Wrench case

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11745329-B2
Application number	US-202117355931-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 23, 2021
Priority date	Jan 27, 2017
Publication date	Sep 5, 2023
Grant date	Sep 5, 2023

Abstract

A wrench case for a set of combination wrenches, where each wrench includes an open end, a closed end, and an elongate handle extending therebetween. The wrench case includes a handle, a post receiving the open end of each wrench, and a body including a front side and a back side. The front side supports the elongate handle of each wrench. The wrench case further includes a plurality of tabs spaced apart along the front side of the body. Between adjacent tabs is a gap that receives each wrench. The wrench case further includes a door pivotally coupled to the body between a closed position, in which the door is coupled adjacent the front side of the body to maintain each wrench against the body, and an open position, in which the door is coupled adjacent the back side of the body.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A wrench case for a set of combination wrenches, where each wrench in the set of combination wrenches includes an open end, a closed end, and an elongate handle extending between the open end and the closed end, the wrench case comprising:
a handle;
a post that receives the open end of each wrench;
a body including a front side and a back side opposite the front side, the front side supporting the elongate handle of each wrench;
a plurality of tabs disposed on and extending away from the front side of the body, the plurality of tabs defining gaps between adjacent tabs that receive each wrench; and
a door pivotally coupled to the body, the door pivotable relative to the body between a closed position and an open position, wherein the door is adjacent the front side of the body in the closed position, and wherein the door is adjacent to the back side of the body in the open position;
wherein the door includes a slot positioned to receive a first hook in the closed position, the first hook extending away from the front side of the body; and
wherein the slot is also positioned to receive a second hook in the open position, the second hook extending away from the back side of the body.

2. The wrench of claim 1 , wherein rotating one of the wrenches about the post creates a sufficient force on the door to elastically deform the first hook, causing the first hook to unlatch from the slot of the door.

3. The wrench case of claim 1 , wherein the handle includes a front side wall and back side wall, the front side wall extending away from the front side of the body in a generally perpendicular direction and the back side wall extending away from the back side of the body in a generally perpendicular direction, and wherein the front side wall and back side wall together define a channel.

4. The wrench case of claim 1 , wherein the post includes a plurality of stepped sections, wherein each stepped section has a shape.

5. The wrench case of claim 4 , wherein the shapes of each stepped section are circular.

6. The wrench case of claim 4 , wherein each stepped section has an outer dimension corresponding to a size of one of the open ends of one of the wrenches.

7. The wrench of claim 4 , wherein the body includes a plurality of steps corresponding to the plurality of stepped sections of the post and wherein the plurality of steps define different distances between the body and the stepped sections of the post.

8. The wrench of claim 7 , wherein the distance between the body and the stepped section of the post increases as the outer dimension of the stepped section of the post increases.

9. The wrench of claim 8 , wherein the distance is sized to receive a jaw of the open end of one of the wrenches.

10. The wrench of claim 7 , wherein the gaps between the tabs are disposed entirely on a corresponding step of the body, such that none of the gaps traverse from one step to an adjacent step of the body.

11. The wrench case of claim 1 , further including a hinge to pivotally coupling the door to the body.

12. The wrench case of claim 11 , wherein the hinge includes a first pivot and a second pivot spaced apart such that the second pivot is offset from the first pivot, wherein the door simultaneously rotates about the first pivot and the second pivot when pivoting between the closed position and the open position.

13. A wrench case for a set of combination wrenches, where each wrench in the set of combination wrenches includes an open end, a closed end, and an elongate handle extending between the open end and the closed end, the wrench case comprising:
a handle;
a post;
a body including a front side and a back side opposite the front side;
a door coupled to the body, the door movable relative to the body between a closed position and an open position, wherein the door is adjacent the front side of the body in the closed position, and wherein the door is adjacent to the back side of the body in the open position; and
a latch structure extending from the body, wherein the latch structure is positioned to engage the door to maintain the door in the closed position, wherein the latch structure is a first hook extending away from the front side of the body, and further comprising a second hook extending away from the back side of the body, wherein the door is coupled to the first hook when the door is in the closed position, and wherein the door is coupled to the second hook when the door is in the open position;
wherein the door releases from the latch structure while pivoting from the closed position toward the open position in response to rotation of one of the wrenches about the post; and
wherein the door includes a slot positioned to receive the first hook in the closed position and positioned to receive the second hook in the open position.

14. The wrench case of claim 13 , wherein the door is held in the open position until a sufficient force is exerted on the door to elastically deform the second hook, causing the second hook to unseat from the slot of the door.

15. The wrench case of claim 13 , further including a hinge, the hinge including a first pivot and a second pivot that is parallel and offset to the first pivot, wherein the door simultaneously rotates about the first pivot and the second pivot when pivoting between the closed position and the open position.

16. The wrench case of claim 13 , the body further including indicia to specify a position along the post each corresponding wrench is sized to fit.

17. A wrench case for a set of combination wrenches, where each wrench in the set of combination wrenches includes an open end, a closed end, and an elongate handle extending between the open end and the closed end, the wrench case comprising:
a handle;
a post that receives the open end of each wrench;
a body including a front side and a back side opposite the front side, the front side supporting the elongate handle of each wrench;
a plurality of tabs disposed on and extending away from the front side of the body, the plurality of tabs defining gaps between adjacent tabs that receive each wrench; and
a door pivotally coupled to the body, the door pivotable relative to the body between a closed position and an open position, wherein the door is adjacent the front side of the body in the closed position, and wherein the door is adjacent to the back side of the body in the open position, wherein the door has a thickness less than a diameter of the elongated handle of each wrench;
a first hook extending away from the front side of the body;
a second hook extending away from the back side of the body; and
a slot that extends through the thickness of the door such that the slot receives the first hook in the closed position and receives the second hook in the open position.

18. The wrench case of claim 17 , further comprising a hinge pivotally coupling the door to the body, the hinge including a first pivot and a second pivot that is parallel to and offset from the first pivot, each pivot defining a pivot axis, wherein the door includes a height dimension parallel to the pivot axes that is less than a length of the elongated handle of each wrench.

Assignees

• Milwaukee Electric Tool Corp

Inventors

• Hyma Steven W
• Debaker Joseph M
• Hangartner Scott M

Classifications

• B25H3/022 Primary

  in fixed relationship · CPC title

• B25H3/023 Primary

  movable relative to one another for access to their interiors · CPC title

• B25B13/56

  Spanner sets · CPC title

• B25H3/00

  Storage means or arrangements for workshops facilitating access to, or handling of, work tools or instruments (containers or packages with special means for dispensing contents B65D83/00; {nail dispensers B25C3/00}) · CPC title

• B25H3/006

  Storage means specially adapted for one specific hand apparatus, e.g. an electric drill · CPC title