Special receptacle or package – For a tool
Patent
1995-04-12
1997-01-21
Gehman, Bryon P.
Special receptacle or package
For a tool
206379, 206775, 220234, B65D 8520, A45C 1126
Patent
active
055952941
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD
The invention relates to holders and packaging for elongated objects such as drill bits, screwdriver bits and the like.
BACKGROUND ART
Typically tool bits, such as power drill bits, are sold in sets of 8 to 12 bits of sequential sizes, carried in a plastic carrying case which also functions to store the bits at the owner's workbench. A problem with such an approach to the marketing of bits is that it restricts the purchaser's flexibility in the selection and storing of various bit sizes. For example, a purchaser will be forced to acquire separately a size of bit not included in the pre-packaged selection and will be unable to store the bit in the plastic package which contains the initial set.
Other tool bits are also amenable to sale and storage in sets, such as screwdriver bits for power drivers or for multiple-bit screwdrivers, such as those sold under the trade-mark PIC-QUIC.TM. which is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,924,733. Currently there is no convenient means for vending and storing such bits in variable sets.
There is therefore a need for a convenient means for vending and storing tool bits singly or in variable sets.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
The present invention discloses a modular bit holder which stores and displays a single bit, and can be linked with other such bit holders to form a variable set. A bit is inserted in one end of the holder, and is held temporarily in place by a spring or other means. To remove the bit, a second bit is forced into the holder, displacing the first bit to a holding position from which it can be removed. Each holder has means along either side of it to removably attach it in side-by-side fashion to another similar holder.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
In drawings which disclose a preferred embodiment of the invention:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the invention holding a bit;
FIG. 2 is an plan view of four bit holders according to the invention connected in series to form a set;
FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the bit holder of the invention shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is a side view of the invention in cross-section along line 4--4 of FIG. 7, with a second bit shown displacing a first bit;
FIG. 5 is a top cross-sectional view of the invention along lone 5--5 of FIG. 8;
FIG. 6 is a side view of the invention as shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 7 is a cross-section taken along lines 7--7 of FIG. 3;
FIG. 8 is a cross-section taken along lines 8--8 of FIG. 5;
FIG. 9 is a cross-section of a second embodiment of the invention taken along lines 9--9 of FIG. 10; and
FIG. 10 is a cross-section taken along lines 10--10 of FIG. 9.
BEST MODE(S) FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
With reference to FIG. 1 through 3, a first embodiment of the bit holder of the invention, designed for the "stubby" type of short screwdriver bit, is designated generally by reference numeral 10. It consists of a single-piece moulded plastic body 12, preferably of a plastic such as ABS which provides a certain amount of memory for the spring portion noted below, and of a thickness about 0.19 cm. Body 12 has a rear face 13 and hollow core 14, open at either end and roughly hexagonal in cross-section, which receives a bit 16. The entire body 12 is about 5.5 cm. long. A rectangular notch 20 is cut in the front face 15 of the body 12 to form a window through which the head of bit 16 can be viewed. A flange 22 is provided with a hole 24 by means of which the holder can be hung from a peg or hook.
The bit 16 is held in place in the central core 14 of holder 10 by a spring or flap 30 formed by slots on three of its sides in the rear face 13 of body 12. Spring 30 has a bump or dimple 32 on its inner surface. Due to the resiliency of the plastic material from which body 12 is formed, spring 30 is biased to a position in which it lies in the same plane as the rear face 13 of body 12, in which position dimple 32 extends into the interior of hollow core 14. Hollow core 14 is sized to be slightly larger in dimension than the outer dimension of bit 16 so that flap 30 is forced outwa
REFERENCES:
patent: 4069915 (1978-01-01), Schurman
patent: 4260057 (1981-04-01), Wall-Anderson
patent: 4372445 (1983-02-01), Keffeler
patent: 4402423 (1983-09-01), Skowronski et al.
patent: 4867305 (1989-09-01), Schneider
patent: 4880122 (1989-11-01), Martindell
patent: 4909386 (1990-03-01), Jeffers
patent: 4924733 (1990-05-01), McKenzie
patent: 5148914 (1992-09-01), Budert
patent: 5291996 (1994-03-01), Linden
patent: 5363957 (1994-11-01), Reichner
McKenzie Archibald M.
McKenzie Paul D.
Suter Robert
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