EP3429808B1 - Folding-blade knife - Google Patents

Description

TECHNICAL AREA

The invention relates to a knife, in particular a pocket knife, with a folding blade, provided with a system for assisted opening of the blade.

More precisely, the blade, articulated on the handle of the knife, is capable of coming to be lodged in a recess provided for this purpose within said handle, or of coming to slide on the handle. The invention relates more specifically to a device making it possible to induce the blade to come out of such a recess, according to a greater or lesser amplitude, in order to then facilitate the positioning of the blade according to its operational position by the user.

PRIOR ART

Folding blade knives are already old and very widespread. They allow, because of the positioning in the folded position of the sharpened zone of the blade inside the handle, their transport in complete safety, in particular in a pocket of clothing.

• le verrouillage de la lame en position opérationnelle, c'est-à-dire dépliée, est par exemple assuré au moyen de divers dispositifs, tels que par exemple une virole rotative positionnée au voisinage de la zone d'articulation de la lame sur le manche, une lame ressort faisant office de pion à forcer, et de manière générale de point de résistance, ou encore le système bien connu sous l'expression anglo-saxonne « liner lock », et constitué d'une lame ressort intégrée au sein du manche, et qui agit contre la lame, ou contre un épaulement ménagé au voisinage de la base de la lame : quel que soit le système de verrouillage ainsi utilisé, il s'avère à l'usage que le déverrouillage de la lame est malaisé, souvent en raison de la puissance dudit moyen, ce déverrouillage pouvant nécessiter la mise en oeuvre des deux mains, et qu'en outre, pour certain de ces systèmes, la position du couteau se trouve inversée ;
• ce verrouillage peut également être réalisé par un système qui comprime un ressort d'ouverture (type couteau à cran d'arrêt). Le blocage proprement dit résulte de la coopération d'un pion avec une forme ménagée au sein de la lame. Ce système permet d'automatiser l'ouverture de la lame, et en outre d'éviter le repliage intempestif de la lame, et donc corollairement les risques de blessures par coupure. En revanche, le couteau ainsi réalisé s'avère dangereux en raison du caractère brutal de l'ouverture, ayant au demeurant conduit l'administration française à le classer en arme de quatrième catégorie, dont la détention est sévèrement réglementée ;
• le blocage de la lame en position fermée, ou le simple maintien de la lame dans cette position, afin d'éviter toute sortie intempestive de la lame, résulte souvent de la mise en oeuvre d'un ressort ou de points de blocage : l'expérience démontre que le retrait de la lame hors du manche s'avère difficile en raison justement d'un tel ressort ou d'un tel système de blocage, nonobstant la présence, quelque fois, d'une rainure ménagée au bord de la lame, au sein de laquelle l'extrémité d'un ongle peut-être insérée.

On the other hand, the knives of this type known to date have a certain number of drawbacks, among which we can cite:

• the locking of the blade in the operational position, that is to say unfolded, is for example ensured by means of various devices, such as for example a rotating ferrule positioned in the vicinity of the zone of articulation of the blade on the handle , a leaf spring acting as a pawn to be forced, and generally as a point of resistance, or even the system well known by the Anglo-Saxon expression " liner lock ", and consisting of a leaf spring integrated within the handle , and which acts against the blade, or against a shoulder provided in the vicinity of the base of the blade: whatever the locking system thus used, it turns out in use that the unlocking of the blade is difficult, often due to the power of said means, this unlocking may require the use of both hands, and furthermore, for some of these systems, the position of the knife is reversed;
• this locking can also be achieved by a system which compresses an opening spring (of the switchblade type). The blocking itself results from the cooperation of a pawn with a shape provided within the blade. This system makes it possible to automate the opening of the blade, and moreover to avoid the accidental folding of the blade, and therefore as a corollary the risk of injury by cutting. On the other hand, the knife thus produced proves to be dangerous because of the brutal nature of the opening, having moreover led the French administration to classify it as a fourth category weapon, the possession of which is strictly regulated;
• the locking of the blade in the closed position, or the simple maintenance of the blade in this position, in order to avoid any untimely exit of the blade, often results from the implementation of a spring or locking points: the experience shows that removing the blade from the handle is difficult precisely because of such a spring or such a locking system, notwithstanding the presence, sometimes, of a groove made at the edge of the blade, into which the end of a nail can be inserted.

The document US 6,397,477 describes an example of such knives.

The objective of the invention is to promote the use of such folding blade knives by providing them with a device capable, at the request of the user, of causing the opening of the blade, partial or total, and typically about twenty degrees with respect to the longitudinal axis of the handle, in order to allow the gripping of the blade by the user to position it in operational mode, that is to say to unfold it completely, or even to allow the blade to deploy on its own, that is to say without user intervention.

The invention also relates to the possibility of adding to such a knife a device for attenuating the effects of the means allowing the opening of the blade, intended to reduce or even cancel the aggressiveness resulting from an exit or a deployment blade too fast.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

To this end, the invention relates to a knife with a folding blade, comprising a handle defining a recess within which a blade, articulated in the vicinity of one of the ends of the handle, is capable of being retracted.

• un premier moyen, apte à verrouiller la lame en position repliée, afin d'éviter la sortie intempestive de ladite lame hors du manche ;
• au voisinage de la zone d'articulation de la lame sur le manche,
  • ▪ un second moyen apte à déverrouiller ledit premier moyen de verrouillage, ledit second moyen étant actionnable par l'utilisateur,
  • ▪ un troisième moyen apte à induire la rotation de la lame autour de son axe d'articulation après son déverrouillage.

According to the invention, the handle incorporates:

• a first means, able to lock the blade in the folded position, in order to avoid the accidental exit of said blade from the handle;
• in the vicinity of the articulation zone of the blade on the handle,
  • ▪ a second means capable of unlocking said first locking means, said second means being operable by the user,
  • ▪ a third means capable of inducing the rotation of the blade around its axis of articulation after it has been unlocked.

According to the invention, the handle also comprises additional means capable of causing partial rotation of the blade outside the handle during the unlocking action.

• ▪ d'un organe de verrouillage de la lame en position fermée c'est-à-dire escamotée au sein du manche, ledit moyen étant déverrouillable par actionnement de l'utilisateur induisant simultanément le déverrouillage effectif de la lame et la sortie partielle ou totale de cette dernière hors de la fente ou de l'évidement ménagé au sein du manche, et
• ▪ d'un organe apte à limiter la vitesse de rotation de la lame ou l'amplitude de sortie de la lame hors du manche après déverrouillage, ce afin d'optimiser la sécurité de l'utilisateur lors de l'ouverture de ladite lame.

In other words, the invention consists in providing a knife with a folding blade:

• ▪ a member for locking the blade in the closed position, that is to say retracted within the handle, said means being unlockable by actuation by the user, simultaneously inducing the effective unlocking of the blade and the partial or total exit of the latter out of the slot or the recess provided within the handle, and
• ▪ a device capable of limiting the speed of rotation of the blade or the amplitude of the blade exiting from the handle after unlocking, in order to optimize the safety of the user when opening said blade.

In doing so, said blade undergoing a limited rotation, typically of about twenty degrees relative to the longitudinal axis of the handle, the user can grasp it in particular at its free end, without risk of cutting himself and without difficulty, for the purpose of unfolding it completely and positioning it in operational mode.

According to the invention, the handle comprises two plates extending substantially along the entire length of the slot that it defines. One of these plates has a spring blade provided with a lug capable of cooperating with a recess made for this purpose within the base of the blade to hold it in the locked position, this spring blade being capable of cooperating with a member release (the second means) operable by the user, and provided in the vicinity of the articulation zone of the blade on the handle.

According to the invention, said plate comprises a second spring blade, also provided with a lug capable of cooperating with a recess provided for this purpose within the base of the blade, and intended to limit the amplitude of rotation of the blade. once it is unlocked.

According to the invention, the third means able to generate the rotation of the blade consists of a spring blade, folded on itself, thus defining two branches, one of which is secured to a spacer separating the two plates, and the other of which rests against the blade.

According to the invention, the knife may comprise at least one means for braking or damping the rotation of the blade. This means is for example constituted by at least one compressible spring washer, typically made of stainless steel, associated coaxially with the axis of articulation of the blade, this washer being capable of braking the rotation of the blade under the effect said spring by friction. This spring washer can be reduced to a single portion of washer, and for example half of a washer.

Alternatively, this braking can result from said second strip spring mentioned above, which depending on the spring effect conferred on it by construction, can be sufficient to ensure this braking action.

In doing so, the safety of such a knife is optimized by limiting the risk of injury when the blade comes out.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the articulation zone of the blade comprises a spiral spring mounted coaxially with the axis of articulation of the blade and cooperating with the latter, the action of the spring being released when the member unlocking is actuated by the user, therefore causing the rotation of the blade and its exit from the slot in the handle, and possibly the complete unfolding of the blade.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES

The way in which the invention can be implemented and the resulting advantages will emerge better from the examples of embodiment which follow, given by way of indication and non-limiting in support of the appended figures, and in which identical references designate identical elements. or the like.

• La figure 4 est une vue schématique en éclaté du couteau des figures précédentes en position replié (lame escamotée).
• La figure 5 est une représentation schématique de l'une des deux platines intégrées dans le manche du couteau de l'invention.
• Les figures 6, 7 et 8 sont des vues schématiques partielles du couteau de l'invention, respectivement en position fermée, en position de préouverture, et ouverte et donc opérationnelle.
• La figure 9 est une représentation schématique de l'une des faces de la lame du couteau de l'invention.
• La figure 10 est une vue en section du couteau de l'invention en position semi-déplié.

There figures 1, 2 and 3 illustrate the folding blade knife according to the invention in perspective, respectively in the closed, open and therefore operational position and in the pre-opening position.

• There figure 4 is a schematic exploded view of the knife of the previous figures in the folded position (blade retracted).
• There figure 5 is a schematic representation of one of the two plates integrated into the handle of the knife of the invention.
• THE figure 6 , 7 and 8 are partial schematic views of the knife of the invention, respectively in the closed position, in the pre-opening position, and open and therefore operational.
• There figure 9 is a schematic representation of one of the faces of the blade of the knife of the invention.
• There figure 10 is a sectional view of the knife of the invention in the semi-unfolded position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

THE figures 1, 2 and 3 schematically illustrate the knife according to the invention. This is of the folding blade type, that is to say that the blade (1) with which it is provided, typically made of stainless steel, is capable of folding up within a recess made within the handle. (2).

The blade (1) is hinged in the vicinity of one of the ends of the handle (2) with respect to a hinge pin (7).

The handle (2) can be made of any material (wood, plastic, etc.). In this case, it typically comprises two outer shells (3, 4), each fixed by screws (5) on a respective inner plate (9, 8), themselves assembled together by means of a spacer (10). The plates define between them the housing or slot intended to receive the blade (1).

We have represented more specifically in picture 3 , the position of the knife with the blade positioned in pre-opening, constituting one of the characteristics of the result to be achieved in accordance with one embodiment of the invention.

There is shown with the reference (6), a push button, operable by the user by simple pressure, and intended, in accordance with the invention, to induce the pre-opening of the blade in order to achieve the result illustrated in picture 3 . This push button (6) is again positioned in the vicinity of the articulation zone of the blade on the handle. More precisely, this push button (6) is integrated into a box (11), extending the shell (3) at the level of the articulation zone of the blade (1), and secured to the internal plates, also by means of screws , or any other means, such as square brackets.

There figure 4 illustrates in exploded view the various components of the knife of the invention.

We have illustrated in detail with the figure 5 , one (8) of the two decks. These are typically made of stainless steel. These two plates are parallel to each other, and also to the general plane in which the blade (1) fits.

The plate (8) plays an important role in the context of the invention. For this purpose, it is provided with two spring strips, respectively (12) and (13), coming from its cutout. The elastic character is given to the two slats by appropriate heat treatment of the steel, a technique which is moreover well known in the field in question.

The free end (16) of the leaf spring (12) is provided on its face facing towards the other plate (9), with a lug (14), facing towards the plate (9), and intended to cooperate with two openings or recesses (18, 19) made in the vicinity of the base of the blade (1), respectively when the latter is in the completely unfolded position and in the folded position. Thus, due to the spring effect of the slat (12), the locking in the closed position of the blade (1) inside the slot of the handle (2) is ensured by cooperation of the lug (14) with the recess (19), avoiding any accidental opening of the blade. As a corollary, due to the same effect, the blade (1) is blocked in the open position by cooperation of the pin (14) with the recess (18). It is also observed that these two recesses are on the one hand, positioned at the same distance from the orifice (20) allowing the passage of the axis of rotation (7) of the blade (1), and on the other hand , substantially diametrically opposite to each other with respect to this orifice. This is explained by the fact that the amplitude of movement of the blade is substantially 180°.

The unlocking of the blade (1) is obtained by actuating a push button (6). The latter is provided with a lug (22) coming to rest at the level of the end (16) of said leaf spring (12), thus releasing the lug (14) from its cooperation with the recess (18 ) household.

The push button (6) is subjected to the action of a leaf spring (23) secured to the case (11), so as to induce, in the absence of constraint, that is to say when it is not actuated by the user, its positioning in non-operational mode, that is to say not inducing the release of the blade (1).

The first means capable of unlocking the blade when the latter is completely retracted within the handle has therefore just been described.

The knife according to a first embodiment of the invention also comprises a second means capable of allowing, when the blade (1) is unlocked after actuation of the push button (6), the rotation of the latter by about twenty degrees approximately with respect to the longitudinal axis of the handle, in order to subsequently allow its gripping by the user.

To this end and according to the invention, this means consists for example of a leaf spring (24), folded on itself in order to define two branches. The free end of the first branch is secured to the spacer (10), and the other branch rests on the blade (1). In fact, and when the blade (1) is unlocked, said branch of the leaf spring (24) induces its rotation relative to the hinge pin (7).

The amplitude of this rotation is however limited to about twenty degrees. To do this, the second spring blade (13) of the plate (8) is provided with a lug (15), also directed in the direction of the other plate (9). This lug (15) is intended to cooperate with a recess or oblong light (21) made at the base of the blade, the orientation of said light being concentric with the axis of rotation of the blade (1). Thus, by varying the length and/or the position of this slot, the possible opening of the blade (1) is defined after it has been unlocked. In addition, depending on the intensity of the spring effect imparted by construction to this spring blade (13), and therefore as a corollary to the friction that its free end exerts on the blade (1), the latter can exert an braking on said blade when unlocking, and consequently limit the amplitude of rotation of the blade and / or its rotational speed.

According to another embodiment of the invention, the unfolding of the blade is complete. For this purpose, the knife is also provided with a spiral spring (not shown), positioned coaxially with the axis of articulation of the blade, one of the points of application of which on the latter is constituted by a radial slot (25) formed from the orifice (20), and whose other point of application is constituted by the housing.

In order to limit the excessively brutal action of these springs (spring blade (24) and spiral spring), the rotation of the blade is braked by means of at least one compressible spring washer (26), positioned at the level of the axis of rotation of the latter, thus ensuring a friction limiting the free rotation of the blade out of the handle when it is unlocked. The implementation of such a braking system advantageously makes it possible to oversize the spiral spring in order to have a lasting effect over time of the rotation of the blade.

One thus conceives the whole advantage of the knife of the present invention. First of all, it offers a relatively intense locking of the blade, respectively in the closed position and in the open position. In addition, it offers the possibility of ergonomic unlocking of the blade, using a simple push button ideally located when holding the knife in the operational position.

In addition, it allows a pre-opening of the blade in complete safety and without aggressiveness.

Claims (7)

1. A folding blade knife, comprising a handle (2) defining a recess into which a blade (1), hinged in the vicinity of one of the ends of the handle, is capable of retracting, the handle (2) integrating:

   - first means (12, 14, 16) capable of locking the blade (1) in folded position to avoid an untimely coming out of said blade from the handle (2);

   - in the vicinity of the area where the blade is hinged to the handle,

   ▪ second means (6, 22) capable of unlocking said first locking means, said second means being operable by the user,

   ▪ third means (24) capable of inducing the rotation of the blade around its hinge axis after it has been unlocked;

   characterized in that the handle also integrates additional means capable of generating the partial rotation of the blade out of the handle during the unlocking action between the folded position and an open or unfolded position.
2. The folding blade knife of claim 1, characterized in that the handle comprises two plates (8, 9) substantially extending along the entire length of the slot that it defines, one (8) of these plates having a leaf spring (12) provided with a lug (14) capable of cooperating with a recess (19) provided for this purpose within the base of the blade (1) to hold it in locked position, the spring leaf (12) being capable of cooperating with the second means (6, 22).
3. The folding blade knife of claim 2, characterized in that the lug (14) is capable of cooperating with a recess (18) formed within the base of the blade (1) to hold the latter in open or unfolded position.
4. The folding blade knife of any of claims 2 and 3, characterized in that said plate (8) comprises a second leaf spring (13), also provided with a lug (15) capable of cooperating with a recess (21) provided for this purpose within the base of the blade, and intended to limit the rotation amplitude of the blade once the latter has been unlocked.
5. The folding blade knife of claim 4, characterized in that said second leaf spring (13) behaves as additional means capable of limiting the speed of the rotation or of the coming out of the blade from the handle and/or of the rotation amplitude of the blade out of the handle during the unlocking action
6. The folding blade knife of any of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that said additional means further comprise at least one compressible spring lock washer (26) or a washer portion, positioned on the hinge axis of the blade (1), capable of slowing down the blade rotation under the effect of said spring by friction.
7. The folding blade knife of any of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the third means capable of generating the rotation of the blade are formed of a spring leaf (24), folded on itself, thus defining two branches, one of which is fastened to a spacer (10) separating and fastening together the two plates (8, 9) and the other one of which bears against the blade.

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