Abstract:
Disclosed is a scraper tool suited for scraping planar surfaces. Also disclosed is a scraper tool having a pivoting blade assembly, and mechanisms enabling the pivoting of a blade assembly relative to an ergonomic handle thus allowing the user to conveniently scrape surfaces having a variety of orientations to him or her.

Description:
FIELD  
       [0001]     The invention generally pertains to the field of construction tools, and more particularly to scraper tools used in the scraping of surfaces.  
       BACKGROUND  
       [0002]     Scraping tools are used to remove old paint or spattered drywall compound from structures as a preliminary step in the resurfacing operations, as well as to scrape other materials from surfaces such as adhesives. A problem exists, however, when scraping surfaces which are overhead, such as ceilings with conventional scrapers because the position of the handle makes them difficult to use for this purpose.  
         [0003]     The present disclosure discloses a scraper tool which solves many of these problems that are associated with existing scraper tools. It will be appreciated that the disclosure may disclose more than one invention. The invention(s) is (are) pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed hereto and forming a part hereof.  
       BRIEF SUMMARY  
       [0004]     The invention(s) generally relate to scraper tools suited for scraping ceilings, as well as scraper tools having a pivoting blade assembly, and to mechanisms enabling the pivoting and locking of the blade assembly.  
         [0005]     In one embodiment, the apparatus comprises a scraper whose handle is positioned at such an angle so as to be ergonomically suited for scraping overhead surfaces.  
         [0006]     A second embodiment of the tool comprises a pivoting blade assembly wherein the scraper blade assembly is rotatable between two alternate fixed positions—the standard position, and the overhead position wherein the scraper blade assembly is located at 180° to the standard position.  
         [0007]     In a third embodiment, the rotating scraper blade is achieved through locking the blade assembly at any one of many predetermined locations.  
         [0008]     In another embodiment, a multi-positioning apparatus locates a scraper blade at any precise user-defined angle and an optional locking device permits blade assembly locking at the user-defined angle.  
         [0009]     One advantage of the present apparatus is to save the user valuable time in completing scraping operations on a variety of surfaces, thus allowing him or her to better compete in the workplace. In addition, time is saved by making the scraping of ceilings more efficient by positioning the scraper blade at an ideal angle for overhead scraping and by enabling the user to cover a larger surface area without moving a ladder.  
         [0010]     Another advantage of one embodiment is that the scraper tool allows the scraping of ceilings without the user having to contort his or her arm to obtain the proper orientation of the scraper blade to the overhead surface, and allows for more efficient transfer of force through the scraper tool to the work surface. Consequently, the scraper tool saves the user the inconvenience of suffering strained arm, hand, and finger muscles and ligaments which readily occurs with standard scrapers while scraping ceilings.  
         [0011]     Still another advantage of one embodiment is that the user may scrape any given ceiling from a less elevated position, thereby helping prevent dangerous falls by maintaining the user&#39;s center of gravity at a lower, more stable position.  
         [0012]     Furthermore, embodiments which allow the user to choose from many scraper blade assembly angles provide the advantage of allowing the user specifically tailor the blade assembly angle in attacking any given scraping problem based on a variety of factors such as arm strength, level of fatigue, position of the user to the working surface, and angle of the working surface to the user.  
         [0013]     The invention(s) is (are) pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed hereto and forming a part hereof. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0014]      FIG. 1A  is a first embodiment of a scraper tool well suited for the scraping of ceilings.  
         [0015]      FIG. 1B  is a diagrammatic view of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1A  illustrating an angle between a handle axis and a blade direction of a blade.  
         [0016]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a second embodiment of a scraper tool with a pivoting head which locks in place in two alternate positions.  
         [0017]      FIG. 3  is an exploded view of the second embodiment of a scraper tool with a pivoting head which locks in place in two alternate positions.  
         [0018]      FIG. 4  is a side view of the second embodiment of a scraper tool with the pivoting head locked in the ceiling scraping position shown in broken lines.  
         [0019]      FIG. 5  is a side view of the second embodiment of a scraper tool showing tool orientation for ceiling scraping.  
         [0020]      FIG. 6  is a side view of a third embodiment of a scraper tool with a pivoting blade assembly. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0021]     Referring to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals generally designate identical or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and more particularly to  FIG. 1 , there is shown a first embodiment of a scraper tool, more particularly, a scraping tool well suited for scraping ceiling surfaces, designated generally by the numeral  20 .  
         [0022]     The scraper tool  20  includes a first handle portion  22  which has a first end  24 , a second end  26 . The first handle portion  22  has an area for gripping which has a downward projecting protuberance commonly known as a pistol grip  34  which is used to help the user apply force to the scraper tool  20 . The handle has a first handle portion axis  28 , which generally runs longitudinally along the portion of the handle which the user grips with his or her hand, and defines the direction of the first handle portion  22 . The first end  24  of the first handle portion  22  may include an in-handle blade-storage compartment  94 , accessible through a storage door  92 . The second end  26  of the first handle portion  22  is connected to a blade assembly  40 , which comprises a force-transmitting portion  42  whose main purpose is to transfer and distribute forces applied by a user to a blade member  50  located at an end which is located distally from the first handle member  22 . The force-transmittal portion  42  also includes a second handle portion  46  located near the blade member  50  for applying additional force to the blade member  50  while scraping surfaces. The blade member  50  has an upper surface  52 , a lower surface  54 , a front edge  56 , and a rear portion  58 . The blade member  50  also has a blade direction  66  located perpendicularly to the front edge  56  and in a plane of the lower surface  54  of the blade member  50 . The rear portion  58  of the blade member  50  engages the force-transmitting portion  42  so that force may be transmitted through the force-transmitting portion  42  to the blade member  50 . Furthermore, the blade member  50  is held in place by a blade retainer  60  (not shown) which is held in place by a fastener, such as a threaded screw and nut (not shown). The angle Φ formed between the blade direction  66  and the first handle portion axis  28  is an obtuse angle. The angle Φ is preferably between 95° and 175°, and most preferably between 120° and 165°. This angle Φ allows the scraper to be effectively used in the scraping of overhead ceilings since the users hand and arm can be comfortably situated away from the ceiling surface and thus prevent muscle strain, scraped knuckles, and allows the user to maintain a lower center of gravity, therefore lowering the risk of suffering a dangerous fall. In this first embodiment, the first handle portion  22  and the force-transmitting portion  42  may be formed in one piece which may be a molded polymeric plastic material or a cast metallic alloy. Both the first handle portion  22  and the second handle portion  46  may be textured or provided with ribbing to facilitate secure gripping of the scraper tool  20 .  
         [0023]     In use, the user positions himself or herself near a ceiling structure, grips the scraper tool  20  by the first handle portion  22  and situates the blade member  50  at an acute angle with the ceiling surface, while applying a force through the force-transmitting portion  42  to the blade member  50  while translating the scraper tool  20  back and forth along the surface to be scraped.  
         [0024]     Referring now to  FIG. 2 , there is shown a perspective view of a second embodiment of a scraper tool, more particularly, a scraping tool having a pivoting blade assembly which is well suited for scraping surfaces oriented at any angle to the user, designated generally by the numeral  20 ′.  
         [0025]     The scraper tool  20 ′ includes a first handle portion  22 ′ which has a first end  24 ′, a second end  26 ′, and a pistol grip  34 ′. The handle has a first handle portion axis  28 ′ (shown in  FIG. 4 ), which generally runs longitudinally along the portion which the user grips with his or her hand, and defines the direction of the first handle portion  22 ′. The second end  26 ′ of the first handle portion  22 ′ abuts a blade assembly  40 ′. A pivotal-mechanism portion  74  attaches the first handle portion  22 ′ with a blade assembly  40 ′, while providing pivotal functionality therebetween. The pivotal-mechanism portion  74  is further defined by a pivotal axis  70  (shown in  FIG. 4 ). An acute angle θ, shown in  FIG. 4 , is formed between the first handle portion axis  28 ′ and the pivotal axis  70 . The angle  0  is preferably at least 15° and no greater than 45°, and most preferably at least 20° and no greater than 30°.  
         [0026]     Turning now to  FIG. 3 , the pivotal-mechanism portion  74  may optionally incorporate a pivot-mechanism locking assembly  76 . The pivot-mechanism locking assembly  76  includes a locking mechanism. The locking mechanism includes one or more buttons  78 , each having a button head  80  and a button shoulder  82 , which are housed on either end of a biasing mechanism, which in this embodiment is a spring  84 , inside a lateral through-hole  86  in the force-transmittal portion  42 ′. The spring  84  biases the button heads  80  outward away from the pivotal axis  70  so that when the pivot-mechanism locking assembly  76  is locked in place, a button head  80  protrudes through a first handle portion aperture  36  to at least an outer surface of the first handle portion  30 , while the button shoulder  82  rests against an inner surface of the first handle portion  32 .  
         [0027]     The blade assembly  40 ′, comprises a force-transmitting portion  42 ′ whose main purpose is to transfer and distribute forces applied by a user to a blade member  50 ′ located at the end which is located distally from the first handle member  22 ′. The force-transmittal portion  42 ′ also includes a second handle portion  46 ′ located near the blade member  50 ′ for applying additional force to the blade member  50 ′ while scraping surfaces. The blade member  50 ′ has an upper surface  52 ′, a lower surface  54 ′, a front edge  56 ′, and a rear portion  58 ′. The blade member  50 ′ also has a blade direction  66 ′ located perpendicularly to the front edge  56 ′ and in a plane of the lower surface  54 ′ of the blade member  50 ′. An acute angle Ψ, shown in  FIG. 4 , is formed between the blade direction  66 ′ and the pivotal axis  70 . The angle Ψ is preferably at least 30° and no greater than 70°, more preferably at least 40° and no greater than 65°, and most preferably at least 50° and no greater than 55°.  
         [0028]     The rear portion  58 ′ of the blade member  50 ′ engages the force-transmitting portion  42 ′ so that force may be transmitted through the force-transmitting portion  42 ′ to the blade member  50 ′. Furthermore, the blade member  50 ′ is held in place by a blade retainer  60 ′ which is held in place by a fastener, such as a threaded screw  62  and a nut  64 .  
         [0029]     In this second embodiment, the first handle portion  22 ′ and the force-transmitting portion  42 ′ may each be formed of a one-piece construction from molded polymeric plastic material or a cast metallic alloy. In this embodiment, the second handle portion  46 ′ is integrally molded with the force-transmittal portion  42 ′. In addition, both the first handle portion  28 ′ and the second handle portion  46 ′ may be textured or provided with ribbing to facilitate secure gripping of the scraper tool  20 ′. Alternately, embodiments may include first handle portions  28 ′ and the second handle portions  46 ′ which include soft materials, such as rubber or thermoplastic rubber compounds, closed-cell foams, and the like connected to them, or preferably over-molded in place, to provide enhanced gripping and impact dampening in use.  
         [0030]      FIG. 5  shows the scraper tool  20 ′ in an orientation suitable for scraping a ceiling surface.  
         [0031]     In the use of the second embodiment, the user positions himself or herself near the surface to be scraped and pivots the blade assembly  40 ′ to either of the two positions depicted in  FIG. 4 . To change the pivotal angle of the blade assembly  40 ′, the user grasps the scraper tool  20 ′ by the first handle portion with the thumb situated to depress the button  78  towards the pivotal axis  70 , thereby releasing the pivot-mechanism locking assembly  76  for rotation. Then, while depressing the button  78 , the user rotates the blade assembly  40 ′ to the desired position, where the user then releases the button  78 , thereby allowing the blade assembly to become locked in place. Next, the user grips the scraper tool  20 ′ by the first handle portion  22 ′ and situates the blade member  50 ′ at an acute angle with the surface to be scraped, while applying a force towards the surface to be scraped through the force-transmitting portion  42 ′ to the blade member  50 ′ while translating the scraper tool  20 ′ back and forth along the surface to be scraped.  
         [0032]      FIG. 6  shows a third embodiment of a scraper tool  20 ″ whereby the blade assembly  40 ″ has been rotated to a position suitable for the scraping of vertical walls. In this embodiment, the blade assembly may be locked in place in any of a multiplicity of positions suited to the particular user&#39;s tastes. This may be achieved, for example, by locating a multiplicity of first handle portion apertures  36 ′ around the periphery of a first handle portion  22 ″ in the vicinity of a second end of first handle portion  26 ″, as shown in  FIG. 6 . The user&#39;s choice of position may be influenced by the constraints of the particular scraping situation, such as the angle of the surface to be scraped, as well as the level, relative to the user&#39;s immediate position, at which the scraping is occurring.  
         [0033]     In the use of the third embodiment, the user positions himself or herself near the surface to be scraped and pivots the blade assembly  40 ″ to a position best suited for the particular scraping task. To change the pivotal angle of the blade assembly  40 ″, the user grasps the scraper tool  20 ″ by the first handle portion with the thumb situated to depress the button  78 ′ towards the pivotal axis  70 ′, thereby releasing the pivot-mechanism locking assembly  76 ′ for rotation. Then, while depressing the button  78 ′, the user rotates the blade assembly  40 ″ to the desired position, where the user then releases the button  78 ′, thereby allowing the blade assembly to become locked in place. Next, the user grips the scraper tool  20 ″ by the first handle portion  22 ″ and situates the blade member  50 ″ at an acute angle with the surface to be scraped, while applying a force towards the surface to be scraped through the force-transmitting portion  42 ″ to the blade member  50 ″ while translating the scraper tool  20 ″ back and forth along the surface to be scraped.  
         [0034]     It should be understood that even though these numerous characteristics and advantages of various embodiments have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the embodiments, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size and arrangement of parts within the principals of the invention(s) claimed in the appended claims to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.