Utility knife with actuator for moving blade carrier and for releasing blade therefrom, and related method

• US 20050188541A1
• Filed: 11/09/2004
• Published: 09/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Black & Decker Incorporated (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Irwin Industrial Tool Company (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Inventors: Brown, Donald A., Korb, William B., LeBlanc, Norman, Levine, Steven R., Fleury, Kevin, Talbot, Corey M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,131,204 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 30/162
• CPC Class Codes: B26B 5/001 with blades being slid out of handle immediately prior to use

Abstract

A utility knife has a blade carrier defining a blade support surface movably mounted in a housing between retracted and extended positions. A catch is mounted on the blade carrier and is movable between a first position engagable with a blade seated on the blade carrier and substantially preventing the blade from moving relative to the blade carrier, and a second position spaced away from the blade located on the blade carrier and permitting removal of the blade from the blade carrier. An actuator is mounted on the blade carrier and is operable to move the blade carrier between the retracted and extended positions to, in turn, move a blade located on the blade carrier between retracted and extended positions, and move the catch between the first and second positions to release a blade from the blade carrier. The housing has a nose portion that defines the blade aperture and is made of a more wear-resistant material than the other portions of the housing. A sheet material spare blade holder is mounted within the housing and defines a fold, a support portion located on one side of the fold, and a biased retaining portion located on the other side of the fold for receiving spare blades therebetween.

Claims

1. A utility knife comprising:

a housing;

a blade carrier movably mounted on the housing and including a blade supporting surface for supporting a blade, wherein the blade carrier is movable between a retracted position with at least a substantial portion of the blade retracted in the housing, and at least one extended position with at least a portion of the blade extending outwardly of the housing;

a catch movable between a first position engagable with a blade located on the blade carrier and substantially preventing relative movement of the blade and blade carrier, and a second position spaced away from a blade located on the blade carrier and permitting removal of the blade from the blade carrier; and

an actuator mounted on the blade carrier and operable to (1) move the blade carrier between the retracted and extended positions to, in turn, move a blade located on the blade carrier between retracted and extended positions, and (2) move the catch between the first and second positions to release a blade from the blade carrier.

2. A utility knife as defined in claim 1, wherein the catch is biased toward the first position.

3. A utility knife as defined in claim 2, further comprising a spring biasing the catch toward the first position.

4. A utility knife as defined in claim 3, wherein the catch is pivotally mounted on the blade carrier and the spring biases the catch toward the first position.

5. A utility knife as defined in claim 4, wherein the spring is a torsion spring.

6. A utility knife as defined in claim 3, wherein the catch is secured to the blade carrier and at least a portion of the catch forms the spring biasing the catch toward the first position.

7. A utility knife as defined in claim 1, wherein the actuator is pivotally mounted on the blade carrier for moving the catch between the first and second positions.

8. A utility knife as defined in claim 7, wherein the catch is pivotally mounted on the blade carrier.

9. A utility knife as defined in claim 8, wherein the actuator includes a shaft coupled to the catch for moving the actuator laterally to, in turn, move the catch.

10. A utility knife as defined in claim 9, further comprising a second spring coupled to the actuator for biasing the actuator outwardly of the housing.

11. A utility knife as defined in claim 9, wherein the blade carrier defines a stop surface engagable with at least one of the actuator and catch in the first position.

12. A utility knife as defined in claim 9, wherein the catch defines an aperture for receiving therein the shaft of the actuator.

13. A utility knife as defined in claim 8, wherein the housing defines an elongated slot, and the actuator is movable through the slot between the retracted and extended positions.

14. A utility knife as defined in claim 13, wherein the slot defines at least one laterally-expanded portion for receiving therein the actuator upon pivoting the actuator.

15. A utility knife as defined in claim 13, wherein the actuator is aligned with the laterally-expanded portion of the slot when the blade carrier is located in a fully-extended position.

16. A utility knife as defined in claim 1, wherein the actuator is rotatably mounted on the blade carrier for moving the catch between the first and second positions.

17. A utility knife as defined in claim 16, wherein the actuator includes a blade-releasing portion extending therefrom and engagable with the catch upon rotating the actuator.

18. A utility knife as defined in claim 17, wherein the housing defines an elongated slot, and the actuator is movable through the slot between the retracted and extended positions.

19. A utility knife as defined in claim 18, wherein the slot defines at least one laterally-expanded portion for receiving therein the actuator upon rotating the actuator to, in turn, move the catch.

20. A utility knife as defined in claim 19, wherein the catch is secured to the blade carrier and at least a portion of the catch forms a spring biasing the catch toward the first position

21. A utility knife as defined in claim 1, further comprising an axially-elongated surface defining an axially-elongated slot, and a fastener coupled between the blade carrier and slot for guiding movement of the blade carrier between retracted and extended positions.

22. A utility knife as defined in claim 21, wherein the axially-elongated surface is defined by a bar fixedly secured to an interior surface of the housing and forming therein the axially-elongated slot.

23. A utility knife as defined in claim 22, wherein the blade carrier defines an axially-elongated boss received within the slot for guiding movement of the carrier through the slot.

24. A utility knife as defined in claim 1, wherein the actuator defines a first manually-engagable surface for moving the actuator between the retracted and extended positions, and a second manually-engagable surface for moving the actuator to, in turn, move the catch.

25. A utility knife as defined in claim 24, wherein the first manually-engagable surface is an upper surface of the actuator, and the second manually-engagable surface is a side surface of the actuator.

26. A utility knife as defined in claim 24, wherein the actuator defines a visible marking on the second manually-engagable surface for identifying a location at which force may be applied to move the actuator and, in turn, move the catch from the first toward the second position.

27. A utility knife as defined in claim 1, wherein the housing includes first portion formed of a first material, and a second portion formed of a second material and coupled to the first portion, wherein the second portion defines a blade aperture for receiving a blade therethrough when the blade carrier is located in the extended position, and for removing a blade therethrough when the catch is located in the second position.

28. A utility knife as defined in claim 27, wherein the second material is more wear-resistant than the first material.

29. A utility knife as defined in claim 28, wherein the second material is harder than the first material.

30. A utility knife as defined in claim 27, wherein the housing includes a third portion movable relative to the first portion and coupled thereto, wherein the first, second and third portions cooperate to define an enclosure for the blade carrier and catch.

31. A utility knife as defined in claim 1, further comprising a spare blade holder formed of sheet material and defining a mounting portion connectable to the housing for supporting the spare blade holder thereon, a blade support portion, a first fold located between the mounting and blade support portions, a blade retaining portion overlying the blade support portion and biased toward the blade support portion, and a second fold formed between the blade support and blade retaining portions, wherein a plurality of spare blades are slidably receivable between the blade support and blade retaining portions.

32. A utility knife as defined in claim 31, wherein the blades are substantially planar, and the spare blade holder is oriented in the housing such that a blade located in the spare blade holder is oriented transverse to a blade seated on the blade carrier.

33. A utility knife as defined in claim 32, wherein the spare blade holder is oriented in the housing such that a blade located in the spare blade holder is oriented substantially perpendicular to a blade located on the blade carrier.

34. A utility knife as defined in claim 31, wherein the spare blade holder is formed of spring steel.

35. A utility knife as defined in claim 1, wherein the housing includes two parts defining a cavity receiving the blade carrier, at least one of the parts is movable relative to the other for opening the housing and accessing the blade carrier, and the blade carrier is secured to at least one of the parts to prevent the blade carrier from falling out upon opening the housing.

36. A utility knife as defined in claim 35, further comprising a spare blade holder coupled to one of the parts within the cavity.

37. A utility knife as defined in claim 35, wherein the actuator and catch are coupled to the carrier to prevent them from falling out upon opening the housing.

58. A utility knife as defined in claim 25, wherein the first manually-engagable surface defines a substantially convex surface, and the second manually-engagable surface defines a substantially concave surface.

59. A utility knife as defined in claim 27, wherein at least one of the first and second portions defines a flange, and the other of the first and second portions defines a recess for receiving the flange to couple the first and second portions.

60. A utility knife as defined in claim 59, wherein at least one of the first and second portions defines an aperture, and the other defines a protuberance received within the aperture for further coupling the first and second portions.

61. A utility knife as defined in claim 60, wherein the protuberance is deformable after being received through the aperture to fixedly connect the first and second portions.

62. A utility knife as defined in claim 1, further comprising a utility blade receivable on the blade supporting surface of the blade carrier, and defining along an edge thereof four notches substantially equally spaced relative to each other, including two inner notches and two outer notches, wherein the two inner notches are engageable with the catch for defining a first respective position of the blade on the blade carrier, and each inner notch and an adjacent outer notch is engageable with the catch for defining a second respective position of the blade on the blade carrier, and in the second cutting position a greater portion of the cutting edge of the blade extends outwardly of the housing than in the first cutting position.

38. A utility knife comprising:

a housing defining a blade aperture;

first means for carrying a blade between retracted and extended positions;

second means movable between a first position for substantially preventing relative movement of the first means and a blade, and a second position for releasing the blade and permitting removal of the blade through the blade aperture of the housing; and

third means mounted on the first means for moving the first means between retracted and extended positions to, in turn, move a blade mounted on the first means between retracted and extended positions, and moving the second means in a direction from the first toward the second position to permit removal of the blade through the blade aperture of the housing.

39. A utility knife as defined in claim 38, wherein the first means is a blade carrier.

40. A utility knife as defined in claim 38, wherein the second means is a catch.

41. A utility knife as defined in claim 38, wherein the third means is an actuator.

42. A utility knife as defined in claim 41, wherein the actuator is at least one of (1) movable laterally for moving the second means between the first and second positions, and (2) rotatable for moving the second means between the first and second positions.

43. A utility knife as defined in claim 41, wherein the actuator is pivotally mounted on the second means.

44. A utility knife as defined in claim 38, wherein the housing defines an elongated slot, and the third means is movable through the slot between the retracted and extended positions.

45. A utility knife as defined in claim 44, wherein the slot defines at least one laterally-expanded portion for receiving therein the third means upon moving the second means.

46. A utility knife as defined in claim 45, wherein the third means is aligned with the laterally-expanded portion of the slot when the first means is located in a fully-extended position.

47. A utility knife as defined in claim 38, further comprising means for visibly marking on the third means a location at which a force may be applied to move the third means and, in turn, move the second means from the first toward the second position.

48. A utility knife as defined in claim 38, wherein the housing includes means for defining the blade aperture and for providing an increased hardness of a surface extending about a periphery of the blade aperture in comparison to the hardness of other surfaces of the housing.

49. A utility knife as defined in claim 48, wherein said means is a nose portion of the housing formed of a first material that is connected to a body portion of the housing formed of a second material, and wherein the first material is harder than the second material.

50. A utility knife as defined in claim 38, further comprising fourth means for holding spare blades.

51. A utility knife as defined in claim 50, wherein the fourth means is formed of sheet material, and includes a fold, a support portion formed on one side of the fold, and a biased retaining portion formed on an opposite side of the fold relative to the support portion and biased toward the support portion, and wherein the biased retaining portion and support portion define a spare blade receiving space therebetween.

52. A utility knife as defined in claim 38, further comprising fifth means for guiding the first means between retracted and extended positions and for connecting the first means to the housing.

53. A utility knife as defined in claim 52, wherein the fifth means is defined by an elongated member fixedly secured to a side wall of the housing and defining an elongated slot therein, and a fastener slidably connecting the first means to the slot.

54. A method of carrying a blade in a utility knife and releasing a blade therefrom, comprising the following steps:

providing a utility knife having a housing defining a blade aperture, a blade carrier movably mounted on the housing, a catch movably mounted on the blade carrier, and an actuator mounted on the blade carrier and operable to move the blade carrier and catch;

mounting a blade on the blade carrier;

moving the actuator between retracted and extended positions to, in turn, move the blade mounted on the blade carrier between retracted and extended positions; and

moving the actuator to, in turn, move the catch between a first position substantially preventing relative movement of the blade carrier and blade, and a second position releasing the blade and permitting the blade to be removed through the blade aperture.

55. A method as defined in claim 54, further comprising the following steps:

moving the actuator and blade carrier to an extended position;

with the blade carrier in the extended position, moving the actuator and, in turn, moving the catch from the first to the second position; and

with the catch located in the second position, removing the blade from the blade carrier and through the blade aperture.

56. A method as defined in claim 55, further comprising the step of pivoting the actuator laterally to move the catch from the first to the second position.

57. A method as defined in claim 55, further comprising the step of rotating the actuator to move the catch from the first to the second position.