U.S. patent application number 10/630829 was filed with the patent office on 2004-09-30 for carrying case of a tool box assembly.
Invention is credited to Chen, Jenny.
Application Number | 20040188294 10/630829 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 32968483 |
Filed Date | 2004-09-30 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040188294 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Chen, Jenny |
September 30, 2004 |
Carrying case of a tool box assembly
Abstract
A carrying case includes a carrying member disposed on a top
portion of a housing. The carrying member includes a first carrying
body having a driving end opposite to a first pivot end connected
pivotally to one lateral side of the housing, and a second carrying
body having a driven end opposite to a second pivot end connected
pivotally to the other lateral side of the housing. The first
carrying body has a first width measured between the first pivot
end and the driving end and greater than a second width of the
second carrying body measured between the second pivot end and the
driven end, and is provided with a handgrip thereon. An anchoring
unit retains releasably the first and second carrying bodies at a
closed position.
Inventors: |
Chen, Jenny; (Taichung City,
TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BAKER BOTTS LLP
C/O INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY DEPARTMENT
THE WARNER, SUITE 1300
1299 PENNSYLVANIA AVE, NW
WASHINGTON
DC
20004-2400
US
|
Family ID: |
32968483 |
Appl. No.: |
10/630829 |
Filed: |
July 31, 2003 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
206/349 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B25H 3/023 20130101;
B25H 3/028 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
206/349 |
International
Class: |
B65D 085/28 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Mar 27, 2003 |
TW |
03242968.1 |
Claims
I claim:
1. A carrying case comprising: a housing having a top portion and
opposite lateral sides; a carrying member disposed on said top
portion of said housing, said carrying member including a first
carrying body having a first pivot end connected pivotally to one
of said lateral sides of said housing and a driving end opposite to
said first pivot end, and a second carrying body having a second
pivot end connected pivotally to the other one of said lateral
sides of said housing and a driven end opposite to said secondpivot
end, said first carrying body having a first width measured between
said first pivot end and said driving end and greater than a second
width of said second carrying body measured between said second
pivot end and said driven end, said first carrying body being
provided with a handgrip thereon, said first and second carrying
bodies being operable so as to move from a closed position, where
said driving end of said first carrying body is adjacent to said
driven end of said second carrying body, to an open position, where
said driving end of said first carrying body is spaced apart from
said driven end of said second carrying body; and an anchoring unit
provided on said top portion of said housing and said first and
second carrying bodies for retaining releasably said first and
second carrying bodies at the closed position.
2. The carrying case as claimed in claim 1, wherein said driving
end of said first carrying body is formed with an engaging groove,
said driven end of said second carrying body being formed with a
projecting block that extends into and that engages said engaging
groove in said driving end of said first carrying body when said
first and second carrying bodies are disposed at the closed
position.
3. The carrying case as claimed in claim 1, wherein said housing
includes a bottom wall, and opposite lateral walls that extend from
and that cooperate with said bottom wall so as to confine a
receiving space, said housing further having an open front side for
access into said receiving space of said housing.
4. The carrying case as claimed in claim 3, wherein said top
portion of said housing is provided with a tray having a top
surface formed with a receiving groove that is covered by said
carrying member when said first and second carrying bodies are
disposed at the closed position.
5. The carrying case as claimed in claim 4, wherein said anchoring
unit includes a plurality of anchoring lugs formed on said tray,
and a plurality of anchoring hooks formed on said first and second
carrying bodies and corresponding to said anchoring lugs, each of
said anchoring hooks engaging the corresponding one of said
anchoring lugs when said first and second carrying bodies are
disposed at the closed position.
6. A tool box assembly comprising: a housing having a top portion,
opposite lateral sides, and a receiving space; a tool box disposed
in said receiving space of said housing; a carrying member disposed
on said top portion of said housing, said carrying member including
a first carrying body having a first pivot end connected pivotally
to one of said lateral sides of said housing and a driving end
opposite to said first pivot end, and a second carrying body having
a second pivot end connected pivotally to the other one of said
lateral sides of said housing and a driven end opposite to said
second pivot end, said first carrying body having a first width
measured between said first pivot end and said driving end and
greater than a second width of said second carrying body measured
between said second pivot end and said driven end, said first
carrying body being provided with a handgrip thereon, said first
and second carrying bodies being operable so as to move from a
closed position, where said driving end of said first carrying body
is adjacent to said driven end of said second carrying body, to an
open position, where said driving end of said first carrying body
is spaced apart from said driven end of said second carrying body;
and an anchoring unit provided on said top portion of said housing
and said first and second carrying bodies for retaining releasably
said first and second carrying bodies at the closed position.
7. The tool box assembly as claimed in claim 6, wherein said
driving end of said first carrying body is formed with an engaging
groove, said driven end of said second carrying body being formed
with a projecting block that extends into and that engages said
engaging groove in said driving end of said first carrying body
when said first and second carrying bodies are disposed at the
closed position
8. The tool box assembly as claimed in claim 6, wherein said
housing includes a bottom wall, and opposite lateral walls that
extend from and that cooperate with said bottom wall so as to
confine said receiving space, said housing further having an open
front side for access into said receiving space of said housing,
said tool box being disposed removably in said receiving space
through said open front side.
9. The tool box assembly as claimed in claim 8, wherein said top
portion of said housing is provided with a tray having a top
surface formed with a receiving groove that is covered by said
carrying member when said first and second carrying bodies are
disposed at the closed position.
10. The tool box assembly as claimed in claim 9, wherein said
anchoring unit includes a plurality of anchoring lugs formed on
said tray, and a plurality of anchoring hooks formed on said first
and second carrying bodies and corresponding to said anchoring
lugs, each of said anchoring hooks engaging the corresponding one
of said anchoring lugs when said first and second carrying bodies
are disposed at the closed position.
11. The tool box assembly as claimed in claim 9, wherein each of
said tray and said bottom wall of said housing is formed with a
positioning hole that is disposed adjacent to said open front side,
said tool box assembly further comprising a positioning bolt
extending through said positioning hole in said tray and engaging
said positioning hole in said bottom wall so as to position said
tool box in said receiving space.
12. The tool box assembly as claimed in claim 8, wherein each of
said lateral walls has an inner wall surface formed with an
elongate slide rail, said tool box having opposite engaging sides
disposed in sliding and removable engagement with said slide rails
on said lateral walls, respectively.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The invention relates to a carrying case, more particularly
to a carrying case of a tool box assembly.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] A conventional tool box includes a housing having an open
side, a cover member connected pivotally to the open side, and an
anchoring member for retaining the cover member at a position for
closing the open side of the housing.
[0005] Although various tools can be disposed in the housing,
managing of tools is inefficient in view of space limitations in
the housing.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] Therefore, the main object of the present invention is to
provide a carrying case that permits efficient managing of tools
and that facilitate carrying of a large number of tools.
[0007] Another object of the present invention is to provide a tool
box assembly that includes the carrying case.
[0008] According to one aspect of the present invention, a carrying
case comprises:
[0009] a housing having a top portion and opposite lateral
sides;
[0010] a carrying member disposed on the top portion of the
housing, the carrying member including a first carrying body having
a first pivot end connected pivotally to one of the lateral sides
of the housing and a driving end opposite to the first pivot end,
and a second carrying body having a second pivot end connected
pivotally to the other one of the lateral sides of the housing and
a driven end opposite to the second pivot end, the first carrying
body having a first width measured between the first pivot end and
the driving end and greater than a second width of the second
carrying body measured between the second pivot end and the driven
end, the first carrying body being provided with a handgrip
thereon, the first and second carrying bodies being operable so as
to move from a closed position, where the driving end of the first
carrying body is adjacent to the driven end of the second carrying
body, to an open position, where the driving end of the first
carrying body is spaced apart from the driven end of the second
carrying body; and
[0011] an anchoring unit provided on the top portion of the housing
and the first and second carrying bodies for retaining releasably
the first and second carrying bodies at the closed position.
[0012] According to another aspect of the present invention, a tool
box assembly comprises:
[0013] a housing having a top portion, opposite lateral sides and a
receiving space;
[0014] a tool box disposed in the receiving space of the
housing;
[0015] a carrying member disposed on the top portion of the
housing, the carrying member including a first carrying body having
a first pivot end connected pivotally to one of the lateral sides
of the housing and a driving end opposite to the first pivot end,
and a second carrying body having a second pivot end connected
pivotally to the other one of the lateral sides of the housing and
a driven end opposite to the second pivot end, the first carrying
body having a first width measured between the first pivot end and
the driving end and greater than a second width of the second
carrying body measured between the second pivot end and the driven
end, the first carrying body being provided with a handgrip
thereon, the first and second carrying bodies being operable so as
to move from a closed position, where the driving end of the first
carrying body is adjacent to the driven end of the second carrying
body, to an open position, where the driving end of the first
carrying body is spaced apart from the driven end of the second
carrying body; and
[0016] an anchoring unit provided on the top portion of the housing
and the first and second carrying bodies for retaining releasably
the first and second carrying bodies at the closed position.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0017] Other features and advantages of the present invention will
become apparent in the following detailed description of the
preferred embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings,
of which:
[0018] FIG. 1 is a partly exploded perspective view showing the
preferred embodiment of a tool box assembly with a carrying case
according to the present invention;
[0019] FIG. 2 is an assembled perspective view of the preferred
embodiment;
[0020] FIG. 3 is a schematic partly sectional view illustrating
first and second carrying bodies of a carrying member of the
preferred embodiment at a closed position; and
[0021] FIG. 4 is a schematic partly sectional view illustrating the
first and second carrying bodies when moved from the closed
position to an open position.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0022] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the preferred embodiment of a
tool box assembly according to the present invention is shown to
include a housing 11, a plurality of tool boxes 12 (there are two
tool boxes 12 in this embodiment), a carrying member 20, and an
anchoring unit. The housing 11, the carrying member 20 and the
anchoring unit constitute a carrying case of the tool box
assembly.
[0023] In this embodiment, the housing 11 includes a bottom wall
112, and opposite lateral walls 111 that extend from and that
cooperate with the bottom wall 112 so as to confine a receiving
space 110. The housing 11 has an open front side 117 for access
into the receiving space 110, and a top portion provided with a
tray 113 that has a top surface formed with a receiving groove 115.
Each of the tray 113 and the bottom wall 112 is formed with a
positioning hole 1132, 1121 that is disposed adjacent to the open
front side 117. Each of the lateral walls 111 has an inner wall
surface 1111 formed with a set of parallel elongate slide rails
114, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3.
[0024] The tool boxes 12 are disposed in the receiving space 110 of
the housing 11. In this embodiment, each tool box 12, which is
adapted to receive a number of tools (not shown) in an orderly
manner, is disposed removably in the receiving space 110 through
the open front side 17, and has opposite engaging sides 121
disposed in sliding and removable engagement with corresponding
ones of the slide rails 114 on the lateral walls 111,
respectively.
[0025] With further reference to FIG. 3, the carrying member 20 is
disposed on the top portion of the housing 11, and includes a first
carrying body 21, and a second carrying body 22. The first carrying
body 21 has a first pivot end 211 connected pivotally to one of the
lateral walls 111 of the housing 11, and a driving end 212 opposite
to the first pivot end 211. The second carrying body 22 has a
second pivot end 221 connected pivotally to the other one of the
lateral walls 111 of the housing 11, and a driven end 222 opposite
to the second pivot end 221. Preferably, the first carrying body 21
has a first width measured between the first pivot end 211 and the
driving end 212 and greater than a second width of second carrying
body 22 measured between the second pivot end 221 and the driven
end 222. The first carrying body 21 has a top surface formed with a
mounting recess 216, and is provided with a handgrip 217 that is
mounted pivotally in the mounting recess 216. The first and second
carrying bodies 21, 22 are operable so as to move from a closed
position, where the driving end 212 of the first carrying body 21
is adjacent to the driven end 222 of the second carrying body 22,
as shown in FIG. 2, to an open position, where the driving end 212
of the first carrying body 21 is spaced apart from the driven end
222 of the second carrying body 22, as shown in FIG. 1. The driving
end 212 of the first carrying body 21 is formed with an engaging
groove 214. The driven end 222 of the second carrying body 22 is
formed with projecting blocks 224 that extend into and that engage
the engaging groove 214 in the driving end 212 of the first
carrying body 21 when the first and second carrying bodies 21, 22
are disposed at the closed position, as shown in FIG. 3. In this
embodiment, the receiving groove 115 in the tray 113 is covered by
the carrying member 20 when the first and second carrying bodies
21, 22 are disposed at the closed position, as shown in FIG. 3. In
use, when the first carrying body 21 is pulled upwardly so as to
move the first carrying body 21 from the closed position to the
open position, the second carrying body 22 can be driven to move
from the closed position to the open position due to the engagement
between the carrying groove 214 and the projecting blocks 224, as
shown in FIG. 4.
[0026] The anchoring unit is provided on the top portion of the
housing 11 and the first and second carrying bodies 21, 22 for
retaining releasably the first and second carrying bodies 21, 22 at
the closed position. In this embodiment, the anchoring unit
includes a plurality of anchoring lugs 116 formed on the tray 113,
and a plurality of anchoring hooks 213, 223 formed on the first and
second carrying bodies 21, 22 and corresponding to the anchoring
lugs 116. Each anchoring hook 213, 223 engages the corresponding
one of the anchoring lugs 116 when the first and second carrying
bodies 21, 22 are disposed at the closed position.
[0027] A positioning bolt 13 extends through the positioning hole
1132 in the tray 113 and through holes 120 in the tool boxes 12,
and engages the positioning hole 1121 in the bottom wall 112 so as
to position the tool boxes 12 in the receiving space 110, as shown
in FIG. 2.
[0028] To sum up, since the first width of the first carrying body
21 is greater than the second width of the second carrying body 22,
the second carrying body 22 can be easily driven by the first
carrying body 21 to move from the closed position to the open
position. Furthermore, the tool boxes 12 can be easily slid into
and out of the receiving space 110. It is noted that, due to the
presence of the carrying member 20 with the handgrip 217, the
carrying member 20 can provide a seating area when the first and
second carrying bodies 21, 22 are disposed at the closed position,
and the tool box assembly can be easily carried to a worksite.
[0029] While the present invention has been described in connection
with what is considered the most practical and preferred
embodiment, it is understood that this invention is not limited to
the disclosed embodiment but is intended to cover various
arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest
interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and
equivalent arrangements.
* * * * *