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

• US 6,848,605 B2
• Filed: 10/07/2002
• Issued: 02/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Eric Dillenberger
• Original Assignee: Eric Dillenberger
• Inventors: Dillenberger, Eric
• Primary Examiner(s): Cronin, Stephen K.
• Application Number:
  US10/267,948
• Publication Number:
  US 20040065709A1
• Time in Patent Office: 848 Days
• Field of Search: 224/195, 224/197, 224/660, 224/663, 224/666, 224/667, 224/668, 224/669, 224/670, 224/682, 224/242, 224/271, 224/272, 224/904
• US Class Current: 224/670
• 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, each connector first part having a substantially vertical channel when the elongate tool belt is worn substantially horizontal; and

a plurality of different tool holders each permanently affixed to a connector second part, each connector second part having a tongue part sliding within the channel which tongue part has an integral spring clip feature that, when the tongue part is slid upwards within the channel sufficiently far, extends so as to lock the connector second part to the connector first 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; and

wherein the tongue part of the connector second fits within the channel of the connector first part in an orientation so as to permit the tool holder affixed to the connector second part to hold an associated tool by force of gravity when the tool belt is horizontal, and later, by manual release of the integral spring clip feature, permit the tool holder and the associated tool to exit downwards from the connector first part and to become released downwards from the tool belt.

2. 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;

wherein the tool is picked up by the tool belt from a position atop the tool, and the tool is subsequently released downwards from the tool belt.

3. The tool belt system according to claim 1

wherein the integral spring clip feature of the connector second part slides upwards into the groove of the at least one connector first part until, sufficient insertion having transpired, it extends under spring force, engaging the tool holder to the tool belt where, at a later time, it may be released under force of the fingers, loosing the connector second pant and the integral tool holder from the connector first part.

4. The tool belt system according to claim 1

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.

5. A tool belt system having:

an elongate tool belt;

a multiplicity of snap-lock connector first part 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, each first part defining a channel;

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, each second-part connector member both (1) defining a tongue complimentary to the first-part connector member'"'"'s channel for sliding within the channel of the first-part connector member, and (2) having 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 upwards sufficiently far within the channel of the first-part connector member;

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 tool holders removably locked to the tool belt is a simple matter of un-snap-locking and removing and/or moving selected tools and tool holders, and snap-locking substitute tools and tool holders at desired positions along the elongate tool belt;

wherein a second-part connector member permanently affixing and attaching either a tool holder or a tool is slid upwards within the channel of the first-part connector member until the second-part connector member becomes removably snap-locked to the first-part connector member, and thereafter manual release of the snap lock against the spring force is necessary to permit the second-part connector member and its affixed and attached tool holder or tool to slide downwards in and from the channel of the first-part connector member, and to detach from the elongate tool belt;

wherein the tool holders and tools with their attached and affixed second-part connector members both connect to, and disconnect from, the first-part connector members, and the tool belt, from the underside of the tool belt.

6. The tool belt system according to claim 5 wherein the first-art connector member comprises:

plastic;

and wherein the second-part connector member comprises;

plastic.

7. The tool belt system according to claim 6 wherein the snap lock comprises:

plastic.

8. The tool belt system according to claim 7 wherein the plastic second part connector member is integral in one piece with the plastic snap lock.