Patent Publication Number: US-9427067-B2

Title: Tool belt

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional App. No. 61/985,857, filed Apr. 29, 2014. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present disclosure relates generally to a tool belt. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Construction workers, tradesmen, and the like typically use a tool belt attached about their waist to transport to and maintain tools and supplies at a worksite. Such belts are often fabricated from leather and include a number of pockets which are designed to hold tools such as pliers, screwdrivers, screws, nails, and the like. Desirable characteristics of such belts are durability and the capability hold and store many such tools. 
     The foregoing and other objectives, features, and advantages of the invention will be more readily understood upon consideration of the following detailed description of the invention, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a girdle and a tool bag attached thereto. 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a spring frame in an opened position for the tool bag. 
         FIG. 3  illustrates the spring frame of  FIG. 2  with a protective layer thereon. 
         FIG. 4  illustrates the spring frame of  FIG. 3  in a close position. 
         FIG. 5  illustrates the spring frame of  FIG. 3  with a pair of plates to be attached thereto together with studs. 
         FIG. 6  illustrates the tool bag of  FIG. 1  with a pair of openings defined therein. 
         FIG. 7  illustrates the spring frame of  FIG. 4  to be affixed to the tool bag of  FIG. 6 . 
         FIG. 8  illustrates the spring frame and the tool bag of  FIG. 7  with the studs engaged with the openings of the tool bag. 
         FIG. 9  illustrates the spring frame and the tool bag of  FIG. 8  with the plate attached thereto. 
         FIG. 10  illustrates the spring frame and the tool bag of  FIG. 9  in the opened position. 
         FIG. 11  illustrates the spring frame and the tool bag of  FIG. 10  in the closed position. 
         FIG. 12  illustrates a plurality of spring frames and tool bags having a large size, a medium size, and a small size affixed to one another. 
         FIG. 13  illustrates the plurality of spring frames and tool bags of  FIG. 12  with the small size bag in the opened position. 
         FIG. 14  illustrates the plurality of spring frames and tool bags of  FIG. 12  with the medium size bag in the opened position. 
         FIG. 15  illustrates the plurality of spring frames and tool bags of  FIG. 12  with the small, medium, and large size bags in the opened position. 
         FIG. 16  illustrates the spring frame and tool bag with the spring frame on the external side of the bag. 
         FIG. 17  illustrates a modified spring frame in an extended and opened position. 
         FIG. 18  illustrates the modified spring frame in a retracted and opened position. 
         FIG. 19  illustrates the modified spring frame in the extended and closed position. 
         FIG. 20  illustrates the modified spring frame in the retracted and closed position. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , the tool belt may comprise a girdle  20  which has a first outer end  22  and a second outer end  24 . When in use, the ends  22 ,  24  overlap with one another. The girdle  20  includes a lateral or height dimension from a bottom edge  30  to a top edge  32  which varies about the circumference or linear run of the girdle  20 . The lateral dimension in the center is greater than the lateral dimension at the ends  22 ,  24 . The lateral dimension of the girdle  20  on the opposite sides  27 ,  29  is greater than the lateral dimension at the front thereof where the ends  22 ,  24  overlap. Typically the girdle  20  is formed from a rugged fabric material which is formed in dual, over layering layers with an edging stitched to connected the dual layers of fabric. Thus, edging is stitched about the outside perimeter or periphery of the girdle  20 , and the girdle  20  is formed by a dual layer of rugged fabric material. The ends  22 ,  24  of the girdle may include Velcro or other material to secure the ends  22 ,  24  in a fixed position to resist relative movement. Other materials may likewise be used, as desired. 
     Integrally sewn onto the outside surface of the girdle  20  are a series of spaced apart open loops  38  for the receipt of a strap  44 . The loops  38  are preferably positioned so that pockets, described below, which include a pocket noose  52 , may be supported between the loops  38 . The inside surface  42  of the girdle  20  is generally a smooth surface, which is comfortable to fit against the body of the user. The strip  44  fitted against outside surface  40  of the girdle  20  extends through the loops  38 . The strap  44  is preferably constructed from a rugged material, such as leather, and includes a buckle  37  for connecting the opposite ends of the strap, and thus the opposite ends  22 ,  24  of the girdle  20  together. The strap  44  has a relatively narrower lateral height relative to the girdle  20 . It is noted that the girdle and strap may be integrated components or separate components, as desired. 
     The pocket  50  is supported on the strap  44 . Thus, for example, the pocket  50  may include the pocket noose  52  fitted onto the strap  44 . Other interconnections may be used between the pocket  50  and the strap and/or girdle. 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , the pocket  50  which may include one or more bags to store contents therein, may be constructed using one or more spring frames  100 . The spring frames may be for example, facile springs, flex purse frames, flex frames, or otherwise. The spring frames  100  are preferably constructed from a flexible material, such as steel. The spring frames  100  may include a pair of opposing sides  102 ,  104  that are preferably substantially linear and parallel with one another. The opposing sides  102 ,  104  are interconnected to a corresponding pair of curved portions  106 A,  106 B, and  108 A,  108 B. The curved portions  106 A,  106 B,  108 A,  108 B are preferably substantially linear and parallel with one another when the spring frame  100  is closed. A pair of springs  110 ,  112  are interconnected to a corresponding pair of spring arms  114 A,  114 B, and  116 A,  116 B. To configure the spring frame  100  in an open position, the pair of opposing sides  102 ,  104  are separated from one another and the spring frame maintains itself in an open position without any further user interaction. To configure the spring frame  100  in a closed position, the pair of opposing sides  102 ,  104  are moved toward one another and the spring frame maintains itself in a closed position without any further interaction. Referring to  FIG. 3 , the spring frame  100  may be covered in a protective layer, such as wrapped in leather or other suitable material. Referring to  FIG. 4 , the spring frame  100  may be maintained in a closed position wrapped with a protective layer, if desired. 
     The spring frame  100  may include a pair of plates  118  and  120  secured to corresponding opposing sides  102 ,  104  of the spring frame  100 . The plates  118  and  120  may be located within the protective layer. Referring to  FIG. 5 , a corresponding pair of studs  122 A,  122 B, and  124 A,  124 B may be affixed to the plates  118 ,  120 . In this manner, the spring frame  100  includes additional structural integrity along the corresponding opposing sides  102 ,  104 . Additionally, the corresponding pair of studs provide a structurally solid support onto which to attach additional spring frames for multiple pockets. 
     Referring to  FIG. 6 , an open bag  200  may be secured to the spring frame  100  by defining a pair of openings therein  202 ,  204 . Referring to  FIG. 7 , the pair of openings  202 ,  204  are sized to match the spacing of the pair of studs  122 A,  122 B and/or  124 A,  124 B. The spring frame  100  is preferable positioned within the opening defined by the bag  200  and the pair of studs  122 A,  122 B are positioned through the pair of openings  202 ,  204 , as illustrated in  FIG. 8 . Referring to  FIG. 9  (together with  FIG. 5 ), a pair of plates  130 ,  132  may be supported by the corresponding pair of studs  122 A,  122 B, and  124 A,  124 B. The pair of plates  130 ,  132  may be secured to the bag by a corresponding pair of nuts  134 A,  134 B, and  136 A,  136 B. Referring to  FIG. 10  and  FIG. 11 , in this manner, the exterior of the bag includes a plate suitable for providing additional structural integrity to the bag, in addition to providing a structural support for an additional bag. Additional pockets  220  may be included within the bag  200 , as desired. 
     Referring to  FIG. 12 , the bag  200  including the spring frame  100  may be interconnected with a second bag  250  that likewise includes an internal spring frame. The second bag  250  including its spring frame may be interconnected with a third bag  260  that likewise includes an internal spring frame. Preferably, each of the bags  200 ,  250 , and  260  holds a smaller volume within, and also has a smaller width. In particular, the bag  200  is suitable for holding larger sized items, the bag  250  is suitable for holding medium size objects, and the bag  260  is suitable for holding small sized objects. 
     Referring to  FIG. 13 , the bag  200  and the bag  250  may be closed, with the bag  260  being open. In this manner, the items in the bags  200 ,  250  remain secured therein while the items in the bag  260  are readily accessible. 
     Referring to  FIG. 14 , the bag  200  and the bag  260  may be closed, with the bag  250  being open. In this manner, the items in the bags  200 ,  260  remain secured therein while the items in the bag  250  are readily accessible. 
     Referring to  FIG. 15 , the bags  200 ,  250 ,  260  may be open. In this manner, the items in the bags  200 ,  250 ,  260  are all readily accessible. 
     In general, one or more of the bags may be secured, and one or more of the bags may be open so that the contents therein are readily accessible. Also, the tool bag may be modified to include one bag, two bags, three bags, four bags, or more as desired. 
     Referring to  FIG. 16 , if desired one or more of the bags may include the spring frame on the exterior of the bag. 
     As it may be observed, the studs interconnected each pair of successively smaller bags may be closer together with one another, together with the openings in the bags and openings in the plates similarly being correspondingly closer with one another. The facing outer adjoining surfaces of the bags may include a plate therebetween to provide added stability, if desired. The facing outer adjoining surfaces of the bags may omit a plate therebetween and the respective bags are secured together by securing the interior plates to each other. 
     Referring to  FIG. 17 , in another embodiment the spring frame may include a pair of adjustable opposing sides  300  and  302 . The sides  300 ,  302  may each include an outer bar  304 ,  306  that is slidably engaged with a corresponding pair of rails  308 A,  308 B, and  310 A,  310 B. A corresponding spring  312 ,  314  is maintained between the ends of the corresponding pair of rails  308 A,  308 B, and  310 A,  310 B by the bars  304 ,  306 . 
     The springs  312 ,  314  provide an outwardly extending pressure on the ends of the spring frame to maintain the spring assembly at a full extension. The fully extended spring assembly may be engaged with a correspondingly sized bag of the tool belt assembly. Referring to  FIG. 18 , for smaller bags the spring frame may be shortened by compressing the spring so that the overall length of the spring frame is decreased. The compressed spring assembly may be engaged with a correspondingly sized bag of the tool belt assembly. Referring to  FIG. 19 , the extended spring assembly may be closed. Referring to  FIG. 20 , the shortened spring assembly may be closed. In this manner, the same single spring frame assembly may be used for different sized bags. 
     In another embodiment, the spring frame may be included within the opening defining a shot shell bag. 
     In another embodiment, the spring frame may be included within a tool bag. The tool bag typically has a large central opening (with a spring frame included therein) and a set of various sized pouches around substantially the entire periphery of the tool bag. 
     In another embodiment, one or more of the frames may be secured to one or more of the pouches by sewing. 
     In another embodiment, one or more of the frames may be secured with rivets. If desired, the studs and plates may be omitted. 
     In another embodiment, the spring frame may be included within a bucket tool bag. The bucket tool bag typically has an upper portion that is suitable for being supported by the upper rim of the bucket. 
     It is to be understood that the claims are not limited to the precise configuration and components illustrated above. Various modifications, changes and variations may be made in the arrangement, operation and details of the systems, methods, and apparatus described herein without departing from the scope of the claims.