Apparatus for storing and charging a rechargeable electric tool

An apparatus for storing and recharging a rechargeable electric tool such as an electric drill is disclosed. The apparatus includes a holster that receives a portion of the tool and facilitates it being detachably affixed to the clothing of the user. The holster further includes an opening exposing the electrical contacts used to recharge the tool. The apparatus further includes a base for recharging the tool. The base engages the holster and makes electrical contact with the electrical contacts on the tool through the opening in the holster.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates to apparatus for storing and charging 
rechargeable electric tools. 
The advent of high output rechargeable batteries has resulted in the 
development of a number of different electric tools that operated on 
battery power but are recharged from household current. Rechargeable 
electric vacuums, flashlights and even relatively low power electric power 
tools may be battery powered. 
Conventionally such devices are stored in a recharging base that makes 
electrical contact with the batteries in the device and applies a D.C. 
current to recharge the batteries. The base ordinarily includes means for 
regulating the charge applied to the batteries as well as a transformer 
for converting the A.C. household current to the appropriate D.C. power 
input for the battery. Such recharging bases normally provide a recess in 
which the device is placed to insure that electrical contact is made. 
Conventionally, the tool simply rests in the recess and is neither covered 
nor affixed securely to the base. 
Portable electric tools such as drills and the like, and especially 
rechargeable tools, are infrequently in continuous use. For example, a 
drill may be used to form a hole in which a fastener is placed or the 
article to be drilled may require fitting before the next hole is drilled. 
While the drill is not being used, it would be convenient to attach it on 
the clothing of the user rather than placing the tool down and picking it 
up again each time it is used. A number of tools have clips or the like 
that are intended to engage the clothing of the user. Such clips, however, 
have significant drawbacks. In order to engage such a clip onto, for 
example, a belt around the waist without using two hands, such a clip 
should project out from the side of the tool. Such a clip must also be 
large enough to securely retain the tool and, as a result, the dimensions 
of the tool will be significantly increased. This limits the usefulness of 
the tool in applications where clearance space is limited. While 
retractable clips or the like on the housing are feasible, they are 
relatively expensive to manufacture, prone to breakage, and normally 
difficult to actuate with one hand. 
It is therefore the principal object of the present invention to provide an 
apparatus for storing and charging a rechargeable electric tool that is 
relatively inexpensive, does not increase the dimensions of the tool, and 
securely holds the tool in a convenient position on the clothing of the 
user such that the tool can be used more efficiently. 
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an apparatus 
that securely locates the tool on the recharging base in such a manner 
that it is positively engaged with the base. 
An additional object of the invention is to provide a means for storing the 
entire tool in a charging base without the risk that a portion of the 
tool, i.e. the holster, would be lost or damaged due to its being stored 
separately. 
Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the 
description of the preferred embodiment or may be used from practice of 
the invention. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
In order to achieve the objects and advantages of the present invention 
there is provided an apparatus for storing and charging a rechargeable 
electric tool having accessible electrical contact for charging the tool. 
The apparatus comprises a holster for the tool that includes a tool 
storage portion disposed to receive and retain the tool. The holster 
further includes means for detachably affixing the holster to the clothing 
of the user of the tool and means for exposing the electrical contacts on 
the tool. The apparatus further includes a recharging means having a base 
disposed to detachably engage the holster. The base includes means for 
electrically connecting the contacts on the electric tool through the 
contact exposing means of the holster. 
Preferably, the electric tool is a drill having a motor containing a 
housing, electrical contacts on the housing for recharging the drill, and 
a handle projecting from the housing. In such a preferred embodiment, the 
holster for the drill has a portion disposed to receive and retain the 
housing of the drill with an opening in the retaining portion for exposing 
the contacts on the housing. 
In an additional preferred embodiment the holster includes a means for 
storing drill bits. Preferably the drill bits storage means is detachably 
affixed to the holster.

A DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
The present invention will now be described in terms of a preferred 
embodiment. 
The invention comprises an apparatus for storing and charging a 
rechargeable electric tool. In the embodiment depicted, the tool is a 
rechargeable electric drill shown as the drill 10 in FIGS. 1 and 4. While 
the invention finds particular utility in storing and charging a 
rechargeable electric drill, other rechargeable electric tools may be used 
with the present invention. The invention's use with a drill, however, is 
particularly advantageous since a drill is generally used intermittently 
and may be used while standing on a ladder, where is it inconvenient to 
place the tool on a surface while another operation is being carried out 
between drilling operations. Even where placement of the tool at a 
convenient location is feasible, it is preferred that such a tool be 
readily accessible by being detachably affixed to the clothing of the 
user. The present invention facilitates such use of a tool by providing a 
holster-like device. 
As here embodied and most clearly depicted in FIGS. 1 through 5, the tool 
includes a portion disposed to receive and retain the tool. As here 
embodied, the holster 12 includes a tool storing portion 14 that has an 
internal surface which complements the outer surface of the electric drill 
such that it is retained in the tool storing portion 14. The tool storing 
portion is, of course, adapted to the tool to be stored and locates the 
tool within the holster. As here embodied, the drill 10 has a projecting 
handle 16 which is accommodated in the holster 12 by means of a U-shaped 
handle opening 18. As is evident from FIGS. 2 and 5, drill 10 is readily 
removable from holster 12, since there are no projections or 
inter-connections between the drill and holster which interfere with free 
movement into and out of the holster. 
In accordance with the invention, the apparatus further includes means for 
detachably affixing the holster to the clothing of the user of the tool. 
As here embodied and most clearly depicted in FIGS. 2 and 3, the holster 
12 includes a U-shaped clip 20 having a downward-facing opening 22 that 
can be placed over the belt of the user of the tool. In such a manner the 
holster can be placed on the clothing of the user such that the tool or 
drill may be conveniently inserted and extracted from the holster when 
needed. As is evident from the embodiment of FIG. 3, the clip has a 
significant width across the holster thereby providing a stable and strong 
attachment of the holster to the clothing of the user. As is evident from 
the embodiment depicted in FIG. 2, the addition of a clip of such 
dimensions to the side of an electric drill would substantially increase 
its width and thereby limit the use of such a drill in situations where 
there is insufficient space to place the drill. 
In accordance with the invention, the holster includes means for exposing 
electrical contacts on the tool. As here embodied and depicted in FIG. 4, 
the electric drill 10 includes two electrical contacts 24 on the side of 
the drill. These contacts are electrically connected to batteries within 
the rechargeable tool and facilitate the recharging of those batteries. As 
shown in FIG. 4, the side of the holster 12 includes an opening 26 that 
exposes the contacts 24 on the drill 10. 
In accordance with the invention, the apparatus further includes recharging 
means for applying a recharging current to the batteries in the tool. Such 
recharging means normally have a transformer that is inserted into a wall 
receptacle, a two-conductor wire that is attached to the base and is 
electrically connected to the contacts of the rechargeable tool. As here 
embodied, the recharging means includes a base disposed to detachably 
engage the holster. As depicted in FIGS. 8, 9 and 10, base 28 includes 
projection 30 that is disposed to engage the opening 22 behind the clip 20 
thereby affixing the holster 12 to the base 28. With the holster properly 
engaged to the base 28, the contacts 24 are aligned with contacts 30 on 
the base 28. These contacts are accessible in spite of the tool being 
within the holster 12 because of the opening 26 in the side of the 
holster. When the holster 12 is properly engaged to the base 28, the 
contacts 24 on the drill 10 are aligned with the contacts 32 on the base. 
As here embodied, the contacts 32 are sheet metal contacts riveted to a 
portion of the base 28. 
In a preferred embodiment, the portion of drill 10 exposed through opening 
26 of holster 12 includes a recess 46 adjacent contacts 24 as seen in FIG. 
4. Additionally, as depicted in FIGS. 9 and 10, charger base 28 includes 
post 44 projecting outwardly from projection 30 proximate and between 
contacts 32 on base 28. By this preferred arrangement, when drill 10 in 
holster 12 is placed in base 28, post 44 engages recess 46 while clip 20 
engages projection 30 thereby fixing drill 10 in the proper location 
relative to contacts 32 on base 28. Because of the flexibility of clip 20, 
drill 10 in holster 12 can move away from base 28 a sufficient distance to 
permit engagement and disengagement of post 44 and recess 46. The 
flexibility of clip 20 when engaging projection 30 and the engagement of 
post 44 with recess 46 in drill 10 stably locates the drill on charger 
base 28 for good electric contact during recharging. This important 
feature is achieved without structure which may interfere with removal of 
the drill from the holster when in use. 
The cord and transformer of the recharging means are not depicted. However, 
the cord from the transformer is merely electrically connected to the two 
contacts 32 in such a manner that the contacts are provided with the 
proper recharging current. 
As here embodied, the base 28 further includes means for attaching the base 
to a surface. As depicted in FIGS. 8 and 10, attachement holes 34 provides 
a means for placing fasteners through the base into the surface on which 
the base is to be mounted. The preferred embodiment for the base further 
includes pins 36 that project from the interior portion of the base that 
provide a cord wrap for storing lengths of the cord inside the base. The 
base may also include openings to allow the cord to exit the base 28 at a 
number of locations. Such openings are shown in FIG. 8 as the openings 37. 
In a preferred embodiment, the holster includes means for storing drill 
bits. As here embodied and most clearly depicted in FIG. 6, the holster 
includes an elastomeric tool storage member 38. The storage member has a 
plurality of holes disposed to engage and retain tools such as screw 
driver bits or drill bits within the member 38. The member 38 is stored 
within the holster 12 by inserting it into the opening 40 depicted in FIG. 
5. A plug-like portion 42 of the member 38 fits within the opening 40 in 
an interference fit thereby retaining the member 38 within the opening. 
Using such an embodiment, the operator of the drill has ready access to 
the various tools that can be inserted in the drill. They may be readily 
obtained by grasping the exposed portion of the member 38 and removing it 
from the holster thereby providing access to the tools stored therein. 
The present invention has been disclosed in terms of a preferred 
embodiment; however, the invention is not limited thereto. The scope of 
the invention is determined by the appended claims and their equivalents.