Abstract:
A motorized extension pole including a first hollow pole member having a second hollow pole member telescopically mounted in the first pole member. The second pole member is selectively moved between extended and retracted positions with respect to the first pole member by a battery powered drive motor.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to a length-adjustable extension pole and more particularly to a length-adjustable extension pole including a battery powered, variable speed, reversible motor which extends and retracts the inner pole member with respect to the outer pole member of the extension pole. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Extension poles have been available for many years to enable a person to clean windows which are located above the person&#39;s normal reach. Extension poles are also used to paint areas of buildings which are located above the person&#39;s normal reach. Extension poles may also be used to string lights and ornaments on trees during the holiday season. 
     Most extension poles include an elongated outer pole member, having first and second ends, which telescopically receives an elongated inner pole member having first and second ends. The inner pole member is longitudinally adjustable with respect to the outer pole member and is usually held in place by a threaded collet at the second end of the outer pole member to clamp the pole members together. 
     When it is necessary to adjust the length of the extension pole, the collet is loosened to permit the inner pole member to be slidably adjusted with respect to the outer pole member. When the adjustment has been made, the collet is again tightened. The adjustment process described above may be awkward since the extension pole must be lowered to enable the person using the pole to loosen the collet, adjust the length of the pole, and then tighten the collet. The adjustment is made even more inconvenient since there will be a paint roller, window cleaning attachment, chain saw, hedge trimmer, gutter cleaner or other object secured to the upper end of the inner pole member. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key aspects or essential aspects of the claimed subject matter. Moreover, this Summary is not intended for use as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter. 
     A motorized extension pole is provided which includes a first elongated, hollow pole member having first and second ends. A second elongated, hollow pole member, having first and second ends, is telescopically mounted in the first pole member. The second end of the second pole member protrudes from the second end of the first pole member. The second pole member is telescopically movable between retracted and extended positions with respect to the first pole member. 
     A battery powered, variable speed drive motor is secured to the first end of the first pole member with the drive motor being selectively reversible. The drive motor includes a rotatable driven member. An elongated externally threaded screw or bolt member, having first and second ends, has its first end thereof coupled to the driven member for rotation therewith in a first direction and a second direction opposite to the first direction. The screw member is threadably coupled to the second pole member whereby rotation of the screw member in the first direction by the drive motor causes the second pole member to move from its retracted position towards its extended position. The rotation of the screw member in the second direction by the drive motor causes the second pole member to move from its extended position towards its retracted position. 
     In the preferred embodiment, the extension pole of this invention includes structure which prevents the second pole member from rotating, with respect to the first pole member, as it moves between its retracted and extended positions and which prevents the second pole member from rotating with respect to the first pole member, as it moves between its extended and retracted positions. 
     It is therefore a principal object of the invention to provide an improved extension pole. 
     A further object of the invention is to provide a motorized extension pole. 
     A further object of the invention is to provide an extension pole wherein the inner pole member of the extension pole is telescopically moved with respect to the outer pole member by means of a battery powered motor. 
     These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Non-limiting and non-exhaustive embodiments of the present invention are described with reference to the following figures, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the various views unless otherwise specified. 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view illustrating the extension pole of this invention being utilized to roll paint onto a wall or the like; 
         FIG. 2  is a partial perspective view of the extension pole of this invention; 
         FIG. 3  is an exploded perspective view of the extension pole of this invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a partial sectional view of the extension pole of this invention; and 
         FIG. 5  is a partial sectional view illustrating the modified form of the extension pole wherein the inner and outer pole members are generally cylindrical rather than hexagonal or octagonal in shape. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Embodiments are described more fully below with reference to the accompanying figures, which form a part hereof and show, by way of illustration, specific exemplary embodiments. These embodiments are disclosed in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention. However, embodiments may be implemented in many different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments set forth herein. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense in that the scope of the present invention is defined only by the appended claims. 
     The motorized extension pole of this invention is referred to by the reference numeral  10 . Extension pole  10  includes an elongated hollow outer pole member  12  having a first end and a second end. An elongated hollow inner pole member  18 , having a first end  20  and a second end  22 , is telescopically slidably received within pole member  12 . Pole member  18  may have a hexagonal, octagonal or a cylindrical cross-section. If the pole member  18  has a hexagonal or octagonal cross-section as seen in the drawings, a fitting  24  is mounted on the end  16  of pole member  12  to prevent rotation of pole member  18  with respect to pole member  12 . In the conventional extension pole, some means is provided to retain the pole member  18  in its various longitudinal positions with respect to pole member  12 . If pole member  18  has a cylindrical cross-section, a conventional collet will be mounted on the second end of the pole member  12  to clamp pole member  18  in its various selective positions with respect to pole member  12  in conventional fashion. In the instant invention, there is no need to provide such a collet or other structure to clamp the pole member  12  to the pole member  18 . 
     Regardless of whether the pole member  18  has a hexagonal, octagonal or cylindrical cross-section, the second end of the pole member  18  will have a threaded stud  26  at the outer end thereof to which objects such as a paint roller  28  may be attached. A chain saw, hedge trimmer, window cleaner or gutter cleaner could also be attached to the threaded stud  26 . 
     An elongated threaded screw or bolt member  28  is positioned in the interior of pole member  18 . Screw member  28  will be described as having a first end  30  and a second end  32 . A fitting  34  is secured to the first end  30  of screw member  28  and a fitting  36  is secured to the second end  32  of screw member  28 . Fitting  36  rotatably receives the end  32  of screw member  28 . Fitting  36  is held in place with respect to pole member  18  by screw  38  as seen in  FIG. 4 . Collar  40  is secured to pole member  18  at end  20  by screw  42  as seen in  FIG. 4 . Internally threaded nut  44  is fixed to collar  40  by any convenient means such as adhesive, press-fit, etc. 
     The numeral  46  refers to a conventional battery driven tool such as a screw driver  44 , the motor of which is selectively reversible and turned on and off by the thumb switch  48 . The motor of the tool  46  is also a variable speed motor. Tool  46  includes a driven, rotatable socket  50  which is driven by the motor of the tool  46  in conventional fashion. 
     Tool  46  is attached to the lower end of pole member  12  by any convenient means such as a sleeve  52 , the ends of which are clamped onto the pole member  12  and the tool  46  by clamps  54  and  56  respectively. As seen in  FIG. 4 , when the tool  46  is secured to the lower end of pole member  12 , socket  50  receives fitting  34  so that rotation of socket  50  causes screw member  28  to be rotated. 
     The rotation of screw member  28  in one direction by tool  46  causes pole member  18  to be moved outwardly with respect to pole member  12  to increase the length of the extension pole  10 . The rotation of screw member  28  in the opposite direction causes pole member  18  to be moved inwardly with respect to pole member  12  thereby decreasing the length of the extension pole  10 . The extension and retraction of pole member  18  with respect to pole member  12  is accomplished without rotation of pole member  18  since nut  44  is fixed to collar  40  which is fixed to pole member  18  which is fixed against rotation with respect to pole member  12  by fitting  24 . 
     When the extension pole  10  is being used such as illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the length of the extension pole may be increased or decreased simply by the operator actuating the motor of the tool  46  to either retract pole member  18  with respect to pole member  12  or to extend pole member  18  with respect to pole member  12 . The extension and retraction of the pole member  18  with respect to pole member  12  is accomplished by the operator without the need for lowering the pole and then adjusting the length of the same such as is necessary in prior art extension pole devices. 
       FIG. 5  illustrates the means for preventing rotation of the inner pole member  18 ′, which is generally cylindrical, with respect to the generally cylindrical outer pole member  12 ′. In the embodiment of  FIG. 5 , the collar  40 ′ has a lug  58  projecting therefrom which is received by an elongated recess  60  provided on pole member  12 ′. During the extension or retraction of the inner pole member  18 ′, the positioning of the lug  58  in the recess  60  prevents rotation of pole member  18 ′ with respect to pole member  12 ′. Thus it can be seen that the invention accomplishes at least all of its stated objectives. 
     Although the invention has been described in language that is specific to certain structures and methodological steps, it is to be understood that the invention defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific structures and/or steps described. Rather, the specific aspects and steps are described as forms of implementing the claimed invention. Since many embodiments of the invention can be practiced without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, the invention resides in the claims hereinafter appended.