Pocket safety cutter

#The present invention relates generally to knives and, in particular, pocket safety cutter devices that can be folded into compact, closed configurations.

#Utility knives with retractable blades are known. Knives with blades that fold into a handle are also known. However, such knives are often cumbersome or unwieldy, or suffer from deficiencies in the mechanism that is used to retract the blade. Accordingly, it would be useful to be able to provide pocket safety cutter devices that include ergonomic blade housing and handle portions that are adapted to be safely folded together into compact, closed configurations.

#In an example embodiment, a pocket knife includes a housing, a blade carrier, a spring, and a handle. The housing includes an opening to a channel within the housing. The blade carrier is within the channel, and includes one or more actuator portions that permit a user of the pocket knife to slide the blade carrier along the channel. The spring is operatively connected between the blade carrier and the housing such that the blade carrier is biased along the channel toward a blade retracted position. The handle is pivotally connected to the housing, and includes a recessed portion sized to receive the housing when the housing is pivoted toward the handle.

#FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of an example embodiment of a pocket safety cutter;

#FIG. 2 is a front view of the pocket safety cutter of FIG. 1;

#FIG. 3 is a top view of the pocket safety cutter of FIG. 1;

#Referring to FIGS. 1-9, in an example embodiment, a pocket knife 100 includes a housing 102, a blade carrier 104, a spring 106, and a handle 108. The housing 102 includes an opening 110 to a channel 112 within the housing 102. In this example embodiment, the housing 102 includes a main portion 114 and a front end portion 116 that is pivotally secured to the main portion 114 such that the front end portion 116 can be moved to gain access to the blade carrier 104. In this example embodiment, the front end portion 116 is an assembly (e.g., a die-cast assembly) that includes a screw 118, which allows the front end portion 116 to pivot about pin 120 in relation to the main portion 114. To secure the front end portion 116 in position in relation to the main portion 114, the screw 118 is advanced through an aperture 122 (in the main portion 114), through a threaded channel 124 (of the front end portion 116), and into an indentation 126 (at an inside wall of the main portion 114).

#In an example embodiment, the pocket knife 100 includes a protrusion or other tool suitable for splitting tape, or other wrappers and materials. In this example embodiment, the front end portion 116 includes a protrusion 128 adjacent to the opening 110. In this example embodiment, the protrusion 128 is fin-shaped. The positioning of the protrusion 128 on the housing 102 as shown provides an ergonomic tool for splitting tape, or other wrappers and materials.

#The blade carrier 104 is secured within the channel 112 of the housing 102. In this example embodiment, the blade carrier 104 is supported within the channel 112 by rails 130 and 132, which are formed as shown in an inside wall of the main portion 114 of the housing 102. In an example embodiment, complementary ridges formed on the blade carrier 104 engage with the rails 130 and 132, allowing the blade carrier 104 to slide inside within the housing 102 from a blade retracted position (FIG. 6) to a blade extended position (FIG. 7). The spring 106 is operatively connected between the blade carrier 104 and the housing 102 such that the blade carrier 104 is biased along the channel 112 toward the blade retracted position. In this example embodiment, the spring 106 is connected, on opposite ends thereof, to a post 134 (on the blade carrier 104) and a post 136 (on the housing 102). A blade 138 is mechanically coupled to the blade carrier 104. In this example embodiment, the blade carrier 104 includes a rail 140 and securing posts 142 and 144, which prevent lateral movement of the blade 138 when the blade is positioned adjacent to the blade carrier 104 as shown.