Blade Sharpener

Abstract

A blade sharpener has a frame, first and second rods, a first hub, and a second hub. The first and second rods are adapted and configured to engage a blade to be sharpened. The first hub is operatively connected to the frame and the first rod. The second hub is operatively connected to the frame and the second rod. The first hub being rotatable between an outer position of the first rod relative to the frame and an inner position of the first rod relative to the frame. The second hub being rotatable between an outer position of the second rod relative to the frame and an inner position of the second rod relative to the frame.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A blade sharpener comprising:
 a frame having a center axis, the center axis defining a plane, the plane defining opposite first and second sides of the plane;   first and second rods adapted and configured to engage a blade to be sharpened;   a first hub being operatively connected to the frame, the first rod being operatively connected to the first hub;   a second hub being operatively connected to the frame, the second rod being operatively connected to the second hub, the second hub being laterally spaced from the first hub across the center axis;   the first hub being rotatable between an outer position of the first rod relative to the frame and an inner position of the first rod relative to the frame;   the second hub being rotatable between an outer position of the second rod relative to the frame and an inner position of the second rod relative to the frame;   when the first hub is in the outer position, the first rod extends away from the frame and crosses from the first side of the plane to the second side of the plane at an outer distance,   when the first hub is in the inner position, the first rod extends away from the frame and crosses from the first side of the plane to the second side of the plane at an inner distance, the first rod inner distance being closer to the frame than the first rod outer distance;   when the second hub is in the outer position, the second rod extends away from the frame and crosses from the second side of the plane to the first side of the plane at an outer distance;   when the second hub is in the inner position, the second rod extends away from the frame and crosses from the second side of the plane to the first side of the plane at an inner distance, the second rod inner distance being closer to the frame than the second rod outer distance; and   when the first hub is in the outer position and when the second hub is in the outer position, the first and second rods form a general x-shape in plan view.   
     
     
         2 . The blade sharpener of  claim 1  wherein:
 when the first hub is in the outer position, the first rod crosses from the first side of the plane to the second side of the plane at an intersection point, and 
 when the second hub is in the outer position, the second rod extends away from the frame and crosses from the second side of the plane to the first side of the plane at the intersection point. 
 
     
     
         3 . The blade sharpener of  claim 2  wherein the first rod has first and second members laterally spaced from one another. 
     
     
         4 . The blade sharpener of  claim 3  wherein the second rod has first and second members laterally spaced from one another. 
     
     
         5 . The blade sharpener of  claim 4  wherein the first rod first member is laterally outboard of the second rod first member, and the second rod second member is laterally outboard of the first rod second member. 
     
     
         6 . The blade sharpener of  claim 4  wherein the first rod first member abuts the second rod first member, and the second rod second member abuts the first rod second member at the intersection point. 
     
     
         7 . The blade sharpener of  claim 2  wherein when the first hub is in the outer position, the first rod has a first region extending from the hub to the intersection point that is curvilinear. 
     
     
         8 . The blade sharpener of  claim 7  wherein when the first hub is in the outer position, the first rod first region is convex relative to the plane. 
     
     
         9 . The blade sharpener of  claim 7  wherein when the first hub is in the outer position, the first rod has a second region extending from the intersection point to a distal end of the first rod that is curvilinear. 
     
     
         10 . The blade sharpener of  claim 9  wherein when the first hub is in the outer position, the first rod second region is concave relative to the plane. 
     
     
         11 . The blade sharpener of  claim 2  wherein when the second hub is in the outer position, the second rod has a first region extending from the hub to the intersection point that is curvilinear. 
     
     
         12 . The blade sharpener of  claim 11  wherein when the second hub is in the outer position, the second rod has a first region is convex relative to the plane. 
     
     
         13 . The blade sharpener of  claim 11  wherein when the second hub is in the outer position, the second rod has a second region extending from the intersection point to a distal end of the second rod that is curvilinear. 
     
     
         14 . The blade sharpener of  claim 13  wherein when the second hub is in the outer position, the second rod second region is concave relative to the plane. 
     
     
         15 . The blade sharpener of  claim 1  wherein the first and second rod are hardened steel. 
     
     
         16 . The blade sharpener of  claim 1  wherein the first hub is biased to rotate from the inner position to the outer position. 
     
     
         17 . The blade sharpener of  claim 16  further comprising a torsion spring configured to bias the first hub to rotate from the inner position to the outer position. 
     
     
         18 . The blade sharpener of  claim 1  wherein the second hub is biased to rotate from the inner position to the outer position. 
     
     
         19 . The blade sharpener of  claim 17  further comprising a torsion spring configured to bias the second hub to rotate from the inner position to the outer position. 
     
     
         20 . The blade sharpener of  claim 1  further comprising a first hub position limiter configured and adapted to set the position of the outer position and the inner position of the first hub. 
     
     
         21 . The blade sharpener of  claim 20  wherein the first hub position limiter comprises a cut-out on a face of the first hub and a pin extending outward from the frame that is configured to engage one side of the cut-out when the first hub is in the inner position and an opposite side of the cut-out when the first hub is in the outer position. 
     
     
         22 . The blade sharpener of  claim 1  further comprising a second hub position limiter configured and adapted to set the position of the outer position and the inner position of the second hub. 
     
     
         23 . The blade sharpener of  claim 22  wherein the second hub position limiter comprises a cut-out on a face of the second hub and a pin extending outward from the frame that is configured to engage one side of the cut-out when the second hub is in the inner position and an opposite side of the cut-out when the second hub is in the outer position. 
     
     
         24 . The blade sharpener of  claim 1  wherein the first and second hubs are adapted and configured to move from their respective outer positions to their respective inner positions when a blade is inserted between and engages the first and second rods. 
     
     
         25 . The blade sharpener of  claim 1  wherein the first and second hubs are adapted and configured to move from their respective inner positions to their respective outer positions when a blade is removed from between and disengages from the first and second rods. 
     
     
         26 . The blade sharpener of  claim 1  further comprising a first axle pin extending from the frame, the first hub being configured to rotate about the first axle pin and to be removably mounted to the first axle pin. 
     
     
         27 . The blade sharpener of  claim 1  further comprising a second axle pin extending from the frame, the second hub being configured to rotate about the first axle pin and to be removably mounted to the second axle pin. 
     
     
         28 . The blade sharpener of  claim 1  wherein the first rod is removably mounted to the first hub. 
     
     
         29 . The blade sharpener of  claim 1  wherein the second rod is removably mounted to the second hub. 
     
     
         30 . A method comprising:
 providing a blade sharpener wherein the blade sharpener comprises a frame having a center axis, the center axis defines a plane, the plane defines opposite first and second sides of the plane, the blade sharpener has first and second rods, a first hub being operatively connected to the frame with the first rod being operatively connected to the first hub, a second hub operatively connected to the frame with the second rod being operatively connected to the second hub and the second hub being laterally spaced from the first hub across the center axis, the first hub is rotatable between an outer position of the first rod relative to the frame and an inner position of the first rod relative to the frame, the second hub is rotatable between an outer position of the second rod relative to the frame and an inner position of the second rod relative to the frame, the rods are configured such that when: (i) the first hub is in the outer position, the first rod extends away from the frame and crosses from the first side of the plane to the second side of the plane at an outer distance, (ii) the first hub is in the inner position, the first rod extends away from the frame and crosses from the first side of the plane to the second side of the plane at an inner distance, the first rod inner distance being closer to the frame than the first rod outer distance, (iii) the second hub is in the outer position, the second rod extends away from the frame and crosses from the second side of the plane to the first side of the plane at an outer distance, (iv) the second hub is in the inner position, the second rod extends away from the frame and crosses from the second side of the plane to the first side of the plane at an inner distance, the second rod inner distance being closer to the frame than the second rod outer distance; and (v) the first hub is in the outer position and when the second hub is in the outer position, the first and second rods form a general x-shape in plan view; and   inserting a blade between the first and second blades with at least one of the hubs in the outer position; and   moving the blade along the rods in a reciprocating fashion in a manner to rotate at least one of the hubs between the inner and outer position of the hub.   
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30  wherein the step of inserting the blade between the rods includes inserting a blade having a rounded cross-section. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 30  wherein at least one of the hubs is biased to rotate from the inner position to the outer position; and the step of moving the blade along the rods in a reciprocating fashion includes forcing the rods apart as the at least one hub rotates from the outer position to the inner position against the bias, and allowing the rods to come together as the at least one hub rotates from the inner position to the outer position with the bias. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 30  wherein the blade sharpener has at least one hub position limiter; and the step of moving the blade along the rods in a reciprocating fashion to rotate at least one of the hubs between the inner and outer position of the hub includes rotating at least one hub to engage the position limiter at the outer position of the hub. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 30  wherein the blade sharpener has at least one hub position limiter; and the step of moving the blade along the rods in a reciprocating fashion to rotate at least one of the hubs between the inner and outer position of the hub includes rotating at least one hub to engage the position limiter at the inner position of the hub.