KNIFE

Abstract

The invention relates to a knife with a housing (11) and with a blade holder (13) for holding a blade (17), the blade holder (13) being movable between a safety position in which the blade (17) is inaccessible within the housing (11) and a cutting position in which the blade (17) projects at least partially out of the housing (11), the cutting position being defined by the interaction of at least one stop surface (32a, 32b) associated with the housing (11) and at least one counterpart surface (23a, 23b) associated with the blade holder (13).

Claims

1. A knife comprising a housing and a blade holder for retaining a blade, the blade holder being movable between a safety position in which the blade is inaccessible within the housing and a cutting position in which the blade projects at least partially out of the housing, the cutting position being defined by the interaction of at least one stop surface associated with the housing and at least one counterpart surface associated with the blade holder.

2. The knife according to claim 1, wherein one module out of a set of at least two modules is secured releasably to the knife and a retaining surface that forms the stop surface or the counterpart surface is associated with the module, a position of the retaining surface on the module defines a first blade extension length, the module being interchangeable with at least one other module from the set of modules, a position of the retaining surface on the other module defining a second blade extension length that differs from the first blade extension length.

3. The knife according to claim 2, wherein the module can be secured releasably to the blade holder or to the housing.

4. The knife according to claim 2, wherein the module can be secured in a mounting seat.

5. The knife according to claim 2, wherein the module has fastening means that can be brought into engagement releasably with counterpart fastening means of the blade holder or of the housing.

6. The knife according to claim 2, wherein the retaining surfaces of the different modules of the set of modules are offset with respect to one another in a direction of movement of the blade holder.

7. The knife according to claim 1, wherein the retaining surface is formed by at least one projection of the module.

8. The knife according to claim 7, wherein the projection extends transversely with respect to a direction of movement of the blade holder.

9. The knife according to claim 1, wherein the stop surface is in the movement path of the counterpart surface.

10. The knife according to claim 1, wherein the stop surface is on a rear extension of the blade holder.

Description

[0019] Further advantages are disclosed with reference to an illustrated embodiment shown schematically in the drawings. In the drawings:

[0020] FIG. 1 is a side view of the knife in the safety position,

[0021] FIG. 2 is a side view of the knife in the cutting position,

[0022] FIG. 2a is a side view according to the arrow II of FIG. 6,

[0023] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the assembly consisting of the insert, module, blade holder and blade in the safety position,

[0024] FIG. 4, like FIG. 3, is a perspective view of the assembly in which the insert is not shown,

[0025] FIG. 5 shows the assembly as of FIG. 4 but in the cutting position,

[0026] FIG. 6 is a front view of the knife according to arrow VI of FIG. 1,

[0027] FIG. 7 is a section through the knife according to section line VII-VII of FIG. 6,

[0028] FIG. 8 is a front end view of the knife according to arrow VIII of FIG. 2,

[0029] FIG. 9 is a section through the knife according to section line IX-IX of FIG. 8,

[0030] FIG. 10 is a side view like FIG. 2 of the knife in the cutting position, but with another module mounted on the knife,

[0031] FIG. 11 is a front view of the knife according to arrow XI of FIG. 10,

[0032] FIG. 12 is a section like FIG. 7 through the knife in the safety position, but with another module mounted on the insert, and

[0033] FIG. 13 is a section through the knife according to section line XIII-XIII of FIG. 11.

[0034] The knife as a whole is indicated in FIG. 1 at 10. The same reference numerals in the other figures designate corresponding parts.

[0035] According to FIG. 1 the knife 10 has a housing 11 and an insert 12. A blade holder 13 is associated with the insert 12.

[0036] The housing 11 serves as a handle that can be held by the user's hand. The housing 11 has a rear end 21 and a front end 26. The housing 21 has a rear opening 39 and the front end 26 has a front opening 18. Moreover, the housing 11 forms two opposite side faces 28 and 29. The side face 28 is provided with a slot-like opening 19 and the side face 29 is provided with a slot-like opening 20. The blade holder 13 can be actuated through the openings 19 and 20.

[0037] The blade holder 13 has opposite side faces 30 and 31 each provided with an actuating surface 15. In this embodiment each actuating surface 15 is provided with a structure 16 that prevents an actuating finger from slipping off. The blade holder 13 can be moved on the actuating surface 15 in a direction x.sub.1 out of the safety position shown in FIG. 1 into the cutting position shown in FIG. 2 in which a blade 17 secured to the blade holder 13 extends out of the housing 11 through the opening 18. From the cutting position the blade holder 13 is moved back automatically in a direction x.sub.2 by a spring (not shown) into the safety position as soon as the actuating surface 15 is released by the user.

[0038] The position in which the blade holder 13 has been moved back to the maximum extent and the blade 17 is retracted inside the housing 11 is designated hereafter as the safety position. Furthermore, there are further positions of the blade holder 13 in which the blade 17 is inside the housing 11. A spring (not shown) biases the blade holder 13 into the maximally retracted safety position. The position in which the blade holder 13 has been moved forward to the maximum extent and the blade 17 extends out of opening 18 in the housing 11 is designated as the cutting position. Furthermore, there are further positions of the blade holder 13 in which the blade 17 extends out of the housing 18.

[0039] Part of the insert 12 as well as the blade holder 13 are inserted into the housing 11 through the opening 39 at the rear end of the housing 21. In FIGS. 1, 2 and 2a the insert 12 is in a mounting seat of the housing 11 and is secured to the housing 11. Latch formations are provided on the insert 12 and on the housing 11, and the latch formation of the insert 12 and of the housing 11 can be brought releasably into engagement in order to fasten the insert 12 to the housing 11. When the insert 12 is secured in its mounting seat on the housing 11, it has a defined position relative to the housing 11.

[0040] The insert 12 can be released from the housing 11, for example, in order to change a blade or in order to replace a module 14 explained in greater detail below. If the insert 12 is released from the housing 11, the entire assembly shown in FIG. 3 comprising the insert 12, the blade holder 13 as well as the module 14 can be removed from the housing 11.

[0041] The module 14 is part of a set of at least two different modules. The blade extension length can be adjusted by the module 14. The length by which the blade 17 projects over a front housing face 27 is designated as the blade extension length.

[0042] The module 14 is retained by positive engagement in a mounting seat of the insert 12 and can be released from the insert 12. For fastening to the housing 11 by positive engagement, the module 14 has a plurality of projections 35 on a rear end 37 (see for example FIGS. 7 and 9) that can fit with cutouts 36 of the insert 12. At a front end 38 the module 14 is provided in a manner not shown with fastening means that can be brought releasably into engagement with counterpart fastening means of the insert 12. After mounting in the seat each module of the set of different modules has a defined position relative to the insert 12.

[0043] The module 14 has stops 22a and 22b that in this embodiment are formed by two projections extending direction y.sub.1 and y.sub.2 with respect to the external contour. The stop 22a forms a stop surface 32a and the stop 22b forms a stop surface 32b.

[0044] The blade holder 13 is provided with arms 33a and 33b that form an extension 24 reaching from a front region 34 of the blade holder 13 toward the rear in the direction x.sub.2. The arm 33a is provided with a counterpart surface 23a and the arm 33b is provided with a counterpart surface 23b. The stop surfaces 32a and 32b and the counterpart surfaces 23 and 23b are for example symmetrical with respect to a longitudinal central axis m. In the safety position the counterpart surfaces 23a and 23b are in a defined position relative to the insert 12 and to the housing 11. In the safety position according to FIG. 7 the counterpart surface 23a and the stop surface 32a or the counterpart surface 23b and the stop surface 32b are spaced apart from one another by a distance 11. The distance 11 is the maximum distance that the blade holder 13 can travel in the direction x.sub.1 until further movement in the direction x.sub.1 is prevented by contact between the counterpart surfaces 23a/23b and the stop surfaces 32a/32b.

[0045] The stop surface 32a is in the path of movement of the counterpart surface 23a and the stop surface 32b is located in the path of movement of the counterpart surface 23b, when the blade holder 13 is moved in the direction x.sub.1. The cutting position is defined in that the counterpart surfaces 23a and 23b are in contact on the stop surfaces 32a and 32b according to FIG. 9.

[0046] According to FIGS. 10 to 13 the knife 10 is provided with a second module 25. FIG. 12 shows the safety position and FIG. 13 shows the cutting position of the knife. The stop 22 is positioned in the second module 25 offset further in the forward direction x.sub.1 than the first module 14. In the safety position according to FIG. 12 the counterpart surface 23a and the stop surface 32a or the counterpart surface 23b and the stop surface 32b are spaced apart from one another by a length 12 that is greater than 11. This means that the blade holder 13 in the second module 25 can be moved further in the direction x.sub.1 compared with the first module 14, until the counterpart stop 23a/23b of the blade holder 13 comes into contact with the stop 22a/22b. The blade extension length is therefore greater.