Knife with repeating actuation
AssigneeAlltrade Tools LLC
InventorsHarold PARKER, Hector HERNANDEZ
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A knife is described that is capable of extending a blade from a front end of the blade, and subsequently retracting the blade into the body of the knife. Actuation of the blade from extended to retracted conditions is accomplished by way of an actuation element located external to the knife. A user may strike the knife backwards onto a work surface to extend the blade and, subsequently, to retract the blade. The same action by the user may be used to achieve the extended and the retracted blade condition.
Claims21
A knife with a retractable blade, the knife having a housing defining an internal chamber, and having a front end from which the blade is extendable and a rear end opposite the front end, and a locking mechanism movable within the chamber, the locking mechanism comprising:
- a blade holder for holding the blade, the blade holder being slidable within the housing from a forward position in which the blade partially extends from the front end of the knife, to a backward position in which the blade is withdrawn into the chamber;
- a biasing element configured to bias the blade holder toward the rear end of the knife;
- an actuation element for moving the blade holder backwards and forwards, the actuation element partially extending from the housing for manual control, the actuation element being operatively linked to the blade holder;
- a regulation channel defined by the locking mechanism, the regulation channel having two opposing walls, and a floor extending from one wall to the other wall, the regulation channel defining a closed circuit;
- a snag element operatively attached to the housing, the snag element being configured to slide within the regulation channel as the locking mechanism moves within the housing;
- wherein, the floor of the channel includes a plurality of steps that are configured to compel the snag element to move around the closed circuit in only one direction by allowing the snag element to move over each step in a downward direction, but preventing it from moving in an upward direction;
- and further wherein, the regulation channel walls define an open holding pocket and a closed holding pocket, the closed holding pocket being spaced forwardly from the open holding pocket, and each holding pocket being configured such that, when the snag element is located in a holding pocket, the snag element cannot move immediately forward in relation to the locking mechanism as the snag element slides within the channel, whereby the locking mechanism is held in equilibrium by the biasing means.
A method of causing a knife blade to advance from a retracted position within the knife to extend the blade out of a forward end of the knife, and subsequently to withdraw the blade to the retracted position again, the method comprising:
- providing the knife with a blade holder slidable within a housing of the knife, wherein movement of the blade holder to a forward position causes the blade to extend from the knife, and wherein movement of the blade holder to a backward position causes the blade to retract into the housing;
- providing an actuator element that extends from the housing, the actuator element being linked with the blade holder;
- depressing the actuator a first time into the housing, thereby advancing the blade holder from a retracted position to extend the blade from the forward end of the knife;
- and
- depressing the actuator a second time into the housing, thereby retracting into the housing the extended blade.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.