Locking foldable knife
A locking foldable knife includes a locking assembly that reliably locks a blade in an extended position for use. The locking assembly utilizes the surface area of a shaped peripheral edge at a second end of the blade, together with, confirming structures of a locking bar, and one or more stops to reliably lock the blade in the extended position. The locking assembly can also lock the blade in a folded position in one or more configurations of the locking foldable knife.
1 . A knife comprising:
a handle;
a first stop disposed on the handle;
a blade mounted to the handle and being rotatable between folded and unfolded states relative to the handle, the blade defining an unfolded locking edge; and
a locking bar disposed on the handle and being slidable between extended and retracted positions along an axis relative to the first stop, the locking bar having first and second edges opposing one another along the axis,
the first edge of the locking bar in the extended position being configured to engage the unfolded locking edge of the blade in the unfolded state,
the second edge of the locking bar in the extended position being configured to engage the first stop at least with the blade in the unfolded state,
wherein at least one of: the second edge of the locking bar in the extended position is configured to engage the first stop with the blade in the folded state; and the second edge of the locking bar in the retracted position is configured to disengage from the first stop.
2 . The knife of claim 1 , wherein the blade in the unfolded state is configured to engage the first stop.
3 . The knife of claim 2 , wherein:
the first stop has first and second sides;
the blade defines an unfolded receiving edge,
the unfolded receiving edge on the blade in the unfolded state is configured to engage the second side of the first stop; and
the second edge of the locking bar in the extended position is configured to engage the first side of the first stop at least with the blade in the unfolded state.
4 . The knife of claim 1 , further comprising a second stop disposed on the handle and aligned with the first stop along the axis, wherein the second edge of the locking bar in the extended and retracted positions is configured to engage the second stop.
5 . The knife of claim 4 , wherein the locking bar comprises a tab extending adjacent to the second edge, the second stop being positioned between the second edge and the tab of the locking bar.
6 . The knife of claim 1 , further comprising at least one guide disposed on the handle, the at least one guide being configured to guide the locking bar along the axis between the extended and retracted positions, wherein the locking bar defines a cavity along the axis; wherein the at least one guide is disposed in the cavity; and wherein the locking bar comprises a spring disposed therein between an inner edge of the cavity and the at least one guide, the spring biasing the locking bar toward the extended position.
7 . A knife comprising:
a handle;
a first stop disposed on the handle, the first stop having first and second sides;
a blade mounted to the handle and being rotatable between folded and unfolded states relative to the handle, the blade defining an unfolded locking edge and an unfolded receiving edge, the unfolded receiving edge on the blade in the unfolded state being configured to engage the second side of the first stop; and
a locking bar disposed on the handle and being slidable between extended and retracted positions along an axis relative to the first stop, the locking bar having first and second edges opposing one another along the axis, the first edge of the locking bar in the extended position being configured to engage the unfolded locking edge of the blade in the unfolded state, the second edge of the locking bar in the extended position being configured to engage the first side of the first stop at least with the blade in the unfolded state,
wherein the blade defines a slot disposed between the unfolded receiving edge and the unfolded locking edge; and
wherein a distal end of the locking bar in the extended position is configured to position at least partially in the slot of the blade in the unfolded state.
8 . A knife comprising:
a handle;
a first stop disposed on the handle;
a blade mounted to the handle and being rotatable between folded and unfolded states relative to the handle, the blade defining an unfolded locking edge; and
a locking bar disposed on the handle and being slidable between extended and retracted positions along an axis relative to the first stop, the locking bar having first and second edges opposing one another along the axis, the first edge of the locking bar in the extended position being configured to engage the unfolded locking edge of the blade in the unfolded state, the second edge of the locking bar in the extended position being configured to engage the first stop at least with the blade in the unfolded state,
wherein the blade defines a folded locking edge; and
wherein the first edge of the locking bar in the extended position is configured to engage the folded locking edge of the blade in the folded state.
9 . The knife of claim 8 , wherein the first edge of the locking bar in the retracted position is configured to disengage from the folded and unfolded locking edges.
10 . The knife of claim 8 , wherein the second edge of the locking bar in the extended position is configured to engage the first stop such that a distal end of the locking bar is configured to position between the first stop and the folded locking edge of the blade in the folded state.
11 . The knife of claim 8 , wherein the folded locking edge defines a first locking surface and a second locking surface, the second locking surface oriented transverse to the first locking surface; wherein the first edge of the locking bar in the extended position is configured to engage the first locking surface of the blade in the folded state; and wherein a distal end of the locking bar in the extended position is configured to engage the second locking surface of the blade in the folded state.
12 . A knife, comprising:
a handle;
a first stop disposed on the handle;
a blade mounted to the handle and being rotatable between folded and unfolded states relative to the handle, the blade defining an unfolded locking edge; and
a locking bar disposed on the handle and being slidable between extended and retracted positions along an axis relative to the first stop, the locking bar having first and second edges opposing one another along the axis, the first edge of the locking bar in the extended position being configured to engage the unfolded locking edge of the blade in the unfolded state, the second edge of the locking bar in the extended position being configured to engage the first stop at least with the blade in the unfolded state; and
a second stop disposed on the handle, wherein the blade defines a folded receiving edge, the folded receiving edge on the blade in the folded state being configured to engage the second stop.
13 . A knife comprising:
a handle;
a first stop disposed on the handle and having first and second sides;
a second stop disposed on the handle;
a locking bar disposed on the handle and being slidable between extended and retracted positions along an axis relative to the first stop, the locking bar having first and second edges opposing one another along the axis; and
a blade having first and second ends, the blade being mounted at the second end to the handle and being rotatable between folded and unfolded states relative to the handle, the second end defining a folded receiving edge, an unfolded receiving edge, a folded locking edge, and an unfolded locking edge,
the folded locking edge on the blade in the folded state being configured to engage the first edge of the locking bar in the extended position,
the folded receiving edge on the blade in the folded state being configured to engage the second stop,
the unfolded receiving edge on the blade in the unfolded state being configured to engage the second side of the first stop,
the unfolded locking edge on the blade in the unfolded state being configured to engage the first edge on the locking bar in the extended position,
the second edge of the locking bar in the extended position being configured to engage the first side of the first stop,
the first edge of the locking bar in the retracted position being configured to disengage from the folded and unfolded locking edges.
14 . The knife of claim 13 , wherein the second edge of the locking bar in the retracted position is configured to disengage from the first side of the first stop.
15 . The knife of claim 13 , wherein the second end of the blade defines a slot disposed between the unfolded receiving edge and the unfolded locking edge; and wherein a distal end of the locking bar in the extended position is configured to position at least partially in the slot of the blade in the unfolded state.
16 . The knife of claim 13 , further comprising a third stop disposed on the handle and aligned with the first stop along the axis, wherein the second edge of the locking bar in the extended and retracted positions is configured to engage the third stop.
17 . The knife of claim 16 , wherein the locking bar comprises a tab extending adjacent to the second edge, the third stop being positioned between the second edge and the tab of the locking bar.
18 . The knife of claim 13 , further comprising at least one guide disposed on the handle, the at least one guide being configured to guide the locking bar along the axis between the extended and retracted positions; wherein the locking bar defines a cavity along the axis; wherein the at least one guide is disposed in the cavity; and wherein the locking bar comprises a spring disposed therein between an inner edge of the cavity and the at least one guide, the spring biasing the locking bar toward the extended position.
19 . A knife comprising:
a handle;
a first stop disposed on the handle;
a blade having a proximal end rotatably mounted to the handle, the blade being rotatable in an unfolding direction from a folded state to an unfolded state relative to the handle, the blade being rotatable in a folding direction from the unfolded state to the folded state relative to the handle, the proximal end defining a first locking edge facing the folding direction; and
a locking bar disposed on the handle and being movable between an extended position and a retracted position relative to the first stop and the proximal end of the blade, the locking bar having first and second edges opposing one another, the first edge opposing the folding direction, the second edge opposing the unfolding direction,
the first edge of the locking bar in the extended position being configured to engage the first locking edge when the blade is in the unfolded state,
the second edge of the locking bar in the extended position being configured to engage the first stop when the blade is in the unfolded state,
the first edge of the locking bar in the retracted position being configured to disengage from the first locking edge when the blade is in the unfolded state.
20 . The knife of claim 19 , wherein at least one of:
the second edge of the locking bar in the extended position is configured to engage the first stop when the blade is in the folded state; and
the second edge of the locking bar in the retracted position is configured to disengage from the first stop.
21 . The knife of claim 19 , wherein the proximal end of the blade defines a receiving edge facing the unfolding direction, the receiving edge being configured to engage the first stop in response to the blade rotated in the unfolding direction to the unfolded state.
22 . The knife of claim 19 , wherein the proximal end of the blade defines a slot disposed adjacent to the first locking edge; and wherein a distal end of the locking bar in the extended position is configured to position at least partially in the slot of the blade.
23 . The knife of claim 19 , wherein the proximal end of the blade defines a second locking edge facing the unfolding direction; and wherein the locking bar in the extended position is configured to engage the second locking edge when the blade is in the folded state.
24 . The knife of claim 23 , wherein the second locking edge has a first portion facing the unfolding direction and has a second portion facing the folding direction; wherein a distal end of the locking bar in the extended position is configured to engage the first portion of the second locking edge when the blade is in the folded state; and wherein the first edge of the locking bar in the extended position is configured to engage the second portion of the second locking edge when the blade is in the folded state.
25 . The knife of claim 24 , wherein the locking bar in the retracted position is configured to disengage from at least the first portion of the second locking edge when the blade is in the folded state.
26 . The knife of claim 23 , wherein the second edge of the locking bar in the extended position is configured to engage the first stop, whereby the first and second edges of the locking bar are configured to position between the first stop and the second locking edge when the blade is the folded state.
27 . The knife of claim 19 , further comprising a second stop disposed on the handle, wherein the blade defines a receiving edge facing the folding direction, the receiving edge being configured to engage the second stop in response to the blade rotated in the folding direction to the folded state.
28 . The knife of claim 19 , further comprising at least one guide disposed on the handle, the at least one guide being configured to guide the locking bar between the extended position and the retracted position, wherein the locking bar defines a cavity; wherein the at least one guide is disposed in the cavity; and wherein the locking bar comprises a spring disposed therein between an inner edge of the cavity and the at least one guide, the spring biasing the locking bar toward the extended position.