The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 10, 2002
Filed:
Dec. 28, 2000
Joseph A. Sorensen, Bozeman, MT (US);
Charles Poremba, Bozeman, MT (US);
Rick De Francesco, Alder, MT (US);
WMH Tool Group, Inc., Palatine, IL (US);
Abstract
A tool-carrying assembly to be secured by a waist-encircling belt, and, additionally, by straps encircling the legs of a workman using the belt assembly. The assembly is thus stabilized, and enhanced weight distribution is achieved. Elements of the belt assembly include a waist-encircling band supporting a pair of laterally spaced, depending panels each carrying tool-accepting pockets. The pockets preferably carry visual markings and coding as well as other indicia identifying clearly the specific tools to be “housed” or carried in and to be returned to each pocket after use. Inventory control of the tools is thereby significantly enhanced. Pivotal flaps depending from the band-carried panels serve to cover the tools when not in use, and to prevent the tools from scratching or otherwise marring any article, or fixture, or “workpiece” requiring the workman's attention. The panels and the tools carried thereby are disposed in lateral, spaced zones at the wearer's sides (and not directly in the front of one's body) thus further to reduce any likelihood of the tools coming into damaging physical contact with an article being worked upon. That is, both frontal and rearwardly located zones about the wearer of the tool belt assembly are rendered essentially free and clear of all tools and other mechanical impediments. While wearing the tool assembly of the invention, a worker can, without any discomfort, lie upon and use a “creeper”. Significantly, a frontal sector of the belt itself is covered with a relatively soft, non-marring protective pad, composition, or surface material effective to prevent possible damage from a workman's belt buckle. An additional feature of the invention is that the panels may be structured to constitute a core sandwiched between a pair of encasing sheet-like webs. The resulting composite is readily formable to provide selectable visual patterns, designs or indicia, for example, to identify product name or sources and/or to constitute decorations.