Abstract:
The present invention provides a dual blade utility knife useful in various fields. In particular, the dual blade utility knife contains a fixed cutting element contained in a gap that inhibits injury or accidents, a.k.a. a safety knife. The second cutting element is designed to be retractable. The retractable blade can be retracted during use of the safety blade, inhibiting injury or accidents, but extended to make cuts, such as an initial cut in a material.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention relates to utility knives and, more particularly, a dual blade utility knife having a fixed cutting element in a safety holder and a retractable cutting element.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     Knifes are useful tools for various activities including hunting, camping, roofing, carpentry, as well as other industrial and domestic activities. Frequently, these knifes comprise a cutting element that is retractable or foldable into a position that is safe for handling. When extended or unfolded, however, these knives are relatively unsafe to handle because it is relatively easy to cut oneself or others accidentally.  
         [0003]     In order to prevent accidental cuts, some knives come in safety holders. These safety holders frequently are designed with a holder having a neck or gap in which the cutting element resides. Frequently, the cutting edge in safety holders is not retractable, but sometimes the cutting edge is retractable. While these knives are safer than regular knives, retractable knives, and foldable knives, they are not very useful. In particular, making the initial cut into a fabric, tarp, hide, or the like is difficult because the cutting edge residing in the safety holder cannot engage the fabric, tarp, hide, or the like until the same can be treaded into the neck. For example, in hunting applications, it would be difficult to use safety knives to remove the hide of an animal without using a separate tool to make an initial piece or the like.  
         [0004]     To avoid this, some blades make the safety feature a retractable feature and/or the safety blade moveable. However, this reduces the stability of the blade or safety feature making the solution less than desirable. Also, the safety feature can be forgotten or broken, reducing its effectiveness. Thus, it would be desirous to develop a fixed cutting edge contained in a safety holder that also had a separate retractable tool for making initial cuts in a material such that the material can be tread into the safety holder and cut by the fixed cutting edge.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]     To attain the advantages and purposes of the present invention, a utility knife is provided. The utility knife includes a handle, a first cutting edge, and a second cutting edge. The handle comprises a grip and a body. The body having a first end with a plurality of extension forming a gap and a second end with a slot. The first cutting edge is fixedly coupled to the body such that the first cutting resides in the gap between the plurality of extensions. The second cutting edge is slidably coupled to the slot such that it has at least one extended position and at least one retracted position.  
         [0006]     The foregoing and other features, utilities and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following more particular description of a preferred embodiment of the invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING  
       [0007]     The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the present invention, and together with the description, serve to explain the principles thereof. Like items in the drawings are referred to using the same numerical reference.  
         [0008]      FIG. 1  is an elevation view of a utility knife consistent with one embodiment of the present invention; and  
         [0009]      FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of the utility knife of  FIG. 1 .  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0010]     The present invention will be described with regard to  FIGS. 1 and 2 . The below description relates to using the dual bladed utility knife, one of ordinary skill in the art on reading the disclosure will recognize that the present invention could be useful in a number of fields, such as, for example, hunting, carpentry, roofing, inventory stocking, fisheries, and the like. Any specific examples of uses mentioned for the present invention should be considered exemplary and non-limiting.  
         [0011]     Referring first to  FIG. 1 , an elevation view of a utility knife  100  is shown. Utility knife  100  comprises a handle  102 , a first cutting element  104 , and a second cutting element  106 . Handle  102  comprises a grip portion  108  and a body portion  110 . As shown, grip portion  108  and body portion  110  comprise a single molded unit, but could be separate parts coupled together as desired. Actually, as shown to and to facilitate manufacturing, ½ of grip portion and ½ of body portion  110  are a single unit that is mated to the other half (shown in  FIG. 2 ). Body portion  110  has a first end  112  and a second end  114 . First cutting element  104  resides on the first end  112  and second cutting element  106  resides on the second end. Also, grip portion  108  is shown as having a generally “C” shape, but that is also exemplary and other style handles are possible, such as, for example, conventional finger grips, a T shaped handle, a L shaped handle, or the like.  
         [0012]     First end  112  comprises a pair of forward extensions  116  or prongs that form a gap  118 . Gap  118  has a width W that should be sized and/or shaped to inhibit fingers from intentionally or accidentally contacting first cutting element  104 .  
         [0013]     Second end  114  comprises a cutting element slot  120  and a latch track  122  (best seen in  FIG. 2 ). Latch track  122  contains a plurality of notches  124  (not shown in  FIG. 1 , but shown in  FIG. 2 ). Slot  120  is designed with sufficient height and width to receive a cutting element, such as a razorblade, awl, pick, saw, serrated blade, or the like. An elongated opening would be used for a razorblade while a circular opening may be used for an awl, etc. While latch track  122 , nub  126 , and notches  124  are described with relation to second end  114 , notches  122  could be anywhere on knife  100 . Nub  126  is attached to second cutting element  106 , as described below, such that moving nub  126  along latch track  122  moves second cutting element  106  between extended position(s) and retracted position(s). Further, nub  126  is designed as a thumb rest or the like it can be any number of convenient shapes and sizes. Nub  126  may be designed with one or more grooves  126   g to inhibit slippage.  
         [0014]     First cutting element  104  is fixedly attached to body portion  110  such that first cutting element  104  resides in safety gap  118 . The term fixedly attached is used to mean first cutting element  104  is not slidably attached to body portion  110 . First cutting element  104  could be removed and replaced with a new cutting element as desired. First cutting element  104  is shown as a slicing or sawing type of cutting element, such as a serrated blade or a razorblade, but first cutting element  104  could be a piecing element as well, such as, for example, an awl, a pick, or the like.  
         [0015]     Second cutting element  106  is slidably coupled to second end  114 . While shown as a blade for slizing, second cutting element  106  could be a tool more adapt for other functions, such as piercing or sawing. Other tools include an awl, pick, saw, wedge, or the like. Making first cutting element  104  and second cutting element  106  the same type of cutting element, however, makes it relatively easy to replace worn or damaged cutting elements. Further, it is envisioned that first cutting element  104  and second cutting element  106  would be standard utility knife blades, such as the type of blades that are readily available at pharmacy stores, convenient stores, and grocery stores.  
         [0016]     Referring now to  FIG. 2 , an exploded view of utility knife  100  is shown. As can be seen, handle  102  actually comprises left handle  102 L and right handle  102 R connected by elements  202  residing in holes  204 . Elements  202  and holes  204  could be, for example, screws and screw holes, nuts and bolts, snap lock fittings, or the like. Handle  102   L  and handle  102   R  fit together and form internal space  206 . Handle  102  does not need to be made in halves, but it is believed making handle  102  in halves facilitates manufacturing, storage, and cutting element replacement.  
         [0017]     Internal space  206  contains a first cutting element holding notch  208 , a spare cutting element holding notch  210 , a second cutting element slide  212 , and a second cutting element slider  214 . Spare cutting element holding notch  210  is optional, but if present can hold a number of spare cutting elements  216 . Also, second cutting element slider  214  could be integrated into second cutting element  106  to comprise a single piece. If first cutting element  104  and second cutting element  106  are different types of elements, such as, for example, a razorblade and an awl, a second spare cutting element holding notch could be incorporated into internal space  206 .  
         [0018]     First cutting element holding notch  208  holds first cutting element  104  in place by a frictional engagement between handle  102 L and handle  102 R. The frictional engagement between handle  102 L and  102 R is provided by members  202  being tightened or inserted into holes  204  until a sufficient frictional engagement is obtained. Optionally, first cutting element holding notch  208  could have an engaging channel  218 , such as a V shaped channel, to facilitate holding first cutting element  104  in place. While other engagements are possible, it is believed the frictional holding force from handle  102  will provide sufficient stability to cutting element  104 .  
         [0019]     Second cutting element slider  214  comprises a cutting element holder  220 , an arm  222 , a latch  224 , and a connector  226  that is connected to nub  126 . Connector  226  extends through and is slidably received in latch track  122  such that nub  126  is accessible above latch track  122  (see  FIG. 1 ). Latch  224  comprises one or more prongs  228  on arm  222 . Prongs  228  are sized to engage in notches  124  to hold second cutting element  106  in position. Arm  222  is elastically deformable, such that when nub  126  is not depressed, the elastic force from arm  222  holds prongs  228  in notches  124  that in turn holds second cutting element  106  in place, whether in one or more extended positions and/or in one or more retracted position. When nub  126  is depressed it elastically deforms arm  222  such that prongs  228  are released from notches  124 . When released, slider  214  is movable in slide  212 , such that second cutting element  106  can slide, such as from an extended position (shown in  FIG. 1 ) to a retracted position. By using more than 2 notches  124 , second cutting element  106  can have various extension (or retraction) positions. While it is believed the elastic force supplied by arm  222  is sufficient to hold second cutting element  106  in place, notches  124  can be angled to inhibit inadvertent movement of slider  214 .  
         [0020]     Holder  220  holds second cutting element  106  in slider  214 . Holder  220  can take many forms, such as, a “C” shaped cup that second cutting element  106  snaps into, a clamp, or the like. In the example shown, second cutting element  106  is a conventional razor. Thus, second cutting element  106  has a top edge  232  that has a pair of channels  234  forming a pin  236 . Holder  220  has a corresponding catch  238  that fits around pin  236  in channels  234  to hold second cutting element  106 .  
         [0021]     While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to an embodiment thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various other changes in the form and details may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.