Information
-
Patent Grant
-
6336272
-
Patent Number
6,336,272
-
Date Filed
Thursday, August 24, 200024 years ago
-
Date Issued
Tuesday, January 8, 200223 years ago
-
Inventors
-
-
Examiners
Agents
-
CPC
-
US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 030 262
- 030 261
- 030 254
- 030 234
- 081 417
- 081 427
-
International Classifications
-
Abstract
A scissors structure includes a first blade portion, a second blade portion, a restoring spring, and a substantially I-shaped locking member. The first blade portion includes a first handle defining a first chamber having a front end provided with a first locking stub and a rear end provided with a T-shaped first guide rail having a first guide track. The second blade portion includes a second handle defining a second chamber having a front end provided with a second locking stub and a rear end provided with a T-shaped second guide rail having a second guide track provided with a snapping boss. The restoring spring has a first end secured to the first locking stub and a second secured to the second locking stub. The locking member is slidably mounted between the first guide rail and the second guide rail and has two sides each provided with a T-shaped guide slot for receiving the first guide track and the second guide track. The guide slot has two sides each provided with a retaining flange for limiting the first guide track and the second guide track. The retaining flange defines a positioning notch for locking the snapping boss.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a scissors structure.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional scissors structure
50
in accordance with the prior art shown in
FIG. 8
comprises two pivotally connected blades
51
, two handles
54
, a locking pin
52
secured on one of the two blades
51
, a recessed locking piece
53
pivotally mounted on the other blade
51
and detachably locked on the locking pin
52
, and a spring
55
mounted between the two handles
54
.
However, connection between the locking piece
53
and the locking pin
52
is not stable so that the locking piece
53
is easily detached from the locking pin
52
so that the two handles
54
of the scissors structure are easily expanded even when not in use, thereby affecting the locking effect of the scissors structure. In addition, the scissors structure is in use, the locking piece
53
is suspended on the blade
51
as shown in phantom lines so that the locking piece
53
is easily in contact with the handles
54
, thereby greatly influencing the operation of the handles
54
and the cutting action of the blades
51
.
The closest prior art of which the applicant is aware is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,297,343 to Melter et al., filed on Jan. 7, 1993, entitled by “Trimming scissors and sheath assembly”.
When the scissors are in use, the two handles
24
and
28
are separated from each other and the lock button
20
is attached to the handle
24
. However, the lock button
20
freely slidable on the rails
68
and
70
is easily moved forward, thereby easily hindering the relative movement between the two handles
24
and
28
while the lock button
20
is easily broken when the two handles
24
and
28
are moved toward each other, thereby decreasing the lifetime of the scissors
10
. In addition, the compression spring
18
mounted on the rear end of the lock button
20
is located away from the pivot point of the two handles
24
and
28
, thereby easily clipping or injuring the user's hand. Further, the compression spring
18
is mounted on the rear end of the lock button
20
and is located away from the pivot point of the two handles
24
and
28
so that the tension of the two handles
24
and
28
of the scissors
10
is not efficient.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a scissors structure comprising:
a first blade portion including a first handle defining a first chamber having a front end provided with a first locking stub and a rear end provided with a T-shaped first guide rail, the first guide rail having a front end provided with a first guide track located adjacent to the first locking stub and a rear end defining an access opening;
a second blade portion pivotally mounted on the first blade portion and including a second handle defining a second chamber having a front end provided with a second locking stub and a rear end provided with a T-shaped second guide rail provided with a second guide track, at least one snapping boss mounted on the second guide rail and aligning with the access opening of the first guide rail;
a restoring spring mounted between the first handle and the second handle and having a first end secured to the first locking stub and a second secured to the second locking stub; and
a substantially I-shaped locking member slidably mounted between the first guide rail and the second guide rail and having two sides each provided with a T-shaped guide slot for receiving the first guide track of the first guide rail and the second guide track of the second guide rail, the guide slot having two sides each provided with an inward folded retaining flange for limiting the first guide track of the first guide rail and the second guide track of the second guide rail, the retaining flange defining at least one positioning notch for detachably locking the at least one snapping boss.
Further benefits and advantages of the present invention will become apparent after a careful reading of the detailed description with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1
is a perspective view of a scissors structure in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 2
is an exploded view of the scissors structure as shown in
FIG. 1
;
FIG. 3
is a top plan operational view of the scissors structure as shown in
FIG. 1
;
FIG. 4
is a top plan view of the scissors structure as shown in
FIG. 1
;
FIG. 5
is a side plan cross-sectional view of the scissors structure along the line
5
—
5
as shown in
FIG. 4
;
FIG. 6
is a side plan cross-sectional view of the scissors structure along the line
6
—
6
as shown in
FIG. 4
;
FIG. 7
is a side plan cross-sectional view of the scissors structure along the line
7
—
7
as shown in
FIG. 3
; and
FIG. 8
is a perspective view of a conventional scissors structure in accordance with the prior art.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Referring to the drawings and initially to
FIGS. 1-3
, a scissors structure in accordance with the present invention comprises a first blade portion
10
, a second blade portion
20
, a restoring spring
40
, and a substantially I-shaped locking member
30
.
The first blade portion
10
includes a first blade
11
, and a first handle
12
mounted on the first blade
11
. The first handle
12
defines a first chamber
13
having a front end provided with a first locking stub
15
and a rear end provided with a T-shaped first guide rail
14
. The first guide rail
14
has a front end provided with a first guide track
141
located adjacent to the first locking stub
15
and a rear end defining an access opening
142
.
The second blade portion
20
is pivotally mounted on the first blade portion
10
and includes a second blade
21
, and a second handle
22
mounted on the second blade
21
. The second handle
22
defines a second chamber
23
having a front end provided with a second locking stub
25
and a rear end provided with a T-shaped second guide rail
24
provided with a second guide track
241
. At least one snapping boss
242
is mounted on the second guide rail
24
and aligns with the access opening
142
of the first guide rail
14
.
The restoring spring
40
is mounted between the first handle
12
and the second handle
22
and has a first end secured to the first locking stub
15
and a second secured to the second locking stub
25
.
The locking member
30
is slidably mounted between the first guide rail
14
and the second guide rail
24
and has two sides each provided with a T-shaped guide slot
31
for receiving the first guide track
141
of the first guide rail
14
and the second guide track
241
of the second guide rail
24
. The guide slot
31
has two sides each provided with an inward folded retaining flange
32
for limiting the first guide track
141
of the first guide rail
14
and the second guide track
241
of the second guide rail
24
. The retaining flange
32
defines at least one positioning notch
321
for detachably locking the snapping boss
242
therein.
The locking member
30
is provided with a plurality of a plurality of elongated ribs
33
protruding outward for increasing friction of the locking member
30
.
Alternatively, the positioning notch
321
defined in the retaining flange
32
and the snapping boss
242
formed on the second guide rail
24
can be interchangeably mounted. In other words, the positioning notch is defined in the second guide rail
24
, and the snapping boss
242
is formed on the retaining flange
32
.
In operation, referring to
FIGS. 1-7
, the snapping boss
242
is initially locked in the positioning notch
321
so that the locking member
30
is stably secured on the second guide rail
24
of the second handle
22
as shown in
FIGS. 3 and 7
. In such a manner, the first handle
12
and the second handle
22
are pressed outward relative to each other by means of the restoring spring
40
, thereby expanding the scissors structure for use.
When not in use, the user's hand can exert a force on the first handle
12
and the second handle
22
which are moved toward each other so as to move the locking member
30
toward the first guide rail
14
until the retaining flange
32
of the guide slot
31
of the locking member
30
is inserted into the access opening
142
of the first guide rail
14
. The locking member
30
is then moved toward the restoring spring
40
to the position as shown in
FIG. 4
where the first guide track
141
of the first guide rail
14
is received in the guide slot
31
of the locking member
30
and is limited by the retaining flange
32
of the guide slot
31
of the locking member
30
so that the first handle
12
and the second handle
22
are secured by the locking member
30
as shown in
FIG. 6
while the restoring spring
40
is compressed between the first handle
12
and the second handle
22
, thereby folding the scissors structure.
Accordingly, the scissors structure of the present invention has the following advantages.
1. The locking member
30
can be used to lock the scissors structure when it is folded.
2. When the first handle
12
and the second handle
22
are separated from each other, the snapping boss
242
is locked in the positioning notch
321
so that the locking member
30
is secured on and cannot be detached from the second guide rail
24
of the second handle
22
, thereby preventing the locking member
30
from freely sliding forward on the guide track
241
to hinder the relative movement between the first handle
12
and the second handle
22
and to hinder the cutting operation of the scissors structure, and thereby preventing the locking member
30
being hit or broken when the first handle
12
and the second handle
22
are moved toward each other so as to increase the lifetime of the scissors structure.
3. The restoring spring
40
is mounted on the front end of each the two handles
12
and
22
, thereby preventing the user's hand being clipped or injured by the restoring spring
40
.
4. The restoring spring
40
is mounted on the front end of each the two handles
12
and
22
, thereby increasing the tension of the two handles
12
and
22
of the scissors structure.
It should be clear to those skilled in the art that further embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.
Claims
- 1. A scissors structure comprising:a first blade portion (10) including a first handle (12) defining a first chamber (13) having a front end provided with a first locking stub (15) and a rear end provided with a T-shaped first guide rail (14), said first guide rail (14) having a front end provided with a first guide track (141) located adjacent to said first locking stub (15) and a rear end defining an access opening (142); a second blade portion (20) pivotally mounted on said first blade portion (10) and including a second handle (22) defining a second chamber (23) having a front end provided with a second locking stub (25) and a rear end provided with a T-shaped second guide rail (24) provided with a second guide track (241), at least one snapping boss (242) mounted on said second guide rail (24) and aligning with said access opening (142) of said first guide rail (14); a restoring spring (40) mounted between said first handle (12) and said second handle (22) and having a first end secured to said first locking stub (15) and a second secured to said second locking stub (25); and a substantially I-shaped locking member (30) slidably mounted between said first guide rail (14) and said second guide rail (24) and having two sides each provided with a T-shaped guide slot (31) for receiving said first guide track (141) of said first guide rail (14) and said second guide track (241) of said second guide rail (24), said guide slot (31) having two sides each provided with an inward folded retaining flange (32) for limiting said first guide track (141) of said first guide rail (14) and said second guide track (241) of said second guide rail (24), said retaining flange (32) defining at least one positioning notch (321) for detachably locking said at least one snapping boss (242).
- 2. The scissors structure in accordance with claim 1, wherein said positioning notch (321) and said snapping boss (242) are interchangeably mounted.
- 3. The scissors structure in accordance with claim 1, wherein said locking member (30) is provided with a plurality of a plurality of elongated ribs (33) protruding outward for increasing friction of said locking member (30).
US Referenced Citations (2)
Number |
Name |
Date |
Kind |
5297343 |
Melter et al. |
Mar 1994 |
A |
5987755 |
Shih |
Nov 1999 |
A |