Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02333543 2000-11-27
WO 99/58302 PCT/US99/09545
FOLDING KNIFE
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
:> This invention relates to a pocket tool having an implement, such as a
knife or saw. More particularly, the present invention relates to a foldable
knife
having a finger opening l:or providing a user with better control of the knife
during
a cutting operation.
11) BAhKGROUND OF THE IIWENTION
Pocket tools, such as foldable knives and saws are well known in the
art. Typically, these tools include a housing, which also serves as a handle,
and a
knife or saw blade couplE;d thereto. The blade, which is movable between a
stored
l:i position and an extended position, is pivotally coupled to the housing at
an end
thereof. When not in use, the blade may be compactly stored in the housing.
When
the blade is in the extended position, the tool may be used to perform a
cutting
operation.
One disadvantage to currently available pocket tools is that they are
21) often difficult to handle. In attempts to minimize the size and weight of
these pocket
tools, the dimensions of the handles are also reduced, making it more
difficult for
users with larger hands to grasp. If a user is unable to obtain a firm grasp
on the
handle of the pocket tool, the user will have less control aver a cutting
operation and
may damage a workpiece,. In light of the foregoing, there is a need for a
pocket tool
2:i that provides a user with better control of the pocket tool during
operation.
-1-
CA 02333543 2000-11-27
WO 99/58302 PCT/US99/09545
SLJM1VI~~RY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a folding knife
includes a handle and a bilade coupled to the handle. The handle includes
first and
second ends and a pair of side walls extending therebetween. The handle also
includes a longitudinal slot, which is disposed between the pair of side
walls. The
blade is pivotally coupled to the first end of the handle. The blade, which
includes
a cutting edge and a shank portion, rotates between a folded position, in
which the
blade is housed in the longitudinal slot of the handle, and an extended
position. An
opening is formed in the shank portion of the blade. The opening is adapted to
receive a user's finger and to improve the user's control of the knife during
a cutting
operation.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a folding knife
includes a handle, a blade and a locking mechanism. The handle includes first
and
second ends and a pair of side walls extending therebetween. The handle has a
longitudinal slot disposed between the side walls. In addition, the handle has
an
opening formed in the paiir of side walls proximate the first end. The blade,
which
includes a cutting edge and a shank portion, is pivotally coupled to the
handle at the
first end. The blade is rotatable between a folded position, in which the
blade is
housed in the longitudinal) slot of the handle, and an extended position. The
shank
portion of the blade has an opening formed therein, which coincides with the
opening
in the side walls of the handle. The openings are adapted to receive a user's
finger
and to improve the user's control of the knife during a cutting operation. The
locking
mechanism, which is coupled to the handle, engages the blade to secure the
blade in
2~~ either the folded or extended position.
In accordance with still another aspect of the invention, an improved
folding knife is provided. The knife includes a handle and a blade pivotally
coupled
thereto. The blade includes a cutting edge and a shank portion. The
improvement
includes at least one opening formed in the shank portion of the blade. The at
least
3() one opening is adapted to receive a user's finger and to improve the
user's control
over the knife during a cutting operation.
-2-
CA 02333543 2000-11-27
WO 99/5$302 PCT/US99/09545
Other principal features and advantages of the invention will become
apparent to those skilled in the art upon review of the following drawings,
the detailed
description and the appended claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The present invention will become more fully understood from the
following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying
drawings,
wherein like reference nw:nerals denote like elements, in which:
FIGURE 1 is a front, perspective view of a folding knife according to
the present invention, having a pivotally coupled blade shown in a folded
position (in
solid lines) and an extended position (in phantom lines);
FIGURE 2 is an exploded, perspective view of the folding knife of
FIG. 1 with the blade shown in the extended position; and
1 ~~ FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional view taken generally along the line 3-3
of FIG. 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring p;enerally to FIGS. 1 and 2, an exemplary pocket tool, such
as a folding knife 10, in accordance with the present invention is provided.
The
folding knife 10 includes a housing or handle 12 and a blade 14 for cutting a
workpiece (not shown). While the blade 14 is presently shown as a knife blade,
it
may also be a saw blade. The blade 14 is pivotally coupled to the handle 12
and may
2:> be stored within the handle 12 when not in use.
The handle: 12 includes a first end lb and a second end 18. The handle
12 also includes a pair of" side walls 20, which extend between the frst and
second
ends 16 and 18. The handle 12 is preferably made of a durable plastic material
and
may be injection molded or otherwise formed. Disposed between the side walls
20
of the handle 12 is a longitudinal slot 22. The longitudinal slot 22 receives
the blade
14, when the blade 14 is in a stored position, as shown in solid lines in FIG.
1.
-3-
CA 02333543 2000-11-27
WO 99/58302 PCT/US99/09545
The handle 12 has a top edge 24 and a bottom edge 26, both of which
extend from the first end :l6 to the second end 18. In the preferred
embodiment, the
top edge 24 is arcuate in configuration and tapers toward the second end 18
where it
converges with the bottom edge 26. The bottom edge 26 has a curved portion 28
adjacent the first end 16 and a generally straight portion 30 proximate the
second end
18. The curved portion 28 of the bottom edge 26 includes a recess 32. The
recess
32 provides access to the blade 12 when it is in the stored position. In
addition, when
the blade 14 is in an extended position, as shown in phantom lines in FIG. 1,
the
recess 32 provides an ergonomic support against which a user's finger may rest
while
gripping the knife 10.
As shown in FIG. 2, the side walls 20 of the handle 12 have an opening
34 formed therein for receiving a bearing member 36 The bearing member 36 is
mounted to the handle 12 and secured in place by a retaining ring 38. In the
preferred
embodiment of the invention, the bearing member 36 is shaped like a spool with
an
opening 40 formed along; the longitudinal axis of the bearing member 36. The
opening 34 in the side walls 20 and the opening 40 in the bearing member 36
are
concentric and are sufficiently large to receive a user's index finger (not
shown),
thereby enabling the user to firmly grasp and manage the folding knife IO
during a
cutting operation.
The blade 1.4 is pivotally coupled to the first end 16 of the handle 12
and rotates about the bearing member 36. The blade 14 is preferably made of a
durable, corrosion-resistant material, such as stainless steel, and may be
formed by
casting or other manufacturing methods. The blade 14 includes a working
portion 42
having a cutting edge 44 ~md a shank portion 46. The shank portion 46 of the
blade
14 also has an opening 48 formed therein, through which the bearing member 36
extends. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the opening 34 in the
side
walls 20 of the handle 12 coincides with the opening 48 in the shank portion
44 of
the blade 14, and both openings 34 and 48 are concentric with the opening 40
in the
bearing member 36 (FIG. 3). Thus, the blade 14 pivots about an axis SO that
extends
through the center of the openings 34, 40 and 48. The folding knife 10 may
further
include a belt clip 66, mounted to the handle I2 about the bearing member 36,
for
coupling the knife 10 to a belt (not shownl.
-4-
CA 02333543 2000-11-27
WO 99/58302 PCTNS99/09545
The folding knife 10 further includes a locking mechanism 52 (see FIG.
1 ), which is mounted to the handle 12. The locking mechanism 52 engages
notches
54 (FIG. 2) formed in the shank portion 46 of the blade 14 to secure the blade
14 in
either the folded or extended position. As shown in FIG. 2, the notches 54 are
located
along an edge of the shank: portion 46 and are diametrically spaced about the
opening
48.
The locking; mechanism 52, whose components are best illustrated in
FIG. 2, includes a lock pin 56 having a shaft 58 and an enlarged head 60 at
one end
of the shaft 58. A spring tit and a dowel 64 are mounted on the shaft 58. The
dowel
64, which is located at the end of the shaft 58 opposite the enlarged head 60,
is biased
by the spring 62 into engagement with the notches 54 of the shank portion 46
of the
blade 14. To release the blade 14 from a locked position, the user would
depress the
enlarged head 60 of the lock pin 56, thereby disengaging the dowel 64 from the
respective notch 54 and enabling the user to rotate the blade 14 with respect
to the
handle 12.
Thus, the folding knife 10 operates as follows. When not in use, the
blade 14 is housed in the longitudinal slot 22 of the handle 12, with the
locking
mechanism 52 maintaining the blade 14 in the stored position. To extend the
blade
14, the lock pin 56 is depressed, disengaging the dowel 64 from the notch 54.
The
user may then extend the blade 14 by grasping the portion of the blade 14
exposed
by the recess 32 and rotating the blade 14 with respect to the handle 14. When
the
blade 14 is fully extended, the locking mechanism automatically engages the
blade 14,
as the spring 62 urges the dowel 64 into the notch 54. The blade 14 is thereby
locked
in the extended position. During a cutting operation, the user would grip the
handle
2'. 14 with the index finger extending through the opening 40 of the bearing
member 36
and the middle finger resting against the recess 32. The configuration of the
folding
knife 10 is such that it enables the user to maintain better control of the
knife by
providing a stable and secure handle 14. The blade 14 may be stored by
depressing
the locking mechanism 52: and rotating the blade 14 back into the longitudinal
slot 22
of the handle 12.
It will be understood that the foregoing description is of the preferred
embodiments of this invention and that the invention is not limited to the
specific
-S-
CA 02333543 2000-11-27
WO 99/58302 PC'T/US99/09545
forms shown or described. For example, while the preferred embodiment of the
invention discloses a folding knife in which the blade pivots about the
opening for the
user's finger, the blade need not pivot about the finger opening. In addition,
a finger
opening may be provided in only one of the blade or the handle. Additional
openings
may also be provided to accommodate two or more fingers. Moreover, it is
foreseeable that other locking mechanisms may be used in conjunction with the
knife
to secure the blade in either the stored or extended position. These and other
modifications may be made in the design and arrangement of the elements
without
departing from the scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.
-6-
