Rotatable-Handled Tool

TECHNICAL FIELD This invention relates to the field of cleaning implements, and more particularly, to squeegees and other cleaning tools.

BACKGROUND ART

Squeegees are well-known implements which are used to remove moisture from windows and other surfaces, such as the external walls of buildings. Many times, a scrubbing device will first be used to scrub and wet the surface to be cleaned. The squeegee blade, which is usually rubber, is then pulled firmly across the surface trapping the moisture ahead of it and leaving a dry surface in its path. Many window cleaners use a technique called "fanning, " in which they move the squeegee back and forth to cover the entire surface of the window without lifting it from the glass in a rapid wrist action. Some squeegees and tools, such as those shown in U.S. Des. Pat. Nos. 296,946 and 298,072 have handles which swivel so that certain movements of the squeegee can be more easily accomplished. However, the window cleaner must still break contact between the squeegee and the glass when his position changes between the top and bottom portions of the windows. Or, if he tries to accommodate the cleaning tool to different positions by twisting his wrist or arm instead, he risks wrist and arm strains from employing these techniques.

Therefore, there has been a need for squeegees and other tools to have the capability of moving rotationally relative to the user's hands so that the tool will remain in contact with the window surface regardless of the pressure applied to it by the user.

One tool system developed to provide a rotationally adjustable tool is described in U.S. Pat. 4,993,101. This tool system is based on an extension member which has an adapter mounted on its end to which the tool is attached so that the entire tool can pivot on the end of the pole. However, this system is limited because it does not provide a tool which is rotationally adjustable without the use of an extender. Thus, there is still

a need for a tool system in which the functional portion of the tool can pivot relative to the gripping end of the handle and which can be rotationally adjustable both for close work where an extension pole would not be appropriate and for use on an extension pole, if desired. The present invention provides such a tool. The tool of this invention has a handle which is rotational between the functional end of the handle and its gripping end, so that a person using the tool can work close to a surface without an extension pole and can use a range of different motions with the tool without strain to the wrist and arm of the user and without having the tool lift off the surface. The rotational handled tool of this invention can be assembled to provide a permanent rotational adjustment without the need for an extension pole or any other adapter. Thus, the invention provides a unique solution to the problems of the prior art.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION The present invention is a rotatable-handled tool with a functional portion and a permanently connected gripping portion and rotational means disposed therebetween. This invention allows the functional portion of the handle, which bears the functional element, such as a squeegee blade, to rotate about the longitudinal axis of the gripping portion of the handle. A resilient connecting member is attached to the lower end of the functional portion of the handle and the connecting member, which has a stop on its lower end, is inserted through an opening in the upper end of the gripping portion and secured inside a recess in the gripping portion. An annular shelf is formed in the recess at a predetermined distance from the opening and the shelf engages the stop on the end of the connecting member when it is inserted therein. The exterior surface of the shaft- like portion of the connecting member, which may be formed from a number of longitudinal prongs, is smooth and formed to contact the interior bearing surface of the recess so that the connecting member will rotate easily in the recess about the axis of the gripping portion of the handle. The prongs form an annular flange at their lower ends. The flange has a diameter which is larger than the diameter of the shaft and which is larger than the diameter of an upper part of the recess, but smaller than the diameter of

the recess proximate the shelf. The resilient prongs of the connecting member can be compressed sufficiently to allow it to be inserted into the recess so that the flange reaches a larger portion of the recess having the annular shelf. The resilient prongs then spring back to their normal position and the annular flange becomes permanently secured to the annular shelf so that the connecting member can freely rotate within the recess but it cannot be removed therefrom. The functional portion of the handle is thus permanently connected to the gripping portion so that the connecting member and functional portion to which it is attached will rotate about the axis of the gripping portion. As a result, the functional member of the tool, such as the squeegee blade, will hold a uniform position along its length against the window or other surface regardless of the twisting action to which the gripping portion of the handle may be subjected.

Thus, it is an object of this invention to provide a tool with a rotatable handle having rotational means permanently secured in said handle which can be easily assembled and may be freely rotatable during use with or without an extending device.

BRIEF DESCRΠPTIQN OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top elevational view of a typical tool of this invention, namely, a squeegee with a rotatable handle;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the device of FIG. 1; FIG. 2 A is a side elevational view of the functional portion of the rotatable handle of the device of FIG. 1;

FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 are partially sectional elevational views of the handle of this invention illustrating the sequence of its assembly.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

The present invention is a rotatable-handled tool 11. In FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 the tool shown is a rotatable-handled squeegee 13. The rotatable-handled squeegee 13 illustrated in FIG. 1 includes a handle 15 and a squeegee channel 17 which holds the squeegee blade 19 for contact with the window or other surface to be cleaned. In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the squeegee channel is attached to the upper

end 15a of the functional portion of the handle 15 by known means, that is, by a releasable clamping mechanism described more fully in U.S. Pat. No. 4,777,694 and incorporated herein by reference. It can be seen that other attachment means of the channel to the upper end 15a of the squeegee handle may be employed, such as that described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,123,638 or 4,697,296, for example. Although the preferred application of this invention is with squeegees as shown herein, it is within the spirit of this invention that it can be adapted to other methods of attachment of the tool member, and for use with other functional elements, such as scrubbers, paint rollers, and the like. FIGS. 2 A and 3-5 show the novel features of the handle of this invention, which can be used with other tools.

The rotatable handle 12 of this invention comprises a functional portion 15 and a gripping portion 23 with rotational means disposed proximate the functional portion of the handle for rotating it about the longitudinal axis of the gripping portion, as illustrated by the arrows in FIG. 1. The functional portion of the handle is connected to the gripping portion by internal connecting means. The functional portion of the handle includes an upper end 15a and a lower end 15b with a functional member 13, such as a squeegee, disposed proximate the upper end and at least one connecting member 25 disposed proximate its lower end.

The gripping portion 23 of the handle 12 has a recess 27 disposed inwardly along the longitudinal axis of the gripping portion with an opening 29 in an upper end 23a of the gripping portion to receive the connecting member 25 of the functional portion 15. It should be understood that although denominated the "gripping portion" of the handle, this portion of the handle may be hollow and it may alternatively be mounted onto an extension pole in a known manner. Indeed, in the preferred embodiment the handle is generally tubular and hollow and is formed with longitudinal ridges (not shown) to mate with the longitudinal ribs (not shown) which are frequently used in the an on the upper ends of extension poles. Typically, the gripping portion of a tool handle may also be slightly tapered so that the opening at its bottom end 23b will be wider than the passage of the upper portion 31 to enhance the locking effect on an extension pole. The preferred hollow nature of the lower gripping portion of the handle is not essential to the

rotational operation of this invention as a hand-tool, however.

Recess 27 is formed by the walls 23a of the gripping portion 23 of the handle, which will be a continuous wall when the gripping portion is tubular. The walls of the recess form a smooth bearing surface 27a for receiving the connecting member 25. Stop engaging means are disposed in the recess inwardly a predetermined distance from the opening 29 in the upper end 23a of the gripping portion to engage stop means of the connecting member 25, as will be seen hereafter. The wall of the gripping portion preferably forms a longitudinal recess extending for its entire length. The wall has an increased thickness at its upper end 23 a which forms a recess 27 with a narrower inner diameter for a predetermined distance from the opening 29. The wall thickness is reduced, and the diameter of the longitudinal recess is abruptly increased, at said predetermined distance , to form stop engaging means in the nature of an annular shelf 33 or shoulder which engages the stop means on the lower end of the connecting member. The recess 27 is substantially cylindrical with a restricted inner diameter for a predetermined distance from the top opening 29 and a larger inner diameter inward thereof. The inner diameter of the lower or inward portion 31 of the recess is increased and this discrete increase forms annular shelf 33.

The recess 27 in the gripping portion 23 is formed to receive the connecting member 25, which depends from the lower end 15b of the functional portion 15 of the handle 12. The connecting member is resilient for insertion into the recess and it has stop means disposed a predetermined distance along its length for engagement with the stop engaging means disposed in the recess. The connecting member has a shaft-like portion 25 a which preferably forms a smooth exterior surface for contacting the bearing surface 27a of the recess 27. Although the shaft-like portion 25a of the connecting member 25 could be a single member which is slotted to be resilient, in the preferred embodiment, the shaft consists of two resilient prongs 35, 35, as can be seen in FIGS. 3-5, which provide a cylindrical exterior surface for contacting the wall of the recess 27. These prongs can be compressed for insertion into the recess 27 and are sized to fit within the longitudinal recess when they are allowed to expand again. Stop means are disposed a predetermined

distance along the length of the prongs. The stop means preferably comprises an outwardly directed flange 37 disposed at the end of each prong and forming an annular flange on the connecting member 25 to engage the annular shelf in the recess. The shaft¬ like portion of the connecting member has an outer diameter which is smaller than the inner diameter of the upper portion 27 of the recess; the outer diameter of the annular flange is greater than the inner diameter of the upper recess but smaller than the inner diameter of the lower portion 31 of the recess proximate the annular shelf 33. The flange is disposed on the prongs at a distance which corresponds to the length of the prongs to the annular shelf when the prongs are inserted into the recess. Thus, the prongs are compressed to allow the flanges to be inserted into the recess but after being inserted a predetermined distance corresponding to the depth of the recess with the restricted diameter, the flanges 37 snap back out and engage the annular shelf 33. Once expanded the flanges will be engaged by the shelf and will anchor the prongs from outward movement from the recess. To further secure this fit, the flange has an upper surface 37a which is perpendicular to the shaft and which mates with the surface of the shelf 33. The flange also has a curved outer surface 37b which facilitates the insertion of the flange into the recess.

In a preferred embodiment, the connecting member 25 is fixed at a base 39 to the lower end 15b of the functional portion 15 of the handle 12. This base may be frusto- conical in shape to match with a beveled surface 29a of the opening 29 to the recess 27 in the gripping portion 23 of the handle. The walls of the gripping portion 23 may be inwardly chamfered from the top opening 29 at the upper portion of the recess 27 for insertion of the annular flange 37. By matching the angle of the exterior surface of the base with the angle of the chamfered portion of the opening, the connecting member 25 will be inserted more easily into the recess 27 and the base of the connecting member will fit more securely in the opening to the recess, yet the smooth surfaces of these beveled portions will still allow the connecting member and the gripping portion to move relative to each other.

To further enhance the smooth fit between the connecting member and the gripping portion to the handle, the base 39 has an upper cylindrical surface 39a which

is inset from the lower end of the functional portion 15b. An annular spacing device, such as a washer 41, can be placed against surface 39a before the handle is assembled. The washer may have a thickness sufficient to form a coextensive surface between the lower end of the functional portion and the upper end of the gripping portion. The washer will then reduce the intrusion of soil and moisture into the connecting means.

The parts of this tool handle are preferably constructed from a durable and resilient plastic, such as ABS plastic. The functional portion and the connecting member are preferably formed as one integral part, which is then connected to the gripping portion. In the preferred embodiment, all the bearing surfaces of the different features are smooth and closely sized to their mating surface so that the connecting member will rotate freely inside the gripping portion, while they also fit securely together so that there will be sufficient control and precision in the tool for the user who is gripping it. Thus, in assembly, as seen in FIGS. 3-5, the resilient prongs 35 of the connecting member 25 depending from the functional portion 15 of the handle will be compressed so that the flanges 37 at the ends of the prongs will pass through the recess 27 of the gripping portion 23 and when the flanges reach the portion 31 of the recess having an increased diameter they will spring back to their normal state and be locked against outward movement by the abutment of the flanges against the annular shelf formed within the recess. The predetermined distance referred to herein corresponds to the distance of the flanges from the functional portion of the handle. The annular shelf within the recess will be located to correspond to the location of the flanges when the shaft is inserted therein. This predetermined distance may vary, depending on the length and number of prongs and will need to be long enough to give integrity to the handle and to balance the weight and forces which will be expected to be applied to the tool with which it is used.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

Thus, the present invention is a unique tool with a rotatable-handle, which in the case of a squeegee, allows the squeegee blade to be maintained at an even pressure against the glass or other surface to be cleaned regardless of the fanning or twisting action of the user. This allows the window cleaner to develop rapid and personalized

strokes to clean the window more efficiently without having to be concerned that the blade has left a streak because it was lifted from the glass during the stroke or that he will have to correct the streaks created. When a window cleaner is working with such a tool on a ladder or in lifting apparatus at a substantial height from the ground, such increased efficiency is also important to safety.

The design of this invention allows for the parts to be molded from a resilient and durable plastic material, which can then be easily assembled to provide a sturdy tool with permanent rotational means. Because of the unique locking relationship of the parts, they cannot "rotate" apart during use and the window cleaner will be able to use the tool confidently and precisely. Moreover, the rotatable handled squeegee of this invention provides versatility because it can be used by hand and it can also be used on an extension pole to ensure that the squeegee blade remains against the glass.

Thus, it can be seen that the present invention will achieve many advantages and objects attributed to it. While the invention has been described in detail, it is not to be limited to such details except as may be necessitated by the appended claims.