Abstract:
An ergonomic hand tool for enhancing the leverage available to a user includes a frame having a distal portion and a proximal portion, and a working element operably coupled to a distal end of the distal portion. The frame further includes a handle that is pivotally coupled to the frame at a portion thereof intermediate the proximal portion and the distal portion. A brace structure is preferably operably coupled to the proximal portion of the frame, with the brace structure being configured to operably brace against an upper side of a user&#39;s forearm while the user operably grasps the handle.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to hand tools generally, a more particularly to a hand tool having an ergonomic design that increases the fulcrum length achieved when utilized by a user in comparison to conventional hand tools. The ergonomic hand tool of the present invention correspondingly minimizes stress placed upon the user&#39;s wrist during operation of the tool. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Hand tools, such as those commonly utilized in garden or yard applications, have been embodied in a wide variety of configurations. Typically, however, such hand tools comprise a frame having a working element disposed at one end of the frame and a handle disposed at the opposite end of the frame. Through such a configuration, a significant portion of the resistive forces encountered in the operation of the hand tool are focused at the user&#39;s wrist. Therefore, a relatively large amount of force must be applied at the user&#39;s wrist in order to properly operate the hand tool. The application of such forces at the user&#39;s wrist can result in early fatigue, soreness, and even medical problems, such as carpal tunnel syndrome. 
   Recent hand tool designs have attempted to address the problems stated above by incorporating a handle that is disposed intermediate a working element end of the associated frame and an opposite, proximal, end of the frame, with the proximal end of the frame being adapted to be operably placed about the forearm of the user while the user grasps the intermediately-disposed handle. In such a manner, operating forces focused at the user&#39;s wrist are substantially eliminated, with such forces being redirected to the user&#39;s elbow. However, since the length of the fulcrum developed in such modified tools is the distance from the user&#39;s elbow to the working element, as compared to being from the user&#39;s wrist to the working element of the tool, the magnitude of leverage available to the user is greatly enhanced. The increase in leverage achieved in the modified intermediate-handle designs correspondingly substantially reduces the magnitude of resistive forces placed upon the user&#39;s elbow. As a result, fatigue, soreness, and medical problems associated with operating hand tools is substantially diminished. 
   Examples of hand tools incorporating such a modified design are illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,813,206 and 5,937,627 issued to Janie McKitrick. While the devices described in the above-cited patents provide useful operational characteristics, the fixed nature of the intermediate handle of such devices renders the tools somewhat difficult to store, display, and ship. In addition, the fixed handle configurations described in the cited patents do not provide for a convenient means of replacing the handle with a customized and/or replacement handle. 
   It is therefore a principle object of the present invention to provide a hand tool incorporating an intermediately-disposed handle that is pivotally coupled to the frame of the hand tool. 
   It is another object of the present invention to provide a hand tool having an intermediately-disposed handle that is pivotally and removably secured to the frame of the tool. 
   It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a hand tool with an intermediately-disposed handle element that is convenient to store and to display upon retail shelves. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   By means of the present invention, an ergonomic hand tool is provided which incorporates a frame having a working element on a first end thereof, a brace disposed at a second opposed end thereof, and a handle disposed at a portion of the frame intermediate the working element and the brace. The handle is preferably pivotally secured to the tool frame so as to have the capability of pivoting into an orientation substantially parallel to the tool frame. Such a pivoting characteristic of the handle provides for more efficient storage and marketing of the hand tool on retail store shelves, as well as for more efficient shipping of the product in a nested configuration. 
   The handle preferably further detachably locks into place about the tool frame in an orientation convenient for grasping by the user during use of the tool. In some embodiments, the relative orientation of the detachably-locked handle is in a direction substantially opposite to the relative orientation of the working element of the hand tool. 
   In a particular embodiment of the invention, the hand tool includes a frame having a distal portion and a proximal portion with the proximal portion having at least one proximal end. The frame further includes a working element operably coupled to a distal end of the distal portion, with the working element having a working portion that is oriented along a first direction with respect to the frame. The hand tool also preferably includes a handle pivotally coupled to the frame at a portion thereof that is intermediate the proximal end and the distal end, as well as a brace structure operably coupled to the proximal end of the frame, the brace structure being configured to operably brace against an upper side of a user&#39;s forearm while the user grasps the handle. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a hand tool of the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a side elevational view of the hand tool illustrated in  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 3  is a bottom perspective view of a portion of the hand tool illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2 ; and 
       FIG. 4  is a partial side view of a hand tool of the present invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   The objects and advantages enumerated above together with other objects, features, and advances represented by the present invention will now be presented in terms of detailed embodiments described with reference to the attached drawing figures which are intended to be representative of various possible configurations of the invention. Other embodiments and aspects of the invention are recognized as being within the grasp of those having ordinary skill in the art. 
   With reference to the enclosed drawing figures, and first to  FIG. 1 , a hand tool  10  of the present invention is illustrated incorporating a frame  12  having a distal portion  14  and a proximal portion  16 . Hand tool  10  further includes a working element  18  that is operably coupled to distal end  15  of distal portion  14 . Working element  18  preferably includes a working portion  20  that is oriented along a first direction “a” with respect to frame  12 . 
   Working element  18  is illustrated in  FIG. 1  as being a shovel or trowel element. The present invention, however, contemplates the use of a variety of configurations for working element  18 . Examples of such alternative working elements include, for example, rakes, claws, spades, and the like. Working element  18  may be connected to distal end  15  of frame  12  through fixed attachment means such as welding, soldering, fasteners, and the like. In other embodiments, however, and as described hereinbelow, working element  18  may be removably attached to distal end  15  of frame  12 . 
   In preferred embodiments of the invention, working portion  20  of working element  18  is oriented along direction “a”, with such working portions encompassing the respective portions of working elements  18  that are utilized to engage the earth or other targeted body. 
   Hand tool  10  preferably further includes a brace structure  22  that is operably coupled to proximal end  17  of frame  12 . In the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 1 , proximal portion  16  of frame  12  diverges from intermediate portion  28  of frame  12  into two spaced apart and substantially parallelly disposed proximal members  21 . In this embodiment, brace structure  22  extends between, and is operably coupled to respective proximal ends  17  of proximal members  21 . In other embodiments of the present invention, however, proximal portion  16  of frame  12  may comprise a single proximal member, with brace structure  22  having first and second ends connected to one another at proximal end  17  so as to form a loop that is anchored to frame  12 . Further configurations for brace structure  22  are also contemplated by the present invention. 
   Brace structure  22  is preferably fabricated from a resilient or elastic material which deforms a certain degree under stress. Such a resilient characteristic for brace structure  22  is incorporated in the present invention for comfort purposes to the user, particularly in that resistive forces generated in the operation of hand tool  10  tend to force brace structure  22  down upon the forearm of the user. With brace structure  22  being fabricated of a relatively soft resilient material such as a synthetic rubber material, the user is spared from encountering a rigid structure bearing against their upper forearm. 
   As a further feature of the present invention, an aperture  24  is provided in brace structure  22  so that hand tool  10  may be conveniently suspended from a substantially horizontally disposed protrusion such as a nail, shelving pin, or the like. Aperture  24  accordingly accommodates a substantially vertical storage and display orientation for hand tool  10 , which vertical orientation is most desired in the marketing industry. 
   As shown in  FIG. 1 , hand tool  10  further includes a handle  32  that is pivotally coupled to frame  12  at intermediate portion  28  thereof. Handle  32  is illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2  in a detachably locked orientation with respect to frame  12 . In this embodiment, handle  32  is detachably fixed in an orientation along a second direction “b” with respect to frame  12  that is substantially opposed to first direction “a”. The respective orientations of handle  32  and working element  18  illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2  represent a preferred mode of the invention, and which provides a desired degree of leverage for the user in operating hand tool  10  while grasping handle  32 . 
   As best illustrated in  FIG. 3 , handle  32  preferably includes a coupling body  34  connected to an end of handle  32  adjacent frame  12 . Coupling body  34  enables the pivoting and locking engagement of handle  32  to intermediate portion  28  of frame  12 . In a preferred embodiment, coupling body  34  includes a base  36  having one or more pivoting engagement receptacles  38  and one or more locking engagement receptacles  40  depending from base  36 . The orientation illustrated in  FIG. 3  shows handle  32  in a detachably locked position along direction “b”, specifically in that locking engagement receptacle  40  is operably engaged about frame  12 . Such an engagement prevents handle  32  from pivoting about an axis “y” of frame  12 . 
   In order to enable handle  32  to be pivoted about axis “y”, the combination of handle  32  and coupling body  34  is displaced along frame  12  in a direction defined by direction “c” to thereby disengage locking engagement receptacle  40  from frame  12 . Once locking engagement receptacle  40  has been disengaged from frame  12 , handle  32  may freely pivot about axis “y” of frame  12 , with pivoting engagement receptacles  38  retainably grasping coupling body  34  to frame  12 . In such a manner, handle  32  may be selectively pivoted about axis “y” into an orientation substantially parallel to proximal portion  16  of frame  12  to thereby form a more compact overall structure to hand tool  10 . 
   The particular configuration for coupling body  34  described with reference to  FIG. 3  is preferred for its ease of manufacture and assembly onto frame  12  as a separate and distinct element from frame  12 . In assembly, the combination of handle  32  and coupling body  34  is threaded onto frame  12 , which may preferably be rod stock or the like, via a fully closed pivoting engagement receptacle  38 , identified in  FIG. 3  as  38 A. Coupling body  34  is correspondingly threaded to a desired location on frame  12 , and preferably at intermediate portion  28  thereof. Once in such a desired position on frame  12 , coupling body  34  may be selectively engaged and disengaged therewith as desired by the user to effect a desired orientation of handle  32  with respect to frame  12 . 
   Coupling body  34  is preferably fabricated from a polymeric material that exhibits a degree of resiliency so that at least locking engagement receptacles  40  resiliently engage frame  12 . In some embodiments of the present invention, none of the pivoting engagement receptacles  38  are fully closed, as is shown with reference to pivoting engagement receptacle  38 A. 
   Though the present description describes a particular embodiment for coupling body  34 , a wide variety of pivoting mechanisms coupled to handle  32  are contemplated by the present invention. Namely, handle  32  may be configured to pivot in any desired direction about frame  12  so as to enable a storage, shipping, or display orientation for handle  32  that is substantially parallel to proximal portion  16  of frame  12 . Additionally, coupling body  34  may be configured to allow a readily removable attachment mechanism for handle  32 , so that handle  32  may be selectively coupled to and decoupled from frame  12 . Applicant therefore acknowledges that alternative configurations of pivoting mechanisms may be incorporated with handle  32  of the present invention while still being within the scope of the invention presently contemplated. 
   A particular example of an alternative orientation for handle  32  is in embodiments where handle  32  extends from frame  12  in a direction substantially opposite to direction “b”. So long as handle  32  provides a location at which the user may firmly grasp and manipulate hand tool  10  with a pivoting mechanism applied to handle  32  about frame  12 , the present invention contemplates such a configuration. 
   Handle  32  may be fabricated from a variety of appropriate materials. A particularly preferred material for use in the fabrication of handle  32  is a somewhat resilient polymeric material such as a synthetic rubber. 
   Frame  12  preferably is manufactured from a relatively strong and durable material such as nickel steel, stainless steel, galvanized steel, chrome-plated steel, and the like. A preferred form for frame  12  is conventional rod stock that is bent into the desired configurations of frame  12 . 
   In a further embodiment of the present invention, removably attached working elements  52  may be provided for use in combination with frame  12  of the present invention. As illustrated in  FIG. 4 , a distal portion of frame  12  may be configured to removably receive working elements  52  thereto. Though a variety of configurations for the removable engagement between working elements  52  and frame  12  are possible and are contemplated in the present invention, a particular example for such a coupling arrangement may include a threaded portion  48  of frame  12  which threadably receives a nut  54  that is operably coupled to working element  52 . In such a manner, a desired working element  52  may be selectively attached and detached to hand tool  10  of the present invention, so that a desired operation may be performed by the user through the utilization of hand tool  10 . 
   As described above, handle  32  incorporates a pivoting and locking mechanism for a number of reasons. For example, such a mechanism enables the efficient storage and packing of hand tool  10  in shipping and other applications. In addition, pivoting handle  32  enables the efficient display of a plurality of hand tools  10  in a vertically-oriented back-to-back relationship on a display shelf. The pivoting handle  32  allows a more compact volume of space to be consumed by hand tool  10  when the handle  32  is in an orientation substantially parallel to proximal portion  16  of frame  12 . 
   The invention has been described herein in considerable detail in order to comply with the patent statutes, and to provide those skilled in the art with the information needed to apply the novel principles and to construct and use embodiments of the invention as required. However, it is to be understood that the invention can be carried out by specifically different devices and that various modifications can be accomplished without departing from the scope of the invention itself.