AU8154601A - A knife case - Google Patents

Description

P/00/011 Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990

ORIGINAL

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT eo oooo *oooo o ooe* Invention Title: Applicants: A KNIFE CASE MAURICE ALLAN CATTELL and BERNARD JOHN O'SHEA O O0 0 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me: 1 X:Msa\Patents\655143complete.doc A KNIFE CASE The present invention relates generally to a case for carrying hand held implements, such as knives, tools and the like. The invention has been designed especially, but not exclusively, as a knife case and is herein described in that context. However, it is to be appreciated that the invention has broader application and is not limited to this particular use.

Professional chefs are often required to carry their knifes to and from their place of work. This is required as chefs tend to use only their own set of knives, rather than a common set, and it is often not convenient for them to leave their knives in the kitchen due to lack of storage, or due to a risk of loosing the knives in an environment which typically has a high level of staff turnover. Sometimes, also, a chef will work in more than one kitchen (ie more than one establishment) which also creates the need to take his/her knives to and from a workplace.

15 In the past, knives have typically been carried either in boxes which resemble a small toolbox and which include a number of individual compartments which the knives are loosely held, or in a fabric wraps having a series of pockets for the knives.

An aim of the present invention is to provide an improved case which is suited to carrying knives.

In a first broad aspect, the present invention provides a case for carrying a plurality of hand held implements. The case includes an outer housing which defines an interior cavity; and an implement retaining device operative to be securely located within the cavity to enable transport of the implements within the 25 housing. The retaining device includes means for holding or mounting the el implements in a manner that enables ready access to the implements from an upper side of the device. The retaining device is furthermore adapted to be released or removed from the housing to thereby enable it to be located on a work surface to facilitate access to the implements.

In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the hand held implements are knives, such as kitchen knives. The case of the invention is well W:Xpwg- pat1JRN625743-KnifeCsse.d suited to carrying knives because it allows the knives to be safely and securely transported enclosed within the housing. It also allows them to be removed from the housing as a set (ie mounted on the retaining device) and placed or presented on a work bench in a kitchen where they can be readily accessed by the chef.

The retaining device may take different forms depending on the requirements of the user. For example, where the hand held implements are knives, the retaining device may resemble a conventional knife block, which includes slots or recesses within which the knives are held.

In a preferred embodiment, however, the retaining device includes a base member upon which the plurality of implements are intended to be mounted or secured. Preferably, this base member is formed as a substantially rigid plate-like member, and is designed to receive and retain the implements across an upper surface thereof. One advantage of such a plate or board-like structure for the retaining device is that it provides for an efficient storage arrangement for the 15 implements. Such a base member may preferably also be provided with short legs or feet on a lower side thereof for supporting the retaining device on the work surface when it is removed from the housing.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the means for holding or mounting the implements includes a number of retaining elements which are 20 operative to locate and secure the implements at the upper side of the retaining ooloo device. Again, these retaining elements may take any suitable form. However, in a preferred embodiment, the elements are resilient clips which extend upwardly at S the upper side of the device. These clips are preferably designed to securely retain the implements to the retaining device by being able to resiliently engage the 25 implements.

.i In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the clips are formed by rows of resilient ribbon loops that preferably extend from an upper surface of the retaining device. Adjacent loops preferably define a gap within which one of the implements (eg the knives) may be inserted and retained by an interference fit. The resulting deformation of the loop permits implements of different shapes and sizes to be accommodated without the need to have specially shaped or sized clips or holes.

W:\pwg patlRN625743-KnifeCase.doc In the event that one or more of the implements is/are relatively long, multiple clips may be used to secure the implement to the retaining device along its length. By using such clips as the retaining elements, the implements can be readily inserted into, or released from, the retaining device during use.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the housing of the implement case is relatively rigid and preferably formed from two outer shells which are hingedly connected together so as to be operative to move relative to one another between and open and closed position. Latches are preferably provided on the exterior of the housing to enable the shells to be latched in the closed position.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the retaining device is operative to be securely located within the cavity in such a way that there is substantially no movement of the device within the cavity. In this way, it is not necessary to provide a separate mechanism for locating the retaining device within the outer housing.

This simplifies the construction of the implement case and also facilitates easy 15 removal of the retaining device from the interior cavity defined by the housing.

Preferably, the retaining device is designed to locate within one of the shells in a close fitting arrangement.

"i Whilst the implement case may be made from any suitable material, in a preferred embodiment of the invention the entire assembly is made from a plastics material which reduces the cost of manufacture. Further, the use of plastics enables the case to meet hygiene requirements when it is used to carry knives.

It should be appreciated that the terms "upper" and "lower" as used herein in respect of the implement retaining device are intended to be understood as referring to the orientation of the retaining device in it's ordinary or normal in-use position when it is located on a work surface to present or provide the set of implements to the user.

For a more complete understanding of the present invention, a preferred embodiment of the invention is hereafter described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate like features, and in which: W.pwg pat\lRN625743-KnifeCase.doc Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a knife case according to a preferred embodiment of the invention in an open condition; Fig. 2 is a top view of the knife case of Fig.l; Fig. 3 is a front view of the knife case of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is an side view of the knife case of Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the retaining device shown in Fig.1 removed from the knife case housing; Figs. 6 to 8 are front, top and side views, respectively, of the retaining device of Fig. 5; and Figs 9 to 12 are perspective, front, top and side views, respectively, of the knife case of Fig. 1 in a closed condition.

Referring firstly to Figs. 1 to 4, a knife case 10 is disclosed which includes an outer housing 11 having two substantially rigid shells 12 and 13 which are connected together by hinges 14. In this way, the housing 11 is operative to adopt 15 either a closed condition as illustrated in Figure 1, or an open condition as illustrated in Figure 2. Latches 15 are disposed on the opposite edge of the "0:00shells 12 and 13 to the hinges 14 and are operative to maintain the housing in the closed condition.

"*The shells 12 and 13 are formed from a relatively rigid plastic and are typically fabricated using an injection moulding process. The shells 12 and 13 are also designed to incorporate an integral handle 16 which facilitates carrying of the case The knife case 10 further includes a knife retaining device 17 which locates within the cavity 18 formed by the two shells 12 and 13. The purpose of the knife 25 retaining device 17 is to securely hold a plurality of knives 50 (see Fig. 1) in a o manner that both securely locates the knives within the knife case 10 and also presents them in a manner which enables them to be easily accessed by a user.

Figures 5 to 8 illustrate the features of the retaining device 17 in more detail.

The retaining device 17 includes a plate-like base member 19 which is substantially rigid and, in the illustrated embodiment, is formed from a clear plastic material. The base member 19 is shaped so as to conform to the interior of the W:'Apwg pat lURN625743-KnifeCase.doc housing shell 13 so as to locate securely within the housing cavity 18. In this regard, the base member 19 includes an integral handle 20 that conforms to the case handle 16. Tabs 21 are incorporated on an edge of the base member 19 which cooperate with the shell 13 so as to allow the retaining device 17 to pivot relative to the shell 13. This pivoting action is provided to allow easy access to compartments 22 which are formed within the shell 13 and are disposed below the retaining device 17 (See Fig. 1).

The retaining device 17 further includes two rows of clips 23 which are disposed on the upper surface 24 of its base member 19. The rows of clips include a plurality of resilient loops 25 and are operative so as to retain a knife blade between adjacent loops so as to enable the knives to be secured to the retaining device in a manner wherein they extend edge-up from the retaining device 17 as best illustrated in Figures 4 and 5. Two rows of clips 23 are provided so as to enable longer knives to be engaged at dual points along their blade length to improve the security of the knife case The retaining device 17 is operative to be fully releasable from the housing 11 of the knife case 10. This is achieved merely by moving the housing 11 to its open condition as illustrated in Figure 3, and removing the retaining device with the aid of the integral handle 20. Once removed, the retaining device 20 incorporating the knives securely mounted to the upper surface can be *oo o* conveniently located on a work bench. The positioning of the knives on the upper surface and their manner of attachment to the base member 19 enables the knives S.to be easily removed from and replaced on the base member 19 as required.

Figs. 9 to 12 simply illustrate the knife case 10 with the housing shells 12, 25 13 latched together in the closed position. The retaining device 17 is securely enclosed within the interior cavity 18 of the housing with the set of knives mounted on it for transport by the chef. The handle 16 allows the case 10 to be easily carried by the chef to and from the workplace.

Accordingly, the present invention provides an implement case that is ideally suited for use in carrying knives. The case enables the knives to be transported safely so that there is no risk to inadvertent injury to the person carrying the case, W:\pwg- patlRN625743-KnifeCase.doc and no risk of damage to the knives themselves. Furthermore, the knife case of the invention enables the whole set of implements (ie knives) can be removed from the more cumbersome knife case housing and placed in the work environment, where they can be readily accessed from the retaining device for use.

Finally, it is to be appreciated that various alterations or additions may be made to the parts previously described without departing from the spirit or ambit of the present invention.

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Claims (15)

1. A case for carrying a plurality of hand held implements, the case including: an outer housing which defines an interior cavity; and an implement retaining device operative to be securely located within the cavity to enable transport of the implements within the housing; wherein the retaining device has means for holding or mounting the implements in a manner that enables ready access to the implements from an upper side of the device, and wherein the retaining device is adapted to be released or removed from the housing to thereby enable it to be located on a work surface to facilitate access to the implements.

2. A case according to claim 1, wherein the retaining device is operative to be securely located within the cavity in such a way that there is substantially no movement of the device within the cavity.

3. A case according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the retaining device is adapted to hold or mount each of the plurality of implements separately and S°discretely from one another.

4. A case according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the retaining device includes a base member formed as a substantially rigid plate or board member, and wherein the base member is designed to receive and retain the implements across an upper surface thereof. oe

5. A case according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the means for S holding or mounting the implements includes a number of retaining elements which are operative to locate and secure the implements at the upper side of the retaining device. W:pwg patURN825743-KnifeCase.doc

6. A case according to claim 5, wherein the retaining elements are in the form of resilient clips which extend upwardly at the upper side of the device, the clips being designed to resiliently engage and to securely hold the implements.

7. A case according to claim 6, wherein the clips are formed by rows of resilient ribbon loops, which extend from the upper surface of the base member and wherein adjacent loops define a gap within which the implements may be inserted and retained by an interference fit.

8. A case according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the housing of the implement case is substantially rigid and formed from two shell components which are hingedly connected together for movement relative to one another between an open and a closed position. 15

9. A case according to claim 8, wherein latches are provided on the exterior of the housing to enable the shell components be latched together in the closed 0. position. oooo.

A case according to claim 8 or claim 9, wherein the retaining device is designed to locate within one of the shell components in a close fitting arrangement.

11. A case according to any one of the preceding claims, further including a "plurality of said hand held implements.

"12. A case according to claim 11, wherein the hand held implements are knives. S.i

13. A knife case for carrying a plurality of knives, the case including: an outer housing which defines an interior cavity; and an knife retaining device operative to be securely located within the cavity to enable transport of the knives within the housing; W:pg patMRN625743-KnifeCase.doc wherein the retaining device has means for holding or mounting the knives in a manner that enables ready access to the knives from an upper side of the device, and wherein the retaining device is adapted to be released or removed from the housing to thereby enable it to be located on a work surface to facilitate access to the knives.

14. A knife case according to claim 13, further including a plurality of said knives.

15. A case for carrying a plurality of hand held implements substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings. DATED: 22 October 2001 PHILLIPS ORMONDE FITZPATRICK Attorneys for: MAURICE ALLAN CATTELL and BERNARD JOHN O'SHEA S W:Npwg pat\RN625743-KnifeCase.doc