Patent Application
20130118314
The subject matter disclosed herein relates to a holder for fasteners, and in particular to a holder for holding nails while shielding the users fingers from being struck by a hammer.
Fasteners, such as nails for example, are commonly used to join material together. To join the materials, such as wood structures for example, together, the user may use a nail that is driven by a hammer from the first structure into the second structure. The compression of the material in the structures creates high frictional forces on the nail. These frictional forces hold the two structures together.
When a nail is initially installed, the user will hold the nail in the desired location and hit the “head” end with a hammer. This action initiates the driving of the nail into the first structure. Once the nail is inserted in a short distance, the compressive forces on the nail hold the nail in place without the aid of the users fingers. It should be appreciated that while this technique allows nails to be quickly inserted into the structure, it does expose the users fingers to being hit by the hammer if the user does not correctly strike the nail head.
Accordingly, while existing techniques for installing fasteners into a structure are suitable for their intended purposes, the need for improvement remains particularly in providing a device that shields the users fingers during the initial installation of the fastener.
According to one aspect of the invention, a holder for fasteners is provided. The holder includes a first body having a first portion and a second portion, the second portion extending from one end of the first portion. A second body is rotationally coupled to the first body, the second body having a third portion arranged adjacent the first portion and fourth portion, the fourth portion extending from one end of the third portion adjacent the second portion, the first portion and the third portion defining a gap. A magnetic member is coupled to the first body adjacent the second body.
According to another aspect of the invention, a holder for fasteners is provided. The holder includes a first body having a first portion and a second portion, the second portion extending from one end of the first portion. A second body is movably coupled to the first body, the second body having a third portion arranged adjacent the first portion and fourth portion, the fourth portion extending from one end of the third portion adjacent the second portion, the first portion and the third portion defining a gap. Wherein the first portion and the second portion define a first area opposite the gap and the third portion and the fourth portion define a second area opposite the gap, wherein the first area and the second area are each sized to receive a finger.
These and other advantages and features will become more apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the drawings.
The subject matter, which is regarded as the invention, is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the claims at the conclusion of the specification. The foregoing and other features, and advantages of the invention are apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
The detailed description explains embodiments of the invention, together with advantages and features, by way of example with reference to the drawings.
Embodiments of the present invention provide for a holder that securely holds a fastener during the initial installation of the fastener into a structure. Embodiments of the present invention provide advantages in reducing the risk of the nail buckling. Embodiments of the present invention provide advantages in shielding the uses fingers while the fastener is installed. Embodiments provide advantages in allowing the fastener to be magnetically coupled to the holder. Embodiments of the invention provide a top surface arranged on an angle to allow the holder to be easily removed once the fastener has been initially inserted. Embodiments of the invention provide a holder that includes multiple slots that are sized to accept different size fasteners within the same holder.
Referring now to
The first body 22 includes a first portion 28 and a second portion 34 having an outer surface 30 and an inner surface 32. On one end, the first body 22 includes a surface 36 that is disposed on an angle relative to the second portion 34. As will be discussed in more detail herein, the angled surface 36 provides advantages in allowing the fastener 40 (
The inner surface may include one or more slots 42, 44, 46 that are sized to cooperate with corresponding slots in the second body 24 such that they are sized for holding a fastener during installation. In the exemplary embodiment, the slots are disposed on an angle relative to the second portion 34 and substantially perpendicular to a bottom surface 50. This arrangement provides advantages in that the angle allows the use to hold the holder 20 at a more natural angle during installation and facilitates the removal of the holder 20 once the fastener 40 has been driven into the structure.
The first body 22 may also have one or more magnetic members 52 disposed adjacent the inner surface 32. In one embodiment, magnetic member 52 may be a thin strip of magnetic material that is disposed on the inner surface 32. In another embodiment, the magnetic member 52 may be a thin strip of material disposed in the slots 42, 44, 46. In yet another embodiment, the magnetic member 52 may be embedded in the first body 22 adjacent each of the slots 42, 44, 46.
The second body 24 is substantially a mirror image of the first body 22. The second body 24 has a third portion 54, a fourth portion 56, an outer surface 58 and an inner surface 60. One or more slots 62, 64, 66 are disposed on the inner surface 60 and are arranged adjacent the corresponding slots 42, 44, 46 on the first body 22. In one embodiment, the slots 42, 62 are sized to receive a 10d nail and the slots 46, 66 are sized to receive a finish nail. A second member 68 may be arranged on the outer surface 58 to assist the user in holding onto the holder 20. The second body 24 may also include one or more magnetic member 70 disposed adjacent the inner surface 60. The first body 22 and second body 24 define a gap between the inner surfaces 32, 60 that are sized to receive the fastener 40 when in the closed position.
In one embodiment, the slots 44, 64 are positioned to be a distance 61 that is 1.2 inches (30.5 millimeters) from the bottom surface 50. In this embodiment, the surfaces 70, 72 form a substantially circular shape having a diameter of 2 inches (50.8 millimeters). In yet another embodiment, the diameter of the shape formed by the surfaces 70, 72 is sized to allow the holder 20 to be rotated on its side such that the edge of the second portion 34 and the bottom surface 50 are both on the work surface to allow toe-nailing of the fastener.
During use, the user inserts their fingers into one or both of the members 48. The user then inserts fastener 40, such as a nail for example, into the gap between the inner surfaces 32, 60. The fastener 40 is retained by the magnetic members 52, 70 in position without the user having to squeeze the holder 20 as the user orients their hand to the desired location. Once the fastener 40 is in the desired location, the user uses a hammer or other similar device to strike the head of the fastener 40. As the hammer strikes the fastener 40, the fastener is driven into the structure causing the head of the fastener to move closer to the top surfaces 70, 72 of the bodies 22, 24. If the hammer strike drives the head of the nail flush with or below the surfaces 70, 72, the impact of the hammer may push on the angled portions 34, 56 causing the holder 20 to move laterally relative to the fastener 40 providing feedback to the user that they may remove the holder 20. It should be appreciated that the fastener 40 is supported on the sides, such as by inner surfaces 32, 60 for example, which reduces the risk of the nail buckling when struck by the hammer.
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While the invention has been described in detail in connection with only a limited number of embodiments, it should be readily understood that the invention is not limited to such disclosed embodiments. Rather, the invention can be modified to incorporate any number of variations, alterations, substitutions or equivalent arrangements not heretofore described, but which are commensurate with the spirit and scope of the invention. Additionally, while various embodiments of the invention have been described, it is to be understood that aspects of the invention may include only some of the described embodiments. Accordingly, the invention is not to be seen as limited by the foregoing description, but is only limited by the scope of the appended claims.
