Retractable belt clip for hand-held tool

1. A handheld tool comprising:

a housing having a side and containing mechanical or electrical components for performing a function of the tool; and

a belt clip extending from the side of the housing that is movable between a deployed position in which a portion of the belt clip is disposed away from the housing and extends generally parallel to said side such that a space is created between the housing and the belt clip adapted to receive a belt and a stowed position in which the belt clip is disposed flush with or within the housing;

the housing having an opening;

a shaft that is connected to the clip being slidably mounted within the opening, permitting limited movement of the clip with respect to the housing along the axis of the shaft;

a head on the shaft preventing the clip from being completely removed from the housing;

sliding elements comprising a guide slot that slides with respect to a protrusion, at least one of the guide slot or protrusion being on the housing and the other of the guide slot or protrusion being on the clip, and at least one of the sliding elements having an elongated dimension that extends obliquely with respect to the side of the housing; and

cooperating detent elements that include a detent protrusion and a detent dimple that resist movement of the clip when the detent dimple engages the detent protrusion, one of the detent protrusion or detent dimple being on the housing and the other of the detent protrusion or detent dimple being on the clip.

2. The tool recited in claim 1 , wherein the housing has a recess that is bounded by adjacent portions of the housing; and

the belt clip has an outer surface that forms a continuous smooth surface with the adjacent portions of the housing when the clip is in the stowed position.

3. The tool as recited in claim 1 , wherein the clip has a base surface that is accessible from another side of the housing.

4. The tool as recited in claim 1 , wherein the clip has a ribbed base surface that is accessible from another side of the housing.

5. The tool as recited in claim 1 , wherein the tool is within the group of handheld electronic tools that includes stud finders, laser levels, and laser line generating devices.

6. The tool as recited in claim 1 , wherein the tool has a user interface side of the housing that includes buttons or an electronic display, and the clip extends from the user interface side of the housing.

7. The tool as recited in claim 1 wherein the cooperating detent elements include a plurality of detent dimples located on one of the housing or clip and a detent protrusion located on the other one of the housing or clip, the detent protrusion engaging one of the plurality of detent dimples when the clip is in the deployed position and another one of the plurality of detent dimples when the clip is in the stored position.