Patent Abstract:
Specialized tool storage boxes may be produced by defining an inventory of tools to be stored in the box. The tools may be positioned in proposed desired locations. Shadows of the tools in their respective desired locations may be produced. Image of the shadows may be produced on an insert for the tool storage box. The insert may be placed in the box so that the tools can be replaced in the desired locations after being removed from the box.

Full Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application is a Continuation-in-Part of co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/883,462 filed Sep. 16, 2010. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention generally relates to storage units for sets of tools that may be associated with a particular task. For example, maintenance of a particular type of vehicle may be efficiently performed if a tool set is established and organized so that all required maintenance tools are readily accessible. For such a system to be effective, the tools need to be replaced to particular locations in a dedicated storage system after each use. Proper storage of the tools may result in ready availability for successive usage. 
         [0003]    As can be seen, there is a need for a tool storage system which can easily be employed by a user to replace tools in their proper storage location. Additionally there is a need for such a system to be adaptable to numerous variations of tool sets. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    In one aspect of the present invention, a storage system for a set of tools may comprise: a box; an insert board having a tool-contact side and an image side opposite the tool contact side; and images of the tools formed on the image side of the board, the insert board being oriented in the box so that the image side of the board faces an underside of the box and so that tools placed in the box contact the tool-contact sides of the board. 
         [0005]    In another aspect of the present invention, an insert for a tool storage box may comprise: a sheet of material having a tool-contact side and an image side, opposite the tool-contact side, and having images of tools in their respective desired locations on the image side. 
         [0006]    These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, description and claims. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an assembled tool storage box in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of an insert of the tool storage box of  FIG. 1 ; and 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is a schematic sectional view of a portion of the tool storage box of  FIG. 1 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0010]    The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims. 
         [0011]    Various inventive features are described below that can each be used independently of one another or in combination with other features. 
         [0012]    Broadly, embodiments of the present invention generally provide tool storage boxes and a method for producing tool storage boxes in which a graphic indicator of tool location is embedded in the box. In exemplary embodiments of the invention a desired collection of tools, for inclusion in a box, may be placed in a desired location. Images of shadows of the tools may be produced on an insert for the box in which the tools are to be stored. 
         [0013]    Referring now to  FIG. 1 , a tool storage insert  10  is illustrated with attached tools  28 . The tool storage insert  10  may be a portion of a dedicated storage box  11  which may be readily accessible on or near a vehicle (not shown) such as a specialized military vehicle (e.g., an aircraft, a tank or a truck). The insert  10  may comprise an insert board  12  and various tool holders such as spring clips  20 , a tool bracket  22 ; a strap  24  and hook and loop fasteners  26 . 
         [0014]    Referring now to  FIG. 3 , it may be seen that the insert board  12  may be transparent or translucent and may have a tool-contact side  12 - 1  and an opposing image side  12 - 2 . On its image side  12 - 2 , the insert board  12  may be printed with outlines, silouetttes or images of tools (collectively referred to herein as tool images  14 ) and tool numbers  16 . Panel text  18  may also be included. Collectively, the tool images  14 , numbers  16  and text  18  may be printed on the image side  12 - 2  of the insert board  12 . A user of the tools  28  may readily determine the proper location for each of the tools after each use by looking at the images  14  and/or the numbers  16  and text  18 , The user may also confirm that all of the tools  28  have been returned to the box  11  after completion of a task, thus assuring that none of the tools have been left inside a vehicle on which repairs have been performed. Missing tools can be readily identified by their respective empty outline and associated number  16   
         [0015]    In an exemplary embodiment, the insert board  12  may comprise a sheet of polycarbonate having a thickness of about 0.10 inch. The board  12  may be oriented so that its image side  12 - 2  may face toward an underside  11 - 1  of the box  11  while the tool-contact side  12 - 1  may face upwardly and away from the underside  11 - 1  of the box  11 . It may be noted that the tools  28  may not come into contact with the images  14  because the images may be printed on a side opposite the tool contact side  12 - 1 . In other words, the board  12  may positioned to intervene between the tools  28  and the images  14  of the tools. Consequently, the images  14  may be protected from abrasion that might otherwise arise from repeated removal and replacement of the tools  28  in the box  11 . Thus the images  14  may remain readily visible to a user even after repeated use of the tools  28 . 
         [0016]    In an exemplary method for producing one or more of the tool boxes  11  the following steps may be performed. In a first step, a customer may define an overall size for the box  11  and an inventory of tools  28  to be stored in the box  11  and the types of required tool holding devices  20 ,  22 ,  24  and/or  26 . In a second step, the customer or a fabricator of the box  11  may arrange the tools  28  and holding devices in a layout on a sheet of photosensitive material. In a third step, a shadow-like image of the layout may be made. In a fourth step, a printing mask may be produced. In a fifth step, images  14  of the tools  28  may be produced on the insert  12  using a conventional image production technique, (e.g., by reverse screen printing or laser scribing). Finally, the tool holding devices may be attached to the printed insert board  12  and the box  11  may be assembled (e.g., by adhesively attaching the insert board  12  in the box  11 ). 
         [0017]    In optional steps, multiple sets of the tools may be delivered to a fabricator. The fabricator may produce numerous boxes and install tools into each box so that complete packaged tool sets may be delivered to a customer. 
         [0018]    While the foregoing has been described in the context of a box  11  employing an insert board  12  on top of the underside  11 - 1 , another exemplary embodiment may comprise a translucent board  12  whose rear face is the box underside  11 - 1  and the images  14  are printed or etched within the board  12  between the underside  11 - 1  and the tool contact side  12 - 1 .] 
         [0019]    It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates to exemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.

Technology Classification (CPC): 6