Container for tool accessories

• US 4,653,638 A
• Filed: 08/06/1985
• Issued: 03/31/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/1985
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: The Scott Fetzer Company (Berkshire Hathaway Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Scott and Fetzer Co (Berkshire Hathaway Incorporated)
• Inventors: Lackner, John R., Rathgeber, Juergen, Newby, J. Parks
• Primary Examiner(s): Price, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): Foster, Jimmy G.
• Application Number:
  US06/763,042
• Time in Patent Office: 602 Days
• Field of Search: D32/31, 15/257 A, 15/257 R, 15/323, 206/320, 206/349, 206/372, 206/373, 312/206, 312/244, 312/DIG. 33
• US Class Current: 206/373
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 13/51 Storing of cleaning tools, e.g. containers therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0063 External storing devices; Stands, casings or the like for the storage of suction cleaners
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 312/902 Carrying case

Abstract

A container for tool accessories forms an integral, rigid, upright body. The upper part of the upright body includes means to securely and individually store accessories having short coupling tubes. A front wall in a lower portion of the body has an access opening therein whereby a storage bin is formed by front, side, and back walls of the body. The lateral sidewalls of the body are adapted to securely and individually store accessories having long coupling tubes at the four corners of the container such that the container stores a plurality of accessory items which are individually secured and accessible within a minimized storage area.

Claims

1. A container for tool accessories comprising a rigid structure having an upright body with sidewalls extending laterally thereto and about the perimeter thereof, an upper storage area of said upright body having mounting means therein for securely and indivudually mounting at separate positions accessories having short coupling tubes, a front wall attached to the perimeter of said lateral sidewalls opposite a lower part of said upright body and having an access aperture therein whereby a lower storage bin is formed by said front wall, lateral walls, and a rear portion of said upright body below said upper storage area, said lateral sidewalls providing support means separate from said storage bin adapted to securely and individually store accessories having long coupling tubes at separate positions in which said accessories extend exteriorly of said sidewalls whereby the container stores a plurality of accessory items individually secured and accessible within a minimized storage area.

2. A container according to claim 1, wherein said means for securely and individually storing accessories with short coupling tubes is at least one boss extending laterally from the rear side of said upright body and adapted to slidably engage with a friction fit the free end of a short accessory coupling tube along the inner periphery thereof.

3. A container according to claim 2, wherein at least one boss is recessed with respect to said upright body whereby an annular portion of said upright body concentrically surrounds said boss and is radially spaced therefrom, said annular portion providing additional support to the accessory coupling tube when the tube is mounted on said boss.

4. A container according to claim 1, wherein said lateral sidewalls are provided with at least one aperture therein through which an end of a long coupling tube is inserted into the container interior, whereby said long coupling tube is securely held in a substantially upright orientation near said perimeter of the container.

5. A container according to claim 4, further comprising a rib extending upwardly on an interior surface of said upright body near said aperture whereby said end of a long coupling tube is cammed against said rib and securely held thereby when said end is inserted through said one aperture.

6. A container as in claim 1, said upper storage area comprising a forwardly facing recess in the upper portion of said upright body, wall means including said lateral sidewalls surrounding the sides and top of said recess and providing a carrying handle at the top thereof in the form of a graspable ledge.

14. A container according to claim 1, wherein said upright body includes hanger means on the rear side thereof for supporting said container on a wall surface.

15. A container according to claim 1, wherein said upright body tapers laterally inwardly from mid-height, said sidewalls are stepped or terraced at and below midheight of the body at four corners of said body, and upwardly facing receiving openings for the long coupling tubes are formed in the stepping or terracing.

16. A container according to claim 15, wherein said stepping or terracing at the front corners of the body is lower than at the rear corners and said access opening slants gently backward between said front corners.

7. A container for vacuum cleaner accessories in the form of an upright body comprising a back member and a front member, said back member being generally pan-shaped and attached to said front member, said front member being integrally formed and having a recessed upper portion and a lower portion, said recessed upper portion providing mounting means for collectively storing relatively short accessories, and for securely holding each of said short accessories independently of other short accessories with each being individually removable from said upper portion, said recessed upper portion being contoured to fit within an upper part of said back member, said lower portion of said front member having a front wall with an access window therein, said front and back members being securely joined about their peripheral edges such that the lower half of the container is a storage bin for non-tubular accessories and accessible through said window and said short accessories are stored within said recessed portion above said storage bin to minimize the depth of the container, said front and back members having apertures on the sides thereof adapted to receive relatively long accessories such that the container can store numerous accessory items, each individually secured and removable within a minimum storage space.

8. A container according to claim 7, wherein said means for collectively storing said short accessories is at least one boss extending laterally from a rear panel in said recessed upper portion.

9. A container according to claim 8, wherein at least one boss is recessed with respect to said rear panel in said front member, whereby an annular portion of said rear panel concentrically surrounds said one boss and is radially spaced therefrom, said annular portion slidably engaging the outer peripheral end of a short accessory coupling tube.

10. A container according to claim 9, further comprising a rib extending upwardly on an interior surface of said back member near one of said apertures whereby an end of a long coupling tube is cammed against said rib and securely held thereby when said end is inserted through its respective aperture.

11. A container according to claim 7, wherein said means for collectively storing are shaped to cooperate with tubular shanks of said short accessories whereby said short accessories are held by frictional engagement and are mounted transversely of said back member above said storage bin.

12. A container according to claim 11, wherein said short accessories are arranged in a stacked relationship to minimize the size of the container.

13. A container according to claim 12, wherein said long accessories are stored in an upright configuration supported by said apertures about the periphery of the container whereby said long accessories are individually secured and removable independently of said short attachments and said storage bin.

17. A molded plastic container for tool aqccessories comprising a rigid structure having an upright body with lateral sidewalls extending about the perimeter thereof, an upper storage area of said upright body having a plurality of integrally molded spaced-apart projections for securely and individually storing certain accessories by frictional engagement, a front wall attached to the perimeter of said lateral sidewalls opposite a lower part of said upright member and having an access opening therein whereby a lower storage bin is formed by said front wall, lateral walls, and a rear portion of said upright body below said upper storage area, and whereby the container stores a plurality of accessory items accessible within a minimized storage area, said upright body tapering laterally inward from mid-height, said sidewalls being stepped or terraced at or below mid-height of the body at four corners of said body, and upwardly facing receiving openings for long coupling tubes are formed in the step or terracing.

18. A container according to claim 17, wherein said lateral sidewalls provide mounting means to securely store certain elongated accessories in a substantially upright orientation.

19. A container according to claim 18, wherein said certain accessories have a short coupling tube which slidably receives a portion of a respective projection and is held thereon by frictional forces between the respective projection and an inner surface of said coupling tube.

20. A container according to claim 19, wherein said upright body tapers laterally inwardly from mid-height, said sidewalls are stepped or terraced at and below midheight of the body at four corners of said body, and upwardly facing receiving openings for the long coupling tubes are formed in the stepping or terracing.

21. A container according to claim 17, wherein said stepping or terracing at the front corners of the body is lower than at the rear corners and said access opening slants gently backward between said front corners.