Patent ID: 7455087
Filing Date: 2008-11-25
Classification: B43L

Abstract:
1. An electric sharpener, an end of a writing instrument sharpened thereby, the electric sharpener comprising: an electric motor having an electric circuit for delivering power thereto; a switch operatively coupled to said electric circuit and being engaged by the writing instrument to activate the electric motor; a turntable having mounted thereon a cutting member and having a passage leading to the cutter member, the end of the writing instrument received therein, the turntable driven by said electric motor, the cutting member rotated to cut and sharpen the end of the writing instrument received within the passage; a circuit opening arrangement operatively coupled to said electric circuit, said circuit opening arrangement having a movable body member, a pair of contacts supported by said body member, at least one contact being movable into or out of engagement with a second contact mounted on the body member, engagement of the contacts opening the electric circuit to cease operation of said electric motor to halt further sharpening of the end of the writing instrument; a pin movably disposed in said turntable and having an end engaged by the cut end of the writing instrument, the pin being displaced by the cut end of said writing instrument to a length corresponding to a sharpened length of said end of said writing instrument; an operating member being mounted in contact with the pin and with the movable contact, the operating member being driven by displacement of the pin, the movable contact of the circuit operating arrangement moved by the operating member as the pin is displaced into contact with the second contact of the circuit opening arrangement when a pre-determined sharpened length of the writing instrument is reached, and an adjustment member engaged with the movable body member and being manually operated to change an orientation of said body member and of said second contact relative to the movable contact, to vary a length of travel of the operating member relative to a position at which the movable contact engages the second contact the electric circuit opened thereby, said pre-determined sharpened length of said writing instrument adjusted by the adjustment member.