The present disclosure relates to carpet knives. The present disclosure has particular applicability to carpet knives with standard replaceable blades and blade storage.
In the tool art there are numerous types of hand held cutting implements that utilize a replaceable blade in one end thereof with an internal storage of additional blades. These knives have a pair of handle members generally abutting at a median plane which are held together by a releasable fastener such that a blade is clamped between the halves in a cutting position. Also, the handle halves conventionally have a storage region that is utilized to hold additional blades. The two halves are typically held together with a bolt and a nut which requires the use of a screwdriver or like instrument for separating the two halves of the handle.
Extra blades can be stored in a compartment within the main frame of the utility knife. However, a number of utility knives have many movable parts which makes them difficult to use and expensive to manufacture. In some of these utility knives removal and replacement of the blade is a complicated operation which may required the use of special tools or tedious dissembling and then reassembling of the utility knife to affect changing of the blade, which is inconvenient to the user.
To overcome the disadvantages discussed above, the present application is directed to a utility carpet knife that allows for easy and safe replacing of the blade.
One embodiment of the present disclosure is a knife comprising a handle having a blade containing portion for mounting a substantially flat blade, an opening in a terminal end of the blade containing portion through which an end of the blade can project, a blade retainer inside the blade containing portion having a first projection selectively engagable with a corresponding cutout in the blade for removably retaining the blade, and a blade release member having a second projection. The blade release member is mounted in the blade containing portion and movable in a direction substantially perpendicular to the major plane of the flat blade such that the second projection contacts and flexes the blade to disengage the first projection and the blade cutout, to disengage the blade retainer from the blade. This allows removal of the blade from the blade holder via the opening.
Additional advantages and other features of the present disclosure will be set forth in part in the description which follows and in part will become apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned from the practice of the disclosure. The advantages of the disclosure may be realized and obtained as particularly pointed out in the appended claims.
As will be realized, the present disclosure is capable of other and different embodiments, and its several details are capable of modifications in various obvious respects, all without departing from the disclosure. Accordingly, the drawings and description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature, and not as restrictive.
Reference is made to the attached drawings, wherein elements having the same reference numeral designations represent like elements throughout, and wherein:
One embodiment of the retractable blade knife of the present disclosure is for use with a standard carpet knife blade, which blade has an overall rectangular shape, two opposed sharpened edges for cutting, and an oblong slot in its central portion. It should be understood, however, that other types of blades are usable with the knife of this disclosure; that is, the disclosure is not limited to a carpet knife.
A utility knife according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will now be described with reference to the drawings.
As shown in
In the extended position, the blade retainer 24 overlaps with a blade release member 30. The blade release member 30 is for allowing removal of the blade 50 when the blade 50 is in the extended position. The blade release member 30 comprises a push button extending through the blade containing portion 20. The blade release member 30 is mounted in the blade containing portion 20 via a flex arm 32 and movable in a direction substantially perpendicular to the major plane of the flat blade 50.
A blade 50 is also insertable into the blade containing portion 20 (when blade containing portion 20 does not have a blade in it) by pressing the blade release member 30 and inserting the blade 50 into the opening 13. As shown in
The present disclosure can be practiced by employing conventional materials, methodology and equipment. Accordingly, the details of such materials, equipment and methodology are not set forth herein in detail. In the previous descriptions, numerous specific details are set forth, such as specific materials, structures, chemicals, processes, etc., in order to provide a thorough understanding of the disclosure. However, it should be recognized that the present disclosure can be practiced without resorting to the details specifically set forth. In other instances, well known processing structures have not been described in detail, in order not to unnecessarily obscure the present disclosure.
Only a few examples of the present disclosure are shown and described herein. It is to be understood that the disclosure is capable of use in various other combinations and environments and is capable of changes or modifications within the scope of the inventive concepts as expressed herein.
This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from Provisional U.S. Patent Application 61/193,994 filed on Jan. 16, 2009, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference herein.
Number | Date | Country | |
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61193994 | Jan 2009 | US |