CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial Number 63/053, 125, filed on July 17, 2020, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

The present disclosure is directed to a blade sharpener. In particular, the disclosure is related to a blade sharpener specifically adapted and configured to sharpen circular and round blades commonly used in defatting and deboning processes. More in particular, the disclosure is directed to a sharpener that can sharpen round or circular blades that are used in connection with knives such as that shown by way of example and not in any limiting sense in US 8448340. As will become evident from the disclosure that follows, the blade sharpener may be located next to a meat cutting workstation and the user may insert the rotary cutter between rods on the blade sharpener to sharpen the blade of the rotary cutter. This allows the user to conveniently sharpen the rotatory cutter when necessary.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary blade sharpener.

Figure 2 is a front view of the blade sharpener of Figure 1 showing hubs of the blade sharpener rotated to an outer position of the rods relative to the frame.

Figure 3 is a right side view of the blade sharpener of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a rear view of the blade sharpener of Figure 2. Figure 5 is a front view of the blade sharpener of Figure 2 with a right hub removed to provide additional detail of an axle pin on which the hub is rotatably disposed, a hub position limiter pin, and a torsion spring engagement pin that secures an outer portion of the torsion spring to a frame of the blade sharpener. Figure 6 is a perspective view of a hub of the blade sharpener of Figure 2.

Figure 7 is a rear view of the hub of Figure 6 showing a recess in the back of the hub that houses the torsion spring, a center axle pin receiving hole that receives an axle pin to allow the hub to rotate relative to the frame, and a center locator around the center axle pin receiving hole that secures an inner portion of the torsion spring to the center of the hub.

Figure 8 is a partial, enlarged detail view of the hub of Figure 6 showing rod receiving holes that receive ends of rods of the blade sharpener and allow the rods to be mounted to the hub, threaded holes in the hub that receive set screws which secure the rods to the hub in the rod receiving holes, a threaded hole in the hub that receives a set screw and allows the hub to be rotatably mounted to an axle pin of the frame, the torsion spring in phantom, the torsion spring engagement pin in phantom, the hub position limiter pin in phantom, and a cut-out in the rear of the hub that engages the hub position limiter pin.

Figure 9 is a front view of the hub of Figure 6 with the rod receiving holes, the threaded set screw rod engagement holes, the axle pin receiving hole, the threaded set screw axle pin engagement hole, the hub cut-out, and torsion spring center locator shown in hidden lines.

Figure 10 is a rear view of the hub of Figure 6 showing the hub cut-out, the center axle pin engagement hole, and the torsion spring center locator with the rod receiving holes, the threaded set screw rod engagement holes, and the threaded set screw axle pin engagement hole shown in hidden lines.

Figure 11 is a side view of the hub of Figure 6 showing the threaded set screw rod engagement holes and the threaded set screw axle pin engagement hole at the 9 o’clock position, with the rod receiving holes, the axle pin receiving hole, the hub cut-out, and torsion spring center locator shown in hidden lines.

Figure 12 is a side view of the hub of Figure 11 rotated 90 degrees counter-clockwise or downward of the view of Figure 11 and showing the threaded set screw rod engagement holes and the threaded set screw axle pin engagement hole at the 6 o’clock position, with the rod receiving holes, the axle pin receiving hole, the hub cut-out, and torsion spring center locator shown in hidden lines.

Figure 13 is a side view of the hub of Figure 12 rotated 90 degrees counter-clockwise or downward of the view of Figure 12 and showing the rod receiving holes, with the threaded set screw rod engagement holes, the threaded set screw axle pin engagement hole at the 3 o’clock position, the axle pin receiving hole, the hub cut-out, and torsion spring center locator shown in hidden lines.

Figure 14 is a front of the blade sharpener of Figure 1 showing the hubs rotated to an inner position of the rods relative to the frame.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The exemplary blade sharpener 20 has a frame 22. The frame may be adapted and configured to allow the blade sharpener to be located on a structure adjacent a meat cutting workstation. Accordingly, the frame may have mounting holes and surfaces for such purposes. The frame may also have a handle to allow the user to manually hold the blade sharpener while sharpening a cutter of a rotary cutter. The frame may have a center axis 24 with the frame being symmetrical about the center axis 24. The center axis 24 may define a plane with the plane defining opposite first and second sides of the plane.

The blade sharpener 20 may have first and second rods 26,28 adapted and configured to engage a blade to be sharpened. The rods 26,28 may be formed from hardened steel, and more in particular, hardened stainless steel, and more in particular, ASTM 440C stainless steel hardened to 53 Rc- 55 Rc and passivated to resist corrosion.

The blade sharpener 20 may be provided with a first hub 30 and may be provided with a second hub 32. The first hub 30 may be operatively connected to the frame 22. The second hub 32 may be operatively connected to the frame 22. The first rod 26 may be operatively connected to the first hub 30. The second rod 28 may be operatively connected to the second hub 32. The second hub 32 may be laterally spaced from the first hub 30 across the center axis 24 and thus the hubs 30,32 and the rods 26, 28 may be symmetric across the center axis 24 and plane. As shown in the drawings (see e.g., Fig. 5), the frame 22 may have an axle pin 36 for a hub. The axle pin 36 may be rigidly mounted to the frame 22 with the distal end of the axle pin 36 projecting from a front face 38 of the frame 22. The axle pin 36 may have a recessed diameter portion adjacent its distal end. The hub 30,32 may have a center hole 40 on its rear surface adapted and configured to receive the axle pin 36. The hub 30,32 may be rotatably disposed on the axle pin 36. The hub 30,32 may have a cylindrical outer surface with a threaded hole 42 extending from the cylindrical outer surface to the center of the hub through the center axle pin receiving hole 40. A axle pin set screw 44 may be directed through the threaded set screw axle pin engagement hole 42 to engage the recess of the axle pin 40. The axle pin set screw 44 is positioned in the recess of the axle pin 40 to prevent axial motion of the hub relative to the axle pin but to allow the hub to rotate on the axle pin. This allows the hub 30,32 to be removably secured and rotatably disposed on the axle pin 40. Accordingly, the hub 30,32 is adapted and configured to rotate relative to the frame 22 while the axle pin 40 is stationary relative to the frame 22. Alternatively, the axle pin 40 may rotate with the hub relative to the frame 22. The first and second hubs 30,32 may have a like construction in this regard.

Also, as shown in the drawings, the rods 26,28 are removably secured to a respective hub 30,32. The hub 30,32 may be provided with rod receiving holes 50 that receive ends of the rods and allow the rods to be mounted to the hub.

The hub 30,32 may also be provided with threaded holes 52 in the hub that receive set screws 54 which secure the rods to the hub in the rod receiving holes. The threaded set screw rod engagement holes 52 may be directed through the hub in a manner to intersect the rod receiving holes 50. Rod engagement set screws 54 may be directed through the threaded set screw rod engagement holes 52 to pin the rod ends in place in the rod receiving holes 50. Alternatively, the rod ends may be mechanically joined to the hub by deformation (e.g., crimping/staking/swaging), thermal expansion and contraction, adhering, or threading, and the threaded set screw rod engagement holes may be eliminated. The first and second hubs 30, 32 may have a like construction in this regard.

The first hub 30 may be adapted and configured to rotate between an outer position of the first rod 26 relative to the frame 22, and an inner position of the first rod 26 relative to the frame 22. The second hub 32 may be adapted and configured to rotate between an outer position of the second rod 28 relative to the frame 22, and an inner position of the second rod 28 relative to the frame 22. When the first hub 30 is in the outer position, the first rod 26 extends away from the frame 22 and crosses from the first side of the plane to the second side of the plane at an outer distance 60 (see, e.g., Fig. 2). When the first hub 30 is in the inner position, the first rod 26 extends away from the frame 22 and crosses from the first side of the plane to the second side of the plane at an inner distance 62 (see, e.g., Fig. 14). The first rod inner distance 62 is closer to the frame 22 than the first rod outer distance 60. When the second hub 32 is in the outer position, the second rod 28 extends away from the frame 22 and crosses from the second side of the plane to the first side of the plane at an outer distance 64 (see, e.g., Fig. 2). When the second hub 32 is in the inner position, the second rod 28 extends away from the frame 22 and crosses from the second side of the plane to the first side of the plane at an inner distance 66 (see, e.g., Fig. 14). The second rod inner distance 66 is closer to the frame 22 than the second rod outer distance 64. When the first hub 30 is in the outer position and when the second hub 32 is in the outer position, the first and second rods 26,28 may form a general x-shape in plan view (see, e.g., Fig. 2). When the first hub 30 is in the outer position, the first rod 26 may cross from the first side of the plane to the second side of the plane at an intersection point 68, and when the second hub 32 is in the outer position, the second rod 28 extends away from the frame 22 and may cross from the second side of the plane to the first side of the plane at the intersection point 68. The first rod 26 may have first and second members 70,72 laterally spaced from one another. The first and second members 70,72 of the first rod 26 may be parallel to each other and may form a loop at a distal end of the first rod 26. The second rod 28 may have first and second members 74,76 laterally spaced from one another. The first and second members 70,72 of the second rod 28 may be parallel to each other and may form a loop at a distal end of the second rod 28. Alternatively, the first rod 26 and/or the second rod 28 may be an elongate structure. As best shown in Figure 3, the first rod first member 70 is laterally outboard of the second rod first member 74, and the second rod second member 76 is laterally outboard of the first rod second member 72. Other configurations may also be used. For instance, the first rod first member 70 may be laterally outboard of the second rod first member 74, and the first rod second member 72 may be laterally outboard of the second rod second member 76.

The first hub 30 may formed with two rod receiving holes 50 and two corresponding threaded set screw rod engagement holes 52 to receive the ends of the first rod first and second members 70,72. The second hub 32 may formed with two rod receiving holes 50 and two corresponding threaded set screw rod engagement holes 52 to receive the ends of the second rod first and second members 74,76. The number of rod receiving holes 50 and corresponding threaded set screw rod engagement holes 52 may be configured as needed depending upon the structure of the rods (two members or elongate). As shown in Figure 3, the first rod first member 70 abuts the second rod first member 74, and the second rod second member abuts 76 the first rod second member 72 at the intersection point 68. However, it is not necessary that the first rod first member 70 abuts the second rod first member 74, or that the second rod second member abuts 76 the first rod second member 72.

Making reference to Figure 2, when the first hub 30 is in the outer position, the first rod 26 may have a first region extending from the hub 30 to the intersection point 68 that is curvilinear. For instance, when the first hub 30 is in the outer position, the first rod first region may be convex relative to the plane. Also, when the first hub 30 is in the outer position, the first rod 26 may have a second region extending from the intersection point 68 to a distal end of the first rod that is curvilinear. For instance, when the first hub 30 is in the outer position, the first rod second region may be concave relative to the plane. In a similar fashion, when the second hub 32 is in the outer position, the second rod 28 may have a first region extending from the hub 32 to the intersection point 68 that is curvilinear. For instance, when the second hub 32 is in the outer position, the second rod 28 may have a first region that is convex relative to the plane.

Also, when the second hub 32 is in the outer position, the second rod 28 may have a second region extending from the intersection point 68 to a distal end of the second rod that is curvilinear. For example, when the second hub 32 is in the outer position, the second rod second region may be concave relative to the plane. This shape allows a circular or rounded blade of the rotary cutter to engage the rods for sharpening the blade, and also allows the user to easily insert the rotary cutter between the rods 26,28 and move the rotary cutter in a reciprocating motion along the direction of the center axis 24 between the rods to sharpen the blade.

To facilitate sharpening of the blade and the reciprocating motion of the user along the direction of the center axis 24 between the rods to sharpen the blade, the first hub 30 may be biased to rotate from the inner position to the outer position. In other words, the user may move the rotary cutter downward so as to move the first rod 26 in a clockwise motion from that shown in Figure 2 to that shown in Figure 14 against spring pressure, such that the first rod spring returns upward as the first hub 30 rotates to the outer position as the rotary cutter is moved upward. In addition or in the alternative, the second hub 28 may be biased to rotate from the inner position to the outer position. In other words, the user may move the rotary cutter downward so as to move the second rod 28 in a counterclockwise motion from that shown in Figure 2 to that shown in Figure 14 against spring pressure, such that the second rod spring returns upward as the second hub 32 rotates to the outer position as the rotary cutter is moved upward. The hub 30,32 may be provided with a torsion spring 80 that is configured to bias the hub 30,32 to rotate from the inner position to the outer position. The torsion spring 80 may be positioned in a recess in the rear face of the hub 30,32. Thus, when the rotary cutter is inserted between the rods 26,28, the blade of the cutter engages the rods 26,28 in a manner that causes the distal ends of the rods to move away from each other which in turn causes the hubs 30,32 to rotate against torsion spring pressure from the outer positions of the hubs 30,32 to the inner positions of the hubs 30,32. The increase in the distance between the rods 26,68 allows the user to insert the blade of the cutter between the rods and more easily accommodates sharpening of a round or circular blade. When the blade of the cutter is removed from between the rods 26, 28, the blade releases from the rods 26, 68, and the hubs 30, 32 rotate by virtue of torsion spring pressure in a manner causing the rods 26, 28 to move toward each other as the hubs 30, 32 rotate from the inner positions of the hubs 30, 32 to the outer positions of the hubs 30, 32. An inner end of the torsion spring 80 may be secured around a center locator 40 on the rear face of the hub 30,32. An outer end of the torsion spring 80 may secured around a pin 86 fixed to the frame.

The blade sharpener may include a position limiter for one or more of the hubs 30, 32. The first hub 30 may have a first hub position limiter configured and adapted to set the position of the outer position and the inner position of the first hub 30. The second hub 32 may have a second hub position limiter configured and adapted to set the position of the outer position and the inner position of the second hub 32. The positioner limiter for the hub 30,32 may comprise a cut-out 90 on a face of the hub 30, 32 and a pin 92 extending outward from the front face 38 of the frame 22 that is configured to engage one side of the cut-out 90 when the hub 30, 32 is in the inner position and an opposite side of the cut-out when the hub is in the outer position. One or both of the hubs 30, 32 may be configured with a cut-out 90 and pin 92. Further embodiments can be envisioned by one of ordinary skill in the art after reading this disclosure. In other embodiments, combinations or sub combinations of the above-disclosed invention can be advantageously made. The example arrangements of components are shown for purposes of illustration and it should be understood that combinations, additions, re-arrangements, and the like are contemplated in alternative embodiments of the present invention. Thus, various modifications and changes may be made thereunto without departing from the broader spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the claims and that the invention is intended to cover all modifications and equivalents within the scope of the following claims.