US 11,717,981 B2
Rotary knife providing material removal via suction
Clark A. Levsen, Shawnee, KS (US)
Assigned to Hantover, Inc., Overland Park, KS (US)
Filed by Hantover, Inc., Overland Park, KS (US)
Filed on Jan. 13, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/740,788.
Application 16/740,788 is a continuation of application No. 15/785,196, filed on Oct. 16, 2017, granted, now 10,569,441.
Prior Publication US 2020/0147823 A1, May 14, 2020
Int. Cl. B26D 7/18 (2006.01); A22C 17/00 (2006.01); B26B 25/00 (2006.01); A22B 5/16 (2006.01)
CPC B26D 7/1863 (2013.01) [A22B 5/165 (2013.01); A22C 17/0006 (2013.01); B26B 25/002 (2013.01)] 37 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A vacuum rotary knife fluidly connectable to a vacuum source conduit, said rotary knife comprising:
an annular blade; and
a knife head supporting the blade for rotation about a rotational axis,
said knife head presenting a vacuum port fluidly connectable to the conduit,
said vacuum port being spaced from the blade such that the knife head defines a suction pathway extending between the blade and the vacuum port,
said blade including axially opposite first and second blade ends, with the first blade end defining a cutting edge,
said knife head including a blade housing and a conduit connector secured relative to one another,
said blade housing rotatably supporting the blade, with the blade configured to rotate about the rotational axis relative to the blade housing,
said conduit connector including opposite proximal and distal connector ends and a continuous inner surface extending between the connector ends, with the inner surface being devoid of any openings and at least partially defining the suction pathway,
said proximal connector end spaced from the vacuum port,
said proximal connector end extending endlessly about the suction pathway and along the second blade end, with the second blade end and the proximal connector end being adjacent one another to define a blade/head interface.