U.S. patent application number 10/978862 was filed with the patent office on 2006-05-04 for belt clip for hand-held power tool.
Invention is credited to Koon Yuen Ng.
Application Number | 20060091168 10/978862 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 36260640 |
Filed Date | 2006-05-04 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060091168 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Ng; Koon Yuen |
May 4, 2006 |
Belt clip for hand-held power tool
Abstract
A tool with a tool body, a clip and a retainer. The tool body
has a clip aperture that extends through first and second sides of
the tool body. The clip has a clip structure and a post that is
generally transverse to the clip. The retainer is carried by one of
the tool and the post and is configured to releasably engage the
other one of the tool body an the post when the post is inserted
into the clip aperture. The post may be inserted into the clip
aperture from either the first side of the tool body or the second
side of the tool body. A method for attaching a belt clip to a tool
is also provided.
Inventors: |
Ng; Koon Yuen; (Lok Fu,
HK) |
Correspondence
Address: |
HARNESS, DICKEY & PIERCE, P.L.C.
P.O. BOX 828
BLOOMFIELD HILLS
MI
48303
US
|
Family ID: |
36260640 |
Appl. No.: |
10/978862 |
Filed: |
October 29, 2004 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
224/269 ;
224/271 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A45F 5/021 20130101;
B25C 7/00 20130101; A45F 2200/0575 20130101; B25H 3/006 20130101;
A45F 5/02 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
224/269 ;
224/271 |
International
Class: |
A45F 5/00 20060101
A45F005/00 |
Claims
1. A tool comprising: a tool body having a clip aperture that
extends through first and second sides of the tool body; a clip
having a clip structure and a post that is generally transverse to
the clip; and a retainer carried by one of the tool and the post,
the retainer being configured to releasably engage the other one of
the tool body an the post when the post is inserted into the clip
aperture; wherein the post may be inserted into the clip aperture
from either the first side of the tool body or the second side of
the tool body.
2. The tool of claim 1, wherein the retainer is carried by the tool
body and carries a locking element that is biased into the clip
aperture.
3. The tool of claim 2, wherein the post includes a tapered leading
edge that pushes the locking element outwardly from the clip
aperture when the post is pushed into the clip aperture.
4. The tool of claim 2, wherein the retainer includes a button that
extends from the tool housing and wherein the locking element is
moved away from the clip aperture when the button is pushed toward
the tool housing.
5. The tool of claim 2, wherein the retainer includes a button that
is adapted to receive a manual input from a user, the button being
disposed in-line with a spring that biases the locking element into
an extended position.
6. The tool of claim 4, wherein the locking element translates
between the extended position and a retracted position.
7. The tool of claim 6, wherein the retainer is carried by the tool
body.
8. The tool of claim 7, wherein a recess is formed into the post,
the recess being configured to matingly engage the locking
element.
9. A method comprising: pushing a button to release a latch;
withdrawing a belt clip from an aperture in a tool body; inserting
the belt clip into the aperture from an opposite side of the tool
body; and latching the belt clip to the tool housing.
10. The method of claim 9, wherein latching the belt clip to the
tool housing occurs automatically when the belt clip is inserted
into the aperture.
11. The method of claim 9, wherein the latch is carried by the tool
body.
12. The method of claim 11, wherein the button is carried by the
tool body.
13. A fastening tool comprising: a housing having an aperture
formed therethrough; a motor disposed in the housing; an output
member that is configured to be driven by the motor; a latch
carried by the housing, the latch including a locking element and a
button; a spring biasing the locking element into an extended
position within the aperture; and a clip having a post that is
removably disposed in the aperture, the post including a recess
that is configured to matingly engage the locking element.
14. The fastening tool of claim 13, wherein the output member is a
driver.
15. The fastening tool of claim 13, wherein the post includes a
tapered leading edge that pushes the locking element away from the
extended position when the post is pushed into the aperture.
16. The fastening tool of claim 13, wherein the spring is disposed
in-line with the button.
17. The fastening tool of claim 13, wherein the latch translates
between the extended position and a retracted position.
Description
INTRODUCTION
[0001] The present invention generally relates hand-held tools and
more particularly to a belt clip for a hand-held tool including
power tools such as nailers.
[0002] Many tools, particularly nailers, are provided with belt
clips that permit the user to suspend the tool from a tool belt so
that the tool may be kept in close proximity to the user. These
belt clips are typically coupled to the tool via threaded
fasteners, such as a nut that is threaded onto an air inlet nipple
against the belt clip or through screws that attach the belt clip
to a part of the tool's housing. Such means for coupling belt clips
to tools, however, tend to be inconvenient in some respects when
the belt clip is to be repositioned to another side of the tool
(e.g., to accommodate left and right handed users) or removed from
the tool altogether. Specifically, these coupling means require the
use of tools to remove and replace the fasteners that are employed
to couple the belt clip to the tool.
SUMMARY
[0003] In one form, the present teachings provide a tool with a
tool body, a clip and a retainer. The tool body has a clip aperture
that extends through first and second sides of the tool body. The
clip has a clip structure and a post that is generally transverse
to the clip. The retainer is carried by one of the tool and the
post and is configured to releasably engage the other one of the
tool body an the post when the post is inserted into the clip
aperture. The post may be inserted into the clip aperture from
either the first side of the tool body or the second side of the
tool body.
[0004] In another form the present teachings provide a method that
includes: pushing a button to release a latch; withdrawing a belt
clip from an aperture in a tool body; inserting the belt clip into
the aperture from an opposite side of the tool body; and latching
the belt clip to the tool housing.
[0005] Further areas of applicability of the present invention will
become apparent from the detailed description provided hereinafter.
It should be understood that the detailed description and specific
examples, while indicating the preferred embodiment of the
invention, are intended for purposes of illustration only and are
not intended to limit the scope of the invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] Additional advantages and features of the present invention
will become apparent from the subsequent description and the
appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying
drawings, wherein:
[0007] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the right side of a tool
constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present
invention;
[0008] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a portion of the
tool of FIG. 1 illustrating the belt clip and latch in more
detail;
[0009] FIG. 3 is a partially sectioned perspective view
illustrating the belt hook coupled to the housing; and
[0010] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the right side of the tool
of FIG. 1 but illustrating the belt clip in an alternative
position.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE VARIOUS EMBODIMENTS
[0011] With reference to FIG. 1 of the drawings, a tool constructed
in accordance with the teachings of the present invention is
generally indicated by reference numeral 10. In the particular
embodiment illustrated, the tool 10 is a fastening tool and can
include an output member, such as a driver 12, and a motor, such as
an electric motor 14, that is configured drive the output member.
In the particular example provided, the motor drives a flywheel
(not specifically shown) and energy is transmitted from the
flywheel to the driver to translate the driver. The construction
and operation of the motor, flywheel and driver is discussed in
more detail in commonly assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No.
10/______, entitled "______" filed on even date herewith. While the
tool 10 is described in this particular example as including a
rotary motor and a output member that is translated along an axis,
it will be appreciated that the tool 10 may be configured
differently. In this regard, the tool 10 need not be a power tool.
If the tool 10 is a power tool, the motor need not be an electric
motor and could be any type of motor including a pneumatic motor;
the motor need not produce a rotational output but rather could
produce a linear output; and the output member need not be
translated but could also be rotated or a combination of translated
and rotated.
[0012] With reference to FIG. 2, the tool 10 can have a housing 16,
a latch 18, a biasing spring 20 and a belt clip 22.
[0013] The housing 16 can include an internal cavity 30, which can
house the latch 18 and the biasing spring 20, a clip aperture 32,
which can extend through the opposite sides of the housing 16, a
button aperture 34 and a spring mount 36. The clip aperture 32 can
have a non-circular shape, such as a triangular shape, so as to
inhibit rotation of the belt clip 22 relative to the housing 16. A
lock element aperture 38 can extend between the clip aperture 32
and the internal cavity 30. The button aperture 34 can extend
through an endwall 40 of the housing 16 and intersects the internal
cavity 30. The spring mount 36 can be located in-line with the
button aperture 34 and can include a reaction wall member 42, which
can extend generally parallel to the endwall 40, and a gusset 44
that couples the sidewall 46 of the housing 16 to the wall member
42 on a side opposite the button aperture 34.
[0014] The latch 18 can include a latch structure 50, a locking
element 52 and a button 54. The latch structure 50 can include a
first arm member 56, a second arm member 58, which can be generally
parallel to the first arm member 56, and a spacing leg 60 that can
space the first and second arm members 56 and 68 apart from one
another in a generally transverse direction. The locking element
52, which can have a blade-like shape, can be coupled to the first
arm member 56 while the button 54 can be coupled to the second arm
member 58. The latch 18 can be configured to be received into the
internal cavity 30 in the housing 16 such that the locking element
52 extends through the lock element aperture 38 and into the clip
aperture 32 and the button 54 extends through the button aperture
34.
[0015] The biasing spring 20 can be a compression spring and can
bias the latch 18 toward the endwall 40 and into an extended
position so that the locking element 52 extends into the clip
aperture 32. Translation of the latch 18 in a direction opposite
the biasing force of the biasing spring 20 can be caused by pushing
the top of the button 54 toward the endwall 40.
[0016] The belt clip 22 can include a clip structure 70 and a post
72 that can be oriented generally transverse to the clip structure
70. The post 72 can have a shape that is complementary to the clip
aperture 32 and can have a tapered leading edge 74 and a latch
recess 76. When the post 72 is inserted into the clip aperture 32,
the tapered leading edge 74 can push the locking element 52 out of
the clip aperture 32 to permit the post 72 to be fully inserted
into the housing 16. With additional reference to FIG. 3, full
insertion of the post 72 into the housing 16 can align the latch
recess 76 to the locking element 52 and the force of the biasing
spring 20 can urge the locking element 52 into the latch recess 76
to inhibit the withdrawal of the post 72 from the clip aperture 32.
Accordingly, the belt clip 22 may be securely fastened to the
housing 16 without resort the use of tools or threaded fasteners. A
lip 78 can be formed about the post 72 and can be configured to
touch the exterior surface of the sidewall 46 when the latch recess
76 is approximately aligned to the locking element 52.
[0017] When the belt clip 22 is to be removed or repositioned to
the opposite side of the tool 10 (FIG. 4), a user can press the
button 54 to withdraw the locking element 52 form the latch recess
78, withdraw the post 72 from the clip aperture 32, insert the belt
clip 22 into the clip aperture 32 from an opposite side of the tool
10, and latch the belt clip 22 to the housing 16.
[0018] While the tool 10 has been illustrated and described herein
as carrying a latch that may be employed to engage a single recess
on a post, it will be appreciated that the invention, in its
broadest aspects, may be constructed somewhat differently. For
example, the post may be configured with several latch recesses to
permit the distance between the clip structure and the exterior
surface of the sidewall to be selectively adjusted by the user. As
another example, the latch may be carried by the post and the latch
recess may be formed in the housing of the tool.
[0019] While the invention has been described in the specification
and illustrated in the drawings with reference to various
embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that
various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for
elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention
as defined in the claims. Furthermore, the mixing and matching of
features, elements and/or functions between various embodiments is
expressly contemplated herein so that one of ordinary skill in the
art would appreciate from this disclosure that features, elements
and/or functions of one embodiment may be incorporated into another
embodiment as appropriate, unless described otherwise, above.
Moreover, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular
situation or material to the teachings of the invention without
departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is
intended that the invention not be limited to the particular
embodiment illustrated by the drawings and described in the
specification as the best mode presently contemplated for carrying
out this invention, but that the invention will include any
embodiments falling within the foregoing description and the
appended claims.
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