Tool storage device

A tool storage device includes a housing, a linkage unit, a biasing member and a locking member. The linkage unit includes a driving member, multiple storing members, and a linkage mechanism interconnecting the storing members and the driving member. The linkage unit is convertible between a retracted position, where the storing members are accommodated in the housing, and an opening position, where the storing members are driven by the driving member via the linkage mechanism to pivot so that ends of the storing members are away from the housing with different orientations. The biasing member biases the linkage unit toward the expanded position. The locking member is disposed for locking releasably the linkage unit in the retracted position.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority of Taiwanese Patent Application No. 102135855, filed on Oct. 3, 2013.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a tool storage device, more particularly to a tool storage device with a linkage mechanism.

2. Description of the Related Art

In order to conveniently store and retrieve multiple tools or multiple tool heads of a tool, conventional tool storage devices are provided, such as those disclosed in Taiwanese Patents TW475509, TWM371068, TW582328, TWM241196, TWM241197, TWM389004, TW20137093 and TWM392723.

There are a variety of structures and operational methods for each of the aforementioned Patent cases. As an example, TW475509 and TWM371068 disclose conventional tool storage devices having the same limitation, which is the usage of a slide cap or lift cap that can be slid or lifted open. Storing members for tool heads are biased by springs to stand up so as to facilitate access of the tool heads.

Moreover, in Taiwanese Patents TW582328, TWM241196, TWM241197, TWM389004 and TW20137093, other conventional tool storage devices are disclosed in which the storing members and the caps are associated with a linkage mechanism, so that movement of the caps will simultaneously move the tool heads upright. In addition, in TWM392723, the user has to manually rotate a gear for driving each of the storing members to standup from a flat-lying position (i.e., from the horizontal position to the vertical position).

However, the abovementioned conventional tool storage devices still have a number of drawbacks to be overcome.

First, the movement range of each of the storing members is too small for the tools therein to be easily picked up by the user. The storing members are in parallel arrangement. Each of the storing members is pivotable about a longitudinal axis thereof. As such, the storing members are laid out to be disposed proximate to one another, and the user would not be able to pick up a tool head from a storing member without interference from neighboring tool heads or storing members.

Second, the opening and closing operations of the caps are not convenient and are time-consuming. Great force may be required to slide or lift the cap open.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a tool storage device that can alleviate the aforesaid drawbacks of the prior art.

According to the pre sent invention, there is provided a tool storage device including a housing, a linkage unit, a biasing member and a locking member. The housing is formed with an accommodating space, and a plurality of side openings. Each of the openings is formed in an outer lateral side of the housing and is in spatial communication with the accommodating space. The linkage unit is disposed in the housing and includes a driving member, a plurality of storing members and a linkage mechanism. The storing members surround the driving member, and each has a first end that is proximate to the driving member and that is pivotally connected to the housing, and a second end that is distal from the first end. The linkage mechanism interconnects the storing members and the driving member. The linkage unit is convertible between a retracted position, where the second ends of the storing members are accommodated in the accommodating space, and an expanded position, where the storing members are driven by the driving member via the linkage mechanism to pivot so that the second ends of the storing members are away from the housing with different orientations via the side openings, respectively. The biasing member is disposed in the housing for biasing the linkage unit from the retracted position to the expanded position. The locking member is mounted to the housing for locking releasably the linkage unit in the retracted position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring toFIGS. 1 and 2, a preferred embodiment of a tool storage device according to the present invention includes a housing1, a linkage unit2, a biasing member3and a locking member4.

The housing1includes a bottom body11, and a top body12opposite to the bottom body11. The housing1is formed with an accommodating space13which is cooperatively defined by the bottom and top bodies11,12, and a plurality of side openings14formed between the bottom and top bodies11,12. In this embodiment, each of the side openings14is formed in a respective one of outer lateral sides of the housing1and is in spatial communication with the accommodating space13.

The housing1also includes a main column15, a plurality of bottom columns16(only one is visible inFIG. 2) and a plurality of top columns17. The main column15is mounted on a center of the bottom body11. The bottom columns16are mounted on the bottom body11and surround the main column15. The top columns17are mounted on the top body12and are registered respectively with the bottom columns16.

The linkage unit2is disposed in the housing1, and includes a driving member21, a plurality of storing members22and a linkage mechanism23. The driving member21is mounted in the housing1, and has an annular wall213that is sleeved rotatably on the main column15and that is formed with a slot212. The main column15is formed with a plurality of slits151, and a plurality of securing hooks152at a top end thereof for fixing the driving member21between the bottom body11and the securing hooks152. Each of the securing hooks152is formed between an adjacent pair of the slits151so that the securing hooks152are resiliently deformable to facilitate the coupling of the driving member21to the main column15. The storing members22surround the driving member21. Each of the storing members22has a first end221that is proximate to the driving member21and that is pivotally sleeved on a respective one of the top columns17and a corresponding one of the bottom columns16, and a second end222that is distal from the first end221.

In this embodiment, the driving member21of the linkage unit2is rotatable about a central axis thereof, and each of the storing members22is pivotable about a pivot axis which is parallel to the central axis of the driving member21.

The linkage unit2is convertible between a retracted position (seeFIG. 3), where the second ends222of the storing members22are accommodated in the accommodating space13, and an expanded position (seeFIG. 5), where the storing members22are driven by the driving member21via the linkage mechanism23to pivot so that the second ends222of the storing members22are away from the housing1with different orientations (i.e. the storing members22extend from the housing1indifferent directions).

In this embodiment, the linkage mechanism23interconnects the storing members22and the driving member21, and includes a sun gear231and a plurality of planet gears232. The sun gear231is mounted on the driving member21. Each of the planet gears232is connected to the first end221of a respective one of the storing members22, and meshes with the sun gear231. Each of the planet gears232is substantially fan-shaped, and has first and second edges233,234. Further referring toFIGS. 3 and 5, the housing1further includes a plurality of open stoppers18and a plurality of close stoppers19. Each of the open stoppers18abuts against the first edge233of a respective one of the planet gears232when the linkage unit2is in the expanded position, and each of the close stoppers19abuts against the second edge234of a respective one of the planet gears232when the linkage unit2is in the retracted position. Each of the storing members22further has a non-circular nut hole223at the first end221. The linkage mechanism23further includes a plurality of non-circular nuts235, each of which engages fittingly the nut hole223of a respective one of the storing members22so that each of the storing members22is co-rotatable with the respective one of the planet gears232.

When the linkage unit2is in the retracted position, the storing members22are entirely accommodated in the accommodating space13. During conversion of the linkage unit2from the retracted position to the expanded position, the driving member21is rotated to drive rotation of the planet gears232via the sun gear231of the linkage mechanism23, thereby causing pivot movement of the storing members22outward from the housing1respectively through the side openings14.

The biasing member3is disposed in the housing1for biasing the linkage unit2from the retracted position to the expanded position. In this embodiment, the biasing member3is a torsion spring for biasing the storing members22away from the retracted position. The bottom body11of the housing1is formed with an insert hole111, and the driving member21of the linkage unit2further has a stopper plate211(seeFIG. 2) connected to an inner surface of the annular wall213. The biasing member3has one end31inserted into the insert hole111, and an opposite end32abutting against the stopper plate211.

The locking member4is mounted on the top body12of the housing1for locking releasably the linkage unit2in the retracted position. The locking member4includes a locking bolt41, a return spring42and a release button43. The locking bolt41is movable along an axis (L) (seeFIG. 1) and is removably inserted into the slot212of the driving member21when the linkage unit2is in the retracted position for locking the driving member21. The return spring42biases the locking bolt41along the axis (L). The release button43is connected to the locking bolt41and is exposed from the top body12.

To switch the linkage unit2from the retracted position to the expanded position, the release button43is pushed against a resilient force of the return spring42to disengage the locking bolt41from the slot212of the driving member21, thereby unlocking the driving member21. Afterward, a biasing force of the biasing member3automatically drives the driving member21to rotate via the abutment between the stopper plate21and the other end32of the biasing member3for eventually converting the linkage unit2from the retracted position to the expanded position. During the aforesaid conversion of the linkage unit2, the locking bolt41slides on the inner surface of the annular wall213of the driving member21.

Since the storing members22have different orientations when the linkage unit2is in the expanded position, access to a tool head from any of the storing members22would not be easily interfered by a neighboring one of the storing members22. Moreover, the user can easily conduct the expansion of the storing members22by simply pushing the release button43.

To switch the linkage unit2from the expanded position back to the retracted position, the user just needs to push any of the storing members22toward the accommodating space13in the housing1. All of the storing members22will move simultaneously into the accommodating space13by virtue of the linkage between the sun gear231and the planet gears232of the linkage mechanism23. Meanwhile, the driving member21is driven to rotate reversely until the linkage unit2returns to the retracted position, where the slot212is registered with the locking bolt41. The locking bolt41of the locking member4will then be biased by the return spring42to re-engage the slot212, thereby locking the linkage unit2in the retracted position.

With reference toFIGS. 2 to 4, preferably, the tool storage device of this invention further includes a breakable anti-theft bolt5for securing the linkage unit2in the retracted position. The anti-theft bolt5has a head portion51that is disposed outside of the bottom body11of the housing1, an insert arm52that extends from the head portion51through a bolt hole112(seeFIGS. 4 and 5) formed in the bottom body11and an orifice226(seeFIG. 4) formed in one of the storing members22, and a hook portion53that is connected to a distal end of the insert arm52and that engages the one of the storing members22. The anti-theft bolt5can prevent the tool heads which are retained in the storing members22from being stolen before purchase of the tool storage device, and will be broken by the user before the tool storage device is used for the first time.