Patent ID: 7814664

Claim:
A folding utility knife, comprising: a handle; a blade holder pivotally mounted on the handle and movable between (i) a closed position with the blade holder pivoted inwardly toward the handle, (ii) a cutting position with the blade holder pivoted outwardly relative to the handle, and (iii) a blade release position; a blade release actuator located on the blade holder and movable between (i) a first position preventing release of a utility knife blade located on the blade holder, and (ii) a second position permitting release of a utility knife blade located on the blade holder; a locking member movable between (i) a blade locking position with the blade holder located in the cutting position that prevents movement of the blade release actuator from the first position to the second position, and (ii) a blade release position with the blade holder located in the blade release position that permits movement of the blade release actuator from the first position to the second position to, in turn, release a utility knife blade from the blade holder; and a stop surface that contacts the locking member with the blade holder located in the cutting position and stops movement of the locking member in a direction from the blade locking position to the blade release position, wherein the stop surface defines a recess for receiving therein the locking member with the blade holder located in the blade release position to, in turn, permit the locking member to move from the blade locking position to the blade release position and thereby release a utility knife blade located on the blade holder.