Abstract:
A foldable, portable, magnetic tool mat. The tool mat includes generally rectangular obverse and reverse panels each formed of flexible material and connected together along substantially common side and end margins defining elongated magnet bar holding portions. A magnet is held within each holding portion each without substantially inhibiting selective tool mat folding for fit and storage. The reverse panel is substantially thicker than the obverse panel for better wear characteristics and maximal magnetic attractive forces for tool and hardware retention. An attaching strap can be used to hold the tool mat.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application is a continuation-in-part of patent application Ser. No. 10/101,085 filed Mar. 19, 2002, now U.S. Pat. No. ______, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0003]     This invention relates generally to portable magnetic tool holders, and more particularly to a flexible, collapsible mat particularly sized for use atop a collapsible ladder, around the leg of a user or for attachment to a tool box.  
         [0004]     2. Reference to Related Art  
         [0005]     More and more people are venturing into the home improvement area, both on a homeowner basis and professionally. Many of the tools, accessories and work items are made of magnetically attractable material. The more readily accessible these tools are made of magnetically attractable material. The more readily accessible these tools and other magnetically attractable items are to the user, the greater the likelihood of project success and shortened the time for project completion.  
         [0006]     A number of prior art devices provide a magnetic attraction means for magnetically retaining work items in a stored or in a readily accessible position. One such device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,267,277 invented by Taylor which discloses a portable, flexible tool holder having a plurality of pockets and loops therein for holding tools or, in lieu thereof, magnets associated with each pocket for the same purpose of holding tools in place within the pocket.  
         [0007]     Another magnetic tool holder invented by Bosch is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,826,059 teaching a magnetic tool holder, preferably in the form of an apron, which includes a set of magnetic bars positioned side by side so as to provide magnetic attraction on both sides thereof. The length of the magnetic bars, being less than half the width of the device, is such that the tool holder may be easily folded along specific center fold lines for storage.  
         [0008]     A protective fender cloth provides magnetic flexible strips as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,924,212 invented by Brown having the magnetic strips positioned on alternate sides of the device to render the cloth non-slipable when placed atop a magnetically attractable fender of a vehicle.  
         [0009]     Other magnetic material-based devices are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,665,355 invented by Sasaki, Sherman&#39;s invention directed to a fisherman&#39;s hatband as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,597,601, a magnetic tool and object holder invented by Testa as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,760,668 and in U.S. Pat. No. 6,336,555, Breeden discloses a magnetic school organizer.  
         [0010]     The present invention provides a portable and easily deployable and collapsible magnetic tool mat which is particularly sized to fit atop and be secured to a top ladder or platform of a collapsible ladder. An auxiliary strap is also provided to, in effect, lengthen the device so that it may be retained around the thigh of a user for retention of magnetically attractable articles.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0011]     This invention is directed to a foldable, portable, magnetic tool mat. The tool mat includes generally rectangular obverse and reverse panels each formed of flexible material and connected together along substantially common side and end margins and along evenly apart seam lines extending along substantially the length of the device between said side margins defining magnet holding portions. A magnet bar is held within each magnetic holding portion without substantially inhibiting selective tool mat deployment and folding for storage. The reverse panel is substantially thicker than the obverse panel for better wear characteristics and maximal magnetic attractive forces for tool and hardware retention. The tool mat of the present invention is easily portable and deployable, both aspects being facilitated by the positioning and orientation of the elongated closely spaced magnetic bars held therein.  
         [0012]     An attaching strap holds the tool mat to a support surface. Alternatively, the tool mat may use magnets to affix the tool mat to an object, such as a tool box, or may have grommets for use in suspending or hanging the tool mat. The tool mat may also be secured around the thigh of the user to hold magnetically attractable tool and accessories and items in readily accessible reach by a wearer of the device.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0013]     A better understanding of the present invention will be had upon reference to the attached drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout, and wherein” 
         [0014]      FIG. 1  is a broken plan view of a preferred embodiment of the invention;  
         [0015]      FIG. 2  is a right and elevation view of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0016]      FIG. 3  is a simplified perspective view of the invention showing an optional auxiliary strap;  
         [0017]      FIG. 4  is a longitudinal section view through a portion of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0018]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the invention in use atop a collapsible step ladder;  
         [0019]      FIG. 6  is an enlarged view of the upper portion of the step ladder of  FIG. 5 ;  
         [0020]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the invention in use attached to a thigh or upper leg of a user;  
         [0021]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of the invention in the collapsed configuration for storage;  
         [0022]     FIGS.  9 A-B are broken plan views of a first alternative embodiment of the invention;  
         [0023]      FIG. 9C  is a perspective view of a magnetic bar of the first alternative embodiment;  
         [0024]     FIGS.  10 A-B are broken plan views of a second alternative embodiment of the invention;  
         [0025]      FIG. 11  is a broken plan view of a third alternative embodiment of the invention; and  
         [0026]     FIGS.  12 A-B are a broken plan view of a fourth alternative embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0027]     Referring now to  FIGS. 1-8 , a tool mat  10  has a generally rectangular plan configuration and, as best seen in  FIGS. 2 and 4 , is constructed of an obverse panel  12  and a reverse panel  14  that are connected along common side and end margins and then finished in appearance by sewing binding material  20  along substantially all of the side and edge margins.  
         [0028]     The obverse panel  12  is formed of relatively thinner flexible elastic fabric material, preferably about 210 denier nylon material. PVC sponge material of comparable thickness and elasticity is an alternative. The reverse panel  14  is formed of substantially heavier flexible material, preferably 2000 denier nylon or Ballistic Cordura. In addition to the panels  12  and  14  being connected together along their common side and end margins, they are also connected together along seam lines  18  in  FIGS. 1 and 2  and  18   a  and  18   b  shown in  FIG. 4 . The seam lines  18 ,  18   a  and  18   b  are spaced apart in generally parallel fashion one to another and parallel to the end margins so as to define a plurality of closely spaced side by side elongated magnetic bar holding portions  19  (or pockets) that are sized to snugly receive an elongated magnetic bar  16  positioned and secured therein as best seen in  FIGS. 1,2  and  4 . The magnetic bars  16  are formed of highly magnetic material such as sintered ferrite C8 or anisotropic boded ferrite for added toughness and are well known in the industry for high magnetic strength. Alternatively, as will be described below, the magnetic bars may be a ceramic or rare earth magnetic material. The ends and/or edges of the magnetic bars  16  are preferably rounded to inhibit the bars  16  from piercing either of the panels  12 ,  14  during use.  
         [0029]     As previously described, the obverse panel  12  is formed of relatively thin fabric material so as to minimize the loss of magnetic attraction by minimizing the space between a tool placed against the obverse panel  12  and each magnet  16  itself. The reverse surface  14 , being formed of heavier flexible fabric material, is positionable against a work surface or a substrate that may be irregular, soiled and otherwise contaminated and, therefore, a heightened wear resistivity is provided through the preferred use of the heavier, more durable obverse panel material.  
         [0030]     Referring additionally to  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the preferred embodiment of the tool mat  10  is sized in length and width to substantially cover a top step T of a conventional stepladder L. The top step T is typically utilized to support tools and other accessories and work implements such as there shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6  and additionally nails, screws, brads, marking implements and the like. Virtually all of these items are typically formed of magnetically attractable material. By dimensionally structuring the tool mat  10  so as to substantially cover the top step T with the closely spaced magnetic bars  16  positioned immediately beneath the obverse panel  12 , the utility and versatility of the stepladder L is greatly enhanced.  
         [0031]     To secure the tool mat  10  atop the top step T, one or a plurality of elongated attaching straps  22  are connected to and extend lengthwise from one end margin of the tool mat  10 . Each attaching strap  22  has one surface  24  (or attaching surface) that contains one part of a conventional two-part hook and loop releasable attaching arrangement (e.g., VELCRO®). A mating portion  26  (or mating surface) of the hook and loop arrangement is attached adjacent the opposite end portion of the tool mat  10 . When positioned around the top step T, the one surface  24  of each of the attaching straps  22  will releasably engage against the mating portion  26  to secure the tool mat  10  in the position shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 .  
         [0032]     Referring particularly to  FIG. 4 , by the material selection of the obverse and reverse panels  12  and  14 , the spacing of the holding portions or pockets formed between the seam lines  18   a  and  18   b  and more generally at  18 , and by arranging the generally rectangular cross section magnet bars  16  with alternately facing polarities S and N, pairs of magnet bars  16  immediately adjacent one another attract one another when the tool mat  10  is in the unfolded, flat configuration so as to automatically adopt a magnetic bar  16  pair arrangement as shown. Between closely attracted magnetic bar pairs, the thinner obverse panel  12  is drawn therebetween toward the heavier reverse panel  14  so that the seam line  18   b  is associated with a substantially flat, unbent portion of the reverse panel  14 . In opposite but similar fashion the reverse panel  14  is drawn between the magnet bar pairs so that the seam line  18   a  therebetween is drawn toward the outstretched obverse panel  12 . By this arrangement, both enhanced magnetic attraction to magnetically attractable articles positioned against or in close proximity to the obverse panel  12  is achieved while enhanced stability of the entire tool mat  10  from inadvertently folding is also achieved. Moreover, the magnet bar  16  pairs are more strongly resistant to breakage of the delicate sintered ferrite magnetic bars  16 . Additionally, while the magnetic bars  16  have been described as being arranged with polarities in a particular orientation, it will be appreciated that the magnets may be arranged in other polarities (including any arrangements described below) that are suitable to the user.  
         [0033]     Referring now to  FIGS. 3 and 7 , the tool mat  10 , through the utilization of an auxiliary strap  30 , shown stored in phantom in  FIG. 3 , may be effectively elongated and attached around the thigh or upper leg of a user. The perimeter of the thigh is typically substantially greater than the transverse circumference around the top step T of the ladder L shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6  and this extra length is provided by the auxiliary strap.  
         [0034]     To deploy the tool mat  10  around the user&#39;s thigh, the auxiliary strap  30  is attached to one of the attaching straps  22  by mating two-part attaching material  34  and the other end portion  32  of the opposite surface of the auxiliary strap  30  is attached to the corresponding mating surface  26  to secure the device  10  in the position shown in  FIG. 7  for use.  
         [0035]     Referring lastly to  FIG. 8 , the tool mat  10  is easily storable into a configuration there shown by simply starting the folding movement of two or more of the magnetic bars  16  together whereupon the entire tool mat  10  will self-collapse into the position shown in  FIG. 8  wherein the obverse surface  12  is exposed so that the attaching straps  22  will be positioned in alignment with the corresponding mating two part attaching portions  26  as shown.  
         [0036]     Referring now to FIGS.  9 A-C, there is shown a first alternative embodiment of the tool mat  100  of the present invention. The tool mat  100  is generally constructed, as provided above, to include an obverse panel  12  (formed from a relatively thinner flexible elastic fabric material) and a reverse panel  14  (formed from a substantially heavier flexible material). The panels  12 ,  14  are connected along common side and end margins and finished in appearance with binding material  20 . The panels are also connected by seam lines  18  that are spaced apart in a parallel fashion to one to another and the end margins so as to define a plurality of closely spaced side by side elongated magnetic bar holding portions  19 . A pocket  21  is formed by sewing (or otherwise securing) a pocket panel  23  (also formed from a relatively thinner flexible elastic fabric material) to the obverse panel  12 . Alternatively, the pocket  21  may be formed by cutting a pocket opening in the obverse panel  12  below an intermediate seam line  18   i  such that the pocket  21  is formed by the interior space between the obverse panel  12  and the reverse panel  14 .  
         [0037]     As best shown in  FIG. 9A , the tool mat  100  may also include attaching straps  22 . Each attaching strap  22  having one surface  24  (or attaching surface) that contains one part of a conventional two-part hook and loop releasable attaching arrangement (e.g., VELCRO®). A mating portion  26  (or mating surface) of the hook and loop arrangement is attached adjacent the opposite end portion of the tool mat  10 . Alternatively, as shown in  FIG. 9B , the tool mat can be constructed without attaching straps  22 . A pair of grommets  36  are positioned in opposing corners at one end  38  of the tool mat  100  to assist a user in hanging or otherwise suspending the tool mat  100  from a support (not shown).  
         [0038]     An elongated magnetic bar  16  is positioned and secured within each of the holding portions  19 . It will be appreciated that, during manufacture of the tool mat  100 , each magnetic bar  16  may first be glued, bonded or otherwise secured to one of the panels  12 ,  14 . Thereafter, the panel  12 ,  14  having the magnetic bars  16  may be overlaid with the other panel  12 ,  14  and the whole sewn together as described. The magnetic bars  16  are formed of highly magnetic material such as sintered ferrite C8 or anisotropic boded ferrite for added toughness and are well known in the industry for high magnetic strength. Alternatively, the magnetic bars  16  may be a ceramic or rare earth magnetic. The ends and/or edges of the magnetic bars  16  are preferably rounded to inhibit the bars  16  from piercing either of the panels  12 ,  14  during use.  
         [0039]     The magnetic bars  16  are preferably arranged such that the end (or outlying) magnets  17  have alternately facing polarities S and N from the adjacent interior bar  16 . Preferably, the end magnets  17  are arranged to have a magnetic attraction toward the reverse panel  14  such that the tool mat  100  may be secured to an object (such as a tool box, not shown). Additionally, the bars  16  may be arranged in any manner discussed in my U.S. Pat. No. 6,530,508, issued Mar. 11, 2003, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, or my co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/______, filed Mar. 10, 2003, entitled Utility Wristband, which is a continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 09/954,493, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.  
         [0040]     As best shown in  FIG. 9C , where ceramic magnets are used as the magnetic bars  16 , a web  40  is secured (or otherwise bonded) to one side of each bar  16 . Preferably, the web  40 , which may be a fabric such as nylon or vinyl or a metal such as steel strip, is glued, bonded or otherwise secured to one side of each magnetic bar  16  as a means of preventing or diminishing damage to the magnetic bar  16 . Specifically, the web  40  may be used to cushion the magnetic bars  20  from damage. Additionally, the web  40  serves to retain the shape/form of the magnetic bars  16  in the event the bars  16  are cracked or shattered.  
         [0041]     Referring now to FIGS.  10 A-B, there is shown a second alternative embodiment of the tool mat  200  of the present invention. The tool mat  200  is generally constructed, as provided above, to include an obverse panel  12  and a reverse panel  14 . The panels  12 ,  14  are connected along common side and end margins and finished in appearance with binding material  20 . The panels  12 ,  14  are also connected by seam lines  18  that are spaced apart in a parallel fashion to one to another and the end margins so as to define a plurality of closely spaced side by side elongated magnetic bar  16  holding portions  19 . Additionally, satellite holding portions  19   a  are formed in opposing corners at one end  38  of the tool mat  100 . A pair of grommets  36  are positioned proximate the satellite holding portions  19   a.    
         [0042]     A pocket  21  is formed by sewing (or otherwise securing) a pocket panel  23  to the obverse panel  12 . Alternatively, the pocket  21  may be formed by cutting a pocket opening in the obverse panel  12  below an intermediate seam line  18   i  such that the pocket is formed by the space between the obverse panel  12  and the reverse panel  14 .  
         [0043]     As shown in  FIG. 10A , the tool mat  200  may also include attaching straps  22 . Alternatively, as shown in  FIG. 9B , the tool mat  200  can be constructed without attaching straps  22 .  
         [0044]     An elongated magnetic bar  16  is positioned and secured within each of the holding portions  19 . Additionally, a pair of mounting magnets  16   a  is positioned in each of the satellite holding portions  19   a . The mounting magnets  16   a  are preferably arranged to provide a magnet attraction toward the reverse panel  14  so as to provide the tool mat  200  with additional magnetic adhesion force for use in securing the tool mat  200  to a metallic object such as a toolbox. The magnetic bars  16  and mounting magnets  16   a  may also be arranged in any manner described above.  
         [0045]     It will be appreciated that, during manufacture of the tool mat  200 , each magnetic bar  16  and each mounting magnet  16   a  may first be glued, bonded or otherwise secured to one of the panels  12 ,  14 . Thereafter, the panel  12 ,  14  with the magnetic bars  16  and each mounting magnet  16   a  may be overlaid with the other panel and the whole sewn together as described. The magnetic bars  16  and each mounting magnet  16   a  are formed of highly magnetic material such as sintered ferrite C8 or anisotropic boded ferrite for added toughness and are well known in the industry for high magnetic strength. Alternatively, the magnetic bars  16  and each mounting magnet  16   a  may be a ceramic or rare earth magnetic material.  
         [0046]     Referring now to  FIG. 11 , there is shown a third alternative embodiment of the tool mat  300  of the present invention. The tool mat  300  is constructed as provided and includes an obverse panel  12  and a reverse panel  14 . The panels  12 ,  14  are connected along common side and end margins and finished with binding material  20 . The panels are also connected by seam lines  18  that define a plurality of closely spaced side by side elongated magnetic bar holding portions  19 . The holding portions  19  of the third alternative embodiment of the tool mat  300  are arranged in two rows of nine columns. This arrangement neatly divides the whole of the tool mat  300  into 3 substantially equal sections and provides a user with greater flexibility in arranging the position and polarity orientations of the various magnetic bars  16 . Therefore, it will be appreciated that the tool mat of the present invention may be constructed in a variety of forms to fit the needs of the user.  
         [0047]     Still referring to  FIG. 11 , a pocket  21  is formed by sewing or otherwise securing a pocket panel  23  (also formed from a relatively thinner flexible elastic fabric material) to the obverse panel  12 . The tool mat  300  may also be constructed with or without attaching straps  22 . A pair of grommets  36  are positioned in opposing corners at one end  38  of the tool mat  300  to assist a user in hanging or otherwise suspending the tool mat  300  from a support (not shown).  
         [0048]     An elongated magnetic bar  16  is positioned and secured within each of the holding portions  19 . The magnet bars  16  may also be arranged in any manner described above. It will be appreciated that, during manufacture of the tool mat  300 , each magnetic bar  16  may first be glued, bonded or otherwise secured to one of the panels  12 ,  14 . Thereafter, the panel  12 ,  14  with the magnetic bars  16  may be overlaid with the other panel and the whole sewn together as described.  
         [0049]     Referring now to FIGS.  12 A-B, there is shown a fourth alternative embodiment of the tool mat  400  of the present invention. The tool mat  400  is constructed as provided and includes an obverse panel  12  and a reverse panel  14 . The panels  12 ,  14  are connected along common side and end margins and finished with binding material  20 . The panels are also connected by seam lines  18  that define a plurality of closely spaced side by side elongated magnetic bar holding portions  19 . The holding portions  19  of the fourth alternative embodiment of the tool mat  400  are arranged in four rows of five columns. A pocket  21  is formed by sewing or otherwise securing a pocket panel  23  to the obverse panel  12 . The tool mat  400  may also be constructed with ( FIG. 12A ) or without ( FIG. 12B ) attaching straps  22 . A pair of grommets  36  are positioned in opposing corners at one end  38  of the tool mat  400  to assist a user in hanging or otherwise suspending the tool mat  400  from a support (not shown).  
         [0050]     A magnetic bar  16  is positioned and secured within each of the holding portions  19 . Specifically, in this embodiment the magnetic bars  16  are preferably formed by  20  evenly spaced one-inch square magnets. The magnetic bars  16  may also be arranged in any manner described above. It will be appreciated that, during manufacture of the tool mat  400 , each magnetic bar  16  may first be glued, bonded or otherwise secured to one of the panels  12 ,  14 . Thereafter, the panel  12 ,  14  with the magnetic bars  16  may be overlaid with the other panel and the whole sewn together as described.  
         [0051]     While the instant invention has been shown and described herein in what are conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is recognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the invention, which is therefore not to be limited to the details disclosed herein, but is to be afforded the full scope of the claims so as to embrace any and all equivalent apparatus and articles.