Abstract:
A toolbox has a central section and at least one side section. The side sections are pivotally attached to the central section using a pin and slot arrangement which allows an eccentric path to be followed as the side sections pivot around the central section. This allows freedom of design of the dimensions of a central tray in the central section without obstructing pivoting of the side sections. A latch may be provided which slightly opens the side sections when it is in its unlatched position allowing a user to see that the sides are not properly latched.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority, under 35 U.S.C. §119, to European Patent Application No. 13172986.5, filed Jun. 20, 2013, titled “TOOL ORGANISER”. 
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to a toolbox or tool organiser for storing items such as hand tools, power tools, tool accessories and screws or the like. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Toolboxes with handles to allow carrying and fold out compartments are well known. For example U.S. Pat. No. 2,936,066 describes a fishing tackle box having a central section with a carrying handle and fold out side trays which are hinged to the central section and have trays with transverse and longitudinal partitions for the reception of items such as bait and small fishing tackle. The side trays may be kept latched in a vertical position using traditional over centre catches. 
     Another example of a prior art toolbox is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,648,166. This describes a more modern interpretation of the fishing tackle box of U.S. Pat. No. 2,936,066 and also has a central section with a handle and fold-out side trays which may be latched in the vertical position. This disclosure however allows the side trays to rest flat on the same surface as the central section which provides for greater stability in the open position and also allows heavier items to be stored in the side sections. However, to achieve this improved stability design, the central section has had to be made small and only contains small storage compartments. 
     With increasing availability of bulky items such as battery powered hand power tools, it increasingly desirable to be able to store larger items in a toolbox of the type described above. However, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,648,166, there are no compartments suitable for storing power tools and in U.S. Pat. No. 2,936,066 the central compartment contains very little storage and the side trays are both too small and too unstable (even requiring a support leg to avoid toppling) to store large and heavy items such as power tools. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, in a first aspect, there is provided a toolbox as claimed in Claim  1  appended hereto. 
     By designing the sections to be able to pivot in an eccentric path, it is possible to provide large storage compartments in a central section and yet still allow a side section to fold out and lie on the same surface as the base of the central section. Thus, for example, it is possible to provide power tool compartments in a central section of the toolbox and still have considerable flexibility in storage options for the fold out sections. This is not possible in the prior art design of U.S. Pat. No. 6,648,166, for example, because a large storage compartment would prevent the side sections folding out onto the same surface as the central section and would necessitate a design similar to that of U.S. Pat. No. 2,936,066. 
     Preferably, one of the sections includes a cam-surface and the other section includes a cam follower surface with biasing means, biasing the cam and cam follower together through at least part of the eccentric path. In this way the eccentric path may be controlled and also any looseness of the hinge may be avoided. A further advantage of this arrangement is that by causing the biasing means to operate more weakly at the extremities of the eccentric path, the pivoting action is caused to have a locking sensation at the open and closed positions as a user pivot the sections between the two positions. 
     Preferably, the toolbox has a latch operable to secure the sections together which includes a lever arranged to push the two sections apart when the latch is pivoted to an open position. In this way a user may readily see whether the toolbox is securely latched closed or is in a partially open position. This is important because in the prior art some tool boxes do not provide this indication and if the toolbox is lifted with unlatched side sections, these sections may flop open causing toolbox contents to fall out of the toolbox. 
     In a second aspect, the invention provides a toolbox as claimed in Claim  11  appended hereto. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a closed toolbox; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view showing one side section partially open; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view showing one side section fully open; 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view showing both sides fully open; 
         FIG. 5  is a side elevation showing both sides fully closed with a partial cut-away showing cam biasing means; 
         FIG. 6  is a side elevation showing one side partially opened with a partial cut-away showing cam biasing means; 
         FIG. 7  is a side elevation showing one side fully opened with a partial cut-away showing cam biasing means; 
         FIG. 8  is a side elevation of the toolbox fully closed; 
         FIG. 9  is a side elevation of a toolbox showing both sides partially opened; 
         FIG. 10  is a side elevation of a toolbox showing both sides fully opened; 
         FIG. 11  is a perspective section showing a latch mechanism; 
         FIG. 12  is an enlargement of the latch mechanism of  FIG. 12 ; 
         FIG. 13  is a section showing one side section partially open; 
         FIG. 14  is an enlargement of  FIG. 14  showing closed latches; and 
         FIG. 15  is an enlargement of  FIG. 14  showing open latches. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     With reference to  FIGS. 1 to 4 , a toolbox  2  has a central section  4  and two side sections  6 . In an embodiment the central section  4  may be referred to as a first section, and each side section  6  may be referred to as a second section. 
     The central section  4  has a carrying handle  8  and the side sections  6  are arranged to pivot about the central section to fold down through approximately 90° to come to rest with their outer surfaces  10  resting on the same surface as the base  12  of the central section  4 . 
     The toolbox  2  is further provided with feet  14  on the outer surfaces  10  and also with a latching mechanism (described in more detail below)  16  which allows each of the side sections  6  to be independently disengaged and folded outwardly into the positions shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 . 
     The toolbox may be provided with one or more side sections on only one side and there may be a plurality of side sections on each side. 
     With particular reference to  FIGS. 3 and 4  and also  FIGS. 5 to 10 , the central section  4  includes a relatively deep carrying tray  18  which may be used to store items such as bulky power tools. 
     Tray  18  is shown without dividers although it will be appreciated by the skilled person that dividers and/or drawers may be provided in these sections and similarly removable or permanently arranged drawers and dividers may be provided in the side sections  6 . With reference also to  FIGS. 5 to 10 , the side sections  6  include tabs  20  extending from the edge opposite the latch  16 , and which define elongate slots  22 . The central section  4  carries hinge pins  24  engaged in respective slots  22  and thus allow the side sections  6  to hinge or pivot around the central section  4 . 
     By engaging the pins  24  in slots  22 , the side sections  6  are allowed to deviate from a strict arc about the hinge pins  22  as they pivot. This is because the slots allow the effective position of the pivot to be varied. This then allows considerable freedom in the design of the base tray  18  of a central section  4 . For example, the depth of the tray  18  is then no longer constrained by the need to allow clear space for the side sections  6  to pivot. It will be appreciated by the skilled person that in the absence of freedom to move the pivot, a tall sided tray  18  would prevent the side sections  6  from folding outwardly. 
     With reference to  FIG. 11 , the outer edge of the tray  18  is provided with a smooth lip  26  over which a lower surface  28  of the side sections rides as the side sections  6  are opened. This provides a cam and follower arrangement which controls the locus of the side sections as they are opened. 
     Preferably, biasing means such as a coil spring  30  (see  FIGS. 5 to 7 ) are engaged between the central section  4  and the side sections  6  close to the pin and slot arrangement  22  and  24 . This then causes the cam and follower  26  and  28  to remain in contact through the majority of the rotation of the side sections  6  around the inner section  4  during opening of the toolbox sides. Advantageously also, the position of the mounting points for the spring  30  may be arranged so that the spring  30  is at minimum extension when the side sections  6  are closed and optionally also when they are open. In this way as the side sections are opened the user will experience the need for additional opening force to be applied when the side sections are not in their open or closed position; thus providing a positive locking experience in the open or closed positions. Alternatively, the mounting points for the spring  30  may be arranged so that the spring  30  is slightly extended when the side sections  6  are closed and optionally also when they are open, in order to help retain the side section in the closed or open position. Also, with suitable choices of spring rates, it may be possible to allow the spring to assist in carrying the weight of the side section and its contents during the transition from open to closed and vice versa, by transmitting some of the weight through into the base of the central section  4  via the cam and follower  26  and  28 , springs  30 , slots  22  and hinge pins  24 . 
     The cam surface  26  may also be arranged to engage a hook formation  32  when the side sections  6  are fully open. This then provides an end stop for the open position and, for example, allows the toolbox to be lifted using the handle  8  whilst maintaining the side sections in their approximately 90° open and extended positions. 
     Further advantageously, the side sections may have transparent lids  35  which allow a user to see the contents in the compartments in the side sections  6 . 
     With reference to  FIGS. 11 to 15 , a pair of latches  16  are mounted on the central section  4 . Each latch is generally “L” shaped as can be seen from  FIGS. 13 to 15 , and includes a hook  34 , a finger pull  38  and a bearing surface  40 . With reference to  FIGS. 14 and 15 , it will be seen that in the closed position, the hook  34  secures the side sections in their closed position by engaging with a locking finger  42 . When a user lifts the finger pull  38 , the hook  34  is brought out of engagement with the locking finger  42  and the side sections  6  are then free to pivot outwardly. 
     With particular reference to  FIG. 15 , it will be noted that the latch  16  pivots generally about a point A, at the corner of the L-shaped formation, and thus as the finger pull  38  is lifted, the bearing surface  40  presses against a ridge  43  formed in the side section  6 . This thus presses the side section  6  outwardly so that the latch partially opens the section  6 . In this way, a user is able to see that the section is open. 
     Optionally, a horseshoe spring  44  biases the latch towards its closed position which helps to hold the hook  34  engaged with the locking finger  42  when the sections  6  are in their closed positions. 
     For clarity, only one of the latches  16  has been labeled in the drawings. However, it will be appreciated that both latches are operable independently and in the same way and in this embodiment, are mirror images of each other. Also a plurality of latches  16  may be provided along the axis of the central section  4 , which allows several latching points to be provided for a single side section  6  and/or allows a plurality of independently latched side sections  6  to be provided on one side of the central section  4 .