Abstract:
An ergonomic yard or garden tool includes a generally straight handle and a head having a working portion and structural supports. The head includes an ergonomic bend angled away from the handle. The bend and the structural supports provide an offset between the working portion an and axis of the handle. The offset may reduce the amount of bending necessary to use the tool.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/706,384, filed on Aug. 8, 2005, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD  
       [0002]     The present disclosure relates to rakes, shovels, and other applicable tools.  
       BACKGROUND  
       [0003]     Yard and garden tools often include a generally straight handle attached to a working portion, such as a rake head including teeth, a shovel scoop, etc. extending generally straight from the handle. This common design of yard and garden tools, such as rakes, shovels, etc., often requires the user to bend over, twist, etc. during use of the tool. Movements such as bending over may result in injury, especially after prolonged periods of use of the tools. Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide yard and garden tools which may reduce bending of the back during operation, and may also reduce any resulting injuries. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0004]     Features and advantages of embodiments of the claimed subject matter will become apparent as the following Detailed Description proceeds, and upon reference to the Drawings, wherein like numerals depict like parts, and in which:  
         [0005]      FIGS. 1   a  and  1   b  depict an exemplary embodiment of a rake configuration consistent with the present invention;  
         [0006]      FIGS. 2   a - 2   c  are exemplary embodiments of a shovel configuration consistent with the present invention;  
         [0007]      FIGS. 3   a  and  3   b  show an exemplary embodiment of a rake design consistent with an aspect of the present invention; and  
         [0008]      FIGS. 4   a  and  4   b  are an exemplary embodiment of another rake design consistent with the present invention. 
     
    
       [0009]     Although the following Detailed Description will proceed with reference being made to illustrative embodiments, many alternatives, modifications, and variations thereof will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, it is intended that the claimed subject matter be viewed broadly, and be defined only as set forth in the accompanying claims.  
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0010]      FIGS. 1   a  and  1   b  illustrate one exemplary embodiment of a rake  100  consistent with the present invention. The rake  100  may include a handle  102  connected to a head  104 . The handle  102  may be composed of at least one piece of wood, plastic, metal, synthetic material or any combination of materials, fashioned in an unbent, generally straight manner that is connected to the head  104 . The handle  102  may be padded  106  or shaped in a manner to make it more comfortable for the user to grip. The head  104  may include a working portion, such as rake teeth  108 , structural support  110  and an “ergonomic bend”  112 . In this particular embodiment, the head  104  may be composed of injected plastic, but the head  104  may be composed of one or more different materials, for instance, metal, plastic, synthetics, etc.  
         [0011]     The “ergonomic bend”  112  may include a bend in the head  104  at a set angle towards the ground. The “ergonomic bend”  112  may, in conjunction with the structural supports  110 , lower the teeth  108  towards the ground reducing the angle that the user needs to bend at to use the rake  100 . In one such embodiment, the teeth  108  may be offset below the axis of the handle  102 . The head may include additional bends to provide a desired orientation of the teeth relative to a working surface, such as the ground, to allow appropriate operation of the rake. The structural support  110  may include various features, such as ribs, spars, etc., to impart a desired degree of stiffness between the handle  102  and the teeth  108  to allow the use to apply a desired pressure to the teeth  108  through the handle  102 .  
         [0012]      FIGS. 2   a - 2   c  illustrate exemplary embodiments of shovels  200  consistent with the present invention. A shovel  200  consistent with the present invention may include a handle  202  connected to a head  204 . The handle  202  may be composed of at least one piece of wood, plastic, metal, synthetic or any combination of materials, fashioned in an unbent, generally straight manner that is connected to the head  204 . The handle  202  may be padded  206  or shaped in a manner to make it more comfortable for the user to grip. In the illustrated embodiment, the head  204  of the shovel  200  may include a scoop  208 , as a working portion, structural support  210  and an “ergonomic bend”  212 . In the particular illustrated embodiments, the head  204  may be composed of injected plastic, but the head  204  may be composed of one or more different materials, for instance, metal, plastic, synthetics, etc.  
         [0013]     Similar to the preceding embodiments of a rake including an “ergonomic bend”, the “ergonomic bend”  212  of the shovel  200  may include a bend in the head  204  at a set angle towards the ground. The “ergonomic bend”  212  may, in conjunction with the structural supports  210 , lower the scoop  208  towards the ground reducing the angle that the user needs to bend at to use the shovel  200 . The head may include additional bends relative to the scoop and/or the handle, which may provide a desired orientation of the scoop relative to the handle to facilitate operation of the shovel. The structural supports  210  may, in some embodiments, lower the scoop  208  toward the ground relative to the axis of the handle  202 . Additionally, the structural supports  210  may impart sufficient stiffness to the head  204  to prevent excessive deflection of the scoop  208  during use. The degree of deflection of the scoop  208  may vary depending upon intended use, etc.  
         [0014]      FIGS. 3   a  and  3   b  illustrate one exemplary embodiment of a multi-tasking rake  300  consistent with the present invention. The rake  300  may include a handle  302  connected to a head  304 . The handle  302  may be composed of at least one piece of wood, plastic, metal, synthetic or any combination of materials, fashioned in an unbent, generally straight manner that is connected to the head  304 . The handle  304  may be padded  306  or shaped in a manner to make it more comfortable for the user to grip. The head  304  may include teeth  308 , structural support  310  and a scoop  312 . In this particular embodiment, the head  304  may be composed of injected plastic, but the head  304  may be composed of one or more different materials, for instance, metal, plastic, synthetics, etc.  
         [0015]     The head  304  may include both teeth  308  and a scoop  312 , allowing the multi-tasking rake  300  to be used both as a rake and as a shovel. The scoop  312  may include a concave area, or region, of the head  304  between the teeth  308  and the handle  302 . The scoop  312  may be disposed adjacent to the structural supports, or may include the structural supports  310 . Additionally, as shown, at least a portion of the structural supports may define a perimeter of the scoop  312 , and provide reinforcement. The scoop  312  may include an open structure including open regions, e.g., including intersecting members strong netting configured in a concave fashion. The open structure may create a depression that can pick up debris while allowing water and air through. Other open structures may include a perforated surface, a solid surface defining one or more cut-outs, non-intersecting members, etc. In alternative embodiments, the scoop may include a generally solid surface defining at least a portion of scoop. The generally solid surface may allow the scoop to pick up fine particles, such as sand or dirt, fluids, mixtures, such as mud or wet material, etc.  
         [0016]     The multi-tasking rake  300  may include an “ergonomic bend”, e.g., defined by the scoop  312 . As with previous embodiments, the “ergonomic bend” may, in conjunction with the structural supports  310  and/or at least a portion of the scoop  312 , lower the rake teeth  308  towards the ground reducing the angle that the user needs to bend at to use the rake  300 . Similarly, the “ergonomic bend” may also lower the scoop  312  portion of the multi-tasking rake  300  towards the ground reducing the angle that the user needs to bend at to use the scoop  312  portion of the rake  300 . The head may include additional bends relative to the teeth and/or the handle, which may provide a desired orientation of the teeth and/or scoop relative to the handle to facilitate operation of the multi-tasking rake. The structural supports  310 , and or the scoop  312 , may, in some embodiments, lower the scoop teeth and scoop towards the ground relative to the axis of the handle  302 .  
         [0017]      FIGS. 4   a  and  4   b  illustrate one exemplary embodiment of a rake  400  consistent with the present invention. The rake  400  may include a handle  402  connected to a head  404 . The handle  402  may be composed of at least one piece of wood, plastic, metal, synthetic or any combination of materials, fashioned in an unbent, generally straight manner that is connected to the head  404 . The handle  404  may be padded  406  or shaped in a manner to make it more comfortable for the user to grip. The head  404  may comprise teeth  408  and structural support  410 . In this particular embodiment, the head  404  may be composed of injected plastic, but the head  404  may be composed of one or more different materials, for instance, metal, plastic, synthetics, etc. A first portion of the head  404  may be connected to the end of the handle  402  through a structural support  410  generally parallel to the teeth  408 , creating improved leverage over tools like those shown in preceding figures. Additional structural supports  410  may extend along a portion of the handle  402 , and the handle  402  may be connected to a second portion of the head  404 , further supporting the rake  400  and creating greater leverage for the user.  
         [0018]     In summary, according to a first aspect, the present invention may provide an ergonomic tool including a generally straight handle. The tool may further include a head having a working portion and at least one structural support. The head may further include an ergonomic bend angled away from the handle. The ergonomic bend and the at least one structural support may provide an offset between the working portion and an axis of the handle.  
         [0019]     According to another aspect, the present invention may provide a tool including a handle and a head having a first portion including a plurality of teeth and a scoop including a concave region disposed between the teeth and the handle.  
         [0020]     According to yet another aspect, the present invention may provide a rake including a generally straight handle. The rake may further include a rake head including a plurality of teeth and a structural support extending generally parallel to the plurality of teeth. The handle may be connected to a first and a second portion of the head, and the may extend through at least a portion of the structural supports.  
         [0021]     While the principles of the invention have been described herein, it is to be understood by those skilled in the art that this description is made only by way of example and not as a limitation as to the scope of the invention. Other embodiments are contemplated within the scope of the present invention in addition to the exemplary embodiments shown and described herein. Modifications and substitutions by one of ordinary skill in the art are considered to be within the scope of the present invention, which is not to be limited except by the following claims.