Rotatable Hand-Held Blade Sharpening Apparatus

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing sharpeners for cutting tools are often bulky, heavy, and difficult to use in field applications, lacking a compact and lightweight solution for efficiently sharpening blades on the go.

Innovation Solution

A rotatable, hand-held blade-sharpening apparatus with a foldable case that includes a sharpening mechanism, featuring a first and second cover plate that can be rotated from a storage to a sharpening position, and a hand guard for user safety, allowing for precise sharpening at predetermined angles.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Weight of moving object

If traditional sharpeners are used, then sharpening function is provided, but the device becomes bulky and heavy

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveweight of sharpenerVSAvoidstructure of sharpener

Core Design Contradiction:

Weight of moving objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The sharpener is divided into separate functional modules: a foldable case with cover plates, rotatable sharpening tools, and hand guards. Each component can be independently positioned or stored, allowing the device to be compact when not in use and fully functional when deployed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The sharpening tools are rotatably mounted within the foldable case, allowing them to be nested inside the case during storage and rotated outward during use. This nesting approach minimizes the device footprint while maintaining full functionality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

2Ease of operation

If traditional sharpeners are used, then sharpening function is provided, but portability is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveportability of sharpenerVSAvoidsize of sharpener

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The case is designed to be foldable rather than rigid, allowing it to collapse to a smaller volume for transport and expand to a functional size during use. The rotatable tools similarly transition from a compact stored position to an operational position, enabling portability without sacrificing functionality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Productivity

If sharpening tools are made accessible, then sharpening efficiency is improved, but user safety is compromised

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesharpening efficiencyVSAvoiduser safety

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

Hand guards are provided that can be positioned in advance to protect the user's hands before the sharpening operation begins. The guards are rotatable and can be deployed to shield the user during the sharpening process, preventing accidental contact with the rotating tools while maintaining operational efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

4Ease of operation

If sharpening tools are stored compactly, then portability is improved, but tool positioning precision is lost

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveportabilityVSAvoidtool positioning precision

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The positioning of sharpening tools is achieved through a rotatable mechanism with predetermined angular positions rather than complex mechanical adjustments. The rotatable tools can be positioned at specific angles (e.g., 20 degrees, 45 degrees) through simple rotation to preset positions, maintaining precision while enabling compact storage.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentUS9796068B2Rotatable hand-held blade-sharpening apparatus

Publication Date: 2017.10.24 SPYDERCO INC

AI summary

A sharpening apparatus is provided. The sharpening apparatus includes a foldable case, a first sharpening tool, and a second sharpening tool. The first and second sharpening tools are associated with the foldable case and are rotatable between a storage position and a sharpening position.