Portable Knife Locking Mechanism for Secure Folding Blade Engagement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing portable knives lack a secure and easy-to-operate folding mechanism that ensures the cutting blade remains firmly engaged during use and can be smoothly folded when not in use.
Innovation Solution
A locking groove, locking bolt, and swing arm mechanism are integrated into the knife design, allowing the cutting blade to be locked stably in the extended position and smoothly folded by a continuous pushing and locking state, with the locking bolt moving along an elongated hole and the swing arm's locking portion forming a mutually squeezed state.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a traditional folding mechanism is used, then the knife can be folded for portability, but the locking engagement is not secure or reliable
Solution Approach 1:
The locking bolt is designed to move dynamically along the elongated hole, transitioning between retracted and extended positions. This dynamic movement allows the bolt to engage with the locking portion during folding while maintaining a secure locked position during use, resolving the contradiction between reliable locking and operational simplicity
Solution Approach 2:
The swing arm acts as an intermediary component that connects the cutting blade to the knife handle. It mediates the locking action by providing a locking portion that interacts with the locking bolt, enabling secure engagement without requiring complex direct connection mechanisms between the blade and handle
2Reliability
If a secure locking mechanism is implemented, then the cutting blade remains firmly engaged, but the folding operation becomes difficult or cumbersome
Solution Approach 1:
The locking mechanism is designed to be self-actuating through the swing arm's natural movement. When the cutting blade is folded, the swing arm automatically moves to engage the locking bolt with the locking portion, and when extended, the bolt automatically secures the blade without requiring additional manual locking actions, thus maintaining ease of operation while ensuring secure engagement
Solution Approach 2:
The locking bolt is positioned along the elongated hole in advance, ready to engage with the locking portion. The elongated hole is pre-configured to guide the bolt's movement path, so that when folding or extending occurs, the locking action happens automatically at the appropriate moment, eliminating the need for separate locking steps and maintaining operational simplicity
Data Source
AI summary
A convenient portable knife includes a knife handle and a cutting blade pivotally connected to the knife handle. The cutting blade has a locking groove. The knife handle is equipped with a swing arm and a locking bolt. The swing arm has a locking portion. The locking portion and locking bolt are located in the locking groove when the cutting blade is in the extended position. The locking bolt can move along the long axis of an elongated hole, allowing the swing arm to smoothly enter and exit the locking groove.