Abstract:
The combination of a knife storage block and a knife sharpener including a sharpening unit. The combination has a guard extending forwardly from either the knife storage block or the sharpener which in use protects a user&#39;s hand while drawing a knife through the sharpening unit. The knife sharpener may be external to the knife block or integral to it.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   Priority is claimed to United Kingdom patent application Serial No. GB0724125.0 filed Dec. 11, 2007. 
   STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
   Not Applicable. 
   TECHNICAL FIELD 
   The invention relates to a combination of a knife storage block and a knife sharpener. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   In the Applicant&#39;s co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/016,562 there is described a knife sharpener which is received into an opening in the knife storage block, otherwise used for a steel, in order to provide an alternative sharpening facility that is readily available at all times. In that application the form of the knife sharpener is not restricted. 
   The Applicant has now developed a combination of a knife storage block and a knife sharpener which it is believed provides certain advantages over alternatives, as will become clear in due course. 
   BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   According to a first embodiment of the present invention there is provided a combination of a knife storage block and a knife sharpener. The knife sharpener includes a sharpening unit. The combination has a guard extending forwardly from the knife storage block or knife sharpener which in use protects the user&#39;s hand when they draw a knife through the sharpening unit. 
   According to another embodiment of the present invention there is provided a knife sharpener specifically adapted for use in a combination with a knife storage block according to the first aspect of the invention. The knife sharpener may be readily removable from the knife storage block without the need for tools. 
   The knife sharpener may comprise, on the underside of the housing, an elongate portion for receipt in an opening in a knife storage block or the like during use. 
   The elongate portion may bear retention formations which assist in retaining it within the opening in a knife storage block or the like during use. 
   Various objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention and the accompanying drawings. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a combination of a knife storage block with a knife sharpener according to the invention, where the knife sharpener is external to the knife block; 
       FIGS. 2 and 3  are two different perspective views of the knife sharpener of  FIG. 1  with the flap in it&#39;s storage position; 
       FIGS. 4 and 5  are two different perspective views of the knife sharpener of  FIG. 1  with the flap in it&#39;s use position; 
       FIG. 6  is a perspective view from above of the knife sharpener of  FIG. 1  in use; 
       FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a second embodiment of a combination of a knife storage block with a knife sharpener according to the invention, where the sharpener is again external to the storage block; 
       FIG. 8  is a perspective view of a third embodiment of a combination of a knife storage block with a knife sharpener according to the invention, where the sharpener is internal to the storage block; and 
       FIG. 9  is a partially cut away view of the embodiment of  FIG. 8  to show the knife sharpener within the storage block. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   Referring first to  FIG. 1  a knife sharpener  10  is located for use in an opening in the top of a knife storage block  12 . Preferably the knife sharpener  10  is located in an opening (not shown) which would otherwise receive a sharpening steel for storage between uses, but may be a different opening if appropriate, or the knife sharpener may be retained on the knife storage block by an alternative method. 
   Referring now to  FIGS. 2 to 5 , the knife sharpener  10  has a housing  14  comprising a lower part  14   a  and an upper part  14   b . The lower part  14   a  includes a recess  16 . The upper part of the housing  14   b  is movable relative to the lower part  14   a  from a closed position as shown in  FIGS. 2-5  to an open position (not shown). Preferably this is achieved by the upper part  14   b  being pivotable relative to the lower part  14   a . In the embodiment illustrated pivoting is achieved by pressing downwardly on tang  20  projecting from the rear of the upper part  14   b.    
   The knife sharpener  10  further includes a sharpening unit having a pair of ceramic wheels (not shown) mounted on an axle  18 . The axle  18  is located in the recess  16  in the lower part of the housing  14   a . The axle  18  is retained in place in the recess  16  by the upper part of the housing  14   b  when that is in it&#39;s closed position as shown in  FIGS. 2 to 5 . When retained the sharpening unit is free to rotate in the recess  16  as required for optimum operation during use sharpening a knife. 
   The upper part of the housing  14   b  includes a slot  22  which permits access to the sharpening unit by a knife blade when it is desired to sharpen the knife blade, in known fashion. 
   The knife sharpener  10  further includes a flap  24  which is movable relative to the housing  14 . In this case specifically pivotable relative to the lower part of the housing  14   a , between a closed or storage position as shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3  and a use position as shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 . In the storage position the flap  24  obscures part of the slit  22  and prevents use of the knife sharpener  10 . In the in use position the flap  24  no longer obscures part of the slit  22 , and the knife sharpener  10  can be used. In the in use position the flap  24  also acts as a guard, such that if the user places a hand  32  ( FIG. 6 ) on the top of the knife storage block  12  adjacent the knife sharpener  10 , with a thumb  34  along the front of the knife storage block  12  below the knife sharpener  10 , then the flap  24  prevents a knife  30  being sharpened from slipping out of the front of the slot  22  and cutting the user&#39;s thumb  34  or any other part of the user&#39;s hand  32 . 
   It will be understood by those skilled in the art that other forms of guard could be incorporated into the knife sharpener  10 . For example the flap  24  can be mounted on the housing  14  to be slidable or rotatable between storage and in use positions, whilst still providing the same functionality. Alternatively a guard can be provided as part of the knife storage block  12  rather than as part of the knife sharpener  10 , as illustrated in connection with an internal knife sharpener in  FIGS. 8 and 9 . 
   Referring now to  FIG. 7 , an alternative embodiment of a knife sharpener  100  according to the invention is illustrated in place in a knife storage block  12 . In this embodiment, in which like parts are like referenced, there is no flap  24 , instead the lower part of the housing  114   a  includes a forwardly extending portion  124  which acts as a guard when the knife sharpener  100  is in use, and which is fixed in that position. Fixed guards with similar functionality may of course be provided separately from the lower part of the housing of the knife sharpener, and take different forms. 
   The knife sharpener  10  or  100  further includes an elongate portion  26  ( FIGS. 2-5 ) extending downwardly from the bottom of the lower part of the housing  14   a  which is inserted into the opening (not shown) in the knife storage block  12  in order to locate the knife sharpener  10  in the knife storage block  12  for use. The elongate portion  26  preferably bears one of more retention formations  28  which assist in retaining the knife sharpener  10  in the opening in the knife storage block  12  during use. This method of securing the knife sharpener  10  in the knife storage block  12  during use means that the knife sharpener  10  is readily removable from the knife storage block  12  without the need for tools. 
   The illustrated extension  26  is sized and shaped to fit into a square opening for a conventional knife sharpening steel. Alternately, it can have a generally flat shape for fitting into one of the knife openings in the knife storage block  12 . 
   It will also be understood by those skilled in the art that embodiments of knife sharpeners may be included in combinations according to the invention using other means by which they are secured to the knife storage block  12 . Such means may mean that the knife sharpeners are removable or may mean that they are permanently or semi-permanently secured to the knife storage block. For example embodiments of knife sharpeners may be secured to a knife storage block by means of threaded fasteners, in which case they would be semi-permanently secured as tools would probably be needed to remove them. Embodiments of knife sharpener may alternatively be secured to a knife storage block by permanent means such as adhesive. 
   Referring now to  FIGS. 8 and 9 , a third embodiment of a combination of a knife storage block  12 ′ and a knife sharpener  200  are illustrated. The knife sharpener  200  is located internally to the knife storage block  12 ′. The knife storage block  12 ′ has a guard  224  which extends forwardly from a position below a front end of a slot  222  which provides access for a knife (not shown) to a sharpening unit  240  (as shown in  FIG. 9 ). The sharpening unit is shown as having two ceramic wheels  242  which rotate on an axle  244 . The illustrated guard  224  is a fixed part of the knife block  12 ′. Alternately, it can pivot over the slot  222  or it can be mounted to slide into the housing  12 ′. 
   It should be understood that the sharpening unit may be of an alternative form to that described above, for example it may have metal wheels in place of the ceramic ones, or be of a very different form. 
   When used in this specification and claims, the terms “comprises” and “comprising” and variations thereof mean that the specified features, steps or integers are included. The terms are not to be interpreted to exclude the presence of other features, steps or components. 
   The features disclosed in the foregoing description, or the following claims, or the accompanying drawings, expressed in their specific forms or in terms of a means for performing the disclosed function, or a method or process for attaining the disclosed result, as appropriate, may, separately, or in any combination of such features, be utilised for realising the invention in diverse forms thereof.