Utility knife

A utility knife includes a handle, a blade carrier, and a blade depth adjustment assembly. The blade carrier is mechanically coupled to the handle and configured to support a blade. The blade depth adjustment assembly is mechanically coupled to the handle and configured to permit a user of the utility knife to reposition components of the blade depth adjustment assembly to select one of a plurality of blade depth positions which causes the blade carrier to be repositioned along the handle depending upon which of the blade depth positions is selected.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates generally to knives and, in particular, a utility knife with blade depth adjustment, front blade change, and/or spare blade storage and shuttle features.

BACKGROUND ART

Various blades, knives, box cutters and the like (collectively, “tools”) are known, some of which are provided with one or more of: an actuator mechanism for extending a blade from the tool, a blade release mechanism, and a receptacle for storing a spare blade or blades.

For a tool user, depending upon the task at hand, it may be desirable to adjust how far the blade is extended from the tool, i.e., the blade depth. Unfortunately, known actuator mechanisms for extending a blade from the tool tend to be of limited utility beyond performing the basic functions of extending and, in some instances, retracting the blade. It would be useful to be able to provide a blade depth adjustment feature for a utility knife which allows the user of the knife to safely select one of multiple blade depth positions and secure the blade in the selected position, maintaining the selected position even when significant force is brought to bear against the blade while cutting.

Many blade release mechanisms are known. However, for tools that include a blade cover (or blade hood), the manual manipulation of blade carrier release latches and other such devices that facilitate a front end blade change potentially interferes with the additional required task of repositioning the blade cover or hood to provide sufficient clearance to perform the front end blade change operation. It would be useful to be able to provide a blade release feature for a utility knife which allows the user of the knife to safely release the blade (so that it may be replaced) while simultaneously repositioning the blade cover or hood out of the way of the front end blade change operation.

While some tools include a receptacle for storing a spare blade or blades, known utility knifes are not optimally configured for storing as well as conveniently and safely dispensing spare blades. It would be useful to be able to provide spare blade storage and dispensing features for a utility knife which address one or more of the deficiencies of prior devices.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In an example embodiment, a utility knife includes a handle, a blade carrier, and a blade depth adjustment assembly. The blade carrier is mechanically coupled to the handle and configured to support a blade. The blade depth adjustment assembly is mechanically coupled to the handle and configured to permit a user of the utility knife to reposition components of the blade depth adjustment assembly to select one of a plurality of blade depth positions which causes the blade carrier to be repositioned along the handle depending upon which of the blade depth positions is selected.

In an example embodiment, a utility knife includes a handle, a blade carrier, a blade hood, a pushrod, and a blade release member. The blade carrier is mechanically coupled to the handle and configured to support a blade. The blade hood is mechanically coupled to the handle facilitating manipulability of the blade hood to an extended position over the blade. The pushrod is mechanically coupled to the blade hood and includes a protrusion that extends toward the blade carrier. The blade release member includes a button that extends through a slot in the housing and is mechanically engaged with the blade carrier to slide there along when the button is moved along the slot. The blade release member includes an upper portion that makes contact with the protrusion when the blade release member is moved along the slot such that the pushrod is repositioned within the handle and the blade hood is retracted from the extended position to allow the blade to be removed from the blade carrier.

In an example embodiment, a utility knife includes a handle and a spare blade dispenser. The handle includes a main portion and a back portion configured to be pivotally repositioned to an opened position. The spare blade dispenser is secured to the back portion to be accessible by a user of the utility knife when the back portion is in the opened position. The spare blade dispenser includes a blade receptacle sized to hold spare blades and a shuttle mechanically coupled to the blade receptacle such that the shuttle, when repositioned laterally with respect to the blade receptacle, engages and extends a topmost spare blade from the blade receptacle.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

Referring toFIGS. 1a-4c,7aand7b, in an example embodiment, a utility knife100includes a left (or main) body portion102, a right front body portion104, and a right back body portion106, formed as shown. Assembled, the left body portion102, the right front body portion104, and the right back body portion106provide a handle for the utility knife100. In an example embodiment, the left body portion102, the right front body portion104, and the right back body portion106are made of a rigid, durable material such as zinc. It should be appreciated, however, that other materials can also be used.

In this example embodiment, the left body portion102includes openings108and110(FIG. 7a) through which screws112and114(FIG. 1a) are inserted and secured within threaded openings116and118(FIG. 7b), respectively. The right back body portion106and the left body portion102are pivotally secured together as shown with a pin120(FIG. 1b). In this example embodiment, the left body portion102includes an opening122(FIG. 7a) and the right back body portion106includes a threaded opening124(FIG. 7b) into which a lock device126(FIG. 1a), such as a lock wheel, is threaded to secure the right back body portion106and the left body portion102together. Thus, the lock device126is configured to selectively secure the right back body portion106in a closed position or release the right back body portion106such that it can be repositioned to an opened position. In an example embodiment, the lock wheel is accessible external to the main portion and extends there through to engage with or disengage from the back body portion depending upon which direction the lock wheel is turned in relation to the main portion.

Referring toFIGS. 3a-4c, in this example embodiment, the utility knife100further includes a blade carrier130, a blade hood132, a pushrod134, a blade release member136, and a slider138, configured as shown.

The blade carrier130(e.g., made from zinc) is mechanically coupled to the handle and configured to support a blade140(FIG. 15d).

The blade hood132(e.g., made from sheet metal) is mechanically coupled to the handle facilitating manipulability of the blade hood132to an extended position over the blade140(FIG. 14a). In an example embodiment, the blade hood132is pivotally coupled to the handle. Referring toFIG. 3a, in this example embodiment, the blade hood132includes cylindrical channels142on opposite sides of the blade hood132. The cylindrical channels142are sized to receive bearings144of the pushrod134. Referring also toFIGS. 7aand7b, in this example embodiment, cylindrical channels146of the blade hood132are sized to receive hood pivots148from opposite sides of the blade hood132, thereby pivotally securing the blade hood132to the handle.

The pushrod134(e.g., made from POM or metal) is mechanically coupled to the blade hood132and includes a protrusion150(FIG. 4a) that extends toward the blade carrier130. In this example embodiment, the pushrod134includes a lift ramp152and a spring anchor154(FIG. 15c) formed as shown. In an example embodiment, the pushrod134is entirely rigid. In this example embodiment, an end portion156of the pushrod134is positioned adjacent to a stop160(FIG. 7b) in the handle when the blade hood132is in its extended position. In this example embodiment, a spring158(FIG. 4a) is connected between the spring anchor154of the pushrod134and a spring anchor162(FIG. 9a) of the slider138and serves as a mechanism for urging the blade hood132toward its extended position. In this example embodiment, the end portion156is in contact with the stop160when the blade hood132is in the extended position.

The blade release member136(e.g., made from POM) includes a button164that extends through a slot166in the housing. The blade release member136is mechanically engaged with the blade carrier130to slide there along when the button164is moved along the slot166. The blade release member136includes an upper portion168(FIG. 15a) that makes contact with the protrusion150(of the pushrod134) when the blade release member136is moved along the slot166such that the pushrod134is repositioned within the handle and the blade hood132is retracted from the extended position to allow the blade140to be removed from the blade carrier130.

The slider138(e.g., made from POM), in this example embodiment, includes buttons170,172and174which extend respectively through openings176,178and180in the handle. In an example embodiment, the slider includes one or more buttons that extend through the handle, at least one of the buttons extending through a top side of the handle opposite a cutting edge of the blade. In this example embodiment, the slider138includes cylindrical channels182which are formed and sized as shown to receive bearings184(FIGS. 7aand7b) for pivotally coupling the slider138to the handle. In this example embodiment, the slider138includes a lifter member (or lifter)186(FIG. 8b) formed as shown. In this example embodiment, the slider138includes a return spring188formed as shown. As discussed below, the return spring188imparts a force tending to urge the slider138away from a position that releases the blade hood132.

The blade hood132needs to be released from its extended position both when the utility knife is to be used to cut a work piece, as well as when a forward blade change operation is to be performed.

A function of the slider138is to release the blade hood132from being locked into its extended position. This is accomplished by repositioning the slider138along the handle (i.e., by pushing any one of the buttons170,172and174forward). More specifically, the slider138is configured to manipulate the pushrod134in relation to the stop160. When the slider138is pushed forward, the lifter member186bears against the lift ramp152of the pushrod134, raising the end portion156allowing the pushrod134to traverse the stop160.

FIGS. 14a-14cillustrate how movement of the blade release member136causes the blade hood132to retract from its default extended position. As mentioned above, in this example embodiment, it is first necessary to reposition the slider138forward (to facilitate movement of the pushrod134past the stop160) prior to repositioning the blade release member136along the slot166to release the blade140. In operation, when the blade release member136is pulled backward, the upper portion168comes into contact with the protrusion150. This causes the pushrod134to move backward along the handle along with the blade release member136. Because the pushrod134is pivotally coupled to the blade hood132as previously described, this movement of the pushrod134, in turn, causes the blade hood132to retract from its extended position (FIG. 14a) to a semi-retracted position (FIG. 14b) to a fully-retracted position (FIG. 14c).

Referring toFIGS. 5a-6b, in this example embodiment, the utility knife100includes a blade depth adjustment assembly190which is mechanically coupled to the handle and configured to permit a user of the utility knife100to reposition components of the blade depth adjustment assembly190to select one of multiple blade depth positions which causes the blade carrier130to be repositioned along the handle depending upon which of the blade depth positions is selected.

In this example embodiment, the blade depth adjustment assembly190includes a wheel192, a depth selector member194, a spring196, and a gear198, formed and configured as shown such that the blade carrier130is repositioned along the handle in response to the wheel192being repositioned in relation to the handle.

The wheel192extends from an opening200(FIG. 6b) in the handle. More specifically, in this example embodiment, the depth selector member194interfits with the wheel192and includes a shaft202that passes through an opening204in the wheel192and also through the opening200. In this example embodiment, the wheel192includes a channel206and the depth selector member194is configured to be seated within the channel206when the depth selector member194has locked the blade carrier130into a selected blade depth position.

The depth selector member194is formed and configured to lock the blade carrier130into a selected blade depth position. More specifically, the right front body portion104includes recessed portions208(FIG. 6b) as shown, and the depth selector member194includes a peg210(in this example embodiment, two pegs210) sized to interlock with one of the recessed portions208depending upon which of the blade depth positions is selected.

The spring196is configured to bias the depth selector member194toward a position where the depth selector member194locks the blade carrier, i.e., the spring imparts a force that seeks to pull the peg210into whichever recessed portion208it is positioned over. In this example embodiment, the spring196, which is fitted over the shaft202, is positioned between the gear198and the right front body portion104.

The gear198is secured to the shaft202and mechanically engages with a complementary surface212(e.g., a surface with teeth complementary to those of the gear198) of the blade carrier130.

In operation, and referring toFIGS. 12a,12b,13aand13b, the depth selector member194is pulled (against the force of the spring196) to withdraw the peg210from whatever recessed portion208it was previously seated in. This frees the wheel192to be rotated. The gear198is fixed in relation to the wheel and, therefore, rotation of the gear198causes the blade carrier130to move laterally along the length of the handle depending upon which direction the wheel192is being turned.

Referring toFIGS. 11a-11band16a-16c, in this example embodiment, the utility knife100also includes a spare blade dispenser220secured to the right back body portion (back portion)106to be accessible by a user of the utility knife100when the back portion is in the opened position. The spare blade dispenser220includes a blade receptacle222sized to hold spare blades224and a shuttle226mechanically coupled to the blade receptacle222such that the shuttle226, when repositioned laterally with respect to the blade receptacle222, engages and extends a topmost spare blade224from the blade receptacle222. In this example embodiment, the spare blade dispenser220includes a spring228(e.g., a leaf spring) configured to bias the spare blades224toward the shuttle226. In an example embodiment, the spare blade dispenser220is detachably secured to the back portion facilitating replacement of the entire spare blade dispenser220as a module. By way of example, the spare blade dispenser220is snap fitted to the back portion.

Although the present invention has been described in terms of the example embodiments above, numerous modifications and/or additions to the above-described embodiments would be readily apparent to one skilled in the art. It is intended that the scope of the present invention extend to all such modifications and/or additions.