Tool Holder With Scraping Web And Interlocking Rim Tabs
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing tool holders fail to effectively keep tools and work areas clean while using paint or mastic from five-gallon buckets, as they do not provide a dedicated means to manage tools and contain spills, leading to contamination.
Innovation Solution
A tool holder with a bib-shaped plate mounted on a U-shaped collar that fits inside the bucket rim, featuring a semicircular cutout with increased curvature forming a web for scraping off material and inset tab extensions for secure attachment, along with apertures for tool storage and a grid of ribs for reinforcement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If tools are placed directly into the bucket for easy access, then tool accessibility is improved, but the work area becomes contaminated and the bucket contents are polluted
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides the bucket system into separate functional zones: a tool holder platform separated from the bucket contents, and a scraping surface separated from the tool storage area. This segmentation allows tools to be stored and used without direct contact with the bucket contents, preventing contamination while maintaining accessibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The tool holder platform acts as an intermediary between the worker and the bucket contents. Tools rest on the platform rather than directly in the bucket, and the scraping surface serves as an intermediary zone where material is removed from tools before dropping back into the bucket, preventing direct contamination of the work area.
2Device complexity
If a simple plate is used for tool holding, then device complexity is reduced, but the plate cannot securely attach to the bucket rim
Solution Approach 1:
The attachment mechanism is self-securing through the heel-and-arch design. When the tab extension is inserted under the rim, the heel engages with the rim while the arch provides upward camming action that automatically locks the attachment in place without requiring additional fasteners or complex assembly steps.
Solution Approach 2:
The arch of the tab extension is curved to match the curvature of the bucket rim. This curved geometry allows the arch to cam against the rim surface, providing secure attachment through geometric interlocking rather than flat surfaces that would require additional fastening elements.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the plate has multiple apertures and features for tool storage, then tool organization is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The plate is designed with standardized aperture sizes and shapes that can be produced using conventional manufacturing processes. The apertures are positioned to accommodate standard tool dimensions, allowing the same plate design to organize various tool types without requiring custom manufacturing for each tool configuration.
Data Source
AI summary
A tool holder having a bib shaped plate mounted on a U-shaped collar configured to nest inside a rim of a utility bucket. The plate has a cutout with a web that overhangs the inside of the bucket and a skirt around the periphery of the plate. The skirt terminates at ends of the cutout with insert tab extensions, each of which has a foot with an outwardly sloped arch, an inwardly projection heel and a horizontal toe. The web provides an edge to scrape off materials from a tool into the bucket while the heel secures the holder to the rim.