Foldable Knife Blade Latching and Attachment Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing utility knives are difficult to maintain in a constant extension state, lack compactness, and do not have a latching mechanism for easy attachment to belts or cases, posing safety and usability issues.
Innovation Solution
A multifunction foldable knife design featuring a handle with a rotating blade system, a hook for attachment, and a spring bar with detent balls to secure the blade in various positions, allowing easy storage and access, along with additional tools like a can opener and screwdriver.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If the blade is made self-retractable into the handle, then safety is improved by avoiding exposed blade danger, but the blade extension stability deteriorates and the knife becomes less compact
Solution Approach 1:
The blade is designed to be movable between extended and retracted positions rather than fixed, allowing it to adapt between safety (retracted) and usability (extended) states. The spring mechanism enables dynamic positioning while the latch provides stability when extended.
Solution Approach 2:
A spring mechanism is introduced as an intermediary between the blade and handle, providing automatic retraction force while allowing controlled extension. This mediator enables the blade to maintain stable extended positions without permanent deformation or complex locking structures.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the blade is made self-retractable into the handle, then safety is improved, but the knife compactness deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The blade is nested within the handle structure when retracted, with the blade containing portion providing a recess that accommodates the blade in its stored position. This nesting arrangement minimizes the overall volume when the knife is not in use while maintaining easy access when needed.
3Strength
If a traditional bolt and nut system is used to join handle halves, then structural strength is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to requiring screwdriver for separation
Solution Approach 1:
The fastening system is designed to be manipulated by the user without additional tools. The finger groove and thumb engagement features allow the user to easily tighten or loosen the bolt and nut by hand, making the knife easily adjustable or separable without requiring screwdrivers or other instruments.
4Adaptability or versatility
If the blade is made extendable for utility use, then functionality is improved, but safety deteriorates due to exposed blade danger
Solution Approach 1:
The blade transitions between fixed states (retracted or extended) rather than remaining continuously exposed. The latch mechanism provides a secure extended position for utility work while the spring ensures automatic retraction to a safe position when not in use, creating clear safe/unsafe state transitions.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables safe and convenient handling, secure attachment to objects, and easy access to the blade, enhancing usability and compactness while maintaining a constant extension state.
Implementation Method 1
a spring bar is integrated in the first half handle in a central portion of the first half handle including a space on three sides of the spring bar, attached to the first half handle at a posterior end of the spring bar and including a detent ball on an anterior end of the spring bar, the detent ball enabled to engage the flat blade in various position to lock the flat blade in the various positions
Implementation Method 2
a nut and bolt system passing through the flat blade near the posterior end of the flat blade and further through the first and second half handle terminating at on outside portion of each of the first and second half handles enabling the flat blade to rotate between an open position and a closed position
Data Source
AI summary
A knife is disclosed having a handle with first and second half handles, a blade containing portion for securing a blade and an opening in a top surface of handle and first and second ends to contain the blade in a folded closed position. The knife includes a hook portion on a posterior end of the blade and a cutting surface portion on an anterior end; a nut and bolt system passing through the blade near the posterior end and both half handles terminating at on outside portion of each half handle enabling the blade to rotate between open and closed positions. A spring bar is integrated in a central portion of the first half handle, attached to the first half handle at a posterior end and including a ball pin on an anterior end of the spring bar, the ball pin enabled to engage the blade in various positions.