Information
-
Patent Grant
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6742260
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Patent Number
6,742,260
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Date Filed
Wednesday, February 26, 200321 years ago
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Date Issued
Tuesday, June 1, 200420 years ago
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Inventors
-
-
Examiners
Agents
-
CPC
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US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 030 162
- 030 125
- 030 335
- 030 340
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International Classifications
-
Abstract
An improved structure art design knife that provides for stabler and safer manual grasping, the arrangement of which includes a front cover, a back cover, a hatch, a flat spring, and a blade holder mechanism. In addition to convenient blade replacement, the art design knife of the present invention contains a plurality of spare blades, thereby enhancing the utility of such structures and, furthermore, increasing practical value from a production standpoint.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1) Field of the Invention
The invention herein relates to utility cutters and knives, specifically an improved structure art design knife that provides for stabler and safer manual grasping, the arrangement of which includes a front cover, a back cover, a hatch, a flat spring, and a blade holder mechanism. In addition to convenient blade replacement, the art design knife of the present invention contains a plurality of spare blades, thereby enhancing functionality and, furthermore, increasing practical value from a production standpoint.
2) Description of the Prior Art
In a conventional art design knife, frictional wear between the tensile pawl and the wave-profiled rack of the blade extension/retraction, mechanism often reduces overall structural rigidity such that blades cannot be consistently fixed into position, resulting in a greater risk of user injury. Moreover, the spare blades of a conventional art knife are typically situated external to the body of the knife. As such, considerable time is wasted searching for extra blades whenever a blade has to be replaced. Given the existent drawbacks of the conventional product and the need to overcome them, the applicant of the invention herein innovated an original solution and conducted extensive research based on design and other experience gained while engaged in the related industrial fields that culminated in the successful development of the improved structure art design knife of the invention herein.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The objective of the invention herein is to provide an improved structure art design knife in which the blade holder mechanism and the rack of the front cover and the back cover are of a balanced and stable arrangement to achieve blade positioning more effectively and safely and, furthermore, the present invention accommodates the internal storage of a plurality of spare blades, thereby integrating an extra blade supply within the body of the art design knife itself to further enhance blade replacement convenience and efficiency.
To enable the examination committee a further understanding of the means whereby the said objective is accomplished as well as the advantages, other objectives, and operation of the most preferred embodiment of the present invention, the brief description of the drawings below are followed by the detailed description of the invention herein.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1
is an isometric drawing of the invention herein.
FIG. 2
is an exploded drawing of the invention herein.
FIG. 3
is an isometric drawing of the front cover
1
of the invention herein.
FIG. 4
is an isometric drawing of the front cover
1
of the invention herein.
FIG. 5
is an isometric drawing of the back cover
2
of the invention herein.
FIG. 6
is an isometric drawing of the back cover
2
of the invention herein.
FIG. 7
is an isometric drawing of the hatch
3
of the invention herein.
FIG. 8
is an isometric drawing of the hatch
3
of the invention herein.
FIG. 9
is an exploded drawing of the blade holder mechanism
5
of the invention herein.
FIG. 10
is an isometric drawing of the push button
52
of the invention herein.
FIG. 11
is an isometric drawing of the push button
52
of the invention herein.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Referring to FIG.
1
and
FIG. 2
, the improved structure art design knife of the invention herein is comprised of a front cover
1
, a back cover
2
, a hatch
3
, a hatch lock button
16
, a blade holder mechanism
5
, a flat spring
4
, a blade ejection button
25
, a blade
56
, a push button
52
, a cushioning button
8
, an upper grip pad
6
, and a lower grip pad
7
, wherein;
Referring to FIG.
3
and
FIG. 4
, the said front cover
1
is a shell plate of one-piece construction having a semicircular opening
11
in the top edge of its anterior section, a semicircular opening
142
in the bottom edge of the anterior section, and a slide slot
12
along the inside of the top edge; the said front cover
1
also has an elongated recess
13
along the top edge of its posterior section and, furthermore, an elongated opening
18
disposed along the bottom portion of the posterior section and a round tape rule enclosure
181
formed inside the posterior section; additionally, a compartment
14
is formed inside the anterior section of the said front cover
1
, the said compartment
14
having an axial hole
141
at the both upper and lower corners of its forward edge, with the said compartment
14
recessively defined by a trapezoidal frame
143
; the said front cover
1
has an oval backing plate situated at its middle section, with the said backing plate
15
having an elongated hole
151
at the center and, furthermore, the said backing plate also has a standoff block
17
at the inner side of its rear edge and a fastener hole
171
is formed through the center of the said standoff block
17
; and a collar hole
19
is disposed through the posterior extremity of the said front cover
1
. The hatch lock button
16
is oval in shape and has a check plate at one extremity of its inner side; furthermore, the said hatch lock button
16
has a standoff block
161
formed at the center of its inner side and a threaded hole
162
is tapped in the center of the said standoff block
161
; the said locating block
163
is rectangular in shape and has a fastener hole
164
through one side and, furthermore, a blind hole
165
in the other side, with a coil spring
166
inserted into the said blind hole
165
; the standoff block
161
of the said hatch lock button
16
is inserted into the elongated hole
151
at the center of the backing plate
15
of the front cover
1
, a screw
167
is then inserted into the fastener hole
164
of the locating block
163
and tightened into the threaded hole
162
of the standoff block
161
, enabling the assembly of the coil spring
166
and the locating block
163
such that the hatch lock button
16
is capable of being toggled back and forth on the backing plate
15
of the front cover
1
.
Referring to FIG.
5
and
FIG. 6
, the said back cover
2
is a shell plate of one-piece construction having a semicircular opening
21
in the top edge of its anterior section and a slide slot
22
along the inside of the middle section top edge, with a wave-profiled rack
221
arrayed along the bottom edge of the said slide slot
21
; the said rear cover
2
also has an elongated recess
23
along the top edge of its posterior section and, furthermore, an elongated opening
28
is disposed along the bottom portion of the posterior section and a round tape rule enclosure
281
is formed inside the posterior section; additionally, a vertically oriented slide channel
24
is formed inside the anterior section of the said back cover
2
and a threaded hole
241
is tapped at the top edge of the said slide channel
24
; a slide plate
251
extends upward from the said blade ejection button
25
, the said slide plate
251
having an elongated hole
252
through its top edge such that the said elongated hole
252
allows the insertion of a screw
253
which is fastened into the threaded hole
241
at the slide channel
24
of the back cover
2
; the said back cover
2
has a shaft
26
integrated inside the bottom edge of its anterior section and a coil spring
254
is sleeved over the said shaft
26
, with the extended portion of the said coil spring
254
postured horizontally against the bottom edge at the inner side of the blade ejection button
25
such that the blade ejection button
25
is constrained within the slide channel
24
of the back cover
2
, but capable of shifting upward and downward; the said back cover
2
has a threaded mounting hole
27
at the center of its posterior section and, furthermore, a collar hole
29
is disposed through the posterior extremity of the back cover
2
.
Referring to FIG.
7
and
FIG. 8
, the said hatch
3
is shaped such that it is congruous with the said compartment
14
of the front cover
1
; the said hatch
3
has a hinge pin
31
formed at each of the upper and lower corners of its anterior side, with the said hatch
3
also having an arcuate catch indentation
32
along the outer edge of the posterior side; additionally, a spring attachment slot
33
is formed at both the anterior and the posterior inner sides of the said hatch
3
; the said flat spring
4
is a one-piece component with a mounting tab
41
at each of its two ends that is punched fabricated from sheet metal; two overlapping tensile elements
42
crisscross inward on the said flat spring
4
; and the mounting tabs
41
of the said flat spring
4
are inserted into the spring attachment slots
33
along the inner side of the hatch
3
.
Referring to
FIG. 9
,
FIG. 10
, and
FIG. 11
, the said blade holder mechanism consists of a blade carrier
51
, a push button
52
, and a blade arresting component
53
, wherein:
The push button
52
has a vertical support member
522
at the lower extent of its body
521
; a cylindrical post
523
is formed in the center at one side of the body
521
and, furthermore, another cylindrical post
524
is formed on the push button
52
at the lower extent of its anterior edge; and the upper extent of the said push button
52
is surfaced with a pliant lining
525
.
The blade arresting component
53
has a semicircular pawl
531
at the bottom edge of its anterior extremity, a cylindrical post
532
is disposed at the center of the upper edge of the said blade arresting component
53
and, furthermore, a support pin
533
emerges from one side at the posterior extremity of the blade arresting component
53
and the said blade arresting component
53
has a rectangular block
534
formed on the lower edge of its anterior section.
The blade carrier
51
has a T-shaped insertable element
511
formed along the upper edge of its anterior extremity and a skid element
512
along its lower edge; the said blade carrier
51
has a rectangular recess
513
in the center and, furthermore, a semicircular support pin notch
514
is formed in the upper edge at the posterior extremity of the said blade carrier
51
.
The support pin
533
emerging from one side at the posterior extremity of the blade holder mechanism
5
blade arresting component
53
is fitted into the semicircular support pin notch
514
in the upper edge at the posterior extremity of the said blade carrier
51
a coil spring
54
is sleeved between the post
524
of the push button
52
and the post
532
disposed at the center of the blade arresting component
53
; furthermore, the vertical support member
522
at the lower extent of the said push button
52
is placed through another coil spring
55
and then inserted into the rectangular recess
513
of the blade carrier
51
; and the pawl
531
at the bottom edge along the anterior extremity of the blade arresting mechanism
53
engages the semicircular notch in the top edge of the blade
56
, thereby securing the blade
56
in the blade holder mechanism
5
.
The post
523
at one side of the blade holder mechanism
5
push button
52
of the invention herein is insertionally postured within the wave-profiled rack
221
beneath the upper edge along the anterior section of the back cover
2
; the said cushioning button
8
is placed into the semicircular opening
11
in the top edge along the anterior section of the front cover
1
; the said upper grip pad
6
is unitarily fabricated out of a soft plastic material and embedded in a long recess
13
molded in the top edge along the posterior section of the front cover
1
; the said lower grip pad
7
is also unitarily fabricated of a soft plastic material but embedded in a long recess
18
molded in the bottom portion along the posterior section of the front cover
1
; furthermore, the two hinge pins
31
of the said hatch
3
are coupled into the axial holes
141
of the front cover
3
, enabling the closing of the hatch
3
over the compartment
14
of the front cover
1
, with the hatch lock button
16
latching the hatch
3
against the front cover
1
; and the front cover
1
and the rear cover
2
are connected together by inserting a screw
9
through the fastener hole
171
of the front cover
1
and then tightening it into the threaded mounting hole
27
of the back cover
2
, thereby completing the assembly of the art design knife structure.
The post
523
of the push button
52
of the invention herein is positioned in the wave-profiled rack
221
; when the push button
52
is depressed, the post
523
is disengaged from the wave-profiled rack
221
and the push button
52
is impelled outward such that the push button
52
causes the blade carrier
51
, the blade arresting mechanism
53
, and the blade
56
to slide outward; when the blade
56
slides to the appropriate position, the push button
52
is released and the coil springs
54
and
55
of the said push button
52
elastically rebound upward and position the said post
523
back into the wave-profiled rack
221
, thereby achieving a safe and stable blade forwarding operation; to withdraw the blade
56
, the same procedure is conducted in reverse by operating the push button
52
in the opposite direction.
To effect blade replacement, the blade ejection button
25
is pressed upward when the blade
56
is pushed beyond the anterior extremity of the art design knife, the top edge of the slide plate
251
of the said blade ejection button
25
lifts the rectangular block
534
at the lower edge along the anterior extremity of the blade arresting component
53
, with the support pin
533
of the said blade arresting component serving as the pivoting axis, causing the pawl
531
at the anterior extremity of the blade arresting mechanism
53
to ascend and disengage from the notch
57
of the blade
56
, thereby allowing the removal of the blade
56
; the trapezoidal frame
143
in the said front cover
1
contains a plurality of preloaded, stacked blades
56
with the flat spring
4
at the inner side of the hatch
3
tensioned inward against the blades
56
such that the blades
56
are pushed to the very bottom level of the trapezoidal frame
143
and as the said blade arresting mechanism
53
returns, the pawl
531
of the blade arresting mechanism
53
once again engages the notch
57
in the upper edge of the blade
56
, thereby completing the replacement of a blade.
In summation of the foregoing section, since the invention herein is capable of achieving the claimed utilization objectives and, furthermore, the disclosed structure possesses exceptional practical value and functionality, the present invention is submitted to the examination committee for review and the granting of the commensurate patent rights.
Claims
- 1. An improved structure art design knife comprised of a front cover, a back cover, a hatch, a hatch lock button, a blade holder mechanism, a flat spring, a blade ejection button, a blade, a push button, a cushioning button, an upper grip pad, and a lower grip pad, wherein:the said front cover is a shell plate of one-piece construction having a semicircular opening in the top edge of its anterior section, a semicircular opening in the bottom edge of the anterior section, and a slide slot along the inside of the top edge; the said front cover also has an elongated recess along the top edge of its posterior section and, furthermore, an elongated opening disposed along the bottom portion of the posterior section and a round tape rule enclosure formed inside the posterior section; additionally, a compartment is formed inside the anterior section of the said front cover, the said compartment having an axial hole at the both upper and lower corners of its forward edge, with the said compartment recessively defined by a trapezoidal frame; the said front cover has an oval backing plate situated at its middle section, with the said backing plate having an elongated hole at the center and, furthermore, the said backing plate also has a standoff block at the inner side of its rear edge and a fastener hole is formed through the center of the said standoff block; and a collar hole is disposed through the posterior extremity of the said front cover; the said hatch lock button is oval in shape and has a check plate at one extremity of its inner side; furthermore, the said hatch lock button has a standoff block formed at the center of its inner side and a threaded hole is tapped in the center of the said standoff block; the said locating block is rectangular in shape and has a fastener hole through one side and, furthermore, a blind hole in the other side, with a coil spring inserted into the said blind hole; the said standoff block of the said hatch lock button is inserted into the said elongated hole at the center of the said backing plate of the said front cover, a screw is then inserted into the said fastener hole of the said locating block and tightened into the said threaded hole of the said standoff block, enabling the assembly of the said coil spring and the said locating block such that the said hatch lock button is capable of being toggled back and forth on the said backing plate of the said front cover; the said back cover is a shell plate of one-piece construction having a semicircular opening in the top edge of its anterior section and a slide slot along the inside of the middle section top edge, with a wave-profiled rack arrayed along the bottom edge of the said slide slot; the said rear cover also has an elongated recess along the top edge of its posterior section and, furthermore, an elongated opening is disposed along the bottom portion of the posterior section and a round tape rule enclosure is formed inside the posterior section; additionally, a vertically oriented slide channel is formed inside the anterior section of the said back cover and a threaded hole is tapped at the top edge of the said slide channel; a slide plate extends upward from the said blade ejection button, the said slide plate having an elongated hole through its top edge such that the said elongated hole allows the insertion of a screw which is fastened into the said threaded hole at the said slide channel of the said back cover; the said back cover has a shaft integrated inside the bottom edge of its anterior section and a coil spring is sleeved over the said shaft, with the extended portion of the said coil spring postured horizontally against the bottom edge at the inner side of the said blade ejection button such that the said blade ejection button is constrained within the said slide channel of the back cover, but capable of shifting upward and downward; the said back cover has a threaded mounting hole at the center of its posterior section and, furthermore, a collar hole is disposed through the posterior extremity of the said back cover; the said hatch is shaped such that it is congruous with the said compartment of the said front cover; the said hatch has a hinge pin formed at each of the upper and lower corners of its anterior side, with the said hatch also having an arcuate catch indentation along the outer edge of the posterior side; additionally, a spring attachment slot is formed at both the anterior and the posterior inner sides of the said hatch; the said flat spring is a one-piece component with a mounting tab at each of its two ends that is punched fabricated from sheet metal; two overlapping tensile elements crisscross inward on the said flat spring; and the said mounting tabs of the said flat spring are inserted into the said spring attachment slots along the inner side of the said hatch; the said blade holder mechanism consists of a blade carrier, a push button, and a blade arresting component, wherein: the said push button has a vertical support member at the lower extent of its body; a cylindrical post is formed in the center at one side of the said body and, furthermore, another cylindrical post is formed on the said push button at the lower extent of its anterior edge; and the upper extent of the said push button is surfaced with a pliant lining; the said blade arresting component has a semicircular pawl at the bottom edge of its anterior extremity, a cylindrical post is disposed at the center of the upper edge of the said blade arresting component and, furthermore, a support pin emerges from one side at the posterior extremity of the said blade arresting component and the said blade arresting component has a rectangular block formed on the lower edge of its anterior section; the said blade carrier has a T-shaped insertable element formed along the upper edge of its anterior extremity and a skid element along its lower edge; the said blade carrier has a rectangular recess in the center and, furthermore, a semicircular support pin notch is formed in the upper edge at the posterior extremity of the said blade carrier; the said support pin emerging from one side at the posterior extremity of the said blade holder mechanism blade arresting component is fitted into the said semicircular support pin notch in the upper edge at the posterior extremity of the said blade carrier; a coil spring is sleeved between the said post of the said push button and the other said post disposed at the center of the said blade arresting component; furthermore, the said vertical support member at the lower extent of the said push button is placed through another coil spring and then inserted into the said rectangular recess of the said blade carrier; and the said pawl at the bottom edge along the anterior extremity of the said blade arresting mechanism engages the semicircular notch in the top edge of the said blade, thereby securing the said blade in the said blade holder mechanism; the said post at one side of the said blade holder mechanism push button of the invention herein is insertionally postured within the said wave-profiled rack beneath the upper edge along the anterior section of the said back cover; the said cushioning button is placed into the said semicircular opening in the top edge along the anterior section of the said front cover; the said upper grip pad is unitarily fabricated out of a soft plastic material and embedded in a long recess molded in the top edge along the posterior section of the said front cover; the said lower grip pad is also unitarily fabricated of a soft plastic material but embedded in a long recess molded in the bottom portion along the posterior section of the said front cover; furthermore, the said two hinge pins of the said hatch are coupled into the said axial holes of the said front cover, enabling the closing of the said hatch over the said compartment of the said front cover, with the said hatch lock button latching the said hatch against the said front cover; and the said front cover and the said rear cover are connected together by inserting a screw through the said fastener hole of the said front cover and then tightening it into the said threaded mounting hole of the said back cover, thereby completing the assembly of the art design knife structure.
US Referenced Citations (7)