Utility knife

• US 6,314,646 B1
• Filed: 12/15/1999
• Issued: 11/13/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Pacific Handy Cutter Incorporated (PHC Sharp Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Pacific Handy Cutter Incorporated (PHC Sharp Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Schmidt, G. Gerry
• Primary Examiner(s): PAYER, HWEI SIU CHOU
• Application Number:
  US09/461,937
• Time in Patent Office: 699 Days
• Field of Search: 30/2, 301/25, 301/62, 303/20, 303/31, 303/35, 303/39
• US Class Current: 30/162
• CPC Class Codes: B26B 29/02 Guards or sheaths for knives
• CPC Class Codes: B26B 5/001 with blades being slid out of handle immediately prior to use

Abstract

A utility knife in accordance with the present invention includes a handle having a longitudinal cavity, a channel member fixedly received in the longitudinal cavity, a blade carrier slidably received in the channel member and configured to receive a cutting blade, an operating button to facilitate movement of the blade carrier to a selected operating position, and a catch to prevent the blade carrier from being extended forward of a selected position with respect to the channel member.

Claims

1. A utility knife, comprising:

a blade;

a handle having a longitudinal cavity;

a channel member fixedly received in the longitudinal cavity and including a lower channel portion having a recess;

a blade carrier slidably received in the channel member to carry the blade, the blade carrier having a lower laterally extending wall;

an operating button connected to the blade carrier to facilitate movement of the blade carrier to a plurality of operating positions; and

a catch configured to prevent the blade carrier from being fully extended, the catch including a restraining spring integral with the lower laterally extending wall of the blade carrier, the restraining spring having a downward bias causing the restraining spring to drop down into the recess formed in the lower channel portion and contact the lower channel portion when the restraining spring is aligned therewith, thereby restricting the forward longitudinal movement of the blade carrier.

2. The utility knife of claim 1, wherein the catch further comprises a safety lever integral with the handle and aligned with the recess on the lower channel portion, such that pressure can be applied to move the safety lever inward to contact the restraining spring and move the restraining spring inward, thereby removing the restriction on the forward longitudinal movement of the blade carrier.

3. The utility knife of claim 1, wherein the blade carrier includes a blade receiving recess to receive the blade, and a raised alignment tab configured for alignment with a cut-out section of the blade to guide the placement of the blade into the blade receiving recess.

4. The utility knife of claim 1, wherein:

the handle further comprises a raised platform defined within the longitudinal cavity;

the channel member further comprises a retainer tang extending from the lower channel portion; and

the channel member is received in the longitudinal cavity such that (1) the lower channel portion lays on top of the raised platform and (2) the retainer tang extends beyond an end of the raised platform and can be bent generally downward to form an angular hook to permanently retain the channel member inside the longitudinal cavity.

5. A utility knife, comprising:

a blade;

a handle having a longitudinal cavity;

a channel member fixedly received in the cavity;

a blade carrier slidably received in the channel member, the blade carrier having a blade receiving recess configured to receive the blade, and a raised alignment tab configured to align with a cut-out section of the blade to guide the placement of the blade into the blade receiving recess; and

an operating button connected to the blade carrier to facilitate movement of the blade carrier to a plurality of operating positions, wherein;

the handle further comprises a raised platform defined within the cavity;

the channel member further comprises a lower channel portion and a retainer tang extending from the lower channel portion; and

the channel member is fixedly received in the longitudinal cavity such that (1) the lower channel portion lays on top of the platform and (2) the retainer tang extends beyond an end of the platform and is bent generally downward to form an angular hook to permanently retain the channel member inside the cavity.

6. A utility knife, comprising:

a blade;

a handle having a longitudinal cavity;

a channel member fixedly received in the cavity;

a blade carrier slidably received in the channel member, the blade carrier having a blade receiving recess configured to receive the blade, and a raised alignment tab configured to align with a cut-out section of the blade to guide the placement of the blade into the blade receiving recess; and

an operating button connected to the blade carrier to facilitate movement of the blade carrier to a plurality of operating positions, wherein the utility knife further comprises a catch to prevent the blade carrier from being fully extended.

7. The utility knife of claim 6, wherein:

the channel member further comprises a lower channel portion having a recess; and

the catch further comprises a restraining spring formed on a lower laterally extending wall of the blade carrier, the restraining spring has a downward bias causing it to drop down into the recess on the lower channel portion and contact the lower channel portion when the restraining spring is aligned with the recess, thereby restricting the forward longitudinal movement of the blade carrier.

8. The utility knife of claim 7, wherein the catch further comprises a safety lever formed on a lower surface of the handle and is aligned with the recess on the lower channel portion, such that pressure can be applied to move the safety lever inward to contact the restraining spring and move the restraining spring inward, thereby removing the restriction on the forward longitudinal movement of the blade carrier.

9. The utility knife of claim 6, wherein the channel member has means for providing a plurality of operating positions for the blade carrier which include a retracted position, a first cutting position, an intermediate cutting position, a last cutting position, and a blade change position.

10. A utility knife, comprising:

a blade;

a handle having a longitudinal cavity and a raised platform defined within the cavity;

a channel member having a lower channel portion and a retainer tang extending from the lower channel portion, the channel member being fixedly received in the longitudinal cavity such that (1) the lower channel portion lays on top of the platform and (2) the retainer tang extends beyond an end of the platform and is bent generally downward to form an angular hook to permanently retain the channel member inside the cavity;

a blade carrier slidably received in the channel member, the blade carrier cooperating with the channel member to receive and hold the blade; and

an operating button connected to the blade carrier to facilitate movement of the blade carrier to a plurality of operating positions.

11. The utility knife of claim 10, wherein the utility knife further comprises:

a catch to prevent the blade carrier from being fully extended forwardly beyond a selected position; and

the catch comprises a restraining spring formed on a lower laterally extending wall of the blade carrier, a recess formed on the lower channel portion of the channel member, and a safety lever formed on a lower concave surface of the handle.

12. The utility knife of claim 11, wherein the restraining spring has a downward bias causing the restraining spring to drop down into the recess and contact the lower channel portion when the restraining spring is aligned with the recess, thereby restricting the forward longitudinal movement of the blade carrier.

13. The utility knife of claim 11, wherein the safety lever is aligned with the recess on the lower channel portion of the channel member, such that pressure can be applied to move the safety lever inward to contact the restraining spring and move the restraining spring inward thereby removing the restriction on the forward longitudinal movement of the blade carrier beyond the selected portion.

14. The utility knife of claim 10, wherein:

the blade further comprises a C-shape cut-out section; and

the blade carrier further comprises a blade receiving recess to receive the blade and a raised alignment tab to align with the C-shape cut-out section of the blade to guide the placement of the blade into the blade receiving recess.

15. A utility knife having a retractable blade, comprising:

a handle having a longitudinal cavity;

a channel member having a lower channel portion and a retainer tang extending from the lower channel portion, the lower channel portion including a recess;

a blade carrier slidably received in the channel member, the blade carrier having a blade receiving recess to receive the blade and a lower laterally extending wall;

an operating button connected to the blade carrier to facilitate movement of the blade carrier to a plurality of operating positions; and

a catch including a restraining spring integral with the lower laterally extending wall of the blade carrier, the restraining spring having a downward bias causing the restraining spring to drop down into the recess in the lower channel portion and contact the lower channel portion when the blade carrier is at a position where the restraining spring is aligned with the recess, thereby restricting the forward longitudinal movement of the blade carrier to prevent movement beyond that position.

16. The utility knife of claim 15, wherein the catch further includes a safety lever formed on a lower surface of the handle and aligned with the recess, such that pressure can be applied to move the safety lever inward to contact the restraining spring and move the restraining spring inward, thereby removing restriction on the forward longitudinal movement of the blade carrier.

17. A method of providing a utility knife, the method including the steps of:

providing a handle having a longitudinal cavity and a raised platform defined within the cavity;

inserting into the cavity a channel member having a lower channel portion and a retainer tang extending from the lower channel portion, the channel member being inserted into the cavity such that the lower channel portion lays on top of the platform and the retainer tang extends beyond an end of the platform;

bending the retainer tang generally downward to form an angular hook to permanently retain the channel member within the handle;

providing a blade carrier having a blade receiving recess and a raised alignment tab, and inserting into the channel member; and

providing a safety mechanism to prevent the blade carrier from being fully extended.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising the steps of:

providing a blade having a C-shape cut-out portion; and

positioning the blade such that the C-shape cut-out section of the blade is aligned with the raised alignment tab.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the method further comprises a step of connecting an operating button to the blade carrier to facilitate movement of the blade carrier to a plurality of operating positions.