Abstract:
A chain saw case has an adjustable scabbard that telescopes to allow for different lengths of chain bar. The scabbard also has an opening along one side to allow visibility of the side of the chain saw bar and any markings, including branding, on the chain saw bar. The chain saw case is designed to be fabricated using injection-molding techniques. Because the scabbard collapses, and the injection molded case offers ample space not afforded in all existing blow molded chain saw cases, the scabbard can be placed inside the case during shipment reducing shipping cost and space required while in distribution.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    The present invention relates to a plastic case including a scabbard for housing a chain saw, and more particularly to a plastic case having a scabbard that is adjustable to house chain bars having different lengths.  
           [0003]    2. Discussion of the Related Art  
           [0004]    Currently, a variety of plastic cases are used to hold chain saws. Such known cases share the characteristic that the chain bar is held within a plastic scabbard that extends from the body of the case.  
           [0005]    Chain Bars having different lengths may be placed on the chain saw. Thus, a single chain saw may accommodate chain saw bars of different length. Typically, chain saw bars are selected from the lengths of 16, 18, and 20 inches. The result is that known cases have excessively long scabbards that can accommodate the longest possible chain bar length. Otherwise, a different size scabbard may be required for the same chain saw when different length chain bars are attached to the chain saw.  
           [0006]    In addition, most conventional chain saw bars  200 , as shown in FIG. 1, include merchandising, branding or other markings thereon. Known chain saw cases and scabbards that protectively cover the chain bar also completely enclose the chain bar, thus covering any markings, merchandising or branding on the side of the chain saw bar.  
           [0007]    Currently, no chain saw case exists that allows for housing different lengths of chain bars. Also, no chain saw case exists that allows for visibility of markings, merchandising or branding on the chain saw bar when the chain saw is held in the case.  
           [0008]    Moreover, current chain saw cases have a scabbard that extends from the case, making stacking and storage difficult.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0009]    Accordingly, the present invention relates to an innovative chain saw case with an adjustable scabbard that substantially obviates one or more of the problems due to the limitations and disadvantages of the related art.  
           [0010]    An object of the present invention is to provide one size chain saw case that houses a chain saw with a variety of lengths of chain bars.  
           [0011]    Another object of the present invention is to provide a chain saw case with a partially open scabbard so that markings on a chain bar are visible.  
           [0012]    Another object of the present invention is to provide an effective way to ship the scabbard, by collapsing the scabbard, to fit inside of the injection molded chain saw case.  
           [0013]    Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description, which follows, and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objectives and other advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by the structure particularly pointed out in the written description and claims hereof as well as the appended drawings.  
           [0014]    To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the present invention, as embodied and broadly described, a chain saw case comprises a main compartment for housing a chain saw body; a scabbard extending from a side wall of the main compartment, the scabbard including a first scabbard portion engaged in the side wall of the main compartment and a second scabbard portion slideably inserted into a distal end of the first scabbard portion; the first scabbard portion including a plurality of notches, wherein the notches engage a proximal end of the second scabbard portion and stop movement of the second scabbard portion.  
           [0015]    In another aspect of the present invention, a chain saw case comprises a main compartment for housing a chain saw body; a scabbard extending from a side wall of the main compartment, the scabbard including a first scabbard portion engaged in the side wall of the main compartment and a second scabbard portion slideably inserted into a distal end of the first scabbard portion; the second scabbard portion including a plurality of notches, wherein the notches engage a distal end of the first scabbard portion and stop movement of the second scabbard portion.  
           [0016]    In another aspect of the present invention, a chain saw case comprises a main compartment; a scabbard extending from a side wall of the main compartment, the scabbard including a first scabbard portion and a second scabbard portion, the second scabbard portion slideably insertable into the first scabbard portion; a plurality of notches on the first scabbard portion; and a protrusion on the second scabbard portion, the protrusion having a shape to engage one of the plurality notches when the second scabbard portion is inserted into the first scabbard portion and fix movement of the second scabbard portion within the first scabbard portion.  
           [0017]    In another aspect of the present invention, a chain saw case comprises a main compartment; a scabbard extending from a side wall of the main compartment, the scabbard including a first scabbard portion and a second scabbard portion, the second scabbard portion slideably insertable into the first scabbard portion; a plurality of notches on the second scabbard portion; and a protrusion on the first scabbard portion, the protrusion having a shape to engage one of the plurality notches when the second scabbard portion is inserted into the first scabbard portion and fix movement of the second scabbard portion within the first scabbard portion.  
           [0018]    It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0019]    The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention.  
         [0020]    In the drawings:  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 1 shows a conventional chain saw bar.  
         [0022]    [0022]FIGS. 2A and 2B show a chain saw case having an adjustable scabbard.  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 3 shows a preferred embodiment of an adjustable chain saw scabbard.  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 4A shows a preferred embodiment of an adjustable chain saw scabbard that is removeable from the case.  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 4B shows a preferred embodiment of an adjustable chain saw scabbard having a slot for receiving a removeable scabbard.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0026]    Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, example of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings.  
         [0027]    As shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, a case  4  for housing a chain saw  8  includes a main compartment  12  formed of a base  16 , and a cover  24 . The case further includes a scabbard  32  for housing the chain bar of a chain saw  8 .  
         [0028]    As shown in FIG. 2B, a conventional chain saw  8  includes a main chain saw portion  40  and a chain saw bar  42  (partially shown). The chain bar portion is shown in more detail in FIG. 2.  
         [0029]    The scabbard  32  is hollow to hold the chain bar  42  therein. The scabbard  32  includes a first scabbard portion  50  and a second scabbard portion  54 , as shown in FIG. 3. The first scabbard portion  50  has a proximal end  58  and a distal end  60 .  
         [0030]    The proximal end  58  of the first scabbard portion  50  engages a slot  20  in the side wall  62  of the main compartment  12  of the case  4 . The first scabbard portion  50  can also be removed from the slot  20 , as shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B. For example, the proximal end  58  of the first scabbard portion  50  slides into and nests in the slot  20 , which may have any shape, for example a “U” shape. The proximal end  58  of the first scabbard portion  50  thus engages the side wall  62  so that the chain saw bar  42  of a chain saw  8  placed in the main compartment  12  of the case  4  can be housed in the scabbard  32 , while the main body  42  of the chain saw  8  is held in the main compartment  12 . The proximal end  58  of the first scabbard portion  50  can be unfitted from the slot  20 , and thus the scabbard  32  can be entirely removed from the case  4 . The scabbard  32  can then be placed inside the main compartment  12  for shipping or shipped separately from the case  4 . Thus, the shipping and storage of the case is more convenient and efficient.  
         [0031]    The second scabbard portion  54  has a proximal end  102  and a distal end  104 .  
         [0032]    The scabbard  32  has a cross section that is substantially in the shape of an elongated “C”. In the scabbard  32  shown in FIG. 3, the elongated “C” shape of the scabbard  32  is an inverted “C”. The elongated “C” shape allows for an open portion on one side of the cross section of the scabbard  32 . The first scabbard portion  50  has a longitudinal wall  66 , a top wall  70 , a bottom wall  74 , and longitudinal wall portions  78 . A distance d 1  separates the longitudinal wall portions. The top wall  70  and the bottom wall  74  are curved and opposite to one another. The longitudinal wall  66  is substantially parallel to the longitudinal wall portions  78 . Along the top wall  70  of the first scabbard portion  50  are a plurality of notches  80 . Alternatively, the notches  80  may be along the bottom wall  74  of the first scabbard portion  50  or along both the bottom wall  74  and the top wall  70 .  
         [0033]    The second scabbard portion  54  has a longitudinal wall  86 , a top wall  90 , a bottom wall  94 , and longitudinal wall portions  98 . A distance d 2  separates the longitudinal wall portions  98 . The top wall  90  and the bottom wall  94  are curved and opposite to one another. The longitudinal wall  86  is substantially parallel to the longitudinal wall portions  98 . The proximal end  102  of the second scabbard portion  54  includes a resilient ridge portion or protrusion (not shown). Shape and dimension of the ridge portion are complementary to each notch  80  such that the ridge portion fits within each notch  80 .  
         [0034]    In another embodiment, the notches  80  are included on second scabbard portion  54 , and the resilient ridge or protrusion is on the first scabbard portion  50 .  
         [0035]    The second scabbard portion  54  slideably inserts into the first scabbard portion  50 . The proximal end  102  of the second scabbard portion  54  inserts into the distal end  60  of the first scabbard portion  50  such that the second scabbard portion  54  slides within the first scabbard portion  50 . The second scabbard portion  54  is free to slide within the first scabbard portion  50  until the ridge of the second scabbard portion  54  engages one of the plurality of notches  80 .  
         [0036]    When the ridge engages a first of a plurality of notches  80   a,  the scabbard  32  has a first predetermined length; when the ridge engages a second of the plurality of notches  80   b,  the scabbard  32  has a second predetermined length; when the ridge engages a third of the plurality of notches  80   c,  the scabbard  32  has a third predetermined length. In a preferred embodiment, the first, second and third predetermined lengths are designed to hold chain saw bars having 20, 18, and 16 inches, respectively. Accordingly, one scabbard, and one chain saw case, accommodates 16 inch, 18 inch &amp; 20 inch chain bars. Of course, other lengths of chain saw bar that can be accommodated is not limited to the disclosed lengths. The length of each scabbard portion, the placement of the notches, and the overall lengths of the scabbard can be designed to accommodate any desired length of chain saw bar.  
         [0037]    The resilient ridge is deformable and thus can be released from the notch  80 . Thus, the second scabbard portion  54  is free to slide within the first scabbard portion, and the resilient ridge is available to engage another of the plurality of notches  80 . Therefore, the length of the scabbard  32  can be changed. Also, when no notch is engaged, the scabbard  32  can be coliapsed by sliding the second scabbard portion  54  into the first scabbard portion  50 . For shipping or storage, the scabbard  32  can be removed from the slot  20  in the side wall  62  collapsed, and placed inside the main compartment  12  of the case  4 . Because the scabbard  32  collapses, the scabbard can be placed inside the case  4  during shipment, thus reducing shipping cost and space required while in distribution.  
         [0038]    The distances d 1  and d 2  between the longitudinal wall portions  78  and  98 , respectively, form a longitudinal opening  108  along one side of the scabbard  32 . The opening  108  allows a portion of a chain saw bar  42  held in the scabbard  32  to be seen when the cover  24  is fitted onto the base  16  to hold a chain saw  8  within the chain saw case  4 . Such visibility of the chain bar  42  allows for merchandising or branding information on the chain bar  42  to be seen. This allows for the chain saw  8  not only to be merchandised while in the retail store, but serves as a walking advertisement that builds brand image for the manufacturer while the consumer has the chain saw  8  safely inside his case. The scabbard  32  is designed to have an opening on one side only.  
         [0039]    Preferably, the chain saw case  4  is manufactured using the injection molding process to achieve the unique features.  
         [0040]    It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variation can be made in the chain saw case of the present invention without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Thus, it is intended that the present invention cover the modifications and variations of this invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.