Abstract:
A tool box includes a casing with at least one open side for a plurality of boxes pivotally received therein. A link is pivotally connected to the boxes and located at a distance from the pivotal point of the boxes. An activation member is pivotally connected to one of the boxes and has a slot for receiving a boss extending from the link so that when pivoting the activation member, the link pivots the boxes to open. A spring is connected between the activation member and the casing so as to close all the boxes by pulling the activation member.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The present invention relates to a tool box including boxes and an activating device is used to open all the boxes by one action.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    Drawers of a conventional tool box generally are slidably received in the tool box and each drawer is supported on rails so that the drawers are able to be pulled out one by one. In other words, the user has to pull the drawers one by one and cannot see the parts or tools in the drawer located at the lower position of the tool box because the sight is blocked by the drawer located above the lower one.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a tool box comprising a casing having an open side and a plurality of boxes are pivotally connected between a front wall and a back wall of the casing. A link is pivotally connected to an end and located at a distance from the pivotal position of the boxes. An activation member is pivotally connected to one of the boxes and has a slot for receiving a boss extending from the link.  
           [0004]    A spring has an end fixedly connected to the casing and the other end of the spring is connected to the activation member.  
           [0005]    The primary object of the present invention is to provide a tool box that has boxes which are able to be opened at one side of the casing simultaneously by an activation device connected to the boxes.  
           [0006]    The present invention will become more obvious from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which show, for purposes of illustration only, a preferred embodiment in accordance with the present invention. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0007]    [0007]FIG. 1 is a perspective view to show the first embodiment of the tool box of the present invention in its open and close position;  
         [0008]    [0008]FIG. 2 is an exploded view to show the tool box of the present invention in FIG. 1;  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 3 is a side view to show the tool box of the present invention in FIG. 1 in its open and close position;  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 4 is a perspective view to show the tool box in FIG. 1 wherein the tool box is enclosed by a casing and only the activation members are accessible;  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 5 is a side view to show a second embodiment of the tool box of the present invention in its open and close position;  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 6 is a perspective view to show a third embodiment of the tool box having two open sides;  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 7 is an exploded view to show the tool box of the third embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 8 is a side view to show the tool box of the third embodiment of the present invention in its open and close position;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 9 is a side view to show a fourth embodiment of the tool box of the present invention;  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 10A is a side view to show a fifth embodiment of the tool box of the present invention;  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 10B is a side view to show a fifth embodiment of the tool box of the present invention when all the boxes are in close position;  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 11 shows the arrangement of the activation member of the fifth embodiment of the tool box of the present invention;  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 12 shows the operation of the activation member to open the boxes of the fifth embodiment of the tool box of the present invention;  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 13 shows a sixth embodiment of the fifth embodiment of the tool box of the present invention;  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 14 shows a seventh embodiment of the sixth embodiment of the tool box of the present invention;  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 15 shows an eighth embodiment of the fifth embodiment of the tool box of the present invention;  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 16 shows a ninth embodiment of the fifth embodiment of the tool box of the present invention;  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 17 shows a tenth embodiment of the fifth embodiment of the tool box of the present invention;  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 18 shows an eleventh embodiment of the fifth embodiment of the tool box of the present invention, and  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 19 shows a twelfth embodiment of the fifth embodiment of the tool box of the present invention.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0027]    Referring to FIGS.  1  to  4 , the tool box of present invention comprises a casing  10  having an open side and a plurality of boxes  20  pivotally connected between a front wall and a back wall of the casing  10  at a first position  23  of each of the boxes  20 . The boxes  20  are able to be pivotally opened from the open side.  
         [0028]    A link  311  is pivotally connected to each of the boxes  20  at a second position  312  on each of the boxes  20  and a distance is defined between the first position  23  and the second position  312 . An activation member  321  is pivotally connected to one of the boxes  20  and has a slot  322  defined therethrough. A boss  13  extends from the link  311  and is movably received in the slot  322 . The tool box may have two activation members  321  which extend from two slots in the casing  10  so as to be operated from outside of the tool box.  
         [0029]    A spring  41  has an end fixedly connected to the casing  10  and the other end of the spring  41  is connected to the second position  312  of one of the boxes  20 .  
         [0030]    A first flange  13  and a second flange  14  extend from an bottom of a top of the casing  10  and a third flange  12  extending from an inside of the bottom of the casing  10 . Each of the boxes  20  has a front plate  22  and a back plate  220  on two the front and the rear edge of the open top, and a lower plate  220  extends from a bottom of the back of each of the boxes  20 . The back plate  220  and the front plate  22  of the top most box  20  contact the first flange  13  and the second flange  14  when the top most box  20  is in close position. The back plate  220  of the top most box  20  contacts the third flange  12  when in close position. The boxes  20  can be opened by pushing the activation member  321  which drives the link  311  to move to the right to open the boxes  20 . The spring  41  pulls the link  311  back to its position to close the boxes  20  when releasing the activation member  321 .  
         [0031]    [0031]FIG. 5 shows a second embodiment of the tool box of the present invention wherein the link and the activation are made to be the same one. The link  311  is pivotally connected to each of the boxes  20  at the second position  312  on each of the boxes  20  and a distance being defined between the first position  23  and the second position  312 . The link  311  has a plurality of slots  314  defined therethrough and each box  20  has a boss  24  extending from the second position  312 . The bosses  24  are movably received in the slots  314  respectively. A top end of the link  311  extends out from a top of the casing  10  and named as the activation member  321 .  
         [0032]    A spring  41  has an end fixedly connected to the casing  10  and the other end of the spring  41  connected to the second position  312  of one of the boxes  20 . When pushing the activation member  321  downward, the boxes  20  are opened and when releasing the spring  41 , the link  311  moves upward to close the boxes  20 .  
         [0033]    FIGS.  6  to  8  shows the third embodiment of the tool box which comprises a casing  10  having two open sides and two rows of boxes  20  are pivotally connected between a front wall and a back wall of the casing  10  at a first position  23  of each of the boxes  20  so that the boxes  20  are able to be pivotally opened from the two open side.  
         [0034]    Two links  311  are respectively and pivotally connected to each of the two rows of boxes  20  at a second position  312  of each of the two rows of boxes  20  and a distance is defined between the first position  23  and the second position  312 . Two springs  41  are respectively connected between the casing  10  and the two respective second positions  312 .  
         [0035]    An activation member  321  has a transverse bar  32  and two slots  322  are defined in two ends of the transverse bar  32 . The two links  311  each have a boss  313  which is movably received respective one of the two slots  322 . The two rows of boxes  20  are opened by pushing the activation member  321  and the boxes  20  are closed when releasing the activation member  321  and the links  311  are pulled to the left by the springs  41 .  
         [0036]    [0036]FIG. 9 shows a fourth embodiment of the tool box and includes a casing  10  having two open sides and two rows of boxes  20  are pivotally connected between a front wall and a back wall of the casing  10  at a first position  23  of each of the boxes  20 . The boxes  20  are able to be pivotally opened in the two open sides.  
         [0037]    Two links  311  are respectively and pivotally connected to each of the two rows of boxes  20  at a second position  312  of each of the two rows of boxes  20  and a distance is defined between the first position  23  and the second position  312 . Each of the two links  311  has a spring connected thereto.  
         [0038]    Two plates  323  are respectively connected to the two boxes  20  located at the top most position of the two rows of the boxes  20 . Each plate  323  has a notch  325  defined therein. An activation member  321  has a disk  324  which is rotatably connected to the casing  10 . Two lugs  326  extend from the disk  324  and one of the two lugs  36  is engaged with one of the two notches  325  when rotating the activation member  321 . By this way, the boxes  20  can be maintained their open status till the activation member  321  is rotated again.  
         [0039]    [0039]FIGS. 10A, 10B,  11  and  12  show a fifth embodiment of the tool box which has a casing  10  having an open side and a plurality of boxes  20  pivotally connected between a front wall and a back wall of the casing  10  at a first position  23  of each of the boxes  20  so that the boxes  20  are able to be pivotally opened in the open side.  
         [0040]    A link  311  is pivotally connected to each of the boxes  20  at a second position  312  on each of the boxes  20  and a distance is defined between the first position  23  and the second position  312 . A boss  24  extends from the link  311 . A spring has one end fixed to the case  10  and the the other end of the spring is fixed to the second position  312  of one of the boxes  20  where the boss  24  extends.  
         [0041]    A shaft  3110  extends from one of the boxes  20  and an activation member  321  has an end movably mounted to the shaft  3110 . A slot  314  is defined in the activation member  321  and the boss  24  is received in the slot  314 . A tuber member  3210  extends from the activation member  321  and another tube member  61  extends from an inside of the casing  50 . A spring  62  is received in the two tube members  61 ,  3210  and biased between the activation member  321  and the inside of the casing  50 . A slot  51  is defined through the casing  50  and has a protrusion  510  extending from one of two insides of the slot  51  so as to defined two positions on a top and a bottom of the protrusion  510 . The activation member  321  can be positioned in either the top or the bottom of the protrusion  510 . The activation member  321  can only be operated by pressing the spring  62  so as to prevent the boxes  20  are unintentionally opened.  
         [0042]    [0042]FIG. 13 shows a sixth embodiment of the tool box wherein the boxes  20  are pivotally in the casing  10  at the first position  23  and a link  311  is pivotally connected to the boxes  20  at the second position  312  as the embodiments explained above. A driving device such as a pneumatic cylinder  327  has a cylinder rod which is pivotally connected to the top one of the boxes  20  and the boxes  20  are opened when the cylinder rod is moved outward. A lock assembly  15  is installed on the top of the casing  10  and the top one of the boxes  20  has a hook  25  to be engaged with the lock assembly  15 . The lock assembly  15  has to be unlocked before the boxes  20  are to be opened.  
         [0043]    [0043]FIG. 14 shows a seventh embodiment of the tool box which comprises a casing  10  having an open side and a plurality of boxes  20  are pivotally connected between a front wall and a back wall of the casing  10  at a first position  23  of each of the boxes  20 . A first gear  328  is co-axially connected to the first position  23  of one of the boxes  20  which are able to be pivotally opened in the open side.  
         [0044]    A link  311  is pivotally connected at a second position  312  of each of the boxes  20  and a distance defined between the first position  23  and the second position  312 . A spring is connected between the second position  32  of one of the boxes  20  and the casing  10 .  
         [0045]    An activation member  32  is pivotally connected to one of the boxes  20  and a driving member such as a second gear  3212  is connected to the activation member  32 . The second gear  3212  is engaged with the first gear  328  which rotates the box  20  to open and this action will let the link  311  to open the rest of the boxes  20  simultaneously.  
         [0046]    [0046]FIG. 15 shows an eighth embodiment of the tool box that has a gear  70  fixedly connected to the first position  23  of each of the boxes  20 . The link  311  has tow slots  314  and two boxes  20  each have a boss  24  which is received in the slots  314 . The link  311  has three racks  3111  which are engaged with the gears  70 . The boxes  20  are opened by pushing the link  311  downward to rotate the gears  70 .  
         [0047]    [0047]FIG. 16 shows a ninth embodiment of the tool box that has three boxes  20  and gear  4 ,  2  and  6  are respectively connected to the boxes  20 . Two gears which are gear  3  and gear  5  are pivotally connected to the inside of the casing  10 . A spring is connected between the center of the gear  2  and the casing  10 . An activation member  321  is pivotally connected to one of the boxes  20  and a gear  1  is connected to the activation member  32 . The gear  1  drives the gear  2  which is engaged with the gear  3  and gear  5 . The gear  3  is engaged with the gear  4  and the gear  5  is engaged with the gear  6 . Therefore, when rotating the activation member  321 , the three boxes  20  are opened.  
         [0048]    [0048]FIG. 17 shows a tenth embodiment of the tool box that is similar to that of the tool box illustrated in FIG. 16 except that the activation member  321  has no gear  1  in FIG. 16 and is directly connected to the gear  2  in FIG. 17. A spring is connected between the activation member  321  and the casing  10 . The gear  2  is still engaged with the gear  3  and gear  5 . The gear  3  is engaged with the gear  4  and the gear  5  is engaged with the gear  6 . Therefore, when rotating the activation member  321 , the three boxes  20  are opened.  
         [0049]    [0049]FIG. 18 shows an eleventh embodiment of the tool box that has a casing  10  having an open side and three boxes  20  are pivotally connected between a front wall and a back wall of the casing  10  at a first position  23  of each of the boxes  20  so that the boxes  20  are able to be pivotally opened from the two open side.  
         [0050]    A link  311  is connected to boxes  20  at a second position  312  of each of the two rows of boxes  20  and a distance is defined between the first position  23  and the second position  312 . An activation member  321  extends perpendicularly from the link  311  and a spring is connected between the second position  312  at the link  311  at one of the two boxes  20  and the casing  10 .  
         [0051]    A flexible or compressible member  80  is connected to the casing  10  and has a tip which is engaged with a notch  3113  in the link  311 . The link  311  has to disengaged from the tip of the compressible member  80  before it is pulled to the right to open the boxes  20 .  
         [0052]    [0052]FIG. 19 shows a twelfth embodiment of the tool box that is similar to that of the tool box illustrated in FIG. 18 except that the compressible member  80  is replaced with a V-shaped link  329  whose corner or peak portion is pivotally connected to one of the boxes  20  and two ends of the V-shaped link  329  are respectively connected to the link  311  and the activation member  321 . A spring has one end fixed to the casing  10  and the other end of the spring is connected to one of the two ends of the V-shaped link  329  at the link  311 . The activation member  321  has a slot so that the end of the V-shaped link  329  can be movably engaged with the slot of the activation member  321 . The V-shaped link  329  is rotated when the activation member  321  is rotated and the boxes  20  are opened.  
         [0053]    While we have shown and described the embodiment in accordance with the present invention, it should be clear to those skilled in the art that further embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.