U.S. patent application number 10/774428 was filed with the patent office on 2005-08-11 for case for tool shafts.
Invention is credited to Chen, Kun-Chen.
Application Number | 20050173279 10/774428 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34808646 |
Filed Date | 2005-08-11 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050173279 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Chen, Kun-Chen |
August 11, 2005 |
CASE FOR TOOL SHAFTS
Abstract
A case for tool shafts has a housing with an opening and an
entrance, a sliding member slidably mounted on the housing, a top
cap covering the opening, a bottom cap covering the entrance and an
optional suspension plate. The multiple tool shafts are movably
accommodated inside the housing in parallel and pushed to the
opening by the sliding member. Thereby, the multiple tool shafts
are arranged inside the case in an orderly manner. An individual
tool shaft can be positioned at the opening by the sliding member
removed conveniently from the housing through the opening.
Inventors: |
Chen, Kun-Chen; (Taichung
Hsien, TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BACON & THOMAS, PLLC
625 SLATERS LANE
FOURTH FLOOR
ALEXANDRIA
VA
22314
|
Family ID: |
34808646 |
Appl. No.: |
10/774428 |
Filed: |
February 10, 2004 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
206/372 ;
206/349; 206/806 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B25H 3/003 20130101;
Y10S 206/806 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
206/372 ;
206/349; 206/806 |
International
Class: |
B65D 085/28 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A case for tool shafts comprising: a housing (10) adapted to
hold multiple tool shafts and having a top face; a bottom; a front
face; a rear face; two side faces; an opening (12) defined in one
of the two side faces near the top face; an entrance (14) defined
in the bottom and adapted to allow the multiple tool shafts
reloading through the entrance (14); and a guideway (16) defined
longitudinally in the front face, communicating with the entrance
(14) and having two longitudinally edges (162) with multiple
notches; a sliding member (20) slidably mounted inside the housing
(10) and having a base (22) with a front face, a top face and two
sides; two resilient legs (24) attached respectively to and
extending down from the sides of the base (22), bending toward the
rear face of the housing (10) and abutting an inside bottom of the
housing (10) to press the front face of the base (22) against an
inside front of the front face of the housing (10); multiple tabs
(222) formed on and protruding from the front face of the base (22)
parallel to each other and at an angle, extending out of the
housing (10) through the guideway (16) and respectively having two
opposite side edges; where at least one tab (222) has two side
extensions (224) protruding from the front face of the base (22)
and respectively from the side edges of the at least one tab (222)
to selectively engage the notches in the edge (162) of the guideway
(16); a push bar (28) mounted in front of the base (22); and at
least one biasing member (26) mounted between the top face of the
base (22) and the push bar (28); a top cap (30) detachably mounted
on the top face of the housing (10) to close the opening (12); and
a bottom cap (40) detachably mounted on the entrance (14).
2. The case for tool shafts as claimed in claim 1, wherein a
suspension plate (50) is attached to the rear face of the housing
(10).
3. The case for tool shafts as claimed in claim 2, wherein the
suspension plate (50) has a lower attachment tab (52) attached to
the rear face of the housing (10) and an upper suspension portion
(54) with a suspension hole (542).
4. The case for tool shafts as claimed in claim 1, wherein a belt
clip (18) is attached on the rear face of the housing (10).
5. The case for tool shafts as claimed in claim 1, wherein a slit
(122) is defined in the top face and communicates with the opening
(12) to provide a space to keep the multiple tool shafts parallel
at the opening (12).
6. The case for tool shafts as claimed in claim 3, wherein a slit
(122) is defined in the top face and communicates with the opening
(12) to provide a space to keep the multiple tool shafts parallel
at the opening (12).
7. The case for tool shafts as claimed in claim 6, wherein each one
of the at least one biasing member is a spring.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The invention relates to a case for tool shafts, and
particularly to a portable case that holds the tool shafts
orderly.
[0003] 2. Description of Related Art
[0004] With reference to FIG. 6, a conventional toolbox for general
use is well known and typically includes a base in the form of an
open-topped box (60) and a lid (70) pivotally attached to the box
(60). The lid (70) has a clip (not shown) or other means to hold
the lid (70) shut. The conventional toolbox typically has multiple
compartments (80) to hold various tools and components, such as
tool shafts.
[0005] However, the conventional toolbox does not have features to
efficiently arrange the various tools. A person cannot conveniently
select or remove appropriate tool shafts from the toolbox. When
tool shafts are stored in compartments in the conventional toolbox
and mounted in various tools, finding a particular tool shaft among
many similar tool shafts is difficult.
[0006] The present invention has arisen to mitigate or obviate the
disadvantages of storing tool shafts.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] A main objective of the present invention is to provide a
case that conveniently holds multiple tool shafts in order.
[0008] Further benefits and advantages of the present invention
will become apparent after a careful reading of the detailed
description in accordance with the drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a case for tool
shafts in accordance with the present invention;
[0010] FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view of the case for tool
shafts in FIG. 1;
[0011] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional side plan view of the case for
tool shafts;
[0012] FIG. 4 is an enlarged operational cross-sectional side plan
view of the case for tool shafts in FIG. 3;
[0013] FIG. 5 is an operational perspective view of the case for
tool shafts in FIG. 1 with a tool shaft removed from the case;
and
[0014] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a conventional toolbox in
accordance with the prior art.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0015] A case for tool shafts in accordance with the present
invention comprises a housing, a sliding member, a top cap, a
bottom cap and an optional suspension device. The housing has an
opening and an entrance. The sliding member is mounted slidably on
the housing. Multiple tool shafts are held movably inside the
housing in parallel and are pushed toward the opening by the
sliding member. Thereby, an individual tool shaft is positioned at
the opening by the sliding member and is removed conveniently from
the housing through the opening.
[0016] With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, a preferred embodiment of
the case for tool shafts in accordance with the present invention
comprises a rectangular housing (10), a sliding member (20), a top
cap (30), a bottom cap (40), an optional suspension device (50) and
an optional belt clip (18).
[0017] The rectangular housing (10) holds multiple tool shafts (not
shown) transversally inside the housing (10) and has a top face
(not numbered), a bottom (not numbered), a front face (not
numbered), a rear face (not numbered), two side faces, an opening
(12), an entrance (14) a guideway (16) and an optional slit (122).
The opening (12) is defined in one of the side faces to allow the
tool shafts to be inserted into or removed from the housing (10).
The optional slit (122) is defined in the top face, communicates
with the opening (12) and is shaped to correspond to but be
slightly smaller than side edges of the multiple tool shafts to
keep the tool shafts from passing through the slit (122). The slit
(122) also provides a space for adjusting the tool shafts in
parallel when the tool shafts have enlarged abutting ends and for
pushing individual tool shafts out of the housing (10) by users so
that a tool shaft at the opening (12) can be conveniently removed
from the housing (10). The entrance (14) is defined in the bottom
so the housing (10) can be refilled with multiple tool shafts. The
guideway (16) is defined longitudinally in the front face,
communicates with the entrance (14) at the bottom and has two
longitudinal edges (162). The edges (162) respectively have
multiple corresponding notches (not numbered) formed at an
angle.
[0018] The sliding member (20) is mounted slidably inside the
housing (10) and has a base (22), two resilient legs (24), multiple
tabs (222), a push bar (28) and at least one biasing member (26).
The base (22) has a front face (not numbered), a top face (not
numbered) and two sides (not numbered). The two resilient legs (24)
are attached respectively to and extending down from the two sides
of the base (22), bending toward the rear face and abutting the
inside of the housing (10) to press the front face of the base (22)
against the inside of the front face of the housing (10). The tabs
(222) are formed on and protrude from the front face of the base
(22) parallel to each other and at an angle corresponding to the
angle of the notches in the edges (162) of the guideway (16). Each
tab (222) has a base joint (not numbered) and two opposite side
edges (not numbered), and at least one tab (222) has two side
extensions (224) protruding from the front face of the base (22)
and respectively from the side edges of the at least one tab (222).
The side extensions (224) selectively engage the notches on the
edges (162) of the guideway (16) to hold the base (22) in position.
The push bar (28) is mounted above the top face of the base (22).
The at least one biasing member (26) is mounted between the top
face of the base (22) and the push bar (28) to press the push bar
(28) against the tool shafts mounted in the housing (10). The at
least one biasing member is preferrably a spring clamped.
[0019] The top cap (30) detachably mounted on the top face of the
housing (10) to close the opening (12), and the bottom cap (40)
detachably mounted on the entrance (14).
[0020] The suspension device (50) is attached to the rear face of
the housing (10) and has a lower attachment tab (52) attached to
the rear face and an upper suspension portion (54) with a
suspension hole (542) to hang the case on a protruding element (not
shown) such as a hook or a peg. Additionally, the optional belt
clip (18) is attached to the rear face of the housing (10) to
attach the case conveniently to a belt (not shown) for trousers or
a work belt (not shown).
[0021] With reference to FIGS. 3, 4 and 5, the top cap (30) has to
be removed from the housing (10) to open the opening (12) so the
tool shafts can be removed from the housing (10). Then, the tabs
(222) are pressed to make the side extensions (224) disengage from
the corresponding notches on the edges (162) of the guideway (16)
so the sliding member (20) can be pushed upward until the topmost
tool shafts is pushed into the slit (122) and aligns with the
opening (12). The tool shaft in the slit (122) is pushed out of the
case. Additionally, the tool shafts can be reloaded into the
housing (10) after removing the bottom cap (40) and the sliding
member (20) and are then inserted into the housing via the entrance
(14) at the bottom of the housing (10).
[0022] The case for tool shafts as described has the following
advantages:
[0023] 1. Multiple tool shafts are gathered together in an orderly
arrangement inside the case, which makes finding a particular tool
shaft convenient.
[0024] 2. The tool shafts are easily removed from the case by
simply sequentially pushing the tool shafts to the opening by
pressing and pushing the sliding member upward.
[0025] Although the invention has been explained in relation to its
preferred embodiment, many other possible modifications and
variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope
of the invention as hereinafter claimed.
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