Patent Application
20090020446
The present invention relates generally to hanging tool organizer devices, and in particular to fabric hanging tool organizer devices having a plurality of vertically arrayed pockets.
Hand tool storage trays and racks adapted to be hung up to a wall are generally well-known. However, useful hand tools are typically formed at least in part of heavy metals and dense synthetics such that known hanging storage devices are rigidly formed of plastic, wood or metal to avoid collapsing under the supported weight. Two examples are U.S. Pat. No. 5,730,303 “Hand Tool Rack” by Chow, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,743,416 “Tool Rack” by Yemini. Other hanging storage trays and racks for hand tool are sometimes made of lighter, less rigid materials and fabrics, but require combination with some external structure to support loads normally too heavy for the lightweight materials. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,773,535 “Portable Tool Case” by Cook generally teaches a portable tool case having two canvas panels hingedly attached together with each panel having a plurality tool holding pockets that must be supported along its entire length by being draped over a sawhorse, railing, etc., with a panel hanging on each side of the sawhorse for support. In another example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,450,337 “Ladder Pouch” by Campagna, et al. generally teaches a flexible tool pouch that is hung over one rung of a ladder for support and wraps around a next lower rung with a pair of belts that tie around the legs of the ladder frame for additional support. U.S. Pat. No. 5,174,447 “Implement Retainer” by Fleming generally teaches a flexible tool carrier having interior and exterior cylinders that are draped on both interior and exterior side walls of a cylindrical container, i.e., over the lip of a bucket, to support the weight of the tools.
Another example of hanging storage trays and racks formed of lighter, less rigid materials and fabrics that require combination with some external structure to support loads is taught by the inventors of the present invention in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/477,325 “Storage Bin Organizer,” filed on Jun. 28, 2006, which is incorporated herein by reference and generally teaches a fabric storage bin organizer formed with interconnected flexible inner and outer walls, a flexible floor and pockets formed on the interior surface of the inner wall with a flexible belt that interconnects the outer walls. The inner and outer walls are draped over the lip of a storage bin for support and the belt straps the outer walls around the outside of the storage bin.
Other hanging storage devices of lighter, less rigid materials and fabrics are also known for supporting heavy objects. However, these more flexible devices also require additional structure to avoid collapsing under the load. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,220,436 “Book Organizer” by Chung generally teaches a book organizer having a plurality of individual cloth bags stitched in series to a cloth panel reinforced with a flat metal sheet and a reinforced edge around its border with its hanging hole reinforced with a metal ring.
Yet other hanging storage trays and racks made of lighter, flexible materials and fabrics are adapted to hold lighter objects, such as clothing or shoes, but such flexible materials and fabrics still require additional structure to avoid collapsing even under these lighter loads. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,947,987 “Ready Access Hang-Up Storage And Retrieval Device For Articles Of Wear” by Keenan generally teaches it is known to use a conventional clothes hanger to suspend and support a fabric panel of horizontal pockets formed of large loops of fabric for storing articles of wear, such as sweaters, skirts, shorts, hosiery, shoes and the like, which are difficult, or impossible, to hang directly on a conventional hanger. U.S. Pat. No. 5,533,534 “Towel Shower Organizer” by Cariello, et al. generally teaches a shower accessory formed of a manufactured fabric bath towel having reinforcing strips along its top and bottom edges and a plurality of reinforced button holes laid out along the top reinforcing strip through which shower curtain rings are inserted to hang the device. In another example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,467,613 “Pocket Assembly For Multiple Shoe Rack Bag” by Felsenthal generally teaches a fabric multiple shoe rack bag that must be suspended by multiple hooks which extend through a plurality of holes in a top panel of textile fabric to avoid collapsing.
Thus, all known hanging storage trays and racks, especially those for heavy loads such as hand tools or books, require some support to avoid collapsing. Such known hanging devices are usually rigidly formed of plastic, wood or metal to avoid collapsing under the supported weight. If formed of a flexible material, known hanging storage trays and racks require additional reinforcement along its top hanging edge, either built-in or supplied externally, to avoid collapsing.
The present invention overcomes the limitations of the prior art of requiring hanging storage trays and racks to include either built-in or externally supplied reinforcement along its top hanging edge to avoid collapsing by providing a novel fabric hanging tool organizer structured to hang lengthwise on a vertical wall surface, the lengthwise extended fabric structure having a variety of fabric pockets and hangers spaced there along for storing a variety of household tools of various sizes and shapes. The lengthwise structure is bounded by a substantially non-stretchable fabric edging and mounted by a metal eyelet at its upper end. The pockets are similarly bounded by the substantially non-stretchable fabric edging, and the hangers are formed of the same material.
According to one aspect of the invention, a method is provided for storing tools employing the novel fabric hanging tool organizer illustrated and described herein.
Other aspects of the invention are detailed herein.
The foregoing aspects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will become more readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
In the Figures, like numerals indicate like elements.
As illustrated in
As further illustrated here, the fabric hangers 18, 20, 22, 24 and pockets 26, 28, 30 are oriented substantially crosswise the fabric backing strips 12, 12a, i.e., substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 40, 40a of the respective fabric strips 12, 12a. However, one or more of the fabric hangers 18, 20, 22, 24 and pockets 26, 28, 30 are optionally oriented at an angle to the longitudinal axis 40, 40a of the respective fabric strips 12, 12a, as illustrated and discussed herein.
The fabric edging 34 is a substantially continuous single unitary piece of the substantially non-stretchable fabric edging material sewn, glued or otherwise permanently joined to the peripheral borders 36, 36a of the fabric strips 12, 12a to form there around a substantially continuous band of the substantially non-stretchable fabric. The fabric edging 34 is, for example, folded around the peripheral borders 36, 36a of the fabric strips 12, 12a and attached, for example, by means of the glue or stitching 52 using appropriate thread such that opposite front and back flaps 54, 56 of the fabric edging 34 are sewn or otherwise attached to respective opposite front and back faces 12f, 12b of the fabric strips 12, 12a.
By example and without limitation, the fabric edging 34 is formed of a flexible yet substantially non-stretchable nylon, polyester, plastic, leather or fabric binding tape of a type generally commercially available.
Glue or stitching 64 or other attachment means is applied between the fabric strips 12, 12a and the strips 58 at intervals along the strips 58 to form small loops 18a, 18b, 18c, 18d of the fabric hanger 18.
One or more folds 70 formed in the flexible panel 68 increase the included pocket space 72. Peripheral portions 74 of the flexible panel 68 are tucked under the front flap 54 of the fabric 34 edging the peripheral borders 36, 36a of the fabric strips 12, 12a. The glue or stitching 52 that attach opposite front and back flaps 54, 56 of the fabric edging 34 to respective opposite front and back faces 12f, 12b of the fabric strips 12, 12a also secure the peripheral portions 74 of each flexible panel 68. Optionally, the peripheral portions 74 of each flexible panel 68 are wrapped around the peripheral borders 36, 36a of the fabric strips 12, 12a and sewn or otherwise attached under the back flap 56 of the fabric edging 34 as well as illustrated and discussed herein regarding the fabric hangers 18.
As illustrated and discussed herein above, the pockets 26, 28, 30 are substantially entirely bounded by the substantially non-stretchable fabric edging 34 with the first strip 34a, 34b, 34c attached along a respective lip 27, 29, 31 of each, and another strip 34d, 34e, 34f sealing a respective bottom edge closure 33, 35, 37 of each.
However, the sturdy and substantially non-stretch fabric of the fabric backing strips 12, 12a in combination with their relatively narrow width and boundary of substantially non-stretchable fabric edging 34 stitched along their respective entire peripheral borders 36, 36a permit the novel fabric tool organizers 10,10a to be suspended by the single device suspender 14. The utilization of flexible yet substantially non-stretchable nylon, polyester or other binding tape in forming the hangers 18, 20, 22, 24 permits the individual loops 18a-d, 20a-c, 22a-b, and 24a to support individual heavy hand tools without collapsing or even significant sagging. The utilization of sturdy and substantially non-stretch fabric in forming the pockets 26, 28, 30 as well as substantially entirely bounded each with the substantially non-stretchable fabric edging 34 permits the individual pockets 26, 28, 30 to also support individual heavy hand tools without collapsing or even significant sagging.
Here, by example and without limitation, the row of individual small loops 18a-d of the topmost hangers 18 are utilized to receive and store smaller narrow items A, B such as screw drivers each having a respective relatively elongated neck portion A1, B1 sized to fit into one of the small loops 18a-d and a respective handle or other larger portion A2, B2 sized to catch on the small loops 18a-d and prevent slipping there through. The row of individual medium loops 20a-c of the middle hangers 20 are utilized to receive and store medium items C, D such as pliers or wire snippers each having a respective relatively short nose portion C1, D1 sized to fit into one of the medium loops 20a-c and a respective handle or other larger portion C2, D2 sized to catch on the medium loops 20a-c and prevent slipping there through. Furthermore, the medium loops 20a-c are spaced a relatively large distance below the small loops 18a-d of the hanger 18 sufficient to avoid interference between the respective handle or other larger portion C2, D2 during storing and retrieval of the medium items C, D expected to be stored therein and the relatively long respective neck portion A1, B1 of the smaller narrow items A, B stored in the hangers 18.
The row of individual larger loops 22a-b of the bottommost hangers 22 are utilized to receive and store larger items E, F such as scissors and utility knife each having a respective relatively elongated nose portion E1, F1 sized to fit into one of the larger loops 22a-b and a respective handle or other larger portion E2, F2 sized to catch on the larger loops 22a-b and prevent slipping there through. Furthermore, the larger loops 22a-b are spaced sufficiently below the medium loops 20a-c of the hangers 20 to avoid interference between the respective handle or other larger portion E2, F2 of the larger items E, F and the respective neck portion C1, D1 of the medium items C, D stored in the hangers 20 during storing and retrieval of the medium items E, F.
The bottommost hangers 22 are positioned about one half as far below the middle hangers 20 as the middle hangers 20 are spaced below the topmost hangers 18. This lesser spacing is selected because the middle hangers 20 are expected to store items with nose portions C1, D1 shorter than the neck portions A1, B1 of the smaller narrow items A, B stored there above in the hangers 18.
The single-loop hanger 24 is positioned in the middle between the three upper rows of individual loops 18a-d, 20a-c, 22a-b formed by respective top, middle and bottommost hangers 18, 20, 22 and the top, middle and bottommost pockets 26, 28, 30. The single loop 24a of the hanger 24 is utilized to receive and store a single long-handled item G such as a ball or claw hammer (shown) having a large and heavy head portion G1 sized to fit into the single loop 24a and a respective relatively elongated handle portion G2 sized to catch on the single loop 24a and prevent slipping there through. Furthermore, the single loop 24a is spaced sufficiently below the larger loops 22a-b of the hangers 22 to avoid interference between the respective nose or other portion head portion G1 of the long-handled item G and the respective nose portion E1, F1 of the larger items E, F stored in the hanger 22 during storing and retrieval of the long-handled item G.
The single-loop hanger 24 is positioned about the same distance below the bottommost hangers 22 as the bottommost hangers 22 are positioned below the middle hangers 20. This lesser spacing is selected because the bottommost hangers 22 are expected to store items with nose portions E1, F1 shorter than the neck portions A1, B1 of the smaller narrow items A, B stored there above in the hangers 18, while the head portion G1 of the long-handled item G is expected to be relatively short by comparison.
The small single or double pockets 26a, 26b of the topmost pockets 26 are utilized to receive and store smaller bulk items M, N such as tape measures and pens/pencils each too bulky to be securely received in one of the fabric hangers 18, 20, 22 and 24 but sized small enough to fit into one of the small single or double pockets 26a, 26b. The strip 34d sealing the pocket's bottom edge closure 33 effectively prevents the bulk items M, N slipping there through. Furthermore, the small single or double pockets 26a, 26b are spaced sufficiently below the hanger 24 to avoid interference between the respective smaller bulk items M, N and the handle or other larger portion G2 of the long-handled item G stored in the hanger 24 during storing and retrieval of the smaller bulk items M, N. By example and without limitation, the lip opening 27 of the small single or double pockets 26a, 26b are spaced as much as twice as far or more below the hanger 24 as the hanger 24 is spaced below the hanger 22.
The medium single or double pockets 28a, 28b of the middle pockets 28 are utilized to receive and store medium items P, R such as small scales, levels or an assortment of fasteners each too bulky or inappropriately shaped to be securely received in one of the fabric hangers 18, 20, 22 and 24 but sized appropriately enough to fit into one of the small single or double pockets 28a, 28b. The strip 34e sealing the pocket's bottom edge closure 35 effectively prevents the medium items P, R slipping there through. Furthermore, the medium single or double pockets 28a, 28b are spaced sufficiently below the small topmost pockets 26 to avoid interference between the respective medium items P, R and utilization of the topmost pockets 26 during storing and retrieval of the medium items P, R.
The bottommost large single pocket 30 is utilized to receive and store larger and heavier bulk items S such as staplers and small chests of wrenches or socket sets each again too bulky to be securely received in one of the fabric hangers 18, 20, 22 and 24 and too large for the smaller and medium pockets 26, 28 but still sized small enough to fit into one large single pocket 30. The strip 34f sealing the pocket's bottom edge closure 37 effectively prevents the large, heavy bulk items S slipping there through. Furthermore, the bottommost large single pocket 30 is spaced sufficiently below the middle pockets 28 to avoid interference between the large, heavy bulk items S and utilization of the middle pockets 28 during storing and retrieval of the large, heavy bulk items S.
Furthermore, as discussed herein, edging the respective lip 27, 29, 31 of each of the pockets 26, 28, 30 with the first strip 34a, 34b, 34c of the substantially non-stretchable fabric edging 34 protects the respective lips 27, 29, 31 from wear and tear normally expected when inserting and retrieving sharp, heavy, bulk items such as hand tools from the pockets 26, 28, 30. The substantially non-stretchable edging strips 34a, 34b, 34c also resist sagging of the respective pocket lip 27, 29, 31 thereof. The flexible yet substantially non-stretchable material of the fabric strips 12, 12a and panels 68 help the pockets 26, 28, 30 to resist stretching under the expected heavy loads of hand tools stored therein.
In practice, the fabric hangers 18, 20, 22 and 24 may be utilized to store other items than those described, while the pockets 26, 28, 30 also may be utilized to store other than the described items, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Furthermore, described utilization may be of the respective fabric hangers 18, 20, 22, 24 and pockets 26, 28, 30 also may be redistributed without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention such that, for example, the hammer or other long-handled item G normally stored in the hanger 24 may be stored by its heavy head portion G1 in one of the pockets 26, 28, 30 with its handle or other larger portion G2 protruding therefrom beyond the respective lip 27, 29, 31 thereof
Here, an attachment means such as glue or stitching 86 is optionally applied between the fabric backing strips 12, 12a and the hanger 18 adjacent to the one or both end hanger loops 18a and 18d or 18e (if loop 18d is present) for securing the hanger 18 to the front face 12f of the backing strip 12, 12a.
Similarly, one or more of the fabric pockets 26, 28, 30 (pocket 26 shown) is optionally oriented at an angle to the respective flexible fabric backing strip 12, 12a. Accordingly, the respective lip portion 27, 29, 31 of each pockets 26, 28, 30 is similarly angularly oriented relative to the respective backing strip 12, 12a. Additional strips 34g, 34h are attached as by gluing or sewing (shown) to close side portions 88, 90 of each pockets 26, 28, 30 and secure the pockets 26, 28, 30 to the backing strip 12, 12a. Opposite ends of each strip are tucked under the front flap 54 of the fabric 34 edging the peripheral borders 36, 36a of the fabric strips 12, 12a, as illustrated and discussed herein.
While preferred and additional alternative embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described, it will be appreciated that various changes can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Therefore, it will be appreciated that various changes can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the inventor makes the following claims.
