TOOL HOLSTER FOR ATTACHMENT TO LEG

Abstract

A tool holster includes a connector of a clip is provided for detachably securing a tool to a leg harness. A fastener stud is attachable to the tool. The holder rotatably receives the fastener stud for movements between a first angular orientation that permits the fastener stud to be selectively received and removed from the holder and a second angular orientation that prevents the fastener stud received within the holder from being separated or removed from the holder. A support member is attached to the fastener stud for sharing common rotational movements therewith and connectable to a tool to be supported. The support member is oriented to move the fastener stud to the second angular orientation only when the tool is freely suspended on the holder under the action of gravity regardless of the position or orientation of the user's leg.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention generally relates to devices for supporting tools on the body of a user and, more specifically, to a tool holster for attachment to a thigh of a user.

2. Description of the Prior Art

While power and air tools continue to be made more efficient and lighter in weight, they continue to be generally heavy and bulky. Contractors frequently have a need to transport such tools to locations where work is in progress. This may require carrying a tool with one or both hands. However, this is not always practical since the user's hand(s) may need to perform other functions such as holding the rungs of a ladder while the user is climbing up or down the ladder.

As battery powered tools continue to proliferate and the variety such tools increases, contractors increasingly rely on such tools and, at times, actually need to employ more than one such tool at a work site. Numerous devices have been proposed for attaching such tools to the body or apparel of a user to free up the user's hands for other purposes, including enhancing the safe navigation to the work site with the tools and possibly other materials that the worker needs to use at the work site.

As noted, such tools are generally heavy, particularly battery operated tools, since the batteries themselves are quite heavy. Therefore, not only must the safety of the user be factored in but so must be the comfort and convenience of carrying such heavy tools about without compromising the safety or effectiveness of the user. For this purpose, many tool belts and tool belt accessories have been proposed that are suitable for attachment to a belt of the user designed to support the tools. However, in a typical situation, the tool belt is already populated by other tools, such as hammers, crow bars, etc. and pouches for fasteners such as nails, small hand tools and the like. Power tools, because of their generally large size, occupy much real estate that could otherwise be sued for smaller tools, pouches, etc.

Many tool holders have been proposed that are secured to the belt or a tool belt. However, prior tool holding devices fail to provide the degree of safety to the user as well as others at a work site. This could create hazardous conditions at the work site when, for example, a user climbs up a ladder with numerous devices and tools that are secured to his person.

Tool holders must, therefore, not only be safe and comfortable to the user but also be convenient to use. The tools must be safely supported on the tool holder when there is no need for its use while allowing the user to quickly and conveniently remove the tool and use it as needed without compromising safety to the user and/or others at the work site. The tool must, therefore, be capable of being quickly and easily removed from the tool holder as needed, especially when the user is in compromising situations, such as on a ladder, on a roof, etc. After the tool has been used it must be capable of being quickly and conveniently re-connected to the tool holster in a safe and reliable manner so that the user needs not to be concerned about the tool accidently separating and possibly causing injury or damage at the site.

The prior art references indicate that quick disconnect connectors of the type contemplated are well known in the art. Tool belts with numerous types of quick disconnect devices for quick connect and disconnect of a tool are also known. The prior art does not, however, show a tool holster of the type suggested that is attached directly to the leg or the thigh of the user and not directly to the belt of the user. The prior art, accordingly, also fails to teach the use of an ancillary belt between a leg holster and the waist belt for securing the same in place.

U.S. Pat. No. 1,043,675 discloses a folding leg bracket which is designed to be secured to a carpenters leg above the knee so that a board can be supported on the bracket while cutting the board. The device disclosed, therefore, is not to safely support tools, but is simply a pivotably mounted support arm attached to a leg harness that positions at a location convenient for supporting a board, such as sheet rock, if a carpenter cannot otherwise avail himself on a support surface on which to support the board to be cut.

Quick disconnect fastening devices that provide secure connection or disconnection when desired are also known and shown, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,419,794 to Horton, Jr. et al.; 6,655,560 to Kahn; and 6,641,011 to Kahn. Tool hanging devices are also disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,799,847 to Sandor. Sandor's device requires that the tool be rotated 90° from the hanging position to allow the tool to be removed. The remaining references show other such structures. However, all of these devices are shown to be attached or attachable to a typical belt or tool belt worn about the waist of a user. None teach or suggest a tool holster to be tightened or secured to the leg or around the thigh of the user. Accordingly, as indicated, none of these references teach the use of an ancillary strap or belt to connect the belt worn around the waist to maintain the tool holster in its desired position without danger of its slipping down the leg as a result of the heavy nature of the tools supported.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a tool holster for attaching tools or the like to the leg of a user without interfering with the user's movements or motions at a work site.

It is another object of the invention to provide a tool holder that is simple in construction and economical to manufacture.

It is still another object of the invention to provide a tool holster of a type of the discussion that enhances safety at a work site to prevent injury or damage from inadvertent separation of a tool from a holster.

It is yet another object of the invention to provide a tool holster as in the previous objects that is convenient to use and enables a user to quickly and conveniently separate a tool on the holster for use or re-attachment a tool to the holster when use of the tool is no longer needed.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a tool holster as in the previous objects that allows the user to secure a bulky and heavy tool to the person without interfering with the use of a tool belt that may also be used to support or carry other materials or other tools that user may require at a work site.

In order to achieve the above objects as well as others that will become evident hereinafter, a tool holster for attachment to a leg of a user comprises a leg harness for attachment to the thigh of a user. A connector is provided for detachably securing a tool to the harness. The connector comprises a holder permanently attached to the harness. A fastener stud including means for attachment to the tool. The holder is configured to rotatebly receive the fastener stud for movements between a first angular orientation that permits the fastener stud to be selectively received and removed from the holder and the second angular orientation that prevents the fastener stud received within the holder from being separated or removed from the holder. A support member is attached to the fastener stud for common rotational movements therewith and provided with means for connection to a tool to be supported. The support member is oriented to move the fastener stud to the second angular orientation only when the tool is freely suspended on the holder under the action of gravity. In this manner, the tool is normally reliably secured to the tool holster independently of a relative position of a user's leg to which the harness is attached and can only be separated from the harness when the user rotates the tool and thereby also said fastener stud to set first angular orientation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Those skilled in the art will appreciate the improvements and advantages that derive from the present invention upon reading the following detailed description, claims, and drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is diagrammatic view of a tool holster in accordance with the invention shown attached to the leg of a user while supporting a tool suspended from the holster while the user's leg is straight when normally standing;

FIG. 2 is similar to FIG. 1, but showing the user's right leg raised to orient the thigh to which the holster is attached almost in horizontal position, as when climbing stairs or the ladder, and showing the tool continued to be suspended as in FIG. 1 due to the action of gravity;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a fastener stud in accordance with the invention secured to a support member that is, in turn, attached to the tool to be suspended;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the connector that cooperates with the fastener stud shown in FIG. 3, illustrating the relative orientation of the stud in its locked position corresponding to the position of a tool shown in FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the fastener stud and support member in FIG. 3 in its relative orientation just prior to insertion into the connector attached to the harness when the tool is rotated 90° relative to the orientation shown in FIG. 4; and

FIG. 6 illustrates the fastener stud and attached support member, shown in FIG. 5 just prior to insertion of the fastener stud to the harness, the mating of two connecting members, and the rotation of the fastener stud and support member 90° to the locking position shown in FIG. 4 when the tool is allowed to be freely suspended due to the action of gravity.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to the Figures in which identical or similar parts would be designated by the same reference numerals throughout, and first referring to FIG. 1, a tool holster in accordance with the present invention is generally designated by the reference numeral 10.

The holster 10 includes two spaced substantially parallel portions 10a, 10b with a transverse portion 10c to generally form a H-support member. The portions 10a-10c can be formed of any suitable material that is strong, such as leather, plastic or the like. The portions 10a-10c may be flexible to conform to the shape of the user's leg or can be more rigid members that are molded to provide the appropriate curvature to generally conform to the external shape of the thigh on which the holster will typically be mounted.

Each parallel portion 10a, 10b is provided with a generally elongated slot S1, S2 at opposite ends thereof dimensioned to receive straps or belts to be described. The upper portion 10a is additionally provided with a longitudinal slot S3 for accommodating an additional strap to be described.

A connector clip is provided that includes a holder 12 having a back plate 12a, front plate 12b formed with a slot 12c. Holes 12d are provided for attachment of a connector or clip 12 to one of the portions 10a-10c. In FIG. 1, the connector or clip is shown permanently attached to the transverse portion 10c. However, the specific location of attachment is not critical.

Within the connector or clip 12 there is provided an internal locking element 14 as shown in FIG. 4. The internal element 14 is generally U-shaped and formed of substantially parallel legs 14a, 14b connected by a low bridging portion 14c to form an internal space or region 14d. One of the legs 14a is formed with an inwardly directed protrusion 14e that projects in the direction of the opposing leg 14b to create an opening or mouth 15 having a width W and a downwardly directed surface 14f.

Cooperating with the locking member or element 14 is a fastener stud 16 (FIGS. 3-5). Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, the fastener stud 16 includes a generally cylindrical post 16a and a partial disk 16b, a sector of which has been removed to create a straight edge 16c. Referring to FIG. 4, the length of the edge 16c is selected to be less than the dimension of the mouth or opening W while the transverse dimension s is selected to be slightly smaller than the dimension W of the internal element 14.

Attached to the post 16a is a generally flat rectangular support plate 18 forming an upper surface 18a and an opposing lower surface 18b. The support plate 18 is provided with an opening 20 through which a fastener 22′ permanently connected to the tool 22 can pass. While the opening 20 illustrates one manner of attaching tool 22 to the support plate 18, other means of attachment are also possible and the specific manner of attachment of a tool to the support plate 18 is not critical. Shown in FIG. 1 is a suitable fastener 22′ extending through the opening 20 for securing the tool the support plate.

It will be noted that orientation of flat edge 16c is that it extends along a direction substantially parallel to the plane defined by the support plate 18 so that the visible position or orientation of the support plate 18 is also an indication of the general position or orientation of the straight edge 16c.

An upper leg strap 24 extends through the slots or eyes formed in the upper portion 10a while a lower strap 26 is similarly secured to the lower portion 10b. In accordance with the presently preferred embodiment, a belt accessory 28 (FIG. 2) is preferably used that includes means for attachment to a belt 30, the belt accessory also including other suitable means for being secured to one end of an auxiliary support strap 32, the other end of which passes through the slot S3 of the portion 10a. The straps 24, 26 and 32 can be attached to the respective elements with which they cooperate in any suitable and conventional manner such as by passing through the associated slots. However, other methods of attachment may be used. It will be appreciated that the auxiliary support strap 32, referring to FIG. 1, prevents the holster 10 from slipping or moving down the leg of the user and avoids the need to excessively tighten the straps 24, 26 to insure that the harness remains fixed at a selected position on the leg to provide optimum comfort to the user.

Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, the manner in which the tool holster is utilized is shown. While the tool is not shown to be attached to the support plate 18, it will be evident that when the plate 18 is a substantially horizontal plane, the tool is freely suspended under the action of gravity as shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 6. However, when the tool is manually rotated or pivoted approximately 90° by the user against the action of gravity the plate 18 is corresponding moved to a position shown in 6(a) and 6(b). The sequence or progression is shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 in which the fastener stud 16 is initially oriented to allow the disk 15b to freely move past the mouth or inlet opening 15 of the internal locking member 14. Once the disk 16b is received within the internal space or cavity 14d, the tool can be released by the user and, due to the action of gravity, the tool becomes freely suspended, bringing the support plate 18a to a horizontal orientation after rotating approximately 90°. This brings the disk 16b to the orientation shown in FIG. 4 in which the flat edge 16b abuts against the downwardly facing surface 14f to prevent the disk 16b from being removed from the internal cavity 14d and, therefore, the tool being separated from the clip or holder 12.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A tool holster for attachment to a leg of a user comprises a leg harness for attachment to the thigh of a user; a connector provided for detachably and pivotably securing a tool to said harness, said connector comprising a fixed holder permanently attached to said harness and a fastener stud, said fixed holder being configured to rotatably receive said fastener stud for angular movements about a generally horizontal axis during use between a first range of angular orientations that permits said fastener stud to be selectively received and removed from said fixed holder and a default second range of angular orientations attained under the action of gravity acting on the tool that prevents said fastener stud received within said fixed holder from being separated or removed from said holder; a support member extending from said fastener stud for common rotational movements therewith and provided with means for connection to a tool to be supported, said support member being arranged to rotate said fastener stud relative to said fixed holder to said second range of angular orientations only when the tool is freely suspended on said fixed holder under the action of gravity, whereby the tool is normally reliably secured to the tool holster independently of any relative position of a user's leg to which the tool harness is attached and can only be separated from said fixed holder on said harness when the user physically rotates the tool against the action of gravity and thereby also said fastener stud to an orientation within said first range of angular orientations.

2. A tool holster as defined in claim 1, wherein said harness includes at least one support portion formed of sheet material to which said fixed holder is attached to support said fixed holder and any anticipated weight of a tool to be supported by the tool holster.

3. A tool holster as defined in claim 2, wherein said support portion is sufficiently flexible to conform to the thigh of the user to which the holster is attached.

4. A tool holster as defined in claim 2, wherein said support portion is made of leather.

5. A tool holster as defined in claim 2, wherein said support portion is made of plastic.

6. A tool holster as defined in claim 5, wherein said plastic support portion is molded to leave appropriate curvature to conform to the external shape of the user's thigh.

7. A tool holster as defined in claim 1, wherein said harness forms a generally H-shaped support member having two vertically spaced generally horizontal upper and lower support portions that are each attachable to the thigh of a user and a vertical connecting portion extending between said spaced horizontal support portions, said fixed holder being attached to said vertical connecting portion.

8. A tool holster as defined in claim 6, wherein each horizontal support portion is provided with opposing lateral ends; and adjustable leg straps attached to said lateral ends for adjusting and maintaining the tensions in each of said straps.

9. A tool holster as defined in claim 6, wherein said upper support portion includes means for securing said harness to a belt worn by a user.

10. A tool holster as defined in claim 1, wherein said fixed holder includes spaced back and front plates to form an internal space and an internal locking element between said plates to close said internal space with the exception of a predetermined opening dimensioned to receive and release said fastener stud when said fastener stud is oriented within said second range of angular orientation relative to said fixed holder.

11. A tool holster as defined in claim 10, wherein said internal locking element is generally U-shaped and formed of substantially parallel legs connected by a bridging portion.

12. A tool holster as defined in claim 11, wherein one of said legs is formed with an inwardly directed protrusion that projects in a direction of the opposing leg to create said predetermined opening having a width W in a direction transverse to said legs less than the spacing between said legs.

13. A tool holster as defined in claim 12, wherein said fastener stud includes a generally cylindrical post supporting a disc a sector of which has been removed to form a partial disc forming an edge having a dimension greater than said width W and a dimension transverse to said edge smaller than said dimension W to allow selective insertion and removal of said fastener stud through said opening.

14. A tool holster as defined in claim 13, wherein said partial disc has a thickness relative to the spacing between said back and front plates to provide a clearance between said disc and said plates to facilitate insertion and separation of said fastener stud from said fixed holder.

15. A tool holster as defined in claim 13, wherein said support member comprises a flat rectangular plate defining upper and lower surfaces.

16. A tool holster as defined in claim 15, wherein said fastener stud is secured to one end of said rectangular plate, and further comprising fastening means for fastening a tool to be supported to at an opposing end of said rectangular plate.

17. A tool holster as defined in claim 16, wherein said edge on said disc is a straight edge generally parallel to a plane defined by said rectangular plate.

18. A tool holster as defined in claim 13, wherein said edge of said partial disc is arranged to be in a generally horizontal locking orientation when a tool is suspended on said support member requiring a tool and attached fastener stud to be rotated approximately 90° relative to said fixed holder to an unlocking orientation

19. A tool holster as defined in claim 16, wherein said rectangular plate includes an opening at said opposing end, and a tool support including fastener means extending through said opening for securing a tool to said rectangular plate.

20. A tool holster as defined in claim 19, wherein said fastener means comprises an elongate fastener dimensioned to extend through said opening and means for selectively securing said fastener to said plate.