GB2384235A

GB2384235A - Tool holder

Info

Publication number: GB2384235A
Application number: GB0221883A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Xie Yunlong
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2001-09-22
Filing date: 2002-09-20
Publication date: 2003-07-23
Also published as: CN2496800Y; GB0221883D0

Abstract

A tool holder, which is especially suitable for holding hand tools with handles, comprises a box frame (1) and an elastic holding strip (2). The box frame has a channel (1-2) defined by upper and lower side plates and open to the front. The elastic holding strip (2) has heads (2-2) that are inserted between the upper and lower side plates and connected flexibly by means of pin rolls (3) on both sides. On pushing a tool into the channel (1-2) against the strip (2) the strip (2) is deformed about the pin rolls (3) in an overcentre manner to grip the tool. Fixing means may be provided at the rear of the frame (1).

Description

Tool Holder The present invention relates to a holding device for tools and is of the kind that is especially suitable for holding hand tools with handles.

There are hand tools in every home and a part of the frequently used hand tools have handles. An orderly placement of tools can not only help keep the indoor environment tidy and clean but also make them convenient for use. The most common way is to hand the tools directly on wall hooks. But tools may be of different shape and length and not all tools with handles can be conveniently hung on hooks. In addition, the above way of tool placement is not reliable. If a tool were long and hooked in a higher place, access to it would be more difficult.

An object of the invention is to provide a tool holder that is reliable for tool placement and especially convenient for tool access.

According to the present invention there is provided a tool holder comprising a housing and a flexible holding member disposed in the housing, the member being movable between an inoperative position and an operative position in which a tool may be held by the member in the housing.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention the housing comprises a box frame, defining a channel opening to the front of the frame. On both sides of the rear section, the holding member has connecting heads that are inserted in between upper and lower side plates in the front part of the box frame and connected flexibly by means of pin rolls on both sides.

The pin rolls and the pin roll holes m the upper and lower side plates of the box frame may be connected by clearance fit.

Upper and lower edges may be built in the rear part of the box frame and the box frame can be connected through insertion by means of the upper and lower edges to the fixing seat plate in the rear part of the box frame.

The back plate of the box frame may have screw holes.

The front surface of the holding member has antislip teeth.

The tool holder holds tools by friction so that it is very simple in structure. Because of the resilient effect of the elastic holding strip, there is no special demand for the shape of the tool handle, as long as the handle can be wrapped by the elastic holding stnp and get into the channel. The tool holder can be made in different sizes to meet the requirements of various tools.

In order that the invention may be more clearly understood, one embodiment thereof will now be described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a front view of a tool holder ; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the holder of Figure 1; Fig. 3 is a sectional view of Figure 2 taken along the section line A-A; Fig. 4 is a plan view of an elastic holding strip forming part of the holder of Figure 1; Fig. 5 is a plan view of the connection between the tool holder and a fixing seat plate ; Fig. 6 is a sectional view of Figure 5 taken along the line B-B; and Fig. 7 is a plan view of the holder of Figure 1 showing it in use.

Referring to Figures 1 to 4, the tool holder comprises a housing in the form of a box frame 1 and an elastic holding strip 2. The box frame I consists of upper and lower side plates 1-1, right and left side plates and a back plate. The side plates 1-1 define a

front opening 1-4. The box frame 1 has a channel 1-2 going through the upper and lower side plates 1-1 and connecting to the front opening 1-4. There are separate pm roll holes 1-3 in the front part of the upper and lower side plates 1-1 and on both sides of the channel 1-2. The box frame is made of engineering plastics by injection molding. The elastic holding strip 2, which is made of rubber, has antislip teeth 2-1 on the front surface and adaptable connecting heads 2-2, which define pin roll holes 2-3, on both sides of the rear. The box frame 1 and the elastic holding strip 2 are connected by pin rolls 3 on both sides. The adapting heads 2-2 of the elastic holding strip 2 are inserted in between the upper and lower side plates 1-1 of the box frame and the pin rolls 3 are plugged into the pin roll holes 1-3 in the upper and lower side plates on the same side of the box frame and the pin roll holes 2-3 of the elastic holding strip. The connection between the pin rolls 3 and the pin roll holes 1-3 of the upper and lower side plates 1-1 of the box frame is by clearance fit, which allows for rotation of the connecting heads 2-2 of the elastic holding strip around the centers of the pin rolls 3. There is no strict requirement about fitting between the pin rolls 3 and the pin roll holes 2-3 in the connecting heads of the elastic holding strips, which can be either clearance fit or other kind of fit.

As shown in Figure 5 and Figure 6, the box frame 1 has, in its rear, upper and lower edges 1-5, which are extensions of the back plate in the upper and lower directions and enable the box frame 1 to be connected to a fixing seat plate 4 at the back side of the box frame 1. The fixing seat plate 4 is made of profile and is fastened to the wall in any length The fixing seat plate 4 has a slot that matches the upper and lower edges 1-5 of the box frame 1. The box frame 1 is connected by inserting edges 1-5 mto the slot in the fixing seat plate 4. Several tool holders of different sizes may be

inserted as required and the adjustment of distances between the tool holders may be realized simply by moving the holders. The box frame 1 has, m its back plate, screw holes 1-4, which allow for direct installation in a single tool holder that may be required with some fixed structures or vehicles. The present embodiment is suitable for either single installation or installation by using fixing seat plate.

When single installation is considered only, the box frame 1 may be made without the upper and lower edges 1-5 in its rear.

When installation by using fixing seat plate is considered only, the back plate of the box frame 1 may be without screw holes 1-4.

The tool holder is especially convenient in use.

Referring to Figure 7 the handle 5 of a tool is placed in front of the elastic holding strip 2 and pushed into the channel 1-2 of the box frame 1. Then the heads 2-2 of the elastic holding strip rotate around the center of the pin rolls 3 so that the elastic holding strip 2 bends to wrap around the handle. As the elastic holding strip 2 is resilient and its front surface, i. e. the contacting surface with the handle, has antislip teeth 2-1, the elastic holding strip 2 is capable of wrapping the handle 5 tightly. To remove the tool, from the holder the tool handle is pulled outwards.

Claims

Claims 1. A tool holder comprising a housing and a flexible holding member disposed in the housing, the member being movable between an inoperative position and an operative position in which a tool may be held by the member in the housing.
2. A tool holder as claimed in claim 1, in which the housing comprises a box frame defining a channel opening to the front of the frame across which the holding member extends.
3. A tool holder as claimed in claim 2, m which the box frame comprises upper and lower side plates through which pin rolls extend to connect the holding member to the housing.
4. A tool holder as claimed in claim 3, in which the pin rolls extend through the upper and lower side plates with a clearance fit.
5. A tool holder as claimed in any preceding claim, in which fixing means are provided at the rear of the housmg.
6. A tool holder as claimed in claim 5, in which the fixing means comprise edges adapted for insertion into a fixing plate.
7. A tool holder as claimed in claim 6, in which the edges are movable within the fixing plate.
8. A tool holder as claimed in any preceding claim, in which fixing holes are provided in the rear of the housing.
9. A tool holder as claimed in any preceding claim, in which antislip teeth are provided on the front surface of the holding member.

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10. A tool holder as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the housing is moulded from synthetic plastics material.
11. A tool holder substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.