GB2293577A - Pencil sharpener adjustable for pencils of different sizes. - Google Patents

Abstract

A sharpener (10) for pencils or the like, comprising a sharpening device (26) having a sharpening blade (29) and an open end (28), and a hollow body containing the sharpening device (26). The body has a base (11) locating the sharpening device (26) and a cover (12) having an apertures (22, 23) of different sizes. The base (11) and cover (12) are rotatable relative to each other in order to align the open end (28) of the sharpening device (26) with either aperture (22, 23) one for an end of a pencil to be inserted into the interior (27) of the sharpening device (26). <IMAGE>

Description

SHARPENER FOR PENCILS OR THE LIKE The present invention relates to a sharpener for pencils or the like, which is capable of sharpening pencils of different diameters.

According to the invention, there is provided a sharpener for pencils or the like, which sharpener comprises a sharpening device having a sharpening member and an open end, and a hollow body containing the sharpening device, which body has a first part locating the sharpening device and a second part having an aperture, said first and second body parts being movable relative to each other in order to align the open end of the sharpening device and the aperture one with the other for an end of a said pencil or the like to be inserted through the aperture and the open end into an interior of the sharpening device for sharpening by the sharpening member through a side opening of the interior, wherein the second body part has an additional aperture of a relatively smaller size for alignment with the open end of the sharpening device through the said relative movement between the first and second body parts in order for the same sharpening device to sharpen another pencil or the like having a correspondingly smaller diameter, which additional aperture serves to hold the said smaller pencil or the like in a stable position for sharpening.

Preferably, the first and second body parts are movable relative to each other in order to align one side of the additional aperture and the longitudinal extent of the side opening of the sharpening device substantially one with the other.

In a preferred embodiment, the interior has a relatively raised intermediate portion opposite to the side opening for a said another pencil or the like to bear against during sharpening.

It is preferred that the two body parts have interengageable parts for defining the aligned positions between the two apertures and the open end of the sharpening device.

More preferably, the inter-engageable parts are arranged to engage with each other through abutment.

Even more preferably, one of the body parts has a void portion and the other body part has a stop positioned within the void portion such that upon relative movement between the two body parts, the stop abuts with opposite parts of the void portion to define the said aligned positions.

In a preferred embodiment, the two body parts are angularly movable relative to each other.

In a specific construction, the body is formed by only two said body parts, which are generally cylindrical and are co-axially engaged together one in the other for relative angular movement about their common axis.

Preferably, the two body parts are movable relative to each other such that the relatively larger aperture is arranged to be aligned substantially co-axially with the open end of the sharpening device.

It is an advantage that the first body part has a solid portion for closing the open end of the sharpening device on the second body part when the two body parts are moved relative to each other to that closing position.

The invention will now be more particularly described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of an embodiment of a sharpener in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 is another exploded perspective view of the sharpener of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a sectional view of the sharpener of Figure 1, sharpening a pencil having a relatively larger diameter; Figure 4 is a sectional view of the sharpener of Figure 1, sharpening a pencil having a relatively smaller diameter; and Figure 5 is a sectional view of the sharpener of Figure 1, being in a closed condition.

Referring firstly to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, there is shown a sharpener 10 embodying the invention, which sharpener 10 comprises a two-part plastics cylindrical hollow body formed by a can-like base 11 and a can-like cover 12. The base 11 has a circular bottom wall 13 and an integral co-axial collar 14 extending from the inner side of the bottom wall 13. The collar 14 has an external diameter slightly smaller than that of the bottom wall 13.

An axially-extending open-ended slot 15 is formed on one side of the collar 14, which has a semi-circular closed end 17. A shallow, radially-extending cut-out (void portion) 16 is formed on the diametrically opposite side of the collar 14. A three-sided rectangular rib 18 is formed on the inner side of the bottom wall 13, defining a seat 19 just off the slot 15.

The cover 12 has a circular top wall 20 and an integral collar 21 extending from around the periphery of the top wall 20. A pair of holes 22 and 23 is formed in the collar 21, the first hole 22 being relatively larger than the second hole 23. The two holes 22 and 23 are angularly spaced apart with respect to the axis of the cover 12, forming therebetween a solid portion 24. A small integral stop 15 is formed internally across the junction between the top wall 20 and the collar 21, at a position diametrically opposite to the solid portion 24.

The base 11 and the cover 12 are designed to be co-axially engaged together with the collar 14 of the former inserted as a sliding fit fully into the collar 21 of the latter.

In the assembled condition of the sharpener 10, the base 11 and the cover 12 are angularly movable relative to each other, but only to a certain extent which is limited by the stop 15 of the cover 12 engaging, through abutment with, opposite ends of the shallow cut-out 16 of the base 11.

The sharpener 10 further includes a sharpening device 26 located in the seat 19 inside the sharpener body 11/12, said sharpening device 26 being in itself a conventional wedge-like pencil sharpener of the simplest form. The sharpening device 26 has a generally conical interior 27 for receiving, through a circular open end 28 thereof, the end of a pencil to be sharpened. The sharpening device 26 incorporates a sharpening blade 29 which has a cutting edge extending longitudinally parallel to and laterally marginally into a side slot 30 of the conical interior 27.

The innermost end of the conical interior 27 is widened, on the side opposite to that of the side slot 30, to form a recess 33. The formation of the recess 33 creates an upper shortened conical side 34 and an intermediate ridge 35 between the recess 33 and the shortened conical side 34, said ridge 35 being relatively raised from its surrounding.

The location of the sharpening device 26 is such that its open end 28 is substantially co-axially aligned with the semi-circular closed end 17 of the slot 15.

The two holes 22 and 23 are arranged to have their centres lying substantially on the same radial plane with respect to the axis of the body 11/12 as that of the open end 28 of the sharpening device 26 and the semi-circular closed end 17 of the slot 15 of the base 11.

As illustrated in Figure 3, when the stop 25 of the cover 12 engages one end 16A of the cut-out 16 of the base 11, the relatively larger hole 22 of the cover 12 is substantially co-axially aligned with the open end 27 of the sharpening device 26. In this condition, the sharpener 10 is ready for sharpening a pencil 31 having a diameter slightly smaller than that of the hole 22. The end of the pencil 31 bears on its left side against the cutting edge of the sharpening blade 29 and on its right side against the shortened conical side 34.

As illustrated in Figure 4, when the stop 25 of the cover 12 engages the opposite end 16B of the cut-out 16 of the base 11, the relatively smaller hole 23 of the cover 12 is substantially aligned with its left side (as shown) with the longitudinal extent of the side slot 30 (on the left side as shown) of the conical interior 27. In this condition, the sharpener 10 is ready for sharpening a different pencil 32 having a diameter marginally smaller than that of the hole 23. The hole 23 serves to hold the pencil 32 in a stable position for sharpening, with the end of the pencil 32 bearing on its left side against the cutting edge of the sharpening blade 29 and on its right side against the ridge 35.

When the sharpener 10 is not in use, the cover 12 may be rotated relative to the base 11 until the solid portion 24 of the former completely closes the slot 25 of the latter, thereby preventing any wood chipping and lead dust from coming out of the sharper body 11 and 12.

In the described embodiment, the relatively smaller hole 23 is designed to have a diameter to be used for normal writing pencils, whereas the relatively larger hole 22 is designed for jumbo pencils.

It is envisaged that the sharpener of this invention may be made to have, for example, a rectangular box-like body having a one side thereof slidable to expose through different size holes the open end of the internal sharpening device for sharpening pencils of corresponding different diameters.

It is appreciated that the sharpener according to this inventor may be used to sharpen not only pencils but, for example, an eye-liner or a crayon colour marker.

The invention has been given by way of example only, and various modifications of and/or alterations to the described embodiment may be made by persons skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as specified in the appended claims.

Claims (11)

1. A sharpener for pencils or the like, comprising a sharpening device having a sharpening member and an open end, and a hollow body containing the sharpening device, which body has a first part locating the sharpening device and a second part having an aperture, said first and second body parts being movable relative to each other in order to align the open end of the sharpening device and the aperture one with the other for an end of a said pencil or the like to be inserted through the aperture and the open end into an interior of the sharpening device for sharpening by the sharpening member through a side opening of the interior, wherein the second body part has an additional aperture of a relatively smaller size for alignment with the open end of the sharpening device through the said relative movement between the first and second body parts in order for the same sharpening device to sharpen another pencil or the like having a correspondingly smaller diameter, which additional aperture serves to hold the said smaller pencil or the like in a stable position for sharpening.

2. A sharpener as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first and second body parts are movable relative to each other in order to align one side of the additional aperture and the longitudinal extent of the side opening of the sharpening device substantially one with the other.

3. A sharpener as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the interior has a relatively raised intermediate portion opposite to the side opening for a said another pencil or the like to bear against during sharpening.

4. A sharpener as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the two body parts have inter-engageable parts for defining the aligned positions between the two apertures and the open end of the sharpening device.

5. A sharpener as claimed in claim 4, wherein the interengageable parts are arranged to engage with each other through abutment.

6. A sharpener as claimed in claim 5, wherein one of the body parts has a void portion and the other body part has a stop positioned within the void portion such that upon relative movement between the two body parts, the stop abuts with opposite parts of the void portion to define the said aligned positions.

A A sharpener as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the two body parts are angularly movable relative to each other.

8. A sharpener as claimed in claim 7, wherein the body is formed by only two said body parts, which are generally cylindrical and are co-axially engaged together one in the other for relative angular movement about their common axis.

9. A sharpener as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the two body parts are movable relative to each other such that the relatively larger aperture is arranged to be aligned substantially co-axially with the open end of the sharpening device.

10. A sharpener as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first body part has a solid portion for closing the open end of the sharpening device on the second body part when the two body parts are moved relative to each other to that closing position.

11. A sharpener for pencils or the like, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 to 5 of the accompanying drawings.