US 2009/0151168 A1 · CUTTING TOOL FOR PACKAGING

Abstract

A cutting tool configured to cut packaging. The tool includes a handle and a blade having a cutting portion. The blade is affixed to the handle with the cutting portion extending outwardly from the handle. The cutting portion of the blade resides inside a retractable sheath that is movable between a blade guarding position and a blade exposing position. The sheath is coupled to the handle by a biasing assembly that biases the sheath into the blade guarding position whereat the cutting portion of the blade is received completely inside the sheath. The sheath retracts to the blade exposing position when the sheath is pressed against the packaging with sufficient force to overcome the biasing force applied thereto by the biasing assembly. When the sheath is retracted, the cutting portion of the blade is placed into contact with the packaging against which the sheath is pressed.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A cutting tool for cutting a package, comprising:

a handle portion;
a blade having an attachment portion attached to the handle portion and a cutting portion extending away therefrom;
and
a retractable sheath movable between an blade guarding position and a blade exposing position and coupled to the handle portion by a biasing assembly that applies a biasing force to the retractable sheath biasing it into the blade guarding position whereat the cutting portion of the blade is received completely inside a portion of the retractable sheath,
the retractable sheath being configured to retract selectively to the blade exposing position when the retractable sheath is pressed against the package with a sufficient force to overcome the biasing force applied thereto by the biasing assembly and cause the retractable sheath to retract, exposing a portion of the cutting portion of the blade, and placing the portion of the cutting portion in contact with the package.

2 more elements

A cutting tool for cutting a package, comprising:

a handle portion having an hollow portion with an exit aperture;
a movable blade mounting assembly having a portion mounted inside the hollow portion of the handle portion;
a blade comprising an anchor portion mounted to the movable blade mounting assembly, the movable blade mounting assembly being operable to position the blade in a selected position by at least one of selectively advancing and selectively withdrawing the blade through the exit aperture of the handle portion to position a selected cutting portion of the blade exterior to the handle portion, and to maintain the blade in the selected position;
a protective sheath disposed around the selected cutting portion of the blade and having an opening configured to permit a portion of the selected cutting portion to pass therethrough and a package-engaging portion configured to be pressed against the package;
and
a biasing assembly coupled to the protective sheath and configured to bias the protective sheath over the selected cutting portion of the blade, and when the package-engaging portion of the protective sheath is pressed against the package with a sufficient force, to allow the protective sheath to retract from around the portion of the selected portion allowing the portion to exit the protective sheath through the opening of the protective sheath, the opening of the protective sheath being configured to position the portion of the selected cutting portion to engage the package when the protective sheath is retracted by engagement between the package-engaging portion of the protective sheath and the package.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Cutting tool for packaging

Life of this patent

Cutting tool for packaging

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims19