Improved recreational cutting die

Abstract

A set of cutting dies 10, 20 for cutting a pattern on a sheet material (70, fig, 5) for recreational purposes, wherein each die comprises a planar base 12, 22 with raised cutting edges 14, 24 on one s

Description

Field The present invention provides an improved die for use in a recreational card cutter, which I used to cut patterns into a sheet of prepared material such as colored cards. Background The present invention relates to devices that are used recreationally to cut patterns into sheet materials. Currently used systems comprise a die that has a raised edge in the shape of the desired pattern and a press device configured to press the die into the sheet material being cut, thereby forming the desired pattern. It is noted that a cutting system using such dies can be used in industrial processes, however, such industrial systems typically require large machines with hydraulic presses to produce sufficient force on the die. When the system is used for recreation, the pressing device is typically small, such that it may be operated by hand and is suitable to be used on a small desk or table. Additionally, recreational devices are typically only used for relatively soft materials like paper or cards to ensure that the relatively low force generated by the hand-operated press is sufficient to cut the material. Lastly, these recreational systems are sometimes used by children, therefore for safety the die used in such devices cannot have a sharp cutting edge to ensure the user does not hurt themselves with the die. The problem with these recreational systems is that due to the relatively low pressing force from the small press device and the relatively dull edges on the die, the patterns produced by the systems have a limited resolution, in this case, the resolution refers to the amount of detail that can be seen in the created pattern and how sharp or fine the lines of the pattern can be cut. Therefore, there is a need to produce an alternative system that is still suitable for recreational uses but is also capable of cutting Summary The present invention provides a system and method for the use of an improved cutting die, wherein the die is configured to be used recreationally to cut patterns into a sheet of material such as a sheet of paper, card, or cardboard. The claimed system comprises a plurality of cutting dies configured to produce a desired pattern into sheet material, a pair of protective plates that are used to protect the die and the material being cut when pressure is applied to the die, and a press device configured to supply a pressing force onto the die, thereby pushing the die through the sheet material to form the desired pattern. More specifically, the claimed cutting die comprises two or more metal plates that comprise on one surface a raised pattern, this pattern forms one or more sharp edges which rise out of the surface of the die plate. Such plates can be formed through material etching. More specifically, the die is manufactured by placing a mask in the shape of the desired pattern over a sheet of metal and then using etching techniques such as acid or electric etching to carve away layers of the sheet that are not covered by the mask, thereby creating a raised edge in the shape of the desired pattern. It is noted that these patterns would need to have sharp pointed edges to cut the desired sheet material inside the press device. Therefore, a die may undergo several etching cycles or use multiple methods to produce a sharper edge on the die's pattern, thereby allowing the die to cut a finer pattern into the sheet material. In use, the die is placed onto a sheet of material so that the raised pattern rests on the surface of the sheet material being cut. The user may then apply a force onto the die, sheet material, or both to push the edges of the raised pattern into the sheet material to cut the die's pattern into the sheet material. It is noted that such dies are preferably made of metal as a sharp edge made from metal has more cutting power compared to other materials, and would be less prone to wear after repeated use. It is also noted that most metals can be easily etched using the method described above, and is strong enough that the thin edges of the etched die are less likely to break compared to other materials. Further, the metal die should be sufficiently strong to not bend or break after repeated use in the pressing device. However, as the claimed die is intended to be used as part of a system used for recreational purposes, other considerations need to be addressed when forming the cutting edges. Specifically, the recreational system which uses the die may likely be used by a child therefore the safety of the user also needs to be taken into consideration. Therefore, for the safety of the user, when forming the raised cutting edges of the die it is not ideal to make the edges as sharp as possible. It is also noted that in most cases, the die used in a recreation system would be cutting through materials with relatively low toughness, such as paper or card, and therefore the die does not require blades as sharp as the die used in an industrial system. This means the edges of the die could be made less sharp without impacting the performance of the system. Therefore, when creating the raised edges of the die there is a need to compromise between the die being sharp enough to cut the sheet material and also safe for children to handle. To this end when creating the raised edges of the die, it is preferable that the edges are formed with a V-shaped structure with the point of the V-shape directed away from the base of the die. This structure creates a cutting edge along the line where the two sloped sides of the etched structure meet. This means that the cutting edge is broader when compared to a vertical linear edge. This broadening ensures that any force pressed onto the edge is dispersed over a wider area, which reduces the cutting power of the edge and in turn reduces the risk of raised edges cutting a user. Further, it is noted that in industrial uses such V-shaped cutting edges have an angle of 45° to produce the sharpest possible edge as the tip of the structure. However, as noted for a recreational system such a sharp edge is not necessary, therefore in the claimed die the angle at the point of the edge may be broader than 45°. This broader edge helps to reduce the risk of the user cutting themselves on the die and the force from their hand would be dissipated over a wider area due to the steeper slopes of the raised sides. To this end, it is preferable for the angle at the tip of the cutting edge to be wider than 45°, but preferably no broader than 70°, as a broader tip also results in broader cuts in the sheet material that may cause the design to have less detail. An alternative to broadening the tip of the cutting edge may be to remove or round the tip of the raised edges, this may be achieved, for example by etching away the tip of the raised edges. Removing the sharp point from the tip of the edge the user is at less risk of cutting themselves with the die. It is also noted that with the tip of the edge removed the sides of the structure can be made steeper, thereby making the cutting edges finer. This finer cutting edge allows the die to cut thinner lines into the sheet material, thereby allowing the created pattern to have more detail. However, the still needs to be a compromise concerning the width of the cutting edge, for even with a flattened tip a slim cutting edge may skill cut the user should they abrase the die. To this end, the cutting edge of the die preferably comprises a V-shape with a tip angle of 40° or less to ensure that the sloped walls of the cutting edge are steeper to produce a finer edge. However, the tip angle is preferably no less than 20°, to ensure that the edge is not so fine that it is likely to cut the user after the tip of the cutting edge is rounded or removed. It is noted that these broader tipped edges would have a reduced risk of curling or breaking after repeated use, especially as the die is pressed into sheet material, wherein significant force is exerted onto the cutting edges each time the die is used. It is also noted that these broader tips on the cutting edges can also ensure that the cutting dies are safer for users, especially young children or users with special needs, also for elderly users who may be less dexterous fingers, who are at a higher risk of cutting themselves with the die edges. It is noted that the claimed die comprises etched metal as described above that are provided as a pair or series of dies that are used together to form a more detailed pattern when compared to a single die. These dies have a surface that is wider than the pattern being cut such that there is a flat surface surrounding the etched pattern, wherein features can be etched into this extra surface area without affecting the pattern. More specifically one of the cutting die, herein referred to as the first die as it needs to be used first when forming the pattern, comprise one or more lug around the edge of the die. When the first die is used these lugs cut holes into the sheet material in a position that is removed from the rest of the pattern. The rest of the dies then comprise pegs along their edge that are configured to be inserted into the holes created by the lugs of the first die. This allows the subsequent dies in the plurality of dies to be easily aligned with the initial pattern by inserting the pegs of the die into the holes left by the lugs. By using multiple dies to create a pattern, the claimed dies may produce patterns with more detail compared to a single die, as the multiple dies may use finer edges, and a variety of edge depths on the surface of the die to produce additional detail in the cut pattern when the various cuts are overlapped. It is also noted that the die may also use different heights for the pegs and lugs on the die surface to adjust the depth of cut produced by the die. It is noted that by using a plurality of die to create a pattern the number of cutting edges required on a given base is reduced. As each base has fewer edges these edges can be made finer during the etching process compared to a single die configured to cut the same pattern as the plurality of die. More specifically, it is noted that there is a limit to how thick the edges of the mask used during the etching process can be, in most cases around 0.6mm, then when the acid is used to etch away the material that is not coated by the mask there is a minimum definition that can be achieved based on the minimum thickness of material that can be removed, typically 0.2mm. this means that the cutting edges on the bases would need a space of at least 0.4mm between them to allow the acid to etch around the edges of the mask. This may be a problem when the pattern requires the raised edges to cut a fine corner wherein the edges of the corner would be closer than the minimum resolution possible with the etching process, however, by using multiple dies, the edges used to cut such sharp corners can be separated onto different dies allowing both to be etched into the die base separately, when then the cuts from the dies are overlapped, they will produce these finer patterns that are not otherwise possible. This would allow the claimed die to produce patterns with a higher resolution and finer edges when compared to what is possible with a single die. In some cases, the die may also include one or more apertures within the die surface. More particularly, the die comprises one or more small apertures within the patterned portion of the die. The purpose of these apertures is to ensure that the material being cut does not become stuck within the die. When the die cuts the sheet material the material may become stuck within the space between the flat base of the die and the raised edges, if this occurs the user would be able to see the material through the apertures, and can then remove the material by poking a pin or other suitable member through the aperture to dislodged the cut material from the die. It is also noted that in some cases, the user may use materials that need to be aligned in a specific direction, such as colored or patterned paper or card, when such a material is used the user may use the apertures to ensure that the material is aligned correctly beneath the die before cutting. It is noted that when using multiple die there is a risk that the user may not align the die correctly, resulting in the cut pattern being incorrect. Therefore, the die may include features to ensure that each of the plurality of die is correctly aligned before being placed within the press device. One such feature includes positioning the lugs and pegs on the die in an irregular pattern, such that the pegs and lugs can only be aligned in a specific orientation. For example, having a different angle or distance in between each pair of lugs or pegs. This way the user can ensure that each of the plurality of die are orientated in the same direction before being inserted into the pressing device. In some cases, the first die may comprise a raised edge configured to cut one or more tabs into the sheet material. Then the subsequent die would include one or more slots configured to receive the tabs in the sheet material thereby affixing the cutting die to the sheet material thereby reducing the risk of the die becoming misaligned when used. Further, the slots in the die and the tab on the die material may be asymmetrical. This way there is only one alignment where the tabs or corners of the sheet material can be inserted into the slots in the die base, this way the user can ensure that the die is always aligned correctly before being pressed into the sheet material. In other cases, the die may include an indicium that indicates the correct orientation for the die. For example, one edge of each die may include an indicium such as an arrow which is aligned with a corresponding indicium on the pressing device, to ensure the die is correctly aligned before entering the press device. In some cases, the first die may leave an indicium on the sheet material being cut at a point that is remote from the pattern being cut. The user may then align the cut indicium with a indicium on the subsequent die, to ensure each of the subsequent die are aligned correctly. It is noted that the subsequent die may also include a ped or similar feature that engages the indicium marked onto the sheet material to ensure the subsequent die is correctly aligned and also helps to prevent the die from moving laterally when passing through the pressing device. As the invention may use a plurality of die to create the desired pattern, the user may require a means of identifying each of the dies in the plurality of die. To this end, each die may include an indicium on the base of the die that would differentiate that die from all of the other die in the plurality of die. This indicium may include a unique shape, letter, and / or number with the indicium on each die being different to the other die in the set of die. It is noted that some sets of dies may be configured to be used in a specific order, therefore it may be preferable to use indicium that indicate the order the die should be used. Therefore, it is preferable for the base indicium to comprise a number, Roman numeral, or similar icon that indicates the order of the die, such as several notches equal to the die position in the sequence the die should be used. Alternatively, or in addition to the base indicium described above, the die may be configured to cut an indicium into the sheet material that is indicative of the number of dies that have been used from the plurality of die, such as by indicating the number of passes the material has undergone. For example, the first die may leave an indicium which leaves a number two on the sheet material, or a tab labeled second pass, then the second die would remove the marks left by the first to indicate that the second pass has been completed, this pattern can then be repeated with subsequent die. These types of indicia may be useful as they help indicate to the user which of the die have been used, so they know which of the plurality of die to move to for the next pass. Preferably each die of the set of dies would produce a different indicia indicative of the specific die being used, this may include a letter, number, or notch in a location specific to that die. This way the sheet material will indicate which die has been used even if the dies have been used out of order. This would allow the user to use the die in any order while keeping track of which dies have been used. For example, each die may include a notch in the base, with a raised edge design to mark the same notch into the sheet material. This way the user can see which die of the plurality of die have been used by comparing the notch on the die to the notches on the sheet material. It is noted that the press device comprises a mechanism configured to apply force to the die and sheet material, to press the raised edge of the die into the sheet material to cut out the desired pattern. In some cases, the press device may be in the form of a vertical press, wherein the sheet material and die are placed onto one plate while the user actuates a second plate that is lowered onto the first plate to apply a pressing force onto the die. Another, design for the pressing device includes a roller press, wherein the pressing device compares a pair of rollers with the sheet material and cutting die being placed within the space between the rollers. Once placed within the rollers the user would operate a crank handle that rotates the rollers, in doing so the rollers pull the sheet material and die through the device, applying a pressing force to the die as it passes between the rollers. It is noted that of these two designs, the roller design is the preferable option. This is because the device that uses rollers can have smaller dimensions compared to the device that uses plates, as the rollers have a smaller width compared to the pressing plate as the rollers have a smaller point of contact. This allows the roller device to have a more compact housing and an overall smaller design, which makes the device more suitable for recreational use as the device likely needs to be stored within a home. It is also noted that the roller device could process a longer piece of sheet material compared to the press plate device as the sheet material can be continuously fed into the rollers. It is noted that regardless of the press device being used, constant use of the same die may result in damage or wear to the die. To help lower the risk of such damage occurring the system may further comprise a pair of protective plates. In use, these plates are positioned such that the sheet material and die are between the protective plates. The sheet material, cutting die, and protective plates can then be fed into the pressing device as described above. It is noted that these plates help to dissipate the force from the pressing device over a larger area, thereby helping to reduce the wear to the die during each use. To achieve this the protective plates, need to be made of a sufficiently strong material to not be worn or warped by continuous use in the pressing device, however, the material also needs to be light enough to not damage the die between the protective plates. For these reasons, it is preferable for the protective plates to be made out of wood or a suitable plastic, such as Perspex, as these materials are relatively durable and lightweight such that they are not damaged by the press device and would not damage the die when in use. The claimed invention also includes the method of using the system described above wherein the system comprises at least two die and the press device, the system may further comprise additional die and / or the protective plates as described above. In use, the user positions the first cutting die over the surface of the sheet material to be cut, such that the cutting edges which raise out of the plane of the die, rests on the surface of the sheet material. If present the user then places a protected plate onto the outer surface of the die and sheet material, such that the die and sheet material is sandwiched between the protective plates. Once in position, the die and sheet material will be placed within the opening of the press device. Then the user can actuate the pressing device, likely via a handle on the device to apply a pressing force onto the die, using a suitable press or one or more rollers, such that the cutting edge of the die cuts into the sheet material. After the initial cut is made using the first die, the user may remove the protective plates and the first die from the cut material. After which the user positions the second die over the cut portion of the sheet material, and if present replaces the protective plates over the second die and the cut material. Then the user feeds the second die and the cut sheet material into the pressing device, repeating the method described above to cut the material with the second die. Then the user can repeat these steps using any further subsequent die unit the full pattern is formed on the cut material. In cases where the die includes cutting lugs and / or orientation indicia, the user uses these features to ensure that any die after the first is orientated in the correct direction and located in the correct position on the sheet material before being inserted into the pressing device. This ensures that the cuts made by each of the dies align correctly to form the desired pattern. In cases that use the indicia, there is an indicium placed onto the base of the die, this indicium needs to be aligned with a corresponding indicium to correctly orientate the die. Note that the corresponding indicia may be positioned on the housing of the pressing device, cut into the sheet material by the first die, or both. After aligning the indicia, the user operates the press device as described above. In the cases that use the location lugs, the user simply uses the first die as described above. The cuts from the first die leave a hole or aperture within the sheet material for each lug on the die. Note that the holes left by the lug are positioned at a point that is remote from the pattern to not tear or distort the pattern being formed. After making the initial cut with the first die, the subsequent die will comprise a plurality of pegs that extends from the surface of the die in the same manner as the cutting edge. In use, the user inserts the pegs of the die into a respective hole in the sheet material to align the die. It is noted that the holes in the material preferably have an irregular arrangement, such that the pegs and lug holes will only align in one orientation. Though in some cases, the die may also include an indicium to indicate the correct orientation for the die as described above. In some cases, the plurality of dies used to form the pattern may be formed on a single base. This may be achieved by using a larger base with sufficient surface area to etch two or more adjacent dies onto the base. Alternatively, the dies may be formed to have a first die on one surface of the base, and a different die on the opposite side of the base. Of these options, the adjacent die on one side of the base is the preferable choice. One reason for this is that the adjacent die allows for more than two dies to be mounted to the same base. Further, by having cutting edges on both sides of the die the user has a greater risk of cutting themselves, additionally, when the die passes through the pressing device the force will be exerted onto the edges of the die rather than the base, thereby increasing the risk of the cutting edges breaking. By using the system described above the user can produce more intricate and detailed patterns by using multiple cutting die to produce patterns with finer lines that can create clearer edges as well as using different depths of cuts to produce additional detail. Detailed description The claimed invention is represented by the following figures: Figure 1: depicts an example pair of cutting die Figure 2: depicts an example of the raised edge formed on the die Figure 3: depicts an example cutting die with both cutting lug and orientation indicia Figure 4: depicts an example of the pressing device Figure 5: depicts an example of how to use the protective plates Figure 6: depicts the difference in the patterns made with the current die compared to patterns made by the claimed die set. Figure 7: depicts an example of how the cutting edges of the claimed die set are produced. Figure 8: depicts the cutting edges with the prior art with those of the invention. Figure 9: depicts the problem addressed by the present invention, before cutting. Figure 10: depicts the problem addressed by the present invention, after cutting. The figures comprise the following features, note that like reference numerals indicate like features: 10-First die 12-First die cutting edge 14-First die base 20-Secondary die 22-Secondary die cutting edge 24-Secondary die base 30,30'-Sloped edges 32-Cutting tip 40-Die lug / peg 50,50'-Orientation indicium 60-Pressing device 62-Receiving slot 64,64'-Rollers 66-Handle 70-Sheet material 80,80' Protective plates 90,90' - patterns created with current die 91,91' - patterns created with claimed die 100-etching mask 110 - acid etching area 120 - desired cutting edge shape Figure 1 depicts a pair of dies 10,20 as used in the claimed invention. More specifically, the Figure includes a pair of cutting dies that are configured to be used in a recreational system, to cut a desired pattern into a sheet material, such as paper or card. Wherein each of the dies 10,20 is configured to produce a different part of the pattern. In some cases, each die 10,20 is configured to cut different parts of the pattern, such that when all the cuts overlapped, they form the desired pattern. In other cases, the die 10,20 may be configured such that the first die 10 cut the vague shape or outline of the desired pattern, with the second die 20 is used to sharpen the edge of the image and add more detail. Though the figure only includes two dies 10,20 it is noted that the system may comprise additional die, as the system may use more die to produce more complex patterns. Each die 10,20 comprises a planar base 12,22, with one side of the base 12,22 including one or more cutting edges 14,24. These cutting edges 14,24 rise out perpendicular to the plan of the planar base 12,22. In use, these cutting edges 14,24 are pressed into the sheet material to create cuts within the material. The cutting edges 14,24 may have different sizes to produce different cuts. More specifically, some of the cutting edges may be made shorter to produce details in the material without cutting through the sheet material, or some of the cutting edges may be made wider or thinner to change the size of the cut left in the material. Each die 10,20 comprises different cutting edges 14,24 such that when all of the dies are used to cut the sheet material the cut lines form the desired pattern on the sheet material. To use the die 10,20 the user places the die over the sheet material at the point they wish the pattern to be cut, placing the die such that the raised cutting edgesl4,24 rest on the surface of the sheet material. The user then applies force to the base 12,22 of the die 10,20 to push the cutting edges 14,24 into the sheet material. Then the user repeats these steps with each of the other dies, cutting the same area of the sheet material to form the complete pattern. It is noted that the die 10,20 needs to be made of relatively strong material to withstand the force applied to the base 12,22 during repeated use. Additionally, the material needs to be relatively hard to form cutting edges 14,24 that are capable of cutting through the sheet material. It is noted that the material for the base 12.22 and cutting edges 14,24 do not necessarily need to be the same as the edges may be formed by depositing a suitable material onto a base. However, such a process is very time-consuming. Therefore, it is preferable to have the die 10,20 be made of a single material that can be shaped to form both the base 12,22 and the raised edges 14,24. Based on these criteria the best material for the die 10,20 may be metallic materials, as such materials are typically hard and tough, but can also be shaped easily to form the planar base 12,22. This also means that the die can be made with a relatively thin base, for example only a few millimeters thick, while still being tough enough not to break under the pressing force, and strong enough to cut through the sheet material. Additionally, by using metallic materials, the cutting edges 14,24 can be formed onto the die quickly using etching, wherein a mask is placed over the die base surface and the areas that are not covered are etched down, thereby forming a raised edge beneath the mask. This etching technic can be performed using chemical or electrical etching. Figure 2 depicts an example of the shape of the cutting edges 14,24 formed on the die 10,20. As previously mentioned, these edges may be formed by etching the surface of the die base 12,22 to form the desired edges. It is noted that the preferred form for the cutting edges 14,24 has a V-shaped profile, wherein the cutting edges 14,24 are positioned so that the tip 32 of the V-shape points away from the die base 12,22, such that the base of the edge is wider than the tip of the cutting edge 14,24. This shape results in the cutting edges 14,24 having sloped sides 30,30', these sides help to deflect the force from the user's hand when they press or brush their hand over the cutting edge 14,24. This means the force of the user's hand is dissipated over a wider area to reduce the risk of the user being cut by the die 10,20. It is noted that the broader the edge the lower the risk of the user being cut. However, the use of such broad edges results in broader cuts being made into the sheet material. The broader cuts would result in the pattern produced having less detail as the lines forming the pattern are wider. Therefore, it is preferable to use a design for the cutting edges 14,24 with steeper sides 30,30' so that the edges formed on the die 10,20 are thinner. This allows the die to create finer cuts in the sheet material allowing the pattern created by the die to have more detail. These steeper sides 30,30' can be produced by reducing the size of the tip angle, more specifically, the tip angle 32 formed the sloped sides 30,30' of the cutting edge should be an angle of 40° or less. However, these thinner cutting edges 14,24 are more likely to cut the user as the force from the user's hand is dissipated over a smaller area. To reduce the risk of harming the user, the tip 32 of the cutting edges may be rounded or flattened completely, thereby broadening the tip 32 of the V-shaped edge. This again increases the area of the cutting edge to reduce the risk of the edge cutting the user when handled. This flattening of the cutting edge may be achieved using the same etching process used to create the cutting edge. It is also noted that the cutting edges 14,24 can be formed to have different sizes, this is achieved during the etching process by using different masks to change the height or width of certain cutting edges 14,24 on the die 10,20. This range of edge sizes allows the die to create more intricate patterns. Further, the different edge heights allow the die to add details to the pattern by stamping or scoring details into the surface of the sheet material instead of cutting through the material. Figure 3 depicts further features that may be added to the die 10,20 used in the invention, with the left image showing the side of the die with the cutting edges 14,24 referred to as the front of the die, and the right image depicting the opposite side of the same die referred to as the back of the die. In the depicted example the front of the die includes lugs 40 in addition to the cutting edges 14,24 described above. It is noted that the die 10,20 may include one or more lugs 40. Wherein each lug 40 is configured to cut a hole within the sheet material at a point that is remote from the pattern. These allow the user to more easily align the second die 20 and other subsequent dies with the cut made by the lugs of the first die 10. To do this the user simply aligns the subsequent die such that the lugs or pegs on the surface of the die fit into the holes formed by the lugs 40 of the first die 10. By inserting the lugs or pegs into these holes on the sheet material, the user can ensure that the die is aligned correctly relative to the cuts made by the previous die. This helps to ensure that the cuts from each of the plurality of die 10,20 align correctly to form the desired pattern. It is noted that the lugs 40 may preferably have different sizes or are arranged in an irregular pattern, or both. These features mean that the lugs 40 would only fit in the holes in the sheet material in one specific orientation, meaning that the second die 20, and other subsequent die do not fit into the holes unless it was orientated in the correct direction. This helps to ensure that the die is both orientated and aligned correctly relative to the cuts made by the first die 10. Further, the lugs 40 may also be provided with different heights relative to the die base 12,22 to adjust the depths of the cut produced by the die to allow some of the edges to produce details into the pattern without cutting completely through the sheet material. It is noted that changing the height of the lugs 40 is preferable over having different heights for the cutting edges 14,24. This is because when force is applied to the diel0,20, the tallest features on the front of the die bear the majority of said force, as the lugs 40 are wider than the cutting edges 14,24 they would be able to support this force with less risk of breaking. It is also noted that the die 10,20 may include different alignment features instead of or in addition to the lugs 40 described above. For example, the first die may include raised edges designed to cut a small shape or form an indentation that is configured to receive pegs mounted to the surface of the subsequent die. In other cases, the first die may include cutting edges designed to cut a tab into the sheet material. The subsequent die would then configure one or more slots on their base 12 configured to receive these tabs. Both of these features provide the benefit of holding the subsequent dies in place based on the cuts made by the first die. As with the lugs 40, it is preferable for these features to form an irregular or none symmetrical pattern, so that the subsequent die may only couple to the feature in the correct alignment to form the desired pattern. The claimed die may also include a plurality of pin holes positioned within the patterned portion of the die 10,20. These pin holes go through the base of the die such that the user could see through the die. These holes may be used to align the sheet material with the die in cases where the sheet material is colored or patterned, such that the user required the die to be placed at a specific position on the sheet material. Further, after the cuts have been made the sheet material may become trapped within the spaces between the cutting edges 14,24. In these cases, a pin or other suitable member can be inserted into the pin holes to push the cut sheet material out of the die 10,20. On the rear face of the depicted die in Figure 3, there is an indicium 50. More specifically, the die includes an indicum 50 that is configured to indicate the orientation of the die. In the depicted example, the indicum 50 includes an arrow that indicates the direction the die should be facing when in use. In some cases, the indicum 50 may also indicate the order in which each die of the plurality of dies should be used to create the desired pattern, for example by including numbers as part of the indicia. Further, the orientation of the order indicia may also be used to indicate the correct orientation of the die. It is noted that the first die 10 may be placed in any orientation as there is no existing cut to align the die 10 too. Therefore, the first die may include an additional lug or edge designed to mark an indicum onto the sheet material, wherein this marked indicium is used to indicate the orientation used for the first die 10, such that the user can ensure the subsequent dies are aligned in the same orientation, namely by aligning the indicum 50 of the subsequent die with the mark left by the first die 10. It is noted that this indicum 50 may be used in addition to the lugs 40 described above to ensure all of the dies are arranged correctly when used. It is noted that claimed invention further includes a system for using the above-mentioned dies 10,20. This system includes a press or pressing device 60 configured to apply force to the die 10,20 and / or sheet material to use the die to create the desired pattern. Figure 4 depicts an example of such a pressing device 60. The depicted device is a roller press comprising a housing containing one or more rollers 64,64' with an opening 62 in the housing to allow the die 10,20 and sheet material to be placed under one of the rollers 64,64', either between two rollers or between a base plate and a roller. The housing also comprises a handle 66, switch, or other suitable controls configured to rotate the rollers 64,64' within the housing in a desired direction. The rollers 64,64' within the housing are positioned such that the rotations of the rollers 64,64' pull the die 10,20 and sheet material through the pressing device housing, with the sheet material entering one side of the housing via a first opening 62 and exiting the device on the opposite side of the housing via a second opening. Further, the rollers 64,64' are configured to apply a pressing force to the die 10,20 as the die and sheet material moves through the pressing device 60. It is noted that even though the example pressing device 60 depicted is a roller press device other types of press devices are possible. For example, the press device may instead include a vertical press wherein the housing contains a base plate and a pressing plate. Wherein in use the user places the die 10,20 and sheet material onto the base plate, with the pressing plate positioned above the section of the sheet material with the die 10,20. Then when the controls on the device are activated, the pressing plate is lowered onto the base plate, or both the base plate and pressing plate are moved vertically towards the opposite plate, such that the die 10,20 is pressed in between the plates. However, it is noted that this plate design is more dangerous to the user as there may be a wide enough gap between the plate for the user to place their hand, which may become trapped between the plate. Additionally, the pressing plates likely require a larger housing compared to the rollers 64,64' described above. As the claimed device is designed for recreational use it is preferable to have a device that is more compact for easier storage, also it is preferable to use a safer device as the system may be used by children. Therefore, of these designs, the roller pressing device is the preferable option. It is also noted that regardless of the type of device chosen, the housing of the pressing device 60 may include an alignment indicum 50'. This indicum 50' would allow the user to orientate each of the plurality of die 10,20 relative to the pressing device 60, thereby ensuring that each of the die 10,20 enters the pressing device 60 with the correct orientation. More specifically, the housing of the pressing device may include an indicium 50' to indicate the opening 62 the user needs to insert the sheet material into. Then the user can align a corresponding indicum 50 on the back of the die 10,20 with the indicium 50' on the housing, thereby ensuring each die of the plurality of dies enters the pressing device with the same orientation. As previously, mentioned the dies 10,20 used in the invention need to be tough to not warp or bend after repeated uses within the pressing device 60. However, the system may also include protective plates, 80,80' to further reduce the risk of the die being damaged when used. Wherein the protective plate 80,80' comprises a planar plate with a surface area larger than the base 12,22 of the die 10,20. The plates 80,80' need a wide surface area to help dissipate the force exerted by the pressing device 60 over a wider area. This is especially useful when using a roller pressing device, as the roller 64,64' in the device only applies force to a small section of the die 10,20 at a time, therefore by including the plate 80,80' the force from the rollers 64,64' is applied over a larger area. With the force acting over a larger area, there is a lower risk of the die 10,20 being damaged or bent by the rollers 64,64'. It is also noted that the protective plates 80,80' need to be made of a tough material, again to prevent the plate from being damaged by the pressing device 60, but also need to be, made of a light-weight material such as plastic or wood so that the large plate does not damage the die or sheet material. Figure 5 depicts an example of how these protective plates 80,80' are used. In the depicted example the die 10 is placed over the sheet material 70 as described above, with the cutting edge 14 of the die 10 placed in contact with the surface of the sheet material 70. Then the protective plate 80 is placed over the die 10 before the sheet material 70 is inserted into the pressing device 60. In some cases, there will be two protective plates 80,80'. The second plate 80' may be used in systems where the pressing device 60 applies force to both sides of the sheet material 70, such as the device in Figure 4 which uses a pair of vertically displaced rollers 64,64' to apply force to both sides of the sheet material 70 as it passes through the pressing device 60. In these cases, a second protective plate 80' would be placed below the sheet material 70 positioned directly below the first plate 80. This ensures that the force on both sides of the sheet material 70 is dissipated evenly across both of the protective plates 80,80' thereby minimizing the risk of damage to both the die 10 and the sheet material 70 when pressed by the pressing device 60. It is noted that in use, once the protective plates 80,80' are in position then the sheet material 70, dies 10,20 and the plates 80,80' are inserted into the opening 62 of the pressing device 60 as described above. Figure 6 depicts an example of a pattern formed using a current cutting die 90,90' compared to the same pattern as produced by the claimed set of die 91,91'. Specifically, the first image on the left depicts a pattern of a rose made using a current cutting die, wherein all the cutting edges used to form the die are on a single die. The first image on the right depicts the same rose pattern as produced by the claimed set of die wherein the cutting edges used to form the pattern are divided between two or more die. As can be seen from the depicted example the pattern made using the plurality of dies has a greater definition, with sharper edges and more acute angles when compared to the pattern made using a single die. It is noted that by using the claimed set of dies instead of a single die, the cutting edges can produce finer lines with smaller corners, thereby producing a pattern with a higher definition. The second set of images shows a pair of flower designs, again the image on the left is the design produced with a single die, while the image on the right depicts a design made using the claimed set of die. Though there is no change in definition as was visible in the first pair of images, do note that the left image appears to have a thin line of material forming a bridge between the pairs of petals, and note that there appears to be a larger space between the pairs of petals with no bridge. In comparison the design created using multiple dies there are no bridges between the petals and there is a smaller uniform spacing between each petal. These differences are due to the way the blades are positioned on the die. When using a single die all cutting edges need to be present on a single base, this may limit the spacing of the edges, as each edge would need sufficient space to be etched into the base material. Further, should the edges on the single base be too close to one another there is a greater risk of the sheet material not being cut when the die is pressed on the sheet material. This is because when the cutting edges are in close proximity the overlapping edges would reduce the size of the cavity between the cutting edges. As a result of this smaller cavity, the sheet material cannot be pressed down onto the cutting edges far enough to cut the sheet material, instead only leaving an impression on the surface of the material. This is why in the left image there is some material bridging the petal as the point where their petals are at their closes could not be cut, as the blade edges for each petal would be too close together. Whereas in the new method, the cutting edges are separated into different dies, for example, one die may cut the left-hand side of each petal while the other die cuts the right-hand side. As the blades are formed separately and each die cut the sheet material separately, the cuts made by the plurality of dies may be closer together without the risk of breaking the sheet material. Figures 7 and 8 depict how the claimed die can produce these higher-definition patterns. More specifically, Figure 7 depicts examples of how the cutting edges are formed onto the die surface. The depicted figures show the desired cutting edges to be formed with the solid line 120. The first image on the left depicts the cutting edge that would currently be formed when trying to make the desired cutting edge 120, in this image the hollow shape 100 shows the mask that would be used to create the cutting edges, while the dashed lines 110 represent the additional area needed to etch out the cutting edges using the acid etching method described above. Note that the left image has shorter edges which are wider apart compared to the other images. This is necessary to produce all of the cutting edges on a single surface as there needs to be sufficient space around each of the cutting edges for the acid to etch them out of the base. It is also noted that when forming the cutting edges on a single die there needs to be a minimum spacing between the cutting edges, not only to allow the edges to be etched onto the base but also to allow the sheet material being cut to be housed between the cutting edges without the material tearing. Due to both of these factors, the cutting edge on the single die is shaped as a short curve rather than the desired point, to ensure there is sufficient space around the cutting edges. The right image 120 depicts the desired cutting edges that are required to form the high-definition pattern depicted in Figure 6, specifically the cutting edges that form the fine points on the end of the leaf. It is noted that the desired cutting edges are much longer and closer together when compared to the edges on the left drawing. However, the central figure demonstrates why it is not possible to create the desired edges on a single die. Note that on the central drawing, the etching area depicted by the dashed lines 110 overlaps the adjacent cutting edges. This means if the user attempted to etch these edges into a single base the acid would etch away the adjacent cutting edge, resulting in the shortened edges from the leftmost drawing. Similarly, the central figure show that the masks needed to form the sharper edges would overlap as the corner is too acute to form from a single mask. Lastly, it is noted that the desired finer edges have too small of a space between them meaning that in use the sheet material between these edges would likely tear. For these reasons, it is not possible to create the desired cutting edges on a single die. However, the claimed invention can produce the desired cutting edge by separating the adjacent edges onto different bases. By separating the cutting edges onto multiple bases, the user removes most of the limits that restrict the size of the cutting edges, except the minimum size of the mask and the etching thickness as determined by the etching technique. More specifically, by separating the cutting edges there is technically infinite space between the edges, allowing the plurality of die to make cuts with smaller angles as each of the vertices creating the angle are cut by a separate die. It is also noted that as the sides of these small angles are cut separately the sheet material will not be trapped between the cutting edges and therefore there is no risk of the material tearing when the cuts are made. Figure 8 provides further examples of desired cutting edges that cannot be formed on a single die. In this case rather than a sharp point, the user wants a pair of curves that are proximate to one another in the design. The problem with such a design on a single die is that the space between the cuts is insufficient for the etching process, more specifically the area that needs to be etched to form each of the curves would overlap resulting in part of the curved cutting edge being worn away. This overlap of the etching area may result in the cutting edges as shown in Figure A, where there is a space in the middle of the curved cutting edges. This again shows why there is a lower definition in patterns formed using a single die, as the etching method limits the minimum spacing between cutting lines. The missing edges in Figure A may be fixed by forming a single cutting edge in the space between the rounded edges as shown in Figure C, however, these blades would not result in the desired design being formed. In other cases, as depicted in Figures B and D, the user may increase the spacing between the cutting edges until there is sufficient room for both cutting edges to be formed. Note that in Figure B to provide sufficient spacing the shape of the cutting edges has been changed to be linear as this would allow the overall edges to be closer though they would now be cutting a different shape into the sheet material. Lastly, Figure D has cutting edges that are the right shape but are spaced farther apart than the edges in Figure B again resulting in a pattern with lower definition. The final column of Figure 8 depicts the cutting edges formed using the claimed cutting dies. In the depicted example the depicted cutting edges have different colors to indicate the edges that are present on different dies, in this case, the left edge would be on one die with the right edge being on another die. By forming the cutting edges on separate die there is no limit on the proximity of the 5 cutting edges as there would be no adjacent edges on a given die. Note that the edges in the final column accurately match the desired cutting-edge shape shown in the first column. This shows how the claimed die can produce more definition in the patterns formed as the lines of the pattern can be cut closer together. This combined with the ability to produce smaller angles allows the claimed die to produce a wider range of patterns compared to a single die. 10 By using the dies and system described above the user can produce more intricate and detailed patterns onto the desired sheet material, by using multiple cutting dies to produce patterns with finer lines that can create clearer edges as well as using different depths of cuts to produce additional details. The pressing system be designed specifically for ease of use as the claimed system would be used for recreational uses. 15

Claims

1. A set of cutting dies configured for use in a recreational system to create a pattern on a sheet material, wherein each die comprises:A planar base; andOne or more raised cutting edges on one side of the planar base, configured to cut one or more lines into the sheet material;Wherein the raised edges have different heights to determine the depth of the cut; andWherein the raised edges of each die of the set of dies are configured to cut a portion of the desired pattern into the sheet material; andwherein one die of the set of dies comprises one or more cutting lugs, configured to form a hole in the sheet material at points that are removed from the cut pattern; andWherein each of the other dies includes one or more pegs configured to be inserted into the holes formed by the lugs to align and orientate the subsequent die.

2. The set of dies in claim 1, wherein the raised edges are formed from acid or electrical edging.

3. The set of dies from claims 1 and 2, wherein the planar base includes one or more indicia to indicate the orientation of the die.

4. The set of dies from any preceding claim, wherein the planar base includes one or more pinholes through the planar base.

5. The set of dies of any preceding claim, wherein the height of the lug or peg on each die is adjusted to determine the depth of the cuts formed by the die.

6. The set of dies of any preceding claim, wherein the lug or peg on each die is arranged into the same irregular pattern or shape.

7. The set of dies of any preceding claim wherein the cutting edges comprise a V-shaped profile.

8. The set of dies of claim 7, wherein the cutting edges comprise a tip angle, meaning the angled formed by the sloped sides of the V-shaped profile, wherein the tip angle is 40° or less.

9. The set of dies of claim 7 or 8, wherein the tip of the cutting edges comprises a rounded or flattened tip.

10. The set of dies of any preceding claim wherein two or more dies of the plurality of die are mounted to a single base.

11. The set of dies of any preceding claim wherein each die is configured to cut an indicum into the sheet material to indicate which die has been used on the sheet material.

12. The set of dies of each preceding claim wherein the base of each die includes an indicium that indicates the order the dies should be used.

13. The system for using the set of die of claims 1 to 12, wherein the system comprises:A plurality of cutting die; andA pressing device configured to press the die into the sheet material to cut the pattern into the sheet material;Wherein the pressing device comprises:a pressing means configured to press the die into the sheet material; and a handle configured to actuate the pressing means.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the pressing means comprise a vertical press plate and a base plate; and wherein the handle is configured to raise or lower the vertical press plate relative to the base plate.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the pressing means comprises a set of rollers, and wherein the handle is configured to rotate one or more of the rollers in a desired direction.

16. The system of any preceding claim wherein the pressing device further comprises an indicium that corresponds to the indicia on the set of die to indicate the orientation of the die.

17. The system of any preceding claim wherein the system further comprises a pair of protective plates.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the protective plates are made of Perspex.

19. The system of any preceding claim further comprises a member configured to be inserted into the pin-holes within the set of die.

20. A method of using the system of claims 13 to 19, the method comprising the steps of: Placing a first die of the set of dies onto a sheet material such that the raised edges of the die rest on the surface of the sheet material;Inserting the sheet material into the pressing device;Actuating the pressing means of the pressing device to apply a pressing force onto the die, such that the raised edges of the die are pressed into the sheet material; Removing the sheet material from the pressing device;Replacing the first die with a subsequent die from the set of dies, ensuring that the lugs in the second die are inserted into the lug holes cut into the sheet material by the first die; andRepeating the steps above with each die from the set of dies.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the pressing device comprises a vertical base and wherein the step of inserting the sheet material into the pressing device comprises resting the sheet material onto the base plate of the pressing device, such that the die is positioned below the pressing plate.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the pressing device comprises a set of rollers and wherein the step of inserting the sheet material into the pressing device comprises inserting the sheet material and die into a receiving aperture within the pressing device such that the sheet material is inserted into a space between the rollers and either the device housing or5 an opposing roller.

23. The method of any preceding claim, further comprising the step of placing a protective plate over the outer surface of the die, refereeing to the surface without the raised cutting edges; Positioning a second protective plate over the surface of the sheet material opposite the10 surface that the die rests upon; andPositioning both protective plates laterally such that the sheet material and die are sandwiched between the protective plates before being inserted into the pressing device.

24. The method of any preceding claim further comprises the step of inserting a member into 15 the pinhole of the die to remove the sheet material from the die.18

Images