Patent Publication Number: US-2007098487-A1

Title: Pole adaptor to a multi-task extension pole

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      1. Field of the invention  
      The present invention relates to a pole adapter, more particularly, is designed to protect the multi-task extension pole attachment end so that the useful life of the multi-task extension pole may be extended.  
      2. Description of Prior Art  
      Multi-task extension poles have been used to extend the reach of a variety of hand-held attachment tools. For example, extension poles are used to extend the reach of mop heads, drywall sanding implements, light bulb removing implements, pool skimming implements, window washing implements, and many others.  
      People over the years tried to improve the connection between attachment tools and extension pole. Easy to attach and to remove, and firm and releasable connection have been an ultimate goal to the inventors in this specific field of the art. For that reason, most prior arts mainly have been focused on locking mechanism on coupling assembly to improve these qualities and they are shown as follows: U.S. Pat. No. 5,385,420; U.S. Pat. No. 6,497,007; U.S. Pat. No. 6,553,628B2, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,406,559.  
      The usefulness of multitask extension poles is commonly accepted fact, generally, most of multitask extension poles are formed from extruded aluminum sheets that are rolled into a cylindrical shape for its lightness. Aluminum is not strong enough to withstand the constant locking and unlocking activities of attachment tools. Because of its inherent characteristic of its softness and due to torque applied during normal use of the device, the clip holes and tab holes wear out and the quality of secure connection between the attachment tool and the extension pole deteriorates thereby making the extension pole prematurely useless. As a result otherwise useful extension poles soon are to be replaced with another extension pole. These aluminum poles are not cheap, costing about $40 per unit.  
      Accordingly, there is a need for a durable extension pole that provides an added protection from continuous locking and unlocking of attachment members, and to extend the useful life of the extension pole. The present invention provides a strong and cost-effective device to protect extension pole and extends the useful life therein.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      The pole adapter of the present invention is embodied in a strong and cost-effective adaptive devise to be attached to a multi-task pole that is typically used for reaching high or distant places such as for swimming pool cleaning. The present invention is operable to prolong the useful life of the multi-task pole thereby reducing investment cost and being environmentally friendly. It is further operable to easily connect and disconnect the multi-task pole with various interchangeable attachment tools. Most preferably, the pole adapter provides a universal assembly that securely connects to various attachment tools that are commercially available.  
      It is still further object of this invention to provide a pole adapter that can releasably connect an implement to an outer diameter of an extension pole and, thus allows the use of either hollow or solid extension poles.  
      It is another object of this present invention to provide a pole adapter that is inexpensive, easy to use, and easy to manufacture by conventional methods at high production rate. The pole adapter is made of a non-corrosive hard material, such as stainless steel, other metal materials including aluminum, even any durable plastic or polyethylene material.  
      In accordance with these and other objects evident from the following description of the preferred embodiment, the present invention, the pole adapter includes a housing being hollow and having a elongated cylindrical receptacle comprising a first open end, second open end, mid section, a tapered neck, at least two clip holes and a plurality of tab holes.  
      The first open end is to receive the extension pole attachment end which is a connecting portion of the extension pole to be protected. Simply, a part of housing toward first end is to create a space for the extension pole attachment end. Therefore first outer diameter should be slightly larger than the diameter of the extension pole. The extension pole is inserted through the first open end toward the mid section by simply positioning to align the clip holes on the pole adapter and the holes on the extension pole attachment end . A binding screw will be inserted through the aligned clip holes for a firm and releasable connection; thereby the extension pole is ready to be connected to the hand-held attachment tool.  
      The first open end and the second open end are being distinguished by the tapered neck. A useful function of the tapered neck is to reduce the diameter of the second open end to accommodate the conventional tool handle whose diameter is generally slightly less than the diameter of the extension pole. Conversely, the tapered neck can also used to increase the diameter of the second open end if the diameter of the tool handle is larger than the diameter of the extension pole.  
      The second open end is to receive an attachment tool handle so that the tool may be physically connected to the extension pole for its intended use. The tool handle is inserted through the second open end toward the mid section by gently maneuvering the handle so that the two tabs on the handle of the implement are to be aligned with the tabs holes on the pole adaptor for locking thereby the tool implement is firmly and releasably connected to the extension pole.  
      The length of the pole adapter may be predetermined according to the user&#39;s specific needs, however, not to add unnecessary weight to the extension pole, it should only be adequately long enough to house the extension pole attachment end to be protected and connecting portion of the attachment tool handle (attachment tool handle end). For general purpose use described earlier, based on commercially available extension poles and various attachment tools: the pole adaptor may be about 6¼ inches long; the distance between first open end and the mid section is about 4¼ inches; the diameters of the first open end and the mid section are equal, measuring about 1¼ inches; the diameter of the second open end is about 1 3/16 inches. The distance between the tab hole and the second open end is about ⅜ inches, the distance between the clip hole and the first open end is about ⅜ inches, and the diameter of the tab hole and the diameter of the clip hole are about same and approximately ¼ inch. These dimensions of the present embodiment are used as a model. Thus, the dimensions may vary depending upon the size of the extension pole and the tool for a specific need. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a housing of the pole adapter.  
       FIG. 2  is a partial exploded perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the pole adapter according to the present disclosure in use with an extension pole and an attachment tool.  
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the multi-task extension pole attachment end enveloped by the pole adapter.  
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the attachment tool as connected to the extension pole via pole adapter.  
       FIG. 5  is a side section view of the pole adapter employed in a preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
       FIG. 6  is an elevated view of a first open end of the pole adapter.  
       FIG. 7  is an elevated view of the second open end of the pole adapter.  
       FIG. 8  is an elevated view of the mid section of the pole adapter. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       FIG. 1  illustrates the multi-task pole adapter of the present invention. The pole adapter  10  is an elongated cylindrical housing  12  having a first open end  14 , a mid-section  18 , and a second open end  16 . As shown in  FIGS. 2-4 , the pole adaptor  10  is the central element in an assembly that includes a multi-task extension pole  46  and an attachment tool  50 . Multi-task extension poles typical use includes window cleaning, swimming pool cleaning, wall cleaning, floor mopping and many more.  
      In a preferred embodiment, the pole adapter  10  is configured as a hollow and cylindrical receptacle that releasably connects the pole adapter first open end  14  with the multi-task extension pole attachment end  48  and also adaptively connects the pole adapter second open end  16  with the attachment tool handle  52 , therein forming a secure and durable assembly that will meet the user&#39;s desired usage. The attachment tool  50  can be a paint roller, a window cleaning tool, a pool brush, or a pool vacuum tool.  
      Typically, the multi-task extension pole  46  is made of rolled aluminum for its light weight characteristic. The pole adapter  10  is preferably made from strong non-corrosive material to strengthen the pole adapter assembly and reduce the deteriorating effects of continuous connecting and disconnecting of the attachment tool  50 . In normal use, the connecting end of multi-task extension pole attachment end  48  becomes worn, therein causing the tab holes  22 , or clip holes  20 , to become deformed via material expansion, resulting in an unsecured connection of the attachment tool  50 . This wearing and tearing of the multi-task extension pole attachment end  48  renders the extension pole useless and requires the user to purchase another extension pole.  
      In a preferred embodiment, the pole adapter  10  is made of non-corrosive hard material, such as stainless steel or other metal materials. However, those skilled in the art will appreciate the strength and durability that other hard, non-corrosive materials will provide to the pole adaptor  10 , such as stainless steel, metals, durable plastics and polyethylene material.  
      Referring to  FIG. 5 , the pole adaptor  10  of the present invention further includes points of connection at the first open end  14  and the second open end  16 . At the first open end  14  there are at least two clip holes  20 , which are points of connection. The clip holes  20  located at opposite sides of the cylindrical housing  12  near the first open end  14  are configured to align with similarly placed clip holes  20  on the multi-task extension pole attachment end  48 . Once the clips holes  20  on the pole adapter  10  are aligned with the holes on the extension pole  46 , the aligned holes are fastened together by inserting a binding screw thereby forming a secure connection between the pole adapter  10  and the extension pole  46 . The binding screw is commercially available in hardware stores and the size is determined by the size of the clip hole in a preferred embodiment.  
      The pole adapter second open end  16  includes four equally spaced points of connection, herein referred to as tab holes  22 . The tab holes  22  are configured for alignment and connection with two tab holes located on an attachment tool handle  52 . Most attachment tool handles are universally designed to provide two outwardly biased locking tabs that connect with the multi-task extension pole  46  when the tab holes and locking tabs are positioned. The pole adapter  10  of the present invention is configured to receive a whole or portion of attachment tool handle  52  (i.e. attachment tool handle end  54 ) and connect thereon via two universally positioned tab holes. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the pole adapter includes four tab holes  22  on the second open end  16  so that a second set of holes may be used if the first used tab holes become deformed or worn out. Further, those extra pair of the tab holes  22  when not in use may be used as draining holes.  
      As shown in  FIG. 5 , the cylindrical housing  12  of the pole adapter  10  further includes a longitudinal edge  24  that is divided by a first longitudinal edge  26  that encompasses the first open end  14 , and a second longitudinal edge  28  encompassing the second open end  16 . The first longitudinal edge  26  and the second longitudinal edge  28  are distinguished at the pole adapter mid-section  18  by a reduced diameter. The pole adapter first open end  14  is configured with a first inner diameter  34  and a first outer diameter  36  (see  FIG. 6 ) configured to releasably receive the multi-task extension pole attachment end  48  that is cylindrical. In operation, the multi-task extension pole  46  is inserted into the pole adapter  10  via first open end  14  towards the mid-section  18 . Similarly, the pole adapter  10  having second open end  16  is configured with a second inner diameter  38  and a second outer diameter  40  (see  FIG. 7 ) configured to releasably receive the cylindrical attachment tool handle  52 . The first open end  14  and the second open end  16  are distinguished by the tapered neck  30 . A useful function of the tapered neck  30  is to reduce the diameter of the second open end to accommodate the attachment tool handle  52  whose diameter is less than the diameter of the extension pole.  
      The pole adapter longitudinal edge  24  is in the range of 6 inches to 7 inches and the first longitudinal edge  26  is approximately twice the length of the second longitudinal edge  28 . As previously stated, the pole adapter  10  is configured to envelope both, the multi-task extension pole attachment end  48  at the first open end  14  and the attachment tool handle  52  at the second open end  16 . By way of example as shown in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 5 , the preferred embodiment of the pole adapter of the present invention has: a first inner diameter  34  and the diameter of the mid section that are equal, measuring about 1¼ inches, a second inner diameter  38  is about 1 3/16 inches, a first longitudinal edge  26  is about 4¼ inches, a second longitudinal edge  28  is about 2 inches, the distance between mid section  18  and the clip hole  20  is about 3⅜ inches, the distance between the second open end  16  and the tab holes  22  is about ⅜ inches. Accordingly, the previously stated measurements are submitted by way of example and actual measurements of the pole adaptor may vary depending upon sizes of extension poles and attachment tools.  
      The pole adapter mid-section  18  is configured to form a tapered neck  30  where the housing wall  32  transitions from the first outer diameter  36  and second outer diameter  40 . The pole adaptor wall  32  has a thickness approximately 1/16 inches however the thickness may vary depending on the pole adaptor  10  materials.  
      While the specification describes particular embodiments of the present invention, those of ordinary skill can devise variations of the present invention without departing from the scope of the invention. Accordingly, it is not intended that the invention be limited except as by the appended claims.