Tool handle for holding multiple tools of different sizes during use

• US 5,911,799 A
• Filed: 01/06/1997
• Issued: 06/15/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Wagic, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Allen-Pal LLC
• Inventors: Johnson, Robert L., Johnson, Ronald L., Johnson, Kenneth R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Scherbel, David A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): DANGANAN, JONI BALDOS
• Application Number:
  US08/779,336
• Time in Patent Office: 890 Days
• Field of Search: 81/177.4, 81/490, 81/439, 81/177.1, 81/177.2, 81/177.5, 81/DIG. 5, 206/372, 206/375, 206/376, 206/377
• US Class Current: 81/177.4
• CPC Class Codes: B25B 13/56 Spanner sets
• CPC Class Codes: B25B 15/008 Allen-type keys
• CPC Class Codes: B25G 1/005 for screwdrivers, wrenches or spanners with additional levers, e.g. for increasing torque
• CPC Class Codes: B25G 1/08 with provision for storing tool elements
• CPC Class Codes: B25G 1/10 characterised by material or shape B25G1/01, B25G1/02 take precedence ; for hand tools comprising coating rollers B05C17/0205

Abstract

A generally cylindrical shaped tool handle holds multiple sizes of tools. The handle includes one or more holding slots each positioned on one of multiple surface faces into which hexagonal tools are inserted and held. Each holding slot is of a size and dimension which corresponds to a hexagonal tool size. In the preferred embodiment of the handle three of the faces have a single holding slot with multiple receiving holes for holding hexagonal wrenches of multiple sizes. A lock is positioned over the short leg of the hexagonal wrench and the holding slot to hold the wrench in position during use. The width of the bottom of the lock is smaller than the width of the top of the lock in order to give the lock a natural spring-like property, thereby allowing it to clamp onto the handle and remain in its locked position. The lock may be positioned to hold a tool in any one of the holding slots. In the preferred embodiment the lock includes inner ridges which are received by positioning slots, within the handle, in order to keep the lock from rotating around the handle during use. Hexagonal shaped tools other than wrenches may also be used with the handle of the present invention such as screwdrivers and socket wrenches. A multiple tool holder is designed to slide over the handle of the present invention and hold multiple sizes of tools which may be used with the handle. The tool holder includes a mounting magnet for mounting the handle and holder to a magnetic surface.

Claims

1. A generally cylindrical tool handle having two ends and a generally cylindrical surface, the handle for accepting and holding a tool, wherein the tool includes an elongated rod having a bend through a predetermined angle and including a proximal end for engaging a workpiece, and a mounting end between the bend and a distal end, wherein the tool handle includes a plurality of outer surface faces formed on the generally cylindrical surface and a plurality of holding slots each integrally formed within one of the plurality of outer surface faces for holding the mounting end therein of a corresponding sized tool.

2. The tool handle according to claim 1 further comprising a plurality of apertures each formed through a bottom of one of the holding slots and penetrating the tool handle wherein the tool is mounted to the tool handle by passing the proximal end through an appropriately sized aperture before engaging the mounting end in the holding slot.

3. The tool handle according to claim 2 further comprising one or more positioning slots, each positioned along one of the outer surface faces.

4. The tool handle according to claim 3 further comprising a slidable lock configured to slide along the cylindrical surface for holding the mounting end in the slot.

5. The tool handle according to claim 4 wherein the slidable lock further comprises one or more inner ridges configured for slidably coupling to the positioning slots.

6. The tool handle according to claim 4 wherein the tool is a hexagonal wrench and the workpiece is a hexagonal screw.

7. The tool handle according to claim 6 wherein the generally cylindrical surface has a hexagonal shape.

8. The tool handle according to claim 2 wherein the mounting end is embedded within the generally cylindrical surface when the tool is held within one of the holding slots.

9. A hexagonal tool handle for accepting and holding hexagonal shaped tools of multiple sizes comprising:

a. a handle including a plurality of outer surface faces and one or more continuous holding slots each integrally formed within one of the plurality, each continuous holding slot configured to receive and hold an appropriate one or more of the hexagonal shaped tools, wherein the handle also includes one or more positioning slots, each positioned along one of the outer surface faces; and

b. a slidable lock comprising a top adapted to receive the handle, a bottom and one or more inner ridges, the lock configured for slidably coupling to the handle wherein the inner ridges are configured for slidably coupling to the positioning slots and further wherein the lock is positionable over any of the one or more holding slots for locking a hexagonal tool in a corresponding holding slot during use, wherein the bottom is of a dimension smaller than a dimension of the top.

10. The hexagonal tool handle as claimed in claim 9 wherein the one or more hexagonal shaped tools includes a hexagonal wrench.

11. A tool set comprising:

a. a handle including two ends, a plurality of outer surface faces and a plurality of holding slots each integrally formed within one of the plurality of outer surface faces, each holding slot configured to receive and hold an appropriate one of one or more tools; and

b. a tool holder including;

i. means for holding one or more tools each including an elongated rod having a bend through a predetermined angle; and

ii. means for coupling the tool holder to the tool handle.

12. The tool set as claimed in claim 11 wherein the means for coupling includes an inner ridge configured for sliding within a positioning slot on an outer surface of the tool handle.

13. The tool set as claimed in claim 12 wherein an inner diameter of the tool holder is of a dimension which is less than a dimension of a diameter of the tool handle and further wherein the tool holder is expandably flexible for tightly coupling to the tool holder.

14. The tool set as claimed in claim 13 further comprising a magnetic means for mounting the tool holder to a metal surface.

15. The tool set as claimed in claim 14 wherein the means for holding a plurality of tools includes a plurality of spring-urged holders each for holding an appropriate sized tool.

16. A tool set comprising:

a. a first plurality of tools each including a size and dimension;

b. a handle including a second plurality of outer surface faces and one or more continuous holding slots each integrally formed within one of the second plurality for receiving one or more of the first plurality, wherein each holding slot is of a size and dimension corresponding to an appropriate size and dimension of one or more of the first plurality; and

c. a slidable lock configured for slidably coupling to the handle and positionable over any of the one or more holding slots for locking one of the first plurality in a corresponding holding slot during use.

17. The tool set as claimed in claim 16 wherein the slidable lock comprises a top and a bottom and further wherein the bottom is of a dimension smaller than a dimension of the top in order to promote a natural spring function and facilitate locking of the lock to the handle.

18. The tool set as claimed in claim 17 wherein the slidable lock further comprises external ridges on a first top side and a second top side for enhancing a user'"'"'s ability to unlock the lock from the handle and position the lock along the handle.

19. The tool set as claimed in claim 18 wherein the tool handle further comprises one or more positioning slots, each positioned along one of the outer surface faces.

20. The tool set as claimed in claim 19 wherein the slidable lock further comprises one or more inner ridges configured for slidably coupling to the positioning slots.

21. The tool set as claimed in claim 20 further comprising a tool holder for holding the first plurality of tools and the handle, the tool holder comprising a first plurality of spring-urged holders, each of a size and dimension to hold an appropriate one of the first plurality of tools and a means for slidably coupling the tool holder to the handle.

22. The tool set as claimed in claim 21 wherein the means for slidably coupling includes an inner ridge configured for sliding within one of the positioning slots.

23. A tool holder for holding one or more tools, the tools for use with a tool handle, wherein the tool handle includes a plurality of outer surface holding slots each configured to receive and hold an appropriate one or more of the tools, the tool holder comprising:

a. means for holding one or more tools each including an elongated rod having a bend through a predetermined angle; and

b. means for coupling the tool holder to the tool handle, wherein when the tool holder is coupled to the tool handle, the one or more tools are held external to the tool handle.

24. The tool holder as claimed in claim 23 wherein the means for coupling includes an inner ridge configured for sliding within a positioning slot on the outer surface of the tool handle.

25. The tool holder as claimed in claim 24 wherein an inner diameter of the tool holder is of a dimension which is less than a dimension of a diameter of the tool handle and further wherein the tool holder is expandably flexible for tightly coupling to the tool holder.

26. The tool holder as claimed in claim 25 further comprising a magnetic means for mounting the tool holder to a metal surface.

27. The tool holder as claimed in claim 26 wherein the means for holding a plurality of tools includes a plurality of spring-urged holders each for holding an appropriate sized tool.

28. A tool handle for accepting and holding tools of multiple sizes, the handle including two ends, a plurality of outer surface faces and a plurality of holding slots each integrally formed within one of the plurality of outer surface faces and having a corresponding depth dimension and an aperture formed through a bottom of the holding slot, wherein each tool includes an elongated rod having a bend through a predetermined angle, a proximal end for engaging a workpiece and a mounting end between the bend and a distal end, and further wherein a tool is held by the handle by passing its proximal end through a corresponding sized aperture and fitting its mounting end within the holding slot.

29. The tool handle according to claim 28 wherein the mounting end of a tool is embedded within a corresponding holding slot when the tool is held by the handle.

30. The tool handle according to claim 29 wherein the tools are hexagonal shaped.

31. A hexagonal tool handle for accepting and holding hexagonal shaped tools of multiple sizes, including a plurality of outer surface faces and a plurality of apertures extending through the handle, each aperture for holding an appropriately sized tool and having a top opening, wherein the top openings of the apertures are included in non-parallel outer surface faces.

32. A tool handle for accepting and holding one or more tools of differing sizes during use comprising:

a. a plurality of holding slots each integrally formed within an outer surface face, each holding slot configured to receive and hold an appropriate one of the tools; and

b. a lock configured for coupling to the handle and selectively positionable over any of the plurality of holding slots for locking a tool in a holding slot during use.