Patent Application
20240351226
The present invention relates generally to an out-the-front knife and more specifically to an out-the-front knife with a double locking mechanism for increased strength and safety.
An out-the-front knife (OTF) is a knife with a blade that deploys and retracts through an opening in the end of the handle. Other knife configurations are available such as folding knives, fixed blades, and switchblades. OTF knife styles are various with the main styles being manual, single action, and double action. Manual are OTF knives that deploy and retract by a user manually deploying and retracting the blade. A single action OTF knife is a style where the user activates an automatic deployment mechanism but manually retracts the blade. A double action OTF knife is a style where the user activates and automatic actuation mechanism to deploy the blade and the activates the automatic actuation mechanism again to retract the blade. The double action OTF knife style typically has a locking mechanism to lock the blade in the deployed and retracted positions. The locking mechanisms are sometimes prone to failure which can result in injury to the user. The locking mechanisms typically utilize a single front and a single back lock for locking the blade in a deployed and retracted position, respectively.
The objective of the present invention is to provide an improved safety system with a double set of locks. The two sets of front and back locks improve the strength of locking system and thereby increase the safety for the user.
An out-the-front knife comprises a handle having a toggle switch, a blade, a support frame, and an actuation mechanism. The handle defines a blade channel and an actuation mechanism channel. The blade channel receives the blade and is configured to allow the blade to travel along the blade channel to a deployed and a retracted position. The support frame is operably configured to a toggle switch. The toggle switch allows a user to activate the actuation mechanism by sliding the toggle switch in a forward or reverse direction thereby guiding the support frame in a likewise direction. The forward or reverse direction allows the support frame to press and disengage the appropriate set of locks which releases the blade for travel within the blade channel. The actuation mechanism comprises a front locking bar, a back locking bar, and at least one actuation spring. The support frame is configured with the actuation mechanism, so the front locking bar is in contact with the front side of the support frame and the back locking bar is in contact with the back side of the support frame. The front and back locking bars are tethered together by the actuation spring. When the blade is in the retracted position, the user slides the toggle switch forward thereby assisting the support frame in the same direction. The back locking bar comes in contact with the blade back end. As the support frame moves forward, the support frame presses on the back locks unlocking the blade for travel in a forward direction which the blade's travel is facilitated by the tension in the actuation spring. The tension is built up since the front locking bar is in contact with the front side of the support frame that is moving forward and the back locking bar is in contact with the stationary blade. The blade remains stationary until enough tension builds to initiate the blade's movement. When the blade is in the deployed position, the user slides the toggle switch in a backward direction assisting the support frame in a backward direction as well. The front locking bar comes in contact with an axel of the blade. As the support frame moves forward, the support frame presses on the front locks releasing the blade to travel in a backward direction which is facilitated by the tension in the actuation spring. The tension is built up since the front locking bar is in contact with the axel and the back locking bar is in contact with the support frame which is sliding back thereby stretching the actuation spring. The blade remains stationary until enough tension has been builds to initiate the blade's movement.
All illustrations of the drawings are for the purpose of describing selected versions of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention.
As a preliminary matter, it will readily be understood by one having ordinary skill in the relevant art that the present disclosure has broad utility and application. As should be understood, any embodiment may incorporate only one or a plurality of the above-disclosed aspects of the disclosure and may further incorporate only one or a plurality of the above-disclosed features. Furthermore, any embodiment discussed and identified as being “preferred” is considered to be part of a best mode contemplated for carrying out the embodiments of the present disclosure. Other embodiments also may be discussed for additional illustrative purposes in providing a full and enabling disclosure. Moreover, many embodiments, such as adaptations, variations, modifications, and equivalent arrangements, will be implicitly disclosed by the embodiments described herein and fall within the scope of the present disclosure.
Accordingly, while embodiments are described herein in detail in relation to one or more embodiments, it is to be understood that this disclosure is illustrative and exemplary of the present disclosure and are made merely for the purposes of providing a full and enabling disclosure. The detailed disclosure herein of one or more embodiments is not intended, nor is to be construed, to limit the scope of patent protection afforded in any claim of a patent issuing here from, which scope is to be defined by the claims and the equivalents thereof. It is not intended that the scope of patent protection be defined by reading into any claim a limitation found herein that does not explicitly appear in the claim itself.
Thus, for example, any sequence(s) and/or temporal order of steps of various processes or methods that are described herein are illustrative and not restrictive. Accordingly, it should be understood that, although steps of various processes or methods may be shown and described as being in a sequence or temporal order, the steps of any such processes or methods are not limited to being carried out in any particular sequence or order, absent an indication otherwise. Indeed, the steps in such processes or methods generally may be carried out in various different sequences and orders while still falling within the scope of the present invention. Accordingly, it is intended that the scope of patent protection is to be defined by the issued claim(s) rather than the description set forth herein.
Additionally, it is important to note that each term used herein refers to that which an ordinary artisan would understand such term to mean based on the contextual use of such term herein. To the extent that the meaning of a term used herein—as understood by the ordinary artisan based on the contextual use of such term—differs in any way from any particular dictionary definition of such term, it is intended that the meaning of the term as understood by the ordinary artisan should prevail.
Furthermore, it is important to note that, as used herein, “a” and “an” each generally denotes “at least one,” but does not exclude a plurality unless the contextual use dictates otherwise. When used herein to join a list of items, “or” denotes “at least one of the items,” but does not exclude a plurality of items of the list. Finally, when used herein to join a list of items, “and” denotes “all of the items of the list.”
“First”, “second” etc. as contained herein are terms used as labels for nouns that they precede and do not imply ordering.
Double-action out-the-front knives rely on locking springs to assist in locking the blade in deployed or retracted positions. As the knife is used, the locking springs can lose their spring tension which can result in unintentional retraction of the blade while in use. This unintentional actuation of the blade can result in injury to the user or bystander. If the locking springs of the knife lose spring tension, the actuation mechanism has an easier opportunity for being activated by accidental means whether by the actuation button getting snagged on the edge of clothing or object as the knife is placed in a pocket or in a drawer for instance. The blade would be deployed with unintentional consequences.
The out-the-font (OTF) knife 10 shown in
As shown in
As shown in
The OTF knife 10 further comprises a support frame 40, an actuation mechanism 50, a toggle opening 25, a sliding shoe 70 and an axel 80. As shown in
The sliding shoe 70 comprises a locking bar channel 71 on a sliding shoe bottom side. The sliding shoe 70 is mounted to the support frame 40. The toggle switch 90 is fastened to a top side of the sliding shoe 70 through the toggle opening 25 by a toggle fastener 93 and a toggle fastener hole 92. In the first preferred embodiment, the sliding shoe 70 is mounted to the support frame 40 by a plurality of sliding shoe holes in the support frame 40 and a plurality of sliding shoe protrusions on the sliding shoe bottom side on the periphery of the locking bar channel 71 but is not meant to be limiting. The toggle switch 90 is fastened to the sliding shoe 70 with a bolt but is not limited to this.
When the handle 20 and the support frame 40 are mated together, the actuation mechanism 50 is positioned in the actuation mechanism channel 28 and the central channel 44 to allow for the operation of the actuation mechanism 50 for deploying and retracting the blade 30. The support frame 40 is operably configured with the actuation mechanism 50. The actuation mechanism 50 comprises a front locking bar 51, a back locking bar 55, and at least one actuation spring 60 that connects the front locking bar 51 and the back locking bar 55 together. The locking bar channel 71 receives at least partially the front locking bar 51. As shown in
The plurality of locking paddles and the plurality of locking springs are configured in the plurality of locking cavities so that the spring tension of the plurality of locking springs causes the plurality of locking springs to press against the plurality of locking paddles so that the plurality of locking paddles extend into the blade channel 21 and the support frame channel 26. When the blade 30 is in the deployed position, the set of front locking paddles 151 extend into the blade channel 21 and the support frame channel 26 such that the set of front locking paddles 151 will be in contact with a base side of the set of locking feet 32 thereby restricting free movement of the blade 30 out of the deployed position. The set of back locking paddles 154 inversely extends into the blade channel 21 and the support frame channel 26 relative to the set of front locking paddles 151. When the blade 30 is in the retracted position, the set of back locking paddles 154 extend into the blade channel 21 and the support frame channel 26 such that the set of back locking paddles 154 are in contact with the set of lateral notches 34 thereby restricting free movement of the blade 30 out of the retracted position.
When the blade 30 is in the retracted position, the toggle switch 90 will be in a rear position along the allowed toggle travel length. When the blade 30 is fully retracted within the handle 20, the back locking bar 55 is disposed against the blade 30 within the tang notch 35 and the front locking bar 51 is disposed against the support frame 26. The set of back locking paddles 154 are disposed against the set of lateral notches 34. To move the blade 30 to the deployed position through the open end of the handle, the toggle switch 90 will be moved to a forward position along the allowed toggle travel length. The sliding shoe 70 and the support frame 40 are moved along with the toggle switch 90 since the sliding shoe 70 is attached to the toggle switch 90 and the support frame 40 is attached to the sliding shoe 70. The set of back wings 42 includes a set of forward sides 420. The set of forward sides 420 are sloped such as the support frame 40 moves forward, the set of forward sides 420 press on the set of back locking paddles 154. The set of back locking paddles 154 then compresses the set of back locking springs 144 allowing the set of back locking paddles 154 to contract back into the set of back locking cavities 164. The front locking bar 51 being in contact with the support frame 40 between the set of front wings 41 is moved in a forward direction thereby extending the actuation spring 60 and putting the actuation spring 60 in increased tension. The actuation spring being in increased tension pulls the back locking bar 55 in the forward direction. The back locking bar 55 being in contact with the tang notch 35 pulls on the blade 30 in the forward direction. With the set of back locking paddles 154 being contracted into the set of back locking cavities 164, the blade 30 is unlocked from the retracted position and travels forward along the blade channel 21 along the allowed length of blade travel. As the blade 30 travels forward, the set of lateral notches 34 come in contact with the set of front locking paddles 151. The set of front locking paddles 151 are angled in such a way, that when the set of lateral notches 34 come in contact with the set of front locking paddles 151 thereby pressing against the set of front locking paddles 151 compressing the set of front locking springs 141 which allows the set of front locking paddles 151 to contract into the set of front locking cavities 161. When the blade 30 reaches a forward terminus along the allowed length of blade travel, the blade 30 has completely passed the set of front locking paddles 151 releasing them to extend back out into the blade channel 21 and the support frame channel 26 thereby locking the blade 30 in the deployed position.
When the blade 30 is in the deployed position, the toggle switch 90 is in a forward position along the allowed toggle travel length. When the blade 30 is fully extended outward from the handle 20, the back locking bar 55 is disposed against the support frame 40 within the frame notch 46 and the front locking bar 51 is disposed against the axel 80. The set of front locking paddles 151 are disposed against the locking feet 32. To move the blade 30 to the retracted position, the toggle switch 90 will be moved to the rear position along the allowed toggle travel length. The sliding shoe 70 and the support frame 40 will move with the toggle switch 90. The set of front wings 41 includes a set of rear sides 410. The set of rear sides 410 are sloped such as to press against the set of front locking paddles 151. The set of front locking paddles 151 then compresses the set of front locking springs 141 allowing the set of front locking paddles 151 to contract back into the set of front locking cavities 161. The back locking bar 55 being in contact with the frame back side is moved in a backward direction thereby extending the actuation spring 60 and putting the actuation spring 60 in increased tension. The actuation spring 60 being in increased tension pulls on the front locking bar 51. The front locking bar 51 being in contact with the axel 80 pulls on the axel 80 and in turn the blade 30 in the backward direction. With the set of front locking paddles 151 being contracted into the set of front locking cavities 161, the blade 30 is unlocked from the deployed position and the blade 30 travels backward along the allowed length of blade travel. As the blade 30 travels backward, the set of locking feet 32 come into contact with the set of back locking paddles 154. With the set of back locking paddles 154 being angled such that when the set of locking feet 32 come in contact with the set of back locking paddles 154, the set of back locking springs 144 are compressed allowing the set of back locking paddles 154 to contract back into the set of back locking cavities 164. When the blade 30 reaches a rear terminus, a length of the blade 30 from the back side up to the set of lateral notches 35 has passed by the set of back locking paddles 154 releasing the compression on the set of back locking springs 144 allowing the set of back locking paddles 154 to extend back out into the blade channel 21 and the support frame channel 26 thereby locking the blade 30 in the retracted position by contacting the set of lateral notches.
With the disclosure herein of the front and the sets of back locking paddles, springs, and cavities, the preferred embodiment of the OTF knife 10 has an increased safety aspect. The strength of the disclosed locking system has increased thereby reducing the possibility of knife operational failure and reducing the risk to the user.
Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
