Tool Holder

Abstract

A holder for supporting a tool, such as a hammer, on an object, such as a belt, is disclosed. A generally U-shaped resilient clip has a proximal end and a distal end. A tool holder frame is included that comprises an upper end having an attachment means for attaching the tool holder frame to the distal end of the clip. The tool holder frame further includes a tool holding section at a lower end thereof, such as a rigid loop or an open Y-shaped hook. The attachment means includes a pivot aperture formed through the distal end of the clip, a rivet, a rivet head cover, and an aperture formed in the upper end of the tool holder frame. The rivet comprises a shaft and an enlarged pivot head, and is secured through the central aperture of the rivet head cover, the aperture of the upper end of the tool holder frame, and the pivot aperture of the clip. As such, the tool holder frame is pivotally fixed to the clip by the rivet.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application 60/751,481, filed on Dec. 19, 2005.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to tool holders, and more particularly to a unique swivel holder for hammers, flashlights, and the like.

DISCUSSION OF RELATED ART

Construction workers and others often need to have tools conveniently stored nearby, and often on their person, as they perform work in various locations on, for example, a building. In particular, carpenters and framers often need to have a hammer nearby, but do not wish to carry the hammer manually from place to place. As such, a variety of hammer and other tool holders have been devised for holding a tool onto a belt, or the like. For example, U.S. Pat. No. D396,405 to Zaccardelli on Jul. 28, 1998; U.S. Pat. No. D313,120to Hohlfeld on Dec. 25, 1990; U.S. Pat. No. D345,052 to Stokke et al. on Mar. 15, 1994; U.S. Pat. No. D443,135 to Marks et al. on Jun. 5, 2001; and U.S. Pat No. 4,638,530 to Perry on Jan. 27, 1987 all teach such devices. One drawback of such devices is that they all include a tool holder, such as for a hammer, that is rigidly fixed to a belt clip. As such, and particularly with a tool having a relatively large mass such as a hammer, inertial forces experienced by the tool are transferred to the belt clip, which causes such devices to tug at the user's belt as the user moves about. Sometimes, in fact, such forces are sufficient to cause such devices to become disengaged with the belt, which can be extremely dangerous in situations where the user is above other users on rafters or a roof, for example.

Other such devices are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,655,560 on Dec. 2, 2003, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,880,794 on Apr. 19, 2005, both to inventor Kahn. These types of devices require attaching an elastic ring hooked to the tool. The elastic ring is fixed to a pivot ball that rests in a cradle, allowing the tool to pivot and thereby reducing the inertial forces of the tool that are transferred to the user's belt. Yet, not everyone desires to attach elastic cords or the like to their tools. Further, such devices are useless if the elastic cords are lost, or if there are too few elastic cords for the number of tools which the user desires to hold with such devices.

Other such devices, such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,372,468 to Harvey on Feb. 8, 1983; U.S. Pat No. 5,195,667 to Gallant on Mar. 23, 1993; and U.S. Pat No. 4,106,679 to Hillinger on Aug. 15, 1978, each teach a pivoting tool holder on a belt support wherein the user must thread the belt through apertures in the belt support. Such devices require the user to undo his belt in order to use such a device, which, while preventing the tool holder from fall off of the belt, is terribly inconvenient. Further, such devices do not allow use on such items as pants pockets or other tool belts. Such devices further disclose relatively complicated tool holders, and as such these devices tend to also be expensive.

Other pivoting tool holders are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,443,342 to Kahn on Sep. 3, 2002; U.S. Pat. No. 6,062,449 to Kahn on May 16, 2000; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,743,451 to Kahn on Apr. 28, 1998. Such devices all have a J-shaped hook-like tool holder portion that is not well suited for holding a tool such as a hammer, as the hammer can rotate and become disengaged from the hook. Further, such hooks can become snagged on other items such as pipes and studs while the worker is moving about the workplace.

Therefore, there is a need for a tool holder that can be attached to a variety of objects, that can hold a variety of tools, and that can pivot around a pivoting attachment means to allow the center of gravity of the tool to adjust while the user moves about a worksite, for example. Such a needed device would be relatively simple to make and therefore inexpensive to produce, and would be designed not to snag or otherwise damage items with which it might come into contact. The present invention accomplishes these objectives.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present device is a holder for supporting a tool, such as a hammer, on an object, such as a belt. A generally U-shaped resilient clip has a proximal end and a distal end. A tool holder frame is included that comprises an upper end having an attachment means for attaching the tool holder frame to the distal end of the clip. The tool holder frame further includes a tool holding section at a lower end thereof.

In use, the clip may be engaged to the object and a tool may be engaged with the tool holding section of the tool holder frame to conveniently support the tool on the object. Preferably the attachment means is a pivoting attachment means, such that, with the clip engaged to the object and a tool engaged with the tool holding section of the tool holder frame, the tool is free to rotate by gravity about the clip while being retained by the holder. As such, stresses imparted to the tool by movement of the object are significantly attenuated as opposed to transferred to the object.

The pivoting attachment means preferably includes a pivot aperture formed through the distal end of the clip, a rivet, a rivet head cover, and an aperture formed in the upper end of the tool holder frame. The rivet comprises a shaft and an enlarged pivot head, and is secured through the central aperture of the rivet head cover, the aperture of the upper end of the tool holder frame, and the pivot aperture of the clip. As such, the tool holder frame is pivotally fixed to the clip by the rivet. Preferably the tool holder frame comprises a rigid, closed loop or a rigid, open Y-shaped hook for securing the tool in.

The present device is a tool holder that can be attached to a variety of objects, hold a variety of tools, and pivot around a pivoting attachment means to allow the center of gravity of the tool to adjust while the user moves about a worksite, for example. The present invention is relatively simple to make and therefore inexpensive to produce. Further, the present invention does not to snag or otherwise damage items with which it might come into contact. 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.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a holder of the present invention, illustrating a tool as being retained by the holder on an object;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the holder of the present invention, taken generally from a right side thereof, illustrating an object retaining protrusion of a clip thereof;

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of the invention;

FIG. 4 is a front elevational view of the invention, illustrating a tool holder frame pivoted around a pivoting attachment means of the invention;

FIG. 5 is a partial, partially exploded cross-sectional view of the invention, taken generally along lines 5-5 of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 6 is a partial top plan view of an embodiment of the invention having a Y-shaped hook with a flexible securing band.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring now to FIG. 1, a holder 10 for supporting a tool 20, such as a hammer, on an object 30, such as a belt, is illustrated. A generally U-shaped clip 40 has a proximal end 42 and a distal end 44. The clip 40 is preferably comprised of a resilient metallic sheet metal material, such that the ends 42,44 are able to flex away from each other while being secured around the object 30. The clip 40 may alternately be made from a resilient suitably strong plastic material. In either case, the clip 40 is spring-like, with the ends 42,44 normally being urged towards each other so as to be selectively retained on the object 30. The clip 40 may further include an object retaining protrusion 46 at the proximal end 42 thereof (FIGS. 1 and 2), the protrusion 46 aiding in retaining the holder 10 onto the object 30.

While the tool 20 illustrated in FIG. 1 is a hammer, clearly other tools such as flashlights, wrenches, pliers, or other tools (not shown) may be held by the holder 1O. Further, while the object 30 as illustrated in FIG. 1 is a belt, clearly other objects 30 could be used to support the tool 20, such as a pants pocket, a strap from a pair of suspenders, a tool belt, or the like (not shown).

A tool holder frame 90 is further included that comprises an upper end 92 having an attachment means 60 for attaching the tool holder frame 90 to the distal end 44 of the clip 40. The tool holder frame 90 further includes a tool holding section 98 at a lower end 96 thereof (FIGS. 2, 3, and 4), and is preferably made from a rigid metallic rod, or the like.

In use, the clip 40 may be engaged to the object 30 and a tool 20 may be engaged with the tool holding section 98 of the tool holder frame 90 to conveniently support the tool 20 on the object 30. Preferably, as illustrated in FIG. 5, the attachment means 60 is a pivoting attachment means 61, such that, with the clip 40 engaged to the object 30 and a tool 20 engaged with the tool holding section 98 of the tool holder frame 90, the tool 20 is free to pivot by gravity on the clip 40 while being retained by the holder 10. As such, stresses imparted to the tool 20 by movement of the object 30 are significantly attenuated as opposed to transferred to the object 30.

The pivoting attachment means 61 preferably includes a pivot aperture 50 formed through the distal end of the clip 40 (FIG. 3), a rivet 70, a rivet head cover 80, and an aperture 94 formed in the upper end 92 of the tool holder frame 90. The rivet 70 comprising a shaft 72 and an enlarged pivot head 74, and is secured through the central aperture 82 of the rivet head cover 80, the aperture 94 of the upper end 92 of the tool holder frame 90, and the pivot aperture 50 of the clip 40. As such, the tool holder frame 90 is pivotally fixed to the clip 40 by the rivet 70. The rivet head cover 80 is optional, but helps to shield the enlarged pivot head 74 from inadvertent contact by a user of the holder 10. The rivet head cover 80 may be formed from an injection molded plastic material, for example.

Preferably the tool holder frame 90 comprises a rigid, closed loop 100 for securing the tool 20 therein (FIGS. 1 and 2). Preferably a distal end 99 of the loop 100 is bent upward toward the attachment means 60, such that the tool 20 is urged by gravity towards the clip 40.

Alternately, however, the tool holder frame 90 may be comprised of a rigid, open Y-shaped hook 110 for securing the tool 20 thereon (FIG. 6). A flexible securing band 130, made from a textile material, rubber, plastic, or the like may be additionally included, and selectively fixed at each end 134 thereof to distal ends 116 of the Y-shaped hook 110. In either embodiment, the tool holder frame 90 preferably includes an elastomeric outer coating 120 or other coating for absorbing impact of the tool 20 thereon without damaging either the tool 20, the holder 10, or other objects (not shown) which may impact the holder 10 during normal use.

While a particular form of the invention has been illustrated and described, it will be apparent that various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, the exact shape of the loop 100 or the Y-shaped hook 110 may be modified in any number of ways and still function as herein disclosed. Further, the pivoting attachment means 61 may be formed with a screw (not shown) as opposed to the rivet 70. Accordingly, it is not intended that the invention be limited, except as by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A holder for supporting a tool on an object, comprising:

a generally U-shaped clip having a proximal end and a distal end;

a tool holder frame comprising an upper end having an attachment means for attaching the tool holder frame to the distal end of the clip, the tool holder frame further comprising a tool holding section at a lower end thereof,

whereby the clip may be engaged to the object and a tool may be engaged with the tool holding section of the tool holder frame.

2. The holder of claim 1 wherein the attachment means is a pivoting attachment means, whereby with the clip engaged to the object and a tool engaged with the tool holding section of the tool holder frame, the tool is free to pivot by gravity on the clip while being retained by the holder.

3. The holder of claim 2 wherein the pivoting attachment means includes:

a pivot aperture formed through the distal end of the clip,

a rivet secured through the pivot aperture of the clip and comprising a shaft and an enlarged pivot head;

a rivet head cover having a central aperture therein for receiving the shaft of the rivet, the rivet head cover being rotationally secured to the clip by the rivet head, and

an aperture in the upper end of the tool holding section for receiving the rivet shaft, the upper end being pivotally fixed to the clip by the rivet.

4. The holder of claim 1 wherein the tool holder frame comprises a rigid, closed loop for securing the tool therein.

5. The holder of claim 1 wherein the tool holder frame comprises a rigid, open Y-shaped hook for securing the tool thereon.

6. The holder of claim 1 wherein the tool holder includes an elastomeric outer coating.

7. The holder of claim 1 wherein the proximal end of the clip further includes an object retaining protrusion projecting towards the distal end thereof.

8. The holder of claim 4 wherein a distal end of the loop is bent upward toward the attachment means, such that the tool is urged towards the clip.

9. The holder of claim 1 wherein the clip is comprised of a resilient metal sheet material.

10. The holder of claim 1 wherein the clip is comprised of a resilient plastic material.

11. The holder of claim 1 wherein the tool holder frame is comprised of a rigid metallic rod material.

12. The holder of claim 5 wherein a flexible securing band is selectively fixed at each end thereof to distal ends of the Y-shaped hook.