Cutlery – Combined cutlery or combined with ancillary feature – With material-holder or disposal
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-25
2001-02-27
Watts, Douglas (Department: 3724)
Cutlery
Combined cutlery or combined with ancillary feature
With material-holder or disposal
C030S162000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06192589
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to utility knives with replaceable blades.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Utility knives are widely used in industry and the building trades and typically employ a replaceable cutting blade movably mounted between extended and retracted positions with respect to a main body of the utility knife. Specifically, the blade is typically releasably mounted to a blade holder that is in turn movably mounted within the main body to move the blade between retracted and extended positions. The blades must be replaced as they become dull or break. A supply of replacement blades may be stored within the main body portion of some utility knives. When a blade needs to be replaced, the user removes a new blade from the main body, releases the old blade from the blade holder, releasably mounts the new blade on the blade holder.
Removing a replacement blade from the main body frequently requires the user to partially disassemble the utility knife which can be time-consuming and may require the use of additional tools. Often, for example, the main body is comprised of two halves secured together with a screw or other fastener which must be removed before the user can access the supply of new blades and/or replace the old blade. The fasteners for most utility knives are exposed in the assembled utility knife in the gripped area of the main body which is undesirable because these fasteners detract from the aesthetic appearance of the knife. Other utility knives provide a blade storage member that stores spare blades in a concealed manner within the body. The blade storage member is movable with respect to the main body and enables access to the spare blades.
In some commercial embodiments such a blade storage member has been pivotally mounted to the main body and pivoted downwardly to a fully opened position to permit access to the spare blades. While this embodiment has met considerable commercial success, it would be advantageous to provide a more controlled movement of the blade storage member to the fully opened position so as to prevent the possibility that the force of gravity causes the storage member to rapidly swing open, which may cause the blades to fall out of the storage member under the force of gravity.
Existing utility knives provide a wide range of mechanisms for releasing the old blade from the blade holder. Some utility knives require the main body to be disassembled into two halves (by, for example, removing a screw) to remove the blade. This is undesirable because disassembly and reassembly is inconvenient and time consuming. Other utility knives allow the old blade to be removed without disassembly, but include a blade releasing structure that is operatively associated with the blade holder to release the blade. The conventional blade releasing structure may include a manually engageable button that is mounted from within the main body and protrudes from the body for manual engagement to release the blade. The button is not fixed to either body half. Thus, when the body halves are separated (e.g., for cleaning the inside of the knife), the button may fall out and be misplaced. In addition, reassembly of the knife becomes tedious and time consuming.
A need exists for a utility knife that allows the user to remove spare blades therefrom by opening the main body thereof in a controlled, gradual manner. A Further need exists for a utility knife that includes a blade releasing structure that is operatively associated with the blade holder for releasing the blade when the utility knife is in its assembled condition, but which will remain attached to a portion of the main body when the utility knife is disassembled. A further need exists for a utility knife which has its fasteners concealed for an improved aesthetic appearance.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
To meet the needs described above, the present invention provides a utility knife that includes a main body, a blade holder assembly movably mounted within the body and a manually engageable member slidably mounted on the main body. The blade holder assembly is constructed and arranged to mount a blade within the main body. The blade holder is movable between a retracted position wherein the blade is disposed within the main body and an extended position wherein the blade protrudes outwardly from the main body to enable a cutting operation. The manually engageable member is operatively connected with the blade holder assembly and is movable to move the blade holder assembly between its extended and retracted positions. The utility knife further includes a blade storage member pivotally connected with the main body. The blade storage member is constructed and arranged to carry a supply of spare blades and is movable between a closed position wherein the spare blades are concealed and a fully opened position permitting access to the spare blades. The utility knife also includes releasable locking structure that is constructed and arranged to releasably lock the blade storage member in its closed position. Interengaging structure is provided between the blade storage member and the main body to prevent movement of the blade storage member from the closed position to the fully opened position under the force of gravity when the locking structure is released to unlock the blade storage member from the closed position.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the main body of the utility knife comprises two body halves and a fastener secures the halves to one another. The blade storage member conceals the fastener when the blade storage member is in its closed position.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the utility knife includes a blade releasing structure associated with the blade holder assembly. The blade releasing structure includes a manually engageable portion that is movable to disengage the blade from the blade holder assembly to enable the blade to be removed from the blade holder assembly. The blade releasing structure includes an attachment portion that is connected with one of the body halves of the main body of utility knife. This attachment portion retains the blade releasing structure with the one body half when the body halves are disconnected from one another.
Other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, the accompanying drawings, and the appended claims.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3593417 (1971-07-01), West
patent: 3708881 (1973-01-01), Bennett
patent: 3845554 (1974-11-01), Joanis et al.
patent: 3872591 (1975-03-01), Quenot
patent: 3879847 (1975-04-01), Roll
patent: 3943627 (1976-03-01), Stanley, Jr.
patent: 3964162 (1976-06-01), Gerson et al.
patent: 4196515 (1980-04-01), Sugiyama
patent: 4408396 (1983-10-01), Scholl
patent: 4425709 (1984-01-01), Quenzi
patent: 4586256 (1986-05-01), Weimann
patent: 4612707 (1986-09-01), Shea
patent: 4706385 (1987-11-01), Iten
patent: 4884342 (1989-12-01), McNamara et al.
patent: 5303474 (1994-04-01), Keklak et al.
patent: 5426855 (1995-06-01), Keklak et al.
patent: 5613300 (1997-03-01), Schmidt
patent: 5784788 (1998-07-01), Cothery
patent: 5890294 (1999-04-01), Keklak et al.
patent: 6000136 (1999-12-01), Owens
Gilbert Richard
Martone Joseph R.
Pillsbury & Winthrop LLP
The Stanley Works
Watts Douglas
LandOfFree
Utility knife does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Utility knife, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Utility knife will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2574480