Utility knife

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11577412-B2
Application number	US-202117357217-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 24, 2021
Priority date	May 16, 2017
Publication date	Feb 14, 2023
Grant date	Feb 14, 2023

Abstract

A utility knife and methods for using the same are disclosed. The utility knife includes a handle portion, a head unit attached to the handle portion, and a blade attached to the head unit. The handle portion is made of two parts jointed together by a hinged connection arrangement. A blade support component is also included which orients the blade in perpendicular relation to a central axis of the handle. The exemplary utility knife can safely be used in many applications with a design configured to help prevent user contact with the blade's cutting edge or edges.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A utility knife, comprising:
a handle including a first handle part and a second handle part, each of the first handle and second handle parts having a first end, a second end, and an outer surface;
a hinged connection arrangement connecting the first and second handle parts adjacent the second ends thereof, the first and second handle parts being rotatable about the hinged connection arrangement between a closed position and an open position;
an interior cavity defined by an inner surface of the first and second handle parts, the interior cavity including a storage cavity configured to store one or more replacement blades;
a head unit attached to the first handle part adjacent the first end thereof, the head unit including a blade support component; said head unit position forwardly of said second end of said first handle part;
a blade attached to the blade support component and having a cutting edge; and,
a first outer guide and a second outer guide fixed on the blade support component in opposing relation to one another, the first and second outer guide adapted a) at least partially support the blade adjacent an outside edge thereof and b) at least partially form a respective first guide notch and second guide notch;
a resilient and flexible guide disposed adjacent the first end of the first handle part and at least partially positioned in said first and second guide notches to facilitate at least partially guiding at least a portion of the material in said first and second guide notches and to cause at least a portion of the material to engage at least a portion of said cutting edge of said blade.

2. The utility knife as defined in claim 1 , wherein said blade support component is configured to orient said blade in a perpendicular relation to a central axis of said handle.

3. The utility knife as defined in claim 1 , wherein said interior cavity comprises one or more cavity projections configured to divide said interior cavity into a plurality of sub-cavities, one of said sub-cavities forming the storage cavity for storing said one or more replacement blades, said storage cavity including a retaining arm that is attached to one of the inner surfaces of said first or second handle parts, said retaining arm is configured to exert a force on one or more of said replacement blades stored in said storage cavity to maintain the plurality of replacement blades located in said interior cavity.

4. The utility knife as defined in claim 1 , wherein said hinge connection arrangement includes a magnet disposed at or adjacent to said first ends of at least one of said first and second handle parts.

5. A utility knife comprising a handle, a head unit attached to said handle, a blade attached to said head unit, first and second guide notches, and first and second resilient and flexible guides; said handle including first and second handle parts; each of said first and second handle parts having first and second end portions, and an outer and inner surface; said first and second handle parts connected at or adjacent to said second end portions by a connection arrangement to enable said first and second handle parts to move between an open and closed position, said connection arrangement includes a hinge arrangement; said housing including a magnet disposed at or adjacent to said first ends of at least one of said first and second handle parts; said first and second handle parts configured to be rotatable about said hinge arrangement between said open position and said closed position; said magnet configured to releasably secure said first and second handle parts in said closed position; said first and second guide notches positioned between at least a portion of said handle and at least a portion of said head unit; said head unit includes a blade support component; said blade is attached to said blade support component; said blade support component configured to orient said blade in a perpendicular relation to a central axis of said handle; said head unit is attached to said first handle part at or adjacent to said first end of said first handle part; said blade support component including first and second outer guides fixed in opposing relation to one another; the first guide notch formed between at least a portion of said outer first guide and at least a portion of said first handle part; the second guide notch formed between at least a portion of said outer second guide and at least a portion of said first handle part; said first and second guide notches each having a front entrance and a back end; said blade removably attached to said blade support component; said front entrances of said first and second guide notches each having a width that is greater that a width of said back end of said first and second guide notches; a majority of a longitudinal length of said first and second guide notches having a greater width than said back end of said first and second guide notches; said first resilient and flexible guide at least partially positioned in said first guide notch, said second resilient and flexible guide at least partially positioned in said second guide notch; said first and second resilient and flexible guides to facilitate at least partially guiding at least a portion of the material in said first and second guide notches and to cause at least a portion of the material to engage at least a portion of said cutting edge of said blade.

6. The utility knife as defined in claim 5 , wherein each of said first and second resilient and flexible guides has an arcuate shape along a majority of a length of each of said first and second resilient and flexible guides, each of said first and second resilient and flexible guides only connected to one of said first and second handle parts.

7. The utility knife as defined in claim 6 , wherein said inner surfaces of said first and second handle parts forming an interior cavity when said first and second handle parts are positioned adjacent to one another in said closed position; said interior cavity comprises one or more cavity projections configured to divide said interior cavity into a plurality of sub-cavities, one of said sub-cavities forming a storage cavity for storing a plurality of replacement blades, said storage cavity including a retaining arm that is attached to one of the inner surfaces of said first or second handle parts, said retaining arm is configured to exert a force on one or more of said replacement blades stored in said storage cavity to maintain the plurality of replacement blades located in said interior cavity.

8. The utility knife as defined in claim 7 , further including a mating arrangement that is located on said first and second handle parts, said mating arrangement on said second handle part includes a mating projection on said inner surface of said second handle part, said mating arrangement on said first handle part includes a recess on the inner surface of said first handle part, said mating projection configured to enter said recess when said first and second handle parts are in said closed position.

9. The utility knife as defined in claim 8 , wherein said width of said front entrance of said first and second guide notches is at least 25% greater than said width of the back end of the first and second guide notches, a majority of said width of said first and second guide notches between said front entrance and said back end is greater than said width at said back end of said first and second guide notches.

10. The utility knife as defined in claim 5 , wherein said inner surfaces of said first and second handle parts forming an interior cavity when said first and second handle parts are positioned adjacent to one another in said closed position;

Assignees

• Garland Ind Inc

Inventors

• Rus Melissa

Classifications

• B26B5/006 Primary

  specially adapted for using razor blades as blades (B26B5/001 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B26B29/02

  Guards or sheaths for knives · CPC title

• B26B1/10

  Handles · CPC title