Abstract:
An integrated support for tools utilizes both round and rectangularly shaped “U” socket tool support members that can be slidably mounted on a metal strip, and displaceable supports that can be mounted on a solidly shaped strip to provide an extended support with which the strip may be supported and stabilized. The extended support may be extruded, cut, or formed in any manner. It provides a body to which the strip may be attached, provides side surfaces that include recessed surfaces to facilitate grasping, and may optionally provide an extended area magnetic base, which works well with metal tool boxes to provide a measure of stability beyond its own weight. The support may actively provide accommodative support to a plurality of strips. The support has a central opening having a pair of oppositely oriented projections at an upper end thereof, that provide an engagement surface for the strip by using a threaded member, or a threaded member in combination with a nut, positioned with the central opening and either applying a facial cutting force against the oppositely oriented projections, or a compressive force against the oppositely oriented projections or restrictions over the central opening, with respect to the engaged nut in order to rotationally fix the threaded member.

Description:
This is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/378,134 filed Aug. 19, 1999, now abandoned. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to improvements in the field of tool organization, support, handling, and storage. More specifically, the present invention relates to a support base having sides configured to facilitate grasping and visual messages, a magnetic base for stability and which facilitates adjustable engagement of a metal socket rack. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The number and types of tool supports are many. All attempt the goal of support, storage, compact organization and ease of use. One support which has long been in use is a metal strap having a series of “U” shaped tool support members engaging the metal strap and slidable, with some resistance, along the metal strap. The curved portion of the “U” shape engages tools, typically a series of sockets, in the same space in which a ratchet wrench engages the socket. The term socket is not limited to nut and bolt head engagement structures but also other driver sets, generally any structure which can be driven by a ratchet. Once the different sized sockets are engaged with the members, the sockets can be compactly lined up along the metal strap. 
     Other solutions lack some of the advantages of this system employing the metal strap. In one embodiment, a plastic holder has a series of cylindrical holes to support the sockets. Each hole has a spaced apart diameter and height to accommodate a tool of an exact size. However, this design wastes space, wastes plastic, and faces the user with a children&#39;s puzzle at the time the tools are to be replaced in their correct holes. 
     Another system uses a side turning support which axially move to lock and unlock to enable the displacement spacing to change, but supporting relatively heavy and durable metal tools with plastic members which do not truly lock and unlock because they can still be slidably displaced with respect to their carriage base. 
     The above systems represent the complex and troublesome solutions to the problem of ordering and storing of tools, especially sockets and socket driven tools. One of the most inexpensive and orderly structures for adequately supporting socket driven tools is the metal strap having a series of “U” shaped tool support members as described above. However, due to the light weight nature of the elongate strip and the fact that it projects a relatively narrow support footprint, it is not stable on its own, and tends to fall over, especially when tools are positioned on it. Some users utilize the holes to attach the strip to another object, including a work bench or the inside of a tool box. However, this method causes loss of the ability to re-order the tools within a box, for example, or to carry the set to the work area without carrying the object to which the strip is attached. 
     What is therefore needed is a device which has the tool holding support, ordering and positionability of the “U” shaped tool support members but the support stability of expanded supports but without taking up additional space. The needed system should provide positive hold, occupy little space, provide stable, upright support and should hold the other tools stable as the user selects one for removal. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The devices and system of the present invention utilizes the “U” shaped tool support members slidably mounted on the elongate strip which can be made of any length, but provides an extended support with which the elongate strip may be supported and stabilized. The extended support may be extruded, cut, or formed in any manner. If extruded, the support may be expected to have a constant axial profile along its length. The support provides a body for the elongate strip to be attached, provides side surfaces which facilitate grasping, and may optionally provide an extended area magnetic base which works well with metal tool boxes to provide a measure of stability beyond its own weight. The support has a central opening having a pair of oppositely oriented projections which provide engagement with the elongate strip by using a threaded member and a nut positioned within the central slot and sized to be non-rotatable within the slot, and applying a compressive force against the oppositely oriented projections or restrictions over the central opening. Apertures in the elongate strip, which are typically already formed in the elongate strip, are used to accommodate the threaded member. In addition, the elongate strip can be attached to the support by the use of a screw having engaging threads which provide engagement with the elongate strip by applying a facial cutting force against the oppositely oriented facing projections against the oppositely oriented projections. Alternatively, where other material, such as plastic or wood is used, the central slot can be eliminated and the threaded member can penetrate and engage directly into the material of the support, especially where the support is plastic or wood. 
     The support preferably has a bottom surface attached to an extended surface magnet. An extended surface magnet is utilized due to its expanded area of contact with the bottom of the support and relatively high magnetic holding force attainable with a relatively weak volumetric strength. 
     The support may also include side recessed areas to facilitate grasping of the support, even over a fully tool loaded elongate strip. The side recessed areas may also include a pair of oppositely disposed vertical grooves for accepting and supporting inserts which can be used for identification. In the alternative, where vertical grooving is not desired, the inserts may be attached by painting, adhesive, glue, or other methods. The support may also include end apertures for engagement with a structure to facilitate hanging from the end as well as and including other structures to facilitate a finished look. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention, its configuration, construction, and operation will be best further described in the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view looking down at a support of the invention and illustrating partially exploded details of attachment of the strip; 
     FIG. 2 is an end view taken along line  2 — 2  of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a top view of the support of FIGS. 1 &amp; 2; 
     FIG. 4 is an end view of a further embodiment of the support of the invention having a wider profile and a pair of deeper side slots to accommodate material removal; 
     FIG. 5 is an exploded view of a tongue shaped strip supporting a plurality of overfitting members slidably displacable along said strip member and shown above the support of FIG. 4; and 
     FIG. 6 illustrates an end view of the support of FIGS. 4 and 5 shown with a metal strip similar to that seen in FIGS. 1-3 but having rectangular shaped tool support members. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The description and operation of the invention will be best described with reference to FIG. 1, which illustrates a perspective assembled view. A support system  21  includes a support  23  to which a elongate strip  25  is attached. Support  23  can be of any length and can support a number of elongate strips if desired. Elongate strip  25  includes a series of “U” shaped tool support members  27  which are slidable along the elongate strip  25  with some resistance. 
     The elongate strip  25  usually contains a pair of apertures of which one aperture  31  is seen in FIG. 1, below a threaded member  33  shown in a vertically displaced exploded position over the aperture  31 , and including an expanded head larger than aperture  31  in order to engage the elongate strip  25 , and having a shaft for extending through the aperture  31 . A nut  34 , which may preferably be a hexagonal nut  34  or any other shape capable of being captured by a pair of oppositely disposed flat surfaces. 
     The apertures  31  typically accompany the elongate strip  25  adjacent the ends thereof, but multiple numbers of apertures  31  may be provided along the length of the elongate strip  25 . However, two apertures  31  are expected to be more than sufficient to support the elongate strip  25  with respect to the support  23 . The elongate strip  25  can be of any length, as can the support  23 . 
     The support  23  is preferably an extrusion, and where it is an extrusion, the features appearing at an end  35  of the extrusion will exist completely through the extrusion. The support  23  may have a pair of through bores  37  extending therethrough, or formed in the ends thereof. The through bores  37  are completely optional and can be utilized for a variety of purposes including reduction of material from a non critical portion of the structure, providing an insertion point for other support structure and providing an insertion point for an end cap or other structure, such as an end cap  39 . 
     The completely optional end cap  39  may have a shape which extends from the portions of the support  23  in a way which makes the end cap  39  a natural end extension of the support  23 . The end cap  39  has a pair of projections  41  which can be fixably inserted into the ends of the through bores  37  and secured by either friction or gluing. 
     The details of operation of the support  23  are seen at the end thereof. A main slot  45  has a relatively wide base and shallow vertical walls. At the top of the main slot  45 , a pair of oppositely oriented facing projections  47  and  49  define an entrance slot  51  between them to admit the threaded shaft of the threaded member  33  to engage the nut  34 , and enable a sufficient area on the pair of oppositely oriented facing projections  47  and  49 , to be engaged by the nut  34  to hold the elongate strip  25  in place. The use of the threaded member  33  and nut  34  within the main slot  45  to act against the projections  47  and  49  on either side of the entrance slot  51  enables the user to center the elongate strip  25  on the support  23 , and in the case where a much longer support  23  is available, to secure several individual elongate strips  25  on the support  23 . 
     On the bottom of the support  23  a magnetic strip layer  53  is attached. The extended area of the magnetic strip layer  53  is preferably matched to the bottom surface of the support  23  to give maximum holding strength. The support  23  also includes an outwardly disposed linear depression  55  on along one side and an outwardly disposed linear depression  57  along the other side. These depressions  55  &amp;  57  facilitate grasping of the support  23 . A series of sockets  59  are seen in phantom where they overlie the “U” shaped tool support members  27 . A socket  61  is seen in solid form and exploded over a “U” shaped support clip  27  and the square lower socket entry space  63  is seen to be in a position to engage the “U” shaped support clip  27 . 
     As a further option, the linear depression  55  may have a smaller pair of oppositely disposed slots  65  and  67  which enable support of a slidably insertable message insert  69  which is seen to have the words “metric” written thereon. In the alternative, message insert  69  may be attached directly to the depressions  55  and  57 , whether or not the optional disposed slots  65  and  67  are present. Other writing may be used, including advertising inserts  69 , color inserts  69 , and possibly even user markable inserts to enable the user to put user information thereon. The smaller pair of oppositely disposed slots  65  and  67  can support the inserts  69  either flat to the depressions  55  and  57  or bowed out for more expression. Further, the depressions  55  and  57  can themselves be bowed in or out for effect and still facilitate manual grasping and manipulation of the support  23  whether the sockets  59  &amp;  61  are in place or not. Also seen is a wide shallow elongate strip accommodation slot  71  having a bottom  72 , and side walls  73  and  75 . The bottom  72  is interrupted by the entrance slot  51  and its oppositely oriented facing projections  47  and  49 . Accommodation slot  71  preferably has sufficient depth to enable the elongate strip  25  to sit low enough within the support  23  to reduce the overall profile, but not so low that the lower end of the tools, such as sockets  59  and  61  would be limited in the extent of their fit over the “U” shaped tool support members  27  to limit their engagement thereon. 
     Referring to FIG. 2, a side sectional view gives a more complete view of the structures of the support  23  including the base surface  76  and shallow vertical walls  77  &amp;  79 . At the top of the main slot  45 , a pair of oppositely oriented facing projections  47  and  49  are more clearly seen. It is understood that the same structures seen in FIG. 2 can be engaged with a screw having a body fat enough to engage the oppositely facing sides of the oppositely oriented facing projections  47  and  49 . This may tend to deform the facing projections  47  and  49  as well as to limit the ability of the user to locate the elongate strip  25  evenly along the length of the support  23 . The elongate strip  25  is seen to be in a generally flat bottomed “V” shape, including a flat bottom  81  with angled side walls  83  forming each leg of the “V” shape from an axial sectional view of FIG. 2, and having a small flat portion  85  extending generally parallel to the flattened bottom. The “U” shaped tool support members  27  generally include smaller “u” shaped portions  87  which engage and wrap around the flattened portions of the “V” shape of the elongate strip  25 . The width of the base surface  76 , and thus the separation of the shallow vertical walls  77  &amp;  79  insure that the outermost extent of the “U” shaped tool support members  27 , generally including the smaller “u” shaped portions discussed, adequately clear and have no interference with the shallow vertical walls  77  &amp;  79  in order that the tool support members  27  remain displaceable along the elongate strip  25  to continue to provide compact ordering to the supported sockets  59  and  61 . 
     Referring to FIG. 3, a top view without the sockets  59  and  61  illustrates further details of the system  21 , but with a hanger loop  91  having ends inserted into the optional bores  37 , if present, to enable the system  21  to be suspended from a hook, nail or other protruding object. Other structure for hanging is possible. A top surface  93  of the support  23  is also most clearly seen, as are the details of the a flat bottom  81 , angled side walls  83 , and small flat portion  85  of the elongate strip  25 . The angled nature of these features gives the elongate strip  25  strength and stability. Also shown is the end cap  39  in place to give the support system  21  a finished look. 
     Referring to FIG. 4, an end view of a further embodiment of the support of the present invention is seen as a support  101 . It is shown in simplified view, unobstructed by any strip and slidable supports for a more complete illustration. Support  101  includes a main entrance slot  103  which leads into an opening having a base surface  105  and shallow vertical walls  107  &amp;  109 . Defining main entrance slot  103  is a pair of oppositely oriented facing projections  111  and  113 . It is understood that the same structures seen in FIG. 4, can, like the structures of FIGS. 1-3 be engaged with a screw having a body fat enough to engage the oppositely facing sides of the oppositely oriented facing projections  111  and  113 . 
     The oppositely oriented facing projections  111  and  113 , with their underlying downwardly directed walls, form right angles with upper surfaces  115  and  117 . As before, the support  101  has side walls  119  and  121 . However, rather than a flat expanse from the upper surfaces  115  and  117  to the side walls  119  and  121 , the side walls  119  and  121  continue downward to a depth below the level of the upper surfaces  115  and  117  to form a pair of side slots  125  and  127 . Primarily the side slots  125  and  127  are for material removal, but the extrusion of the shape seen in FIG. 4, and including the shape of the side slots  125  and  127  and their relationship and spacing with respect to the oppositely oriented facing projections  111  and  113  is selected to insure that the resulting support  101  can adequately hold any tool stip. 
     The dimension “X” is indicated as the horizontal separation, taken with respect to the orientation of FIG. 4, between the side walls  119  and  121 . This width will vary depending upon the characteristics of the member utilized with the support  101 . For example, a magnitude of from about 0.9 inches to about 1.2 inches for the dimension “X” has been found adequate to accommodate a wide range of strips and tool support members such as metal strip  25  and “U” shaped tool support members  27 , as well as others to be shown hereafter. This dimension includes the accommodation made to the “U” shaped tool support members  27  and their generally include smaller “u” shaped portions  87  which engage and wrap around the flattened portions of the “V” shape of the elongate strip  25 . Also seen is a first outwardly disposed linear depression  131  and a second outwardly disposed linear depression  133 , as well as a base surface  135  without a magnetic strip layer  53 . The top surfaces  137  and  139  are also seen. The overall depth of the surfaces  115  and  117  will be of such depth as to accommodate a socket  61  above the top surfaces  137  and  139 . 
     Referring to FIG. 5, an exploded view of an alternative to the metal strip  25  of FIGS. 1-3 is seen as a strip  151  having a first rounded end  153  and a second end  155  bounded by an expanded portion  157 . Adjacent the rounded end  153  is a raised spring extension  159  to enable each of a plurality of slidably displaceable supports  161  to be loaded onto the strip  151 . Each of the plurality of slidably displaceable supports  161  has a pair of legs  163  which partially surround the length of the support  161 . 
     The support  101  is seen with a magnetic strip layer  53 . Support  101  has a width “X” of sufficient magnitude to accommodate not only the strip  151 , but also the width of the legs  163  of the plurality of slidably displaceable supports  161 , as they extend around the strip  151 . The strip  151  and the plurality of slidably displaceable supports  161  are commercially available, and support  101  is specially designed to support strip  151 . The strip  151  has a pair of apertures  165  and  167  which are at least one of chamfered or countersunk and deep enough that threaded members  169  extend sufficiently within said chamfer or countersink so that no blocking height will inhibit the movement of the plurality of slidably displaceable supports  161 . Each of the threaded members  169  engage a nut  34 , as before, which may preferably be a hexagonal nut  34  or any other shape capable of being captured by the pair of oppositely disposed flat surfaces  107  and  109  for support  101 . The strip  151  can have each of the plurality of slidably displaceable supports  161  added and removed even when the strip  151  is supported by the support  101 . 
     Further, the support  101 , like the support  23 , can be of any length and can support multiple strips  25 ,  151 . A subsequent N strips is represented in phantom by the numeral  175 . In this manner, a single support  23 ,  101  can be provided with multiple strips  25 ,  151  for even more efficient storage of tools. 
     Referring to FIG. 6, an end view of the support  101  is seen with a metal strip  25  having a somewhat rectangularly shaped support clip  181  shown inserted within a socket  61 . Further, metal strips  25  and solid shaped strips  151  can be placed on the same support  23 ,  101 . FIG. 6 illustrates the nut  34  engaging the threaded member  33  to secure a metal strip on to the support  101 . The width of the side walls  107  and  109  are such as to engage the flat sides of the nut  34  to prevent nut  34  from turning. This eliminates the need for any other holding structure within the main entrance slot  103 . 
     While the present invention has been described in terms of a device and system in which an elongate strip with tool support members are used to support tools and which is itself more properly supported in a utility base configured to facilitate movable and rest position stability, manual grasping and manipulation, written communication and identification, and in particular formation of the system as a retrofit with existing tool supports, especially elongate strip type tool supports, one skilled in the art will realize that the structure and techniques of the present invention can be applied to many appliances. The present invention may be applied in any situation where an existing ordered support is to have its utilization enhanced by connection to a more stable support base. 
     Although the invention has been derived with reference to particular illustrative embodiments thereof, many changes and modifications of the invention may become apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Therefore, included within the patent warranted hereon are all such changes and modifications as may reasonably and properly be included within the scope of this contribution to the art.