Abstract:
A tool rack comprises a main body; a tool holding section including a plurality of longitudinal tool holding elements defining a plurality of tool holding supports for retaining tools; and a flexible member adapted for slide along an upper side of the tool holding section and across the tools for firmly retaining the tools on the main body.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to a tool rack with multi-function. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0004]    A conventional tool rack usually includes a plurality of transverse tool holding supports, a hanging hole for hanging the tool rack on the wall and a cover adapted to be installed over the tool holding supports for retaining the tools in the supports and preventing the tools from falling. However, the tools which are retained at the conventional tool rack can not be tried on before buying and be hidden by the cover so that the conventional tool rack cannot reinforce consumer&#39;s desire to buy. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]    Aspects of the present invention address one or more of the issues mentioned above, thereby providing a tool rack that comprises a main body having a tool holding section, a trying on element. The tool holding section consists of first, second and third tool holding elements and tool holding supports defined between the tool holding elements for retaining tools (e.g. spanners or combination wrenches). One of the tools is retained at the trying on element by a locking unit for try on and is able to be rotate to any desired angles. 
         [0006]    Other objectives, advantages, and features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
         [0007]    The present invention will be described via detailed illustration of the preferred embodiment referring to the drawings, 
           [0008]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a tool rack according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is an exploded view of the tool box shown in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view taken along line  3 - 3  in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view taken along line  4 - 4  in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  is a partial, enlarged view of the tool rack shown in  FIG. 4 . 
           [0013]      FIG. 6  is a cross-section view similar to  FIG. 4 , illustrating the cap member of the locking unit with the tool is going to insert into the trying on element and couple to the locking member which is disposed in the receiving portion of the trying on element. 
           [0014]      FIG. 7  is a partial, enlarged view of the tool rack shown in  FIG. 6 . 
           [0015]      FIG. 8  is a front view of the tool box shown in  FIG. 1 , illustrating that the tool is able to rotate with respect to the trying on element freely. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0016]    With reference to the above figures, they show a tool rack in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention. The tool rack includes a main body  10  which consists of a back board (not numbered), first and second side walls  101 ,  102  and top and bottom walls (not numbered). The first and second side walls  101 ,  102  respectively extend from two sides of the back board upright. The top and bottom walls of the main body  10  extend between the upper and lower edges of the first and second side walls  101 ,  102 . A plate  12  is provided on the inner side of the back board and has a thickness less than width of the first and second side walls  101 ,  102 . The upper edge of the plate  12  abuts with the top wall and the sidewalls of the plate  12  respectively abut with the first and second side walls  101 ,  102 . A hanging hole  13  pierces through the plate  12  and the back board to allow hanging of the tool rack up to a wall in a vertical orientation. 
         [0017]    A tool holding section  15  which is provided on the inner side of the back board between the top and bottom walls of the main body  10  has a thickness approximately equal to the width of the first and second side walls  101 ,  102 . First and second tool holding elements  17 ,  18  are respectively defined at two ends of the tool holding section  15  and formed on the inner walls of the first and second side walls  101 ,  102 . A plurality of third tool holding elements  16  are provided on the upper side of the tool holding section  15  for holding tools  20 . The tools  20 , in the preferred form as shown, preferably have a box end  21 . The first, second and third holding elements  17 ,  18 ,  16  are spaced from one another. The first holding element  17  includes a holding side  172  opposite to the first side wall  101  and a slot  171  transversely formed through the tool holding section  15 . The holding side  172  is at an obtuse angle to the upper side of the first holding element  17 . The second holding element  18  includes a holding side  182  opposite to the second side wall  102  and a slot  181  transversely formed through the tool holding section  15 . The holding side  182  is at a right angle to the upper side of the second holding element  18  approximately. Each third holding element  16  includes first and second holding sides  162   a ,  162   b  and an opening  161  formed on the upper side thereof. The first and second holding sides  162   a ,  162   b  are roughly parallel to each other and the holding side  172 . A gap  163  is formed on the second holding side  162   b  and adapted for reducing the material cost and increasing flexibility of the third holding elements  16 . 
         [0018]    A longitudinally tool holding support  19  is defined between the second holding side  162   b  of one third holding element  16  and the first holding side  162   a  of the next one third holding element  16  for placing the tools  20 . A longitudinally tool holding support  19   a  is defined between the holding side  172  and the first holding side  162   a  of the nearest one third holding element  16  for placing the tools  20 . A longitudinally tool holding support  19   b  is defined between the holding side  182  and the second holding side  162   a  of the nearest one third holding element  16  for placing the tools  20 . While the tools  20  is placed into the tool holding supports  19 ,  19   a ,  19   b , the handle of the tools  20  is sandwiched by two of the holding sides  162   a ,  162   b ,  172 ,  182  and parallel to the holding sides  162   a ,  162   b ,  172 . 
         [0019]    A flexible member  40  is used to tie the tools  20  to the main body  10  and has first and second ends  41 ,  42 . In the preferred form, the flexible member  40  is a conventional cable tie. In use, after sliding the second end  42  of the flexible member  40  along the openings  161  of the third holding elements  16  and across the tools  20 , the second end  42  of the flexible member  40 , then, is inserted into the slot  171  of the first holding element  17  and wound around the lower side of the tool holding section  15  and inserted outward from the slot  181 . For retaining the flexible member  40  in place, the distal of the second end  42  is inserted into an aperture  411  of the first end  41  finally. The openings  161  of the third holding elements  16  are non-aligned, and horizontal positions of the openings  161  are not level to each other. Hence, the flexible member  40  is not easy to slide out of the third holding elements  16 . The flexible member  40  retains the tools  20  on the main body  10  of the tool rack and is provided a thief-preventing function. 
         [0020]    A trying on element  14  projects from the plate  12  and includes an inserted hole  141  formed on the periphery thereof, a slot  142  formed on the upper surface thereof and in communication with the inserted hole  141  and an orifice  143  defined at the center of the upper surface thereof and in communication with the slot  142 . The width of the slot  142  is reduced from the periphery of the trying on element  14  to the orifice  143 . One of the tools  20  is retained onto the trying on element  14  by a locking unit  30  and adapted for try-on. 
         [0021]    The locking unit  30  consists of a cap member  3  land a locking member  32 . The cap member  31  includes a terminal block  311 , a middle portion  312  extending from the terminal block  311 , a coupled end  314  opposite to the terminal block  311  and an insertion portion  313  between the middle portion  312  and the coupled end  314 . In the preferred form, the cross-section of the middle portion  312  is hexagonal. The diameter of the coupled end  314  is larger than that of the insertion portion  313  and much smaller than that of the middle portion  312 . The locking member  32  includes a coupled hole  321  formed at the center thereof an outer periphery  322  and a plurality of recesses  323  formed on the outer periphery  322  and spaced from each other. More particularly, referring now to  FIGS. 6 and 7 , before the related one tool  20  is retained to the trying on element  14 , the middle portion  312  of the cap member  31  is retained in a through-hole (not numbered) of the box end  21  of the tool  20  first and the insertion portion  313  and the coupled end  314  is exposed from the box end  21  opposite to the terminal block  311 . The through-hole of the box end  21  is covered over by the terminal block  311 . And then, the locking member  32  is received in a receiving portion  144  of the trying on element  14  in advance. The receiving portion  144  pierces through the back board and communicates with the inserted hole  141 . Next, the insertion portion  313  is inserted into  18  the trying on element  14  from the inserted hole  141  through the slot  142  and restricted in the orifice  143 . Finally, driving the locking member  32  toward the cap member  31  and engaging the coupled end  314  with the coupled hole  321  as to lock the tool  20  to the main body  10 . Because cooperation the locking unit  30  and the trying on element  14  is located out of the box end  21  of the tool  20  and the hexagonal middle portion  312  of the cap member  31  is engaged with the through-hole of the box end  21  of the tool  20 , while users try on the tool  20  on the tool rack, the tool  20  can be rotated to any desired angles (as shown in  FIG. 8 ). In addition, the tool  20  which is retained at the trying on element  14  would not hit the other tools  20  retained at the tool holding section  15  during try-on because of the thickness of the plate  12  and the trying on element  14 . 
         [0022]    Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed,