Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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Retrofit System for Tethering a Hand Tool
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
[0001] The present invention relates generally to hand tools. Particularly,
the present
invention relates to hand tools and tethering of the same.
2. Description of the Prior Art
[0002] It is a generally accepted safety practice to secure a workman's
tools in some
manner when working from a ladder or above ground level. Over the years
different types of
devices for preventing the accidental dropping and/or loss of a tool and a
tool accessory
have been attempted when working in overhead situations. A dropped tool or
tool accessory
could be hazardous for personnel working below or the dropped tool or tool
accessory could
potentially damage a vital piece of equipment. This can occur when the tool is
mishandled,
bumped, or jarred, becoming dislodged from the users hand and free to fall to
whatever is
beneath the worker. In some cases, this can be a passerby, another worker or
even vital
plant equipment.
[0003] Typically, the tools are secured to the worker with a tether or in a
holster of some
sort. Generally, tethers are lightweight, optionally retractable, and have
light duty snap
hooks at each end for snap connection to the tool and to the worker's belt or
harness. Some
such tethers even use plastic snaps. In some cases a loop is formed around the
worker's
wrist with the free end having a snap connectable to a tool. Others have
disclosed the use
of hook and loop type fasteners to secure the tool to the worker's hand. The
use of such
safety tethers and lanyards is becoming increasingly necessary, especially in
industrial
centers where workers are constantly exposed to the hazards of falling tools,
sometimes
from many feet.
[0004] Many attempts have been made to secure tools to tethers and users.
Some are
successful and easy to use while others are makeshift and lack the quality
needed to sustain
heavier tools. Devices have been created to allow for lanyard attachment to
hand tools.
Some devices include using eye hooks, or D-rings with webbing secured by tape
or heat
shrink tubing. Other devices are tubular and used over the butt end of screw
drivers and
other tools with handles such as, for example, pliers, hammers, cutters, etc.
These tubular
devices are normally heat shrinkable onto the tool or are self-insertable
device made of a
resilient material that provides a suction force when the tool handle or butt
end is inserted
into the tubular device. The suction force created upon insertion of the tool
into the tubular
device prevents the tool from being easily pulled out or separated from the
tubular device.
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[0005] One such device is a bracelet type tool drop preventing device
disclosed in
Japanese Patent Application JP08-108538 and published as JP09-272077. Drawing
5 of
the Japanese patent application discloses a screwdriver with a rotary ring
that is attached to
the screwdriver using a rubber stopper.
[0006] In some cases, provisions are made on the tool itself for making
such
attachments. In most cases when tools are provided with an eyelet, however, it
is typically
provided as a means for storing on a wall hook or the like.
[0007] Therefore, what is needed is a system that will retrofit a hand tool
for coupling to
a tool lanyard or tether.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] Currently available retrofit systems are tubular devices that
typically use an eyelet
secured to the tool intended to be tethered. There are disadvantages to these
tubular retrofit
systems. The eyelet is always attached to the non-working end of the tubular
device or the
tool. For example, when used on screw drivers, the eyelet interferes with the
full usefulness
of the tool. With most screw drivers, the butt end is designed to fit in the
palm of the user's
hand to allow the user to press down while tightening or loosening a screw. If
the eyelet is at
the end of the tool, this cannot be accomplished successfully. This is also
true for other
types of tools such as pliers, hammers, other hand tools, and the like where
the palm of the
user's hand grips the end of the tool to apply gripping pressure and/or
transfer greater
impacting force through the tool. For tubular devices relying on the suction
caused by
insertion of the tool into the tubular, flexible material, another
disadvantage arises. For these
devices, the suction force holding the tool such as a screw driver to the
tethering device may
be abruptly relieved when attempting to pull/remove the screw driver from the
tethering
device. This abrupt release causes the tool to quickly release with
accelerating force due to
the amount of force required to pull the screw driver or other tool necessary
to counter the
suction force created when applying the tubular device to the tool. If a tool
has a sharp end
such as most screw drivers, the user/worker and/or bystander could be injured.
In
screwdriver devices using a rotary ring with a rubber stopper, such devices
suffer from
various disadvantages. For instance, the rubber stopper must be of a low
enough durometer
to allow sliding the stopper to a position adjacent the handle. Unfortunately,
this also allows
the rubber stopper to be pulled off either intentionally or inadvertently,
which would cause
the screwdriver to become separated from the tethering device. The use of a
rubber stopper
having sufficient durometer to prevent the stopper from being inadvertenly
removed from the
screwdriver, however, makes it practially impossible to manually apply the
rubber stopper
onto the screwdriver and move it to the proper position on the screwdriver.
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[0009] It is an object of the present invention to provide a retrofit
system for tethering a
tool. It is another object of the present invention to provide a retrofit
system for tethering a
tool that allows for the full intended use of the tool. It is a further object
of the present
invention to provide a retrofit system for tethering a tool that minimizes the
entanglement of
the tool lanyard with the tool during use. It is another object of the present
invention to allow
manual installation of the retrofit system onto a hand tool.
[0010] The present invention achieves these and other objectives by
providing a retrofit
system that includes a tool collar and a tethering tab. In one embodiment, the
tool collar has
a collar body, a first body end, a second body end, a skirt at the second body
end that has
an outer diameter larger than an outer diameter of the collar body, and a bore
extending
between the first body end and the second body end and a tethering tab having
a first tab
opening and a second tab opening where the tab openings are transverse to the
longitudinal
axis of the tethering tab. The bore has a cross-sectional area that is less
than the cross-
sectional area of a first tool portion of the hand tool providing a snug fit
of the tool collar on
the first tool portion. The tool collar is made of a material having a Shore A
hardness in the
range of about 20 to about 50. The second tab opening of the tethering tab is
spaced from
the first tab opening where the first tab opening has a cross-sectional area
larger than the
cross-sectional area of the first tool portion providing for free rotation of
the tethering tab
around the first tool portion.
[0011] In another embodiment of the present invention, the collar body is
longer than
the skirt.
[0012] In a further embodiment of the present invention, the second tab
opening of the
tethering tab is spaced from the first tab opening a predefined distance
sufficient to position
the second tab opening beyond the largest cross-section of the tool collar
when the tool
collar and the tethering tab are connected to the hand tool to be tethered.
[0013] In still another embodiment of the present invention, the second
body end of the
tool collar has a flange extending axially with the bore having a diameter
smaller than the
first tab opening of the tethering tab and a length greater than the thickness
of the tethering
tab.
[0014] In another embodiment of the present invention, the tool collar is
made of a
resilient material and the tethering tab is made of a rigid or semi-rigid
material.
[0015] In another embodiment of the present invention, the tool collar is
made of a rigid
or semi-rigid material with a bore liner or coating made of a resilient
material.
[0016] In still another embodiment of the present invention, the tool
collar is made of a
material having a Shore A hardness selected from the group consisting of a
range of about
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20 to about 45, a range of about 25 to about 40, a range of about 25 to about
35, and a
range of about 30 to about 35.
[0017] In a further embodiment of the present invention, the collar body
and the skirt
have a length ratio of collar body to skirt of about 0.5:1 or greater.
[0018] In another embodiment of the present invention, the collar body and
the skirt
have a length ratio of the collar body to the skirt selected from the group
consisting of 1:1,
2:1, 3:1, 4:1, and greater than 4:1.
[0019] In still another embodiment of the present invention, the skirt has
a thickness in a
range of about 0.06 inches (1.52 mm) to about 0.2 inches (5.08 mm).
[0020] In a further embodiment, the collar body has a wall thickness in a
range of about
0.0625 inches (1.59 mm) to about 0.175 inches (4.45 mm).
[0021] In still a further embodiment of the present invention, a junction
of the collar body
and the skirt has a radius selected from the group consisting of about 0.08
inches (2.03 mm)
to about 0.1 inches (2.54 mm), about 0.089 inches (2.26 mm) to about 0.099
inches (2.51
mm), and 0.094 inches (2.38 mm). The radius provides for improved resistance
to tearing
with manually applying the tool collar to a hand tool.
[0022] It is understood that the selection of a tool collar dimensional
characteristic is
dependent on the size of the tool on which the retrofit system is applied. In
other words, the
tool diameter must be slightly larger than the bore of the collar body of the
present invention.
For example, a tool collar with a 0.031 inch diameter bore may be used on a
tool diameter in
the range of about 0.035 inches to about 0.094 inches.
[0023] In yet another embodiment of the present invention, a retrofit kit
for tethering a
hand tool is disclosed. The kit includes a tool collar made of a resilient
material, a tethering
tab and instructions for assembling the tool collar and the tethering tab to
the hand tool. The
tool collar has a collar body, a first body end, a second body end, a skirt at
the second body
end that has an outer diameter larger than an outer diameter of the collar
body, and a bore
extending between the first body end and the second body end, the bore having
a cross-
sectional area that is less than the cross-sectional area of a first tool
portion of the hand tool
providing a snug fit of the tool collar on the first tool portion, the tool
collar being made of a
material having a Shore A hardness in the range of about 20 to about 50
[0024] In a further embodiment of the present invention, a method of
retrofitting a hand
tool for use with a tool lanyard is disclosed. The method includes providing a
hand tool
having a first tool portion and a second tool portion, providing a tethering
tab and a tool collar
of a retrofit system for tethering a hand tool, sliding a first tab opening of
the tethering tab
over a first tool portion of the hand tool to a predefined position on the
first tool portion,
forcibly attaching the tool collar to the first tool portion of the hand tool
by inserting the first
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tool portion into a bore at a second end of the tool collar, and forcibly
sliding the tool collar a
predefined distance along the first tool portion until the second end of the
tool collar is
adjacent the tethering tab and positioned to permit the free rotation of the
tethering tab about
the first tool portion.
[0025] In another embodiment of the present invention, the method further
includes forcibly
sliding a tool collar along the first tool portion before the step of sliding
the tethering tab to a
position on the first tool portion beyond but adjacent to the predefined
distance described in
the step of sliding the tethering tab.
[0025A] In another embodiment, there is provided a retrofit system for
tethering a hand tool,
the system comprising: a tool collar having a collar body, a first body end, a
second body
end, a skirt at the second body end that has an outer diameter larger than an
outer diameter of
the collar body and a bore extending between the first body end and the second
body end the
bore having a cross-sectional area that is less than a cross-sectional area of
a first tool portion
of the hand tool and providing a snug fit of the tool collar on the first tool
portion, the tool
collar being made of a material having a Shore A hardness in the range of
about 20 to about
50; a tethering tab having a first tab opening and a second tab opening
transverse to a
longitudinal axis of the tethering tab, the second tab opening being spaced
from the first tab
opening, the first tab opening having a cross-sectional area larger than the
cross-sectional
area of the first tool portion providing for free rotation of the tethering
tab around the first
tool portion; and wherein the skirt of the tool collar is adapted to retain
the tethering tab on
the first tool portion while permitting the free rotation of the tethering tab
around the first tool
portion.
[0025BI In another embodiment, there is provided a retrofit kit for tethering
a hand tool, the
kit comprising: a tool collar made of a resilient material having a collar
body, a first body
end, a second body end, a skirt at the second body end that has an outer
diameter larger than
an outer diameter of the collar body, and a bore extending between the first
body end and the
second body end, the bore having a cross-sectional area that is less than the
cross-sectional
area of a first tool portion of the hand tool providing a snug fit of the tool
collar on the first
tool portion, the tool collar being made of a material having a Shore A
hardness in the range
of about 20 to about 50; a tethering tab having a first tab opening and a
second tab opening
transverse to a longitudinal axis of the tethering tab, the second tab opening
being spaced
from the first tab opening, the first tab opening having a cross-sectional
area larger than the
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cross-sectional area of the first tool portion providing for free rotation of
the tethering tab
around the first tool portion, wherein the skirt of the tool collar is adapted
to retain the
tethering tab on the first tool portion while permitting the free rotation of
the tethering tab
around the first tool portion; and instructions for assembling the tool collar
and the tethering
tab to the hand tool.
[0025C] In another embodiment, there is provided a method of retrofitting a
hand tool for
use with a tool lanyard, the method comprising: providing a hand tool having a
first tool
portion and a second tool portion; providing a tethering tab and a tool collar
of a retrofit
system for tethering a tool, the tool collar having a collar body, a first
body end, a second
body end, a skirt at the second body end that has an outer diameter larger
than an outer
diameter of the collar body, and a bore extending between the first body end
and the second
body end, the bore having a cross-sectional area that is less than the cross-
sectional area of a
first tool portion of the hand tool providing a snug fit of the tool collar on
the first tool
portion, the tool collar being made of a material having a Shore A hardness in
the range of
about 20 to about 50; sliding a first tab opening of the tethering tab over a
first tool portion of
the hand tool to a predefined position on the first tool portion; forcibly
attaching the tool
collar to the first tool portion of the hand tool by inserting the first tool
portion into a bore at a
second end of the tool collar; and forcibly sliding the tool collar a
predefined distance along
the first tool portion until the second end of the tool collar is adjacent the
tethering tab and
positioned to permit the free rotation of the tethering tab about the first
tool portion.
[0025D] In another embodiment, there is provided a retrofit system for
tethering a hand tool,
the system comprising: a tool collar having a collar body, a first body end, a
second body
end, a skirt at the second body end that extends a predefined distance
transversely away from
the collar body, and a bore extending longitudinally therethrough, the bore
having a cross-
sectional area that is less than a cross-sectional area of a first tool
portion of the hand tool and
providing a snug fit of the tool collar on the first tool portion; a tethering
tab having a first tab
opening and a second tab opening transverse to a longitudinal axis of the
tethering tab, the
second tab opening being spaced from the first tab opening, the first tab
opening having a
cross-sectional area larger than the cross-sectional area of the first tool
portion providing for
free rotation of the tethering tab around the first tool portion.
[0025E] In another embodiment, there is provided a retrofit kit for tethering
a hand tool, the
kit comprising: a tool collar made of a resilient material having a collar
body, a first body
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end, a second body end, a skirt on the second body end that extends a
predefined distance
transversely away from the collar body, and a bore extending longitudinally
therethrough, the
bore having a cross-sectional area that is less than a cross-sectional area of
a first tool portion
of the hand tool and providing a snug fit of the tool collar on the first tool
portion; a tethering
tab having a first tab opening and a second tab opening transverse to a
longitudinal axis of the
tethering tab, the second tab opening being spaced from the first tab opening,
the first tab
opening having a cross-sectional area larger than the cross-sectional area of
the first tool
portion providing for free rotation of the tethering tab around the first tool
portion; and
instructions for assembling the tool collar and the tethering tab to the hand
tool.
[0025E] In another embodiment, there is provided a method of retrofitting a
hand tool for
use with a tool lanyard, the method comprising: providing a hand tool having a
first tool
portion and a second tool portion; providing a tethering tab and a tool collar
of a retrofit
system for tethering a tool; sliding a first tab opening of the tethering tab
over a first tool
portion of the hand tool to a predefined position on the first tool portion;
forcibly attaching
the tool collar to the first tool portion of the hand tool by inserting the
first tool portion into a
longitudinal bore at a second end of the tool collar; and forcibly sliding the
tool collar a
predefined distance along the first tool portion until the second end of the
tool collar is
adjacent the tethering tab and positioned to permit the free rotation of the
tethering tab about
the first tool portion; wherein the tool collar is made of a resilient
material having a collar
body, a first body end, a second body end, a skirt on the second body end that
extends a
predefined distance transversely away from the collar body, and a bore
extending
longitudinally through the tool collar, the bore having a cross-sectional area
that is less than a
cross-sectional area of the first tool portion of the hand tool and provides a
snug fit of the tool
collar on the first tool portion.
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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0026] FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the present
invention
retrofit to a screw driver.
[0027] FIGURE 1A is a perspective view of the embodiment in Fig. 1 showing
the
present invention with the tool collar removed to illustrate the tethering tab
on the first tool
portion.
[0028] FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a tool collar
illustrated in
Fig. 1.
[0029] FIGURE 2A is an enlarged, partial perspective view of the first
body end of the
tool collar showing the liner in the bore of the tool collar when the tool
collar is made of a
rigid or semi-rigid material.
[0030] FIGURE 3 is a side view of the embodiment of the tool collar
illustrated in Fig. 2
showing a tapered elongated collar body.
[0031] FIGURE 4 is a rear view of the tool collar illustrated in Fig. 2
showing the recess
into the collar body from the second collar end.
[0032] FIGURE 5 is a side view of another embodiment of the tool collar of
the present
invention.
[0033] FIGURE 6 is a side view of another embodiment of a tool collar of
the present
invention showing a straight elongated collar body.
[0034] FIGURE 7 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a tethering tab
illustrated
in Fig. 1.
[0035] FIGURE 8 is a front view of the embodiment of the tethering tab
illustrated in Fig.
5.
[0036] FIGURE 9 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the present
invention
retrofit to a pair of pliers showing use of two tool collars.
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[0037] FIGURE 10 is a plan view of one embodiment of a retrofit system kit
for tethering
a hand tool.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0038] The preferred embodiment(s) of the present invention is illustrated
in Figs. 1-10.
Figure 1 illustrates one embodiment of a retrofit system 10 of the present
invention
connected to a hand tool 1. Retrofit system 10 includes a tool collar 20 and a
tethering tab
40. As illustrated, tethering tab 40 is mounted on a first tool portion 2
adjacent a second tool
portion 3 of hand tool 1. In Fig. 1, hand tool 1 is represented by a screw
driver. Tethering
tab 40 freely rotates around first tool portion 2, which is indicated by
arrows A. Figure 1A
shows tethering tab 40 without tool collar 20 on hand tool 1 to more clearly
show the
rotational relationship between tethering tab 40 and first tool portion 2.
When a
lanyard/tether (not shown) is connected to tethering tab 40, the free rotation
of tethering tab
40 around first tool portion 2 does not interfere with the use of hand tool 1.
The freely
rotating tethering tab 40 permits rotation of hand tool 1 when inserting or
removing a screw
fastener (not shown) without causing the lanyard/tether to twist or tangle on
itself or
with/around hand tool 1. Furthermore, a user will typically apply force using
the palm of the
hand to the end of second working portion 3 (also known as the handle of the
screw driver)
of hand tool 1 while tightening or loosening a screw fastener. The present
invention permits
full use of the tool without interference with such use.
[0039] Figure 2 illustrates a perspective view of one embodiment of tool
collar 20. In this
embodiment, tool collar 20 has a collar body 22, a first body end 24, a second
body end 26,
a skirt 30 at second body end 26 that has an outer diameter larger than an
outer diamer of
collar body 22.that and a bore 28 extending longitudinally therethrough. As
shown in Fig. 2,
skirt 30 preferably extends transversely away from the circumference of second
body end
26. Bore 28 has a cross-sectional area that is less than the cross-sectional
area of first tool
portion 2 of hand tool 1 providing a snug fit of tool collar 20 on first tool
portion 2. Skirt 30
extends a predefined distance to provide a larger cross-sectional area at
second body end
26 for retaining tethering tab 40 on first tool section 2 of hand tool 1.
[0040] Figure 3 illustrates a side view of tool collar 20 shown in Fig. 2.
As can be seen,
bore 28 extends through the entire length of tool collar 20. Second body end
26 may
optionally include a recess 32 forming a tapered opening 33 that is axially
aligned with bore
28. Optional tapered opening 33 facilitates centering of the first tool
portion 2 into bore 28
when tool collar 20 is forcibly slid onto first tool portion 2 from second
from end 26. This is
more clearly shown in Figure 4, which is rear view of tool collar 20. Tool
collar 20 is
preferably made of a resilient material but may also be made of a rigid or
semi-rigid material
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so long as bore 28 has a layer or insert or liner 29 of a resilient material
securely attached to
bore 28 to provide a snug fit between tool collar 20 and first tool portion 2.
Fig. 2A illustrates
an enlarged view of first body end 24 showing the liner 29. Examples of
acceptable
materials include rubber, silicone and materials having the same or similar
resilient
characteristics.
[0041] Figure 5 illustrates a side view of another embodiment of tool
collar 20. In this
embodiment, tool collar 20 includes a collar body 22, a first body end 24, a
second body end
26, and a bore 28 extending longitudinally therethrough. Like the tool collar
shown in Fig. 2,
bore 28 has a cross-sectional area that is less than the cross-sectional area
of first tool
portion 2 of hand tool 1 providing a snug fit of tool collar 20 on first tool
portion 2. Tool collar
20 may optionally also include a skirt 30 that extends transversely away from
the
circumference of second body end 26. Skirt 30 extends a predefined distance to
provide a
larger cross-sectional area at second body end 26 for retaining tethering tab
40 on first tool
section 2 of hand tool 1. Also provided in this embodiment is an optional
flange 34. Optional
flange 34 extends longitudinally from second body end 26 and has a length
greater than the
thickness of tethering tab 40.
[0042] Figure 6 illustrates a side view of another embodiment of tool
collar 20. In this
embodiment, tool collar 20 has a straight, elongated collar body 22. This
configuration
reduces the amount of material used in tool collar 20 but may provide the
transition point or
junction between skirt 30 and collar body 22 with less strength. This becomes
important
when the force applied to tool collar 20 for seating tool collar to the
predefined location on
first tool portion 2 is applied to skirt 30 instead of collar body 22.
Depending on the amount
of force applied to skirt 30 and the amount of resistance caused by the snug
fit of bore 28
around first tool portion 2, this transition point or junction could tear.
[0043] Tool collar 20 is made of a semi-rigid and resilient material.
Preferably, the
material is a silicone rubber material. To provide a sufficient gripping
characteristic of tool
collar 20 to a hand tool to prevent inadvertent or accidental removal of tool
collar 20 from the
hand tool yet be capable of manual installation of tool collar 20 onto the
hand tool, tool collar
20 is made of a material having a hardness on the Shore A scale in a range of
about 20 or
greater and about 50 or lower. Preferably, the material has a Shore A hardness
in a range
selected from 20 to about 45, from about 25 to about 40, from about 25 to
about 35, and,
more preferably, from about 30 to about 35. Most preferably, the tool collar
is made of a
material having a Shore A hardness of 35.
[0044] Most importantly, it was discovered that when a tool collar having a
size and
shape similar to that disclosed in Figure 5 of Laid-Open Japanese Patent
Application No.
JP09-272077, the Shore A hardness must be less than 20 and typically in the
range of about
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to about 15 in order to be able to manually slide the tool collar onto the
screwdriver
shown in Fig. 5. A disadvantage of such a tool collar was the ease with which
the tool collar
could be removed. A tool that is accidentally or inadvertently dropped
attached with such a
tool collar has a higher probability that the stress imparted against the tool
collar from the
falling weight of the tool would be sufficient to pull the tool collar off.
This creates a safety
hazard for anyone or any equipment below the dropped tool. When a tool collar
was made
with a Shore A hardness of 20 or higher and having a similar shape as that
disclosed in
JP09-272077, it was impossible to manually apply the tool collar to the screw
driver. The
hardness of the material and the wall thickness of the tool collar prohibited
its manual
application onto the screwdriver.
[0045] Skirt 30 also has a preferred range for the thickness of the
peripheral edge of
skirt 30. Preferably, skirt 30 has a peripheral edge thickness in a range of
about 0.062
inches (1.57 mm) to about 0.15 inches (3.81 mm).
[0046] The junction or transition point between collar body 22 and skirt 30
preferably has
radius in a range of about 0.08 inches (2.03 mm) to about 0.1 inches (2.54
mm), in a range
of about 0.089 inches (2.26 mm) to about 0.099 inches (2.51 mm), and of about
0.094
inches (2.38 mm).
[0047] The wall thickness of collar body 22, the length ratio of collar
body 22 to skirt 30
as well as the thickness of skirt 30 are also important. The wall thickness of
collar body 22 is
preferably in the range of about 0.06 inches (1.52 mm) to about 0.2 inches
(5.08 mm).
Preferably, the wall thickness of collar body 22 is in a range of about 0.0625
inches (1.59
mm) to about 0.175 inches (4.45 mm). The length ratio of collar body 22 to
skirt 30 is in the
range of about 0.5 to 1 or greater. Preferably, the length ratio is selected
from a range of
about 1 to 1, 2 to 1, 3 to 1, 4 to 1, and greater than 4 to 1.
[0048] Figures 7 and 8 illustrate one embodiment of tethering tab 40.
Tethering tab 40
includes a tab body 42 with a first tab end 43 and a second tab end 45, a
first tab opening 44
and a second tab opening 46 where tab openings 44, 46 are transverse to the
longitudinal
axis B-B of tethering tab 40. Second tab opening 46 is spaced from first tab
opening 44 and
both tab openings 44, 46 extend completely through tab body 42. First tab
opening 44 has a
cross-sectional area larger than the cross-sectional area of first tool
portion 2 to provide for
free rotation of tethering tab 40 around first tool portion 2. Second tab
opening 46 is spaced
from second tab end 45 providing a retaining edge 47 around which a tether
clip (not shown)
is attached. The size of first tab opening 44 to second tab opening 46 is
dependent on the
diameter of first tool portion 2 and the size of the tether clip. Although
tethering tab 40
shown in Figs. 7 and 8 have semi-circularly shaped first and second tab ends
43 and 45,
respectively, it is contemplated that the shape of first and second tab ends
43, 45 may be
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any configuration so long as tethering tab 40 can be used for its intended
purpose. The
intended purpose being that tethering tap 40 is connectable to a first tool
portion 2 and can
freely rotate about first tool portion 2 while presenting a second tab end 45
for attachment to
the clip of a tool tether. It is also contemplated that the peripheral shape
of tethering tab 40
may also have any configuration so long as tethering tab 40 can be used for
its intended
purpose. Tethering tab 40 is made of a rigid or semi-rigid material. Examples
of such
materials are metal, plastic and the like.
[0049] For tools that offer an abrupt change in cross-sectional area
between first tool
portion 2 and second tool portion 3, only one tool collar 20 is necessary so
that tethering tab
40 is "sandwiched" between second collar end 26 and second tool portion 3. For
tools that
do not have an abrupt change in cross-sectional area between first tool
portion 2 and second
tool portion 3, a second tool collar 20 is used to "sandwich" tethering tab 40
therebetween.
Figure 9 illustrates one example of a tool that may require two tool collars
20. As can be
seen, second collar ends 26 are opposed to each other with tethering tab 40
therebetween.
In this embodiment, tethering tab 40 also freely rotates around first tool
portion 2.
[0050] Figure 10 illustrates a plan view of a kit containing the retrofit
system 10 of the
present invention. The kit contains one or more tool collars 20, a tethering
tab 40 and
instructions 60 for attaching the one or more tool collars 20 and the
tethering tab 40 to a
hand tool.
[0051] To use the present invention, a hand tool 1 that is not equipped to
be attached to
a tool lanyard but is to be retrofitted for attaching a tool lanyard is
provided. For a hand tool
that has an abrupt change is cross-sectional area between a first tool portion
2 and a second
tool portion 3 such as, for example, a screw driver, first tab opening 44 of
tethering tab 40 is
slid onto first tool portion 2 up to and adjacent to second tool portion 3.
Next, bore 28 of
second body end 26 of tool collar 20 is forcibly slid onto first tool portion
2 to a predefined
distance adjacent tethering tab 40 so as to permit tethering tab 40 to freely
rotate around first
tool portion 2. The snug fit of tool collar 20 prevents tethering tab 40 from
sliding off of first
tool portion 2.
[0052] For a hand tool that does not have an abrupt change in cross-
sectional area
between a first tool portion 2 and a second tool portion 3 such as, for
example, a pair of
pliers, a bore 28 of a first body end 24 of tool collar 40 is forcibly slid
onto first too portion 2
to a predefined distance. Next, first tab opening 44 of tethering tab 40 is
slid onto first tool
portion 2 up to and adjacent to second body end 26 of tool collar 20 that was
already
installed on first tool portion 2. Next, bore 28 of second body end 26 of
another tool collar 20
is forcibly slid onto first tool portion 2 to a predefined distance adjacent
tethering tab 40 so as
to permit tethering tab 40 to freely rotate around first tool portion 2
between the first tool
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collar 20 and the second tool collar 20. The snug fit of the first and second
tool collars 20
prevents tethering tab 40 from sliding off of first tool portion 2.
[0053] Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have
been
described herein, the above description is merely illustrative. Further
modification of the
invention herein disclosed will occur to those skilled in the respective arts
and all such
modifications are deemed to be within the scope of the invention as defined by
the
appended claims.
