Drop-prevention pouch for cordless power tools

A drop-prevention pouch for a cordless power tool having a battery pack that defines a battery pack perimeter, the drop-prevention pouch comprising:

• a pouch floor;
• a pouch sidewall extending transversely from the pouch floor and having an elasticized rim portion defining a pouch opening, wherein the pouch floor and the pouch sidewall define a chamber sized to receive the battery pack when the battery back is attached to the cordless power tool wherein the pouch floor and the pouch sidewall are adjacent the battery pack;
• a cord lock strap fixedly connected to an outside surface of the pouch and defining a passageway between the cord lock strap and the outside surface of the pouch;
• a retaining cord having a foot portion constructed to extend over a foot of the cordless power tool when the pouch is installed on a battery pack connected to the cordless power tool, a first retaining cord portion extending from the foot portion into the cavity and through a first sidewall portion to outside the chamber, and a second retaining cord portion extending from the foot portion into the cavity and through a second sidewall portion opposite the first sidewall portion to outside the chamber;
• and
• a cord lock installed on retaining cord outside of the chamber and connecting the first retaining cord portion to the second retaining cord portion;
• wherein when the cord lock is positioned between the cord lock strap and the conduit opening, the cord lock strap is constructed and arranged to prevent the cord lock from passing through the passageway when the first retaining cord portion and the second retaining cord portion are pulled through the passageway in a direction away from the conduit opening, thereby urging the retaining cord to tighten around the foot portion of the cordless power tool.

A method of tethering a power tool having a battery pack comprising:

• providing a battery pack pouch that defines a compartment sized to receive the battery back of a cordless power tool, the battery pack pouch having an pouch opening convertible between a smaller opening size and a larger opening size, a retaining cord with a cord lock, and a cord lock retaining strap secured to a sidewall of the battery pack pouch;
• converting the pouch opening to the larger opening size;
• installing the battery pack pouch over the battery pack of the cordless power tool with a portion of the cordless power tool extending through the pouch opening;
• converting the pouch opening to the smaller opening size, thereby retaining the battery pack in the compartment;
• extending a first portion of the retaining cord around the portion of the cordless power tool extending through the elasticized pouch opening;
• extending a second portion of the retaining cord through a passageway defined by the cord lock retaining strap, wherein the cord lock remains between the cord lock retaining strap and the elasticized pouch opening;
• tightening the retaining cord against the portion of the cordless power tool extending through the elasticized pouch opening;
• and
• connecting the second portion of the retaining cord to a tether.