Patent Application
20100313385
There are no related applications for this application.
This invention is directed toward the field of handles, such as vehicle jack or tool handles and handle covers. The invention is further directed toward improvements to existing handle covers to prevent handles with existing covers, as well as handles without covers from damaging surfaces they may inadvertently come in contact with.
Handles, such as vehicle jack handles, tire-changing tool handles, or tool handles are often placed in close proximity to surfaces in which damage is undesirable, such as vehicle bodies, or floors, or walls of buildings. Jack handles, tire-changing tool handles, or tool handles are often made of metal which can easily damage surfaces in which damage is undesirable. Placement of the jack handles, tire-changing tool handles, or tool handles in close proximity to vehicles, floors, or walls may result in the handles inadvertently falling against a finished surface, such as a portion of a vehicle body, a floor, or a wall. The handles falling and impacting against a finished surface causes scratches, dents, or other damage to the finished surface. This is particularly a problem when a long pivotally attached handle, such as is often found on a jack, tire-changing tool, or garden tool, inadvertently falls against an adjacent vehicle and damages the finished surface of the vehicle. Long handled tools, such as a shovel can also fall against a floor, or wall, causing damage to the floor, or wall.
A cover for the end of a handle could reduce, or even eliminate potential damage to a finished surface caused by the handle inadvertently falling against the finished surface. Handle covers may also facilitate gripping the handle. Jacks, tire-changing tools, or garden tools are often manufactured without any handle covers which might prevent, or lessen such damage. When such handle covers exist, they are generally tight fitting covers which offer limited protection from causing damage to a finished surface when the handle falls and impacts against a finished surface. These tight fitting existing handle covers still have the potential to damage a finished surface when the handle falls against the finished surface.
What is needed is a handle cover that would offer increased protection against damage to a finished surface when a handle falls and impacts against a finished surface. Such a protective handle cover would satisfy the need to eliminate any damage to a finished surface caused by a handle impacting against the finished surface. The protective handle cover will also facilitate gripping of the handle.
The invention is directed toward a protective handle cover. The protective handle cover is particularly suited for vehicle jacks, tire-changing tools and long-handled tools, but may be also used advantageously on many other handles. The protective handle cover is installed on an end of a handle. The protective handle cover is formed of a resilient material. The design of the protective handle cover includes an inner portion and an outer portion. The inner portion of the protective handle cover fits over an end of a handle. The outer portion of the protective handle cover extends beyond the end of the handle and terminates in a generally bulbous head. The outer portion of the protective handle cover is also formed such that an empty volume exists within the upper portion. This empty volume contains air which is trapped in the empty volume when the protective handle cover is installed. The design of the protective handle cover reduces damage to a finished surface when a handle falls and impacts against a finished surface. The design of the protective handle cover also facilitates gripping of the handle.
There has been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and that will form the subject matter of the invention.
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for designing of other structures, methods, and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions in so far as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
For a non-limiting example, it is readily apparent that the inventive device could be made in such a way that the first working and second working end are manufactured on separate lever arms.
Further, the purpose of the abstract is to enable the US patent and trademark office and the public generally, and especially the scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with the patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from what cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the present invention in any way.
These together with other objects of the present invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the present invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the present invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there is illustrated a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
The detailed description particularly refers to the accompanying figures in which:
The end 20 of the handle 25 is installed into the internal recess 32 of the inner portion 30 of the protective handle cover 10 until the end 20 of the handle 25 seats against lip 34 of the inner portion. When installed, the handle 25 fits snugly with the internal recess 32 of the inner portion 30. The installation of the handle 25 into internal recess 32 also causes ambient air to be trapped in the second internal recess 42.
The protective handle cover 10 may be installed on a variety of components which include handles 25 as follows below.
While the embodiments of the invention disclosed herein are presently considered to be preferred, various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The scope of the invention is indicated in the appended claims, and all changes that come within the meaning and range of equivalents are intended to be embraced herein.
