EP1000713B1 - Pocket tool - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a pocket tool with an elongated, serving as a handle and a receiving area for at least one functional element in the lead-out of the handle functional element having body element, wherein the at least one functional element has a talon and against the force of an applied to the talon of the functional element elastic element a pivot bearing from the body element in a functional position off and / or in the body member can be pivoted into a transport position, wherein the Talon has a locking cam.

Such pocket tools are known, for example, as a pocket knife, with two serving as a handle, opposing shells, between which one or more functional parts, such as knife blades, corkscrew, screwdriver and the like. Swung out and essentially held by spring pressure in the on or swung-out state. These are known in various embodiments. They usually have several, z. B. on rivet pins pivotally arranged functional parts whose functional surfaces are designed as a knife blade, can opener, nail file, corkscrew and the like. In addition, pocket knives are known which contain a variety of tools as functional parts. For example, different slotted and Phillips screwdriver sizes or different sizes of inner and outer hex keys are arranged on a pocket knife. These functional parts are located between mutually parallel boards, the are connected by rivet bolts and of which the outer are covered with one of the two shells. On the one hand, the shells characterize the visual appearance of a pocket knife, but on the other hand they are also responsible for the ergonomics and grip. In addition, it is known to provide the trays with insertion channels, which receive, for example, toothpicks, tweezers or cleaning needles for spray nozzles of motor vehicle windscreen washers.

The equipment of pocket knives with suitable for different uses functional parts is also reflected in the fact that known pocket knives are combined with a writing instrument. Such pocket knives are subject to high assembly costs and thus cause a costly production.

Previously known pocket tools, preferably pocket knives, usually have laterally swing-out functional elements which protrude laterally from the contour of the housing element partially and are tangible in a conventional manner with the fingertips. They are pivotally mounted against springs, so that both in the swiveled transport or storage position as well as in the swung-out functional position a holding force acts. This is applied by the elastic elements and can not be controlled. So it may happen that the functional elements accidentally collapse during use. In addition, the springs tire with time, which continues to have an adverse effect. Another disadvantage of pivotable functional elements is that they are usually pivotable about an axis and thus absorb torsional forces only to a limited extent. Also functional elements can not open and close one-handed with prior pocket tools. In some special knives, the knife blade can be opened by the relaxation of a preloaded spring with one hand, but usually not close one-handed. Other functional elements are inserted into slots in the shells or in the body member and removable. Usually, pocket tools are designed for certain general functions, and in the rarest cases pocket tools are designed for specific individual tasks, as this is associated with excessive costs. In particular, none Pocket tools known for multiple functions in the field of golf.

Furthermore, from US 5,769,094 a folding knife with a cantilevered leaf spring member is known, which is guided on a Talon a herausschwenkbaren out of the handle blade. The leaf spring member has a coupling cam at its end guided on the Talon, which engages in the unfolded state of the knife blade in a groove of the talon of the knife blade. The catch is released by a lever in order to be able to swing the blade into the handle.

The US 5,692,304 describes a folding knife with a rotatably mounted at one end to a handle part about a pivot bearing functional element, wherein the functional element in the region of the pivot bearing has a Talon on which rests on the body member fixed spring element. The talon has a recess into which a shape of the spring element engages in the unfolded functional position. Recess and shape are each V-shaped, designed to match each other.

Starting from the prior art, the present invention has for its object to provide a pocket tool of the generic type in which an improved control of the holding forces is provided by at least one of the transport or function positions and also fatigue of the elastic member does not affect adversely, the pocket tool being economical to manufacture and easy to operate.

As a solution to this problem, a generic pocket tool is developed in such a way that the talon and the elastic element a first Rastnocken- / Rastsenkenpaarung with cooperating in the transport position contact surfaces and a second Rastnocken- / Rastsenkenpaarung with cooperating in the operating position and the contact surfaces of the first Mating have different contact surfaces, wherein the contact surfaces are formed inclined to a running through the pivot bearing longitudinal center line of the functional element, namely the in the transport position cooperating in angles between 20 ° and 37 ° and the cooperating in the operating position by 60 °.

According to the invention, a functional element is mounted as a swing-out functional element against the force of a spring and can be pivoted between a transport position folded into the body element and a functional position folded out of the body element. The spring serves to provide on the one hand a holding force in the transport position against unintentional unfolding, on the other hand a spring force in the unfolded functional position against unintentional folding. In known manner, the functional element is moved with its talon against a leaf spring. With the invention is proposed to improve the holding forces that the moving edge between the talon of the functional element and the leaf spring is designed as a cam / cam track pair. While at least one locking cam is positioned on one of the two elements, the respective other element may have a cam depression, in such a way positioned that in the desired end position, the cam is latched in the cam depression. As a result, an increased holding force is provided. Advantageously, a cam is formed on the talon, which engages in a cam depression on the leaf spring in the unfolded position. In this case, the cam depression may preferably be formed on one of the ends of the guide track on the spring. Advantageously, both for the transport position and for the functional position depending on a cam formed on the talon, which cooperate with respective cam recesses on the spring. As a result, the dimensions of the cams and the cam recesses allow the respective holding forces to be checked and preset, so that even with a fatigue of the spring is still a sufficient holding force of the functional element is guaranteed. The functional element is thus secured against unintentional collapse during operation.

The locking cams or Rastsenken can be arranged interchangeable on Talon and spring element. The spring element can also be designed in its design at the free end so that it engages in a deep Rastsenke, which is formed like a nut, to provide a particularly high holding force against accidental collapse during operation. For example, improper handling of pocket knives is capable of causing unintentional collapse of the pocket knife, which then cuts into the finger holding the body member.

Advantageously, the invention further proposes that the swing-out functional element in its pivoted-body member position is elastically pressed into the body member, which can also be favored by appropriate cam / sink formations.

With the invention, an economically producible and simple, in particular one-handed operated pocket tool with functional elements is provided. The formation of locking cams and Rastsenken between functional element and the associated spring increase operating safety and improve the functionality, since in particular an accidental collapse during use is largely avoided. To improve the economy, the invention proposes a further improvement of the springs. While conventionally the springs have to be counterbalanced against counter-bearing elements on the blanks, the springs now have cams at suitable locations which can be counter-balanced against the cams of adjacent springs. Thus, it is possible to dispense with special counter bearing points in the intermediate boards as far as possible.

Fig. 1

ein Ausführungsbeispiel für eine Rastnocken-/Rastsenken-Anordnung zwischen Klingen-Talon und Feder und

Fig. 2

ein alternatives Ausführungsbeispiel für eine Rastnocken-/Rastsenken-Anordnung zwischen Klingen-Talon und Feder.

Further advantages and features of the invention will become apparent from the following description with reference to FIGS. Showing:

Fig. 1

an embodiment of a locking cam / latching arrangement between the blade Talon and spring and

Fig. 2

an alternate embodiment of a detent cam / latch assembly between blade talon and spring.

Fig. 1 shows an embodiment of a functional element 1 in the form of a saw / knife assembly 2, which is pivotable about a pivot bearing 3 from a body element, not shown, out into a functional position. The pivoting range arrangement is arranged in the trough 4 of the functional element 1 and, in the drawing, shows a function line with respect to the functional line, the longitudinal center line to the swing-out functional area, decentralized arrangement of the pivot bearing 3. This favors the absorption of torsional forces. The spring 5, whose end is shown, has an end portion 6 which is formed as a cam and before it lying sink area. The cam engages in the functional end position in a depression in the Talon 4, while a corresponding cam engages the Talon in front of the sink of the spring 5. This controls the holding force and the force required for the return. The spring runs with its free end along the movement path 9 and engages over the cam 8 on the Talon 4 in order to increase the holding force in the pivoted state.

A special feature for controlling and improving the holding forces in the case of swing-out functional elements is shown in FIG. 2. Fig. 2 shows the talon 30 of the pivotable about the axis 29 blade 27 and the corresponding end portion of the spring 28. In the position of the functional element 24 shown in Fig. 1, the blade 27 rests with its rest stop portion 31 on the rest stop portion 32 of the spring 28th In the illustrated embodiment, a cam 33 is engaged on Klingentalon 30 while in a cam depression 34 on the spring. Thus, depending on the size of the cam 33 and the spring force results in a corresponding holding force in the transport position, ie the pivoted position of the blade. The angle 35, for example between 22 ° and 37 °, is crucial for the force that must be expended to lever out the cam 33 from the sink 34. Accordingly, the angle 36 of the cam depression 34 must be adapted, for example in a range between 20 ° and 35 °. Now, if the blade is taken and overcome by force the holding force, so that the cam 33 is lifted out of the cam depression 34, the trajectory 37 runs at the extreme end of the Klingentalons by the rest stop 32. This slotted guide causes a clean Ausschwenkbewegung the blade 27 relative to the spring 28. Finally, the designated in the embodiment shown with 38 cam on Klingentalon in the cam depression 39 at the other spring edge. The height of the stop 42 defines the swung-blade position. Also in this cam / sink pair, the angle 40 on the cam 38 on Klingentalon 30 and the angle 41 on the cam depression 39 are matched to the spring 28, for example, both at about 60 °. This results in a corresponding holding force of the blade 27 in the pivoted position, so that, for example, an unintentional backlapping of the blade during use is largely excluded.

The described embodiments are illustrative only and not limiting. In particular, only one retaining cam may be formed at the end of the Klingentalon in order to increase the power in one of the end positions. Also can be formed on the spring cam and the Klingentalon cam recesses. Also corresponding slide guides of the same kind are conceivable.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

functional element

2

saw

3

pivot bearing

4

coupon

5

feather

6

end

7

groove

8th

cam

9

trajectory

27

blade

28

feather

29

axis

30

coupon

31

rest stop

32

rest stop

33

cam

34

depression

35

angle

36

angle

37

trajectory

38

cam

39

depression

40

angle

41

angle

42

attack

Claims (4)

1. A pocket tool with an elongate body element, which serves as a handle and affords a receiving region for at least one functional element (1, 2), which may be moved out of the handle into a functional position, the at least one functional element (1, 2) having a claw (4, 30) and being swingable about a pivotal support (3, 29) against the force of an elastic element (5, 28) engaging the claw (4, 30) of the functional element (1, 2) out of the body element into a functional position and/or into the body element into a transport position, the claw (4, 30) having a locking cam (33, 38), characterised in that the claw (4, 30) and the elastic element (5, 28) have a first locking cam/locking recess pairing with contact surfaces which cooperate in the transport position and a second locking cam/locking recess pairing with different contact surfaces, which cooperate in the functional position and are different to the contact surfaces of the first pairing, the contact surfaces being inclined to a longitudinal central line of the functional element (1, 2) extending through the pivotal support (3, 29), those surfaces which cooperate in the transport position being inclined at angles between 20° and 37° and those cooperating in the functional position being inclined by 60°.
2. A pocket tool as claimed in Claim 1, characterised in that the free end of the spring arm (5, 28) is guided along a guide track formed on the claw (4).
3. A pocket tool as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the spring element (28) has an equilibrium engagement region (32), which is matched at least in part to a curvature of the movement path (37) of the claw (4).
4. A pocket tool as claimed in one of Claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the pivotable functional element (1, 2) may be pressed elastically into the body element in its position in which it is swung into the body element.

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