Patent Document

RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application is a Continuation-in-Part of U.S. application Ser. No. 12/212,650, entitled “PORTABLE TOOL RACK”, naming Chin-Shun Cheng as inventor, and filed on 18 Sep. 2008. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to a portable tool rack with restriction member to position the tools in the rack and the tools are arranged to save space of the rack. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    A conventional tool rack is disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/616,856 and includes a frame with a slide groove and multiple recesses which are located on two sides of the slide groove so as to receive the tools. The recesses each are composed of two clamp plates and each clamp plate has a spring piece which biases the tool to position the tool within the recesses. A restriction member is slidably connected to the frame and includes multiple restriction portions which are snapped on the tools to preventing the tools from disengaging from the recesses. At least one locking member connects the restriction member to the frame. 
         [0004]    However, the clamp plates protrude from the frame and easily tangle the user&#39;s sleeves or clothes. The multiple clamp plates are arranged on the whole frame and make the frame look awkward. The tools are received in the frame at an angle and this occupies a lot of space so that the frame becomes bulky. The function ends of the tools protrude out from the frame and may be hit by stiff parts during working and this may damage the function ends. The tool rack can only accommodate fixed sizes of tools and which is not convenient for the users. 
         [0005]    The present invention intends to provide a portable tool rack for carrying tools such as wrenches which are well positioned and can be arranged to save space required. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    The primary object of the present invention is to provide a tool rack that arranges the tools to be received within a minimum space, and have the functions of easy for use and fabrication. For achieve aforementioned object, the tool rack is design comprising: a frame having two sidewalls and a plurality of recesses for engaging a shank of a tool; a rod being connected the two sidewalls opposite to the recesses for the engagement of the function end of the tool; and a restriction member including a restriction bar pivotably connected to the frame by a pivotal mechanism. Wherein, the pivotal mechanism comprising: two pivots and two positioning slots being provided on the sidewalls of the frame and the connection portions of the restriction member respectively, each positioning slot including interlinked a guiding slot and a circular hole with a bigger diameter than the width of the guiding slot, each positioning slot being penetrated by one pivot and allowing the pivot to move along the circular hole and the guiding slot; and two opposite sides of the inner wall of the guiding slot being provided a limit surface thereon respectively, and two opposite sides of the outer periphery of the pivot being provided a limit portion thereon respectively; so that the restriction bar can be rotated with respect to the frame when the pivot is positioned in the circular hole, and the restriction bar can not be rotated with respect to the frame when the pivot is positioned in the guiding slot and the limit surface contact with the limit portion. 
         [0007]    The present invention will become more obvious from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which show, for purposes of illustration only, a preferred embodiment in accordance with the present invention. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]      FIG. 1  is an exploded view to show the tool rack of the present invention; 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is an enlarged view of the restriction member of the present invention; 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view to show the tool rack of the present invention and tools are received in the tool rack, wherein the restriction member is not yet rotated upward; 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  is a front view to show the tool rack of the present invention and tools are received in the tool rack; 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  is a cross sectional view, taken along line B-B in  FIG. 4 ; 
           [0013]      FIG. 6  is a cross sectional view, taken along line C-C in  FIG. 4 ; 
           [0014]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view to show the tool rack of the present invention and tools are received in the tool rack, wherein the restriction member is rotated upward; 
           [0015]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view to show the tool rack of the present invention and tools are received in the tool rack, wherein the restriction member is rotated upward and the restriction bar is shifted downward the top of the frame; 
           [0016]      FIG. 9  is an exploded view of second embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0017]      FIG. 10  is an exploded view of third embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0018]      FIG. 11  is an exploded view of third embodiment of the present invention; and 
           [0019]      FIG. 12  is an exploded view of fourth embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0020]    I. The Basic Feature of Technology of the Present Invention 
         [0021]    Referring to  FIGS. 1 , and  9 ˜ 12 , the tool rack of the present invention comprises a frame  1  having two sidewalls  100  and a plurality of recesses  11  defined in the frame  1  each for engaging a shank  40  of a tool  4 . A protrusion  111  extends from at least one inside of each recess  11  so as to form a narrow opening for holding the shank  40  of the tool  4 . A rod  16  is connected between the two sidewalls  100  and opposite to the recesses  11 , which is provided for the engagement of the function end  41  of the tool  4 . A restriction member  3  comprises a restriction bar  31  and two connection portion  30  provided on two ends of the restriction bar  31  respectively. The two connection portions  30  are pivotably connected to the two sidewalls  100  of the frame  1  by a pivotal mechanism, and the restriction member  3  can be rotated with respect to the frame  1  and about the axis of the rod  16 , so that the restriction bar  31  can be positioned to close or unclose the recesses  11 . 
         [0022]    The characterization of the present invention is each pivotal mechanism comprising: two pivots  20  and two positioning slots  22  are provided on the sidewall  100  of the frame  1  and the connection portions  30  of the restriction member  3  respectively, and one end of the pivot  20  provided a clasper  6  with an outer diameter bigger than the pivot  20 ; and each positioning slot  22  includes interlinked a guiding slot  220  and a circular hole  221 , the circular hole  221  is with a bigger diameter than the width of the guiding slot  220 ; each positioning slot  22  is penetrated by one pivot  20  and allows the pivot  20  to move along the circular hole  221  and the guiding slot  220 ; the two opposite sides of the inner wall of the guiding slot  220  each provided a limit surface  222 , the two opposite sides of the outer periphery of each pivot  20  is provided a limit portion  201  respectively; so that the connection portions  30  and the restriction bar  31  can be rotated with respect to the sidewall  100  and the frame  1  when the pivot  20  is positioned in the circular hole  221 , and the connection portions  30  and the restriction bar  31  can not be rotated with respect to the sidewall  100  and the frame  1  when the pivot  20  is positioned in the guiding slot  220  and the limit surface  222  contact with the limit portion  201 . 
         [0023]    The connection portion  30  of the restriction member  3  includes a through hole  32 , a locking pin  5  extends through the through hole  32  and engaged with a snap hole  12  on the sidewall  100  of the frame  1 . The connection portion  30  of the restriction member  3  further includes a cavity  34  which is provided for engaging with a protruding  14  on the sidewall  100 . The rod  16  can be stepped to match different size of the opening of the function end  41  respectively. 
         [0024]    II. The Embodiment of the Pivotal Mechanism of the Present Invention
       i. First Embodiment of the Pivotal Mechanism       
 
         [0026]    As shown in  FIG. 1 , two pivots  20  are defined on the two end of a shaft  2 , each sidewall  100  includes a hole  10 , the periphery of shaft  2  is defined at least a flange  21  thereon, the inner wall of one hole  10  defined at least a slot  101  thereon, the shaft  2  is inserted in the rod  16  along the longitudinal line of the rod  16 , the flange  21  engages with the slot  101  and remain the pivots  20  partially protruding outward from the hole  10  with respect to the sidewall  100 , so that the two pivots  20  are provided on the two sidewalls  100  of the frame  1  respectively. Moreover, two positioning slots  22  are provided on the two connection portions  30  of the restriction member  3  respectively. As aforementioned configuration, two pivots  20  and two positioning slots  22  are provided on the sidewall  100  and the connection portions  30  respectively. 
         [0027]    For the requirement of avoiding the connection portion  30  to depart from the pivot  20 , the distal end of each pivot  20  is provided a clasper  6 . One embodiment as shown in  FIG. 1 , the distal end of each pivot  20  is defined a concave  202  thereon, each concave  202  is engaged with a protrude  60  of a clasper  6 , so that one distal end of each pivot  20  is provided with a clasper  6 , and the clasper  6  has an outer diameter bigger than the pivot  20 . Two opposite sides of the outer periphery of each pivot  20  each is provided with a limit portion  201 . Another embodiment as shown in  FIG. 9 , the distal end of each pivot  20  is integrally formed a clasper  6  thereon, and the clasper  6  has a transversal trench  61  crosscutting from its distal end. 
         [0028]    As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , each positioning slot  22  includes interlinked a guiding slot  220  and a circular hole  221 , the circular hole  221  is with a bigger outer diameter than the guiding slot  220 . The two opposite sides of the inner wall of the guiding slot  220  each is provided a limit surface  222  thereon. The positioning slot  22  is penetrated by the pivot  20 , and allows the pivot  20  to move along the circular hole  221  and the guiding slot  220 . 
         [0029]    As shown in  FIGS. 3˜6 , when the restriction bar  31  closes the recesses  11 , the tools  4  can not be removed from the tool rack. On the contrary, as shown in  FIG. 7 , the pivot  20  is positioned in the circular hole  221 , when pivoting the restriction member  3  upward, the restriction bar  31  is removed from the recesses  11  so that the tools  4  can be removed from the tool rack. 
         [0030]    Further, as shown in  FIG. 8 , when pivoting the restriction member  3  on the top of the frame  1  and shifting downward, the restriction bar  31  and the connection portions  30  move downward with respect to the frame  1  and sidewall  100 , so that the restriction bar  31  closes to the top of the frame and the pivot  20  is positioned in the guiding slot  220  with the limit surface  222  contact the limit portion  201 , whereby the tools  4  can be removed from the tool rack for use, and the connection portions  30  and the restriction bar  31  can not be rotated with respect to the sidewall  100  and the frame  1  informally.
       ii. Second Embodiment of the Pivotal Mechanism       
 
         [0032]    As shown in  FIG. 10 , two pivots  20  are defined on the two sidewalls  100  respectively, the pivots  20  partially protruding outward from the sidewall  100 . Moreover, two positioning slots  22  are provided on the two connection portions  30  of the restriction member  3  respectively. As aforementioned configuration, two pivots  20  and two positioning slots  22  are provided on the sidewall  100  and the connection portions  30  respectively. 
         [0033]    For the requirement of avoiding the connection portion  30  to depart from the pivot  20 , the distal end of each pivot  20  is provided a clasper  6 . One embodiment as shown in  FIG. 10 , the distal end of each pivot  20  is defined a concave  202  thereon, each concave  202  is engaged with a protrude  60  of a clasper  6 , so that one distal end of each pivot  20  is provided with a clasper  6 , and the clasper  6  has an outer diameter bigger than the pivot  20 . Two opposite sides of the outer periphery of each pivot  20  each is provided with a limit portion  201 . Another embodiment as shown in  FIG. 11 , the distal end of each pivot  20  is defined a clasper  6  thereon, and the clasper  6  has a transversal trench  61  crosscutting from its distal end. 
         [0034]    As shown in  FIG. 10 , each positioning slot  22  includes interlinked a guiding slot  220  and a circular hole  221 , the circular hole  221  is with a bigger outer diameter than the guiding slot  220 . The two opposite sides of the inner wall of the guiding slot  220  each is provided a limit surface  222  thereon. The positioning slot  22  is penetrated by the pivot  20 , and allows the pivot  20  to move along the circular hole  221  and the guiding slot  220 .
       iii. Third Embodiment of the Pivotal Mechanism       
 
         [0036]    As shown in  FIG. 12 , two pivots  20  are defined on the two connection portion  30  of the restriction member  3  respectively, the pivot  20  partially protruding inward from the connection portion  30 . Moreover, two positioning slots  22  are provided on the two sidewalls  100  of the frame  1 . As aforementioned configuration, two positioning slots  22  and two pivots  20  are provided on the sidewall  100  and the connection portions  30  respectively. 
         [0037]    The distal end of each pivot  20  is defined a concave  202  thereon, each concave  202  engaged with a protrude  60  of a clasper  6 , so that one distal end of each pivot  20  is provided with a clasper  6 , and the clasper  6  has an outer diameter bigger than the pivot  20 . Two opposite sides of the outer periphery of each pivot  20  each is provided with a limit portion  201 . 
         [0038]    As shown in  FIG. 12 , each positioning slot  22  includes interlinked a guiding slot  220  and a circular hole  221 , the circular hole  221  is with a bigger outer diameter than the guiding slot  220 . The two opposite sides of the inner wall of the guiding slot  220  each is provided a limit surface  222  thereon. The positioning slot  22  is penetrated by the pivot  20 , and allows the pivot  20  to move along the circular hole  221  and the guiding slot  220 . 
         [0039]    III. Conclusion 
         [0040]    The present invention has following advantages: 
         [0041]    1. Easy for use: the user pulls out the locking pin from the tool rack, and rotates the restriction bar  3  with respect to the frame  1  and in the position of unclosing the recess  11 , then he can pick out the tool for use. 
         [0042]    2. Simplified construction for easily fabrication: the restriction bar  31  needs not to be formed a plurality of second recesses matching with the recesses  11  of the frame  1 , so it is in a simplified construction as to be easily fabricated. 
         [0043]    While we have shown and described the embodiment in accordance with the present invention, it should be clear to those skilled in the art that further embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Technology Category: 7