Patent Publication Number: US-6219869-B1

Title: Pocketknife with storage compartment

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to pocketknives and more particularly pertains to a new pocketknife with storage compartment for holding small items in the pocketknife. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     The use of pocketknives is known in the prior art. More specifically, pocketknives heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements. 
     Known prior art includes U.S. Pat. No. 3,760,438 by White; U.S. Pat. No. 2,718,695 by Elsener; U.S. Pat. No. 2,286,524 by Wilbur; U.S. Pat. No. 5,400,509 by Collins; U.S. Pat. No. 4,478,330 by Lin; and U.S. Pat. No. Des. 83,791 by Brown. 
     While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a new pocketknife with storage compartment. The inventive device includes a handle comprising spaced apart side bodies and a plurality of tools pivotally coupled to the handle between the side bodies of the handle. A first of the side bodies has a compartment therein. A lid substantially covers the compartment. The lid is pivotally coupled to the first side body. 
     In these respects, the pocketknife with storage compartment according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of holding small items in the pocketknife. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of pocketknives now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a new pocketknife with storage compartment construction wherein the same can be utilized for holding small items in the pocketknife. 
     The general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new pocketknife with storage compartment apparatus and method which has many of the advantages of the pocketknives mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new pocketknife with storage compartment which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art pocketknives, either alone or in any combination thereof. 
     To attain this, the present invention generally comprises a handle comprising spaced apart side bodies and a plurality of tools pivotally coupled to the handle between the side bodies of the handle. A first of the side bodies has a compartment therein. A lid substantially covers the compartment. The lid is pivotally coupled to the first side body. 
     There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
     In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
     As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
     Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way. 
     It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new pocketknife with storage compartment apparatus and method which has many of the advantages of the pocketknives mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new pocketknife with storage compartment which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art pocketknives, either alone or in any combination thereof. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a new pocketknife with storage compartment which may be easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed. 
     It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new pocketknife with storage compartment which is of a durable and reliable construction. 
     An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new pocketknife with storage compartment which is susceptible of a low cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and which accordingly is then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming public, thereby making such pocketknife with storage compartment economically available to the buying public. 
     Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new pocketknife with storage compartment which provides in the apparatuses and methods of the prior art some of the advantages thereof, while simultaneously overcoming some of the disadvantages normally associated therewith. 
     Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new pocketknife with storage compartment for holding small items in the pocketknife. 
     Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new pocketknife with storage compartment which includes a handle comprising spaced apart side bodies and a plurality of tools pivotally coupled to the handle between the side bodies of the handle. A first of the side bodies has a compartment therein. A lid substantially covers the compartment. The lid is pivotally coupled to the first side body. 
     Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new pocketknife with storage compartment that may be used to store various loose tools therein. 
     These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a new pocketknife with storage compartment according to the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a schematic side view of the present invention with some tools pivoted out of the handle. 
     FIG. 3 is a schematic exploded perspective view of the present invention with the lid opened to reveal the compartment. 
     FIG. 4 is a schematic plan view of the present invention as seen from the vantage of line  4 — 4  of FIG.  2 . 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 through 4 thereof, a new pocketknife with storage compartment embodying the principles and concepts of the present invention will be described. 
     As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 4, the pocketknife with storage compartment generally comprises a handle comprising spaced apart side bodies and a plurality of tools pivotally coupled to the handle between the side bodies of the handle. A first of the side bodies has a compartment therein. A lid substantially covers the compartment. The lid is pivotally coupled to the first side body. 
     In closer detail, the pocketknife includes a generally oblong handle  10  comprising spaced apart generally oblong side bodies  11 , 12  and a plurality of tools  13   a , 13   b  pivotally coupled to the handle between the side bodies of the handle. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the tools may be any typical tool found in a conventional pocketknife including, for example, a knife blade and a file. 
     Each of the side bodies has an exterior face  14 , a pair of opposite ends  15 , 16 , and a pair of sides  17 , 18  extending between the ends of the respective side body. Ideally, the ends of each side body are rounded with the sides of each side body extending substantially parallel to one another. 
     The exterior face of a first of the side bodies has a generally rectangular compartment  19  therein. The compartment has a generally rectangular bottom wall  20  and a spaced apart pair of end walls  21 , 22  and a spaced apart pair of side walls  23 , 24  extending between the end walls of the compartment. Preferably, the end walls of the compartment are extended substantially parallel to one another and the side walls of the compartment are extended substantially parallel to one another and substantially perpendicular to the end walls of the compartment. Also preferably, the end walls and the side walls of the compartment are extended substantially perpendicular to the bottom wall of the compartment. In this preferred embodiment, the end walls of the compartment are extended substantially perpendicular to the sides of the first side body while the side walls of the compartment are extended substantially parallel to the sides of the first side body. 
     The first side body has a length defined between the ends of the first side body. The compartment has a length defined between the end walls of the compartment. Preferably, the length of the compartment is between about one-half the length of the first side body and about nine-tenths the length of the first side body. Ideally, the length of the first side body is between about 4 inches and about 8 inches. 
     A generally rectangular lid  25  substantially covers the compartment. The lid has inner and outer faces  26 , 27 , a pair of substantially straight opposite end edges  28 , 29 , and a pair of substantially straight side edges  30 , 31  extending between end edges of the lid. The inner face of the lid faces into the compartment when the lid is closed. The outer face of the lid and the exterior face of the first side body preferably substantially lie in a common plane with one another when the lid is closed. 
     A first of the side edges of the lid is pivotally coupled to the first side body adjacent one of the side walls of the compartment. In one preferred embodiment, a piano hinge  32  pivotally couples the lid to the first side body. Optionally, a plurality of smaller hinges may pivotally couple the lie to the first side body. A clasp detachably attaches a second of the side edges of the lid to the first side body adjacent the other of the side walls of the compartment. The clasp comprises a pair of complementary portions  33   a , 33   b  releasably engaging one another. One of the complementary portions of the clasp is provided on the lid while the other of the complementary portions of the clasp is provided on the first side body. 
     Preferably, a mirror  34  is provided on the lid. In one preferred embodiment, the mirror is located on the exterior face of the lid. With reference to FIG. 3, in another preferred embodiment this mirror or an additional mirror  35  may be located on the inner face of the lid. In one ideal embodiment, the mirror substantially covers the face of the lid on which the mirror is located. 
     Ideally, the exterior face of a second of side bodies is magnetized to permit magnetic attachment of the second side body to a magnetizable metal surface. 
     With reference to FIG. 3, an elongate tube  36  may be provided in the compartment having an open first end and a closed second end. The tube has a removable cap  37  substantially closing the open first end of the tube. The tube has a length defined between the first and second ends of the tube. Ideally, the length of the tube is between about the length of the compartment and about one-half the length of the compartment. In use, the tube is designed for holding small items such as needles therein in an organized manner in the compartment. 
     As to a further discussion of the manner of usage and operation of the present invention, the same should be apparent from the above description. Accordingly, no further discussion relating to the manner of usage and operation will be provided. 
     With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention. 
     Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.