Method of opening a knife blade
AssigneeMentor Group, L.L.C.
InventorWes Duey
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A folding knife incorporates an opening assist mechanism that functions to drive the blade from the closed to the open position. A torsion spring is retained axially on the blade axis pin and within a bushing that is stationary relative to the knife handle. One leg of the spring is fixed relative to the handle. The opposite leg of the spring extends through and rides in a partial annular groove in the bushing and acts on the blade as it is moved between the open and closed positions.
Claims20
A method opening a knife blade that is movable along a rotational path defining a blade plane from a closed position to an open position, comprising steps of:
- (a) providing a bushing having a central opening and an annular channel extending partially around said bushing and opening to said central opening;
- (b) inserting a spring into the central opening of the bushing with a first leg of the spring extending through the annular channel;
- (c) inserting the bushing through a bore in the blade such that the first leg of the spring is in contact with a side surface of said blade;
- (d) attaching the bushing to a first handle half so that the first leg of the spring retains the blade in a desired position relative to the first handle half;
- (e) moving the blade to a closed position;
- (f) rotating the blade from the closed position toward the open position and at an intermediate point in the rotational path of the blade from the closed position toward the open position, transferring the first leg of the spring from the side surface of the blade into a groove in the blade so that said spring drives the blade to the open position.
A method opening a knife blade that is movable along a rotational path defining a blade plane from a closed position to an open position, comprising steps of:
- (a) providing a bushing having a central opening and an annular channel extending partially around said bushing, the annular channel opening to said central opening;
- (b) inserting a spring in the bushing and extending a first leg of the spring through the annular channel in the bushing;
- (c) inserting the bushing through a bore in the blade and fixing the bushing to a first handle half with the first leg of the spring in contact with the blade, thereby retaining the blade relative to the first handle half with the first leg of the spring;
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- (d) fixing a second leg of the spring to the first handle half.
A method opening a knife blade that is movable along a rotational path defining a blade plane from a closed position to an open position, comprising steps of:
- (a) providing a bushing having a central opening and a side wall with an annular channel extending partially around said side wall and opening to said central opening, said annular channel defining a longitudinal axis and having a first end, a second end and a channel extension at the second end that extends transverse to the longitudinal axis of the annular channel,
- (b) inserting a spring into the central opening of the bushing with a first leg of the spring extending through the channel extension and inserting the bushing through a bore in the blade with the first leg of the spring in contact with a side surface of the blade;
- (c) attaching the bushing to a first handle half with the annular channel of the bushing oriented below the side surface of the blade and the channel extension extending above the side surface of the blade;
- (d) attaching the bushing to the first handle half so that said bushing is fixed relative to said first handle half and fixing a second leg of the spring to the first handle half;
- (e) moving the blade to a closed position;
- and
- (f) rotating the blade from the closed position toward the open position and at an intermediate point in the rotational path of the blade from the closed position toward the open position, moving the first leg of the spring from the side surface of said blade and said channel extension to a groove in the blade and into the annular channel, thereby transferring spring force from said spring from being applied to said bushing to said blade.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.