KNIFE ALLOWING RAPID AND SAFE REPLACEMENT AND SECUREMENT OF BLADE, AND CONNECTING BASE THEREOF

Abstract

A knife allowing rapid and safe replacement and securement of a blade which can be fixed to a front end of a connecting base of the knife. The connecting base has a rear end that can be connected to a handle, and includes an upper base body, a lower base body, a lock-release member, and a spacer plate that can be located between the upper and lower base bodies and form an engaged-connection groove along with the base bodies therebetween. The engaged-connection groove matches, and enables the insertion therein and engagement therewith, a portion of the blade at or adjacent to the rear end thereof. The lock-release member can be arranged on the connecting base for a user to set the blade into a locked state, in which the blade is securely positioned and cannot be detached, or an unlocked state, in which the blade can be detached.

Claims

1. A knife, comprising: a blade formed with a blade tip at a front end thereof and, along a longitudinal direction of the blade, a locking groove that is adjacent to or at a rear end thereof, elongated in shape, has an open end and a closed end formed with a locking hole communicating with the locking groove, and has a first groove width at a portion of the locking groove adjacent to or at the open end that is greater than or equal to a second groove width of a remaining portion of the locking groove, wherein a hole diameter of the locking hole is greater than the second groove width; a connecting base, comprising: an upper base body; a lower base body; a spacer plate configured to lie between and adjacent to rear ends of the upper base body and the lower base body and form an engaged-connection groove along with the upper base body and the lower base body when lying between the upper base body and the lower base body, wherein a shape and a width of the engaged-connection groove respectively match a shape and a thickness of the rear end of the blade or of a portion of the blade that is adjacent to the rear end of the blade, and the engaged-connection groove is configured to engage and be inserted with the rear end of the blade or the portion of the blade that is adjacent to the rear end of the blade; and a lock-release member, comprising: a positioning sleeve concavely provided with a slide groove extending in an axial direction thereof and having one end configured to be fixed on one side of the connecting base; a lock-release post configured to penetrate the upper base body and the lower base body at corresponding positions of the upper base body and the lower base body that are respectively adjacent to the rear ends of the upper base body and the lower base body, and comprising: a releasing post having a post diameter matching the second groove width of the locking groove and having one end configured to be exposed from the other side of the connecting base; and a locking post having one end connected to the other end of the releasing post along an axial direction of the lock-release post and the other end concavely provided with a positioning groove extending in the axial direction of the lock-release post, having a post diameter matching the hole diameter of the locking hole and greater than the second groove width of the locking groove, and configured to be extended through the locking hole but not the remaining portion of the locking groove, and slide in the slide groove along the axial direction of the positioning sleeve; an elastic element having one end configured to press against an inner surface of the other end of the positioning sleeve through the slide groove and the other end configured to be positioned at and press against an inner surface of the positioning groove to allow the locking post to slide in the slide groove along the axial direction of the positioning sleeve; and a lock-release button configured to be fixed at the one end of the releasing post and configured to be released by a user to displace the locking post to a position corresponding to the locking hole to bring the blade inserted into and engaged with the engaged-connection groove into a locked state in which the blade is securely positioned and undetachable, and be pressed by a user to displace the releasing post to the position corresponding to the locking hole to bring the blade inserted into and engaged with the engaged-connection groove into an unlocked state in which the blade is detachable, and to bring the connecting base into a blade-mountable state when the blade is not mounted to the connecting base; and a handle configured to be connected to the connecting base, wherein the locking groove is configured to, in the unlocked state, be displaced away from the locking post when the blade is applied with a forward pulling force, end an engaging relationship between the blade and the engaged-connection groove, and allow the blade to be detached from the connecting base, and in the blade-mountable state, be displaced into engagement with the locking post.

2. The knife according to claim 1, wherein at least one engaging groove is formed at or adjacent to the rear end of the blade, extending in the longitudinal direction of the blade, elongated in shape, and having an open end; a first groove width at a portion of the engaging groove that is adjacent to or at the open end is greater than or equal to a second groove width of a remaining portion of the engaging groove; the connecting base further comprises an engaging post configured to lock together the upper base body and the lower base body; a portion of the spacer plate that is at or adjacent to a front end of the spacer plate is protrudingly provided with at least one engaging portion that extends forward and has a configuration matching a configuration of the corresponding engaging groove; the engaging groove is configured to be engaged with and connected to the corresponding engaging post or the corresponding engaging portion in response to the rear end of the blade or the portion of the blade that is adjacent to the rear end of the blade being inserted into and engaged with the engaged-connection groove, and, in the unlocked state, be displaced away from the corresponding engaging post or the corresponding locking post in response to the blade being applied with a forward pulling force.

3. The blade according to claim 1, wherein the handle comprises an upper handle portion and a lower handle portion that collectively form a receiving space therebetween when assembled with each other, and the receiving space matches the blade in configuration and is configured to receive the blade therein.

4. The blade according to claim 3, wherein a front end of the handle is configured to be pivotally connected to a rear end of the connecting base, the connecting base and the blade are configured to be rotatably engaged with the handle, be rotated into and stored in the receiving space, and spun out of the handle.

5. The blade according to claim 1, wherein the handle comprises an upper handle portion and a lower handle portion that are configured to sandwich the connecting base therebetween.

6. A connecting base, having a portion at or adjacent to a front end of the connecting base that is configured to be inserted into and connected with a blade, and a rear end configured to be connected to a handle, and comprising: an upper base body in a plate shape and matching in configuration a rear end of the blade or a portion of the blade that is adjacent to the rear end of the blade; a lower base body in a plate shape and matching the upper base body in configuration; a spacer plate configured to lie between and adjacent to rear ends of the upper base body and the lower base body, and form an engaged-connection groove along with the upper base body and the lower base body when lying between the upper base body and the lower base body, wherein a shape and a width of the engaged-connection groove respectively match a shape and a thickness of the rear end of the blade or of the portion of the blade that is adjacent to the rear end of the blade, and the engaged-connection groove is configured to engage and be inserted with the rear end of the blade or the portion of the blade that is adjacent to the rear end of the blade; a lock-release member, comprising: a positioning sleeve concavely provided with a slide groove extending in an axial direction thereof and having one end configured to be fixed on one side of the connecting base; a lock-release post configured to penetrate the upper base body and the lower base body at corresponding positions of the upper base body and the lower base body that are respectively adjacent to the rear ends of the upper base body and the lower base body, and comprising: a releasing post having a post diameter matching a groove width of a remaining portion of a locking groove of the blade that excludes a portion at or adjacent to an open end of the locking groove, and having one end configured to be exposed from the other side of the connecting base; and a locking post having one end connected to the other end of the releasing post along an axial direction of the lock-release post and the other end concavely provided with a positioning groove extending in the axial direction of the lock-release post, having a post diameter matching a hole diameter of a locking hole of the blade and greater than the groove width of the remaining portion of the locking groove of the blade, and configured to be extended through the locking hole but not the remaining portion of the locking groove, and slide in the slide groove along the axial direction of the positioning sleeve; an elastic element having one end configured to press against an inner surface of the other end of the positioning sleeve through the slide groove and the other end configured to be positioned at and press against an inner surface of the positioning groove to allow the locking post to slide in the slide groove along the axial direction of the positioning sleeve; and a lock-release button configured to be fixed at the one end of the releasing post and configured to be released by a user to displace the locking post to a position corresponding to the locking hole to bring the blade inserted into and engaged with the engaged-connection groove into a locked state in which the blade is securely positioned and undetachable, and be pressed by a user to displace the releasing post to the position corresponding to the locking hole to bring the blade inserted into and engaged with the engaged-connection groove into an unlocked state in which the blade is detachable, and to bring the connecting base into a blade-mountable state when the blade is not mounted to the connecting base, wherein the locking post is configured to, in the unlocked state, be displaced away from the locking groove and allow the blade to be detached from the connecting base, and in the blade-mountable state, be engaged with the locking groove.

7. The connecting base according to claim 6, further comprising: at least one engaging post configured to lock together the upper base body and the lower base body; at least one engaging portion formed, and extending forward from, at or adjacent to a front end of the spacer plate and having a configuration matching a configuration of a corresponding engaging groove of the blade, wherein each of the engaging portion and the engaging post is configured to be engaged with and connected to the engaging groove in response to the rear end of the blade or the portion of the blade that is adjacent to the rear end of the blade being inserted into and engaged with the engaged-connection groove.

8. The connecting base according to claim 6, wherein the blade is a saw blade or a tool plate configured to cut an object, and formed with a blade tip at a front end thereof and, along a longitudinal direction of the blade, at least one engaging groove and a locking groove that are adjacent to or at a rear end thereof, each of the engaging groove and the locking groove is elongated in shape, has an open end and a closed end, and has a first groove width at a portion thereof adjacent to or at the open end that is greater than or equal to a second groove width of a remaining portion thereof, the closed end of the locking groove is formed with a locking hole communicating with the locking groove, and a hole diameter of the locking hole is greater than the second groove width of the locking groove.

9. The connecting base according to claim 6, wherein a portion of the connecting base that is adjacent to or at the rear end of the connecting base is integrally formed with, fixedly connected to, or pivotally connected to a portion of the handle that is adjacent to or at a front end of the handle.

10. The connecting base according to claim 6, wherein the handle comprises an upper handle portion and a lower handle portion that collectively form a receiving space therebetween when assembled with each other, and the receiving space matches the blade in configuration and is configured to receive the blade therein.

11. The connecting base according to claim 6, wherein the rear end of the connecting base is pivotally connected to a front end of the handle, the connecting base and the blade inserted into and engaged with the connecting base are rotatable relative to the handle and rotatable to be stored in a receiving space of the handle and to be spun out of the handle.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] The present disclosure will become more fully understood from the following detailed description and accompanying drawings.

[0020] FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a conventional scalpel.

[0021] FIG. 2 is an exploded view of a conventional knife.

[0022] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of the conventional knife in a using state.

[0023] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of the conventional knife in another using state.

[0024] FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of a knife in an using state according to certain embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0025] FIG. 6 is an exploded top view of the knife according to certain embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0026] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the knife in a using state according to certain embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0027] FIG. 8 is an exploded bottom view of the knife according to certain embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0028] FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram of the knife and a connecting base assembled with each other according to certain embodiments of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0029] The present disclosure is more particularly described in the following examples that are intended as illustrative only since numerous modifications and variations therein will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Like numbers in the drawings indicate like components throughout the views. As used in the description herein and throughout the claims that follow, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise, the meaning of “a”, “an”, and “the” includes plural reference, and the meaning of “in” includes “in” and “on”. Titles or subtitles can be used herein for the convenience of a reader, which shall have no influence on the scope of the present disclosure.

[0030] The terms used herein generally have their ordinary meanings in the art. In the case of conflict, the present document, including any definitions given herein, will prevail. The same thing can be expressed in more than one way. Alternative language and synonyms can be used for any term(s) discussed herein, and no special significance is to be placed upon whether a term is elaborated or discussed herein. A recital of one or more synonyms does not exclude the use of other synonyms. The use of examples anywhere in this specification including examples of any terms is illustrative only, and in no way limits the scope and meaning of the present disclosure or of any exemplified term. Likewise, the present disclosure is not limited to various embodiments given herein. The numbering terms such as “first”, “second” or “third”, etc. can be used to describe various components, parts or the like, and the directional terms such as “upper”, “lower”, “front”, “rear”, “right”, “left”, etc., can be used to describe the direction of the components, parts or the like, which are for distinguishing one component/part from another one, and distinguishing one direction of one component/part from another one only, and are not intended to, nor should be construed to impose any substantive limitations on the components, parts or the like or the directions thereof, or be relevant to the sequence in which the components/parts are to be assembled or disposed in practical application.

[0031] The present disclosure provides a knife allowing rapid and safe replacement and securement of a blade, and a connecting base of the knife. Referring to FIG. 5, the knife K includes a blade 2, a connecting base 3, and a handle 4. As shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, the blade 2, which can be a saw blade or any other tool plate that can be used to cut an object, is formed with a blade tip 21 at the front end thereof. At least one engaging groove 22 and a locking groove 23 are formed in the blade 2, are at or adjacent to the rear end of the blade 2, and extend along the longitudinal direction of the blade 2. Each of the 22 and the locking groove 23 can be a slot with an open end, and has a first groove width at a portion of the groove that is adjacent to or at the open end and greater than or equal to a second groove width of the remaining portion of the groove, so as to be smoothly pushed into engagement with a corresponding engaging post 304 or a locking post 30531. With continued reference to FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, the closed end of the locking groove 23 is formed with a locking hole 231. The locking hole 231 is in communication with the locking groove 23 and has a hole diameter greater than the second groove width. That is to say, while the first groove width of the portion of the locking groove 23 that is adjacent to the open end of the locking groove 23 can be greater than, equal to, or less than the hole diameter of the locking hole 231, the second groove width of the remaining portion of the locking groove 23 (which remaining portion does not include the portion at or adjacent to the open end of the locking groove 23) is less than the hole diameter of the locking hole 231.

[0032] With continued reference to FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, the connecting base 3 includes an upper base body 301, a lower base body 302, a spacer plate 303, at least one engaging post 304, and a lock-release member 305. The spacer plate 303 can lie between, and is adjacent to the rear ends of, the upper base body 301 and the lower base body 302, and the upper base body 301 and the lower base body 302 are locked together by the at least one engaging post 304, such that an engaged-connection groove 306 is formed between the upper base body 301, the lower base body 302, and the spacer plate 303. The shape and width of the engaged-connection groove 306 respectively match the shape and thickness of the rear end of the blade 2 and/or a portion of the blade 2 that is adjacent to the rear end of the blade 2. A portion of the spacer plate 303 that is at or adjacent to the front end of the spacer plate 303 is protrudingly provided with at least one engaging portion 3031 that extends forward. The configuration of each engaging portion 3031 matches the configuration of the corresponding engaging grove 22 so that, in response to the rear end of the blade 2 and/or the portion of the blade 2 that is adjacent to the rear end of the blade 2 being inserted into and engaged with the engaged-connection groove 306, each engaging groove 22 is engaged with and connected to the corresponding engaging post 304 or engaging portion 3031.

[0033] It should be pointed out that the number of the engaging grooves 22 shown in FIG. 6 is by way of example only, and the present disclosure can be implemented with only one engaging groove 22 or more than two engaging grooves 22 to meet practical needs. It is also feasible to dispense with the at least one engaging groove 22, the at least one engaging post 304, and the at least one engaging portion 3031 and pass another element, such as a rivet, sequentially through a through hole 3010 in the upper base body 301, a through hole 3030 in the spacer plate 303, and a through hole 3020 in the lower base body 302 so as to couple the upper base body 301, the spacer plate 303, and the lower base body 302 together. In certain embodiments, it can be the structure of the lock-release member 305 that couples the upper base body 301 and the lower base body 302 together, with the spacer plate 303 clamped therebetween.

[0034] As shown in FIG. 6 and FIG. 7, the lock-release member 305 includes a positioning sleeve 3051, an elastic element 3052 (e.g., a coil spring, a volute spring, or a hydraulic device), a lock-release post 3053, and a lock-release button 3054. The positioning sleeve 3051 has one end that can be fixed on one side of the connecting base 3 (e.g., the outer side of one of the upper base body 301 and the lower base body 302), and is concavely provided with a slide groove 30510 that extends in an axial direction thereof. One end of the elastic element 3052 can extend into the slide groove 30510 and press against the inner surface of the other end of the positioning sleeve 3051. The lock-release post 3053 can penetrate the upper base body 301 and the lower base body 302 at corresponding positions of the two base bodies 301 and 302 that are respectively adjacent to the rear ends of the base bodies 301 and 302. The lock-release post 3053 includes a locking post 30531 and a releasing post 30532. One end of the locking post 30531 is connected to one end of the releasing post 30532 along the axial direction of the lock-release post 3053. The post diameter of the locking post 30531 matches the hole diameter of the locking hole 231 but is greater than the second groove width of the locking groove 23, and the post diameter of the releasing post 30532 matches the second groove width of the locking groove 23, so as to allow the locking post 30531 to extend through the locking hole 231 but not the remaining portion of the locking groove 23. The other end of the locking post 30531 is concavely provided with a positioning groove 305310 that extends in the axial direction of the lock-release post 3053 so that the other end of the elastic element 3052 can be positioned at and press against the inner surface of the positioning groove 305310 to allow the locking post 30531 to slide in the slide groove 30510 along the axial direction of the positioning sleeve 3051. The other end of the releasing post 30532 can be exposed from the other side of the connecting base 3 (e.g., the outer side of the other of the upper base body 301 and the lower base body 302), and the lock-release button 3054 can be fixed at the other end of the releasing post 30532. A user may choose to not press (or release) or to press and hold the lock-release button 3054 with a finger (e.g., the index finger) of the hand holding the handle 4 in order to displace the locking post 30531 or the releasing post 30532 to a position corresponding to the locking hole 231, thereby bringing the blade 2 inserted into and engaged with the engaged-connection groove 306 either into a locked state, in which the blade 2 is securely positioned and cannot be detached, or into an unlocked state, in which the blade 2 can be detached. Referring to FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, a portion of the handle 4 that is adjacent to or at the front end of the handle 4 can be connected to (e.g., integrally formed with, fixedly connected to, or pivotally connected to) a portion of the connecting base 3 that is adjacent to or at the rear end of the connecting base 3 so that by holding the handle 4, a user can use and maneuver the blade 2 in a steady, safe, and precise manner.

[0035] When it is desired to detach the blade 2 from the connecting base 3, referring to FIG. 5 and FIG. 7, the user only has to hold the handle 4 with one hand (e.g., the right hand); press and hold the lock-release button 3054 with a finger (e.g., the thumb or index finger) of the same hand (e.g., the right hand)(as indicated by the dashed-line arrow in FIG. 7) to displace the releasing post 30532 to the position corresponding to the locking hole 231 such that the blade 2 enters the unlocked state, in which the blade 2 can be detached; and then, referring to FIG. 6 and FIG. 7, grip the blade 2 from two lateral sides respectively with two fingers (e.g., the thumb and the index finger) of the other hand (e.g., the left hand) and apply a forward pulling force to the blade 2 (as indicated by the dashed-line arrow in FIG. 6) with the same two fingers, and each engaging groove 22 and the locking groove 23 will be displaced away from the corresponding engaging post 304 or the locking post 30531 respectively, thereby terminating the engaging relationship between the blade 2 and the engaged-connection groove 306, allowing the blade 2 to be detached from the connecting base 3 easily, safely, and rapidly.

[0036] To mount a new blade 2 to the connecting base 3, referring to FIG. 7, FIG. 8, and FIG. 9, the user only has to hold the handle 4 with one hand (also referred to as the first hand, e.g., the right hand); press and hold the lock-release button 3054 with a finger (e.g., the thumb or index finger) of the same hand (e.g., the right hand) to displace the releasing post 30532 to the position corresponding to the locking hole 231, thereby allowing the new blade 2 to be mounted; grip the new blade 2 from two lateral sides respectively with two fingers (e.g., the thumb and the index finger) of the other hand (e.g., the left hand); align the rear end of the new blade 2 with the engaged-connection groove 306 and insert the rear end of the new blade 2 into the engaged-connection groove 306 with the two fingers; then using the same two fingers, apply a force to and thereby push the new blade 2 toward the engaged-connection groove 306 (as indicated by the dashed-line arrow in FIG. 8) such that each engaging groove 22 and the locking groove 23 are respectively displaced into engagement with the corresponding engaging post 304 (or the corresponding engaging portion 3031) and the locking post 30531; and then release the aforesaid finger (e.g., the thumb or index finger) of the first hand (e.g., the right hand) from the lock-release button 3054 (i.e., release the lock-release button 3054), and the locking post 30531 will be displaced to the position corresponding to the locking hole 231 to establish a secure engaging relationship between the new blade 2 and the engaged-connection groove 306, thereby allowing the new blade 2 to be easily, safely, and rapidly mounted to the connecting base 3 and securely coupled to the connecting base 3 without getting loose or falling off.

[0037] Thus, whether the user intends to mount the blade 2 to the connecting base 3 or detach the blade 2 from the connecting base 3, all that needs to be done is to either release the lock-release button 3054 or press and hold the lock-release button 3054 with a finger (e.g., the thumb or index finger) of the hand in which the handle 4 is held (e.g., the right hand), and the blade 2 will enter the locked state, in which the blade 2 cannot be separated from the connecting base 3, or the unlocked state, in which the blade 2 can be rapidly separated from the connecting base 3, accordingly. During the process, it is unnecessary for the user to grip the blade 2 with fingers and apply through the fingers to the blade 2 a force large enough to deform, or twist, the blade 2, so any user will be able to mount or detach the blade 2 to or from the structure of the knife K, or more particularly of the connecting base 3, according to the present disclosure in an easy, effortless, rapid, and safe manner and use and maneuver the mounted blade 2 steadily. The blade 2 will stay in the locked state, in which the blade 2 is securely positioned and cannot be separated from the connecting base 3, when used to cut any object with precision. Consequently, the safety and stability of use of the knife according to the present disclosure and its connecting base are ensured.

[0038] It should be pointed out that the present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described above. In certain embodiments, the number of the at least one engaging post 304 can be increased as needed while the number of the at least one engaging portion 3031 of the spacer plate 303 is reduced, or the number of the at least one engaging portion 3031 of the spacer plate 303 can be increased as needed while the number of the at least one engaging post 304 is reduced. Any such modification shall fall within the scope of the present disclosure, as long as each engaging groove 22 formed in, and along the longitudinal direction of, the blade 2 can be engaged with the corresponding engaging post 304 or engaging portion 3031 to render the blade 2 securely inserted in and engaged with the engaged-connection groove 306.

[0039] In certain embodiments, referring to FIG. 7, FIG. 8, and FIG. 9, a portion of the handle 4 that is at or adjacent to the front end of the handle 4 is connected to (e.g., integrally formed with, fixedly connected to, or pivotally connected to) a portion of the connecting base 3 that is at or adjacent to the rear end of the connecting base 3 so that by holding the handle 4, a user can use and maneuver the blade 2 in a steady and precise manner. The handle 4 includes an upper handle portion 41 and a lower handle portion 42. The upper handle portion 41 and the lower handle portion 42 can make up the handle 4 and form a receiving space 40 (see FIG. 5 and FIG. 6) between the upper handle portion 41 and the lower handle portion 42. The receiving space 40 matches the blade 2 in configuration so that the blade 2 can be stored in the receiving space 40 when not in use, thereby ensuring the user's safety. The front end of the handle 4 can be pivotally connected to the rear end of the connecting base 3, and both the connecting base 3 and the blade 2 securely engaged therewith will be rotatable with respect to the handle 4, meaning the connecting base 3 and the blade 2 securely engaged therewith will be able to be rotated into and thus stored in the receiving space 40 or spun out of the handle 4 as desired, thereby turning the structure of the knife K into that of a folding knife. In certain embodiments, however, the knife K can have a non-foldable configuration, and the connecting base 3 can be located entirely between the upper handle portion 41 and the lower handle portion 42, that is, the upper handle portion 41 and the lower handle portion 42 can sandwich the connecting base 3 therebetween.

[0040] Again, the present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described above. It should be particularly pointed out that when implementing the embodiments of the present disclosure, the connecting base 3 and the handle 4 may be designed as a single unit, i.e., may jointly form a handle structure, to meet practical needs. In that case, a user may also buy blades of various specifications and functions as needed and can mount or detach each blade to or from the handle structure according to the present disclosure easily, effortlessly, rapidly, and safely.

[0041] The foregoing description of the exemplary embodiments of the disclosure has been presented only for the purposes of illustration and description and is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure to the precise forms disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching.

[0042] The embodiments were chosen and described in order to explain the principles of the disclosure and their practical application so as to enable others skilled in the art to utilize the disclosure and various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. Alternative embodiments will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which the present disclosure pertains without departing from its spirit and scope.