U.S. patent application number 11/292751 was filed with the patent office on 2007-06-07 for tool holder.
Invention is credited to Peter Kahn.
Application Number | 20070125819 11/292751 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38117714 |
Filed Date | 2007-06-07 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070125819 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Kahn; Peter |
June 7, 2007 |
Tool holder
Abstract
A tool holder for removably holding a tool. The tool holder
includes a receiving member and a coupling member. The receiving
member includes a base, a pair of arms coupled to the base, a neck
slot located between the pair of arms, and a head slot located
between the base and the pair of arms. The coupling member
includes: a head configured to slidably move within the head slot;
a neck coupled to the head and configured to slidably move within
the neck slot; and an attachment member coupled to the neck and
configured to couple the coupling member to the tool. There is a
latching member that is a protrusion configured to latch the
coupling member to the receiving member. The attachment member is a
loop that is a double-sided hook and loop ribbon.
Inventors: |
Kahn; Peter; (Brookhaven,
NY) |
Correspondence
Address: |
ADVANTIA LAW GROUP
9035 SOUTH 1300 EAST
SUITE 200
SANDY
UT
84094
US
|
Family ID: |
38117714 |
Appl. No.: |
11/292751 |
Filed: |
December 1, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
224/665 ;
224/250; 224/677; 224/904 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B25H 3/006 20130101;
A45F 5/021 20130101; A45F 2200/0575 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
224/665 ;
224/677; 224/250; 224/904 |
International
Class: |
A45F 3/14 20060101
A45F003/14; A45C 1/04 20060101 A45C001/04; A45F 3/00 20060101
A45F003/00 |
Claims
1. A tool holder for removably holding a tool, comprising: a
receiving member configured to provide support, including: a base;
a pair of arms coupled to the base; a neck slot located between the
pair of arms; and a head slot located between the base and the pair
of arms; and a coupling member, configured to removably couple the
receiving member to the tool, including: a head, configured to
slidably move within the head slot; a neck coupled to the head and
configured to slidably move within the neck slot; and an attachment
member coupled to the neck and configured to couple the coupling
member to the tool.
2. The tool holder of claim 1, wherein the attachment member
comprises an elongated member.
3. The tool holder of claim 2, wherein the elongated member
comprises a double-sided hook and loop portion.
4. The tool holder of claim 1, wherein the neck attaches to the
head to form a T-shape.
5. The tool holder of claim 1, wherein the coupling member further
comprises a gripping surface including a thumb indentation.
6. The tool holder of claim 1, wherein the head is disk-shaped.
7. The tool holder of claim 6, wherein the neck slot includes a
vertical dimension shorter than a vertical dimension of the head
slot and a difference between the vertical dimensions of the neck
and head slots is about a radius of the disk-shaped head.
8. The tool holder of claim 1, wherein the neck slot comprises
being deeper than a depth of the head slot.
9. The tool holder of claim 1, wherein the neck slot includes a
vertical dimension longer than a vertical dimension of the head
slot.
10. A tool holder for holding a tool, consisting essentially of: a
receiving member, including: a lip; a side member defining a void;
and a channel, through the lip and side member, defining a channel
width; and a coupling member receivable by the receiving member,
including: an attachment member; a body, coupled to the attachment
member; a neck, coupled to the body, defining a neck width smaller
than about the channel width; and a head, coupled to the neck,
disposable within the void, and having a head width larger than
about the channel width.
11. The tool holder of claim 10, wherein the body includes a
gripping surface configured to enhance a user's grip on the
body.
12. The tool holder of claim 10, wherein the head comprises a
cylindrical rod.
13. The tool holder of claim 10, wherein the receiving member
further comprises a clip coupled to the side member.
14. The tool holder of claim 10, wherein the side member further
comprises a latching member coupled to at least one of the
components in the group consisting of receiving member and coupling
member and removably coupled to at least one of the components in
the group consisting of receiving member and coupling member.
15. The tool holder of claim 10, wherein the side member further
comprises a ladder coupling member coupleable to a ladder.
16. The tool holder of claim 15, wherein the side member comprises
a ladder.
17. A tool holder for holding a tool, comprising: a vessel,
including: a lip; a vessel side member, contiguous to the lip,
defining a void; and a channel through the lip and vessel side
member, the channel defining a channel width; and a coupling member
removably coupleable to the vessel, including: an elongated member
removably coupleable to the tool; a body, coupled to the elongated
member, defining a gripping surface; a neck, coupled to the body,
defining a neck width smaller than about the channel width; and a
head: coupled to the neck, sufficiently small to fit within the
void, and including a head width larger than about the channel
width.
18. The tool holder of claim 17, wherein the elongated member
comprises an elastic loop.
19. The tool holder of claim 17, further comprising a protrusion
extending internal the channel at a height from the bottom of the
channel greater than or equal to the neck width.
20. The tool holder of claim 17, further comprising a protrusion
extending from the vessel and external to the vessel, wherein the
protrusion comprises being disposed adjacent the channel and a neck
length comprises being about the thickness of the vessel side
member.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to tool holders, specifically
to tool holders for removably holding a tool.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] Tool holders are well known in the prior art. Many such
devices are in the form of tool belts of various configurations
which are designed to carry and retain one or more desired tools
while allowing the user to keep his hands free. Conventional tool
belts are provided with leather or cloth loops which depend from
the belt and which serve as tool retainers. Although useful to some
extent, such tool belts present inherent deficiencies which limit
their usefulness. For example because cloth is not necessarily a
rigid structure, cloth loops may close when not in use, making it
difficult for the user to replace the tool into the loop with one
hand. More over, a loop may tightly constrict about the tool handle
as the tool settles into position, thereby making it difficult to
remove the tool when needed. Similar problems arise with the use of
the more rigid leather loops.
[0005] Another type of device for carrying tools is a belt clip
which is modified with a tool carrying end. Examples of such belt
clips include U.S. Pat. No. 5,743,451 to Kahn, issued Apr. 28,
1998, U.S. Pat. No. 6,062,449 to Kahn, issued May 16, 2000 and U.S.
Pat. No. 6,443,342 to Kahn, issued Sep. 3, 2002. These belt clips,
all invented by the inventor of the instant application, are
provided with a U-shaped hook which swivels about a tool's center
of gravity. While these tool-toting devices have achieved
commercial success, a disadvantage to these devices is that they
cannot be removably secured to all types of tools. In addition,
these tool-toting devices are not adapted easily for suspension
from a wall, ladder or other object.
[0006] Article holders, particularly paint can holders, have been
developed for attachment to the leg of a ladder. U.S. Pat. No.
3,131,900 to Anderson et al., issued May 5, 1964, U.S. Pat. No.
3,239,181 Ellerbrock, issued Mar. 8, 1966, U.S. Pat. No. 3,246,867
to Ewing, issued Apr. 19, 1966, U.S. Pat. No. 4,025,016 to
Brothers, issued May 24, 1977, U.S. Pat. No. 4,036,463 to Hopkins
et al., issued Jul. 19, 1977 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,338,459 to Biggs,
issued Jan. 15, 2002, each discloses a clamping member adapted to
secure an article, usually a paint can, to the stile of a ladder.
However, such holders have large horizontal profiles.
[0007] Additional problems with existing tool holders include:
inability to properly secure a tool to a person, expensive design,
too many parts, and inability to use with a single hand.
[0008] What is needed is a tool holder that solves one or more of
the problems described herein and/or one or more problems that may
come to the attention of one skilled in the art upon becoming
familiar with this specification.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] The present invention has been developed in response to the
present state of the art, and in particular, in response to the
problems and needs in the art that have not yet been fully solved
by currently available tool totes. Accordingly, the present
invention has been developed to provide a tool holder for removably
holding a tool.
[0010] In one embodiment, there is a tool holder for removably
holding a tool. The tool holder may include a receiving member
configured to provide support and a coupling member, configured to
removably couple the receiving member to the tool. The receiving
member may include a base, a pair of arms that may be coupled to
the base, a neck slot that may be located between the pair of arms,
and/or a head slot that may be located between the base and the
pair of arms. The coupling member may include a head that may be
configured to slidably move within the head slot; a neck that may
be coupled to the head and/or configured to slidably move within
the neck slot; and/or an attachment member that may be coupled to
the neck and/or configured to couple the coupling member to the
tool.
[0011] The attachment member may include an elongated member. The
elongated member may include a double-sided hook and loop that may
be a strip and/or a ribbon. The head and neck may be T-shaped. The
coupling member may further include a gripping surface that may
include a thumb indentation. The head may include a disk. The neck
slot may include a vertical dimension shorter than the vertical
dimension of the head slot and/or a difference between the vertical
dimensions of the first and head slots may be about the radius of
the disk. The first dimension may be larger than a depth of the
head slot. Also, the neck slot may include a vertical dimension
longer than the vertical dimension of the head slot.
[0012] In another embodiment, there may be a tool holder for
holding a tool. The tool holder may include a receiving member
and/or a coupling member. The receiving member may include a lip, a
side member defining a void, and/or a channel that may be through
the lip and/or side member and that may define a channel width. The
coupling member may include an attachment member, a body that may
be coupled to the attachment member, a neck that may be coupled to
the body and that may define a neck width smaller than about the
channel width, and a head that may be coupled to the neck,
disposable within the void, and/or having a head width larger than
about the channel width.
[0013] The tool holder may include a gripping surface. The gripping
surface may include a thumb indentation. The head may include a
cylindrical rod. The receiving member may further include a clip
that may be coupled to the base. There may further be included a
latching member that may be coupled to at least one of the
components in the group consisting of receiving member and coupling
member and/or that may be removably coupled to at least one of the
components in the group consisting of receiving member and coupling
member. There may also be a ladder coupling member coupled to the
receiving member and/or configured to couple the receiving member
to a ladder. The ladder coupling member may include the receiving
member being integral to a ladder.
[0014] In yet another embodiment, there is a tool holder for
holding a tool. The w tool holder may include a vessel and/or a
coupling member. The vessel may include a lip, a vessel side member
that may be contiguous to the lip and/or defining a void, and a
channel through the lip and vessel side member. The channel may
define a channel width. The coupling member may be removably
coupleable to the vessel and/or may include an elongated member
that may be removably coupleable to the tool, a body that may be
coupled to the elongated member and/or defining a gripping surface,
a neck that may be coupled to the body and/or defining a neck width
smaller than about the channel width, and a head. The head may be
coupled to the neck, sufficiently small to fit within the void,
and/or may include a head width larger than about the channel
width.
[0015] The elongated member of the tool holder may include an
elastic loop. There may be a protrusion that may extend internal
the channel and/or that may be at a height from the bottom of the
channel greater than or equal to the neck width. There may be a
protrusion extending from the vessel and/or external to the vessel.
A protrusion may be disposed adjacent the channel and/or a neck
length may be about the thickness of the vessel side member.
[0016] Reference throughout this specification to features,
advantages, or similar language does not imply that all of the
features and advantages that may be realized with the present
invention should be or are in any single embodiment of the
invention. Rather, language referring to the features and
advantages is understood to mean that a specific feature,
advantage, or characteristic described in connection with an
embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present
invention. Thus, discussion of the features and advantages, and
similar language, throughout this specification may, but do not
necessarily, refer to the same embodiment.
[0017] Furthermore, the described features, advantages, and
characteristics of the invention may be combined in any suitable
manner in one or more embodiments. One skilled in the relevant art
will recognize that the invention can be practiced without one or
more of the specific features or advantages of a particular
embodiment. In other instances, additional features and advantages
may be recognized in certain embodiments that may not be present in
all embodiments of the invention.
[0018] These features and advantages of the present invention will
become more fully apparent from the following description and
appended claims, or may be learned by the practice of the invention
as set forth hereinafter.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0019] In order for the advantages of the invention to be readily
understood, a more particular description of the invention briefly
described above will be rendered by reference to specific
embodiments that are illustrated in the appended drawings.
Understanding that these drawings depict only typical embodiments
of the invention and are not therefore to be considered to be
limiting of its scope, the invention will be described and
explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of
the accompanying drawings, in which:
[0020] FIG. 1 illustrates a side perspective view of a tool holder
according to one embodiment of the invention;
[0021] FIG. 2 illustrates a side perspective view of a coupling
member according to one embodiment of the invention;
[0022] FIG. 3 illustrates a side exploded view of a coupling member
according to one embodiment of the invention.
[0023] FIG. 4 illustrates a side perspective view of a coupling
member secured to the handle of a nail gun according to one
embodiment of the invention;
[0024] FIG. 5 illustrates a side perspective view of a receiving
member according to one embodiment of the invention;
[0025] FIG. 6 illustrates a side perspective view of a coupling
member according to one embodiment of the invention; and
[0026] FIG. 7 illustrates a side perspective view of a receiving
member according to one embodiment of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0027] For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the
principles of the invention, reference will now be made to the
exemplary embodiments illustrated in the drawings, and specific
language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be
understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is
thereby intended. Any alterations and further modifications of the
inventive features illustrated herein, and any additional
applications of the principles of the invention as illustrated
herein, which would occur to one skilled in the relevant art and
having possession of this disclosure, are to be considered within
the scope of the invention.
[0028] Reference throughout this specification to "one embodiment,"
"an embodiment," or similar language means that a particular
feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with
the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the
present invention. Thus, appearances of the phrases "one
embodiment," "an embodiment," and similar language throughout this
specification may, but do not necessarily, all refer to the same
embodiment, different embodiments, or component parts of the same
or different illustrated invention. Additionally, reference to the
wording "an embodiment," or the like, for two or more features,
elements, etc. does not mean that the features are related,
dissimilar, the same, etc. The use of the term "an embodiment," or
similar wording, is merely a convenient phrase to indicate optional
features, which may or may not be part of the invention as
claimed.
[0029] Each statement of an embodiment is to be considered
independent of any other statement of an embodiment despite any use
of similar or identical language characterizing each embodiment.
Therefore, where one embodiment is identified as "another
embodiment," the identified embodiment is independent of any other
embodiments characterized by the language "another embodiment." The
independent embodiments are considered to be able to be combined in
whole or in part one with another as the claims and/or art may
direct, either directly or indirectly, implicitly or
explicitly.
[0030] Finally, the fact that the wording "an embodiment," or the
like, does not appear at the beginning of every sentence in the
specification, such as is the practice of some practitioners, is
merely a convenience for the reader's clarity. However, it is the
intention of this application to incorporate by reference the
phrasing "an embodiment," and the like, at the beginning of every
sentence herein where logically possible and appropriate.
[0031] FIGS. 1-5 illustrate a tool holder according to one
embodiment of the invention. In particular, there is shown a
coupling member and a receiving member. The coupling member is
configured to couple to a tool and to couple to the receiving
member. The mounting member is configured to receive the coupling
member and may be configured to couple to another device such as
but not limited to a belt, clothing, a wall, a ladder, and a
support.
[0032] There is shown a tool holder 100 for removably holding a
tool. Non-limiting exemplary tools include hand tools and power
tools. Included in the figure is a receiving member 110 and a
coupling member 120. The receiving member 110 is configured to
provide support for attached objects. The coupling member 120 is
configure to attach to the receiving member 110 and a tool 410.
Shown included in the receiving member 110 is a base 112, a pair of
arms 114 and 115 coupled to the base 112, a neck slot 116 between
the pair of arms 114 and 115 boundaries of which are at least
partially defined by the pair of arms 114 and 115, and a head slot
118, between the base 112 and the pair of arms 114 and 115, defined
by the base and the pair of arms 114 and 115. The pair of arms 114
and 115 illustrated are coupled along their vertical length to the
base 112. It is envisioned that one embodiment may include wherein
the pair of arms 114 and/or 115 are coupled only at an end. The
illustrated neck slot 116 includes a first vertical dimension 132
greater than the second vertical dimension 134 of the head slot
118. There is also shown a lip 136, a side member 138 comprising
the pair of arms 114 and 115, and a channel 116 through the lip 136
and the side member 138. The channel 116 defines a channel width
140. The side member 138 defines a void 118.
[0033] The shown coupling member 120 is removably coupleable to
each of the receiving member 110 and a tool 410. The illustrated
coupling member 120 includes a head 122 slidably moveable within
the head slot 118. The illustrated head 122 includes a first
dimension 210 larger than a width 140 of the neck slot 116 or
channel 116. Accordingly, the head 122 may not pass through the
neck slot 116 when the first dimension 210 is aligned substantially
parallel to the width 140 of the neck slot 116. In the illustrated
embodiment, the head 122 comprises a cylindrical rod.
[0034] Further, the illustrated first dimension 210 of the head 122
is larger than a depth of the illustrated head slot 118.
Accordingly, when disposed within the head slot 1118, the
illustrated head 122 has at least one restricted degree of freedom.
There is also included a neck 124 coupled to the head 122 and
slidably moveable within the neck slot 116. The illustrated head
122 and neck 124 together are T-shaped.
[0035] Additionally, there is shown a body, stand-off, or gripping
member 126 coupled to the neck 124. The shown body 126 includes a
gripping surface 127. The body 126 may serve to provide a handle
and/or may include an indentation or thumb indentation 129 such as
for interfacing with a thumb of a user. The shown gripping member
126 houses the coupling between an attachment member 128 and the
gripping member 126.
[0036] Further shown is an attachment member 128 coupled to the
neck 124 and coupleable to the tool 410. In the illustrated
example, the attachment member 128 comprises an elongated member
128, such as but not limited to an elastic loop and/or a hook and
loop strip. In another example, the elongated member 128 comprises
double-sided hook and loop that may wrap around to attach to itself
as shown in FIG. 6.
[0037] There is also shown a clip 136 coupled to the base 112. In
one non-limiting example, the clip 136 may be used to attach the
receiving member 110 to a belt of a user. While a particular
configuration for a clip is displayed, it is envisioned that other
similar members may be included in a tool holder 100. In one
non-limiting example, there may be a ladder coupling member coupled
to the receiving member and configured to couple the receiving
member to a ladder. Examples of ladder coupling members include but
are not limited to C-clamps and integral members of ladders.
Further examples and embodiments are included in U.S. Pat. No.
6,880,794 to Kahn the contents of which are incorporated herein by
reference in their entirety.
[0038] The illustrated receiving member 10 also includes a latching
member 500 that is a pair of ridges or protrusions 500 protruding
from the pair of arms 114 and 115. The protrusions 500 are
configured to resist detachment of the coupling member 120 from the
receiving member 110. In the illustrated embodiment, the
protrusions 500 are shaped to fit within cavities 200 on the
shoulder 210 of the body 126 of the coupling member 120.
Accordingly, when the coupling member 120 is attached to the
receiving member 110 and is disposed underneath the receiving
member 110 the protrusions 500 are disposed within the cavities 200
and may resist relative movement between the receiving member 110
and the coupling member 120. In one non-limiting example, it may be
required to apply a threshold force to engage and/or release the
latching member(s) 500. It is envisioned that a latching member 500
may be coupled to at least one of the components in the group
consisting of receiving member 110 and coupling member 120. It is
further envisioned that a latching member 500 may be removably
coupled to at least one of the components in the group consisting
of receiving member 110 and coupling member 120. A latching member
500 may include one or more components that may interact and/or
that may be coupled to one or more portions of the tool holder 100.
Non-limiting examples include protrusions, hooks, frictional
surfaces, notches, bumps, narrow regions, wide regions, and regions
of varied material composition. There may be a protrusion extending
internal the channel 116 at a height from the bottom of the channel
116 greater than or equal to the neck width 140. The base 112 and
the pair of arms 114 and 115 and/or side member 138 form a vessel
520. There may be a protrusion extending from the vessel 520 and
external to the vessel 520, wherein the protrusion 500 comprises
being disposed adjacent the channel 116 and a neck length 220
comprises being about the thickness 520 of the vessel side member
138.
[0039] In operation, a user may couple the coupling member 120 to a
tool 410. The user may also couple the coupling member 120 to the
receiving member 110. The receiving member 110 may be coupled to
the user and or an implement such as but not limited to a ladder.
The receiving member 110 may be integral to such an implement. The
user may place the head 122 of the coupling member 120 into the
head slot or void 118 and may align the neck to be slidably movable
within the neck slot or channel 116.
[0040] The head 122 may then be lowered towards the bottom 530 of
the head slot or void 118. As the head 122 is lowered the body 126
of the coupling member 120 may also be lowered. Preferably, the
weight of the tool combined with the configuration of the tool
holder 100 binds the coupling member 120 to the receiving member
110. Further, the latching member or system 500 may be engaged
and/or may engage, thereby resisting decoupling of the coupling
member 120 from the receiving member 110. Preferably, the latching
system 500 engages by forcing latching system components to deform
slightly, thereby producing an audible noise, such as but not
limited to a click or snap, when the latching system engages and/or
disengages.
[0041] Looking specifically to FIG. 3, there is shown an exploded
view of a coupling member 120. The illustrated coupling member 120
includes a body cavity 300 that may be covered by a cap 310. The
body cavity 300 is intended to include within ends 330 of the
illustrated attachment member 128. The shown ends 330 are coupled
one to another by a binding 320 that may be a wire wrap. The body
cavity 300 includes an enlarged portion 302, such that when the
attachment member is disposed within the body cavity 300, the
binding 320, being larger than the ends 330 may be disposed within
the enlarged portion 302 and the cap 310 may enclose the binding
320 within the enlarged portion 302. Accordingly, when enclosed,
the binding 320 is too large to exit the body cavity 300.
[0042] Turning to FIGS. 6 and 7, there are illustrated a coupling
member 120 and a receiving member 110, respectively, according to
one embodiment of the invention. The head 122 illustrated includes
a disk 610 coupled to the body 126 by a neck 124. In contrast to
the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1-5, the illustrated neck 124 of
FIG. 6 extends orthogonally from the body 126. Further, in contrast
to the embodiments of FIGS. 1-5, the illustrated neck slot 116 of
FIG. 7 includes a neck slot vertical dimension 710 shorter than the
head slot vertical dimension 720 of the head slot 118. A difference
between the vertical dimensions 710 and 720 of the neck and head
slots, respectively, comprises being about the radius 630 of the
disk 610, preferably less the radius 640 of the neck 124. The
bottom 730 of the head slot 118 may be shaped to match the shape of
the disk 610.
[0043] As previously noted, the attachment member 128 of FIG. 6
illustrates a double-sided hook and loop attachment member. In
particular, there is shown a strip 650 having a first side 652
having hook or loop material and a second side 654 having material
such as hook or loop material that attaches to the material of the
first side 652. There is also shown a plurality of apertures 660,
defined by first and second bar members 662 and 664, through which
the strip 650 passes, thereby forming a loop. A first end 670 of
the strip 650 shown is coupled about the first bar member 662
adjacently to a first aperture 660. A second end 680 of the strip
650 passes through the aperture 660 defined by the second bar
member 664. It is preferred that the second bar member 664 includes
a larger radius than the first bar member 662. Advantageously, the
second bar member 664 helps prevent undesired contact, tangling,
adhesion, etc. between the first and second sides 652 and 654 as
the strip 650 is adjusted for size.
[0044] It is understood that the above-described preferred
embodiments are only illustrative of the application of the
principles of the present invention. The present invention may be
embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit
or essential characteristics. The described embodiment is to be
considered in all respects only as illustrative and not
restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by
the appended claim rather than by the foregoing description. All
changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of
the claims are to be embraced within their scope.
[0045] For example, although two head shapes are illustrated,
namely a cylinder and a disk, it is envisioned that possible head
shapes are plethoric. Non-limiting examples of head shapes include
spheres, cubes, other polyhedrons, amorphous shapes, irregular
shapes, symmetrical shapes, asymmetrical shapes, combinations
thereof and portions thereof.
[0046] Additionally, although the figures illustrate arms oriented
upward and channels substantially parallel with a long axis of the
tool holder, it is envisioned that, in some embodiments, portions
of a tool holder may be tilted, angled, and/or otherwise not
substantially parallel and/or orthogonal to a particular axis of an
embodiment.
[0047] Finally, it is envisioned that the components of the device
may be constructed of a variety of materials, including but not
limited to metal, plastic, fiber, wood, ceramic, resin, composite,
and combinations thereof.
[0048] Thus, while the present invention has been fully described
above with particularity and detail in connection with what is
presently deemed to be the most practical and preferred embodiment
of the invention, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in
the art that numerous modifications, including, but not limited to,
variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of
operation, assembly and use may be made, without departing from the
principles and concepts of the invention as set forth in the
claims.
* * * * *