(19) & (11) EP 1 412 140 B1 (12) EUROPEAN PATENT SPECIFICATION (45) Date of publication and mention (51) Int Cl.: of the grant of the patent: B26B 5/00 (2006.01) 17.02.2010 Bulletin 2010/07 (86) International application number: (21) Application number: 02748005.2 PCT/US2002/020558 (22) Date of filing: 27.06.2002 (87) International publication number: WO 2003/009975 (06.02.2003 Gazette 2003/06) (54) UTILITY KNIFE MEHRZWECKMESSER COUTEAU A USAGE GENERAL (84) Designated Contracting States: (73) Proprietor: Repetto, LLC. AT BE CH CY DE DK ES FI FR GB GR IE IT LI LU Scituate, MA 02066 (US) MC NL PT SE TR (72) Inventor: FOSSELLA, Gregory (30) Priority: 23.07.2001 US 307285 P Scituate, MA 02066 (US) 15.04.2002 US 122787 (74) Representative: HOFFMANN EITLE (43) Date of publication of application: Patent- und Rechtsanwälte 28.04.2004 Bulletin 2004/18 Arabellastrasse 4 81925 München (DE) (60) Divisional application: 08004851.5 (56) References cited: US-A- 4 277 888 US-A- 4 761 882 US-A- 5 727 320 US-A- 5 890 294 Note: Within nine months of the publication of the mention of the grant of the European patent in the European Patent Bulletin, any person may give notice to the European Patent Office of opposition to that patent, in accordance with the Implementing Regulations. Notice of opposition shall not be deemed to have been filed until the opposition fee has been paid. (Art. 99(1) European Patent Convention). EP 1 412 140 B1 Printed by Jouve, 75001 PARIS (FR) 1 EP 1 412 140 B1 2 Description exposed, and when not in use the blade may be fully withdrawn into the case. An actuator mounted on the FIELD OF THE INVENTION case controls a carrier that engages the blades in the cartridge one at a time and slides them to the operative [0001] This invention relates to a blade cartridge for 5 position wherein one end of the blade extends from the utility knives, a utility knife comprising such a cartridge, case as well as to a number of retracted positions within and a method of presenting utility blades as well as a use the case. of such a cartridge. The invention more particularly in- [0006] In accordance with one aspect of the present cludes a utility knife with an automatic blade loading sys- invention, the cartridge has two compartments, one of tem thatenables the user to change bladeswithout touch- 10 which when the cartridge is initially loaded, contains all ing them so as to achieve maximum safety, speed and of the blades, and the other compartment is empty. After convenience in the operation of the device. one end of each blade has been used and is to be re- placed, the used blade is moved into the second com- BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION partment and thereafter, the next blade in the first com- 15 partment is moved into position for continued use of the [0002] Utility knives are widely used for a number of knife. This sequence is followed for each of the blades different purposes and are a very popular and handy tool. in the first compartment until one end of each blade is Conventionally, utility knives use a thin double-ended used and all are deposited in the second compartment. blade that in use extends out one end of the knife case. Thereafter, the cartridge is repositioned in the case so When the cutting end becomes dull or otherwise unsuited 20 that the second compartment is close to the operative for continued use, the blade is reversed so that its other end of the case and all of the blades may be withdrawn end extends out of the case. In most utility knives, re- in sequence from the second compartment. When the versal of the blade requires handling of it, and because cartridge is repositioned in the case, the blades in the the blades are very sharp, thin, and not particularly easy second compartment are positioned so that the unused to handle, accidents frequently occur. It is also difficult 25 ends of the blades are moved one at a time into the op- to properly mount the blade within the components in the erative position. In sequence, each of the blades in the case. second compartment is extended to the operative posi- [0003] A number of utility knives have been developed tion exposing the unused end and when the second end that employ cartridges that hold a plurality of blades. In is worn, the blade is deposited in the first compartment US-A-5,727,320 a utility knife is disclosed, having a man- 30 now at the rear of the case. When both ends of all the ually holdable housing with a front end and a rear end, blades are used, the cartridge is discarded and a new and comprising a blade magazine. The blade magazine one inserted in the case. has a series of radially and longitudinally extending cir- [0007] In accordance with another aspect of the cumferentially spaced slots for separately receiving thin present invention, the carrier which moves through the blades. The preamble of claim 1 below is based on this 35 cartridge and case to position the blades one at a time document. Some of the utility knives which have been inthe operative position and alternate retracted positions, developed enable the user to change the blade with a is operated by an actuator that remains locked in position reduced risk of cutting ones self, but none have proved until the actuator lock is released to allow the actuator to to be entirely satisfactory. Some require a very large case move longitudinally in the case. As the actuator is at- to receive the cartridge, which detracts from the comfort 40 tached to the carrier, the carrier cannot move without of using the tool. And none of the prior art tools known movement of the actuator, and only the actuator is ac- to applicant provide total protection against accidental cessible to move the carrier and the blades. injury when reversing or changing the blade. Many of [0008] The various aspects of the present invention those knives have non-traditional shapes so as to limit will be better understood and appreciated from the fol- their appeal to those who frequently use them. 45 lowing detailed description of one embodiment thereof shown in the accompanying drawings, in which: SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0004] Aspects of the invention are defined in claims 1, 16 and 24. The dependent claims are directed to op- 50 [0009] tional and preferred features. [0005] In accordance with the present invention, the FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a utility knife in accordance utility knife has a multi-blade cartridge that may contain with one embodiment of the invention; as many as 20 or more blades fully enclosed in it and FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of the utility knife that may be mounted in the case without the user coming 55 shown in FIG. 1; into contact with any of the blades. The blades may be FIG. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the knife extended from the cartridge and the case, one at a time taken along section line 3-3 in FIG. 1; to an operative position wherein one end of the blade is FIG. 4 is a horizontal cross-sectional view of the knife 2 3 EP 1 412 140 B1 4 taken along section line 4-4 in FIG. 2; carrier moved rearwardly in the case toward the rear FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 are cross-sectional views of the compartment to deposit a used blade in it; knife taken along the corresponding section lines in FIG.31 is a view similar to FIG. 30 showing the carrier FIG. 2, respectively; moved further back with the used blade toward the FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a spring that in ac- 5 rear compartment; cordance with an embodiment of the invention FIG. 32 is a view similar to FIG. 31 showing the used serves as a latch for the door in the case through blade yet further back in the rear compartment about which the cartridges are inserted and removed from to deposit the used blade in it; the case; FIG. 33 is a view similar to FIG. 32 and showing the FIG. 9 is a perspective view of one half of the blade 10 empty carrier approaching a new blade in the front cartridge, the full cartridge being made up of two compartment; identical halves, in accordance with another aspect FIG. 34 is a view similar to FIGS. 29-33 and showing of this invention; the carrier empty and moving rearwardly in the case FIG. 10 is a perspective view of an assembled car- to pick up the first blade in the front compartment tridge made up of two identical halves, one shown 15 after a new cartridge has been inserted in the case in FIG. 9; or the cartridge has been reversed; FIG. 11 is a side elevation view of one half of a car- FIGS. 35 and 36 are enlarged, fragmentary horizon- tridge showing blades disposed in each of the com- tal cross-sectional views of an alternative knife con- partments; struction showing the carrier moving a used blade FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the cartridge similar 20 into the rear (used blade) compartment beside pre- to FIG. 10 and showing the carrier and actuator su- viously stored blades in that compartment; bassembly mounted on it; FIG.