Accessory bit carrier

Abstract

A personal carrying device provides structures for carrying bit accessories, such as screwdriver bits and drill bits. In one embodiment a tool-carrying device includes a depending hook and bit-storage cavities within a housing. A latch and a release button hold the bits within the bit-cavities in a manner that facilitates installing and removing bits. A single structure guides the hook, and supports the latch and the release button. Further structures are disclosed that provide improvements to holding and extracting bits in general portable and non-portable devices.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to personal carrying accessories. More precisely the present invention relates to a carrying device including an accessory holder.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A well-known device to carry tools, supplies and the like is a tool belt. Such belts often have pockets, loops or an attached hook to enable a worker to carry items without use of his hands.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,883,290 to Landa shows a ski pole carrier. A spring clip secures the body of the device to a belt or other item worn by a user. A clamp is pivotally attached to the body of the device and holds two ski poles. The poles may be swiveled between vertical and parallel to the user and horizontally.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,962,873 to Schattel comprises a customized tool belt with a permanently attached hook. The device is intended for heavy construction materials such as rebar. The custom belt thus includes shoulder straps to support the load. The hook may be rotated to extend out for use and to lie flat against the belt when not in use. The hook rotation includes detent stops.

U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,743,451 and RE38,035, to Kahn show a hook that combines the features of '873 and '290. A spring clip allows the hook to be attached and removed from a waist belt as in '290. The hooks of Kahn further include a swivel option similar to '290. As in '873 the hook of '451 includes an ability to rotate between detents. U.S. Pat. No. 6,443,342 to Kahn shows a double tool tote, where two hooks depend from a bracket that is otherwise similar to the device of '449.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,454,147 to the present inventor discloses improvements in appearance and manufacture for a tool-carrying device. The elements are closely integrated together in a simplified structure.

A cordless power drill/driver is a tool that is often carried by these devices. A drill/driver requires accessory bits such as drills or screwdriver bits to be useful. It is desirable therefore to provide a carrying device that holds and dispenses such accessories or bits. Drills with bit holders are well known, typically using a recess in the drill housing to contain the bit, where the bit is held in the recess by a spring clip. The recess may be elongated along the surface of a parent device such as the drill body. In this type of recess the bit is exposed along its side. It is pried out from the recess by inserting a finger into the recess at one end of the bit and pulling the bit out. The recess may extend lengthwise into the parent device, where the bit extends axially out of the recess. An exposed end of the bit is grasped and the bit is extracted axially from the deep recess.

None of the prior art suggests a bit holder well integrated in tool carrying device. Further, the prior art do not suggest more generalized bit holders within parent devices where the bit can be readily extracted from a recess in the parent device.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved bit holding and extracting system. It is a further object to associate the bit holding system with a parent device. It is a one object that the parent device is a tool-carrying device. It is another object to have a simplified structure for a bit holding system.

The present invention tool clip with bit holder is a typically waist mounted hook or similar device that attaches to an item of clothing. The tool clip enables a user to carry articles such as power tools while the hands are free to do other things. In one embodiment the body of the tool clip includes an elongated cavity that contains the bit within the body. A latch obstructs a lower end of the cavity to releasably hold the bit in the cavity. Releasing the latch allows the bit to fall by gravity. Alternately a resilient member may press the bit to hold it in a recess or cavity. The bit is forcibly pried out from the cavity.

In another embodiment a latch holds the bit against a spring force; releasing the latch allows the bit to spring out from the recess.

In one embodiment a bit or accessory holder is integrated with a personal tool-carrying device. In the carrying device a depending hook is rotatable about two distinct axes with respect to a user wearing the carrying device. A first horizontal axis allows the hook to swivel and the hook to remain oriented downward as a user bends over or moves around. In a second axis substantially perpendicular to the first axis the hook rotates toward and away from the user to adjust and stow the hook.

The carrying device comprises a molded housing, preferably of plastic material such as polycarbonate although die cast or other metal would be suitable. A hook includes a “U” shaped metal bar with an enlarged head end. A flexible friction cap surrounds the head including an interference fit to resist the head from rotating within the cap. The cap and head together are installed into a cavity of the housing. A belt clip is secured to the backside of the housing to securely confine the hook head end and cap in the cavity of the housing. A ball end may be attached to the distal end of the hook.

The hook can be manufactured using cold heading methods that are common for making bolts. According to this process a wire is drawn to a desired diameter after which a die forcibly moves the material at one end to form a head. The head is commonly a hexagonal shape, although square, round, recessed, 12 point and other head shapes are known and may be used.

The head end is preferably held within the housing so that it has some resistance to turning. Any resilient material may provide the function of the friction cap although molded plastic may be preferred. Further the function of the friction cap may be provided by elements of just the housing or a combination the housing and the belt clip.

When the present invention bit holder is associated with a personal carrying device, cavities in the housing may extend parallel to the head end of the hook. The molded housing then includes at least two elongated cavities; a first cavity that fits the hook, and a second that fits the bit accessory. The bit holder of the present invention may be associated with various portable, carrying or non-portable devices, including a housing that supports a hook, a housing of a portable drill, a screwdriver housing or a housing that is primarily for holding bits.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front elevation of carrying device, with a bit within one of two bit cavities.

FIG. 1A is a partial section view of the device of FIG. 1, showing a latch portion of an insert and a bit.

FIGS. 2 is a rear perspective view of the device of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a rear perspective view of a housing for a tool-carrying device.

FIG. 4 is a front, bottom perspective view of the housing of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is the view and device of FIG. 1, with the housing omitted to expose the internal parts.

FIG. 6 is a front, side perspective view of a friction cap/bit-latching insert.

FIG. 7 is a side elevation of the insert of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a bottom, side perspective view of the insert of FIG. 6.

FIG. 9 is a front, top perspective view of an alternate embodiment tool-carrying device with bit holder, including one bit being held.

FIG. 10 is a top view of the device of FIG. 9.

FIG. 11 is a side elevation of an exterior of a drill body, including a further embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 12 is an opposite side, internal view of the drill body of FIG. 11, with a bit latch in a rest position.

FIG. 13 is a side, bottom perspective view of a bit latch according to the further embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 14 is a partial section detail view of the drill body of FIG. 11.

FIG. 15 is a detail view of the drill body of FIG. 12, with the bit latch in a pressed position.

FIG. 16 is a front, side perspective view of the drill body, with the bit in an angled, released position.

FIG. 17 is a partial section view of the drill body and bit latch of FIG. 15.

FIG. 18 is a partial section view of the drill body and bit of FIG. 15, with the bit extended out in the released position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIGS. 1 to 8 show the present invention in a preferred embodiment. Belt clip 80 is a mounting element that holds the carrying device of the invention to a user's belt, waistband or other clothing. Belt clip 80 is normally removable from a user's belt, although it could be permanently or semi-permanently attached to a belt or other clothing article. Housing 10 may swivel against belt clip 80 about rivet 100 in hole 11 where belt clip 80 is pivotally attached to housing 10 by rivet 100.

Housing 10 provides a structure to contain, guide and support the components of the carrying device. The components are preferably well contained within housing 10 for a pleasing appearance, however housing 10 could be minimally designed to expose the components if it is desired for example to reduce material usage. Hook 60 extends down from slot 12 (FIGS. 2,3) of housing 10.

The design of hook 60 is best seen in FIG. 1, where hook shaft 61 and optionally hexagonal head end 62 are shown hidden. In the illustrated embodiment hook 60 includes a “U” shaped portion. Hook 60 is preferably of a soft metal such as aluminum to allow it to be bent to slightly different shapes. Hook shaft 61 extends within an elongated hook cavity defined by slots 12 and 13, and ceiling 14 of housing 10, where hook 60 is rotatable about a hook axis.

The top surface of head end 62 presses within friction cap 38, FIG. 8 of insert 30 to partly resist rotation of hook 60. Insert 30 is preferably of a resilient material to provide resistance against rotation of head end 62, and thus hook 60, within friction cap 38. Cap materials may include nylon, acetal, elastomers, or resilient fingers or similar features of a metal spring device.

If housing 10 is of a suitable material and proper molding techniques are used the function of friction cap 38 may be included as an element of housing 10, for example as the walls of slot 12.

Accessory bit 200 is shown in the Figures, in hidden view in FIG. 2. It will be referred to as bit 200 although it may equivalently be any elongated device that is to be stored or carried. Bit 200 is shown with simple cut-off flat ends for simplicity, although it may have one or two screwdriver ends, a drill bit end, or other usable implement. Bridge 18a and wing 81 of belt clip 80, FIGS. 1a and 2, hold bit 200 from behind. Ceiling 18, FIG. 3, holds the bit from in front. The combination of wing 81, bridge 18a, and ceiling 18 form an elongated bit-cavity to retain bit 200 within housing 10. The bit-cavity may take many alternate forms. For example it may comprise a structure entirely from ribs, walls or other elements of housing 10 to confine the bit. The elongated bit-cavity confines bit 200 radially within housing 10 in a substantially parallel and spaced relationship to hook shaft 61. One or more bit-cavities may be included in the carrying device.

Insert 30 includes resilient lower arms 31 extending downward from a central structure containing friction cap 38. At the distal end of lower arm 31 is release button 32 and stop edge 32a. Stop edge 32a is positioned under bit 200 and partially encloses the bit cavity in a closed stop edge position as shown in FIG. 1A. Stop edge 32a confines the bit axially from falling downward out of the bit-cavity. Pressing release button 32 causes lower arm 31 to deflect whereby stop edge 32a moves out from under the bit to an open stop edge position to be entirely behind, or beside, the bit. This deflected position of lower arm 31, not shown, is toward the right in FIG. 1a. Button stop 19, FIG. 1a, may limit the travel of release button 32 toward the open position and thus the deflection of lower arm 31. Release button 32 includes optional textured pressing area 32b at a lower distal end of the button to help identify the action required upon release button 32. Bit 200 can move out from the bit-cavity by force of gravity. If a user desires to inspect the bit without fully extracting it, a finger may be used to hold the bit partially extending out from housing 10. Releasing button 32 in this condition will cause stop edge 32a to press the side of bit 200. The bit will be immobilized by friction; the user can then inspect the bit easily. A typical reason to inspect a bit is to check what is at the tip, for example slotted or Phillips bit. Using this procedure allows a user to check the bit without requiring reinstalling it from the top. If the bit is not wanted it can easily be pushed up and back into housing 10. The illustrated design using release button 32 allows a single finger to release bit 200 and extract it either partially or fully. When fully extracting the bit it falls out into the user's hand in a continuous single motion. Or the same hand can stop the bit and push it back inward easily.

Resilient upper arms 35 extend upward. Latch 33 is movable against the resilient bias of arm 35 at the distal end of each arm 35. Latch 33 is exposed in notch 16 in FIG. 1. Bit 200 will normally stay in the bit-cavity as the weight of bit 200 presses stop edge 32a. However the carrying device may be stored upside down between uses or even during use, or may get bumped in use. Therefore latch 33 prevents bit 200 from being knocked out of the bit-cavity in the upward direction. Latch 33 extends over the top of bit 200. Alternately latch 33 may press bit 200 from the side to hold the bit by friction. Then bit 200 will not fall out freely by pressing release button 32. Rather a user would push down on the bit to urge it past a side-pressing version of latch 33. In the illustrated design of FIGS. 1 to 9 the bit is held by elements from above and below, but not substantially pressed from the side. Thus it is securely held in the bit-cavity in the carrying device and cannot fall out until a secondary operation releases a holding element, such as stop edge 32a. Stop edge 32a moves indirectly from bit 200 whereby release button 32, with attached stop edge 32a, is moved by a user before bit 200 moves out of the bit-cavity. The movable holding element of stop edge 32a partially obstructs a lower opening of the bit-cavity. Similarly movable latch 33 partially obstructs an upper opening of the bit-cavity. In the illustrated design latch 33 is moved directly by bit 200 as the bit is inserted. The bit-cavity is open to an exterior of housing 10. This opening may be at one or both ends of the bit-cavity; this is at notch 16 at a top of the bit-cavity, and at bridge 18a in the lower opening seen in FIG. 4. The bit-cavity extends into housing 10 between these respective openings.

To install the bit into the bit-cavity, a lower end, or tip, of the bit is positioned near notch 16, adjacent to latch 33. If the bit is blunt ended as shown latch 33 is pushed sideways, toward a center of housing 10 in FIG. 1, by the tip of bit 200. Or if the tip is tapered, for example with the pointed shape of a Philips bit, the bit can be just pressed directly into the bit cavity as latch 33 wedged aside. The bit is pressed down until latch 33 snaps over the top end of the bit. A feature of the invention is that notch 16 is open to an exterior side of the bit-cavity and housing 10, while latch 33 is positioned across the bit-cavity at an inner side of the bit-cavity. In FIG. 1 this structure is represented by notch 16 being open toward the right, while latch 33 is to the left, of the bit-cavity. A finger pressing the bit is large compared to the bit-cavity. So it is needed to be able to press the bit to its final position at the same time that latch 33 is free to snap into position atop the bit. It is seen in FIG. 1 that outer pressing corner 201 of bit 200 is well exposed in sideways facing notch 16. An inner corner of the bit is covered by latch 33. Therefore a relatively large finger can press corner 201, while oppositely positioned latch 33 is spaced from pressing corner 201 and does not interfere with the finger from fully pressing the bit downward.

Optionally notch 16 may be exposed at a front of the carrying device. Pressing corner 201 would be exposed at the front of housing 10. This would be out of the page in FIG. 1, or to the left in FIG. 1a. Latch 33 would be at a rear of the device, to the right in FIG. 1a, rather than toward a center in FIG. 1. This front orientation of notch 16 is desirable if multiple adjacent bit-cavities extend within a single carrying device. Then the bit-cavities may be spaced close together since a finger presses in front of each bit and need not fit between two adjacent bit-cavities as would be required if the side facing embodiment were used. However if only one or two bit-cavities are provided as in FIG. 1, an advantage of the side facing notch 16 is that housing 10 can be of minimal thickness, left/right in FIG. 1A. With a front facing notch 16 latch 33 would need to resiliently move to the right in FIG. 1A, past the position of clip 80. In practice housing 10 would need to be thickened. Note that bit 200 is angled outward at the bottom in FIG. 1. This allows a finger to be positioned behind the bit as the bit drops into a hand as release button 32 is pressed. Therefore with either a front or side facing notch 16, release button 32 may operate in the direction shown, to the right in FIG. 1A, although release button 32 may also be oriented to operate sideways if desired.

As release button 32 is pressed bridge 18a, FIGS. 1 and 3, prevents bit 200 from moving along with stop edge 32a, so that the stop edge may slide out from under the bit. Bit 200 will therefore maintain its relative angular position within housing 10.

Thin edge 31a of insert 30 provides a ramp that is closely fitted to a surface of clip 80 to guide bits into the bit-cavity.

In the illustrated embodiment insert 30 includes upper and lower latching structures, along with an element to frictionally limit rotation of hook 60. These separate functions of insert 30 may be served by a single integrated component as shown, or the functions may be assigned to separate components. For example movable lower arms 31 and release buttons 32 may be separate elements fitted to housing 10 or friction cap 38, and various resilient devices such as coiled springs or bar springs may attach arms 31.

FIGS. 9 and 10 show an alternate embodiment carrying device with bit accessory holders. Two elongated bit cavities 118 extend in a substantially parallel relationship to hook shaft 161. Hook 160 is pivotably mounted to housing 110. Bit-cavities 118 are exposed along one elongated side of the bit-cavities along the exterior of housing 110. Bit-cavities 118 are exposed at the front of housing 110 in FIGS. 9 and 10, although along sides, left and right direction in FIGS. 9 and 10, of the housing is optional instead. Bit-cavities 118 extend into housing 110 widthwise rather than lengthwise as shown in FIGS. 1 to 8. Insert 130 holds bit 200 by friction within the bit-cavity. Stop edge 132 is movably attached to insert 130 and partially encloses bit-cavity 118. Forcing bit 200 sideways out of cavity 118, downward in FIG. 10, causes stop edge 132 to be moved aside as bit 200 is freed from cavity 118. One or more surfaces such as stop edge 132 of insert 130 may hold bit 200 within bit-cavity 118. As seen in FIG. 9 bit-cavity 118 terminates at one end within housing 110, while bit 200 extends out from a top of housing 110. Therefore bit 200 can be forcibly urged out of bit-cavity 118 by pressing the bit from behind at the top end of the bit. In general an underside of one end of the bit is exposed so that the bit may be pressed from the underside. Bit 200 need not extend past a structure of housing 110; rather a recess in housing 110 may expose the underside of one end of bit 200.

The accessory carrying device including housing 10 or housing 110 is shown in association with a tool-carrying device including a hook. The improvements of the present invention may be used singly or in association with various devices for holding or carrying bits or other accessories.

For example, in FIGS. 11 to 18 a bit holding and carrying device is shown in association with a screwdriver or drill housing. Drill body 300 includes bit cavity 370, FIG. 14. Bit cavity 370 is elongated from a front end at rib 305 to a rear end at wall 306. Bit cavity 370 is largely exposed to the exterior of drill body 300. In FIG. 18, bit 200 extends at an angle out of the exposed side of bit cavity 370. Exterior wall 308 encloses from the exterior a section of the length of the bit cavity.

Normally bit 200 is held within bit cavity 370 in a coaxial relationship to the length of bit cavity 370 as shown transversely in FIG. 14. Exterior wall 308 confines the bit at the front end. Bit latch 400 holds the bit further back along bit cavity 370. Tab 432 of the bit latch contacts bit 200. As seen in FIG. 11, tab 432 does not entirely cross the width of bit cavity 370 in the latch closed position, rather the tab encloses or obstructs the cavity just sufficiently to prevent bit 200 from moving out toward the angled position of FIG. 18. Bit cavity 370 is therefore enclosed or obstructed at the open side by at least two structures, exterior wall 308, and bit latch 400. Optionally bit cavity 370 may be entirely exposed along its length, where only bit latch 400 partially obstructs the exposed side of bit cavity 370.

Bit latch 400 is pivotably mounted to drill body 300 at post 433. Bit latch 400 includes catch 439 and tab 438, FIGS. 13 and 17. Tab 438 fits behind shelf 309. Catch 439 snaps into position in a notch of the drill body, FIG. 17, during an assembly operation. Bit latch 400 is normally held in a raised, closed, position by spring arm 436 pressing post 307 at distal arm end 437. Spring arm 436 is cantilevered from post 433 of bit latch 400.

To remove the obstruction formed by tab 432, bit latch 400 is pivoted downward toward a latch open position about post 433 to the position shown in FIG. 15 by pressing downward upon bump 435. It can be seen that spring arm 436 is arced in a deflected condition in FIG. 15. Bit 200 is then free to extend out from bit cavity 370.

To ensure that bit 200 extends out from the bit cavity after the obstruction of tab 432 is removed, a resilient arm of ejection spring 372 is biased toward the open end of bit cavity 370. In FIGS. 16 and 18 ejection spring 372 presses bit 200 from one side and is shown forcing bit 200 to angle out from bit cavity 370. Exterior wall 308 presses the bit from an opposite side so that bit 200 pivots about exterior wall 308. With the bit in this position a user can easily grasp and pull out the bit. Ejection spring 372 includes distal end 374 that contacts the bit. In the illustrated embodiment ejection spring 372 is formed as part of drill body 300 into the terminating wall of bit cavity 370. In FIG. 15 it is seen that ejection spring 372 is formed from a cutout portion of the material of drill body 300.

The bit holder of FIGS. 11 to 18 may be used separately from a drill, for example as a single purpose bit holding device where a housing body serves the primary function of including bit cavity 370 and bit latch 400, or the bit holder may be used with or as part of other types of devices. In any of the embodiments of the invention described it is not required that the device associated with the bit holder is portable.

From the foregoing detailed description, it will be evident that there are a number of changes, adaptations and modifications of the present invention that come within the province of those skilled in the art. However, it is intended that all such variations not departing from the spirit of the invention be considered as within the scope thereof as limited solely by the claims following.

Claims

1. A personal carrying device including a housing, a mounting element attached to the housing that provides for attaching the device to a user, a normally depending hook, the hook including a hook shaft extending into a hook cavity within the housing;

a bit-cavity includes an opening in an exterior of the housing, the bit-cavity extending into the housing from the opening, the bit-cavity elongated in a parallel and spaced relationship with the hook shaft, the housing including at least two parallel elongated cavities: the hook cavity containing the hook shaft, and the bit-cavity;

the bit cavity including a holding element movable between an open position and a closed position, the holding element partially obstructing the opening in the exterior of the of the housing in the closed position.

2. The carrying device of claim 1 wherein the holding element is resiliently attached to the housing and biased toward the closed position.

3. The carrying device of claim 1 wherein the bit-cavity extends lengthwise between an upper opening in the housing to a lower opening in the housing, the holding element includes a resiliently movable stop edge, and the lower opening is partially obstructed by the stop edge, the stop edge being a portion of a release button.

4. The carrying device of claim 3 wherein the upper opening is partially obstructed by a resiliently movable latch.

5. The carrying device of claim 1 wherein an elongated bit extends within the elongated bit-cavity, and a weight of the bit presses a movable holding element at a lower opening in the exterior of the housing.

6. The carrying device of claim 1 wherein the opening in the housing is at one end of the elongated bit-cavity.

7. The carrying device of claim 1 wherein the opening in the housing is along an elongated side of the elongated bit-cavity.

8. A personal carrying device including a housing, a mounting element attached to the housing that provides for attaching the device to a user, a normally depending hook, the hook including a hook shaft extending into a hook cavity within the housing;

a bit-cavity is elongated within the housing in a parallel and spaced relationship with the hook shaft, the bit-cavity extends lengthwise between an upper opening in the housing to a lower opening in the housing, and the lower opening is partially obstructed by a resiliently movable stop edge portion of a release button.

9. The carrying device of claim 8 wherein the upper opening is partially obstructed by a resiliently movable latch.

10. The carrying device of claim 8 wherein an elongated bit extends within the elongated bit-cavity, and a weight of the bit presses the stop edge at a lower opening in the exterior of the housing.

11. A holding device including a housing, wherein:

a bit-cavity is elongated within the housing, the bit-cavity extending lengthwise between an upper opening in the housing to a lower opening in the housing;

a release button is at the lower opening, the release button being attached to a resilient lower arm of the portable device;

the lower opening being partially obstructed by a resiliently movable stop edge portion of the release button in a closed stop edge position, the button extending to a lower distal end of the button including a pressing area of the button, whereby an applied force upon the pressing area causes the resilient arm to deflect and the stop edge to move toward an open position of the stop edge, the lower opening being unobstructed in the open position of the stop edge.

12. The holding device of claim 11 wherein the upper opening is partially obstructed by a resiliently movable latch.

13. The holding device of claim 12 wherein a central structure of an insert in the housing includes oppositely extending arms, the lower arm extending downward from the central structure to a distal end including the release button, and an upper arm extending upward from the central structure to a distal end including the movable latch.

14. The holding device of claim 12 wherein the upper opening in the housing includes a notch open toward a exterior side of the bit-cavity, and the latch is positioned across the bit-cavity on an interior side of the bit-cavity.

15. A holding device including a housing, wherein:

a bit-cavity is elongated within the housing, the bit-cavity extending lengthwise from an upper opening in the housing to within the housing;

a resiliently movable latch is positioned at the upper opening, the upper opening includes a notch open toward a exterior side of the bit-cavity, and the latch is positioned across the bit-cavity on an interior side of the bit-cavity.

16. A holding device including a housing, wherein:

a bit-cavity is elongated within the housing, the bit-cavity extending lengthwise along an exterior of the housing whereby the bit-cavity forms an elongated recess in the housing including an opening toward the exterior of the housing and a terminating wall toward an interior of the housing;

the terminating wall of the recess includes a resilient arm biased toward the opening of the recess;

a bit latch is movable between a closed position obstructing the opening and an open position away from the opening.

17. The holding device of claim 16 wherein the housing is of a plastic molded material, the resilient arm extends longitudinally along a length of the recess, and the resilient arm extends toward the opening, the resilient arm being cantilevered from the terminating end of the recess, the resilient arm being formed from a cut-out portion of the terminating end of the recess.

18. The holding device of claim 16 wherein a bit is positioned within the bit-cavity, the resilient arm presses the bit toward the opening of the bit-cavity and against the bit latch in the bit latch closed position.

19. The holding device of claim 18 wherein the bit extends outward through the opening of the recess in the latch arm open position.

20. A holding device including a housing, wherein:

a bit-cavity is elongated within the housing, the bit-cavity extending lengthwise along an exterior of the housing whereby the bit-cavity forms an elongated recess in the housing including an opening toward the exterior of the housing and a terminating end toward an interior of the housing;

a bit latch is movable between a closed position obstructing the opening and an open position away from the opening;

the bit latch includes a spring arm cantilevered from the bit latch toward a spring arm distal end, and the spring arm presses a post of the housing so that the bit latch is biased toward the closed position.

21. The holding device of claim 20 wherein the bit cavity includes two obstructions in the open side of the bit cavity in the bit latch closed position, a first obstruction being the bit latch, and a second obstruction being an exterior wall of the housing.

22. The holding device of claim 20 wherein a bit is positioned with the bit cavity, and the bit extends coaxially along a length of the bit cavity in the bit latch closed position.

23. The holding device of claim 21 wherein a resilient arm within the bit cavity is biased toward the opening of the bit cavity, and a bit within the bit cavity is forced to angle outward from the bit cavity in the bit latch open position by the resilient arm pressing one side of the bit, and the exterior wall pressing an opposite side of the bit.

24. The holding device of claim 20 wherein the bit latch is pivotably attached to the housing at a pivot post of the bit latch, the bit latch pivots between the closed position and the open position, and the spring arm is cantilevered from the post.