Attachment system for hand-held tools

A method of tethering a hand tool comprising:

• tethering a tool to a housing assembly comprising:
• a housing with a proximal housing end portion, a distal housing end portion, and a peripheral wall defining an open central region within the housing, the peripheral wall having a first slot and a second slot each with a predefined slot width and extending through the peripheral wall to the open central region, wherein the first slot and the second slot each has a proximal slot end and a distal slot end, the proximal slot end having a proximal slot end width that is greater than the predefined slot width;
• a rotating member disposed in the open central region and configured to rotate about the central longitudinal axis between a first position and a second position, wherein the rotating member comprising:
• a member body rotatably connected to the housing and having a peripheral surface extending along the central longitudinal axis;
• a first body portion extending radially outward a predefined distance from the peripheral surface, the first body portion defining a catch surface facing distally, wherein the catch surface extends along a radial portion of the peripheral surface between a first portion end and a second portion end and defining a first body channel between the first portion end and the second portion end;
• and
• a second body portion extending radially outward from the peripheral surface and positioned distally of the first body portion, the second body portion defining a first sloping surface and a second sloping surface forming an apex positioned facing a middle of the first body channel, wherein the first sloping surface and the second sloping surface each face proximally and extend distally in opposite peripheral directions along the peripheral surface from the apex;
• engaging a first clip member with the housing assembly, the clip member having a clip body with a housing-side surface and a clip protrusion disposed on the housing-side surface, the clip protrusion having a neck portion, a head portion and a tip portion, the neck portion sized to be slidably received in one of the first slot and the second slot, the tip portion sized and configured to engage the first sloping surface or the second sloping surface and to rotate the rotating member about the central longitudinal axis as the neck portion moves along one of the first slot and second slot from the proximal slot end;
• and
• moving the tip portion distally in the first slot in engagement with the first sloping surface to cause the rotating member to rotate in a first direction about the central longitudinal axis and cause the catch surface to align with the tip portion to retain the first clip member in engagement with the housing assembly.

A method of making an attachment system for hand tools comprising:

• forming a housing with a proximal housing end portion, a distal housing end portion, and a peripheral wall defining an open central region within the housing, the peripheral wall having a first slot and a second slot each with a predefined slot width and extending through the peripheral wall to the open central region, wherein the first slot and the second slot each has a proximal slot end and a distal slot end, the proximal slot end having a proximal slot end width that is greater than the predefined slot width;
• disposing a rotating member in the open central region, the rotating member configured to rotate about the central longitudinal axis between a first position and a second position and comprising:
• a member body rotatably connected to the housing and having a peripheral surface extending along the central longitudinal axis;
• a first body portion extending radially outward a predefined distance from the peripheral surface, the first body portion defining a catch surface facing distally, wherein the catch surface extends along a radial portion of the peripheral surface between a first portion end and a second portion end and defining a first body channel between the first portion end and the second portion end;
• and
• a second body portion extending radially outward from the peripheral surface and positioned distally of the first body portion, the second body portion defining a first sloping surface and a second sloping surface forming an apex positioned facing a middle of the first body channel, wherein the first sloping surface and the second sloping surface each face proximally and extend distally in opposite peripheral directions along the peripheral surface from the apex;
• and
• forming a clip member having a clip body with a housing-side surface and a clip protrusion disposed on the housing-side surface, the clip protrusion having a neck portion, a head portion and a tip portion, the neck portion sized to be slidably received in one of the first slot and the second slot, the tip portion sized and configured to engage the first sloping surface or the second sloping surface and to rotate the rotating member about the central longitudinal axis as the neck portion moves along one of the first slot and second slot from the proximal slot end;
• wherein the tip portion moving distally in the first slot in engagement with the first sloping surface, causes the rotating member to rotate in a first direction about the central longitudinal axis, thereby causing the catch surface to align with the tip portion, and thereby causing the first body channel to align with a tip portion of a clip member retained by the housing along the second slot;
• and
• wherein the tip portion moving distally in the second slot in engagement with the second sloping surface causes the rotating member to rotate in a second direction about the central longitudinal axis, thereby causing the catch surface to align with the tip portion, and thereby causing the first body channel to align with a tip portion of a clip member retained by the housing along the first slot.