Abstract:
A self powering portable case has a custom liner insert tray accommodating electric hair clippers and trimmers and detachable blades therefore. Retractable power cords attached to the hair tools are dispensed from cord holders to facilitate tool use. The cords are electrically coupled to a power connector that is connected to a electric power supply to power the tools.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The invention relates to the field of portable kits for power grooming tools. In particular, the invention relates to kits for electric hair grooming clippers and accessory blades therefor. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   It is often difficult and bothersome to transport, handle, set up and use a plurality of electric hand tools, such as hair grooming clippers, having loose, easily tangled electrical cords and cables. Also, the power cord for each tool requires an electrical outlet to connect the tool to a power source. The area for tool use is limited to the length of the power cord. The tools are commonly placed on countertops, tables and/or work benches in haphazard and unorganized fashion. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The grooming unit of the invention is a portable self-powered multi-tool hair grooming kit. The kit is useable by barbers, hair care professionals and students to easily transport and set up hair grooming work stations at various locations. 
   The grooming unit has a case having a bottom wall joined to upright side walls defining an inner chamber. A cover hinged to the case closes the case. An insert member secured to the top of the case has one or more recesses accommodating hair grooming tools. A cord holder secured to the case is operable to hold the electric power cord attached to the grooming tool. The cord holder has a housing having a spool member rotatably mounted thereon that carries the power cord. Actuator means mounted on the housing is operable to control the rotation of the spool member. When the actuator means is actuated the spool member rotates to wind the power cord on the spool member. The cord can be pulled outwardly from the cord holder to dispense the cord from the spool member at a desired length during tool use. 

   
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
       FIG. 1  is a rear perspective view of the portable grooming unit of the invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a bottom plan view of the grooming unit of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 3  is a rear elevational view of the grooming unit of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 4  is a front perspective view of the grooming unit of  FIG. 1  with the cover opened; 
       FIG. 5  is a front perspective view of the grooming unit of  FIG. 1  with the cover opened and the clippers and blades removed from the tool tray liner; 
       FIG. 6  is a top plan view of the grooming unit of  FIG. 1  with the liner removed from the case; and 
       FIG. 7  is an enlarged sectional view taken along line  7 - 7  of  FIG. 5 . 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   The portable grooming unit, indicated generally at  10  in  FIGS. 1 to 6 , has a plurality of hair grooming tools or clippers  26  operable to cut hair and trim mustaches, beards, goatees, neck hair, facial hair and the like. Clippers  26  are used with detachable blades  27  for various cuts of head, facial and neck hair. Unit  10  allows hair professionals, barbers and hair care students to transport and use clippers  26  and blades  27  in work areas, training areas and other locations quickly and easily in an organized, secure manner. Set up and break down of a grooming work area or training area is facilitated with the use of unit  10 . Unit  10  can be adapted to be used with other hand held electrically powered grooming tools such as flat irons, curling irons, massagers, and hair dryers. 
   Unit  10  has a case  11  having upright side walls joined to a bottom wall with an open top. A cover  12  hinged to case  11  is operable to close case  11 . Cover  12  has latches  16  engageable with plates  18  secured to the front of case  11  to hold cover  12  in a closed position on case  11 . A handle  17  pivotally mounted on case  11  is used as a hand grip to facilitate transport of unit  10 . Case  11  and cover  12  have overall dimensions that allow unit  10  to be easily transported from location to location by public or private transport. 
   As seen in  FIG. 2 , the bottom of case  11  has a pair of transversely extending rectangular feet  13  having downwardly extending pads  15  secured to the ends thereof. Pads  15  are operable to stabilize unit  10  when unit  10  is placed on a horizontal support surface, such as a countertop, sink top or work bench. A semi-flexible pad or cushion  29  secured to the inside of cover  12  engages tools  26  and blades  27  when cover  12  is closed. Cushion  29  prevents movements of tools  26  and blades  27  during transport and storage of unit  10 . 
   Each tool  26  has an elongated electric power cord  28  to supply electric power to tool  26 . Cords  28  are wound and stored on cord holders  31  secured to the bottom of case  11 . Cords  28  can be pulled from cord holders  31  to dispense the desired length of cord  28  whereby tools  26  may be used to cut and trim hair at distances remote from case  11 . When finished, cords  28  can be retracted back onto cord holders  31 . 
   Referring to  FIGS. 4 to 7 , case  11  has an inner, generally rectangular open compartment  21  covered by a transverse insert or liner  22 . Liner  22  is preferably a one-piece molded plastic member. Other materials can be used to make liner  22 . Liner  22  has a plurality of side-by-side downwardly extending rectangular shaped recesses  23  and  25  that are adapted and shaped to accommodate tools  26 . Each recess  23  and  25  is in general vertical alignment with one of cord holders  31  thereby preventing tangling of cords  28  attached to tools  26 . A plurality of vertically aligned laterally spaced slots  24  located along one side of liner  22  adjacent recesses  23  accommodate blades  27 . The bottom of each slot  24  is closed to hold the bottom of blade  27 . 
   Liner  22  has a plurality of raised cube shaped interior portions  34  that accommodate the tops of cord holders  31  located in compartment  21  below liner  22 . Each raised portion  34  each has a rectangular shaped top opening  36  exposing an actuator button  32  mounted on cord holder  31 . Tool power cord  28  extends through a generally circular side opening  37  in raised portion  34 . A downwardly directed open slot  38  extending through raised portion  34  is in communication with side opening  37 . Slot  38  guides cord  28  when cord  28  is dispensed from cord holder  31 . As seen in  FIG. 5 , liner  22  has downwardly directed conical shaped recesses  39  adjacent the lower ends of recesses  23 . Recesses  39  accommodate the lower ends of tools  26  when tools  26  are placed in recesses  23 . 
   As seen in  FIG. 7 , cord holder  31  has an upright housing  46 . A spool  47  rotatably mounted on a housing  46 . Cord  28  can be pulled outwardly to dispense a desired length of cord  28  from spool  47 . Spool  47  is spring biased to automatically retract cord  28 . A release button  32  operable connected to spool  47  allows spool  47  to rotate in a first direction so that cord  28  can be dispensed and pulled from spool  47  at a desired length for tension-free use over desired distances. Actuating button  32  causes spool  47  to rotate in the opposite direction thereby winding cord  28  on spool  47 . 
   Cord connector  33  has a plurality of cords  43  extending from a centrally located body or hub  48 . Each cord  43  has female plug receptacle  49  that accommodate a male plug  44  on the outer end of cord  28  extending from the bottom of cord holder housing  46 . Connector  33  also protects against transient voltage surges directly into tool  26  that could damage tool  26 . Connector  33  is electrically coupled with a power cord  41  to receptacle  19  on case  11 . Power cord  14  located in receptacle  19  is plugged into a standard electric outlet to supply electric power to tools  26  through cord connector  33 . Other types of power sources, such as batteries, can be used to power tools  26 . 
   In use, unit  10  is placed on a horizontal support surface, such as a countertop, whereby pads  15  engage the support surface to stabilize unit  10 . Latches  16  are pulled from plates  16  so that cover  12  can be pivoted upwardly away from case  11  to an open position, as seen in  FIG. 4 . One end of power cord  14  is plugged into receptacle  19 . The opposite end of power cord  14  is plugged into an electric outlet to supply electric power to tools  26  through cord connector  33  and connector cords  43  and tool power cords  28 . A desired tool  26  is lifted out of liner recess  23 ,  25 . Cord  28  is pulled outwardly from holder  31  until the desired length of cord  28  has been extended from housing  46 . Button  32  allows cord  28  to be dispensed from holder  31  and prevents cord  28  from being retracted onto spool  47 . When tool use is complete, tool  26  is placed in recess  23 ,  25 . Button  32  is depressed and held down to auto-retract cord  28  back onto spool  47  in housing  46 . Power cord  14  is unplugged from the electric outlet and receptacle  19  and can be placed inside of cover  12 . Cover  12  is then moved to the closed position on case  11 . Latches  16  are moved into engagement with plates  18  to hold cover  12  in the closed position. 
   There has been shown and described an embodiment of the portable grooming unit of the invention. Changes in the materials, structures, and arrangement of structures may be made by persons skilled in the art without departing from the invention.