KNIFE WITH INTEGRAL SEALED POWER SOURCE

Abstract

A folding knife is provided with a power storage device that can be charged and recharged by a charge component that wirelessly receives power from a remote source. In some embodiments, the folding knife can have a device that consumes energy such as a light, a camera, a microphone, an audio speaker, etc. The power storage device and the charge component can be positioned in a scale of the handle where the substantially planar shapes of the scale, the power storage device, and the charge component are oriented in a common direction. In some embodiments, the cavities, recesses, and channels in the first scale that house these components and linking wires are strategically positioned to leave a reinforcing area that provides strength and stiffness to the handle. Various features are also described herein that improve safety of the charging system.

Claims

1. A folding knife that wirelessly receives power from a remote source, comprising: a handle having a first scale and a second scale that define a channel positioned therebetween, wherein said first scale has a substantially planar shape and includes a charge cavity; a blade pivotally interconnected to a forward end of said handle, wherein said blade has a cutting edge, said blade is movable between a first closed position where said cutting edge is positioned in said channel and a second extended position where said cutting edge is positioned outside of said channel; and a charge component positioned in said charge cavity for wirelessly receiving power and transferring power to a power storage device positioned in said handle, wherein said charge component and said power storage device each have a substantially planar shape, and wherein said substantially planar shapes of said power storage device, said charge component, and said first scale are oriented in a common direction.

2. The folding knife of claim 1, wherein said charge component is one of an inductive coil, a resonator coil, and an RF antenna.

3. The folding knife of claim 1, wherein said power storage device is one of a battery or a capacitor.

4. The folding knife of claim 1, wherein said planar shape of said power storage device has a ratio between a maximum dimension in a planar direction to a maximum dimension in a thickness direction that is greater than eight.

5. The folding knife of claim 1, further comprising a device electrically connected to a control unit, wherein at least one of said first scale, said second scale, a liner, a liner lock, a back lock, a pivot tie, or a split spring provides said electrical connection between said device and said control unit.

6. The folding knife of claim 1, wherein said power storage device is positioned in a storage cavity in said first scale, and a storage channel extends between said storage cavity and said charge cavity.

7. A knife that wirelessly receives power from a remote source, comprising: a handle having a first scale and a second scale; a blade interconnected to a forward end of said handle, wherein said blade has a cutting edge; a charge cavity extending into an inner surface of said first scale; a charge component positioned in said charge cavity for wirelessly receiving power and transferring power to a power storage device positioned in said handle; and a plurality of channels extending into said inner surface of said first scale, wherein a device channel of said plurality of channels extends from a device recess or aperture to said charge cavity, and an activation channel of said plurality of channels extends from an activation recess or aperture to said charge cavity, and wherein a reinforcement area is defined between said device channel and said activation channel to increase a strength and stiffness of said first scale.

8. The knife of claim 7, further comprising a plurality of cutout areas extending into an inner surface of said second scale, wherein a combined area of said plurality of cutout areas is larger than a combined area of said charge cavity and said plurality of channels.

9. The knife of claim 7, further comprising: a control unit positioned in said charge cavity, wherein said charge component and said power storage device are electrically connected to said control unit; and a light positioned in said device recess or aperture, wherein a wire extends from said light, through said device channel to said control unit, and said control unit transfers power from said power storage device to said light upon said control unit receiving a signal.

10. The knife of claim 7, further comprising: a control unit positioned in said charge cavity, wherein said charge component and said power storage device are electrically connected to said control unit; and a storage channel of said plurality of channels extends from a storage cavity to said charge cavity, wherein said power storage device is positioned in said storage cavity, and wherein a wire extends from said power storage device, through said storage channel, and to said control unit to electrically connect said power storage device and said control unit.

11. The knife of claim 7, further comprising: a control unit positioned in said charge cavity, wherein said charge component and said power storage device are electrically connected to said control unit; and an activation device positioned in said activation recess or aperture, wherein a wire extends from said activation device, through said activation channel, and to said control unit, and said activation device transmits a signal to said control unit through said wire.

12. The knife of claim 7, wherein said first scale, said charge component, and said power storage device each have a substantially planar shape, and wherein said substantially planar shapes of said power storage device, said charge component, and said first scale are oriented in a common direction, wherein said charge component and said power storage device are sealed in an enclosed volume against external elements such that a fluid outside of said enclosed volume cannot move into said enclosed volume.

13. The knife of claim 7, wherein said first scale and said second scale define a channel positioned therebetween, and said blade is pivotally interconnected to said forward end of said handle, and wherein said blade is movable between a first closed position where said cutting edge is positioned in said channel and a second extended position where said cutting edge is positioned outside of said channel.

14. A wireless charging system for a folding knife, comprising: a folding knife having: a handle with a first scale and a second scale that define a channel; a blade pivotally interconnected to a forward end of said handle, wherein said blade has a cutting edge, and said blade is movable between a first closed position where said cutting edge is positioned in said channel and a second extended position where said cutting edge is positioned outside of said channel; a first charge component positioned in said handle and configured to transfer power to a power storage device in said handle of said folding knife, wherein said first charge component comprises windings extending in a first plane; and a base having a second charge component that is configured to wirelessly transmit power to said first charge component, wherein said second charge component comprises windings extending in a second plane, and wherein said first and second plane are oriented substantially parallel to each other and offset from each other by less than 4 cm when an outer surface of one of said first scale or said second scale of said folding knife is placed on an upper surface of said base.

15. The charging system of claim 14, further comprising a protrusion extending upward from said upper surface of said base that at least partially extends into said protrusion to locate said first charge component relative to said second charge component when said outer surface of one of said first scale or said second scale of said folding knife is placed on said upper surface of said base.

16. The charging system of claim 14, further comprising a position sensor in said handle of said folding knife, wherein said position sensor is configured to detect said blade in said first closed position and said blade in said second extended position, wherein said position sensor sends a signal to a control unit in said handle when said blade is in said second extended position, and said control unit activates a device in response to said signal.

17. The charging system of claim 16, wherein said device is one of a light, a locking mechanism, an opening mechanism, a microphone, an audio speaker, a GPS beacon or device, a fitness tracker, a heart monitor, a receiver, a transmitter, a transceiver, a pH sensor, a position sensor, a hand warmer, a vibrating mechanism, a camera or video recorder, a communication device, or a clock.

18. The charging system of claim 14, further comprising a position sensor in said handle of said folding knife, wherein said position sensor is configured to detect said blade in said first closed position and said blade in said second extended position, wherein said position sensor sends a signal to a control unit in said handle when said blade is in said first closed position, and said control unit prevents said power storage device from charging in response to said signal.

19. The charging system of claim 16, wherein said position sensor is one of an inductive sensor, a mechanical contact switch, a momentary contact switch, or a photoelectric switch.

20. The charging system of claim 16, further comprising an electromagnetic shield positioned between said first charge component and said position sensor in said handle.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0045] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate embodiments of the disclosure and together with the general description of the disclosure given above and the detailed description of the drawings given below, serve to explain the principles of the disclosures.

[0046] FIG. 1B shows a front perspective view of a folding knife with a blade in a closed position according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0047] FIG. 1B shows a front perspective view of the folding knife in FIG. 1A with the blade in an open position according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0048] FIG. 2 shows a rear perspective view of the folding knife in FIG. 1A according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0049] FIG. 3 is a bottom plan view of a handle of the folding knife in FIG. 1A according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0050] FIG. 4A is a side elevation view of the first scale of a handle of a folding knife according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0051] FIG. 4B is a perspective view of a first scale of the handle in FIG. 4A according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0052] FIG. 5A is a side elevation view of a second scale of a handle of a folding knife according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0053] FIG. 5B is a perspective view of the second scale of the handle in FIG. 5A according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0054] FIG. 6A is a side elevation view of electronic components for a folding knife according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0055] FIG. 6B is a side elevation view of the electronic components in FIG. 6A positioned in a first scale of folding knife according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0056] FIG. 7A is a side elevation view of a folding knife and a charge base according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0057] FIG. 7B is a side elevation view of another folding knife and a charge base according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0058] FIG. 7C is a side elevation view of a further folding knife and a charge base according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0059] FIG. 7D is a side elevation view of another folding knife and a charge base according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; and

[0060] FIG. 8 is a flow chart for operation of a folding knife positioned on a charge base according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0061] To provide further clarity to the detailed description provided herein in the associated drawings, the following list of components and associated numbering are provided as follows:

TABLE-US-00001 Component No. Component 2 Folding Knife 6 Blade 10 Spine 14 Thumb Traction Surface 18 Aperture 22 Handle 26 First Scale 30 Pivot Point 34 Lock Feature 38 Lanyard Aperture 42a, 42b Light 46 Activation Device 50 Tip 54 Cutting Edge 58 Choil 62 Clip 66 Second Scale 70 Channel 74 Channel Width 78a, 78b Storage Cavity 82 Reinforcement Area 86a, 86b, 86c Storage Channel 90 Charge Cavity 94 Lock Aperture 98 Pivot Recess 102a, 102b Light Recess 106a, 106b Light Channel 110a, 110b, 110c Activation Aperture 114a, 114b, 114c Activation Channel 118a, 118b Arm 122 Rib 126 Cutout Area 130 Back Portion 134a, 134b Power Storage Device 138 Control Unit 142 Charge Component 146a, 146b, 146c Power Wire 150a, 150b Light Wire 154a, 154b, 154c Activation Wire 158 Charge Base 162 Charge Component 166 Protrusion 170 Wing 174 Wing Height 178 Knife Width 182 Position Sensor 186 Shield 190 First Offset 194 Second Offset 198 Position Knife 202 Receive Power 206 Determine Status 210 Cease Reception 214 Provide Indication 218 Permit Reception 222 Provide Indication

[0062] It should be understood that the drawings are not necessarily to scale, and various dimensions may be altered. In certain instances, details that are not necessary for an understanding of the disclosure or that render other details difficult to perceive may have been omitted. It should be understood, of course, that the disclosure is not necessarily limited to the particular embodiments illustrated herein.

DESCRIPTION

[0063] As described in detail below, various embodiments of the present disclosure include novel folding knife designs and configurations, comprising a sealed power storage device and charge component and/or other features or devices. The present disclosure has significant benefits across a broad spectrum of endeavors.

[0064] Referring now to FIGS. 1A and 1B, front perspective views of a folding knife 2 in a closed position and an open position, respectively, are provided. The folding knife 2 generally has a handle 22 and a blade 6 that rotates relative to the handle 22 between the closed position and the open position. As shown, the blade 6 has a spine 10, a cutting edge 54, and a tip 50 positioned at a distal end of the blade 6 between the spine 10 and the cutting edge 54. The blade 6 can have further features such as a thumb traction surface 14 and a choil 58 that provide enhanced grip surfaces for a user. The blade 6 also has an aperture 18 that can assist a user in rotating the blade 6 about a fixed pivot pin 30 from the closed position to the open position. The blade 6 is typically metal, but can be any known material such as ceramic, fiberglass, or plastic.

[0065] The handle 22 has a first scale 26 and a second scale 66, which is shown in FIG. 2. The handle 22 also has a lock device 34 that can selectively lock the blade 6 in one or both of the open position and the closed position. The handle 22 further comprises a lanyard aperture 38 through both scales 26, 66 where a user can connect a lanyard or other similar feature to carry or secure the folding knife 2. The handle 22 and scales 26, 66 can be composed of various materials known in the art, for example, wood, metal, composite material, fiberglass, plastic, etc. The scales 26, 66 can be made of a material that promotes the wireless charging of the folding knife 2. In one embodiment, the scales 26, 66 are made from a plastic that allows an electromagnetic wave to reach electronic components within the scales 22, 66. In other embodiments, the scales 22, 66 can comprise a shield that prevents the free transmission of electromagnetic waves except for the electronic components related to the wireless transmission of electrical energy.

[0066] In one embodiment, a first light 42a and a second light 42b are positioned at a fore end of the handle 22, and an activation device 46 such as a button can activate the lights 42a, 42b. The lights 42a, 42b illuminate the area in front of the folding knife 2 to assist with a cutting or thrusting action of the blade 6. Pressing the activation device 46 can cause the lights 42a, 42b to illuminate in different ways and in different combinations. For instance, pressing the activation device 46 can cycle the lights 42a, 42b through multiple modes of operation, which can include activating only one light 42a, 42b, activating both lights 42a, 42b, activating one or both lights 42a, 42b with different colors, pulsing one or both lights 42a, 42b to produce a strobe effect, activating one or both lights 42a, 42b with a brighter or less bright intensity, etc. In addition, holding the activation device 46 for a predetermined amount of time (e.g., 1 s, 2 s, 3 s, etc.) can cause the lights 42a, 42b to activate in a yet a further mode or modes of operation.

[0067] It will be appreciated that while two lights 42a, 42b are depicted, embodiments of the present disclosure encompass a greater or fewer number of lights 42a, 42b or other devices. In addition, one light 42a can be positioned on one scale and the other light 42b can be position on the other scale. One light 42a can emit, for example, a red light, and one light 42b can emit, for example, a white light. Moreover, embodiments of the present disclosure encompass other devices such as a light, a locking mechanism, an opening mechanism, a microphone, an audio speaker, a GPS beacon or device, a fitness tracker, a heart monitor, a receiver, a transmitter, a transceiver, a pH sensor, a position sensor, a hand warmer, a vibrating mechanism, a camera or video recorder, a communication device, a clock, etc. It will be further appreciated that the activation device 46 can be a button, a switch, a slider switch that moves between more than two positions, a microphone that receives voice commands, etc.

[0068] Referring now to FIG. 2, a rear perspective view of the folding knife 2 is provided. Specifically, the second scale 66 of the handle 22 is shown, and a clip 62 is provided that can secure the folding knife 2 in a pocket, a belt, or other location. FIG. 2 also shows the reverse side of the blade 6, the lock device 34, and the lanyard aperture 38.

[0069] Referring now to FIG. 3, a bottom plan view of the handle 22 of the folding knife is provided. The first scale 26 and the second scale 66 define a channel 70 that receives the blade when the blade is in the closed position. In other words, the cutting edge of the blade is positioned in the channel 70 when the blade is in the closed position, and the cutting edge of the blade is position outside of the channel 70 when the blade is in the open position. In this view, the channel 70 has a channel width 74. The blade, the first scale 26, and the second scale 66 have substantially planar shapes to preserve the ergonomics and functionality of the handle 22 and the folding knife 2. Thus, the channel width 74 can be on the order of the thickness of one or both of the first scale 26 and the second scale 66 in some embodiments.

[0070] Referring now to FIGS. 4A and 4B, a side elevation view and a perspective view of an inner surface of the first scale 26 are provided, respectively. A power storage device, a charge component, an activation device, and a device such as a light are arranged in the first scale 26. Corresponding cavities, recesses, and channels extend into the inner surface of the first scale 26 to provide space for these components but are also strategically chosen to leave a remaining reinforcement area 82 that provides strength and stiffness to the first scale 26 and the folding knife.

[0071] Two storage cavities 78a, 78b extend into the first scale 26 to receive power storage devices, which can be batteries with planar shapes. Instead of a single battery with a thickness that is too large for the first scale 26, two or more separate batteries can each have a smaller thickness that allows for the batteries to be positioned in the first scale 26 while maintaining the planar ergonomics of the scale 26 and the folding knife. It will be appreciated that the power storage device can be a capacitor or other storage devices, and in addition, the folding knife can have a single storage cavity 78, more than two storage cavities 78, or even a combined cavity in various embodiments. FIG. 4B shows arms 118a, 118b that at least partially extend over an area of the respective storage cavities 78a, 78b. The arms 118a, 118b help retain the batteries inserted into the cavities 78a, 78b and can deflect as the batteries are positioned in place in the cavities 78a, 78b. When a liner, a backspacer, a second scale or other component is secured over the inner surface of the first scale 26, the arms 118a, 118b can effectively lock the power storage devices in the cavities 78a, 78b. Moreover, the arms 118a, 118b can have electric contacts to transfer power between the power storage devices and other components within the handle.

[0072] Next, a control cavity 90 extends into the inner surface of the first scale 26 to receive a control unit such as a circuit board as well as a charge component such as an inductive coil, a resonator coil, or an RF antenna. In some embodiments, the storage cavity 78 and the control cavity 90 can be combined into a single cavity. Also shown in FIG. 4A are three activation apertures 110a, 110b, 110c that extend through the first scale 26. These apertures 110a, 110b, 110c allow a portion of the activation device to extend between the outer and inner surfaces of the first scale 26 to send a signal to other components within the folding knife. The three apertures 110a, 110b, 110c are arrayed below the activation device so that if the activation device is pressed asymmetrically, then at least one part of the device will register the pressing action and transmit a signal through one of the apertures 110a, 110b, 110c. Two recesses 102a, 102b are positioned at the fore end of the first scale 26, and these recesses 102a, 102b receive the two lights shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B.

[0073] Several other recesses and apertures are shown in FIG. 4A. A blade recess 98 receives part of the blade and is centered about the pivot point 30 of the blade. A lock aperture 94 extends through the first scale 26 to receive components of the lock device. The lanyard aperture 38 is also depicted.

[0074] Several channels extend into the inner surface of the first scale 26 to link the various components of the folding knife together, and the channels are strategically located to leave a remaining reinforcement area 82 that provides strength and stiffness to the first scale 26 and the folding knife. A first storage channel 86a extends between the control cavity 90 to the first storage cavity 78a, a second storage channel 86b extends between the two storage cavities 78a, 78b, and a third storage channel 86c extends from the second storage cavity 78b back to the control cavity 90. These channels 86a, 86b, 86c can route wires, electric contacts, or otherwise provide electrical communication between the power storage devices and the control unit and/or charge component.

[0075] Three activation channels 114a, 114b, 114c extends from respective activation apertures 110a, 110b, 110c to the control cavity 90 to route wires, electric contacts, or otherwise provide electrical communication between the activation device and the control unit and/or charge component. Two device or light channels 106a, 106b extend from respective recesses 102a, 102b to the control cavity 90 to route wires, electric contacts, or otherwise provide electrical communication between a device such as a light and the control unit and/or charge component.

[0076] A reinforcement area 82 provides strength and stiffness to the scale 26 and the handle of the folding knife. The first light channel 106a extends between the lock aperture 94 and a top edge of the inner surface to leave a remaining reinforcement area 82 on either side of the first light channel 106a. Two activation channels 114a, 114b merge together, but a remaining reinforcement area 82 is positioned between the merged channels 114a, 114b and the first light channel 106a. Likewise, the second light channel 106b and the third activation channel 114c merge together but leave a remaining reinforcement area 82 on either side of the merged channel. These reinforcement areas 82 provide stiffness and strength to the first scale 26 much like a reinforcing rib as described below with respect to the second scale.

[0077] Referring now to FIGS. 5A and 5B, a side elevation view and a perspective view of an inner surface of the second scale 62 are provided, respectively. Like the first scale, the second scale 62 also has a lanyard aperture 38 and a recess 98 at the fore end where the blade is located. The second scale 62 also has a back portion 130 that establishes the width of the channel between the scales in this embodiment. Also shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B are the system of cutout areas 126 and ribs 122. The cutout areas 126 remove weight and mass from the second scale 62 and the remaining ribs 122 provide stiffness and strength to the second scale 62. In general terms, the cutout areas 126 can correspond to the cavities, recesses, and channels in the first scale, and the ribs 122 can correspond to the reinforcement area of the first scale. However, the cutout areas 126 and ribs 122 in the second scale 62 are more optimized to maximize the cutout areas 126 and minimize the area of the ribs 122 since the components and wires are not housed in the second scale 62 in this embodiment. In other words, the cavities, recesses, and channels in the first scale must accommodate the sizes and shapes of the various components before optimizing to reduce mass and maintain strength and stiffness. This difference between the first scale and the second scale can be reflecting by stating that the combined area of the cutouts areas 126 is greater than the combined area of the cavities, recesses, and channels. Conversely, the combined area of the ribs 122 is smaller than the reinforcement areas in the first scale.

[0078] In some embodiments, the second scale 62 can include one or more power storage devices to augment the power supply devices in the first scale. In one exemplary embodiment, the second scale 62 has one or more cavities that receive one or more power storage devices, such as batteries or capacitors. A wire can extend from the power storage devices in the second scale 62 to the electrical components in the first scale to supply and receive power from the electrical components. For instance, the wire can extend to the power storage devices in the first scale such that all power storage devices of the folding knife collectively work together to store power from the charge component. In some embodiments, the power storage devices in the second scale 62 can connect to the control unit or the charge component to serve as a back-up power reserve. In addition, in some embodiments, a backspacer, liner, electrical contacts, etc. operably connect the power supply devices in the second scale 62 to electrical components in the first scale. In various embodiments, the second scale 62 itself is a power storage device to completely utilize the mass and space of the second scale 62 for storing power. The power storage device can have the pivot recess 98, the back portion 130, and the lanyard aperture 38 to function as the second scale 62.

[0079] Referring now to FIGS. 6A and 6B, side elevation views of the various components of the folding knife are provided. As shown in FIG. 6A, the folding knife has a control unit 138, which is a circuit board in this embodiment, and a charge component 142, which is an inductor coil in this embodiment. Storage wires 146a, 146b, 146c link the power storage devices 134a, 134b to the control unit 138 and charge component 142. When the folding knife is in the presence of another charge component, power can be wirelessly transmitted to the charge component 142, which charges and recharges the power storage devices 134a, 134b. In this embodiment, the power storage devices 134a, 134b are CR1616 batteries that have a thickness of 1.6 mm and a diameter in the planar direction of 10 mm. Therefore, in some embodiments, the ratio of the thickness to the maximum width in the planar direction can be between eight and twelve. In various embodiments, the ratio is greater than eight. Activation wires 154a, 154b, 154c link the activation device 46 to the control unit 138, and light wires 150a, 150b link the lights 42a, 42b to the control unit 138. In some embodiments, a charge wire can connect to electrical components in the first scale to power the power storage devices 134a, 134b from an external power source. A socket at an outer surface of the first scale can receive a plug to connect the charge wire to the external power source, and a rubber stop can be positioned in the socket when the charge wire is not in use to prevent water or other external elements from penetrating the interior of the first scale.

[0080] FIG. 6B shows the various component positioned in the cavities, recesses, and channels of the first scale 26 of the folding knife. The control unit 138, the charge component 142, and the power storage devices 134a, 134b can be sealed from external elements individually or in a single enclosed volume. The components are sealed to prevent fluid, whether gas or liquid, from moving between the enclosed volume and outside of the enclosed volume. Sealants, glues, epoxies, and other similar materials can provide the desired seal.

[0081] Referring now to FIGS. 7A-7D, side elevation views of the folding knife 2 positioned on a charge base 158 are provided. The folding knife 2 and/or charge base 158 can have features that improve the performance of the wireless charging and also improve safety when using the charge base 158. In FIG. 7A, the first charge component 142 of the handle 22 of the folding knife and the second charge component 162 of the charge base 158 are depicted, and a protrusion 166 extending from the charge base 158 into the handle 22 aligns the charge components 142, 162. The protrusion 166 can extend into, for instance, the lanyard aperture of the handle 22 to align the charge components 142, 162. It will be appreciated that the various features depicted in FIGS. 7A-7D are exemplary, and embodiments of the present disclosure include, for instance, a charge base 158 that does not have safety features.

[0082] To promote the safety of the user, it can be desirable to keep the blade 6 in the closed position in the handle 22 during charging. If the folding knife 2 is left with the blade 6 open, a user may forget that the blade 6 is open, which can lead to an injury. Moreover, if the folding knife 2 is left with the blade 6 open, a third party such as a child may try to grasp the folding knife 2 without appreciating the cutting edge of the blade 6, which can lead to an injury. A wing 170 can extend upward from the charge base 158 proximate to the fore end of the handle 22. The height 174 of the wing 170 can be greater than the width 178 of the handle 22 in some embodiments. Thus, when the blade 6 is in the open position, the wing 170 contacts the blade 6 and prevents the first charge component 142 from being positioned close enough to second charge component 162 to wirelessly receive power. Therefore, the user must first position the blade 6 in the closed position before the second charge component 162 can wirelessly transmit power to the first charge component 142. In further embodiments, the charge base 158 can define a cutout area that corresponds to the area of the folding knife 2 with the blade 6 in the closed position. Therefore, unless the blade 6 is closed, then the folding knife 2 cannot be properly positioned in the cutout area in the charge base 158 and wireless power transmission cannot begin.

[0083] In FIG. 7B, the second charge component 162 can have a larger cross sectional area than the first charge component 142 such that a user does not need to precisely locate the folding knife on the charge base 158 to initiate the charging process. Also shown in FIG. 7B is a position sensor 182 that can detect the position of the blade 6, and more specifically, when the blade 6 is in the closed position within the handle 22 or when the blade 6 is positioned outside of the handle 22. A shield 186 can be positioned between the first charge component 142 and the position sensor 182 to prevent electromagnetic fields from affecting either of the first charge component 142 or the position sensor 182. The position sensor 182 can serve a variety of functions. For instance, the position sensor 182 can be electrically connected to the control unit, and if the blade 6 is not positioned in the handle 22, then the control unit does not transmit power from the first charge component 142 to the power storage devices. The position sensor 182 can be located in a variety of positions in the folding knife 2 and can serve a variety of functions. For instance, the position sensor 182 can detect when the blade 6 can moved from the closed position to the open position, and then the position sensor 182 can send a signal to the control unit, which then activates, for instance, a light.

[0084] In FIG. 7C, the shield 186 can extend around one or more sides of the first charge component 142 to both insulate the first charge component 142 from external electromagnetic fields and also protect external components from the wireless transmission of power from the second charge component 162 to the first charge component 142. In addition, the shield 186 in this embodiment can prevent the wireless transmission of power until the charge components 142, 162 are precisely aligned over each other, which ensures a more efficient transmission of power.

[0085] In FIG. 7D, the first charge component 142 is offset 190 from the outer surface of the first scale and offset 194 from the outer surface of the second scale. Some wireless protocols for the transmission of power have maximum ranges between charge components 142, 162. Thus, in some embodiments, the offsets 190, 194 are less than 5 cm in some embodiments. It will be appreciated that the offsets 190, 194 can be less than the maximum range of a protocol (e.g., 3 cm, etc.). Moreover, it can be advantageous to have the folding knife charge when one scale is positioned against the charge base 158 but not when the other scale is positioned against the charge base 158. Therefore, in some embodiments, the first offset 190 is greater than 4 cm and the second offset 194 is less than 5 cm, or vice versa, when the maximum range of the wireless protocol is 4 cm.

[0086] Referring now to FIG. 8, a flowchart for operation of the charging system is provided. First, the folding knife is positioned 198 over or on the charge base. Then, the folding knife can initially 202 receive some power to determine 206, for example by the position sensor, if the blade is safely in the closed position in the handle. In some embodiments, the folding knife can rely on the power storage device to power the position sensor and control unit. If the blade is open, then the folding knife, specifically a control unit, can cease 210 charging the power storage device in the folding knife. In various embodiments, an electronic component of the folding knife sends a signal to the charge base such that the charge base prevents the transmission of power to the folding knife. Then, the folding knife can provide 214 a negative indication of charging. In some embodiments, one of the lights emits a red or orange light, indicating caution that the blade is in the open position. If the blade is closed, then the folding knife can continue 218 charging the power storage device in the folding knife. Moreover, the folding knife can provide 222 a positive indication of charging. In various embodiments, one of the lights emits a green light, indicating that the blade is safely in the closed position.

[0087] Although the figures depict a folding knife, it will be appreciated that embodiments of the present disclosure encompass a variety of tools and tool handles. For instance, embodiments of the present disclosure encompass a fixed blade knife with a handle that can incorporate various aspects of the present disclosure including the sealed, planar power storage device and charge component, the arrangement of channels and reinforcement area, and the charge base. Thus, embodiments of the present disclosure encompass fixed blade knives, multi-tools, saws, drills, and any other tool with a handle that can incur the benefits of aspects described herein.

[0088] The foregoing description of the present disclosure has been presented for illustration and description purposes. However, the description is not intended to limit the disclosure to only the forms disclosed herein. In the foregoing Detailed Description for example, various features of the disclosure are grouped together in one or more embodiments for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure. This method of disclosure is not to be interpreted as reflecting a disclosure that the claims require more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive aspects lie in less than all features of a single foregoing disclosed embodiment. Thus, the following claims are hereby incorporated into this Detailed Description, with each claim standing on its own as a separate preferred embodiment of the disclosure.

[0089] Consequently, variations and modifications commensurate with the above teachings and skill and knowledge of the relevant art are within the scope of the present disclosure. The embodiments described herein above are further intended to explain best modes of practicing the disclosure and to enable others skilled in the art to utilize the disclosure in such a manner, or include other embodiments with various modifications as required by the particular application(s) or use(s) of the present disclosure. Thus, it is intended that the claims be construed to include alternative embodiments to the extent permitted by the prior art.