Land vehicles – Wheeled – Stable vehicles – handle-propelled
Reexamination Certificate
1999-02-02
2001-07-17
Mai, Lanna (Department: 3619)
Land vehicles
Wheeled
Stable vehicles, handle-propelled
C280S047170, C280S047190, C280S047240, C280S047350, C280S079110, C280S079300, C248S346010, C248S346020
Reexamination Certificate
active
06260865
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a tool holder. More particularly, the present invention relates to a tool holder which is easily transported and provides a stable support for holding tools of many shapes and sizes.
2. Description of Related Art
In recent years, the shape of tools and their handles have evolved to be increasingly ergonomic, such that tools no longer have standard shapes and sizes. As a result, conventional tool holders typically are not capable of accommodating the large variety of tool configurations which are now commercially available. Known tool holders capable of transporting even a limited variety of current styles of tools are large and burdensome to transport across the uneven terrain of a typical yard, even when provided with wheels for easy transport. Indeed, tool holders with wheels generally require the user to bend down and apply a wheel brake to keep the tool holder from rolling when not in use. As a result, some users forget to apply the brake, others are unable to apply the brake, and still others find such devices to be unduly cumbersome to operate.
Securing a tool in a conventional tool holder often requires insertion of the tool handle through a circular hole. Once inserted, the working surface of the tool is positioned at the top of the tool holder where it could cause harm to the tool holder user. Additionally, in order for such a hole to be large enough to accommodate all tool handle shapes and sizes, smaller tools may have too much play within the hole and therefore become noisy and perhaps even dangerously unstable.
Some conventional tool holders use resilient strips of plastic material in combination with foam inserts to create a resilient and adjustable tool handle holder. Although these tool holders allow for the working surface of the tool to rest on the cart's base portion, their tool handle holders are not sufficiently strong to hold many large heavy tools such as shovels. Additionally, while such tool holders provide increased safety for the user, they lack an acceptable mechanism to keep the working surface of the tool from moving around on the base. Movement of the working surface of the tool on the base lessens stability of the tool which is prone to slide around in the cart or become loose and fall from the cart. The base of conventional tool holders also tends to lack sufficient drainage for liquid and the debris which usually accumulate on tools.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The advantages and purpose of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The advantages and purpose of the invention will be realized and attained by means of the elements and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.
To attain the advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, the invention includes a tool holder for at least one tool having a working end and a handle. The tool holder comprises a gripping device for the handle of the at least one tool, a base for supporting the working end of the at least one tool, and a substantially vertical structural support connected to the gripping device and the base for supporting the gripping device vertically upward from the base. The base includes an irregular surface for contacting an edge of the working end of the at least one tool, thereby restricting movement of the working end of the at least one tool along the base.
In another aspect, the advantages and purpose of the present invention are attained by a tool cart for at least one tool having a working end and a handle. The tool cart comprises a gripping device for the handle of the at least one tool, a base for supporting the working end of the at least one tool, a substantially vertical structural support connected to the gripping device and the base for supporting the gripping device vertically upward from the base, and means for facilitating movement of the tool cart. The base includes an irregular surface for contacting an edge of the working end of the at least one tool, thereby restricting movement of the working end along the base, and the substantially vertical structural support may extend upwardly from the base at about a 5°-15° incline to the vertical direction.
In still another aspect, the advantages and purpose of the present invention are attained by a tool holder comprising a base having an irregular surface, at least one support bar extending substantially vertically and upward from the base, a substantially horizontal handle attached to the at least one support bar, a substantially horizontal upper crossbar attached to the at least one support bar, and a substantially horizontal lower crossbar attached to the at least one support bar. A first rack comprising a series of adjacent clamps is attached to the upper crossbar. A second rack comprising a series of adjacent notches is attached to the lower crossbar. The notches are substantially vertically aligned with the clamps to effectively hold the handle of the at least one tool.
Both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the invention, as claimed.
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Courtney Steven
Parker Thomas
Yacobi Michael S.
Brobeck Phleger & Harrison LLP
Mai Lanna
To Toan C
Union Tools, Inc.
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