AU2006201571A1 - A knife assembly - Google Patents

Description

56271 DIA:JO P/00/011 Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT

ORIGINAL

Name of Applicant: NEDELJKO JEFIC Actual Inventor(s): NEDELJKO JEFIC Address for Service: COLLISON CO.,117 King William Street, Adelaide, S.A. 5000 Invention Title: A KNIFE ASSEMBLY Details of Associated Provisional Application(s): Australian Patent Application No. 2005901983 Dated 20 April 2005 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us: FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to knives and more specifically to a knife assembly that includes a means of sharpening.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART In order for a knife to function properly and efficiently it is best that the blade of a knife be sharpened on a regular basis.

A sharp blade allows for better cutting control and predictability in handling over a dull blade.

This is of particular importance for those whose trade requires constant cutting such as butchers or abattoir workers.

There are a larger number of devices and gadgets available that can be used to sharpen blades. A commonly used item is the sharpening or butchers steel, however the use of such steels for sharpening knives requires a relatively high attention to technique in order to effectively sharpen the blade. Furthermore, the operation of sharpening a knife with steel can be hazardous.

The use of the steel also necessitates the addition of another piece of equipment.

Another commonly used device used for sharpening is where the sharpening means is enclosed in a scabbard or holster, such that each time the knife is withdrawn or replaced in the scabbard sharpening, to some degree, occurs.

This is considered to be relatively ineffectual for those who use knives for many hours of the day during work, as the knives are not often replaced in the sharpening scabbard which, over time, results in the blade becoming dull and so would require that the knife return to the scabbard so that sharpening can be carried out.

Also, the use of a sharpening scabbard requires that each knife has its own particular scabbard in relation to the size and shape of a particular blade.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION An object of this objection is to provide a knife assembly for professional or domestic knife users that allows for quick and convenient sharpening of the blade.

It is an object of the present invention to overcome, or at least substantially ameliorate, the disadvantages and shortcomings of the prior art.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description, taking in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein, by way of illustration and example, an embodiment of the present invention is disclosed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In one form of the invention, although it is not necessarily be the only or indeed the broadest form of this, there is proposed a knife assembly that includes a first handle with an attached knife blade and a second handle, the first handle being, in one position relative to the second handle, inter engaging with the second handle, and in a second position adapted to be separated from the inter engaging position so that the respective handles can be separately held and further adapted so that the knife blade can be engagably drawn through a sharpening means held by the second handle to effect sharpening of the blade.

In preference, the sharpening means in the second handle are aligned with the attached blade of the first handle so that when the handles are separated the attached blade is in the sharpening position.

In preference, the first handle nests within the second handle in said first position In preference, sharpening of blades using the technique described is applicable to a blade that has a straight edge.

In preference, the sharpening means are positioned in a finger guard of the second handle.

In preference, the first and second handles inter engage in such a way so that one handle nests in a recess of the other handle, so as to provide a streamlined outer shape adapted to provide for a comfortable grip by a user.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS DETAILED For a better understanding of the invention it will now be described in relation to a preferred embodiment which shall be described with the assistance of drawings where: Figure 1 is a perspective view of the knife assembly according to the first embodiment when in a closed position; Figure 2 shows the knife assembly in an open position or sharpening position; Figure 2A shows a cut-away view of the open position of the knife assembly; Figure 3 shows the two handles of the knife assembly separated from one another.

Figure 4 is a front view of the knife assembly in the open position, or the sharpening position; Figure 5 shows a close up of the means of fastening the two handles before attachment; Figure 6 shows a close up of the handles in a closed and locked position; Figure 7 shows an alternative sharpening means.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Now referring to the drawings in detail and, in particular the first embodiment, as illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 3.

There is a knife assembly 1 having a blade 2 and a tang 3 to which is securely fastened the scales that form the first handle 6. The tang 3 connects the blade 2 to the first handle 6 and projects from the rear of the first handle 6.

Tang 3 has an end 7, furthermost from the blade 2 that has an aperture 8 for detachably fastening the tang 3 to a second handle A second handle 10 has a finger guard 12 located adjacent to the blade 2, and a hand guard 14 located opposite to a finger guard 12, towards a rear of the second handle The combination of the finger guard 12 and the hand guard 14 on the second handle 10 provide a support to reduce the severity of knuckle strike on flat surfaces such as a cutting board or similar.

The finger guard 12 contains a sharpening means 16 that sits immediately adjacent blade 2 when the knife assembly 1 is used during the normal course of its operation for cutting. The sharpening means 16 is aligned to blade 2 so that it is a simple action to separate the handles and then begin sharpening.

Further to this, handle 10 also contains a further sharpening means 18 located between the hand guard 14 and the handle head 20, which can be employed once the blade 2 is fully removed from handle Handle 10 has a recess 26 that is suitably shaped to accommodate handle 6 wherein the blade 2 is inserted through slot 28 and, with the fastening member 32 at end 40 of aperture 34, the end of the tang 7 is inserted into slot 30. The fastening member 32 can then slide to end 44 of aperture 34 so as to securely engage the tang 3 at position 9.

The fastening member 32 can be in the form of a manufactured pin as shown or alternatively in the form of a releasable catch or such.

During normal use, that is when performing the act of cutting, there is a bridging member 36 that is securely attached to handle 10 and spans slot 28, which interacts, or interlocks, with the notch 47 in blade 2 to limit the blade 2 from being accidentally lifted away from the handle When sharpening of the blade 2 is required the fastening member 32 is released from its engaging position that allows for the opening of the knife assembly, so that end of tang 7 is separated from 32 and blade 2 is maintained in slit 28.

The second handle 10 is then moved in a reciprocating motion though slit 28 such that the "V"-shaped slot 40 of sharpening means 16 held within the finger guard 12 are made to come into slidable contact with the blade 2.

Alternatively, in the open position, the second handle 10 can be held stationary as blade 2 is drawn though slit 28 in slidable contact with the sharpening means 16.

However, the level of sharpening provided by the sharpening means 16 may not be sufficient to create the desired edge in the event that the edge of the blade 2 has come into contact with an unyielding surface that has created a small notch or similar.

Accordingly, sharpening means 16 has ends 40 and 42, which are symmetrical with respect to each other such that 16 can be removed from the handle 10 and reinserted to provide a fresh sharpening surface as required.

Alternatively, the sharpening means can be 50 in the form of two sharpening elements 51 and 52 that are attached in such a way as to allow for pivotal rotation relative to one another about an point 54 so as to allow for the introduction of a fresh sharpening edge 56 as required.

Also, located adjacent to the handle head 20 is a further sharpening means 18, but other suitably shaped sharpening means such as 16 or 50 may also be inserted instead of 18 depending on requirements of the user. This then provides a place to hold spare sharpening means that may be of a different grade to that of 16.

Accordingly, the advantages of my invention is that there is now a safe, efficient way of maintaining a useable edge on a knife blade without the need to have a separate sharpening device that may be lost or misplaced. Furthermore, there is the advantage of always having a sharpening means close to hand so that users will be more inclined to sharpen the knife on a regular basis without having to search for a knife sharpener.

It is well known that blunt knifes can contribute to unsafe work practices by users having to use excessive force to cut through material. By maintaining a sharp knife the user is less likely to require undue force to cut through an object thus aiding in a safer work place.

In addition, due to the fact the current knife assembly can be quickly disassembled, all of the components can be washed regularly and thoroughly, keeping the unit more hygienic than the knife-scabbard assembly in which the sharpening element is located in the scabbard and can be relatively complex and time consuming to clean and replace.

Throughout this specification the purpose has been to illustrate the invention and not to limit this.

Although the invention has been herein shown and described in what is conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is recognized that departures can be made within the scope of the invention, which is not to be limited to the details described herein but it is to be accorded the full scope of the appended claims so as to embrace any and all equivalent devices and apparatus.

Claims (13)

1. A knife assembly including a first handle with an attached knife blade and a second handle, the first handle being, in one position relative to the second handle, inter engaging with the second handle, and in a second position adapted to be separated from the inter engaging position so that the respective handles can be separately held and further adapted so that the knife blade can be engagably drawn through a sharpening means held by the second handle to effect sharpening of the blade.

2. The knife assembly of claim 1, wherein the first handle nests within the second handle in a first position.

3. The knife assembly of claim 2, wherein the attached knife blade interlocks with a member located on the second handle.

4. The knife assembly of claim 3, wherein the member is a retaining member located on an end of the second handle aligned with the sharpening means.

The knife assembly of claim 4, wherein the retaining member is a pivot point.

6. The knife assembly of claim 5, wherein the sharpening means in the second handle are aligned with the attached blade of the first handle so that when the first handle is released from the second handle the attached blade is in the sharpening position and can be brought into slidable contact with the sharpening means.

7. The knife assembly of claim 6, wherein the sharpening means is located within a finger guard of the second handle.

8. The knife assembly of claim 7, wherein the first handle has a interlocking member

9. The knife assembly of claim 8, wherein the second handle has a second sharpening member located thereon.

The knife assembly of claim 9, wherein the first and second handles have complimentary engaging means located thereon so as to provide a secure fastening of the two handles.

11. The knife assembly of claim 10, wherein the complimentary engaging means are located at a rear of each of the first and second handles.

12. The knife assembly of claim 10, wherein the first and second handles inter engage in such a way so that one handle nests in a recess of the other handle, so as to provide a streamlined outer shape adapted to provide for a comfortable grip by a user.

13. A knife assembly substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Dated this 13th day of April 2006 NEDELJKO JEFIC by his Patent Attorneys COLLISON CO