# US 12,005,597 B2 · Trimming knife

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- Number: US 12,005,597 B2
- Document ID: US12005597B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/510,076
- Filed: 2021-10-25
- Published: 2022-04-28
- Granted: 2024-06-11
- Earliest claimed: 2020-10-26
- Assignees: Cancer Diagnostics, Inc.
- Applicants: Cancer Diagnostics, Inc.
- Inventors: Patrick O'Neill
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12005597B2

## CPC

- B26B 5/00: Hand knives with one or more detachable blades
- B25G 3/26: comprising nails, screws, bolts, or pins traversing or entering the socket
- B26B 29/02: Guards or sheaths for knives
- A61B 10/0233: {Pointed or sharp biopsy instruments}
- B25G 1/102: {the shape being specially adapted to facilitate handling or improve grip}
- B26B: HAND-HELD CUTTING TOOLS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR (for harvesting A01D; for horticulture, for forestry A01G; for butchering or meat treatment A22; for manufactering or repairing footwear A43D; nail clippers or cutters A45D29/02; kitchen equipment A47J; {vegetable slicers, julienne cutters and similar devices and holders therefor, B26D3/28}; for surgical purposes A61B; for metal B23D; cutting by abrasive fluid jets B24C5/02; plier-like tools with cutting edges B25B7/22; pincers B25C11/02; handles for hand implements, in general B25G; guillotine-type cutters B26D; {perforating by non-mechanical means, e.g. by fluid jet, B26F1/26}; for erasing B43L19/00; for textile materials D06H)
- B25G: HANDLES FOR HAND IMPLEMENTS (attaching the blades or the like to handles of hand tools for soil working A01B1/22; handles of hand implements for harvesting A01D1/14; handles integral with brushware A46B)
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)

## Abstract

In one aspect, a trimming knife is provided that includes a blade and a handle. The blade has a straight leading edge, a straight trailing edge, a straight lower cutting edge, and squared leading and trailing corners between the straight leading and trailing edges and the straight lower cutting edge. The handle includes a gripping portion, a spine to receive the blade, and a blade guard configured to protect the squared trailing corner of the blade with the blade received in the spine.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A trimming knife comprising:
a blade having a straight leading edge, a straight trailing edge, a straight lower cutting edge, a squared leading corner between the straight leading edge and the straight lower cutting edge, and a squared trailing corner between the straight trailing edge and the straight lower cutting edge; and
a handle comprising:
a spine to receive the blade;
a handle body including a gripping portion configured to receive a hand of a user;
the spine distal of the gripping portion to receive the blade;
a blade guard configured to protect the squared trailing corner of the blade with the blade received in the spine; and
a distal portion of the handle body connecting the gripping portion and the spine, the spacer portion of the handle body positioning the gripping portion proximally and upward of the spine so that a hand grasping the gripping portion is spaced from the blade guard.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The trimming knife of claim 1 wherein the blade includes an upper portion opposite the straight lower cutting edge;
wherein the spine receives the upper portion of the blade; and
wherein the blade guard includes a lower portion adjacent the squared trailing corner of the blade with the blade received in the spine.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The trimming knife of claim 1 wherein the blade guard includes a protrusion extending along the straight trailing edge of the blade to the squared trailing corner of the blade with the blade received in the spine.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The trimming knife of claim 1 wherein the blade guard includes a surface portion configured to extend along the straight trailing edge of the blade and support the blade with the blade received in the spine.

### Claim 5

A trimming knife comprising:
a blade having a straight leading edge, a straight trailing edge, a straight lower cutting edge, a squared leading corner between the straight leading edge and the straight lower cutting edge, and a squared trailing corner between the straight trailing edge and the straight lower cutting edge; and
a handle comprising:
a gripping portion;
a spine to receive the blade;
a blade guard configured to protect the squared trailing corner of the blade with the blade received in the spine;
wherein the handle includes a handle body comprising the gripping portion; and
wherein the blade guard includes an insert connected to the handle body.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The trimming knife of claim 5 wherein the insert includes a transition edge that extends intermediate the straight lower cutting edge and the handle body.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The trimming knife of claim 6 wherein the transition edge is curved.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

A trimming knife of claim 1 comprising:
a blade having a straight leading edge, a straight trailing edge, a straight lower cutting edge, a squared leading corner between the straight leading edge and the straight lower cutting edge, and a squared trailing corner between the straight trailing edge and the straight lower cutting edge; and
a handle comprising:
a gripping portion;
a spine to receive the blade;
a blade guard configured to protect the squared trailing corner of the blade with the blade received in the spine;
wherein the blade guard includes an insert; and
wherein the spine includes a channel configured to receive the blade and the insert.

### Claim 9

A trimming knife handle comprising:
a blade having a lower squared trailing corner;
a handle body;
a spine connected to the handle body;
a channel of the spine to receive an upper portion of the blade;
an opening of the spine that aligns with an opening of the blade with the upper portion of the blade received in the channel;
a thumbscrew sized to extend through the openings of the spine and the blade to retain the blade in the channel; and
a blade guard having a lower portion below the channel of the spine, the lower portion of the blade guard configured to be adjacent the lower squared trailing corner of the blade with the upper portion of the blade received in the channel; and
wherein the blade guard includes an insert connected to the handle body.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The trimming knife of claim 9 wherein the blade guard includes a flat surface portion configured to abut the blade above the lower squared trailing corner of the blade with the upper portion of the blade received in the channel.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The trimming knife of claim 9 wherein the insert comprises:
a straight upper edge received in the channel of the spine;
a straight stop edge at a right angle to the straight upper edge and positioned to contact a straight trailing edge of the blade with the upper portion of the blade received in the channel of the spine, the straight stop edge including a first portion in the channel of the spine; and
wherein the lower portion of the blade guard comprises a second portion of the straight stop edge outside of the channel.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The trimming knife of claim 9 wherein the insert comprises:
a straight stop edge sized to extend along an entirety of a straight trailing edge of the blade to support the blade;
a transition edge extending away from the straight stop edge; and
wherein the lower portion of the blade guard comprises a juncture between the straight stop edge and the transition edge.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The trimming knife of claim 12 wherein the transition edge is curved.

### Claim 14 (depends on 9)

The trimming knife of claim 9 wherein the spine includes a pair of sidewalls that define at least a portion of the channel; and
wherein the opening of the spine includes a pair of through openings in the sidewalls of the spine.

### Claim 15

A trimming knife comprising:
a blade having a lower squared trailing corner;
a handle body;
a spine connected to the handle body;
a channel of the spine to receive an upper portion of the blade;
an opening of the spine that aligns with an opening of the blade with the upper portion of the blade received in the channel;
a thumbscrew sized to extend through the openings of the spine and the blade to retain the blade in the channel; and
a blade guard having a lower portion below the channel of the spine, the lower portion of the blade guard configured to be adjacent the lower squared trailing corner of the blade with the upper portion of the blade received in the channel;
wherein the spine includes a pair of sidewalls defining at least a portion of the channel and a curved portion connecting the sidewalls;
wherein the blade guard includes a stop in the channel extending from the curved portion of the spine downward outward of the channel; and
wherein the lower portion of the blade guard includes a portion of the stop outside of the channel.

### Claim 16

A method of assembling a trimming knife including a blade and a handle, the method comprising:
advancing an upper portion of the blade of the trimming knife into a channel of a spine of the handle of the trimming knife, the blade having a straight leading edge, a straight trailing edge, a straight lower cutting edge, and squared leading and trailing corners between the straight leading and trailing edges and the straight lower cutting edge;
positioning the squared trailing corner of the blade adjacent a blade guard of the handle; and
securing the blade to the handle;
wherein the step of positioning the squared trailing corner of the blade adjacent the blade guard includes positioning the straight trailing edge of the blade against a straight edge of the blade guard.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16 wherein the step of positioning the straight trailing edge of the blade against the straight edge of the blade guard comprises positioning the straight trailing edge of the blade against the straight edge of an insert of the blade guard, the insert having a portion thereof in the channel of the spine.

### Claim 18 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16 wherein the step of advancing the upper portion of the blade into the channel of the spine includes sliding the spine onto the upper portion of the blade.

### Claim 19 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16 wherein the step of securing the blade to the handle includes advancing a retaining member through openings of the spine and the blade.