GB2320014A - Tool accessories holder - Google Patents

Abstract

A substantially rigid flat tool holder (10) for housing tool accessories such as drill and screwdriver bits has an array of recesses (14) in an upper face (12) for accommodating the tool accessories. Each of the recesses (14) comprise two opposed and resiliently deflectable flanges (22) extending partway across a mouth of the recess to snap engage and restrain the accessories in the recess. A central aperture (30) extends between the upper face (12) and a lower face (32) of the holder to receive a handle of an underlying tool tray on which the holder may be placed.

Description

TOOL ACCESSORIES HOLDER The present invention relates to a tool accessory holder of the type for use in tool boxes or tool containers.

More particularly, this invention relates to tool accessory holders for storage in tool boxes having compartmentalised inner trays. The holders are particularly, although not exclusively, intended for use with drill and screwdriver bits.

Tool accessory holders are well known and have various different forms, including moulded plastics trays which grip drill bits at one end and have a clear hinged perspex lid to protect the tool bits inside. An alternative accessory holder may include the basic packaging arrangements of flexible plastics moulded trays which offer no rigid support to the tool bits, the tray itself being supported by the external packaging such as a cardboard or tin. Such packaging offers no protection or storage facility for accessory bits once they have been removed from the external cardboard or tin packaging and it is often found that existing packaging and storage mediums for such tool accessories break in use, whereby the accessories are then simply stored loosely within the container trays of existing tool boxes. Not only does this arrangement make it difficult for the user to find the appropriate accessory when required, but the loose storage of such bits often results in damage and loss of the accessories, such as drill bits. Attempts to address this problem have included the manufacture of integrally moulded accessories containers having preformed slots to hold the accessory bits within the container. Whilst this allows the accessory bits to be stored in an organised fashion, such containers are usually bulky and cannot be inserted within existing tool boxes and therefore require additional storage space.

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to develop a tool accessories holder which alleviates the aforementioned problems and which is compatible with existing tool boxes and containers.

According to the present invention there is provided a substantially flat tool holder for housing tool accessories, the holder having an upper face and opposed lower face and comprising a predetermined array of recesses for accommodating tool accessories, characterised in that the holder is substantially rigid with restraining means associated with said recesses to restrain the accessories within the recesses. Preferably the holder is made of solid moulded plastics material.

Usually the restraining means will comprise two parallel opposed and resiliently deflectable flanges disposed to extend partway across a mouth of each recess for snap engagement with the accessories which are to be inserted within such recesses.

Usually, such holders are designed for mounting on a tool box (or container) tray of the type having an upstanding peripheral wall and an upstanding handle wherein the holder will have an aperture extending between its upper and lower faces for receiving the handle of the tray when the holder is mounted on the tray. In this way it is intended the lower face of the holder will sit on the peripheral wall of the tray, effectively forming a lid on the tray. A substantial advantage of such an arrangement is that the user may grip the handle of the lower tray through the aperture of the holder to remove both the tray and holder from the associated tool box. In doing so, the holder acts as a lid to alleviate the spillage of tools from within the tray. To this end, the holder aperture will usually have an associated recessed profile in the upper face to provide access to the handle when the insert is mounted on the tray so that a user may easily access the handle.

Usually the holder will further comprise engagement means for engaging the tray to restrain the holder from lateral displacement relative to the tray. Usually such engagement means will comprise a recessed periphery in the lower face of the holder forming a downwardly directed shoulder about the lower face for engagement with the upstanding peripheral wall of the tray. Where such trays also include additional internal upstanding walls to subdivide the tray into compartments, the lower face of the holder will further comprise profiled slots to receive such upstanding walls when the holder is mounted on the tray.

This arrangement further restrains displacement laterally between the tray and the holder.

In order to assist removal of the holder from the tray, grip means will usually be provided on the holder, usually in the form of a secondary aperture disposed towards the periphery of the holder, and which aperture extends between the upper and lower faces. This provides for the user to insert their finger within such an aperture to lift the holder clear of the tray.

In an alternative embodiment of the invention the upper face of the holder may comprise a first stacking means with the lower face comprising a second stacking means whereby two similar holders are stackable, one on top of the other, so that the first stacking means of the lower stacked holder engages the second stacking means of the upper holder to restrain the stacked holders from relative lateral displacement. Preferably the first stacking means will comprise an upstanding peripheral wall extending partway along the periphery of the upper face whereby the second stacking means will comprise an associated recess in the lower face directly underlying this upper wall. Preferably each holder will comprise two diametrically opposed walls and associated recesses.

Usually, the holders on the present invention will be rectangular to conform with standard tool box designs allowing such holders to be used in conjunction with existing tool boxes.

One of the additional benefits of incorporating a rigid tool holder of this type is that the accessories usually housed in such containers, such as drill bits or screw driver bits, are often used in remote locations such as the top of a ladder, whereby it is desirable to have access to a variety of different size tool bits without the need to bring an entire tool box. The present invention allows for the accessories holder to be simply lifted clear of the tool box and carried to the desired location whilst safely storing and organising such tool bits.

The present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying illustrative drawings in which: Fig I: is a plan view of a tool accessories holder according to the present invention; Fig 2: is a perspective view of a conventional internal container tray from a tool box; Fig 3: is a side elevation of the holder of Fig 1 with part section along the line I-I of Fig 1; Fig 4: is a cross sectional view of the holder of Figure 1 mounted on the tray of Figure 2; Fig 5: is a plan view of an alternative embodiment of the present invention; Fig 6: is an end elevation of the alternative embodiment of Figure 5; Fig 7: is a side elevation with partial section of two similar holders of Figure 5 shown in a stacked configuration.

Figure 1 shows a tool accessories holder (10) which is substantially rectangular and formed from moulded plastics material to produce a substantially rigid tray. The holder (10) has an upper face (12) with a pre-determined array of longitudinal recesses (14) for housing tool accessories such as drill bits or screwdriver bits. Screwdriver bits are held in recesses (16), which drill bits will be held in recesses (14). The recesses (14 and 16) are divided into small groups each of which has an associated recessed cross channel (18) extending perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the recesses (14 and 16). The channel (18) has a larger area than the associated recesses (14, 16) to enable a user to insert their fingers into the channels to grip the tool accessories held in the recesses (14 and 16).

The recesses (14) in this particular embodiment are intended for holding drill bits of varying diameters, and are substantially U-shaped in cross section so that the drill bits will nest in the curved portion of such recesses.

In addition, each recess (14) has retaining means for engaging and holding the drill bits in the respective recesses, such retaining means being provided in the form of two narrowed regions (20). The narrowed portions (20) comprise two opposed projections (22) each of which partially extend across the opening of the recess (14) and are resiliently deflectable so that when a drill bit is pushed against such projections they are displaced outwardly from the centre of the recess so as to allow the drill bit to pass between the projections and which projections then snap engage the drill bit within the recess to retain the drill bit therein. Similarly, when the drill bit is to be removed from the holder it is again pulled outwardly of the holder against the resilient biassing of the projections, which are deflected outwardly to allow the drill bit to be removed when sufficient force is applied.

The holder (10) is intended for use within existing tool boxes and tool containers where it may be simply laid flat on a bottom of such a container. However, it is preferred that such holders are for use with containers of the type incorporating a removable internal tray, an example of such a tray (24) is shown in Figure 2. The tray (24) is substantially rectanguler with an upstanding peripheral walls (26) and an upstanding central handle (28) to allow the tray to be easily lifted in and out of the tool box. In practise such trays will nest on projections within the tool box. This type of tray and tool box arrangement is standard technology and well known in the art and will not, therefore, be discussed further.

Referring now to Figures 1 and 3, the holder (10) has a substantially central aperture (30) extending between the upper face (12) and a lower face (32) of the holder and having a predetermined shape to accommodate the handle (28) of the tray (24). Furthermore, the aperature (30) has an associated inclined lead in face (34) tapering downwardly from the upper face towards the aperature (30) and having a substantially oval shape.

In use, the holder (10) can be placed on the tray (24) so that the handle (28) passes through the aperature (30) so that it may be gripped by a user when it protrudes through the holder (10). The leadin face (34) provides for easier access to the handle of the tray, allowing the fingers of a user to be readily inserted into the handle.

In addition, the lower face (32) of the holder (10) has a recessed periphery (Figure 3) so as to form a substantially downward facing shoulder (36) extending completely thereabouts, with an associated inner wall (38). The recessed periphery is designed to enable the inner wall (38) to be received within the upstanding walls (26) of the tray, with the shoulder (36) resting upon an upper edge (40) of the walls (26) of the tray (see Figure 4). The resulting abutment between the inner wall (38) of the holder (10) and inwardly directed faces of the walls (26) of the tray (24) restrains the holder (10) for lateral displacement relative to the tray (24) when mounted thereon. In this manner, the holder (10) acts as a lid for the tray (24) so that when the tray (24) is lifted out of its tool box the user's grip on the handle will restrain the holder from lifting off the tray (24) whilst the inner wall (38) of the recess restrains any lateral displacement between the tray and the holder.

Although not shown in the present embodiment, trays (24) for use in tools boxes are often sub-divided into internal compartments by the use of internal upstanding walls.

Holders used in conjunction with such trays will be provided with additional recessed channels formed in the lower face (32) of the holder to accommodate such cross walls, whereby the engagement between such cross walls within the recessed channels will further serve to restrain relative lateral displacement between the holder and the tray.

A further feature of the holder (10), as shown in Figures 1 and 3, is a second, grip aperture (42) extending between the upper and lower faces of the holder (10). This grip aperature is provided to allow the user to insert a finger or fingers through this aperture (42) to grip the lower face (32) of the holder and to lift the holder clear of engagement with the tray (24). This aperture (42) is disposed towards one of a longitudinally opposed ends of the holder (10) to allow the holder to be pivotted about its engagement between the opposed longitudinal end of the holder and the associated container wall (26) upon which it rests. This allows the holder to be easily removed without placing undue stress on the user, by alleviating the need to support the entire weight of the holder when lifting it clear of a tray. Again this second aperature (42) has an associated lead-in face (44), inclined downwardly from the upper face (12), to facilitate ease of use.

One of the main features of this invention is the rigidity of the holder (10) which is necessary to maintain the holder shape when removed from the tool box, thus alleviating damage to the drill bits which allowing them to be readily transported, in an ordered manner, to where they are required.

Referring now to Figure 5, an alternative embodiment of a tool accessories holder (110) according to the present invention, again comprises a substantially rigid rectangular moulded plastics tray having an array of recesses (114) with associated channels (118). The arrangement of the recesses, channels and associated retaining means (in the form of projections (122)) are substantially the same as described with reference to Figure 1, whereby the reference numerals of Figure 5 correspond to those used for the same features of Figure 1, except for the addtion of a prefix number "1" for the fatures of Figure 5 and as such will not be described further here.

The holders (110) vary from the holder (10) described with reference to Figure 1 in that each holder (110) has, at each of its longitidunally opposed ends, an upstanding end wall (150) projecting from its upper face (112), where each wall (150) extends partway along the transverse extent of the end of the holder (110). Furthermore, associated with and directly underlying each end wall (150) is a partial recess (152) in the lower face (132) of the holder (110), each recess (152) having a depth slightly greater than the height of the associated upstanding wall (150) so that an upstanding wall (150) of a similar holder (110') may be received therein. This is more clearly seen in Figure 7 where a first holder (110') is stacked on a similar holder (110) whereby the upstanding end walls (150) of the lower holder (110) are received within the partial recesses (152)' of the upper stacked holder (110)'. In this manner, the two stacked holders (110 - 110') are restrained from relative lateral displacement in this stacked arrangement. This allows for several accessories holders (110) to be neatly stacked within individual compartments or trays within a tool box.

Both of the embodiments described above provide the benefit of rigidly storing the tool accessories whilst they may be removed from the associated tool boxes or containers and transported to wherever the user wishes to utilise such accessories. This alleviates the necessity to carry the entire tool box or a bulky preformed accessory package.

It will be appreciated that the preferred embodiments described herein are by way of example only and that many variations are possible to the particular design shown whlist still falling within the inventive concept. For example, instead of the holders being designed for drill bits or screwdriver bits they may easily be adapted for other tool accessories (or even tools themselves) including socket sets, spanners, screwdrivers etc. It will also be appreciated that various means for restraining the accessories within the recesses may be employed, or the general shape of the holders themselves may be varied to be compatible with various shapes and sizes of existing tool box designs.

Claims (12)

1. A substantially flat tool holder for housing tool accessories, said holder having an upper face and an opposed lower face and comprising a predetermined array of recesses for accommodating tool accessories and characterised in that said holder is substantially rigid with restraining means associated with said recesses to restrain said accessories within the recesses.

2. A holder as claimed in claim 1 made of solid moulded plastics.

3. A holder as claimed in either of the preceding claims in which said restraining means comprises two parallel opposed and resiliently deflectable flanges disposed to extend partway across a mouth of each recess for snap engagement with said accessories when inserted therein.

4. A holder as claimed in any one of the preceding claims for mounting on a container tray of the type having an upstanding peripheral wall and an upstanding handle, wherein said holder has an aperture extending between its upper and lower faces for receiving said handle when said holder is mounted on said tray.

5. A holder as claimed in claim 4 in which said aperture has an associated recessed profile in the upper face to provide access to the handle when said insert is mounted on said tray.

6. A holder as claimed in either claim 4 or claim 5 further comprising engagement means for engaging said tray and retaining said holder from lateral displacement relative to said tray.

7. A holder as claimed in claim 6 in which said engagement means comprises a recessed periphery in the lower face forming a downwardly directed shoulder about said lower face for engagement with the upstanding peripheral wall of the tray.

8. A holder as claimed in any one of claims 4 to 7 further comprising grip means for allowing the holder to be lifted clear of the tray.

9. A holder as claimed in claim 8 in which said grip means comprises a secondary aperture extending between said upper and lower faces.

10. A holder as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3 in which said upper face comprises a first stacking means and said lower face comprises a second stacking means in which two similar holders are stackable one on top of the other so that the first stacking means of the lower stacked holders engages the second stacking means of the upper holder to restrain said stacked holders from relative lateral displacement.

11. A holder as claimed in any one of the preceding claims which is substantially rectangular.

12. A tool holder as claimed in any one of claims 4 to 9 in combination with the container tray in which said holder forms a lid for said tray.

13 A tool holder substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying illustrative drawings.