T Vault - a Parametric Belt Clip for Your Favorite Tea!

For me, there is nothing better than a hot cup of tea on a cold winter day! However, sometimes I don't have time for tea before I am off to college, and I prefer to make it on campus rather than bring it with me in a tumbler.

Introducing the T-Vault! A custom belt clip that let you carry around your favorite kind of tea without any compromise for its safety!

The T-Vault is based on a fully parametric model - which means that even if you are new to CAD or 3D printing, you can easily customize it to fit your belt and tea brand.

Tools:

1. 3D printer and some filament - I used standard PLA filament
2. Soldering iron -
3. Metric Allen wrenches
4. Hacksaw/Angle Grinder or any other tool to cut the steel rods

OTS (off-the-shelf) Parts:

1. (1) D3mm L130mm Steel Rods - Length my vary depending on your customized design
2. (4) DIN 7991 M3x10 (Hexagon socket countersunk head screws)
3. (4) DIN 982 M3 (Nylon insert lock nuts)
4. (4) DIN 912 M2x10 (Hexagon socket screws)
5. (4) M2 Heat set thread insert
6. (2) Rubber bands - mine had an ID of around 37mm

Optional:

1. Soldering iron tips for heat set inserts - I don't have these, so I just use a standard conical tip

I designed the T-Vault using Fusion 360 - Why?

1. Free for hobbyists
2. Easy to use without extensive CAD experience
3. There's a built-in McMaster-Carr interface which makes working with COTS hardware so simple
4. There are tons of plugins and add-ons available

Customizing the design is easy! Just follow the following steps:

1. Open the F3D file in Fusion360.
2. Click on 'Modify' -> 'Change Parameters'
3. Make sure you see the 'Favorite Parameters' section
4. Adjust the 4 parameters:
5. 'Belt_Width' - Measure the width of your belt and insert here
6. 'Belt_Thickness' - Measure the thickness of your belt and insert here
7. 'Tea_Envelope_Width' - Measure the width of the tea envelope (usually the short side)
8. 'Tea_Envelope_Length' - Measure the length of the tea envelope (usually the long side)
9. Now just click 'OK' and the design will adjust itself!

I used a simple steel ruler to measure the tea envelope and a caliper for the belt

After customizing the design you can now export STL files for 3D Printing.

1. Click on 'File' -> '3D Print'
2. Choose one part
3. Make sure 'Unit Type' is set to Milimeters and 'Refinment' is set to High
4. Click 'OK' and choose a file name and location
5. Repeat for all other parts

In total, you should have 4 STL files:

1. Belt Clip
2. Bottom Jaw
3. Top Jaw
4. Rubber Band Hook

I printed all parts using my default setting:

1. 3 walls/perimeters
2. 20% infill
3. Brim
4. No supports
5. You can see the suggested print orientation in the attached image

1. After customizing the design, measure the linear rods' length in the model
2. Cut the steel rod to length (x2)
3. You might need to use a file or a sandpaper to remove burrs at the cutting point

Using a soldering iron, install (4) M2 heat set threaded inserts:

1. 2 inserts installed on the Bottom Jaw
2. 2 inserts installed on the Top Jaw

1. Place the insert above the holes and gently press them in until the smooth part enters the hole
2. Make sure the insert is perpendicular to the surface, otherwise it will be difficult to fix it later on
3. Let the soldering iron heat up, if you have an adjustable temperature soldering iron, I suggest ~230deg c.
4. Hold the soldering iron above the insert, try to align the tip with the internal thread
5. Slowly press the insert using the soldering iron until it is flush with the printed part's surface
6. Inspect the insert and make sure there is no molten plastic inside the thread
7. Repeat 4 times

When installing the inserts, try to be as perpendicular as possible

If you have designated tips for threaded inserts - use them! Otherwise, use a standard conical tip and make sure you clean it from any plastic residue after you are done.

Follow the instructions on the images above and assemble the T-Vault. The only tools youll need are 1.5mm and 2mm Allen wrenches to tighten the bolts.

1. Attach the Belt clip to the Static Jaw using (4) M3 screws and (4) M3 nuts, the nuts should be gently pressed into the hexagonal recesses
2. Insert the steel rods to the Static Jaw holes
3. Depending on your 3D printer's tolerances, you might feel like the steel rods are not secured to the Bottom Jaw, in this case just use a couple of drops of super glue, just make sure to use gloves!
4. Slide the Top Jaw on the steel rods until it aligns with the Bottom Jaw
5. Using (4) M2 screws, attach (2) Rubber Band Hooks to the Top Jaw and (2) Rubber Band Hooks to the Bottom Jaw
6. Strech (2) rubber bands and place them on the hooks vertically
7. Assembly is done! Clip the T-Vault on your belt, insert your favorite tea, and have an awesome day!

Some of the upgrades I was thinking about:

1. 'Magazine' for multiple tea envelops
2. Adjustable design to fit a variety of sizes
3. Espresso capsule vault