Cutting Edge with Microscopically Sized Channels to Enhance Cutting Performance

Abstract

Apparatus for cutting media. In some embodiments, a cutting tool has a blade with opposing first and second side surfaces that converge to a cutting edge which continuously extends along a length of the blade. Spaced apart, microscopically sized first and second channels formed in the cutting edge extend from the first side surface to the second side surface and are separated by a segment of the cutting edge having a first length along the length of the blade. Each of the first and second channels have a channel width extending along the length of the blade and a channel depth orthogonal to the channel width. In some embodiments, the channel width is less than the first length and has a notch depth of from about 0.0003 inches to about 0.005 inches.

1 . A cutting tool comprising a blade of metal material comprising opposing first and second side surfaces that converge to a cutting edge which continuously extends along a length of the blade, the blade further comprising spaced apart, microscopically sized first and second channels formed in the cutting edge using a cold forging process which work hardens a portion of the blade in a vicinity of the first and second channels, the first and second channels extending from the first side surface to the second side surface, the first and second channels separated by a segment of the cutting edge having a first length along the length of the blade, each of the first and second channels having a channel width extending along the length of the blade and a channel depth orthogonal to the channel width, the channel width less than the first length, the channel depth being in a range of from nominally 0.0003 inches to nominally 0.005 inches. 
     
     
         2 . The cutting tool of  claim 1 , wherein the channel width of each of the first and second channels is in a range of from nominally about 0.001 inches to nominally about 0.020 inches. 
     
     
         3 . The cutting tool of  claim 1 , wherein the cutting edge is characterized as a fine edge through which the channels extend so that a first sharpening process is applied to the blade using an abrasive member having a first abrasive surface and a second sharpening process is subsequently applied to the blade having a second abrasive surface, the second abrasive surface having an abrasiveness less than an abrasiveness of the first abrasive surface. 
     
     
         4 . The cutting tool of  claim 1 , wherein the cutting edge is characterized as a factory edge through which the channels extend in which a first sharpening process is applied to the blade using an abrasive member having a first abrasive surface. 
     
     
         5 . The cutting tool of  claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second channels are respectively defined by first and second base surfaces which extend at a selected angle from the first side surface to the second side surface. 
     
     
         6 . The cutting tool of  claim 5 , wherein the selected angle is non-orthogonal to a center line that passes through the blade and intersects the cutting edge. 
     
     
         7 . The cutting tool of  claim 1 , wherein the first length of the segment is from nominally 1.1 times the channel width to nominally 16 times the channel width. 
     
     
         8 . The cutting tool of  claim 1 , wherein the first length of the segment is nominally 0.015 inches and the channel width is nominally 0.005 inches. 
     
     
         9 . The cutting tool of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second channels each have a substantially v-shape. 
     
     
         10 . The cutting tool of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second channels each have a substantially trapezoidal shape. 
     
     
         11 . The cutting tool of  claim 1 , characterized as a kitchen knife. 
     
     
         12 . The cutting tool of  claim 1 , the blade characterized as a serrated blade having a plurality of adjacent serration segments each defining a portion of the cutting edge along a curvilinearly extending path at a selected radius of curvature, wherein the first and second channels are formed in at least a selected one of the serration segments. 
     
     
         13 . The cutting tool of  claim 1 , the first side surface having a first primary surface and a first tapered surface, the second side surface having a second primary surface and a second tapered surface, the first and second primary surfaces on opposing sides of the blade and extending at a first intermediate angle therebetween, the first and second tapered surfaces on opposing sides of the blade and extending at a second intermediate angle therebetween greater than the first intermediate angle and converging to the cutting edge, each of the first and second channels extending from the first tapered surface to the second tapered surface and not intersecting the first and second primary surfaces. 
     
     
         14 . A cutting tool comprising a blade formed metal material having opposing first and second side surfaces that converge to a cutting edge which continuously extends along a length of the blade, the blade further comprising a regular sequence of spaced apart, microscopically sized channels formed in the cutting edge using a cold forging process and which extend from a first notch in the first side surface to a second notch in the second side surface so that localized regions in the blade adjacent the first notch and the second notch are work hardened by said cold forging process to provide the localized regions with enhanced hardness and durability responsive to local deformation of the metal material, pairs of immediately adjacent ones of the channels each separated by an intervening segment of the cutting edge, each of the channels having a channel width along the length of the blade of from nominally 0.001 inches to about 0.020 inches and an overall depth of at least a selected one of the first or second notches of from nominally 0.0003 inches to nominally 0.005 inches. 
     
     
         15 . The cutting tool of  claim 14 , the first side surface having a first primary surface and a first tapered surface, the second side surface having a second primary surface and a second tapered surface, the first and second primary surfaces on opposing sides of the blade and extending at a first intermediate angle therebetween, the first and second tapered surfaces on opposing sides of the blade and extending at a second intermediate angle therebetween greater than the first intermediate angle and converging to the cutting edge, each of the channels extending from the first tapered surface to the second tapered surface and not intersecting the first and second primary surfaces. 
     
     
         16 . The cutting tool of  claim 14 , wherein the cutting edge is characterized as a fine edge through which the channels extend so that a first sharpening process is applied to the blade using an abrasive member having a first abrasive surface and a second sharpening process is subsequently applied to the blade having a second abrasive surface, the second abrasive surface having an abrasiveness less than an abrasiveness of the first abrasive surface. 
     
     
         17 . The cutting tool of  claim 14 , wherein the cutting edge is characterized as a factory edge through which the channels extend in which a first sharpening process is applied to the blade using an abrasive member having a first abrasive surface. 
     
     
         18 . The cutting tool of  claim 14 , wherein the first and second channels each have a substantially v-shape. 
     
     
         19 . The cutting tool of  claim 14 , wherein the first and second channels each have a substantially trapezoidal shape. 
     
     
         20 . The cutting tool of  claim 14 , the blade characterized as a serrated blade having a plurality of adjacent serration segments each defining a portion of the cutting edge along a curvilinearly extending path at a selected radius of curvature, wherein the channels are formed in each of the serration segments. 
     
     
         21 . The cutting tool of  claim 14 , wherein a first intervening segment between a first pair of the channels has a first length along the length of the blade, and a second intervening segment between a first pair of the channels has a second length along the length of the blade at least 1.5 times the first length. 
     
     
         22 . The cutting tool of  claim 14 , wherein a first channel has a first channel depth and a second channel has a different, second channel depth greater than the first channel depth by at least 0.001 inches. 
     
     
         23 . A cutting tool comprising:
 a handle adapted to be grasped by a hand of a user of the cutting tool;   a blade extending from the handle along a longitudinally extending central axis, the blade formed of a metal material and comprising:
 a first side surface comprising a first primary surface and a first tapered surface; 
 a second side surface comprising a second primary surface opposite the first primary surface and a second tapered surface opposite the first tapered surface, the first and second primary surfaces extending along a first intervening angle therebetween, the first and second tapered surfaces extending along a greater, second intervening angle therebetween and converging to form a cutting edge which extends along a length of the blade substantially in the direction of the central axis; 
 a plurality of microscopically sized channels formed along and recessed into the cutting edge using forging process so that localized regions in the blade surrounding the plurality of microscopically sized channels are work hardened by said cold forming process to provide the localized regions with a hardness level and a durability level that is greater than a hardness level and a durability level of remaining portions of the blade responsive to local deformation of the metal material by the cold forming process, each of the channels extending from the first tapered surface to the second tapered surface without penetrating the first and second primary surfaces, immediately adjacent pairs of the channels separated by a continuously extending segment of the cutting edge, each of the channels having a channel width along the length of the blade of from nominally 0.001 inches to nominally 0.020 inches and a notch depth of from nominally 0.0003 inches to nominally 0.005 inches. 
   
     
     
         24 . The cutting tool of  claim 23 , characterized as a kitchen knife with a fine edge through which the channels extend. 
     
     
         25 . The cutting tool of  claim 23 , characterized as a serrated knife with a plurality of immediately adjacent serration sections each curvilinearly extending at a radius of curvature significantly greater than the length of each of the intermediate segments. 
     
     
         26 . The cutting tool of  claim 23 , characterized as a utility knife with a factory edge having a nominally continuously curvilinear cutting edge along the length of the blade. 
     
     
         27 . The cutting tool of  claim 23 , wherein the first and second primary surfaces are formed using a first grinding operation at a first grinding angle, the first and second tapered surfaces are formed using a second grinding operation at a different, second grinding angle so that displaced material resulting from the cold forging operation is removed from the blade.