Hand Tool and Retainer

摘要

A hand tool and retainer apparatus, in which a retainer holds a pair of handles of the hand tool in a storage position. The retainer is manually fitted to the hand tool when a user places the hand tool in a storage position. At least one of the handles includes a latch member for securing the retainer to the hand tool. The latch member includes a button portion, which is exposed through an opening in the retainer when the hand tool is retained in the storage position by the retainer. Manual depression of the button portion by the user in an inward direction of the hand tool allows the hand tool to be manually separated from the retainer.

主权项

1. A hand tool and retainer apparatus comprising:
a hand tool having a pivot joint and a pair of tool components that pivot about a pivot axis of the pivot joint, wherein each tool component has a distal end and a proximal end, the pivot joint is located between the proximal end and the distal end of each tool component, and handles are located respectively at the proximal ends of the tool components; a retainer that retains the handles in a storage position, wherein the retainer includes retention members that limit movement of the handles away from one another, wherein the retainer is manually fitted to the hand tool when a user places the hand tool in the storage position, at least a first one of the handles includes a latch member for securing the retainer to the hand tool, the retainer includes a socket that receives the latch member when the retainer is fitted to the hand tool, the socket includes an engagement surface, which is formed by a surface of the socket in a location that corresponds to the latch member when the hand tool is retained in the storage position by the retainer, the latch member locks the hand tool to the retainer when the hand tool is retained in the storage position by the retainer, the latch member includes a button portion, which is an integral part of the latch member and is exposed through an opening in the socket when the hand tool is retained in the storage position by the retainer, a cam surface is formed by an interior surface of the socket, and the cam surface is positioned to engage the latch member and apply an inwardly directed force to the latch member to deflect the latch member in an inward direction of the hand tool when the retainer is being fitted to the hand tool, when the hand tool is retained in the storage position, the button portion is located such that manual depression of the button portion by the user in an inward direction of the hand tool causes the latch member to separate from the engagement surface, which allows the hand tool to be manually separated from the retainer from a distal end of the retainer, and wherein separation of the hand tool from the retainer allows the handles to pivot away from one another.