Single hand-operated dispenser for drill and driver bits

Abstract

A dispense for drill and driver bits includes a generally cylindrical housing having opposing ends and having dimensions to allow the housing to be gripped and held by a hand of a user. A securing member is provided for receiving and securing drill and/or driver bits in an organized arrangement. A cover is pivotably mounted at one end of the housing for selective movement from closed and open positions. An opening member is operable by a finger of the user while holding the housing to move the cover between closed and open positions. In this way the dispenser can be held and opened or closed with one handed operation.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention generally relates to storage and dispenser devices and, more specifically, to a single hand-operated dispenser for drill and driver bits.

2. Description of the Prior Art

In various storage containers have been used for storing drill and driver bits. Depending on how many drill and/or driver bits are stored such storage containers can be relatively small or quite large. Typically, the storage containers have a cover or lid that must be opened to obtain access to the bits. Normally, this requires that the container be held in one hand while the cover or lid is opened with the other hand. This requires, therefore, that a user must free both hands for this operation and laying down any other tools or work, frequently interrupting the normal flow of work. Additionally, once the cover or lid is opened, all of the bits within the container become exposed and may inadvertently fall out of the container. Replacement of such displaced bits can be tedious and time-consuming as such drill and/or driver bits should be replaced in a specific order to facilitate future use. Also, drill and driver but containers are frequently in the shape of rectangular housings which are difficult to grasp with one hand, particularly by those individuals that have smaller hands, this further aggravating the handling of such containers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a single hand-operated dispenser for drill and driver bits. The dispenser housing is generally cylindrical to facilitate a user to hold it in one hand. A cover or lid is pivotally mounted at one end of the housing which is a spring-loaded or otherwise biased to normally move the cover lid to a close position, thereby ensuring that the housing is normally closed and that bits cannot inadvertently fall out. A finger tab or button extends from the cover or lid and is ergonomically positioned to be proximate to the position of the user's thumb when the fingers of the hand holding the container are wrapped around the container as the container is held during normal use. When a bit needs to be removed or replaced into the container the finger tab or button may be actuated by the thumb to pivotably move the cover or lid to an open position thereby exposing the interior of the container for dispensing the bits at the open axial end thereof.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other objects will become apparent when the drawings of the present invention are considered in detail along with the specification, taken with the drawings as follows:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a single hand-operated dispenser for drill and/or driver bits in accordance with the invention, shown with the cover or lid is a closed condition.

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the dispenser shown FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a rendering of the dispenser shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, with the cover or lid in the closed condition.

FIG. 4 is side elevational rendering of the dispenser.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the dispenser shown in FIGS. 1-4 for when held in a single hand with the finger tab or button depressed to open the cover or lid while a selected drill or driver bit is removed from the open axial end of the dispenser.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the dispenser when held by the single hand while a release lever is actuated by the hand holding the dispenser to open an alternate cover or lid at the other axial end to release loose driver bits into the user's hand.

FIG. 7 is similar to FIG. 3 with covers opened.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring now more specifically to the figures, in which the identical or similar parts will be designated by the same reference numerals throughout, and first referring to FIG. 1, the single hand-operated dispenser for drill and driver bits is generally designated by the reference numeral 10.

The dispenser 10 includes a generally cylindrical barrel or housing 12 having a top end 14 and a bottom end 16. The opening at the top end 14 is normally covered and closed by a cover or lid 20, which may be at least partially transparent, as at 22. The cover 20 is secured to the housing 12 by means of a connecting portion 24 which includes an outwardly projecting finger tab or button 26 and is pivotally mounted about a pin or rivet 28. When the cylindrical housing barrel 12 is formed of two cylindrical shells these may be secured or attached to each other by means of screws 30. The cover 12 is preferably spring-loaded or otherwise biased to normally move the cover 20 to the closed position shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the finger tab or button 26 being located at a position that can be conveniently engaged by the thumb of the user. By downwardly pressing on the tab or button 26 the cover 22 may be pivoted to about the pin 28 to open the cover or lid 20.

At the bottom end 16 a pin, rivet or other fastener 32 is used to pivotally mount a cover 34 which is likewise preferably spring-loaded or otherwise biased to move the cover 34 to the position shown in FIG. 2. A release lever 36 is provided at 38 to move the latching end 40 into or out of engagement with a portion of the cover 34 to lock or secure the cover in a closed position or release the cover to the open position. When released, the spring or other biasing member (not shown) can open the cover. A finger grip 42, defining an opening 44, can also be used to open the cover 34 whether other biasing means is or is not provided.

In FIGS. 3 and 4 renderings of the dispenser are shown, indicating a generally cylindrical housing forming a transparent window 18 that can be secured either to the cover 20 or to the upper end of the cylindrical housing. However, when the cover 20 is closed the window 18 allows the user to view the interior of the housing and the drill bits contained therein.

FIG. 4 illustrates how one-hand operation can be used to access the interior of the dispenser to remove a drill bit. When the fingers of user are wrapped around the cylindrical housing the finger tab or button 26 can be actuated to lift the cover 20. The specific mechanism used for locking the cover 20 in the closed condition or for releasing it to the open position is not critical and any suitable latching or detent mechanism may be used for this purpose. Once the cover 20 is opened a desired drill bit 46 may be removed. Similarly, referring to FIG. 6, application of pressure, such as at 37, allows a release lever 36 to pivot to an open condition, at 38, to allow the cover 34 to open, typically due to a spring or other biasing element. Once the cover 34 is opened, driver bits 50 may be removed and replaced as needed. In FIG. 7, a rendering of the dispenser illustrates the cover 20 in the open position and the release lever 36 likewise open or released condition.

It will be appreciated that the storage container and dispenser 10 is capable of single handed operation, for opening the covers at either axial end to thereby free the other hand to select and remove a desired drill and/or driver bit.

The specific material used for wall 12 of the storage and dispenser unit 10 is not critical and is preferably made from welded plastic material. As suggested, any locking and releasing mechanisms may be used for either the upper cover 20 or the lower cover 34, as long as in these covers can be selectively opened and closed with a single hand while the container or dispenser is being held. The single hand-operated dispenser for drill and driver bits in accordance with the invention is, therefore, simple and convenient to use while it allows drill and driver bits to be safely stored and organized in a way that allows for their easy access.

While the preferred embodiments have been shown and described, it will be understood that the there is no intention to limit the invention by such disclosure, but rather, it is the intention to cover all modifications and alternate constructions falling within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. Dispense for drill and driver bits comprising a generally cylindrical housing having opposing ends and having dimensions to allow said housing to be gripped and held by a hand of a user; securing means for receiving and securing drill and/or driver bits in an organized arrangement; cover means pivotably mounted at one end of said housing for selective movement from closed and open positions; opening means operable by a finger of the user while holding said housing to move said cover means between said closed and open positions, whereby said dispenser can be held and opened or closed with one handed operation.

2. Dispenser as defined in claim 1, wherein said housing has a bottom cover at said other end that selectively opens or closes a compartment at said other end for receiving generally small driver bits.

3. Dispenser as defined in claim 1, wherein said cover means includes a transparent portion to provide visible access to said housing.

4. Dispenser as defined in claim 1, wherein said housing has a circular cross-section.