US20020117947A1

US20020117947A1 - Toolbox module

Info

Publication number: US20020117947A1
Application number: US09/790,595
Authority: US
Inventors: Chun-Jung Cheng
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2001-02-23
Filing date: 2001-02-23
Publication date: 2002-08-29

Abstract

A toolbox module comprises a housing and a box received in the housing. The housing includes a number of holes in an upper side thereof and a corresponding number of protrusions on an underside thereof for engaging with the holes of another toolbox module. The housing includes at least one hanging hole in a rear side thereof. The housing may further include a vertical dovetail groove and a vertical dovetail column on the rear side thereof. The housing includes two opposite lateral outer surfaces. A vertical dovetail groove is defined in one of the lateral outer surfaces of the housing and a dovetail column is formed on another lateral outer surface of the housing.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a toolbox module that can be releasably engaged with another toolbox module.

2. Description of the Related Art

Tools, such as screwdrivers, socket wrenches, hex wrenches, etc., are often used in daily life for detachment and assembly when simple maintenance of household equipment is required. Professional mechanics, such as car mechanics, electronic mechanics, mechanical mechanics, home-service maintenance mechanics, etc., must prepare hand tools and parts of all specifications that vary largely from one another in shapes and sizes. It is a problem for these mechanics to place and carry the hand tools and parts in currently available toolboxes that have a limited space for the hand tools and parts. In addition, it is inconvenient to the user who just wants to carry hand tools and/or parts of the same sizes.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is the primary object of the present invention to provide a toolbox module that can be releasably engaged with another toolbox module, thereby allowing easy management of all kinds of hand tools and parts.

A toolbox module in accordance with the present invention comprises a housing and a box received in the housing, the housing including means for releasably engaging with the means of another said toolbox module.

The housing of the toolbox module includes a plurality of holes in an upper side thereof and a corresponding number of protrusions on an underside thereof for engaging with the holes of another toolbox module. The housing of the toolbox module includes at least one hanging hole in a rear side thereof.

The housing of the toolbox module may further include a vertical dovetail groove and a vertical dovetail column on the rear side thereof. The housing of the toolbox module includes two opposite lateral outer surfaces. A vertical dovetail groove is defined in one of the lateral outer surfaces of the housing and a dovetail column is formed on another lateral outer surface of the housing.

The housing of the toolbox module includes two lateral inner surfaces, each lateral inner surface including a positioning groove and a track formed thereon. The box of the toolbox module includes two opposite lateral outer surfaces each having a first peg and a second peg located above the first peg. Each first peg is pivotally received in an associated positioning groove. Each second peg is slidably guided in an associated track. The track is in the form of an arcuate guide rib. In addition, a second guide rib is formed on each lateral inner surface for guiding an associated first peg into the associated positioning groove.

Other objects, advantages, and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a toolbox module in accordance with the present invention. [0011]
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the toolbox module in accordance with the present invention in an open state. [0012]
FIG. 3A is a sectional view of the toolbox module in accordance with the present invention in a closed state. [0013]
FIG. 3B is a sectional view similar to FIG. 3A, wherein the toolbox module is in an open state. [0014]
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a plurality of stacked toolbox modules. [0015]
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a plurality of toolbox modules that are stacked in another way. [0016]
FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a plurality of toolbox modules that are stacked in a further different way. [0017]
FIG. 7 is a perspective view illustrating hanging of the toolbox module.[0018]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a toolbox module in accordance with the present invention generally includes a housing [0019] 10 (substantially in the form of a parallelepiped) having a first engaging means 11 on an upper side thereof and a second engaging means on an underside thereof. In this embodiment, the first engaging means 11 includes a plurality of holes 111 and the second engaging means includes a corresponding number of protrusions 112 for releasably engaging with the holes 111. Thus, a toolbox module may be superimposed on top of another toolbox module.
The [0020] housing 10 includes a compartment 14 that has an opening in a front side of the housing 10. The housing 10 may further include a third engaging means 12 on a rear side thereof. In this embodiment, the third engaging mans 12 includes a vertical dovetail groove 121 and a vertical dovetail column 122 formed on the rear side of the housing 10. Thus, a toolbox module may be engaged with another toolbox module with the openings of the two toolboxes facing away from each other.
The [0021] housing 10 may further include a fourth engaging means on both opposite lateral outer surfaces thereof. In this embodiment, a vertical dovetail groove 123 is defined in one of the lateral outer surfaces of the housing 10 and a dovetail column 124 is formed on the other lateral outer surface of the housing 10. Thus, a toolbox module may be engaged with another toolbox module side by side.
The [0022] housing 10 further includes a positioning groove 151, a first track 153, and a second track 152 formed on each lateral inner surface. The positioning groove 151 is defined by a substantially U-shape member 154 that has an upwardly facing opening (not labeled). The first track 153 is formed by an arcuate guide rib 153 located above the U-shape member 154. The second track 152 is formed by a guide rib having a lower end connected with a limb (not labeled) of the U-shape member 154.
The toolbox module in accordance with the present invention further includes a [0023] box 20 that is received in the compartment 14 of the housing 10. The box 20 includes two opposite lateral outer surfaces 27 each having a first peg 24 and a second peg 25 located above the first peg 24.
In assembly of the toolbox module, the [0024] box 20 is inserted into the compartment 14 of the housing 10 at an inclined angle with respect to the housing 10 until each first peg 24 abutting an upper side of an associated second guide rib 152. The box 20 is then moved downward with the first pegs 24 being guided by the second guide ribs 152 into the positioning grooves 151. Each second peg 25 rests on an upper side of an associated first guide rib 153 when the respective first peg 24 is pivotally engaged in the respective positioning groove 151. Thus, the box 20 may be pivoted from a closed state shown in FIG. 3A to an open state shown in FIG. 3B. This allows the user to put hand tools and/or parts into the box 20 or retrieve the hand tools and/or parts from the box 20. The box 20 includes a grasp portion 26 to allow easy grasp for opening and closing. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the box 20 includes a compartment 21 that is separated into a plurality of partitions by partitioning plates 23 received in spaced vertical slots 22 in the box 20.
FIG. 4 illustrates stacking of the toolboxes in accordance with the present invention, wherein the toolbox modules are engaged with one another by means of engaging the [0025] vertical dovetails groove 123 of a toolbox module at the right with the vertical dovetail column 124 of a toolbox module at the left and by means of engaging the protrusions 112 of an upper toolbox module with the holes 111 of a lower toolbox module.
FIG. 5 illustrates stacking of the toolboxes in accordance with the present invention, wherein the toolbox modules, in addition, to the engaging style shown in FIG. 4, are engaged with one another by means of engaging the [0026] vertical dovetail groove 121 and the vertical dovetail column 122 of a toolbox module with the vertical dovetail column 122 and the dovetail groove 121 of another toolbox module.
FIG. 6 illustrates stacking of the toolbox modules in accordance with the present invention in a different style using the above three mutual engaging methods and a further engaging style in which a toolbox module is engaged with the lateral outer surfaces of two engaged toolbox module. [0027]
Thus, the toolbox modules in accordance with the present invention can be engaged with one another at the user's discretion. The hand tools and/or parts can be stored in the toolbox modules according to the sizes, types, etc. The user may, of course, put labels on the toolbox modules to have a good management. [0028]
Referring to FIG. 7, the user may hang the toolbox module onto a holed structure by [0029] hooks 30 that are engaged with the hanging holes 13 of the toolbox module.
Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed. [0030]

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A toolbox module comprising a housing and a box received in the housing, the housing including means for releasably engaging with the means of another said toolbox module.

2. The toolbox module as claimed in claim 1, wherein the housing of the toolbox module includes a plurality of holes in an upper side thereof and a corresponding number of protrusions on an underside thereof for engaging with the holes of another said toolbox module.

3. The toolbox module as claimed in claim 2, wherein the housing of the toolbox module includes at least one hanging hole in a rear side thereof.

4. The toolbox module as claimed in claim 1, wherein the housing of the toolbox module includes a vertical dovetail groove and a vertical dovetail column on a rear side thereof.

5. The toolbox module as claimed in claim 4, wherein the rear side of the housing of the toolbox module includes at least one hanging hole.

6. The toolbox module as claimed in claim 2, wherein the housing of the toolbox module includes a vertical dovetail groove and a vertical dovetail column on a rear side thereof.

7. The toolbox module as claimed in claim 6, wherein the rear side of the housing of the toolbox module includes at least one hanging hole.

8. The toolbox module as claimed in claim 1, wherein the housing of the toolbox module includes two opposite lateral outer surfaces, a vertical dovetail groove being defined in one of the lateral outer surfaces of the housing, a dovetail column being formed on another lateral outer surface of the housing.

9. The toolbox module as claimed in claim 8, wherein the housing of the toolbox module includes at least one hanging hole in a rear side thereof.

10. The toolbox module as claimed in claim 8, wherein the housing of the toolbox module includes a plurality of holes in an upper side thereof and a corresponding number of protrusions on an underside thereof for engaging with the holes of another said toolbox module.

11. The toolbox module as claimed in claim 10, wherein the housing of the toolbox module includes at least one hanging hole in a rear side thereof.

12. The toolbox module as claimed in claim 8, wherein the housing of the toolbox module includes a further vertical dovetail groove and a further vertical dovetail column on a rear side thereof.

13. The toolbox module as claimed in claim 12, wherein the rear side of the housing of the toolbox module includes at least one hanging hole.

14. The toolbox module as claimed in claim 1, wherein the housing of the toolbox module includes two lateral inner surfaces, each said lateral inner surface including a positioning groove and a track formed thereon, the box of the toolbox module including two opposite lateral outer surfaces each having a first peg and a second peg located above the first peg, each said first peg being pivotally received in an associated said positioning groove, each said second peg being slidably guided in an associated said track.

15. The toolbox module as claimed in claim 14, wherein the track is in the form of an arcuate guide rib.

16. The toolbox module as claimed in claim 15, further comprising a second guide rib on each said lateral inner surface for guiding an associated said first peg into the associated positioning groove.

17. The toolbox module as claimed in claim 2, wherein the housing of the toolbox module includes two lateral inner surfaces, each said lateral inner surface including a positioning groove and a track formed thereon, the box of the toolbox module including two opposite lateral outer surfaces each having a first peg and a second peg located above the first peg, each said first peg being pivotally received in an associated said positioning groove, each said second peg being slidably guided in an associated said track.

18. The toolbox module as claimed in claim 17, wherein the track is in the form of an arcuate guide rib.

19 The toolbox module as claimed in claim 18 further comprising a second guide rib formed on each said lateral inner surface for guiding an associated said first peg into the associated positioning groove.

20. The toolbox module as claimed in claim 4 wherein the housing of the toolbox module includes two lateral inner surfaces, each said lateral inner surface including a positioning groove and a track formed thereon, the box of the toolbox module including two opposite lateral outer surfaces each having a first peg and a second peg located above the first peg, each said first peg being pivotally received in an associated said positioning groove, each said second peg being slidably guided in an associated said track.