Abstract:
An auxiliary handle for use on an elongated rod-shaped handle of a tool includes an open loop member with a pair of opposed clamping arms connected to each other solely at a first end thereof via a gripping portion. The clamping arms have free distal end portions defining therebetween an opening adapted to receive the elongated rod-shaped handle. The clamping arms are displaceable about the gripping portion between a first position for accommodating rod-shaped handles of different cross-sectional dimensions and a second position wherein the clamping arms are resiliently depressed one towards the other for clamping onto the rod-shaped handle of the tool. The auxiliary handle also includes an actuator adapted to be connected to the clamping arms for controlling their movement between the first and second positions.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   (a) Field of the Invention 
   The present invention generally relates to an auxiliary handle for use on an elongated rod-shaped handle of a tool. 
   (b) Description of Prior Art 
   The use of handles is known from the prior art since many decades to grab tools such as garden tools. Among the existing handles designed to manipulate garden tools, the most commonly known handles comprise an elongated rod portion having the general structure of a shaft at the lower end of which the tool head is grafted. A grip is typically provided at the upper end of the elongated rod handle to facilitate manipulation of the tool. This configuration allows a user to grab the tool by placing one hand on the shaft portion near the head of the tool and the other hand on the other end of the elongated rod handle or on the grip affixed thereto. 
   One of the major drawbacks associated with this conventional tool handle configuration is the low ergonomic posture of the user and back pain and injuries caused therefrom. To alleviate an inappropriate posture of a user relative to the garden tool, prior art discloses various structural configuration of the elongated rod handle of the tool, as claimed by Blessing, K. C. in U.S. Pat. No. 5,771,535 for example. It has also been suggested to solve this ergonomic drawback by providing auxiliary handles, fixed on the shaft handle. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,669,650 to Rutz, U.S. Pat. No. 5,695,231 to Hoffman, U.S. Pat. No. 5,400,471 to Lichefield et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,331,720 to Beckingham, U.S. Pat. No. 5,133,582 to Rocha, U.S. Pat. No. 5,065,475 to Watt, U.S. Pat. No. 5,054,830 to Nisenbaum, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,050,728 to Davidson all disclose auxiliary handles fixed on the rod-shaped handle of a garden tool or the like to provide a user with a better holding position. More recently, U.S. Pat. No. 6,553,627 to Horler reported a handle assembly for a tool for providing an ergonomic handle designed to minimize back strain and injury. 
   Solution proposed by the prior art may contribute to alleviate the ergonomic problem inherent to the use of garden tool. However, the auxiliary handles proposed by the prior art are for most of them designed to be permanently attached to a shaft-handled tool. Those designed to be removably attached to a garden tool, as provided in U.S. Pat. No. 6,553,627, are unfortunately not designed to be adapted to a wide variety of shaft diameters. Therefore, all solutions proposed in the prior art require that a user be provided with multiple auxiliary handles to be adapted on a range of garden tools, which is less interesting on an economical aspect. 
   Therefore, it would be highly desirable to provide an auxiliary handle for garden tools, which is removably attachable to the shaft portion of garden tools, adaptable to a variety of shaft dimensions, and easy to produce at low cost. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   One aim of the present invention is to provide a new auxiliary handle for use on an elongated rod-shaped handle of a tool. 
   According to a general aspect of the present invention, there is provided an auxiliary handle comprising an open loop member having a pair of opposed clamping arms connected to each other solely at a first end thereof via a gripping portion and having free distal end portions defining therebetween an opening adapted to receive the elongated rod-shaped handle. The clamping arms are displaceable about the gripping portion between a first position for accommodating rod-shaped handles of different cross-sectional dimensions and a second position wherein the clamping arms are resiliently depressed one towards the other for clamping onto the rod-shaped handle of the tool. An actuator is provided for controlling the movement of the clamping arms between the first and second positions. 
   In accordance with another general aspect of the present invention, there is provided an auxiliary handle adapted to be releasably mounted to elongated-rod shaped handles of different dimensions, comprising a grip, a pair of clamping arms extending from opposed ends of said grip, the clamping arms having spaced-apart distal end portions defining a seat therebetween for receiving a rod-shaped handle of a tool, the distal end portions terminating below the seat into outwardly angled fingers, and a threaded fastener extending transversally through the outwardly angled fingers for selectively causing said clamping arms to be moved towards a closed position in order to releasably clamp the auxiliary handle to the rod-like shaped handle. 
   In accordance with a still further general aspect of the present invention, there is provided an auxiliary handle for use on an elongated rod-shaped handle of a tool, comprising a grip, a pair of clamping arms extending from opposed sides of the grip and having opposed free distal end portions, a threaded fastener extending transversally through the free distal end portions for displacing the clamping arms between an unlocking position and a locking position, and wherein the threaded fastener extends through a hole defined in a first one of the free distal end portion and through a slot defined in a second one of the distal end portions and extending in a longitudinal direction of said clamping arms to permit tilting of the threaded fastener. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, showing by way of illustration, a preferred embodiment thereof, and in which: 
       FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of an auxiliary handle according to an embodiment of the present invention, attached to the elongated rod handle of a tool; 
       FIGS. 2   a  and  2   b  are front views of the auxiliary handle shown in  FIG. 1 , attached to tool handles of different cross-sectional dimensions; 
       FIG. 3  is a front cross-sectional view of the auxiliary handle shown in  FIG. 1 ; and 
       FIGS. 4   a  and  4   b  are front and rear exploded perspective views of the auxiliary handle, respectively. 
   

   It will be noted that throughout the appended drawings, like features are identified by like reference numerals. 
   DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   Referring to the drawings, more particularly  FIGS. 1 to 4 , an auxiliary handle  1  for use on an elongated rod-shaped handle  3  of a garden tool, such as a plow, a rake or a fork, will be described. Auxiliary handle  1  generally has a D-shape and comprises a grip  5  designed to accommodate the hand of a user and two opposed and generally symmetrical clamping members  7   a , 7   b  which are solely connected to each other via the grip  5 . 
   Each clamping member  7   a ,  7   b  is perpendicularly attached by its upper extremity  9   a ,  9   b  to one side extremity  11   a ,  11   b  of grip  5 . Extremities  13   a , 13   b  of clamping members  7   a , 7   b  distal from grip  5  converge while remaining physically free one from the other so that grip  5  and both clamping members  7   a , 7   b  define an open loop comprising an opening  15 . Clamping members  7   a , 7   b  and grip  5  are preferably made from a resilient material and more preferably from a plastic material in a manner such that the width of opening  15  can be modified to accommodate elongated handles  3  having rod-shapes of variable diameters, as it will be described in details hereinafter. Grip  5  and clamping means  7   a , 7   b  are preferably made form a unique type of plastic material so that grip  5  and clamping members  7   a ,  7   b  can be integrally produced as a unitary structure (see  FIG. 3 ). 
   As shown in  FIG. 3 , opening  15  created by extremities  13   a , 13   b  of clamping members  7   a , 7   b  defines a handle clamping section  17  and a handle locking section  19  extending therefrom. Both clamping section  17  and locking section  19  will be described in detail hereinafter. 
   Clamping section  17  connects auxiliary handle  1  to rod-shaped handle  3  of a tool and allows auxiliary handle  1  to be moved along the longitudinal axis  21  of elongated handle  3 . Therefore, it provided a tool user with an ergonomic position and contributes to reduce back pain and injuries. Clamping section  17  is defined by a pair of semi-circular cavities  23   a ,  23   b , each cavity being located at one of the free distal end portion of clamping members  7   a , 7   b , facing opening  15 . Each cavity  23   a  and  23   b  has the shape of a partial cylinder, and more specifically a cylinder cross-sectioned along the longitudinal axis which extends perpendicularly to grip  5  and clamping members  7   a , 7   b . Therefore, facings  25   a , 25   b  of cavities  23   a , 23   b  are adapted to fit to the cylindrical exterior facing  27  of rod-shaped handle  3 . Since clamping members  7   a , 7   b  are flexible and thus displaceable about grip  5 , cavities  23   a , 23   b  are displaceable relative to one another to modify the width of opening  15 , thereby allowing accommodating rod-shaped handles  3  of different cross-sectional dimensions. As shown in  FIGS. 4   a  and  4   b , frictional padding  29   a , 29   b  may further be inserted between facings  25   a , 25   b  and exterior facing  27  of elongated handle  3  to modify the circumference of the partially-cylindrical cavities  23   a , 23   b  and insure a properly frictional contact between clamping section  17  of auxiliary handle  1  and elongated handle  3 . Proper clamping of the clamping members  7   a  and  7   b  onto the rod-shaped handle  3  is insured by locking section  19 . As will be seen hereinafter, a locking mechanism  31  is provided in the locking section  19  to allow the clamping members  7   a  and  7   b  to be brought together towards a closed position. 
   Locking section  19  comprises two opposed outwardly angled locking members  33  and  35 , which constitute the lowest portion of clamping members  7   a  and  7   b , respectively. Locking member  33  has a generally rectangular shape and comprises an open ended slot  37  located midway between front edge  39  and rear edge  41  of locking member  33  and extending from the bottom edge  43  thereof until a location near the top edge  45 . 
   Locking member  35  also has a rectangular shape but defines a longitudinal groove  49  ( FIG. 4   b ), extending on locking member  35  along the longitudinal axis  21  of elongated handle  3 . Longitudinal groove  49  is located midway from the top edge  51  and the bottom edge  53  of locking member  35  and extends from the exterior face  55  of locking member  35  until a location situated between exterior face  55  and interior face  57  of locking member  35 . A hole  61  is defined at the center of groove  49  through the bottom surface thereof to allow the passage of a T-shaped bolt  47  trough locking member  35 . The bolt  47  has a threaded shank  65  and an elongated head  59  extending at right angles from one end of the shank  65 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , the bolt  47  extends transversally through the locking members  33  and  35  and the head  59  thereof is received in the longitudinal groove  49  to prevent rotation of the bolt  47  once properly positioned in hole  61  and slot  37 . 
   The locking mechanism further comprises a knob handle  63  adapted to be threadably engaged to the bolt  47  as shown in  FIGS. 2   a ,  2   b  and  3 . Locking bolt  47  passes through hole  61  of locking member  35  and through slot  37  of locking member  33 , where bolt  47  is substantially perpendicular to both locking members  33  and  35 . Longitudinal head  59  of bolt  47  is inserted into groove  49  of locking member  35  while the threaded shank  65  of bolt  47  passes through locking member  33 . Knob handle  63  is screwed on threaded shank  65  of bolt  47 , until it rests against the exterior face  67  of locking member  33 . As knob handle  63  is screwed on bolt  47 , groove  49  prevent rotation of longitudinal head  59  inserted thereto, and forces locking members  33  and  35  to be depressed one toward another and to releasably clamp the handle  1  onto the elongated rod-shaped handle  3  of the tool. 
   Locking members  33  and  35  are angularly positioned relative to clamping portion  17  of clamping members  7   a ,  7   b , so that the space between the top edges  45  and  51  of locking member  33  and  35  is narrower than space between bottom edges  43  and  53 . This particular configuration of locking members  33  and  35  ensure that threaded shank  65  of bolt  47  and knob handle  63  do not slide along slot  37  while screwing knob handle  63  onto bolt  47  and remain well positioned relative to locking member  33 . 
   Slot  37  advantageously allows disengaging the bolt  47  from the locking member  33  without having to completely unscrew the knob handle  63 . In this way, the user has simply to sufficiently unscrew the knob handle  63  to pivot the bolt  47  out of engagement with the locking member  33  and then remove the handle assembly  1  from the rod-shaped handle  3 . 
   In use, auxiliary handle  1  is attached to elongated handle  3  by unscrewing knob handle so as to allow bolt  47  to pivot out of slot  37  or to completely remove bolt  47  from locking member  35 . Elongated handle  3  is inserted into clamping portion  17  of auxiliary handle  1  by placing it between locking member  33  and  35  and forcing elongated handle  3  into cavities  23   a  and  23   b  of clamping section  17 . Alternatively, the auxiliary handle could be slid over the rod-like handle. Clamping arms  7   a , 7   b  being resilient and locking members  33  and  35  being angled, forcing elongated handle  3  into clamping portion  17  causes clamping arms  7   a , 7   b  to move away to one another, thereby increasing the opening  15  so as to create a passage for elongated handle  3  to cavities  23   a , 23   b  of auxiliary handle  1 . Once elongated handle  3  is inserted into clamping portion  17 , auxiliary handle  1  is secured on elongated handle  3  by properly engaging bolt  47  in hole  61  and slot  37  of locking members  35  and  33 , respectively, and by screwing knob handle  63  on threaded shank  65  of bolt  47 . Since the elongated head  59  of bolt  47  is received in the longitudinal groove  49 , screwing of knob handle  63  on bolt  47  causes distal extremities  13   a , 13   b  of clamping arms  7   a , 7   b  to become closer one to another, thereby ensuring proper contact between the exterior cylindrical face  27  of elongated handle  3  and faces  25   a , 25   b  of cavities  23   a , 23   b  of auxiliary handle  1 . 
   The remove auxiliary handle  1  from elongated handle  3 , knob handle  63  is unscrewed from bolt  47  so as to pivot bolt  47  away from slot  37  or to completely remove bolt  47  from locking member  35 . This causes a release of the pressure exerted on connecting members  7   a , 7   b  and allows handle  1  to be freely pulled away from elongated handle  3 . 
   While the invention has been described with particular reference to the illustrated embodiment, it will be understood that numerous modifications thereto will appear to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the above description and accompanying drawings should be taken as illustrative of the invention and not in a limiting sense.