Storage tube for elongated objects

Abstract

A short length of a cylindrical tube provides at least one angle oriented open end establishing, in opposing positions about the cylindrical sidewall, a longer and a shorter sidewall length and, within the cylindrical sidewall at the longer sidewall length, a means for mounting the apparatus so that hardware may be more easily driven into the end of the longer sidewall length.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] This invention relates generally to storage devices and more particularly to a tube with angled ends for improving the insertion and storage of a tool or sports equipment.

[0003] 2. Description of Related Art

[0004] The following art defines the present state of this field:

[0005] Bartleman, U.S. D175,455 provides an ornamental design for a tool holder.

[0006] Power et al., U.S. 69,586 describes a broom holder having extended arms, made from one continuous piece of wire, coiled or otherwise bent to produce sufficient spring, in combination with the base.

[0007] Riessner, U.S. 316,062 describes a spring holding device having a combination of a bar, provided with one or more recesses with a spring-clamp, having an enlargement, adapted to fit or be held in said recess.

[0008] Headly, U.S. 612,844 describes a holder comprising a base portion having a longitudinal groove therein, a clamp having divergent sides with flaring edges the back portion of which lies in said groove, a receiver having a corresponding shape and lying within and conforming to the walls of the said clamp, said receiver having its edges extended beyond the edges of the clamp and bent back to lie close thereto, and means to secure said parts together and fasten the holder to the wall or other support, substantially in the manner and for the purpose specified.

[0009] Bowers, U.S. 676,573 describes a tool holder consisting of a plurality of arms each having tool-holding sockets projecting laterally therefrom, one of said arms having means by which it may be secured to a support, the second arm having at one end thereof a cross-bar which is pivoted to the first arm, and a third arm pivoted to said cross-bar whereby the second and third arms may be swung around on their pivots, substantially as described.

[0010] Steinheiser, U.S. Pat. No. 1,423,043 describes a broom holder comprising a split ring of resilient metal having a slotted offset portion, said ring having opposed annular series of slits forming tongues, and said tongues having inturned sharpened edges for frictionally engaging a broom handle.

[0011] Kocher, U.S. 904,968 describes a holder for shears comprising a main holder consisting of an arch front plate and flat back plate secured to the front plate and a clamping section having returned bent flanges at its side edges forming channels for receiving the side edges of the main holder section and the fibrous fabric whereon the holder is to be secured.

[0012] Smith, U.S. Pat. No. 1,501,629 describes a holder comprising a body member consisting of a substantially rectangular intermediate portion and a pair of angle-shaped end portions said end portions being oppositely disposed with respect to each other and each extending inwardly from one terminus of said intermediate portion, a pair of oppositely disposed clamping members arranged against the outer face of said intermediate portion and each including a forwardly projecting clamping arm, said clamping arms being curvilinear in contour and oppositely disposed with respect to each other and capably of being shifted towards and away from each other, and means to provide for the adjusting of said clamping members to position said clamping arms and further for fixedly securing said clamping members in adjusted position, said means connected with and extending through said clamping members and intermediate portion.

[0013] Penman, U.S. Pat. No. 2,903,139 describes a card for displaying merchandise comprising a substantially flat sheet of resiliently bendable material formed with a pair of arcuate sides extending above and below the surface of said sheet to provide a re-entrant recess having an opening at the top of said sheet adapted to receive and retain an article which is adapted to be removed from said recess by bending said sheet to bow the same upwardly to enlarge said opening.

[0014] Hutcheon, U.S. Pat. No. 3,275,274 describes an improved resilient clip for holding an article on a slotted support member comprising an article-holding member including a body portion sized and shaped to closely envelop at least a portion of an article, said body portion having first and second ends and a longitudinal axis; a gripping portion integral with each of said body portion ends; and at least one expandable gusset integral with said body portion intermediate the ends thereof and extending substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of said body portion.

[0015] Liesinger, U.S. Pat. No. 4,286,717 describes a holder for supporting an object, as a hand tool, having an elongated cylindrical handle. The holder has a plate adapted to be attached to a support. A tubular member attached to the plate has a passage and open ends accommodate a portion of the handle. A section of the tubular member is cut out providing a side opening surrounded by inwardly converging edges. The edges are joined with rounded bottoms located in opposite portions of the tubular member. A coil tension spring extended across the side opening has opposite hook ends connected to the plate. The mid-section of the spring engages the handle and biases the handle into friction holding engagement with the tubular member.

[0016] Desjardins, U.S. Pat. No. 5,029,792 describes an accessory holder for storing miscellaneous accessories for a vacuum cleaning system comprises a container containing a J-shaped hook for holding a coiled hose, clips for holding various extension wands, and compartments for storage of other accessories. It is preferable that the container be dimensioned so that it can be recessed into a wall and fit snugly between the wall studs being retained there by frictional engagement with the studs.

[0017] The prior art teaches the use of tubes and cylinders but does not teach such as a storage device. The present invention fulfills these needs and provides further related advantages as described in the following summary.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0018] The present invention teaches certain benefits in construction and use which give rise to the objectives described below.

[0019] The present invention includes a cylindrical sidewall and is configured so that it provides at least one angle oriented open end establishing, in opposing positions about the cylindrical sidewall, a longer and a shorter sidewall length. The cylindrical sidewall at the longer sidewall length adjacent the open end provides, a means for mounting the apparatus, such as clearance holes for screws, so that hardware may be more easily driven into the end of the longer sidewall length.

[0020] A primary objective of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and method of use of such apparatus that provides advantages not taught by the prior art.

[0021] Another objective is to provide such an invention capable of simple manufacture and use.

[0022] A further objective is to provide such an invention capable of providing ease of insertion of an elongated object.

[0023] A still further objective is to provide such an invention capable of storing elongated objects on a ceiling or wall surface.

[0024] Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following more detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] The accompanying drawings illustrate the present invention. In such drawings:

[0026] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the invention;

[0027] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the invention;

[0028] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the first embodiment showing a means and method for mounting; and

[0029] FIG. 4 is perspective view showing several uses of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0030] The above described drawing figures illustrate the invention in at least one of its preferred embodiments, which is further defined in detail in the following description.

[0031] The present invention is an apparatus for engaging elongated objects 10 for the purpose of holding the objects in a preferred location and position when the objects are not in use, as for storage of such objects. Such elongated objects 10, as for instance broom handles and such, may be easily placed and removed from the invention, and, in fact, may form one component of the invention when the invention is considered to be a combination. The apparatus provides a cylindrical sidewall 20, preferably of circular, square, rectangular or other such shapes, any one of which has a longitudinal axis 22. In one version of the invention, the cylindrical sidewall 20 provides a right oriented open end 24 in opposition to an angled open end 26. This results in a longer 30 and a shorter 40 sidewall length. Alternately, both ends may be cut on a bias, or angled, preferably at a 45 degree angle as best shown in FIG. 3. This also results in the longer 30 and shorter 40 sidewall length when the plains of such bias cuts are convergent. Within the cylindrical sidewall 20 at the longer sidewall length 30, a means for mounting 50 of the apparatus is provided. Such a mounting means 50 is preferably, at least one through hole and preferably at least two such holes. These through holes provide through hole center lines 52 which are normal to the longitudinal axis 22 of the cylindrical sidewall 20. The through holes are functionally positioned such that the through holes center lines 52 are clear of the cylindrical sidewall at the shorter sidewall length 40, i.e., they are positioned adjacent to the open ends 24 or 26. This facilitates the driving of a mounting screw 21 (not part of the invention), or other hardware for mounting the sidewall 20 using a hand held driving device such as a screwdriver.

[0032] In a further embodiment of the invention, the apparatus as defined above is combined with an elongated rod, which is an example of the preferred elongated object 10 referred to above and which is removably engaged within the cylindrical sidewall. The diameter of the cylindrical sidewall 20 is preferably less than twice the diameter of the elongated rod 10. It has been found, in this manner, that the elongated rod 10 is easily placed within the sidewall 20 and is yet not easily inadvertently dislodged therefrom. The elongated rod may be a tool handle, such as a mop or broom handle or a rake handle. It has also been found that when the shorter sidewall length 40 is at least 4 times the interior dimension of the sidewall, the elongated object 10 tends to be more firmly engaged with little tendency to be inadvertently dislodged.

[0033] In use, as best seen in FIG. 4, the cylindrical sidewall 20 is mounted to a surface such as a wall or ceiling, and then the mop, broom, tool, sports equipment or other handle or elongated element is inserted into the cylindrical side wall 20 so that the elongated device is supported in a manner whereby it is not easily misplaced or entangled with other hardware and is able to be firmly stored when not in use. The elongated device may thereby be stored on a ceiling or wall of a garage, for instance.

[0034] While the invention has been described with reference to at least one preferred embodiment, it is to be clearly understood by those skilled in the art that the invention is not limited thereto. Rather, the scope of the invention is to be interpreted only in conjunction with the appended claims.

Claims

1. An apparatus for engaging elongate objects comprising a cylindrical sidewall having, relative to a longitudinal axis thereof, at least one of a right oriented and an angle oriented opposing open ends respectively, establishing, in opposing positions about the cylindrical sidewall, a longer and a shorter sidewall length; and, within the cylindrical sidewall at the longer sidewall length, a means for mounting the apparatus.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the mounting means is at least one through hole.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the at least one through hole provides at least one through hole center line normal to the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical sidewall, the at least one through hole positioned such that the at least one through hole center line is clear of the cylindrical sidewall at the shorter sidewall length.

4. A combination apparatus comprising an elongated rod removably engaged within a cylindrical sidewall, the cylindrical sidewall having, relative to a longitudinal axis thereof, at least one of a right oriented and an angle oriented opposing open ends respectively, establishing, in opposing positions about the cylindrical sidewall, a longer and a shorter sidewall length; and, integral with the cylindrical sidewall at the longer sidewall length, a means for mounting the combination.

5. The combination of claim 4 wherein the mounting means is at least one through hole.

6. The combination of claim 5 wherein the at least one through hole provides at least one through hole center line normal to the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical sidewall, the at least one through hole positioned such that the at least one through hole center line is clear of the cylindrical sidewall at the shorter sidewall length.

7. The combination of claim 4 wherein the elongated rod is a tool handle.