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.

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.