schematic block diagram of a method of operating an
electronic
cutter in accordance with the principles of the present invention.
[0046] FIG. 15 is a schematic block diagram of a method of determining whether
a
cut will fit on a sheet in accordance with the principles of the present
invention.
[0047] FIG. 16 is a top view of an input keypad for use with the electronic
cutter of
FIG. 1.
[0048] FIG. 17 is a top view showing the "flip" feature for use with the
electronic
cutter of FIG. 1.
[0049] FIG. 18 is a top view showing the "center point" feature for use with
the
electronic cutter of FIG. 1.
[0050] FIG. 19 is a top view showing the "line return" feature for use with
the
electronic cutter of FIG. 1.
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0051] Referring now to the drawings, illustrative embodiments are shown in
detail.
Although the drawings represent the embodiments, the drawings are not
necessarily to
scale and certain features may be exaggerated to better illustrate and explain
novel
aspects of an embodiment. Further, the embodiments described herein are not
intended to be exhaustive or otherwise limit or restrict the claims to the
precise form
and configuration shown in the drawings and disclosed in the following
detailed
description.
[0052] As discussed herein in detail, an example of an electronic cutting
machine
may include a cutting element for cutting a sheet of material, drive rollers
for
controlling movement of the sheet, and electronics for controlling movement of
the
cutting element and the drive rollers. The electronic cutting machine operates
by moving
the cutting element in an "x-direction" and the sheet in a "y-direction." That
is, when
the cutting element is placed against the sheet, a controlled cut is made by
moving the
cutting element back and forth while the sheet is moved perpendicular to the
movement
of the cutting element. The cutting element is moveable in a "z-direction" to
allow
desired placement of the cutter against the medium being cut at a specific
location and
to lift the cutting element when a particular cut is complete. By precisely
controlling
these two movements, a particular shape can be cut into the sheet.
[0053] The electronic cutter as described herein may be configured to operate
as a
stand-alone machine without any need for connection to a personal computer or
other external device. All of the functions of the electronic cutting machine
can be
controlled by the user through a user interface provided on the electronic
cutter.
[0054] In one example, various shapes to be cut with the electronic cutter are
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provided on a separate cartridge. When a user desires a particular image, a
cartridge containing that image is connected to the machine. The user can then
select
the image to be cut using the user interface, such as a keypad, and instruct
the machine
to cut the image. The cartridge (e.g., containing an electronic memory that
includes the
shape's shapes description) is removable from the electronic cutter. Moreover,
the
cartridges may contain a library of shapes that the user may select for
cutting.
[0055] In another example, the shapes for being cut are stored in memory on
the
machine. The user then uses the user interface to select a particular shape or
series of
shapes to be cut from the library of shapes stored on the machine.
[0056] In operation, a bottom door forms a support tray for the paper being
cut while the
upper door reveals the user interface when opened. The sheet to be cut is
placed upon
a mat having a tacky adhesive applied thereto for removably retaining the
sheet. The mat
and sheet are inserted into the machine and the blade holder is moved using
the user
interface over a select position on the mat. The desired shape is selected for
cutting and
the machine is instructed to cut the shape.
[0057] If desired by the user, each image or shape may be further customized
before
cutting. On example includes changing the size of an image to be cut. The
image may
be scaled by the user by selecting a desired shape of the image and rotating a
sizing
wheel until the desired size is displayed.
[0058] The cutting element is comprised of a blade holder and a blade. The
blade
holder allows the blade to freely swivel within the blade holder so that the
blade will
orient itself in the direction of the cut being made. The blade holder allows
for the length
of blade extending from the blade housing to be easily and precisely adjusted
by a user.
In addition, the blade housing is configured to precisely set the blade within
the housing
during the manufacturing process to ensure that each blade holder/blade
assembly is
properly configured.
[0059] Referring now to the drawings, FIGS. 1A - 1D illustrate an electronic
cutter,
generally indicated at 10. The electronic cutter 10 is a stand-alone machine
that is fully
functional without the need for connection to an external computer. All of the
cutting
components of the cutter 10 are housed within the external housing, generally
indicated at
12, of the cutter 10. In addition, all of the software and electronics for
driving the
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cutting components of the cutter 10 are housed within the external housing, as
well
as a removable and/or downloadable memory storage device for containing
images,
shapes, fonts and the like to be cut by the cutting components, so that the
unit is fully
operational and self contained. The housing is provided with recesses 14 on
its left and
right sides 15 and 16 for providing a place to grasp the sides 15 and 16 of
the
cutter 10 for lifting and carrying. In addition, rotatable wheels or dials 18,
19 and 20
protrude through the housing 12. The wheels 18, 19 and 20 are rotatable by a
user to
alter certain parameters of the cutter 10 such as the size of the image to be
cut, the
pressure of the blade when cutting, and the speed of cutting. As will be
described in
more detail, herein, the speed and pressure of the cutting process can be
modified
based upon the type of material being cut to prevent tearing of the material
and/or to
ensure that the blade is completely cutting through the material. Rotation of
the dials 18,
19 and 20 will change parameters visible on the user display 35. For example,
the
dial 20 may be employed to modify the size of the image or shape to be cut.
Thus,
rotation of the dial 20 triggers a change in the image size shown in the
display 35. The
sizes may include in inches 1, 1'/a, 1 %2, 2, 2'/, 3, 3%2, 4,4Y2 , 5 and 5%).
O f
course, other g r a p h i c a l representations could be used to display such
information
and will change depending upon the information linked to a particular dial.
For a
configuration where dial 20 is linked to image size when cut, when the dial 20
is set to a
particular size, the cutter 10 will automatically adjust the size of the image
or shape to
be cut and subsequently cut an image of approximately the size indicated (in
height) when instructed by the user to cut. Likewise, the dials 18 and 19 are
electronically connected to the processor of the machine 10 to change and
indicate
in the display 35 to a user the pressure of the cut and the speed of the cut.
[0060] Display 35 may be used to display operating parameters, user
selections,
position information, general status, etc. Moreover, where space is not
available on
display 35 to show all information contemporaneously, scrolling text may be
used to
show a large amount of information. For example, where multiple characters are
selected for cutting, a scrolling text display may be used to show the user
the entire
message that is selected for cutting. When the user desired to edit the
message, the
selected message may be scrolled from side-to-side using the direction keys
and
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highlighting or underlining may be used to indicate the selected character.
[0061] Display 35 may also include the functionality to show the user's
adjustments
in real time for features such as cutting size, cutting speed, and cutting
pressure. The
user may "dial in" the desired setting based on the value shown in display 35.
During
the "dial in" process, display 35 may highlight the parameter being adjusted
to draw
the user's attention to it. For example, when cutting size is being adjusted,
display 35
may highlight cutting size and non-highlight the other parameters. In this
way, the
user is immediately drawn to the parameter under adjustment. Other features of
display 35 may include the presentation of warning and/or error message. If a
warning
or error is present, display 35 may switch the output to the warning/error and
override
the user's current operation. If desired, display 35 may also be used to
present the
user with questions, and keypad 40 may be used to receive the user's answer.
[0062] Each dial 18, 19 and 20, in an example, may be connected to a
potentiometer
or other device known in the art for sending a signal to the processor of the
machine to
change the corresponding parameter. Alternatively, dial 20 may be connected to
a
rotary encoder (e.g., an optical or mechanical encoder) to provide rotational
positioning
information to the processor (discussed below). With specific reference to the
speed of
the cut, in addition to manual adjustment of the speed through manipulation of
one of the
dials, the machine itself may be configured to automatically adjust the speed
depending
upon the pressure set by the user, which may indicate a thicker material being
cut. In
addition, for a given speed of cut, as may be set by the user, the machine
will adjust
the speed of the cut depending upon the curvature of the cut being made. For
example, when cutting a straight line, the machine can move more rapidly
through the
material without causing a tear in the material. On tight comers, however, if
the cut is
moving too quickly, the material can be ripped. As such, the machine will
automatically
adjust its speed depending upon the radius of the arc being cut to prevent the
material
from ripping when cutting arcs of smaller radii. Thus, when cutting, the
machine will
automatically adjust "on-the-fly" the speed of the cut as the cut is being
made.
[0063] Each of dials 18, 19 and 20 may be configured using a variety of
technologies.
For example, dial 20 may be configured as a potentiometer, an optical rotary
encoder, a
mechanical rotary encoder, a variable reluctance sensor, etc. For purposes of
detecting
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the speed of the wheel, a variable reluctance-type sensor may be more
advantageous
than a potentiometer or rotary encoder. However, speed information may still
be derived
in firmware from the other sensor technologies (although not directly
measured). Thus,
depending upon the precision desired based on the user's rotation of each dial
18, 19,
20, a particular sensor technology may be more desirable than another may
(although
each may be used). The velocity-based detection methods for dials 18, 19, and
20 allow
a user to quickly dial-in a precise setting. With large or rapid movement of
the dial, very
large changes in setting occur. However, as the user approaches the target
value, the
user slows the motion of the wheel, which provides for fine control. In this
way, the user
may rapidly modify setting without large numbers of rotations.
[0064] With particular reference to FIG. 1 D, which is an exploded view of the
machine
10, when the doors 24 and 26 are in a closed position as shown in FIG. 1C, the
door 24
may be comprised of a frame member 25 and a clear or semi-translucent window
27
attached to the frame member 25. The use of such a translucent material, such
as
LEXAN, for the window 27 allows the user to view the user interface, generally
indicated
at 30, to determine the status as to whether the machine is "on" or "off." As
will be
described in more detail, the user interface 30 comprises a keyboard interface
assembly
and includes the display 35 and function buttons 29. Alternatively, door 24
may
comprise a single piece (e.g., combining frame member 25 and window 27) and
may
be made of a transparent, semi-translucent, or translucent material (e.g.,
plastic). The
transparency/translucence of door 24 then allows the user to view the
machine's on/off
status.
[0065] Referring now to FIG. 2A, the cutter 10 is illustrated in an open
position
in which the user interface, generally indicated at 30, and cutter assembly,
generally
indicated at 32, are shown. The user interface includes a visual display 35,
such
as an LCD display. Certain relevant data, such as the shape or shapes selected
for
being cut, the size of the shape, the status of the progress of a particular
cut, error
messages, etc. can be displayed on the display 35 so that the user can have
visual feedback of the operation of the machine.
[0066] As further illustrated in FIGS. 2B and 2C, the user display, 35 may be
mounted within a pivotable housing 31, pivotably mounted to the keyboard
support
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structure 33 of the user interface 30. The display 35 can be positioned in a
first flat
position with the display 35 resting within the recess 43 or tilted to a
position that is more
easily readable by the user as illustrated. Thus, the LCD display may be
tilted at an
angle to improve the viewing angle for a user. The display 35 is also
configured to be
removable from the recess 43 for maintenance and repair in that the display 35
may be
snapped out of its position and quickly disconnected from the main connector
on the
keypad PCB board (not shown).
[0067] Referring again to FIG. 2A, the back surface 37 of the bottom door 26
provides a support tray for the mat and material being cut by the cutter 10 so
that
the material and mat (not shown) remain in a substantially horizontal
orientation when
being cut. In addition, the inner bottom surfaces 38 of the cutter are also
generally
horizontal and planar in nature to support the material being cut in a
substantially flat
configuration. In some prior art machines that have been adapted from the
vinyl sign
cutting field to the paper-cutting field, the machines have generally retained
a curved
support surface. The curvature of the support surface was generally employed
to
accommodate the material being cut, namely adhesive backed vinyl, typically in
a roll
form. Such a configuration is not particularly conducive to cutting sheets of
material such
as paper and the like where bending can cause portions of the images being cut
to lift
from the planar surface defined by the sheet causing the blade or blade holder
to catch
any such raised portions that could damage the material of the shape being
cut. The
inner surface 37 of the door 26 may also be adapted to slide out, or may
otherwise be
strengthened to hold larger sized mats (e.g., mat 300) such as a 12"x24" mat
or greater.
The inner surface 37 of the door 26 thus is effectively coplanar with the
inner bottom
surface or bed 38 of the cutter adjacent the drive roller 39. In addition, the
inner surface
37 defines a recess 41 for accommodating the cartridge 50 when the door 26 is
in a
closed position as shown in FIG. 1A. This allows for a more compact
configuration of the
machine 10 with the cartridge 50 fitting within the door 26. Thus, the machine
can be
transported with the cartridge 50 positioned inside with the door 26 closed.
[0068] Similarly, as shown in FIG. 2B, the upper door assembly 24 is comprised
of an
outer shell section 24', which forms a portion of the exterior surface of the
cutter 10, and
an inner section 24", which houses the display 35. In this example, the
display comprises a
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liquid crystal display ("LCD") device that is visible through a window 51
formed in the inner
section 24". A transparent cover 53 is configured to be attached within a
recess 55
formed in the inner surface 34 for protecting the screen 57 of the LCD 35. The
wires
(not shown) connecting the LCD 35 to the processor of the cutter 10 are
extended
through the arm 59 to protect and conceal the wiring.
[0069] Display 35 may be configured in size as appropriate to the size of
electronic
cutter 10 and the available space, as well as the number of features or
parameters to
display to the user on a single screen. Display 35 may also be implemented in
a
variety of technologies including LCD and OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode)
technologies, etc. One example of display 35 may include an LCD display having
a
size in the range of 2.7-2.9 inches diagonal, having 2:1 aspect ratio and a
128x64
resolution. Alternatively, display 35 may be configured as a multi-line
character-based
display (e.g., such as a 16x4 LCD module).
[0070] Referring now to FIGS. 3A - 3C, a user interface 30 includes a keyboard
40, a
plurality of buttons 42 and the display 35. Between the keypad 40 and buttons
42,
a user can completely control the operation of the cutter. As such, there is
no need to
connect the cutter to an external controlling device such as a personal
computer in order
to cause the cutter 10 to cut a selected image. The user interface 30 includes
the
adjustable view LCD display 35 and cursor control buttons 43 and 44. A main
keyboard overly 45 is provided over the keyboard 40. A 10 button feature
layout 46 is
provided to provide common function buttons, such as auto expand, auto fill,
multiple out,
quantity, center cut rotate, flip and other function buttons Fl, F2 and F3. Of
course, such buttons could be modified or additional buttons included. The
button
descriptions can be embossed or molded into the plastic. The start and stop
buttons
47 and 48, respectively, may be backlighted with an LCD or LED. In addition,
an eight-position controller 49 is provided. The arrows on the controller 49
indicate
the ability to move the paper in the cutter and/or the cutter head in a
direction pressed.
The paper and/or cutter head then moves smoothly in the direction selected
by the user. In alternative embodiments, eight-position controller 49 may be
implemented as a single, joystick-like control pad, or a touch pad. Such an
arrangement would allow for a finer degree of control than a four-position or
eight-
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position controller 49.
[0071] Stop button 48 may be configured as part of keypad 40 in a matrix, or
it
may be hardwired to the controller. Stop button 48 in particular may be
hardwired to the controller to allow for interrupt-based sensing of the user's
key
press, although any of the buttons may be hardwired to the controller. This
may
allow for reduced latency in stopping the cutter even though any delay may be
unperceivable to the user (e.g., due to firmware execution on the processor).
[0072] FIGS. 3D and 3E illustrate additional user interface configurations.
The user
interface 60 includes the display 62 and associated buttons 61, user mode
buttons 63
and quantity control buttons 64, keypad 66 and cutter control buttons 68. The
mode
buttons 63 include buttons to allow the user to select certain features. For
example,
the "Mix 'n match" mode button allows each character to have a separate
feature
setting. When turned off, all entered characters through the keyboard 66 use
the same
creative feature setting. When the mode is selected, the character entered may
have a
separate creative feature for that character. This allows the user to enter a
character and
then choose a particular creative feature to be added to that character (such
as one of the
character features 152 shown in FIG. 4). The OK button 65 is provided to allow
the user
to proceed since the selection resets the environment back to only one feature
selected.
[0073] The Auto Fill mode calculates how many copies of the selected
characters can
fit on the remainder of the page to be cut. The auto fill will turn off "Fit
to Page" or
"Quantity" when pressed. The display 62 will show how many copies will fit on
the
sheet prior to cutting.
[0074] The Fit to Page mode calculates the best and maximum size of the
selected
glyphs (images or letters) to be cut and sizes them up or down to fit on the
remainder of
the page. That is, if an image has already been cut by the machine on the
sheet
currently loaded, the fit to sheet feature will know how much of the sheet is
left for cutting
and adjust the sizes of the images to be cut to fit within the remaining
space. As such, as
with many of the other features or modes described herein, because the machine
knows
how much has already been cut from a sheet and where on that sheet such
cutting has
occurred, it can adjust any selected modes or features to be cut in the
remaining
paper. Thus, unlike a typical "fit to sheet" selection as may be found in
printing programs
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to fit to a particular sheet of paper, the cutter adjusts the fitting on the
fly as the usable size
of the remaining sheet decreases with each successive cut.
[0075] The "Fit to Length" mode changes the parameters of the size dial,
previously discussed, to become a selector for overall length of cut. Thus,
the
feature essentially becomes a Fit to Page cousin where the overall glyph(s)
length is
crunched down (e.g., reduced) to fit the dialed-in size selected. The range of
the size
would necessarily be limited by the page length left for cutting. Thus, the
machine
effectively ignores the current size setting when this feature is selected.
[0076] The "Portrait" mode changes the direction of the cutting from
lengthwise to a
left to right manner. This may require an OK button 65 confirmation since the
machine
would auto unload and restart the orientation of the entire cutting mat. The
portrait
feature allows for the orientation of the mat to be customized in a portrait
(see FIG.
13A) vs. landscape (see FIG. 13B) mode.
[0077] The quantity mode when pressed activates cursor keys to
increase/decrease
the quantity count. The user can press the OK button 65 to set the quantity.
The first
time the CUT button is pressed, the display 62 will show "Quantity NNN will
require XX pages. Press CUT to begin cutting the first page." This informs the
user that
the quantity selected may require more than one sheet for cutting with NNN and
XX
representing numbers. After each page is cut, the display will show "YY more
pages to
cut. Load another page too continue cutting or press STOP to exit." Thus,
after each
page, the user can decide to continue by inserting another sheet and pressing
the CUT
button or cease the cutting of the selected quantity by pressing the STOP
button. Of
course, there are certain functions that can be used in conjunction. For
example,
Quantity and Fit to Page or Fit to Length could be used together. The Quantity
filed
appears on the display 62 when the Quantity feature has been selected by the
user.
[0078] The Flip mode button when selected causes the selected image to be cut
as a "mirror" image of the selected glyph. This feature may apply individually
to all
selected glyphs.
[0079] The Multi Cut mode (also described below) would cause the machine to
make
multiple cuts of the same image two (2), three (3) or more times. The Multi-
Cut feature
could be used for thicker materials to ensure that the image is cut completely
through the
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particular media.
[0080] The Center Point mode (also described below) allows a user to use the
cursor
keys surrounding the CUT button to position the blade as desired. When
doing s o, the machine wi l I calculate whether the chosen position will allow
the cut to
proceed with the existing settings. If not, a "Cannot Fit" error will be
displayed to indicate
to the user that the position of the blade will not allow the image to fit on
the sheet.
[0081] Various addition settings may also be selected. For example, in the
Settings mode, one can toggle through various selections using the arrow keys
to
select choices on the same level. Pressing OK 65 will confirm the selection.
Some
settings may be language, Units, Multiple Cut or others. Other keys may be
provided
for future feature upgrades.
[0082] FIG. 3E illustrates another example of a user interface, generally
indicated at
80. The user interface includes a display 82, a keyboard 84, and various user
buttons,
generally indicated at 86. The user interface buttons include various status
buttons,
such as Paper Saver, Real Dial, Auto Expand, Auto Fill, Multiple Cut, and
Center Cut.
Effects buttons, such as Flip and Rotate are also provided. The Setting
buttons include
Size Length, Language, Settings, sound, etc. The Edit buttons allow the
editing of
Glyphs, Quantity, Deletions, backspace, Space, etc. Finally, various Function
buttons
may include Clear Display, Reset All, Repeat Last, load Last, Set Paper Size,
Load and
Unload.
[0083] The Auto Expand feature allows the user to expand the image to the
largest
size possible. It may also be used in conjunction with the Quantity feature.
The Auto Fill
feature would automatically fill the page to be cut with the selected images.
The Rotate
feature would allow the user to rotate an image to be cut to a desired
orientation. This
may or may not require the user to reload the sheet to be cut.
[0084] As will be described in more detail, as illustrated in FIG. 2, the
cutter 10 includes a memory storage device 50 for storing various shapes, such
as
fonts, images, phrases, etc., that can be cut by the cutter 10. In this
example, the memory
storage device 50 is in the form of a removable and replaceable cartridge. The
cartridge is provided with a particular library or set of shapes that can be
selected using
the keyboard 40. When a new set of shapes is desired, the cartridge 50 can be
removed
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form its socket 52 and replaced with another cartridge containing the desired
shape or
shapes. In combination with a change of the cartridge 50, the keyboard 40 is
provided with
a removable and replaceable overlay 49 that is formed of a flexible material
such as
silicon rubber, PVC or other rubber-type materials to allow the keys of the
keyboard 40 to be pressed when the corresponding raised keys of the overlay
are pressed. The overlay may be formed from a clear, transparent or
translucent material
to allow light from the keys of the keyboard 40 to be seen through the overlay
49. In order
to identify which overlay corresponds to a particular cartridge, the
particular
name of the font or image set (as well as the individual characters, phrases
and functions)
can be printed, as by silk screening or other methods, onto the overlay and
the same
name printed on the cartridge or printed on a label that is attached to the
cartridge.
In addition, if desired, by matching the color of a particular keyboard
overlay 49 with
the color of a particular cartridge 50, a user can easily verify that they are
using the
correct cartridge 50/overlay 49 combination. For any given color or material
from which
the overlay is formed, the overlay is not completely opaque. Thus, as
previously
discussed, in order to signify to the user that a particular function key has
been activated, such as CAPS or the like, an LED is positioned beneath the key
to illuminate the key when activated. As such, by forming the overlay 49 from
material
that is at least partially translucent, the light from the LED is visible to
the user through
the overlay 49. Thus, both the keys of the keyboard and the overlay 49 are
formed from an at least semi-translucent material.
[0085] Cartridges 50 may be used for various embodiments of electronic cutter
10.
For example, where different versions of electronic cutter 10 are available,
cartridge 50
may be backwards compatible with features of each electronic cutter 10. That
is to
say, if one embodiment of electronic cutter 10 supports certain features but
another
embodiment does not, the same cartridge 50 may be used or both electronic
cutters
10. However, features not supported by electronic cutters are then not
available.
Such a system of backward compatibility allows consumers to purchase
cartridges that
are supported by a plurality of machines and substantially alleviates
versioning
problems.
[0086] As shown in FIG. 4, a particular keyboard overlay 149 is illustrated.
The
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keyboard overlay provides a plurality of shape or image enhancement keys,
generally
indicated at 152, a plurality of image and font keys, generally indicated at
154 and a
plurality of cutter control keys 156. The image and font keys 154 each provide
a
graphical representation of the fonts, characters and images that are
available on a
particular cartridge. In this example, for the character set entitled "Base
Camp" shapes
and a few pre-made phrases are provided. The image enhancement keys 152
provide
various character-altering features that can be performed to a particular
selected image.
Thus, for example, by pressing and selecting the letter "A" 158, various
modifications or
enhancements can be selected by pressing one or possibly more of the
enhancement
keys 152. The enhancement keys can enhance the letter "A" by adding various
components to the letter, such as by surrounding the letter by a rectangle
160, a dog tag
162, a tag 163, and a charm 164. Alternatively, the enhancement key may modify
the
letter "A" by putting it in the form of a shadow 165, or a shadow blackout
166. In addition,
various other modes can be selected such as "paper saver", "real dial size",
"shift" or
"shift lock". The cutter control keys 156 include such features as adding a
space
between characters typed by a user and "back space" when typing in a
particular string of
characters to remove the last character typed. Also, there are keys for
clearing the
display, resetting, repeating the last character, turning the sound feature of
the machine
on or off, setting the paper size, and loading or unloading the paper. It is
also
contemplated that all or a portion of these features can be selected by using
the
directional keys that surround the CUT button 44 (see FIG. 3) and selecting
such features
visually through the LCD display.
[0087] In addition, a "Load Last" key 168 is provided. The load last key 168
allows a
user to reinsert a mat into the cutter after some material has been cut from
the mat. That
is, as will be described in more detail, as the machine cuts a particular
image or set of
images from a particular paper/mat combination, after the mat is removed to
remove the
shape that has been cut, a user has the option of reinserting the same mat
with the
remaining paper still attached thereto. By pressing the "Load Last" key, the
cutter will
have stored data to know the area of the mat that has already been cut. When
the user
selects a new character or shape to be cut, the cutter will automatically move
the cutter
head to an area of the paper that has not yet been cut. In addition, the
cutter will know if
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the particular character or shape to be cut of a particularly selected size
will fit in the
remaining paper. If the character or shape selected by the user is too large
to be cut from
the remaining paper, the cutter will alert the user by a visual and/or audible
alarm,
such as a beep and a message on the display of the cutter that the image is
too large.
[0088] Each key 152, 154 and 156 of the overlay 149 is raised above the base
surface 170 with the back surface (not shown) of each key 152, 154 and 156
forming a
recess for receiving therein a keyboard key. As such, when placed over the
keyboard of
the cutter, the overlay 149 will self-align so that it is properly positioned
over
the appropriate keys. The outer rim 172 of the overlay 149 also seats onto the
keyboard to ensure that the overlay is properly positioned and that the
overlay cannot be
misaligned with the underlying keypad.
[0089] Referring again to FIG. 3A, the cursor button 49 provides control of
the cutter
assembly. That is, the button 49 with arrows can be used to cause movement of
the cutter
assembly 32 to a particular location on the mat (not shown). Thus, the user
can
selectively control the position of the blade by using the four arrow buttons
to move
the blade to a specific location over the material to be cut. This is
especially helpful if the
user is cutting on an odd shaped piece of paper or on a sheet of paper where a
selected cut is desired at a specific location. Thus, the user can selectively
choose the
location on the sheet where a selected cut will begin. Once properly
positioned and the
desired image selected with the user interface 30, the cutter 10 is instructed
to cut
the selected shape by pressing the CUT or Start button 47. If necessary,
during a
particular cutting sequence the cutting process needs to be halted, a user can
press
the stop button 48 located proximate the Start button 49.
[0090] Referring now to FIG. 6 is a cutter assembly, generally indicated at
100. The
cutter head unit 102 moves from side-to-side relative to the cutter 10 in the
X
direction, as shown by arrow X. Movement of the head unit 102 is controlled by
a stepper
motor (not visible) housed within the head unit 102 to move the head unit 102
along the
rail 104. Coupled to the head unit is the blade holder 106 that retains a
blade (not visible)
for cutting the desired material. The blade holder is removably coupled to the
head unit 102 with a releasable clamp mechanism 108 comprised of a first
pivotable
clamp portion 110 pivotably coupled to a second stationary clamp portion 112.
The two
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are releasably held together with threaded fastener 114. The clamp mechanism
108
prevents vertical movement of the blade holder 106 relative thereto by
engaging with the
blade holder in a vertically abutting manner. The blade holder 106 is
configured to be
easily removable by a user so that the user can replace the blade when it
becomes too
dull to properly cut or to adjust the amount of the blade that extends from
the blade holder
to accommodate materials of different thicknesses.
[0091] In addition to coupling and supporting the blade holder 106, the head
unit
102 houses a solenoid (not visible) that is coupled to the clamp portion 112
that
supports the blade holder 106. The solenoid controls the amount of pressure
that the
blade applies when cutting. The solenoid also controls the vertical movement
of the
blade holder 106 when lifting the blade, in the Z direction, away from the
material to allow the blade to move to a new cutting position without cutting.
The user can adjust the pressure applied by the solenoid to the blade with
one of the dials shown in FIG. 1. Such pressure adjustment may be required to
properly
cut a given material. For example, a pressure setting to cut a sheet of
regular paper
may not be adequate to cause a proper cut into thick card stock. As such, the
pressure may need to be increased. Conversely, the pressure necessary to
cut through thick card stock may cause the blade to tear a regular sheet of
paper
if a cut is attempted at too high of a pressure setting.
[0092] As shown in FIG. 7, a roller assembly, generally indicated at 120, is
used in
combination with movement of the blade holder to cause a cut of a particular
shape and
size. The roller assembly 120 is comprised of a pair of rollers 122 and 124
that engage
the material being cut to move the material in a Y direction that is
substantially
perpendicular to the X direction shown in FIG. 6. The material being cut is
fed through
and between the rollers 122 and 124 such that during a cutting sequence the
rollers
122 and 124 can control the Y position of the material, as indicated by arrow
Y. The
roller 122 constitutes the drive roller as it is driven by a stepper motor 126
with the
shaft of the motor coupled to the drive roller 122. The drive roller 122 may
have a
texture applied thereto to cause a gripping action between the roller 122 and
the
material being cut or the mat to which the material being cut is temporarily
attached. The
biasing roller 124 maintains the material (and mat) being driven by the drive
roller 122 in
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contact with the drive roller 122 as the drive roller 122 rotates. The biasing
roller 124
is biased by springs 128 and 130 relative to and toward the drive roller 122.
This biasing
feature allows the two rollers 122 and 124 to accept materials of different
thicknesses to
be inserted between the rollers 122 and 124. The roller 124 is thus rotatably
attached to pivoting mounting brackets 132 and 134 that pivot about apertures
136
and 138 that are pivotably coupled to the machine with the springs 128 and 130
allowing biased pivotal movement of the mounting brackets 132 and 134.
[0093] The processor of the machine controls movement of the stepper motors
that
control the drive roller 122 and the cutter head 102 to coordinate movement of
the
material being cut and the blade in a manner that produces a programmed cut.
Because
the rotational movement of the stepper motors can be precisely controlled, a
precise cut
can be made.
[0094] A blade housing, generally indicated at 200, is illustrated in FIGS.
8A, 8B and
8C. The blade housing 200 supports and retains the blade 202 therein relative
to the
cutting machine and also provides the capability for factory adjustment of the
blade 202
relative to the inner housing 203 as well as easy and controlled blade
adjustment of the
blade 202 relative to the outer housing 204 to allow the user to adjust the
depth of cut.
[0095] The blade holder 200 is configured to be held in the head assembly of
the
cutter. A circumferential channel 206 is provided in the outer housing 204 for
retaining the
blade holder. The distal end 210 of the outer housing 204 defines a relatively
flat bottom
surface 212 over a substantial portion thereof. The use of a flat-nosed end
210 is a
substantial improvement over the generally curved ends of prior art blade
holders. In
particular, the flat nosed end 210 holds the material being cut while the
blade moves
through the material. The flat-nosed end 210 also includes a radiused lower
edge 214
that transitions into the flat surface 212. Of course, the lower edge 214
could be formed
from a bevel as well. The bottom surface 212 has sufficient surface area to
allow the
lower surface to ride on and glide along the material being cut without
catching and lifting
any of the material already cut. In addition, as the blade 202 cuts through
the material,
the lower surface 212 holds the material around the blade to allow the blade
202 to cut the
material without tearing it. As shown in FIG. 8D, it is also contemplated that
a rounded
end prior art cutter 290 configuration could be employed with a generally flat
foot 291
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secured relative to the rounded end 292, somewhat similar to a foot on a
sewing machine
that surrounds the needle, to form a flat surface 293 through which the blade
294 would
extend in a similar manner to the flat nosed end 210. Thus, while the flat-
nosed end 210
of the present end is illustrated as being an integral component of the outer
housing 204,
it is also contemplated that it could be a separate component attached
thereto.
[0096] The blade housing 200 also allows adjustment of the blade 202 relative
to the
outer housing 204. This is accomplished by rotating the inner housing 203
relative to the
outer housing 204 by grasping and turning a blade height adjustment knob 216
that is integrally formed with the inner housing 203. The engagement of the
inner
housing 203 with the outer housing 204 is such that the amount of relative
rotation
between the two is limited in both directions. In the example shown in FIG.
8A, the
adjustment knob 216 can rotate relative to the outer housing approximately one
full revolution to adjust the blade 202 from its minimum amount of protrusion
beyond the
bottom surface 212 to its maximum. In order to accomplish such a rotational
adjustability, the inner and outer housings 203 and 204 are in threaded
engagement with
the pitch of the threads determining the relative movement of the two for any
given
amount of relative rotation. For example, one-quarter turn could adjust the
blade
approximately 0.5 mm. By having four set points in 360 degrees of rotation,
the blade's
depth of cut could be increased a total of 2 mm in one full revolution of the
adjustment
knob 216. Of course, more or less set points could be provided to provide
various levels of adjustability.
[0097] A plunger 218 extends from the adjustment knob 216 to force the blade
202
out of the distal end 210 of the housing 200 a sufficient amount to be grasped
by a
user. The blade 202 can then be pulled from the housing 200 and removed.
Replacement of the blade 200 is accomplished by inserting another blade 202
into the
housing 200. No other adjustment is necessary.
[0098] As shown in FIGS. 8B and 8C, the housing 200 is comprised of the inner
and
outer housings 203 and 204. The inner housing has an externally threaded
portion 220 for
mating with and threadedly engaging internal threads 222 formed on the inside
of the
outer housing 203. An o-ring 226 is interposed between the inner and outer
housings 203
and 204 and is seated within the circumferential channel 224 of the inner
housing. The
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o-ring provides rotational resistance between the inner and outer housings 203
and
204.
[0099] In order to provide discrete set points of rotation between the inner
and outer housings 203 and 204, a snap bearing 228 is biased into engagement
with a plurality of detents or recesses 230 formed in the outer surface of the
inner
housing 203. The snap bearing 228 is a metal sphere having a radius that is
greater than
the depth of the plurality of recesses 230. The radius of the recess 230 is
configured to
be substantially similar to the radius of the bearing 228. An externally
threaded bearing
housing 232 is configured to threadedly engage with threads in the side bore
234 of the
outer housing 204. A coil spring 236 is interposed between the bearing housing
232
and the snap bearing 228 to bias the snap bearing 228 into the recess 230. As
such, as
the inner housing is rotated, the bearing 228 will "snap" into a particular
recess 230 when
the recess 230 is properly aligned with the bearing 228. As such, when engaged
with the recess 230, the bearing 228 will hold the relative positions of the
inner and
outer housings 203 and 204 at particular selected discrete set points. Thus,
the depth of
cut of the blade 202 can be precisely controlled for a given set point with
the engagement
of the bearing 228 to the recess 230. In order to provide a visual indicator
of the position
of the inner and outer housings 203 and 204, and thus, the position of the
blade
202, the adjustment knob 216 is color coded with a particular color of paint
or other
suitable material coating the vertical channels 237 and 238 that are
circumferentially
aligned with a particular recess 230. Likewise, other indications may be
provided
on the adjustment knob to provide an indication of the relative position
between the inner
and outer housing. The upper portion 240 of the outer housing 204 is provided
with an
alignment mark 242 on the outside thereof. By aligning the mark 242 with a
particularly colored channel 237, the amount of the blade 202 extending from
the
end 210 of the outer housing 204 will be precisely set. Alternatively, a
vertical marker 243
constituting a vertically oriented channel may be formed in the upper portion
240. Again,
the vertical marker 243 is aligned with one of the recesses 230. Furthermore,
numbers may be printed or formed on the raised portions of the adjustment knob
to which
the alignment mark 242 can be positioned.
[00100] The blade 202 is provided with a sharp cutting end 244 at its distal
end and
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a conically shaped proximal end 246. The body 248 of the blade is cylindrical
in shape
to provide stable and controlled, but free rotation of the blade 202 relative
to the inner
housing 203. The cutting end 244 is tapered to provide a leading edge 250 and
a trailing
edge 252. As such, the blade 202 can freely swivel within the housing 203 and
will
self-orient with the leading edge 250 oriented in the direction of the cut.
[00101] The blade 202 is releasably coupled to the inner housing 203 by
magnetic
force supplied by the magnetic blade stop 254. The blade stop 254 provides a
bearing surface for engaging the conical end 246 of the blade 202 to allow
free rotation
of the blade 202 while retaining the blade 202 with the magnetic force. The
longitudinal
axis of the body 248 of the blade 202 is linearly and concentrically aligned
with the
longitudinal axis of the housing 203 with blade bearing 258 positioned
adjacent the distal
end of the housing 203.
[00102] In order to decouple the blade 202 from the housing 203, a plunger 218
is
provided. The plunger 218 is longitudinally moveable relative to the housing
203 and is
biased toward the proximal end of the housing 203 with the coil spring 260.
The distal
end 262 of the plunger 218 provides an abutment for the magnetic blade stop
254.
Thus the position of the distal end 262 relative to the housing 203 determines
the
position of the blade 202 relative to the housing 203 and the longitudinal
position of the housing 203 relative to the outer housing 204 determines the
length
of the distal end 244 of the blade 202 extending from the surface 212 of the
flat nosed
end 210.
[00103] In order to ensure that the position of the blade end 244 relative to
the housing
203 is properly set at the factory, given the fact that variations in
component dimensions
due to factory tolerances could result in variations in the blade end 244
position relative to
the end 212 for a given set point, a factory adjustment member 262 is
provided. The
member 262 is provided with an externally threaded portion 264 for engaging
with
threads on the inside surface 266 of the housing 203. The top portion 266 of
the
member is provided with a hex head for being turnable with a socket having a
similar
size. The member forms a sleeve around the plunger 218 to allow the plunger
218 to
slide relative thereto. By threading the member 262 into the housing 203,
distal end 262
of the plunger 218, which is wider than the longitudinal bore 270 of the
member 262, is
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forced into the top end of the housing 203 a distance equivalent to the
distance into
the housing 203 that the member 262 is threaded. As such, at the factory, the
member 262 can be threaded into the housing 203 until the blade end 244 is
coplanar with the surface 212 of the housing 204. The setscrew 265 can then be
threaded into the side of the housing 203 through the knob 216 to hold the set
position of the member 262 relative to the housing 203. Thus, each blade 202
can
be properly longitudinally positioned with the housings 203 and 204 so that
adjustment
by rotation of the knob 216 will cause the same displacement of the blade for
each blade
housing 200.
[00104] As shown in FIG. 8C, the housing 203 includes an internal bore 272
having
two different diameters. The interface between the upper larger diameter
portion and
lower smaller diameter portion provides an abutment for engagement with the
adjustment
member 262, which is the maximum insertion of the adjustment member 262
relative to
the housing 203. As illustrated, a small gap between the adjustment member 262
and
interface is shown.
[00105] When the blade holder 200 is fully assembled as shown in FIG. 8C, the
relative adjustment of the first inner and second outer housings 203 and 204
is limited
in both directions such that a limited number of adjustment positions is
provided. The
number of "snap" positions, in this example, is limited to four as a result of
the limitation
of one full rotation of relative movement between the first and second
housings 203 and
204. Of course, more "snap" positions could be provided by increasing the
number of detents in the inner housing. As the first and second housings 203
and 204
are rotated into closer engagement, rotation is stopped by the bottom surface
276
of the circumferential raised portion 278 (see FIG. 8B) abutting the inside
surface 280
of the housing 204. In the opposite direction, as the first and second
housings 203 and
204 are rotated away from each other, the ball housing 232 extends through the
sidewall
of the housing 204 and protrudes therein to provide an abutment. As such, the
top
surface 282 of the protrusion 278 will abut the ball housing 232 to prevent
further
relative rotation of the first and second housings 203 and 204.
[00106] In addition to holding cutting blades, blade holder 200 may also
accept
embossing tools and writing tools. For example, blade holder 200 may accept an
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embossing tool having a round or blunt end that, rather than cutting, can
trace a
pattern onto the sheet material. Blade holder 200 may also accept a writing
instrument such as a pen or pencil that allows for writing upon the surface of
the sheet
material. When used in combination, blade holder 200 provides for writing and
cutting
of sheet material. In this way, the user may cut out objects or shapes as well
as
placing designs thereupon with the writing instrument.
[00107] In operation, the cutter as illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4 is simple
to operate.
FIG. 14 is a schematic illustration of a method, generally indicated at 600,
of operation
of an electronic cutting machine. Since the cutter is an electronic appliance,
a user power
cord is plugged in 602. By pressing 604 the ON button 22, the machine power is
turned on and the doors 24 and 26 open. The user may need to open 606 the
display lid and mat rest. A particular cartridge 50 and keyboard overlay 49
are
selected 608. The cartridge 50 is inserted 610 into the socket 52 and the
corresponding
keyboard overlay 49 is placed 612 over the keyboard 40. The overlay 49
indicates the
specific content and features of the letter or image set contained on the
corresponding
cartridge 50. The user then selects 614 the cutting mat and places 616 a sheet
of
paper on the cutting mat.
[00108] As shown in FIG. 9, a cutting mat 300 is employed to hold the paper or
other
material in sheet form to be cut with the cutter 10. The mat 300 is configured
to hold a
sheet of paper that is six inches wide and twelve inches long. The gridded
surface
portion 302 of the mat 300 is coated with a layer 307 of releasable adhesive
that
can hold the paper thereto while being cut, but will not permanently bond to
the paper to
allow the paper to be removed from the mat. The grid lines on the gridded
surface portion 302 provide alignment features for positioning of a sheet of
paper
thereon. By only coating the portion of the mat with adhesive where the paper
to be cut is
applied, adhesive from the mat is not transferred from the mat to the
components of the
cutter rollers as the mat is moved by the cutting machine. Essentially, the
mat 300
includes a "tacky" surface that will allow multiple uses before the adhesive
looses its
effective bonding capability. In the upper right hand corner 304 of the mat
300 is a
blade alignment indicator mark 306. The mat 300 with a six by twelve inch
sheet of
paper attached thereto is fed into the cutter 10.
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[00109] As shown in FIG. 9, cutting mat 300 may be embodied as a rectangular
sheet, for example a six inch by twelve inch sheet (6"x12"). The cutting mat
300 may
be inserted in portrait or landscape mode for cutting. Other sheet sizes are
also
available such as a 12"x12", 12"x24", etc. In general, a user may select the
size of the
cutting mat 300 via the user interface 30. Alternatively, electronic cutter 10
may
automatically detect the size of the cutting mat 300. An example of automatic
detection may include an optical reader that detects the edges of mat 300 (or
fiducials)
to detect the size. Another alternative may include an optical reader that
detects a bar
code on cutting mat 300. Such optical reader systems may also be used to
detect the
size of the paper (or other cutting material) applied to cutting mat 300.
[00110] Again referring to FIG. 14, much like inserting a sheet of paper into
a typical
printer, the mat is inserted 618 into the machine between the rollers until it
meets
resistance. When the "Load Paper" button on the overlay 49 is pressed 620, the
mat is
automatically fed into the machine and the blade will move to the upper right
hand corner
304 of the mat. Thus, the machine is capable of automatically loading the
paper to be
cut by pressing a single button that loads the paper and moves the blade to
the starting
point. As such, the machine knows precisely where it is at relative to the
paper
to be cut. As discussed herein, the arrow buttons can also be selected to
adjust the
position of the blade if necessary. The letters or shapes to be cut are
selected 622 by
typing them out on the keyboard 40. The characters and/or shapes will be
displayed
on the LCD display 35. Once the desired characters and/or shapes have been
selected 622, the user can dial in 624 the desired size of the images to be
cut. The user
then presses 626 the "CUT" button and the cutter will begin cutting the
selected images.
When the cutting process is complete, the blade housing will return to the
starting point
and the user can press 628 the unload button and the machine will eject the
cutting
mat. The images that have been cut can then be removed 630 from the cutting
mat.
[00111] In order to modify the characters printed on the keyboard overlay, as
previously discussed, certain functions are provided to allow for
customization of the
images to be cut. The "Shift" button can be used to select the upper character
key
(shown in gray in FIG. 4) (e.g., the upper case of a particular letter), while
the "Caps"
button will lock the keyboard to select all upper gray characters when the
corresponding
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key is pressed. Similar to a typical computer keyboard, "Back Space" deletes
the last
entered selection and "Space" inserts a space between characters. The "Clear
Display"
key clears the LCD display and the "Reset All" key button resets the machine
to clear any
previous selections including selected character features from keys 152. If
multiple cuts
of the same character or selected characters are desired to be repeated, the
"Repeat Last" key can be selected. In addition, the paper size may be modified
if one is
not using a six by twelve inch sheet.
[00112] As previously discussed, a user can easily modify the size of the
character
being cut by dialing the desired size with the appropriate dial. In order to
keep the size of
letters of a particular font consistent, the size is automatically adjusted in
proportion
to the largest possible character contained in the given font set. If one
desires to
deviate from this proportional scaling of sizes, the "Real Dial Sizing" key
may be
selected to cause the size of the particular character to be equal to the
selected
size. For example, if the letter "a" were selected to be cut, without "Real
Dial Sizing" being
selected, the letter "a" (small) would be proportionately sized to match the
font size of "A"
(capital). If "Real Dial Sizing" were selected, the letter "a" would be cut
the same size as
the letter "A". When all of the desired characters or images are selected, the
user will
press the "Cut" button and the cutter 10 will cut the shapes. The feature
buttons 52, allow
custom feature effects for each set. Such features can vary with each specific
cartridge
to add various elements of expansion and versatility. For a given feature to
be
selected, the user need only press the desired feature button after selecting
a
desired character or image to which the feature will apply. Thus, the
character may be
modified as shown on a particular overlay by pressing the button on the
overlay that
corresponds to the desired feature.
[00113] In order to decrease the memory required to store a particular font,
character,
shape and/or image set on a given cartridge and thus decrease the cost of
each cartridge, the images and fonts are stored as algorithms. As such, by
storing a
single algorithm for each character, image or feature, sizing is a simple
matter of applying
a multiplying factor to the particular algorithm that represents that
character, feature
or image. As such, there is no need to store separate images of each size on
the
cartridge. Thus, the ability to modify the size of a character with an added
feature is a
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simple scaling of the algorithm for that feature/character combination and
again does not
require storage of each feature/character combination with a different feature
added
thereto (e.g., outlining, shading, underlining, etc.). As such, the fonts,
characters
and images stored on the cartridges may be resolution independent with the
algorithms representing a series of straight lines and/or curves in a
particular sequence.
For higher resolution images, more individual line or curve segments are
included.
[00114] The blade adjustment arrow keys that surround the CUT button allow the
user
to move the blade to any desired location on the mat. Such blade adjustment is
often
needed to allow the cutter to cut an image at a desired location on a given
sheet of paper.
The machine, however, is quite sophisticated in its ability to not only know
if a particularly
selected character and size will fit on a selected size of paper, but knows
what it has cut
from a particular sheet of paper and whether a newly selected shape for being
cut
will fit on the remaining paper. For example, when a user cuts a first image
from a sheet
of paper attached to the mat, the user can press the Unload Paper key and
remove the
shape that has been cut. The mat can then be reloaded back into the machine
for
additional cutting with the paper that is remaining by pressing the Load Last
key 168. The
user would thus press the Load Last key 168, select a new shape to cut and
press
the CUT button. Until reset, the machine will store in memory the shapes that
have
previously been cut and their location on the mat. When the user selects a new
character or shape to be cut and presses the Load Last key 168, the cutter
will
automatically move the cutter head to an area of the paper that has not yet
been cut for
cutting the next shape. In addition, the cutter will know if the particular
character or shape
to be cut of a particularly selected size will fit in the remaining paper. If
the character or
shape selected by the user is too large to be cut from the remaining paper,
the
cutter will alert the user by a visual and/or audible alarm, such as a beep
and a message
on the display of the cutter that the image is too large. The user will then
have the option
of downsizing the character to fit or replacing the paper on the mat to
accommodate a cut
of the desired size.
[00115] As shown in FIG. 15, the machine is capable of determining whether a
particular selected character, image or series of characters and images will
fit on
the paper to be cut or the remaining paper after a cut has already been
performed. As
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shown in FIG. 15, a method, generally indicated at 650 of determining
whether a selected cut will fit is illustrated. Initially, the machine will
receive 652 a Load
Paper input from the user, after which the paper is loaded into the machine.
Next, the
user may input the size of the paper being cut and the machine will receive
654 this
information. Alternatively, the paper size will be the default size of, for
example, six inches
by twelve inches. The user will then input and the machine will receive 656
the characters,
images or other shapes to be cut using the user interface keyboard as
previously
discussed. The user will then select and the machine will receive 658 the size
of the
image(s) to be cut. The machine will then calculate 660 the selected
character(s) or
shape(s) size(s) relative to the size of the paper or remaining paper. When
the user
presses the CUT button, the machine will determine 662 whether the selected
cut will
fit on the sheet. If not, the machine will display 664 an error message and/or
sound an
alert and wait to receive 658 an acceptable size of selected characters or
images. If the
size of selected images will fit on the paper or remaining paper, the machine
will
cut 665 the image(s). The machine then stores 668 the CUT information of the
image(s)
that have been cut. After the user has removed the cutting mat by pressing the
"Unload
Paper" button and removed the cut image(s) from the cutting mat, the user can
reinsert
the cutting mat with the remaining paper on the mat back into the machine.
Once
inserted, if the user presses the "Load Last" 670 button, the machine will
recognize that
the user is attempting to cut again on the same sheet of paper and use the
stored CUT
information to calculate whether the next set of characters or images to be
cut will fit on
the sheet. This feature will also allow the user to load the page and have the
blade
automatically return to where the previous cut ended. This is useful when the
user
unloads the mat to remove a cut and then returns the mat to finish cutting the
rest of the
page. If the "Load Last" button is not pressed, the machine will reset 672
itself so that a
new sheet of paper can be used.
[00116] FIGS. 10A - 10P show various views of the various internal and
external
components of a cutter machine, generally indicated at 400 In general, certain
features of the machine, as compared to previous versions, are configured to
make
assembly, repair and replacement of individual components easier. The
components are easy to access (e.g., by changing their placement), as well as
easy
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to remove if replacement is necessary.
[00117] Cutter 400 includes a main housing to which the various components of
the
machine 400 are attached. Right and left end cap assemblies provide aesthetic
coverings for the housing as well as providing recessed handles for grasping
the sides of
the machine 400. Coupled to the left side of the housing is a stepper motor
attached
thereto with motor mount. The motor drives the drive roller, which moves the
mat (not shown), relative to the blade housing. When assembled, the drive
roller is
seated within the channel of the base member such that a portion of the top of
the
roller extends above the top surface of the base member for engaging the
bottom surface
of the mat.
[00118] A second stepper motor mounted relative to the right side of the
housing drives
the cutter assembly. When assembled the blade holder is positioned adjacent
the drive
roller and moves parallel thereto when cutting.
[00119] A circuit board is coupled to and housed within the bottom of the
housing. The
circuit board includes at least one processor and memory for controlling the
movement of
the stepper motors, communication with the cartridge, communication with the
user
interface, controlling the LCD display and communication with an external
computer for
firmware upgrades, cartridge content downloading, etc.
[00120] The processor of the cutter may any processor capable of executing
instructions, including for example, an Atmel Mega 128 chip having 128 kb of
memory or
any other processor known in the art. The cartridge 435 includes its own
processor,
such as an Atmel Mega 8 chip, along with a four (4) or eight (8) megabyte
memory chip.
Alternatively, cartridge 435 may contain non-volatile memory and an interface
controller
for communicating with the cutter's processor. Of course, other sizes, speeds
and types
of processors and memory chips known in the art may be employed.
[00121] The user interface includes the keyboard assembly and cutter control
buttons.
The keyboard assembly includes a keypad that includes a plurality of biased
keys. The
cutter control buttons include a plurality of buttons. The keypad and buttons
both
interface with a circuit board that communicates with the processor. The
keypad may
be configured in a matrix for sending key presses. The buttons may be
configured as
part of the keypad matrix or they may be configured in their own matrix.
Alternatively,
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each button may be configured as a direct input to the processor or circuitry,
or as an
interrupt (e.g., as discussed above with respect to the "stop" button). A
faceplate has a
plurality of recesses formed therein for receiving, supporting and maintaining
the
keypad and buttons. The keys of the keypad are tall enough to protrude through
the
recesses in the faceplate and to be received in the back of the overlay.
[00122] As shown in FIGS. 11A and 11 B, the overlay 450 has a plurality of
raised
protrusions 452 on its front side 454 for being depressed by a user. On the
back side
456, the overlay 450 has a plurality of corresponding recesses 458 formed
therein for
receiving the individual keys 442 of the keypad 440. The overlay is formed, as
by
molding, from a rubber-like material that is flexible and resilient to allow a
user to depress
the overlay and thus depress a button beneath the overlay. Thus, when the user
presses
a particular protrusion 452, the corresponding key beneath that protrusion is
depressed. The engagement of the recesses 458 with the keys, when placed over
the keys 442, holds the overlay 450 in relative position to the keys and thus
the keypad to
ensure that the keys are always properly aligned with the overlay.
[00123] As shown in FIG. 12, a cartridge 500 is comprised of two housing
components 502 and 504 that house a circuit board 506, which includes a
processor 512
and memory 514. The processor 512 communicates with the cutter via circuit
board terminals or contacts 516. The memory 514 stores various data in the
form of
algorithms that constitute the images or characters contained in the
particular cartridge
500. The processor 512 communicates with the processor of the cutter to allow
the
transfer of the data stored on the cartridges to the cutter. As such, in a
typical
configuration the data contained on the cartridge cannot be modified and a new
cartridge
is used for each new font and/or image set. Through the port on the cutter
(e.g., a USB
port), the cutter will allow, in certain circumstances, the ability to upload
new images, fonts,
firmware updates, etc. to the cartridge and/or cutter. The housing, when
assembled,
forms a socket insert portion 508 that is sized and shaped to fit a socket
provided in the
cutter so that the contacts 516 engage with the cutter socket for
communication with the
cutter.
[00124] The back surface of the machine includes an elongate opening for
allowing the
mat to protrude through the opening during the cutting process. Also provided
is a
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power adapter port for connecting to an electrical power cord and a USB port
for
attaching the cutter to an external computer. As previously discussed,
however, the
cutter may be fully operated without the use of an external computer attached
thereto.
The connection is therefore provided to all the firmware of the machine to be
updated
as well as for communication with the machine to allow content stored on a
particular
cartridge to be updated through the machine.
[00125] While the cutting machine has been described as being a completely
self contained, stand-alone machine, those of skill in the art will appreciate
that various
components, processes and methodologies taught and described herein could be
adapted for use with existing cutter machines known in the art. In addition,
it is
further contemplated that the cutter machine could be configured without the
use of
a separate cartridge such that all images, shapes and characters are stored on
non-
removable memory, the content of which could be updated by connection to a
personal
computer. In addition, if a replaceable memory module is desired, while the
cartridge is
shown as having a particular unique configuration, memory storage devices of
known
configurations could be adapted for use therein, such as the use of flash
memory cards
known in the art.
[00126] The machine is also provided with various unique features such as
"Paper
Save." This setting will automatically rearrange the selected shapes to
cluster them
together and take advantage of otherwise empty space on the paper.
[00127] The cutting machine has vast capabilities that allow the user to
customize the
images, characters and/or shapes to be cut. For example, each cartridge
contains and
associated overlay provides feature buttons for custom feature effects. These
features
may vary with each specific cartridge to add a powerful element of expansion
and
versatility. In addition, the arrow buttons that surround the CUT button can
be used to
guide the blade to a desired location. This is very useful when needing to cut
in a
certain spot on the paper, especially to avoid waste. When moving away from
the
starting point 708 indicated on the cutting mat, the size of the image might
need to be
reduced in order for the machine to cut the image. If the remaining paper size
is too
small, the machine will alert the user and allow the user to reduce the size
of the image to
be cut. If sizes other than the standard size of paper for the machine are
used, the user
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can use the blade positioning buttons and size dial to adjust for the given
paper size. By
pressing the "Set Paper Size" button, the user can input a custom paper size
into the
machine and the machine will know where "home" cut position is for the loaded
sheet.
The machine will cut lengthwise with "down", as defined by the bottom of the
image,
being toward the left edge of the paper when viewing the machine from the
front.
[00128] If material to be cut other than regular paper or cardstock is
selected, the
machine may be customized for such other materials. For example, the pressure
dial
may need to be rotated to increase or decrease the pressure of the blade
against the
material to be cut to allow the blade to completely cut through the material
without tearing
the material. In addition, some paper materials may require a slower cutting
speed.
Thus, the speed dial can be decreased to allow the blade to cut without
tearing.
For thicker or thinner materials, the blade depth can be adjusted by rotating
the
blade housing adjustment knob as previously discussed.
[00129] The default size of images and shapes for the machine is "relational."
This
means that the entire cut results for a given character set will be in
proportion to the
largest possible character or image contained in the set (referred to as Key
Height
Character). This maintains letters correctly sized in relation to each other.
By pressing
the "Real Dial Sizing" button, however, the literal size of images or letters
is
selected. Thus, for example, the letter "c" will be shorter when cut than the
letter 'f'.
[00130] Additional features include digital sizing in 0.1 inch increments
(2.3", 3.1", etc.)
and Incremental Rotate that allows for rotation of the glyph. The rotation
feature
may be employed through an additional dial that allows the user to "spin" the
glyph around
a central axis, but also allows the glyph to be rotated at set intervals, such
as 45-degree
and/or 90-degree increments. Digital sizing may be accomplished with, for
example,
rotation of dial 20 (see FIG. 1) or using keys associated with rotation on the
keypad, or
using the soft keys.
[00131] When setting up electronic cutter 10 for operation, many features can
be
applied to characters/shapes. For example, when the user wishes to cut out a
character-based message, each character may be assigned different attributes.
Each
attribute may be set by selecting the existing character (e.g., using
positioning keys
and the display) and using the keyboard 40 or dials 18, 19, 20 to modify the
features.
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For example, size, position, rotation, skew, italic, and other parameters may
be
modified for each character or shape. Moreover, when multiple graphics or
shapes
are to be cut (e.g., when a quantity greater than one is selected) each
graphic or
shape may be individually customized for the features. Alternatively, the user
may
apply the customized features to all of the characters/shapes. Each character
maintains its own list of "feature" attributes based on the user's selection
or
customization. In one example of use, the user may move a cursor on the
display to
select a character. The user may then review and/or modify any feature
selection for
the selected character. To assist the user, various feature button LEDs may
become
lighted when a feature is selected. In this way, the feature selection buttons
provide
feedback to the user as to the status of the feature as applied to the
selected
character. Such a system providing for the assignment of features to each
individual
character may be called a mix-and-match system (e.g., or a "mix-'n-match"
feature).
[00132] Other system features may include a "flip" feature that allows for
mirroring of
a character/shape (see FIG. 17). For example, the user's selection of the
"flip" feature
(e.g., as assigned on keyboard 40) allows the user to mirror a character along
a
vertical center-line of the character. This feature is useful, in an example,
as allowing
the user of paper when cut from the "back" side (e.g., when using a self-
adhesive).
[00133] An "auto-fill" feature may be used to fill a page with as many
instances of the
current character/shape as will generally fit on the remainder of the page.
The auto-fill
feature can be useful when cutting a large number of the same shape.
[00134] An "auto-expand" feature allows for the resizing of a character/shape
or a
collection of characters/shapes to generally fill the remainder of the page.
The auto-
expand feature may be used to maximize the used are of the page. In an
example,
the auto-expand function is applied to a collection of twelve
characters/shapes. The
entire collection is scaled up to cover the entire page. Thus, maximizing the
size of
the collection given the page size.
[00135] A "quantity" feature allows the user to select the number of cuts that
are
applied to the current characters selected, or the collection. For example,
when the
quantity feature is selected, the user is queried for the "number of cuts"
(e.g., the
number of total number of times each character will be cut). The user may
press the
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"quantity" button (e.g., on the keyboard) and then enter the number of cuts
using dial
20 or the arrow keys on the keyboard. The user is then prompted to begin
cutting.
Once cutting is authorized by the user, the display may show the status of the
number
of cuts, providing an indication of cutting progress to the user. If multiple
pages are
required to complete the number of cuts, the system prompts the user to insert
a new
page and then resume the cutting operation. At any time, the user may press
the
"stop" button to exit the quantity feature (e.g., during setup or after
cutting has begun).
[00136] A "center point" feature allows the user to cut a shape around a
center point.
The user sets up the center point function by positioning the cutter over the
center of
the desired cut area. The user then presses the "center point" button on the
keyboard
to indicate the center position. The user then selects the shape to be cut and
then
initiates the cutting operation. One example of the center point feature
includes cutting
an oval shape from a photograph (shown in FIG. 18).
[00137] A "multi-cut" feature may be useful to make multiple cuts along the
same lines.
This allows for cutting of thicker material, such as chipboard. When the multi-
cut feature
is used, a first pass is made to initially cut the material, but may not cut
all the way through
the material. On a second pass (e.g., of the multiple cutting function)
another cut is made
following the path of the original cut. This allows the blade to cut deeper
into the material.
The number of re-cuts the machine makes may be set either by a setup feature
or in
response to user prompt each time the feature is turned on.
[00138] A "line return" feature would allow the user to insert line returns
such as is
allowed when using a word processor (see FIG. 19). This gives the user greater
flexibility
for configuring the cutting pattern, for example when the user wishes to leave
a larger
rectangular area in one corner of the mat for placing a larger
character/symbol.
[00139] It is understood that the terminology used herein is used for the
purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit
the
scope of the present invention. In addition, the use of the term "shape"
herein, refers to
a particular image, font or character that may be stored on the machine of the
present
invention, on a cartridge for the machine or in any other location for being
cut by the
machine. Moreover, the use of the term "sheet" herein refers to any material
in sheet
form that can be cut with electronic cutter 10 as described herein, including
without
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limitation papers of various thicknesses including such materials as colored
papers and
card stock as well as sheets of plastic, cardboard, foil or other materials
known in the art.
It is also understood that, as used herein and in the appended claims, the
singular forms "a," "an," and "the" include plural reference, unless the
context
clearly dictates otherwise.
[00140] Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used
herein have
the same meanings as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art
to which
this invention belongs. While various methods, compositions, and materials of
the present
invention are described herein, any methods and materials similar or
equivalent to those
described herein may by used in the practice or testing of the present
invention. All references cited herein are incorporated by reference in their
entirety
and for all purposes.
[00141] While the foregoing advantages of the present invention are manifested
in the
illustrated embodiments of the invention, a variety of changes can be made to
the
configuration, design and construction of the invention to achieve those
advantages.
Hence, reference herein to specific details of the structure and function of
the present
invention is by way of example only and not by way of limitation.
[00142] The present invention has been particularly shown and described with
reference to the foregoing embodiments, which are merely illustrative of the
best
modes for carrying out the invention. It should be understood by those skilled
in the
art that various alternatives to the embodiments of the invention described
herein may
be employed in practicing the invention without departing from the spirit and
scope of
the invention as defined in the following claims. The embodiments should be
understood to include all novel and non-obvious combinations of elements
described
herein, and claims may be presented in this or a later application to any
novel and
non-obvious combination of these elements. Moreover, the foregoing embodiments
are illustrative, and no single feature or element is essential to all
possible
combinations that may be claimed in this or a later application.
[00143] With regard to the processes, methods, heuristics, etc. described
herein, it
should be understood that although the steps of such processes, etc. have been
described as occurring according to a certain ordered sequence, such processes
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could be practiced with the described steps performed in an order other than
the order
described herein. It further should be understood that certain steps could be
performed simultaneously, that other steps could be added, or that certain
steps
described herein could be omitted. In other words, the descriptions of
processes
described herein are provided for illustrating certain embodiments and should
in no
way be construed to limit the claimed invention.
[00144] Accordingly, it is to be understood that the above description is
intended to
be illustrative and not restrictive. Many embodiments and applications other
than the
examples provided would be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reading
the
above description. The scope of the invention should be determined, not with
reference to the above description, but should instead be determined with
reference to
the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such
claims are
entitled. It is anticipated and intended that future developments will occur
in the arts
discussed herein, and that the disclosed systems and methods will be
incorporated
into such future embodiments. In sum, it should be understood that the
invention is
capable of modification and variation and is limited only by the following
claims.
[00145] All terms used in the claims are intended to be given their broadest
reasonable constructions and their ordinary meanings as understood by those
skilled
in the art unless an explicit indication to the contrary is made herein. In
particular, use
of the singular articles such as "a," "the," "said," etc. should be read to
recite one or
more of the indicated elements unless a claim recites an explicit limitation
to the
contrary.
36
