Abstract:
Extendable implements include a handle and functional end that extends or retracts therefrom through a release. The handle and functional end are configured to provide user-implement synergy or ergonomics that account for typical hand grips and extension functionality together. Synergistic or ergonomic features can include any combination of positioning the release to avoid a strong grip on an extended implement, configuring the release to require definite voluntary actuation, extension and retraction of the functional end with a single hand not contacting the functional end, a deep handle molded to a forceful open grip, a functional end dimensioned to prevent deflection or breaking during extended typical use, a functional end dimensioned and a release configured to provide reliable extension, retraction, and/or locking of functional end, etc.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     Tools for working with heat sources, including grills, ovens, ranges, etc., typically have handles separated by long extensions from a functional end. Such extensions permit interaction with food or other material at dangerous or uncomfortable temperatures or smoking conditions by allowing a user to directly manipulate contents of the heat source with an end of the tool at a distance. For example, known tools include functional ends, like spatulas or tongs, separated from a handle by a lengthy shaft. Such tools permit users to handle, flip, grasp, cut, mix, or otherwise manipulate or interact with food or other materials in direct contact with the heat source at a distance with less risk of burn or discomfort or injury to the user from the heat source. 
     In order to preserve space when not in use, tools can be extendable and collapsible, having a shaft that extends from and retracts to a handle that permits a user to adjust a degree of length of the tool. In this way, an extendable spatula, for example, can be lengthened by extending its shaft from a handle so as to permit manipulation at a distance. The same shaft can be collapsed to the handle to provide a desired shorter handle-to-spatula distance for storage or other manipulation of food where distance from a heat source is not desired. 
     SUMMARY 
     Example embodiments include extendable implements that can be grasped by an average human hand about a handle configured to accommodate both the grasp and the extension functionality to enhance interaction of the two. Example embodiments include at least one functional end extendable relative to the handle and a release that controls such extension of the functional end. Example embodiments may include a variety of user-implement ergonomic features. 
     For example, the thumb may apply pressure on top of the handle, facing the user, and fingers may extend partially around the handle to form an open grip with maximum torqueing force on an extended implement. Or, for example, in order to accommodate the extension functionality and strong grip, the release may be located on the implement to avoid accidental contact with or actuation with the grip. For example, the release could be positioned on a side of the handle away from the thumb, and/or the release could be a spring-biased button-type latch that can be pressed only by voluntary movement of the thumb from the grip. Or, for example, user ergonomics could allow for extension and/or retraction with a single hand and without need for contact with a functional end, such as extension and/or retraction via sliding of a shaft of the functional end in a handle slot. User interaction can also be accommodated by a deeper handle that has sufficient width to accommodate the thumb but extends away from the user in a depth direction to a greater degree, a bottom surface that includes a grip surface to accommodate the fingers extending therearound, release placement above or below such a grip surface, variable or multiple release placement or usability based on handedness, a deeper extension shaft on the functional end to prevent deflection or breaking during use when lowering or advancing the implement in connection with a heating source, etc. 
     Example embodiments can have great variety. For example, functional ends can be any desired implement compatible with example embodiment handles. Degrees and types of extension of the functional ends can be varied, and handle shapes, sizes, fabrication, and material can be selected as needed. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Example embodiments will become more apparent by describing, in detail, the attached drawings, wherein like elements are represented by like reference numerals, which are given by way of illustration only and thus do not limit the terms which they depict. 
         FIG. 1  is an illustration of a related extendable cooking implement. 
         FIG. 2  is an illustration of a related extendable cooking implement in use. 
         FIG. 3  is an illustration of an example embodiment extendable implement. 
         FIG. 4  is an illustration of an example embodiment extendable implement in use. 
         FIG. 5  is a blown-up illustration showing assembly/disassembly of an example embodiment extendable implement. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     This is a patent document, and general broad rules of construction should be applied when reading and understanding it. Everything described and shown in this document is an example of subject matter falling within the scope of the appended claims. Any specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are merely for purposes of describing how to make and use example embodiments. Several different embodiments not specifically disclosed herein fall within the scope of the appended claims; as such, the claims may be embodied in many alternate forms and should not be construed as limited to only example embodiments set forth herein. 
     It will be understood that, although the terms first, second, etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, these elements should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element from another. For example, a first element could be termed a second element, and, similarly, a second element could be termed a first element, without departing from the scope of example embodiments. As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. 
     It will be understood that when an element is referred to in a spatial or physical relationship, as being “connected,” “coupled,” “mated,” “attached,” or “fixed,” to another element, it can be directly connected or coupled to the other element or intervening elements may be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being “directly connected” or “directly coupled” to another element, for example, there are no intervening elements present. Other words used to describe the relationship between elements should be interpreted in a like fashion (e.g., “between” versus “directly between”, “adjacent” versus “directly adjacent”, etc.). Similarly, a term such as “communicatively connected” includes all variations of information exchange routes between two devices, including intermediary devices, networks, etc., connected wirelessly or not. 
     As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include both the singular and plural forms, unless the language explicitly indicates otherwise with words like “only,” “single,” and/or “one.” It will be further understood that terms like “have,” “having,” “comprises,” “comprising,” “includes,” and/or “including,” when used herein, specify the presence of stated features, steps, operations, elements, ideas, and/or components, but do not themselves preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, steps, operations, elements, components, ideas, and/or groups thereof. 
     It should also be noted that the structures and operations discussed below may occur out of the order described and/or noted in the figures. For example, two operations and/or figures shown in succession may in fact be executed concurrently or may sometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon the functionality/acts involved. Similarly, individual operations within example methods described below may be executed repetitively, individually or sequentially, so as to provide looping or other series of operations aside from the single operations described below. It should be presumed that any embodiment having features and functionality described below, in any workable combination, falls within the scope of example embodiments. 
     Applicants have recognized that implements having functional ends at substantial distances from a handle and human user of the same may require significant handling force and/or dexterity to properly wield the functional ends. For example, using a spatula end extended to over a foot&#39;s length from a user&#39;s hand on a handle may require a strong grip on the handle and significant torqueing force to flip or otherwise handle a heated subject, such as a steak, weighing several ounces. Or, for example, a basting brush end extended far from a user&#39;s hand on a handle may require a strong grip with very delicate and certain hand motions to properly baste or otherwise interact with a heated subject on a grill or cooking surface. Thus, while the significant distances between functional end and handle may permit users and their hands to remain a safe and comfortable distance from any heating source while manipulating food or other materials in direct contact with the heating source, Applicants have recognized that such distances also often require a user to forcefully and immovably grip a handle connecting to a functional end. 
     Applicants have further recognized that the shape and functional characteristics of the human hand and gripping functionality of the same tend to hold or otherwise accommodate tools with functional end and handle “facing” the user, with the thumb on top and remaining fingers under a handle. For example, as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a user typically grips a spatula, knife, or other implement  10  with thumb  5  on top surface  15  of the implement, where top  15  is in a plane generally perpendicular to a line between the user and functional end as well as usually perpendicular to a direction in which the implement is moved during use. In extendible cooking tools  10  having a release latch  25  on top surface  15 , this will typically place the thumb near or on release latch  25 . In the instance of a strong grip, such as when extendable implement  10  is fully extended and in use, the higher force from thumb  5  required to manipulate implement  10  can actuate release latch  25 , causing extendable implement  10  to undesirably collapse or extend exactly when it is being most forcefully used and being taken advantage of its extendible properties. Moreover, in the instance of a strong grip where a forceful thumb  5  will be on a top  15  of tool  10 , it may be exceedingly difficult for a user to readily adjust a grip to fully clear release latch  25 , resulting in higher risk of unintentional actuation of release latch  25  due to forceful thumb  5  contacting release latch  25  during use of implement  10 . Latch  25  is typically placed on top surface  15  in existing extendible implements  10  for manufacturing simplicity, immediate recognition of latch  25  that will face a user in this orientation, and so as to interact effectively with extendable shaft  26 , which extends a greatest area in the plane of top surface  15 . Because shaft  26  is generally thinnest in a direction perpendicular to top surface  15 , latch  25  need only minimal depression in order to fully clear a hole all the way through shaft  26  in this direction. 
     Applicants have further recognized that existing extendable implements  10  require some amount of manual force in a direction along a length of shaft  26  in order to extend or retract a functional end from or into a handle of implement  10 , even with latch  25  actuated. This force can be undesirably provided by food or cooking surface during use of implement  10  when thumb  5  accidentally depresses latch  25 . In other instances, a user must manually apply an extending or retracting force to shaft  26  during or shortly after use of cooking implement  10  with a heat source. This force may be applied by a user&#39;s free hand, resulting in burning, soiling, and/or general inconvenience. 
     Applicants have developed unique solutions to the above-described and other problems recognized by Applicants. The present invention/claimed subject matter, which encompass and extend beyond any example embodiment described below and illustrated in the figures, enable solutions to these and other problems. As such, the present invention is an extendable implement having one or more ergonomic features for improved utility and human user interaction. These ergonomic features can include deep handles to better accommodate typical human grips, deep shaft extensions to reinforce implements in their common direction of use, release positioning that is both fully apart from grip positions to prevent accidental actuation and still permitting single-handed actuation, single-handed actuation and extension and/or retraction that reduces a need for user contact with a functional end, and/or other human-implement synergies described below or not. While embodiments of the present invention include one or more ergonomic features in any combination, it is understood that additional features and variations are useable therewith, and that the following example embodiments illustrate merely a non-limiting example combination of features. 
       FIGS. 3 and 4  are illustrations of an example embodiment extendable implement  100 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , example embodiment extendable implement  100  includes a handle  120  and a functional end  110  than can be extended relative to handle  120 . Functional end  110  is shown as a spatula in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , but functional end  110  may be embodied in several different or combined ways, including a blade, brush, whisk, lighter, mixer, spoon, scissors, tongs, thermometer, grill scraper, wire cleaner brush, etc., depending on a desired function. 
     Functional end  110  is extendible from handle  120  in a length direction, shown along axis “x” in  FIG. 3 . For example, functional end  110  may be extended and collapsed at least a length of handle  120 , which may be six inches or longer. Functional end  110  can be locked at one or more positions of extension based on user needs for reach or compactness. Handle  120  may take on a variety of ergonomic shapes, sizes, lengths, materials, etc. and may be useable with additional features. For example, handle  120  may include a lower grip surface  129  that allows individual fingers to better fit and be positioned at desired concave points on handle  120 , or a hanging loop  180  may be located at one end length of handle  129  for hanging example embodiment extendable implement  100  from a grill hook, as could a bottle-opener or blade, depending on desired function. 
     Extension and/or retraction of functional end  110  may be accomplished in several ways. As shown in  FIG. 3 , example embodiment extendable implement can include a shaft  160  that collapses or fits into handle  120  in a length direction along the “x” axis, while remaining stationary in a depth and width dimension, shown by “y” and “z” axes in  FIG. 3 . Shaft  160  may include a track  161  that extends a desired length in shaft  160  and mates with a latch  125  in handle  120 . Track  161  can include a variety of set positions  162  that lock with latch  125  to prevent any further extension or retraction from the set positions without actuation of latch  125 . Of course, other extension and/or releases, aside from shaft  160  passing into handle  120  via mating of track  161  with latch  125 , are useable in example embodiments, including ratchets and stops, frictional stops, spring-based extension and compression, electronic or motorized extenders, etc. Similarly, although latch  125  is shown as a single button with an internal bushing interacting with track  161  and/or set positions  162 , it is understood that other releases, including switches, screws, electronic actuators, magnets, etc. can be used to releasably secure functional end  110  at desired extension points and/or wholly prevent or allow any extension and/or retraction. 
     As shown in  FIG. 4 , example embodiment extendable implement  100  is designed to accommodate a natural human user grip on handle  120 . A typical user hand  1  can fit about handle  120  naturally owing to handle  120 &#39;s larger depth in the “y” direction and relatively narrower width in the “z” direction, permitting hand  1  to naturally grip with fingers about a matching lower surface  129 , without fully extending around handle  120  to form a closed grip or reach latch  125 . Further, thumb  5  can naturally rest on and/or bias a top surface of handle  120  in the z-x plane. In this configuration, a user can naturally grip handle  120  with functional end  110  facing the user in the z-x plane, typically perpendicular to a line of sight with the user to permit hand-eye coordination. 
     If handle  120  extends a greater distance in a depth “y” direction, shaft  160  may correspondingly be relatively deeper in the “y” direction and still be accommodated within handle  120 , if used in this manner for extension and compression, such as in example embodiment extendable implement  100 . When functional end  100  is significantly elongated, common lifting/pressing force in the “y” direction on functional end  110  and/or torque in the “z” direction (rotation in the y-x plane) may place large amounts of material normal and shear stress on shaft  160 . A deeper shaft  160  in the “y” direction may reduce the risk of strain or deformation by increasing the relevant moment of inertia and reinforcing shaft  160  against forces in the “y” direction on handle  120 . Because actions in the “y” and “x” directions may be relatively common for a user gripping handle  120  as shown in  FIG. 4 , such as through lifting, flipping, cutting, compressing, scraping, basting, probing, etc., decreased deformation of shaft  160  in the “y” depth may permit fine actions at handle  120  to be more faithfully reproduced in functional end  110  without bending or deformation. Moreover, a thinner width in the “z” direction may permit less material and weight to be used in construction of example embodiment extendable implement  100  and may permit latch  125  and any locking mechanism associated therewith to pass through or otherwise lock with track  161  and/or set positions  162  with more accuracy and a smaller degree of movement in the width direction “z”. 
     Latch  125  is positioned away from hand  1  and thumb  5  in a natural grip to user example embodiment implement  100 , such as near an end and on a side of handle  120  in the y-x plane as shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 . In this way, during a forceful grip on handle  120 , such as during movement, manipulation, or other interaction with food and/or a heating surface with functional end  110 , thumb  5  and hand  1  are free to apply large amounts of pressure in any direction on handle  120  without contacting and/or actuating latch  125 . Rather, a user can make only a voluntary movement (shown in phantom limes in  FIG. 4 ) of thumb  5  from a top of handle  120  to a side with latch  125  in order to permit functional end to be extended and/or contracted in the length direction only at desired times, shown in phantom in  FIG. 4 . The side for latch  125  may be chosen based on right- or left-handedness, with the example of  FIGS. 3-5  showing a right-handed embodiment. 
     If latch  125  is actuated in the width direction “z,” such as by the button example of  FIGS. 3 and 4 , this may further avoid accidental slipping and/or actuation of latch  125  with thumb  5  that naturally rests on a top surface in the z-x plane of handle  120 . As such, in the example positioning of  FIGS. 3 and 4 , a user may be able to maintain his or her hand  1  gripped about handle  120  and actuate latch  125  solely through voluntary movement of thumb  5 . An extendable functional end  110  and shaft  160  may remain static with handle  120  at a desired degree of extension during a normal grip and use of example embodiment extendable implement  100 . 
     Of course, latch  125  may be positioned in several other positions away from hand  1  and thumb  5  during use and grip of handle  120 . For example, latch  125  may be on an opposite side of handle  120  in the y-x plane, entirely below a user&#39;s hand  1  on handle  120 , at a lengthwise end of handle  120  opposite functional end  110 , and/or as multiple opposite latches  125  may accommodate right- and left-handed users, for example. 
       FIG. 5  is a blown-up illustration of example embodiment extendable implement  100  showing various internal components of the same. As seen in  FIG. 5 , handle  120  ( FIGS. 3 ,  4 ) may be assembled from multiple removable pieces, such as opposite casings  120   a  and  120   b . Casings  120   a  and  120   b  may mate and be removably affixed by matching receptors  121   a  and  121   b  in the casings at matching locations between the casings  120   a  and  120   b  for appropriate assembly. Receptors  121   a  and  121   b  may use screws, latches, magnets, etc. in order to removably mate opposite casings  120   a  and  120   b . By disassembling casings  120   a  and  120   b  by disengaging receptors  121   a  and  121   b , users may remove and/or swap in different functional ends  110  based on desired functionality. Of course, it is equally possible in other example embodiments that handle be a unitary piece that cannot be disassembled without destruction, and functional end  110  can be removed and swapped through actuation of latch  125  and/or through use of another functional end release. 
     As shown in  FIG. 5 , casings  120   a  and  120   b  may define a slot  126  into which shaft  160  can fit and extend in a lengthwise direction to provide extension and retraction of functional end  110 . Casings  120   a  and  120   b  may also include a release for extendibility or retraction, such as latch  125  that interacts with shaft  160  to hold shaft  160  and functional end  110  at desired positions. For example, latch  125  may include a spring-biased compressible button  122  and bushing  123  that mates with track  161  and set positions  162  to provide desired extension, retraction, and locking. A larger portion of bushing  123  may fit in set positions  162 , but not track  161 , so as to lock with set positions  162  and hold shaft  160  at a particular degree of extension when uncompressed. When button  122  is depressed intentionally, a smaller portion of bushing  123  may fit in both set positions  162  and track  161 , allowing for shaft to move a full range of track  161  length to desired set positions and/or degrees of extension. Button  122  may extend through a hole  124  in casing  120   b  to provide access to a user when casings  120   a  and  120   b  are assembled. While latch  125  provides the positioning, extendibility, and locking features of example embodiment implement  100  compatible with the ergonomic dimensions of the same and at a position likely to avoid unintentional extension or retraction of functional end  110 , it is understood that other releases, such as ratchets, switches, transducers, etc. may be used in other example embodiments to achieve selective extension of an implement that accommodates a user&#39;s grip. 
     Shaft  160  may be captured within slot  126  and by latch  125  so as to provide a limited amount of extension in length. Latch  125  and shaft  160  may be sized to provide free movement of shaft  160  within a whole range of extension; that is, slot  126  may be somewhat larger than shaft  160  and bushing  123  somewhat smaller than track  161  and set positions  162  when actuated such that shaft  160  will move lengthwise in slot  126  under minimal force. Such force may be provided by gravity alone, and a user may extend or retract functional end  110  by actuating latch  125  and facing functional end  110  downward or upward. Swinging example embodiment implement  100  with latch  125  actuated may provide a similarly sufficient amount of force for extension. This may provide extension and retraction functionality in example embodiment extendable implement  100  without the need for user direct contact with functional end  110 , which may be hot or soiled. Because slot  126  and/or latch  125  may otherwise capture shaft  160 , functional end may be freely moveable only in an extension/retraction direction and only to a limited degree, avoiding unwanted disassembly or complex movement of functional end  110 . 
     An example embodiment thus being described, it will be appreciated by one skilled in the art that example embodiments may be varied and substituted through routine experimentation while still falling within the scope of the following claims. For example, although an example embodiment is described with a spatula extending from a prismatic handle with some well-defined flat surfaces, it is understood that example embodiment implements may include a wide variety of kitchen, grill, cooking, and maintenance tools and devices having handles with much more curvature and poorly-defined surfaces. Further, it is understood that example embodiments can be used in connection with any type of application where an extendable functional end is useful to provide desired distance between a user and a subject. Such variations are not to be regarded as departure from the scope of the following claims.