Patent Application
20080141464
The present invention relates generally to pocket multitools, and particularly to tool parts for pocket multitools, such as ceramic tool parts or parts with different hardnesses.
Many pocket multitools are known and commercially available. These multitools may include various tools, such as a knife blade and screwdriver bits that pivot in and out of handles of the tool. Some multitools include jaws of pliers and various cutting tools or scissors. The various tools and cutting parts are generally made of hardened steel.
The present invention seeks to provide an improved pocket multitool and tool parts for pocket multitools, such as ceramic tool parts or parts with different hardnesses, as is described in detail further hereinbelow.
There is thus provided in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention a pocket multitool that includes a knife and non-knife tools, wherein at least one of the non-knife tools includes a ceramic tool part.
The pocket multitool can include one or more of the following features. For example, the knife may include a ceramic knife edge. One or more of the non-knife tools may include a ceramic jaw of pliers. One or more of the non-knife tools may include a ceramic blade of a cutting pliers or ceramic scissors, for example.
There is also provided in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention a pocket multitool that includes a knife and non-knife tools, and a set of interchangeable replacement parts for at least one of the knife and non-knife tools, wherein at least one of the interchangeable replacement parts may include a tool face with a different hardness than at least one of the knife and non-knife tools.
For example, one or more of the interchangeable replacement parts may include a tool face with a different hardness than another of the interchangeable replacement parts. One of the interchangeable replacement parts may include a ceramic knife edge, ceramic jaw of pliers, ceramic blade of cutting pliers or ceramic scissors, for example. As another example, one or more of the interchangeable replacement parts may include an elastomeric jaw of pliers. The interchangeable replacement part may include a receptacle with an aperture, wherein the knife or non-knife tool is adapted to be placed through the aperture into the receptacle.
There is also provided in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention a method including providing a set of interchangeable replacement parts for a pocket multitool that includes a knife and non-knife tools, wherein at least one of the interchangeable replacement parts includes a tool face with a different hardness than at least one of the knife and non-knife tools. The method may further include replacing at least one of the knife and non-knife tools with at least one of the interchangeable replacement parts.
The present invention will be understood and appreciated more fully from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the drawings in which:
Reference is now made to
The pocket multitool 10 may include one or more knives 12 and non-knife tools, such as but not limited to, pliers jaws 14, cutting pliers 16 and scissors 18. In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, one or more of the non-knife tools may include a tool part that is made of a hard or hardened non-metal, such as a ceramic tool part. In addition, the knife 12 may include a ceramic knife edge 20. For example, the pliers jaws 14 may be constructed of ceramics (e.g., the gripping part of the jaws may be ceramic). The cutting pliers 16 may have ceramic blades 22. The scissors 18 may have ceramic blades 24. Throughout the specification and claims, the terms “ceramic” and “hard or hardened non-metal” are used interchangeably.
The ceramic tool edges/surfaces may be made of ceramic materials (e.g., sintered powder) available from a variety of manufacturers, such as Kyocera of Japan.
In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, the pocket multitool 10 may include a set of interchangeable replacement parts for the knife 12 and/or the non-knife tools. The tool face (i.e., the part that contacts a work piece) of the interchangeable replacement parts may be used to impart a different hardness (either harder or softer) than the knife 12 or the non-knife tools. Additionally or alternatively, the set of interchangeable replacement parts may include one part with a relatively hard tool face (e.g., ceramic) and another one with a different hardness (e.g., softer, such as an elastomeric material, for example, rubber, neoprene, etc.).
Reference is now made to
It is appreciated that various features of the invention which are, for clarity, described in the contexts of separate embodiments, may also be provided in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, various features of the invention which are, for brevity, described in the context of a single embodiment, may also be provided separately or in any suitable subcombination.
