Utility Knife

• US 20170021511A1
• Filed: 11/02/2015
• Published: 01/26/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Goodly-Ch Enterprise Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Goodly-Ch Enterprise Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Chiu, Chin-Chang
• Granted Patent: US 10,213,927 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B26B 1/08 with sliding blade with detachable blades B26B5/001
• CPC Class Codes: B26B 5/003 comprising retraction means for the blade or the blade holder

Abstract

A utility knife includes a shell including first and second shell bodies releasably assembled together and disposed symmetrically in a Z-axis direction. A compartment is defined by inner walls of the first and second shell bodies. A channel extends from a distal end of the shell and disposed outside the compartment. A blade carrier assembly releasably engages with a blade and is movably received by the shell. The shell is configured such that the blade carrier assembly is movable to a first position in which the blade is in a retracted position and not extending out of the shell and, to a second position in which the blade is in an exposed position and extending out of the shell. The blade carrier assembly in the second position thereof is also guided by the channel.

Claims

1. A utility knife comprising:

a shell including a first shell body and a second shell body releasably assembled together and disposed symmetrically in a Z-axis direction;

a compartment defined by inner walls of the first and second shell bodies;

a channel extending from a distal end of the shell and disposed outside the compartment;

a blade carrier assembly releasably engaging with a blade and movably received by the shell;

wherein the shell is configured such that the blade carrier assembly is movable to a first position in which the blade is in a retracted position and not extending out of the shell and, to a second position in which the blade is in an exposed position and extending out of the shell; and

wherein the blade carrier assembly in the second position thereof is also guided by the channel.

2. The utility knife as claimed in claim 1, wherein the blade carrier assembly includes a seat disposed inside the shell and an input control releasably mounted on the seat and disposed outside of the shell, and wherein the seat defines a blade receiving area for receiving the blade.

3. The utility knife as claimed in claim 2, wherein the blade is designed to be of trapezoidal shape, wherein the shape of the blade defines a shorter base with a notch, wherein the blade receiving area defines a recess having a contour matching to a shape of the blade and including three peripheral sides, wherein the three peripheral sides of the blade receiving area bound the shorter base and another two sides of the blade, and wherein the blade receiving area has a protruded area received by the notch of the blade.

4. The utility knife as claimed in claim 2 further comprising a groove defined by the inner wall of one of the shell bodies and the seat is movably received by the groove.

5. The utility knife as claimed in claim 4, wherein the blade carrier assembly is under a resilient force exerted by a resilient member, wherein the resilient member has an initial length, wherein the resilient member is compressed and the initial length is reduced when the blade carrier assembly is in the first position thereof, and wherein the resilient member is uncompressed and the initial length is restored when the blade carrier assembly is in the second position thereof.

6. The utility knife as claimed in claim 5, wherein the resilient member is disposed in the groove and between a retaining end defined by the seat and a side defined by the groove.

7. The utility knife as claimed in claim 6, wherein the groove includes one length extending outside the compartment and defining a first section of the groove, wherein the groove includes another length extending inside the compartment and defining a second section of the groove, and wherein the blade receiving area is received by the second section of the groove.

8. The utility knife as claimed in claim 4, wherein the seat has a supporting edge mounted on the groove, wherein the groove has two lateral sides bearing the supporting edge, wherein the supporting edge is disposed outside a space defined by the two lateral sides, and wherein the supporting edge moves on the two lateral sides of the groove when the blade carrier assembly is moved.

9. The utility knife as claimed in claim 2, wherein the input control and the shell are releasably engaged with each other in a manner that the input control is prevented from disengaging from the shell inadvertently, with the input control including at least one joining structure and the shell including at least one retaining structure releasably engaging with the at least one joining structure, and wherein the input control includes an extension engaging and being movable on a rail defined by the shell.

10. The utility knife as claimed in claim 9, wherein the input control is U shaped and includes two legs defining two joining structures, and wherein the rail is disposed between the two joining structures.

11. The utility knife as claimed in claim 9, wherein the at least one joining structure engages and is movable on another rail defined by the shell.

12. The utility knife as claimed in claim 9 further comprising a slot defined by the shell and positioned between two lateral sides of the rail, wherein the input control and the seat are releasably engaged with each other in a manner that the input control is prevented from disengaging from the seat, with the seat defining a first connecting end and the input control defining a second connecting end releasable engaging with the first connecting end, and wherein the first and second connecting ends are insertable into the slot.

13. The utility knife as claimed in claim 12, wherein the slot is positioned closer to one lateral side of the rail than the other, and wherein the second connecting end is positioned closer to one of the joining structures than the other.

14. The utility knife as claimed in claim 2 further comprising an opening defined by the shell, wherein the shell includes a third shell body assembled thereto and selectively disposed at a position enclosing the opening, wherein the third shell body encloses the channel, wherein the seat is movably received by a cavity defined by an inner wall of the third shell body, wherein the third shell body includes a slit extending therethrough and aligned with the blade, wherein the blade is insertable through the slit, and wherein the blade extends out of the slit when the blade carrier assembly is in the second position thereof.

15. The utility knife as claimed in claim 7 further comprising an opening defined by the shell and the shell includes a third shell body releasably assembled thereto and selectively disposed at a position enclosing the opening, wherein the third shell body encloses the channel as well as the first section of the groove, wherein the seat is movably received by a cavity defined by an inner wall of the third shell body, wherein the third shell body includes a slit extending therethrough and aligned with the blade, wherein the blade is insertable through the slit, and wherein the blade extends out of the slit when the blade carrier assembly is in the second position thereof.

16. The utility knife as claimed in claim 15, wherein the third shell body and the first section of the groove are releasably engaged with each other in a manner that the third shell body is prevented from disengaging from the groove inadvertently, with the first section of the groove includes a first constraining structure and the third shell body includes a second constraining structure releasably engaging with the first constraining structure.

17. The utility knife as claimed in claim 15 further comprising a passage and a positioning ridge defined by the inner wall of the third shell body and the first section of the groove is movably received by the passage and positioned by the positioning ridge, with the first section of the groove including a bottom side on the passage, and with the first section of the groove including at least one lateral side extending upward from the bottom side and the positioning ridge disposed on the at least one lateral side.

18. The utility knife as claimed in claim 14 further comprising another opening defined by the shell and the shell includes a cap assembled thereto and selectively disposed at a position enclosing the another opening, with the cap forming prongs releasably retaining on the shell.

19. The utility knife as claimed in claim 1, with a shape of the utility knife having a length in an X-direction, with the length including a first length measuring from a first distal end to an intermediate end of the utility knife and a second length measuring from the intermediate end to the second distal end of the utility knife, and wherein the first and second lengths include an obtuse included angle.

20. The utility knife as claimed in claim 1 further comprising at least one finger indentation on the shell for a comfortable, secure grip of the utility knife.