IP Library Granted Patent US 10,196,136
Granted Patent B2
US 10,196,136 · App. 15/630,535 · Granted Feb 5, 2019

Cable cutter system

Inventors: Michael Smith (Colleyville, TX); Cheng-Ho Tho (Irving, TX); Anand Kumar Marimuthu (Bangalore, IN)
Assignee: BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON INC.
B64C27/006B26D1/12B26D1/25B26D2001/006B26D2001/0066
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,196,136
App. No.
15/630,535
Granted
Feb 5, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

Some examples of a cable cutting system include a first cutting apparatus that includes a recess to receive a cable. The system includes a second cutting apparatus separate from and attached to the first cutting apparatus. The second cutting apparatus includes multiple cutting surfaces arranged to cut the cable received at the recess.

Claims (13)

1. A cable cutting system for a vehicle comprising: a first cutting apparatus comprising a recess to receive a cable and a second cutting apparatus separate from and attached to the first cutting apparatus at a pivot position located behind the recess of the first cutting apparatus; the second cutting apparatus comprising a first cutting member and a second cutting member arranged to pivot at the pivot position about an axis that is perpendicular to the first cutting apparatus; wherein at least one of the first and second cutting members has a first cutting surface capable of being positioned in the recess, wherein the recess is disposed between a first guiding surface and a second guiding surface formed on said first cutting apparatus, and the first guiding surface is affixed to a surface of the vehicle.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the second cutting apparatus comprises a plurality of cutting surfaces formed respectively on the first and second cutting members and capable of being positioned in the recess.

3. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a spring member in an energized state connected to the first cutting member, the spring member to force the first cutting member and the second cutting member toward each other in response to the cable being received between the first cutting member and the second cutting member.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the first cutting member is arranged above the second cutting member and the spring member is connected to the second cutting member.

5. The system of claim 3 , wherein the first cutting member and the second cutting member form a four bar mechanism with a first support bar and a second support bar to force the first cutting member and the second cutting member toward each other in response to the cable being received between the first cutting member and the second cutting member.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the spring member comprises a trigger structure to release the spring member from the energized state to a de-energized state.

7. A method to cut a cable encountered by a vehicle comprising: providing a cable cutting system comprising a first cutting apparatus and a second cutting apparatus, the first cutting apparatus comprising a recess to receive a cable and the second cutting apparatus including at least one cutting surface capable of being positioned in the recess, wherein the recess is disposed between a first guiding surface and a second guiding surface of the first cutting apparatus, and the first guiding surface is affixed to a surface of the vehicle, the second cutting apparatus separate from and attached to the first cutting apparatus at a pivot position located behind the recess of the first cutting apparatus, and the second cutting apparatus comprising a first cutting member and a second cutting member arranged to pivot at the pivot position about an axis that is perpendicular to the first cutting apparatus wherein the at least one cutting surface is formed on at least one of the first and second cutting members; the method further including the steps of receiving the cable in the recess formed in the first cutting apparatus; and cutting the cable using the second cutting apparatus.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising applying a force on the cutting surface of the second cutting apparatus to cut the cable.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the second cutting apparatus includes a plurality of cutting surfaces, one cutting surface formed on each of the first and second cutting members, further comprising cutting the cable using the plurality of cutting surfaces positioned in the recess of the first cutting apparatus.

10. The method of claim 7 , wherein cutting the cable using the second cutting apparatus further comprises forcing the first cutting member and the second cutting member toward each other using a spring member in an energized state connected to the first cutting member.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising releasing the spring member from the energized state to a de-energized state using a trigger structure.

12. The method of claim 10 , further comprising returning the spring member to the energized state after the cable is cut.

13. The method of claim 7 , wherein cutting the cable using the second cutting apparatus further comprises forcing the first cutting member and the second cutting member toward each other, wherein the first cutting member and the second cutting member form a four bar mechanism with a first support bar and a second support bar.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 18, 2021
From: BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON INC.
To: TEXTRON INNOVATIONS INC.
Reel/Frame 056274/0916 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 23, 2017
From: SMITH, MICHAEL; THO, CHENG-HO; MARIMUTHU, ANAND KUMAR
To: BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON INC.
Reel/Frame 042793/0352 →
Continuity (2)
Continuation 14506286 · Oct 3, 2014
Related Publication 20170291698A1 · Oct 12, 2017