Abstract:
A cleaning tool having a clamp-on handle assembly. The clamp-on handle assembly includes a slidable locking element which can be moved from an open position, wherein the handle assembly can be placed over a handle portion of the cleaning tool, to a locked position wherein the locking element clamps the handle assembly securely onto the handle portion of the cleaning tool. Advantageously, no external tools or fastening implements are required to secure the handle assembly to the handle portion of the cleaning tool. The handling assembly allows the user to use the cleaning tool to reach elevated areas or other areas that would be difficult to reach with the user holding directly onto the handle portion of the cleaning tool.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to cleaning tools, and more particularly to a hand-holdable cleaning tool having a removable clamp-on handle assembly for enabling a user to reach hard to access areas with the cleaning tool. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Hand-holdable cleaning tools have proven to be very effective and useful cleaning implements for a wide variety of cleaning tasks. In particular, motorized cleaning tools, such as the ScumBuster®) hand holdable cleaning tool manufactured by the Assignee of the present application, have proven to be very popular and effective in a wide variety of cleaning applications, and especially in use in private homes such as in kitchens and bathroom areas of the home. Such motorized cleaning tools allow a user to more thoroughly scrub areas such as sinks, bathtubs, shower stalls, and a wide variety of other surfaces with the help of a motor driven brush or like cleaning implement. 
   With such hand held cleaning tools as described above, there is often a need to clean elevated areas or difficult to access areas which would be difficult, if not impossible, for the user to reach while holding the body (i.e., housing) of the cleaning tool itself. Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide some form of elongated handle that could be grasped by the user so that the tool could be used to clean elevated or difficult to access areas more easily by the user. Furthermore, it would highly desirable if such a handle could be quickly and easily removed from the cleaning tool when not needed. Such a removable handle would provide significant additional flexibility to the user when using the cleaning tool in different cleaning applications. 
   It would further be highly desirable if such a cleaning tool as described above could be provided that does not require any modification to the housing of the cleaning tool itself, before a removable, clamp-on handle is secured thereto, and further does not add appreciably to the overall weight of the cleaning tool, or to significantly increase the overall cost of the cleaning tool. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention is directed to a hand held cleaning tool having a removable elongated handle assembly for enabling the tool to reach elevated or difficult to, access areas. In one preferred form the cleaning tool comprises an internally disposed motor which drives a brush or other like cleaning implement through a suitable gear reduction system. The removable handle, in one preferred form, comprises a main body portion which can be clamped on to a handle portion of a main housing of the cleaning tool. The main body portion includes structure for receiving an elongated handle member which can be easily grasped by the user once the main body portion is secured to the main housing of the cleaning tool. The user is then better able to use the cleaning tool to reach elevated and difficult to access areas. In a preferred form, the elongated handle has a length sufficient to allow it to be comfortably grasped with two hands, thus allowing the user to easily maneuver the cleaning tool. 
   In a preferred form, the main body portion includes a slidably disposed locking element. The locking element is disposed over a pair of flanges formed on opposite sides of a housing of the main body portion. The locking element can be slid from an unlocked position, wherein the main body portion can be easily slipped over a handle portion of the cleaning tool, and a locked portion wherein the flanges are drawn towards each other such that the main body portion is clamped over the handle portion of the cleaning tool. Thus, the main body portion can be quickly and easily mounted on the handle of the, cleaning tool or removed from the cleaning tool with a single sliding motion of the locking element. Cooperating structure between the housing of the main body portion and the locking element serves to help maintain the locking element in the locked position once it is moved into this position by the user, as well as prevent the locking element from being removed entirely from the main body portion. 
   Further areas of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description provided hereinafter. It should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating the preferred embodiment of the invention, are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a hand holdable cleaning tool incorporating a removable elongated handle assembly in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, with the handle assembly being clamped to a handle portion of the cleaning tool; 
       FIG. 2  is a side view of the apparatus of  FIG. 1  but with the clamp-on handle assembly in the open position being ready to be removed from the cleaning tool; 
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a main body portion of the handle assembly of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 4  is an end view of the main body portion of the handle assembly of  FIG. 3  with the handle assembly in the locked position; 
       FIG. 5  is an end view of the handle assembly of  FIG. 4  but with the main body portion thereof in the open position; 
       FIG. 6  is a side view of just the main body portion of the handle assembly of  FIG. 4  (i.e., with a locking element thereof removed for clarity); 
       FIG. 7  is a side view of the main body portion of the handle assembly in the slightly open position illustrating structure associated therewith for retaining the locking element in its open and closed positions; 
       FIG. 8  is a perspective view of the locking element of the handle assembly shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 ; 
       FIG. 9  is a partial cross-sectional view of the locking element in its locked position, taken in accordance with section line  9 — 9  in  FIG. 4 ; 
       FIG. 10  is a cross-sectional view of the locking element of  FIG. 9  but with the locking element moved to its unlocked position; 
       FIG. 11  is a perspective view of an alternative preferred embodiment of the clamp-on handle assembly of the present invention; 
       FIG. 12  is a perspective view of another alternative preferred embodiment of the clamp-on handle assembly of the present invention; and 
       FIG. 13  is a perspective view of the cleaning tool of  FIG. 1  hanging on a hanger. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   The following description of the preferred embodiment(s) is merely exemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the invention, its application, or uses. 
   Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , there is shown a cleaning tool  10  in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Cleaning tool  10  includes a clamp-on handle assembly  12 . The cleaning tool  10  can be used to access elevated or difficult to reach areas. The cleaning tool incorporates a main housing  14  within which is disposed an electric motor  16 . The electric motor  16  is coupled to a gear reduction unit  18  which rotationally drives a scrub brush or other like cleaning implement  20 . The electric motor  16  is powered by a rechargeable battery pack  22  held within a handle portion  24  of the housing  14 . An on/off switch  26  is used to apply electric power to the motor  16  to thus turn on and off the cleaning tool  10 . 
   With specific reference to  FIG. 2 , the clamp-on handle assembly  12  includes a main body portion  28  having a neck  30  to which an elongated handle member  31  can be coupled. The handle member  31  can be secured to the neck  30  via adhesives or mechanical means such as by providing the handle member with a threaded end and an internal bore  30   a  of the neck  30  with threads for threaded engagement with the threaded portion of the handle member. Alternatively, it may be secured by a press fit or by a bayonet fitting. 
   The main body portion  28  of the clamp on handle assembly  12  further includes a slidably disposed locking element  32 . The locking element  32  is shown in its “locked” position in  FIG. 2 , in its “unlocked” position in phantom in  FIG. 2 , and in perspective in  FIG. 8 . In the locked position, the handle assembly  12  is securely clamped over the handle portion  24  of the main housing  14  of the cleaning tool  10 . When in the unlocked position, the handle assembly  12  can be lifted from the handle portion  24 , as will be described further in the following paragraphs. 
     FIGS. 3–6  further illustrate just the main body portion  28  of the handle assembly  12 . The main body portion  28  can be seen to include a first portion  34  and a second portion  36  coupled by a living hinge  38 . First portion  34  further includes a flange  40  while second portion  36  similarly includes a flange  42 . The flanges  40  and  42  are disposed along free edges  44  and  46  of the portions  34  and  36 , respectively. 
   With brief reference specifically to  FIG. 6 , portion  34  further can be seen to include an extending portion  48  having a small projection  50 . The main body portion  28  is integrally formed with the neck portion  30  preferably as a single molded component part from the suitably, strong material such as high strength plastic. The living hinge  38  allows portions  34  and  36  to be easily moved between the closed and open positions shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , respectively. 
   With specific reference to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the main housing portion  28  further forms a bore  52  having a longitudinally extending groove or channel  54 . Channel  54  is adapted to receive a longitudinally extending rib  55  ( FIGS. 1 and 2 ) that helps to maintain the main body portion  28  in a desired orientation when secured to the handle portion  24  of the cleaning tool  10 . As will also be appreciated, the bore  52  is sized such that it is able to fit over the handle portion  24  without play when the main body portion  28  is clamped to the handle portion  24 . 
   With further reference to  FIG. 7 , the projection  50  can be seen in even greater detail. The projection  50  is formed to reside slightly below flange  42 . The projection  50  assists in holding the locking element  32  both in its locked position and in its unlocked position, as will be described momentarily. 
   Referring to  FIG. 8 , the locking element  32  can be seen in greater detail. The locking element  32  includes a pair of inwardly turned ledges  56  and  58 . Ledge  56  has a first notch  60  and a second notch  62 . First notch  60  assists in maintaining the locking element  32  secured to the main body portion  28  of the handle assembly  12  when the locking element  32  is in its unlocked position ( FIG. 5 ). Notch  62 , conversely, holds the locking element  32  in its locked position as shown in  FIG. 1 . 
   With reference to  FIGS. 9 and 10 , the locking element  32  can be seen in its locked orientation ( FIG. 9 ) and in its unlocked orientation ( FIG. 10 ). In its locked orientation, notch  62  receives the projection  50 . In the unlocked position of  FIG. 10 , notch  60  receives the projection  50 . To place the clamp assembly  12  onto the handle portion  24  of the tool  10 , the user opens the locking element  32  into the position shown in phantom in  FIG. 2 , opens the second portion  36  of the main housing  28  as shown in  FIG. 5 , and places the main housing  28  over the handle portion  24  so that the main housing  28  is aligned with a longitudinal axis of the handle portion  24 . The user then moves portions  34  and  36  towards each other until flanges  40  and  42  are closely adjacent one another or almost in abutting relationship, as shown in  FIG. 4 . The user then slides the locking element  32  forwardly over the flanges  40  and  42  into the position shown in  FIGS. 1 and 3 . Stops  40   a  and  42   a shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  3 ,  6 ,  9  and  10  stop forward movement of the locking element  32  just as the second notch  62  engages with the projection  50 . In this position the handle assembly  12  is securely clamped to the handle portion  24  of the tool and the cleaning tool  10  can be manipulated easily by the user using one or both hands to grasp the elongated handle member  31  and maneuver the cleaning tool  10 . 
   To remove the handle assembly  12 , the steps are essentially reversed. The user simply slides the locking element  32 , rearwardly into the position shown in phantom in  FIG. 2 . The locking element  32  will initially take a slight degree more force to begin its longitudinal travel as the projection  50  is urged out of notch  62 . After this occurs, the locking element  32  can be moved more easily until the projection  50  is urged into engagement with notch  60 , which again will take a slight degree of additional force to accomplish. Once projection  50  is engaged with notch  60 , as shown in  FIG. 10 , the locking element cannot be moved any further longitudinally in the unlocking direction without significant additional force. Thus, the inter-engagement of the projection  50  and the notch  60  prevents the locking element  32  from being inadvertently removed from the main body portion  28 . The extending portion  48  forms a surface which also helps to support the locking element  32  when it is in its unlocked position shown in  FIG. 10 . 
   The clamp-on handle assembly  12  thus forms a convenient and easy to use means for allowing an auxiliary extension handle to be secured to a handle portion of a cleaning tool. The handle assembly  12  of the present invention does not add appreciably to the overall weight of the combined handle assembly/cleaning tool combination, does not add appreciably to the overall cost of the combined assembly, and enables a user to reach elevated areas or other areas that would be difficult to access while holding on directly to the handle portion  24  of the cleaning tool  10  shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . In addition, the use of the handle assembly  12  does not necessitate the use of an auxiliary on/off switch for the tool  10  since the handle assembly does not interfere with access to the on/off switch  26  of the tool  10 , and the on/off switch  26  is still conveniently accessible by the user. 
   Referring now to  FIG. 11 , an alternative preferred embodiment  100  of the clamp-on handle assembly of the present invention is shown. This embodiment is similar to clamp-on handle assembly  12  but with the exception that a main body portion  102  of the assembly  100  is clamped around not only the upper handle portion  24  of the cleaning tool  14 , but also a lower handle guard member  15  of the cleaning tool that defines the opening through which the fingers of a user&#39;s hand extend. 
   Referring to  FIG. 12 , yet another alternative preferred embodiment  200  of the clamp-on handle assembly is illustrated. This embodiment is similar to handle assembly  100  except that a main body portion  202  clamps over the entire upper handle portion  24  and lower handle guard member  15  of the cleaning tool  14 . 
   Referring now to  FIG. 13 , the cleaning tool  14  can be seen hanging from a hanger  300 . Hanger  300  is preferably formed from plastic and includes a base portion  302  having a hook  304  and a neck  306 . Neck  306  can be used to support a removable end cap  17  of the cleaning tool  14 . The base portion  302  can be secured to a wall or other like surface by any suitable fastening element, for example a threaded fastener, that extends through the hook  304  and the base portion  302 . 
   The description of the invention is merely exemplary in nature and, thus, variations that do not depart from the gist of the invention are intended to be within the scope of the invention. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention.