Abstract:
A multi-functional toolbox includes at least one storage unit and a connector detachably connected to the storage unit. The storage unit includes a box and a cover movable relative to the box between a first position and a second position. In the first position, the cover closes the box. In the second position, the cover opens the box.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to tools and, more particularly, to a multi-functional toolbox. 
         [0003]    2. Related Prior Art 
         [0004]    A worker often carries various tools such as a magnet charger/eraser, an eraser, screwdrivers, a chuck, a connecting rod, an electric tool and a pneumatic tool to work. These tools are often carried in a toolbox. 
         [0005]    In practice, screws are often dropped onto the floor, causing troubles for workers. To solve this problem, the magnet charger/eraser and a screwdriver are taken from the tool box and the magnet charger/eraser is used to charge the screwdriver with magnetism. Thus, the screwdriver attracts screws during tightening and/or slackening. After the tightening and/or slacking, the magnet charger/eraser is used to erase the magnetism from the screwdriver. After the erasing, the magnet charger/eraser and the screwdriver are returned in the toolbox. However, the charging and erasing are troublesome for the worker. 
         [0006]    To solve the previous problem, a toolbox is disclosed in Taiwanese Patent No. M286759. The toolbox is adapted for containing tools, magnetically charging and erasing the tools, and measurement. The toolbox includes a box  20  and a cover  30 . The box  20  includes a tool-receiving portion  25  that includes bores  23 , grooves  24  and pairs of magnets  27 . The grooves  24  are made in a side of the tool-holding portion  25  corresponding to the bores  23 . Each bore  23  is located between the two magnets of the corresponding pair. A tool is inserted in one of the bores  23  to be magnetically charged by the magnets  27 . The tool is inserted in one of the grooves  24  to be magnetically erased. 
       SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
       [0007]    It is the primary objective of the present invention to provide a convenient-to-use multi-functional toolbox. 
         [0008]    To achieve the foregoing objectives, the multi-functional toolbox includes at least one storage unit and a connector detachably connected to the storage unit. The storage unit includes a box and a cover movable relative to the box between a first position for closing the box and a second position for opening the box. 
         [0009]    Other objectives, advantages and features of the present invention will be apparent from the following description referring to the attached drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         [0010]    The present invention will be described via detailed illustration of two embodiments referring to the drawings wherein: 
           [0011]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a multi-functional toolbox according to the first embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is an exploded view of the multi-functional toolbox shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view of the multi-functional toolbox shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  is an enlarged partial view of the multi-functional toolbox shown in  FIG. 3 ; 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  is a side view of the multi-functional toolbox shown in  FIG. 1  in operation; 
           [0016]      FIG. 6  is an exploded view of a multi-functional toolbox according to the second embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0017]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the multi-functional toolbox shown in  FIG. 6 ; 
           [0018]      FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional view of the multi-functional toolbox shown in  FIG. 7 ; and 
           [0019]      FIG. 9  is an enlarged partial view of the multi-functional toolbox shown in  FIG. 7 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
       [0020]    Referring to  FIGS. 1 to 4 , a toolbox  10  includes a primary storage unit  20 , a connector  40  and a secondary storage unit  50  according to a first embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0021]    The primary storage unit  20  includes a primary box  22 , a primary tray  24  and a primary cover  26 . The primary box  22  includes a space  28  for containing various screwdrivers  12  so that the screwdrivers  12  can easily be carried. The primary box  22  further includes grooves  29  in an internal face, in communication with the space  28 . 
         [0022]    The primary tray  24  is an annular element inserted in an opening of the primary box  22 . The primary tray  24  includes a latch  18  formed on a front portion and ribs  27  formed on a lower portion. The ribs  27  can be inserted in the grooves  29  to keep the primary tray  24  on the primary box  22 . 
         [0023]    The primary cover  26  includes a buckle  16  formed on a front portion. A rear portion of the primary cover  26  is pivotally connected to the primary tray  24  via a pivot  14 . Thus, the primary cover  26  can be pivoted between two positions. 
         [0024]    In the first position, the primary cover  26  closes a space defined in the primary tray  24  and the space  28  of the primary box  22  to keep the screwdrivers  12  in the primary storage unit  20 . The buckle  16  of the primary cover  26  can be engaged with the latch  18  of the primary tray  24  to keep the primary cover  26  in the first position. 
         [0025]    A force can used to pivot the primary cover  26  about the pivot  14  to disengage the buckle  16  from the latch  18  and move the primary cover  26  to the second position from the first position. In the second position, the primary cover  26  opens the primary tray  24  and the primary box  22  to allow any of the screwdrivers  12  to be selectively inserted in or removed from the primary storage unit  20 . 
         [0026]    The primary cover  26  further includes a protrusion  30 , two slopes  32  and  34  and a recess  36 . The protrusion  30  is formed on an upper face of the primary cover  26 . The first slope  32  is formed on a rear portion of the protrusion  30 . The second slope  34  is formed on a rear portion of the protrusion  30 . The first slope  32  and the second slope  34  are like two sides of a triangle in a side view of the toolbox  10 . The recess  36  is made in the upper face of the primary cover  26 . The recess  36  is defined by a concave face near the protrusion  30 . The recess  36  is located next to the second slope  34 . 
         [0027]    The protrusion  30  is a hollow portion adapted for containing a magnet  38 . The magnet  38  can be a permanent magnet or an electric magnet. Two poles of the magnet  38  are located on two sides of the protrusion  30 . That is, one of the poles of the magnet  38  is located near the first slope  32  while the other pole of the magnet  38  is located near the second slope  34 . 
         [0028]    To use the magnet  38 , the primary cover  26  is located in the first position, and the primary storage unit  20  is shaken. Hence, the screwdrivers  12  contained in the primary box  22  are attracted to a lower face of the primary cover  26  by the magnet  38 . Then, referring to  FIG. 5 , the primary cover  26  is pivoted to the second position, and the screwdrivers  12  attached to the lower face of the primary cover  26  is moved away from the primary box  22 . Hence, the screwdrivers  12  are exposed to a user who does not have to reach his or her hand in the primary box  22  via the primary tray  24  for the screwdrivers  12 . 
         [0029]    Then, the screwdriver  12  is rubbed on the first slope  32  several times so that the screwdriver  12  is magnetically charged by the magnet  38 . On the contrary, a magnetically charged screwdriver  12  can be rubbed on the second slope  34 , i.e., moved in the recess  36 , several times so that the screwdriver  12  is magnetically erased by the magnet  38 . 
         [0030]    Referring to  FIGS. 1-4 , the secondary storage unit  50  includes a secondary box  52 , a secondary tray  54  and a secondary cover  56 . The secondary box  52  can be closed by the secondary tray  54 . The secondary cover  56  is pivotally connected to the secondary tray  54  by another pivot  14  so that the secondary cover  56  can be pivoted between two positions. 
         [0031]    The connection of the secondary tray  54  to the secondary box  52  is like the connection of the primary tray  24  to the primary box  22 . The secondary cover  56  can be engaged with the secondary box  52  like the engagement of the primary cover  26  with the primary box  22 . 
         [0032]    Tools or parts to be used with the screwdrivers  12  can be stored in the secondary box  52 . The use of the secondary box  52  in addition to the primary box  22  increases the functionality of the toolbox  10 . 
         [0033]    The connector  40  is used to connect the primary storage unit  20  to the secondary storage unit  50  in a detachable manner. The connection of the primary storage unit  20  to the connector  40  is like the connection of the secondary storage unit  50  to the connector  40 . For briefness, the following description will be exemplarily given to the connection of the secondary storage unit  50  to the connector  40 . 
         [0034]    In this embodiment, the connector  40  is a sheet formed with a front face and a rear face. There is a horizontal protrusion  42  and a vertical protrusion  44  on the front face of the connector  40 . There is another horizontal protrusion  42  and another vertical protrusion  44  on the rear face of the connector  40 . On each of the front and rear faces of the connector  40 , a middle portion of the horizontal protrusion  42  is connected to a lower end of the vertical protrusion  44 . The vertical protrusion  44  is looks like a dovetail in a cross-sectional view. 
         [0035]    The secondary storage unit  50  includes a horizontal recess  51  and a vertical recess  53 , facing the connector  40 . A middle portion of the horizontal recess  51  is in communication with a lower end of the vertical recess  53 . The vertical recess  53  looks like a dovetail recess in a cross-sectional view. 
         [0036]    The vertical protrusion  44  is inserted in the vertical recess  53  and the horizontal protrusion  42  is inserted in the horizontal recess  51  to locate the connector  40  against the secondary storage unit  50 . The vertical protrusion  44  is engaged with the vertical recess  53  to prevent the connector  40  from leaving the secondary storage unit  50  horizontally since vertical protrusion  44  is a dovetail and the vertical recess  53  is a dovetail recess. However, the connector  40  can be disengaged from the secondary storage unit  50  by sliding the vertical protrusion  44  along and then out of the vertical recess  53 . 
         [0037]    The horizontal protrusion  42  is inserted in the horizontal recess  51  to position the connector  40  relative to the secondary storage unit  50 . The bottom of the lower face of the connector  40  is flush with that of the secondary storage unit  50 . Hence, the secondary storage unit  50  and the connector  40  look aesthetically pleasant as they are interconnected. 
         [0038]    The foregoing description of the connection of the secondary storage unit  50  to the connector  40  and the related functions and effects is also true with the connection of the primary storage unit  20  to the connector  40 . Hence, the connection of the primary storage unit  20  to the connector  40  will not be described in detail. 
         [0039]    The connector  40  further includes a pivotal connective portion  46  for pivotally connecting a hook  48  thereto in a detachable manner. With the use of the hook  48 , the toolbox  10  can be attached to a belt worn by the user. The access to the screwdrivers  12 , the connection of any of the storage units  20  and  50  to the connector  40  or the detachment of any of the storage units  20  and  50  from the connector  40  is not interfered with by the pivotal connective portion  46  or the hook  48 . 
         [0040]    In another embodiment, the connector  40  can be replaced with screws or threaded bolts while screw holes are made in or nuts are buried in each of the storage units  20  and  50 . Such screws or threaded bolts are inserted in such screw holes or nuts to attach the connector  40  to the storage units  20  and  50 . The use of such screws or threaded bolts is safe and convenient. 
         [0041]    Referring to  FIGS. 6 to 9 , there is a toolbox  10  according to a second embodiment of the present invention. The second embodiment is like the first embodiment except for several features. 
         [0042]    Firstly, there is no primary tray so that the primary cover  26  is not pivotally connected to any primary tray. The primary cover  26  is not pivotally connected to the primary box  22  either. Instead, the primary cover  26  and primary box  22  are adapted for direct engagement with each other. There is no protrusion, magnet, buckle or latch on or in the primary cover  26 . 
         [0043]    Secondly, there is holder  21  extending from the lower face of the primary cover  26 . The holder  21  and the primary cover  26  are made in one piece. The holder  21  includes three rows of hexagonal bores  23  and a rectangular cavity  25 . A screwdriver  12  can be stored in each of the bores  23 . A handle that can be used to drive the screwdrivers  12  can be stored in the cavity  25 . 
         [0044]    The holder  21  is inserted in the space  28  as the primary cover  26  is engaged with the primary box  22 . The holder cannot easily be shaken. The holder  21  is removed from the space  28  as the primary cover  26  is disengaged from the primary box  22 . Thus, the screwdrivers  12  and the handle are exposed to the user. 
         [0045]    Thirdly, the connector  40  is a hollow element that includes a space  41 . The space  41  can be used to contain pencils, pens, markers and/or any other tool for making marks on work-pieces. Of course, the space  41  can be used to contain other objects. 
         [0046]    Fourthly, there is a pen sharpener  43  deeply inserted in the space  41  and exposed to the exterior of the connector  40 . Thus, a pencil can be inserted in and sharpened by the pen sharpener  43  while debris of the pencil can fall into the space  41 . The debris of the pencil can later be thrown in a garbage bin from the space  41 , and this is convenient. 
         [0047]    The present invention has been described via detailed illustration of the embodiments. Those skilled in the art can derive variations from the embodiments without departing from the scope of the present invention. Therefore, the embodiments shall not limit the scope of the present invention defined in the claims.