Pickup tool with variable position limiting and variable axis of operation

A hand-held tool, for grasping items located at a distance from the operator, including a tool body, including a handle extending therefrom, for holding by the operator, and a moveable trigger operably arranged with the handle, at least one movable, pickup finger, for aid in grasping an item in response to squeezing the trigger, a first, elongated, rigid member, attached between the tool body and the at least one moveable finger, for holding the tool body and the at least one moveable finger, in a spaced-apart arrangement, a second, flexible member attached between the trigger and the at least one moveable finger, for moving the finger in response to movement of the trigger, a lockable element, a loosely-arranged binding plate, moveable by the thumb of the hand holding the handle, arranged for movement against the lockable element for permitting infinite locking positions of the at least one movable finger against the item grasped by the finger, and, a socket formed in the tool body for receiving the first, rigid, elongated member, the first, elongated, rigid member being adapted to be pulled out of the socket and be turned in any arrangement about the elongated, rigid member's central axis, for operating the attached at least one moveable finger, in any plane with the plane of the handle.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention pertains to the field of hand tools. More particularly, it pertains to tools for undertaking manipulative operations spaced apart from the operator's hands, including picking up and moving objects from one place to another, with movable, pickup fingers. These tools are generally known as “reachers” or “grabbers.” This invention pertains to such tools having the novel property of infinitely variable position limiting of the moveable fingers and of having the ability of varying the plane of operation of the fingers.

2. Description of the Prior Art

There are situations where items are not within reach and physical barriers, such as limbs of trees, drain grates, furniture and the like, prevent one from grasping and/or retrieving or moving certain items. In these situations one often depends upon tools with grasping actions, spaced apart from the handle, to reach through the physical barriers. Such tools come in a variety of sizes, lengths, and internal mechanisms. As our daily lives become more complex with crowded living conditions and an aging population, these tools take on a more meaningful existence.

Especially with the older generation, reaching and retrieving out-of-reach items is becoming more important. In some instances, persons can use grabbers to retrieve bottles from high shelves, or crowded items from heavily stocked cabinets, however, many people do not have long term grasping power in their hands to retain a grip sufficient to grasp the item and continue to hold it while moving it from one place to another. Such a lack of gripping power usually results in the item being dropped as it is moved.

Reachers and grabbers remedy this situation. Prior art U.S. Pat. No. 3,527,492 discloses such a tool for use in picking up trash or other items, comprising an elongated shaft having a handle at one end, with a squeezable trigger, and a pair of spring-operated, spaced-apart, pick-up fingers located at the opposite end of the shaft.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,709,839 discloses a somewhat similar tool containing a shoe horn and an abutment attached to a moveable portion at the lower end of the shaft, for aiding a person in putting on and taking off their shoes. In both of these devices, however, the pressure exerted against the object to be captured by the tool comes directly from the continuing pressure of the operator's hand squeezing the trigger.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,962,957 concerns a pickup tool with a positional locking device which includes an arm outwardly-extending from the handle and containing spaced-apart notches to which a pin may be locked to hold the pickup fingers in one of two or three separate locking positions. This tool, as well as the other tools mentioned herein, is confined to having the spaced-apart, pickup fingers aligned along an axis transverse to the plane of the handle.

A shortcoming in the prior art is the fact that all available pickup tools, such as reachers and grabbers, have a fixed axis along which the pickup fingers operate. If someone wishes to have the fingers travel along a path different from the path transverse to the plane of the handle, they must rotate the handle to a different orientation. Some persons do not have the dexterity to do this or do not have much strength in their hands. These people are adversely affected by such a frozen design in the pickup tool. A pickup tool with an infinitely variable pickup finger positioning ability, and/or a pickup tool with the ability to rotate the plane of the moveable fingers to a different angle, is currently not available.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention is a hand-held, pickup tool having the novel feature of infinitely variable position limiting of the moveable, pickup fingers, from fully opened to fully closed, and all positions in between. Another novel feature is the ability to rotate the shaft on which the moveable, pickup fingers are mounted, so that the fingers may move along planes other than transverse to the plane of the handle.

The invention includes a non-symmetrical, curved, lockable element, preferably having a plurality of serrated indentations, uniquely positioned inside the tool body and arranged to move along a non-symmetrical, curvilinear path as an attached trigger is squeezed. A binding plate is also uniquely mounted inside the tool body for interacting with the lockable element and a pivotally-mounted actuator means held loosely in connection to the binding plate. When the actuator means is pivoted in one direction, it causes the binding plate to lock against the lockable element, preferably by sliding within the serrated indentations, thus, permitting the trigger to lock in a specific position, and permitting the attached moveable, pickup fingers to lock against an object. The tool can then be used to move the object without continuing to squeeze the trigger against the handle. The fingers' grasp against the object is easily unlocked when the trigger is slightly over-squeezed. The slight over-squeezing of the trigger causes the binding plate to unlock its position against the lockable bar, allowing the actuator, with the aid of a torque spring, to spring back to its original position, and allows the trigger to move back to its original position, and the fingers to release their grasp against the object and move back to their original position.

The tool body includes a socket in which the elongated shaft of the tool is partially removably inserted. When it is necessary to change the plane of the fingers, the shaft can be temporarily pulled loose from the socket, and rotated, clockwise or counter-clockwise, 90°, 180°, 270° or 360° and repositioned in the socket to accomplish the change in the plane.

Accordingly, the main object of this invention is an elongated, pickup tool having an infinitely variable position limiting the fingers from fully opened to fully closed, and all positions in between. Other objects of the invention include an elongated, pickup tool that can easily be altered to have the fingers move along a plane that is different from the plane of the handle; a tool where all the position-related and finger-locking elements reside inside the tool itself; a tool where the locking elements can easily be positioned from a locking position to their original, unlocked position; a tool where the position of the locking fingers is infinitely variable; a tool where the rotation of the plane along which the fingers move can be accomplished without external tools; a tool where the elongated shaft is self-aligning; and a tool that may be used by men, women and children who are either right-handed or left-handed.

These and other objects of the invention will become more apparent when reading the description of the preferred embodiment along with the drawings that are appended hereto. The protection sought by the inventor may be gleaned from a fair reading of the claims that conclude the specification.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Turning now to the drawings where elements or limitations are identified with numbers and like elements or limitations are identified with like numbers throughout the ten figures, the preferred embodiment of the invention is shown inFIGS. 1-3and shows a hand-held tool2for grasping items located at a distance from an operator. Tool2comprises a hollow body4, preferably made of a light-weight plastic, and formed by at least two attachable side panels5and6. A plurality of assembly pins8, preferably molded thereon, and formed on the inside of side panel5, is received by a plurality of aligned, assembly pin-receiving receptacles10on the inside of side panel6, for attaching side panels5and6together. Body4has a pair of outwardly extending bulging ribs12, one on each side panel, to provide a support area for the thumb of the operator when operator holds tool2.

As shown inFIGS. 1,2, and3, a handle18, preferably slender, for holding by either hand of the operator and for manipulating tool2, extends downwardly from a lower rear portion14of body4. Handle18may have a recess20formed in the front thereof and is terminated at the bottom by end22.

As shown inFIGS. 1 and 4, a squeezable trigger24extends downward from tool body4, forward of handle18and pivotally apart therefrom and is operably arranged with handle18. Trigger24pivots about a first pin26, preferably located within hollow body4as it is squeezed and released.

As shown inFIG. 1, tool2of this invention further includes at least one, but preferably two, movable, pickup fingers28in bias-apart arrangement, for aiding in grasping the item in response to squeezing trigger24. Moveable, pickup fingers28, having inner terminal ends29, are preferably mounted symmetrical about a central axis (x—x), and fingers28are preferably of the same length, each extending outwardly into a biased, wide-open position when trigger24is in a position furthest away from handle18. Fingers28move under bias pressure toward each other for grasping the item when trigger24is squeezed, and move away from each other for releasing the item when trigger24is released. It is preferred that trigger24pivots from a first position, widest apart from handle18, with fingers28in the widest-apart position, into a second position, closer toward handle18, with fingers28in a position closer toward each other. Trigger24may further partially or completely collapse inside recess20in handle18, with fingers28in a position even closer toward each other. Movement of fingers28can take place in any orientation about the plane of handle18and trigger24, but it is preferred that fingers28operate in an arrangement parallel or perpendicular to the plane of handle18and trigger24. Moveable fingers28are further terminated at their distal ends by a pair of suction cups30attached thereto by a nut-and-bolt arrangement32, for providing a better grip about the item.

As shown inFIGS. 1 and 4, an elongated, rigid member34, defined by a first terminal end36and a spaced-apart second terminal end37, is attached between tool hollow body4and moveable, pickup fingers28. Rigid member34holds body4and moveable fingers28in a spaced-apart, rigid configuration, and is of a length sufficient to allow the operator to grasp an item at a distance from the operator. The length of rigid member34is limited to the overall weight of tool2that is comfortable for use by a person. First terminal end36of rigid member34enters tool body4through a central opening38at front portion of body4. Rigid member34preferably is a hollow shaft39that has a square or other geometric cross-sectional shape and made of a light-weight metal such as aluminum or titanium. Inner ends29of moveable, pickup fingers28are preferably mounted on opposite sides of the exterior surface of hollow shaft39toward second terminal end37by a clamp means40. It is preferred that moveable fingers28extend outwardly beyond second terminal end37.

As shown inFIG. 1, clamp means40includes two sleeves42aand42bassembled together by a plurality of assembly pins and rivets44for enclosing inner ends29of movable, pickup fingers28and the exterior of elongated rigid member34.

As shown inFIGS. 1 and 4, at least one, but preferably two, flexible members46, are attached between trigger24and moveable, pickup fingers28, for moving the fingers in response to movement of trigger24. Flexible members46, each are defined by a first terminal end47and a spaced-apart, second terminal end48, and are preferably, flat, pliable, metal ribbons49. It is preferred that ribbons49are spaced-apart, extending longitudinally within hollow shaft39and connectably attach with trigger24by a rotator means50, as seen in FIG.4. Ribbons49extend out of shaft39at second terminal end37and attach, by ends47thereof, to moveable, pickup fingers28through nut-and-bolt arrangement32, one ribbon passing to one of each of two moveable, pickup fingers28, in a bias relationship therewith, for permitting fingers28to move in response to squeezing trigger24. The length of ribbons49is adjusted so that terminal ends47extend to their widest, spaced-apart, configuration, when trigger24is in its forward-most position and be taut within body4to allow moveable, pickup fingers28to grasp the item.

As shown inFIGS. 4 and 5, rotator means50, arranged inside hollow body4, includes a ball54which is rotatably housed within a spherical socket56formed inside trigger24, and a central shaft58, terminated by a connector60. Connector60is housed within first terminal end36of hollow shaft39, preferably in a slidable relationship therewith, for receiving therein ribbons49. It is preferred that a pair of spaced-apart slots62, formed within connector60, receives therein the ends48of ribbons49, having a cross-bore64and a cross-pin66, anchoring ends48of ribbons49to connector60. Rotator means50is adapted for travel fore and aft in tool body4as a function of squeezing and releasing trigger24, and moving ribbons49therewith. The bias pressure is achieved by the pulling of ribbons49toward handle18when trigger24is squeezed. As a result, when trigger24is squeezed, moveable, pickup fingers28are forced to move toward each other.

As shown inFIGS. 4,6and7, a pivotal, lockable element68, preferably housed within hollow tool body4, interacts with a loosely-arranged, binding element70for permitting infinite locking positions for moving fingers28. Lockable element68is defined by a wide end71, having an aperture72therethrough, and a curved bar73, extending away from wide end71. Curved bar73is asymmetrically curvilinear as shown in FIG.6. This is distinguished from the symmetrical curve (Y-Z) plotted therewith, also shown inFIG. 6, where the radiuses (X-Y) and (X-Z) are shown being of equal length. A second pin74attaches lockable element68to trigger24through aperture72. It is preferred that lockable element68is made of a solid, strong metal. Bar73and its surface75have at least one, but preferably two, spaced-apart contact surfaces76which provide different interacting positions for binding plate70. In the preferred embodiment, contact surfaces76are roughened to increase the friction between either or both of the surfaces with one or both surfaces surrounding apertures84that are formed in binding element70. More particularly, this roughened surface may take the form of a plurality of small, serrated or saw-like teeth77formed cross-ways along surfaces76as shown inFIGS. 6 and 7.

As shown inFIGS. 4 and 7, loosely-arranged binding plate70, is preferably housed within hollow body4, and presents at least one, but preferably two, working edges78for interacting with lockable element68for permitting infinite locking positions for moveable fingers28against the item grasped by the fingers. It is preferred that binding plate70is in the shape of an A-frame, and defined by a top portion80, a pair of spaced-apart side leg members82, and an aperture84formed therebetween. Aperture84, having at least one, preferably two, flat, working edges78, receives lockable element68which passes therethrough. Upon actuation, binding plate70moves along curvilinear surface75of bar73permitting its working edges78to slide into at least one serrated indentation77to achieve a lock position. Serrated teeth77provide the multiple locking positions as binding plate70slides into contact with any one, preferably both of them, depending on the size of the item picked up. As shown inFIGS. 3 and 4, binding plate70is loosely pivoted within body4by a pivotal means86. Pivotal means86is a pivotal-functioning recess90for loosely receiving top portion80of binding plate70.

As shown inFIGS. 4,8, and9, an actuator means94is provided for actuating binding plate70, by causing plate70to move in a forward direction, and, as a result, locking working edges78of plate70in various locking positions against lockable element68, preferably within at least one of said small, serrated teeth77depending on the size of the picked-up item. Actuator means94is pivotally mounted inside tool body4and has an aperture95therethrough for receiving a third pin96. Third pin96is arranged spaced-apart from first pin26within hollow body4. Actuator means94is located inside hollow body4and allows lockable element68to swing through its entire path when trigger24is squeezed. Also included is a cross-plate97and a pair of spaced-apart actuator plates98(only one actuator plate being shown) that are assembled together by a plurality of assembly pins8, assembly pin-receiving receptacles10molded onto the inside of plates98, and a pair of buttons100(only one button being shown) formed externally thereon. Cross-plate97unrestrainably holds leg members82of binding plate70, each leg member extending on each side of cross-plate97. Buttons100extend through a pair of twin windows102aand102b, shown also inFIGS. 2 and 3, one located on each side of tool body4, and are adapted to be moved into a locked position by the thumb of the operator. When exposed button100is pushed into the locked position by the thumb, cross-plate97pushes attached leg members82of binding plate70in a forward direction which causes top portion80to loosely pivot in an opposite direction within a pivotal-functioning recess90, shown in FIG.4. The distance traveled by top portion80within recess90is shorter than the distance traveled by leg members82. The working edges78of binding plate70within aperture84, wedge in a temporary locked position within at least one, but preferably two of the serrated teeth77, at different positions along lockable bar73depending on the size of the item picked-up. In a locked position, moveable fingers28secure their grip around the picked-up item, and the item is held in the locked position for a period of time without the operator having to exert any physical effort of the hand and fingers to hold the item in this position. Binding plate70easily is freed from the locked position by a slight squeezing of trigger24, causing binding plate70to unlock its position against lockable bar73and returning to its original, unlocked position, further causing actuator means94to return to its original, unlocked position, permitting trigger24to return to its original position furthest away from handle18, and further permitting fingers28to return to their original, wide-open position.

A bias means104is provided to aid actuator means94to return from its locked position, to its original, unlocked position. As shown inFIGS. 8 and 9, bias means104is a torque or torsion spring106having a first leg108and a second leg110extending outward at an angle to each other from a center torque-twist112. It is preferred that central torque-twist112is coiled around third pin96that also receives actuator means94through actuator aperture95. Sharing the same pin permits the saving of space inside hollow body4and the positioning of torque spring106in close proximity to actuator means94for an operable, bias relationship therebetween. Second leg110terminates in a bent portion114that encompasses a portion, preferably a front portion, of actuator means94. When exposed button100is pushed forwardly, actuator means94pushes bent portion114of spring106also forwardly in a bias relationship therewith. The bias relationship is achieved by second leg110being pushed forward under bias pressure. When binding plate70is released from its locked position about lockable curved bar73, upon the slight squeezing of trigger24, the bias pressure of spring106is released and second leg110swiftly springs back into its original position and moving actuator means94therewith to its original position. Other bias means may be used such as a coil spring or a leaf spring.

As shown inFIGS. 2 and 3, a socket means118in tool body4receives hollow shaft39in a removable relationship therewith. Socket means118includes a socket120that has the same shape and size as the external shape and size of hollow shaft39. Shaft39is adapted to be pulled out of socket120against the spring bias while shaft39still houses connector60in a slidable relationship therewith. Shaft39is turned clockwise or counter-clockwise, and is repositioned in socket120to accomplish the change in the plane of moveable fingers28. Repositioning may take place into a wide variety of positions, but it is preferred that repositioning takes place into four positions, i.e., 90 degrees, 180 degrees, 270 degrees, and 360 degrees. If shaft39is made to have a greater or lesser number of sides and socket120is made in a geometric design similar thereto, then the plane may be rotated in any other angles, depending on the number of sides. Rotational ball54within trigger24permits the turning of the connector-receiving shaft39into the various positions about the shaft's central axis.

FIG. 10shows a modification to tool2comprising a wrist support means122for aiding an operator in holding tool2. Wrist support means122includes a base124formed at a first end126, for covering the bottom end22of handle18. Base124has a plurality of pins8, preferably molded thereon, for attaching into a pair of aligned, pin-receiving receptacles10, formed on handle18. A dished-extension128expands rearward from first end126, with a slight “S” shape, to a second end130. Wrist support means122is designed for use by those persons having reduced strength in their wrists, whether caused by old-age, an accident, or disease, such as arthritis, the “S” shape conforming to the bottom of the hand holding tool2. To use support means122, one merely clips the wrist support means122to handle18at the pin-and-receptacle arrangement, for fastening support means122to handle18. When the operator grasps handle18, support means122provides sustained bracing to the juncture between the operator's hand and tool handle18while simultaneously by-passing the articulation of the operator's wrist and providing support directly from the operator's forearm. Wrist support means122may be snapped onto handle18as needed by user, or may be glued or otherwise affixed to handle18permanently. Wrist support means122may also be pivoted upward adjacent handle18when not in use as shown in dotted outline in FIG.10.

While the invention has been described with reference to a particular embodiment thereof, those skilled in the art will be able to make various modifications to the described embodiment of the invention without departing from the true spirit and scope thereof. It is intended that all combinations of elements and steps which perform substantially the same function in substantially the same way to achieve substantially the same result are within the scope of this invention.