Knife with push button assisted-open mechanism

Abstract

A folding utility with a push button assisted-open mechanism is disclosed. The folding utility tool comprising a handle comprising at least two handle sides spaced apart and defining a tool cavity therebetween; a tool arm pivotally connected to the handle, wherein the tool arm comprises a drive pin connected to and extending out from a side of the tool arm; a toggle component pivotally connected to at least one of the at least two handle sides, wherein the toggle component comprises a retaining notch; and a spring comprising an arcuate segment along a longitudinal axis of the spring, wherein the spring is coupled to at least one of the at least two handle sides at one end and the toggle component at another end, wherein the drive pin is positioned within the retaining notch when at least part of the tool arm is folded into the tool cavity.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A folding utility tool, comprising:
 a handle comprising at least two handle sides spaced apart and defining a tool cavity therebetween;   a tool arm pivotally connected to the handle, wherein the tool arm comprises a drive pin connected to and extending out from a side of the tool arm;   a toggle component pivotally connected to at least one of the at least two handle sides, wherein the toggle component comprises a retaining notch; and   a spring comprising an arcuate segment along a longitudinal axis of the spring, wherein the spring is coupled to at least one of the at least two handle sides at one end and the toggle component at another end, wherein the drive pin is positioned within the retaining notch when at least part of the tool arm is folded into the tool cavity.   
     
     
         2 . The folding utility tool of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a clearance slot defined along at least one of the at least two handle sides and at least part of the drive pin projects through the clearance slot; and   the toggle component further comprises a button top, wherein the toggle component rotates in a toggle rotational direction in response to a force applied to the button top toward a handle bottom and the tool arm is deployed out of the tool cavity in an arm rotational direction in response to the rotation of the toggle component, and wherein the toggle rotational direction is counter to the arm rotational direction.   
     
     
         3 . The folding utility tool of  claim 2 , wherein the retaining notch is defined in part by a toggle nose of the toggle component and the tool arm is deployed when the toggle nose actuates the drive pin of the tool arm when the toggle component is rotated in the toggle rotational direction. 
     
     
         4 . The folding utility tool of  claim 1 , wherein the spring pulls the toggle component in a first rotational direction when the folding utility tool is in a folded configuration and the spring pulls the toggle component in a second rotational direction when the folding utility tool is in an open configuration, and wherein the first rotational direction is counter to the second rotational direction. 
     
     
         5 . The folding utility tool of  claim 4 , wherein the spring pulls the toggle component in the second rotational direction when the toggle component passes an over-center position. 
     
     
         6 . The folding utility tool of  claim 4 , wherein the arcuate segment of the spring partially surrounds the pivot pin when the spring pulls the toggle component in the first rotational direction. 
     
     
         7 . The folding utility tool of  claim 1 , wherein the spring is a tension spring. 
     
     
         8 . The folding utility tool of  claim 1 , wherein the handle further comprises at least one outer handle side and the at least two handle sides are inner handle sides and the toggle component is positioned in between the at least one outer handle side and one of the inner handle sides. 
     
     
         9 . The folding utility tool of  claim 1 , further comprising a tool head coupled to the tool arm, wherein the tool head comprises a part of at least one of a screwdriver, a fork, a spoon, a toothpick, a flossing tool, a corkscrew, a bottle opener, and a can opener. 
     
     
         10 . The folding utility tool of  claim 1 , further comprising a locking slide bar coupled to a locking slide pin, wherein the locking slide pin prevents the toggle component from rotating when the locking slide pin contacts a locking notch defined along an edge of the toggle component.