Knife with specialized balance and blade length

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11904484-B2
Application number	US-202117409743-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 23, 2021
Priority date	Aug 24, 2020
Publication date	Feb 20, 2024
Grant date	Feb 20, 2024

Abstract

A knife including a handle, a blade, and an enclosed blade action is configured to have an optimized weight ratio of the blade to the handle when the blade is extended, the handle can be kept relatively smaller and lighter with a slimmer profile, but without sacrificing rigidity and durability. The slimmer and lighter handle allows a longer blade but without the increased weight resulting from a bulkier handle typically necessitated by the longer blade.

First claim

The invention that is claimed is:

1. A knife, comprising:
a blade; and
a handle sized to enclose the blade when the blade is in a retracted position, the handle comprising:
a first handle half and a second handle half, each of the first and second handle halves including a plurality of retaining structures; and
an aperture disposed at one end of the handle, the aperture sized to allow the blade to pass through; and
an action contained within the handle and coupled to the blade, the action comprising:
a first liner with a central slot and a plurality of ovoid apertures disposed about the central slot, the first liner retained to the first handle half by the first handle half's plurality of retaining structures;
a second liner with a plurality of ribs that run parallel to a longitudinal axis of the second liner, the second liner retained to the second handle half by the second handle half's plurality of retaining structures; and
a plurality of springs, each spring disposed within a corresponding one of the plurality of ribs, the plurality of springs mechanically coupled to the blade;

wherein the plurality of retaining structures of the first handle half comprise a plurality of posts, and the first liner is retained to the first handle half by each of the plurality of posts passing through a corresponding one of the plurality of ovoid apertures, each of the plurality of posts including a plurality of crush ribs that cooperate with each of the plurality of ovoid apertures to center the first liner within the first handle half.

2. The knife of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of retaining structures of the second handle comprise a plurality of tabs, the second liner comprises a plurality of notches, and the second liner is retained to the second handle half by receiving one of the plurality of tabs into a corresponding one of the plurality of notches, the plurality of notches disposed along an edge of the second liner and configured to center the second liner vertically within the second handle half.

3. The knife of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of crush ribs is configured to center the first liner into a correct position within the handle, while allowing the first liner to move along a longitudinal axis of the handle.

4. The knife of claim 3 , wherein the plurality of crush ribs is further configured to position the first liner relative to the second liner to create a slot within which the blade travels when the blade is moving between the retracted position and an extended position, a width of the slot sized by the crush ribs to prevent the blade from shifting laterally when moving.

5. The knife of claim 3 , wherein each of the plurality of crush ribs is formed as part of the first handle half.

6. The knife of claim 3 , wherein each of the plurality of crush ribs is formed from a crush rivet that is inserted into the first handle half.

7. The knife of claim 1 , wherein the knife, when the blade is in an extended position, has an overall length to weight ratio of 3:1, expressed in terms of inches to ounces.

8. The knife of claim 1 , wherein the action further comprises a button disposed upon an exterior of the handle that is mechanically coupled to the action, the action configured such that, when the button is triggered when the blade is in a retracted position, the springs propel the blade through the aperture into an extended position where at least a portion of the blade is outside of the handle.

9. The knife of claim 8 , wherein the action is further configured such that, when the button is triggered when the blade is in the extended position, the springs propel the blade through the aperture into the retracted position.

10. The knife of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of ribs of the second liner extend parallel to a longitudinal axis of the second liner, and each of the plurality of springs is disposed beneath one of the plurality of ribs.

11. The knife of claim 1 , wherein the blade comprises a single cutting edge, and a ridge disposed opposite the single cutting edge.

12. The knife of claim 1 , wherein the blade comprises two cutting edges, and a ridge centered laterally between each edge of the two cutting edges.

13. A knife, comprising:
a blade;
a handle sized to enclose the blade when the blade is in a retracted position, the handle comprising:
a first handle half and a second handle half, each of the first and second handle halves including a plurality of retaining structures; and
an aperture disposed at one end of the handle, the aperture sized to allow the blade to pass through; and

an action contained within the handle and coupled to the blade, the action comprising:
a first liner with a central slot and a plurality of ovoid apertures disposed about the central slot, the first liner retained to the first handle half by the first handle half's plurality of retaining structures;
a second liner with a plurality of ribs, the second liner retained to the second handle half by the second handle half's plurality of retaining structures; and
a plurality of springs, one of each disposed within each of the plurality of ribs, the plurality of springs mechanically coupled to the blade,

wherein plurality of retaining structures of the first handle half comprise a plurality of posts, and the first liner is retained to the first handle half by each of the plurality of posts passing through a corresponding one of the plurality of ovoid apertures, each of the plurality of posts including a plurality of crush ribs that cooperate with each of the plurality of ovoid apertures to center the first liner within the first handle half.

Assignees

• Benchmade Knife Co Inc

Inventors

• Delplanche Mark

Classifications

• B26B1/08 Primary

  with sliding blade {(with detachable blades B26B5/001)} · CPC title

• B26B1/10

  Handles · CPC title

• B26B9/00

  Blades for hand knives · CPC title