Patent Publication Number: US-2003226776-A1

Title: Finishing trowel case

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001] 1. TECHNICAL FIELD  
       [0002] The invention relates to a storage and carrier case for finishing trowels and similar tools. More particularly, the invention relates to a case for trowels of the type used in finishing concrete. Specifically, the invention relates a storage and carrier case that prevents the blade of the finishing trowel from being bent and protects the finishing edge of the trowel from damage that could make the trowel unusable.  
       [0003] 2. BACKGROUND INFORMATION  
       [0004] “Flat trowels” have long been in widespread use and include the cement finisher&#39;s trowel, the plasterer&#39;s trowel, the drywall taper&#39;s trowel and the tile setter&#39;s trowel, among others. The cement finisher&#39;s trowel in particular imparts a smooth and finished appearance to concrete. The need to prevent damage to the finishing edge of such trowels is of key importance. Such damage renders the trowel useless for its purpose of finishing and the cost of replacing these trowels is expensive. The edges of a finishing trowel are relatively delicate and are easily damaged if the trowel is dropped or otherwise collides with a relatively hard object. In addition, the bending of the trowel, which can occur rather easily, may also render it useless for its intended purpose. Protecting the finishing edge of such trowels and preventing such trowels from deformation is important.  
       [0005] Carrying cases or holsters for trowels and like tools have long been available, such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,253,593. However, such carriers have generally been configured to attach to a work belt. While offering some protection for the trowel, such carriers are generally formed of flexible materials such as leather, which do not prevent bending. Further, these configurations generally relate to carrying the trowel during the general period that someone is working with the trowel. The purposes for such carriers have for the most part been (1) convenience during work and (2) safety, such as preventing a trowel from falling on someone below or preventing a trowel with a sharp end from injuring the person carrying it.  
       [0006] U.S. Pat. No. 4,253,593, believed to be the most pertinent prior art to the subject invention, discloses a flat trowel carrier which is formed primarily of flexible components, preferably leather, whereas the present invention is formed of substantially rigid material, preferably plastic. The rigidity protects the blade of a trowel from bending and the plastic material in particular, greatly facilitates the insertion and removal of a trowel into and from the carrier case.  
       [0007] U.S. Pat. No. 4,253,593 also discloses a carrier having V-shaped opening where the blade of a trowel is inserted into a carrier pocket. Applicant&#39;s invention includes a U-shaped slot formed in the cover having parallel edges, which exposes very little of the trowel blade and thus provides greater protection of the trowel blade. U.S. Pat. No. 4,253,593 discloses a trowel which is supported by the neck of its handle in the “point” of the “V”, whereas applicant&#39;s invention is configured so that all edges of a trowel blade rest against or are retained by a U-shaped wall and a pair of stops mounted on the base of the carrier case. Also, the trowel handle does not rest against the “bottom” of the U-shaped slot in the cover. Finally, the pair of stops on the carrier of the present invention serve to prevent a trowel inserted in the case from inadvertently sliding out of the case once inserted therein, a configuration not shown or suggested by U.S. Pat. No. 4,253,593 or other prior art known to the Applicant.  
       [0008] U.S. Pat. No. 3,343,735 discloses a trowel holster including a back plate to which various components are attached in order to hold a trowel of a block or stone mason, which trowels have blades terminating in an acute point. However, U.S. Pat. No. 3,343,735 does not disclose a cover which provides an enclosure-type protection of the trowel blade like that in the present invention, and the configuration of the holster in U.S. Pat. No. 3,343,735 would not effectively prevent bending of a trowel blade in part because the trowel blade is spaced apart from the back plate.  
       [0009] There also exist configurations of carrying cases related specifically to a cement finisher&#39;s tools, such as U.S. Pat. No. 4,356,916. Such a case is designed to carry all the finisher&#39;s tools to keep them organized, accessible and stable during a job. As disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,356,916, finishing trowels are hung by their handles over a rod extending from a wall in the case. Again, this configuration does not disclose a cover which provides an enclosure-type protection of the trowel blade like that in the present invention. This configuration also does not disclose any means by which to prevent the trowel from sliding out of the case.  
       [0010] Protection of finishing trowels during vehicle transportation is important as it is easy for these tools to be damaged as when a vehicle accelerates, decelerates or makes sharp turns, since the trowels can be tossed about in the vehicle. The protection of finishing trowels during transportation, as well as during storage, is a primary concern of the present invention.  
       [0011] Thus, the need exists for a storage and carrier case for a flat trowel, in particular a cement finisher&#39;s trowel, that will protect the blade from damage, particularly the bending of the trowel blade and damage to the finishing edge. The need also exists for such a case to be used during the transportation and storage of the trowel.  
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0012] Advantages of the invention include providing a storage and carrier case for a trowel that prevents bending the blade or damaging its finishing edge.  
       [0013] A further feature is a storage and carrier case formed of a material sufficiently rigid to protect the blade of the trowel, yet sufficiently flexible and non-binding for easy insertion and removal of the trowel from the case.  
       [0014] Yet another feature is a storage and carrier case with means to prevent the trowel from inadvertently being dislodged from the case.  
       [0015] A still further feature is a storage and carrier case with a storage chamber for receiving the blade of the trowel and a slot along the cover of the case to receive the trowel handle.  
       [0016] Another feature is a storage and carrier case with means for hanging the case and trowel together inside a vehicle or elsewhere for transportation and/or storage.  
       [0017] A further advantage is a storage and carrier case which can be easily disassembled for cleaning the interior of the case.  
       [0018] Another advantage is a storage and carrier case of simple construction, which achieves the stated features in a simple, effective and inexpensive manner, and which solves problems and satisfies needs existing in the art.  
       [0019] These and other features and advantages of the invention are obtained by the storage and carrier case of the present invention, the general nature of which may be stated as including a substantially rigid base and cover formed of a plastic material mounted in a spaced apart relationship and forming a storage chamber therebetween and having an entrance opening for inserting a blade of a trowel into the storage chamber; and a slot formed in the cover for slidably receiving a handle of the trowel therein. 
     
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
     [0020] A preferred embodiment of the invention, illustrative of the best mode in which applicant has contemplated applying the principles, is set forth in the following description and is shown in the drawings and is particularly and distinctly pointed out and set forth in the appended claims.  
     [0021]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the carrier case of the present invention with a trowel being shown in dot-dash lines;  
     [0022]FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the carrier case taken on line  2 - 2 , FIG. 1;  
     [0023]FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the carrier case taken on line  3 - 3 , FIG. 1;  
     [0024]FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the carrier case; and  
     [0025]FIG. 5 is a bottom plan view of the carrier case. 
    
    
     [0026] Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the drawings.  
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
     [0027] The finishing trowel case of the present invention is indicated generally at  1 , and is shown particularly in FIGS.  1 - 5 .  
     [0028] Case  1  includes a substantially rigid, flat and rectangular base  2  with an outer surface  4 , an inner surface  6  and peripheral edges  8 . Case  1  also includes a substantially rigid, flat and rectangular cover  10  with an outer surface  12 , an inner surface  14 , and peripheral edges  16 . Cover  10  is mounted in a spaced relationship on base  2 , forming a storage chamber  18  therebetween having an entrance opening  20  for inserting a trowel  22  therein. Trowel  22  is shown in dot-dash lines in FIGS.  1 - 4 . A slot  24  is formed in cover  10  and extends from entrance opening  20  substantially the length of cover  10  for slidably receiving a trowel handle  26  therein when trowel  22  is stored in case  1 . A pair of stops  28  is formed on base  2  extending outwardly from inner surface adjacent entrance opening  20  for releasably retaining a blade  34  of trowel  22  in storage chamber  18 . Stops  28  are elongated ridges which run parallel to edge  8  of base  2  adjacent entrance opening  20 . A hole  30  is formed in base  2  adjacent entrance opening  20  for hanging case  1 , with or without trowel  22  inserted therein, on a supporting structure.  
     [0029] Base  2  and cover  10  are formed from a plastic material which is sufficiently rigid to protect trowel blade  34  yet has some flexibility to allow trowel  22  to be easily inserted into and removed from case  1 . The plastic material is preferably homopolymer and the preferred range of rigidity of the plastic material is from 0.5 izod to 2.5 izod and is more preferably in the range of from 0.5 to 1.0.  
     [0030] A substantially U-shaped wall  32  is formed integrally on base  2  adjacent edges  8  to form the spaced apart relationship between base  2  and cover  10  and form storage chamber  18  therebetween when base  2  is attached to cover  10 . U-shaped wall  32  has an open end  40  which communicates and aligns with entrance opening  20 .  
     [0031] Slot  24  preferably is U-shaped, having parallel edges  25  and extends from entrance opening  20  substantially the length of cover  10 . This configuration allows trowel handle  26  to be slidably inserted into slot  24  and maintains a large surface area of cover  10  to protect trowel blade  34 . Edges  16  of cover  10  adjacent entrance opening  20  are contoured to facilitate insertion of trowel blade  34  into storage chamber  18 .  
     [0032] Body  2  and cover  10  are spaced apart a relatively close distance to form storage chamber  18  sufficient for allowing trowel blade  34  to be easily inserted into or removed from storage chamber  18 . This configuration minimizes the chance of bending trowel blade  34  while inside storage chamber  18  and keeps the dimensions of case  1  to a minimum.  
     [0033] Cover  10  is detachably connected by a usual snap-fit engagement to base  2  by inserting a plurality of posts  36  into a plurality of aligned holes  38  formed in base  2 . Posts  36  are integrally formed on cover  10  and extend outwardly from inner surface  14  of cover  10 . Posts  36  and holes  38  preferably have mating projections (not shown) which provide for a usual releasable snap-fit engagement therebetween. If desired, this releasable connection could be accomplished by a friction slip-fit engagement or other releasable attachment means. However, this releasable engagement allows base  2  and cover  10  to be easily disassembled for cleaning the interior of case  1 .  
     [0034] If desired, stops  28  could take various shapes and could be formed on inner surface  14  of cover  10  without departing from the conception of the invention. Likewise, base  2  and cover  10  may take various shapes. Further, the structure for maintaining a spaced apart relationship between base  2  and cover  10  to form storage chamber  18  also may have various configurations. For example, U-shaped wall  32  can be formed on cover  10  adjacent edges  16  instead of on base  2 . In addition, wall  32  can take other shapes, can be formed partly on base  2  and partly on cover  10  and need not be continuous.  
     [0035] If desired, posts  36  may be formed integrally on base  2  extending outwardly from inner surface  6  of base  2  and holes  38  may be formed in cover  10  without departing from the conception of the invention. Similarly, posts  36  could be formed partly on base  2  and partly on cover  10  and holes  38  could be similarly formed partly in base  2  and partly in cover  10 . Likewise, posts  36  need not be integrally formed on one of cover  10  and base  2 .  
     [0036] As described herein, the finishing trowel case is simplified, provides an effective, safe, inexpensive, and efficient device which achieves all the enumerated features and advantages, provides for eliminating difficulties encountered with prior devices, and solves problems and obtains new results in the art.  
     [0037] In the foregoing description, certain terms have been used for brevity, clearness and understanding, but no unnecessary limitations are to be implied therefrom beyond the requirement of the prior art, because such terms are used for descriptive purposes and are intended to be broadly construed. Moreover, the description and illustration of the invention is by way of example, and the scope of the invention is not limited to the exact details shown or described.  
     [0038] Having now described the features, discoveries and principles of the invention, the manner in which the case is constructed and used, the characteristics of the construction, and the advantageous, new and useful results obtained; the new and useful structures, devices, elements, arrangements, parts and combinations are set forth in the appended claims.