Two-Way Adaptable Tool Hook

Abstract

An adaptable tool hook comprises a wire-frame buckle and hook with a strap. The strap can be positioned on the buckle-hook in two different orthogonal positions to allow the strap to wrap an object or tool laterally or longitudinally. The hook stays with the tool and can be hooked on any available belt, pocket, rail, or wire.

Description

RELATED APPLICATION

This Application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/112,415, filed Apr. 25, 2005, and titled ADAPTABLE TOOL HOOK.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to hooks and hangers, and more particularly to hooks that can be quickly strapped to a hand tool and thereafter easily be hung from a belt or pocket of a worker.

2. Description of Related Art

Only having “two hands” often requires that a worker put down a hand tool in order to complete some procedure or prepare it for using the tool. But putting the tool down on the ground or table may not be possible or convenient. So a variety of workers tool pouches, holsters and hooks have been devised and marketed.

For example, a belt hook is shown by William Armstrong in U.S. Design Pat. D470,309 S, issued Feb. 18, 2003. Such appears to illustrate a saddle that can be threaded by a workers belt and worn on one side. A snap with a release lever allows a tool with a matching ring to be captured and held. Armstrong shows a variation of this idea in his U.S. Design Pat. D469,250 S, issued Jan. 28, 2003. Here a simple flat hook pointing upwards is strapped to a worker's belt.

James Schwartzmiller has a similar belt saddle with a low-slung hook that he illustrates in U.S. Design Pat. D452,610 S, issued Jan. 1, 2003. Such is being marketed under the trademark E-Z HOLSTER™. Web pages accessed from www.ezholster.com show how the belt saddle and hook are matched with a tool having a ring strapped to it with VELCRO strapping. The problem is the hook on the side of the worker can snag onto anything and can scratch and injure other people and objects. The tool can only be hung on the hook, and the hook must already be pre-attached to the worker's belt.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Briefly, an adaptable tool hook embodiment of the present invention comprises a wire-frame buckle and hook with a strap. The strap can be positioned on the buckle-hook in two different orthogonal positions to allow the strap to wrap an object or tool laterally or longitudinally. The hook stays with the tool and can be hooked on any available belt, pocket, rail, or wire.

An advantage of the present invention is a method and device are provided for hanging objects.

Another advantage of the present invention is that a method and device are provided that are simple, inexpensive, and effective.

A still further advantage of the present invention is that an adaptable hook is provided that can easily be strapped to a tool and then the tool can be hooked on a work-belt.

The above and still further objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description of specific embodiments thereof, especially when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1A-1D are perspective diagrams of an adaptable tool hook embodiment of the present invention. These Figs. demonstrate how the strap can be slipped between two orthogonal positions to increase the number of ways it can be used and the types of objects that can be attached to a hook;

FIGS. 2A-2B are side and front view diagrams with a power hand tool fitted with the adaptable tool hook of FIGS. 1A-1D;

FIG. 3 is a perspective diagram of how an adaptable tool hook embodiment of the present invention can be fitted with two matching VELCRO straps; and

FIGS. 4A-4B are perspective diagrams of a two-way adapt-a-hook embodiment of the present invention show the two orientations of the tie-wrap that are accommodated quickly and easily by capturing a buckle-anchor in the base of the hook-frame.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIGS. 1A-1D illustrate an adaptable tool hook embodiment of the present invention, and is referred to herein by the general reference numeral 100. The adaptable tool hook 100 comprises a wire-frame buckle 102 and a strap 104. The buckle 102 has a left-lateral section 106, a right-lateral section 108, a top longitudinal section 110, and a bottom longitudinal section 112. These allow the strap 104 to be wrapped around an object with a hook section 114 being in-line or orthogonal.

FIGS. 1A and 1C illustrate strap 104 in its longitudinal starting position on section 112. FIGS. 1B and 1D illustrate strap 104 in its lateral starting position on section 108. The two positions are orthogonal to one another. The wire-frame construction is key to allowing strap 104 to be slipped between sections 106-108-110-112. In FIG. 1C, strap 104 can be doubled back around section 110, similar to the way shown in FIG. 1D.

In use, the adaptable tool hook 100 can be strapped to any object the strap 104 can wrap around and the hook section 114 has the strength to support the weight. It need not necessarily be a tool, and it need not necessarily be hung on a worker or even a person. For example, the adaptable tool hook 100 could be wrapped around a stuffed toy and hung on a rail in a store for merchandising.

FIGS. 2A and 2B illustrate how an adaptable hook 200 can be used on a typical hand-tool tool 202. The adaptable hook 200 includes a VELCRO strap 204 attached to a wire-frame hook 206 wrapped around the pistol-grip of tool 202. This is shown with the strap 204 attached in the longitudinal position to wire-frame hook 206, and for a right-handed user that will use hook 206 on their waist belt. A user can then catch hook 206 in their belt or pocket when needing to free their hands.

FIG. 3 represents an adaptable tool hook embodiment of the present invention, and is referred to herein by the general reference numeral 300. The adaptable tool hook 300 comprises a hook-buckle 302, a VELCRO-hooks strap 304, a VELCRO-loops strap 306, and an area 308 in which the hooks can lock on to the loops to hold the tool.

When a single strap of VELCRO is used, it creates a challenge on how to thread the strap so the strap can wrap around the tool, hold the buckle 302, and still wind up with the VELCRO-hooks on one face able to engage the VELCRO-loops on the other face. A single simple VELCRO strap with hooks on one side and loops on the other could be used in FIGS. 1A-1D. In FIG. 3, adaptable tool hook 300 uses two separate straps.

FIGS. 4A-4B illustrate a two-way adapt-a-hook embodiment of the present invention, and is referred to herein by the general reference numeral 400. The two-way adapt-a-hook 400 comprises a hook frame 402 similar to those illustrated in FIGS. 1A-1D, 2A-2B, and 3. A hook-end 402 is provided to hook a tool onto various kinds of hangers, belts, pockets, etc. A hook-base 404 is threaded with a tie-strap 406 in the special way illustrated. The tie-strap 406 includes a tie-end 408 that will fit into and lock with a tie-buckle 410 after being wrapped around a tool or other handheld device. The tie-strap 406 is also threaded through a floating buckle-anchor 412 that can be rotated between the orientations shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B. When the tie-strap 406 is installed and tightened around a tool, the buckle-anchor 412 will be drawn up tight against the hook-base 404.

A double-sided adhesive tape 414, such as 3M™ Acrylic Foam Tape 5314, provides stability and helps the adapt-a-hook 400 to resist slipping and twisting when installed on a tool. A film cover 416 is used to protect a pressure-sensitive adhesive surface on the adhesive tape 414, up until a user removes it for installation.

The general construction can be made with various kinds of plastics. However the hook-frame 402 would typically be fabricated with steel wire, and the tie-strap 406 and buckle-anchor 412 would be made of NYLON.

Although particular embodiments of the present invention have been described and illustrated, such is not intended to limit the invention. Modifications and changes will no doubt become apparent to those skilled in the art, and it is intended that the invention only be limited by the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. An attachable hook for a tool, comprising:

a wire hook-frame with a hook-end and a hook-base;

a floating tie-buckle that can be captured by said hook-base; and

a tie-strap threaded through the floating tie-buckle and said hook-base such that the tie-strap can be rotated and installed around a user's tool in two different orthogonal orientations relative to said hook-end.

2. The attachable hook of claim 1, further comprising:

a tie-buckle at one end of the tie-strap for locking onto an opposite tie-end to secure the attachable hook around said user's tool.

3. The attachable hook of claim 1, further comprising:

a foam tape under the floating tie-buckle to provide stability and resist slipping and twisting when installed on a tool.

4. The attachable hook of claim 3, further comprising:

a film cover to protect a pressure-sensitive adhesive surface on the adhesive tape up until a user removes it for installation.