Patent Publication Number: US-2011048989-A1

Title: Wrench and socket holder

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/238,947, filed Sep. 1, 2009, the content of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates in general to the field of socket holders and, in particular, to a socket holder comprising a base member with a plurality of slidable individual socket holders of varied shapes and dimensions, capable of engaging and locking a socket of the corresponding shape and dimension. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Without limiting the scope of the invention, its background is described in connection with socket holders and related devices. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,927,020 issued to Randy (1990) discloses a storage and organizer holder for detachable socket wrench heads of the polygonal socket types, the holder including a base member with several parallel rows of dove-tailed slots in which a plurality of cross sectionally square posts having dove-tailed shaped downward extensions are slidably and frictionally engaged. The dimensions of the cross sectionally square posts are varied so as to correspond to the standard drive dimensions of the socket wrench sets and are preferably positioned in the dove-tailed slots of the base member of the holder in groups corresponding with each of the different sizes of the standard drive dimensions of the socket wrench sets. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,743,395 issued to Backer (1998) discloses a socket holder for a plurality of socket wrench sockets has studs projecting from a top surface, each of the studs being sized and shaped closely uniquely to engage a particular socket so that the socket on a stud will not be accidentally dislodged, and the stud can be used to measure a nut or the head of a bolt before the socket is employed. The studs are accompanied by indicia of size. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 6,092,655 issued to Ernst (2000) discloses a wrench socket holder that includes a post structure on which may be received a wrench socket. According to the &#39;655 patent a flexible arm adjacent the post carries a boss which seats in a recess commonly found in internal socket walls and otherwise utilized for drive stud retention. A resilient member extends intermediate the post and arm to urge the latter toward engagement with a socket thereon to insure retention of the socket against all but intentional removal. A base of the socket holder may be shaped for sliding engagement with an elongate guideway or an elongate surface for the reception of several socket holders. A modified form of socket holder dispenses with a resilient member and relies on resiliency of the arm for socket retention. A multitude of socket holders may be supported by a common base on which several semicircular socket receptacles are formed with the holders preventing undesired socket separation from the holder. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides a socket holder for wrench or ratchet sockets or varied shapes and dimensions. The socket holder of the present invention comprises a base member and a plurality of individual socket holders of varied shapes and dimensions. The individual socket holders can be added or removed from the base member and are slidable along the length of the base member. The individual socket holders can engage and optionally lock the socket of the corresponding shape and dimension. 
     The present invention provides a socket holder for receiving, engaging, fitting, and optionally locking with a size-on-size fit the one or more wrench or ratchet sockets having a base, wherein the base is rectangular, square shapes, circular, oval, polygonal, octagonal or any combinations thereof, and is capable of movement in a parallel direction along a lower surface of a base member; one or more studs attached to the base, wherein the stud is a circular stud, a rectangular stud, an oval stud, an octagonal stud, a polygonal stud, a square stud and receives, engages, fits, and optionally locks with a size-on-size fit the one or more wrench or ratchet sockets; and one or more optional holes attached to the stud for attaching and locking the one or more wrench or ratchet sockets to the stud. 
     The present invention provides a device for organizing and holding one or more individual wrench or ratchet sockets having a flat base member having an upper and a lower surface with one or more transversely parallel dove-tailed grooves in the upper surface; and one or more individual socket holders comprising a base and a stud, wherein the base slides along and fits the lower surface of the flat base member in a parallel direction and the stud is a circular stud, a rectangular stud, an oval stud, an octagonal stud, a polygonal stud, a square stud and receives, engages, fits, and optionally locks with a size-on-size fit the one or more wrench or ratchet sockets. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       For a more complete understanding of the features and advantages of the present invention, reference is now made to the detailed description of the invention along with the accompanying figures and in which: 
         FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of an individual slidable socket holder of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  shows a perspective view of an individual slidable socket holder of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  shows a perspective view of an individual slidable socket holder of the present invention; 
         FIGS. 4A and 4B  shows the individual slidable socket holder engaging a circular socket according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIGS. 5A and 5B  shows the individual slidable socket holder engaging a rectangular socket according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6A  shows the individual slidable socket holder of the present invention engaging an octagonal socket according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6B  is a top view of  FIG. 6A  without the opening for attaching a screw; 
         FIG. 7  shows the individual slidable socket holder of the present invention engaging an circular socket according to an embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIGS. 8A and 8B  shows the base member with a groove for accommodating the slidable socket holder of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     While the making and using of various embodiments of the present invention are discussed in detail below, it should be appreciated that the present invention provides many applicable inventive concepts that can be embodied in a wide variety of specific contexts. The specific embodiments discussed herein are merely illustrative of specific ways to make and use the invention and do not delimit the scope of the invention. 
     To facilitate the understanding of this invention, a number of terms are defined below. Terms defined herein have meanings as commonly understood by a person of ordinary skill in the areas relevant to the present invention. Terms such as “a”, “an” and “the” are not intended to refer to only a singular entity, but include the general class of which a specific example may be used for illustration. The terminology herein is used to describe specific embodiments of the invention, but their usage does not delimit the invention, except as outlined in the claims. 
     The present invention is a socket holder comprising a base member with a plurality of slidable individual socket holders of varied shapes and dimensions, capable of engaging and locking a socket of the corresponding shape and dimension. 
       FIG. 1  shows an individual socket holder  1  of the present invention. The socket holder comprises a square shaped base  3  that slides on the base member (not shown). The base  3  has a raised circular portion  5  in the center which attaches a rectangular socket holding stud  7 .  FIG. 1  shows two sides  9  and  11  of the stud  7 . The top side  13  of stud  7  is also shown. The base (not shown) is flush and fused to the circular portion  5 . The two other sides of the holding stud  7  are not shown in  FIG. 1 . The stud  7  slides into the hollow rectangular cavity of a circular or rectangular socket, and can optionally engage and lock the said socket. 
       FIG. 2  shows an individual socket holder  15  of the present invention. The socket holder comprises a rectangular base  17  that slides on the base member (not shown). The base  17  has a raised circular portion  19  in the center which attaches a rectangular socket holding stud  21 .  FIG. 2  shows two sides  27  and  29  of the stud  21 . The top side  31  of stud  21  is also shown. The base (not shown) is flush and fused to the circular portion  19 . The two other sides of the holding stud  21  are not shown in  FIG. 2 . The stud  21  slides into the hollow rectangular cavity of a circular or rectangular socket. The two flaps  23  and  25  attached to side  27  and to a side not shown in  FIG. 2  are used to engage and lock the said socket. 
       FIG. 3  shows an individual socket holder  33  of the present invention. The socket holder comprises a rectangular base  35  that slides on the base member (not shown). The base  35  has a raised circular portion  37  in the center which attaches a rectangular socket holding stud  39 .  FIG. 3  shows two sides  41  and  43  of the stud  39 . The top side  45  of stud  39  is also shown. The base (not shown) is flush and fused to the circular portion  37 . The two other sides of the holding stud  39  are not shown in  FIG. 3 . The stud  39  slides into the hollow rectangular cavity of a circular or rectangular socket, and can optionally engage and lock the said socket. 
       FIGS. 4A and 4B  show a rectangular slot to one according to an embodiment of the present invention without and with respectively two flaps attached to side to engage and lock the said shaft. The oval shaped socket  51  has a face (or a base which attached to a ratchet or wrench)  53  and a hollow cavity rectangular cavity  55  that runs the entire length of the socket  51 . The rectangular stud of the socket holder (not shown) slides into the hollow rectangular cavity  55  to hold the socket  51 . The base of the socket holder  49  that has the stud and which slides on a base member (not shown) is also shown in  FIG. 4 . 
       FIGS. 5A and 5B  show a rectangular slot to one according to an embodiment of the present invention without and with respectively two flaps attached to side to engage and lock the said shaft. The socket holder has a base  57  that has the rectangular stud that engages the socket  61  and that slides on a base member (not shown). Only two of the four sides  63  and  65  of the socket are shown. The socket  61  has a face (or a base which attached to a ratchet or wrench)  67  and a hollow cavity rectangular cavity  69  that runs the entire length of the socket  61 . The rectangular stud of the socket holder (not shown) slides into the hollow rectangular cavity  69  to hold the socket  61 . 
       FIG. 6A  shows an octagonal shaped socket  77 , held by a circular stud  73  (only the top portion shown) supported on a base  71  that slides in an out of a base member (not shown). The octagonal shaped stud  77  can be optionally locked in place by a screw. The opening  75  is provided for attaching the screw to the circular stud  73 . The circular stud  73  can engage sockets of any shape provided they have a hollow circular cavity, but in  FIG. 6A  it engages an octagonal socket  77  with a hollow cavity. Only five ( 79 ,  81 ,  83 ,  85 , and  87 ) out of the eight sides of socket  77  are shown in  FIG. 6A . The octagonal socket  77  has two flaps or grooves  89  and  91 , on the outer surface attached at an angle to the two opposite sides  85  and  87 , respectively that may be used to attach and lock the socket  77  to a ratchet or wrench. The socket  77  has a plurality of rectangular segments or markings  93  running the outer entire circumference of the socket  77 . 
       FIG. 6B  shows is a top view showing the top portion of a circular stud  95 , engaging an octagonal socket  97  (top portion of the socket shown). The octagonal socket  97  has two grooves  99  and  101  attached at an angle to two opposite sides that may be used to attach and lock the socket  97  to a ratchet or wrench. 
       FIG. 7  shows a circular socket  107 , held by a circular stud  103  (only the top portion shown) supported on a base  105  that slides in an out of a base member (not shown). The octagonal shaped stud  103  can be optionally locked in place by a screw  111 . The opening  109  is provided for attaching the screw  111  to the circular stud  103 . The circular stud  103  can engage sockets of any shape provided they have a hollow circular cavity, but in  FIG. 7  it engages a circular socket  107  with a hollow cavity. The circular socket  107  has two flaps or grooves  115  and  117 , on the outer surface (circumference) attached at an angle that may be used to attach and lock the socket  107  to a ratchet or wrench. The socket  107  has a plurality of rectangular segments or markings  113  running the outer entire circumference of the socket  107 . 
       FIGS. 8A and 8B  show a rectangular slot to 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention without and with respectively two flaps attached to side to engage and lock the said shaft.  FIG. 8  shows a base member  119  comprising a rectangular top portion  121  and a bottom portion  139  comprising two legs  125  and  127  enclosing a gap  129 . The base member  119  can be attached to a solid support by welding the legs  125  and  127 , or a can be attached or placed on a rod or a similar structure through the gap  129 . The rectangular top portion has two sides  133  and  135 , one of the sides is not distinct and is continuous with the bottom portion  139 . The top side of the rectangular top portion  121  is partially cut to have a rectangular cavity  131 . The individual socket holders slide along the rectangular cavity  131  and are supported and held in place by the base  137   c  of the cavity  131  and the remaining uncut portions  137   a  and  137   b  of the top side of the rectangular top portion  121 . 
     While this invention has been described in reference to illustrative embodiments, this description is not intended to be construed in a limiting sense. Various modifications and combinations of the illustrative embodiments, as well as other embodiments of the invention, will be apparent to persons skilled in the art upon reference to the description. It is therefore intended that the appended claims encompass any such modifications or embodiments. 
     It is contemplated that any embodiment discussed in this specification can be implemented with respect to any method, kit, reagent, or composition of the invention, and vice versa. Furthermore, compositions of the invention can be used to achieve methods of the invention. 
     It will be understood that particular embodiments described herein are shown by way of illustration and not as limitations of the invention. The principal features of this invention can be employed in various embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention. Those skilled in the art will recognize, or be able to ascertain using no more than routine experimentation, numerous equivalents to the specific procedures described herein. Such equivalents are considered to be within the scope of this invention and are covered by the claims. 
     All publications and patent applications mentioned in the specification are indicative of the level of skill of those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains. All publications and patent applications are herein incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each individual publication or patent application was specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated by reference. 
     The use of the word “a” or “an” when used in conjunction with the term “comprising” in the claims and/or the specification may mean “one,” but it is also consistent with the meaning of “one or more,” “at least one,” and “one or more than one.” The use of the term “or” in the claims is used to mean “and/or” unless explicitly indicated to refer to alternatives only or the alternatives are mutually exclusive, although the disclosure supports a definition that refers to only alternatives and “and/or.” Throughout this application, the term “about” is used to indicate that a value includes the inherent variation of error for the device, the method being employed to determine the value, or the variation that exists among the study subjects. 
     As used in this specification and claim(s), the words “comprising” (and any form of comprising, such as “comprise” and “comprises”), “having” (and any form of having, such as “have” and “has”), “including” (and any form of including, such as “includes” and “include”) or “containing” (and any form of containing, such as “contains” and “contain”) are inclusive or open-ended and do not exclude additional, unrecited elements or method steps. 
     The term “or combinations thereof” as used herein refers to all permutations and combinations of the listed items preceding the term. For example, “A, B, C, or combinations thereof” is intended to include at least one of: A, B, C, AB, AC, BC, or ABC, and if order is important in a particular context, also BA, CA, CB, CBA, BCA, ACB, BAC, or CAB. Continuing with this example, expressly included are combinations that contain repeats of one or more item or term, such as BB, AAA, MB, BBC, AAABCCCC, CBBAAA, CABABB, and so forth. The skilled artisan will understand that typically there is no limit on the number of items or terms in any combination, unless otherwise apparent from the context. 
     All of the compositions and/or methods disclosed and claimed herein can be made and executed without undue experimentation in light of the present disclosure. While the compositions and methods of this invention have been described in terms of preferred embodiments, it will be apparent to those of skill in the art that variations may be applied to the compositions and/or methods and in the steps or in the sequence of steps of the method described herein without departing from the concept, spirit and scope of the invention. All such similar substitutes and modifications apparent to those skilled in the art are deemed to be within the spirit, scope and concept of the invention as defined by the appended claims.