Abstract:
A personal tool carrying device provides improvements in manufacture and appearance. A hook includes an integrally formed head end that is supported by ribs of a slot of a housing. A friction cap preferably surrounds the head end to hold the hook in a selected rotational position. The head end and friction cap are held in a cavity of the housing by a mounting element such as a belt clip. The housing swivels in relation to the mounting element. The device provides various surfaces for product identifying information.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to personal carrying accessories. More precisely the present invention relates to a tool-carrying device. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     A well-known device to carry tools, supplies and the like is a tool belt. Such belts often have pockets, loops, and in one case, an attached hook to enable a worker to carry items without use of his hands. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,883,290 to Landa shows a ski pole carrier. A spring clip secures the body of the device to a belt or other item worn by a user. A clamp is pivotally attached to the body of the device and holds two ski poles. The poles may be swiveled between vertical and parallel to the user and horizontally. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,962,873 to Schattel comprises a customized tool belt with a permanently attached hook. The device is intended for heavy construction materials such as rebar. The custom belt thus includes shoulder straps to support the load. The hook may be rotated to extend out for use and to lie flat against the belt when not in use. The hook rotation includes detent stops. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,743,451 to Kahn shows a hook that combines the features of &#39;873 and &#39;290. A spring clip allows the hook to be attached and removed from a waist belt as in &#39;290. The hook of &#39;451 further includes a swivel option similar to &#39;290. As in &#39;873 the hook includes an ability to rotate between detents. 
     None of the prior art suggests a simple smoothly integrated compact design. Further, the prior art do not suggest low cost methods for manufacture using common high-speed production processes. For example the hook of &#39;451 requires secondary operations to create the hole 4 c  in the attaching end of the hook. Another type of operation is suggested using screw threads on the hook at the opposite end to attach a ball end. Inserting pin 5 or screwing on an item requires additional assembly effort. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the invention to provide a lower cost personal tool carrier device, or tool clip. It is a specific object to provide an improved design to a hook-attaching end. It is another object to provide a molded housing that includes substantial and varied surfaces to display product identification information. It is a further object to provide an improved method to apply friction to hold the hook in a rotational position. It is another object to have a simplified assembly process. 
     The present invention tool clip is a typically waist mounted hook or similar device that attaches to an item of clothing. The tool clip enables a user to carry articles such as power tools while the hands are free to do other things. 
     In one embodiment a depending hook is rotatable about two distinct axes with respect to a user wearing it. A first horizontal axis allows the hook to swivel and the hook to remain oriented downward as a user bends over or moves around. In a second axis substantially perpendicular to the first axis the hook rotates toward and away from the user to adjust and stow the hook. 
     The present invention comprises a molded housing, preferably of plastic material such as polycarbonate although die cast or other metal would be suitable. A hook includes a “U” shaped metal bar with an enlarged head end. A flexible friction cap surrounds the head including an interference fit to resist the head from rotating within the cap. The cap and head together are installed into a cavity of the housing. A belt clip is secured to the backside of the housing to securely confine the hook head end and cap in the cavity of the housing. A ball end may be attached to the distal end of the hook. 
     The hook can be manufactured using cold heading methods that are common for making bolts. According to this process a wire is drawn to a desired diameter after which a die forcibly moves the material at one end to form a head. The head is commonly a hexagonal shape, although square, round, recessed, 12 point and other head shapes are known and may be used. 
     The head end is preferably held within the housing so that it has some resistance to turning. Any resilient material may provide the function of the friction cap although molded plastic may be preferred. Further the function of the friction cap may be provided by elements of just the housing or a combination the housing and the belt clip. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a front elevation of a tool clip with a hook in the stowed position. 
     FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the tool clip of FIG. 1 with the hook extended. 
     FIGS. 3 to  7  show an assembly method for the components of the tool clip. 
     FIG. 8A is an end view of a friction cap. 
     FIG. 8B is a partial sectional view of the friction cap in the direction of the view of FIG.  8 A. 
     FIG. 8C is a bottom view of the friction cap including a sectional bolt shank and bolt head within the cap. 
     FIG. 8D is a primarily side slightly bottom perspective view of the friction cap. 
     FIG. 8E is primarily bottom perspective view of the friction cap. 
     FIG. 9A is a front and slightly bottom view of a tool clip housing. 
     FIG. 9B is a back and slightly bottom view of the housing. 
     FIG. 9C is a side elevation of the housing. 
     FIG. 9D is a partially sectional view of the housing in the direction of the view of FIG.  9 C. 
     FIG. 9E is a bottom elevation of the housing. 
     FIG. 9F is a bottom and slightly front view of the housing. 
     FIG. 9G is a partially sectional view of the housing in the direction of the view of FIG.  9 E. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     FIGS. 1 and 2 show the present invention in a preferred embodiment. Belt clip  50  is a mounting element that holds the tool clip of the invention to a user&#39;s belt, waistband or other clothing. Belt clip  50  is normally removable from a user&#39;s belt, although it could be permanently or semi-permanently attached to a belt or other clothing article. For example, if holes were provided in the belt clip a string, band or wire could be threaded through the holes to hold the tool clip more securely. In FIG. 1 hook  20  is rotated to a stowed position where it lays closely against a user. In FIG. 2 hook  20  is rotated outward to enable convenient storage of an article  100  that is to be carried. Article  100  is shown as a generic sectional view. It may be a power tool such as a drill, building materials, other tools or any item that can be suspended by a hook. Alternately, other forms may be used in place of hook  20  such as a fork, loop, pouch, shelf, or other configuration to hold items that are not suited to be held by a hook. 
     Housing  10  may swivel against belt clip  50  about hole  19  (FIG.  9 B), where belt clip  50  is pivotally attached to housing  10  by rivet  58  (FIGS. 1,  6 ,  7 ) or a screw or equivalent method. Such a method may include an integral post of housing  10  that is swaged or melted over hole  52  (FIG. 6A) to retain belt clip  50  to housing  10 . Rivet  58  defines a horizontal swivel axis. 
     Housing  10  provides a structure to contain, guide and support the components of the tool clip. The components are preferably well contained within housing  10  for a pleasing appearance, however housing  10  could be minimally designed to expose the components if it is desired for example to reduce material usage. Hook  20  extends down from slot  11  (FIGS. 1,  9 A) of housing  10 . Friction cap  30  (FIGS. 1,  2 ,  8 ) may include a logo embossed or printed on an exposed surface as in FIG.  1 . This corresponds to the side surface of FIG.  8 D. Optionally raised area  17  of housing  10  may also include product information, shown in FIG. 1 as the name “Tool Caddy”. Area  17  is relatively wide, FIG. 1, to provide support against a user to increase stability as the weight of article  100  swings about. The position of stops  13  relative to pivot  19  (FIG. 9B) establish limits for the possible motion of housing  10  to swive about pivot  19  to varying angles relative to a user. l Stops  13  are not required and may be omitted, but they will help to reduce uncontrolled swinging of the tool clip as a user moves around. 
     The design of hook  20  is best seen in FIG.  3 . In the illustrated embodiment hook  20  comprises a long “U” shaped bolt including integrally formed hexagonal head end  22 . At the distal end of hook  20  knurl  24  helps retain press-fitted end cap  40  to hook  20 . End cap  40  includes recess  42  to receive the distal end of hook  20 . Alternately end cap  40  can be overmolded directly onto the end of hook  20 . End cap  40  provides a finished appearance and protective cover for the end of hook  20 . A rounded end may instead be directly coined into the distal end of hook  20 . Hook  20  is preferably of a soft metal such as aluminum to allow it to be bend to slightly different shapes. Alternately hook  20  may be a steel wire covered by an elastomer or plastic material, or all plastic. In this case a soft end for hook  20  can be molded as part of the elastomeric cover. 
     Head end  22  of hook  20  is enlarged to enable hook  20  to be retained within housing  10 . Slot  18  (FIG. 6,  9 B) is formed by ribs of housing  10 . When hook  20  is pulled downward by the weight of article  100 , the underside of head end  22  is supported by slot  18 . In FIG. 6 a gap is seen between the ribs defining slot  18  and the underside of head end  22 . This gap would be closed as hook  20  moves downward from the weight of article  100 . However the gap illustrates that hook  20  need not be precisely vertically positioned within housing  10 . Slot  18  may also position hook  20  at the head end laterally, in and out of the page in FIGS. 3-7, within housing  10 . The top surface of head end  22  presses within friction cap  30  or another surface to confine hook  20  from above. Optionally head end  22  may be similar in diameter to the main shank of hook  20 , where the head is defined as the portion of the hook above a circumferencial groove just under the head. The groove could be roll formed into hook  20  where slot  18  fits within the groove and positions hook  20  vertically. This hook holding concept is equivalent to the illustrated enlarged head end  22 . 
     Head end  22  is positioned within housing  10 , other than in the downward direction, primarily by being fitted in recess  32  of friction cap  30  (FIG.  8 C). Friction cap  30  is preferably of a resilient material to provide resistance against rotation of head end  22 , and thus hook  20 , within recess  32  of friction cap  30 . Cap materials may include nylon, acetal, elastomers, or resilient fingers or similar features of a metal spring device. In the case of a metal friction cap  30 , the detailed appearance of cap  30  would likely differ. For example a cup with multiple fingers forming walls surrounding head end  22  could be designed. If desired, cap  30  may fit head end  22  loosely so that hook  20  rotates freely toward and away from a user. The rotation axis defined by friction cap  30  and slots  11  and  18  is a hook pivoting axis substantially perpendicular to the horizontal swivel axis described above. 
     Friction cap  30  is retained in cavity  12  of housing  10 . Therefore hook  20  is frictionally retained within housing  10  against rotation. Enlarged head end  22  provides two functions for hook  20 ; vertical retention as described above, and a large outer diameter surface to provide an effective braking surface that is in contact with the interior of friction cap  30 . It is not required that friction cap  12  be fitted within a cavity of the housing. Rather a version of friction cap  30  may be attached to any surface of housing  10  by, for example, rivet  58 . For example friction cap  30  may comprise a clamshell design where it is closed around head end  22  and then attached to housing  10 . A feature of the invention is that some type of friction element works to restrain the hook from rotating while the hook is prevented from pulling out of the housing by confining the enlarged head. 
     Another way to frictionally engage hook  20  rotationally within housing  10  is to resiliently press the outer diameter of hook  20  in the region of interior wall  14 , or other than at head end  22 . Wall  14 , multiple ribs or a separate coaxial friction element may press or surround hook  20  below head end  22 , or above the head if the hook shank extends that way. A clamshell or two-piece design for this separate friction element would ease assembly. These methods, combined with the head defining groove described above, may provide a more compact device since the head end could be of smaller diameter. 
     However by pressing the enlarged diameter of head end  22 , the illustrated friction cap  30  is more effective for preventing rotation than if it pressed only the narrower main body of hook  20 . The friction cap may press head end  22  from above, below or both, rather than from the outer diameter of head end  22 . In this case a clamshell or partial clamshell design would allow the friction cap to be installed laterally onto head end  22 , or the head end to be moved into the friction cap, rather than the cap installed from above the head end as in the illustrated embodiment. Ribs of this cap could contact top and bottom faces of head end  22 . 
     Recess  32  preferably includes undulating wall  34  which provide detents to engage the non-circular head end  22  and hold hook  20  in various positions If a detent action is not desired one or both of head end  22  and wall  34  may be circular. As long as there is an interference fit between head end  22  within recess  32 , hook  20  will be frictionally engaged by friction cap  30 . In the preferred embodiment head end is hexagonal at least in part because it is a well-known shape for manufacture. It can be seen in FIG. 8C that the corners of head end  22  are preferably well rounded to prevent wear upon wall  34  of friction cap  30 . Friction cap  30  may include at least one notch or channel  36  to enhance the expandability of recess  32  as head end  22  rotates between detents within recess  32 . 
     If housing  10  is of a suitable material and proper molding techniques are used the function of friction cap  30  may be included as an element of housing  10 , for example as the walls of cavity  12 . Nylon is both a sturdy structural material and a resilient material. Nylon could thus form a single piece housing and friction cap. Head end  22  can be surrounded on three sides by the walls of cavity  12  while optionally a surface of or finger formed in belt clip  50  or other object could press from the back against head end  22 . Alternately the resiliency of belt clip  50  could alone provide pressure and thus friction against head end  22  if belt clip  50  were positioned closely enough to head end  22 . However if hook  20  is made of aluminum and belt clip  50  is spring steel, belt clip  50  pressing only from one side of head end  22  may cause excessive wear on head end  22 . 
     As a design choice a portion of friction cap  30  or another element of the tool clip device may directly contact the underside of head end  22 . But head end  22  is at least indirectly supported from falling downward by a member of housing  10 . 
     The present invention includes a method for assembly of a tool clip device. Various stages of the assembly method are shown in FIGS. 3-7. Relevant features of housing  10  are also shown in the views of FIG.  9 . In FIG. 3 head end  22  of hook  20  is being installed through opening  16  in housing  10 . At some point in the assembly process end cap  40  is pressed onto the distal end of hook  20 . Recess  42  is forced over knurl  24 . End cap  40  may be attached or formed before, during, or after the other assembly steps are completed. In FIG. 4 hook  20  has moved up so that head end  22  is within opening  16 , while friction cap  30  is prepared behind housing  10  to receive head end  22 . In FIG. 5 hook  20  has moved further up so that head end  22  extends rearward of housing  10 . Friction cap  30  is placed around head end  22 . The assembly of hook  20  with friction cap  30  is moved so that friction cap  30  is aligned with cavity  12 . If friction cap  30  is omitted as described above, head end  22  alone enters cavity  12 . Hook  20  is rotated counterclockwise in FIG. 5 about opening  16  so that friction cap  30  enters cavity  12  and head end  22  moves atop slot  18  as in FIG.  6 . Hook  20  moves into slot  18 . See also FIG.  9 B. Interior wall  14  of housing  10  forms a barrier to confine hook  20  at a hook front side. Slot  11  confines a lower rear side of hook  20 . Housing  10  thus holds hook  20  securely when a weight from article  100  is applied since hook  20  cannot rotate further counterclockwise in FIG.  6 . Slot  11  and optionally  18  together position hook  20  side to side as apparent in FIG.  9 B. Friction cap  30  may do such positioning instead of slot  18 . Therefore in FIG.  6  hook  20  is held within housing  10  except that hook  20  can rotate clockwise while friction cap  30  can move rearward out of housing  10  in a reverse of the assembly process. 
     In the final assembly step belt clip  50 , shown in rotated 90° in FIG. 6A, is attached to housing  10 . Belt clip  50  is moved into position whereby hole  19  of housing  10  is aligned with hole  52  of belt clip  50 . Rivet or similar fastener  58  is placed through the respective holes and secured in place. If a conventional rivet is used, hole  52  may comprise two aligned holes through both downward extending fingers of belt clip  50 . Then rivet  58  can be pressed from both ends easily since an anvil tool may pass through the backside hole into the cavity formed by the fingers of belt clip  50 . A one sided rivet such as a Pop rivet would not require a backside hole in belt clip  50 . 
     When belt clip  50  is fastened to housing  10 , friction cap  30 , and thus head end  22 , are confined from the rear by belt clip  50 . As explained earlier, stops  13  limit the possible rotation of housing  10  about rivet  58  against belt clip  50 . An additional reason for such stops is to ensure that belt clip  50  never moves entirely out from behind friction cap  30 . If belt clip  50  were not wide enough, and it were rotated to a horizontal position, friction cap  30  could become fully exposed and be able to fall out of place. If clip  50  is wide enough stops  13  may be omitted. 
     If belt clip  50  is of constant thickness, and were also of constant width, bending stresses as it is spread apart in use would be greatest at the top area since the fingers of the clip are equivalent to cantilevered beams. In the illustrated embodiment belt clip  50  includes a tapered shape in FIG.  6 A. Then the spring energy of bending is stored more evenly along the length of the clip since the area of most bending stress is also the stiffest. Protrusions  54  provides additional material where material is lost to hole  52 . 
     In an alternate embodiment housing  10  may be pivotally attached permanently to a mounting element such as a tool belt or other clothing item. For example if housing  10  is fastened at hole  19 , or equivalent location, to a stiff leather belt the belt would act to confine friction cap  30  and/or head end  22  within cavity  12 . Or if as discussed earlier friction cap  30  is held to housing  10  by other means such as by rivet  58 , and not necessarily within a cavity, then the leather belt would need to only pivotally support housing  10  but not confine friction cap  30  in a cavity. Alternately belt clip  50  may be permanently riveted to the tool belt. 
     FIG. 7 shows the assembled tool clip similar to the view of FIG.  1 . The tool clip according to the invention is simple to produce. The housing is a small molded part with no undercuts or other complex features. The hook is substantially a conventional “U” bolt including a largely conventional head. The friction cap is a single piece, or is included as part of the housing. During the operation to fasten the belt clip the components of the assembly are also secured in place. No cotter pins, nuts, plastic bonding or other secondary operations are required. An innovation of the invention is the use of integrally formed head end  22  while also providing a way to install the enlarged head into housing  10 . 
     From the foregoing detailed description, it will be evident that there are a number of changes, adaptations and modifications of the present invention which come within the province of those skilled in the art. However, it is intended that all such variations not departing from the spirit of the invention be considered as within the scope thereof as limited solely by the claims following.