U.S. patent application number 10/792558 was filed with the patent office on 2005-09-01 for tool carrier having rotatable cover.
Invention is credited to Hsu, Shao Hsien.
Application Number | 20050189250 10/792558 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34887629 |
Filed Date | 2005-09-01 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050189250 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Hsu, Shao Hsien |
September 1, 2005 |
Tool carrier having rotatable cover
Abstract
A tool carrier includes a base having a number of cavities
formed in the upper portion, or a number of depressions formed in
the outer peripheral portion for receiving tool members. A cover is
rotatably attached onto the base, and includes an orifice
selectively aligned with either of the cavities of the base, to
allow the tool members to be selectively engaged into or disengaged
from the cavities of the base. The cover further includes a passage
selectively aligned with either of the depressions of the base, to
allow the tool members to be engaged into or disengaged from the
depressions of the base.
Inventors: |
Hsu, Shao Hsien; (Taichung,
TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Shao Hsien Hsu
P.O. Box 63-99
Taichung
406
TW
|
Family ID: |
34887629 |
Appl. No.: |
10/792558 |
Filed: |
March 1, 2004 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
206/373 ;
206/372 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B25H 3/003 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
206/373 ;
206/372 |
International
Class: |
B65D 085/28 |
Claims
I claim:
1. A tool carrier comprising: a base including an upper portion
having a plurality of cavities formed therein for receiving tool
members, and a cover rotatably attached onto said base, and
including an orifice formed therein, and selectively aligned with
either of said cavities of said base, to allow the tool members to
be engaged into or disengaged from said cavities of said base.
2. The tool carrier as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a
latch rotatably securing said cover to said base.
3. The tool carrier as claimed in claim 2, wherein said base
includes at least one lock notch formed therein, said cover
includes a bore formed therein, said latch includes at least one
hook extended through said bore of said cover and engaged with said
at least one lock notch of said base, to rotatably secure said
cover to said base.
4. The tool carrier as claimed in claim 2, wherein said cover
includes a peripheral recess formed therein, said latch includes a
peripheral flange rotatably engageable in said peripheral recess of
said cover.
5. The tool carrier as claimed in claim 1, wherein said base
includes an outer peripheral portion having a plurality of
depressions formed therein for receiving tool members, and said
cover includes a passage formed therein and selectively aligned
with either of said depressions of said base, to allow the tool
members to be engaged into or disengaged from said depressions of
said base.
6. The tool carrier as claimed in claim 1, wherein said base
includes a space formed therein for receiving tool elements, and
said cover includes an opening formed therein and selectively
aligned with said space of said base, to allow the tool elements to
be engaged into or disengaged from said space of said base.
7. The tool carrier as claimed in claim 6, wherein said cover
includes a passage formed therein and communicating with said
opening thereof.
8. The tool carrier as claimed in claim 1, wherein said base
includes a plurality of slits formed therein, said cover includes a
projection engageable with either of said slits of said base, to
align said orifice of said cover with either of said cavities of
said base.
9. The tool carrier as claimed in claim 1, wherein said base
includes a chamber formed therein for receiving a tool element
therein.
10. The tool carrier as claimed in claim 9, wherein said base
includes at least one retainer bulge extended into said chamber
thereof, and having a slot formed therein to receive the tool
element.
11. The tool carrier as claimed in claim 1, wherein said base
includes a flap pivotally secured thereto and rotatable into said
chamber thereof.
12. The tool carrier as claimed in claim 11, wherein said base
includes two retainer brackets, said flap includes a pole pivotally
secured between said retainer brackets, to rotatably secure said
flap to said base.
13. The tool carrier as claimed in claim 11, wherein said flap
includes a groove formed therein to define two resilient blades and
to apply a resilient biasing force to attach said flap to said
base.
14. A tool carrier comprising: a base including an outer peripheral
portion having a plurality of depressions formed therein for
receiving tool members, and a cover rotatably attached onto said
base, and including an passage formed therein, and selectively
aligned with either of said depressions of said base, to allow the
tool members to be engaged into or disengaged from said depressions
of said base.
15. The tool carrier as claimed in claim 14 further comprising a
latch rotatably securing said cover to said base.
16. The tool carrier as claimed in claim 14, wherein said base
includes an upper portion having a plurality of cavities formed
therein for receiving tool members, and said cover includes an
orifice formed therein and selectively aligned with either of said
cavities of said base, to allow the tool members to be engaged into
or disengaged from said cavities of said base.
17. The tool carrier as claimed in claim 14, wherein said base
includes a space formed therein for receiving tool elements, and
said cover includes an opening formed therein and selectively
aligned with said space of said base, to allow the tool elements to
be engaged into or disengaged from said space of said base.
18. The tool carrier as claimed in claim 14, wherein said base
includes a plurality of slits formed therein, said cover includes a
projection engageable with either of said slits of said base, to
align said passage of said cover with said depressions of said
base.
19. The tool carrier as claimed in claim 14, wherein said base
includes a chamber formed therein, and includes a flap pivotally
secured thereto and rotatable into said chamber thereof.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a tool carrier or a tool
box or a tool assembly, and more particularly to a tool carrier
having a rotatable cover for selectively engaging tool members into
or disengaging the tool members from the tool carrier.
[0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art
[0004] Typical tool boxes or tool assemblies or tool casings
comprise a container having one or more compartments formed or
provided therein for receiving various tool members. For example,
U.S. Pat. No. 4,577,773 to Bitel discloses one of the typical
utility tool boxes having one or more compartments formed or
defined therein by dividers, to receive tool members therein.
[0005] U.S. Pat. No. 4,930,628 to Bridges discloses another typical
storage and display case having a pivotal mounted cover which
includes a number of depressions formed or defined therein for
receiving various tool members therein.
[0006] U.S. Pat. No. 4,955,478 to Rau et al. discloses a further
typical storage and display box having a number of pivotal inserts
each of which includes a number of holes formed therein to receive
various tool members.
[0007] U.S. Pat. No. 5,036,975 to Chow discloses a still further
typical tool box having two casings pivotally secured together, and
each of the casings includes a number of recesses formed therein to
receive various tool members, and retained to the casings with
resilient retaining devices.
[0008] Normally, the typical or the conventional tool boxes or tool
casings comprise a base and a cover pivotally secured together.
None of the typical or the conventional tool boxes or tool casings
comprise a cover that may be rotatable relative to the base for
receiving tool members therein.
[0009] The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate
the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional tool
carriers.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0010] The primary objective of the present invention is to provide
a tool carrier including a rotatable cover for selectively engaging
tool members or elements into or disengaging the tool members or
elements from the tool carrier.
[0011] In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is
provided a tool carrier comprising a base including an upper
portion having a plurality of cavities formed therein for receiving
tool members, and a cover rotatably attached onto the base, and
including an orifice formed therein, and selectively aligned with
either of the cavities of the base, to allow the tool members to be
selectively engaged into or disengaged from the cavities of the
base.
[0012] A latch may further be provided and rotatably securing the
cover to the base. The base includes at least one lock notch formed
therein, the cover includes a bore formed therein, the latch
includes at least one hook extended through the bore of the cover
and engaged with the lock notch of the base, to rotatably secure
the cover to the base. The cover includes a peripheral recess
formed therein, the latch includes a peripheral flange rotatably
engageable in the peripheral recess of the cover.
[0013] The base includes an outer peripheral portion having a
plurality of depressions formed therein for receiving tool members,
and the cover includes a passage formed therein and selectively
aligned with either of the depressions of the base, to allow the
tool members to be engaged into or disengaged from the depressions
of the base.
[0014] The base includes a space formed therein for receiving tool
elements, and the cover includes an opening formed therein and
selectively aligned with the space of the base, to allow the tool
elements to be engaged into or disengaged from the space of the
base. The cover includes a passage formed therein and communicating
with the opening thereof.
[0015] The base includes a plurality of slits formed therein, the
cover includes a projection engageable with either of the slits of
the base, to align the orifice of the cover with either of the
cavities of the base.
[0016] The base includes a chamber formed therein for receiving a
tool element therein. The base includes at least one retainer bulge
extended into the chamber thereof, and having a slot formed therein
to receive the tool element. The base includes a flap pivotally
secured thereto and rotatable into the chamber thereof.
[0017] The base includes two retainer brackets, the flap includes a
pole pivotally secured between the retainer brackets, to rotatably
secure the flap to the base. The flap includes a groove formed
therein to define two resilient blades and to apply a resilient
biasing force to attach the flap to the base.
[0018] Further objectives and advantages of the present invention
will become apparent from a careful reading of the detailed
description provided hereinbelow, with appropriate reference to the
accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0019] FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a tool carrier in accordance
with the present invention;
[0020] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the tool carrier;
[0021] FIG. 3 is a partial exploded view illustrating the operation
of the tool carrier;
[0022] FIG. 4 is a partial exploded view similar to FIG. 3,
illustrating the other operation of the tool carrier;
[0023] FIG. 5 is a bottom perspective view of the tool carrier;
[0024] FIG. 6 is a partial exploded view illustrating the lower
structure of the tool carrier; and
[0025] FIG. 7 is an enlarged partial perspective view showing the
lower structure of the tool carrier.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0026] Referring to the drawings, and initially to FIGS. 1 and 2, a
tool carrier in accordance with the present invention comprises a
base 10 including one or more cavities 11 formed in the upper
portion 12 thereof for receiving tool members or elements 70, such
as screw driver bits 70 therein, and including one or more
depressions 13 formed in the outer peripheral portion 14 thereof
for receiving the other tool members or elements 70, such as the
screw driver bits 70 therein.
[0027] It is preferable that the base 10 includes a flat portion or
surface 15 formed in the outer peripheral portion 14 thereof and
arranged between the depressions 13 that are also formed in the
outer peripheral portion 14 of the base 10. The base 10 further
includes a space 16 formed therein and opened upwardly and
laterally, for receiving the other tool members or elements 71,
such as the screw driver shank or tool extension 71 therein, and
arranged for allowing the tool member 71 to be disengaged from the
space 16 of the base 10 either upwardly or laterally.
[0028] The base 10 further includes a recess 17 formed in the upper
portion 12 thereof, and one or more, such as two lock notches 18
formed in the upper portion 12 thereof and communicating with the
recess 17 thereof. The base 10 further includes a number of slits
19 formed in the outer peripheral portion 14 thereof, and
preferably spaced away from the depressions 13 thereof, but
preferably aligned with the depressions 13 and/or the cavities 11
thereof.
[0029] It is further preferable that the base 10 includes a
peripheral skirt or a seat 20 extended downwardly from the outer
peripheral portion 14 thereof, and having an outer diameter greater
than that of the base 10, to form or define a peripheral shoulder
21 between the base 10 and the seat 20, and the base 10 includes a
chamber 22 formed in the bottom or lower portion thereof (FIGS. 5,
6) for receiving the other tool members or elements 73, such as the
screw driver handles or wrenches 73 therein.
[0030] As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the base 10 includes one or more,
such as two retainer bulges 23, 24 provided in the lower portion
thereof and preferably extended into the chamber 22 thereof. Each
of the retainer bulges 23, 24 includes a slot 25, 26 formed therein
to receive such as ends of the tool members or elements 73, and to
retain the tool members or elements 73 within the chamber 22 of the
base 10.
[0031] The base 10 may further include one or more, such as two
retainer brackets 27 provided in the lower portion thereof and
preferably extended into the chamber 22 thereof. A flap 50 includes
a pole 51 attached to one end thereof and pivotally attached or
secured between the retainer brackets 27, to rotatably or pivotally
secure the flap 50 to the base 10. The flap 50 is foldable into the
chamber 22 of the base 10 to engage with the tool member 73 (FIG.
5), and to stably retain the tool members or elements 73 within the
chamber 22 of the base 10.
[0032] The flap 50 preferably includes a groove 52 formed therein
to form or define two resilient blades 53 which may apply a
resilient or spring biasing force to attach the pole 51 to the
retainer brackets 27, and to prevent the pole 51 from being
disengaged from the retainer brackets 27. The flap 50 may further
includes a hole 54 formed therein for hanging or displaying
purposes.
[0033] The tool carrier further includes a cover 30 rotatably
attached onto the base 10 and engageable with the peripheral
shoulder 21 of the base 10, to rotatably position the cover 30 to
the base 10. The cover 30 includes a bore 31 formed therein, and a
peripheral recess 32 formed around the bore 31 thereof. A latch 40
includes a peripheral flange 41 rotatably engageable in the
peripheral recess 32 of the cover 30, and one or more, such as two
hooks 42 extended through the bore 31 of the cover 30 and engaged
with the lock notches 18 of the base 10, to rotatably secure the
cover 30 to the base 10.
[0034] The cover 30 includes an orifice 33 formed in the upper
portion 38 thereof, and arranged to be selectively aligned with
either of the cavities 11 of the base 10, best shown in FIG. 3, to
allow the tool members or elements 70 to be engaged into and/or to
be disengaged from the cavities 11 of the base 10, via the orifice
33 of the cover 30.
[0035] The cover 30 further includes a passage 34 formed in the
side or the outer peripheral portion 39 thereof, and arranged to be
selectively aligned with either of the depressions 13 of the base
10, best shown in FIG. 4, to allow the tool members or elements 70
to be engaged into and/or to be disengaged from the depressions 13
of the base 10 via the passage 34 of the cover 30.
[0036] The cover 30 includes a projection 35 extended therefrom, to
engage with either of the slits 19 of the base 10, and to position
the cover 30 to the base 10, and either to align the orifice 33 of
the cover 30 with the respective cavities 11 of the base 10 (FIG.
3), or to align the passage 34 of the cover 30 with the respective
depressions 13 of the base 10.
[0037] It is preferable that the passage 34 of the cover 30 is
offset from the depressions 13 of the base 10 when the orifice 33
of the cover 30 is aligned with either of the cavities 11 of the
base 10, to prevent the tool members or elements 70 from being
disengaged from the depressions 13 of the base 10 via the passage
34 of the cover 30, and to allow the tool members or elements 70 to
be engaged into and/or to be disengaged from the cavities 11 of the
base 10 via the orifice 33 of the cover 30.
[0038] On the contrary, it is also preferable that the orifice 33
of the cover 30 is offset from the cavities 11 of the base 10 when
the passage 34 of the cover 30 is aligned with either of the
depressions 13 of the base 10, to prevent the tool members or
elements 70 from being disengaged from the cavities 11 of the base
10 via the orifice 33 of the cover 30, and to allow the tool
members or elements 70 to be engaged into and/or to be disengaged
from the depressions 13 of the base 10 via the passage 34 of the
cover 30.
[0039] The cover 30 further includes an opening 37 formed in the
side or the outer peripheral portion 39 thereof, and communicating
with the passage 34 thereof, and arranged to be selectively aligned
with the space 16 of the base 10, to allow the tool members or
elements 71 to be engaged into and/or to be disengaged from the
space 16 of the base 10 via the opening 37 of the cover 30.
[0040] It is preferable that the opening 37 of the cover 30
includes a diameter or a width greater than that of the passage 34
of the cover 30. It is preferable that, when the passage 34 of the
cover 30 is aligned with the flat portion or surface 15 of the base
10, no tool members or elements 70 may be engaged into and/or
disengaged from the depressions 13 and the cavities 11 of the base
10.
[0041] Accordingly, the tool carrier includes a rotatable cover for
selectively engaging tool members or elements into or disengaging
the tool members or elements from the tool carrier.
[0042] Although this invention has been described with a certain
degree of particularity, it is to be understood that the present
disclosure has been made by way of example only and that numerous
changes in the detailed construction and the combination and
arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the
spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.
* * * * *