Utility knife

• US 5,036,591 A
• Filed: 08/09/1990
• Issued: 08/06/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Morison Cousins
• Original Assignee: Morison Cousins
• Inventors: Cousins, Morison
• Primary Examiner(s): Watts, Douglas D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HEYRANA, PAUL
• Application Number:
  US07/565,277
• Time in Patent Office: 362 Days
• Field of Search: 30/330, 30/331, 30/332, 30/334, 30/335, 30/337, 30/339, 30/346, 29/453, 76/104.1
• US Class Current: 30/335
• CPC Class Codes: B26B 1/00 Hand knives with adjustable blade; Pocket knives B26B11/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B26B 29/02 Guards or sheaths for knives
• CPC Class Codes: B26B 29/025 Knife sheaths or scabbards
• CPC Class Codes: B26B 5/006 specially adapted for using razor blades as blades B26B5/001 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49876 by snap fit

Abstract

This invention relates to utility knives used to cut various items, including cartons, cardboard, string and wallpaper. Specifically, the invention provides a disposable one-piece razor blade utility knife in which the blade is adjustable yet permanently affixed to the knife handle. When the complementary shells of the handle are open, the blade may be placed in a usable position in which the cutting edge will protrude out of the handle when the shells of the knife are later closed or in a safety position in which the blade will be fully retained in the handle when the knife is closed.

Claims

1. A knife comprising

(a) a resilient handle,

(b) a blade fixedly connected to said handle, said handle including

(1) a pair of complementary shells, each shell presenting an inner face and an outer face,

(2) a hinge integral with both of said shells, secured to an inner side of each of said first and second shells and extending longitudinally with said shells,

(3) a flap having a first flap member fixedly secured to said inner face of said first shell and a second flap member for receiving said blade,

(4) a second hinge connecting said first flap member to said second flap member such that when said knife is in an open position said second flap member can rotate about said second hinge from a first position overlaying said inner face of said first shell to a second position overlaying said first flap member, and

(5) means for detachably securing each of said shells to one another thereby forming an enclosure for said second flap member and blade when said knife is in a closed position.

2. The knife of claim 1, wherein each of said shells is elongated.

3. The knife of claim 1, wherein when said knife is in the closed position, said handle has a closed first end and an opening at said opposite second end for said blade to protrude through.

4. The knife of claim 3, wherein said closed first end and said second open end are formed when congruent outer edges of said shells meet.

5. The knife of claim 4, wherein said congruent outer edges of said shells are rounded at said closed first end and are tapered at said second open end.

6. The knife of claim 3, wherein when said second flap member is in the second position and said knife is in the closed position, said blade extends through said opening and outside said second open end.

7. The knife of claim 3, wherein when said second flap member is in the first position and said knife is in the closed position, said blade is fully enclosed within said closed first end.

8. The knife of claim 3, wherein each of said shells has an aperture therethrough near said second open end such that when said second flap member is in the first position and said knife is in the closed position, said apertures are aligned and form a hanger for said knife.

9. The knife of claim 8, wherein when said second flap member is in the second position and said knife is in the closed position, said apertures are covered by said blade and said second flap member and said hanger is inoperative.

10. The knife of claim 3, wherein a sealing tab protrudes through said inner face of said first shell and firmly fits through an aperture therethrough said first flap member, said sealing tab being sealed within said aperture to fixedly secure said first flap member to said inner face of said first shell.

11. The knife of claim 10, wherein said blade is rectangular, having two longer parallel opposing sides and two shorter parallel opposing sides joined therebetween at four corners, with a longitudinally shaped aperture substantially in the center thereof, two first semicircular indentations located in the center of each said shorter side edges, and two second smaller semicircular indentations located in each said side edge between said first indentations and said corner edges.

12. The knife of claim 11, wherein said blade is a single-edge razor blade without a guard.

13. The knife of claim 12, wherein said second flap member has one substantially straight side edge adjacent said first shell hinge extending to a rounded top edge and an angled side edge such that said flap member folds into said first shell in the first or second flap position when said knife is in the open or closed position.

14. The knife of claim 13, wherein said second flap member has a first face for receiving said blade and a second face, said first face having a rectangular tab protruding therefrom near said rounded top edge corresponding to fit into said center aperture of said blade and a pin protruding therefrom near said second hinge corresponding to fit into said center side indentation of said blade, said blade tab and blade pin being sealed within said aperture to fixedly secure said blade to said inner face of said second flap member.

15. The knife of claim 1, wherein said detachable means comprises a first tab extending from said second flap member such that said tab protrudes when said flap member is folded into said enclosure in the first or second flap position when said knife is in the closed position.

16. The knife of claim 15, wherein said detachable means comprises a first indentation in said outer side edge of said first shell, said indentation corresponding to said first tab when said second flap member is in the first position.

17. The knife of claim 10, wherein said detachable means comprises a second set of opposing indentations in each said outer side edge of each said shell, such indentations forming an opening for said first tab to extend therethrough when said knife is in the closed position and said second flap member is in the second position.

18. The knife of claim 17, wherein said detachable means comprises said first flap member having an aperture therethrough corresponding to an aperture therethrough said first shell.

19. The knife of claim 18, wherein said detachable means comprises said second flap member having an aperture therethrough corresponding to said apertures of said first flap member and said first shell when said second flap member is in the second position.

20. The knife of claim 19, wherein said detachable means comprises a locking pin extending outwardly from said inner face of said second shell engaging said apertures of said first flap member and said first shell when said knife is in the closed position and when said second flap member is in the first position and engaging said apertures of said second flap member, said first flap member, and said first shell when said knife is in the closed position and when said second flap member is in the second position.

21. The knife of claim 20, wherein said detachable means comprises a second tab extending from and above said outer side edge of said second shell above said locking pin, said tab being of sufficient width to firmly join with said opposite outer side edge of said first shell when said knife is in the closed position.

22. The knife of claim 21, wherein said detachable means comprises a third set of tabs extending from each of said outer side edges of said first and second shells near said first ends, each said tab corresponding to one of a third set of indentations in said outer side edges of each said opposite shells.

23. The knife of claim 22, wherein when said second flap member is in the second position and said knife is in the closed position, said locking pin firmly extends through said apertures of said second flap member, said first flap member, and said first shell, said first tab protrudes from said second flap member over said rectangular opening, said second tab firmly joins said opposite outer side edge, and said third set of tabs corresponds to said third set of indentations, whereby pressure placed on said first tab and said second tab or said first indentation moves said knife from the closed position to the open position.

24. The knife of claim 23, wherein when said second flap member is in the first position and said knife is in the closed position, said locking pin firmly extends through said apertures of said first flap member and said first shell, said first tab protrudes from said second flap member over said first indentation, said second tab firmly joins said opposite outer side edge, and said third set of tabs corresponds to said third set of indentations, whereby pressure placed on said second tab and said first tab moves said knife from the closed position to the open position.

25. The knife of claim 15, wherein said first tab is angled.

26. The knife of claim 16, wherein said first indentation is angled.

27. The knife of claim 17, wherein said second set of opposing indentations are rectangular.

28. The knife of claim 21, wherein said second tab is rounded.

29. The knife of claim 22, wherein said third set of tabs and said third set of indentations are rectangular.

30. The knife of claim 1, wherein said shells have means for retaining said flap member and blade.

31. The knife of claim 30, wherein said retaining means comprises a first retaining tab protruding from said inner face of said second shell, such that when said knife is in the closed position and said second flap member is in the first position said first tab presses against said blade and retains said blade in the first position.

32. The knife of claim 31, wherein said retaining means comprises a second retaining tab protruding from said inner face of said second shell such that when said knife is in the closed position and said second flap member is in the first position said second tab presses against said outer face of said second flap member and retains said second flap member in the first position.

33. The knife of claim 32, wherein said retaining means comprises a third retaining tab protruding from said inner face of said second shell, such that when said knife is in the closed position and said second flap member is in the second position said third tab presses against said blade and retains said blade in the second position.

34. The knife of claim 33, wherein said retaining means comprises a first indentation in said inner face of said second shell corresponding to said sealing tab and said aperture combination in said first flap member, such that when said knife is in the closed position and said second flap member is in the first position, said indentation provides space for said sealing tab to protrude, and when said second flap member is in the second position, said first indentation provides space for said blade pin to protrude from said inner face of said second flap member.

35. The knife of claim 34, wherein said retaining means comprises a pair of second opposing indentations in said first end edge of said first shell, such that when said knife is in the closed position and said second flap member is in the first position, two of said corner edges of said blade abut each said indentation.

36. The knife of claim 35, wherein said retaining means comprises a fourth retaining tab protruding from said inner face of said first shell, such that said shorter blade edge abuts said tab and prevents lateral movement of said blade when said second flap member is in the first position.

37. The knife of claim 36, wherein said retaining means comprises a first aperture therethrough said inner face of said first shell corresponding to said blade tab and aperture combination such that when said knife is in the open or closed position and said second flap member is in the first position said aperture provides space for said blade tab to protrude and permits visual confirmation of the existence of said blade in said knife.

38. The knife of claim 37, wherein said retaining means comprises a third indentation in said inner face of said first shell corresponding to said blade pin and aperture combination such that when said knife is in the open or closed position and said second flap member is in the first position said indentation provides space for said blade pin to protrude.

39. The knife of claim 31, wherein said first retaining tab is circular.

40. The knife of claim 32, wherein said second retaining tab is circular.

41. The knife of claim 33, wherein said third retaining tab is circular.

42. The knife of claim 34, wherein said first indentation is circular.

43. The knife of claim 35, wherein said pair of second opposing indentations is semicircular.

44. The knife of claim 36, wherein said fourth retaining tab is circular.

45. The knife of claim 37, wherein said first aperture is circular.

46. The knife of claim 38, wherein said third indentation is circular.

47. The knife of claim 1, wherein said handle is comprised of a thermoplastic resin including polypropylene and polyethylene.

48. A method of producing a knife, comprising the steps of

(a) molding a knife handle, said knife handle including:

(1) a pair of elongated complementary shells, each shell presenting an inner face and an outer face;

(2) a hinge integral with both of said shells, secured to an inner side of each of said first and second shells and extending longitudinally with said shells;

(3) a flap having a first flap member secured to an said first shell by a hinge integral with said first flap member and said outer shell side, and a second flap member for receiving a blade connected to said first flap member by a hinge integral with said first and second members;

(4) means for detachably securing said shells to one another;

(b) fixedly attaching said blade onto said second flap member of said handle;

(c) rotating said first flap member about said hinge with said outer shell side such that said first flap member overlays said inner face of said first shell; and

(d) permanently affixing said first flap member to said inner face of said first shell.

49. The method of claim 48, wherein in step a said knife is injected-molded from thermoplastic resin including polypropylene and polyethylene.

50. The method of claim 48, wherein in step b said blade is said blade is sonicly attached to said first flap member.

51. The method of claim 48, wherein in step d said first flap member is melted to permanently affix it to said inner face of said first shell.

52. The method of claim 48, wherein when said knife moves from an open position to a closed position, said detachable means secure said shells to one another and thereby form an enclosure for said second flap member and blade.

53. The method of claim 48, wherein said knife moves from a closed position to an open position by pressure on said detachable means.