US 7,523,557 B2
Carpenter's pencil sharpener
Craig W. Smith, Batavia, Ill. (US); and Joseph Donaldson, Wheaton, Ill. (US)
Assigned to Flade LLC, Villa Park, Ill. (US)
Filed on Dec. 19, 2005, as Appl. No. 11/305,949.
Application 11/305949 is a continuation of application No. 10/701810, filed on Nov. 05, 2003, abandoned.
Prior Publication US 2006/0185178 A1, Aug. 24, 2006
Int. Cl. B43L 23/08 (2006.01)
U.S. Cl. 30—457  [30/451] 21 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A combination carpenter's pencil and carpenter's pencil sharpener for cutting a point on a carpenter's pencil, comprising:
a carpenter's pencil having a longitudinal axis, a non-circular cross section orthogonal to the longitudinal axis, and a maximum dimension (MD) of the non-circular cross section of at least 0.450 inches;
a carpenter's pencil contouring portion defining a rotational axis and having a carpenter's pencil point contour surface defined therein about said rotational axis;
a blade mounted on said carpenter's pencil contouring portion and having a cutting edge positioned along said carpenter's pencil point contour surface for cutting against the carpenter's pencil when the carpenter's pencil is rotated about said rotational axis; and
a carpenter's pencil centering portion extending from said carpenter's pencil contouring portion and having a cylindrical inner surface and an outer end defining an aperture for receiving the carpenter's pencil and providing access to said cylindrical inner surface,
said cylindrical inner surface having an inner diameter (ID) dimensioned to fit said maximum dimension (MD) of said carpenter's pencil and large enough to permit rotation of the carpenter's pencil within said cylindrical inner surface, and
said carpenter's pencil centering portion having a length (L) parallel to said rotational axis and measured from said contouring portion to said outer end for maintaining, in combination with the inner diameter (ID), the carpenter's pencil sufficiently parallel to said rotational axis to avoid jams and lead breaks at said blade, wherein radial motion of the carpenter's pencil relative to said rotational axis is limited while the carpenter's pencil is rotated within said cylindrical inner surface.