Abstract:
There is described a holder for releasably retaining an abrasive sponge or similar product comprising a base for holding the sponge therein, the base having a top surface and surfaces depending downwardly from top surface to border the sponge partially along at least three of its sides, and a handle releasably connected to the top surface of the base.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a holding device and more particularly to a holder for an abrasive sponge used for sanding or finishing various materials such as wood, metal and plaster. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The traditional means of finishing surfaces, particularly wood surfaces, has been to use sandpaper. The sandpaper is oscillated back and forth on the surface being finished, pressure being applied by the fingers or palm of the user. Pressure applied in this way is inherently uneven however, resulting in untended irregularities in the finished surface and the inadvertent rounding of corners and edges. To avoid this, it is common to apply the sandpaper to a block of wood, rubber or metal for more even distribution of sanding pressure. Whether or not a sanding block is used, the sandpaper itself has a tendency to wear quickly, and it is constantly necessary to apply new sheets to the block. To obviate this problem, the sanding sponge has been developed which has a more durable, permanently attached, sanding surface. 
     Unlike sanding blocks, which are rigid and therefore readily adaptable to the attachment of handles or other grips, sanding sponges tend to be resiliently deformable, and are therefore not as amenable to the addition of handles or other holding means. The result therefore is that the user holds the sponge using his/her fingers, which can distort the sponge to cause uneven sanding, and exposing the fingertips and knuckles to injury due to impact, abrasion and rubbing. As well, because the sponge is adapted for hand use only, it&#39;s not useful for jobs beyond arm&#39;s length. 
     There is therefore a need for a device that is adapted to securely grip a sanding sponge and simultaneously provide a stable rigid or semi-rigid connection point for a handle, extension rod or other gripping means through which sanding pressure can be applied without the user having to physically hold the sponge. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides a holder for an abrasive sponge that grips the sponge securely and which is adapted for connection to a handle or other gripping means, and which preferably allows for intermittent replacement of the sponge, and for the substitution of different kinds of handles or extensions. 
     It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a holding device that obviates and mitigates from the disadvantages of the prior art. 
     It is a further object of the present invention to provide a holder adapted to permit the use of a handle or other grip in connection with an abrasive sponge. 
     It is a further object in a preferred embodiment of the present invention to provide a holding device which allows for easy replacement of the sponge. 
     It is yet another object in a preferred embodiment of the present invention to provide a holder that permits the sponge to be pushed into corners without interference from the holder itself. 
     According to the present invention then, there is provided a holder for releasably retaining an abrasive sponge or similar product, comprising a base member for holding the sponge therein, said base member having a top surface and surfaces depending downwardly from the edges thereof to border the sponge partially along at least three sides thereof; and a handle member releasably connected to said top surface. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described in greater detail and will be better understood when read in conjunction with the following drawings in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the holder of the present invention configured with a handle grip; 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the base of the holder shown in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the base shown in FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the base shown in FIG. 2 holding an abrasive sponge; 
     FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of a handle grip shown in isolation; 
     FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of a flexible necked adapter for connection to the base shown in FIG. 2; and 
     FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional end elevational view of the adapter of FIG. 6 along the line  7 — 7  in FIG.  6 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring now to FIG. 1, an exemplary embodiment of the present holder  1  including a sanding sponge  2  is shown in an assembled condition. The holder generally comprises a base  10  adapted for interchangeable connection to a handle  25  or other gripping device as will be described below. 
     With reference to FIG. 2, base  10  is generally channel-shaped having a top surface  11 , two downwardly depending end surfaces  12  disposed at 90° to the top surface and two spaced apart 90° locator tabs  14  disposed along one edge of top surface  11 . 
     As seen most clearly from FIGS. 1 and 3, end surfaces  12  each include one or more inwardly directed and preferably pointed teeth  13  that penetrate the sponge to hold and retain it inside base  10 . If the base is made of metal, the teeth can be punched from the material of the side surfaces or they can be welded in place. If the base is made of plastic, the teeth can be molded integrally with the side surfaces. Locator tabs  14  help position the sponge within the base and limit lateral side to side motion of the sponge during sanding operations. Although locator tabs can be used on both sides of the base, their use on one side only has some advantages. First, sponges of different length can be used without having to cut them to fit, and it allows the unconstrained edge of the sponge to be pushed flush into corners without damaging contiguous surfaces by contact with the tabs. 
     As will be seen from the drawings, the thickness of the sponge is preferably greater than the height of end surfaces  12  and locator tabs  14  so that the lower edges of these surfaces do not interfere with the surface being sanded. Preferably, the height of the end walls/tabs is about one half to two-thirds the thickness of the sponge. As well, the length of the sponge ideally will exceed the width of base  10  to expose at least a portion  8  of the sponge for sanding into corners and the like as mentioned above. 
     For sanding jobs at arm&#39;s length, base  10  can be fitted with a handle  25  of any suitable shape, an example of which is shown in FIGS. 1 and 5. Handle  25  includes a grip  26  and a flanged base  27  that fits against top surface  11  of base  10 . To prevent the handle from rotating, flanged base  27  can include one or two pins  28  that fit into correspondingly sized and spaced holes  18  in top surface  11 . A threaded fastener (not shown) can be driven into the handle from the underside of top surface  11  through a screw hole  19  to securely connect the handle to the base. The area  20  immediately around screw hole  19  can be punched or molded outwardly somewhat to provide some clearance for the screw head. Flanged base  27  of the handle should then be correspondingly recessed to receive the punched out portion but contact between the punched out portion and the recess in the base of the handle can take up some of the load from pins  28 . 
     For more remote sanding jobs, handle  25  can be removed and placed by an adapter  35 , an example of which is shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. The adapter, like the handle, includes a flanged base  37  including pins  38  that fit into holes  18  in the base&#39;s upper surface. If the adapter is made of a resiliently deformable material such as rubber or vinyl, it will preferably include a flexible neck  36 . If the adapter is made of a non-resilient material, neck  36  can be replaced by a more conventional universal type joint. Above the neck is an internally threaded sleeve  39  that can be used to connect the holder to a correspondingly threaded rod or pole that can be used to move the holder to the remote location requiring sanding. Adapter  35  is connected to base  10  in the same manner described above with respect to handle  25 . 
     In the alternative to the use of a threaded fastener to connect the handle/adapter to base  10 , these components can be constructed to snap fit to one another, to slide together or even to be joined permanently such as by means of glue or forming the handle/adapter integrally with the base. Different means of connection will readily occur to those skilled in the art. 
     In use, the handle/adapter is connected to the base as described above, and the sponge is then installed. The width of the sponge ideally will be equal to or slightly greater than the distance between end surfaces  11  for a compressive fit. One edge of the sponge is pushed into the base against one end surface. The other edge is then compressed to clear the teeth on the opposite end surface and pushed into place. The opposite procedure is used to remove the sponge. If the handle/adapter is connected to the base by means of clips or sliders, the handle/adapter can be changed at any time without first removing the sponge. When the sponge is installed and retained by teeth  13 , the handle can be used to apply sanding pressure through the sponge to the surface being finished. 
     If a sponge is not properly sized to fit within the base, it can be cut to fit. As well, the holder can be used to retain other kinds of semi-rigid products such as scouring pads and cleaning sponges. 
     The above-described embodiments of the present invention are meant to be illustrative of preferred embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. Various modifications, which would be readily apparent to one skilled in the art, are intended to be within the scope of the present invention. The only limitations to the scope of the present invention are set out in the following appended claims.