Wrist tool holder
The present invention comprises an apparatus for removably holding tools. The apparatus includes an armband arranged to removably fasten around a user's forearm. At least one tool holder is attached to the armband. The at least one tool holder is arranged to removably receive and hold a tool. In other aspects of the invention the tool holder includes a magnet as a band a tool can be removably slid under.
This invention relates generally to tool carriers and, more specifically, to tool carriers to be worn by a user.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONTools are often carried or held in tool boxes. The tool boxes may include trays that can be removed and set by an area being worked on by a mechanic or other crafts person. However, such tool trays may be inaccessible to a mechanic working in a confined space requiring the mechanic to enter and exit the work area to swap tools.
Tool belts are also used, perhaps more commonly by carpenters than mechanics, as a way of accessibly carrying tools. However, tool belts can be inconvenient for smaller tools, and access to a belt can be difficult if the user is prone, or leaning over a projection such as a fender of a car.
Thus, there is an unmet need for an accessible and convenient device for carrying tools, especially when the user is working in a confined or limited space.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention comprises an apparatus for removably holding tools. The apparatus includes an armband arranged to removably fasten around a user's forearm. At least one tool holder is attached to the armband. The at least one tool holder is arranged to removably receive and hold a tool. In accordance with other aspects of the invention, the tool holder includes a magnet. In accordance with yet other aspects of the invention, the tool holder includes a band that a tool can be removably slid under.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGSThe preferred and alternative embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the following drawings.
The present invention comprises an apparatus for removably holding tools. By way of background, the apparatus includes an armband arranged to removably fasten around a user's forearm. At least one tool holder is attached to the armband. The at least one tool holder is arranged to removably receive and hold a tool. In accordance with other aspects of the invention, the tool holder includes a magnet. In accordance with yet other aspects of the invention, the tool holder includes a band that a tool can be removably slid under.
Turning to
In this example embodiment, the wrap 14 of the armband 10 includes a plurality of tool bands 20 that tools 7 can removably and securely be slid under and held in place until needed by the user. By way of example and not limitation, the tool bands 20 are fastened to the wrap 14 of the armband 10 at their ends (not shown) with the bands extending at least part way around the wrap 14 in place around the user's arm 5. The tool bands 20 by way of example and not limitation, suitably may be fabricated out of a flexible material such as rubber, plastic or nylon. The tool bands 20 by way of example may also be stretchable, such as a stretchable rubber, plastic or elastic bands fastened to the wrap 14 at their ends (not shown). The tool bands 20 suitably also may include a soft, pliable or gummy material, such as a soft rubber, on the inside surface of the tool band 20 (not shown), helping to hold the tools 7 in place. In the embodiment shown in
As referenced above, the armband 10 has a second group of tool bands 20 including tool bands 24 and 25. Tool band 24 is narrower than tool band 25, and is attached to the wrap 14 of the armband 10 over tool band 25. This forms a three layer sandwich starting with the wrap 14 at the inside against the user's arm 5, next tool band 25, and then tool band 24. Tools can be slid under either tool band 24 or tool band 25, independently. Tool band 24 is narrower than tool band 25, and in this exemplary embodiment is installed centered over the top of tool band 25. Thus the tool band 25 extends out from under the outermost tool band 24 on both lateral sides of the tool band 24.
In this example armband 10, the outer most tool bands 21 and 24 include tool attachment points 30. The attachment points 30 suitably may be any connector permitting auxiliary tool holders (not shown) to be attached. The attachment points 30 may also be tool holders of their own, permitting tools to be clipped to them, slid under them, or otherwise attached or held by the attachment points 30, without the addition of any other tool carrier. Attachment points 30 by way of example and not limitation, include loops, snaps, or magnets. Attachment points 30 suitably may also include flexible grommets that a handle or blade of a tool, such as a screw driver could be slid through. By way of example and not limitation, the armband 10 of
The armband 10, by way of example and not limitation, also includes an adjustable loop holster 40, described below, shown in
The adjustable loop holster 40, in this example embodiment, suitably includes a strap 41, a loop 42, and hook and loop fasteners 43. The strap 41 is attached to the wrap 14 of the armband 10 at one end. The loop 42 is also attached to the wrap 14. The strap 41 is threaded through the loop 42 to return to be fastened back upon itself using hook and loop fasteners 43. This permits the holster 40 to be adjustable and to tighten around a tool, or a rag, such as shown in
The tool bands 20 are in the same configuration as shown in
To facilitate sliding tools 7 under the tool bands 20, the tool bands 20 at their lateral edges include raised lips 28 that stand up away from the layer below a suitable amount to facilitate catching the tool band 20 with the edge of a tool aiding in slipping the tool underneath the tool band 20. The lips 28 suitably stand away from the layer below or the wrap below by approximately b {fraction (1/8)}″ in a presently preferred embodiment. It will be appreciated that where tool bands 20 lie flush against each other or against the wrap 14 of the armband 10, without lips 28, that some tools 7 may be difficult to slide under the lateral edge of a tool band 20 without the user using a second hand to hold the tool band up slightly to insert the tool 7 underneath. In this exemplary embodiment each of the tool bands 21, 22, 23, and 24 and 25, have lips 28 on both of their lateral edges as they span around the arm (not shown) of the user. This permits tools 7 to be readily slid under the armbands 10.
At the elbow end 1 of the armband 10, and at the wrist end 3, there are fasteners 12 that permit the armband 10 to be removably fastened around a user's arm (not shown). The wrap 14 has a width approximately equal to a forearm length of a user (not shown) between the wrist end 3 and the elbow end 1 with the tool bands 20 fastened around the outside of the wrap 14.
Similarly, one lateral edge 18 of the wrap 14 is a loop portion 16 of a hook and loop fastener. Under the other lateral edge 19 of the wrap 14 is a hook portion (not shown) of a hook and loop fastener. Thus, when the fasteners 12 at the wrist end 3 and the elbow end 1 are wrapped around the arm (not shown) of a user to fasten onto themselves at the upper and lower ends of the armband 10, the first edge 18 of the wrap 14 also attaches to the second edge 19 of the body with hook and loop fasteners forming a secure link around the user's arm, from the wrist end 3 to the elbow end 1.
On the outside of the wrap 14, fastened near the first edge 18 and near the second edge 19 of the wrap 14 are the tool bands 20 in two groups as in
In this exemplary embodiment the fasteners 12 at the wrist end 3 and the elbow end 1 of the armband 10 have extensions 13 so that the fasteners 12 are longer than the width 17 between the first edge 18 and the second edge 19 of the wrap 14. This permits the fasteners 12 to more than wrap around the user's arm (not shown) overlapping themselves by a suitable distance to permit a greater holding area for attaching the hook and loop fasteners. Also shown in
In this inside view of the armband 10, the extensions 13 of the fasteners 12 at the wrist end 3 and the elbow end 1 of the armband 10 include the hook portion 15 of hook and loop fasteners as noted above. The fasteners 10 extend around the user's arm and attach to themselves securing the armband 10 around the arm of the user near the elbow and wrist. The second edge 19 of the wrap 14 on its inside also suitably includes the hook portion 15 of hook and loop fasteners. This permits the second edge 19 to fasten to the first edge 18, between the wrist and the elbow, when the armband 10 is wrapped around a user's arm (not shown).
It will be appreciated that a wide variety of tool holders may be attached to the attachment points 30 of the armband tool carrier of the present invention as described in
In
In
It will be appreciated that the tool bands and tool holders attached to an armband tool carrier of the present invention may be configured in a variety of ways. In
Tool or parts holders such as pouches or straps also may suitably be attached to an armband tool carrier of the present invention. In
While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, as noted above, many changes can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is not limited by the disclosure of the preferred embodiment. Instead, the invention should be determined entirely by reference to the claims that follow.
Claims
1. An apparatus for holding tools comprising:
- an arm band arranged to removably fasten around a user's forearm; and
- at least one tool holder attached to the arm band, the at least one tool holder arranged to removably receive and hold a tool.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein arranged to removably fasten includes utilizing hook and loop fasteners.
3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one tool holder includes at least one magnet.
4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one magnet is arranged to be removable from the arm band.
5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the arm band includes at least one pocket arranged to hold the at least one magnet.
6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one tool holder includes at least one band attached to the arm band at at least two locations, the at least two locations separated by a distance arranged to permit the user to removably slide and hold a tool under the at least one band.
7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the band includes a stretchable material.
8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the band includes a gummy material arranged to cling to the tool.
9. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the at least one band includes a first lateral edge and a second lateral edge, and at least one of the first lateral edge and the second lateral edge includes a raised lip, the raised lip arranged to aid a user in sliding a tool underneath the band.
10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one tool holder includes a tool holster loop arranged to surround a tool.
11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the tool holster loop is arranged to be adjustable in length.
12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the tool holster loop being arranged to be adjustable in length includes utilizing hook and loop fasteners.
13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one tool holder includes at least one socket wrench mating stud.
14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one tool holder includes at least one socket wrench carrier, the socket wrench holder arranged to partially surround and removably hold the socket wrench socket.
15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the socket wrench carrier includes a magnet.
16. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one attachment point, the at least one attachment point arranged to removably receive one of clips, rings, snaps and straps.
17. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising at least one removable tool holder, the removable tool holder removably attached to the at least one attachment point utilizing one of clips, rings, snaps, and straps.
18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the removable tool holder includes a socket wrench socket carrier.
19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the socket wrench socket carrier is arranged to at least partially surround a socket wrench socket.
20. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the socket wrench socket carrier includes a magnet.
21. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the removable tool holder includes a socket wrench mating stud.
22. An arm band for accessibly and removably holding tools comprising:
- a flexible arm wrap arranged to removably wrap around a user's forearm; and
- a plurality of stretchable bands attached to the flexible arm wrap, each stretchable band attached to the flexible arm wrap at at least two locations, the two locations separated from each other by a distance arranged to permit the user to removably receive and hold a tool under each stretchable band.
23. The arm band of claim 22, wherein each of the plurality of stretchable bands each include a first lateral side and a second lateral side, and the first lateral side and the second lateral side each include a raised lip.
24. The arm band of claim 22, wherein the plurality of stretchable bands include a stretchable plastic.
25. The arm band of claim 22, wherein the plurality of stretchable bands include a stretchable rubber.
26. The arm band of claim 22, wherein the plurality of stretchable bands include overlapping stretchable bands.
27. The arm band of claim 22, wherein the plurality of stretchable bands include a first stretchable band and a second stretchable band, the first stretchable band narrower than the second stretchable band, and the second stretchable band attached to the flexible arm wrap intermediate the flexible arm wrap and the first stretchable band.
28. An arm band for accessibly and removably holding tools comprising:
- a flexible arm wrap, arranged to removably wrap around a user's forearm; and
- at least one magnet attached to the arm wrap, the at least one magnet arranged to removably hold a tool accessible to a user.
29. The arm band of claim 28, wherein the at least one magnet is removably attached to the arm wrap.
30. The arm band of claim 28, wherein the flexible arm wrap includes an at least one pocket arranged to hold the at least one magnet.
31. The arm band of claim 30, wherein the at least one magnet includes a plurality of separate magnets linked into a consolidated magnet segment arranged to attach to the arm wrap by being held by the at least one pocket.
32. An arm band for accessibly and removably holding tools comprising:
- a flexible arm wrap arranged to removably wrap around a users forearm;
- a plurality of attachment points attached to the flexible arm wrap arranged to removably receive detachable tool holders; and
- at least one detachable tool holder, the detachable tool holder arranged to removably attach to at least one of the plurality of attachment points, the at least one detachable tool holder further arranged to hold a tool.
33. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the detachable tool holder includes a socket wrench socket holder.
34. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the socket wrench socket holder includes a socket wrench mating stud.
35. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the socket wrench socket holder includes a socket wrench socket carrier that at least partially surrounds a socket wrench socket.
36. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the detachable tool holder includes at least one magnet arranged to removably cling to a tool.
37. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the detachable tool holder includes a pouch.
38. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the detachable tool holder includes a plurality of straps including hook and loop fasteners, the plurality of straps arranged to removably surround and hold a tool.
39. An arm band for accessibly and removably holding tools, the arm band comprising:
- means for removably fastening around a user's forearm; and
- means for removably holding a tool, attached to the means for removably fastening.
40. The arm band of claim 39, wherein the means for holding a tool includes a magnet.
41. The arm band of claim 39, wherein the means for holding a tool includes a means for holding a socket wrench socket.
42. The arm band of claim 39, wherein the means for holding a tool includes a stretching means arranged to removably grasp a tool.
43. The arm band of claim 39, wherein the stretching means include means for raising an edge of the means for stretching to aid a user in sliding a tool under the stretching means.
44. The arm band of claim 39, wherein the means for holding a tool includes means for looping around a tool.
45. The arm band of claim 39, wherein the means for holding a tool means for coupling to a tool.
Type: Application
Filed: Oct 17, 2003
Publication Date: Apr 21, 2005
Inventor: Keith O'Hair (Gardnerville, NV)
Application Number: 10/688,155