Patent Document

CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a Continuation-in-part of U.S. Design application No. 29/564,510 of the same title and having a filing date of May 13, 2016, which is a Continuation of U.S. Design application No. 29/497,648 of the same title, having a filing date of Jul. 26, 2014, now U.S. Design Pat. No. D759,978 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to cleaning implements and handles therefor. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Handles for cleaning implements, particularly scrub brushes are long known in the art. Typically, such handles may be short or long, have certain hand grip portions and come in a variety of sizes and shapes and materials. Despite a myriad of handle types, cleaning corners, whether the sharp corners of a wall or the rounded corners of a bathtub, presents problems for general purpose cleaning tools employing a substantially straight handle. To clean thoroughly, multiple attack directions including forcefully twisting the scrub brush must be employed which often require the operator to manipulate the cleaning implement while in awkward positions. Some solutions for operator fatigue have been out forth. U.S. Pat. No. 5,606,772 by Ilic discloses a universal handle grip for tools that includes a primary hand grip with multiple angles. While no doubt useful for many cleaning operations, the Ilic handle does not facilitate twisting the scrub brush. 
     What is needed is a handle assembly for a scrub brush that will facilitate common scrubbing operations such as back and forth straight-line scrubbing, and also permit the user to continuously twist the handle and an attached scrub brush against a targeted spot for cleaning, or, intermittently twist the handle and scrub brush along with other scrubbing lines of attack. 
     It would be desirable if the foregoing handle assembly were to permit a user to maintain a natural grip without straining the wrist or forearm. 
     It would be especially desirable if the foregoing handle assembly were resilient, portions of which bowing in response to force applied, and snapping back into position when force is relieved in order to permit a user applying his/her body weight to bear into the tool as a means to apply consistent scrubbing action when force is both applied and relieved. 
     It would be further desirable if the resilient handle were provided with a integrated curving portion defining a spring that would flex, compress and snap back into position when force is applied along a length of the handle, to mitigate user fatigue. 
     It would be particularly desirable if portions of the foregoing handle assembly were capable of accepting different scrubbing heads and telescoping. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In the present invention, a handle assembly for a scrub brush includes a specially shaped resilient handle with a bend therein which permits a user to forcefully twist the scrubbing end of a cleaning implement continuously for a stand-alone cleaning motion, or in combination with other scrubbing lines of attack, as a means to remove difficult stains from irregularly shaped surfaces. 
     In some embodiments the scrub brush handle is an otherwise straight section of resilient cylindrical material such as steel tubing or fiberglass having a substantially c-shaped bend along its length. Depth of the bend may vary. 
     In some embodiments a c-shaped bend in a scrub brush handle has a upper bend portion and a lower bend portion wherein the lower portion projects transversely from the remainder of the handle. 
     In some embodiments a projecting member forms an auxiliary hand grip that extends transversely from the scrub brush handle, while in other embodiments, an auxiliary hand grip is reversibly attachable to the scrub brush handle. Reversible attachment of the auxiliary hand grip may be by clamping, e.g., a clam shell fitting about the handle, or the handle may be held on with a threaded fastener. Other attachment means for an auxiliary hand grip will suggest themselves to those having skill in the art. 
     In some embodiments the scrub brush handle terminates at an upper end ( FIG. 6 ). In some embodiments, an upper portion of the scrub brush handle is shaped and sized to be easily spun when loosely grasped by a hand. While in the embodiments depicted herein, the upper hand grip is substantially spherical, other hand grips having an smooth or curving upper surface adapted for a user to bear against with the palm of a hand are suitable for use in the present invention. In some embodiments the upper hand grip is fixed, while in some embodiments, the upper hand grip is adapted to rotate independently of the handle. In such cases, the upper hand grip may include a recess that receives a cylindrical end or stub of the scrub brush handle adapted to rotate within the recess or else employ other couplings including bearings, bushings or other elements permitting rotation about a fixed axis that will suggest themselves to those having skill in the art. In some embodiments, the upper hand grip is reversibly attachable ( FIG. 6 ). 
     The handle of the present invention is resilient, meaning that it has some spring and when deformed within limits, will return to its customary shape. The c-shaped bend will compress slightly when weight is applied to the upper end of the scrub brush handle, and will spring back when the applied weight is gradually relieved. This causes the scrubbing end to slip slightly while under force thus applying relatively greater force to a spot; e.g., a stain, than one would obtain with a static handle. Another aspect of the spring action of the c-shaped bend is that when weight bearing force is lessened at the top end of the handle, the tendency of the c-shaped bend is to snap quickly back into position, effectively pushing back toward the user. This feature helps to mitigate fatigue when a user is required to repeatedly “lean” on one end of the handle in order to scrub difficult areas, by springing back into position when sufficient force is relieved, giving the user a “boost.” 
     In some embodiments portions of the handle nearest the scrubbing end telescope. In some embodiments portions of the handle are reversibly attachable so that different scrubbing heads are easily interchanged. 
     Other advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following descriptions, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein by way of illustration and example, preferred embodiments of the present invention are disclosed. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  shows a side plan view of one embodiment according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  shows an end view of the embodiment shown in ( FIG. 1 ); 
         FIG. 3  is a side view thereof with the handle rotated on its axis 90 degrees clockwise from the position shown in ( FIG. 1 ); 
         FIG. 4  a side plan view of another embodiment according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is a side view thereof with the handle rotated on its axis 90 degrees clockwise from the position shown in ( FIG. 4 ); 
         FIG. 6  a side plan view of another embodiment according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 7  is a side view thereof with the handle rotated on its axis 90 degrees clockwise from the position shown in ( FIG. 6 ); 
         FIGS. 8A and 8   b  show a stepwise attachment process for lower handle body  112  and brush section member  126  wherein aperture (a) is slid over spring button  128 ; 
         FIGS. 9A and 9   b  show a telescoping embodiment wherein brush section member  126  telescopically extends from lower handle body  112 ; 
         FIG. 10  is a sectional view taken along lines  6 ′- 6 ′ of ( FIG. 1 ); 
         FIG. 11  shows an embodiment according to the present invention in a typical use setting. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Reference Listing 
     
         
           110  upper handle body 
           112  lower handle body 
           114  bend 
           116  upper bend 
           118  lower bend 
           120  outermost section of bend 
           122  upper hand grip 
           124  scrub brush 
           125  brush plate 
           126  brush section member 
           128  spring button 
           129   a  collar 
           129   b  collet 
           130  auxiliary hand grip 
           131  integrated hand grip 
           132  clamp 
       
    
     Definitions 
     Unless otherwise explained, any technical terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure belongs. The singular terms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural referents unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Similarly, the word “or” is intended to include “and” unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Although methods and materials similar or equivalent to those described herein can be used in the practice or testing of this disclosure, suitable methods and materials are described below. The term “comprises” means “includes.” All publications, patent applications, patents, and other references mentioned herein are incorporated by reference in their entirety for all purposes. In case of conflict, the present specification, including explanations of terms, will control. In addition, the materials, methods, and examples are illustrative only and not intended to be limiting. The following description and the drawings sufficiently illustrate specific embodiments to enable those skilled in the art to practice them. Other embodiments may incorporate structural, logical, electrical, process, and other changes. Examples merely typify possible variations. Individual components and functions are optional unless explicitly required, and the sequence of operations may vary. Portions and features of some embodiments may be included in, or substituted for, those of other embodiments. Embodiments set forth in the claims encompass all available equivalents of those claims. 
     Referring generally to  FIGS. 1-11 , a handle for a cleaning implement includes a resilient body having a bend  114  with an upper bend portion  116  and a lower bend portion  118  along its length wherein any portion of the bend may be grasped by a user, a scrubbing end—typically including a brush plate  125 , scrub brush head  124 , and a terminal upper end to which a upper hand grip  122  may be affixed. 
       FIGS. 1-3  show an embodiment having an upper handle portion  110 , a lower handle portion  112  and a scrub brush section  126 . In this case, the lower handle portion tapers (see  FIG. 8 a   ) and is sized to slip within section  126  wherein the two sections are coupled by spring button  128  aligned with aperture (a). This arrangement permits different brush sections to be interchanged easily and quickly as required by the particular cleaning task. It should be noted that the position of the taper along lower handle portion  112  can vary as can the number of apertures along brush section  126 . 
       FIGS. 4 and 5  show an embodiment having an auxiliary handle  130  fitted adjacent lower bend  118 . Although the embodiment shows auxiliary handle  130  generally co-planar with the bend, the handle may be positioned at any point around the scrub brush handle. Preferably auxiliary handle is secured by a clamp  132 . However, auxiliary handle  130  may include a threaded post (not shown) that threads into a threaded recess (not shown) of the handle, or other suitable means of attachment. 
       FIGS. 6 and 7  show an embodiment wherein integrated hand grip  131  projects from lower bend  118  in a substantially downward direction. Although the embodiment shows handle  131  co-planar with the bend, the handle may be formed at any point around the scrub brush handle below lower bend portion  118 . 
     In enlarged partial views of handle sections  112 ,  126 ,  FIGS. 9A and 9   b  show one possible configuration of a telescoping handle wherein lower handle body  112  possesses a greater diameter than scrub brush section  126  which telescopes therefrom and is positioned by extending or retracting when collar  129   a  is twisted to loosen collet  129   b . It should be understood that the telescoping configuration shown is merely exemplary, and other telescoping configurations will suggest themselves to those having skill in the art. 
       FIG. 10  is a sectional view taken along lines  6 ′- 6 ′ of ( FIG. 1 ), showing a section of handle  110  extending into grip  122 . 
       FIG. 11  shows one embodiment according to the present invention in a typical use setting. 
     Materials for the handle  110 , and the hand grips  122 ,  130  and  131  may vary. Lower handle portion  112  may extend all the way to the scrub brush  124  which may be permanently fixed thereon  112  or reversibly attachable thereto; e.g., via brush plate  125  which may be adapted by threading or otherwise to be attached and removed from handle section  112 . The overall length of handle  110  may vary. The position of bend  114  along handle  110  may vary. The shape, size, bristle arrangement and bristle stiffness of scrub brush  124  may vary. 
     It should be understood that the drawings and detailed description herein are to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive manner, and are not intended to be limiting to the particular forms and examples disclosed. Accordingly, it is intended that this disclosure encompass any further modifications, changes, rearrangements, substitutions, alternatives, design choices, and embodiments as would be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art having benefit of this disclosure, and falling within the spirit and scope of the following claims.

Technology Category: 1