Folding knife with integrated space-saving compression lock and actuator

Abstract

A folding knife includes a handle, a blade assembly, a stop member, and a lock arm. The blade assembly is rotatably interconnected with the handle and is movable between an extended position and a closed position. In the extended position, the locking arm exerts a biasing force to wedge the releasable wedge member laterally between the stop member and the blade assembly to prevent the folding knife from transitioning out of the extended position. In the extended position, an unlocking force applied to the locking arm displaces the releasable wedge member from the space between the blade assembly and the stop member to allow the folding knife to transition out of the extended position.

Description

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Application No. 18 / 051,972, filed on November 2, 2022, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] The present disclosure relates generally to folding knives and, more particularly, to folding knives having compression locks. Background Art

[0004] Cutting implements have been used for centuries by craftsmen, hunters, and others who need a sharp cutting implement. Folding knives are often carried by sportsmen, craftsmen, and other users who desire a compact, portable blade that can be safely folded and transported in a pocket or attached to a belt. Folding knives typically have two stable positions. In the open or extended position, the cutting blade extends to expose the cutting edge and allow cutting and use. In the closed position, the cutting edge of the blade is stored within a cavity or channel in the handle, thereby preventing the blade from being exposed. Summary of the invention

[0005] The following disclosure describes non-limiting examples of some embodiments. For example, other embodiments of the disclosed systems and methods may or may not include the features described herein. In addition, the disclosed advantages and benefits may only apply to certain situations of the present invention and should not be used to limit the present disclosure. The embodiments disclosed herein each have several aspects, no single aspect of which is solely responsible for the desired attributes of the present disclosure.

[0006] Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to folding knives. In some embodiments, the folding knife may include a handle, a blade assembly, a stop member, and a locking arm. The handle may include a housing. The blade assembly is rotatably interconnected with the handle and can be moved between an extended use position and a closed position. The blade assembly may include a blade portion and a blade tang. The blade tang may define a cutout having an edge with an inclined surface. The stop member is interconnected with the handle. The locking arm is interconnected with the handle and extends at least partially along the length of the handle. The locking arm may include a spring arm, a releasable wedge member, and an unlocking member. The unlocking member may include an overhang extending from a first side of the housing to a second side of the housing. The unlocking member may include a user actuator portion coupled to the overhang portion. The user actuator portion may be configured to receive an unlocking force from a user from the outside of the handle. In the extended position, the spring arm applies a biasing force to wedge the releasable wedge member laterally between the stop member and the inclined surface of the blade tang to prevent the folding knife from transitioning out of the extended position. In the extended position, an unlocking force applied to the user actuator portion displaces the releasable wedge member from the space between the ramped surface and the stop member to allow the folding knife to transition out of the extended position.

[0007] The folding knife described in any of the preceding paragraphs may include one or more of the following features. In the closed position, the blade assembly may be received in a space defined by the overhang portion and the spring arm. The overhang portion may extend away from the surface of the spring arm. The surface of the spring arm and the overhang portion may form a boundary of the receiving space. In the closed position, the blade assembly may be at least partially recessed in the receiving space. The length of the receiving space may be between about 6.5 mm and about 11 mm. The length of the receiving space may be about 8.2 mm. The width of the receiving space may be between about 7 mm. The overhang portion may form an arch or bridge shape to form a receiving space for a portion of the blade holder when the folding knife may be in a closed position.

[0008] The folding knife described in any of the preceding paragraphs may include one or more of the following features. The unlocking force may be applied to the user interface via direct contact between the user and the user actuator portion. The folding knife may include a button coupled to the user actuator portion. The unlocking force may be applied to the user interface via contact between the user and the push button. The unlocking force may include a force in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the handle. The unlocking force may include a thrust in a direction toward the housing. The unlocking force may include a pulling force in a direction away from the housing. The overhang portion extends through the outer surface of the housing. The locking arm may be an integral component. The locking arm may be integrally formed with the housing. The wedge member may be positioned at the first end of the locking arm.

[0009] The folding knife described in any of the preceding paragraphs may include one or more of the following features. The folding knife may include a band clamp formed integrally with the locking arm. The structure including the locking arm and the band clamp may be generally u-shaped. The blade assembly may include a curved profile extending from the cutout to the recessed area. The stop member may rest in the recessed area when the folding knife is in the closed position. The stop member may be positioned proximate to the upper edge of the handle. The upper edge may be opposite to the blade of the folding knife. In the extended position, when downward pressure is applied to the upper edge of the blade assembly, a releasable wedge member may be compressed between the cutout and the stop member to prevent closing of the blade. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] Throughout the drawings, reference numerals may be reused to indicate corresponding relationships between reference elements. The drawings are provided to illustrate embodiments of the present disclosure and not to limit its scope.

[0011] Figures 1A-1D An exemplary folding knife according to the present disclosure is shown.

[0012] Figure 2 A side view of an example blade assembly of a folding knife is shown.

[0013] Figures 3A-3C An example locking arm of a folding knife is shown.

[0014] Figures 4A-4C Portions of an example folding knife are shown in an extended position.

[0015] Figure 5A and 5B The various parts of the folding knife are shown in a closed position.

[0016] Fig. 6A and 6B An exemplary folding knife according to the present disclosure is shown.

[0017] Figure 7 An exemplary folding knife is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0018] Although certain embodiments and examples are described below, it will be understood that the disclosure described herein extends beyond the specifically disclosed embodiments and / or uses and its obvious modifications and equivalents. Therefore, it is intended that the scope of the disclosure disclosed herein should not be limited by any specific embodiments described below.

[0019] Figures 1A-1D An exemplary folding knife 100 according to the present disclosure is shown. Figure 1A and 1B A perspective view showing a first side of the folding knife 100 in an extended and closed position, respectively, and Figure 1C and 1D Perspective views of opposite sides of the folding knife 100 are shown in extended and closed positions, respectively. The folding knife 100 includes a handle 110, a blade assembly 120, a user actuator portion 138, and a belt clip 150.

[0020] In the extended position, a compression lock (not fully shown) holds the compression lock in the extended position. The folding knife 100 is in the extended position. In the extended position, the cutting edge 122 of the blade assembly 120 is exposed. When an unlocking force is applied to the user actuator portion 138 (e.g., via a user pressing the user actuator portion 138), the compression lock is released, thereby allowing the blade assembly 120 to transition relative to the rotation of the handle 110. When the compression lock is released, and when a downward force is applied to the blade assembly 120, the folding knife 100 can transition to the closed position around the path 101. If the blade assembly 120 is loosely connected to the handle 110, this force can be gravity, or if there is friction between the blade assembly 120 and the handle 110, this force can be pressure. In the closed position, the cutting edge 122 of the blade assembly 120 is no longer exposed. In some cases, in the closed position, the cutting edge 122 is substantially positioned in a cavity (not shown) defined by the handle 110. It should be appreciated that folding knife 100 represents an exemplary folding knife and that other embodiments may include different features or configurations.

[0021] Figure 2 A side view of an example blade assembly 220 is shown, which may be Figures 1A to 1D Embodiment of a blade assembly 120. The blade assembly 220 includes a blade holder 223 for receiving and holding a blade 222, such as a standard utility blade (e.g., a trapezoidal utility blade). The blade holder 223 includes a rear portion (sometimes referred to as a blade tang 224). The blade tang 224 includes a notch area 226 for interacting with a wedge member (e.g., releasable wedge member 334) to lock the folding knife 100 in an extended position. As further described herein, an edge of the notch area 226 can have an inclined surface (e.g., inclined surface 427). The inclined surface can be part of a contact surface that contacts the releasable wedge member to compress the releasable wedge member between the inclined surface and a stop member (e.g., stop member 470), thereby forming part of a compression lock. In Figure 2 In the illustrated example of , the cutout region 226 has a substantially rectangular shape. However, it should be understood that the shape of the cutout region 226 may vary between embodiments.

[0022] The blade assembly 220 includes a curved profile 221 extending from a cutout region 226 to a notch region 228. When implemented in a folding knife, a stop member (e.g., stop member 470) of the folding knife can ride along the curved profile 221 during the transition between the closed position and the extended position, and the stop member can rest in the notch region 228 when the folding knife 100 is in the closed position.

[0023] The blade assembly 220 includes an upper edge 225 and a lower edge 227. The upper edge 225 of the blade assembly can extend from the blade 222 to the cutout area 226. In some cases, the upper edge 225 has a substantially linear or flat profile with no substantial cutouts or notches along the edge. In this way, the upper edge 225 can provide a relatively flat surface for interacting with an overhanging portion of an unlocking member (e.g., an overhanging portion 337 of the unlocking member 336). The lower edge 227 of the blade assembly can extend from the blade 222 to the curved profile 221. In some cases, the lower edge 227 includes at least a portion of the curved profile 221. In one embodiment, the lower edge 227 can extend below an axis or plane defined by the cutting edge of the blade 222.

[0024] FIG. 3A to FIG. 3C An example locking arm 330 is shown. The locking arm 330 includes a spring arm 332, a releasable wedge member 334, an unlocking member 336, a housing fixing interface 342, and a band clamp 350. It should be understood that FIG. 3A to FIG. 3C Only example locking arms are shown, and other embodiments may include fewer, more, or different components. For example, in some cases, locking arm 330 may not include band clip 350.

[0025] The locking arm 330 may form part of a compression lock for use in a folding knife, such as folding knife 100. For example, the locking arm 330 may be positioned within the folding knife so that the releasable wedge member 334 may be releasably wedged between a stop member (e.g., stop member 470) and a blade tang (e.g., blade tang 224) to controllably inhibit closure of the folding knife (e.g., folding knife 100). In some cases, the spring arm 332 applies a biasing force to wedge the releasable wedge member 334 laterally between the stop member and the blade tang to inhibit the folding knife from transitioning out of the extended position.

[0026] The unlocking member 336 includes an overhang portion 337 and a user actuator portion 338. The overhang portion 337 extends away from the surface of the spring arm 338, and the user actuator portion 338 can extend away from the edge of the overhang portion 337. In this way, the surface of the spring arm 332 and the unlocking member 336 form a boundary of the receiving space 339. The receiving space 339 advantageously provides clearance for the rotational movement of the blade assembly 120, so that when the folding knife is in the closed position, the blade assembly can be at least partially recessed into the receiving space 339. It should be understood that the curvature and / or angle of the unlocking member 336 (and therefore the size, volume, shape, etc. of the receiving space 339) can vary between embodiments. For example, in some cases, the unlocking member 336 forms an arch or bridge shape. As another example, in some cases (e.g., such as Fig. 6A and Figure 6BAs shown, the unlocking member 336 may not include a separately formed user actuator portion 338 , in some such cases, the receiving space 339 is formed by the spring arm 332 and the overhang portion 337 , and the user actuator portion 338 may constitute the terminal edge of the overhang portion 337 .

[0027] The length of the receiving space 339 (e.g., the distance between the spring arm 332 and the user actuator portion 338) can vary between embodiments. For example, the length of the receiving space 339 can be in the range of between about 3 mm and about 15 mm, between about 6.5 mm and about 11 mm, between about 7 mm and about 9 mm, or between about 7.5 mm and about 8.5 mm. As another example, the length of the receiving space 339 can be greater than 5 mm, greater than 7 mm, greater than 9 mm, greater than 11 mm, less than 13 mm, less than 12 mm, less than 10 mm, less than 9 mm, or less than 7.5 mm. As another example, the length of the receiving space 339 can be about 6.5, 7, 7.5, 8, 8.2, 8.5, 9, 9.5, or 10 mm (+ / - about 1 mm). The width of the receiving space 339 (e.g., the width of the spring arm 332 below the overhang portion 337 and / or the dimension perpendicular to the length of the receiving space 339) can vary in various embodiments. For example, the width of the receiving space 339 may be in a range between about 3 mm and about 15 mm, between about 5 mm and about 10 mm, between about 6 mm and about 8 mm, or between about 6.5 mm and about 7.5 mm. As another example, the width of the receiving space 339 may be greater than 5 mm, greater than 7 mm, greater than 9 mm, greater than 11 mm, less than 13 mm, less than 12 mm, less than 10 mm, less than 9 mm, or less than 7.5 mm. As another example, the width of the receiving space 339 may be about 5.5, 6, 6.5, 7, 7.5, 8, 8.2, 8.5, 9, 9.5, or 10 mm (+ / - about 1 mm).

[0028] The user actuator portion 338 is configured to receive an unlocking force from a user.

[0029] For example, the user actuator portion 338 can function as a button that, when pressed, introduces an unlocking force onto the spring arm 332, thereby disengaging the releasable wedge member 334 from the space between the stop member and the blade tang and allowing the folding knife to transition to the closed position.

[0030] The size, shape, and / or location of the releasable wedge member 334 may vary between embodiments. For example, in some cases, the releasable wedge member 334 is positioned at the ends of the spring arms 332 and is coplanar with the spring arms 332. Alternatively, the releasable wedge member 334 may be positioned between the ends of the spring arms 332 and / or may not be coplanar with the spring arms 332. For example, the releasable wedge member 334 may extend at an angle relative to the longitudinal axis 361 of the spring arms 332.

[0031] One or more portions of the locking arm 330 may be constructed of a material having memory or resilience. For example, the locking arm 330 may be formed of a metal, such as a single piece of spring steel. In some cases, the locking arm 300 is a unitary member such that each of the spring arm 332, the releasable wedge member 334, the unlocking member 336, the housing fixing interface 342, and the band clamp 350 are integrally formed. For example, in some cases, the band clamp 350 is integral with the locking arm 330 such that it is a single unitary piece (e.g., unitary). In some such cases, the locking arm 330 and the band clamp 350 may form a U-shape and may be formed of a single piece of folded spring steel. In some such cases, when implemented in the folding knife 100, the band clamp 350 is wrapped around the rear side of the housing 112 of the handle 110. The integrally formed locking arm 330 plus the band clamp 350 advantageously reduces the complexity of the compression lock and the band clamp.

[0032] The housing fixing interface 342 can facilitate the locking arm 330 to be coupled to the handle of the folding knife. Although the housing fixing interface 342 is shown as three apertures for receiving screws, it should be understood that the housing fixing interface 342 can vary between embodiments. For example, in some cases, the housing fixing interface 342 includes fewer or additional apertures. As another example, the housing fixing interface 342 may include a protrusion for mating with an aperture of the handle. In addition, in some cases, the locking arm 330 may not include the housing fixing interface 342. For example, the locking arm 330 may be integrally formed with one or more portions of the handle (such as a handle housing).

[0033] Figures 4A-4C Various portions of an example folding knife 400 are shown in an extended position. In these examples, one or more portions 412A, 412B of the housing have been removed to increase visibility of the components within the housing. The folding knife 400 is Figures 1A-1D The embodiment of the folding knife 100 includes a locking arm, which is Figures 3A-3C Embodiment of the locking arm 330.

[0034] The folding knife 400 includes a handle 410 and a blade assembly 420 rotatably connected to the handle 410. In some embodiments, the blade assembly 420 can be constructed similarly to the blade assembly 220 described above. The blade assembly 420 includes a blade tang 424 that defines a cutout having an edge with an inclined surface 427. The folding knife 400 also includes a stop member 470 interconnected with the handle 410, and a locking arm 430 interconnected with the handle 410 and extending at least partially along the length of the handle 410. The locking arm 430 includes a spring arm 432, a releasable wedge member 434, and an unlocking member 436.

[0035] The unlocking member 436 includes an overhang portion 437 that (when the housing portions 412A and 412B are connected) extends from a first side of the housing (such as on the housing portion 412A) to a second side of the housing (such as on the housing portion 412B). The unlocking member 436 also includes a user actuator portion 438 coupled to the overhang portion 437. As described herein, the user actuator portion 438 is configured to receive an unlocking force from a user. In some embodiments, the overhang portion 437 can have a flat or rectangular profile, such as the profile shown. In other embodiments, the overhang portion 437 can be curved or cylindrical. In various embodiments, the overhang portion 437 can be integral with the spring arm 432, or can be coupled thereto (e.g., attached, fastened, welded).

[0036] When the folding knife 400 is in the extended position, the spring arm 432 applies a biasing force in the first direction 401 to wedge the releasable wedge member 434 laterally between the stop member 470 and the inclined surface 427 of the blade tang 424. In some cases, the first direction 401 is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the handle 410. By wedging the releasable wedge member 434 between the stop member 470 and the blade tang 424, the folding knife 400 advantageously inhibits rocking and inhibits the folding knife 400 from transitioning out of the extended position.

[0037] To transition the folding knife 400 out of the extended position (also referred to as "unlocking" the folding knife 400), the user may apply an unlocking force on the user actuator portion 438 in the second direction 403. In some cases, the second direction 403 is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the handle and / or substantially opposite to the first direction 401. Applying the unlocking force on the user actuator portion 438 causes cantilevered movement of the spring arm 432, thereby displacing the releasable wedge member 434 from the space between the inclined surface 427 and the stop member 470. In the process of displacing the releasable wedge member 434 from the space between the inclined surface 427 and the stop member 470, the blade assembly 420 is free to rotate relative to the handle 410 toward the closed position.

[0038] As described above, the user can access the user actuator portion 438 from the outside of the handle 410. In some cases, the housing portion 412B includes an aperture 480 that accommodates the unlocking member 436 and / or the user actuator portion 438. For example, the size of the aperture 480 can allow the user actuator portion 438 to be assembled therethrough, thereby allowing the unlocking member 436 and / or the user actuator portion 438 to extend from the first side of the housing (e.g., on the housing portion 412A) to the second side of the housing (e.g., on the housing portion 412B). In some cases, such as shown in FIG. 4, the aperture 480 is closed so that the housing surrounds the unlocking member 436 and / or the user actuator portion 438. In some cases, such as shown in FIG. 8A, the aperture 480 is a cutout 426 and the housing so that the housing does not surround the unlocking member 436 and / or the user actuator portion 438.

[0039] In some cases, the unlocking force is applied to the user actuator portion 438 by direct contact between the user and the user actuator portion 438. For example, the user actuator portion 438 can extend through the housing portion 412B and can be touched by the user. Alternatively, in some cases, the user actuator portion 438 can include one or more attachments thereto, such as a button fixed to the user actuator portion 438. In some such cases, the unlocking force can be applied to the user actuator portion 438 by contact between the user and the button.

[0040] Figure 5A and 5B The various portions of the folding knife 400 are shown in a closed position. In these examples, one or more portions 412A, 412B of the housing 410 have been removed to increase visibility of the components inside the housing. The folding knife 400 is Figures 1A-1D The embodiment of the folding knife 100 includes a locking arm, which is Figures 3A-3C Embodiment of the locking arm 330.

[0041] When the folding knife 400 is in the closed position, the blade assembly 420 is located in a receiving space (such as receiving space 339) defined by the unlocking member 436 and the spring arm 432, the blade edge is no longer exposed, and the stop member 470 rests in the notch area 428. In addition, the spring arm 432 is biased in the second direction 403 by the structure of the blade assembly 420. In this way, when the folding knife 400 is opened, the releasable wedge member 434 of the spring arm 432 will snap into the space between the inclined surface 427 and the stop member 470.

[0042] In embodiments where the blade assembly 420 is similar to the blade assembly 220, it will be appreciated that, when in the closed position, the lower surface of the overhang portion 437 contacts or is substantially adjacent to a structure of the blade assembly 420 similar to the lower edge 227, thereby limiting protrusion of the blade assembly 420 from the receiving space 339. In some cases, when in the closed position, the overhang portion 437 does not extend into an interior region of the blade assembly 420. For example, in some cases, the lower edge of the blade assembly 420 does not include a distinct indentation or depression into which the overhang portion 437 may extend; instead, the overhang portion 437 contacts an exterior region of the blade assembly 420. Thus, when in the closed position, the overhang portion 437 may not be enclosed or partially enclosed (e.g., covering some or all of three or more sides) by the blade assembly 420. Instead, in some cases, only one side of the overhang portion 437 contacts and / or is surrounded by the blade assembly 420.

[0043] Fig. 6A and 6B An exemplary folding knife 600 is shown, which is Figures 1A-1D as well as Figures 4A-4C 5A-5B. The folding knife 600 includes a handle 610, a blade assembly 620, and a locking arm 630. In addition, in this example, the locking arm 630 is integrally formed with at least a portion of the housing 610 of the handle 610 so that it is a single unitary piece (e.g., a single piece). For example, at least a portion of the housing 610 can be formed from a sheet of metal, and the locking arm 630 can be formed by a partial cutout of the sheet of metal of the housing. By integrally forming the locking arm 630 with the housing 610, the folding knife 600 advantageously saves space and reduces complexity.

[0044] In this example, the unlocking member 636 does not include a defined user actuator portion. Instead, to unlock the folding knife 600, the user presses one end of the overhang portion 638. Thus, in this example, the overhang portion 638 is configured to receive an unlocking force from the user from the exterior of the handle 610. In this example, the overhang portion 638 extends through the gap 680 in the housing 612.

[0045] The folding knife 600 may include a compression lock. For example, in the example shown in FIG6 , the stop member 670 is implemented as a bolt that extends through the housing. Thus, in the extended position, the spring arm 630 can apply a biasing force to wedge the releasable wedge member 634 laterally between the stop member 670 and the surface of the blade tang to prevent the folding knife 600 from transitioning out of the extended position.

[0046] Figure 7 An example folding knife 700 is shown. Figures 1A-1D as well as Figures 4A-4C5A-5B. The folding knife 700 includes a handle 710, a blade assembly 720, and a locking arm 730. In addition, in this example, the folding knife 700 includes a button member 731 (e.g., a push button) coupled to the locking arm 730 (e.g., to a user actuator portion). In this example, an unlocking force can be applied to the locking arm 730 via contact between the user and the button member 731. The button member 731 can be fixed to the locking arm 730 (e.g., fixed to the user actuator portion), or in some embodiments can be carried by the handle 710 (e.g., sandwiched between the handle 710 and the locking arm 730). In some embodiments, the button member 731 can include a separate engageable member that provides a cushioned or ergonomic interface to the user pressing thereon to transfer the unlocking force received from the user to the locking arm 730. Such a button member 731 may comprise rubber, plastic, metal or other suitable structure or construction, and may include, for example, a resilient membrane or a substantially rigid button insert received between the user actuator portion 438 and the aperture 480 of the housing portion 412B.

[0047] the term

[0048] Conditional language, such as, in particular, "can," "could," "might," or "may," unless specifically stated otherwise or understood otherwise in the context of use, is generally intended to convey that certain embodiments include, while other embodiments do not, certain features, elements, and / or steps. Thus, such conditional language is generally not intended to imply that one or more embodiments require features, elements, and / or steps in any way, or that one or more embodiments must include logic for determining, with or without user input or prompting, whether such features, elements, and / or steps are included or will be performed in any particular embodiment.

[0049] Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, throughout the specification and claims, the words "including", "may include", etc. should be understood in an inclusive sense, rather than an exclusive or exhaustive sense; that is, in the sense of "including, but not limited to". As used herein, the term "connected", "connected" or any variation thereof means any direct or indirect connection or connection between two or more elements; the connection or connection between elements may be physical, logical, or a combination thereof. In addition, when used in this application, the words "herein", "above", "below" and words of similar meaning refer to the entirety of this application, rather than any particular part of this application. Where the context permits, the words used in the singular or plural in the above detailed description may also include the plural or singular, respectively. The word "or" involving a list of two or more items covers all the following interpretations of the word: any one of the items in the list, all of the items in the list, and any combination of the items in the list. Similarly, the term "and / or" involves a list of two or more items, covering all the following interpretations of the word: any one of the items in the list, all of the items in the list, and any combination of the items in the list.

[0050] Depending on the embodiment, certain operations, actions, events, or functions of any routine described elsewhere herein may be performed in a different order, may be added, combined, or omitted entirely (non-limiting example: not all are necessary to implement the algorithm). Additionally, in some embodiments, operations, actions, functions, or events may be performed simultaneously, rather than sequentially.

[0051] Based on the above detailed description, the above and other changes can be made to the present invention. Although the above description describes certain examples of the present invention and describes the expected best mode, no matter how detailed the above appears in the text, the present invention can be implemented in many ways. The details of the system can vary considerably in its specific implementation, but are still included in the present invention disclosed herein. As mentioned above, the specific terms used when describing certain features or aspects of the present invention should not be understood to imply that the term is redefined here to be limited to any specific characteristics, features or aspects of the present invention associated with the term. In general, the terms used in the following claims should not be interpreted as limiting the present invention to the specific examples disclosed in the specification unless the above detailed description section clearly defines these terms. Therefore, the actual scope of the present invention includes not only the disclosed examples, but also all equivalent ways of practicing or implementing the present invention under the claims.

[0052] Unless otherwise stated, disjunctive language, such as the phrase "at least one of X, Y, or Z," is generally used to provide a context in which an item, term, etc. may be X, Y, or Z, or any combination thereof (non-limiting example: X, Y, and / or Z). Thus, such disjunctive language is generally not intended to, and should not, imply that certain embodiments require that at least one of X, at least one of Y, or at least one of Z each be present.

[0053] Unless expressly stated otherwise, articles such as "a" or "an" should generally be interpreted as including one or more of the stated items. Thus, a phrase such as "a device configured to..." is intended to include one or more of the stated devices. The one or more stated devices may also be jointly configured to perform the stated statements. For example, "a processor configured to perform statements A, B, and C" may include a first processor configured to perform statement A working together with a second processor configured to perform statements B and C.

[0054] Although the above detailed description has shown, described and pointed out the novel features applied to various embodiments, it should be understood that various omissions, substitutions and changes may be made to the form and details of the illustrated devices or algorithms without departing from the spirit of the invention. It will be appreciated that certain embodiments described elsewhere herein may be implemented in a form that does not provide all of the features and benefits set forth herein, as some features may be used or practiced separately from other features. The scope of certain embodiments disclosed herein is indicated by the appended claims rather than by the preceding description. All changes within the meaning and scope of the equivalents of the claims are included within their scope.

[0055] Any terms generally associated with circles, such as "radius" or "radial" or "diameter" or "circumference" or any derivative or similar type of terms, are intended to refer to any corresponding structure in any type of geometric shape, not just circular structures. For example, "radial" as applied to another geometric structure should be understood to refer to the direction or distance from the location corresponding to the general geometric center of such structure to the perimeter of such structure; "diameter" as applied to another geometric structure should be understood to refer to the cross-sectional width of such structure; and "circumference" as applied to another geometric structure should be understood to refer to the peripheral area. Nothing in this specification or the drawings should be construed to limit these terms to only circular or annular structures.

Claims

1. A folding knife, comprising: a handle comprising a housing; a blade assembly rotatably interconnected with the handle, the blade assembly including a blade portion and a blade tang, the blade tang defining a cutout having an edge with an inclined surface, the blade assembly moving between an extended position in use and a closed position; a stop member interconnected with the handle; and a locking arm interconnected with the handle and extending at least partially along the length of the handle, the locking arm comprising a spring arm, a releasable wedge member, and an unlocking member, the unlocking member comprising a cantilevered portion extending from a first side of the housing to a second side of the housing to a user actuator portion, the user actuator portion being configured to receive an unlocking force from a user from outside the handle, wherein in the extended position, the spring arm applies a biasing force to wedge the releasable wedge member laterally between the stop member and the inclined surface of the blade tang to prevent the folding knife from transitioning out of the extended position, and Wherein in the extended position, an unlocking force applied to the user actuator portion causes the releasable wedge member to shift from the space between the ramped surface and the stop member to allow the folding knife to transition out of the extended position.

2. The folding knife of claim 1, wherein in the closed position, the blade assembly is received in a space defined by the overhang portion and the spring arm.

3. The folding knife of claim 1 , wherein the overhanging portion extends away from a surface of the spring arm, wherein the surface of the spring arm and the overhanging portion form a boundary of a receiving space, wherein in the closed position, the blade assembly is at least partially recessed into the receiving space.

4. The folding knife of claim 3, wherein the length of the receiving space is between about 6.5 mm and about 11 mm.

5. The folding knife of claim 4, wherein the length of the receiving space is approximately 8.2 mm.

6. The folding knife of claim 3, wherein the receiving space has a width between about 5 mm and about 10 mm.

7. The folding knife according to claim 1, wherein the overhanging portion is formed in an arch or bridge shape to form a receiving space for a portion of the blade holder when the folding knife is in a closed position.

8. The folding knife of claim 1, wherein the unlocking force is applied to the user interface via direct contact between the user and the user actuator portion.

9. The folding knife of claim 1 further comprising a push button coupled to the user actuator portion, wherein the unlocking force is applied to the user interface via contact between the user and the push button.

10. The folding knife of claim 1, wherein the unlocking force comprises a force in a direction substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the handle.

11. The folding knife of claim 1, wherein the unlocking force comprises a pushing force in a direction toward the housing.

12. The folding knife of claim 1, wherein the unlocking force comprises a pulling force in a direction away from the housing.

13. The folding knife of claim 1, wherein the overhanging portion extends across an outer surface of the housing.

14. The folding knife of claim 1, wherein said locking arm is a unitary member.

15. The folding knife of claim 1, wherein said locking arm is integrally formed with said housing.

16. The folding knife of claim 1, wherein the wedge member is positioned at the first end of the locking arm.

17. The folding knife of claim 14, further comprising a band clip integrally formed with said locking arm, wherein the structure including said locking arm and said band clip is substantially u-shaped.

18. The folding knife of claim 1, wherein the blade assembly includes a curved profile extending from the cutout to a notch area, wherein the stop member rests in the notch area when the folding knife is in the closed position.

19. The folding knife of claim 1, wherein the stop member is positioned proximate an upper edge of the handle, the upper edge being opposite a cutting edge of the folding knife.

20. The folding knife of claim 1, wherein in the extended position, when downward pressure is applied on an upper edge of the blade assembly, the releasable wedge member is compressed between the cutout and the stop member to prevent the blade from closing.

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