Folding knife with selectively hidden blade release
Certain embodiments of a folding knife are disclosed. In one embodiment, an example knife may include a handle and a blade carrier. The blade carrier may be rotatable about the handle and may include a left and a right cap. A blade may be removably disposed within the blade carrier. The knife may further include a blade release mechanism. In one embodiment, the blade release mechanism may include a compression spring and a lift bar. In another embodiment, the blade release mechanism may further include a wheel. In yet another embodiment, the blade release mechanism may include a leaf spring and a slide bar. When the blade carrier is rotated such that the knife is not in a cutting position, at least a portion of the blade release mechanism is exposed. When the blade release mechanism is activated, the blade may be removed from within the blade carrier.
1. A knife, comprising:
a handle;
a blade carrier rotatable about the handle, wherein the blade carrier comprises at least a left cap and a right cap;
a blade removably disposed within the blade carrier; and
a blade release mechanism disposed within the blade carrier and comprising a wheel, a lift bar, and a spring, wherein a portion of the blade release mechanism is visible only when the blade carrier is rotated by a predetermined angle so that the wheel is accessible and operable to move the lift bar from a first position to a second position to release the blade from the blade carrier.
2. The knife of claim 1 , wherein the spring is a compression spring.
3. The knife of claim 1 , wherein the handle further comprises a blade storage mechanism configured to have an open position and a closed position.
4. The knife of claim 3 , wherein the blade storage mechanism is sized and shaped to store the blade when the blade is removed from the blade carrier.
5. The knife of claim 1 , wherein the blade is releasable when the wheel of the blade release mechanism is actuated.
6. The knife of claim 5 , wherein at least a portion of the at least one of the lift bar, or the wheel of the blade release mechanism is of a different color than the handle.
7. The device of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined angle is 45 degrees with respect to the handle.
8. The device of claim 1 , wherein in the second position the lift bar is in contact with the spring.
9. The device of claim 8 wherein in the second position, a first end of the lift bar is positioned higher than an opposing second end of the lift bar in a vertical direction.
10. A device, comprising:
a handle;
a blade carrier rotatable about the handle, further comprising:
a left blade carrier; and
a right blade carrier;
a blade release mechanism disposed within the blade carrier, further comprising:
a spring;
a wheel; and
a bar; and
a blade removably disposed within the blade carrier, wherein the blade is removable from the blade carrier when the blade release mechanism is engaged, wherein a portion of the blade release mechanism is only visible once the blade carrier is rotated to a predetermined angle so that the wheel is accessible and operable to move the bar from a first position to a second position to release the blade from the blade carrier.
11. The device of claim 10 , wherein the spring is a compression spring, and wherein the bar is a lift bar.
12. The device of claim 10 , wherein the handle further comprises a blade storage mechanism configured to have an open position and a closed position.
13. The device of claim 10 , wherein the predetermined angle is 45 degrees with respect to the handle.
14. The device of claim 10 , wherein in the second position the bar is in contact with the spring.
15. The device of claim 14 wherein in the second position, a first end of the bar is positioned vertically higher than a second opposing end of the bar.