Patent Publication Number: US-9415504-B2

Title: Tool box unit

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a tool box unit which takes tools out of the tool box unit easily. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a conventional tool box  10  with at least one drawer contains a first body  11  and a second body  12 . The first body  11  includes a first accommodating space  111  and a first cover  112  fixed thereon, a first drawer  13  with a first receiving portion  131  mounted on the first accommodating space  111  of the first body  11 . The second body  12  includes a second accommodating space  121  and a second drawer  14  with a second receiving portion  141  fixed in the second accommodating space  121  of the second body  12 . To assemble the first body  11  and the second body  12  together, a first locking mechanism and a second locking mechanism are arranged in the first body  11  and the second body  12 , wherein the first locking mechanism includes two first lock grooves  113  defined on two sides of the first cover  112  of the first body  11 , two first gripping portions  151  secured below the two first lock grooves  113 , two first pressing plates  152  rotatably connected with the first body  11  and located below the two first gripping portions  151 , two first hooking portions  1521  disposed on two bottom ends of the two first pressing plates  152  and corresponding to the two first lock grooves  113 , and two first springs  153  defined between two first side plates  114  and the two first pressing plates  152  to push the two first pressing plates  152  to swing outwardly. In addition, the second locking mechanism includes two second lock grooves  123  defined on two top ends of two second side plates  122  of the second body  12 , two second gripping portions  161  secured below the two second lock grooves  123 , two second pressing plates  162  rotatably connected with the second body  12  and located below the two second gripping portions  161 , two second hooking portions  1621  disposed on two bottom ends of the two second pressing plates  162  and corresponding to the two second lock grooves  123 , and two second springs  163  defined between the two second side plates  122  and the two second pressing plates  162  to push the two second pressing plates  162  to swing outwardly, such that the two first hooking portions  1521  of the two first pressing plates  152  of the first body  11  retain the two second lock grooves  123  of the second body  12 , thus fixing the first body  11  and the second body  12  together. When desiring to separate the first body  11  and the second body  12  from each other, the two first pressing plates  152  of the first body  11  are manually pressed inward, and the two first springs  153  push the two first hooking portions  1521  of the first pressing plates  152  to remove from the two second lock grooves  123  of the second body  12 , thereafter user&#39;s hands grip the two first gripping portions  151  of the first body  11  to upwardly remove the first body  11  from the second body  12 . 
     However, such a conventional tool box  10  has defects as follows: 
     1. Because the second accommodating space  121  of the second body  12  is open, when the first body  11  removes from the second body  12 , the second body  12  cannot be covered by the first body  11 , so tools in the second drawer  14  will fall. In other words, the second body  12  cannot be used as an independent drawer to hold the tools. 
     2. The tool box  10  only contains the first body  11  and the second body  12  in which the first drawer  13  and the second drawer  14  are arranged, so the user has to pull the first drawer  13  or the second drawer  14  firstly to take the tools out, thus limiting usage. 
     3. When separating the first body  11  from the second body  12 , the user has to press the two first pressing plates  152  so that the two first hooking portions  1521  of the two first pressing plates  152  remove from the two second look grooves  123  of the second body  12 , and then his/her two hands grip the two first gripping portions  151  to upwardly remove the first body  11  from the second body  12 ., thus causing troublesome operation. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , a conventional tool box assembly  20  contains a third tool box  21  and a fourth tool box  22 . The third tool box  21  and the fourth tool box  22  include a third body  211  and a fourth body  221  for accommodating tools, a third cover  212  and a fourth cover  222  rotatably coupled with the first body  211  and the fourth body  221 . To assemble the third tool box  21  and the fourth tool box  22  together, a third locking mechanism and a fourth locking mechanism are arranged in the third tool box  21  and the fourth tool box  22 . 
     The third locking mechanism includes two third lock grooves  2112  defined on two sides of two top ends of two third side plates  2111  of the third body  211 , two third gripping portions  213  secured below the two third lock grooves  2112 , two third pressing plates  214  rotatably connected with the two third side plates  2111  and located below the two third gripping portions  213 , two third hooking portions  2141  disposed on two bottom ends of the two third pressing plates  214  and corresponding to the two third lock grooves  2112 , and two third springs  215  defined between two third side plates  2111  and the two third pressing plates  214  to push the two third pressing plates  214  to swing outwardly. 
     In addition, the fourth locking mechanism includes two fourth lock grooves  2212  defined on two top ends of two fourth side plates  2211  of the fourth body  221 , two fourth gripping portions  223  secured below the two fourth lock grooves  2212 , two fourth pressing plates  224  rotatably connected with the two fourth side plates  2211  and located below the two fourth gripping portions  223 , two fourth hooking portions  2241  disposed on two bottom ends of the two fourth pressing plates  224  and corresponding to the two fourth lock grooves  2212 , and two fourth springs  225  defined between the two fourth side plates  2211  and the two fourth pressing plates  224  to push the two fourth pressing plates  224  to swing outwardly, such that the two third hooking portions  2241  of the two third pressing plates  224  of the third body  211  retain the two fourth lock grooves  2212  of the fourth body  221 , thus fixing the third tool box  21  and the fourth tool box  22  together. When desiring to separate the third tool box  21  and the fourth tool box  22  from each other, the two third pressing plates  224  of the third body  211  are manually pressed inward, and the two third springs  225  push the two third hooking portions  2241  of the third pressing plates  224  to remove from the two fourth lock grooves  2212  of the fourth body  221 , thereafter user&#39;s hands grip the two third gripping portions  223  of the third body  211  to upwardly remove the third tool box  21  from the fourth body  22 . 
     Nevertheless, such a tool box assembly has following disadvantages: 
     1. Since the third cover  212  and the fourth cover  222  are rotatably coupled with the first body  211  and the fourth body  221 , the use has to rotate the third cover  212  or the fourth cover  222  upwardly to take tools in the third body  211  or the fourth body  221 , thereby limiting usage. 
     2. When desiring to separate the third tool box  21  and the fourth tool box  22  from each other, the two third pressing plates  224  of the third body  211  are manually pressed inward so that the two third hooking portions  2241  of the third pressing plates  224  remove from the two fourth lock grooves  2212  of the fourth body  221 , thereafter the user&#39;s hands grip the two third gripping portions  223  to upwardly remove the third tool box  21  from the fourth body  22 , thereby operating the tool box assembly inconveniently. 
     3. Due to the third tool box  21  is plied on the fourth cover  222  of the fourth tool box  22 , when taking the tools out of the fourth tool box  22  and opening the fourth cover  222  directly, the third tool box  21  above the fourth cover  222  is turned over. And, when plural tools are piled on the fourth cover  222 , the fourth cover  222  cannot be opened directly, so the user has to remove the third tool box  21  from the fourth tool box  22  firstly so that the fourth cover  222  is opened to take the tools out, and then the third tool box  21  is re-piled on the fourth tool box  22 , thereby causing troublesome operation. 
     The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The when pulling a control member, two tilted driving faces of the control member drive at least one hooking element to swing outwardly so as to pull a drawer outwardly, and when releasing the control member, the at least one hooking element swing inwardly to fix the drawer, thus operating the tool box unit easily. 
     Secondary objective of the present invention is to provide a tool box unit which can pile a plurality of tool box units together and separate the plurality of tool box units easily. 
     Further objective of the present invention is to provide a tool box unit which can open at least one upper cover or pull at least one drawer outwardly to take out tools easily. 
     Another objective of the present invention is to provide a tool box unit which when each drawer slides into a body, a retaining member moves upwardly to retain into a lock groove to fix each drawer securely, and when pulling each pull member, it presses the retaining member to move downwardly to remove from the lock groove of the body, thus pulling each drawer easily. 
     To obtain the above objectives, a tool box unit provided by the present invention contains: a body, at least one upper cover, at least one drawer, and a controlling mechanism. 
     The body includes at least one first accommodating space defined therein; the at least one upper cover is rotatably fixed on an upper side of the body; the at least one drawer is slidably fixed in the at least one first accommodating space of the body and has at least one receiving portion for accommodating tools. 
     The controlling mechanism includes at least one trench formed on two first side plates of the body, and each trench has a control member fixed therein and at least one hooking element rotatably connected with each side plate, the control member has at least one oblique push face for pushing the at least one hooking element to rotate. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a cross sectional view showing the operation of a conventional tool box with at least one drawer. 
         FIG. 2  is another cross sectional view showing the operation of the conventional tool box with the at least one drawer. 
         FIG. 3  is a cross sectional view showing the operation of a conventional tool box assembly. 
         FIG. 4  is another cross sectional view showing the operation of the conventional tool box assembly. 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view showing the exploded components of a tool box unit according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view showing the assembly of the tool box unit according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 7  is a cross sectional view showing the assembly of a part of the tool box unit according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 8  is another cross sectional view showing the assembly of a part of the tool box unit according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 9  is also another cross sectional view showing the assembly of a part of the tool box unit according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 10  is a perspective view showing the operation of the tool box unit according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 11  is a cross sectional view showing the operation of the tool box unit according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 12  is another cross sectional view showing the operation of the tool box unit according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 13  is also another cross sectional view showing the operation of the tool box unit according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention 
         FIG. 14  is still another cross sectional view showing the operation of the tool box unit according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention.  FIG. 15  is another cross sectional view showing the operation of the tool box unit according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention 
         FIG. 16  is also another cross sectional view showing the operation of the tool box unit according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 17  is still another cross sectional view showing the operation of the tool box unit according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 18  is a cross sectional view showing two tool box units being piling together according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 19  is a cross sectional view showing the two tool box units being separated from each other according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     With reference to  FIGS. 5 to 9 , a tool box unit  30  according to a first embodiment of the present invention comprises: a body  31 , at least one upper cover  32 , at least one drawer  33 , and a controlling mechanism. The body  31  includes at least one accommodating space. In this embodiment, the body  31  includes a first accommodating space  311  defined therein and having an open top surface, and the body  31  also includes a through hole  312  formed on a front end thereof and communicating with the first accommodating space  311 . The at least one upper cover  32  is rotatably fixed on an upper side of the body  31 . In this embodiment, each upper cover  32  includes a handle  321  rotatably arranged on a top end thereof so that the tool box unit  30  is manually carried by gripping the handle  321 . Between each upper cover  32  and the body  31  is defined a locking mechanism, and the locking mechanism has a first fastening member disposed on the body  31  and a second fastening member mounted on each upper cover  32  to fasten with or unfasten from the first fastening member. In this embodiment, the locking mechanism has at least one first fastening member  313  mounted on the front end of the body  31  and at least one slidable second fastening member  322  arranged on a predetermined position of each upper cover  32  corresponding to the at least one first fastening member  313  of the body  31 , such that the at least one second fastening member  322  of each cover  32  slides to and fasten with the at least one first fastening member  313  of the body  31 . The at least one drawer  33  is slidably fixed in the at least one accommodating space of the body  31  and has at least one receiving portion for accommodating tools. In this embodiment, a drawer  33  has a receiving portion  331  for accommodating the tools, and between the drawer  33  and the body  31  is defined a drawer slide, the drawer slide has an inner rack arranged on each of two first side plates  314  of the body  31 , wherein the inner rack is an independent part or is defined on an inner surface of each first side plate  314 . In this embodiment, each first side plate  314  of the body  31  has the inner rack  315  defined on the inner surface of each first side plate  314 , and a middle rack  316  is slidably mounted in the inner rack  315 , wherein between the middle rack  316  and the inner rack  315  are arranged a first slot and at least one first stop block for matching with the first slot. In this embodiment, the middle rack  316  has the first slot  3161  and a first stop block  3151  adjacent to a central position of the inner rack  315 , wherein the first stop block  3151  is placed in the first slot  3161  of the middle rack  316 , and an outer rack  333  is arranged outside each of two second side plates  332  of the drawer  33  and is fixed in the middle rack  316 . Between the outer rack  333  and the middle rack  316  are defined a second slot and a second stop block for matching with the second slot. In this embodiment, the outer rack  333  has a second slot  3331  defined therein, and the middle rack  316  also has a second stop block  3162  arranged on a front end thereof and retained in the second slot  3331  of the outer rack  333 , such that the drawer  33  is moved outwardly in a multi-section pulling manner by ways of the inner rack  315 , the middle rack  316 , and the outer rack  333 . Between the body  31  and the drawer  33  is arranged an opening/closing mechanism, wherein the opening/closing mechanism includes at least one lock groove defined on the body  31 , at least one retaining member disposed in the drawer  33 , and at least one pull member for controlling the at least one retaining member to move so that the at least one retaining member retains with or removes from the at least one lock groove, thus opening or closing the drawer  33 . In this embodiment, the opening/closing mechanism includes a lock groove  317  defined on a top surface of the though hole  312  of the body  31 , a second accommodating space  3341  formed on a front sheet  334  of the drawer  33 , an orifice  3342  corresponding to the lock groove  317  of the body  31  and communicating with the second accommodating space  3341 , and a retaining member  34  mounted in the second accommodating space  3341  of the drawer  33 . The retaining member  34  has at least one engaging portion, each having a guiding face; and the guiding face is a tilted surface or an arcuate surface. In this embodiment, the retaining member  34  has the engaging portion  341  arranged on a first end thereof, and the guiding face of the engaging portion is a tilted guiding surface  3411 . Between a second end of the retaining member  34  and the drawer  33  is fixed a first resilient element (such as a spring) so that the retaining member  34  is pushed by the first resilient element to move upwardly. In this embodiment, the drawer  33  also has a seat  3343  secured on a bottom end of the second accommodating space  3341  of the front sheet  334 , the retaining member  34  also has a post  342  fixed on the second end thereof and inserted into the seat  3343  of the drawer  33 , and the retaining member  3  also has a first spring  343  fitted on the post  342 , such that a first end of the first spring  343  abuts against the retaining member  34 , and a second end of the first spring  343  contacts with the seat  3343  so that the first spring  343  pushes the retaining member  34  to move upwardly, and the engaging portion  341 of the retaining member  34  extends out of the orifice  3342  of the drawer  33  to retain into the lock groove  317  of the body  31 . Furthermore, the retaining member  34  further has a press projection  344  secured on a front end thereof, and the retaining member  34  and the second accommodating space  3341  of the front sheet  334  have a first sliding rail and a first sliding protrusion for cooperating with the first sliding rail. In this embodiment, the retaining member  34  has the first sliding protrusion  345  disposed on a rear end thereof, and the second accommodating space  3341  of the front sheet  334  has the first sliding rail  3344  mounted therein to accommodate the first sliding protrusion  345 . In addition, a pull member  35  is rotatably connected with the drawer  33  and has at least one pressing piece for pressing the retaining member  34  to move downwardly. In this embodiment, two sides of the pull member  35  are rotatably connected with two sides of the accommodating space  3341  of the drawer  33  by using two connecting shafts  351 , and the pull member  35  has a pressing piece  352  for contacting with the press projection  344  of the retaining member  34 , such that when the retaining member  34  moves upwardly, the press projection  344  pushes the pressing piece  352  of the pull member  35  to swing upwardly, and the pull member  35  swing downwardly along the two connecting shafts  351 , thus closing the second accommodating space  3341  of the drawer  33 . The controlling mechanism includes at least one trench formed on the two first side plates  314  of the body  31 , and each trench has a control member  36  fixed therein and at least one hooking element  37  rotatably connected with each first side plate  314 . The control member  36  has at least one oblique push face for pushing the at least one hooking element  37  to rotate, thereby opening/closing the at least one hooking element  37 . In this embodiment, each first side plate  314  of the body  31  has a trench  3141  formed on a top surface thereof and a third accommodating space  3142  defined therein, and the third accommodating space  3142  has at least one holding sheet  3143  for holding the control member  36 . The control member  36  has two tilted driving faces  361  arranged on a front end and a rear end thereof, and between the top surface of the control member  36  and a top surface of the third accommodating space  3142  is defined a second resilient element (such as a second spring), wherein the second spring  362  pushes the control member  36  to move downwardly to an original position, and the control member  36  has a gripping portion  363  defined on an outer peripheral side thereof, and between an inner surface of the control member  36  and a side surface of the third accommodating space  3142  are arranged at least one second sliding rail and at least one second sliding protrusion for cooperating with the at least one second sliding rail. In this embodiment, the control member  36  has two second sliding protrusions  364  disposed on the inner surface thereof, and the third accommodating space  3142  of the body  31  has two second sliding rails  3144  for receiving the two second sliding protrusions  364 . The control member  36  also has two hooking elements  37  mounted on the front end and the rear end thereof and rotatably coupled with each side plate  314 , wherein each hooking element  37  has an abutting portion  371  formed on a first end thereof to contact with each of the two tilted driving faces  361 . Each hooking element  37  also has a hook portion  372  secured on a second end thereof. Between each hooking element  37  and the third accommodating space  3142  is defined a third resilient element (such as a third spring  373 ), such that the first spring  373  pushes each hooking element  37  to move back to an original position. The body  31  further includes two lids  38  disposed on two sides thereof to cover the third accommodating space  3142 , thus preventing a removal of the control member  36 , each holing element  37 , and the third spring  373  from the body  31 . In this embodiment, each lid  38  has an aperture  381  defined thereon so that user&#39;s hand inserts into the body  31  to control the control member  36 . Between each lid  38  and each first side plats  314  of the body  31  are defined at least one positioning piece and at least one fixing opening so that each lid  38  is mounted on each of the two sides of the body  31 . In this embodiment, the third accommodating space  3142  has plural fixing openings  3145  arranged on the top surface and a bottom surface thereof, and each lid  38  has plural positioning pieces  382  fixed on a top end and a bottom end thereof to correspond to the plural fixing openings  3145 , such that the plural positioning pieces  382  of each lid  38  retain with the plural fixing openings  3145  of the body  31 , thereby fixing each lid  38  and the body  31  together. 
     Referring further to  FIG. 10 , the tool box unit  30  has an upper cover  32  mounted on the upper side of the body  31  to avoid a removal of the tools from the drawer  33 , and the tool box unit  30  is opened by opening the upper cover  32  upwardly or by pulling the drawer  33  forwardly, thus taking out or placing the tools. When the user is desired to open the upper cover  32  to take out the tools, the at least one slidable second fastening member  322  of the upper cover  32  is pushed horizontally to unfasten from the at least one first fastening member  313 , thus opening the upper cover  32  and taking the tools out of the receiving portion  331  of the drawer  33 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 11 , when the user intends to open the drawer  33  and take out the tools, the pull member  35  of the drawer  33  is pulled to upwardly rotate along the two connecting shafts  351 , and the pressing piece  352  swings downwardly and presses the press projection  344  of the retaining member  34  so that the retaining member  34  moves downwardly to press the first spring  343 , and the engaging portion  341  of the retaining member  34  removes from the lock groove  317  of the body  31 , thus opening the drawer  33 . 
     As illustrated in  FIGS. 12 to 14 , after the user pulls the drawer  33  outwardly, the drawer  33  slides out of the through hole  312  to release the pull member  35 , and the retaining member  34  is pushed by the first spring  343  to move upwardly so that the engaging portion  341  extends out of the orifice  3342  of the drawer  33 , and the press projection  344  pushes the pressing piece  352  of the pull member  35  to swing upwardly so that the pull member  35  swings downwardly along the two connecting shafts  351 , and when the drawer  33  moves outwardly, it drives the outer rack  333  on each of two sides of the drawer  33  to move simultaneously. When an end portion of the second slot  3331  abuts against the second stop block  3162  of the middle rack  316 , and the drawer  33  is pulled outward continuously, the end portion of the second slot  3331  and the second stop block  3162  drive the middle rack  316  to move outwardly along the inner rack  315 , and when an end portion of the first slot  3161  of the middle rack  316  is biased against the first stop block  3151 , the middle rack  316  is fixed, thus preventing a removal of the drawer  33  from the body  31  and adjusting a pulling length of the drawer  33  in the multi-section pulling manner. Accordingly, the user takes the tools out of the receiving portion  331  of the drawer  33  or places the tools back to the receiving portion  331  easily. 
     With reference to  FIGS. 15 to 17 , as desiring to close the drawer  33 , the outer racks  333  on each of the two sides of the drawer  33  drive the middle rack  316  to move by ways of the second stop block  3162 , and the middle rack  316  moves inwardly along the inner rack  315 . When the drawer  33  is pushed backward continuously, the first slot  3161  of the middle rack  316  abuts against the first stop block  3151  of the inner rack  315  to limit the middle rack  316 , such that the drawer  33  is retracted in the body  31 . Due to the engaging portion  341  of the retaining member  34  extends out of the orifice  3342  of the drawer  33 , the pull member  35  is not pulled by the user as the drawer moves into the body  31 , and the tilted guiding surface  3411  of the engaging portion  341  is pressed by the through hole  312  to move downwardly, and when the engaging portion  341  corresponds to the lock groove  317 , the first spring  343  pushes the retaining member  34  so that the engaging portion  341  extends out of the orifice  3342  of the drawer  33  and retains into the lock groove  317  of the body  31 , thus fixing and closing the drawer  33  in the body  31 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 18 , a plurality of tool box units  30 ,  30 A are piled together, wherein the control member  36  is moved downwardly to fix on the at least one holding sheet  3143 , and the two tilted driving faces  361  of the control member  36  do not push the two hooking elements  37  to swing outwardly, so the hook portion  372  of each hooking element  37  of a first tool unit  30  is pushed by a trench  3141 A of a second tool box unit  30 A so that each hooking element  37  swings outwardly, and when the hook portion  372  corresponds to the trench  3141 A, the third spring  373  pushes each hooking element  37  to swing inwardly and to retain in the trench  3141 A of the second tool box unit  30 A so that the first tool box unit  30  and the second tool box unit  30  A are fixed together to place the tools. Because the first tool box unit  30  and the second tool box unit  30  A have a first drawer  33  and a second drawer  33 A, the user can pull the drawer easily. 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 19 , as desiring to remove the first tool box unit  30  from the second tool box unit  30 A, the gripping portion  363  of the control member  36  of the first tool box unit  30  is gripped by the user, and the control member  36  is pulled upwardly to press the second spring  362 , thereafter the two tilted driving faces  361  of the control member  36  push two abutting portions  371  of the two hooking elements  37  so that the two hooking elements  37  swing outwardly and press the third spring  373 , and two hook portions  372  of the two hooking elements  37  remove from the trench  3141 A of the second tool box unit  30 A, the control member  36  is pulled upwardly to open the two hooking elements  37 , thus removing the first tool box unit  30  from the second tool box unit  30 A easily. 
     While the preferred embodiments of the invention have been set forth for the purpose of disclosure, modifications of the disclosed embodiments of the invention as well as other embodiments thereof may occur to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the appended claims are intended to cover all embodiments which do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention.