Patent ID: 8061751

Claim:
An internal drive assembly for an extendable tool having an actuatable tool head assembly with at least one moving element, said extendable tool having a handle shaft assembly with an inner shaft, an outer shaft, and a positioning assembly, said inner shaft being slidably disposed within said outer shaft and axially movable between a plurality of positions whereby said extendable tool may be configured to have different lengths, said positioning assembly structured to maintain said inner shaft and said outer shaft in a temporarily fixed relationship, said internal drive assembly for an extendable tool comprising: an actuator structured to be coupled to said shaft assembly, said actuator structured to move between a first position and a second position; a hollow, first drive shaft having a first alignment structure, said first drive shaft coupled to said actuator and structured to rotate in response to said actuator moving between said first and second positions; a second drive shaft having a second alignment structure, said second drive shaft sized to be slidably disposed within said hollow first drive shaft; wherein, when said second drive shaft is at least partially disposed in said hollow first drive shaft, said first alignment structure and said second alignment structure interface so that the orientation of said hollow first drive shaft and said second drive shaft remains substantially fixed; said second drive shaft being coupled to, and structured to actuate, said actuatable tool head assembly; said hollow first drive shaft has a non-circular body, said hollow first drive shaft non-circular body defining said first alignment structure; said second drive shaft has a non-circular body sized to have a slidable interference fit with said hollow first drive shaft non-circular body, said second drive shaft non-circular body defming said second alignment structure; and wherein said second drive shaft may slide axially within said hollow first drive shaft, but wherein rotation of said first drive shaft causes rotation in said second drive shaft.