U.S. patent application number 11/504033 was filed with the patent office on 2008-02-21 for toolbox.
Invention is credited to Fu-Jui Hsiao.
Application Number | 20080041746 11/504033 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39100351 |
Filed Date | 2008-02-21 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080041746 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Hsiao; Fu-Jui |
February 21, 2008 |
Toolbox
Abstract
The present invention discloses a toolbox that includes a
turnable containing base in the toolbox for accommodating several
screwdriver heads of different sizes and specifications, such that
users can access the required screwdriver head easily. The
screwdriver head is sheathed onto the socket joint exposed from the
toolbox, and the toolbox includes one or more socket joints
installed at different directions, such that users can select the
most appropriate socket joint to connect the screwdriver head and
hold the toolbox directly to drive the screwdriver head to secure a
fixture or a component. The socket joint can be connected to an
extension socket first and then to the screwdriver head to increase
the operating depth of the screwdriver head, so as to provide a
convenient-to-store and easy-to-use toolbox to satisfy user's
requirements.
Inventors: |
Hsiao; Fu-Jui; (Taichung
City, TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BIRCH STEWART KOLASCH & BIRCH
PO BOX 747
FALLS CHURCH
VA
22040-0747
US
|
Family ID: |
39100351 |
Appl. No.: |
11/504033 |
Filed: |
August 15, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
206/375 ;
206/373 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B25G 1/085 20130101;
B25G 3/06 20130101; B25H 3/003 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
206/375 ;
206/373 |
International
Class: |
B65D 85/28 20060101
B65D085/28 |
Claims
1. A toolbox, comprising: a base; an external cover, with an end
pivotally coupled to an end of said base, such that said external
cover can be opened or shut, and defining a containing space; a
containing base, disposed in said containing space, and having a
plurality of insert slots for inserting a plurality of screwdriver
heads with different specifications; a socket joint, having a
socket, and fixed in said containing space, such that when said
base and said external cover are closed, said socket is exposed
from said base and said external cover for connecting said
screwdriver head.
2. The toolbox of claim 1, wherein said containing base is
pivotally coupled to said base.
3. The toolbox of claim 1, wherein said containing space further
contains an extension socket, and a male end and a female end are
defined on both ends of said extension socket, such that said male
end of said extension socket can be coupled to said socket of said
socket joint.
4. The toolbox of claim 1, wherein said base has a latch structure
disposed on an external side of said base.
5. The toolbox of claim 1, further comprising a latch structure
disposed at a position away from a pivotal connection of said base
and said external cover.
6. The toolbox of claim 5, wherein said latch structure forms two
hooks and two latch grooves disposed on said base and said external
cover respectively.
7. The toolbox of claim 1, wherein said containing space includes
another socket joint disposed at a different direction, such that
the directions of said two socket joints are perpendicular to each
other.
8. The toolbox of claim 1, wherein said socket joint is shifted and
fixed at a position proximate to an edge of said containing space.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to a toolbox, and more
particularly to a convenient-to-store and easy-to-use toolbox.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] In general, hand tools such as screwdrivers and wrenches are
necessary tools for securing fixtures and components, when
equipments and devices are maintained and repaired. However, there
are many different specifications of components, and thus users
usually have to prepare various kinds of hand tools with different
screwdriver heads or specifications to fit different kinds of
fixtures and components. Such arrangement not only causes
inconvenience, but also wastes natural resources.
[0003] To solve the aforementioned problem, a set of socket joints
for screwdriver heads as disclosed in R.O.C. Patent Publication No.
134755 entitled "Improved structure applicable for socket joints of
various hand tools" allows users to change a screwdriver head of a
different specification in order to secure a different fixture, so
that users simply need to prepare hand tools having a socket and
screwdriver heads of regular specifications for securing a vast
majority of fixtures. Although such prior art is convenient, users
may lose the hand tools easily due to users' bad using habits. As a
result, a screwdriver head no longer can work with a respective
hand tool, or a hand tool does not have a respective screwdriver
head, and thus causing troubles to users for using these tools.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] A primary objective of the present invention is to overcome
the foregoing shortcomings and avoid the existing deficiencies by
providing a convenient-to-store and easy-to-use toolbox, so that
users just need to hold the toolbox to secure various different
kinds of fixtures and components
[0005] The present invention relates to a toolbox, comprising: a
base, an external cover, a containing base and a socket joint,
wherein an end of the external cover is pivotally coupled to an end
of the base, such that the toolbox can be opened or shut and a
containing space is formed. The containing base is disposed in the
containing space, and the containing base has a plurality of insert
slots for inserting a plurality of screwdriver heads with different
specifications. The socket joint has a socket, and the socket joint
is fixed in the containing space, such that if the base and the
external cover are closed, the socket will be exposed from the base
and the external cover for connecting the screwdriver head.
[0006] Therefore, a user simply needs to select an appropriate
screwdriver head to fit a fixture of a different specification and
connect the screwdriver head onto the socket, and then the user can
hold the toolbox to secure all kinds of fixtures and
components.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a toolbox of the
invention;
[0008] FIG. 2 is a side view of a toolbox of the invention;
[0009] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an open toolbox of the
invention;
[0010] FIG. 4 is a schematic view of using a toolbox of the
invention; and
[0011] FIG. 5 is another schematic view of using a toolbox of the
invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0012] To make it easier for our examiner to understand the
technical characteristics, objective and performance of the
invention, we use a preferred embodiment together with the attached
drawings for the detailed description of the invention.
[0013] Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, a toolbox 10 in accordance with a
preferred embodiment of the invention comprises a base 20, an
external cover 30, a containing base 40 and two socket joints 50,
wherein an end of the external cover 30 is pivotally coupled to an
end of the base 20 to define a structure that can be opened and
shut vertically and to form a containing space 25 between the base
20 and the external cover 30.
[0014] The containing base 40 is disposed in the containing space
25, and the containing base 40 has a plurality of insert slots 41
for inserting a plurality of screwdriver heads 60 with different
specifications, and the containing base 40 is pivotally coupled to
the base 20 (or pivotally coupled to the external cover 30) for
turning the direction of the containing base 40.
[0015] The socket joint 50 has a socket 51, and the socket joint 50
is fixed in the containing space 25, such that when the base 20 and
the external cover 30 are closed, the socket 51 is exposed from the
base 20 and the external cover 30 for sheathing and connecting a
screwdriver head 60. The two socket joints 50 of this embodiment
are disposed at different directions of the containing space 25. In
general, the directions of the two socket joints 50 are preferably
perpendicular to each other, and one of the two socket joints 50
(or both socket joints 50) can be shifted and fixed to a position
proximate to an edge of the containing space 25.
[0016] The containing space 25 of this embodiment can contain an
extension socket 70, and a male end and a female end are formed at
both ends of the extension socket 70 respectively, and the male end
of the extension socket 70 is sheathed onto the socket 51 of the
socket joint 50.
[0017] The base 20 has a latch structure 80 disposed on an external
side of the base 20 and a latch structure 90 disposed at a position
away from the base 20 and the external cover 30. The latch
structure 90 can have two hooks 91 and two latch grooves 92 formed
on the base 20 and the external cover 30 respectively.
[0018] When this embodiment is used, the toolbox 10 is opened
first, so that the base 20 and the external cover 30 are opened,
and then a user can turn the direction of the containing base 40 to
facilitate the user to select and access the required screwdriver
head 60. After the user has selected an appropriate screwdriver
head 60, the toolbox 10 can be shut, such that the base 20 and the
external cover 30 are closed to sheath the screwdriver head 60 onto
the socket joint 50. Thus, the user can hold the toolbox 10
directly to secure a fixture or a component. Since the two socket
joints 50 of this embodiment are set to different directions and
can be shifted and fixed at positions proximate to edges of the
containing space 25, therefore a user can select the most
appropriate socket joint 50 based on the requirements of different
occasions (such as the occasions for a large moment of force or for
a narrow space) or the user can select to use the extension socket
70, if needed for increasing the operating depth of the screwdriver
head 60. Thus, the invention can be used in different ways, and two
common ways are shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, and these ways can be
changed freely by users according to the actual requirements.
[0019] The latch structure 80 is provided for a user to buckle the
toolbox 10 directly onto the user's belt to facilitate the carrying
of the toolbox 10. Further, the present invention includes a latch
structure 90 comprised of two hooks 91 and two latch grooves 92,
wherein the hooks 91 can be opened only if the user presses the
hooks 91 simultaneously, so as to constitute a protection mechanism
to prevent users from pressing a single hook 91 by mistake, and the
toolbox 10 will be opened unintentionally if the user buckles the
toolbox 10 on the user's belt. As a result, the screwdriver heads
60 may fall out from the toolbox 10 or may be lost or missing.
[0020] In summation of the description above, the socket joints 50
are fixed directly onto the toolbox 10 of the present invention.
After a socket joint is sheathed onto the screwdriver head 60, a
user can hold the toolbox 10 directly to drive the screwdriver head
60 to secure a fixture or a component. Therefore, the invention is
convenient to store and easy to use. In addition, the invention can
prevent components from missing or losing due to a user's bad using
habits, and thus the invention can further meet the user's
requirements.
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