Knife Sharpener Guide Structure for Hollow Ground Blades
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing knife sharpeners face instability and ambiguity in positioning sport, pocket, and tactical knife blades with hollow ground concave blades, leading to compromised angular control due to excessive friction and tilting, especially with thicker blades.
Innovation Solution
A unique combination of a non-planar knife angle guide and a spring design that mimics the blade profiles, with convex portions to match the concave shape of the blades, reducing friction and ensuring precise alignment, and a modular spring system for versatility across different knife types.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a planar angle guide is used to control sharpening angle, then the sharpening angle can be controlled, but the positioning becomes unstable and ambiguous for thick knives with hollow ground concave blades
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies curvature by replacing the planar guide surface with a non-planar guide surface that has a convex portion matching the concave shape of hollow ground knife blades. This curved surface provides stable contact and precise positioning for thick knives with hollow ground edges, resolving the instability issue while maintaining angle control precision.
2Ease of operation
If a spring is used to hold the blade against the guide, then the blade can be held in place, but friction increases as the blade is pulled through the sharpening slot
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the geometric parameters of the spring guide surface by providing a convex portion that matches the concave blade profile. This geometric adaptation reduces contact friction between the spring and blade during the sharpening process, making it easier to pull thick knives through the sharpening slot while still maintaining secure blade holding.
3Manufacturing precision
If the guide surface is made non-planar to match blade profiles, then positioning precision improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by making only the specific contact portions of the guide surface non-planar (convex portions) to match the hollow ground blade profiles, while the rest of the guide structure can remain simpler. This localized adaptation provides precise positioning for thick knives without requiring complete redesign of the entire guide system, thus limiting the increase in device complexity.
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
This design achieves stable and precise sharpening of a variety of knives, including thicker sport and tactical knives, by reducing friction and maintaining alignment, while also accommodating thinner blades and narrower knives, enhancing the overall sharpening precision and effectiveness.
Implementation Method 1
a spring having a guide surface forming a slot to guide a knife blade against a sharpening member
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 2A~3A
AI summary
A knife sharpener includes guide structure for accommodating thick blades of a knife. The guide structure includes a fixed guide surface having a. convex portion to match a concave shape of the blade and a spring guide surface preferably has a convex portion to press against a hollow ground portion of the blade.