Tool holders and harness assemblies for carrying hand tools and methods of assembling

Abstract

A harness assembly for carrying a hand tool is provided. The harness assembly includes a wearable support including at least one strap arranged to extend across a wearer's back, and a toolholder attachable to the wearable support. The toolholder includes legs and a plate arranged to attach to and extend at least partly along a length of the at least one strap. The legs extend outward from the plate in a direction that is not parallel to the plate. The plate and the legs form a support shaped to receive a hand tool in an inverted position. The hand tool extends at least partly along the at least one strap on the wearer's back and is positioned to be grasped by the wearer reaching towards the wearer's back. The toolholder further includes at least one engagement feature that retains the hand tool in the inverted position.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A harness assembly for carrying a hand tool, the harness assembly comprising:
 a wearable support comprising at least one strap arranged to extend across a wearer's back; and   a toolholder attachable to the wearable support, the toolholder comprising:
 a plate arranged to attach to and extend at least partly along a length of the at least one strap; 
 legs extending outward from the plate in a direction that is not parallel to the plate, wherein the plate and the legs form a support shaped to receive a hand tool in an inverted position, and wherein the hand tool extends at least partly along the at least one strap on the wearer's back and is positioned to be grasped by the wearer reaching towards the wearer's back; and 
 at least one engagement feature that retains the hand tool in the inverted position in the toolholder. 
   
     
     
         2 . The harness assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one engagement feature comprises at least one magnet attached to the plate. 
     
     
         3 . The harness assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the wearable support comprises a suspender system including a pair of straps, wherein each strap includes:
 at least one attachment configured to couple with the toolholder.   
     
     
         4 . The harness assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the toolholder further comprises a buckle member arranged to be coupled with the at least one attachment. 
     
     
         5 . The harness assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the wearable support further comprises an adjustable chest tie that connects the pair of straps. 
     
     
         6 . The harness assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the wearable support further comprises a belt, and the toolholder further comprises a clip configured to couple with the belt. 
     
     
         7 . The harness assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the wearable support further comprises a suspender system and a bottom tie that connects the suspender system with the belt. 
     
     
         8 . A toolholder comprising:
 a plate attachable to a strap, wherein the strap is arranged to extend across a wearer's back such that the plate extends at least partly vertically along the wearer's back; and   legs, each leg of the legs comprising:
 a thigh extending outward from the plate in a first direction; and 
 a foot extending outward from the thigh in a second direction different from the first direction, 
   wherein each leg and the plate form a first U-shape and define a first opening between the plate and the foot sized to receive a head of a hand tool, and the legs and the plate form a second U-shape and define a second opening between the legs to receive a handle of a hand tool.   
     
     
         9 . The toolholder of  claim 8 , further comprising at least one magnet attached to the plate. 
     
     
         10 . The toolholder of  claim 9 , further comprising a cover coving at least part of the plate, wherein the at least one magnet is positioned between the cover and the plate. 
     
     
         11 . The toolholder of  claim 10 , wherein the toolholder defines one or more apertures through the plate and the cover and further comprises one or more rivets positioned in the one of the one or more apertures and coupling the plate with the cover. 
     
     
         12 . The toolholder of  claim 10 , comprising at least one magnet attached to the plate, wherein the cover defines one or more apertures and exposes the at least one magnet. 
     
     
         13 . The toolholder of  claim 8 , wherein the legs comprise a first leg having a first thigh and a second leg having a second thigh, and the first thigh is slanted relative to the second thigh. 
     
     
         14 . The toolholder of  claim 8 , further comprising a buckle member and a clip. 
     
     
         15 . A harness assembly for carrying a hand tool, the harness assembly comprising:
 a wearable support arranged to extend across a wearer's body; and   a loop toolholder attachable to the wearable support, the loop toolholder comprising:
 a planar base defining a pair of slots through the planar base and one or more apertures; 
 a clip coupled with the planar base at the pair of slots; and 
 one or more tool loops coupled with the planar base at the one or more apertures. 
   
     
     
         16 . The harness assembly of  claim 15 , wherein the one or more apertures are misaligned. 
     
     
         17 . The harness assembly of  claim 15 , wherein at least one of the one or more tool loops is closed. 
     
     
         18 . The harness assembly of  claim 15 , wherein at least one of the one or more tool loops is open. 
     
     
         19 . The harness assembly of  claim 15 , further comprising a tape holder, wherein the tape holder comprises:
 a rod;   a cord attached to the rod at a point between ends of the rod; and   a spool arranged to retract the cord,   wherein the tape holder is arranged to retain a roll of tape between the rod and the spool with the cord extending through an opening defined by the roll of tape.   
     
     
         20 . The harness assembly of  claim 15 , further comprising a magnet toolholder, wherein the magnet toolholder further comprises:
 a backing having a first side and a second side opposite the first side;   one or more magnets coupled to the backing on the first side; and   a spring member coupled to the backing on the second side.