Patent Publication Number: US-6655560-B2

Title: Cordless tool holder adaptor

Description:
FIELD OF INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to tool accessories which facilitate the carrying tools. More specifically, the present invention relates to a tool accessory which is capable of being secured to a cordless tool, particularly a cordless power tool having a handle member with a lower flanged end, in order to provide the tool with means to enable it to be suspended from a holding device. In particular, the present invention relates to a tool holder adaptor which is secured to the handle of a tool, such as a cordless power drill such that the tool can be suspended from a belt clip hook member. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The prior art is replete with tool accessories designed to retain one or more tools. Most common among such tool accessories are tool belts, provided with cloth, leather or steel loops which depend from the belt and which function to retain a variety of tools. Tool belts have inherent limitations, a primary limitation being that the structure and non-adjustability of the loops can make it difficult to extract or insert tools of varying size. 
     More recently, tool belt clips have been developed which are removably attachable to a tool belt or regular belt. Some of these tool belt clips are designed solely to carry a particular tool. Other tool belt clips are provided with a hook member from which a tool can be suspended. An example of such a tool belt clip is the “Tool Belt Tote Device”, which comprises a belt clip, a swivel element and a swivelable hook member, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,062,449 issued May 16, 2000 to Peter P. Kahn, the inventor of the present invention. The entire disclosure of U.S. Pat. No. 6,062,449 is hereby incorporated by reference. 
     A drawback to the typical tool belt clip having a hook member is that not all tools can be suspended from the hook member. Tools having an attached loop or a similar enclosed opening can be suspended simply from a hook member by introducing the hook or enclosed opening over the end of the hook member. Suspension from a U-shaped hook member of certain other tools also can be achieved when the tool is constructed with a “notch”, indentation, depression or similar cavity of sufficient depth such that the “notch” can be guided within the “U” and is retained therein by the opposing sides of the “notch”. Tools that have neither feature are difficult, if not impossible, to suspend from hook member. 
     Despite the teachings of the prior art, a need still exists for a device which can be secured to a tool, particular a cordless power tool, that enables the power tool to be suspended from a hook member of a tool belt clip. Such a device should be capable of being quickly and easily secured to the cordless tool. Such a device also should enable the cordless tool to be quickly and safely suspended from a hook member of a tool belt clip. In addition, such as device should be simple and inexpensive to manufacture, but be of durable construction. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a cordless tool holder adaptor which is securable to a cordless tool in such a manner that the cordless tool can be suspended from a tool belt clip hook member. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a cordless tool holder adaptor which can be secured quickly and easily to a cordless tool. 
     It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a cordless tool holder adaptor which will enable a cordless tool to be quickly and safely suspended from a hook member of a tool belt clip. 
     It is a further object of the present invention to provide a cordless tool holder adaptor which is simple and inexpensive to manufacture and is of durable construction. 
     Additional objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will be set forth in part of the description which follows, and in part will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following specification or may be learned by practice of the invention. 
     These and other objects of the present invention are accomplished by providing a cordless tool holder adaptor comprising a conventional cable tie having a first locking head end and a second tail end and two ball elements, each of the ball elements having a centrally disposed aperture of a diameter sufficient to receive either end of the cable tie. The tail end of the cable tie is introduced through the locking head to form a collar which is placed over the base of the handle of a cordless tool. The two ball elements are aligned to the center on either side of the handle and the tail end is pulled tightly about the handle. In this manner, the handle of the cordless tool is provided a supplemental flange. The handle of the cordless tool is placed within a U-shaped hook member such that the two ball elements are situated on the side of the hook member opposite that of the lower end of the handle, thereby suspending the cordless tool from the hook member. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The present invention will be better understood with reference to the appended drawing sheets, wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of the cordless tool holder adaptor of the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a side perspective view of the cordless tool holder adaptor of the present invention secured to a cordless power drill. 
     FIG. 3 is a side perspective view of the cordless tool holder adaptor of the present invention secured to a cordless power drill and suspended from a tool belt clip hook member. 
     FIG. 4 is an step-by-step illustration showing the installation of the cordless tool holder adaptor onto a cordless power drill and the suspension of the combination adaptor and power drill onto a tool belt clip hook member. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The present invention relates to a tool accessory which is capable of being secured to a cordless tool, particularly a cordless power tool having a handle member with a lower flanged end, in order to provide the tool with means to enable it to be suspended from a holding device. In particular, the present invention relates to a cordless tool holder adaptor which is secured to the handle of a tool, such as a cordless power drill such that the tool can be suspended from a belt clip hook member. 
     As shown in FIG. 1, the cordless tool holder adaptor  1  of the present invention comprises a conventional cable tie  10  in the form of an elongated strap having a first surface  10   a  provided with a plurality of teeth  11 , a locking head end  12  and a tail end  13 , the locking head end  12  having a locking aperture  14  disposed therein which is capable of receiving the tail end  13 . The locking aperture  14  is provided with a locking mechanism  15  which engages the plurality of teeth  11 , in order to retain the elongated strap therein. Preferably, the locking mechanism  15  is designed to enable the elongated strap to be released therefrom. The cordless tool holder adaptor  1  further comprises two spacer elements  20 , each spacer element being provided with a central aperture  21  therethrough, the central aperture having a diameter of sufficient size such that the cable tie  10  can be introduced through each of the spacer elements  20 . Although the spacer elements can be of any design as will be obvious to one skilled in the art, preferably, the spacer elements are in the form of spheres or balls. The spacer element can be constructed of any material having sufficient strength and durability, suitable materials including, for example, plastics, metals, fiberglass and wood materials. In a preferred embodiment, the spacer elements are composed of hard plastic. 
     Referring to FIGS. 2,  3  and  4 , the cordless tool holder adaptor  1  is installed and secured to a cordless tool  30  having a handle member  31  with a lower end  32 . Preferably, the lower end  32  of handle member  31  is provided with a flange  33 . The tail end  13  of the cable tie  10  is introduced through each of the two spacer elements  20  and through the locking aperture  14  of locking head end  12 , thereby forming a collar which is placed over the lower end  32  of the handle member  31  of the cordless tool  30 . The two spacer elements are centrally aligned on either side of the handle member  31  and the tail end  13  is pulled tightly about the handle until the cordless tool holder adaptor  1  is securely fastened to the handle member  31  and cannot be rotated about the handle member. 
     The installation of the cordless tool holder adaptor  1  onto the cordless tool  30  creates a combination assembly that can be suspended from a hook member  43  of a tool belt clip  40 , having a belt clip element  41  as particularly shown in FIG.  3 . More specifically, the handle member  31  of the cordless tool  30  is placed within the hook member  43  such that the lower end  32  of the handle member is situated on one side of the hook member  43  and the two spacer elements  20  are situated on the opposite side of the hook member  43 . When the tool belt clip  40  comprises a swivel element  42  such that both the swivel element and hook element can swivel freely and independently of one another, the cordless tool  30  suspended from the hook member  43  will swivel in order to maintain its center of gravity. 
     FIG. 4 shows the quick and easy installation of the cordless tool holder adaptor  1  onto a cordless tool  30  and the suspension of the combination assembly from a tool belt clip  40 . In Step 1, the tail end  13  of the cable tie  10  is introduced through each of the two spacer elements  20  and through the locking aperture  14  of locking head end  12 , thereby forming a collar which is placed over the lower end  32  of the handle member  31  of the cordless tool  30 . In Step 2, the tail end  13  is pulled tightly about the handle member  31  while the two spacer elements  20  are positioned centrally on either side of the handle member  31 . The tail end  13  is pulled through the locking head end  12  until the cordless tool holder adaptor  1  is securely fastened to the handle member  31  and cannot be rotated about the handle member. In step 3, the tail end  13  is guided through the central aperture  21  of one of the spacer elements  20  and the other spacer element is guided over the locking head end  12 . In step 4, the combination assembly comprising the cordless tool and cordless tool holder adaptor is suspended from hook member  43  of tool belt clip  40 . 
     While particular embodiments of the invention have been described, it will be understood, of course, that the invention is not limited thereto, and that many obvious modifications and variations can be made, and that such modifications and variations are intended to fall within the scope of the appended claims.