Tool try-on device assembly

A tool try-on device includes a body and a frictional retaining member mounted to the body. The frictional retaining member and the body together define a compartment for receiving a rotatable member rotatably mounted to an end of a handle of a tool. The frictional retaining member exerts a frictional force to an outer surface of the rotatable member of the tool for retaining the rotatable member in place unless a rotational force greater than the frictional force is applied to the handle of the tool in a ratcheting direction.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a tool try-on device. In particular, the present invention relates to a device allowing a customer to try a tool such as a wrench before buying it.

2. Description of the Related Art

Taiwan Utility Model Publication No. 478450 discloses a tool rack including a board having a main portion. Two rows of socket-mounting pegs are provided on two lateral sides of the main portion of the board. A socket is releasably mounted on the respective socket-mounting peg. A tool-holding member is provided on an upper side of the main portion for releasably holding a tool such as a socket wrench. The tool rack can only provide a function of displaying the socket wrench and the sockets. A user could not know the exact operational condition of the socket wrench unless the user buys and uses it.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,785,174 discloses a display pack having a rotatable security member, allowing a customer to try a wrench before buying. The display pack includes a board having a hole. The rotatable security member includes a shank having a toothed periphery that is engaged with a toothed inner periphery delimiting the hole of the board. An end of a wrench may be engaged with the rotatable security member and turned. The rotatable security member rotates in the hole of the board, with the toothed periphery of the rotatable security member shifting on the toothed inner periphery delimiting the hole. The wrench is operated as if it is fastening or unfastening a fastener. However, the try-on function provided by the teeth-to-teeth engagement is lost once the teeth are worn out. Further, formation of the teeth incurs additional cost in manufacture. U.S. Pat. No. 6,409,015 discloses a tool pack with a flexible portion and a try-on device. The try-on device also uses a teeth-to-teeth engagement to provide a try-on function and thus has the same disadvantages.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide a tool try-on device without using teeth-to-teeth engagement.

In accordance with one aspect of the invention, a tool try-on device includes a body and a frictional retaining member mounted to the body. The frictional retaining member and the body together define a compartment for receiving a rotatable member rotatably mounted to an end of a handle of a tool. The frictional retaining member exerts a frictional force to an outer surface of the rotatable member of the tool for retaining the rotatable member in place unless a rotational force greater than the frictional force is applied to the handle of the tool in a ratcheting direction.

The rotatable member is not turned when the handle of the tool is turned in a reverse direction reverse to the ratcheting direction.

In an embodiment of the invention, the body includes two through-holes extending from a first side of the body to a second side of the body opposite to the first side of the body, with the frictional retaining member extending through the through-holes of the body and extending across a portion of the outer surface of the rotatable member of the tool, thereby exerting the frictional force to the rotatable member of the tool. The frictional retaining member includes a first end having a hole and a second end having a toothed side. The second end of the frictional retaining member extends through the hole of the first end of the frictional retaining member, with the toothed side of the second end of the frictional retaining member engaging with a toothed wall delimiting the hole of the first end of the frictional retaining member. The body may include a recessed portion for receiving the rotatable member and the end of the handle of the tool. The recessed portion of the body includes an end wall for preventing the tool from being removed.

In another embodiment of the invention, the frictional retaining member includes two ends each having a snapping member formed thereon. Each snapping member of the frictional retaining member is engaged with the respective through-hole of the body. The first side of the body may include an arcuate groove for receiving a portion of the rotatable member.

In a further embodiment of the invention, the body includes two snapping members formed on the first side thereof. The frictional retaining member includes two ends each having a hole defined therein. The respective snapping member of the body engages with the respective hole of the frictional retaining member, thereby securing the frictional retaining member to the body and exerting the frictional force to the rotatable member of the tool.

In still another embodiment of the invention, the body includes two through-holes extending from a first side of the body to a second side of the body opposite to the first side of the body. The frictional retaining member includes two ends each having a hole defined therein. A snapping member engages with the respective hole of the frictional retaining member and the respective hole of the body, thereby securing the frictional retaining member to the body and exerting the frictional force to the rotatable member of the tool.

In yet another embodiment of the invention, the body includes a through-hole extending from a first side of the body to a second side of the body opposite to the first side of the body. The frictional retaining member includes a first end integrally formed with the body and a second end having a snapping member formed thereon. The snapping member is engaged in the through-hole of the body, thereby exerting the frictional force to the rotatable member of the tool. A groove may be defined in a joint area between the first end of the frictional retaining member and the body, providing a pivotal section about which the second end of the frictional retaining member is pivotable.

In still another embodiment of the invention, the frictional retaining member includes two ends that are integrally formed with the body. A wall that delimits the compartment defined between the frictional retaining member and the body has an arcuate groove for receiving a portion of the rotatable member of the tool.

In yet another embodiment of the invention, the body includes a first casing half and a second casing half each having a recessed portion that together define the compartment for receiving the rotatable member and the end of the handle of the tool. The first casing half and the second casing half include aligned holes through which the frictional retaining member extends. The frictional retaining member is mounted around the recessed portions, thereby exerting the frictional force to the rotatable member of the tool. The frictional retaining member includes a first end having a hole and a second end having a toothed side. The second end of the frictional retaining member extends through the hole of the first end of the frictional retaining member, with the toothed side of the second end of the frictional retaining member engaging with a toothed wall delimiting the hole of the first end of the frictional retaining member.

The tool try-on device may further include a stop on the first side of the body for preventing the tool from being removed. In an alternative embodiment, the frictional retaining member includes an integral stop extending therefrom for preventing the tool from being removed. The integral stop of the frictional retaining member is preferably L-shaped.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring toFIG. 1, a first embodiment of a tool try-on device1in accordance with the present invention comprises a board or body2and a frictional retaining member4. For illustration, the body2inFIG. 1is an upright position. The board or body2may be formed by injection molding and includes a tool-holding section21having a plurality of tool-holding members22for releasably holding tools such as spanners, combination wrenches, ratchet wrenches, etc. The body2may further include at least one hanging hole25, allowing the body2to be hung on a wall or the like.

Of more importance, the body2includes two through-holes23extending from a side of the body to the other side of the body2for mounting the frictional retaining member4. A stop24is provided on the body2and adjacent to the through-holes23. Referring toFIGS. 2 and 3, the frictional retaining member4in this embodiment is a strap wound around a rotatable member32of a tool3. More particularly, the strap includes a first end having a hole44and a second end having a toothed side45. The tool3is placed on an upper side (seeFIG. 3) of the body2. The strap is placed below the body2, with the second end of the strap passing through one of the through-holes23of the body2, crossing an upper surface of the rotatable member32of the tool3, passing through the other through-hole23of the body2, and passing through the hole44of the first end of the strap. The toothed side45of the second end of the strap is engaged with a toothed wall46delimiting the hole44of the first end of the strap.

The strap is tightened to an extent that the upper surface of the rotatable member32of the tool3is in frictional contact with the strap (i.e:, the frictional retaining member4). Preferably, the frictional retaining member4includes a non-smooth inner side or an inner side having a non-smooth section. The tool3is retained by the frictional retaining member4. Further, a handle31of the tool3has an end in contact with the stop24on the body2. Thus, the stop24prevents removal of the tool3from the body2unless the frictional retaining member4is removed. This provides an anti-theft function when the tool try-on device1is on display.

The rotatable member32may be rotatably attached to the end of the handle31in a conventional manner. In use, if the handle31of the tool3is turned in a direction, e.g., counterclockwise, and if the rotational force applied to the rotatable member32of the tool3is greater than the frictional force between the rotatable member32and the frictional retaining member4, the rotatable member32is turned together with the handle31relative to the body2, as shown in FIG.3.

If the handle31of the tool3is turned in a reverse direction, e.g., clockwise, the rotational force of the handle31is absorbed by a ratchet mechanism mounted in the end of the handle31of the tool3without causing rotational movement of the rotatable member32. Thus, the rotatable member32is not turned when the handle31of the tool3is turned in the reverse direction, as illustrated in FIG.4. The ratchet mechanism allowing free rotation of the handle31of the tool3without causing rotational movement of the rotatable member32may be of a conventional design.

A customer may try the tool3by turning the handle31in the counterclockwise direction as well as in the clockwise direction before buying the tool3. This would attract the customer, as the tool3is operated as if in a real operation for tightening/loosening a fastener.

FIG. 5illustrates a second embodiment of the tool try-on device1in accordance with the present invention, wherein like reference numerals designate like elements. In this embodiment, the body (now designated by2′) is a box formed by blow molding and includes a recessed portion21′ in a side thereof for accommodating at least the rotatable member32of the tool3. Two through-holes23′ are defined in a bottom wall delimiting the recessed portion21′ for mounting the frictional retaining member4. An end of the handle31of the tool3abuts against an end wall20′ of the recessed portion21′, avoiding removal of the tool3unless the frictional retaining member4is removed. Operation of the second embodiment is substantially the same as that of the first embodiment.

FIGS. 6 through 9illustrate a third embodiment of the tool try-on device1in accordance with the present invention. In this embodiment, the body includes a transparent first casing half2″ and a transparent second casing half5(FIG. 7) that are made of molding injection and that together define a compartment for receiving the rotatable member32and an end of the handle31of the tool3. In particular, the transparent first casing half2″ includes a recessed portion21″ and the transparent second casing half5includes a recessed portion51, the recessed portions21″ and51together defining a compartment for receiving the rotatable member32and an end of the handle31of the tool3, as shown in FIG.7. Further, a bottom wall delimiting the recessed portion21″ of the transparent first casing half2″ includes two through-holes23″ through which the frictional retaining member4extends. A bottom wall delimiting the recessed portion51of the transparent second casing half5includes two holes52through which the frictional retaining member4extends. As illustrated inFIG. 8, the frictional retaining member4is extended through the through-holes23″ and52, with the first end of the frictional retaining member4extending through the hole44in the second end of the frictional retaining member4and with the toothed side45being engaged with the toothed wall46delimiting the hole44of the first end of the frictional retaining member4, which is substantially the same as that for the first embodiment (see FIG.3). The transparent casing halves2″ and5are in frictional contact with the outer surface of the rotatable member32of the tool3under the action of a clamping force provided by the frictional retaining member4.

Further, the transparent casing halves2″ and5include aligned openings24″ and53for accommodating the handle31of the tool3and allowing turning of the handle31. A customer may turn the handle31of the tool3in a direction, e.g., counterclockwise. If the rotational force applied to the rotatable member32of the tool3is greater than the frictional force between the rotatable member32and the transparent casing halves2″ and5imparted by the frictional retaining member4, the rotatable member32is turned together with the handle31relative to the body of the tool try-on device1, as shown in FIG.8. The customer may turn the handle31of the tool3in a reverse direction, e.g., clockwise, in which the rotational force of the handle31is absorbed by a ratchet mechanism mounted in the end of the handle31of the tool3without causing rotational movement of the rotatable member32. Thus, the rotatable member32is not turned when the handle31of the tool3is turned in the reverse direction, as illustrated in FIG.9. Thus, the customer may try the tool3by turning the handle31in the counterclockwise direction as well as in the clockwise direction before buying the tool3.

FIG. 10illustrates a fourth embodiment of the try-on device1in accordance with the present invention, wherein the rotatable member (now designated by32′) is in the form of an adaptor to which a bit is attached.

FIGS. 11 and 12illustrate a fifth embodiment of the tool try-on device1in accordance with the present invention that is modified from the first embodiment. The tool-holding section21in the first embodiment is omitted. The frictional retaining member4has two ends each having a snapping member41formed thereon. As illustrated inFIG. 12, the respective snapping member41of the frictional retaining member4is engaged in the respective through-hole23of the body2and thus retains the rotatable member32of the tool3in place while providing a frictional contact between the frictional retaining member4and the rotatable member32.

A customer may turn the handle31of the tool3in a direction, e.g., counterclockwise. If the rotational force applied to the rotatable member32of the tool3is greater than the frictional force between the rotatable member32and the frictional retaining member4, the rotatable member32is turned together with the handle31relative to the body2, as shown in FIG.13. The customer may turn the handle31of the tool3in a reverse direction, e.g., clockwise, in which the rotational force of the handle31is absorbed by a ratchet mechanism mounted in the end of the handle31of the tool3without causing rotational movement of the rotatable member32. Thus, the rotatable member32is not turned when the handle31of the tool3is turned in the reverse direction, as illustrated in FIG.14. Thus, the customer may try the tool3by turning the handle31in the counterclockwise direction as well as in the clockwise direction before buying the tool3.

FIG. 15illustrates a sixth embodiment of the tool try-on device1in accordance with the present invention modified from the fifth embodiment. In this embodiment, the body2includes an arcuate recessed portion26(c.f.FIG. 12) for receiving a portion of the rotatable member32, thereby more reliably positioning the rotatable member32of the tool3and providing a larger contact area between the rotatable member32and the body2.

FIG. 16illustrates a seventh embodiment of the tool try-on device1in accordance with the present invention modified from the fifth embodiment. In this embodiment, the body2includes a stop24adjacent to or in intimate contact with the end of the handle31of the tool1, providing an anti-theft function mentioned in the above embodiments.

FIG. 17illustrates an eighth embodiment of the tool try-on device1in accordance with the present invention modified from the seventh embodiment. In this embodiment, the stop24in the seventh embodiment is replaced by a substantially L-shaped integral stop42extending from an end of the frictional retaining member4, providing an anti-theft function.

FIG. 18illustrates a ninth embodiment of the tool try-on device1in accordance with the present invention modified from the fifth embodiment. In this embodiment, the body2includes two snapping fasteners27provided on a side thereof, and the frictional retaining member4is substantially U-shaped and has two ends each having a hole43into which a respective snapping fastener27is engaged. A frictional contact is provided between the frictional retaining member4and the rotatable member32of the tool3.

FIG. 19illustrates a tenth embodiment of the tool try-on device1in accordance with the present invention. In this embodiment, the body2includes two through-holes23, and the frictional retaining member4is substantially U-shaped and has two ends each having a hole43. A snapping fastener47is engaged into the respective hole43of the frictional retaining member4and the respective through-hole23of the body2, thereby retaining the respective end of the frictional retaining member4in place and thus providing a frictional contact between the frictional retaining member4and the rotatable member32of the tool3.

FIG. 20illustrates an eleventh embodiment of the try-on device1in accordance with the present invention. In this embodiment, the body2has a through-hole23, and the frictional retaining member (now designated by4′) includes a first end42′ that is integrally formed with the body2. A substantially V-shaped groove43′ is defined in a joint section between the first end42′ of the frictional retaining member4′ and the body2, providing a pivotal section that allows pivotal movement of the first end42′ of the frictional retaining member4′ relative to the body2. As illustrated inFIG. 20, the frictional retaining member4′ may be pivoted from a position shown by phantom lines to a position shown by solid lines, with the frictional retaining member4′ extending across a portion of the outer surface of the rotatable member32of the tool3, and with a snapping member41′ on a second end of the frictional retaining member4′ engaging with the through-hole23of the body2. A frictional force is thus provided between the frictional retaining member4′ and the rotatable member32of the tool3.

FIG. 21illustrates a twelfth embodiment of the try-on device1in accordance with the present invention. In this embodiment, two ends of the frictional retaining member (now designated by4″) are integrally formed with a side of the body2, defining a compartment49between the frictional retaining member4″ and the body2. The rotatable member32of the tool3may be inserted into the compartment49. A wall delimiting the compartment49includes an arcuate groove48configured to receive a portion of the outer surface of the rotatable member32. Thus, a frictional force is provided between the frictional retaining member4″ and the rotatable member32while allowing rotational movement of the rotatable member32relative to the body2, which is substantially the same as the above-mentioned embodiments.

FIG. 22illustrates a thirteenth embodiment of the try-on device1in accordance with the present invention. In this embodiment, the try-on device1is incorporated into and thus becomes a part of a tool rack6of another type.

FIG. 23illustrates a fourteenth embodiment of the try-on device1in accordance with the present invention. Similar to the fourth embodiment, the rotatable member (now designated by32′) is in the form of an adaptor to which a bit is attached.

In the embodiments using a stop24, it is noted that the stop24may be spaced away from the end of the handle31while providing an anti-theft function.