A folding knife having a blade with a tang, and a handle with an end to which the tang is pivotally connected. The blade is rotatable relative to the handle about a pivot axis between an open position in which the blade is extended away from the handle and a closed position in which the blade is at least partially received within the handle. The folding knife may also include a post slidably held by the blade to slide along at least a portion of the blade between a retracted position and a locking position. When the blade is open and the post is in the locking position, the handle and post block pivoting of the blade from the open position toward the closed position. Additionally, the folding knife may be provided with an oversized tang portion and a spring mechanism that allow the knife blade to be easily pivoted into the open position. |
Citations|
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Referenced by|
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Claims1. A folding knife, comprising: - a handle including a channel passing therethrough from a blade receiving opening to a back edge opening that opposes the blade receiving opening;
- a blade pivotally connected to the handle, the blade rotatable between an open position in which the blade extends away from the handle and a closed position in which the blade is at least partially received within the channel, the blade including an oversized tang portion configured such that, as the blade is rotated from the open to the closed position, the oversized tang portion passes into the blade receiving opening and through the channel to extend out of the back edge opening once the blade is in the closed position, wherein the handle includes an end to which the blade is pivotally connected;
- an actuating spring operatively connected between the blade and the handle;
- a post extending transversely outward from the blade and slidably held by the blade to slide along at least a portion of the blade between a retracted position and a locking position;
- wherein:
- the actuating spring is compressed as the blade is rotated between the open and closed positions, the actuating spring being maximally compressed at an equilibrium point between the open and closed positions, such that the actuating spring urges the blade into the open position when the blade is rotated between the equilibrium point and the open position and into the closed position when the blade is rotated between the equilibrium point and the closed position; and
- the handle and the post block pivoting of the blade from the open position toward the closed position when the blade is in the open position and the post is in the locking position.
2. A folding knife, comprising: - a blade including a tang;
- a handle having an end to which the tang is pivotally connected, the blade being rotatable about a pivot axis between an open position in which the blade is extended away from the handle and a closed position in which the blade is at least partially received within the handle, thereby defining a plane of travel of the blade; and
- a post extending transversely outward from the plane of travel of the blade and slidably held by the blade to slide along at least a portion of the blade between a retracted position and a locking position, wherein the handle and the post block pivoting of the blade from the open position toward the closed position when the blade is in the open position and the post is in the locking position.
3. The folding knife of claim 2, wherein the blade includes an elongate slot passing through the blade, the post being transversely disposed within the slot and adapted to slide along the length of the slot. 4. The folding knife of claim 2, wherein the post is slidably held by the blade at a location spaced from the pivot axis so that the post is exposed as the blade rotates between the open and closed positions, whereby an external force may be applied to the post at any point in the blade's pivotal travel between the open and closed positions to cause the blade to pivot with respect to the handle. 5. The folding knife of claim 2, wherein the blade includes a point opposite the tang, and wherein the post is closer to the point when in the retracted position than when in the locking position. 6. A folding knife, comprising: - a blade including a tang, and an elongate slot passing through the blade;
- a handle having an end to which the tang is pivotally connected, the blade being rotatable about a pivot axis between an open position in which the blade is extended away from the handle and a closed position in which the blade is at least partially received within the handle;
- a post being transversely disposed within the slot and adapted to slide along the length of the slot to slide along at least a portion of the blade between a retracted position and a locking position, wherein the handle and the post block pivoting of the blade from the open position toward the closed position when the blade is in the open position and the post is in the locking position; and
- a spring having first and second ends, the spring being disposed within the slot and operatively connecting the blade and the post to urge the post along the slot toward the locking position.
7. The folding knife of claim 6, wherein the blade further comprises a recessed area located near an end of the elongate slot and a hole extending through the recessed area, wherein the second end of the spring is threaded through the hole. 8. The folding knife of claim 7, wherein the first end of the spring is attached to the post. 9. The folding knife of claim 6, wherein the blade further comprises a spring attachment member extending into the slot, and wherein the second end of the spring is wrapped around the spring attachment member. 10. The folding knife of claim 6, further comprising a plate secured to the post and adapted to at least partially cover the elongate slot. 11. A folding knife, comprising: - a blade including a tang;
- a handle having an end to which the tang is pivotally connected, the blade being rotatable about a pivot axis between an open position in which the blade is extended away from the handle and a closed position in which the blade is at least partially received within the handle;
- a post extending transversely outward from the blade and slidably held by the blade to slide along at least a portion of the blade between a retracted position and a locking position, wherein the handle and the post block pivoting of the blade from the open position toward the closed position when the blade is in the open position and the post is in the locking position; and
- a spring operatively connected between the tang of the blade and the handle, wherein the spring is compressed to exert a pivoting force upon the blade as the blade is rotated between the open and closed positions.
12. The folding knife of claim 11, wherein the spring is adapted to be maximally compressed at an equilibrium point between the open and closed positions, such that the spring urges the blade into the open position when the blade is rotated between the equilibrium point and the open position and into the closed position when the blade is rotated between the equilibrium point and the closed position. 13. A folding knife, comprising: - a blade including an oversized tang;
- a handle having an end to which the tang is pivotally connected, the blade being rotatable about a pivot axis between an open position in which the blade is extended away from the handle and a closed position in which the blade is at least partially received within the handle, the handle including an opening extending from a blade-receiving channel in the handle through a back of the handle;
- a post extending transversely outward from the blade and slidably held by the blade to slide along at least a portion of the blade between a retracted position and a locking position;
- wherein the oversized tang portion of the blade is sized to extend through the opening in the handle when the blade is stored in the handle so that the oversized tang portion is exposed through the back of the handle; and
- the handle and the post block pivoting of the blade from the open position toward the closed position when the blade is in the open position and the post is in the locking position.
14. The folding knife of claim 13, further comprising a spring operatively connected between the tang of the blade and the handle, wherein the spring is compressed to exert a pivoting force upon the blade as the blade is rotated between the open and closed positions. 15. The folding knife of claim 14, wherein the spring is adapted to force the blade to pivot toward the open position when the oversized tang portion of the blade is pushed into the handle until the blade reaches an equilibrium point. 16. A folding knife, comprising: - a blade including a tang;
- a handle having an end to which the tang is pivotally connected, the end having an exposed exterior edge surface, the blade being rotatable about a pivot axis between an open position in which the blade is extended away from the handle and a closed position in which the blade is at least partially received within the handle; and
- a post slidably held by the blade and adapted to slide along at least a portion of the blade such that as the blade is rotated between the open and closed positions, the post is allowed to slide toward the end of the handle to engage the exposed exterior edge surface, and wherein the post may, after the blade is rotated to the open position, be retractably slid toward the end of the handle into a locking position in which the post interacts with the exposed exterior edge surface to lock the blade in the open position.
17. The folding knife of claim 16, wherein the handle further comprises a reinforcement member located at the end of the handle to form at least part of the exposed exterior edge surface, the reinforcement member being adapted to reinforce the handle as it is engaged by the post when the post is in the locking position. 18. The folding knife of claim 16, wherein the exposed exterior edge surface has a locking portion including a corner, wherein as the blade is rotated from the closed position to the open position, the post passes around the corner and is allowed to slide toward the locking position to engage the locking portion and lock the blade in the open position. 19. The folding knife of claim 16, further comprising a spring operatively connecting the blade and post to urge the post toward the end of the handle such that, as the blade is rotated between the closed and open positions, the post is urged into engagement with the exposed exterior edge surface. 20. The folding knife of claim 16, further comprising a notch defined on the end of the handle, wherein the post may slide into the notch toward the locking position when the blade is in the open position so that the post and the end of the handle block pivoting of the blade from the open position toward the closed position. 21. The folding knife of claim 16, further comprising a spring operatively connected between the tang of the blade and the handle, wherein the spring is compressed to exert a pivoting force upon the blade as the blade is rotated between the open and closed positions. 22. The folding knife of claim 16, further comprising: - an opening in the handle extending from a blade-receiving channel in the handle through a back of the handle; and
- an oversized tang portion of the blade that is sized to extend through the opening in the handle when the blade is stored in the handle so that the oversized tang portion is exposed for manipulation from the back of the handle.
23. The folding knife of claim 22, further comprising a spring operatively connected between the tang of the blade and the handle, wherein the spring is compressed to exert a pivoting force upon the blade as the blade is rotated between the open and closed positions. 24. The folding knife of claim 23, wherein the spring is adapted to force the blade to pivot toward the open position when the oversized tang portion of the blade is pushed into the handle until the blade reaches an equilibrium point. 25. A folding knife, comprising: - a handle including a channel passing therethrough from an elongate blade receiving opening extending across a majority of the handle to a back edge opening that opposes the blade receiving opening;
- a blade pivotally connected to the handle, the blade rotatable between an open position in which the blade extends away from the handle and a closed position in which the blade is at least partially received within the channel, the blade including an oversized tang portion configured such that, as the blade is rotated from the open to the closed position, the oversized tang portion passes into the blade receiving opening and through the channel to extend out of the back edge opening once the blade is in the closed position; and
- an actuating spring operatively connected between the blade and the handle, wherein the actuating spring is compressed as the blade is rotated between the open and closed positions, the actuating spring being maximally compressed at an equilibrium point between the open and closed positions, such that the actuating spring urges the blade into the open position when the blade is rotated between the equilibrium point and the open position and into the closed position when the blade is rotated between the equilibrium point and the closed position.
26. A folding knife, comprising: - a handle including a channel passing therethrough from a blade receiving opening to a back edge opening that opposes the blade receiving opening;
- a blade pivotally connected to the handle, the blade rotatable between an open position in which the blade extends away from the handle and a closed position in which the blade is at least partially received within the channel, the blade including an oversized tang portion configured such that, as the blade is rotated from the open to the closed position, the oversized tang portion passes into the blade receiving opening and through the channel to extend out of the back edge opening once the blade is in the closed position;
- an actuating spring operatively connected between the blade and the handle;
- wherein:
- the actuating spring is compressed as the blade is rotated between the open and closed positions, the actuating spring being maximally compressed at an equilibrium point between the open and closed positions, such that the actuating spring urges the blade into the open position when the blade is rotated between the equilibrium point and the open position and into the closed position when the blade is rotated between the equilibrium point and the closed position; and
- the oversized tang portion is sized to extend at least partially out of the back edge opening when the blade is rotated at the equilibrium point between the open and closed positions.
27. A pocket knife having a blade and a handle into which the blade pivots for storage, comprising: - an opening in the handle extending from an elongate blade-receiving channel extending across a majority of the handle and then through a back of the handle, the back of the handle opposing the blade-receiving channel;
- an oversized tang portion of the blade that is sized to extend through the opening in the handle when the blade is stored in the handle so that the oversized tang portion is exposed for manipulation from the back of the handle; and
- a spring operatively connected between the blade and the handle to force the blade to pivot toward an open position when the oversized tang portion of the blade is pushed into the handle until the blade reaches an equilibrium point.
28. A folding knife, comprising: - a blade including a tang;
- a handle having an end to which the tang is pivotally connected, the blade being rotatable about a pivot axis between an open position in which the blade is extended away from the handle and a closed position in which the blade is at least partially received within the handle;
- a notch defined on the end of the handle; and
- a post extending transversely outward from the blade and slidably held by the blade to slide along at least a portion of the blade between a retracted position and a locking position, wherein the post and the notch are adapted such that when the blade is rotated into the open position, the post may be retractably slid into the locking position to interact with the handle and lock the blade in the open position.
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