Abstract:
A levered actuator in a knife controls movement of the blade between open and closed positions. The knife includes a blade having a tang pivotally fixed to a liner of the knife handle. The blade is operatively coupled to a levered actuator by a blade pin which rides in a groove formed in the liner and an actuator groove formed in the actuator. A digit tab extends away from the back of the knife handle for operation of the actuator. The pivoting actuator moves the blade by moving the blade pin.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE 
       [0001]    This patent application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/001,365 filed Nov. 1, 2007 entitled Levered Blade Actuator and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/130,272 filed May 29, 2008 entitled Levered Blade Actuator. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    1. Technical Field 
         [0003]    Generally, this invention relates to cutlery, multitool or any folding implement that folds or otherwise retracts into the handle to protect the implement, such as a blade, for example, while not in use. Specifically, this invention relates to implements in which a means is provided for positively moving the blade from the handle and locking the blade in either an open or closed position. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0005]    In the cutlery industry, a folding knife includes a housing or handle to support the blade in the open position and for receiving the blade in the closed position. Challenges lie in starting the movement of a knife blade. Controlling movement of a pivoting knife blade is generally known and examples of such control can be found in Collins U.S. Pat. No. 5,815,927, Glesser U.S. Pat. No. 6,918,184, Leatherman&#39;s flipper knife models E306x and E307x, Onion U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,591,504, and 6,145,202, and Onion U.S. Patent Application Publication 2005/0132576. 
         [0006]    The actuator and stop mechanism of the present invention overcomes the various deficiencies of folding knives and opening and closing mechanisms presently known in the knife and cutlery industry by providing positive opening and closing assistance while enabling such opening and closing to be performed with only a single hand of the user. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY 
       [0007]    This invention generally provides for a folding knife mechanism comprising a blade, a handle for receiving and supporting the blade and a lever operated blade actuator that provides positive assistance for opening the blade. 
         [0008]    According to one embodiment, the mechanism includes an actuator pivotally attached to an interior of a knife handle and linked to a blade&#39;s tang by a blade pin or other projecting member that projects from the blade&#39;s tang and extends through a primary groove formed in the interior of the knife handle and an actuator groove formed in the actuator. 
         [0009]    According to one embodiment, force, typically from the user, is applied to an actuator via a digit tab to initiate an arcuate movement of the blade actuator, causing a blade pin coupled within an actuator groove to move along a primary groove formed in a knife handle, thereby causing the knife blade to pivot about its pivot point. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]      FIG. 1  depicts a profile view of the present invention with the blade in an open position. 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  depicts a profile view of the present invention showing a blade in a closed position. 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  depicts a profile cutaway view of an embodiment of the present invention with the blade in a closed position. 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  depicts a profile cutaway view of an embodiment of the present invention with the blade in a partially open/closed position. 
           [0014]      FIG. 5  depicts a profile cutaway view of an embodiment of the present invention with the blade in a closed position 
           [0015]      FIG. 6  depicts a cutaway profile view of another embodiment of the present invention with a blade in a closed position. 
           [0016]      FIG. 7  depicts a cutaway profile view of yet another embodiment of the present invention with a blade in an open position. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0017]    According to a first embodiment, as shown in  FIGS. 1-5 , a folding knife  5  includes a handle  10  with a liner  12 . A central cavity  11  is formed in handle  10  to receive blade  30 . The interior of the central cavity  11  is shaped according to the form of the blade  30  and forms a housing for the blade  30  when the blade is placed in the closed position. 
         [0018]    The blade  30  has a distal end  36  and a proximal end  38 , with tang  35  located at the proximal end  38 . The tang  35  is pivotally connected to handle  10  by a blade pivot  32 . 
         [0019]    A primary groove  14  with an arcuate shape is formed in liner  12  and at least partially surrounds blade pivot  32 . In the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1 through 5  and the embodiment of  FIG. 6 , the primary groove has an orientation in which the end regions of the primary groove are generally in line with a longitudinal axis of handle  10 . In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 6 , the mid-section of primary groove  114  is distal to digit tab  122 , relative to the blade pivot  32 , while in the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1 through 5 , and as best seen in  FIGS. 3 through 5 , the mid-section of primary groove  14  is proximal to digit tab  22 , with reference to pivot  32 . In yet another embodiment, as shown in  FIG. 7 , the orientation of primary groove  214  is such that one end region of primary groove  214  is proximal to digit tab  222  and the other end region of primary groove  214  is distal to digit tab  222 , again with reference to pivot  32 . 
         [0020]    An actuator  20  is pivotally attached to liner  12  on the side of the liner  12  opposite the blade by an actuator pivot  16 , as depicted in  FIGS. 3 through 5 . A shallow recess  13  is formed in the handle  10  to accommodate the actuator  20  between the handle  10  and liner  12 . The end region of actuator  20  that is distal to actuator pivot  16  is formed into a digit tab  22 . Digit tab  22 , as shown in  FIGS. 2 through 5 , extends above the back side of handle  10  when knife blade  30  is not in an open position. When knife blade  30  is in a fully open position, digit tab  22  is in a flush position with the back side of handle  10 , as shown in  FIG. 1 . In embodiments where the digit tab is wider than the shallow recess, a tab recess can be formed in the handle to receive the digit tab while the blade is in the open position. 
         [0021]    According to other embodiments of the invention, the digit tab is separate from the actuator, as described with reference to  FIGS. 6 and 7 , for example  FIG. 6  illustrates an embodiment where both digit tab  122  and actuator  120  are pivotally connected to liner  112  by actuator pivot  116 . In this embodiment, digit tab  122  is on one side of liner  112  and actuator  120  is on the other side of liner  112 . Digit tab  122  connects to actuator  120  by an actuator pin  126 , or other projecting member, which extends through a secondary groove  118  formed in liner  112 . 
         [0022]    Similar to the embodiment in  FIG. 6 , the embodiment depicted in  FIG. 7  shows an arrangement where a digit tab  222  is on one side of liner  212  and actuator  220  is on the other side of liner  212  and connected to each other by an actuator pin  226  which is coupled to the digit tab  222  and extends through a secondary groove  218  formed in liner  212  and through a secondary actuator groove  225  formed in the actuator  220 . However, in the embodiment shown in  FIG. 7 , digit tab  222  and actuator  220  move about separate pivots. Specifically, digit tab  222  pivots about a digit tab pivot  228  and actuator  220  pivots about an actuator pivot  216 . 
         [0023]    According to the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 3 through 5 , blade  30  pivots about blade pivot  32  as a result of blade pin  34  being moved about primary groove  14  by actuator  20  pivoting about actuator pivot  16 . Movement of actuator  20  about actuator pivot  16  is accomplished by a user pressing against digit tab  22 . Movement of digit tab  22  towards the handle end region distal to the blade pivot  32  results in moving blade  30  out of cavity  11  to an open position. 
         [0024]    With reference to the embodiment shown in  FIG. 6 , a user&#39;s application of force to the digit tab  122  causes digit tab  122  on the inside of liner  112  and coupled to actuator  120  on the outside of liner  112  to pivot about actuator pivot  116 . In turn, blade pin  34  moves about primary groove  14  by the pivot motion of actuator  120 , thereby moving blade  30  about blade pivot  32 . In such an arrangement, digit tab  122  can be used as a blade stop as described in Provisional Patent Application 60/687,004 filed Jun. 4, 2005 entitled Knife Blade Arrestor, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
         [0025]    As shown in  FIG. 7 , a user&#39;s application of force to the digit tab  222  causes digit tab  222  on the inside of liner  212  and actuator  220  on the outside of liner  212  to each pivot upon their respective pivot points, namely digit tab  222  pivoting upon digit tab pivot  228  and actuator  220  pivoting upon actuator pivot  216 . In turn, blade pin  34  moves about primary groove  14  by the pivot motion of actuator  220  thereby moving blade  30  about blade pivot  32 . In such an arrangement, digit tab  222  can be used as blade stop as described in Provisional Patent Application 60/687,004 filed Jun. 4, 2005 entitled Knife Blade Arrestor. 
         [0026]    In the embodiments described above with reference to  FIGS. 1-7 , a blade pin or projecting member projects from the blade at the tang region through a primary groove. Additionally the blade pin further extends through an actuator groove formed in the actuator. The actuator groove is shown as being linear, with a longitudinal axis that, when extended, passes through the center of the actuator pivot  16 . However, by changing the shape or orientation of the actuator groove, the operating characteristics of the mechanism can be further modified. 
         [0027]    According to another embodiment, the actuator does not include a groove, but is instead positioned beside the blade pin so that, when pressure is applied to the digit tab by a user, the actuator pushes the blade pin and blade toward the open position. A light spring biases the actuator so that it remains in its recess while the blade is open. 
         [0028]    In the embodiments of  FIGS. 1-7 , the actuator is shown and described as being positioned on a side of the liner opposite the blade. According to other embodiments, an actuator is coupled to a surface of the liner facing the blade, but in other respects operates substantially as described above. In still further embodiments, the knife handle is a solid frame type handle, i.e., no liner is employed, and an actuator is coupled to a surface of the handle facing the blade, to operate, again, substantially as described above. 
         [0029]    It will be appreciated that a pivoting actuator operatively coupled to a blade pin or other projecting member allows a knife designer the freedom to design the movement or throw of a digit tab for a particular purpose without being limited to a blade&#39;s range or rate of motion about its pivot point, in contrast to conventional flipper folding knives in which the finger tab is fixed to the blade. It is contemplated that a pivoting actuator provides novel solutions to blade movement of folding knives. 
         [0030]    All of the U.S. patents, U.S. patent application publications, U.S. patent applications, foreign patents, foreign patent applications and non-patent publications referred to in this specification and/or listed in the Application Data Sheet, are incorporated herein by reference, in their entirety. Aspects of the embodiments can be modified, if necessary to employ concepts of the various patents, applications and publications to provide yet further embodiments. 
         [0031]    It will be understood that certain features and sub-combinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and sub-combinations. This is contemplated by and is within the scope of the claims. Since many possible embodiments of the invention may be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.