Universal tool handle configured for various extension pole connectors

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6779235
  • Patent Number
    6,779,235
  • Date Filed
    Thursday, December 12, 2002
    21 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, August 24, 2004
    19 years ago
Abstract
A paint roller assembly is disclosed as including a handle that is configured for use with a variety of extension poles, each requiring a different type of connection with the handle. The handle includes a pole connector socket extending inwardly from one end thereof that is designed to receive a number of different pole connectors. The illustrated socket is provided with a tapered wall section and a circumferential groove, with the former being configured to provide a press fit attachment between the handle and connector and the latter being configured to provide a snap fit attachment between the handle and the connector. The illustrated handle is particularly designed to alternatively attach to a pole connector for use with the standard externally threaded pole, a unique connector configured specifically for use with pole having a unique push-button locking mechanism, and a tapered connector used with extension poles predominantly in Europe, although various other connectors adapted for press or snap fit attachment with the handle may be used.
Description




BACKGROUND OF INVENTION




1. Field of the Invention




The present invention relates generally to tool handles, such as a handle for a paint roller assembly. More particularly, the present invention relates to a tool handle that is configured for use with a variety of extension poles, each of which is designed to releasably connect to the handle in a different manner.




2. Discussion of Prior Art




An extension pole is commonly used in various tool applications to provide access to an area that is difficult to reach (e.g., a high section of a wall that would otherwise not be reachable unless a ladder or some other elevating structure is used). Those ordinarily skilled in the art will appreciate that the means by which the tool connects to the extension pole depends on various factors, such as the marketplace (e.g., domestic vs. European markets), the type of tool, etc. Consequently, a tool is traditionally specifically configured for and limited to use with a particular type of extension pole. Because most tools normally have a portion of the handle that is designed for connection with the extension pole, the manufacturer of any given tool must in essence have an entirely different product or, at the very least, handle construction for each type of extension pole with which the tool is likely to be used.




SUMMARY OF INVENTION




Responsive to these and other problems, an important object of the present invention is to provide a tool adapted for use with virtually every known type of extension pole. In this regard, an important object of the present invention is to eliminate manufacturer reconstruction, retooling or other significant modification to be able to offer a tool that may be used with a variety of extension poles. It is specifically an important object of the present invention to provide a tool handle that is designed to support the working element of the tool (e.g., a paint roller support frame) on any one of a variety of extension poles. Another important object of the present invention is to provide such versatile tool construction without sacrificing simplicity and low cost.




In accordance with these and other objects evident from the following description of the preferred embodiment, the present invention concerns a tool having a handle adapted for releasable connection to a variety of extension poles, wherein each of the poles is connectable to the handle in a different manner (e.g., a threaded connection, a press fit connection, a push-button locking mechanism connection, etc.). Particularly, the handle is provided with a pole connector socket extending inwardly from one end thereof. The socket is uniquely configured to receive and retain therein any one of a plurality of variously configured pole connectors without requiring modification of the handle. Each of the various pole connectors corresponds with an extension pole. For example, the connector may be provided with an internally threaded opening to permit attachment with the standard externally threaded end of an extension pole. In any case, the handle and connectors permit the tool to be used with a variety extension poles without requiring reconstruction, retooling or any other significant modification to the tool.




Other aspects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment and the accompanying drawing figures.











BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS




A preferred embodiment of the invention is described in detail below with reference to the attached drawing figures, wherein:





FIG. 1

is a plan view of a paint roller assembly constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention, particularly illustrating the tool being releasably connected to an extension pole by a push-button locking mechanism arrangement;





FIG. 2

is a perspective view of the paint roller assembly;





FIG. 3

is a plan view of just the handle for the assembly without the paint roller support frame or the extension pole being illustrated;





FIG. 4

is a side elevational view of the handle;





FIG. 5

is a front end elevational view of the handle, particularly illustrating the axial frame-receiving opening for receiving the bar of the paint roller support frame therein;





FIG. 6

is a rear end elevational view of the handle, particularly illustrating the pole connector socket projecting inwardly from the rear end;





FIG. 7

is cross-sectional view taken along line


7





7


of

FIG. 3

, particularly illustrating the configuration of the pole connector socket;





FIG. 8

is a cross-sectional view taken along line


8





8


of

FIG. 4

, again particularly illustrating the configuration of the pole connector socket;





FIG. 9

is an exploded side elevational view of the handle, an extension pole having a push-button locking mechanism, and the unique pole connector configured for use with the extension pole;





FIG. 10

is cross-sectional view taken along line


10





10


of

FIG. 9

, but illustrating the handle and the pole connector attached;





FIG. 11

is an exploded side elevational view of the handle, an extension pole having a standard externally threaded end, and the internally threaded pole connector configured for use with the extension pole;





FIG. 12

is cross-sectional view taken along line


12





12


of

FIG. 11

, but illustrating the handle and the pole connector attached;





FIG. 13

is an exploded side elevational view of the handle, an extension pole having an externally threaded end, and a tapered pole connector configured for use with the extension pole; and





FIG. 14

is cross-sectional view taken along line


14





14


of

FIG. 13

, but illustrating the handle and the pole connector attached.











DETAILED DESCRIPTION




Turning initially to

FIGS. 1 and 2

, the tool


10


selected for illustration comprises a paint roller assembly that is designed to rotatably support a paint roller pad (not shown) in the usual manner. Particularly, the paint roller assembly


10


generally includes a handle


12


, a working element


14


in the form of a paint roller support frame projecting from the handle, and an extension pole connector


16


(e.g., see

FIGS. 9-10

) described in detail hereinbelow. It will be appreciated, however, that the principles of the present invention are not limited to a paint roller assembly, but rather it is entirely within the ambit of the present invention to utilize the inventive features in various other tools (e.g., a sanding tool, a screwdriver, etc).




With the foregoing caveat in mind, the illustrated tool handle


12


presents opposite front and rear ends


18


and


20


, respectively (see particularly FIGS.


3


-


8


). The handle


12


has a generally rounded cross-sectional shape that varies in size along the length thereof. Particularly, the handle


12


is widest adjacent the rear end


20


and progressively narrows in diameter therefrom as a thumb section


22


is approached. It is noted that the thumb section


22


is the narrowest part of the handle


12


. Moreover, the thumb section


22


is offset from center; that is, the thumb section is closer to the front end


18


of the handle


12


than it is to the rear end


20


. The handle


12


flares or widens from the thumb section


22


to the front end


18


such that both the front and rear ends


18


and


20


are wider than the thumb section


22


. As perhaps best shown in

FIGS. 4 and 8

, a cutout


24


extends inwardly from the front end


18


to define a pair of diametrically opposed, outwardly diverging ears


26


and


28


.




The handle


12


presents an outer gripping surface


30


extending from the front end


18


to the rear end


20


and having somewhat of an hourglass shape. It will be appreciated that the handle


12


is designed so that the user's fingers wrap around the outer gripping surface


30


somewhere between the rear end


20


and the thumb section


22


and the user's thumb is placed on the thumb section


22


, preferably with the thumb being oriented along the longitudinal axis of the handle and in alignment with one of the ears


26


or


28


. To enhance gripping of the tool and thereby reduce the risk of tool slippage, the handle


12


is provided with a grip pad


32


along the section of the outer surface about which the fingers wrap. In the illustrated embodiment, the grip pad


32


has what is believed to be an aesthetically pleasing shape, wherein two large elliptical sections are in diametrical alignment with the ears


26


and


28


and interconnected by relatively narrow strips.




The preferred grip pad


32


is formed of a soft, nonslip elastomeric material that greatly enhances the comfort and the friction between the user's hand and the handle


12


. One suitable grip pad material is a thermoplastic elastomer sold under the designation Kraton by Shell Chemical Company, although other materials may be used. It is noted that the illustrated handle


12


is formed primarily by a unitary body


34


and the grip pad


32


is located within a recess


36


defined in the body


34


so that the pad


32


forms part of the outer surface


30


(see particularly FIGS.


7


and


8


). The body


34


is preferably formed of plastic, such as polypropylene (wide spec.), although other suitable materials (e.g., other types of plastic, metal, wood, etc.) may be used. It is particularly noted that the illustrated handle


12


is formed by a two step over-molding process, wherein the plastic body


34


is first injection molded and the grip pad


32


is then molded within the recess


36


. Those ordinarily skilled in the art will appreciate that the principles of the present invention are not limited to the previously described handle construction, but rather the handle may be variously sized and shaped and formed of a variety of materials.




The illustrated handle


12


has an opening


38


extending axially and completely between the ends


18


and


20


. It may be said that the opening


38


is divided into front and rear sections


38




a


and


38




b


, respectively, with the front section


38




a


being configured to receive a portion of the paint roller support frame


14


and the rear section


38




b


defining a pole connector socket designed to receive a variety of pole connectors. Generally speaking, the opening


38


has a circular cross-sectional shape (e.g., see

FIGS. 5 and 6

) that varies in size along the length of the handle


12


, as will subsequently be described. Furthermore, the opening


38


is defined by an interior wall


40


that will be described in detail hereinbelow.




The frame-receiving section


38




a


of the opening


38


is defined by a portion


40




a


of the interior wall


40


extending generally between the front end


18


of the handle


12


and the rear boundary of the thumb section


22


. The frame-receiving section


38




a


has a constant diameter that is smaller than any other section of the opening


38


.




With respect to the connector socket


38




b


, the interior wall


40


may be further divided into three additional portions


40




b


,


40




c


,


40




d


(see FIGS.


6


-


8


). The widest, rearmost portion


40




d


projects from the rear end


20


of the handle


12


. It is noted that the handle


12


is provided with a recess


42


extending inwardly from the rear end


29


about approximately one-third of the circumference thereof, whereby a large section of the interior wall portion


40




d


is removed. The adjacent portion


40




c


of the interior wall


40


has a smaller diameter than the rear portion


40




d


such that a shoulder


44


is defined therebetween. A circumferential groove


46


is defined in the wall


40


at a point spaced forwardly from the rear portion


40




d


. The groove


46


is intersected by a longitudinal groove


48


extending along the length of the handle


12


between the interior wall portions


40




b


and


40




d


. The innermost wall portion


40




b


of the connector socket


38




b


has an initial diameter that is smaller than that of the grooved wall portion


40




c


such that a shoulder


50


is presented therebetween. The wall portion


40




b


tapers forwardly toward the front wall portion


40




a


but remains sufficiently wider to present a shoulder


52


therebetween. As will subsequently be described, the taper is preferably provided to facilitate press fit attachment with one of the pole connectors (see FIGS.


13


and


14


). The preferred angle of taper is about 3°, however, any other suitable angle may be used. An elongated projection


54


extending rearwardly from the shoulder


52


and having a rearmost rounded end projects radially inward from the interior wall portion


40




b.






The paint roller support frame


14


has a generally standard construction. It shall therefore be sufficient to explain that the frame


14


includes a bar


56


that is slightly oversized relative to the front opening section


38




a


to be tightly received therein. Furthermore, the bar


56


may be provided with several outwardly projecting teeth (not shown) that cut into the handle


12


when the former is inserted into the latter to enhance the interconnection therebetween. The bar includes a U-shaped portion that serves to orient the center of the rotatable paint pad support


58


in general alignment with the longitudinal axis of the handle


12


.




It is again noted that one of the principal advantages of the tool


10


is its capability of being used with a variety of extension poles, each being designed for releasable connection with the tool


10


in a different manner. This advantage is primarily attributable to the handle construction and the number of variously configured pole connectors attachable to the handle


12


.




Turning first to

FIGS. 9 and 10

, the handle


12


is depicted with an extension pole


60


that is provided with a push-button locking mechanism


62


for releasably interconnecting the handle


12


and pole


60


. The pole connector


16


includes a locking portion


16




a


that is specifically configured for use with the extension pole


60


. It is particularly noted that the locking portion


16




a


and the extension pole


60


are similar to the locking assembly disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,682,641, entitled TOOL HANDLE WITH LOCKING ASSEMBLY, assigned of record to the assignees of the present application, and hereby incorporated by reference herein as is necessary for a full and complete understanding of the present invention. It shall therefore be sufficient to explain that the locking mechanism


62


includes a radially reciprocating locking pin (not shown) that automatically locks within a circumferential cavity


64


defined in the locking portion


16




a


when the locking portion


16




a


is inserted into the locking mechanism


62


. The upstanding rim


66


of the locking mechanism


62


houses a release button


68


which, when depressed, causes the locking pin to be removed from the circumferential cavity


66


and thereby permits the connector


16


and extension pole


60


to be disconnected.




The connector


16


also includes an attachment portion


16




b


that is sized and shaped to be fixedly held within the pole connector socket


38




b


. Particularly, the attachment portion


16




b


has an outer face


70


that corresponds with the interior wall portion


40




c


. Furthermore, a circumferential rib


72


and a longitudinal rib


74


projecting outwardly from the outer face


70


are received within the circumferential groove


46


and longitudinal groove


48


, respectively (see FIG.


10


). The circumferential groove


46


and rib


72


cooperatively prevent relative axial movement between the handle


12


and connector


16


, while the longitudinal groove


48


and rib


72


cooperatively prevent relative rotation between the handle


12


and connector


16


. In this regard, a snap fit attachment is provided that is intended to prevent detachment of the connector


16


and handle


12


. As shown in

FIGS. 1 and 2

, the recess


42


defined in the rear end


20


of the handle receives a portion of the rim


66


therein when the tool


10


is connected to the pole


60


so as to prevent rotation of the tool


10


relative to the pole


60


, although a hexagonal face


76


on the locking portion


16




a


of the connector


16


cooperates with a mating face (not shown) in the locking mechanism


62


to also restrict such relative rotation.




Thus, when the handle


12


is intended to be used with the extension pole


60


shown in

FIGS. 9 and 10

, the pole connector


16


is inserted into the socket


38




b


and fixedly held therein. The tool


10


may then be connected to the extension pole


60


simply by inserting the locking portion


16




a


of the connector


16


into the locking mechanism


62


. The tool


10


is detached from the extension pole


60


simply by depressing the release button


68


and simultaneously pulling the tool


10


away from the pole


60


.




In

FIGS. 11 and 12

, the handle


12


is shown in use with another type of extension pole


78


having an externally threaded end


80


. Those ordinarily skilled in the art will appreciate that the pole illustrated in

FIGS. 11 and 12

is the “traditional” or “standard” extension pole used in the United States. The pole connector


82


designed for use with the pole


78


includes an outer face


84


and ribs


86


,


88


that are essentially identical to the attachment portion


16




b


of the connector


16


shown in

FIGS. 9 and 10

. In this respect, the pole connector


82


is similarly configured for fixed interengagement with the interior wall portion


40




c


of the handle


12


. As shown in

FIG. 12

, the connector


82


has an axial, internally threaded opening


90


configured to be received on the end


80


of the pole


78


. Accordingly, the tool


10


and pole


78


are connected and disconnected by threading the connector


82


on and off the end


80


.




The tool


10


is shown with yet another type of extension pole


92


in

FIGS. 13 and 14

. It will be appreciated that this extension pole and the corresponding type of connection with the handle


12


is predominantly used in the European market. Similar to the pole


78


shown in

FIGS. 11 and 12

, the pole


92


has an externally threaded end


94


, although the threads on the poles


78


and


92


are of different pitch and form. The pole connector


96


designed specifically for use with the extension pole


92


includes an axial, internally threaded opening


98


configured to be screwed onto and off the end


94


. The outer face


100


of the connector


96


includes a tapered section


100




a


that narrows as the end opposite from the opening


98


is approached. The tapered section


100




a


is configured to cooperate with the tapered wall portion


40




b


of the handle


12


in providing a releasable press fit attachment between the handle


12


and connector


96


. In other words, the tapered section


100




a


of the outer face


100


and the tapered wall portion


40




b


complement one another in providing removable attachment between the handle


12


and connector


96


. The angle of taper of the tapered section


100




a


corresponds with the angle of taper of the interior wall portion


40




b


and, in the illustrated embodiment, is approximately 3°. A plurality of axially extending, circumferentially spaced slots


102


are defined in the tapered section


100




a


to project from the narrow end of the connector


96


. Each of the slots


102


are designed to snugly receive the projection


54


extending inwardly from the tapered wall portion


40




b


, whereby the press fit attachment of the handle


12


on the connector


96


is enhanced and relative rotation between these components is prevented. Once the connector


96


has been threaded onto the extension pole


92


, the handle


12


may be attached to the pole


92


simply by pressing the handle


12


onto the connector


96


. Removal of the handle


12


requires the user to merely pull it from the pole


92


. Of course, the tool


10


and extension pole


92


may alternatively be connected and disconnected by threading the connector


96


onto and off the pole.




Although the tool


10


has been shown with only three different types of extension poles


60


,


78


,


92


, it will be appreciated that the tool


10


may be configured for use with other extension poles designed to releasably connect with the tool in further various manners. Such additional uses of the tool may simply require slight modification of the handle


12


and/or the various connectors


16


,


82


,


96


disclosed herein. It is also possible for all of the connectors to be configured for a single type of attachment (e.g., a press fit attachment or a snap fit attachment) with the handle, with each of the connectors varying in the type of connection with the corresponding extension pole.




The preferred forms of the invention described above are to be used as illustration only, and should not be utilized in a limiting sense in interpreting the scope of the present invention. Obvious modifications to the exemplary embodiments, as hereinabove set forth, could be readily made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the present invention.




The inventors hereby state their intent to rely on the Doctrine of Equivalents to determine and assess the reasonably fair scope of the present invention as pertains to any apparatus not materially departing from but outside the literal scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.



Claims
  • 1. A tool kit for use with variously configured extension poles, one of said extension poles having a male threaded end, another of said extension poles having a push button locking mechanism defining a connector-receiving opening, said tool kit comprising:a tool including a handle presenting an open end, said handle including an interior surface that defines a socket extending inwardly from the open end; a first pole connector defining a female threaded opening and presenting a tapered projection said female threaded opening being configured to threadably receive the male threaded end of said one of the extension poles, said tapered projection being configured to be inserted into the socket of the handle and engage the interior surface of the socket to thereby couple the first pole connector and the tool to one another; and a second pole connector presenting a locking projection and an attachment projection, said locking projection being configured to be received and releasably locked in the connector-receiving opening of the push button locking mechanism, said attachment projection being configured to be inserted into the socket of the handle and engage the interior surface of the socket to thereby couple the second pole connector and the tool to one another.
  • 2. The tool kit according to claim 1,said socket being configured to receive only one of the pole connectors at a time.
  • 3. The tool kit according to claim 1,said locking projection including a recess adapted to releasably receive a portion of the locking mechanism when the locking projection is received in the connector-receiving opening of the locking mechanism, thereby releasably coupling the second pole connector and said another of said extension poles to one another.
  • 4. The tool kit according to claim 1,said tapered portion of the first pole connector including a slot, said handle presenting a tab, said tab being received in the slot when the tapered projection is received in the socket to thereby restrain relative rotation of the first pole connector and the tool.
  • 5. The tool kit according to claim 1,said attachment projection of the second pole connector including a circumferential rib, said handle defining a circumferential groove, said circumferential rib being received in the circumferential groove when the attachment projection is received in the socket to thereby restrain relative axial shifting of the second pole connector and the tool.
  • 6. The tool kit according to claim 1,said attachment projection of the second pole connector including a longitudinal rib, said handle defining a longitudinal groove, said longitudinal rib being received in the longitudinal groove when the attachment projection is received in the socket to thereby restrain relative rotation of the second pole connector and the tool.
  • 7. The tool kit according to claim 1; anda third pole connector defining a second female threaded opening and a second attachment projection, said second female threaded opening being configured to threadably receive a third configuration of said extension poles, said second attachment projection being configured to be inserted into the socket of the handle and engage the interior surface of the socket to thereby couple the third pole connector and the tool to one another.
  • 8. The tool kit according to claim 7,said socket being configured to receive only one of the pole connectors at a time.
  • 9. A tool kit for use with variously configured extension poles wherein a first one of said extension poles has a first male threaded end, a second one of said extension poles has a second male threaded end, and a third one of said extension poles has a push button locking mechanism, said first and second male threaded ends having different configurations, said push button locking mechanism defining a connector-receiving opening, said tool kit comprising:a tool including a handle presenting an open end, said handle presenting an interior surface that defines a socket extending inwardly from the open end; a first pole connector defining a first female threaded opening and presenting a tapered projection, said first female threaded opening being configured to threadably receive the first male threaded end of the first one of said extension poles, said tapered projection being configured to be inserted into the socket and engage the interior surface of the socket to thereby form a press fit connection with the tool; a second pole connector defining a second female threaded opening and presenting a first attachment projection, said second female threaded opening being configured to threadably receive the second male threaded end of the second one of said extension poles, said first attachment projection being configured to be inserted into the socket and engage the interior surface of the socket to thereby form a snap fit connection with the tool; and a third pole connector defining a locking projection and a second attachment projection, said locking projection being configured to be received and releasably locked in the connector-receiving opening of the push button locking mechanism, said second attachment projection being configured to be inserted into the socket and engage the interior surface of the socket to thereby form a snap fit connection with the tool.
  • 10. The tool kit according to claim 9,said first and second attachment projections being substantially identical.
  • 11. The tool kit according to claim 9,each of said first and second attachment projections presenting a respective circumferential rib.
  • 12. The tool kit according to claim 9,each of said first and second attachment projections presenting a respective longitudinal rib.
  • 13. The tool kit according to claim 9,said tapered projection presenting a plurality of longitudinal slots.
  • 14. The tool kit according to claim 9,said locking projection defining a recess for releasably coupling the third pole connector and the locking mechanism to one another.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This is a continuation application of U.S. Ser. No. 09/682,833, filed Oct. 23, 2001, which is a continuation application of U.S. Ser. No. 09/493,296, filed Jan. 28, 2000, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,553,628, issued Feb. 26, 2002; both of which are incorporated by reference herein.

US Referenced Citations (6)
Number Name Date Kind
5161278 Tomm Nov 1992 A
5288161 Graves et al. Feb 1994 A
5385420 Newman et al. Jan 1995 A
5579558 Newman et al. Dec 1996 A
5682641 Newman et al. Nov 1997 A
6349451 Newman et al. Feb 2002 B1
Continuations (2)
Number Date Country
Parent 09/682833 Oct 2001 US
Child 10/248040 US
Parent 09/493296 Jan 2000 US
Child 09/682833 US