Patent Publication Number: US-2006011624-A1

Title: Tool box assembly

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      1. Field of the Invention  
      The present invention relates to a tool box assembly, and more particularly to a tool box assembly that decreases costs of fabrication and maintenance.  
      2. Description of the Related Art  
      A conventional tool box comprises a first case, a second case pivotally mounted on the first case, and a flexible strip connected between the first case and the second case. Thus, the first case and the second case are pivoted relative to each other by flexibility of the flexible strip so as to expand and fold the conventional tool box. However, the manufacturer needs to prepare two molds to make the first case and the second case respectively, thereby increasing costs of fabrication. In addition, the flexible strip is easily worn out during a long-term utilization, thereby shortening the lifetime of the conventional tool box.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a tool box assembly, comprising a first case, and a second case pivotally mounted on the first case, wherein:  
      the first case has a side having a first end provided with a pivot member and a second end provided with a pivot seat; and  
      the second case has a side having a first end provided with a pivot member pivotally mounted on the pivot seat of the first case and a second end provided with a pivot seat on which the pivot member of the first case is pivotally mounted.  
      The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a tool box assembly, wherein the first case and the second case have the same structure, so that the manufacturer only needs to prepare a single mold to make the tool box assembly, thereby decreasing costs of fabrication.  
      Another objective of the present invention is to provide a tool box assembly, wherein the first case and the second case have the same structure, so that either one of the first case and the second case can be replaced when being worn out, thereby decreasing costs of maintenance.  
      A further objective of the present invention is to provide a tool box assembly, wherein the first case is pivoted relative to the second case by pivot of the pivot shafts in the clamping recesses, so that the connection between the first case and the second case is not worn out easily, thereby enhancing the lifetime of the tool box assembly.  
      A further objective of the present invention is to provide a tool box assembly, wherein the first case and the second case are fully expanded by provision of the cutouts, thereby facilitating the user expanding and operating the tool box assembly.  
      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 tool box assembly in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention;  
       FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of the tool box assembly as shown in  FIG. 1 ;  
       FIG. 3  is a locally perspective enlarged view of the tool box assembly as shown in  FIG. 1 ; and  
       FIG. 4  is a schematic expanded view of the tool box assembly as shown in  FIG. 1 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
      Referring to the drawings and initially to  FIGS. 1-3 , a tool box assembly in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a first case  10 , and a second case  50  pivotally mounted on the first case  10 .  
      The first case  10  has a side having a first end provided with a pivot member  20  and a second end provided with a pivot seat  30 .  
      The pivot member  20  of the first case  10  includes a wedge-shaped protruding rib  21  having a first end formed on and protruded outward from the first case  10  to enhance the strength of the pivot member  20  of the first case  10 , and a pivot shaft  25  integrally formed on a second end of the protruding rib  21 . The pivot shaft  25  of the pivot member  20  of the first case  10  is parallel with the side of the first case  10 . The protruding rib  21  of the pivot member  20  of the first case  10  is located at a mediate portion of the pivot shaft  25 .  
      The pivot seat  30  of the first case  10  is formed on and protruded outward from the first case  10  and has an inside formed with a clamping recess  32 . The clamping recess  32  of the pivot seat  30  of the first case  10  is substantially arcuate shaped and has an opening facing outward. The pivot seat  30  of the first case  10  has a mediate portion formed with a cutout  35  extended through the mediate portion of the pivot seat  30  of the first case  10 .  
      The second case  50  has a structure the same as that of the first case  10 . The second case  50  has a side having a first end provided with a pivot member  60  pivotally mounted on the pivot seat  30  of the first case  10  and a second end provided with a pivot seat  70  on which the pivot member  20  of the first case  10  is pivotally mounted.  
      The pivot member  60  of the second case  50  includes a wedge-shaped protruding rib  61  having a first end formed on and protruded outward from the second case  50  to enhance the strength of the pivot member  60  of the second case  50 , and a pivot shaft  65  integrally formed on a second end of the protruding rib  61  and pivotally mounted in the clamping recess  32  of the pivot seat  30  of the first case  10 . The clamping recess  32  of the pivot seat  30  of the first case  10  encompasses the pivot shaft  65  of the pivot member  60  of the second case  50  to an extent exceeding half of a diameter of the pivot shaft  65  of the pivot member  60  of the second case  50 . The protruding rib  61  of the pivot member  60  of the second case  50  is aligning with the cutout  35  of the pivot seat  30  of the first case  10  to prevent from incurring interference between the first case  10  and the second case  50  during expansion. The pivot shaft  65  of the pivot member  60  of the second case  50  is parallel with the side of the second case  50 . The protruding rib  61  of the pivot member  60  of the second case  50  is located at a mediate portion of the pivot shaft  65 .  
      The pivot seat  70  of the second case  50  is formed on and protruded outward from the second case  50  and has an inside formed with a clamping recess  72 . The pivot shaft  25  of the pivot member  20  of the first case  10  is pivotally mounted in the clamping recess  72  of the pivot seat  70  of the second case  50 . The clamping recess  72  of the pivot seat  70  of the second case  50  is substantially arcuate shaped and has an opening facing outward. The clamping recess  72  of the pivot seat  70  of the second case  50  encompasses the pivot shaft  25  of the pivot member  20  of the first case  10  to an extent exceeding half of a diameter of the pivot shaft  25  of the pivot member  20  of the first case  10 . The pivot seat  70  of the second case  50  has a mediate portion formed with a cutout  75  extended through the mediate portion of the pivot seat  70  of the second case  50 . The protruding rib  21  of the pivot member  20  of the first case  10  is aligning with the cutout  75  of the pivot seat  70  of the second case  50  to prevent from incurring interference between the first case  10  and the second case  50  during expansion.  
      As shown in  FIG. 4 , the pivot shaft  25  of the pivot member  20  of the first case  10  is pivoted in the clamping recess  72  of the pivot seat  70  of the second case  50 , and the pivot shaft  65  of the pivot member  60  of the second case  50  is pivoted in the clamping recess  32  of the pivot seat  30  of the first case  10 , so that the first case  10  is pivoted relative to the second case  50  freely. Thus, the tool box assembly is disposed at an expanded state.  
      Accordingly, the first case  10  and the second case  50  have the same structure, so that the manufacturer only needs to prepare a single mold to make the tool box assembly, thereby decreasing costs of fabrication. In addition, the first case  10  and the second case  50  have the same structure, so that either one of the first case  10  and the second case  50  can be replaced when being worn out, thereby decreasing costs of maintenance. Further, the first case  10  is pivoted relative to the second case  50  by pivot of the pivot shafts  25  and  65  in the clamping recesses  72  and  32 , so that the connection between the first case  10  and the second case  50  is not worn out easily, thereby enhancing the lifetime of the tool box assembly. Further, the first case  10  and the second case  50  are fully expanded by provision of the cutouts  35  and  75 , thereby facilitating the user expanding and operating the tool box assembly.  
      Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment(s) as mentioned above, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. It is, therefore, contemplated that the appended claim or claims will cover such modifications and variations that fall within the true scope of the invention.