Package and article carriers – Carried by animate bearer – Article held by receiver
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-02
2001-01-16
Vidovich, Gregory M. (Department: 3727)
Package and article carriers
Carried by animate bearer
Article held by receiver
C224S232000, C224S678000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06173875
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF APPLICATION
This invention concerns a sheath made of polymer and adapted to hold secateurs of the type including two shanks, rotatable relative to each other around a joint and having front knife-like blades with edges, and rear ends serving as handles.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Secateurs are used not only for non-professional gardening but also professionally, as for harvesting of grapes from vines, for pruning of plants in vineyards, large orchards or similar. Lately, the increasing use for such purposes has led to stringent requirements for secateurs which are frequently used under various circumstances. A gardener or operator in a vineyard or orchard will daily be faced with different tasks and situations. Sometimes the trees, vines, bushes or similar which are to be harvested or pruned will allow an operator to walk along the ground and have access to uncomplicated grape clusters or branch systems. In other cases the operator may be forced to ascend to high or irregularly grown branch systems, perhaps with aid of a ladder, if individual branches are less accessible. Especially during grape harvesting, both hands may be employed for freeing the grape clusters to be picked.
The accessability of the secateur is of great importance for the practical work situation of the operator, especially the possibility to carry and hold the secateur with means other than the hands, and still be able to grip it when needed for the job. One difficulty is that the operator may have to use many more tools during the work, such as saws, toppers, knives or means for bark wound healing. When climbing a tree or a ladder, it may be vital to have both hands free, and not occupied by holding and carrying a secateur which is not used right then. Shortly afterward, the saw must be brought out and held in the hand for a cutting task. This must also be done with little effort and limited motion, since the operator might have a complicated body stance among tree branches, where the space available for arm displacements is limited.
Previously known secateur sheaths have in general been shaped as pockets into which the knife blades of the secateur are inserted, where the handles are located in an accessible position axially extending from the pocket. A common problem for all previously known secateur sheaths is the difficulty of inserting the blades in the sheath, at least in complicated work positions. The retaining force on the secateur is also doubtful, especially as the pocket may be expanded after some period of use of the sheath. Another problem with previously known sheaths is their relatively high production cost. Still another disadvantage is that they usually fit only one secateur model, since the shape of the pocket is strictly adapted to the shape of the blades of the secateur.
PURPOSE AND FEATURES OF THE INVENTION
The present invention aims at overcoming the disadvantages mentioned for previously known secateur sheaths and to create an improved sheath. One basic purpose of the invention is thus to create a sheath where the secateur is easily accessible and which at the same time ensures reliable retaining of the secateur. A further purpose is to create a sheath which can receive secateurs with various blade shapes. It is also an aim to create a sheath which has a simple design and a low production cost.
According to the invention, at least the basic purpose is achieved by a sheath for holding a secateur. The sheath comprises a tray formed of a polymer and having a supporting portion adapted to be supported on a user, and a secateur-receiving portion disposed below the supporting portion. The sheath further includes a rim formed of a polymer and extending around an outer periphery of the secateur-receiving portion to form therewith a pocket. The rim includes two vertically extending portions terminating at upper sections thereof in free edges situated adjacent the supporting portions. The upper sections are elastically flexible toward and away from one another. The upper section includes respective retaining tongues extending toward one another. The tray includes a pair of openings situated behind respective ones of the retaining tongues and having an area greater than an area of a respective retaining tongue.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3294298 (1966-12-01), Danielson
patent: 4152831 (1979-05-01), Davies
patent: 0 099 458 (1984-02-01), None
patent: 2 380 008 (1978-09-01), None
patent: 2136341 (1984-09-01), None
patent: 0268793 (1990-11-01), None
Eriksson Eckhard
Lindberg Staffan
Brevard Maerena W.
Burns Doane Swecker & Mathis L.L.P.
Sandvik AB
Vidovich Gregory M.
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