Helical Knife With Arcuate Surface Structure For Hide Processing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional knives used for processing animal hides introduce significant cutting forces, leading to frictional contact that stretches and damages the hide, resulting in uneven thickness and potential damage due to differential sensitivity of structural areas.
Innovation Solution
The knife features a surface structure with arcuate mountain and valley lines that are parallel to each other, reducing energy input and tensile stress by distributing force evenly, allowing for gentler processing and maintaining sharpness over the knife's lifespan.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a conventional knife with a smooth surface is used for processing animal hides, then the cutting action is straightforward, but significant cutting forces are introduced that stretch and damage the hide, resulting in uneven thickness and potential damage
Solution Approach 1:
The knife surface is equipped with a structured surface featuring alternating mountain lines and valley lines instead of a smooth surface. This local structural modification creates multiple contact points that distribute the cutting force, reducing frictional contact and preventing stretching and damage to the animal hide while maintaining effective cutting action.
Solution Approach 2:
The cutting surface is segmented into multiple discrete contact elements (mountain lines and valley lines) rather than a continuous smooth surface. This segmentation allows the cutting force to be distributed across multiple points, reducing the concentration of stress and minimizing harmful frictional effects on the processed material.
2Use of energy by moving object
If a knife with a structured surface featuring mountain lines and valley lines is used, then energy input and tensile stress are reduced, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The mountain lines and valley lines are designed with arcuate geometry rather than straight lines. This curvature allows the surface structure to better conform to the contact geometry during cutting, optimizing the distribution of forces and reducing energy input while the regular repeating pattern keeps manufacturing complexity manageable.
Solution Approach 2:
The surface structure parameters (arc radius, spacing between mountain and valley lines, depth of modulation) are optimized to achieve the desired reduction in energy input and tensile stress. By carefully selecting these parameters, the patent balances the reduction in energy consumption against the increase in manufacturing complexity.
3Ease of manufacture
If mountain lines and valley lines run in a straight line, then the surface structure is simpler to manufacture, but the force distribution is less effective in reducing longitudinal forces
Solution Approach 1:
The mountain lines and valley lines are designed as arcs rather than straight lines. This curvature improves the force distribution by better matching the contact geometry during cutting, effectively reducing longitudinal forces on the animal hide. The arcuate shape allows for more gradual force distribution compared to straight lines.
Solution Approach 2:
The surface structure creates a composite interaction between the knife surface and the animal hide, with the mountain and valley lines working together to distribute forces. The combination of curved geometry and structured pattern creates a synergistic effect that reduces longitudinal forces more effectively than straight lines would achieve.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present application relates to a knife (1), in particular a folding knife for processing animal hides and leather goods, comprising an elongated, flat knife leg (2) which is helically formed along its longitudinal axis (3) about a central axis (4) such that the longitudinal axis (3) of the knife (1) is helically formed, wherein the knife leg (2) has a cutting section (5) at an upper end facing away from the central axis (4) which includes a cutting edge (6) at its upper end, wherein the knife (1) has, at least in its cutting section (5), a surface structure (7) that is elongated compared to a smooth surface which - viewed along the longitudinal axis (3) of the knife (1) - has regularly alternating high points (8) and low points (9), wherein peak lines (10) and valley lines (11), which correspond to the high points (8) and low points (9) of the surface structure (7),extending from the cutting edge (6) in the direction of the longitudinal axis (3) of the knife (1). To provide a knife with which comparatively gentle processing of animal hides is possible, it is proposed according to the invention that the peak lines (10) and valley lines (11) extend in an arc shape, wherein the peak lines (10) and the valley lines (11) each have a variable radius over their length. Furthermore, the present application relates to a cutting device (14) equipped with knives (1) according to the invention and to a method for manufacturing a knife (1) according to the invention.