Countertop Knife Sharpener

Abstract

An abrasive sharpener including a housing configured with a front opening formed to pass a blade therethrough, a support member provided inside and proximate a bottom of the housing, and configured to support a spine of a blade so that an edge of the blade faces a top of the housing, and a sharpening heat having at least one abrasive element forming a generally V-shaped sharpening angle configured to contact the edge of the blade when at least a portion of the blade is inside the housing, wherein the sharpening head is configured to be movable bidirectionally, and to be biased toward a bottom of the housing, so as to maintain contact with the edge of the blade as the blade is moved in and out of the housing.

1 . An abrasive sharpener comprising:
 a housing configured with a front opening formed to pass a blade therethrough;   a support member provided inside and proximate a bottom of the housing, and configured to support a spine of a blade so that an edge of the blade faces a top of the housing; and   a sharpening heat having at least one abrasive element forming a generally V-shaped sharpening angle configured to contact the edge of the blade when at least a portion of the blade is inside the housing;   wherein the sharpening head is configured to be movable bidirectionally, and to be biased toward a bottom of the housing, so as to maintain contact with the edge of the blade as the blade is moved in and out of the housing.   
     
     
         2 . The abrasive sharpener of  claim 1 , wherein the sharpening head is configured to be biased at a substantially uniform force toward the bottom of the housing during movement of the sharpening head. 
     
     
         3 . The abrasive sharpener of  claim 1 , wherein the sharpening head is biased toward the bottom of the housing by one or more constant force springs coupled to the housing. 
     
     
         4 . The abrasive sharpener of  claim 1 , wherein the sharpening head comprises:
 an access portion configured to be selectively detachable from, and attachable to, the sharpening head so that the at least one abrasive head is manipulable.   
     
     
         5 . The abrasive sharpener of  claim 4 , wherein at least a portion of the front opening is configured to allow the access portion of the sharpening head to be removed through the front opening. 
     
     
         6 . The abrasive sharpener of  claim 4 , wherein the sharpening head further comprises:
 an angled mounting portion configured to have the at least one abrasive member mounted thereon,   wherein a rear surface of the access portion is angled to correspond to the angled mounting portion such that the at least one abrasive member is secured on the angled mounting portion when the access portion is attached.   
     
     
         7 . The abrasive sharpener of  claim 6 , wherein the sharpening head further comprises:
 at least one recess configured to receive the at least one abrasive member therein.   
     
     
         8 . The abrasive sharpener of  claim 7 , wherein the at least one abrasive member includes two abrasive members, and the at least one recess includes first and second recesses having different depths and configured to respectively receive the two abrasive members such that the abrasive members overlap to form the generally V-shaped sharpening angle. 
     
     
         9 . The abrasive sharpener of  claim 8 , wherein the two abrasive members are configured to be interchangeable and/or rotatable to provide a plurality of selectable sharpening edges to form the generally V-shaped sharpening angle. 
     
     
         10 . The abrasive sharpener of  claim 1 , further comprising a support horn extending from a rear of the sharpening head and configured to contact a blade edge extending back from the sharpening head to prevent the sharpening head from moving down over a heel of the blade edge. 
     
     
         11 . The abrasive sharpener of  claim 10 , wherein the support horn comprises a pair of ceramic dowels configured to respectively contact opposite sides of the blade edge. 
     
     
         12 . The abrasive sharpener of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a blade rest portion extending from a front of the housing under the front opening; and   a groove formed on a top of the blade rest portion and configured to receive the spine of the blade and align the blade to be passed through the front opening and under the sharpening head.   
     
     
         13 . The abrasive sharpener of  claim 12 , wherein the sharpening head comprises a notch on a front surface thereof that is configured to guide a point of the blade through the generally V-shaped sharpening angle. 
     
     
         14 . The abrasive sharpener of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a plurality of guide slots formed on at least one inner surface of the housing; and   a plurality of sliding members provided on the sharpening head and configured to respectively register with the plurality of guide slots so as to maintain constant orientation of the sharpening head during bidirectional movement.   
     
     
         15 . The abrasive sharpener of  claim 1 , further comprising a ramp member inside the housing on which the support member is provided, the ramp member being configured to maintain a constant angle of the spine of the blade relative to the bottom of the housing during a sharpening operation. 
     
     
         16 . The abrasive sharpener of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the front opening is formed as a slit configured to maintain a vertical position of the blade during a sharpening operation. 
     
     
         17 . The abrasive sharpener of  claim 1 , further comprising a handguard portion extending from an upper and forward area of the housing. 
     
     
         18 . The abrasive sharpener of  claim 17 , wherein at least a portion of the sharpening head is configured to move through the handguard during an upper range of bidirectional movement. 
     
     
         19 . The abrasive sharpener of  claim 1 , further comprising a rear opening in the housing configured to allow a portion of the blade to extend out of a rear of the housing. 
     
     
         20 . An abrasive sharpener comprising:
 a housing configured with a front opening formed to pass a blade therethrough;   a support ramp provided inside and proximate a bottom of the housing, and configured to support a spine of a blade at a predetermined angle relative to a bottom of the housing and so that an edge of the blade generally faces a top of the housing;   a sharpening head provided inside the housing adjacent the front opening and having at least one abrasive element forming a generally V-shaped sharpening angle configured to contact the edge of the blade when at least a portion of the blade is inside the housing;   a blade rest portion extending from a front of the housing under the front opening;   a groove formed on a top of the blade rest portion and configured to receive the spine of the blade and align the blade to be passed through the front opening and under the sharpening head; and   a notch on a front surface of the sharpening head to guide a point of the glade through the generally V-shaped sharpening angle;   wherein the sharpening head is configured to be movable bidirectionally, and to be biased toward a bottom of the housing, so as to maintain contact with the edge of the blade as the blade is moved in and out of the housing.