Abstract:
An inexpensive, portable, and convenient organizer for bolts and screws is provided that holds fasteners and gaskets of various types and sizes. Fasteners may be stored in a pattern according to user-preference. Fasteners held may occupy relative positions on the organizer similar to their relative positions on the original assembly to facilitate identification for proper reassembly. The organizer may be preprinted or labeled by the user to further clarify sequence, position, or other useful information about the fasteners being held.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     The present application is related to and claims priority from prior U.S. patent application Publication Ser. No. 11/809,287, entitled “BOLT AND SCREW ORGANIZER”, filed Jun. 1, 2007, now abandoned, which application is incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates generally to the field of parts organizers and more specifically relates to a parts organizing system for logically storing fasteners. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Hardware such as nuts, bolts, screws and other fasteners are widely used in the assembly of mechanical devices. These mechanical devices often require maintenance, thereby necessitating temporary removal of the fasteners that secure the assembly as a unit to work on the part needing repair. Many times the fasteners are very similar to one another, and when removed the fasteners may be difficult for the mechanic to ascertain their correct replacement into the unit. This problem is compounded because the typical repair or maintenance procedure normally comprises a waiting period for replacement parts to arrive. This intermediate duration has a tendency for a mechanic to mistake which fastener goes with which location as well as the possibly drastically increases of loss of the fasteners. This problem results in time inefficiency during the repair procedure, as well as the possibility that the assembly is incorrectly assembled, thereby possibly compromising its intended engineered design, which may affect the safety of users and bystanders. This may lead to decreased cost-effectiveness in repair procedures, increased liability for product manufacturers and frustrations for mechanics. 
     Various methods have been disclosed in an attempt to solve such problems. Examples may be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. D414,936, 5,228,582, 5,326,068, 5,373,939. These devices tend to inconveniently position the stored fasteners thereby impeding quick removal from the device, as well as these devices tend to be heavy and bulky rendering them unsuitable for work in closely confined spaces. Further, the merchandise display racks do not provide a logical means whereby the mechanic may strategically place nuts and bolts in an orderly fashion as they are removed, so that the order can be exactly reversed when fasteners are replaced into the assembly. 
     Ideally, a fastener organizing system should provide a portable, light-weight, logically organized storage device that may be manufactured at a modest expense. Thus, a need exists for such a fastener organizing system to avoid the above-mentioned problems. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides a means to store nuts, bolts, screws, and other fasteners in a logical order during the disassembly and assembly of parts, vehicles or machines. The fastener organizing system is intended to be a relatively inexpensive, lightweight, portable, and convenient bolt and screw organizer that holds fasteners so that they are not misplaced during a maintenance procedure. The fastener organizing system serves to decrease repair times and lost fasteners. The fasteners stored can be readily identified according to their relative location in the organizer and efficiently and accurately replaced into the final assembly. 
     A color-coding and/or labeling system may be provided. Angled apertures are also provided to hold the bolts in place for ease of grasping, to minimize lost fasteners and to increase the lifespan of the organizer. Apertures may be through-holes or recesses and may be located on each side of the organizer. A magnet may be inset within a recess for holding miscellaneous parts. The back of the present invention may be used to store gaskets and may have apertures in which the user may insert the bolts to correspond with the hole that it was taken out of on the gasket while on the assembly. 
     A method of use is described herein comprising step one wherein the user removes fasteners from an assembly in a particular logical order and places the fasteners in the organizer apertures in the order that they were removed. The next step, optionally the user may label or otherwise identify the fasteners order using labels or by inserting groups of fasteners in specified color-coded apertures. Step three comprises removing the fasteners and/or gaskets from the apertures and replacing the fasteners into the correct corresponding locations on the vehicle, part or machine. Step four may optionally include disposing of the organizer or re-use depending on user preference and/or integrity of the organizer. The user may store fasteners and other parts in the organizer while waiting for replacement or repair parts to arrive. 
     The present invention holds significant improvements and serves as a fastener organizing system. These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings and description. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1A  shows a frontal view of a fastener organizing system according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 1B  shows a section view of a fastener organizing system taken along line B-B of  FIG. 1A . 
         FIG. 2  is a view of the back surface of the fastener organizing system according to an embodiment of the present invention of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a side view of the fastener organizing system according to an embodiment of the present invention of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view, illustrating the fastener organizing system in an “in use” condition, according to an embodiment of the present invention of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 5  is a flowchart illustrating a method of use for the fastener organizing system according to an embodiment of the present invention of  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
    
     The various embodiments of the present invention will hereinafter be described in conjunction with the appended drawings, wherein like designations denote like elements. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The present invention relates to a means to store nuts, bolts, screws, and other fasteners in a logical order during the disassembly and assembly of parts, vehicles or machines. The fastener organizing system is intended to be a relatively inexpensive, lightweight, portable, and convenient bolt and screw organizer that holds fasteners so that they are not misplaced during a maintenance procedure. The fastener organizing system serves to decrease repair times and lost fasteners. The fasteners stored can be readily identified according to their relative location in the organizer and efficiently and accurately replaced into the final assembly. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 1 , illustrating a frontal view of fastener organizing system  100  according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
     Organizing system  100  comprises organizer  110 . Organizer  110  comprises front surface  120 ; back surface  130 ; two side surfaces  140  and  150 ; top surface  160 ; and bottom surface  180 , as shown. Organizer  110  comprises a storage means for fasteners when such fasteners are removed from an assembly during maintenance or repair activity such as for example replacing a motor or a transmission in vehicle  410 . 
     Front surface  120  of organizer  110  comprises a substantially planar surface populated with a logically-ordered, sequential distribution of apertures  112  that serve to hold bolt(s)  114 , nut(s)  116  and other fasteners. Apertures  112  may be cylindrical, or octagonal in shape for use in storing nuts  116 . Apertures  112  may be color-coded within this particular embodiment of the present invention to designate for example to designate for example a right hand side of the motor from the left. Nuts  116  may be kept in the specific order of removal from the part. Color-coding may also be useful for indicating specific groupings of nuts  116  or bolts  114 , for example water pump bolts may be stored in the green apertures  112 . Apertures  112  may range in size to accommodate larger nuts  116  in one area of organizer  110  and smaller nuts  116  in another portion. 
     Labels  202  that may designate for example left, or right or front or back may also be employed on organizer  110 . Labels  202  may also be used to represent the mechanical part shape or other related information may be preprinted or added by the mechanic during the procedure, such as those shown on back surface  130 , as illustrated in  FIG. 2 . Labels  202  may also comprise number(s) or letter(s), according to a user&#39;s preference, to aid in logically organizing the fasteners. 
     Apertures  112  may be cylindrical, or octagonal in shape and may be inset  122  into front surface  120  and/or represent through-holes  124  as used for longer bolts  114 , such as head bolts and the like. Through-holes  124  comprise an angle Ø about 45 degrees from normal relative to back surface  130 , as illustrated in  FIG. 3 . Through-holes  124  are formed at angle Ø in the orientation described to increase the useful lifetime of organizer  110  as the material of organizer  110  is soft and gradually wears away when contacted with heavy fasteners. Further, fasteners, especially long bolts  114  are less inclined to fall out of organizer  110  when handled or stored. Longer bolts  114  may be stored in apertures  112  located in side surface  150  of organizer  110 , as shown and discussed in  FIG. 3 . 
     Apertures  112  may also comprise longitudinal slots  118  that may be tapered in shape so as to provide resting spaces for nuts  116  laid parallel into front surface  120 . Apertures  112  may comprise a tapered shape. The taper of the slots  118  and the apertures  112  provide two surfaces that taper from a wide opening to a narrow opposing end, wherein the taper provides friction for retaining the nuts  116  and the bolts  114  within the slots  118  and the apertures  112 . These longitudinal slots  118  may comprise an inclined bottom surface, thereby allowing a portion of nut  116  to extend outwardly from front surface  120 , making it substantially easier for the user to remove nut  116  in a timely fashion. 
     Organizer  110  within the present embodiment comprises substrate such as a lightweight material such as extruded polystyrene foam or STYROFOAM™ as manufactured by Dow Chemical Company. Extruded polystyrene foam comprises a density of about 25-200 kg/m 3  thereby providing an extremely light material that is easily lifted by a mechanic using only one hand, even if all slots  118  and apertures  112  are occupied with nuts  116  and bolts  114 . Using this material the organizer is substantially rigid, yet flexible. Organizer  110  may also comprise other suitable materials including plastic or composite. In this manner the present invention is relatively inexpensive to produce, and easy to fabricate. Organizer  110 , within this particular embodiment may be disposable. 
     Organizer  110  also comprises handle  126  which provides a means whereby user may lift, hold, carry or hang organizer  110 . Organizer  110  comprises a thin profile so it may be easily manipulated under a vehicle that may be being repaired. Handle  126  may also comprise a stiffener around the interior portion of inner surface, so that the forces when ‘loaded’ may be distributed evenly, thereby protecting top surface  160  from ripping due to the increased weight of the fasteners. 
     Front surface  120  of organizer  110  may also comprise magnet  128  to hold cotter pins, and other metallic items or fasteners not necessarily suitable for storage in apertures  112 . Magnet  128  comprises an inset  132 , as shown, which may serve as a tray for miscellaneous parts when back surface  130  is stored in a flat orientation parallel to the floor. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 2 , showing a view of back surface  130  of fastener organizing system  100  according to an embodiment of the present invention of  FIG. 1 . 
     Back surface  130  of the present invention comprises labels  202  that comprise apertures  112 . Labels  202  may comprise the appearance(s) and shape(s) of gaskets that are common to automotive and machine repair. The shapes of the gaskets may be separated or overlapping. In this manner this embodiment of the present invention permits the user to logically store bolts  114  and/or nuts  116  in their exact order of sequence when being removed from for example a transmission oil pan. The user then removes bolts  114  and/or nuts  116  from their respective insert  112  in logical sequence when reassembling the unit. This enables the user to be substantially certain he/she has the correct order when replacing and minimizes any possibility of putting a bolt  114  into an incorrect hole, losing fasteners. Further, the method described in  FIG. 5  and system of fastener organizing system  100  increases the speed of user, by substantially eliminating any guesswork as to which bolt  114  goes into which hole. An example where this would be particularly useful is when replacing removed transmission bolts  114 , as many of the bolts  114  are different lengths and may be difficult and time-consuming to thread into holes to check the length to see if the correct bolt  114  is in the right hole. In this manner, the present invention serves to reduce frustration for mechanics and increases cost-effectiveness by reducing time spent on repair and maintenance tasks. Back surface  130  is also substantially flat so it may be set on a floor or store, while hung, against a wall. Further, back surface  130  may also provide a storage spot for gaskets and other parts. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 3 , illustrating a side view of fastener organizing system  100  according to an embodiment of the present invention of  FIG. 1 . Side surface  150  of organizer  110  comprises a substantially thin profile, as shown. Side surface  150  also comprises apertures  112  that may be used to contain longer bolts  114 , such as head bolts. Apertures  112  may be much deeper than on front surface  120  or back surface  130  due to the profile thickness. Apertures  112  located on side surface  150  may be substantially perpendicularly inset into side surface  150  or may be on an angle α of about 45 degrees relative to normal of bottom surface  170 , that renders the exposed outward ends of the bolts  114  (the heads) to be facing upwardly to minimize them falling out and becoming lost. In this manner fastener organizing system  100  minimizes lost parts and fasteners. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 4 , showing a perspective view, illustrating fastener organizing system  100  in an “in use” condition  400 , according to an embodiment of the present invention of  FIG. 1 . Fastener organizing system  100  is shown in the present figure to illustrate how a mechanic or layman user might use it for example when repairing vehicle  410  or a machine. A user may set organizer  110  flat on the floor underneath vehicle  410  and fill the appropriate slots  118  and apertures  112  with nuts  116  and bolts  114  as required. The lightweight and thin profile of organizer  110  provide a convenient, efficient and effective storage means that can be lifted and held by the user using one hand while removing nuts  116  and bolts  114  with the other ‘free’ hand. A method of use  500  is described in  FIG. 5 . 
     Fastener organizing system  100  may be sold as kit  420  comprising the following parts: at least one organizer  110  at least one fastener identification/marking means such as label  202 . Organizer  110  may be manufactured and provided for sale in a wide variety of sizes and shapes for a wide assortment of repair applications. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 5 , flowchart illustrating a method of use  500  for fastener organizing system  100  according to an embodiment of the present invention of  FIG. 1 . 
     Method of use  500  comprises the following steps: step one  501  includes the user removing fasteners in a particular logical order and placing the fasteners in the organizer apertures in the order they were removed; next step  502 , wherein optionally the user may label or otherwise identify the fasteners order using labels or by inserting groups of fasteners in specified color-coded apertures. Optional steps and may not be implemented in all cases and are illustrated using dotted lines in  FIG. 5  so as to distinguish them from the other steps of method  500 . Step three  503  comprises removing the fasteners and/or gaskets from the apertures and replacing the fasteners into the correct corresponding locations on the vehicle, part or machine. Step four  504  may optionally include disposing of the organizer  110 . 
     It should be noted that the steps described in the method of use  500  can be carried out in different orders according to user preference and application. It should also be appreciated that, under appropriate circumstances certain steps may be added or eliminated for example the user may store the organizer while waiting for parts to complete the repair. 
     The embodiments of the invention described herein are exemplary and numerous modifications, variations and rearrangements can be readily envisioned to achieve substantially equivalent results, all of which are intended to be embraced within the spirit and scope of the invention.