Abstract:
A hand tool quick release mechanism for releasably connecting a frame to a base, the quick release mechanism comprising a frame connecting mechanism and a base connecting mechanism each for respectively coupling releasably the frame and base together, wherein the frame and base are placed into an attached position by urging the frame connecting mechanism into the base connecting mechanism. The quick release mechanism claimed in claim  1  wherein the frame attachment mechanism including a push pad wherein applying finger pressure to the push pad operably disconnects the base from the frame such that the base and frame are in a detached position. The quick release mechanism claimed in claim  2  wherein the frame connecting mechanism including a catch, and the base connecting mechanism including a catch flange such that the catch and catch flange cooperatively and releasably couple together when the base and frame in an attached position.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     The application claims priority from previously filed U.S. provisional patent application No. 60/668,164, titled “Quick Release Mechanism” on Apr. 5, 2005 by John Lamers. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The present invention relates to quick release mechanism and particularly relates to a quick release mechanism particularly useful for hand tools and specifically useful for the attachment of handles and/or pole attachments to a sanding pad.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     Hand sanders and pole sanders have long been used in the sanding industry for various applications. Pole sanders in particular normally employ some type of a universal joint in order to permit the flat sand paper surface which is generally secured to a flat back surface of the sander to lie parallel to the wall or ceiling or floor surface against which the sand paper is applied during the sanding operation. The art in regard to pole sanders and the universal joints which are used is well established and generally when a pole sander is used, one is a considerable distance away from the surface, normally holding the pole sander from the end of a pole or broom handle through which pressure is applied to the sand paper surface.  
         [0004]     Hand sanders as well come in many different shapes and sizes and forms and in particular there are applications in which hand sanders are more useful and required in order to complete the work, rather than the use of a pole sander. Often one must use a hand sander and a pole sander to complete a particular job. Therefore, it is desirable to have a combination hand sander and pole sander having a quick release mechanism which enables a user to be able to switch between a pole sander and a hand sander in a short period of time.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]     The present invention is a hand tool quick release mechanism for releaseably connecting a frame to a base, the quick release mechanism comprising; a frame connecting means and a base connecting means each for respectively coupling releasably the frame and base together, wherein the frame and base are placed into an attached position by urging the frame connecting means into the base connecting means.  
         [0006]     Preferably wherein the frame attachment means including a push pad wherein applying finger pressure to the push pad operably disconnects the base from the frame such that the base and frame are in a detached position.  
         [0007]     Preferably wherein the frame connecting means including a catch, and the base connecting means including a catch flange such that the catch and catch flange cooperatively and releasably couple together when the base and frame in an attached position.  
         [0008]     Preferably wherein the frame connecting means including a lip and the base connecting means including a slot flange adapted to receive the lip slideably therein, such that the in the lip and slot flange cooperatively and releasably couple together when the base and frame in the attached position.  
         [0009]     Preferably wherein the lip is operably spaced from the catch and the slot flange is operably spaced from the catch flange such that to place the frame and base into the attached position the lip is slideably urged into a slot defined in the base and then the catch is urged past the catch flange into a catch aperture defined in the base thereby coupling the catch with the catch flange.  
         [0010]     Preferably wherein the frame connecting means including a latch wherein the catch integrally part of the latch, wherein the latch adapted to resiliently bias the catch against the catch flange when the catch being urged past the catch flange and into the catch aperture.  
         [0011]     Preferably wherein the latch including a hinge member connected to one end of the push pad, wherein the hinge member adapted to resiliently bias the catch against the catch flange when the catch being urged past the catch flange.  
         [0012]     Preferably wherein the latch including a guide member connected to the other end of the push pad for guiding the catch movement in a lateral direction when the catch is moved past the catch flange.  
         [0013]     Preferably wherein the guide member and hinge member being substantially parallel and spaced apart by the push pad and extending horizontally away from the push pad.  
         [0014]     Preferably wherein the hinge member attached at one to the push pad and including on the other end a locking tab, wherein the hinge member being received within a cooperatively dimensioned hinge slot defined in the frame, wherein the hinge member being firmly locked and held in the frame when the locking tab engaging with a portion of the frame.  
         [0015]     Preferably wherein the hinge member resiliently bending about a hinge axis and thereby resiliently biasing the catch against the catch flange.  
         [0016]     Preferably wherein the catch including an inclined surface for slidably contacting the catch flange when the catch being urged past the catch flange.  
         [0017]     Preferably wherein the frame further including a guide aperture for slideably receiving the guide member therein thereby guiding the catch movement in a lateral direction when the catch is moved past the catch flange.  
         [0018]     A hand tool with two spaced apart quick release mechanisms wherein the frames of each quick release mechanism attached to a connecting portion, the frame together with the connecting portion defining a universal attachment body, and wherein the bases of each quick release mechanism attached to a platform, wherein the bases together with the platform defining a universal platform, wherein the universal attachment body and the universal platform moveable between an attached position and detached position.  
         [0019]     A hand sander with a detachable quick release handle; the hand sander including two spaced apart quick release mechanisms wherein the frames of each quick release mechanism attached to a connecting portion, the frames together with the connecting portion defining a unitary handle, and wherein the bases of each quick release mechanism attached to a platform, wherein the bases together with the platform defining a unitary sanding pad, wherein the handle and the sanding pad moveable between an attached position and detached position, wherein in the attached position the handle together with the sanding pad being a hand sander.  
         [0020]     A pole sanding frame with a detachable quick release pole sanding body, the pole sanding frame comprising two spaced apart quick release mechanisms wherein the frames of each quick release mechanism attached to a connecting portion wherein the frames together with the connecting portion defining a unitary pole sanding body, and wherein the bases of each quick release mechanism attached to a platform wherein the bases together with the platform defining a unitary sanding pad, wherein the pole sanding body and the sanding pad moveable between an attached position and detached position, wherein in the attached position the pole sanding body together with the sanding pad being a pole sanding frame. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0021]     The quick release mechanism will now be described by way of example only with reference to the following figures in which:  
         [0022]      FIG. 1  is a cross sectional schematic view of the quick release mechanism in the detached position.  
         [0023]      FIG. 2  is a schematic cross sectional view of the quick release mechanism in the attached position.  
         [0024]      FIG. 3  is a schematic cross sectional view of the quick release mechanism in the detached position.  
         [0025]      FIG. 4  is a schematic cross sectional view of the quick release mechanism in the first attachment step.  
         [0026]      FIG. 5  is a schematic cross sectional view of the quick release mechanism in the second attachment step.  
         [0027]      FIG. 6  is a schematic cross sectional view of the quick release mechanism in the third attachment step.  
         [0028]      FIG. 7  is a schematic cross sectional view of the quick release mechanism in the attached position.  
         [0029]      FIG. 8  is a schematic side elevational view of the quick release mechanism deployed in a hand sander together with a handle, and a base.  
         [0030]      FIG. 9  is a side elevational view of the quick release mechanism deployed in the handle shown in  FIG. 8 .  
         [0031]      FIG. 10  is a top plan view of the quick release mechanism deployed in the handle.  
         [0032]      FIG. 11  is a side elevational view of the quick release mechanism deployed in the handle.  
         [0033]      FIG. 12  is cross sectional view taken along lines A-A of  FIG. 9  showing the quick release mechanism in cross section.  
         [0034]      FIG. 13  is a side elevational view of the quick release mechanism deployed in a pole sander having a base and a frame.  
         [0035]      FIG. 14  is a side elevational view of a quick release mechanism deployed in the frame of a pole sander as shown in  FIG. 13 .  
         [0036]      FIG. 15  is a top plan view of a quick release mechanism deployed in the frame of a pole sander as shown in  FIG. 13 .  
         [0037]      FIG. 16  is a side elevational view of the quick release mechanism deployed in the frame of a pole sander as shown in  FIG. 13 .  
         [0038]      FIG. 17  is a cross sectional view taken along lines A-A of  FIG. 15  showing the cross sectional details of the quick release mechanism  100 .  
         [0039]      FIG. 18  is a top plan view of the latch portion of the quick release mechanism.  
         [0040]      FIG. 19  is a rear elevational view of the latch mechanism shown in  FIG. 18 .  
         [0041]      FIG. 20  is a cross sectional view taken along lines A-A of  FIG. 19  of the latch portion of the quick release mechanism.  
         [0042]      FIG. 21  is a front elevational view of the latch portion of the quick release mechanism.  
         [0043]      FIG. 22  is a bottom plan view of the latch portion of the quick release mechanism shown in  FIG. 21 .  
         [0044]      FIG. 23  is a schematic cross sectional view of the universal attachment body portion of the quick release mechanism.  
         [0045]      FIG. 24  is a schematic cross sectional view of a universal platform portion of the quick release mechanism.  
         [0046]      FIG. 25  is a schematic cross sectional view of the corner sanding base.  
         [0047]      FIG. 26  is a schematic cross sectional view of sand paper.  
         [0048]      FIG. 27  is a schematic cross sectional assembly view of a corner sander showing the universal attachment body connected to the universal platform shown in the attached position.  
         [0049]      FIG. 28  is a schematic cross sectional view of the universal platform attached to corner sanding base.  
         [0050]      FIG. 29  is a schematic sectional view along C-C of  FIG. 30 .  
         [0051]      FIG. 30  is a top schematic plan view of universal platform.  
         [0052]      FIG. 31  is a schematic sectional view along B-B of  FIG. 30 .  
         [0053]      FIG. 32 a  side elevational view of the corner sander together with a universal attachment body namely a handle.  
         [0054]      FIG. 33 a  side elevational view of the corner sander together with a universal attachment body namely a pole sanding body.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0055]     The present invention a quick release mechanism is shown generally as  100  in the Figures.  FIGS. 1 and 2  in particular show in schematic fashion the quick release mechanism  100  in the detached position  202  shown in  FIG. 1 , and in the attached position  210  shown in  FIG. 2 .  FIG. 3  through  7  shows the sequence for placing the quick release mechanism  100  from the detached position  202  to the attached position  210  in the sequence as shown in  FIGS. 3 through 7  inclusively.  
         [0056]     Quick release mechanism  100  includes the following major components namely frame  104 , base  150  and a latch  180 .  
         [0057]     Frame  104  normally includes first member  106 , second member  108 , lip  114 , guide aperture  116  and hinge slot  118 .  
         [0058]     Base  150  includes a slot  152 , planar surface  154 , catch aperture  156 , and catch flange  158 .  
         [0059]     Latch  180  includes a push pad  182  connected to a hinge member  184 , a guide member  188 , and also a catch  190 . Frame  104  may include a frame top portion  11   2  as shown schematically in  FIG. 1 . Note hinge member  184  sand guide member  188  are spaced from each other and preferably oriented parallel to each other. Hinge member  184  connected at one end of push pad  182  and guide member  188  connected to the other end of push pad  182  form in cross sectional view a roughly U shaped configuration.  
         [0060]     Frame  104  and frame top portion  112  are normally integrally part of a connecting portion  303 , wherein the connecting portion  303  together with one or more frames  104  in general terms forms a universal attachment body  906 . The drawings show two examples of universal attachment body namely handle  302 , and pole sanding body  402 . These are only two examples of hand tools showing application of the quick release mechanism  100 . Quick release mechanism  100  could also be applied to a number of other hand tools which would benefit from having a quick release portion of the tool.  
         [0061]     Frame  104  together with connecting portion  303  may form handle  302  as shown in  FIG. 8 , wherein two quick release mechanisms are shown deployed in hand sander  300  having two bases  150  connected with a universal platform  902  which in this case is simply platform  159 , wherein platform together with bases  150  form a sanding pad  169 . Optionally sanding pad  169  includes sand paper clamps  305 . A person skilled in the art will recognize this as a hand sander  300 , wherein sand paper is spanned across the bottom of sanding pad  169  and clamped by clamps  305  in position. Universal attachment body  906  which in this example is handle  302  can be easily and quickly attached or detached to universal platform  902  which in this example is sanding pad  169  using quick release mechanism  100 .  
         [0062]     Frames  104  can also be connected together with connecting portion  303  which together forms a universal attachment body  906  which in this example is a pole sanding body  402  as shown in  FIG. 13 . In this example as in the last two bases  150  are connected with a universal platform  902  which in this case is simply platform  159 , wherein platform together with bases  150  forms a sanding pad  169 . Optionally sanding pad  169  includes sand paper clamps  305 . A person skilled in the art will recognize this as a pole sander  400 , wherein sand paper is spanned across the bottom of sanding pad  169  and clamped by clamps  305  in position.  FIG. 13  is a schematic side elevational view of a typical pole sander  400  also showing a pole attachment  404  for receiving a threaded broom handle therein, together with pole sanding body  402  having two quick release mechanisms  100 , wherein pole sanding body  402  is detachably mounted onto sanding pad  169  with two quick release mechanisms  100 . Pole sanding body  402  can be quickly and easily attached or detached from sanding pad  169  using the quick release mechanisms  100  as shown in  FIGS. 13 through 17 .  
         [0063]      FIGS. 18 through 22  show details of the latch  180  as described herein.  
         [0064]     FIGS.  23  to  33  show corner sander  930  including frames  104  connected together with connecting portion  303  thereby forming a universal attachment body  906  which as shown in  FIG. 32  is handle  302  or as shown in  FIG. 33  is pole sanding body  402 . Bases  150  are connected together with platform  161  thereby forming universal platform  902  which in turn attaches to corner sanding base  904  which in turn is connected to sand paper  905 . In this example universal platform  902  can in turn be attached to a number of different elements one example given here being a corner sanding base  904 .  
         [0000]     In Use  
         [0065]     Quick release mechanism  100  can be applied to hand tools having a geometry where it is desirable to attach two elements together generally for example a universal attachment body  906  to a universal platform  902  wherein the frame  104  is connected to or integrally part of the universal attachment body  906  and a base  150  is connected to or integrally part of universal platform  902 . In this description we show specific examples of how quick release mechanisms  100  can be applied. In one example quick release mechanisms  100  are used to attach for example a manual handle shown as handle  302  and/or a pole sanding body shown as  402  to a platform  159 . These examples are both in the field of sanding, however, there is no reason why base  150  could not perform some other function such as a float or other tool which requires the quick release mechanism for attachment of handles and/or other elements. It is not intended that the present invention be limited to sanding tools and equipment, but rather the quick release mechanism  100  can be adapted to a multitude of different hand tools wherein it is desirable to have a mechanism for quickly attaching and detaching a universal attachment body  906  to a universal platform  902 .  
         [0066]     By way of example only, for providing examples of how the quick release mechanism  100  can be applied to various applications, we are showing quick release mechanism  100  deployed in the field of sanding.  
         [0067]     Quick release mechanism as indicated above includes a base  150 , latch  180  and a frame  104 . The purpose of quick release mechanism  100  is to quickly and easily attach and detach frame  104  to base  150 . Frame  104  and base  150  can be part of many different configurations, examples of which are shown in this application.  
         [0068]     Frame  104  will normally include a first member  106  spaced from a second member  108  which as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2  are vertical, however it is not necessary that the first member  106  and second member  108  be vertical. First member  106  of frame  104  includes an integrally connected a lip  114  which fits into slot  152  defined in base  150 . Slot flange  160  together with base  150  defines slot  152  for cooperatively and slidably receiving lip  114  within slot  152 . Second member  108  has defined therein a hinge slot  118  and a guide aperture  116  for receiving hinge member  184  within hinge slot  118  and guide member  188  within guide aperture  116 . Latch  180  is slidably received into second member  108  as depicted in  FIG. 1 , wherein locking tab  186  defined on one distal end of hinge member  184 , positively locks latch  180  into frame  104 . Latch  180  also includes a push pad  182  which when finger pressure is applied to push pad  182 , the entire latch  180  pivots about hinge axis  130  as shown in  FIG. 1 . In this manner catch  190  can be moved laterally along lateral direction  132  by applying finger pressure to push pad  182 . Catch  190  is normally in the locked position as shown in  FIG. 2 , however it can be urged laterally along lateral direction  132 , thereby allowing it to pass past the catch flange and pass through catch aperture  156  defined in base  150  for detaching frame  104  from base  150 . Catch  190  latches onto catch flange  158  defined in base  150 , when in the attached position  210 . As finger pressure is applied to push pad  182 , guide member  180  slightly moves laterally within guide aperture  116  and latch  180  pivots or flexes about hinge axis  130 . The sequence for attaching frame  104  from the detached position  202  to the attached position  210  is shown in  FIGS. 3 through 7 .  FIG. 3  shows the frame  104  and base  150  in the detached position  202 .  
         [0069]     Referring now to  FIG. 4 , firstly lip  114  is slidably received within slot  152  until first member  106  abuts onto slot flange  160  as shown in  FIG. 5 .  FIG. 4  is the first attachment step  204 , whereas  FIG. 5  is the second attachment step  206 .  
         [0070]     Referring now to  FIG. 6  which is the third attachment step. Finger pressure maybe applied to push pad  182 , wherein catch  190  is moved laterally such that it is able to freely pass through catch aperture  156  defined by catch flange  158  and base  150 . Catch  190  will automatically be moved laterally into catch aperture  156 , when frame  104  is urged downwardly onto base  150 . Therefore it is optional to apply finger pressure to push pad  182  when attaching frame  104  to base  105 . By applying finger pressure to push pad  182 , the entire latch mechanism  180  pivots about hinge axis  130 , thereby allowing catch  190  to clear through catch aperture  156 . Once the catch  190  is clear through catch aperture  156 , pressure can be released from push pad  182  and natural resiliency of latch  180 , places catch  190  in the normally closed or attached position  210  as shown in  FIG. 7 , wherein catch makes positive contact with catch flange  158 , thereby preventing frame  104  from being accidentally detached from base  150 . During the attachment process, frame  104  is urged downwardly onto base  150 . Inclined surface  191  will contact catch flange  158  and move catch  190  laterally under the downward pressure placed on frame  104 .  
         [0071]     In order to detach frame  104  from base  150 , the reverse of the procedure just described above is applied, namely  FIG. 7  through  3  in reverse order is initiated in order to detach frame  104  from base  150 . One must apply finger pressure to push pad  182  in order to detach frame  104  from base  150 .  
         [0072]      FIGS. 8 through 12  show a hand sander  300  with two quick release mechanisms  100  deployed therein. In this example, frame  104  is integrally part of handle  302  as shown in drawing  FIGS. 8 through 12 .  
         [0073]     A second example of how quick release mechanism  100  can be deployed in a pole sander is shown in  FIGS. 13 through 17 . Pole sander  400  includes a pole attachment  404  and a pole sanding body  402 . Frame  104  is integrally part of pole sanding body  402  as shown in  FIG. 13  through  17 . A person skilled in the art will note that a piece of flat sand paper (not shown) can be stretched across the bottom of sanding pad  169  and clamped in by clamps  305 . Using the steps described above for attachment and detachment of frame  104  from base  150 , one can easily attach pole sanding body  402  onto sanding pad  169 . Pole sanding body  402  together with attached sanding pad  169  defining a pole sanding frame  920 . Pole sanding frame  920  together with a pole attachment  404  defining a pole sander  400 .  
         [0074]     A person skilled in the art will recognize that the same base  150  can be used for pole sander  400  and also for the hand sander  300 . In this case handle  302  can be quickly attached or detached from sanding pad  169  and pole sanding body  402  together with a pole attachment  404  can be quickly attached to the same sanding pad  169  and/or detached from that same sanding pad  169  quickly and easily. Therefore the same sanding pad  169  can be used as either a hand sander  300  and/or a pole sander  400  as depicted.  
         [0075]     The details of the latch  180  are shown in  FIGS. 18 through 22 , wherein one example of how latch  180  could be designed is shown. Kindly note that the geometry, of for example the guide member and/or the hinge member and/or the push pad and/or for that matter the catch can be altered somewhat and yet produce the same effect. For example the guide member  188  may be rod like and/or be flat. Similarly the hinge member  184  may also take on various shapes provided that the same function is maintained.  
         [0076]     It should be apparent to persons skilled in the arts that various modifications and adaptation of this structure described above are possible without departure from the spirit of the invention the scope of which defined in the appended claim.