Disposable box cutter

Abstract

The disposable box cutter comprises: a main body provided with an interior receiving compartment, two longitudinal ends, through port. The main body provided on one side with a slot extending along the longitudinal direction of the main body, a guide member movably disposed in the main body such that the guide member moves along the longitudinal direction of the main body to extend out of the through port of the main body. The guide member is provided with a blade attachment means and a push knob. The blade is attached to the guide member by the blade attachment means so that a first end of the blade and a second end of the blade are concealed in the main body at the time when the guide member is not extended out of the main body.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

There are no applications related to this application.

SPECIFICATION

The disposable box cutter is a hand held cutting tool with a cutting blade that fully and automatically retracts into a protective housing when the cutting tool is not in use.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

The disposable box cutter is a cutting tool with a cutting blade that fully and automatically retracts into a protective housing when the cutting tool is not in use. A purpose of the present invention is to provide a box cutting tool which is safe for the operator to carry and use without concern for accidental cutting of the operator's fingers or hands. This objective is achieved through provision of a fail safe retraction mechanism assuring that the cutting edge of the tool is withdrawn into an inner chamber of the tool whenever the operator's pressure to keep the cutting edge exposed for normal use is released. A number of attempts to meet this objective are known in the art and fall into several categories of design.

The forces derived from the cutting action are sometimes used to maintain the cutting edge in an extended position. Examples of this type include U.S. Pat. No. 6,785,966 to Martor, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,148,520 to E. H. Beerman K G.

Sometimes blade extension is maintained by holding the extended blade in a special position relative to the handle which must be changed to allow retraction of the blade. Examples of this type include U.S. Pat. No. 6,553,673 to Mure, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,683,656 to Preposreve S. A. R. L.

In some implementations the blade is held in the extended position through the use of notches in the guide-way for the blade or blade carrier. Examples of this approach are found in U.S. Pat. No. 6,487,778 to Allway Tools, Inc., US published Patent Application No. 20020029482 by Peyrot, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,438,849 to Safety Razor Company, U.S. Pat. No. 6,058,607 to Allway Tools, Inc., and U.S. Pat. No. 5,813,121 to Allway Tools, Inc.,

Some implementations include gear mechanisms to maintain blade extension and cause retraction. Examples of this approach are found in U.S. Pat. No. 6,374,497 to San Tyau Co.

Some implementations include cam mechanisms to maintain extension and cause retraction. Examples of this approach are found in US published Patent Application No. 20030159290 by Martor-Argentax E. H. Beerman K G.

Some implementations include a specific guide member. Examples of this approach are found in U.S. Pat. No. 6,418,624 to Huang, US Patent No. and U.S. Pat. No. 6,219,923 to Sinisi, et al.

The present invention uses continuous direct extensive pressure applied by the operator in opposition to spring tension to keep the blade in the extended position. Any failure of the operator to maintain the required pressure results in immediate retraction of the blade and blade carrier to a safe position enclosed within the handle of the box cutter.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The disposable box cutter is a cutting tool with a cutting blade that fully and automatically retracts into a protective housing when the cutting tool is not in use.

The disposable box cutter comprises: a main body provided with an interior receiving compartment two longitudinal ends with at least one of the longitudinal ends provided with a through port in communication with said interior receiving compartment, said main body provided on one side with a slot extending along the longitudinal direction of said main body, a guide member movably disposed in said main body such that said guide member moves along the longitudinal direction of said main body to extend out of said through port of said main body, said guide member provided at one end with a blade attachment means and a push knob corresponding in location to said slot of said main body, a blade attached to said guide member by said blade attachment means so that a first end of the blade and a second end of the blade are concealed in said main body at the time when said guide member is not extended out of said main body, and that said first end of said blade is extended out of said main body at the time when said guide member is extended out of said main body, an elastic member disposed in said main body such that one end of said elastic member is retained by an end retaining member, and that other end of said elastic member is retained by said guide member, the elastic member provides the guide member with a recovery force enabling the guide member to return to its original position when released.

The blade is of metal, ceramic, or other suitable material, with a sharp edge extending along one edge from one corner a convenient distance along said edge. In another embodiment the blade may be double edged. In yet another embodiment the main body comprises two or more sections which may be opened to allow blade replacement or reversal. Such blade reversal means rotation along the blades major or minor axis to expose one or more new cutting edges. The blade corners may be rounded or square.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top view.

FIG. 2 is a left side view, a mirror image of the opposite right side.

FIG. 3 is a bottom view.

FIG. 4 is an interior view of a symmetric half.

FIG. 5 is an interior view of the opposite symmetric half.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the invention, in use, in retracted mode.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the invention, in use, in the exposed blade mode.

FIG. 8 is a view of a single edge, square corner blade.

FIG. 9 is a view of a double edge, square corner blade.

FIG. 10 is a view of a single edge, rounded corner blade.

FIG. 11 is a view of a double edge, rounded corner blade.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The disposable box cutter 1 comprises: a main body 2 provided with an interior receiving compartment 3 two longitudinal ends 4 with at least one of the longitudinal ends 4 provided with a through port 5 in communication with said interior 3 receiving compartment, said main body 2 provided on one side with a slot 6 extending along the longitudinal direction of said main body 2, a guide member 7 movably disposed in said main body 2 such that said guide member 7 moves along the longitudinal direction of said main body 2 to extend out of said through port 5 of said main body 2, said guide member 7 provided at one end with a blade attachment means 8 and a push knob 9 corresponding in location to said slot 6 of said main body 2, a blade 10 attached to said guide member 7 by said blade attachment means 8 so that a first end of the blade 10 and a second end of the blade 10 are concealed in said main body 2 at the time when said guide member 7 is not extended out of said main body 2, and that said first end of said blade 14 is extended out of said main body 2 at the time when said guide member 7 is extended out of said main body 2, an elastic member 15 disposed in said main body 2 such that one end of said elastic member 16 is retained by an end retaining member 21, and that other end of said elastic member 17 is retained by said guide member 7, the elastic member 15 provides the guide member 7 with a recovery force enabling the guide member 7 to return to its original position 13 when released.

The main body 2 is a handle comprised of one or more parts suitably formed and assembled to provide a convenient knife handle provided with an interior receiving compartment 3, and two longitudinal ends 4. At least one of said two longitudinal ends 4 is provided with through port 5 in communication with the receiving compartment. The main body 2 is provided in one or both sides with a slot 6. In one embodiment the handle is comprises two symmetric halves cast of an inexpensive material such a plastic or metal. The main body may include one or more through holes 12 for hanging the box cutter from a hook or other convenient protuberance or passing a string or other attachment means through the box cutter to attach it to a tool belt or any other item where the through hole 12 is not well suited.

The guide member 7 is disposed moveably within the receiving compartment and provides: an attachment means for the elastic member 15, the blade 10, and a push knob 9 extending through the hole in the main body 2 which serves as a point for an operator to apply pressure to extend the guide member 7 and attached blade 10.

The elastic member 15 is of a suitable elastic material such as plastic or metal configured to act as a spring and has a first end 16 and second end 17. The first end of the elastic member 16 is attached by suitable means to the main body 2 and the second end of the elastic member 17 is attached by suitable attachment means to the guide member 7. The elastic member 15 provides a retractile force to the guide member 7 to assure retraction of the exposed blade 10 and guide member 7 whenever pressure on the push knob 9 is not applied by the user.

The blade 10 is of metal, ceramic, or other suitable material, with a sharp edge 18 extending along one edge from one corner a convenient distance along said edge. In another embodiment the blade 10 may be double edged. In yet another embodiment the main body 2 comprises two or more sections which may be opened to allow blade 10 replacement or reversal. Such blade 10 reversal means rotation along the blades major or minor axis to expose one or more new cutting edges. The blade 10 corners may be rounded 19 or square 20.

Claims

1. A disposable box cutter comprising:

(a) a main body provided with an interior receiving compartment, a retaining member, and two longitudinal ends with least one longitudinal end provided with a through port in communication with said receiving compartment, said main body provided on one side with a slot extending along the longitudinal direction of said main body;

(b) a guide member movably disposed in said main body such that said guide member moves along the longitudinal direction of said main body to extend out of said through port of said main body, said guide member provided at one end with a blade attachment means and a push knob corresponding in location to said slot of said main body;

(c) a blade attached to said guide member by said blade attachment means so that a first end of the blade and a second end of the blade are concealed in said main body at the time when said guide member is not extended out of said main body, and that said first end of said blade is extended out of said main body at the time when said guide member is extended out of said main body;

(d) an elastic member disposed in said main body such that one end of said elastic member is retained by said end retaining member, and that other end of said elastic member is retained by said guide member, the elastic member provides the guide member with a recovery force enabling the guide member to return to its original position when released.

2. The disposable box cutter of claim 1, wherein the blade is a double edged blade.

3. The disposable box cutter of claim 2, wherein the blade further comprises rounded corners.

4. The disposable box cutter of claim 1, wherein the blade further comprises rounded corners.