Safety Utility Blade with Extended Handle Adaptor
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Solution Overview
Problem
Utility knives often cause injuries due to inadvertent contact with the cutting edges of their blades, especially during blade removal, insertion, and handling, highlighting the need for solutions that limit user exposure to these edges.
Innovation Solution
A replaceable safety blade design featuring a blade body with a cutting edge, a blade attachment, and a handle adaptor that secures the blade to a handle, with the handle adaptor extending beyond the cutting edge to form a blade throat, reducing exposure to the cutting edge.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a razor blade is used in a utility knife, then cutting performance is improved, but user safety deteriorates due to increased risk of injury from inadvertent contact with the cutting edge
Solution Approach 1:
The blade assembly is segmented into distinct functional zones: the cutting edge portion for cutting performance and the extended handle adaptor portion for safety. This segmentation allows the cutting edge to remain exposed for effective cutting while the extended handle adaptor creates a protective barrier that prevents inadvertent contact with the cutting edge during handling and operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The extended handle adaptor acts as an intermediary element between the user's hand and the cutting edge. By extending beyond the cutting edge, it serves as a protective barrier that mediates the interaction between the user and the dangerous cutting edge, preventing direct contact while allowing the cutting function to remain effective.
2Ease of operation
If the cutting edge is fully exposed for easy access, then ease of operation is improved, but safety deteriorates due to increased exposure to injury risk during removal, insertion, and handling
Solution Approach 1:
The blade assembly is divided into the cutting edge portion and the extended handle adaptor portion. This segmentation allows the cutting edge to remain accessible for cutting operations while the extended handle adaptor provides continuous protection during all phases of blade handling, including removal, insertion, and storage.
Solution Approach 2:
The extended handle adaptor serves as a permanent intermediary structure that remains in place during blade changes. It protects the cutting edge during insertion and removal operations while not interfering with the user's ability to access and use the blade when properly installed.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If a protective cover is added to limit exposure to the cutting edge, then safety is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The protective function is merged with the handle adaptor structure itself. Rather than adding a separate protective cover, the handle adaptor is extended to serve both as the mounting structure for the blade and as the protective barrier. This integration eliminates the need for additional protective components while maintaining safety functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The extended handle adaptor performs multiple functions: it secures the blade to the handle, provides structural support, and serves as a protective barrier against the cutting edge. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate protective components, reducing overall device complexity while improving safety.
Data Source
AI summary
A safety blade for use with a knife assembly comprises a blade body, a bade attachment having a cutting edge and a top edge opposite the cutting edge, a blade attachment having a first half and a second half connected together via a hinge and extending beyond the top edge of the blade body to define a clamshell for receiving the blade body, and a handle adaptor having a handle engagement portion for removably securing the blade attachment to a handle.