GB2255967A

GB2255967A - Cassette for disposible blades for knives

Info

Publication number: GB2255967A
Application number: GB9110866A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David Bradshaw Scott; Gary Scott
Original assignee: Stanley Works Ltd
Current assignee: Stanley Works Ltd
Priority date: 1991-05-20
Filing date: 1991-05-20
Publication date: 1992-11-25
Also published as: GB9110866D0

Abstract

A reusable and/or refillable cassette (10) for disposable blades (24) for knives comprises a casing (12) with an integrally hinged lid (16) closing one opening and a dispensing member (14) at an opposite opening (28). A latch detent (36) holds lid (16) shut. A resilient detent (38) holds dispensing member (14) against inadvertently sliding out. A stop on the end of the dispensing member (14) holds the blades (24) from leaking out. A leaf spring (18) is mounted inside the lid (16), to bias the stack (22) of blades (24) towards the dispensing member (14). <IMAGE>

Description

CASSETTE FOR DISPOSABLE BLADES FOR RNIVES This invention relates to a cassette for disposable blades for knives.

Known types of cassette for disposable blades for knives have a casing with a slot in it for dispensing a blade, but have the disadvantage of allowing the blade inadvertently to exit through the slot when not intended. Also, the cassettes are not reusable.

The invention provides a reusable and/or refillable cassette for disposable blades for knives as claimed in claim 1, to which reference is directed.

The invention will be described by way of example with reference to the drawings, wherein FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cassette embodying the invention, with its dispensing member shown in full lines as retracted and in "chain-dot" lines as extended, the cassette containing blades; FIG. 2 is another perspective view of the cassette with the lid open and blades removed; Figs. 3 to 8 are different views of the cassette, namely: - FIG. 3 is a side elevation of the cassette; FIG. 4 is a plan view of the cassette; FIG. 5 is one end view of the cassette; FIG. 6 is an opposite end view of the cassette; FIG 7 is an underneath plan view of the cassette; and FIG. 8 is a section on VIII-VIII of Fig. 4; FIGS. 9 to 13 are different views of the dispensing member, namely: - FIG. 9 is a plan view of the dispensing member; FIG. 10 is one end view of the dispensing member; FIG. 11 is an opposite end view of the dispensing member; FIG. 12 is a side elevation of the dispensing member; and FIG. 13 is an underneath plan view of the dispensing member; and FIG. 14 is a perspective view of the spring.

Referring to the drawings, the illustrated cassette 10 comprises a casing 12, a dispensing member 14, a lid 16 and a spring 18.

The casing 12 is generally the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped with two rectangular sidewalls 12a, 12b and two rectangular end walls 12c, 12d. The casing 12 forms a compartment 20 to contain a stack 22 of disposable blades 24 for individual dispensing of the blades 24 therefrom. The casing 12 has first and second elongate openings 26, 28 extending along two mutually opposite sides respectively of the casing 12. The first opening 26 is'defined by edges of the sidewalls 12a, 12b and of the end walls 12c, 12d.

The second opening 28 is defined by four narrow edge elements, namely, two longer ones 12e, 12f and two shorter ones 12g and 12h. The longer edge elements 12e, 12f extend along edges of sidewalls 12a, 12b. The shorter edge elements 12g, 12h extend across the ends of the casing 12 between the sidewalls 12a, 12b.

The lid 16 normally closes said first opening 26.

The lid 16 is integral with the casing 12. More particularly, the lid 16 is hinged by a "live" (that is, integral) hinge 34 to the end wall 12c of the casing 12 and is openable upon operation of a latch detent 36 for access to the compartment 20, for the user to remove and replace the blades 24. The latch detent 36 is formed by a resilient portion 16a of lid 16, projecting perpendicularly from the main portion 16b of lid 16 and having a lip 16c, which engages one edge of an aperture 12i in the end wall 12d, at the opposite end of the casing 12 from the hinge 34. Latch detent 36 is non-protruding and thus not liable to accidental operation.

The spring 18 is a leaf spring and is mounted to the lid 16 by virtue of opposite ends 18a, 18b of the spring 18 being caught under portions of the lid 16. The spring end 18a is caught under lid portions 16d, 16e. A spigot 16f of the lid 16 engages in an aperture through the spring end 18a, so that the latter is almost immovable. The other spring end 18b can slide under lid portions 16g, 16h. The spring 18 is convexly bowed as shown, so as to bias the stack 22 of blades 24 towards the second opening 28. The fact that the spring end 18b can slide allows variation in the extent that spring 18 projects inwardly from the lid 16, as the height of the stack 22 of blades 24 varies.

To assemble the spring 18 with the lid 16, pressure is applied to the middle of the spring 18 so as to cause the second end 18b of the spring to slide under lid portions 16g, 16h to the limit of its travel, whereupon further pressure on the middle of the spring 18 causes the first end 18a to slide along, riding over the spigot 16f until the spigot 16f engages in the aforesaid aperture. This enables automatic assembly of the spring 18 with lid 16 by machine, not shown. The spring 18 may advantageously be formed from spring steel strip on the actual assembly machine, to avoid the need for separate handling of the spring 18.

The dispensing member 14 is disposed adjacent said second opening 28. Dispensing member 14 has a manually operable portion 14a, which is accessible from outside of the cassette 10, projecting slightly through said second opening 28, for extending the dispensing member 14, (that is, sliding the dispensing member 14 in a first direction along the casing 12, generally to the left in Fig. 1 and to the right in Figs. 2, 3, 4, 7 and 8) to dispense a blade 24 from the stack 22, and for then retracting the dispensing member 14, that is, sliding it back in the opposite direction. Tha- dispensing member 14 has a generally planar portion 14b, adapted to engage one side face of the blade 24.At the rear end of dispensing member 14 is a small internal protrusion 14c, protruding internally from the generally planar portion 14b, to engage the rear edge of the blade 24, so that the blade 24 is entrained and hence moved outwardly of the casing 12 when the dispensing member 14 is slid in said first direction. The manually engageable portion 14a protrudes externally from portion 14b. The dispensing member 14 is made rigid by a sidewall portion 14d, extending perpendicularly to an adjoining edge of the planar portion 14b. The portions 14b and 14d together form an "L"-section. The sidewall portion 14d shields the user from any sharp edge or point of the blade being dispensed.

The cassette comprises a resilient detent 38 for holding the dispensing member 14 normally in the casing 12 to prevent inadvertent sliding of the dispensing member 14 in said first direction and hence to prevent inadvertent dispensing of the blade 24. The detent 38 is formed by a rearwardly projecting resilient portion 14e of dispensing member 14, having a lip 14f which engages the rear of the edge element 12g of casing 12.

The dispensing member 14 projects in front of the front end point of the blade 24 to be dispensed, to provide protection from the front end point of the blade 24.

The dispensing member 14 is formed with a stop 14g, to retain the front end point of the blade 24 behind the front end of the dispensing member 14, as a safety measure.

The casing 12 forms an "L"-shaped slot 40, with one longer side 40a and one shorter side 40b, at one end thereof, through which the blade 24 is dispensed. The longer slot side 40a is formed between edge element 12g and end wall 12c, and is the side through which the blades 24 pass, together with portion 14b of dispensing member 14. The shorter slot side 40b is formed between side wall 12a and end wall 12c, to receive sidewall portion 14d of dispensing member 14.

The "L"-section of the dispensing member 14 is adapted to extend slidably through the "L"-shaped slot 40, as described above.

The stop 14g of dispensing member 14 also prevents the blade 24 which is to be dispensed from "leaking" out, that is, exiting through the slot 40 except when the dispensing member 14 is extended. The stop 14g is in the form of an internal spigot on the front end of the "L"-section. Lateral projections 14h, 14i of portion 14a slidably engage the outsides of the longer edge elements 12e, 12f of casing 12, whilst the edges of planar portion 14b slidably engage the insides of the longer edge elements 12e, 12f of casing 12, to position the dispensing member 14 adjacent the opening 28. Upon assembly, the lateral projections 14h, 14i can be readily snapped through the opening 28, so that automatic assembly of the dispensing member 14 with the casing 12 is readily possible by means of the above-mentioned assembly machine or, less advantageously, by another assembly machine.. Planar portion 14b has a cutout 14j, so that the blade 24 being dispensed can be easily removed when the dispensing member 14 has been fully extended, and so that the stack 22 of blades 24 is visible.

The points and sharp edges of blades are shielded or shrouded, as already mentioned. The cassette can be loaded or reloaded with "straight" and "hook" blades.

It does not have to be used only for blades, although this is its preferred use. It may instead be reloaded with other items, not shown.

The remaining stock of blades is clearly visible when the dispensing member is extended.

Claims

Claims:-

1. A reusable and/or refillable cassette for disposable blades for knives, the cassette comprising a casing, a dispensing member, a lid and a spring; the casing forming a compartment to contain a stack of said disposable blades for individual dispensing of the blades therefrom; the casing having first and second elongate openings extending along mutually opposite first and second sides respectively of the casing; the lid normally closing said first opening, the lid being hinged to the casing and being openable upon operation of a latch detent for access to the compartment to remove and replace the blades; the spring being mounted to the lid and arranged to bias the stack of blades towards the second opening;; the dispensing member being disposed adjacent said second opening and having a manually operable portion accessible from outside of the cassette through said second opening for sliding the dispensing member in a first direction along the casing, to dispense a blade from the stack, and for then sliding the dispensing member back in the opposite direction; the dispensing member having a blade-engaging portion adapted to engage one side face of the blade and also a part of the edge of the blade so that the blade is entrained and hence moved outwardly of the casing when the dispensing member is slid in said first direction; the cassette comprising a resilient detent for holding the dispensing member normally in the casing to prevent inadvertent sliding of the dispensing member in said first direction and hence to prevent inadvertent dispensing of the blade; the casing forming a slot at one end thereof through which the blade is dispensed; the dispensing member being formed with a front end portion projecting in front of the front end of the blade to be dispensed, to provide protection from the front end of the blade;; and the dispensing member being formed with a stop to prevent the blade which is to be dispensed from exiting through said slot except when the dispensing member is slid in said first direction along the casing.

2. A cassette as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first opening is formed by edges of two relatively long side walls and two relatively short end walls of the casing and said second opening is formed by two edge portions extending along said side walls and by two edge portions extending across the casing at the ends thereof.

3. A cassette as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein said lid comprises a generally planar portion, said latch detent comprising a portion of the lid extending generally perpendicular to said generally planar portion.

s

4. A cassette as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein said spring is a leaf spring bowing inwardly of the lid, two opposite ends of the spring being located under portions of the lid. one said end of the spring being substantially immovable and the other said end being slidable for variation in the inward bowing of the spring.

5. A cassette as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the dispensing member and the slot are both in the form of an "L"-section.

6. A cassette as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the stop with which the dispensing member is formed is at the front end thereof.