Patent Document

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims priority of U.S. provisional patent application Serial No. 60/090,350, filed Jun. 23, 1998, which application is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to multi-purpose tools. More particularly, the invention relates to such tools that provide several useful items to assist a person in performing a number of different functions including functions associated with the use of sports equipment. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     A number of less traditional sports have become quite popular with many people in the United States and in many other parts of the world. These rapidly emerging sports include those involving boards upon which the person rides and performs tricks and other maneuvers. Examples include skateboarding, snowboarding, and wakeboarding. In addition, another sport that is becoming increasingly popular is in-line skating. 
     In the cases of skateboarding/snowboarding and in-line (or roller) skating, a person requires either a board on which the person rides, or a pair of skates, which the person wears on his or her feet. As is well known, a skateboard includes a pair of trucks mounted to the underside of the board, the trucks including respective axles that rotatably carry wheels at the respective ends of the axles. The trucks are mounted to the underside of the board by plural bolts and nuts, and the wheels are rotatably mounted on the axles by threaded nuts that engage respective threaded portions of those axles. Over time, these nuts can become loose and require tightening. Furthermore, as is well known to persons who ride skateboards, in many instances it is desirable to either tighten or loosen the nuts to a certain degree depending upon the type of riding in which the person will be engaged. Some types of riding call for a relatively loose connection between the board and trucks, while other types of riding demand a tighter connection. 
     Snowboards and wakeboards include adjustable bindings that are mounted onto the respective boards by bolts and nuts, which also may become loose over time. In addition, depending on the type of ride the user desires, the bindings can be adjusted. In the case of snowboards, the respective bindings for the front and back feet can be moved to adjust the relative angle between the binding and the board, depending on a rider&#39;s preferences. 
     In-line skates typically include four aligned wheels mounted to the bottom of a boot-like device that a person wears on his or her feet. The wheels are engaged to the boot by plural threaded nuts that threadedly engage complementary threaded portions of the skate. These nuts can become loose over time, causing an uncomfortable ride or even resulting in a potentially dangerous condition should one or more of the wheels become disengaged from the skate. 
     Due to the nature of these sports, a person will often be far from home when the need arises to tighten or loosen a bolt or a nut. For example, people often travel many miles on in-line skates or skateboards, and could be stranded if a wheel should happen to fall off of their in-line skate or skateboard. Thus, there exists a need for a compact tool to perform these functions and that can be conveniently carried by the rider without interfering with the person&#39;s riding. 
     A number of multi-purpose tools have been proposed. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,062,173 to Collins et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 5,664,274 to Collins disclose tools including a plurality of implements for performing cutting and other functions. However, neither of those multi-purpose tools includes the requisite tools for performing the necessary functions associated with the sports mentioned above, and, therefore, are unacceptable for such applications. 
     Accordingly, it will be apparent that there continues to be a need for a multi-purpose tool that provides various implements for performing many functions associated with sports equipment such as used during skateboarding, snowboarding, wakeboarding, and in-line skating. Furthermore, the need exists for such a device that is relatively compact so that it does not in any way hinder or burden a person who is engaged in such sports. The present invention addresses these needs and others. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Briefly, and in general terms, the present invention provides a compact, portable multi-purpose tool for use by a person engaged in a board sport, in-line skating, and the like, to perform various tasks performed on equipment associated with those sports. The multi-purpose tool of the present invention includes various implements that are conveniently contained in a housing, and are selectively extendable from the housing into respective operating positions for use. Due to the compact nature of the tool, the tool may be readily carried to any location, without the tool being a burden or hindrance to the person carrying the tool during engagement in a particular sport. 
     Preferably, the multi-purpose tool of the preset invention includes a housing and at least one wrench coupled to the housing for selective displacement between a storage position and an operating position. Additional tools or implements useful during engagement with a sport as described above may also be coupled to the tool housing. For example, a socket wrench may be coupled to the housing for selective movement between a storage position and a working position. A pivotable bit-holding socket configured to removably support a bit, such as for storage, may also be coupled to the housing for movement between a storage position and a working position. 
     These and other features and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent from the following detailed description of the invention, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which illustrate, by way of example, features of the present invention. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The detailed description will be better understood in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference characters represent like elements, as follows: 
     FIG. 1 is a right side elevational view of a first embodiment of a multi-purpose tool formed in accordance with the principles of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a left side elevational side view of the tool of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a partially exploded front elevational view of the tool of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 4 is a top end view of the tool of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line V—V of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line VI—VI of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line VII—VII of FIG. 6; 
     FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line VIII—VIII of FIG. 4; 
     FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line IX—IX of FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view similar to that of FIG. 9, but with the drill holder in an extended, operating position; 
     FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line XI—XI of FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line XII—XII of FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 13 is a back elevational view of another illustrative embodiment of the multipurpose tool formed in accordance with the principles of the present invention; 
     FIG. 14 is a perspective view of another illustrative embodiment of a multi-purpose tool formed in accordance with the principles of the present invention, with additional tools pivotably coupled to the housing of the multi-purpose tool shown in an extended position; 
     FIG. 15 is a perspective view of the multi-purpose tool of FIG. 14 with the additional tools in a storage position; 
     FIG. 16 is a plan view of a wrench bar which may be coupled to the multi-purpose tool of FIGS. 14 and 15; 
     FIG. 17 is a side elevational view of a ratchet mechanism associated with the ratchet wrench of the multi-purpose tool of FIGS. 14 and 15; and 
     FIG. 18 is a perspective view of a ratchet wrench line lock spring for use in the multi-purpose tool of FIGS.  14  and  15 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     In the following detailed description, like reference numerals will be used to refer to like or corresponding elements in the different figures of the drawings. Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is shown a first embodiment of a multi-purpose tool  10  formed in accordance with the principles of the present invention, multi-purpose tool  10  having a plurality of additional tools coupled thereto, as shown in FIG. 3, selected for performing various functions associated with equipment for sports such as snowboarding, skateboarding, in-line skating, and the like. The multi-purpose tool comprises a compact, low profile housing  12  configured to house various tools or implements that are useful in connection with those sports. In a preferred embodiment, housing  12  is formed with a plurality of recesses shaped to receive the tools or implements to be housed by the housing. For example, a rotatable socket wrench  14 , one or more removable crescent wrench bars  16 , and a pivotably mounted bit driver  18  configured to releasably engage various bits  20  may be provided. 
     Housing  12  includes a front cover plate or scale  22  and a back cover plate or scale  24 , each of which is preferably elongated, with a generally rectangular cross section. Housing  12  defines a pair of longitudinal sides  30  and  32 , each of which includes a longitudinal opening  34  leading to respective recesses  36  and  38  within housing  12  in which one or more implements or tools may be stored, as described in greater detail below. Housing  12  also includes a pair of ends  40  and  42  (preferably having at least rounded corners), at least one end (end  40  in the FIGS.) including an opening  44  that leads to a recess  46  inside the housing. Housing  12  may include a number of additional plates interposed between respective front and back cover plates  22 ,  24  and formed with predetermined cross-sectional shapes such that housing  12  includes the respective recesses for receiving implements, as described in greater detail below. The respective plates  22 ,  24  of housing  12  are preferably joined together by spaced apart rivets  48  that extend through the respective plates  22 ,  24 , and any additional plates therebetween. Some of the rivets, in addition to securely holding the plates together, serve as pivot pins for various pivotably mounted implements, as described below. The rivets that do not serve as pivot pins are preferably 2.5 mm in diameter, while the rivets that act as pivot pins are preferably 4 mm in diameter to provide additional strength for the pivotable mounting. 
     In a preferred embodiment, multi-purpose tool  10  includes a socket wrench  14  pivotably mounted for rotation within recess  46 . Socket wrench  14  preferably is pivotably mounted to housing  12  via one of rivets  48  which also acts as a pivot pin, the pivot pin extending through a central opening  49  formed in socket wrench  14 , as shown in FIG.  3 . Socket wrench  14  is preferably in the form of an open-ended cylinder  50 , with each end  51   a ,  51   b  defining a respective hexagonal socket  52   a ,  52   b , as shown in FIG.  4 . Rotation of socket wrench  14  about its pivot pin permits selective orientation of socket wrench  14  for use of the socket  52   a ,  52   b  at one end thereof. The sockets are preferably formed with different dimensions to accommodate the sizes of conventional nuts used on various sports equipment, such as those described herein. In one embodiment, one of the sockets is formed with a ½ inch diameter (to serve, for example, as a skateboard truck socket and wake board thumb screw), while the other socket is formed with a {fraction (9/16)} inch diameter (to serve, for example, as a wheel socket). Socket wrench  14  may be further formed with an opening in the cylindrical side wall (not shown) configured to receive a hook of a wrist strap or the like so that the tool  10  may be carried on a person&#39;s wrist. 
     As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, socket wrench  14  preferably further includes a pair of recesses or openings  62  formed on the outer cylindrical wall thereof, preferably adjacent opposite longitudinal ends  51   a ,  51   b  of socket wrench  14 . Complementary socket spring  64  is mounted within tool housing  12  at a predetermined location, preferably in a seat  65  on the inside surface of front cover plate  22 , as shown in FIG. 6, to releasably engage one of respective recesses  62  when one of sockets  52   a ,  52   b  is facing away from housing  12 . Socket spring  64  of FIG. 6 includes a pair of flange portions  66  extending in opposite directions from a flexible, curved central portion  67  that projects inwardly into housing  12  to engage one of respective recesses  62 . It will be appreciated that any other releasable locking mechanism may be used to releasably retain socket wrench  14  in a desired position by engaging socket wrench  14 . Thus, socket wrench  14  may be releasably locked in either of two positions, with a respective one of sockets  52   a ,  52   b  facing away housing  12  in a working position in which socket  52   a ,  52   b  may engage a nut or bolt (or other element shaped to fit within socket  52   a ,  52   b ), and the other of sockets  52   a ,  52   b  within recess  46 . 
     The multi-purpose tool  10  preferably further includes one or more removable crescent wrenches in the form of elongated bars  16 , as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3. Wrench bar  16  preferably includes a plurality of cut-outs or shaped recesses defining open-sided wrench portions  68 . Each wrench portion  68  preferably comprises a plurality of sides (preferably four) of preferably approximately equal length, preferably with adjacent sides defining a 120° angle therebetween. In one illustrative embodiment, wrench bar  16  includes a plurality of wrench portions  68 , each of which is formed with predetermined dimensions to accommodate the sizes of conventional nuts or sided elements utilized on various sports equipment. For example, wrench portions  68  may have cross-sectional dimensions of, respectively, 10 mm, 11 mm, and ⅜ inch or any other desired dimensions. In an alternative embodiment, tool  10  includes two such bars, each of which includes respective wrench portions  68  at opposite longitudinal ends thereof, as shown in FIG.  3 . For example, one wrench bar may include {fraction (7/16)} inch and ⅜ inch wrench portions, while the other bar includes 9 mm and 10 mm wrench portions. 
     In one illustrative embodiment, wrench bar  16  is carried by housing  12  within a wrench bar receptacle (not shown) that is pivotally coupled to housing  12  via of rivets  48 . The receptacle includes an opening through which the pivot pin is extended in order to pivotally mount the receptacle to housing  12 . The receptacle is hollow and includes an open distal end configured to receive wrench bar  16 . Thus, the receptacle and the wrench bar  16  may be pivoted to a retracted position for storage in recess  36 . In the retracted position, wrench bar  16  is sandwiched between the lower end of the receptacle and the upper end of the recess  36 , and in that manner is securely held within multi-purpose tool  10 . The receptacle and wrench bar  16  may also be pivoted out of recess  36  to an extended position from which wrench bar  16  may be removed from the receptacle by simply pulling wrench bar  16  away from housing  12  until wrench bar  16  clears the open distal end of the receptacle. Conversely, in order to replace wrench bar  16  in the receptacle, wrench bar  16  is aligned with the open distal end of the receptacle and is advanced into the receptacle. The receptacle may then be pivoted back to the retracted position with wrench bar  16  nested and stored in recess  36 . 
     In an alternative embodiment, multi-purpose tool  10  includes two such wrench bars  16  that are slidably received on multi-purpose tool  10  outwardly of respective front and back cover plates  22  and  24  (shown in FIGS.  1  and  2 ). In such embodiment, cover plates  22 ,  24  may be formed with longitudinally extending, inwardly projecting opposing pairs of flanges  70  which cooperate with the faces (as shown in the FIGS., the exterior faces, however, flanges  70  may be formed on interior faces instead) of cover plates  22 ,  24  to define respective receptacles therebetween sized to slidably receive respective wrench bars  16 . In addition, a pair of wrench springs  72  preferably are received in respective seats  74  formed on the interior faces of cover plates  22 ,  24 , as shown in FIG.  12 . Wrench springs  72  may be similar in construction to socket spring  64 , and include flexible, curved central portions that extend through respective openings  76  (FIG. 3) formed in cover plates  22 ,  24  for receipt in complementary recesses  78  (FIG. 7) formed in wrench bars  16  to releasably lock wrench bars  16  in place. It will be appreciated that any other releasable locking mechanism may be used to releasably retain wrench bar  16  in a desired position by engaging wrench bar  16 . 
     In one embodiment, wrench bar  16  is also preferably formed with a curved cut-out so that the wrench bar may be used as a conventional cap lifter, with the cut-out defining a concave segment configured to engage and remove a standard bottle cap. 
     Multi-purpose tool  10  further includes a preferably pivotably mounted bit driver  18 . In a preferred embodiment, bit driver  18  is pivotably coupled to housing  12  via pivot pin  48  and is sized to be received in recess  38 . Bit driver  18  preferably has a distal end  82  formed with an outwardly opening socket  84 , as shown in FIG.  5 . The exterior cross-section of bit driver  18  may be square, as shown, or any other convenient shape. The interior of bit driver  18  (i.e., socket  84 ) has a cross-section shaped to securely engage an element to which torque is to be applied, such as a nut, bolt, or bit shank. Socket  84  may be formed with a standard hexagonal cross-section to engage standard hexagonally shaped bit shanks. Socket  84  may have a predetermined dimension, for example 8 mm, selected for engaging a conventional sized nut, bolt, or other element to which torque is to be applied. Thus, socket  84  may also serve as a socket wrench for tightening and/or loosening purposes, in addition to being adapted to releasably receive and hold bits  20 . 
     Bits  20  each include a hexagonal central shank  86  sized for making a close fit in bit socket  84  to be releasably nested therein. Bits  20  further include respective opposite ends  85 ,  87  which can be formed into various implements, such as a screwdriver  88  (either flathead or a Philips head, for example, a #2 and a #3 Philips head screwdriver), Allen type wrenches (or hex keys)  90  of various sizes (for example, {fraction (5/32)} inch and {fraction (7/32)} inch diameters), and the like. Bits  20  and/or bit driver  18  are preferably magnetized to enhance the engagement of bits  20  in bit socket  84  of bit driver  18 . In one illustrative embodiment, multi-purpose tool  10  includes two bits  20 , one of which is carried by bit driver  18  and the other of which is releasably received in bit holding recess  36 . Tool housing  12  preferably includes a flexible, resilient bit holder  92 , as shown in FIGS. 1 and 5, disposed at a predetermined location in recess  36  and configured to releasably engage bit  20  (e.g., in addition to the bit held by bit driver  18 ) in recess  36 . 
     Tool housing  12  further includes a bit driver spring plate  94  aligned with bit driver  18 , as shown in FIG.  9 . Bit driver spring plate  94  includes a spring arm  96  configured to releasably lock bit driver  18  in place in both the retracted and extended positions. Spring arm  96  is shaped to complement bit driver  18  and is operative to engage bit driver  18  and exert an outward force against the lower end of bit driver  18  to force it against pivot pin  48  to resist pivoting of bit driver  18  about pivot pin  48 . When bit driver  18  is in the extended, operating position, spring arm  96  engages a notch  98  in the base of bit driver  18  and again forces bit driver socket  18  against pivot pin  48  to releasably lock bit driver  18  in place, as shown in FIG.  10 . 
     In one preferred embodiment, multi-purpose tool  10  further includes a cutting tool  100  pivotably connected to one of rivets  48  for pivotable movement between a retracted, storage position in which cutting tool  100  is stored in recess  38 , as shown in FIG. 2, and an extended, operating position with cutting tool  100  extended and preferably in-line with tool housing  12 , as shown in FIG.  11 . Cutting tool  100  includes a sharp edge defining a blade  102 . Preferably, cutting tool  100  is further formed with a notch  104  in the base thereof to prevent further pivoting of the cutting tool  100  beyond 180° by engagement with a locking mechanism. The locking mechanism for cutting tool  100  may be in any desired form, such as a line lock spring as shown in FIG.  11 . Cutting tool line lock spring  106  is contained within housing  12  and includes a spring arm  108  shaped to complement cutting tool  100  and operative to releasably lock cutting tool  100  in place in both the retracted and extended positions. Spring arm  108  operates in the same manner as bit driver spring arm  96  described above, namely by forcing cutting tool  100  against pivot pin  48  in both the retracted and extended positions. With cutting tool  100  in the operating position, the distal end of spring arm  108  is received in notch  104  of cutting tool  100  and prevents further pivoting of cutting tool  100 . Thus, spring plate  106  and spring arm  108  may function as locking mechanisms for cutting tool  100 . However, it will be appreciated that a variety of other locking mechanisms may be used instead. 
     In one embodiment, multi-purpose tool  10  includes a combination cap lifter and slot screwdriver  110 , cap lifter  110  preferably being pivotably connected to tool housing  12  via pivot pin  48  (to which cutting tool  100  is connected) for pivoting between retracted and extended positions. Cap lifter  110  preferably is formed having a conventional shape to facilitate prying caps from bottles and the like. Cap lifter distal end  112  of cap lifter  10  is preferably configured to define a flat head screwdriver. Cap lifter line lock spring  114  is mounted inside tool housing  12 , is aligned with cap lifter  110 , and includes a spring arm  116  for releasably engaging cap lifter  110  to lock cap lifter  110  in either a retracted or extended position. Spring arm  116  operates in the same manner as spring arm  108 . It will be appreciated that any other locking mechanism which releasably locks cap lifter  110  in a desired configuration may be used instead. 
     Multi-purpose tool  10  may also include an ice pick  118  pivotably coupled to the same pivot pin  48  which cutting tool  100  and cap lifter  110  are pivotably coupled for pivotable movement between a retracted, storage position within recess  38  and an extended, operating position. A distal end of ice pick  118  may be formed to function as a flat head screwdriver. An ice pick line lock spring  119 , as shown in FIG. 2, is positioned within tool housing  12  and includes a resilient ice pick spring arm (not shown) to releasably lock ice pick  118  in place in the desired storage or operating position. It will be appreciated that any other locking mechanism which releasably locks ice pick  118  in a desired configuration may be used instead. 
     Each of cutting tool  100 , cap lifter  110 , and ice pick  118  is preferably formed with a recess  120  or another access-facilitating feature configured to facilitate grasping and manipulating of the respective implements to the respective extended, operating positions. For example, recess  120  may be shaped to receive a person&#39;s finger nail by which the tool may be grasped and pivoted out of its storage position. 
     While in the preferred embodiment cutting tool  100 , cap lifter  110 , ice pick  118 , and bit driver  18  are pivotably connected to tool housing  12 , it will be apparent that those tools could alternatively be slidably carried by tool housing  12  to travel along a linear path between retracted and extended positions. 
     Optionally, multi-purpose tool  10  may include a pair of tweezers  126  and a toothpick  128 , each of which is slidably received within respective recesses  130  and  132  formed in the respective cover plates  22  and  24 . Preferably, tweezers  126  and toothpick  128  are formed with enlarged cross-sections at respective upper ends sized to permit a tight fit with the respective recesses such that those implements may be securely yet releasably held in place in a respective recess. 
     Multi-purpose tool  10  preferably further includes respective backing plates  134  that abut against the respective front and back cover plates  22  and  24 , as shown in FIGS. 1 and 8. With backing plates  134  in place against respective cover plates  22 ,  24 , springs  64  and  72  are maintained in respective seats  65  and  74 , and tweezers  126  and toothpick  128  are contained in the respective recesses  130  and  132 . One or more spacer plates  136  preferably are included in tool housing  12 , are aligned with bit driver  18 , and are shaped to define recess  38  within tool housing  12  which accepts bit driver  18  therein. 
     Referring now to FIG. 13, a direction determining device  140  may be included on a front (or back) side, such as in front or back cover plates  22 ,  24 , of multi-purpose tool  10  of the present invention. In one embodiment, the direction determining device comprises a compass mounted in a recess  142  formed in one of cover plates  22 ,  24 . The compass is situated in a convenient, accessible location on multi-purpose tool  10  for quick and easy viewing thereof. Compass  140  is especially helpful to, for example, a snowboarder who has become lost in a snowstorm with no other way of determining the direction in which he or she is traveling. 
     From the foregoing, it will be apparent that the multi-purpose tool  10  of the present invention provides a compact and convenient device including a number of implements often used to adjust sports equipment. It will be appreciated that the tools coupled to the multi-purpose tools described thus far may be modified in a variety of manners without departing from the scope and principles of the present invention. 
     A multi-purpose tool  210  formed in accordance with the principles of the present invention as described above but with various modifications to the tools coupled thereto is shown in FIGS. 14-18. Like multi-purpose tool  10  described above, multi-purpose tool  210  has a preferably compact, low-profile housing  212  formed with recesses configured to house various tools or implements useful for adjustments or repair of equipment used in sports described herein. Housing  212  preferably includes a front cover plate or scale  222  and a back cover plate or scale  224 , each of which is preferably elongated, with a generally rectangular cross section. Preferably, a transverse plate  226 , such as in the form of a U-channel, extends between cover plates  222 ,  224  to maintain cover plates  222 ,  224  in a spaced apart, aligned position. Respective plates  222 ,  224  of housing  212  are preferably joined together by spaced apart rivets  248  which extend through the respective plates. As with housing  12 , some of the rivets not only hold the plates together but also serve as pivot pins on which various implements or tools may be pivotably mounted, as described below. Typically, the size of the rivets is selected based on the use of the rivet. Housing  212  also includes a pair of opposite ends  240  and  242  and a pair of opposite longitudinal sides  230  and  232 . At least one side (side  230  in FIGS. 14 and 15) includes a longitudinal opening  234  leading to a storage recess  236  within housing  212  in which one or more implements or tools may be stored, as described in greater detail below. 
     An opposing recess  238  may be formed along the opposite side (side  232  in FIGS. 14 and 15) as well. 
     Like multi-purpose tool  10 , multi-purpose tool  210  preferably includes a variety of tools or implements which are pivotably coupled to at least one of rivets  248 . As shown in FIG. 14, such pivotably mounted tools may include a cutting tool  300  and a cap lifter  310 . Preferably, cap lifter distal end  312  is configured as a flat head screwdriver. The pivotably mounted tools are movable between a storage position, as shown in FIG. 15, and a working position, preferably aligned with the longitudinal axis  213  of housing  212 , by extracting a selected tool from storage recess  336  as shown in FIG.  14 . If desired, standard spring mechanism may be provided for the pivotably mounted tools to maintain the tool in the storage position when the tool is in storage recess  336 , or in the working position when the tool has been extracted into a use position (typically substantially aligned with longitudinal axis  213  of housing  212 ). 
     Also like multi-purpose tool  10 , multi-purpose tool  210  preferably includes a wrench bar  216 . However, unlike wrench bar  16 , each end  215 ,  217  of wrench bar  216  preferably is configured to include more than one open-ended wrench  268  defined along edges of wrench bar  216  as well a closed-sided wrench  269  within the boundaries of wrench bar  216 . Thus, as may be appreciated with reference to FIG. 16, one end  215  of wrench bar  216  may include a first open-sided 8 mm wrench portion, a second open-sided 10 mm wrench portion, and a closed-sided 12 mm wrench portion. A second end  217  of wrench bar  216  may include a first open-ended ⅜ inch wrench portion, a second open-ended {fraction (7/16)} inch wrench portion, and a closed-sided ¼ inch wrench portion. It will be appreciated that various other wrench portions, sized to function as differently sized wrenches, may be provided instead of or in addition to the wrench portions shown in FIG.  16 . 
     Housing  212  includes a recess  238  configured to receive wrench bar  216  for storage therein. Recess  238  may be formed in any desired manner. For example, recess  238  may be formed by providing a rail along each side  230 ,  232  of housing  212  shaped to receive wrench bar  216 . Preferably, a wrench bar retention mechanism is provided within recess  238  to retain wrench bar  216  within recess  238  until required for use. The wrench bar retention mechanism may be formed in any desired manner, such as at least one detent in one of recess  238  and wrench bar  216  and a corresponding receiver in the other of recess  238  and wrench bar  216 . 
     Optionally, multi-purpose tool  210  includes a pair of tweezers and a toothpick each of which is slidably received within respective recesses  330  and  332  formed in respective cover plates  222  and  224 . Preferably, the tweezers and toothpick are formed with enlarged cross-sections at respective upper ends sized to permit a tight fit with the respective recesses such that those implements may be securely yet releasably held in place in a respective recess. 
     In accordance with the principles of the present invention, multi-purpose tool  210  also includes a ratchet wrench  350  for use with sports equipment having such elements as nuts which must be tightened. Preferably, ratchet wrench  350  is pivotably coupled to tool housing  212  via one of rivets  248 . In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 14 and 15, ratchet wrench  350  is coupled to one of ends  240 ,  242  (as shown, end  240 ) whereas above-described pivotably mounted tools  300 ,  310  are pivotably coupled to the other of ends  240 ,  242  (as shown, end  242 ). In order to make room for bit driver  352  of ratchet wrench  350  upon retraction of ratchet wrench into its storage position in storage recess  236 , a spacer  354  may be provided on the end of multi-purpose tool  210  opposite the end on which ratchet wrench  350  is mounted and adjacent pivotably mounted tools  300 ,  310 . 
     Bit driver  352  preferably has an interior similar to the interior of bit driver  18  of multi-purpose tool  10  formed into a socket  284  shaped to engage an element to which torque is to be applied, such as a nut, a bolt, or a bit shank, and to hold such element securely therein. Socket  284  may be formed with a predetermined dimension, for example 8 mm, for engaging a conventional sized nut or bolt. Thus, socket  284  may also serve as a socket wrench for tightening and/or loosening purposes, in addition to being adapted to releasably receive and hold a shank  286  of a bit  220 . Preferably, a bit retention mechanism is provided within the interior of bit driver  352 . For example, a detent ball may be provided within the interior of bit driver  352  biased radially inward for engaging a corresponding recess in the shank  286  of a selected bit  220 . However, any other type of bit retention mechanism may be provided, such as by magnetizing bit driver  352  and bit  220 . 
     Various bits  220  may be provided in accordance with the principles of the present invention. Preferably, one bit  220  is held in bit driver  352  when ratchet wrench  350  is in a storage position within storage recess  236  while at least one bit holder  292  is provided to retain an additional bit  220 . Bit holder  292  preferably is pivotably coupled to the end of multi-purpose tool  210  opposite the end to which ratchet wrench  350  is pivotably coupled, as shown in FIGS. 14 and 15. An access-facilitating device, such as a recess, may be provided on the exterior of bit holder  292  to facilitate grasping of bit holder  292  for withdrawal from its retracted, storage position within storage recess  236 . Preferably, at least two bits  220  are provided with multi-purpose tool  210 . For example, the first bit may have a #2 Phillips head screwdriver on one end and a #3 Phillips head screwdriver on the opposite end. A second bit may have a {fraction (5/32)} inch hex driver on one end and a 3 mm hex driver on the opposite end. It will be appreciated that a bit with other tool heads may be provided instead or in addition. 
     As common with ratchet wrenches, ratchet wrench  350  preferably is capable of being locked into a variety of functional positions. In particular, a sliding ratchet switch  356  is provided in the ratchet wrench  350  shown in FIG. 14 for positioning between a first position in which ratchet wrench  350  provides tightening force only in a clockwise position, a second position in which ratchet wrench  350  provides tightening force only in a counterclockwise position, and a third position in which ratchet wrench  350  provides tightening force in both directions (i.e., bit driver  352  is freely rotatable). Thus, a ratchet gear shaft  358 , shown in FIG. 17, preferably is provided within ratchet wrench  350  coupled to switch  356  to control operation of ratchet wrench  350 . 
     Preferably, a ratchet wrench line lock spring  360 , shown in isolation in FIG. 18, is provided to retain ratchet wrench  350  in a storage position when ratchet wrench  350  is within storage recess  336 . Ratchet wrench line lock spring  360  preferably also functions to retain ratchet wrench  350  in a work position extracted from storage recess  336 . Ratchet wrench line lock spring  360  may be in the form of a conventional line lock spring which substantially aligns with the tool to be locked, as will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art. In accordance with a preferred embodiment, ratchet wrench line lock spring  360  has a locking finger  362  formed by providing a serpentine cut  364  along ratchet wrench line lock spring  360  as shown in FIG.  18 . Serpentine cut  364  has been found to provide a configuration for line lock springs, generally, which prevents the line lock springs from interlocking with each other, such as when transported or further processed (e.g., polished) in bulk. Ratchet wrench line lock spring  360  may further include flanges  366  and fingers  368  shaped and positioned to support transverse plate  226  (FIG.  14 ). 
     In a preferred embodiment, the housing  370  of ratchet wrench  350  is configured to be engaged by ratchet wrench line lock spring  360  in one of two positions—a first position in which the longitudinal axis  351  of ratchet wrench  350  is substantially perpendicular to longitudinal axis  213  of tool housing  212  (as shown in FIG. 14) and a second position in which longitudinal axis  351  of ratchet wrench  350  is substantially aligned with longitudinal axis  213  of tool housing  212 . If desired, additional locked positions may be provided by appropriate configurations of ratchet wrench  350 . 
     While a multi-purpose tool formed in accordance with the principles of the present invention is particularly shown and described herein with reference to particular embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention may be used with many additions, substitutions, or modifications of form, structure, arrangement, proportions, materials, and components and otherwise, used in the practice of the invention, which are particularly adapted to specific environments and operative requirements without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. For instance, various other tools or other implements, such as an Allen Type, hex key-wrench or a clock or timing device, may be provided. The presently disclosed embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims, and not limited to the foregoing description.

Technology Category: 7