Abstract:
A power tool including a housing having a recess formed in a portion of the housing and shaped to receive a hook. The hook being coupled proximate the recess and positionable in a first position substantially in the recess and a second position substantially removed from the recess.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/990,837, entitled “Power Tool with Hook,” filed Nov. 28, 2007 by Michael Phillips and Jonathon A. Zick, the entire contents of which is hereby incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to an accessory for a power tool, and, more particularly, to a hook element for a power tool. 
         [0003]    Workspace is a commodity at many work sites, as well as in the homes of people conducting repairs; therefore, it becomes an inefficient use of the workspace to store or place power tools. Moreover, placing those same power tools on the floor can be hazardous to a user&#39;s safety, in addition to causing possible damage to the power tools. Moreover, construction and home improvement projects often occur in dark, difficult to access areas of the work site and/or house. Workers are often required to use both hands to complete a task, and are frequently unable to position a light source or store a tool properly at the work area or place of interest. Using an additional worker to direct the light or hold a tool can be a wasteful use of manpower or even impossible in certain locations and with homeowners trying to complete home repairs. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0004]    In one embodiment, the invention provides a power tool including a housing having a recess formed in a portion of the housing. The hook being coupled proximate the recess and positionable in a first position substantially in the recess and a second position substantially removed from the recess. 
         [0005]    In another embodiment, the invention provides a power tool including a housing having a recess formed in an exterior portion of the housing. A pivot boss is positioned proximate a first end of the recess. A hook is pivotally coupled to the housing at the pivot boss and positionable in a first position substantially within the recess and a second position substantially removed from the recess. A pivot member couples the hook to the housing. 
         [0006]    In yet another embodiment, the invention provides a work light including a housing having a recess formed in a portion of the housing and a hook coupled to the housing proximate the recess. The hook is movable between a first position, in which the hook is positioned substantially within the recess, and a second position, in which the hook is positioned at least partially outside of the recess. A pivoting member pivotally couples the hook to the housing. The work light also includes a removable, rechargeable battery pack. 
         [0007]    One or more independent features and independent advantages are set forth in the following detailed description. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]      FIG. 1  is rear perspective view of a hook accessory, according to one embodiment of the invention, in an extended position. 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the hook accessory of  FIG. 1  in a collapsed position. 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is an exploded view of the hook accessory of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  is a side view of the hook accessory of  FIG. 1  in the extended position. 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  is a rear view of the hook accessory of  FIG. 1  in the extended position. 
           [0013]      FIG. 6  is a side view of a hook of the hook accessory shown in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0014]      FIG. 7  is a section view of the handle of the hook accessory of  FIG. 1  sectioned about line  7 - 7 . 
           [0015]      FIG. 8  is a rear perspective view of a hook accessory, according to another embodiment of the invention, in a collapsed position. 
       
    
    
       [0016]    Before at least one embodiment of the invention is explained in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the following drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0017]      FIGS. 1-7  illustrate a power tool  10  having a hook accessory  14 . The power tool  10  is shown as a flashlight; however, in other embodiments, the power tool  10  may be, but is not limited to, another type of power tool, such as a reciprocating saw, a band saw, or the like, or a battery for a power tool. The hook accessory  14  includes a hook  18  configured to support the hanging weight of the power tool  10 . The hook  18  is adapted to at least partially enter a recess  22  formed within a housing  26  of the power tool  10 . In the illustrated construction, the recess  22  is formed in a handle portion  30  of the power tool  10  along a rear surface  34 . The recess  22  may also include a pair of finger slots or other indents (not shown) to allow access to the hook  18  when the hook  18  is stored in the recess  22 . 
         [0018]    In the illustrated construction, the hook  18  is positioned at an upper end  38  of the recess  22 . In other constructions, the hook  18  may be positioned at any location on the power tool  10  where the hook  18  may perform a hook and hang function or a storage function without interfering with the operation of the power tool  10 . For example, referring to  FIG. 8 , the hook  18  is coupled to the housing  26  at a lower end  42  of the recess  22 . The hook  18  is formed from a rigid material able to support the hanging weight of the power tool  10  (e.g., plastic or metal). 
         [0019]    Referring to  FIG. 6 , the hook  18  includes a pivot end  46  and a hanging end  50 . In the illustrated construction, the hanging end  50  is substantially J-shaped; however, in further constructions, the hook  18  may be any shape configured to provide the hook and hang function. The pivot end  46  of the hook  18  includes an aperture  54  shaped to receive and rotate about a pivot pin  58  defining a pivot point. The pivot end  46  also includes a tail  62 , or rounded end, for facilitating pivoting action of the hook  18 . In other constructions, the pivot pin  58  may be any element that allows the hook  18  to rotate, or the pivot end  46  may be spherical to allow the hook  18  to rotate relative to the housing  26  about an infinite number of axes. 
         [0020]    Referring to  FIG. 7 , an interior portion  66  of the housing  26  includes bosses  70  formed therein for receiving the pivot pin  58  such that the hook  18  is pivotally coupled to the housing  26 . Although only one boss  70  is shown in  FIG. 7 , another boss (not shown) is located opposite the first boss at the other side of the recess  22 . Each of the pivot bosses  70  includes an aperture  74  for receiving the pivot pin  58 . In another construction, the pivot bosses  70  may be located in an exterior portion (not pictured) of the housing  26 , whereby the pivot bosses  70  provide sufficient material about the aperture  74  to properly support the hanging weight of the power tool  10 . 
         [0021]    When coupled to the housing  26  of the power tool  10 , the hook  18  is pivotable between an extended position ( FIG. 1 ) and a collapsed or recessed position ( FIG. 2 ) through user manipulation. When the hook  18  is in the collapsed position, a user presses on the tail  62  of the hook  18  to pivot the hook  18  out of the recess  18  and into the extended position. In another construction, a user may press or pull on another portion of the hook  18  to pivot the hook  18  out of the recess  22  of the power tool  10 . 
         [0022]    In the illustrated construction, the hook  18  pivots freely about the pivot pin  58  between the extended position and the collapsed position. In other constructions, the hook  18  may be used in combination with a spring, detent, or other biasing mechanism (not shown) able to assist or maintain the hook  18  in a given position. Additionally, the hook  18  may be retained in the recess  22  by a lock, snap-fit, or other retention mechanism. 
         [0023]    A friction fit exists between the hook  18  and the housing  26  such that the hook  18  is movable into a plurality of positions. Referring to  FIGS. 2 , in the collapsed position, the hook  18  is positioned within the recess  22  of the power tool  10 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , when the hook  18  is in a fully extended position, the hook  18  is rotated approximately 180-degrees from the collapsed position. The hook  18  is also locatable in a number of intermediate positions between the collapsed position and the extended position. In other embodiments, the hook  18  may be rotatable in a range greater than or less than 180 degrees. 
         [0024]    In the illustrated construction, the power tool  10  is battery-powered, and includes a rechargeable, removable battery pack  78  electrically coupled to the tool  10  such that the tool is a hand-held, battery-operated power tool. In the illustrated construction, the battery pack  78  is an 18-volt power tool battery pack  78  connected to the handle portion  30  of the housing  26 . The battery pack  78  includes five (5) Lithium-ion battery cells and is coupled to the handle portion  30  by sliding. In other embodiments, the battery pack  78  may include fewer or more battery cells such that the battery pack  78  has a lower nominal voltage (e.g., 12-volt, 14.4 volt, etc.) or a higher nominal voltage (e.g., 24-volt, 26 volt, 28-volt, 40-volt, etc.). Additionally or alternatively, the battery cells may have chemistries other than Lithium-ion such as, for example, Nickel Cadmium, Nickel Metal-Hydride, or the like. 
         [0025]    The battery pack  78  or other power supply connects to the handle portion  30  of the housing  26  and selectively provides power (e.g., electricity) to the device. In the illustrated construction, the battery pack  78  is slidably coupled to the handle portion  30  of the housing  26  to electrically couple to the device, but may alternatively be coupled to the handle portion  30  by, for example, inserting, snapping, rotating, or the like. 
         [0026]    Although the invention has been described in detail with reference to certain preferred embodiments, variations and modifications exist within the scope and spirit of one or more independent aspects of the invention as described.