GB2332167A

GB2332167A - A knife handle

Info

Publication number: GB2332167A
Application number: GB9826687A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Eric Tarrerias
Original assignee: TARRERIAS BONJEAN ET CIE
Current assignee: TARRERIAS BONJEAN ET CIE
Priority date: 1997-12-10
Filing date: 1998-12-04
Publication date: 1999-06-16
Also published as: ITRM980759A1; IT1302910B1; FR2771957B1; DE19856751A1; FR2771957A1; GB9826687D0

Abstract

A handle, for a utensil or an item of cutlery such as a knife, is constructed from scales which may attach to either side of the shank of the knife. Each scale has an outer metallic shell 2. A plate 6 of ballast material, which may be metallic, is located within the shell and the remaining space is filled by plastic material 4.

Description

1 2332167

The invention concerns the field of cutlery and Its object Is an element, called a covering scale, fitted to the handle of a hand utensil, in particular a knife, as well as a process for obtaining the said element and a utensil fitted with such a covering scale.

It is known to have fitting elements called covering scales for the handle of a utensil, which are at tached laterally either to a shank forming an extension of the specific portion of the utensil, such as the blade of a knife or the bowl of a spoon, or to lining-plates for example in the case of a folding knife. The various elements constituting the handle are usually held together by riveting.

More particularly, solid metallic covering scales are known, notably ones made of aluminium. A disadvantage of these covering scales is that they are prohibitively expensive, which restricts their sales to the so-termed 1uxury" product category.

To improve the marketability of hand utensils whose handle has a metallic external appearance, it has been proposed to use covering scales which cost less to manufacture, in the form of a rigid shell made of metal and more particularly stainless steel, which is filled with a plastic material by injection moulding. These covering scales confer a metallic appearance upon the handle while being competitively priced.

A disadvantage of these utensils is that the weight of the knife does not match its appearance, which is deceptive for the user.

From GB 625 770 a process is also known which consists in inserting a rigid element into a covenng scale formed of a moulded plastic solid which is part of the handle of a folding knife, so as to reinforce the covering scale and produce a monoblock assembly comprising the covering scale itself and a lining-plate, whereas the latter is usually attached separately.

The aim of the present invention is to increase comfort when using a utensil, notably an item of cutlery and in particular a knife, which is provided with a covering scale of the ty envisaged pe 1 above that consists mainly of a rigid shell of metallic appearance or indeed a metallic shell, filled with a plastic material.

Thus, the object of the invention is a covenng scale of the type envisaged above, a process for the manufacture of a covering scale according to the invention, and a utensil whose handle is provided with a covering scale of that type.

The inventive step consists in incorporating ballast in the covering scale, to make the handle of the utensil comparably heavy to that of a similar utensil whose covering scales are entirely of metal, so that both the external appearance and the weight of the utensil Will tend to correspond to those of a similar utensil whose covering scales are entirely metallic, but for a lower cost.

Thus, according to the invention, a fitting element, called a covering scale, for the handle of a utensil, notably an item of cutlery and in particular a knife, being the type of fitting element which is attached laterally either to a shank forming an extension of the specific portion of the utensil, such as the blade of a knife, or to lining-plates in the case of a folding knife, is characterized in that it comprises:

a shell with a metallic outer face obtained by cladding its outer face with metal or by making the shell as a whole from a sheet of metal, for example by pressing, a plastic filling for the inside of the shell, such as a thermoplastic or thermo-setting plastic material, the said filling being ballasted either by a solid ballast insert or by a ballasted charge of the plastic material.

It should be noted that to optimize the result sought, and in the case when the ballast is a solid mass, this wi'll preferably occupy most of the volume inside the shell, with the plastic material filling in the extra space between the ballast and the inside wall of the shell and so constituting a simple binder between the ballast and the shell.

Thus, it should be understood that a utensil according to the invention is mainly characterized in that it comprises a handle whose covering scales incorporate ballast to make it heavier.

It should also be understood that the shell consists preferably of a "noble" metal or alloy, where,I noble" means a metal such as stainless steel, nickel, silver, or even chromium-plated copper.

According to a prefer-red form of construction, the said solid ballast, consisting for example of a plate, is inserted before the injection moulded filling, so as to be completely enveloped by the plastic material subsequently injected to fill in the shell. "Enveloped" means that the plate is surrounded by plastic material at least on its sides facing the inside surfaces of the shell, or indeed on all its sides, in order to avoid any undesired oxidation of the plate induced by 1. nfiltration of water when the utensi I is washed.

3 According to a form of construction alternative to the above, the solid ballast is inserted by pressing It into a hollow in the plastic mass, which is pre-shaped to receive it.

The present invention will be better understood and relevant details thereof Will emerge more clearly from the description given below of a preferred embodiment, with reference to the figures of the drawings attached, which show:

Fig. 1: A perspective view of a covering scale according to an embodiment of the invention Fig. 2: A perspective exploded view illustrating a process for the production of such a covering scale Fig. 3. A cross-section illustrating the same process before the operation of release from the mould.

In the figures, a covering scale of a knife handle is formed of a shell 2 filled by injecting a plastic material 4 such as polypropylene or ABS. This covering scale is ballasted with a metal plate 6 positioned close to the bottom of the shell 2 and surrounded by the plastic material 4.

The dimensions of the plate 6 correspond closely to the internal dimensions of the shell 2, being slightly smaller so as to leave a gap between them such that, for optimum ballasting of the covering scale, the plate 6 is in all cases enveloped by the plastic material 4 at least on its sides which correspond to the inside faces of the shell 2, in order to prevent any infiltration of water between the shell 2 and the plate 6 when the utensil is washed, thereby also preventing any inappropriate oxidation of the plate 6.

Thus, it is understood that the example illustrated represents an embodiment of the invention which achieves optimurn ballasting of the covering scale, and that without departing from the general concept of the invention, the plate 6 may have smaller dimensions or may consist of several separate sections, to provide less ballasting of the covering scale.

The covering scale is fitted to the handle of the utensil by riveting, and for this purpose the plate 6 preferably has holes such as 8 to allow the passage of rivets, the diameter of the holes being slightly larger than the diameter of the rivets so that the inside surface of the holes will be covered by the plastic material 4 injected, again in order to prevent oxidation of the plate 6 in the 4 corresponding area. It V411 be understood that the said coating is of such thickness that the rivets pass through the plate 6 with a close fit.

It should also be noted, especially in the case of optimum ballasting in which the plate 6 overlies the bottom of the shell 2 almost completely, that the plate 6 has perforations or cutouts such as 10 or 18 to allow passage of the plastic material 4 injected, to make possible or at least facilitate complete filling of the internal volume of the shell 2.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 2 and 3, a process for the production of a covering scale as illustrated in Fig. 1 comprises a stage consisting in the positioning of a metal shell 2 in a mould 12 and in the injection of plastic material 4 into the shell 2. The mould is provided with pins 14 designed to form holes in the plastic material 4 to allow the passage of rivets. According to the process of the invention, and in the case when the ballast provided is a plate 6, the ballast is positioned before the operation of injecting the plastic material 4 by placing a metal plate 6 in the shell 2 so that it is supported by its edges slightly above but close to the bottom of the shell 2, with the pins 14 passing through it.

It should be noted that the plate 6 is preferably totally surrounded by plastic material 4, but in the case when it is pushed up flush with the surface of the plastic material 4 injected, notably by virtue of the pressure of the plastic material under the plate 6 during the injection operation, the process of the invention additionally comprises, prior to the operation of positioning the plate 6 inside the shell 2, a stage in which the face 16 of the plate 6 which will be flush with the plastic material 4 is polished so as to avoid any oxidation of the said face 16 of the plate 6 which is to be in contact with either the shank or with a lining-plate of the utensil in the case of a folding knife.

It should be noted that although the ballast illustrated consists of a single plate, the said ballast could consist of several plates, whether or not traversed by the rivets.

Finally, it should be noted that the covering scale of the invention is designed to be fitted to the handle of any type of utensil, more particularly cutlery and notably a knife, whether folding or not, and that the shape of the covering scale illustrated is not a limiting factor in relation to the scope of the present invention.

CLAMS Fitting element, known as a covering scale, for the handle of a utensil, notably an item of cutlery and more particularly a knife, of the type of fitting element which is attached laterally either to a shank which forms an extension of the specific portion of the utensil, such as the blade of a knife, or to lining-plates in the case of a folding knife, characterized in that it comprises-. a shell (2) with a metallic outside face, and a filling for the inside space of the shell, the said filling being a plastic material (4) and being ballasted (6).

Claims

2. Covering scale according to Claim 1, characterized in that the said

ballast is a solid ballast insert (6).

Covering scale according to Claim 1, characterized in that the said ballast consists of a ballasted charge of the plastic matenial.

Covering scale according to Claim 2, characterized in that the ballast consists of a plate (6) which takes up most of the inside volume of the shell (2), with the plastic filling material (4) occupying the space remaining between the ballast (6) and the inside wall of the shell (2) and constituting a simple binder between the ballast (6) and the shell (2).

Covering scale according to Claim 4, characterized in that the dimensions of the plate (6) correspond approximately to the Internal dimensions of the shell (2), being slightly smaller so as to leave a gap between them, such that for optimum ballasting of the covering scale, the plate (6) is in all cases enveloped by plastic material (4) at least on its faces which correspond to the internal surfaces of the shell (2).

6. Covering scale according to Claim 4, intended to be attached by niveting to the shank of a utensil, characterized in that the plate (6) has holes (8) to allow the passage of rivets, the holes having a diameter slightly larger than that of the rivets so that the inside surfaces of the holes (8) will be coated by the plastic matenial (4) injected, the said coating being of a thickness such that the rivets pass through the plate (6) in close contact.

Covering scale according to Claim 4, characterized in that the plate (6) has perforations and cutouts ( 10, 18) to allow passage of the plastic material (4) injected.

8.

Utensil compnsing a covering scale according to Claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a handle whose covering scales incorporate ballast (6) to make it heavier.

9. Process for the production of a covering scale according to Claim 2, of the type of process in which a metal shell (2) is placed in a mould (12) and plastic material (4) is injected into the shell (2), the said mould (12) being provided with pins (14) designed to form holes in the plastic material (4) in order to allow the passage of nvets, characterized in that before the operation of injecting the plastic matenial (4), the process involves positioning a metal plate (6) in the shell (2) so that it rests on its edges slightly above the bottom of the shell (2) "i'th the pins ( 14) passing through it.

10. Process according to Claim 9 for the production of a ballasted covenng scale In which the plate (6) is flush w-ith the injected plastic material (4), characterized in that before the operation of positioning the plate (6) in the shell (2), the process compnises an operation of polishing the face (16) of the plate (6) which is to be flush With the plastic material (4).