Abstract:
The sharpener holder is a device for sharpening blades of knives, scissors, axes, planes, chisels, and other cutting implements. The device accommodates any off-the-shelf sharpener rod whereas other sharpeners require the use of a unique or special rod built into the sharpener assembly. Most users already have sharpening rods, so all they have to do is put their existing sharpening rods into the sharpener holder to sharpen their knives or other cutting implements. The sharpener rod in the rod holder is securely clamped in position. The adjustable base is rotated to the required sharpening angle and securely clamped in position. The user moves the blade vertically against the sharpening rod at a perpendicular angle with respect to the base assembly to sharpen the blade.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     Not Applicable 
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not Applicable 
     REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING, A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTING COMPACT DISK APPENDIX 
     Not Applicable 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates generally to a device and method for sharpening blades and the like, and more specifically to a device and method for sharpening knives, scissors, axes, planes, chisels, and other cutting implements. 
     2. Background of the Invention 
     There are many patents related to blade sharpening devices indicating the wide scope of such inventions. Many of these devices could not sharpen blades to an accurate predetermined angle, and those that could require a particular manufacturer&#39;s sharpening stone or rod permanently affixed to the device. The present invention is adjustable to meet the angle of the particular knife or cutting implement being sharpened, and hold this angle consistently throughout the sharpening process. The present invention accommodates various types of, off-the-shelf sharpener rods and sticks from different manufacturers. Also, the present invention accommodates all different shapes of sharpener rods. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention comprises a base assembly which serves as a foundation for mounting an adjustable base and sharpening rod holder. The sharpening rod holder (rod holder) accommodates most off-the-shelf sharpener (sharpening) rods. Most users already have sharpening rods, so all they have to do is put their existing sharpening rod into the sharpener to sharpen their knives or other cutting implements. The sharpener rod in the rod holder is securely clamped in position. The adjustable base is rotated to the required sharpening angle and securely clamped in position. To sharpen a blade, the user moves the blade vertically against the sharpening rod at a perpendicular angle with respect to the base assembly. 
     For purposes of the invention, sharpening rods or sharpening utensils include but are not limited to sharpening rods, sticks, stones, honers, etc. Sharpening rods also include but are not limited to various shapes and materials such as round, oblique, blunt end, tapered end, ceramic, diamond, and honed steel. 
     The knife or other cutting implement is not clamped in a fixed position as opposed to many other knife sharpeners which results in the removal of excessive amounts of material at the heel and tip of the knife. It not being clamped enables a consistent angle from tip to heel of the knife. The present invention maintains the same angle throughout the sharpening process for each knife or other cutting implement providing a consistent sharpness from tip to heel at the same angle and without removing excessive material. No other sharpener can do all of this. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Referring now to the drawings in which like reference numbers represent corresponding parts throughout: 
         FIG. 1  is an assembled side perspective view of the sharpener holder according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is an assembled front perspective view of the sharpener holder according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is an assembled rear perspective view of the sharpener holder according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is an assembled detailed view of the receiver of the sharpener holder according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  is an exploded view of the ball socket assembly of the sharpener holder according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a side perspective view of the sharpener holder with sharpening utensil and cutting implements according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 7  is a detailed view of the sharpening utensil and cutting implement to illustrate the operation of the sharpener holder according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention will now be described more fully hereinafter, in which preferred embodiments of the invention are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. In the drawings, like numbers refer to like elements throughout. Thicknesses and dimensions of some components may be exaggerated for clarity. 
     Referring now to the drawings, a sharpener holder, designated broadly at  10 , is illustrated in  FIGS. 1-7 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , the sharpener holder  10  of the present invention includes a receiver  30  which mounts a variety of single off-the-shelf sharpening rods  16  in a vertical upright position. The base assembly  150  comprises an elevated section  155  to accommodate full 360° rotation of the receiver base clamp  65 . Adjustable knob bolt  90  threads through the adjustable knob receiver base locknut  100  to connect the adjustable knob  80  to the ball socket assembly  160 . The adjustable knob  80  sets the receiver  30  with rod holder  40  to a predetermined angle for sharpening a blade. The receiver base clamp  65  securely locks in the predetermined angle so it will securely remain the same throughout the sharpening process. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  2 , and  3 , the adjustable swivel receiver base  62  is fastened to the adjustable swivel knob base  85  with bolts. The receiver base shaft  70  is fastened to the degree wheel faceplate  115  and adjustable swivel receiver pivot base  120  with a shaft bolt assembly  82 . The shaft bolt  82  is attached to the receiver base clamp  65  on one end and adjustable knob base  85  on the other end. The degree wheel faceplate  115  and a spacer washer  87  is sandwiched between the adjustable swivel receiver pivot base  120  and the receiver base shaft  70 . A degree wheel pointer  110  is attached to the receiver base shaft  70 . Optionally, the degree wheel faceplate  115  is marked with indices  105  to display the inclination angle of receiver  30  with respect to the vertical point of reference. For example, a 0° inclination angle places the receiver  30  and the associated sharpening rod  16  in the vertical position which is perpendicular to the surface of the base assembly  150 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  3 , and  5 , an adjustable knob receiver base locknut  100  is securely attached to the adjustable knob swivel base  85 . Adjustable knob bolt  90  threads through the adjustable knob receiver base locknut  100  to connect the adjustable knob  80  to the ball socket assembly  160  so that the adjustable knob bolt  90  swivels along with the adjustable knob swivel base  85 . The ball socket assembly  160  comprises a ball  162  securely attached to adjustable knob bolt  90  and an upper plate  164 , a lower plate  166 , two washers  168 , six nuts  170 , and two screws  172 . The ball  162  is sandwiched between the upper plate  164  and the lower plate  166 . The ball socket assembly  160  is securely attached to the elevated section by two screws  172  that pass through the bottom of the sharpener holder  10 , two washers  171 , and six  170  nuts. A washer  168  is placed on the top side of the lower plate and the bottom of the upper plate  164 . The washers  168  make the adjusting action easier. The adjustable knob bolt  90  and adjustable knob receiver base locknut  100  serve to securely hold the inclination angle of the receiver  30  in a fixed position once it is set to the desired angle. Receiver base clamp  65  gets tightened and holds the receiver  30  in a fixed position. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 4 , the receiver  30  comprises a receiver housing  45 , rod holder  40 , and adapter  43 . The receiver housing  45  partially encloses the rod holder  40  which holds an off-the-shelf sharpening utensil. The receiver housing  45  attaches to the rod holder  40  on one side with a receiver clamp pin  60  and on the opposite side with a receiver clamp bolt  55 . The receiver clamp bolt  55  attaches to a receiver clamp  35  and the rod holder  40 . The receiver clamp bolt  55  is attached to the rod holder  40  with a universal swivel  38 . The rod holder  40  includes two half cylindrical shells which form an opening which surrounds the sharpening rod  16 . The two half cylindrical shells form an opening for the rod shaped portion of the sharpening rod  16 . The diameter of the opening is adjusted by rotation of the receiver clamp  35 . Two horizontal springs are mounted between the shorter half shell and the receiver housing  45 . The horizontal springs  41 ,  42  transfer force from the receiver housing  45  to the shorter half shell which narrows the rod holder  40  opening. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  2 ,  3 , and  4 , the adapter  43  is an approximate T-shaped assembly which attaches the receiver  30  to the adjustable swivel receiver base  62 . The adapter  30  includes a larger core  51  vertically on the upper end, a plug  53  vertically on the lower end, and a smaller core  54  horizontally on the side. The larger core  51  partially encloses a vertical spring  48  which rests at the bottom center of the rod holder. The vertical spring  48  provides an upward force to aid in the release and removal of the rod shaped portion of the sharpening rod  16  and to alleviate issues with tapered ends of rods  16 . The plug  53  on the lower end of the adapter  43  is slightly less diameter than the diameter of the opening in the adjustable swivel receiver base  62  and the nipple  75  on the receiver base shaft  70 . The plug  53  is threaded and snuggly inserts through the adjustable swivel receiver base  62  and into the mating threaded nipple  75  on the receiver base shaft  70  such that the receiver  30  is secured in place. The smaller core  54  is sized to accommodate a screw  56  which attaches the receiver housing  45  to the adapter  43 . 
     In operation, loosen the receiver clamp  35  which will open the rod holder  40 . Insert the desired sharpening utensil inside the rod holder  40  until it rests on the vertical spring  48 . Tighten the receiver clamp  35  being careful not to over tighten. Loosen the receiver base clamp  65 . Rotate the adjustable knob  80  to set the desired angle  23  to match the factory edge of the knife or other cutting implement  19  to be sharpened. The adjustable knob  80  tilts the adjustable swivel receiver base  62  thereby adjusting the angle  23  of the rod holder  40 . The adjustable knob bolt  90  tilts alone with the adjustable swivel receiver base  62  since the adjustable knob receiver base lockout  100  is securely fastened to the adjustable swivel knob base  85 . Once the angle  23  is set with the degree wheel pointer  110 , tighten the receiver base clamp  65 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 , hold the knife at a perpendicular angle  21  to the sharpener base  150  drawing the knife across (and down) the sharpener working from top to bottom (of the sharpener) from heel to tip of the knife. Keep the knife at the perpendicular angle  21  throughout the complete motion. Do several strokes on one side, then turn the base around 180° and then do several strokes on the other side of the knife blade. Repeat until the knife is sharp. 
     For dull or abused knives, the first time the knife sharpener is used for each knife start with a course sharpener rod  16  to true up the blade angle. Then change to finer sharpener rods  16  to improve the sharpness of the knife. To change sharpening utensils, loosen the receiver clamp  35 , remove the sharpening utensil, insert a new sharpening utensil to the vertical spring  48  and tighten the receiver clamp  35  being careful not to over tighten. The angle  23  is already set and will remain the same throughout the sharpening process, regardless of shape, size, or material of different rods  16  used. 
     The foregoing is illustrative of the present invention and is not to be construed as limiting thereof. Although exemplary embodiments of this invention have been described, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that many modifications are possible in the exemplary embodiments without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of this invention. Accordingly, all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of this invention as defined in the claims.