Patent Application
20240017385
The present invention relates to faucet tools, and in particular to faucet tools with illumination features. The present invention also relates to clip apparatuses for faucet tools.
Nuts used to secure kitchen faucets, spray hoses, toilet ballcocks and the like usually are difficult to engage with a wrench. In recent years, plastic nuts have been used to secure faucets, ballcocks and the like. Many plastic nuts have wings or flanges to facilitate turning of the nuts by hand. In many cases, however, it still is necessary to use a wrench with such nuts to insure tightness and also to loosen nuts which may have become “frozen” in place either through over-tightening or as a result of minerals in the water. Furthermore, many nuts are commonly located in difficult to access places, places that may be dark. There is thus a need for an improved faucet tool which will allow users to install and remove nuts while being able to see in these relatively dark locations. It is with respect to these and other considerations that the instant disclosure is concerned.
As one aspect of the invention, a clip apparatus is provided for use with a faucet tool. The faucet tool has an elongated body. The clip apparatus includes a biasing member structured to be coupled to and flex with respect to the elongated body, a light emitting component coupled to the biasing member, a power source located internal with respect to the biasing member and configured to energize the light emitting component, and a button mechanism coupled to the biasing member and configured to activate the power source in order to energize the light emitting component.
As another aspect of the invention, a faucet tool including an elongated body, a first tool member and a second tool member each coupled to the body, and the aforementioned clip apparatus is provided.
Further objects, features, and advantages of the present invention over the prior art will become apparent from the detailed description of the drawings which follows, when considered with the attached figures.
In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a more thorough description of the present invention. It will be apparent, however, to one skilled in the art, that the present invention may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known features have not been described in detail so as not to obscure the invention.
One embodiment of the invention is a faucet tool 2, as shown in
In one example embodiment, and as shown most clearly in
As shown in the FIGS., a plurality of circumferential ribs are formed on an exterior surface of body 30 to provide additional rigidity to body 30 while lessening the amount of material from which body 30 is made. The ribs can carry torsional forces that arise from tightening or loosening a nut, or similar component. The exterior ribs also limit the amount of surface area that can become soiled so that one's hand does not slip when one attempts to rotate faucet tool 2.
In the depicted embodiment, the tool members 10, 20 are adaptable to engage many different components including a basin nut, a water supply line nut, a water supply line shut-off valve and a strainer basket. A plurality of notches 31 extend generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of body 30 at the first end of the body 30 and another plurality of notches 32 extend generally parallel at the second end of the body 30. Notches 31, 32 are configured to engage basin nuts, and may be appropriately spaced about the circumference, i.e. angularly spaced from one another, so that the notches can engage two-winged nuts, three-winged nuts, four-winged nuts, and six-winged nuts depending on which end of the faucet tool is used to engage the basin nut. Additionally, tool members 10, 20 each have a plurality of protrusions 11, 21 configured to nest within corresponding notches 31, 32 in order to allow tool members 10, 20 to be coupled to body 30 so as to be rotated with the body when a user turns the body 30.
First tool member 10 may be configured to engage hex supply line nuts, plastic wing supply line nuts, hex basin nuts, and oval handle supply line shut-off valves. First tool member 10 may be made of a rigid material, for example, metal and/or plastic, and includes a substantially C-shaped side wall from which protrusions 11 extend radially outward. When protrusions 11 are received in notches 31 of body 30, first tool member 10 is fixed so that it rotates with body 30 as one rotates faucet tool 2. It will be appreciated that the first tool member 10 can connect with body 30 in another manner that allows for rotation therewith.
Second tool member 20 may be configured to be received inside an opening of body 30, as discussed above, and also includes protrusions 21 that radiate from a periphery of a cylindrical portion. It will be appreciated that the protrusions 21 are configured to be received inside notches 32 of body 30. However, second tool member 20 can attach to body 30 in other manners. Additionally, second tool member 20 can also be used independently of faucet tool 2. In such an instance, second tool member 20 would be removed from body 30 and the axially extending protrusions 21 would be inserted into openings in a strainer basket. Furthermore, a conventional wrench or bar could be employed to rotate the second tool member 20, and in turn, the strainer basket.
As mentioned above, and in accordance with the disclosed concept, faucet tool 2 also includes clip apparatus 100, such as which is configured to engage another element—such as to permit the tool 2 to be attached or clipped onto a user's pants or belt, a workbelt, etc. Clip apparatus 100 is advantageously provided with an illumination feature in order to allow users to use the tool 2 in relatively dark areas. More specifically, and with reference to
It will be appreciated that window 102, light emitting component 104, battery 106, and button mechanism 108 are configured with the rest of the body of clip apparatus to be one self-contained apparatus that may be separately coupled to body 30. For example, in one configuration, the clip apparatus 100 has a head portion, such as which may define an internal area and has a top and a bottom. The internal area may be a cavity in clip 100, and light emitting component 104 and battery 106 may be disposed internal and be encapsulated in such a cavity.
Accordingly, battery 106 (and any associated switch), light emitting component 104 and the like may be located in the internal portion of the head. The window 102 might be located at a front of the head portion and the button mechanism 108 may be located at the top of the head portion, such as to be accessible by a thumb of a user. In one example, button mechanism 108 extends through a wall of clip 101, thereby allowing a user to press button mechanism 108. Additionally, the power source (e.g., battery 106) may be located between button mechanism 108 and light emitting component 104, and light emitting component 104 may be located between battery 106 and window 102. In this manner, the illumination feature of clip apparatus 100 is relatively ergonomically designed so that clip apparatus 100 can properly couple to body 30 as well as to a user's pants or belt without hinderance.
However, it will be appreciated that other arrangements are contemplated. For example, and without limitation, a suitable alternative clip apparatus (not shown) may employ a button mechanism side by side with a power source, such that each of these components are directly below a light emitting component, when viewed from a front view. A suitable alternative faucet tool may also, for example, have a processor, memory, antenna, and/or other smart equipment disposed internal with respect to clip 101, in order to allow a user to energize light emitting component 104 other than by pressing button mechanism 108 (e.g., by speaking into a headset or mobile device).
Moreover, the bottom of the head portion of clip apparatus 100 may be configured to engage the body 30 of the tool 2. For example, as illustrated in
Additionally, in one example clip 101 has a head portion (e.g., proximate prong 105) coupled to body 30 and a tail portion located opposite and distal the head portion. Moreover, light emitting component 104 may be located in the head portion of clip 101, and the tail portion may extend from the head portion and be spaced from body 30, as shown in
Referring again to
Furthermore, in operation, when a user presses button 108, battery 106 is configured to energize light emitting component 104, thereby causing light to be emitted in an axial direction toward an end of faucet tool 2 proximate first tool member 10. It will thus be appreciated that if a user of faucet tool 2 is working on a component proximate first tool member 10, such as a wing nut, and that user needs to better see the component and the end of faucet tool 2, the user can simply press button mechanism 108 in order to cause light to advantageously be emitted on the work surfaces. In one embodiment, when the clip apparatus 100 is removably attached to the tool 30, the orientation of the clip apparatus 100 might be reversed (from that illustrated, for example, in
Of course, the clip apparatus 100 might be used with faucet tools 2 having other configurations, such having a different configuration of the body 30, tool members 10, 20, etc.
In some embodiments, the battery 106 may be removable, such as to be replaceable. In others, it might be rechargeable, such as where a charging port (such as for a USB cable or the like) might be provided (such as at a side of the clip).
As best illustrated in
The invention has a number of advantages. One advantage of the invention is that an illumination element is associated with a faucet tool without jeopardizing the integrity of the body of the tool (as indicated above, the body 30 is configured to be rigid and have sufficient torsional strength to drive workpieces, directly or via tool members, and making portions of the body hollow or the like to accommodate light features may jeopardize that strength). Further, association of the illumination element with a clip allows the light to not only be directed parallel to the longitudinal axis of the tool 2, and thus towards a workpiece which is being engaged at an end thereof, but there the light is set off from the exterior of the body so as to not be blocked thereby.
It will be understood that the above described arrangements of apparatus and the method there from are merely illustrative of applications of the principles of this invention and many other embodiments and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the claims.
The present invention claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 63/368,723, filed Jul. 18, 2022, which application is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63368723 | Jul 2022 | US |
