KNIFE SHARPENER AND KNIFE SHARPENING METHOD

Abstract

A knife sharpener and a knife sharpening method have a simple structure and can sharpen the knife blade uniformly and evenly with good sharpening effect, comprising a base, a knife sharpening assembly, the base is provided with a clamping mechanism for a knife tool, the clamping mechanism for the knife tool is used to clamp the knife tool; the knife sharpening assembly is arranged on the base above the clamping mechanism for the knife tool, the knife sharpening assembly is connected to a linkage member, and is driven by the linkage member to move in a circular manner; the movement trajectory of the knife sharpening assembly comprises a sharpening section and a spacing section; in the sharpening section, a sharpening part of the knife sharpening assembly comes into contact with the blade of the knife tool and continuously moves along the blade path to sharpen the blade.

Description

1. TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates to the technical field of knife sharpeners, in particular to a knife sharpener and a knife sharpening method.

2. BACKGROUND ART

Traditional whetstones and knife sharpeners are bulky and unattractive, with relatively low popularity in modern households. Moreover, most people lack the skill to sharpen knives, so when household knives become dull, it's difficult to find a place to sharpen the knife or the knife sharpening method is used incorrectly. As a result, they fail to achieve the desired sharpness. Some knives also suffer excessive edge wear due to improper use. The knife sharpeners that come with knife sharpening holders on the market cannot quickly repair the edge of the blade, causing inconvenience. This leads people to either replace their knives or seek professional sharpening services, which not only adds to the inconvenience, but also increases living costs. To address these problems, electrically-driven automatic knife sharpeners have emerged.

The existing automatic knife sharpeners generally use the following sharpening method: the knife is inserted into the knife sharpener; then, the sharpening part makes contact with the blade of the knife; the sharpening part is driven to move back and forth along the blade path to sharpen the blade. Due to the contact between the sharpening part and the blade, the sharpening of the blade is done by moving the blade back and forth in both directions. However, the blade path changes due to the force applied by the sharpening part and the inconsistency of the contact area with the sharpening part, which often leads to over-sharpening or under-sharpening.

To address the above issues, some knife sharpeners have emerged that can sharpen knives in a single direction along the blade path. For example, a knife sharpening device disclosed in the publication with the number CN 216299028 U. However, this knife sharpening device has issues such as complex structure and high production costs, which make it unsuitable for widespread use.

3. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the shortcomings and defects of the prior art, a knife sharpener and a knife sharpening method are provided, which have a simple structure and can sharpen the knife blade uniformly and evenly with good sharpening effect.

The knife sharpener comprises a base,

• • the base is provided with a clamping mechanism for a knife tool, the clamping mechanism for the knife tool is used to clamp the knife tool;
  • further comprises a knife sharpening assembly, the knife sharpening assembly is arranged on the base above the clamping mechanism for the knife tool, the knife sharpening assembly is connected to a linkage member, and is driven by the linkage member to move in a circular manner;
  • the movement trajectory of the knife sharpening assembly comprises a sharpening section and a spacing section,
  • in the sharpening section, a sharpening part of the knife sharpening assembly comes into contact with the blade of the knife tool and continuously moves along the blade path to sharpen the blade,
  • in the spacing section, there is a clearance between the sharpening part of the knife sharpening assembly and the blade of the knife tool, causing them to be out of contact.

By adopting the above structure, the knife sharpener of the invention has the following advantages compared with the prior art:

• • when sharpening a knife tool, using the clamping mechanism to clamp the knife tool to be sharpened, and setting the blade of the knife tool facing upward toward the knife sharpening assembly;
  • the movement trajectory of the knife sharpening assembly comprises the sharpening section and the spacing section, wherein in the spacing section, there is a clearance between the sharpening part of the knife sharpening assembly and the blade of the knife tool, causing them to be out of contact;
  • in the sharpening section, a sharpening part of the knife sharpening assembly comes into contact with the blade of the knife tool, the sharpening part makes contact with the blade and moves along the path of the blade in a single direction (from tail to front end of the blade), performing sharpening on the blade; when the blade is sharpened multiple times in a single direction (from the tail to the front end of the blade), the contact torque between the sharpening part and the blade remains relatively consistent throughout the multiple sharpening processes, and the contact area is also relatively consistent, resulting in uniform, even, and effective sharpening of the blade;
  • in addition, the device enables the knife sharpening assembly to perform circular motion, allowing the sharpening part to acquire a position where it contacts the blade as well as a position where it disengages from contact. Compared to the guide rail scheme where the knife sharpening assembly folds during reverse movement to create a distance between the sharpening part and the blade, the invention features a simpler structure and relatively lower cost.

As an improvement of the invention, the linkage member is a conveyor belt, front end of the conveyor belt is sleeved on a driving wheel, rear end is sleeved on a driven wheel, forming the linkage member with an elliptical ring structure;

• • wherein the knife tool is placed below the conveyor belt, the movement trajectory of the knife sharpening assembly between the position below the driving wheel and the position below the driven wheel is the sharpening section, the movement trajectory of the knife sharpening assembly between the position above the driving wheel and the position above the driven wheel is the spacing section.

As an improvement of the invention, the knife sharpening assembly comprises a connecting base and a pivot arm, the connecting base is fixed to outside of the conveyor belt, the connecting base is provided with an assembly space for a front end of the pivot arm to extend into, a pin shaft that passes through the front end of the pivot arm is arranged in the assembly space, the sharpening part is arranged at the rear end of the pivot arm;

• • a torsion spring is sleeved on the pin shaft, one restraining end of the torsion spring abuts against the connecting base, the other restraining end of the torsion spring abuts against the pivot arm, the blade contacts the sharpening part, driving the pivot arm to rotate, so that the elastic member is pre-tightened, the elastic member supplies the pivot arm with a pre-tightening force, driving the pivot arm to rotate in the reverse direction, thereby keeping the sharpening part in contact with the blade.

As an improvement of the invention, the sharpening part consists of two grinding wheels that are rotatably connected to the rear end of the pivot arm, the two grinding wheels are arranged along a common rotation axis, and a sharpening space is formed between the two grinding wheels for the blade to extend into;

• • the rotation axis of the two grinding wheels is inclined to the axis A of the blade, the blade is inserted into the sharpening space, the center line B of the sharpening space intersects obliquely with the axis B of the blade, one grinding wheel contacts one side of the blade, and the other grinding wheel contacts the other side of the blade, and the two contact positions are staggered in the front and rear positions in the direction of the axis A of the blade.

As an improvement of the invention, the driving wheel and the driven wheel are both rotatably connected to the base, a first limiting groove of an annular structure is arranged on the base according to the movement trajectory, a first limiting guide column is arranged on the connecting base, and the first limiting guide column extends into the first limiting groove;

• • the base is provided with a second limiting groove according to the movement trajectory, a second limiting guide column is arranged at the rear end of the pivot arm, the second limiting guide column extends into the second limiting groove, the second limiting groove has a floating section with an increased groove spacing corresponding to the sharpening section, the second limiting guide column can float up and down within the floating section along with the rotation of the pivot arm.

As an improvement of the invention, the clamping mechanism comprises clamping blocks, the number of the clamping blocks is at least two, the two clamping blocks are arranged opposite to each other on the base, the two clamping blocks are arranged opposite to each other on the left and right sides of the base, a gap is formed between the two clamping blocks to allow the knife tool to pass through;

• • upper end of the clamping block at the left position is provided with a first nut, an adjusting screw is provided with a first threaded section adapted to the first nut;
  • upper end of the clamping block at the right position is provided with a second nut, the adjusting screw passes through the first nut and then extends to pass through the second nut, the adjusting screw is provided with a second threaded section adapted to the second nut, the second threaded section and the first threaded section are configured with right-hand and left-hand threads.

As an improvement of the invention, a guide assembly comprises a sliding groove, the sliding groove is arranged below the two clamping blocks and extends along the moving direction of the clamping blocks, bottoms of the two clamping blocks are respectively provided with a sliding block, each sliding block fits into the sliding groove.

As an improvement of the invention, a through slot is arranged on the base, tail end of the through slot is opposite to front end of the gap, an inwardly extending baffle is arranged at front end of the through slot, and the baffle forms a blocking cooperation with front end of a handle of the knife tool;

• • a guiding groove is arranged on the base, tail end of the guiding groove is connected to the front end of the through slot, and front end of the guiding groove is extended away from the tail end of the guiding groove.

As an improvement of the invention, a tightening assembly is arranged on the base, the tightening assembly comprises a tightening plate, the tightening plate is hinged at the front end of the guiding groove, and an elastic element is arranged on the base, the elastic element drives the tightening plate to flip upwards so that it tightly presses against back of the blade of the knife tool.

A knife sharpening method comprises using the knife sharpener as described above, wherein the knife sharpening method comprises the following steps:

• • SS01. using the clamping mechanism to clamp the knife tool to be sharpened, and setting the blade of the knife tool facing upwards;
  • SS02. controlling the rotation of the linkage member, the rotation of the linkage member drives the knife sharpening assembly to cyclically switch between the sharpening section and the spacing section;
  • SS03. in the sharpening section, a sharpening part of the knife sharpening assembly comes into contact with the blade of the knife tool and continuously moves along the blade path to sharpen the blade; in the spacing section, there is a clearance between the sharpening part of the knife sharpening assembly and the blade of the knife tool, causing them to be out of contact;
  • SS04. after the blade is sharpened to meet the requirements, the linkage member is controlled to drive the knife sharpening assembly to enter the spacing section;
  • SS05. removing the sharpened knife tool from the clamping mechanism.

4. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF ACCOMPANY DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the knife sharpening assembly of the invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of the positions of the first limiting groove and the second limiting groove of the invention.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged schematic diagram of the structure of point A in FIG. 3 of the invention.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the sharpening part of the invention.

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of of the enlarged structure at point B in FIG. 5 of the invention, showing the structure after the knife tool and the sharpening space are adapted.

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the clamping mechanism of the invention.

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the clamping mechanism of the invention in the exploded state.

FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram of the structure in which the clamping blocks are exposed after partial removal of the base of the invention.

FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram of the structures of the through slot and the guiding groove of the invention.

FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram of a half-section structure of a part of the base of the invention.

FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the invention.

As shown in the figures: 1 knife sharpening assembly; 1.1 sharpening part; 1.11 sharpening space; 1.2 connecting base; 1.21 first limiting guide column; 1.3 pivot arm; 1.31 second limiting guide column; 1.4 assembly space; 1.211 pin shaft; 1.212 torsion spring; 2 linkage member; 2.1 driving wheel; 2.2 driven wheel; 3 sharpening section; 4 spacing section; 5 motor; 6 base; 6.1 first limiting groove; 6.2 second limiting groove; 7 floating section; 8 knife tool; 9 clamping block; 9.1 gap; 9.2 first nut; 9.3 second nut; 10 guide assembly; 10.1 sliding groove; 10.2 sliding block; 11 adjusting screw; 11.1 first threaded section; 11.2 second threaded section; 11.3 knob; 12 through slot; 12.1 baffle; 13 guiding groove; 14 tightening plate.

5. SPECIFIC EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

The invention will be further described below in combination with the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

Please refer to FIG. 1-12, the knife sharpener comprises a base 6, the base 6 is provided with a clamping mechanism for a knife tool 8, the clamping mechanism for the knife tool 8 is used to clamp the knife tool 8;

• • further comprises a knife sharpening assembly 1, the knife sharpening assembly 1 is connected to a linkage member 2, and is driven by the linkage member 2 to move in a circular manner;
  • the movement trajectory of the knife sharpening assembly 1 comprises a sharpening section 3 and a spacing section 4,
  • in the sharpening section 3, a sharpening part 1.1 of the knife sharpening assembly 1 comes into contact with the blade of the knife tool 8 and continuously moves along the blade path to sharpen the blade,
  • in the spacing section 4, there is a clearance between the sharpening part 1.1 of the knife sharpening assembly 1 and the blade of the knife tool 8, causing them to be out of contact.

By adopting the above structure, the knife sharpener of the invention has the following advantages compared with the prior art: when sharpening a knife tool, using the clamping mechanism to clamp the knife tool 8 to be sharpened, and setting the blade of the knife tool 8 facing upward toward the knife sharpening assembly 1;

• • the movement trajectory of the knife sharpening assembly 1 comprises the sharpening section 3 and the spacing section 4, wherein in the spacing section 4, there is a clearance between the sharpening part 1.1 of the knife sharpening assembly 1 and the blade of the knife tool 8, causing them to be out of contact;
  • in the sharpening section 3, a sharpening part 1.1 of the knife sharpening assembly 1 comes into contact with the blade of the knife tool 8, the sharpening part 1.1 makes contact with the blade and moves along the path of the blade in a single direction (from tail to front end of the blade), performing sharpening on the blade; when the blade is sharpened multiple times in a single direction (from the tail to the front end of the blade), the contact torque between the sharpening part 1.1 and the blade remains relatively consistent throughout the multiple sharpening processes, and the contact area is also relatively consistent, resulting in uniform, even, and effective sharpening of the blade;
  • in addition, the device enables the knife sharpening assembly 1 to perform circular motion, allowing the sharpening part 1.1 to acquire a position where it contacts the blade as well as a position where it disengages from contact. Compared to the guide rail scheme where the knife sharpening assembly 1 folds during reverse movement to create a distance between the sharpening part 1.1 and the blade, the invention features a simpler structure and relatively lower cost.

As an improvement of the invention, the linkage member 2 is a conveyor belt, front end of the conveyor belt is sleeved on a driving wheel 2.1, rear end is sleeved on a driven wheel 2.2, forming the linkage member 2 with an elliptical ring structure;

• • wherein the knife tool 8 is placed below the conveyor belt, the movement trajectory of the knife sharpening assembly 1 between the position below the driving wheel 2.1 and the position below the driven wheel 2.2 is the sharpening section 3, the movement trajectory of the knife sharpening assembly 1 between the position above the driving wheel 201 and the position above the driven wheel 2.2 is the spacing section 4.

The invention adopts the conveyor belt mounted on driving wheel 2.1 and driven wheel 2.2 as the linkage member 2 (the linkage member 2 can also utilize structures like chains capable of circular conveying), the conveyor belt is structured to separate into upper and lower ends under the action of driving wheel 2.1 and driven wheel 2.2, and forms an elliptical ring structure, wherein a lower end of the conveyor belt-linked knife sharpening assembly 1 has the sharpening section 3, and an upper end of the conveyor belt-linked knife sharpening assembly 1 has the spacing section 4;

• • during the knife sharpening process, the knife tool 8 is placed under the conveyor belt, with the blade positioned close to the lower end of the conveyor belt; the path of the blade corresponds to the lengthwise direction of the conveyor belt; when the knife sharpening assembly 1 moves to the sharpening section 3, the sharpening part 1.1 automatically contacts the blade for sharpening;
  • when the knife sharpening assembly 1 moves to the spacing section 4, the sharpening part 1.1 automatically disengages from the blade, creating the clearance; this has the characteristics that the structure is simple and components are few, and the device operates stably and reliably.

As an improvement of the invention, the knife sharpening assembly 1 comprises a connecting base 1.2 and a pivot arm 1.3, the connecting base 1.2 is fixed to outside of the conveyor belt, the connecting base 1.2 is provided with an assembly space 1.4 for a front end of the pivot arm 1.3 to extend into, a pin shaft 1.211 that passes through the front end of the pivot arm 1.3 is arranged in the assembly space 1.4, the sharpening part 1.1 is arranged at the rear end of the pivot arm 1.3. After the above improvement, the front end of the pivot arm 1.3 is hingedly arranged with the connecting base 1.2, and the sharpening part 1.1 is arranged at the rear end of the pivot arm 1.3, the pivot arm 1.3 can rotate clockwise or counterclockwise along the pin shaft 1.211, and can raise or lower the height of the sharpening part 1.1; when there are height changes along the blade path, the sharpening part 1.1 can undulate as it moves along the blade path, so that the sharpening part 1.1 can maintain effective and consistent contact with the blade, thereby improving the effect of sharpening the blade.

As an improvement of the invention, a torsion spring 1.212 is sleeved on the pin shaft 1.211, one restraining end of the torsion spring 1.212 abuts against the connecting base 1.2, the other restraining end of the torsion spring 1.212 abuts against the pivot arm 1.3, the blade contacts the sharpening part 1.1, driving the pivot arm 1.3 to rotate, so that the elastic member is pre-tightened, the elastic member supplies the pivot arm 1.3 with a pre-tightening force, driving the pivot arm 1.3 to rotate in the reverse direction, thereby keeping the sharpening part 1.1 in contact with the blade. After the above improvement, when the pivot arm 1.3 rotates, it causes the torsion spring 1.212 to be pre-tensioned, the pre-tensioning force inhibits the rotation of the pivot arm 1.3, allowing the sharpening part 1.1 to maintain effective and consistent contact with the blade, further enhancing the sharpening effect of the sharpening part 1.1 on the blade.

As an improvement of the invention, the sharpening part 1.1 consists of two grinding wheels that are rotatably connected to the rear end of the pivot arm 1.3, the two grinding wheels are arranged along a common rotation axis, and a sharpening space 1.11 is formed between the two grinding wheels for the blade to extend into. After the above improvement, the grinding wheels are used as the sharpening part 1.1, which has the characteristics of good sharpening effect and long service life.

As an improvement of the invention, the rotation axis of the two grinding wheels is inclined to the axis A of the blade, the blade is inserted into the sharpening space 1.11, the center line B of the sharpening space 1.11 intersects obliquely with the axis B of the blade, one grinding wheel contacts one side of the blade, and the other grinding wheel contacts the other side of the blade, and the two contact positions are staggered in the front and rear positions in the direction of the axis A of the blade. After the above improvement, after the blade extends into the sharpening space 1.11, the two contact points between the grinding wheels and the blade are staggered in the front and rear positions in the direction of the axis A of the blade; when adapting to different blades of the knife tool 8, the blade can effectively contact the grinding wheels, enhancing the sharpening effect and providing high adaptability;

• • furthermore, during sharpening, relative positions of two sides of the blade will not simultaneously contact the grinding wheels, avoiding excessive grinding that could lead to over-thinning of the blade, thereby ensuring reliable sharpening operations.

As an improvement of the invention, the driving wheel 2.1 is driven to rotate by a motor 5, and the driven wheel 2.2 is connected to the base 6 through a sliding seat, and the sliding seat and the base 6 are connected by bolt fasteners; after the bolt fasteners are loosened, the sliding seat that can slide laterally can adjust the distance between the driven wheel 2.2 and the driving wheel 2.1 to adjust the tension of the conveyor belt.

After the above improvement, the motor 5 drives the rotation of the driving wheel 2.1 to drive the conveyor belt to rotate, thereby achieving automated knife sharpening operations with convenient usage and short sharpening time; the tension of the conveyor belt can be adjusted, making it convenient for users to maintain.

As an improvement of the invention, the driving wheel 2.1 and the driven wheel 2.2 are both rotatably connected to the base 6, a first limiting groove 6.1 of an annular structure is arranged on the base 6 according to the movement trajectory, a first limiting guide column 1.21 is arranged on the connecting base 1.2, and the first limiting guide column 1.21 extends into the first limiting groove 6.1. After the above improvement, the groove spacing of the first limiting groove 6.1 is slightly larger than the diameter of the first limiting guide column 1.21, when the conveyor belt rotates to drive the connecting base 1.2 to move, the coordination between the first limiting groove 6.1 and the first limiting guide column 1.21 can restrict the movement of the connecting base 1.2 within a reasonable trajectory, thereby restricting the knife sharpening assembly 1 within the elliptical ring-shaped trajectory; even if the conveyor belt becomes loose, the knife sharpening assembly 1 will not become dislocated, thereby enhancing the operational reliability of the device and extending its service life.

As an improvement of the invention, the base 6 is provided with a second limiting groove 6.2 according to the movement trajectory, a second limiting guide column 1.31 is arranged at the rear end of the pivot arm 1.3, the second limiting guide column 1.31 extends into the second limiting groove 6.2, the second limiting groove 6.2 has a floating section 7 with an increased groove spacing corresponding to the sharpening section 3, the second limiting guide column 1.31 can float up and down within the floating section 7 along with the rotation of the pivot arm 1.3. An upper end part of the second limiting groove 6.2 corresponding to the spacing section 4 is set to have a groove spacing slightly larger than the second limiting guide column; when the knife sharpening assembly 1 travels to the spacing section 4, the second limiting groove 6.2 cooperates with the second limiting guide column to effectively prevent the pivot arm 1.3 from rotating; this ensures that the pivot arm 1.3 and the sharpening part 1.1 do not experience excessive movement during the spacing section 4, enhancing the stability and operational reliability of the device;

An lower end part of the second limiting groove 6.2 corresponding to the sharpening section 3 is set to have a groove spacing slightly larger than the second limiting guide column; when there are height changes along the blade path, the floating section 7 allows the pivot arm 1.3 to rotate until the sharpening part 1.1 makes effective contact with the blade, further enhancing the applicability and operational reliability of the device.

The clamping mechanism comprises clamping blocks 9, the number of the clamping blocks 9 is at least two, the two clamping blocks 9 are arranged opposite to each other on the base 6, the two clamping blocks 9 are arranged opposite to each other on the left and right sides of the base 6, a gap 9.1 is formed between the two clamping blocks 9 to allow the knife tool 8 to pass through;

• • upper end of the clamping block 9 at the left position is provided with a first nut 9.2, an adjusting screw 11 is provided with a first threaded section 11.1 adapted to the first nut 9.2;
  • upper end of the clamping block 9 at the right position is provided with a second nut 9.3, the adjusting screw 11 passes through the first nut 9.2 and then extends to pass through the second nut 9.3, the adjusting screw 11 is provided with a second threaded section 11.2 adapted to the second nut 9.3, the second threaded section 11.2 and the first threaded section 11.1 are configured with right-hand and left-hand threads. When it is necessary to clamp the knife tool 8, firstly, the adjusting screw 11 is rotated to drive one clamping block 9 linearly away from the other clamping block 9, thereby increasing the gap 9.1 between the two clamping blocks 9; further, the knife tool 8 is inserted into the gap 9.1, the adjusting screw 11 is rotated to drive one clamping block 9 linearly towards the other clamping block 9 until the knife tool 8 is securely held between the inner sides of the clamping blocks 9;
  • by rotating the adjusting screw 11, the clamping blocks 9 can be driven to move linearly, thereby adjusting the size of the gap 9.1, this operation has the features of simplicity in structure, ease of operation, and reliable performance;
  • (in contrast to traditional hinged open-close clamp mechanisms) the clamping blocks 9 have a large relative movement range, and the adjustment range of the gap 9.1 is wide, making it suitable for various requirements in clamping different knife tools 8, thereby enhancing the applicability of the device.

As an improvement of the invention, the two clamping blocks 9 are arranged opposite to each other on the base 6, the upper end of the clamping block 9 at the left position is provided with the first nut 9.2, the adjusting screw 11 is provided with the first threaded section 11.1 adapted to the first nut 9.2. After the above improvement, the first nut 9.2 arranged at the upper end of the clamping block 9 is adapted to the first threaded section 11.1, so that the structural layout is simple, reasonable and reliable in operation.

As an improvement of the invention, the upper end of the clamping block 9 at the right position is provided with the second nut 9.3, the adjusting screw 11 passes through the first nut 9.2 and then extends to pass through the second nut 9.3, the adjusting screw 11 is provided with the second threaded section 11.2 adapted to the second nut 9.3, the second threaded section 11.2 and the first threaded section 11.1 are configured with right-hand and left-hand threads. After the above improvement, by configuring the first threaded section 11.1 and the second threaded section 11.2 with left-hand and right-hand threads structures, rotating the adjusting screw 11 can drive the two clamping blocks 9 to move linearly towards simultaneously or away from each other simultaneously, the simultaneous action of the two clamping blocks 9 allows for fast adjustment of the gap 9.1, and the two clamping blocks 9 can clamp the knife tool 8 together during movement, this design features high clamping torque and stability, ensuring that the knife tool 8, which is in a stable position, can be sharpened evenly, consistently and with better effect during the sharpening process.

As an improvement of the invention, a guide assembly 10 comprises a sliding groove 10.1, the sliding groove 10.1 is arranged below the two clamping blocks 9 and extends along the moving direction of the clamping blocks 9, bottoms of the two clamping blocks 9 are respectively provided with a sliding block 10.2, each sliding block 10.2 fits into the sliding groove 10.1. After the above improvement, the clamping block 9 cooperates with the sliding groove 10.1 through the sliding block 10.2; when the adjusting screw 11 is rotated, the two clamping blocks 9 can move linearly towards each other or move linearly away from each other, which has the characteristics of simple structure and reliable operation.

Both the sliding grooves 10.1 and the sliding blocks 10.2 adopt a “T” structure, which can improve the stability of the connections between the sliding blocks 10.2 and the sliding grooves 10.1, thereby improving the stability of the movement of the clamping blocks 9.

As an improvement of the invention, a knob 11.3 connected to the adjusting screw 11 is arranged on an outer side of the base 6. After the above improvement, the user can rotate the knob 11.3 to drive the adjusting screw 11 to rotate, making it convenient to use; additionally, the knob 11.3 can be coated with soft rubber or etched with anti-slip textures on its exterior, further enhancing the user's experience.

As an improvement of the invention, a through slot 12 is arranged on the base 6, tail end of the through slot 12 is opposite to front end of the gap 9.1, an inwardly extending baffle 12.1 is arranged at front end of the through slot 12, and the baffle 12.1 forms a blocking cooperation with front end of the handle of the knife tool 8. After the above improvement, during use, the user inserts the tip of knife tool 8 through the opening at a rear end of base 6, then sequentially through the gap 9.1 and the through slot 12; once a front end of the handle abuts against the baffle 12.1, the user stops pushing the knife tool 8 further in, ensuring that the knife tool 8 is positioned at an appropriate location;

• • further, the adjusting screw 11 is rotated to drive the clamping blocks 9 to clamp the handle of the knife tool 8, the clamping blocks 9 clamp the knife tool 8 by clamping the handle; since the handle is generally the thickest part of the knife tool 8, it can provide stable pressure for the clamping blocks to clamp, making the knife tool 8 more secure when being clamped.

As an improvement of the invention, a guiding groove 13 is arranged on the base 6, tail end of the guiding groove 13 is connected to the front end of the through slot 12, and front end of the guiding groove 13 is extended away from the tail end of the guiding groove 13. After the above improvement, the guiding groove 13 allows the back of knife tool 8 to pass through, an inner wall of the guiding groove 13 plays as a limiting role on both sides of the blade, restricting lateral swing of the blade when abutting against the side of the blade, further enhancing the stability of knife tool 8 when being clamped.

As an improvement of the invention, a tightening assembly is arranged on the base 6, the tightening assembly comprises a tightening plate 14, the tightening plate 14 is hinged at the front end of the guiding groove 13, and an elastic element is arranged on the base 6, the elastic element drives the tightening plate 14 to flip upwards so that it tightly presses against back of the blade of the knife tool 8. After the above improvement, a lower end of the tightening plate is hinged on base 6, and the height of the hinge point is lower than the position of the guiding groove 13; when knife tool 8 is not inserted into the gap 9.1, the tightening plate remains in a vertical state under the action of the elastic element;

• • when the knife tool 8 penetrates the gap 9.1, the tip of the knife pushes against the tightening plate, causing the tightening plate to flip downwards, the elastic element is pre-tensioned, and under the action of the elastic element, an upper end face of the tightening plate is driven to abut against the back of the knife, reducing vertical movement of the knife tool 8; this further enhances the stability of knife tool 8 when being clamped, resulting in improved sharpening effectiveness when the knife tool 8 is being sharpened.

The knife sharpening method comprises using the knife sharpener as described above, wherein the knife sharpening method comprises the following steps:

• • SS01. using the clamping mechanism to clamp the knife tool 8 to be sharpened, and setting the blade of the knife tool 8 facing upwards;
  • SS02. controlling the rotation of the linkage member 2, the rotation of the linkage member 2 drives the knife sharpening assembly 1 to cyclically switch between the sharpening section 3 and the spacing section 4;
  • SS03. in the sharpening section 3, the sharpening part 1.1 of the knife sharpening assembly 1 comes into contact with the blade of the knife tool and continuously moves along the blade path to sharpen the blade; in the spacing section 4, there is a clearance between the sharpening part 1.1 of the knife sharpening assembly 1 and the blade of the knife tool 8, causing them to be out of contact;
  • SS04. after the blade is sharpened to meet the requirements, the linkage member 2 is controlled to drive the knife sharpening assembly 1 to enter the spacing section 4;
  • SS05. removing the sharpened knife tool 8 from the clamping mechanism.

The above are only preferred embodiments of the invention. The protection scope of the invention is not limited to the above embodiments. All technical schemes under the concept of the invention belong to the protection scope of the invention. It should be noted that for those of ordinary skill in the art, several improvements and modifications can be made without departing from the principles of the invention, and these improvements and modifications are also regarded as the protection scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A knife sharpener, comprising: a base, the base is provided with a clamping mechanism for a knife tool, the clamping mechanism for the knife tool is used to clamp the knife tool;a knife sharpening assembly, the knife sharpening assembly is arranged on the base above the clamping mechanism for the knife tool, the knife sharpening assembly is connected to a linkage member, and is driven by the linkage member to move in a circular manner;the movement trajectory of the knife sharpening assembly comprises a sharpening section and a spacing section,in the sharpening section, a sharpening part of the knife sharpening assembly comes into contact with the blade of the knife tool and continuously moves along the blade path to sharpen the blade,in the spacing section, there is a clearance between the sharpening part of the knife sharpening assembly and the blade of the knife tool, causing them to be out of contact.

2. The knife sharpener of claim 1, wherein the linkage member is a conveyor belt, front end of the conveyor belt is sleeved on a driving wheel, rear end is sleeved on a driven wheel, forming the linkage member with an elliptical ring structure; the knife tool is placed below the conveyor belt, the movement trajectory of the knife sharpening assembly between the position below the driving wheel and the position below the driven wheel is the sharpening section, the movement trajectory of the knife sharpening assembly between the position above the driving wheel and the position above the driven wheel is the spacing section.

3. The knife sharpener of claim 2, wherein the knife sharpening assembly comprises a connecting base and a pivot arm, the connecting base is fixed to outside of the conveyor belt, the connecting base is provided with an assembly space for a front end of the pivot arm to extend into, a pin shaft that passes through the front end of the pivot arm is arranged in the assembly space, the sharpening part is arranged at the rear end of the pivot arm; a torsion spring is sleeved on the pin shaft, one restraining end of the torsion spring abuts against the connecting base, the other restraining end of the torsion spring abuts against the pivot arm, the blade contacts the sharpening part, driving the pivot arm to rotate, so that the elastic member is pre-tightened, the elastic member supplies the pivot arm with a pre-tightening force, driving the pivot arm to rotate in the reverse direction, thereby keeping the sharpening part in contact with the blade.

4. The knife sharpener of claim 3, wherein the sharpening part consists of two grinding wheels that are rotatably connected to the rear end of the pivot arm, the two grinding wheels are arranged along a common rotation axis, and a sharpening space is formed between the two grinding wheels for the blade to extend into; the rotation axis of the two grinding wheels is inclined to the axis A of the blade, the blade is inserted into the sharpening space, the center line B of the sharpening space intersects obliquely with the axis B of the blade, one grinding wheel contacts one side of the blade, and the other grinding wheel contacts the other side of the blade, and the two contact positions are staggered in the front and rear positions in the direction of the axis A of the blade.

5. The knife sharpener of claim 4, wherein the driving wheel and the driven wheel are both rotatably connected to the base, a first limiting groove of an annular structure is arranged on the base according to the movement trajectory, a first limiting guide column is arranged on the connecting base, and the first limiting guide column extends into the first limiting groove; the base is provided with a second limiting groove according to the movement trajectory, a second limiting guide column is arranged at the rear end of the pivot arm, the second limiting guide column extends into the second limiting groove, the second limiting groove has a floating section with an increased groove spacing corresponding to the sharpening section, the second limiting guide column can float up and down within the floating section along with the rotation of the pivot arm.

6. The knife sharpener of claim 1, wherein the clamping mechanism comprises clamping blocks, the number of the clamping blocks is at least two, the two clamping blocks are arranged opposite to each other on the base, the two clamping blocks are arranged opposite to each other on the left and right sides of the base, a gap is formed between the two clamping blocks to allow the knife tool to pass through; upper end of the clamping block at the left position is provided with a first nut, an adjusting screw is provided with a first threaded section adapted to the first nut;upper end of the clamping block at the right position is provided with a second nut, the adjusting screw passes through the first nut and then extends to pass through the second nut, the adjusting screw is provided with a second threaded section adapted to the second nut, the second threaded section and the first threaded section are configured with right-hand and left-hand threads.

7. The knife sharpener of claim 6, wherein a guide assembly comprises a sliding groove, the sliding groove is arranged below the two clamping blocks and extends along the moving direction of the clamping blocks, bottoms of the two clamping blocks are respectively provided with a sliding block, each sliding block fits into the sliding groove.

8. The knife sharpener of claim 6, wherein a through slot is arranged on the base, tail end of the through slot is opposite to front end of the gap, an inwardly extending baffle is arranged at front end of the through slot, and the baffle forms a blocking cooperation with front end of a handle of the knife tool; a guiding groove is arranged on the base, tail end of the guiding groove is connected to the front end of the through slot, and front end of the guiding groove is extended away from the tail end of the guiding groove.

9. The knife sharpener of claim 8, wherein a tightening assembly is arranged on the base, the tightening assembly comprises a tightening plate, the tightening plate is hinged at the front end of the guiding groove, and an elastic element is arranged on the base, the elastic element drives the tightening plate to flip upwards so that it tightly presses against back of the blade of the knife tool.

10. A knife sharpening method, wherein comprises the following steps: SS01. using the clamping mechanism to clamp the knife tool to be sharpened, and setting the blade of the knife tool facing upwards;SS02. controlling the rotation of the linkage member, the rotation of the linkage member drives the knife sharpening assembly to cyclically switch between the sharpening section and the spacing section;SS03. in the sharpening section, a sharpening part of the knife sharpening assembly comes into contact with the blade of the knife tool and continuously moves along the blade path to sharpen the blade; in the spacing section, there is a clearance between the sharpening part of the knife sharpening assembly and the blade of the knife tool, causing them to be out of contact;SS04. after the blade is sharpened to meet the requirements, the linkage member is controlled to drive the knife sharpening assembly to enter the spacing section;SS05. removing the sharpened knife tool from the clamping mechanism.