Abstract:
A collapsible fingerguard tool is disclosed. In some embodiments, a tool with a handle includes an open channel within the handle to receive a second tool with a collapsible fingerguard, a flared section at an entry of the channel, and a second tool having a collapsible fingerguard, wherein the collapsible fingerguard is pivotably attached to the second tool at a pivot pin, the collapsible fingerguard also having a spring to open the fingerguard, wherein the fingerguard collapses adjacent to a handle of the second tool when the second tool is inserted into the open channel in the handle.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/798,365, filed Mar. 15, 2013. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Guards have been used to fixed blade knives and some tools that are in a fixed position or have a unitary construction, such as a classic wooden handled handsaw. Recently, tools are being combined with other tools and are also being created to have a smaller or more portable form factor. Currently these smaller form factor tools lack adequate guards for a user of the tool. This is particularly the case then the tool fits inside of another tool, such as a saw placed within the handle of a camping axe. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0003]    Accordingly, a collapsible fingerguard is described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter. Furthermore, the claimed subject matter is not limited to implementations that solve any or all disadvantages noted in any part of this disclosure. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0004]      FIG. 1  is a side plan view of a one embodiment of an axe with a tool having a collapsible fingerguard placed within the handle of the axe. 
           [0005]      FIG. 2  is a back plan view of the embodiment axe in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0006]      FIG. 3  is a side section view of the embodiment axe in  FIG. 1  showing a saw with a collapsible fingerguard positioned within the axe handle. 
           [0007]      FIG. 4  is a side plan view of a one embodiment of an axe with a tool having a collapsible fingerguard partially placed within the handle of the axe. 
           [0008]      FIG. 5  is a back plan view of the embodiment axe in  FIG. 4 . 
           [0009]      FIG. 6  is a side section view of the embodiment axe in  FIG. 4  showing a saw with a collapsible fingerguard partially positioned within the axe handle. 
           [0010]      FIG. 7  is a side plan view of a one embodiment of an axe with a tool having a collapsible fingerguard positioned substantially outside the handle of the axe. 
           [0011]      FIG. 8  is a back plan view of the embodiment axe in  FIG. 7 . 
           [0012]      FIG. 9  is a side section view of the embodiment axe in  FIG. 7  showing a saw with a collapsible fingerguard positioned substantially outside the axe handle. 
           [0013]      FIG. 10  is a side plan view showing the saw in  FIG. 7  with a collapsible fingerguard in an open position. 
           [0014]      FIG. 11  is a front plan view showing the saw in  FIG. 7  with a collapsible fingerguard in an open position. 
           [0015]      FIG. 12  is a side section view showing the saw in  FIG. 7  with a collapsible fingerguard in an open position. 
           [0016]      FIG. 13  is a front section view showing the saw in  FIG. 7  with a collapsible fingerguard in an open position. 
           [0017]      FIG. 14  is a side section view showing the saw in  FIG. 7  with a collapsible fingerguard in a partially closed position. 
           [0018]      FIG. 15  is a front section view showing the saw in  FIG. 7  with a collapsible fingerguard in a partially closed position. 
           [0019]      FIG. 16  is a side section view of an embodiment axe showing a knife with a collapsible fingerguard positioned substantially outside the axe handle. 
           [0020]      FIG. 17  is a side plan view showing the knife in  FIG. 16  with a collapsible fingerguard in an open position. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0021]      FIG. 1  is a side plan view of a one embodiment of an axe  100  with a tool having a collapsible fingerguard placed within the handle  110  of the axe.  FIG. 2  is a back plan view of the embodiment axe in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 3  is a side section view of the embodiment axe in  FIG. 1  showing a saw  150  with a collapsible fingerguard positioned within the axe handle  110 .  FIGS. 1-3  depicted packs  100  with a hollow handle  110 , and a saw  150  inserted inside the axe handle  110 . In the pictured embodiment, saw  150  is a handsaw with a collapsible finger guard. In the present embodiment, the tool with the collapsible finger guard is a saw however other embodiments are not so limited in a collapsible finger guard may be used in combination with other tools that can fit within axe handle  110 . 
         [0022]    In the present embodiment, axe  100  includes handle  110 , hammer  120 , blade  122 , had connection joint  112 , contoured handle  130 . Additionally, saw includes blade  155  with teeth  156 , pivot  162  coupled to collapsible finger guard  160 , and  154 . With reference to  FIG. 3 , saw  150  is fully inserted into axe handle  110 . In this orientation, finger guard  160  is rotated about pivot when the fingerguard front  164  contacts a wedged inner surface of contoured handle  130  as saw  155  is inserted into handle  110 . In this way, saw  155  can both have a safety finger guard  160  and also fit within axe and handle  110 . 
         [0023]    We now turn to  FIGS. 4-6  which show the saw partially placed within handle  110 .  FIG. 4  is a side plan view of a one embodiment of an axe with a tool having a collapsible fingerguard partially placed within the handle of the axe  FIG. 5  is a back plan view of the embodiment axe in  FIG. 4 .  FIG. 6  is a side section view of the embodiment axe in  FIG. 4  showing a saw with a collapsible fingerguard partially positioned within the axe handle  110 .  FIG. 4  additionally shows tab  154  and a detent  152  that interlocks with the hole  116  and axe handle  110 . Furthermore, handle  110  includes a contour  119  that corresponds to the contour  159  of the handle of saw  150 . The inner surface of contour  119  provides a secure stop for contour  159  such that detent  152  pops into hole  116 . 
         [0024]    The inner surface of contour  119  also provides a ramp which closes the collapsible finger guard has saw  150  is inserted into handle  110 . With reference to  FIG. 6 , collapsible finger guard  160  is shown with a curved surface  166  oriented towards the hand of a user, and a top surface  164  of collapsible finger guard  160  that presses against the inside of contour  119  and collapses the finger guard has saw  150  is inserted into handle  110 . Pivot  162  includes a spring to push collapsible finger guard into the open position when not constrained by handle  110 . 
         [0025]    We now turn to  FIGS. 7-9  which show the saw partially placed within handle  110  but with the collapsible fingerguard  160  in an open position.  FIG. 7  is a side plan view of a one embodiment of an axe with a tool having a collapsible fingerguard positioned substantially outside the handle of the axe.  FIG. 8  is a back plan view of the embodiment axe in  FIG. 7 .  FIG. 9  is a side section view of the embodiment axe in  FIG. 7  showing a saw with a collapsible fingerguard positioned substantially outside the axe handle. 
         [0026]    With reference to  FIG. 9 , saw  150  is partially pulled out of the cavity within handle  110  such that collapsible finger guard  160  is fully extended. In this view a cavity  169  in the handle of saw  150  can be seen that receives collapsible finger guard  160  when it is in a stowed position, for example when it is in handle  110 . Therefore as saw  150  is pulled out of handle  110  the spring  163  around pivot  162  pushes collapsible finger guard  160  into the open position as it clears the inner surface  117  in handle  110 . 
         [0027]      FIG. 10  is a side plan view showing the saw in  FIG. 7  with a collapsible fingerguard in an open position.  FIG. 11  is a front plan view showing the saw in  FIG. 7  with a collapsible fingerguard in an open position. With reference to  FIG. 10  and  FIG. 11 , grip portion  164  of the handle of saw  150  includes a cavity  169  to receive collapsible finger guard  160  when in the stowed position.  FIG. 11  more clearly shows tabs  154  and detent  152  that positively locks saw  150  into handle  110 . 
         [0028]    In the illustrated embodiment in  FIG. 10 , collapsible finger guard  160  has a beveled outer edge  165 , a contoured finger portion  166  for comfort, and is aligned with the end of the handle of saw  150 . In other embodiments, collapsible finger guard  160  may have a different geometry or may extend to a different angle than that shown in  FIG. 10 . In some embodiments, collapsible finger guard  160  may extend only right past the pivot or may extend all the way to the other end of the handle when in the open position. In an alternate embodiment, collapsible finger guard may have a hinge joint and may or may not have the collapsible finger guard  160  fit within cavity  169 . For example, collapsible finger guard might wrap around the front of the handle of saw  150 . 
         [0029]      FIG. 12  is a side section view showing the saw in  FIG. 7  with a collapsible fingerguard in an open position.  FIG. 13  is a front section view showing the saw in  FIG. 7  with a collapsible fingerguard in an open position. In  FIG. 12 , saw blade  155  is unitary with tang  158  which couples to handle  157  of saw  150 , however other embodiments are not so limited. In the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 13 , post  170  extends through tang  158  and is used to couple half of handle  157  to the other half not shown. 
         [0030]      FIGS. 14-15  are side section views showing the collapsible fingerguard  160  in a partially deployed position.  FIG. 14  is a side section view showing the saw in  FIG. 7  with a collapsible fingerguard in a partially closed position.  FIG. 15  is a front section view showing the saw in  FIG. 7  with a collapsible fingerguard in a partially deployed position. In  FIG. 14 , saw  150  is shown with collapsible finger guard  160  partially deployed and spring around spring  163  around pivot  162  being partially in tension. The illustrated position of collapsible finger guard  160  is the orientation collapsible finger guard has while it is being inserted into handle  110  and contacting inner surface  117 , thus overcoming the spring force which deploys collapsible finger guard  160 . In alternate embodiments, collapsible finger guard  160  may be moved to a close orientation without contacting a contoured inner surface such as  117 . For example, a handle may simply have an open cavity  140  with a relatively consistent cross-section as you enter the handle. 
         [0031]    While embodiments herein disclose a collapsible finger guard on a saw that is inserted within a similar collapsible finger guard within the principles of this disclosure may be on a tool other than a saw or implement that can be inserted inside a handle of a tool other than axe. That is, a tool that would benefit from a finger guard or a hand guard but is stored in a space conventionally smaller then would allow a finger guard or hand guard can therefore use a collapsible finger guard as is disclosed in the accent saw embodiment herein. As an example,  FIG. 16  is a side section view of an embodiment axe showing a knife with a collapsible fingerguard positioned substantially outside the axe handle.  FIG. 17  is a side plan view showing the knife in  FIG. 16  with a collapsible fingerguard in an open position. 
         [0032]    It will further be understood that the configurations and/or approaches described herein are exemplary in nature, and that these specific embodiments or examples are not to be considered in a limiting sense, because numerous variations are possible. The specific routines or methods described herein may represent one or more of any number of processing strategies. As such, various acts illustrated may be performed in the sequence illustrated, in other sequences, in parallel, or in some cases omitted. Likewise, the order of any of the above-described processes is not necessarily required to achieve the features and/or results of the embodiments described herein, but is provided for ease of illustration and description. 
         [0033]    The subject matter of the present disclosure includes all novel and nonobvious combinations and subcombinations of the various processes, systems and configurations, and other features, functions, acts, and/or properties disclosed herein, as well as any and all equivalents thereof.