WO1990004525A1 - Letter opener - Google Patents

Abstract

Letter opener for opening the envelope of a letter by cutting through the fold of the flap. The invention consists of two housing halves (1), (2) folded together with a triangular cutter (9) and having molded resilient fingers (18), (19). Snapping elements (5) and a thin flexible strip (3) keep the housing halves (1), (2) attached. Grooves (14), (15) prevent clogging at the cutting edge (11). The appliance is small and can be carried in a pocket or used as key-ring indicator without danger of damage to the clothing of the bearer.

Description

Letter opener.

The invention concerns a letter opener which is capable of opening the envelope of a letter by cutting through the fold of the flap. The dimensions are such that the appliance is easily to be hold in the hand. The envelope is lead through a slot between two resilient fingers to a slanting cutting edge which causes the point of the cutter to reach under the flap and when the envelope is moved further on the fold will be cut open.

One of the objects of the invention is the possibility to carry the appliance in one's pocket. Therefore is it absolutely necessary that the cutter cannot in one way or another damage the dress of the bearer. The purpose of the invention is to provide an appliance that is capable to open envelopes of letters and safely can be carried in a pocket. The letter opener will be manufactured preferably from a syntetic resin.

A similar appliance is known from the Swiss patent CH-C-174365. This appliance is manufactured of metal and has the disadvance that the guiding of the envelope is not sufficient to guarantee a troublefree opening. Also the point of the cutter is hardly covered by the housing so there is danger of damaging of clothing. The invention will be described in conjunction with the drawings.

Figure 1 shows the front of the letter opener.

Figure 2 shows the side.

Figure 3 shows in perspective the two halves when opened.

Figure 4 shows the cutter.

The appliance is composed of two halves (1), (2), which are connected with a thin flexible strip (3). This is specially important when the appliance has to be printed with advertisements where the position in the apropriate place (4) is of vital importance.

The two halves (1), (2) are firmly connected by folding them to each other when the snapping elements (5) are pressed into the openings (6) provided for these. In both the halves is a somewhat lowered plateau (7), (8) where the cutter (9) which has the form of a triangle, is placed. The cutter (9) is provided with an aproximately triangular opening (10) and a cutting edge (11). In hαusinghalf (1) is a

protrusion (12) which fits into the opening (10) of cutter (9). The protrusion (12) fits in recession (13) of housinghalf (2). When the halves (1), (2) are close together the cutter (9) is furmly fixed.

In both housinghalves (1), (2) are two slanted grooves (14), (15) provided. These grooves (14), (15) run parallel with the cutting edge (11) of the cutter and keep the cutting edge (11) completely free from the housinghalves (1), (2). In this way is clogging with paper fibres or other iniquities between the cutter (9) and the housinghalves (1), (2) prevented. Dust and the like are simply blown away.

The inserting of the envelope takes place at the insert that is formed by the recessions (16), (17). These recessions (16), (17) reaches the other end of the housing with some interruptions. The cutter (9) reaches into this groove (16), (17). Both the housinghalves (1), (2) are provided with resilient fingers (18), (19). Vhen relaxed these take the position (18') and (19'). The resilient fingers (18), (19) reach beyond the point (20) of the cutter (9). Vhen an envelope is moved through the groove (16), (17) the elastic fingers (18), (19) will guide the envelope to the cutter (9) in such a way that the point (20) slides under the flap of the envelope and when the envelope is drawn further it will be cut open. By grace of the form and the place of the cutter (9) it will only reach for some millimeters into the envelope, which will minimise the chance of damage to the contents of the envelope. The slanted cutting edge (11) will cause opening of the envelope along the whole length.

A symbol (21) indicates the operation.

In both the housinghalves (1), (2) is for an opening provided which makes the appliance useful as key-ring indicator.

Claims

Claim s.

1] Letter opener which is arranged to cut open the fold of the closing flap characterised in that the envelope to be opened is moved through a groove (16), (17) between two elastic fingers (18), (19) to a cutter (9) with slanted cutting edge (11) and where the point (20) of the cutter (9) is positioned between the elastic fingers (18), (19) and the cutterpoint (20) reaches under the flap and cuts open the fold. 2] Letter opener which is arranged to cut open the fold of the closing flap as claimed in claim 1 characterised in that the cutter (9) has the form of a triangle with a cutting edge (11) with an angle of about 20 degrees in reference with the direction of the movement of the envelope.

3] Letter opener which is arranged to cut open the fold of the closing flap as claimed in claim 1 and 2 characterised in that in the housinghalves (1), (2) in the region of the cutting edge (11), a groove (14), (15) is provided which keeps the cutting edge (11) completely free from the housing

4] Letter opener which is arranged to cut open the fold of the closing flap as claimed in claim 1, 2 and 3 characterised in that the housing is manufactured in two housinghalves (1), (2) out of. syntetic resin with resilient caracteristics where the resilient fingers (18), (19) and the snapping-elements (5) are formed together with the housing and the two housinghalves (1), (2) are connected with a thin and flexible strip (3). 5] Letter opener which is arranged to cut open the fold of the closing flap as claimed in claim 1, 23, and 4 characterised in that the cutter is provided with a aproximately triangular opening (10) that fits over a protrusion (12) in a housinghalf (1),