TODAY’S PATENT – FOLDING KNIFE WITH DUAL OPERATIONAL MODES
The said invention “Folding Knife with Dual Operational Modes” (US9527218B2) was invented by Brian Valdez on 9th September 2012. Currently; it stands assigned to Benchmade Knife Co. inc.
The invention is a folding knife with dual operational modes, allowing it to function as both a manual and automatic knife. In manual mode, the user opens and closes the blade by hand. In automatic mode, a bolster moves a lever inside the knife, triggering the blade to open via two torsion springs, one on each side of the blade. These springs are housed in a slotted bushing and engage only when the automatic mechanism is activated. Additionally, the knife has a dry fire safety feature that prevents accidental activation of the automatic mechanism if the blade has already been opened manually.