Hammer sleeve, hammer sleeve attachment system and associated tool belt system

Abstract

A tool holding sleeve for use on a tool belt includes a sleeve shaped body formed by a flexible material, the sleeve shaped body having a main body section and a neck section, the main body section having an upper edge, a lower edge and a height that is greater than a height of the neck section. The neck section extends along only a portion of the upper edge of the main body section such that the upper edge includes a neck free segment and/or the upper edge of the main body section has a perimeter dimension that is larger than a perimeter dimension of the lower edge of the main body section such that an upper opening of the sleeve shaped body is larger than a lower opening of the sleeve shaped body.

1 . A tool holding sleeve for use on a tool belt, the tool holding sleeve comprising:
 a sleeve shaped body comprised of a flexible material, the sleeve shaped body having a main body section and a neck section, the main body section having an upper edge, a lower edge and a height that is greater than a height of the neck section, wherein:
 the neck section extends along only a portion of the upper edge of the main body section such that the upper edge includes a neck free segment; and/or 
 the upper edge of the main body section has a perimeter dimension that is larger than a perimeter dimension of the lower edge of the main body section such that an upper opening of the sleeve shaped body is larger than a lower opening of the sleeve shaped body. 
   
     
     
         2 . The tool holding sleeve of  claim 1 , wherein the upper edge of the main body section has a perimeter dimension that is larger than a perimeter dimension of the lower edge of the main body section such that an upper opening of the sleeve shaped body is larger than a lower opening of the sleeve shaped body, and a portion of the main body section comprises a rigidity that is sufficient to cause the upper opening to take on an at least partly expanded condition. 
     
     
         3 . The tool handling sleeve of  claim 2 , wherein the neck section extends along only a portion of the upper edge of the main body section such that the upper edge includes the neck free segment, and the portion of the main body section comprising the rigidity is aligned below the neck free segment. 
     
     
         4 . The tool holding sleeve of  claim 1 , further comprising a first external attachment structure for mounting the tool holding sleeve on a right side of a tool belt, and a second external attachment structure for mounting the tool holding sleeve on a left side of a tool belt. 
     
     
         5 . The tool holding sleeve of  claim 4 , wherein the main body section includes a first side segment, a second side segment opposite the first side segment, and at least one end segment joining the first side segment and the second side segment, wherein a lateral dimension of the first side segment and the second side segment is larger than a lateral dimension of the end segment, wherein the first external attachment structure is located on the first side segment and the second external attachment structure is located on the second side segment. 
     
     
         6 . A tool belt system, comprising:
 a tool belt strap having ends that are selectively connectable and disconnectable for being worn by a user;   a first belt component located on a right side of the belt, from the perspective of a user wearing the belt, and a second belt component worn on a left side of the belt, from the perspective of a user wearing the belt, the first belt component including at least one first web loop for engaging with the first external attachment structure, the second belt component including at least one second web loop for engaging with the second external attachment structure;   the tool holding sleeve of  claim 4 , wherein the first external attachment structure comprises a first strap member oriented on the tool holding sleeve and the second external attachment structure comprises a second strap member oriented on the tool holding sleeve, wherein the tool holding sleeve is selectively engageable on:
 (i) the first belt component with the first strap member engaged on the at least one first web loop to support the tool holding sleeve such that that the neck free segment, which forms a neck gap, faces in a first rearward and upward direction from a perspective of a user wearing the tool belt strap or 
 (ii) the second belt component with the second strap member engaged with the at least one second web loop to support the tool holding sleeve such that that the neck free segment, which forms a neck gap, faces in a second rearward and upward direction from a perspective of a user wearing the tool belt strap. 
   
     
     
         7 . The tool holding sleeve of  claim 1 , wherein the flexible material comprises a fabric material with one or more internal polymer cushions within at least the main body section. 
     
     
         8 . A tool holding sleeve for use on a tool belt, the tool holding sleeve comprising:
 a flexible material having a preassembly configuration and an assembly configuration, wherein, the flexible material includes a body section and a neck section;   wherein, in the preassembly configuration:
 the body section has a laid flat footprint that is a trapezoid shape, the trapezoid shape including an upper perimeter edge with a first length and a lower perimeter edge with a second length, the lower perimeter edge running substantially parallel to the upper perimeter edge, the first length being greater than the second length, wherein the trapezoidal shape further includes a first perimeter edge running from the upper perimeter edge to the lower perimeter edge, and a second perimeter edge running from the upper perimeter edge to the lower perimeter edge, second perimeter edge running in a direction that is non-parallel to the first perimeter edge; 
   wherein, in an assembly configuration:
 the flexible material is formed into a sleeve shape, with the second perimeter edge connected to or on the first perimeter edge, wherein an upper body opening of the body section of the sleeve shape is defined by the upper perimeter edge and a lower body opening of the sleeve shape is defined by the lower perimeter edge, such that the upper body opening is larger than the lower body opening. 
   
     
     
         9 . The tool holding sleeve of  claim 8 ,
 wherein the neck section extends from the upper perimeter edge;   wherein, in the preassembly configuration, the neck section has a length that is less than the first length of the upper perimeter edge, such that a portion of the upper perimeter edge defines a neck free segment;   wherein, in the assembly configuration, end edges of the neck section are not connected together, such that the neck section of the sleeve shape includes a gap therein that is aligned with the neck free segment of the body section.   
     
     
         10 . The tool holding sleeve of  claim 9 , wherein a height of the neck section is less than twenty percent of a height of the main body section. 
     
     
         11 . A tool holding sleeve for use on a tool belt, the tool holding sleeve comprising:
 a sleeve shaped body comprised of a flexible material having a first side segment and a second side segment, a first external attachment structure located on the first side segment for mounting the tool holding sleeve on a right side of a tool belt, and a second external attachment structure located on the second side segment for mounting the tool holding sleeve on a left side of a tool belt.   
     
     
         12 . A tool belt system, including the tool holding sleeve of  claim 11 , comprising:
 a tool belt strap having ends that are selectively connectable and disconnectable for being worn by a user;   a belt component located the belt, the belt component including at least one web loop;   the tool holding sleeve of  claim 11  selectively engageable on the belt component to be supported thereon, wherein the first external attachment structure comprises an external attachment strap sized for engagement through the at least one web loop for purpose of attachment to the belt component.