GB2366992A

GB2366992A - Socket suspension rack

Info

Publication number: GB2366992A
Application number: GB0023302A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Jui-Chien Kao
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2000-09-22
Filing date: 2000-09-22
Publication date: 2002-03-27
Anticipated expiration: 2020-09-22
Also published as: GB2366992B; GB0023302D0

Abstract

A socket suspension rack (10) includes a handle (11) and a suspension rod (12) extending from the handle (11). At least one T-shaped flange (122) extends from one edge of the suspension rod (12). A number of socket connectors (20) each including a T-shaped groove (21) is defined in the inner portion to receive the T-shaped flange (122). A socket stud (22) extends out from the outer portion to connect with a socket (30). A clamp (14) extends out from the face of the suspension rod (12) to hold a ratchet handle (100) in place. The socket suspension rack (10) further comprises a ratchet handle bracket (40) attached to the suspension rod (12). The ratchet handle bracket (40) has a recess (410) defined to receive the ratchet handle (100) to securely hold the ratchet handle (100) in place.

Description

SOCKET SUSPENSION RACK 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a socket suspension rack, and more particularly to a socket suspension rack that has a receiving space to prevent the sockets from bumping and a T-shaped flange to connect the socket connector more securely.

2. Description of Related Art A conventional socket suspension connector (50) in accordance with the prior art as shown in Fig. 7 comprises a square socket stud (52) containing a cavity (53) and a holder (51) formed on the top of the socket stud (52). A ball (55) partially exposed outward from the socket stud (52) and a spring (54) pressing on the ball (55) to make the ball (55) extend outward are received in the cavity (53). A socket (not shown) can be mounted on the socket stud (52) with the ball (55) detachably received in the depression (not shown) inside the socket. The holder (51) is secured on an elongated track (not shown), thereby attaching the socket suspension connector (50) together with the socket to the elongated track.

However, the spring (54) and the ball (55) must be pressed into the cavity (53) after the socket stud (52) is formed by injection molding such that the assembly process of the socket suspension (50) is complicated, thereby increasing the cost of making it.

Another conventional socket suspension rack in accordance with the prior art as shown in Fig. 8 comprises a plate (60) including a upper portion containing two holes (601) to hang the plate (60) on pegs or hooks and a dovetail flange (602) formed on the lower portion, which contains a locking hole (603) near each end. A locking pin (61) is inserted into each locking hole (603) to prevent the socket connector (70) from detaching from the plate (60).

Each socket connector (70) has a dovetail groove (71) formed on one end to receive the dovetail flange (602) on the plate (60) and a rectangular portion (72) with four sidewalls formed on the other end. At least one of the four walls has a boss (73), and the wall having the boss (73) contains two slits (721) so that the

wall having the boss (73) is flexible relative to the other walls. A socket (30) includes an engaging hole (31) to receive the rectangular portion (72) of the socket connector (70). An indentation (32) is defined in the inner periphery of the engaging hole (31). The boss (73) is configured to be received in the indentation (32) when the rectangular portion (72) is inserted into the engaging hole (31).

The dovetail flange (602) has two inclined sides. With reference to Figs. 9 and 10, the socket connector (70) can be detached from the plate (60) along the two inclined sides of the dovetail flange (602) when a side force is applied to the socket (30) or the socket connector (70). y The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the disadvantage of these two conventional socket suspension racks.

The socket suspension rack in accordance with the present invention comprises a handle and suspension rod combination with an end stopper and a number of socket connectors detachably mounted on the suspension rod. A clamp extends horizontally from the suspension rod to hold a ratchet handle in place. The socket suspension rack further comprises a ratchet handle bracket attached to the suspension rod. The ratchet handle bracket has a recess defined to receive the ratchet handle to securely hold the ratchet handle in place.

Further benefits and advantages of the present invention will become apparent after a careful reading of the detailed description with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings.

IN THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 is a partially exploded perspective view of a socket suspension rack in accordance with the present invention ; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the socket suspension rack in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a front plan view of the socket suspension rack in Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a partially exploded perspective view of another embodiment of the socket suspension rack in accordance with the present invention; Fig. 5 is a front plan view of the socket suspension rack in Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the ratchet handle bracket in Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a conventional socket connector in accordance with the prior art;

Fig. 8 is a partially exploded perspective view of another conventional / socket suspension rack in accordance with the prior art ; Fig. 9 is an end plan view in partial section of the socket rack in Fig. 8 ; and Fig. 10 is an end plan view of the socket rack and the socket in Fig. 8 with a side force applied to detach the socket suspension connector.

With reference to the drawings and initially to Fig. 1 and 2, a socket suspension rack (10) in accordance with the present invention comprises a handle (11) with a hole (111), a suspension rod (12), a number of socket connectors (20) and an end stopper (13). The suspension rod (12) is integrally formed with the handle (11). The socket connectors (20) are slidably attached to the suspension rod (12). The end stopper (13) is attached to the free end of the suspension rod (12).

The suspension rod (12) is II-shaped and multiple ribs (121) are formed on the inside of the suspension rod (12) along its length. The suspension rod (12) forms a T-shaped with the handle (11). The face of the suspension rod (12) is flush with the face of the handle (11), and two edges extend perpendicular to the face of the suspension rod (12). A T-shaped flange (122) extends vertically from at least one of the two edges of the suspension rod (12). The suspension rod (12) also has at least one pin (123) formed near the free end on the inside between the edges.

An end stopper (13) with a hollow connecting bar (131) extending toward the suspension rod (12) is attached to the free end of the suspension rod (12) to prevent the socket connectors (20) from sliding off the suspension rod (12). The connecting bar (131) is received between the edges of the suspension rod (12) and has a hollow stud (132) corresponding and connecting to each (123). The

height of the end stopper (13) is the same as the height of the face'of the l suspension rod (12) including the T-shaped flange (s) (122).

A T-shaped groove (21) is defined in the inner end of the socket connector (20) to receive the T-shaped flange (122) of the suspension rod (12). A socket stud (22) extends out from the exterior end with an aperture (224) defined in the top of the socket stud (22). The socket stud (22) includes a passage (221) having a flexible strip (222) in one end. A boss (223) extends outward from the flexible strip (222).

Each socket (30) contains a recess (31) to receive the socket stud (22) of the socket connector (20). The recess (31) in the socket (30) has four sidewalls with an indentation (32) formed on each sidewall to receive the boss (223) on the flexible strip (222).

A T-shaped socket lock (50) securely holds the socket (30) onto the socket connector (30). A hook (51) is formed at one end, and a stop bar (52) extends transversely at the other end so that the hook (50) penetrates the socket (30) and the socket stud (22) and is securely received in the aperture (224). The length of the stop bar (52) is longer than the inner diameter of a stop hole (not shown) in the socket to prevent the socket (30) from being pulled from the socket connector (20).

The suspension rod (12) includes a clamp (14) extending from the face to hold a ratchet handle (100) in place and a through hole (17) defined in the suspension rod (12). The clamp (14) includes two resilient arms (141) aligned with each other. Each of the two resilient arms (141) has a hook (142) extending from

the free end. The two hooks (142) face and correspond to each other. Two t separated, elongated slide slots (15) extend through the suspension rod (12). A / locking lip (151) is formed on one end of each slide slot (15). A retaining hole (16) is defined in the face of the suspension rod (12) between each slide slot (15) and the edge of the suspension rod (12).

The ratchet handle (100) includes a shank (101) with a middle portion received between the two resilient arms (141) and held by the two hooks (142).

The socket drive (102) is received in the through hole (17) in the suspension rod (12) when the ratchet handle is positioned on the face of the suspension rod (12).

The socket suspension rack (10) further comprises a ratchet handle bracket (40) and two retainers (422). The ratchet handle bracket (40) includes a substantially U-shaped bracket (41) with an ear (42) formed on each end and extending laterally outward. Each retainer (422) extends out from the two ears (42) of the bracket (40) and corresponds to one of the slide slots (15). A locking hole (421) is defined in each of the two ears (42) and corresponds to the retaining hole (16) in the suspension rod (12). Each retainer (422) slides in the corresponding

slide slot (15) and is detachably locked by the locking lip (151). The U-shaped bracket (41) contains a recess (410) to receive the ratchet handle (100). Each of the two retainers (422) includes a slide (423) extending from the ear (42) and slidable in the respective slide slot (15), and a retaining hook (424) extending laterally from the slide (423) and detachably locked by the locking lip (151). The retaining hooks (424) extend outward relative to each other.

With reference to Fig. I and 6, the ratchet handle bracket (40) further includes two retaining pegs (43) each having an enlarged head (432) abutting a corresponding ear (42) when inserted through the locking hole (421) in the ear

(42). A shank (431) extends from the enlarged head (432) through the locking hole / (421) in a corresponding ear (42) and the corresponding retaining hole (16) in the suspension rod (12). An enlarged abutting edge (433) extends from the shank (431) and abuts the inner side of the suspension rod (12). A slit (434) is longitudinally defined in the enlarged abutting edge (433) of each of the two retaining pegs (43) to allow the enlarged abutting edge (433) to be inserted into the retaining hole (16).

The enlarged abutting edge (433) of each of the two retaining pegs (43) has a dimension greater than the diameter of the retaining hole (16) to prevent the retaining pegs (43) from detaching from the suspension rod (12).

During installation of the bracket (40), each of the two ears (42) is moved to abut the face of the suspension rod (12) with the slide (423) of each of the two retainers inserted into the larger end portion of the respective slot (15). Then, the bracket (40) is moved from the position in phantom lines in Fig. 6 to the position in solid lines, such that the retaining hook (424) of each retainer is locked by the respective locking lip (151).

With the bracket (43) firmly mounted on the suspension rod (12), the bracket can hold a heavier ratchet handle (100). In addition, using the two retainers (422) simultaneously extends the life of the ratchet handle bracket (40).

With reference to Figs. 4 and 5, another embodiment of the socket suspension rack (10) comprises a handle (11) and a suspension rod (12) with a space to hold sockets and prevent the sockets from bumping under the suspension rod (12). Multiple socket studs (20) fixedly extend out from edge (s) of the

suspension rod (12) to connect to sockets (30) and prevent the sockets from bumping.

I All the parts of the socket connector (20) are injection molded. The insertion of a spring and a ball into the cavity is unnecessary for the present invention. Further the socket suspension rack (10) and the socket connector (20) can be made of various colors for either the decorative effect or color-coding. The handle (11) and the suspension rod (12) form an open and somewhat protected space to receive the sockets (30) and prevent the sockets from bumping. The Tshaped flange (122) and groove (21) make the socket connector (20) and the suspension rod (12) connect more rigidly.

Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred C7 embodiment. it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

Claims

CLAIMS :

1. A socket suspension rack comprising: a handle with a hole; a suspension rod extending from said handle along the same plane to form a space and having at least one pin formed near the free end, said suspension rod including a face communicating with said handle and two edges extending perpendicular to said face of said suspension rod to connect to said handle, a Tshaped flange extending vertically out from at least one of said two edges of said suspension rod, said suspension rod being n-shaped, having multiple rib defined therein; two separated elongated slide slots defined in said first face of said suspension rod, each of said two slide slots having a locking lip formed at one end;

a substantially U-shaped bracket attached to said face of said suspension rod and including an ear extending laterally from each end and I abutting said face of said suspension rod, said bracket including two retainers each I' extending from each of said ears, each of said retainers including a slide extending from said ear and being slidable in said respective slide slot, and a hook laterally extending from said slide and detachably locked by two locking pins; a stopper attached to said free end of said suspension rod and having a connecting bar extending from the stopper, with at least one hollow stud defined on said connecting bar corresponding to and detachably connected to each of said pins on the suspension rod; a clamp extending from said face of said suspension rod and including two resilient arms each having a hook formed on the a free end, said two hooks

facing and corresponding to each other ; z : l a through hole defined in said suspension rod and between said clamp and said handle; and at least one socket connector including a T-shaped groove formed on the inner portion to receive said T-shaped flange and a socket stud extending out from the outer portion to connect with a socket, said socket stud containing a passage having a flexible strip formed on one end, said flexible strip having a boss defined thereon.

2. The socket suspension rack in accordance with claim 4, wherein said hook of each of said two retainers extends outward relative to each other.

3. The socket suspension rack in accordance with claim 4, wherein said hook of each of said two retainers extends inward relative to each other.

4. A socket suspension rack substantially as herein described with reference to either Figures 1 to 3 or 4 to 6 of the accompanying drawings.