Abstract:
A safety strap is secured to a hand tool or other object by a rubber sleeve stretched and mounted on a removable hollow core. The rubber sleeve mounted on the removable core is placed over the hand tool and the safety strap, such that the strap is between the sleeve and hand tool. The removable hollow core is then destructed and the rubber sleeve is released from the core and allowed to constrict onto the hand tool and safety strap, thereby anchoring the safety strap to the hand tool.

Description:
CLAIM OF BENEFIT TO PRIOR APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/020,929, filed on Sep. 9, 2013, which claims the benefit of priority of U.S. Provisional Application No. 
         [0002]    61/751,990 filed Jan. 14, 2013; both of which are hereby fully incorporated by reference herein in their entirety. 
     
    
     FIELD 
       [0003]    The present invention relates generally to a safety strap for hand tools. More particularly, the present invention relates to an improved way of attaching a safety strap to a hand tool by using a constricting rubber sleeve. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0004]    With the increasing expense and weight of power and unpowered hand tools, there came recognition of the penalty associated with dropping such a tool. Power hand tools are often damaged when they are dropped, and falling hand and power hand tools can injure persons and property if dropped from an elevated position. 
         [0005]    As a result of these circumstances, attachment devices have been devised to secure hand tools from such a drop. Some tools are manufactured with captive holes to allow the connection of a safety line. Further, lanyards and D-rings have been built into many hand power tools to allow attachment of lines to the tool at one end and a user&#39;s body at the other. For example, see U.S. Pat. No. 6,487,756 to Vidal. 
         [0006]    Many power and unpowered hand tools, however, have no such means to attach a safety line. As a result various methods have been devised to add a safety line or lanyard to a tool that was not originally so configured. 
         [0007]    One method is to tape a safety strap to the handle of such a tool. Python Safety, Inc. makes such a tape called Quickwrap Tape™ for this purpose. Another method is used by Tool Safety Solutions LTD, and involves placing heat sensitive tape over a section of a safety strap located adjacent the tool handle, and then apply heat to the tape allowing it to shrink and hold the section of strap in place. 
         [0008]    A disadvantage of the tape method is that tape can lose its adhesive properties over time. Such loss of adhesion can be accelerated under use in harsh environmental conditions. The degradation of the adhesive property of tape may not be readily apparent, creating uncertainty when the tool safety strap connection might fail. This creates a safety hazard, especially when using tape to secure heavier tools that are especially dangerous when dropped. 
         [0009]    The heat shrink method has disadvantages as well. The heating step might cause heat related damaged to the tool handle and/or the safety strap. If the heat shrink sleeve is over heated, the safety strap, or the heat shrink material itself, might well be weakened by the heating process and such a problem might go undetected. An unexpected failure of the safety strap might then occur. Further, the heating step can release undesirable toxic combustion products. In addition, heat shrink sleeves require use of a thin walled material which is required for optimum rate of heat conduction and process safety of the heat shrink sleeve. Such a thin-walled product may not be durable enough to withstand the weight of a heavy tool, especially under the stress of a dropped tool that is restrained by a safety strap held in place only by the heat shrink sleeve. The thin walled heat shrink material may also not withstand harsh environmental conditions. 
         [0010]    Therefore, there is an unfulfilled need for a better and safer way of attaching a safety strap to a hand tool that does not possess a captive hole or built in safety strap. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0011]    The present disclosure is directed to tool safety, particularly an improved way of attaching a safety strap to a hand tool or other object. 
         [0012]    This summary is not intended to limit the scope of the invention, or describe each embodiment, implementation, feature or advantage of the invention. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0013]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of elastic sleeve  100 . 
           [0014]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of removable core  150 . 
           [0015]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of elastic sleeve  100  mounted on removable core  150 . 
           [0016]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of safety strap  230 . 
           [0017]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of safety strap  230  cinched to a hand tool. 
           [0018]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a step in the application of the invention to breaker bar  300 . 
           [0019]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a step in the application of the invention to breaker bar  300 . 
           [0020]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of a step in the application of the invention to breaker bar  300 . 
           [0021]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view of a step in the application of the invention to breaker bar  300 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0022]    Using materials with elastic properties to provide a water tight seal is known to those in the electronic arts. Such a process is described in the application for Canadian patent 2,128,470, which is fully and completely incorporated into this specification by reference. Such a process, however, has a new, novel and unforeseen application as described below. The advantages of this invention include that it can be used to attach a safety strap to a hand tool that does not have a captive hole or other built in means to attach a safety strap. This invention also has the advantage that a safety strap can be attached to a hand tool without requiring the application of heat or adhesive tape. This invention uses a thick rubber sleeve that provides better support that can safely secure a safety strap on to heavier tools. The thicker material is also more resilient and weather resistant. Further, the eventual failure of adhesive type tape, or a thin heat shrink sleeve, may be avoided. Also, the application of the safety strap to a tool may be made in the field without the requirement of special tools, such as a heat source, for installation. It is also a faster and more efficient means of securing a safety strap to a hand tool. 
         [0023]    Referring to  FIGS. 1-3 , elastic sleeve  100  of the invention is preferably constructed in open-ended cylindrical sections with lengths and diameters dependent upon the weight and size of the tool to which it will be applied. Elastic sleeve  100  is preferably constructed of rubber or silicone rubber and preferably ethylene propylene diene monomer rubber. An EPDM rubber compound that has a specific gravity between 1.075 and 1.120 is preferred. Using EPDM rubber with this property provides good thermal stability, a tight seal, and years of resiliency and pressure. It also allows for the ease of mounting on removable core  150 . Elastic sleeve  100  made from EPDM rubber is also very resistant to fungus, ozone, alkalizes and acids. Other elastic materials may also be used. 
         [0024]    Elastic sleeve  100  consists of wall width  110  that preferably measures between 0.165 and 0.185 inches in thickness. Elastic sleeve  100  has a relaxed interior diameter  120 , a relaxed exterior diameter  130  and a length  140 . The length  140  and relaxed interior diameter  120  of elastic sleeve  100  is dependent upon the tool handle exterior diameter and the weight of the tool. For example, a five pound tool with a handle of between 0.75 and 1.5 inches in diameter would preferably use a sleeve of at least three inches in length and a relaxed interior diameter of about 0.5 inches. Such a configuration would allow a tool so equipped to be dropped from six feet and have its fall safely arrested by the safety strap without failure of the connection. It is preferred that the ratio of relaxed interior diameter  120  of elastic sleeve  100  to the exterior diameter of the tool handle is not greater than 0.7, and preferably between 0.3 and 0.67. Tools in the five pound range can be preferably equipped with a sleeve of at least 3 inches in length, whereas a tool in the 15 pound range would preferably use a sleeve of about 6 inches in length. It is preferred that the ratio of sleeve length  140  in inches to the weight of the tool in pounds remain between 0.4 to 0.6. 
         [0025]    Removable core  150  is a hollow core cylinder that defines volume  160 , and has a length  170 , an exterior diameter  180  and an interior diameter  175 . Removable core  150  is preferably constructed of a single strand of material  190  connected by perforations  200  at its periphery, and in a spiral fashion, to form removable core  150 . Detached strand  210  is preferably fed through volume  160  from its originating attachment to core  150 , to the opposite end of core  150 . The removal of core  150  is preferably achieved by continuously pulling the detached strand of material  210  through volume  160  thereby continuously unraveling core  150 . Elastic sleeve  100  is stretched and mounted onto removable core  150 . It is preferable that the exterior diameter  180  of removable core  150  be 3 to 4 times the relaxed interior diameter  120  of elastic member  100 . Such application will allow for an interior diameter  175  that will allow for a broad range of applications onto tool handles with varying exterior diameters. It is also preferable that when elastic member  100  is mounted on removable core  150  that removable core  150  be equal to or longer than length  140  of elastic sleeve  100 . 
         [0026]    Referring to  FIGS. 4-5 , safety strap  230  is comprised of attachment end  235 , which preferably includes D-ring  240 , and Tool end  250 . D-ring  240  in safety strap  230  can then be used to tether safety strap  230  to a user by means of carabineer or other connection means known to those of skill in the art. Safety strap  230  may also be configured to terminate in a loop of material. Tool end  250  of safety strap  230  is preferably configured to allow safety strap  230  to be attached to the handle of a hand tool by choke type connection  260 . 
         [0027]      FIGS. 6-9  depict an exemplary application of the invention onto breaker bar  300 . Referring to  FIG. 6 , safety strap  230  is cinched onto breaker bar  300  by cinch knot  250 . With elastic sleeve  100  mounted on removable core  150 , handle  320  of breaker bar  300  is placed into volume  160  of removable core  150 . Detached strand  210  originates on the end of removable core  150  closest to cinch connection  250 , and is fed through the length of volume  160  of core  150  such that strand  210  extends from removable core  150  on the opposite end from which it originates. Safety strap  230  is run through volume  160  of core  150  (as shown in  FIG. 7 ) such that it exits core  150  on the same end of core  150  as detached strand  210 . 
         [0028]    Referring now to  FIGS. 7-8 , detached strand  210  is continuously pulled through volume  160  of removable core  150  allowing removal of core  150  and the subsequent constriction  330  of elastic sleeve  100 . This removal process facilitates the removal of core  150  by allowing strand  210  to remain substantially clear of constricting elastic sleeve  100  during the core  150  removal process. 
         [0029]      FIG. 9  depicts breaker bar  300 , with removable core  150  removed, and elastic sleeve  100  constricted onto handle  320  thereby securing safety strap  230  to breaker bar  300 . 
         [0030]    While the invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that the invention is not to be limited to the disclosed embodiments. It will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that many modifications and equivalent arrangements can be made thereof without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure, such scope to be accorded the broadest interpretation of the appended claims so as to encompass all equivalent structures and products. For example, the dimensions and proportions indicated in the figures may be altered without departing from the scope of the invention. 
         [0031]    For purposes of interpreting the claims for the present invention, it is expressly intended that the provisions of Section 112, sixth paragraph of 35 U.S.C. are not to be invoked unless the specific terms “means for” or “step for” are recited in a claim.