Abstract
A hand-held tool for supporting a horizontally-oriented panel, e.g. drywall, while installing the panel on a ceiling is provided. The tool has a gripping region, a plurality of spaced-apart elongated panel supports, a plurality of spaced-apart struts connecting the gripping region to the panel supports, and a holder configured to releasably retain fasteners for installing the panel of the ceiling. The tool is portable, easy to manage and quick to use.
Claims
1. A hand-held tool for supporting a panel while installing the panel on a ceiling or a wall, the tool comprising: a plurality of spaced-apart elongated panel supports; a handle, the handle comprising a gripping region and a plurality of spaced-apart struts connecting the gripping region to the panel supports; and, a holder configured to releasably retain fasteners for installing the panel on the ceiling or the wall.
2. The tool of claim 1, wherein the holder comprises a strip of material having a plurality of paired apertures, the paired apertures comprising first and second apertures, the first and second apertures connected by slots in the strip through which the fasteners can pass between the first and second apertures when the fasteners are in the holder, the first apertures configured to securely hold the fasteners to prevent the fasteners from falling out of the holder when the tool is supporting the panel, and the second apertures configured to permit removal of the fasteners from the holder when the tool is supporting the panel.
3. The tool of claim 2, wherein the second apertures comprise tapered inner walls to prevent the fasteners from being pushed through to the other side of the strip when the fasteners are in the second apertures.
4. The tool of claim 2, wherein the first apertures comprise flexible casings perimetrically disposed around inner edges of the first apertures to secure the fasteners in the first apertures.
5. The tool of claim 1, wherein the fasteners comprise screws.
6. The tool of claim 1, wherein the plurality of spaced-apart elongated panel supports is two spaced-apart elongated panel supports, and the plurality of spaced-apart struts is two spaced-apart struts.
7. The tool of claim 1, wherein the plurality of spaced-apart elongated panel supports are oriented longitudinally in a first plane, the gripping region is oriented longitudinally in a second plane, the first plane is parallel to but spaced-apart from the second plane, and the plurality of spaced-apart struts are oriented longitudinally in a third plane, the third plane oriented in a non-zero angle with respect to the first and second planes.
8. The tool of claim 1, wherein the plurality of spaced-apart elongated panel supports comprise a first set of spaced-apart substantially parallel tubes oriented substantially orthogonally to the gripping region in a plane substantially parallel to but spaced-apart from a plane in which the gripping region is oriented, and the plurality of spaced-apart struts comprise a second set of spaced-apart parallel tubes oriented substantially orthogonally to the gripping region in a plane substantially orthogonal to the plane in which the gripping region is oriented and substantially orthogonal to the plane in which the first set of substantially parallel tubes is oriented.
9. The tool of claim 1, wherein the gripping region comprises a hand grip.
10. The tool of claim 1, wherein the struts are extendible.
11. The tool of claim 10, wherein the extendible struts comprise telescoping tubes, the telescoping tubes comprising a first tube slidable within a second tube.
12. The tool of claim 11, wherein the telescoping tubes comprise a third tube, and the second tube is slidable within the third tube.
13. The tool of claim 10, wherein the extendible struts comprise locks, wherein locking the locks prevents extension and/or retraction of the struts, while unlocking the locks permits extension and/or retraction of the struts.
14. The tool of claim 1, further comprising a retainer configured to mount the tool on a belt of a worker.
15. The tool of claim 14, wherein the retainer comprises: a magnet mounted on or in one of the elongated panel supports; and, a clip having a hook for supporting the clip on the belt of the worker, at least a portion of the clip comprising a material magnetically attracted to the magnet and positioned to be able to magnetically attach to the magnet to retain the tool on the clip.
16. The tool of claim 1, wherein at least one of the elongated panel supports comprises an elongated indent configured to support the panel in a vertical orientation for installation on the wall.
17. The tool of claim 1, wherein the plurality of spaced-apart elongated panel supports comprise panel interface surfaces, the panel interface surfaces configured to support the panel in a horizontal orientation for installation on the ceiling, the panel interface surfaces comprising pads which do not blemish the panel when in contact with the panel.
18. The tool of claim 1, further comprising a laser guiding system for guiding cutting of the panel.
19. The tool of claim 18, wherein the laser guiding system is situated in one or more of the spaced-apart elongated panel supports, and wherein the laser guiding system is oriented to project a visible line of laser light on a facing surface of the panel when the tool is hung from an upper edge of the panel when the panel is vertically oriented or when the tool is rested placed on the facing surface of the panel when the panel is horizontally oriented.
20. The tool of claim 1, wherein the panel is drywall, sheetrock, wallboard or plywood.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0018] For clearer understanding, preferred embodiments will now be described in detail by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
[0019] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a hand-held tool for supporting a panel while installing the panel on a ceiling or a wall;
[0020] FIG. 2 is a side view of the tool of FIG. 1;
[0021] FIG. 3A is a side view of the tool of FIG. 1 fully extended;
[0022] FIG. 3B is a side view of the tool of FIG. 1 partially extended;
[0023] FIG. 3C is a side view of the tool of FIG. 1 fully retracted;
[0024] FIG. 4A is a top view of a first embodiment of a screw plate for the tool of FIG. 1;
[0025] FIG. 4B is a side view of a screw in an aperture of the screw plate of FIG. 4A;
[0026] FIG. 5A is a top view of a second embodiment of a screw plate for the tool of FIG. 1;
[0027] FIG. 5B is a side view of a screw in a paired aperture of the screw plate of FIG. 5A;
[0028] FIG. 6 is a top view of a third embodiment of a screw plate for the tool of FIG. 1;
[0029] FIG. 7A is an end view of the tool of FIG. 1 showing a first embodiment of a clip for connecting the tool to a worker's belt;
[0030] FIG. 7B is a perspective view of clip shown in FIG. 7A;
[0031] FIG. 8A is an end view of the tool of FIG. 1 showing a second embodiment of a clip for connecting the tool to a worker's belt;
[0032] FIG. 8B is a perspective view of clip shown in FIG. 8A;
[0033] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a supporting indent in a foot of the tool of FIG. 1;
[0034] FIG. 10A depicts a worker using the fully retracted tool of FIG. 3C to support a sheet of drywall on an 8-ft high ceiling;
[0035] FIG. 10B depicts a worker using the fully extended tool of FIG. 3A to support a sheet of drywall on a 9-ft high ceiling;
[0036] FIG. 11 depicts a use of the tool of FIG. 1 to support a sheet of drywall in a vertical orientation;
[0037] FIG. 12A depicts an end view of a vertically oriented sheet of drywall with the tool of FIG. 1 hanging vertically from a top edge thereof illustrating use of a laser guiding system of the tool to assist with cutting the sheet of drywall;
[0038] FIG. 12B depicts a side view of the sheet of drywall of FIG. 12A; and,
[0039] FIG. 13 depicts a top view of a horizontally oriented sheet of drywall with the tool of FIG. 1 placed thereon illustrating use of a laser guiding system of the tool to assist with cutting the sheet of drywall.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0040] Referring to FIG. 1 to FIG. 13, a hand-held tool 1 of the present invention comprises a first elongated foot 20 and a second elongated foot 30, the feet 20, 30 comprising spaced-apart substantially parallel tubes, which engage a sheet of drywall 60, or other type of panel, for example a sheet of sheetrock, a sheet of wall board, a wood panel (e.g. a sheet of plywood or decorative paneling) or the like. While two substantially parallel feet are shown, the tool may comprise more than two feet, for example 3, 4, 5 or more feet, and the feet need not be substantially parallel. While cylindrical tubes are illustrated, the feet may be an elongated structure of any cross-sectional shape, and may be hollow or solid. The first foot 20 comprise two non-scuff pads 21 having contact surfaces, which are in contact with the sheet of drywall 60, or other type of panel, when the tool 1 is used to support the sheet of drywall 60, or other type of panel, horizontally for installation on a ceiling 61 (see FIG. 10A and FIG. 10B). Likewise, the second foot 30 comprise two non-scuff pads 31 having contact surfaces, which are in contact with a sheet of drywall 60, or other type of panel, when the tool 1 is used to support the sheet of drywall 60, or other type of panel, horizontally for installation on a ceiling 61 (see FIG. 10A and FIG. 10B). The non-scuff pads 21, 31 may comprise a material, for example plastic or cloth, that does not damage the sheet of drywall 60 when the pads 21, 31 contact the sheet of drywall 60. The contact surfaces of the pads 21, 31 are preferably co-planar, a plane formed by the contact surfaces being parallel to the ceiling 61 when the tool 1 is being used to support the sheet of drywall 60 on the ceiling 61 during installation. The feet 20, 30 are preferably longitudinally oriented parallel to the plane formed by the contact surfaces.
[0041] The second foot 30 further comprises an elongated indent 33 extending longitudinally along a full length of an inside of the second foot 30. The indent 33 may be L-shaped in cross-section, or have any other appropriate cross-sectional shape, to support an edge of the sheet of drywall 60 when the sheet of drywall 60 is vertically oriented for installation on a wall (FIG. 11). When used in this manner to support a sheet of drywall 60 for installation on a wall, the pad 21 of the first foot 20 engages a facing surface of the sheet of drywall 60. If desired, both feet may comprise such elongated indents.
[0042] The hand-held tool 1 further comprises a first leg 22 and a second leg 32 connected to the first foot 20 and the second foot 30, respectively. The legs 22, 32 comprise spaced-apart substantially parallel tubes. While two substantially parallel legs are shown, the tool may comprise more than two legs, for example 3, 4, 5 or more legs, and the legs need not be substantially parallel. While cylindrical hollow tubes are illustrated, the legs may be an elongated structure of any cross-sectional shape, and may be hollow or solid. Preferably, the tool comprises one leg for every foot. Longitudinal axes of the legs 22, 32 are substantially orthogonal to longitudinal axes of the feet 20, 30, the legs 22, 32 longitudinally oriented in a plane orthogonal to the plane formed by the contact surfaces of the pads 21, 31. The legs 22, 32 are substantially vertically oriented when the tool 1 is being used to support the sheet of drywall 60 on the ceiling 61 during installation, and substantially horizontally oriented when the tool 1 is being used to support the sheet of drywall 60 on the wall during installation.
[0043] The first leg 22 comprises first, second and third leg portions 24, 25, 26, respectively, in a tube-in-tube arrangement. The third leg portion 26 comprises a tube that telescopes within the second leg portion 25, and the second leg portion 25 comprises a tube that telescopes within the first leg portion 24. Thus, the third leg portion 26 is an inner tube, the second leg portion 25 is a middle tube and the first leg portion 24 is an outer tube. As best seen in FIG. 3A, the middle tube (i.e. the second leg portion 25) comprises a spring-loaded pin 27, which can be engaged in a first pin aperture 29a in a side of the first leg portion 24 to lock the second leg portion 25 in a fully retracted position. Depressing the spring-loaded pin 27 permits sliding of the second leg portion 25 in the first leg portion 24 to extend the second leg portion 25, which locks into a fully extended position when the spring-loaded pin 27 aligns with a second pin aperture 29b in a side of the first leg portion 24. The inner tube (i.e. the third leg portion 26) also comprises a spring-loaded pin 28, which engages a third pin aperture 29c in the second leg portion 25 to lock the third leg portion 26 into a fully extended position when the third leg portion 26 is extended out of the second leg portion 25. Depressing the spring-loaded pin 28 permits sliding of the third leg portion 26 in the second leg portion 25 to return the third leg portion 26 to a fully retracted position. The second leg 32 is similar to the first leg 22, the second leg 32 comprising: first, second and third leg portions 34, 35, 36, respectively; a spring-loaded pin 37; and, a spring-loaded pin 38.
[0044] Extension and retraction of the leg portions 24, 25, 26, 34, 35, 36 permit lengthening and shortening the hand-tool 1 to accommodate different heights of the ceiling 61, as seen in FIG. 10A and FIG. 10B. In this way, a worker 62 does not need to over-reach or stand on an object such as a stool, a box, a bench or another object to reach a desired ceiling height. Over-reaching or standing on such objects raises potential health and safety concerns, which the tool 1 reduces or eliminates altogether.
[0045] The hand-held tool 1 further comprises an elongated gripping portion 10, the gripping portion 10 comprising a hand grip 11. The hand grip 11 preferably comprises a material, for example rubber, which is comfortable to hold while providing sufficient friction to prevent the tool from slipping in a worker's hand, even a hand covered in perspiration. The gripping portion 10 connects the first leg 22 to the second leg 32. The gripping portion 10 is substantially orthogonal to the first and second legs 22, 32. However, the gripping portion could form some other angle with respect to the first and second legs. A longitudinal axis of the gripping portion 10 is parallel to the plane formed by the contact surfaces of the pads 21, 31. However, the gripping portion could form some other angle with respect to the plane formed by the contact surfaces of the pads. The gripping portion 10 together with the first and second legs 22, 32 form an extendible handle for the tool 1.
[0046] The hand-held tool 1 further comprises two screw plates 40 mounted on opposite sides of the gripping portion 10. While the screw plates may be mounted on the gripping portion, the first and second legs or the feet, the illustrated embodiment shows the screw plates 40 mounted on the first and second legs 22, 32. While two screw plates are illustrated, the tool may comprise 1, 2, 3, 4 or more screw plates. The screw plates are configured to retain screws 42, or any other fasteners (e.g. nails, bolts and the like) in a manner that is accessible for connection of the screws to a drill, screwdriver or the like during installation of the panel on the ceiling or wall. The screw plates may be mounted in any convenient fashion; however, the screw plates are preferably removably mounted to facilitate replacement of the screw plates. The tool 1 shows the screw plates 40 mounted edgewise in snap-in clips 41 mounted on the first leg portions 24, 34 of the first and second legs 22, 32, respectively. The screw plates 40 are readily removable from and insertable in the snap-in clips 41 for easy replacement of the screw plates 40.
[0047] As particularly illustrated in FIG. 4A and FIG. 4B, the screw plate 40 is reusable, permitting extraction and replacement of the screws 42 in the screw plate 40. The screw plate 40 comprises a plurality of paired apertures 43 to hold the screws 42 therethrough. The paired apertures 43 (only one labeled) comprise first screw apertures 43a and second screw apertures 43b. The first screw apertures 43a are connected to the corresponding second screw apertures 43b by slots through which the screws 42 can pass between the first and second screw apertures 43a, 43b of a given pair of apertures 43. The first screw apertures 43a are holding apertures that securely hold the screws 42 (one particularly labeled as 42a in FIG. 4A) to prevent the screws 42 from falling out of the screw plate 40 when the tool 1 is held upside down supporting the sheet of drywall 60. Flexible casings 45 (only one labeled) of sufficiently small diameters perimetrically disposed around inner edges of the first screw apertures 43a secure the screws 42 in place. The flexible casings 45 may comprise any sufficiently flexible and durable material, for example, rubber or thermoplastic, which is suitable to hold the screws 42 in the first screw apertures 43a. The second screw apertures 43b are delivery apertures having a larger opening to permit easy removal of the screws 42 (one particularly labeled as 42b in FIG. 4A) from the screw plate 40, and having tapered inner walls 44 (see FIG. 4B) to prevent the screws 42 from being pushed through to the other side of the screw plate 40. Such a dual-aperture system permits the worker to connect a magnetic drill bit to the screws 42 while the screws 42 are in the first screw apertures 43a, then using the drill to slide the screws 42 though the slots to the second screw apertures 43b, and then to extract the screws 42 from the second screw apertures 43b by pulling the drill away from the screw plate 40. The tool 1 therefore allows the worker to use one hand to hold the tool 1 to support the sheet of drywall 60 in place on the ceiling 61, while the other hand is free to and capable of using the drill to load and use the screws 42 without releasing the tool 1 and without the worker needing to hold the drill between his or her knees and extract a screw from a different location to load the drill. The paired apertures 43 also permit reloading the screw plate 40 with more screws 42 by inserting the screws 42 into the second screw apertures 43b and then sliding the screws 42 over to the first screw apertures 43a. Depending on construction of the flexible casings 45, the screws 42 may be directly insertable into the first screw apertures 43a.
[0048] With reference to FIG. 5A and FIG. 5B, in a second embodiment, a non-reusable screw plate 50 may comprise a plurality of single screw apertures 53 (only one labeled) in which the screws 42 are pre-loaded. The screws 42 are secured in the screw apertures 53 by flexible gates 55 (only one labeled), and tapered inner walls 54 (see FIG. 5B) of the screw apertures 53 prevent the screws 42 from being pushed through to the other side of the screw plate 50. A magnetic drill bit of a drill may be engaged with heads of the screws 42 and the screws 42 pulled out of the screw plate 50. Pulling the screws 42 out of the screw apertures 53 may damage the flexible gates 55 rendering the screw plate 50 non-reusable. In some cases, the flexible gates 55 may be sufficiently robust that simply pulling the screws 42 out of the screw plate 50 would be difficult. In such cases, brief activation of the drill while the screw 42 is engaged with the drill and is still in the aperture 53 could be done to spin the screw 42 inside the aperture 53, thereby breaking the gate 55 allowing the screw 42 to slide out.
[0049] With reference to FIG. 6, a third embodiment of a reusable screw plate 90 is similar to the screw plate 40 shown in FIG. 4A and FIG. 4B except that instead of paired apertures to hold and release screws, the screw plate 90 comprises a plurality of holding apertures 93 of the same construction as the first screw apertures 43a in FIG. 4A and FIG. 4B, the holding apertures 93 in open communication with an edge 94 of the screw plate 90 through corresponding slots 95 leading from the edge 94 to the respective holding apertures 93. Screws 42 may be loaded into the holding apertures 93 by sliding threaded bodies of the screws 42 through the slots 95 until the screws 42 are engages within the holding apertures 93. Screws 42 may be removed from the holding apertures 93 by sliding threaded bodies of the screws 42 from the holding apertures 93 through the slots 95 until the screws 42 are removed through the edge 94 of the screw plate 90. The particular screw 42c is shown engaged in one of the holding apertures in a manner similar to the screw 42a in FIG. 4A. The particular screw 42e is shown being slid through the corresponding slot 95e, either toward or away from the corresponding holding aperture 93e. The particular screw 42f is shown ready to be slid into or having just been slid out of the corresponding slot 95f. The screw plate 90 is reusable and permits easier loading and removal of the screws 42 in comparison to the screw plate 40 of FIG. 4A and FIG. 4B.
[0050] The hand-held tool 1 further comprises lights 47 that illuminate the screw plates 40 in a dark environment. The lights 47 may be LED lights, tungsten bulbs or the like. The lights 47 may be directional to illuminate the screw plates 40 without providing stray light that may be bothersome to a worker. A light switch 48 switches the lights 47 on and off. The light switch is preferably located on the gripping portion 10 outside the hand grip 11. The lights 47 are preferably located on the first leg portions 24, 34 of the first and second legs 22, 32.
[0051] The hand-held tool 1 further comprises a horizontal laser guiding system 15 for assistance in cutting the sheet of drywall 60 to a desired length. The laser guiding system 15 is situated on an end of the first foot 20 and may be switched on and off with an on/off switch 16 located on the first foot 20. The laser guiding system may be located on any one or more ends of any one or more of the feet. The on/off switch may be located anywhere on the tool, although locating the on/off switch close to the laser guiding system is more efficient. The laser guiding system 15 may replace a traditional T-square, which is large and bulky and which may get bent over time or lost. Use of the laser guiding system 15 on the tool 1 is illustrated in FIG. 12A, FIG. 12B and FIG. 13. As shown in FIG. 12A and FIG. 12B, the tool 1 may be hung on an upper edge of a vertically oriented sheet of drywall 60 by resting the indent 33 in the second foot 30 on the upper edge of the sheet of drywall 60. In this configuration, the pad 21 of the first foot 20 engages the surface of the sheet of drywall 60, and the laser guiding system 15, when switched on, displays a straight line 65 on the facing surface of the sheet of drywall 60, which guides the worker when making a cut. As shown in FIG. 13, placing the tool 1 on a horizontally oriented sheet of drywall 60 and switching on the laser guiding system 15 displays a straight line 66 on the surface of the sheet of drywall 60, which guides the worker when making a cut.
[0052] The hand-held tool 1 may further comprise a toolbelt clip. In a first embodiment as illustrated in FIG. 7A and FIG. 7B, a tool belt clip 70 comprises two spaced-apart curved bore holes 71 in the first foot 20 mated with two curved pegs 72 mounted on a hook 73, which can be hooked over a toolbelt 69 worn by the worker. To secure the tool 1 to the toolbelt 69, the curved pegs 72 are inserted into the curved bore holes 71, the curvature of the pegs 72 and bore holes 71 preventing the tool 1 from slipping off the pegs 72. The hook 73 may be permanently attached to the toolbelt 69 if desired. While two bore holes and pegs are illustrated, there may be 1, 2, 3, 4 or more mated bore holes and pegs. The bore holes and pegs may be of any desired shape that allows for easy and secure connection between the hand-held tool and the worker's toolbelt. Either or both of the feet may comprise the bore holes. If the feet are hollow, simple apertures in the foot are sufficient to engage the pegs to secure the tool on the toolbelt.
[0053] In a second embodiment as illustrated in FIG. 8A and FIG. 8B, a tool belt clip 80 comprises a cavity 81 in the first foot 20, the cavity 81 having a first magnet 84 secured therein for magnetic engagement with a second magnet 85 secured to an insert 82 mated for insertion into the cavity 81. The insert 82 is mounted on a hook 83, which can be hooked over a toolbelt 69 worn by the worker. To secure the tool 1 to the toolbelt 69, the insert 82 is inserted into the cavity 81, where the first and second magnets 84, 85, respectively, magnetically engage thereby preventing the tool 1 from slipping off the insert 82. Instead of two magnets, only one magnet may be required, either in the foot or on the insert, the other magnet being replaced by a ferromagnetic material, for example a ferromagnetic metal such as steel. The hook 83 may be permanently attached to the toolbelt 69 if desired. Either or both of the feet may comprise the cavity. The use of magnets provides a quick and strong connection between the tool and the workbelt.
[0054] The novel features will become apparent to those of skill in the art upon examination of the description. It should be understood, however, that the scope of the claims should not be limited by the embodiments, but should be given the broadest interpretation consistent with the wording of the claims and the specification as a whole.
