Patent Publication Number: US-6698600-B1

Title: Socket suspension rack assembly with quick release function

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a socket suspension rack assembly with a quick release funtion wherein the socket may be mounted on and removed from the square positioning stud of the support rack of the socket suspension rack assembly easily, quickly and conveniently, thereby facilitating the user employing the socket. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     A conventional socket suspension rack comprises a suspension bracket provided with multiple square positioning studs for retaining multiple sockets. However, each of the sockets is rigidly secured on each of the positioning studs by a positioning ball, so that each of the sockets cannot be removed from each of the positioning studs easily, quickly and conveniently, thereby causing inconvenience to the user when he needs to use the sockets. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the disadvantage of the conventional socket suspension rack. 
     The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a socket suspension rack assembly with a quick release function, wherein the socket may be mounted on and removed from the square positioning stud of the support rack of the socket suspension rack assembly easily, quickly and conveniently, thereby facilitating the user employing the socket. 
     Another objective of the present invention is to provide a socket suspension rack assembly with a quick release function, wherein the socket may be retained on the square positioning stud of the support rack of the socket suspension rack assembly rigidly and stably. 
     In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a socket suspension rack assembly with a quick release function, comprising a support rack, and a slide rack slidably mounted on the support rack, wherein: 
     the support rack has a first side wall and a second side wall, the support rack has a periphery provided with multiple positioning studs, the second side wall of the support rack is formed with multiple receiving channels each aligning with one of the multiple positioning studs of the support rack, the support rack is provided with multiple flexible positioning plates each retractably mounted in one of the multiple positioning studs of the support rack and each having an extension movably mounted in one of the multiple receiving channels of the second side wall of the support rack; and 
     the slide rack has a first side wall and a second side wall, the second side wall of the slide rack is formed with multiple flexible press blocks each having a first side rested on a first side of the extension of one of the multiple flexible positioning plates of the support rack. 
    
    
     Further benefits and advantages of the present invention will become apparent after a careful reading of the detailed description with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a socket suspension rack assembly with a quick release function in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the socket suspension rack assembly with a quick release function as shown in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a top plan cross-sectional view of the socket suspension rack assembly with a quick release function as shown in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of a socket suspension rack assembly with a quick release function in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 5 is a perspective assembly view of the socket suspension rack assembly with a quick release function as shown in FIG. 4; and 
     FIG. 6 is a perspective assembly view of a socket suspension rack assembly with a quick release function in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to the drawings and initially to FIGS. 1-3, a socket suspension rack assembly with a quick release function in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a support rack  20 , and a slide rack  10  slidably mounted on the support rack  20 . 
     The support rack  20  is hollow and has a first side wall  21  formed with two elongated slide slots  210 , and a second side wall  22  provided with two slide blocks  220 . The slide rack  10  is hollow and has a first side wall  11  provided with two slide blocks  110  each slidably mounted in each of the two elongated slide slots  210  of the first side wall  21  of the support rack  20 , and a second side wall  12  formed with two elongated slide slots  120 , so that each of the two slide blocks  220  of the second side wall  22  of the support rack  20  is slidably mounted in each of the two elongated slide slots  120  of the second side wall  12  of the slide rack  10 . Thus, the slide rack  10  is slidably mounted on the support rack  20 . 
     The support rack  20  has a periphery provided with multiple square positioning studs  23  for supporting a socket  30  (see FIG.  4 ). The second side wall  22  of the support rack  20  is formed with multiple receiving channels  222  each aligning with one of the multiple square positioning studs  23  of the support rack  20 . Each of the multiple square positioning studs  23  of the support rack  20  is formed with a receiving chamber  232  communicating with one of the multiple receiving channels  222  of the second side wall  22  of the support rack  20 . The support rack  20  is provided with multiple flexible positioning plates  24  each retractably mounted in the receiving chamber  232  of one of the multiple square positioning studs  23  of the support rack  20  and each having an extension  242  movably mounted in one of the multiple receiving channels  222  of the second side wall  22  of the support rack  20 . Each of the multiple flexible positioning plates  24  is integrally formed on the respective square positioning stud  23  of the support rack  20 . Each of the multiple flexible positioning plates  24  is provided with a positioning boss  240  for positioning the socket  30  on one of the multiple square positioning studs  23  of the support rack  20 . 
     The support rack  20  has two distal ends each provided with a mounting head  25 . The mounting head  25  of the support rack  20  is formed with an inverted T-shaped slot  252 . 
     The second side wall  12  of the slide rack  10  is formed with multiple receiving spaces  122  and provided with multiple flexible press blocks  13  each movably mounted in one of the multiple receiving spaces  122 . Each of the multiple flexible press blocks  13  is integrally formed on the slide rack  10 . Each of the multiple flexible press blocks  13  of the slide rack  10  has a first side rested on a first side of the extension  242  of one of the multiple flexible positioning plates  24  of the support rack  20 , and a second side protruded outward from the receiving space  122 . 
     The slide rack  10  has an inside provided with multiple positioning rods  14  each located between any two adjacent press blocks  13  of the multiple flexible press blocks  13  of the slide rack  10 . Each of multiple positioning rods  14  of the slide rack  10  may be axially moved with the slide rack  10  to abut a second side of the extension  242  of one of the multiple flexible positioning plates  24  of the support rack  20 . 
     In operation, the slide rack  10  may be axially moved on the support rack  20  to a first position as shown in FIG. 1 where each of the multiple flexible press blocks  13  of the slide rack  10  is aligned with the extension  242  of the respective flexible positioning plate  24  of the support rack  20 . 
     At this time, the first side of each of the multiple flexible press blocks  13  of the slide rack  10  is rested on the first side of the extension  242  of the respective flexible positioning plate  24  of the support rack  20 , while each of the multiple positioning rods  14  located between any two adjacent press blocks  13  of the slide rack  10  is detached from the second side of the extension  242  of the respective flexible positioning plate  24  of the support rack  20 , so that the second side of each of the multiple flexible press blocks  13  of the slide rack  10  may be pressed inward by the user to press the extension  242  of the respective flexible positioning plate  24  of the support rack  20 , so as to retract the flexible positioning plate  24  into the square positioning stud  23  of the support rack  20 , thereby detaching and releasing the socket  30  (see FIG. 4) from the positioning boss  240  of the flexible positioning plate  24 , so that the socket  30  may be removed from the square positioning stud  23  of the support rack  20  easily and conveniently, thereby facilitating the user employing the socket  30 . 
     At the first position, as shown in FIG. 1, the lower end  15  of the slide rack  10  is stopped by the mounting head  25  of the lower distal end of the support rack  20 , thereby preventing from a further movement of the slide rack  10 . 
     Alternatively, the slide rack  10  may be axially moved on the support rack  20  to a second position (not shown) where each of the multiple flexible press blocks  13  of the slide rack  10  is detached from the extension  242  of the respective flexible positioning plate  24  of the support rack  20 . 
     At this time, the second side wall  12  of the slide rack  10  is rested on the first side of the extension  242  of the respective flexible positioning plate  24  of the support rack  20 , while each of the multiple positioning rods  14  is rested on the second side of the extension  242  of the respective flexible positioning plate  24  of the support rack  20 , so that the extension  242  of the respective flexible positioning plate  24  of the support rack  20  cannot be pressed, thereby preventing the flexible positioning plate  24  from being retracted into the square positioning stud  23  of the support rack  20 , so that the socket  30  (see FIG. 4) is retained by the positioning boss  240  of the flexible positioning plate  24 , an cannot be removed from the square positioning stud  23  of the support rack  20 , thereby retaining the socket  30  rigidly and stably. 
     At the second position, the upper end  16  of the slide rack  10  is stopped by the mounting head  25  of the upper distal end of the support rack  20 , thereby preventing from a further movement of the slide rack  10 . 
     Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, the socket suspension rack assembly with a quick release function in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention further comprises a suspension bracket  40  having an upper portion formed with a hole  41  for hanging the suspension bracket  40  on a wall. The suspension bracket  40  has a lower portion provided with a hollow support base  42 . The support base  42  of the suspension bracket  40  is provided with multiple inverted T-shaped insertion blocks  422 . Thus, after the slide rack  10  is combined with the support rack  20 , the support rack  20 . may be mounted on the support base  42  of the suspension bracket  40 , whereby one of the multiple inverted T-shaped insertion blocks  422  of the support base  42  of the suspension bracket  40  may be inserted into the inverted T-shaped slot  252  of the mounting head  25  of the support rack  20 , so that the support rack  20  may be mounted on the support base  42  of the suspension bracket  40 . 
     The socket suspension rack assembly further comprises a retaining bar  50  secured on the support base  42  of the suspension bracket  40 , for retaining the support rack  20  on the support base  42  of the suspension bracket  40 . The retaining bar  50  has two ends each formed with a positioning hole  52 . The support base  42  of the suspension bracket  40  has two ends each provided with a positioning block  424  inserted into the positioning hole  52  of the retaining bar  50 , so that the retaining bar  50  may be secured on the support base  42  of the suspension bracket  40 . 
     Referring to FIG. 6, in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention, two support racks  20  may be secured and suspended on the support base  42  of the suspension bracket  40 . 
     While the preferred embodiment of the present invention has been shown and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications may be made in the embodiment without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Such modifications are all within the scope of the present invention.