TOOLBOX

[0001] 1. Field of Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to a toolbox and, more particularly, to a toolbox with one or more well-attached ancillary plates.

[0003] 2. Related Prior Art

[0004] As disclosed in Taiwanese Patent Publication No. 569888, a toolbox includes a box 10 and a mark plate 20. The box 10 defines a recess 13 in order to receive the mark plate 20. The recess 13 includes a bed 131 and a wall 132. The box 10 is made of plastic. The mark plate 20 is made of metal. The box 10 is molded from molten plastic. While the box 10 is still warm and soft, the mark plate 20 is put in the recess 13. When the box 10 becomes cool and hard, the mark plate 20 is supposed to be held by means of the wall 132 of the recess 13. This is however not a practical design. When used in a cool place, the mark plate 20 contracts more than the box 10 does. Hence, the mark plate 20 can easily falls from the recess 13. When bumped, the mark plate 20 can deform easily. Such deformation makes it difficult for the mark plate 20 to tightly contact the bed 131 of the recess 13. Hence, the mark plate 20 can easily falls from the recess 13. Moreover, the toolbox cannot be produced in an efficient manner for at least two reasons. Firstly, for a period of time after the mark plate 20 is put in the recess 13, the box 10 is still soft, and the toolbox must be handled slowly and carefully or the mark late 20 might fall from the recess 13. Secondly, the mark plate 20 is put in the recess 13 when the box 10 is still soft, i.e., the putting of the mark plate 20 in the recess 13 and the molding of the box 10 are done in a production line in an inefficient manner.

[0005] The present invention is therefore intended to obviate or at least alleviate the problems encountered in prior art.

[0006] According to the present invention, a toolbox includes a box and at least one ancillary plate. The box includes two halves pivotally connected with each other so that the box can be opened and closed. At least selected one of the halves defines a plurality of slots. The ancillary plate includes a plurality of tabs inserted through the slots and hooked to the selected half so that the ancillary plate is well attached to the box.

[0007] The primary advantage of the toolbox of the present invention is that the ancillary plate is well attached to the box because the tabs are inserted through the slots and hooked to the half.

[0008] Other advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description in conjunction with the attached drawings.

[0009] The present invention will be described through detailed illustration of embodiments referring to the drawings.

[0010] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a toolbox equipped with two ancillary plates according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

[0011] FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the toolbox shown in FIG. 1.

[0012] FIG. 3 is a perspective partial view of the toolbox shown in FIG. 1.

[0013] FIG. 4 is a cut-away partial view of the toolbox shown in FIG. 1.

[0014] FIG. 5 is a cut-away partial view of the toolbox shown in FIG. 1.

[0015] FIG. 6 is a perspective partial view of a toolbox according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

[0016] FIG. 7 is a cut-away partial view of the toolbox shown in FIG. 6.

[0017] FIG. 8 is a perspective partial view of a toolbox according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

[0018] FIG. 9 is a cut-away partial view of the toolbox shown in FIG. 8.

[0019] FIG. 10 is a perspective partial view of a toolbox according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

[0020] FIG. 11 is a cut-away partial view of the toolbox shown in FIG. 10.

[0021] FIG. 12 is a perspective partial view of a toolbox according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention.

[0022] FIG. 13 is a cut-away partial view of the toolbox shown in FIG. 12.

[0023] FIG. 14 is an exploded view of a toolbox according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention.

[0024] FIG. 15 is an exploded view of a toolbox according to a seventh embodiment of the present invention.

[0025] Referring to FIG. 1, according to a first embodiment of the present invention, a toolbox includes a box 10 and two well-installed ancillary plates 20 (only one is shown) for the purposes of decoration and/or protection of the box 10.

[0026] Referring to FIGS. 2 trough 4, the box 10 includes two halves 18 pivotally connected with each other so that the box 10 can be opened and closed. Each half 18 includes an internal face 11, an external face 12, a lip 13 formed between the internal face 111 and the external face 12, two recesses 14 defined in the internal face of each of four corners of the lip 13, a plurality of slots 16 defined in the external face of the lip 13 and each communicated with a corresponding recess 14, a groove 17 defined in the external face 12 and a plurality of holes 30 defined in the external face 12.

[0027] Each ancillary plate 20 includes an internal face 21, an external face 22, four corner members 24 extending from the internal face 21 for covering four corners of a corresponding half 18, two tabs 25 extending from each corner member 24 for insertion into a corresponding recess 14 through a corresponding slot 16, a ridge 23 extending from the internal face 21 for fitting in the groove 17 and a plurality of anchors 31 extending from the internal face 21 for fitting in the holes 30. The internal face 22 of each ancillary plate 20 can be printed with words, patterns and/or trademarks.

[0028] Referring to FIG. 4, a tab 25 is inserted into a corresponding recess 14 through a corresponding slot 16 and bent in order to hook a bed 15 of the recess 14. Thus, the ancillary plates 20 can be well attached to the halves 18.

[0029] Referring to FIG. 5, each hole 30 includes a small portion and a large portion communicated with the small portion. Each anchor 31 includes a small portion and a large portion formed on the small portion. The large portion of each anchor 31 can be pushed into the large portion through the small portion of a corresponding hole 30. Thus, the ancillary plates 20 can be further well attached to the halves 18.

[0030] FIGS. 6 and 7 show a toolbox according to a second embodiment of the present invention. The second embodiment is identical to the first embodiment except that each tab 25 is formed with a hook 26 instead of the bent end in order to hook the bed 15 of a corresponding recess 14.

[0031] FIGS. 8 and 9 show a toolbox according to a third embodiment of the present invention. The third embodiment is identical to the second embodiment except that each tab 25 is formed with two hooks 27 instead of the single hook 26 in order to hook the bed 15 of a corresponding recess 14. Each slot 16 is communicated with the corresponding recess 14 in the middle of the bed 15, thus separating the bed 15 into two portions each for engagement with a corresponding hook 27.

[0032] FIGS. 10 and 11 show a toolbox according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. The fourth embodiment is identical to the third embodiment except for including a clip 29 for clipping each tab 25 and that each tab 25 includes two grooves 28 instead of the hooks 27 in order to receive prongs of the clip 29.

[0033] FIGS. 12 and 13 show a toolbox according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention. The fifth embodiment is identical to the third embodiment except that the hooks 27 extend in a transverse direction.

[0034] FIG. 14 shows a toolbox according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention. The sixth embodiment is identical to the second embodiment except that each half 18 is connected with two ancillary plates 20a instead of one ancillary plate 20.

[0035] FIG. 15 shows a toolbox according to a seventh embodiment of the present invention. The seventh embodiment is identical to the sixth embodiment except that each half 18 is connected with four ancillary plates 20b instead of two ancillary plates 20a.

[0036] The present invention has been described through detailed illustration of some embodiments. Those skilled in the art can derive variations from the embodiments without departing from the scope of the present invention. Therefore, the embodiments shall not limit the scope of the present invention defined in the claims.