US20040238466A1

US20040238466A1 - Magnetic tool holder

Info

Publication number: US20040238466A1
Application number: US10/452,995
Authority: US
Inventors: Hsuan-Sen Shiao
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2003-06-02
Filing date: 2003-06-02
Publication date: 2004-12-02

Abstract

A magnetic tool holder includes two spaced-apart positioning seats, each of which has two opposite first and second faces, two lateral sides interconnecting the faces, two positioning slots that open respectively at the lateral sides, and a screw hole extending from the second face to the first face, an elongate magnetic frame unit including at least one bar with two opposite ends inserted fittingly into one of the positioning slots in a corresponding positioning seat and a magnet unit mounted fixedly on the bar, and a plurality of fastening units extending respectively into the screw holes in the positioning seats to fasten fixedly the positioning seats on an object.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a magnetic tool holder, more particularly to a magnetic tool holder that can magnetically position metallic tools and the like.

2. Description of the Related Art

Referring to FIG. 1, a conventional magnetic tool holder includes a

main body

1 and a magnet 2 disposed fixedly inside the main body 1. The main body 1 includes a base plate 101 connected fixedly to a support, such as a wall, by means of screws (not shown), and a housing seat 102 that projects integrally from the base plate 101 and that confines a receiving slot 103 for receiving fixedly the magnet 2 therein.

Although the conventional magnetic tool holder can achieve its intended purpose, since the length of the magnetic tool holder is limited, when the number of tools to be held exceeds that which a single tool holder could accommodate, an additional magnetic tool holder has to be nailed or screwed on the support, thereby rendering the conventional magnetic tool holder inconvenient to use.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a magnetic tool holder which facilitates adjustment in the total length thereof so as to overcome the aforementioned drawback of the prior art.

According to the present invention, a magnetic tool holder is mountable on a support, and comprises at least two spaced-apart positioning seats, an elongate magnetic frame unit, and a plurality of fastening units. Each of the positioning seats has a first face adapted to be mounted fixedly on an object, a second face opposite to the first face, two lateral sides interconnecting the first and second faces, two positioning slots which are formed in the positioning seats and which open respectively at the lateral sides, and a screw hole extending from the second face to the first face. The elongate magnetic frame unit includes at least one bar disposed between the positioning seats, and a magnet unit mounted fixedly on the bar. The bar has two opposite ends, each of which is inserted fittingly into one of the positioning slots in a respective one of the positioning seats. The fastening units extend respectively through the screw holes in the positioning seats.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which: [0008]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional magnetic tool holder; [0009]
FIG. 2 is a fragmentary exploded perspective view of the first preferred embodiment of a magnetic tool holder according to the present invention; [0010]
FIG. 3 is an assembled sectional view showing the first preferred embodiment when mounted on a wall; [0011]
FIG. 4 is a schematic view of the first preferred embodiment; [0012]
FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the second preferred embodiment of a magnetic tool holder according to the present invention; and [0013]
FIG. 6 is a schematic view of the second preferred embodiment.[0014]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Before the present invention is described in greater detail, it should be noted that like elements are denoted by the same reference numerals throughout the disclosure. [0015]
Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the first preferred embodiment of a magnetic tool holder according to the present invention is adapted to be mounted on a [0016] surface 110 of an object, such as a wall 100, and is shown to comprise two spaced-apart positioning seats 10, an elongate magnetic frame unit 20, and a plurality of fastening units 60.
Each of the [0017] positioning seats 10 has a first rectangular face 11 adapted to be mounted fixedly on the surface 110 of the wall 100, a second curved face 12 opposite to the first face 11, two lateral sides 13 interconnecting the first and second faces 11, 12, two positioning slots 131 which are formed in the positioning seats 10 and which open respectively at the lateral sides 13, a first screw hole 14 extending from the second face 12 to the first face 11 and intersecting one of the positioning slots 131, and a second screw hole 16 extending from the second face 12 to the first face 11 and intersecting the other one of the positioning slots 131.
The elongate [0018] magnetic frame unit 20 includes a bar 30 disposed between the positioning seats 10, a magnet unit mounted fixedly on the bar 30, and a cover plate 50. The bar 30 is made of a conductive metal material, and has two opposite ends 311, each of which is inserted fittingly into one of the positioning slots 131 in a respective one of the positioning seats 10, and two through holes 312 formed respectively in the opposite ends 311. The bar 30 has a U-shaped cross section, and confines a channel 33 to receive the magnet unit. Each of the positioning slots 131 has a cross-section substantially corresponding to the bar 30 so as to receive snugly one of the ends 311 of the bar 30. The magnet unit includes a plurality of magnets 40 mounted fixedly in the channel 33 in the bar 30. Each of the magnets 40 has an inner surface adhered to the bar 30 by means of an adhesive, and an outer surface that is flush with edge faces of two opposite flaps 32 of the bar 30. The cover plate 50 is made of a thin plastic material, and is used to cover the channel 33 in the bar 30. The cover plate 50 is directly secured to the bar 30 and the magnets 40 by means of an adhesive so as to fix the magnets 40 in the channel 33. The cover plate 50 has an outer surface provided with indication marks 51, such as printed pictures, trademarks, or letters, for indicating positions of the tools which are to be retained to the magnetic frame unit 20.
Each of the [0019] fastening units 60 extends through a respective one of the first and second screw holes 14, 16 in the positioning seats 10 and a respective one of the through holes 312 in the bar 30 to fasten fixedly the positioning seats 10 and the magnetic frame unit 20 on the wall 100.
Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, during assembly, each [0020] end 311 of the bar 30 is inserted fittingly into one of the positioning slots 131 in the corresponding positioning seat 10. Each through hole 312 in the bar 30 is aligned with the first screw hole 14 in the corresponding positioning seat 10 at this time. Two fastening units 60 are then passed through the respective first screw holes 14 and the respective through holes 312, and penetrate into the wall 100 so that the positioning seats 10 are fixed stably on the wall 100. Because of the fastening units 60, the magnetic frame unit 20 is also stably connected to the positioning seats 10 at the same time.
From the above description of the first preferred embodiment of the magnetic tool holder of the present invention, it is apparent that the [0021] positioning seats 10 are fixed on the surface 110 of the wall 100 by means of the fastening units 60, and the magnetic frame unit 20, aside from being positioned through insertion of the two ends 311 of the bar 30 into the positioning slots 131 in the respective positioning seats 10, is secured to the positioning seats 10 by means of the fastening units 60 which extend through the screw holes 14, 16 and the through holes 312, thereby strengthening the structure of the magnetic tool holder of the present invention as a whole. Furthermore, with the presence of the magnets 40 in the magnetic frame unit 20, tools, such as pincers, wrench, pliers, screwdrivers, keys, knives, scissors, etc., can be magnetically attached to the magnetic tool holder of the present invention. Moreover, due to the indication marks 51 on the cover plate 50, it is easy for the user to identify the positions of the tools retained on the magnetic tool holder.
When the length of the magnetic tool holder of the present invention is not sufficient to accommodate a larger number of the tools, additional [0022] magnetic frame units 20 and positioning seats 10 can be used to extend the length of the magnetic tool holder of the present invention. Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, the second preferred embodiment of a magnetic tool holder according to the present invention is shown to include three positioning seats, and a pair of the elongate magnetic frame units 20. The three positioning seats include two outer positioning seats 10′, and an intermediate positioning seat 10″ disposed between the outer positioning seats 10′. The frame units 20 are disposed between the outer positioning seats 10′, and are connected respectively to the positioning slots 131″ in the intermediate positioning seat 10″.
Thus, the magnetic tool holder of the present invention is not only convenient to use, but is also easy to assemble. [0023]
It should be noted that, in this embodiment, the [0024] fastening units 60 pass through the positioning seats 10 and the magnetic frame unit 20 simultaneously. Alternatively, the fastening units 60 may pass through the positioning seats without passing through the magnetic frame unit 20, and the magnetic frame unit 20 may be positioned on the positioning seats by inserting fittingly the two ends 311 of the bar 30 into the corresponding positioning slots in the positioning seats.
While the present invention has been described in connection with what is considered the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is understood that this invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments but is intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent arrangements. [0025]

Claims

I claim:

1. A magnetic tool holder mountable on a support, comprising:

at least two spaced-apart positioning seats, each of which has a first face adapted to be mounted fixedly on an object, a second face opposite to said first face, two lateral sides interconnecting said first and second faces, two positioning slots which are formed in said positioning seats and which open respectively at said lateral sides, and a first screw hole extending from said second face to said first face;

an elongate magnetic frame unit including at least one bar disposed between said positioning seats, and a magnet unit mounted fixedly on said bar, said bar having two opposite ends, each of which is inserted fittingly into one of said positioning slots in a respective one of said positioning seats; and

a plurality of fastening units extending respectively through said first screw holes in said positioning seats.

2. The magnetic tool holder as claimed in claim 1, wherein said bar has a U-shaped cross section and confines a channel to receive said magnet unit, each of said positioning slots having a cross-section substantially corresponding to said bar so as to receive snugly one of said ends of said bar.

3. The magnetic tool holder as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first screw hole intersects one of said positioning slots.

4. The magnetic tool holder as claimed in claim 3, wherein each of said positioning seats further has a second screw hole extending from said second face to said first face and intersecting the other one of said positioning slots.

5. The magnetic tool holder as claimed in claim 4, wherein said bar has two through holes, each of said fastening units extending through a respective one of said first and second screw holes and a respective one of said through holes.

6. The magnetic tool holder as claimed in claim 1, wherein said magnet unit includes a plurality of magnets mounted fixedly on said bar.

7. The magnetic tool holder as claimed in claim 2, further comprising a cover plate to cover said channel, said cover plate being secured to said magnet unit and said bar.

8. The magnetic tool holder as claimed in claim 7, wherein said cover plate has an outer surface provided with an indication mark.

9. The magnetic tool holder as claimed in claim 1, wherein the number of said positioning seats is at least three, said three positioning seats including two outer positioning seats and an intermediate positioning seat disposed between said outer positioning seats, said frame unit including at least a pair of said bars both of which are disposed between said outer positioning seats and both of which are connected respectively to said positioning slots in said intermediate positioning seat.