Folding multipurpose tool including blade lock release mechanism

• US 6,510,767 B1
• Filed: 01/12/2000
• Issued: 01/28/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Leatherman Tool Group Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Leatherman Tool Group Incorporated
• Inventors: Rivera, Benjamin C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hail, III, Joseph J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BERRY JR, WILLIE WENDELL
• Application Number:
  US09/479,411
• Time in Patent Office: 1,112 Days
• Field of Search: 814/40, 814/275, 712/8, 712/9
• US Class Current: 81/440
• CPC Class Codes: B25F 1/003 of pliers'-, scissors'- or wrench-type with at least one movable jaw B25F1/006 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B26B 13/005 Pocket or folding scissors

Abstract

A folding multipurpose tool incorporating a latch release mechanism including a lever, a cam, and a rocker-shaped grip body to easily effect release of a catch for holding knife or screwdriver blades extended spring and cams are arranged to hold a pair of handles either extended or folded with respect to the tangs of a pair of pliers jaws or the like. The handles include inwardly directed comfortable rounded rims. Portions of folding blades interlock with other folding blades on an opposite handle when the tool is folded, to stabilize the handles while using a knife or screwdriver. Blades of folding scissors include edges that are serrated only near their tips. A container opener includes a hook defining a recessed throat.

Claims

1. A multipurpose tool, comprising:

(a) a handle defining an elongate tool stowage cavity and including;

(i) a channel base;

(ii) a pair of opposite channel sidewalls interconnected with said channel base, said channel base and said sidewalls forming a handle in the form of a channel having a pair of opposite ends, and each of said sidewalls having a margin; and

(iii) a narrow rim extending along said margin of at least one of said sidewalls, said rim being directed inwardly toward the respective opposite sidewall along a majority of said margin thereof including at least one of said ends, said rim merging with said sidewall in a smoothly curved arcuate surface;

(b) a tool blade having a base;

(c) a pivot joint defining a pivot axis and interconnecting said base of said tool blade with said handle adjacent a first end of said channel, said tool blade being moveable about said pivot axis between a stowed position and an extended position with respect to said handle;

(d) a latch notch defined in said base of said blade;

(e) a flat latch spring carried on said handle;

(f) a catch carried on said latch spring and removably engagable in said latch notch; and

(g) a latch release lever including a contact shoulder, said latch release lever being located within said handle alongside said sidewall of said handle and being attached to said handle adjacent said first end thereof and being moveable about a release lever pivot axis between a first position, in which said contact shoulder provides sufficient clearance for said spring to move to engage said catch in said notch when said tool blade is in said extended position, and a second position, in which said contact shoulder holds said spring in a position in which said catch is removed from said notch, said channel base and said sidewalls together defining said stowage cavity and said narrow rim defining a space adjacent one of said sidewalls and within said cavity, a part of said latch release lever being located within said stowage cavity in said space between said narrow rim and said channel base.

2. The multipurpose tool of claim 1 wherein said latch spring is attached to said channel base and said spring and said catch are located between said rims of said opposite sidewalls adjacent one of said ends of said handle.

3. A folding multipurpose tool comprising a pair of handles, at least one of said handles comprising:

(a) a channel base;

(b) a pair of opposite channel sidewalls interconnected with said channel base, said channel base and said sidewalls forming a handle in the form of a channel having a pair of opposite ends, and each of said sidewalls having a margin; and

(c) a narrow rim extending along said margin of at least one of said sidewalls, said rim being directed inwardly toward the respective opposite sidewall along a majority of said margin thereof including at least one of said ends, said rim merging with said sidewall in a smoothly curved arcuate surface; and

(d) each of said handles having a plurality of tool bits mounted therein, said handles being located alongside each other in a folded configuration of said tool, with the respective plurality of tool bits mounted in each handle facing toward the other of said pair of handles, at least one tool bit of the respective plurality of tool bits mounted in each handle including an interlock portion extending toward the other of said pair of handles and being located immediately adjacent a corresponding interlock portion of said at least one of said respective plurality of tool bits mounted in the other of said pair of handles when said tool is in a folded configuration.

4. The folding multipurpose tool of claim 3 wherein each of said pair of handles is elongate and has a pair of opposite first and second ends, said second end of each of said handles being interconnected with said second end of the other of said pair of handles, and said at least one tool bit in each handle being interconnected with said respective one of said pair of handles through said first end thereof.

5. The folding multipurpose tool of claim 3 wherein said interlock portion of a respective tool bit in one of said pair of handles has a shape corresponding matingly with a recess defined at least in part by a tool bit located in the other one of said pair of handles.

6. The folding multipurpose tool of claim 3 wherein a pair of said tool bits including one said interlock portion are located correspondingly with respect to each other in the ones of said pair of handles, each of said pair of tool bits including one said interlock portion, and each of said interlock portions including a sloping face and said sloping faces being located closely adjacent each other.

7. A handle for a folding multipurpose tool, said handle comprising:

(a) a channel base;

(b) a pair of opposite channel sidewalls interconnected with said channel base, said channel base and said sidewalls forming a handle in the form of a channel having a pair of opposite ends, and each of said sidewalls having a margin;

(c) a narrow rim extending along said margin of at least one of said sidewalls, said rim being directed inwardly toward the respective opposite sidewall along a majority of said margin thereof including at least one of said ends, said rim merging with said sidewall in a smoothly curved arcuate surface;

(d) a blade attached to said handle for movement between an extended position and a storage position within said handle;

(e) a latch capable of releaseably engaging said blade and locking it in said extended position;

(f) a latch release capable of substantially disengaging said latch from said blade and permitting said blade to be moved from said extended position to said storage position;

(g) a latch spring capable of urging said latch into engagement with said blade when said blade is in said extended position; and

(h) at least a portion of at least one of said latch release or said latch spring being located beneath said rim.