Patent Application
20050173480
The present invention relates to a device for packaging fasteners, and in particular, to a device to be worn by a user for packaging and dispensing fasteners.
Steel metal ducts are used in the heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (“HVAC”) industry. Adjacent sections of the metal ducts are typically connected to each other by hex-head, self-tapping screws with integral washers, e.g., “tech screws”. In the HVAC industry, the task of connecting adjacent sections of a sheet metal duct normally occurs on lifts and in confined spaces.
A typical HVAC insulation will require an HVAC worker to insert anywhere from two to ten screws per duct joint. The conventional method used by the HVAC worker involves the use of a screwdriver or drill with a magnetic hex socket and an apron full of tech screws. The HVAC worker removes an individual tech screw from his apron and then, by hand, places the screw into the hex socket followed by screwing the tech screw through the sections of the sheet metal duct. This screw installation process is complicated by gloves which are traditionally worn by the HVAC worker. It is estimated that about 30% of the tech screws intended to be inserted into the sheet metal duct sections are dropped and/or lost by the HVAC worker as he or she attempts to hand place the tech screws into the hex socket.
One disadvantage with the present method of inserting a tech screw into adjacent sections of sheet metal duct is that the method is laborious, slow and costly. Accordingly, there is a need in the HVAC industry, and other similar industries, for a lightweight, portable system that will increase the productivity of workers and decrease the costs associated with the time consuming manual insertion of tech screws into the hex socket and the cost associated with lost screws.
Screw guns with feeding and locating fasteners for insertion into a workpiece are generally known in the art. However, the conventional designs are not practical for HVAC employment as these designs are overly complex and therefore costly. Further, these conventional screw guns tend to be bulky and not easy to use, especially when working in confined spaces such as those associated with HVAC installations.
For example, known power operated devices for feeding and locating fasteners, like those disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 5,031,489 to Young et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 5,015,127 to Hockman, require that a fastener driver be connected to an air supply to power the device and to a hopper or the like in order to continuously feed the driver with fasteners. Such devices limit their application because of their lack of mobility and unwieldiness. Accordingly, such devices are not practical for use in confined spaces, such as when working on a scaffolding or a lift. Similar devices for feeding and locating fasteners have strips which carry the screws and are swingedly suspended from the device, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,910,324 to Nasiatka and U.S. Pat. No. 4,581,964 to Takatsuru. These devices are also not practical for use in confined spaces because of the added weight and awkwardness associated with the devices.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,936,169 to Parsons discloses a portable device for positioning and inserting fasteners wherein an applicator is positioned adjacent to a positioning mechanism containing a rotatable cylinder which includes a plurality of chambers for housing fasteners. However, the Parsons device has a number of drawbacks including that it is bulky, the operator is required to align a screw with the applicator by hand before he can insert a second screw into a workpiece, and the screw is not readily visible prior to insertion.
My copending application Ser. No. 09/877,036 filed Jun. 11, 2001 discloses an improved screw gun for inserting fasteners, including tech screws. The disclosed screw gun and method provides a substantial improvement over the prior art. However, if this device is not used, there remains a need in the industry for a device for carrying fasteners.
Additionally, the prior art also generally discloses various devices for holding screws on other objects including U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,012,615; 3,321,074; 3,342,327; 3,718,252; 3,885,669; 4,019,631; 4,027,417; 4,151,912; 4,930,630; 4,955,476; 5,509,728; 5,522,687; and 5,578,760. However, these devices have certain drawbacks and/or are not applicable to the present invention.
In accordance with the present invention, a device is provided for packaging fasteners which is worn by a user. The device includes a plurality of holes in which fasteners such as screws may be disposed and is to be worn by a user such as on the user's wrist or attached to a belt worn by the user. The screws are dispensed from the device by a user placing a magnetized screwdriver bit e.g., a hex socket, on the head of the screw in the device and then removing the screw from the device. In the preferred embodiment, the screw is removed from the device by rotating the bit and pulling the screwdriver with the screw attached magnetically away from the device.
According to one aspect of the present invention, an apparatus is provided for packaging fasteners which is to be worn by a user. The apparatus includes a tray having a plurality of wells. Each well accommodates a shank of a respective fastener. The tray has a first side opposite a second side. An attachment device is provided for securing the tray to the user.
According to another aspect of the present invention, an apparatus is provided for packaging fasteners which may be worn by a user or located near the user. The apparatus includes a tray having a plurality of wells. Each well accommodates a shank of a respective fastener. The, tray has a first side opposite a second side, each side having a plurality of wells to provide an apparatus to package a number of fasteners. The apparatus is preferably a plastic molded shell. The shanks of the fasteners are inserted into the wells and there is clearance between the shanks and the wells. The fasteners are to be maintained in the apparatus by an adhesive on the surface of the tray which will adhere the head of the fastener (the washer portion in the case of a tech screw) to the tray. The fastener may be removed from the tray by placing the bit of a screwdriver over the head of the fastener and rotating the bit to break the adhesive seal and withdraw the fastener. An attachment device may be provided for securing the tray to the user, although the apparatus may be used without being secured to the user.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a system is provided for packaging fasteners. The system includes a plurality of fasteners, each fastener having a shank with a shank diameter. The system also includes a tray having a plurality of wells. Each well accommodates the shank of a respective fastener. The tray has a first side opposite a second side. An attachment device is provided for securing the tray to the user.
According to yet another aspect of the present invention, a method is provided for dispensing fasteners. The method comprises attaching a tray to a user in which the tray has a plurality of fasteners, each disposed in a respective one of a plurality of wells. A magnetized screwdriver bit is placed over the fastener. The screwdriver bit with a magnetically attached fastener is then withdrawn from the tray.
One feature of the present invention relates to a packaging device that is worn by a user for dispensing screws. Further, the packaging device allows a user to dispense, i.e., remove, individual screws from a tray by placing the bit, e.g., a hex socket, of a screwdriver on the head of the screw in the tray followed by withdrawing the screwdriver and attached screw from the tray. Consequently, an advantage of the present invention is provided by a user not having to manually insert a screw into the screwdriver bit by fishing one's hand into an apron full of screws and then hand placing, i.e., inserting, the screw into the screwdriver bit.
An additional advantage of the present system is a decrease in the costs associated with the installation of HVAC systems. The decrease in costs is provided by a decrease in installation time associated with a worker not having to manually hand place screws into a screwdriver bit, and the costs associated with not dropping and losing screws which typically occurs when manually hand placing screws into a screwdriver bit.
Further features and advantages of the present invention will be set forth in, or apparent from, the detailed description of preferred embodiments thereof which follows.
a is a front, side and bottom perspective view of a plastic tray and
Referring now to
Tray 12 may be composed of a number of suitable materials which include plastic and styrofoam. If tray 12 is composed of styrofoam, the plurality of wells 18a, 18b may be formed using a hot wire to provide smooth and stronger wells 18.
The plurality of wells 18a, 18b accommodate a plurality of fasteners such as hex screws 24a, 24b, respectively. Hex screws 24 have a hexagonal head 26 and a shank 28. The diameter of wells 18 may be dimensioned to be slightly larger than that of shank 28, equal to that of shank 28, or slightly smaller than that of shank 28. If the well diameter is slightly smaller than the diameter of shank 28, screw 24 will be held in place in tray 12 by a tight fitting relationship.
Alternatively, in a preferred arrangement, wells 18 are slightly larger than the diameter of the shank 28 so that hex screws 24 can be rapidly placed into tray 12. Advantageously, a coating of pressure sensitive adhesive material 30 is disposed on the surface of sides 20, 22 prior to insertion of screws 24 in wells 18. As a result, screws 24 will be held in tray 12 as a result of adhesive 30 which will dry after screws 24 are inserted. Screws 24 are held in tray 12 by an adhesive force sufficient to keep screws 24 in tray 12 yet allow screws 24 to be readily removed from tray 12 via extraction using a screwdriver with magnetic bit as discussed below.
Referring to
Referring now to
Referring now specifically to
Referring now to
In an alternative embodiment, rather than a styrofoam tray such as tray 12, tray 812 is formed from two thin plastic shells, 882, 884, joined with one another (
A plurality of bores 886 with sidewall surfaces 888, respectively, are formed in side surfaces 820, 822. Each bore 886 leads to, and is associated with, the entrance of a respective well 818. The diameter of bores 886, is larger than the diameter of wells 818 and is sufficient to accommodate the diameter of heads 26 of screws 24. Sidewall surfaces 888 of bores 886 help guide screwdriver bit 62 (
A pressure sensitive adhesive 830 is applied to the surface of tray 812 at the base of bores 886 which surrounds wells 818. When screws 24 are inserted into tray 812, adhesive 830 will come in contact with heads 26 of screws 24, thereby holding screws 24 in tray 812.
Tray 812 may be used alone or attached to the user by means as shown in
Although the invention has been described above in relation to preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that variations and modifications can be effected in these preferred embodiments without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 09929085 | Aug 2001 | US |
| Child | 10601667 | Jun 2003 | US |
