Tool belt with spaced receiver blocks selectively receiving both complimentary tool holders and tools

• US 20040065709A1
• Filed: 10/07/2002
• Published: 04/08/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Eric Dillenberger
• Original Assignee: Eric Dillenberger
• Inventors: Dillenberger, Eric
• Granted Patent: US 6,848,605 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 224/682
• CPC Class Codes: A45F 2003/144 Pack-carrying waist or torso belts
• CPC Class Codes: A45F 2200/0566 Tubular, rod-shaped articles, e.g. batons
• CPC Class Codes: A45F 2200/0575 Portable tools
• CPC Class Codes: A45F 5/00 Holders or carriers for hand articles; Holders or carriers for use while travelling or camping
• CPC Class Codes: A45F 5/02 Fastening articles to the garment
• CPC Class Codes: A45F 5/021 to the belt
• CPC Class Codes: B25H 3/006 Storage means specially adapted for one specific hand apparatus, e.g. an electric drill
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 224/904 Tool holder carried by belt

Abstract

A tool belt mounts receiver blocks, preferably of at least two types, permanently along its length. Each receiver block releasibly receives and engages an attaching block of complimentary configuration, the two blocks serving as a two-portion connector. Each attaching block serves to attach, or is integral with, (i) one of any number of tool holders of diverse configurations, each of which tool holders serves to support an associated tool, and/or (ii) a tool itself. The belt is preferably made from web fabric, the receiver blocks and attaching blocks from strong molded plastic, and the tool holders from leather, steel and like materials contoured and adapted to engage and hold portable tools including hand tools.

Claims

1. An tool belt system comprising:

an elongate tool belt;

a multiplicity of connector first parts spaced, and permanently mounted, along the length of the elongate tool belt, each connector first part being suitable to receive and to removably engage a connector second part of complimentary configuration; and

a plurality of different tool holders each permanently affixed to a connector second part;

wherein a user/wearer of the tool belt may select numbers, types and locations of tool holders along the tool belt by act of selecting desired ones of the plurality of tool holders and attaching each via its affixed connector second part to a selected connector second part, mounted to the tool belt, at a desired location along the tool belt.

2. The tool belt system according to claim 1 wherein each of (i) the multiplicity of connector first parts mounted to the tool belt, and (ii) the connector second parts affixed to the tool holders, are related as interlocking tongue and groove connector parts.

3. The tool belt system according to claim 2 wherein each of multiplicity of connector first parts mounted to the tool belt comprises:

a groove connector part defining a channel that is substantially vertical when the tool belt is horizontal.

4. The tool belt system according to claim 3 wherein each of the connector second parts affixed to the tool holders comprises:

a tongue connector part defining a tongue that fits within the channel of the groove connector part in an orientation so as to permit the associated tool holder to hold an associated tool by force of gravity when the tool belt is horizontal.

5. The tool belt system according to claim 1 wherein each connector first part comprises:

a body having and defining a channel suitable to engage a complimentary tongue as a tongue-and-groove type connector; and

at least one rivet mounting the body to the tool belt.

6. The tool belt system according to claim 1 further comprising:

at least one connector first part directly affixed to a tool, with no intervening tool holder;

wherein the at least one connector first part can removably engage a connector first part upon the tool belt, holding the tool to the tool belt.

7. The tool belt system according to claim 1 wherein the multiplicity of connector first parts that are mounted to the tool belt slide lock to the connector second parts that are affixed to the tool holders.

8. The tool belt system according to claim 7 wherein at least one of the connector first parts that is mounted to the tool belt comprises:

a body defining a channel;

and wherein at least one connector second part that is affixed to a tool holder comprises;

a tongue, sliding within the channel of the at least one connector first parts, having an integral spring clip feature that, when slid within the channel sufficiently far, extends to as to lock the connector second part to the connector first part.

9. The tool belt system according to claim 8

wherein the channel of the at least one connector first part is substantially vertical when the tool belt is horizontal;

wherein tongue of the at least one connector second part holds a tool within the tool holder by force of gravity when oriented vertically; and

wherein the tongue of the at least one connector second part slides upwards into the groove of the at least one connector first part until, sufficient insertion having transpires, it extends under spring force, engaging the tool holder to the tool belt.

10. The tool belt system according to claim 9

wherein the integral spring clip feature of the at least one connector second part can be squeezed by the fingers against the spring force to permit the tongue of the connector second part to slide downward in the channel of the connector first part, disengaging the connector second part from the connector first part and thus disengaging the tool holder from the tool belt.

11. A tool belt system having:

an elongate tool belt;

a multiplicity of snap-lock connector first parts permanently located and affixed along the elongate tool belt, the first parts being generally lightweight and unsuitable to attach any tool or tool holder directly;

the first parts acting through

a selected plurality of snap-lock connector second parts as do each permanently affix and attach either a tool holder or a tool;

in order to, when each selected one of the plurality of snap-lock connector second parts is, at a location along the tool belt where desired, removably snap-locked to a selected associated one of the multiplicity of snap-lock connector first parts, then a tool holder or a tool becomes located and removably locked to the tool belt at a desired location;

wherein substitution of any of the types, locations, and numbers of tools and/or tool holders removably locked to the tool belt is a simple matter of un-snap-locking and removing and/or moving selected tools and/or tool holders, and snap-locking substitute tools and tool holders at desired positions along the elongate tool belt.

12. The tool belt system according to claim 11 wherein the snap-lock connector first parts comprise:

a first-part connector member defining a channel; and

wherein the snap-lock connector second parts comprise;

a second-part connector member defining a tongue complimentary to the first-part connector member'"'"'s channel for sliding within the channel of the first-part connector member; and

a snap lock for extending under spring force to lock the second-part connector member to the first-part connector member when the tongue of the second-part connector member is slid sufficiently far within the channel of the first-part connector member.

13. The tool belt system according to claim 12 wherein the first-art connector member comprises:

plastic;

and wherein the second-part connector member comprises;

plastic.

14. The tool belt system according to claim 13 wherein the snap lock comprises:

plastic.

15. The tool belt system according to claim 14 wherein the plastic second part connector member is integral in one piece with the plastic snap lock.