Tool holder

• US 5,363,957 A
• Filed: 07/26/1993
• Issued: 11/15/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Adventures Northwest Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Adventures Northwest Ltd.
• Inventors: Reichner, Patrick E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sewell, Paul T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): KAVANAUGH, JOHN T
• Application Number:
  US08/098,131
• Time in Patent Office: 477 Days
• Field of Search: 206/207, 206/209, 206/349, 206/234, 206/306, 15/220.4, 15/224.1, 15/218.1, 29/80
• US Class Current: 206/349
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 5/0006 Hangers for hanging articles on bars, tringles, bracket arms or the like dress holders, e.g. for clothing, shoes, A47G25/00; packages for hanging B65D; lockable clothing holders E05B69/00
• CPC Class Codes: B25H 3/006 Storage means specially adapted for one specific hand apparatus, e.g. an electric drill
• CPC Class Codes: B26B 29/025 Knife sheaths or scabbards

Abstract

A tool holder slides over a tool protecting it from water and other rust inducing conditions. The tool holder comprises a cover having an internal cavity that holds two retainer sections of polyethylene. The retainer sections are sized to conform with the exterior profile of the tool and press firmly against opposite exterior surfaces of the tool as it is being inserted inside the tool holder. The retainer sections hold the tool snugly inside the cover cavity providing a highly effective insulation barrier. A lubricant is insertable inside the cover cavity and absorbed by the retainer sections and is automatically applied to the exterior surface of the tool as it is being inserted into the tool holder. The inside face of each retainer section have an abrasive surface that automatically scrubs the exterior surface of the tool while it is being inserted and removed from the holder.

Claims

1. A tool holder, comprising:

a unitary piece of flexible molded material formed into a cover having front and back walls joined together by side walls;

the front, back and side walls each having a bottom end joined together by an end section thereby defining an elongated water impervious cavity open at a top end; and

two compressible retainer sections extending substantially the entire length of the cavity and sized larger than the cavity so that said retainer sections when inserted inside the cover cavity are held together in constant compression solely by force of the front and back walls of the cover independent of external forces, the retainer sections having opposed inside faces for holding a tool inserted therebetween.

2. A tool holder according to claim 1 including a tool having a working surface with front and back sides wherein the retainer sections are sized to conform with the front and back sides, so that the inside face of each retainer section presses against substantially the entire front and back side of the inserted tool, respectively at the same time.

3. A tool holder according to claim 2 wherein the inside face of each retainer section is abrasive so that said inside faces scrub the entire front and back sides of the tool at the same time as said tool is being inserted and removed from the retaining sections.

4. A tool holder according to claim 3 wherein the retainer sections comprise a cellular material cut into an open cell configuration at the inside faces.

5. A tool holder according to claim 4 wherein the retaining sections are made from polyethylene.

6. A tool holder according to claim 2 wherein the retainer sections comprise semi-rigid pieces of polyethylene each having a rectangular profile with flat front and back sides, the polyethylene placed in further compression when the tool is inserted in the tool holder thereby conforming snugly about substantially the entire front and back sides of the tool.

7. A tool holder according to claim 1 including a cap having a slot aligned over the opposed inside faces of the retainer sections and removably attached over the cover, the cap being formed of elastically compressible material so that pressure exerted against opposite ends of the cap along the slot to open allowing the tool to be slidingly inserted through the cap slot into the cover cavity.

8. A tool holder according to claim 1 wherein the retainer sections comprise means for retaining and dispersing a lubricant so that as said tool is inserted therebetween the retaining sections disperse said lubricant onto substantially the entire working surface of the tool at the same time.

9. A tool holder according to claim 1 wherein the cover cavity has a uniform cross-sectional shade that remains substantially constant from the bottom end to the top opening and the two retainer sections have a combined cross-sectional shape substantially equal to the cross-sectional shape of the cover cavity when compressed, the retainer sections thereby slidingly insertable through the top end into the cover cavity.

10. A tool holder according to claim 1 wherein the cover comprises a water resistent polyvinyl compound that insulates the interior cavity of the cover from moisture.

11. A tool holder according to claim 1 wherein the cover and retainer sections provide sufficient buoyancy to allow the combined tool holder and tool to float on water.

12. A toolholder, comprising:

a tool having a working surface including a front and back side defining an exterior tool profile;

two semi-rigid retainer sections applying a constant force against substantially the entire front and back side of the tool each retainer section having a front side, a back side and a bottom side the front side of each retainer section sized to conform generally with the exterior profile of the tool and abutted together to form a retaining slot that slidingly receives and holds the working surface of the tool; and

a sheath for holding the retainer sections in constant compression while at the same time water impervious seal around the entire front bottom sides of the retainer sections, the sheath having elastically pliable front and back portions together by elastically pliable side portions molded internal cavity for holding the two retainer sections and having an opening at a first end for receiving the tool;

the front and back portions exerting pressure against the retainer sections causing the front sides of each retainer section to press snugly against the front and back side of the tool as said tool is slidingly inserted through the sheath opening into the retaining slot.

13. A tool holder according to claim 12 wherein each retainer section is elongate and rectangularly shaded having flat front and back sides extending from a top end to the bottom end, the tool insertable between and along a lengthwise direction of the retainer sections through the top end.

14. A tool holder according to claim 12 wherein the tool comprises an elongate file having first and second lateral ends and a front and back face, the retaining sections sized to press against substantially the entire front and back file faces at the same time.

15. A tool holder according to claim 14 wherein the sheath'"'"'s internal cavity has substantially the same dimensions as an exterior surface of the retainer sections thereby having a cross-sectional shape substantially equal to a cross-sectional shape of the retainer sections.

16. A method for preventing corrosion on an exterior surface of a tool, comprising:

providing a sheath having an internal cavity with a top opening and a given width;

providing two elongated retainer sections each having an inside face;

signing the retainer sections to extend substantially the entire length of the sheath cavity and to have a greater width than the given width of the internal cavity;

abutting together the entire inside face of each retainer section;

forcibly sliding the retainer sections into the cavity through the top opening, the sheath thereby compressing the two retainer sections together without an externally applied force;

fastening the tool inside the sheath cavity by forcibly sliding the tool between the two retainer sections, the tool thereby further compressing the retainer sections so that the tool is held firmly therebetween.

17. A method according to claim 16 wherein each retainer section includes an outside face joined to the face by opposite lateral sides and the sheath side walls that extend completely around the later sides of said retainer section and sized to less than the width of the combined width of the retainer sections thereby holding the sheath includes compressional force against the outside retainer sections independently of any outside force, respectively, causing the inside faces of the retainer sections to press against the tool with sufficient force to remove contaminants such as rust while at the same time leaving a thin film of lubricant.

18. A method according to claim 17 including automatically cleaning the external tool surface by sliding the tool in and out from between the two retainer sections.

19. A method according to claim 17 including storing a lubricant inside and throughout the entire internal cavity of the sheath and automatically dispensing the lubricant concurrently onto the entire tool surface as said tool is inserted between the retainer sections.

20. A method according to claim 19 wherein the lubricant is absorbed by the retainer sections and automatically discharged from the retainer sections when the tool is inserted therebetween.