Cutting tool

Abstract

To provide a cutting tool capable of easily cutting at a desired position without damaging the fruit stalk or the fruit itself at an unintended place. [Solution] The cutting tool of the present invention comprises a first plate 10 having a hook-shaped pressing portion 11 at its end, a second plate 20 arranged overlapping the first plate 10 and having a blade portion 21 at its end, and a sliding mechanism that enables the second plate 20 to slide relative to the first plate 10 so that the second plate 20 can be changed to a state including a first state in which the blade portion 21 does not intersect with the pressing portion 11, and a second state in which the blade portion 21 intersects with the pressing portion 11, and is characterized in that the pressing portion 11 does not have a blade at the intersection with the blade portion 21.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a cutting tool that is particularly suitable for use in harvesting fruits and vegetables. [Background technology]

[0002] Traditionally, fruits and vegetables such as tomatoes and mandarin oranges have been harvested manually. When harvesting, the stalk (the stem or stalk of the fruit) is cut using scissors. A picking scissors has been proposed that aims to improve harvesting efficiency without requiring skill (see, for example, Patent Document 1). This technology is a pair of scissors with a hook having a cutting blade on the inner circumference at the tip, which hooks the stem of the fruit with the hook, and a plate having a cutting blade at the tip is brought close to the hook by opening and closing the scissors, thereby cutting the stem at the hooked part and picking the fruit. Also proposed is a fruit stalk cutting device that has a fixed blade, a tip part shaped to be easily inserted deep into the stems and leaves of fruits and fruit vegetables, and a movable blade, and cuts the fruit stalk by shearing due to the intersection of the fixed blade and the movable blade (see, for example, Patent Document 2). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 7-99834 [Patent Document 2] JP 2008-11819 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, in the above-mentioned techniques, a blade is provided at the tip of the cutting tool, and therefore, when trying to cut the fruit stalk at the appropriate position, there is a problem that the blade touches the fruit stalk or the fruit itself in an unintended place when positioning it.

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a cutting tool that can easily cut at a desired location without damaging the fruit stalk or the fruit itself in unintended locations. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to achieve the above object, the cutting tool of the present invention comprises a first plate having a hook-shaped pressing portion at an end thereof; A cutting edge is disposed on the first plate. The blade portion is provided at an angle so that the hook-shaped opening side of the pressing portion protrudes. A second plate; a slide mechanism that allows the second plate to slide relative to the first plate so as to be changeable between a first state in which the blade portion does not intersect with the pressing portion and a second state in which the blade portion intersects with the pressing portion; In the second state, the tip of the blade portion moves to a position protruding beyond the tip of the pressing portion at the end of the first plate, The pressing portion is characterized in that it does not have a blade at an intersection with the blade portion.

[0007] In the cutting tool of the present invention ,before In the first state, it is preferable that the first plate and the second plate are overlapped so that the blade portion is not exposed from the hook-shaped portion.

[0008] In the cutting tool of the present invention, it is preferable that the angle of the base of the pressing portion of the first plate is within a range of 45° to 135° with respect to the direction in which the plate slides due to the sliding mechanism.

[0009] In the cutting tool of the present invention, it is preferable that the angle of the tip of the blade is within a range of 30° to 90° with respect to the direction of sliding by the sliding mechanism.

[0010] In the cutting tool of the present invention, the rigidity of the first plate is preferably higher than the rigidity of the second plate.

[0011] The cutting tool of the present invention preferably further comprises a cover member, and the second plate is disposed between the cover member and the first plate. Effect of the Invention

[0012] According to the present invention, a cutting tool can be provided that can easily cut at a desired location without damaging the fruit stalk or the fruit itself in unintended locations. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a front view of a cutting accessory according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is an exploded view showing the main components that make up a cutting accessory according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 illustrates the process of changing the cutting accessory from a first state to a second state. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 shows the state in which the cutting accessory is operated with the right hand. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 illustrates another state in which the cutting accessory may be operated. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a partially enlarged view of the vicinity of the pressing portion of the first plate. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a partially enlarged view of the vicinity of the blade portion of the second plate. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 shows a modified cutting accessory. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 shows an example of the cutting accessory in use. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0014] The cutting tool of the present invention will be described with examples. However, the present invention is not limited to or restricted by the following examples. The drawings referred to below are schematic, and the dimensional ratios of objects depicted in the drawings may differ from the dimensional ratios of real objects. The dimensional ratios of objects may also differ between drawings.

[0015] The cutting tool of the present invention comprises a first plate having a hook-shaped pressing portion at an end, a second plate arranged overlapping the first plate and having a blade portion at an end, and a sliding mechanism that allows the second plate to slide relative to the first plate. The sliding mechanism slides the second plate so that it can change between a first state in which the blade portion of the second plate does not intersect with the pressing portion of the first plate, and a second state in which the blade portion intersects with the pressing portion. The pressing portion does not have a blade at the intersection with the blade portion.

[0016] (First embodiment) 1 and 2 show a cutting tool according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1(A) is a front view of a cutting tool 100 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1(B) is a front view of the cutting tool 100 with the first plate 10 removed, and FIG. 2 is an exploded view showing the main components constituting the cutting tool 100. The cutting tool 100 includes a first plate 10 and a second plate 20. The first plate 10 has a hook-shaped pressing portion 11 at its end so that a fruit stalk or the like can be hooked and inserted when cutting the fruit stalk or the like. The second plate 20 has a blade portion 21 at its end. FIG. 1 shows a state in which the second plate 20 is slightly protruded by slightly pressing the plunger 30 so that the state of each component can be seen. The cutting tool 100 has the plates overlapped so that the pressing portion 11 of the first plate 10 and the blade portion 21 of the second plate 20 are in the same direction. Then, the hook of the holding part 11 is hooked on the fruit stalk or the like to be cut. In this state, when the blade part 21 of the second plate 20 is slid in a direction intersecting with the holding part 11, the fruit stalk or the like can be cut by the blade part 21 at the part hooked on the hook. At this time, the part to be cut can be fixed by the holding part 11, so cutting at the desired position is easy. In the present invention, the holding part 11 does not have a blade at the inner part of the hook shape, that is, the part intersecting with the blade part 21. Since there is no blade at this part, when using the cutting tool 100, it is possible to prevent the blade from touching and damaging the fruit stalk or the fruit itself in an unintended place when positioning the cutting part. When harvesting fruits and vegetables, there may be branches and leaves growing around the fruit to be harvested, or there may be a fruit stalk of another fruit in a nearby place. In such cases, it is difficult to see the suitable position for the cutting part, and it is necessary to position it while pushing aside the branches and leaves and other fruit stalks. It is difficult to see when the object is at a high place. Even in such a situation, by using the cutting tool of the present invention, it is possible to prevent damage to fruit stalks other than those to be harvested, even if the hand, including the cutting tool, is inserted into the area where branches, leaves, and fruit stalks are overgrown.

[0017] The sliding mechanism in the present invention is a mechanism for sliding the second plate 20 so that it can be changed between a first state in which the blade portion 21 of the second plate 20 does not intersect with the pressing portion 11 of the first plate 10 and a second state in which the blade portion 21 intersects with the pressing portion 11. In this embodiment, the second plate 20 is attached with a pusher 30, which facilitates the sliding movement of the second plate 20. In addition, the second plate 20 has a cover member 40, and is disposed between the cover member 40 and the first plate 10 so as to sandwich the second plate 20, thereby reducing the exposure of the blade portion 21 and making it safer to handle when carrying or the like. The second plate 20 and the pusher 30 are preferably provided with a hole in the center of the second plate 20 to be attached, and the pusher 30 is preferably provided with a protrusion that matches the hole and a fitting portion (recessed portion) that matches the shape of the second plate 20 to fix the second plate 20. With such a structure, the second plate 20 can be easily placed (coupled) to the pusher 30, and the second plate can be easily replaced. In addition, it is possible to prevent the second plate 20 from being oriented at an angle when the pusher 30 is pressed. In this embodiment, by sliding the pusher 30 relative to the cover member 40, the second plate 20 can be moved in the direction of the pressing portion 11 of the first plate.

[0018] FIG. 3 shows the process of changing the cutting tool 100 from the first state to the second state. FIG. 3(A) and FIG. 3(B) are an example of the first state in which the blade portion 21 of the second plate 20 does not intersect with the holding portion 11 of the first plate 10. FIG. 3(A) shows the state in which the blade portion 21 is not visible from the opening of the hook shape. In this state, the opening of the hook shape is not narrowed by the blade portion 21, so that it is easy to insert the fruit stalk or the like into the inside of the hook shape when positioning the cutting part. In addition, since the tip of the blade is not exposed, it is possible to prevent damage to the fruit stalk or the like at the position before the determination when positioning the cutting part. FIG. 3(B) shows the state in which the pusher 30 is slightly pushed from the state of FIG. 3(A) and the tip of the blade portion 21 is slightly exposed. FIG. 3(C) shows the state in which the second plate 20 slides further toward the holding portion 11 and the tip of the blade portion 21 reaches the hook-shaped tip of the holding portion 11. There is a space S between the pressing portion 11 and the blade portion 21, into which the fruit stalk or the like to be cut fits. Figure 3(D) shows the second state in which the blade portion 21 intersects with the pressing portion 11. By sliding the second plate 20 to this position, the fruit stalk or the like is cut.

[0019] The blade portion 21 of the second plate 20 is preferably provided at an angle so that the opening side of the hook shape of the pressing portion 11 protrudes. If the blade portion 21 has an oblique shape protruding toward the opening side of the hook, a space is created between the pressing portion 11 and the blade portion 21 into which the fruit stalk or the like enters when changing from the first state to the second state. Since the pressing portion 11 and the blade portion 21 can surround the fruit stalk or the like, the fruit stalk or the like can be cut efficiently without slipping away when the blade portion 21 is pressed. In addition, if the blade portion 21 has an oblique shape, cutting can be performed by sliding the blade and pulling it to cut, and a clean cut surface can be obtained without pressing and crushing the fruit stalk or the like as in the case of using scissors or the like.

[0020] It is preferable that the first plate 10 and the second plate 20 are overlapped so that the slanted tip of the blade portion 21 is not exposed from the hook-shaped portion of the pressing portion 11 in the first state. In the first state, the blade portion 21 is not exposed from the hook-shaped portion, which is preferable because it prevents damage to the fruit stalk when positioning the cutting area and ensures safety when touched with hands.

[0021] The cover member 40 is preferably provided with rail portions 41 for supporting the sliding movement of the second plate 20. The cover member 40 is also preferably provided with fasteners 42 for holding the first plate 10. The presence of the fasteners maintains the surface-to-surface distance between the first plate 10 and the second plate 20 within a certain range, and prevents the blade from moving due to bending during cutting (the surface-to-surface distance between the blade and the pressing portion from widening).

[0022] Furthermore, it is preferable that the cover member 40 is provided with a finger hook 50. Fig. 4 is a diagram showing a state in which the cutting tool 100 is operated with the right hand. As shown in Fig. 4(A), the middle finger is hooked on one of the finger hooks 50, the pusher 30 is held against the palm of the hand, and the hand is moved as if to grip the hand, whereby the pusher 30 is pressed against the cover member 40.

[0023] Alternatively, the pusher 30 can be held by placing the middle finger on one finger hook portion 50 and the index finger on the other finger hook portion 50, and placing the pusher 30 against the palm of the hand. Alternatively, the thumb can be placed on the pusher 30, and the pusher 30 can be held and pressed using three fingers. The movement of the pusher 30 is not limited to pushing it, and the pusher 30 can be supported by the palm or thumb and moved by pulling the finger hook portion 50 with the fingers. The finger hook portion 50 can also be pulled with the fingers while pushing the pusher 30. In either case, the pusher 30 of the cutting tool 100 is moved in a direction that shortens the distance between the pusher 30 and the cover member 40.

[0024] When the pusher 30 is pushed in (the finger hook 50 is pulled), as shown in FIG. 4(B), the second plate 20 slides relative to the first plate 10, and the fruit stalk inserted into the hook-shaped pressing part 11 can be cut by the blade part 21 at the end of the second plate 20. FIG. 4 shows the case where the cutting tool 100 is inserted from the right side of the fruit stalk, but this cutting tool can be operated in the same way from the opposite direction. FIG. 5 shows another state in which the cutting tool 100 is operated. When used as shown in FIG. 5(A), the cutting tool 100 can be inserted from the left side of the fruit stalk and cut it. FIG. 5(B) shows the state in which the cutting tool 100 is operated with the left hand. The cutting tool of this embodiment can be used suitably with either the right hand or the left hand.

[0025] It is preferable to interpose an elastic member such as a spring (not shown) between the pusher 30 and the cover member 40. It is preferable to interpose an elastic member such as a spring so that the blade portion 21 of the second plate 20 is maintained in a state where it does not protrude into the opening portion of the hook shape when no force is applied, the spring or the like is pressed to enable cutting when force is applied, and the original state is restored when the force is released. By providing an elastic member such as a spring in a state where the pusher 30 returns to its original state after being pressed, the pusher 30 pressed against the cover member 40 can be returned to its original position from the second state where the blade portion 21 intersects with the pressing portion 11 by opening the gripping hand, and can be returned to the first state. Harvesting fruits and vegetables requires cutting a large amount of fruits and vegetables one by one. Therefore, by performing the action of returning the blade portion 21 by the force of the elastic member, the burden on the worker can be reduced and the work efficiency can be significantly improved. In addition, since the blade portion 21 can be returned to its original position simply by opening the gripping hand, it is easy to operate with one hand.

[0026] Here, the "hook shape" may be any shape that allows the fruit stalk to be hooked and inserted. FIG. 6 shows a partially enlarged view of the vicinity of the pressing part 11 of the first plate 10. FIG. 6(A) shows an example in which the angle θ1 of the base of the pressing part of the first plate is an obtuse angle, and FIG. 6(B) shows an example in which the angle θ1 of the base of the pressing part of the first plate is an acute angle. The angle θ1 of the base of the pressing part of the first plate shown in the figure is preferably in the range of 45° to 135° with respect to the direction of sliding by the slide mechanism. Since the opening (frontage) of the hook shape is wider, it is easier to insert the fruit stalk, etc., so the angle θ1 is more preferably in the range of 90° to 135°. As shown in FIG. 6(B), even if the angle θ1 is an acute angle, the cutting function itself is not affected, but if there is a wide portion from the frontage of the hook shape to the back, when trying to stop cutting the fruit stalk, etc. that has been inserted, it may get caught at the base of the pressing part and not be able to be smoothly removed. On the other hand, if the angle θ1 is an acute angle, the fruit stalk or the like inserted inside the hook shape can be firmly secured even at the front side of the hook shape, so that, for example, when the cutting tool 100 is held and operated with the pressing part 11 facing downward (the plunger 30 facing upward), the cutting tool 100 has the advantage of being easier to grasp the cutting part. If the angle θ1 is too large, when the exposure of the blade part 21 is suppressed in the first state, a long stroke (movement distance) is required to make the blade part 21 intersect with the pressing part 11 in the second state, which reduces workability. In addition, when the first plate 10 is clamped and fastened by the fastening part 42, if the angle θ1 is too large, the distance at which the tip of the pressing part 11 moves away from the fastening part 42 increases. Therefore, depending on the material of the first plate, it may be unstable due to bending during cutting, so it is preferable that the angle θ1 is 135° or less.

[0027] 7 shows a partially enlarged view of the vicinity of the blade portion 21 of the second plate 20. The angle θ2 of the tip of the blade portion 21 is preferably within a range of 30° to 90° with respect to the direction of sliding by the slide mechanism. The angle θ2 is more preferably within a range of 30° to 60°. The sharper the angle θ2, the easier it is to cut, but if the angle is too sharp, a long stroke (travel distance) is required to shift the second state until there is no space left, reducing workability.

[0028] The rigidity of the first plate 10 is preferably higher than that of the second plate 20. For example, the first plate 10 is preferably made of a material having a higher rigidity than the second plate 20, such as a combination of the first plate 10 being stainless steel and the second plate 20 being ceramic. Alternatively, the first plate 10 and the second plate 20 may be made of the same material, such as both being stainless steel or both being ceramic, and in this case, it is preferable to change the thickness or the like so that the rigidity of both plates satisfies the above-mentioned relationship.

[0029] When using stainless steel, it is preferable to use a material that has been treated with a coating or the like to prevent rust caused by sap. Since using stainless steel for both the first plate 10 and the second plate 20 increases costs, it is preferable to use ceramic for the second plate 20. It is preferable to use stainless steel, which has high rigidity and is resistant to deformation and breakage, for the first plate 10, which requires a pressing force during cutting, and ceramic, a material that does not rust, for the second plate 20, which needs to maintain its cutting function.

[0030] As described above, the pressing portion 11 does not have a blade on the inside of the hook shape. However, even if it is not formed as a blade, if the part forming the pressing portion 11 is thin, it may have a sharp end. Therefore, the thickness of the first plate 10 including the pressing portion 11 is preferably within a range of about 0.5 mm to 3 mm in the case of stainless steel. The cross-sectional shape of the end of the pressing portion 11 is preferably rectangular.

[0031] The cutting tool of the present invention has a structure that allows easy assembly and disassembly. Therefore, it can be disassembled and cleaned after use. If the second plate 20 that functions as a blade is not sharp, the cutting function will be reduced. However, in the cutting tool of the present invention, each component can be easily replaced, so the cutting function can be maintained even by replacing the components.

[0032] The cutting tool 100 may be set in size, length, size of the hook-shaped opening, blade length of the blade section 21, and stroke length of the slide according to the size (thickness) of the cutting object. The suitable size is preferably changed according to the characteristics of the cutting object. For example, when used to harvest tomatoes or strawberries, it is preferable to set the opening width to about 10 mm to 20 mm and the stroke length to about 10 mm to 30 mm for good operability. It is preferable to change the size of the hook of the pressing section 11 of the first plate 10 to a diameter according to the diameter of the cutting object. In that case, it is good to change the width of the blade section 21 according to the diameter of the hook. In addition, the lengths of the first plate 10 (pressing section 11), the cover member 40, the second plate 20, etc., which are parts constituting the handle, may be changed. When the cutting object is difficult to reach because it is deep inside the leaves or high up, it is preferable to use a long handle. In addition, it is preferable that the second plate 20 is held in a balanced manner so that the blade section 21 does not move in a wavy manner in a direction other than the cutting direction during cutting. In the cutting tool 100, the second plate 20 is disposed between the cover member 40 and the first plate 10, so that it can be pressed with a surface area, thereby making it stable during cutting. When cutting a hard object, it is preferable that the pressing area is large.

[0033] In the first embodiment, an example has been shown in which the finger hook portion 50 is integrally formed with the cover member 40, but these members do not have to be integral with each other and may be formed as separate members.

[0034] 8, the surface of the cover member 40 (the side on which the first plate 10 and the second plate 20 are not arranged) may have a concave-shaped main body finger hook 43 on which the fingertips can be hooked to stabilize the cutting tool when the cutting tool is held as in FIG. 5(A). In this case, the main body finger hook 43 can be fixed with the fingers and the plunger 30 can be pushed with the palm or thumb. Alternatively, the plunger 30 can be supported with the palm or thumb and the main body finger hook 43 can be moved as if being pulled with the fingers. The main body finger hook 43 may be pulled with the fingers while pushing the plunger 30.

[0035] It is also preferable to provide a protrusion 60 for hanging a support member on the finger hook 50 and hang the support member on it when in use. It is preferable to use an elastic body such as a rubber band as the support member. As shown in Fig. 9, by hanging a rubber band (support member 70) on the protrusion 60 and inserting a finger into the space formed by the rubber band and the finger hook 50, the cutting tool 100 can be hooked on a finger even when the hand is opened, without falling off the hand. This allows the number of tasks that can be easily performed with one hand to be increased, improving work efficiency.

[0036] In the first embodiment, an example having the cover member 40 is shown, but the cover member 40 does not have to be used. For example, a rail portion or a fastening portion may be provided on the first plate 10 having the pressing portion 11, and the second plate 20 having the blade portion 21 is inserted into the rail portion and held by the fastening portion to form a cutting tool of the present invention.

[0037] In the conventional technology, the cutting is performed by shearing, where two blades pass each other like scissors, and there is a problem that the cut surface is easily crushed. According to the present invention, it is possible to easily cut at a desired position without damaging the stalk or the fruit itself in an unintended place, and a clean cut surface can be obtained. When scissors are used, the fingers rub against the part where the fingers of the scissors are inserted, causing pain, and the palm becomes tired due to repeated cutting operations with the scissors, but these problems are solved by using the cutting tool of the present invention. In the above, the present invention has been described mainly by taking the scene of harvesting fruits as a specific example of the embodiment, but the cutting tool of the present invention is not limited to only those described in the specific example, and various forms are possible. The cutting tool of the present invention can be suitably used for cutting roots, stems, leaves, vines, branches, etc. during the cultivation and harvesting of vegetables and fruits, and can also be suitably used for cutting objects such as threads, strings, wires, etc. that were previously cut using a cutter knife or scissors. [Explanation of symbols]

[0038] 100 cutting tools 10 First Plate 11 Pressing part 20 Second Plate 21 Blade 30 Pusher 40 Cover member 41 Rail section 42 Fastening 43 Body finger rest 50 Finger rest 60 protrusions 70 Support member

Claims

1. a first plate having a hook-shaped pressing portion at an end thereof; a second plate arranged in a state overlapping the first plate, the second plate having a blade portion at an end, the blade portion being obliquely provided so that an opening side of the hook shape of the pressing portion protrudes; a slide mechanism that allows the second plate to slide relative to the first plate so as to be changeable between a first state in which the blade portion does not intersect with the pressing portion and a second state in which the blade portion intersects with the pressing portion; In the second state, the tip of the blade portion moves to a position protruding beyond the tip of the pressing portion at the end of the first plate, A cutting tool, wherein the pressing portion does not have a blade at an intersection with the blade portion.

2. A cutting tool as described in claim 1, wherein in the first state, the first plate and the second plate are overlapped so that the blade portion is not exposed from the hook-shaped portion.

3. 2. The cutting tool of claim 1, wherein an angle of a base of the pressing portion of the first plate is within a range of 45 degrees to 135 degrees with respect to a direction in which the first plate slides due to the sliding mechanism.

4. 2. The cutting tool of claim 1, wherein the angle of the tip of the blade portion is within a range of 30 degrees to 90 degrees with respect to the direction in which the blade portion slides due to the sliding mechanism.

5. The cutting accessory of claim 1 , wherein the first plate has a stiffness greater than a stiffness of the second plate.

6. Further, a cover member is provided. The cutting tool of claim 1 , wherein the second plate is disposed between the cover member and the first plate.

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