Multi-purpose equipment

• US 20040016058A1
• Filed: 09/08/2003
• Published: 01/29/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Taylor Brands LLC (Smith & Wesson Brands, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Taylor Brands LLC (Smith & Wesson Brands, Inc.)
• Inventors: Englert, Robert S., Hufnagel, Joseph A., Hayduke, Nicolas P., Osiecki, Scott W., Lynch, Peter F., Quinn, James O., Gardiner, Walter A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,125,145 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 7/119
• CPC Class Codes: B25F 1/04 wherein the elements are brought into working positions by a pivoting or sliding movement
• CPC Class Codes: B26B 11/001 of the Swiss-knife type
• CPC Class Codes: B26B 11/008 comprising electronic or electrical features, e.g. illuminating means, computing devices or sensors
• CPC Class Codes: F23Q 2/32 Lighters characterised by being combined with other objects combinations with smokers' equipment A24F
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 17/00 Compasses; Devices for ascertaining true or magnetic north for navigation or surveying purposes using gyroscopic effect G01C19/00

Abstract

Multi-purpose equipment 10 is disclosed having a modular housing 12, a multi-function module 14 for containing electronic or mechanical devices, a tool pod 16 having multiple tools 106 pivotally attached thereto, an accessory compartment 18 for removably containing, for example, a disposable lighter 32. Module 14 is preferably removable and is adapted contain an electronic or mechanical device, such as a mechanical compass 172, an electronic compass 215, or other electronic devices. Tool pod 16 includes a plurality of pivotally attached tools 106. A lanyard 34 may also be provided to tether module 14 to housing 12.

Claims

1. Multi-purpose equipment, comprising:

a housing;

a module removably secured to said housing, said module adapted to contain an electronic or mechanical device;

at least one folding tool attached to said housing and disposed within a tool receiving cavity having a first volume; and

an accessory compartment located within said housing, said accessory compartment being sized and shaped to removably retain a conventional disposable lighter therein, and said accessory compartment having a second volume on the same order of magnitude as the first volume.

2. The multi-purpose equipment of claim 1, wherein said accessory compartment further comprises an opening adapted to receive said conventional disposable lighter therethrough.

3. The multi-purpose equipment of claim 2, wherein said housing further comprises a lid, said lid having a closed position wherein said lid covers said opening to protect said conventional disposable lighter and an open position wherein said opening is unobstructed so as to enable removal and insertion of said conventional disposable lighter from and to said accessory compartment.

4. The multi-purpose equipment of claim 1, wherein said device comprises a mechanical compass.

5. The multi-purpose equipment of claim 1, wherein said device comprises a multi-function electronic device.

6. The multi-purpose equipment of claim 5, wherein said multi-function electronic device comprises a digital watch.

7. The multi-purpose equipment of claim 5, wherein said multi-function electronic device comprises a digital compass.

8. The multi-purpose equipment of claim 7, wherein said multi-function electronic device further comprises a digital thermometer.

9. The multi-purpose equipment of claim 7, wherein said multi-function electronic device further comprises a digital barometer.

10. The multi-purpose equipment of claim 7, wherein said multi-function electronic device further comprises a digital altimeter.

11. The multi-purpose equipment of claim 5, wherein said multi-function electronic device comprises a stud-finder.

12. The multi-purpose equipment of claim 5, wherein said multi-function electronic device comprises a global positioning system receiver.

13. The multi-purpose equipment of claim 5, wherein said multi-function electronic device comprises a range finder and calculator.

14. The multi-purpose equipment of claim 5, wherein said multi-function electronic device comprises a wireless telephone.

15. The multi-purpose equipment of claim 5, wherein said multi-function electronic device comprises a radio transmitter/transponder.

16. The multi-purpose equipment of claim 1, wherein said module is generally cylindrical, and wherein said housing includes a front face having a generally cylindrical module-receiving cavity positioned on a major portion thereof for removably receiving said module therein.

17. The multi-purpose equipment of claim 16, wherein said housing includes a top, a bottom, and sides, said module being slightly tapered inwardly along said sides from said top to said bottom.

18. The multi-purpose equipment of claim 17, wherein said front face of said housing further includes an upper portion nearer said top and a lower portion nearer said bottom, said module-receiving cavity formed in said upper portion of said housing.

19. The multi-purpose equipment of claim 18, wherein said housing further includes a rear face that is substantially parallel to and spaced rearwardly from said front face, said rear face including a belt clip fastened thereto.

20. The multi-purpose equipment of claim 18, wherein said housing further includes a flashlight positioned on said lower portion of said front face.

21. The multi-purpose equipment of claim 18, wherein said housing further includes a tool pod positioned on one of said sides of said housing, said tool pod comprising a plurality of tools pivotally mounted thereon including said at least one folding tool.

22. The multi-purpose equipment of claim 21, wherein said plurality of tools comprises one or more tools selected from the group consisting of:

a knife, a screwdriver, a can opener, a corkscrew, and a scissors.

23. The multi-purpose equipment of claim 1, further comprising a lanyard coupling said module to said housing.

24. The multi-purpose equipment of claim 16, further comprising a lanyard coupling said module to said housing.

25. Multi-purpose equipment, comprising:

a housing having a front face and a side portion;

a module removably secured to a major portion of said front face, said module adapted to contain an electronic or mechanical device, said electronic device being electronically self-contained within said module; and

a tool pod located on said side portion of said housing, said tool pod having at least one tool attached thereto and pivoting about a rotational axis.

26. The multi-purpose equipment of claim 25, wherein said housing further includes a module receiving cavity on said front face for removably receiving said module, said module receiving cavity having a central axis, said rotational axis of said tool being substantially parallel to said central axis.

27. The multi-purpose equipment of claim 25, further comprising an accessory compartment located within said housing, said accessory compartment being sized and shaped to removably retain a conventional disposable lighter therein and including an opening adapted to receive said conventional disposable lighter therethrough.

28. The multi-purpose equipment of claim 27, wherein said housing further comprises a lid, said lid having a closed position wherein said lid covers said opening to protect said conventional disposable lighter and an open position wherein said opening is unobstructed so as to enable removal and insertion of said conventional disposable lighter from and to said accessory compartment.

29. The multi-purpose equipment of claim 25, wherein said device comprises a mechanical compass.

30. The multi-purpose equipment of claim 25, wherein said device comprises a multi-function electronic device.

31. The multi-purpose equipment of claim 30, wherein said multi-function electronic device comprises a digital watch.

32. The multi-purpose equipment of claim 30, wherein said multi-function electronic device comprises a digital compass.

33. The multi-purpose equipment of claim 32, wherein said multi-function electronic device further comprises a digital thermometer.

34. The multi-purpose equipment of claim 32, wherein said multi-function electronic device further comprises a digital barometer.

35. The multi-purpose equipment of claim 32, wherein said multi-function electronic device further comprises a digital altimeter.

36. The multi-purpose equipment of claim 25, wherein said at least one tool is selected from the group consisting of:

a corkscrew, a knife blade, a bottle opener, a can opener, a saw blade, a pair of scissors, a Phillips-head screwdriver, and a flat-head screwdriver.

37. The multi-purpose equipment of claim 26, wherein said module is generally cylindrical, and wherein said housing includes a top and a bottom.

38. The multi-purpose equipment of claim 37, wherein said front face of said housing further includes an upper portion nearer said top and a lower portion nearer said bottom, said module-receiving cavity formed in said upper portion of said housing.

39. The multi-purpose equipment of claim 25, wherein said housing further includes a rear face that is substantially parallel to and spaced rearwardly from said front face, said rear face including a belt clip fastened thereto.

40. The multi-purpose equipment of claim 38, wherein said housing further includes a flashlight positioned on said lower portion of said front face.

41. The multi-purpose equipment of claim 25, wherein said housing further includes a tool pod positioned on said side portion of said housing, said tool pod comprising a plurality of tools pivotally mounted thereon including said at least one tool.

42. The multi-purpose equipment of claim 25, further comprising a lanyard coupling said module to said housing.

43. Multi-purpose equipment comprising:

a housing;

a tool pivotally attached to said housing;

a module removably secured to said housing, said module adapted to contain an electronic or mechanical device having a display face; and

means for covering said display face to protect said display face from damage when not in use.

44. The multi-purpose equipment of claim 43, wherein said means for covering said display face comprises a module receiving cavity formed in said housing, said display face being enclosed between said module and said module receiving cavity when said module is secured to said module receiving cavity.

45. The multi-purpose equipment of claim 43, wherein said means for covering said display face comprises a removable lid adapted to cover said display face.

46. The multi-purpose equipment of claim 45, wherein said removable lid is pivotally attached to said housing.

47. The multi-purpose equipment of claim 43, wherein said module receiving cavity includes a signal mirror formed of a reflective material.

48. A modular housing for multi-purpose equipment that includes a tool pod having a plurality of tools and an electronic/mechanical device, comprising:

a front plate having a generally cylindrical module-receiving cavity for removably receiving a module therein;

a rear plate spaced from and parallel to said front plate;

a spacer extending between said front and rear plates; and

at least one tool pivotally attached between said front and rear plates.

49. The modular housing for multi-purpose equipment of claim 48, further comprising a module for containing an electronic or mechanical device, and a module receiving cavity secured to said front plate, said module adapted to be removably secured to said module receiving cavity.

50. The modular housing for multi-purpose equipment of claim 49, further comprising a tool pod, said at least one tool being pivotally attached to said tool pod, said tool pod located between said front plate and said rear plate.

51. The modular housing for multi-purpose equipment of claim 48, wherein said front and rear plates are formed of metal.

52. The modular housing for multi-purpose equipment of claim 48, wherein said spacer is formed of plastic.

53. Multi-function equipment, comprising:

a housing having a first lanyard catch, said first lanyard catch comprising a first channel having two openings therein;

a module removably attached to said housing and having a second lanyard catch formed thereon, said module adapted to contain an electronic or mechanical device, said second lanyard catch comprising a second channel having two openings therein;

a lanyard comprising a retainer, a first cord having a first loop, a second cord having a second loop, said first and second cords being affixed to said retainer;

said first lanyard catch adapted to receive and removably secure said first and second cords;

said second lanyard catch adapted to receive and removably secure said first and second cords;

wherein said first loop is sufficiently large so that said module can be passed through said first loop.

54. The multi-function equipment of claim 53, wherein said first lanyard catch further comprises a pin.

55. The multi-function equipment of claim 54, wherein said second lanyard catch further comprises a pin.

56. The multi-function equipment of claim 53, further comprising a whistle having an aperture formed thereon, said aperture being adapted to receive said second cord therethrough.

57. A multi-function electronic device, comprising:

an electronic display having a plurality of modes, including a time/date mode, a compass mode, an altitude mode, and a barometer mode;

a plurality of sub-modes, including time, date and alarm display, stopwatch, compass display, altitude display, and barometric pressure display;

a plurality of set/calibrate functions, including time and date set, alarm set, compass calibration, altitude set, and barometric pressure set; and

a plurality of buttons for displaying said plurality of modes, sub-modes, and set/calibrate functions;

wherein each of said plurality of modes, sub-modes, and set/calibrate functions can be displayed by pressing no more than one of said plurality of buttons at a single time.

58. A method of displaying information generated by a multi-function electronic device, comprising the steps of:

providing a plurality of modes including a time/date mode, a compass mode, an altitude mode, and a barometer mode;

providing a plurality of sub-modes including time, date and alarm display, stopwatch, compass display, altitude display, and barometric pressure display;

providing a plurality of set/calibrate modes including time and date set, alarm set, compass calibration, altitude set, and barometric pressure set;

providing a plurality of buttons, including a mode button and a set/select button;

displaying each of said plurality of modes by pressing no more than one of said plurality of buttons at a single time;

displaying each of said plurality of sub-modes by pressing no more than one of said plurality of buttons at a single time; and

displaying each of said plurality of set/calibrate functions by pressing no more than one of said plurality of buttons at a single time.

59. The method of claim 58, wherein said step of displaying each of said plurality of modes comprises the step of pressing said mode button one or more times.

60. The method of claim 59, wherein said step of displaying each of said plurality of sub-modes comprises the step of pressing said set/select button one or more times.

61. The method of claim 60, wherein said step of displaying each of said plurality of set/calibrate functions comprises the step of pressing and holding said set/select button for at least 2 seconds.