Patent ID: 6637112
Filing Date: 2003-10-28
Classification: B26B

Abstract:
A utility knife comprising a handle, a blade mounted in the handle, the blade having a cutting edge and being positioned such that at least a segment of the blade and its cutting edge project beyond a front end of the handle; a safety shield coupled to the handle for movement from a protective position in which the shield extends transversely across a cutting plane of the blade and covers one side of the blade segment and overlies its cutting edge, to a retracted position in which the blade segment and its cutting edge are exposed, with a portion of the shield extending over-center with respect to the cutting edge of the blade when the shield is in the protective position, a spring coupled to the safety shield yieldably opposing swinging movement of the shield away from the protective position and returning the shield to the protective position automatically upon disengagement, and the safety shield including an outwardly-turned flange portion that projects transversely with respect to the shield, the flange portion preventing inadvertent digging into a cutting surface and providing an angularly offset leverage point on the shield for reacting the spring and allowing the shield to move away from the cutting plane automatically in response to pressure engagement of the flange portion against a box surface, thus exposing the blade segment and its cuffing edge when an operator desires to perform a cutting operation.