The invention generally relates to utility knives and, more specifically, to an interchangeable different style-blade utility knife.
Utility knives with interchangeable blades are known. When blades become dull they can readily be replaced by like blades. Interchangeable blade utility knives are disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,180,909 that discloses a knife with interchangeable blades. A hand tool with different changeable blades is also disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,701,626. Interchangeable different blade types are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,425,709. U.S. Published Patent Application No. 2004/0163264 discloses a hand saw and also a kit of different style blades that can be received within a handle. In the aforementioned devices the blades are relatively thick and do not require nor are provided with support on the sides opposite the cutting edges to prevent breakage.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,834,509 discloses a utility tool having interchangeable tool cartridges. The patent shows, for example, a saw, a knife, a scraper, a hook blade and a screw driver. The utility knife disclosed in this patent uses identical cartridge housings providing the same support for all blade types along the non-cutting edges opposite to the cutting edges, rendering some blade types more vulnerable to breakage than others depending on their shape and/or length of the cutting edges.
This problem also is exemplified in U.S. Pat. No. 8,978,254 where the same blade holder that provides the same support to a conventional or standard flat edge blade as to a curved cutting blade in the nature of a knife blade. This becomes especially problematic for thinner blades, potentially leading to breakage and user injury. In the case of utility cutting blades, irrespective of the style or shape, one support member or cartridge cannot generally provide the same degree of support without compromising the exposure and effectiveness of the blades' cutting edges.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide an interchangeable different style-blade utility knife that does not have the disadvantages associated with known utility knives.
It is another object of the invention to provide an interchangeable different style-blade utility knife that utilizes blade holders specifically dimensioned to provide proper support for different-style blades regardless of their size or configuration.
It is still another object of the invention to provide an interchangeable different style-blade utility knife that is simple in construction and economical to manufacture.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide an interchangeable different style-blade utility knife as in the previous objects that is easy and convenient to use.
It is a further object of the invention to provide an interchangeable different style-blade utility knife of the type under discussion that is suitable for thicker as well as thinner utility knife blades, irrespective of their size or shape.
It is still a further object of the invention to provide an interchangeable different style-blade utility knife as in the previous objects that is safe to use by reducing or eliminating breakage of generally sharp utility blades.
In order to achieve the above objects as well as other that will become evident hereinafter, an interchangeable different-style blade utility knife comprising a generally elongate handle having a proximal end and a distal end along a handle axis. A blade holder supports a blade. An actuating mechanism on the handle allows a user to selectively attach and detach the blade holder to the distal end of the handle at a parting line. A blade is supported by the blade holder and has an exposed cutting edge generally along a lower side of the handle and has a projected predetermined length along said axis handle, the blade holder having a support upper portion generally along an upper side of the handle from the parting line to a distal end of the support upper portion and having a projected length along the axis substantially equal to the predetermined length of the exposed cutting edge to provide support for the blade.
The above and other aspects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more apparent from the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
Referring now specifically to the figures, in which identical or similar parts are designated by the same reference numerals throughout, and first referring to
The interchangeable different blade style utility knife 10 includes a generally elongate handle 12 that defines an axis A and has a proximal end 12a, a distal end 12b, an upper edge 12c and a lower edge 12d. An optional handle extension 14 is fixed to the handle 12 but pivotably mounted thereon by pivot 16 to allow the extension to pivot up to approximally 180° from the position shown to a retracted position within the handle when the handle is provided with an internal cavity (not shown).
A blade holder 18 is configured to have a blade support portion 18a generally along the upper edge 12c of the handle, and be attached and detached from the handle 12 along a parting line 20 for selectively attaching and detaching the blade holder 18 to the handle extension 14. An externally accessible button 22 is used to actuate a latch mechanism (not shown) to selectively attach or detach the blade holder 18 from the handle 12. The specific shape of the parting line 20 or the latch mechanism used to connect or disconnect the blade holder from the handle is not critical. When a pivotable extension 14 is not used the blade holder 18 can be directly attached to the distal end 12b of the handle along a similar or any other desired parting line configuration.
A blade 24 may be supported by the blade holder 18 in any conventional or known manner. The blade 24 may be secured to the blade holder 18 and intergrated therewith to form a substantially unitary module or cartridge consisting of the blade holder 18 and the blade 24.
The blade 24, as viewed in
The distance or dimension 18d is the distance between the proximal and distal ends 18b, 18c, respectively, as projected along the axis A. The distance 24d represents the dimension between the distal end 18c of the handle extension 18 and the tip of the blade 24b. Similarly, the dimension 24e represents the distance or dimension of the cutting edge 24a, as projected along the axis A.
Referring to
Dimensions 24d, 26d and 28d respectively in
The blade holders 18, 18′, 18″, therefore, have support upper portions 18a, 18a′ and 18a″ generally along the upper edge 12c of the handle that have projected lengths along the axis substantially equal and/or generally proportional to the projected lengths 24e, 26c and 28e of the blade cutting edges to provide support for an associated blades.
The invention also covers a kit of interchangeable different style utility knife blades that includes a plurality of blade holders each for holding a different style blade, as suggested above, each blade holder being selectively attachable to or detachable from the handle for performing different cutting functions. The kit includes at least a standard utility blade 26 with a straight cutting edge, a hook blade 24 with a concave cutting edge, and a scalpel-type blade with a convex cutting edge as respectively shown in
While the invention has been shown and described with reference to certain embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and detail may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.
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