Hand tool part holding device

A hand tool part holding device includes a holding member having two posts. Each post is a T-shaped post and has two first holding portions and a second holding portion. The two respective second holding portion of the two posts are located away from each other. Each of the posts has two first slots defined in the outside thereof, and a second slot is defined between the two posts. Each post has a first engaging portion and a second engaging portion formed on the outside thereof. The first engaging portion is located close to the distal end of the post and positions a hand tool part which can be separated from the first engaging portion with a less force. The second engaging portion is an annular flange which secures the hand tool part which can be separated from the second engaging portion with a larger force.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Fields of the invention

The present invention relates to a hand tool part holding device, and more particularly, to a hand tool part holding device which holds the hand tool part in two different ways.

2. Descriptions of Related Art

The conventional socket holding device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,181,780 which is designed for holding sockets, extension rods, connectors or universal connectors. The holding device has a post and the socket has a rectangular recess with which the post is engaged. The post is a plastic made, cylindrical member and has an annular protrusion on the outside thereof. The sockets, extension rods, connectors or universal connectors each has a rectangular recess and a notch is defined in the inside of the rectangular recess so that the annular protrusion is engaged with the notch. The socket is mounted to the post and is convenient for storage. The conventional storage device is a frame with multiple posts, the sockets are mounted to the posts by engaging the notch with the annular protrusion so that the sockets are well secured on the posts and do not detach from the posts. The conventional post3is shown inFIG. 12. However, there is only one way to connect the socket with the post3, in order to securely position the socket, the rectangular recess of the socket and the post3are snugly connected to each other. Therefore, when the user wants to take the socket out from the post, he or she has to pull the socket with significant force and this is not convenient for some of the users. When the post3is connected to a frame, the post3is easily removed from the molds which can be removed upward or downward to obtain the post3. However, when the post3has a sliding groove which is designed to be slidably mounted to the rail on the frame, the post3is stripped from the molds from the direction shown by the arrowhead, there must have a slide in the sliding groove to form the sliding groove. This makes the structure of the molds to be complicated.

The present invention intends to provide a hand tool part holding device which improves the shortcomings mentioned above.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a hand tool part holding device and comprises a holding member having two posts which are located corresponding to each other. Each post is a T-shaped post and has two first holding portions and a second holding portion. The two respective second holding portion of the two posts are located away from each other. Each of the posts has two first slots defined in the outside thereof, and a second slot is defined between the two posts. The second slot has two parallel sides. Each post has a first engaging portion and a second engaging portion formed on the outside thereof. The first engaging portion is located close to the distal end of the post so as to position a hand tool part. The hand tool part can be separated from the first engaging portion with a less force. The second engaging portion is an annular flange which secures the hand tool part so that the hand tool part can be separated from the second engaging portion with a larger force.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a hand tool part holding device which holds the hand tool part in two different ways.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring toFIGS. 1 and 2, the hand tool part holding device of the present invention comprises a holding member10which is a cylindrical member and made by plastic. The holding member10has two posts11which are located corresponding to each other. Each post11is a T-shaped post and has two first holding portions111and a second holding portion112. The two respective second holding portions112of the two posts11are located away from each other. Each second holding portion112of each post11is located between the two first holding portions111of each post11. Each of the posts11has two first slots12defined in the outside thereof and the two first slots12separate the first holding portions111and the second holding portion112. A second slot13is defined between the two posts11and has two parallel sides. The two posts11are located symmetrically relative to the second slot13. Each post11has a first engaging portion14and a second engaging portion15formed on the outside thereof. The first engaging portion14is a tapered face extending from the outside of the post11and located close to a distal end of the post11. The first engaging portion14has an inclined face141and a shoulder142. The first engaging portion14is designed to position a hand tool part30mounted to the posts11, and the hand tool part30can be separated from the first engaging portion14by a less force. The second engaging portion15is an annular flange which secures the hand tool part30which can be separated from the second engaging portion15by a larger force. Therefore, when hand tool part30is engaged with the second engaging portion15, the hand tool part30does not detach from the posts11.

As shown inFIG. 2, the holding member10has a central axis20. An imaginary vertical line21is perpendicular to the central axis20and passes through the second slot13. An imaginary horizontal line22is parallel to the central axis20and passes through the second holding portion12. The two posts11are located symmetrically to each other relative to the imaginary vertical line21. The two first slots12of each post11are located symmetrically to each other relative to the imaginary horizontal line22. An outer face of the two posts11is located on an imaginary outer circle23. As defined in inFIG. 2, the width of the second slot13is a first distance24, the width of the first holding portion111is a second distance25, and the width of the second holding portion112is a third distance26. The first, second and third distances24,25,26are equal to each other.

As shown inFIGS. 3 and 4, the hand tool part30has a rectangular recess31, and a groove32is defined in each inside of the rectangular recess31. The first and second engaging portions14,15are engaged with the grooves32. The hand tool part30is a socket, an extension rod, a connector or a universal connector.

As shown inFIG. 5, when the first engaging portion14of the holding member10is engaged with the grooves32of the hand tool part30, because the first engaging portion14is located close to the distal end of the post11, and the distal ends of the posts11have better flexibility so that the hand tool part30can be separated from the first engaging portion14by a less force. In other words, if the hand tool part30will be used frequently, then the hand tool part30can temporarily positioned by the first engaging portions14.

As shown inFIG. 6, the second engaging portion15is an annular flange which secures the hand tool part30so that it needs a larger force to separate the hand tool part30from the second engaging portion15. The hand tool part30does not detach from the posts11and is conveniently stored without worry of lost.

As shown inFIGS. 7 and 8, the outer face of the two posts11is located on an imaginary outer circle23, so that when the posts11are engaged with the grooves32, the hand tool part30is freely rotatable relative to the posts11.

As shown inFIG. 9, a first frame40is used which has multiple holding members10connected thereto so as to hold multiple hand tool parts30.

As shown inFIG. 10, another embodiment shows that a second frame50is used which has a rail51, and the rail51is a T-shaped rail. The holding member10has a sliding groove16. The holding member10is slidably mounted to the rail51by engaging the rail51with the sliding groove16. This provides flexibility to position the hand tool parts30t0the holding members10at desired positions.

FIG. 11shows that the holding member10has a hanging portion17so that the holding member10can be hanged and displayed.

The present invention has the first and second engaging portions14,15to provide the hand tool part30two different positioning features which are temporarily positioning and more securely positioning.

As shown inFIG. 1, the holding member10can be stripped from the molds from top, bottom, or two sides, so that the holding member10can be manufactured at lower cost.

As shown inFIG. 10, when the holding member10has the sliding groove16, the second slot13and the sliding groove16are orientated in the same direction. Therefore, the holding member10can be stripped from the molds from two sides. There will be no slide needed in the molds.