TOOL LANYARD DEVICE AND METHOD OF USE THEREOF

Abstract

A lanyard device suitable for connecting a tool to a user in use, including a housing at least part of which is adapted to be connected to clothing, belt and/or safety harness. The housing including at least one socket means formed thereon and/or therein, said device also including a flexible lanyard or tether means, at least one end of which is adapted to connect to a tool in use. At least part of the said lanyard means includes a portion to be received and/or engage with said socket means and said socket means shaped and/or orientated such that the flexible lanyard cannot pass freely through said socket means when the user lets go of the tool and/or lanyard.

Claims

1. A lanyard device suitable for connecting a hand tool to a user in use, said device comprising: a housing at least part of which is adapted to be connected to clothing, belt and/or safety harness in use, said housing including at least one socket means formed thereon and/or therein in the top or towards the top of the housing, said device including a flexible lanyard or tether means, at least one end of which is adapted to connect to a hand tool in use and wherein at least part of the said lanyard means includes a non-flexible or substantially rigid portion to be received and/or engage with said socket means and said socket means shaped and/or configured to receive at least part of the non-flexible part of lanyard or tether means therein and further shaped and/or orientated such that the flexible lanyard cannot pass freely through said socket means when the user lets go of the tool and/or lanyard characterised in that the weight of the hand tool can be borne by coupling socket means and the non-flexible or substantially rigid portion together thereby holstering the hand tool when not in use.

2. (canceled)

3. A lanyard device according to claim 1 wherein the device includes a retraction mechanism.

4. (canceled)

5. (canceled)

6. A lanyard device according to claim 1 wherein the user can engage the substantially rigid portion in the socket means and let the tool hang or dangle when not required or not in use.

7. (canceled)

8. A lanyard device according to claim 1 wherein the socket means and non-flexible or rigid portion are disengaged by pulling the lanyard means and/or tool in a substantially upwards direction.

9. A lanyard device according to claim 1 wherein the socket and/or rigid portion are formed from plastics material or from substantially metal or metallic material.

10. (canceled)

11. A lanyard device according to claim 1 wherein at least part of the socket is formed from a material that is harder than the material forming the housing.

12. A lanyard device according to claim 1 wherein the housing is formed from substantially plastics material.

13. (canceled)

14. (canceled)

15. A lanyard device according to claim 1 wherein the device housing includes at least one aperture and/or clip means by which the device can be attached to the user's clothing, belt, pocket and/or harness.

16. A lanyard device according to claim 1 wherein the housing includes an extension portion that extends or protrudes in a substantially linear direction from the main housing body.

17. A lanyard device according to claim 1 wherein the housing body is substantially cylindrical or hexagonal.

18. (canceled)

19. A lanyard device according to claim 1 wherein the non-flexible or rigid portion has a diameter greater than the lanyard diameter or thickness.

20. A lanyard device according to claim 19 wherein the non-flexible or rigid portion is substantially spherical in at least one direction.

21. A lanyard device according to claim 20 wherein the rigid portion is a ball or substantially cylindrical pin or bar.

22. (canceled)

23. (canceled)

24. A lanyard device according to claim 1 wherein the distal or free end of the flexible lanyard includes attachment means configured to attach a tool to end of the flexible lanyard means and/or rigid portion.

25. A lanyard device according to claim 1 wherein the rigid portion and/or socket means are retrofitted to an existing retractable lanyard device.

26. (canceled)

27. (canceled)

28. (canceled)

29. (canceled)

30. A lanyard device according to claim 2 wherein the socket means is fitted or retrofitted to an aperture in the housing through which the flexible lanyard means protrudes and/or the non-flexible or rigid portion is fitted or retrofitted on a flexible lanyard means.

31. (canceled)

32. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the apparatus includes two lanyard devices.

33. An apparatus according to claim 32 wherein the apparatus includes one or more one wall members to which the lanyard devices are attached or mounted in use.

34. (canceled)

35. (canceled)

36. (canceled)

37. A method of using a lanyard device of claim 1, said device including a housing at least part of which is adapted to be connected to clothing and/or a belt in use, said housing including at least one socket means formed therein, said device also including a flexible lanyard or tether means, at least one end of which is adapted to connect to a tool in use and wherein at least part of the said lanyard means includes at least one non-flexible or substantially rigid portion adapted to be received in at least part of the socket means wherein said method includes the step of engaging or coupling the non-flexible or substantially rigid portion in the socket means.

38. A lanyard device according to claim 1 wherein the socket is a female engagement or connecting member and the rigid portion is a male engagement or connecting member.

Description

[0040] Specific embodiments of the invention are now described with reference to the following drawings:

[0041] FIG. 1 illustrates a view of a lanyard device in an extended position, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

[0042] FIG. 2 illustrates a view of a lanyard device in a retracted position, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

[0043] FIG. 3 illustrates a front view of a lanyard device in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention;

[0044] FIG. 4 illustrates a perspective view of a lanyard device in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention;

[0045] FIG. 5 illustrates a side view of a lanyard device in a partially extended position, in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention;

[0046] FIG. 6 illustrates a perspective view of a lanyard device in a retracted position, in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention;

[0047] FIGS. 7a-7c illustrate perspective views of a dual device in accordance with one embodiment of the invention;

[0048] FIG. 8 illustrates a side perspective view of a lanyard device in a partially extended position, in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention; and

[0049] FIG. 9 illustrates a side perspective view of a lanyard device in a retracted position, in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention

[0050] Referring now to the figures, the present invention provides a lanyard device 1 as shown in FIG. 1, which is provided for connecting a tool (not shown) thereto, in use. The lanyard device 1 includes a housing body 3, which is provided to be attachable to a user's clothing or belt etc. The attachment may be direct or via attachment means provided on the device 1. The housing 3 is provided with a substantially cylindrical body and includes a socket 5 formed therein, and generally located at an upper part of the housing 3. A flexible lanyard in the form of a tether 7 is provided with the device 1, and shown in an extended position in FIG. 2. The tether 7 provided is a flexible member which, at a proximal end, located within the housing 3, is connected to a retraction means (not shown). This may be provided in the form of a coiled spring member or the like, and permits extension of the tether 7, in use, to an extended position and, when not in use, retracts the tether 7 to a retracted position, shown best in FIG. 1. At a distal end of the tether 7, there is provided attachment means in the form of a hook or carabiner 9, which is used to attach to a worker's tool. Other attachment means may also be used in addition to or alternatively from the carabiner 9 that is shown. Further, at or adjacent the distal end of the tether 7, there is provided a non-flexible or substantially rigid portion, in this case illustrated in the form of a substantially solid ball 11. The ball 11 is formed to be located within at least part of the socket 5 of the housing 3.

[0051] Although a ball 11 and socket 5 configuration is illustrated, it will be appreciated that non-flexible members having differing shapes may be provided which perform the same function and locate at least partly within a socket 5 of the housing 3. Thus, when a tool is attached to the carabiner 9 and the ball 11 is located within the socket 5, under gravity and the weight of the tool, the ball 11 is retained securely within the socket 5, thereby preventing inadvertent removal of the same therefrom. As such, the tool to which the lanyard device 1 is connected is prevented from falling and is retained close to or in proximity of the housing 3 when the ball 11 and the socket 5 are engaged or otherwise attached. When not in use, the tool can now simply hang or dangle from the device 1 without a user worrying that it may fall or, if it is a heavy tool, inadvertently cause the tether 7 to extend. This is due to the housing 3, bearing the weight of the tool when the ball 11 and socket 5 are engaged, i.e., the tool can be “holstered” with the device 1. The lanyard device 1 therefore, prevents the tool from falling if dropped and the engagement keeps the tool in a convenient location between uses. Further, if a lanyard retraction mechanism is used the same can be relatively weak as the mechanism does not have to overcome the weight of the tool to keep the same in a retracted position. In order for a user to disengage the ball 11 and socket 5, the tool/ball 11/tether 7 must first be pulled in an upward direction, removing the ball 11 from the socket 5. Subsequently, the tether 7 may then be extended as required by a user.

[0052] The person skilled in the art will appreciate that the present invention uses the friction or contact between the lanyard and the socket to prevent the tool from falling. The skilled person will also appreciate that a socket could be configured to prevent the lanyard slipping and the non-flexible member is a distinct advantage over the prior art but not essential.

[0053] In some examples of the invention, the socket 5 may be formed from or may further include a material which is harder than the material forming the remainder of the housing 3. In general, the housing 3 is formed from a plastics material. The socket 5 may at least in part be formed from metal. In some embodiments, a metal portion may be provided in and/or around the socket 5 to reinforce the same.

[0054] The device may further include an extension portion, shown in the figures as a protruding plate member 13 extending from the housing 3. The plate 13 is provided to extend in a substantially linear direction from the housing 3 and is arranged to prevent the housing 3 from turning or spinning when the ball 11 and socket 5 are engaged or being separated by a user.

[0055] In some examples of the present invention, a ball 11 and socket 5 arrangement is not necessarily required. FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate the housing 3 having a hexagonal body within which the retraction mechanism may be located. It will be appreciated that other shapes may also be provided, for example, a substantially circular body may be provided, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. At or adjacent the distal end of the tether 7, the non-flexible or rigid portion may be provided as a linear member, typically in the form of a pin or bar portion 15. The pin or bar 15 has a diameter or thickness which is greater than that of the tether 7. When in the retracted position, the pin or bar 15 may rest at least partially within an aperture 5′ which is provided in an upper portion of the housing 3. Located distally of the pin or bar 15, the attachment means 9′ are provided for attachment of a tool thereto. When the pin or bar 15 is resting within the aperture/socket 5′, the rigid nature is such that even under the weight of a tool hanging from the attachment means 9′, the pin or bar 15 remains securely within the aperture/socket 5′, thereby preventing the tether 7 from extending inadvertently.

[0056] In some examples of the invention, the ball 11, pin or bar 15 may be retrofitted to existing tethers on lanyard devices. These may be fitted over or around part of the existing tether, and/or clamped thereto. In some examples, the socket 5 or aperture may also be retrofitted to a lanyard device. In particular, a specific socket 5 or aperture 5′ may be fitted to an existing aperture of such a device in order to permit suitable receipt of a rigid or non-flexible portion thereto.

[0057] Turning to FIG. 7a where there is shown an embodiment of the invention where two devices 1′,1″ are combined in a single unit 17. Each of the devices 1′,1″ can be operated separately and each has its own attachment means 9′, 9″ so two tools can be attached and held by the user when not in use. The features of the devices are essentially the same as a single unit comprising a pin or bar 15′,15″, as well as a socket 5′,5″ to receive the same.

[0058] As shown in FIGS. 7b and 7c, the devices 1′,1″ can be selectively removed from a holder 19. The holder 19 includes a number of wall members 21 to which the devices can be detachably attached. The holder also includes a plate 13 to prevent rotation of the unit 17 and devices. In addition, the holder 19 includes an aperture 23 which is located at the rear of the same to receive a belt or other similar item to the unit 17 can be attached to the user's waist.

[0059] FIGS. 8 and 9 show additional embodiments of the invention where the aperture is formed on the back of a single device 1. In the example given in FIG. 9, two apertures 23a, 23b are formed from the attachment of an additional plate 25 to the rear of the device. The plate 25 can be selectively removed if the user does not require belt apertures.