SPRING-ASSISTED UTILITY KNIFE

摘要

A utility knife includes a folding handle in which a neck folds into a handle base. A neck lock locks the neck in its closed or open position relative to the handle base. The neck is spring-biased toward its open position to assist in one-handed opening of the handle. A utility blade and blade holder are slidably carried by neck for manual movement between retracted/protected and extended/exposed positions. The neck cannot be folded into or locked in the closed position if the blade is exposed.

主权项

1. A knife comprising:
a handle base; a neck connected to the handle base for movement relative to the handle base between a closed position and an open position; a first spring that operatively extends between the handle base and neck to spring-bias the neck toward the neck's open position; a manually releasable neck lock that releasably locks the neck in closed position, wherein the neck lock is configured such that manually releasing the neck lock while the neck is in the closed position permits the neck spring to move the neck into the neck's open position; and a utility blade holder slidingly carried by the neck for sliding movement relative to the neck and handle base between a retracted position and an extended position, wherein the utility blade holder is shaped and configured to carry a utility blade such that movement of the utility blade holder between its extended and retracted positions moves the utility blade relative to the neck and handle base between an exposed position in which a cutting edge of the blade is exposed, and a protected position in which the cutting edge of the blade is protected by the neck.