Patent Publication Number: US-7216414-B2

Title: Method of attaching metal and plastic parts of an implement handle

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     The present application is a divisional of and claims priority to U.S. Non-Provisional Application, Ser. No. 11/019,573, filed Dec. 22, 2004, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,028,375. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to the attachment of an elongated, tubular, metal handle to a plastic end portion which serves as a support for an applicator, such as a sponge, mop, spray device, or other tool or implement. More specifically, the invention relates to a novel and improved physical attachment means for securing an elongated handle to a metal end piece, and to a method of attachment of such a handle and end piece. 
     Many types of cleaning implements, as well as other tools, are equipped with an elongated handle which is grasped by the user to manipulate the device carried on the distal end of the handle. Such implements include those wherein a liquid, such as water or a cleaning solution, is supplied to the proximal end, or other portion, of a hollow, metal handle and flows through the handle to be discharged at the distal end, often through an applicator which is removably mounted to a plastic end piece of the handle. The end piece is physically connected to the handle, for example, by rivets or other connectors. This means of attachment risks cracking or other damage to the end piece, as well as possibly creating leaks of the solution which flows through the handle during use. 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide an article of manufacture wherein an elongated, hollow, handle and a metal end piece are mutually joined by novel and improved structure. 
     Another object is to provide means for securely attaching a metal end piece to one end of an elongated handle of a manually manipulated cleaning implement without substantial possibility of damage to the end piece in the attachment process. 
     A further object is to provide a novel and improved method of attaching a metal end piece to one end of a tubular handle. 
     Still another object is to provide an elongated, hollow, implement handle with a metal end piece secured by novel and advantageous method and means to one end of the handle with provision for supply of liquid through the handle and end piece to an implement mounted to the end piece. 
     Other objects will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The connected handle and end piece of the invention are advantageously applied in the field of cleaning implements wherein an applicator such as a sponge, mop, or the like is detachably mounted upon the end piece, for example, by a threaded connection, and water or other cleaning liquid is supplied through the hollow handle and a likewise hollow end piece to the implement. Consequently, the invention will be described in such an application, although it will be understood that it is susceptible to other applications and the scope of the invention is to be limited only by the appended claims. For example, the connected handle and end piece may be employed in applications which do not employ the supply of fluid through a hollow handle and end piece and thus do not require a hollow end piece or liquid tight sealing means. 
     The handle itself is of conventional, hollow, tubular, construction, of uniform inner and outer diameter and appropriate length for the intended use of the implement to which it is attached. The end piece is of rigid, metal and includes a cylindrical base section having an outer diameter equal to or slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the handle. A resilient a-ring is carried in a groove on the outer surface of the base section. An intermediate section, preferably having a tapered or curved outer surface, connects the base section to a tip section having a molded thread for mating engagement with threads on an applicator or other such implement to be manipulated by a user gripping the handle. Normally the threads on the end piece will be external and those on the implement internal, although the nature of the mutual engagement means is not critical to employment of the invention. The end piece has a through bore, at least in constructions which are intended for supply of liquid through the handle and end piece. 
     A pair of indentations are formed in the outer surface of the base section, preferably on diametrically opposite sides thereof. In the disclosed embodiment, the indentations are elliptical in shape and are positioned between the O-ring and the junction of the base and intermediate sections. A pair of visible indicia are formed in or applied to the intermediate section in axial alignment with the indentations in the base section. In assembly, the base section is inserted into the open, distal end of the handle until the end of the handle contacts a shoulder at the junction of the base and intermediate sections. Although the indentations in the base section are now hidden inside the handle, their location is known from the positions of the indicia on the intermediate section and the known axial distance from the shoulder to the indentations. Thus, the wall of the handle may be struck or squeezed at the appropriate positions to deform portions of the handle into the indentations in the base section, providing an essentially permanent connection of the handle and end piece. 
     The foregoing and other features of construction and method of connection of the invention will be more easily understood and fully appreciated from the following detailed disclosure, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIGS. 1 and 2  are perspective views, shown from a first side, of the end piece and distal end of the handle after and before, respectively, insertion of the end piece and deformation of the handle; 
         FIGS. 3 and 4  are elevational views of the end piece and distal end of the handle, shown from a second side, before and after, respectively, insertion of the end piece and deformation of the handle; and 
         FIGS. 5 and 6  are elevational views, in section, of the end piece and distal end of the handle before and after, respectively, insertion of the end piece into the handle and deformation of the handle. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The structural elements of the invention are a tubular, handle  10  and a metal end piece  12 . Handle  10  is hollow and open at distal end  14 , having a wall thickness sufficient to provide the required degree of rigidity and strength, and a length between distal end  14  and a proximal end (not shown) appropriate to the intended application wherein the implement is employed. The outer and inner diameters of handle  10  are uniform, at least in the region adjacent distal end  14 , which lies in a plane normal to the central axis of handle  10 . End piece  12  is preferably manufactured as a unitary member from a deformable metal plastic such as aluminum. The end piece includes three sections, namely, base section  16 , intermediate section  18  and tip  20 . Base section  16  extends from what is termed the lower end  22  of end piece  12  to a junction with intermediate section  18  at shoulder  24 . Intermediate section  18  extends from base section to tip  20 , which extends to top end  26 . Thread  28  is integrally molded on the outer surface of tip  20  for engagement with internal threads in an applicator or other implement (not shown) to be manually manipulated by a user grasping handle  10 . The end piece and implement may be releasably joined by detent means or other such forms of mutual attachment. 
     At least in applications intended to supply liquid through the handle and end piece to an attached implement, end piece  12  is formed with a through bore, as shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 . Base section  16  and intermediate section  18  are of uniform inner diameter; tip  20  has a first inner portion  30  tapering inwardly to connect with second inner portion  32  and thence to smaller diameter opening  34  in end  26 . Peripheral groove  36  is formed in the outer surface of base section  16  near lower end  22  to accommodate resilient O-ring  38  which, upon assembly  4  of handle  10  and end piece  12  provides a liquid-tight seal between the inner wall of the handle and the outer wall of the end piece. 
     A pair of notches or other type of indentation are formed in the outer surface of base section  16 . One of the indentations, denoted by reference numeral  40 , is seen in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , while the other indentation, located at a position diametrically opposite indentation  40 , is seen in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , denoted by reference numeral  40 ′. In the illustrated embodiment, indentations  40  and  40 ′ have elliptical outlines, tapering outwardly on opposite sides of the central, deepest part of the indentation which extends perpendicularly to the central axis of the end piece. A second pair of notches, or other means creating visual indicia at predetermined positions, are formed in or applied to the outer surface of intermediate section  18 . In the illustrated embodiment, the notches are formed as flat surfaces  42  and  42 ′ in planes parallel to the central axis of end piece  12  on diametrically opposite sides of the tapering outer surface of intermediate section  18 . Flats  42  and  42 ′ are in axial alignment with indentations  40  and  40 ′, respectively. 
     Base section  16  has a uniform outer diameter equal to or slightly smaller than the inner diameter of handle  10 , permitting insertion of end piece  12  into the open distal end  14  of handle  10 , from the position of  FIGS. 2 and 3  to that of  FIGS. 1 and 4 , with O-ring  38  being resiliently deformed into sealing engagement with the inner wall of the handle. The extent of insertion is limited to the axial length of base  16  by contact of shoulder  24  with end  14 . After insertion, the wall of handle  10  is struck or otherwise inwardly deformed at positions outwardly adjacent indentations  40  and  40 ′ so that the metal of the handle extends into the flats in the areas indicated at  44  and  44 ′ in  FIG. 6 . After insertion, of course, the indentations are no longer visible, but the correct positions for inward deflection of the metal handle may easily be determined by the known axial distance from shoulder  24  to the indentations, indicated in  FIG. 5  by dimension D, and by axial alignment with flats  42  and  42 ′. The outward appearance of deformations  44  and  44 ′ is essentially the same as that of indentations  42  and  42 ′, as will be noted from  FIGS. 1–4 .