Tool assembly

• US 8,424,217 B2
• Filed: 09/13/2011
• Issued: 04/23/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Black & Decker Incorporated (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Black & Decker Incorporated (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Inventors: Murray, Christopher J., Sergyeyenko, Oleksiy P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bennett, G. Bradley
• Application Number:
  US13/230,971
• Publication Number:
  US 20120246949A1
• Time in Patent Office: 588 Days
• Field of Search: 333/47, 336/13, 336/45
• US Class Current: 33/347
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 47/00 Suction cups for attaching purposes; Equivalent means using adhesives devices using adhesives, suction or magnetism for hanging or supporting pictures or the like A47G1/17; vacuum work holders B25B11/005; anchoring of ships using suction B63B21/27; suction cups for handling glass B65G49/061; load-engaging elements for cranes using suction means B66C1/02
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 7/22 using hooks or like elements
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 9/02 Details
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 9/28 Mountings

Abstract

A tool assembly that includes a suction cup that is configured to be removably coupled to a vertical wall and a device for temporarily mounting an article to the suction cup at a desired mounting position and for indicating a position of a hanger on the vertical wall. The hanger is configured to be secured to the vertical wall to mount the article to the vertical wall.

Claims

1. A tool assembly comprising:

a suction cup that is configured to be removably coupled to a vertical wall; and

means for temporarily mounting an article to the suction cup at a desired mounting position and for indicating a position of a hanger on the vertical wall, the hanger being configured to be secured to the vertical wall to mount the article to the vertical wall.

2. The tool assembly of claim 1, wherein the temporary mounting and indicating means comprises a first hook.

3. The tool assembly of claim 2, wherein the first hook is suspended from the suction cup by a first link member.

4. The tool assembly of claim 3, wherein the first link member is selected from a group comprising wires, cables, cords and filaments.

5. The tool assembly of claim 3, wherein the temporary mounting and indicating means comprises a structure that is configured to indicate the position of the hanger.

6. The tool assembly of claim 5, wherein the structure is a ring.

7. The tool assembly of claim 5, wherein the structure is coupled to a second hook.

8. The tool assembly of claim 7, wherein the second hook is suspended from the suction cup by a second link member.

9. The tool assembly of claim 8, wherein the second link member is selected from a group comprising wires, cables, cords and filaments.

10. The tool assembly of claim 1, wherein the suction cup comprises a housing and a cup structure that is rotatably mounted to the housing.

11. The tool assembly of claim 1, further comprising a tool that is removably coupled to the suction cup.

12. The tool assembly of claim 11, wherein the tool comprises at least one of a level and a stud finder.

13. The tool assembly of claim 12, wherein the tool comprises a level frame that defines a first hollow channel, wherein the temporary mounting and indicating means comprises a first hook and a first link member that suspends the first hook from the suction cup and wherein the first link member and the first hook are stored in the first hollow channel when the tool is coupled to the suction cup.

14. The tool assembly of claim 13, wherein the level frame further defines a second hollow channel, wherein the temporary mounting and indicating means comprises a second hook and a second link member that suspends the first hook from the suction cup and wherein the second link member and the second hook are stored in the second hollow channel when the tool is coupled to the suction cup.

15. A tool assembly comprising:

a suction cup comprising a cup housing, and a cup member, the cup housing including a cup mount, the cup member being at least partly received in the cup housing;

a first link member coupled to the cup housing;

a first hook coupled to the first link member on a side opposite the cup housing; and

a tool with a mating cup mount and a first hollow channel, the mating cup mount removably receiving the cup mount to thereby couple the suction cup to the tool, the first link member and the first hook being received in the first hollow channel when the cup mount is received in the mating cup mount.

16. The tool assembly of claim 15, further comprising a ring coupled to the first hook.

17. The tool assembly of claim 15, further comprising a second link member coupled to the cup housing and a second hook coupled to the second link member on a side opposite the cup housing.

18. The tool assembly of claim 17, wherein the tool defines a second hollow channel into which the second link member and the second hook are received when the cup mount is received in the mating cup mount.

19. The tool assembly of claim 18, further comprising a ring coupled to the second hook.

20. The tool assembly of claim 18, wherein the cup mount comprises a pair of spaced apart arms and wherein each of the first and second link members is coupled to an associated one of the arms.

21. The tool assembly of claim 15, wherein the tool comprises at least one of a level and a hidden object detector.