The present invention generally relates to a pocket cutter. Specifically, embodiments of the present invention relate to a pocket cutter apparatus with a retractable blade. Embodiments of the pocket cutter apparatus are further comprised of a thumb slider switch.
1. A blade actuation control unit for use in pocket cutter, the blade actuation control unit comprising:
a slider button connected to a blade carrier by a connector post, wherein said slider button is configured to move said blade carrier transversely along a transverse groove of a housing;
wherein said connector post includes an aperture and wherein said connector post extends through said transverse groove of said housing and through a slot in said blade carrier such that said aperture extends beyond said blade carrier slot to an interior side of said blade carrier; and
a tension component, wherein said tension component includes a short arm and a long arm, wherein said long arm extends through the connector post aperture on said interior side of said blade carrier.
2. The blade actuation control unit of claim 1 , wherein said tension component is mounted to a wall of said housing.
3. The blade actuation control unit of claim 1 , wherein said housing includes a slider button groove that defines a movement limit boundary for said slider button.
4. The blade actuation control unit of claim 1 , wherein said housing includes a blade carrier track formed on an interior of said housing and is adapted to guide said blade carrier within said housing.
5. The blade actuation control unit of claim 4 , wherein said blade carrier includes a carrier track alignment feature adapted to guide said blade carrier on said blade carrier track.
6. The blade actuation control unit of claim 1 , wherein said blade carrier is formed with a depression that is configured to retain a cutting blade.
7. The blade actuation control unit of claim 1 , further comprising a body housing lock.
8. The blade actuation control unit of claim 7 , wherein said housing comprises a front-half body shell and a rear-half body shell joined together to form said housing, wherein said front-half body shell and rear-half body shell may be separated when said body housing lock is in an unlocked position.
9. The blade actuation control unit of claim 1 , further comprising:
a blade carrier stop that extends from an inner surface of said housing and is adapted to limit the movement range of the blade carrier within the housing, said blade carrier stop comprising a lip portion; and
a body housing lock comprising an outer cap and a locking hub coaxially connected thereto, said outer cap defining a single linear slot configured to receive a flat member used to rotate the body housing lock into an unlocked position in which the housing can be opened and a locked position in which the housing cannot be opened, wherein said locked position is achieved by rotating the locking hub until said lip portion of said blade carrier stop is held behind a peripheral edge of the locking hub and said unlocked position is achieved by rotating the locking hub until a notch in said locking hub overlaps said lip portion.