Abstract:
The present invention discloses a folding knife assembly allows its blade to be positioned therein, such that when the blade of the folding knife is stored in an accommodating space of a handle, a latch member on the handle is used to fix the blade in the accommodating space and prevent the blade from rotating out from the accommodating space by accident and causing a stabbed wound or an incised wound to the user or others.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention relates to a folding knife assembly, more particularly to a folding knife assembly that allows its blade to be positioned therein.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     In general, a traditional folding knife comprises a handle and a blade; wherein the blade has a pivotal connecting section at one end and the pivotal connecting section is pivotally coupled with the handle, such that the blade can be stored in an accommodating space disposed on one side of the handle. Therefore, when a user wants to use the folding knife, the user holds the handle by one hand and pulls the blade jointly by the index finger and the thumb of the other hand, so that the blade can be pulled out from the accommodating space of the handle. However, such folding knife has the following shortcomings. Firstly, the pivotal connection between the blade and the handle will become loosened after the folding knife has been used for some time, and thus the blade usually will rotate out from the accommodating space when the folding life is shaken or hit by external forces. Secondly, when a user wants to use the folding knife, the user has to use both hands to take the blade out from the handle, and thus if the user encounters a special occasion that there is only one hand available, the user may not be able to use the folding knife. For example, the special occasion include the situation of a user&#39;s hand being tangled by the string of a net and needing to use the knife to cut the string immediately to save one&#39;s life, or one of the user&#39;s hands is injured while the uninjured hand is available, or even for a user who has lost one of his hands.  
         [0003]     Please refer to  FIG. 1  for a “sling blade” developed and sold in the market for overcoming the foregoing shortcomings. The sling blade  5  comprises a hollow handle  50 , an accommodating space disposed on one side of the handle  50  for storing a blade  51 , one end of the blade point  511  and the other end being a pivotal connecting section  512 , wherein the pivotal connecting section  512  is pivotally coupled to an axial rod  52  at one end of the handle  50 , and a resilient member  53  connected to the blade  51  is disposed in the handle  50 , and a press switch  54  protruded from the surface of the handle  50  for latching the blade  51  is disposed in the handle  50  on the other side of the blade  51  at a position proximate to the axial rod  52 , such that when a user presses the press switch  54 , the press switch  54  releases the latch of the blade  51 , and the blade  51  rotates about the axis of the axial rod  52  by the resilience of the resilient member  53  and quickly extends out of the handle  50 . In other words, the user only needs to use one hand to operate the sling blade  5  quickly and easily. Further, the pivotal connection of the sling blade  5  between the blade  51  and the handle  50  will not be loosened easily due to its frequent use. However, the press switch  54  is protruded from an obvious position on the surface of the handle  50 , which may be pressed by accident or played by children as to release the blade  51  and cause a risk of being cut. The original intention of the design has turned into a danger to the user.  
         [0004]     Please refer to  FIG. 2  for another folding knife structure, which comprises a handle  60 , an accommodating space disposed on one side of the handle  60 , a blade  61  pivotally coupled to one end of the handle  60 , such that the blade  61  can be rotated into the accommodating space or rotated out from the accommodating space. Further, a poking rod  62  is protruded from a position of exposing the blade  61  on both sides outside the accommodating space, and a brake member  7  is disposed at one side of the blade  61  proximate to the position where the handle  60  and the blade  61  are pivotally coupled with each other, and an indentation  70  is disposed on the brake member  7 . Further, a resilient strip  8  is disposed in the accommodating space, and one end of the resilient strip  8  is extended to a position proximate to the brake member  7 , so that when the blade  61  is folded into the accommodating space, the circumference of the maximum external diameter of the brake member  7  will press the resilient strip  8 , and the resilient strip  8  will be deformed to store a resilient force. Therefore, when the blade  61  is folded into the accommodating space, a user can use one hand to hold the handle  60 , and use a thumb and an index finger to push the poking rod  62  as to cause the brake member to start rotating and progressively release the pressing condition of the resilient strip  8  until the resilient strip  8  is extended into the indentation  70 . Since the resilience produced by the deformation of the resilient strip  8  will be acted on the indentation  70  of the brake member  7 , therefore the brake member starts producing a torque to rotate the blade  61  towards the accommodating space, so that the blade can be extended out from the handle  60  quickly. In other words, a user only needs to push the poking rod  62  by the fingers of one hand to quickly rotate the blade  61  out from the handle  60 . However, some users put the folding knife in their pocket, the poking rod  62  may be pushed by accident due to external forces and rotated out from the handle  60 , which may results an accident of an incised wound or stabbed wound.  
         [0005]     In summation of the foregoing description, since various articles and quality goods of daily use are introduced at every moment, people not only ask for a friendly design on the appearance and overall design of the knife structure, but also requests powerful functions and convenient operations. On the other hand, people usually neglect the safety of the knife itself. Therefore, the way of designing a stylish, friendly, functional and safe knife becomes a key factor for improving the market share and an important subject that demands immediate attention. Such design can meet the low-cost, highly efficient and effective requirements of the current industry.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0006]     In view of the aforementioned shortcomings of the prior-art knife and the trend of knife design, more emphases are placed on the safety of the knife in addition to the stylish appearance. Therefore, the inventor of the present invention based on years of experience in the related industry conducted extensive researches and experiments and finally invented a folding knife assembly in accordance with the present invention.  
         [0007]     The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a folding knife assembly, such that when the blade of the knife is stored in the accommodating space, a latch member on the handle is used to fix the blade in the accommodating space and prevent the blade from rotating out from the accommodating space by accident and causing a stabbed wound or an incised wound to the user or others.  
         [0008]     The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken with the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0009]      FIG. 1  is an exploded view of a prior-art sling blade.  
         [0010]      FIG. 2  is an illustrative view of a prior-art folding knife.  
         [0011]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the present invention.  
         [0012]      FIG. 4  is an exploded view of the present invention.  
         [0013]      FIG. 5A  is an illustrative view of the present invention.  
         [0014]      FIG. 5B  is another illustrative view of the present invention.  
         [0015]      FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0016]     Please refer to  FIGS. 3 and 4  for the folding knife assembly that can fix a blade into place. The folding knife comprises a first half handle  1 , a second half handle  2 , a latch member  3  and a blade  4 , wherein the first half handle  1  further comprises a chassis  11  and an internal plate  12  both having a similar shape and being flatly attached as a whole, a sliding groove  111  disposed on the internal surface of the chassis  11 , a penetrating hole  112  disposed in the sliding groove  111  and interconnected to the external surface of the chassis  11 , a first circular aperture  121  disposed on the internal plate  12  and a bead  122  embedded in the first circular aperture  121 . The latch member  3  comprises a pushing section  31 , a latch strip  32  and a push button  33 , and one end of the pushing section  31  is coupled to one end of the latch strip  32 , and the push button  33  is protruded from one side of the pushing section  31 , such that the latch member  3  is disposed between the chassis  11  and the internal plate  12 . When the latch member  3  is installed in the sliding groove  111 , the push button  33  is exposed from the penetrating hole  112  on the surface of the chassis  11 . The second half handle  2  comprises another chassis  21  and another internal plate  22  being flatly attached as a whole, and the second half handle  2  is coupled to the first half handle  1  to form a handle A, and define an accommodating space with a common side. The blade  4  comprises a knife point  41  on one end and a pivotal connecting section  42  on the other end. The pivotal connecting section  42  is pivotally clamped between the first half handle  1  and the second half handle  2  on a common end, such that the blade  4  can be rotated into or out from the accommodating space. A second circular aperture  43  is disposed on the blade  4  proximate to the pivotal connecting section  42  and at a position corresponding to the latch strip  32 .  
         [0017]     With the foregoing perfect design and assembly, when the blade  4  is rotated and stored in the accommodating space, the push button  33  is pushed towards the pivotal connecting section  42 , so that the latch strip  32  produces a movement and presses the first bead  122 . Since the first bead  122  is pressed, some part of the volume of the first bead  122  is protruded from the first circular aperture  121  and the first bead  122  falls into the second circular aperture  43  (as shown in  FIG. 5B ). Thus, such arrangement can achieve the effect of fixing the blade  4  into the accommodating space to prevent the blade  4  from being rotated out or popped out from the accommodating space by mistake and prevent accidence. On the other hand, the push button  33  is pushed away from the pivotal connecting section  42  (as shown in  FIG. 5A ) the latch strip  32  releases the pressure produced on the first bead  122 . Therefore, if the blade  4  is rotated out from the accommodating space, the second circular aperture  43  is moved away from the first bead  122 , such that the first bead  122  is pushed by the surface of the blade  4  to fall into the first circular aperture  121  again.  
         [0018]     Please refer to  FIG. 4  for a preferred embodiment of the present invention. A third circular aperture  44  is disposed on the blade  4  proximate to the pivotal connecting section  42  and corresponding to one side of the second circular aperture  43 , such that the blade  4  is rotated completely out from the accommodating space, and the push button  33  is pushed towards the knife point  41 . As a result, the latch strip  32  presses the first bead  122 , so that the first bead  122  has some part of its volume protruded from the first circular aperture  121  and the first bead  122  falls into the third circular aperture  44  to achieve the effect of fixing the blade  4  into place and prevent the blade  4  from rotating into the accommodating space when the folding knife is in use.  
         [0019]     Please refer to  FIG. 4  for another preferred embodiment of the present invention. The latch member  3  comprises a pushing section  31 , a latch strip  32  and a push button  33 , wherein the pushing section  31  comprises a second bead  34  embedded on a side facing the internal plate  12 , and a fourth circular aperture  123  and a fifth circular aperture  124  are disposed on the corresponding positions of the internal plate  12  and the second circular bead  34 , so that when the blade  4  is stored into the accommodating space, the push button  33  is pushed toward the pivotal connecting section (as shown in  FIG. 5A ), and the second bead  34  precisely falls into the fourth circular aperture  123 . When the push button  33  is pushed away from the pivotal connecting section  42 , the second bead  34  precisely falls into the fifth circular aperture  124 . With the foregoing ingenious design, an obvious sectional feel is produced when the push button  33  is pushed, and the effects of fixing the blade  4  and the pushing section  31  can be achieved.  
         [0020]     Please refer to  FIG. 4  for a further preferred embodiment of the present invention. Another internal plate  22  comprises a bracket  221  slightly curved towards the blade  4 , such that when the blade  4  is stored into the accommodating space, the surface of the blade  4  presses the bracket  221  to produce a deformation. When the blade  4  is rotated out from the accommodating space, the bracket  221  recovers its original slightly curved condition by the resilience, so that the end of the bracket  221  presses precisely on the bottom edge of the blade  4 . Such ingenious arrangement can improve the stability of the blade  4  being mounted on the handle A, so that when a user operates the folding knife, the user&#39;s fingers will not be cut by a sudden rotation of the blade  4 . On the other hand, when the bracket  221  is pressed to produce a deformation, the bottom edge of the blade  4  is separated from the bracket  221 , and thus the blade  4  can be rotated into the accommodating space and maintains a mutual pressing condition with the bracket  221  again. Further, the bracket  221  could further include a third bead  222 , and the blade  4  could include a sixth circular aperture  45  (as shown in  FIG. 6 ), such that when the blade  4  is rotated into the accommodating space and contacted with the bracket  221 , some part of the volume of the third circular bead  222  is disposed precisely in the sixth circular aperture  45  as to achieve the effect of fixing the blade  4  into the accommodating space.  
         [0021]     In the foregoing preferred embodiments, if the sliding groove  111  is not designed in a straight line, it will be unfavorable for the pushing section  31  to be pushed in the sliding groove  111 . Therefore, a circular indentation is set at the center of one end of the pushing section  31 , and a sphere  321  is disposed at one end of the latch strip  32 , wherein the sphere  321  is installed precisely in the circular indentation to form a joint-like pivotal structure. With such design, the pushing section  31  and the latch strip  32  will not be restricted by the shape and the traveling direction in the accommodating space when being pushed in the sliding groove  111 .  
         [0022]     While the invention has been described by means of specific embodiments, numerous modifications and variations could be made thereto by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention set forth in the claims.