US20020121491A1

US20020121491A1 - Screwdriver rack

Info

Publication number: US20020121491A1
Application number: US09/798,382
Authority: US
Inventors: Gregory Ernst
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2001-03-05
Filing date: 2001-03-05
Publication date: 2002-09-05

Abstract

A tool rack is embodied in a base having wall structures extending along opposite sides of the base for the reception of shafts and handles of tools to be stored and transported on the rack. Arms each with a cantilever define a groove for reception of a tool shaft. Handle receiving recesses in each wall structure are partially defined by posts and arms with protrusions thereon extending into handle receiving openings to confine the handle against all but intentional displacement. The shaft confining cantilevers are of flexible construction.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention pertains generally to racks for holding screwdrivers of a range of lengths.

It has been accepted in the marketplace that the sale of screwdrivers is promoted by display of same on a rack or holder normally included in the selling price of a set of screwdrivers ranging in size to provide a more or less complete set. Additionally, from a use standpoint, it is highly desirable to have the screwdrivers presented to the user in an orderly fashion to permit convenient selection of a specific screwdriver and to also permit carrying of an intact set of screwdrivers in a toolbox with a collection of other hand tools.

While various screwdriver racks have been proposed, known racks fail to retain the screwdrivers in place by securely engaging both the handle and the screwdriver shaft against separation from the rack.

In the prior art, Design Pat. No. 392,489, issued to the present inventor, discloses a screwdriver rack having handle and shaft recesses which are inclined with tool retention relying on gravity to seat each driver in place.

Design Pat. No. 415,913, also issued to the present inventor, discloses a two piece screwdriver rack having handle recesses in one rail of the rack while the other rail is provided with a series of lesser sized recesses for shaft reception. Both of the above noted racks confine the screwdrivers therein by reliance on gravity alone.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

The present invention is embodied within a rack for hand tools such as screwdrivers, and includes components in biased engagement with the ends of each tool for purposes of tool retention.

The present rack includes a base having wall structures along its sides with each wall structure defining shaft and handle receiving recesses. Structure defining the recesses includes yieldable components which serve to bias and hence confine the screwdriver shaft or handle stored therein. In addition to tool retention the components permit extraction of a stored tool in rapid manner to facilitate tool use, and oppositely, the component flexes during lateral insertion of the tool into handle and shaft recesses. The rack is of molded construction with the wall components of the rack shaped to confine both the shaft and handle of each screwdriver.

Important objectives of the present invention include a screwdriver rack of molded construction having wall structures along its sides with yieldable components defining recesses which engage and confine the tool therein against movement; the provision of a screwdriver rack with cantilevers defining grooves for the confinement of screwdriver shafts with cooperating posts serving to retain the shafts in place; the provision of handle engaging components which include one or more protrusions which, by reason of the post being of yieldable construction, may be momentarily displaced during handle insertion and thereafter return to a normal position to confine a screwdriver handle against movement.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the accompanying drawings: [0009]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the present screwdriver rack with a screwdriver shown in phantom lines; and [0010]
FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of FIG. 1.[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

With continuing attention to the drawings wherein applied reference numerals indicate parts similarly hereinafter identified, the reference numeral [0012] 1 indicates the base of the present tool holder with one end at 2 providing a hand grip by reason of an open area 3 in base 1.
Base [0013] 1 further defines apertures as at 1A through which arms of a locking member (not shown) projects as disclosed in co-pending U.S. application Ser. No. 09/264,245 filed by the present inventor.
Wall structures indicated generally at [0014] 4 and 5 provide, in alternate fashion, structure for the retention of a screwdriver handle H and means for retaining a screwdriver shaft as at S.
Posts at [0015] 6 are integral with wall structures 4 and 5 while arms at 7 on the wall structure are interspersed therebetween for alternate reception of handles H and shafts S.
Retention means for the screwdriver handles are indicated at [0016] 12 and 13 being formed on post 6 and arms 7. Further, the retention means is embodied in one or more protrusions projecting inwardly into a handle receiving space 14 to the extent they confine a screwdriver handle against all but intentional removal. While the handle receiving openings 14 are shown best adapted for retention of handles generally of rectangular cross-section, the same may be utilized, to a lesser extent, with handles of circular cross-section.
Upon downward urging of a handle H, an arm [0017] 7 will yield to permit handle passage past protrusions 12 and 13 on a post and arms for rested handle placement on a bottom edge 15 of a handle receiving opening. Post 6 may also yield upon such insertion of a screwdriver handle into opening 14 depending on the hardness rating of the plastic utilized in the injection molded rack or carrier and the cross-sectional area of the post.
A [0018] cantilever 8 on each post 7 will flex away from an adjacent post 6 to permit lateral entry of the screwdriver shaft S into recessed a area 9 of the cantilever with an arcuate area of the screwdriver shaft abutted by a surface 16 on the post.
With the screwdriver handles H being retained on opening edge [0019] 15 by one or both protrusions 12 and 13, and with the screwdriver shaft being biased by cantilever 8 toward surface 16 of post 6, the screwdriver is held securely in place without risk of separation from the base even when the latter is inverted or tipped to the vertical. Removal of the tool from the rack or holder simply entails lifting of either tool handle or shaft out of contact from a post 6 and the recessed area 9 of cantilever 8.
While I have shown but one embodiment of the invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention may be embodied still otherwise without departing from the spirit and scope of the claimed invention. [0020]
Having thus described the invention, what is desired to be secured by a Letters Patent is: [0021]

Claims

I claim:

1. A screwdriver rack including,

a base,

wall structures each integral with opposite sides of the base, each of said wall structures including posts and arms in alternating manner,

said arms each including a cantilever defining a recess for reception of screwdriver shaft segment, each of said posts including an area for abutment with a screwdriver shaft segment confining the shaft in the recessed area of the cantilever, and

said posts and said arms defining handle receiving openings, means for confining a screwdriver handle in place within each of said openings.

2. The screwdriver rack claimed in claim 1 wherein said cantilever is yieldable to admit a laterally inserted screwdriver shaft and to bias same toward one of said posts.

3. The screwdriver rack claimed in claim 1 wherein said means for confining a screwdriver handle in place includes a protrusion on one of said posts or one of said arms.