Hand tool

• US 4,922,569 A
• Filed: 05/18/1989
• Issued: 05/08/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Totes Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Totes Incorporated
• Inventors: Brinker, Barry, Busse, John E.
• Primary Examiner(s): MOORE, CHRISTOPHER K
• Application Number:
  US07/353,810
• Time in Patent Office: 355 Days
• Field of Search: 15/105, 15/106, 15/114, 15/117, 15/236.02, 15/144 R, 15/145, 15/143 B, 15/144 B, 15/111
• US Class Current: 15/105
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 1/16 Devices for defrosting window-panes H05B3/84 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 3/045 Other hand-held cleaning arrangements, e.g. with sponges, brushes, scrapers or the like brushes per se A46B

Abstract

A manually usable hand tool having, in preferred form, a frame of substantially rectangular closed loop configuration. Squeegee and ice scraper blades are fixed to one frame end, and a brush is fixed to an adjacent frame side. A handle is pivotally connected to the frame, and is movable between a storage position generally co-extensive with the other frame side and an extended position directed away from the closed loop frame and generally co-axial with the frame'"'"'s longitudinal axis. The handle and the frame are grippable together by a user if desired upon use of the hand tool when the handle is in the storage position and, alternatively, the handle is grippable alone by a user if desired upon use of the hand tool when the handle is in the extended position.

Claims

1. A hand tool comprising

a frame of substantially closed loop configuration,

at least one of a squeegee blade and an ice scraper blade fixed to a first section of said closed loop frame, and

a handle movably connected to a second section of said closed loop frame, said handle being movable between a storage position generally co-extensive with said second section and an extended position directed away from said closed loop frame, if desired said handle and said closed loop frame being grippable together by a user'"'"'s hand upon use of said hand tool when said handle is in said storage position and, alternatively, if desired said handle being grippable alone by a user'"'"'s hand upon use of said hand tool when said handle is in said extended position.

2. A hand tool as set forth in claim 1, said tool comprising

a brush fixed to a third section of said closed loop frame.

3. A hand tool as set forth in claim 2, said frame being of a generally rectangular configuration, said first and third sections being oriented generally perpendicular one to the other.

4. A hand tool as set forth in claim 3, one end of said brush terminating adjacent one end of said blade.

5. A hand tool as set forth in claim 4, said handle being pivotally mounted adjacent a corner of said closed loop frame directly opposite that corner of said frame at which said brush and said blade end are adjacent one to the other.

6. A hand tool as set forth in claim 3, said frame'"'"'s second section being oriented generally parallel to said frame'"'"'s third section.

7. A hand tool as set forth in claim 6, said handle having one of a rib and a slot along its length, and said frame'"'"'s second section having the other of a rib and a slot along a corresponding length, said rib and said slot cooperating to locate said handle in said storage position.

8. A hand tool as set forth in claim 7, the center line of said handle being positioned about midway between the ends of said blade and generally perpendicular to said blade when said handle is in said extended position, but the center line of said handle being positioned about midway between the center of said blade and one end of said blade when said handle is in said storage position.

9. A hand tool as set forth in claim 8, said handle being generally linear in configuration, said handle being oriented generally normal to said blade when said handle is in both said storage and extended positions, and said handle'"'"'s longitudinal axis being spaced from said brush a distance equal to at least about half the length of said blade when said handle is in both of said storage and extended positions.

10. A hand tool as set forth in claim 9, said tool comprising

a latch system partially carried by said handle and partially carried by said frame, said latch system functioning to latch said handle in both said storage position and said extended position.

11. A hand tool as set forth in claim 10, said handle being pivotally connected to said closed loop frame, said latch system comprising

at least one notch defined in one of said handle and said frame, and at least one tit carried by the other of said handle and said frame.

12. A hand tool as set forth in claim 1, said tool comprising

a latch system partially carried by said handle and partially carried by said frame, said latch system functioning to latch that handle in both said storage position and said extended position.

13. A hand tool as set forth in claim 12, said handle being pivotally connected to said frame, said latch system comprising

at least one notch defined in one of said handle and said frame, and at least one tit carried by the other of said handle and said frame.

14. A hand tool as set forth in claim 12, said handle having one of a rib and a slot along its length, and said frame'"'"'s second section having the other of a rib and a slot along a corresponding length, said rib and said slot cooperating to locate said handle in said storage position.

15. A hand tool as set forth in claim 14, said handle being generally linear in configuration, and said handle being oriented generally normal to said blade when said handle is in both of said storage position and said extended position.

16. A hand tool as set forth in claim 15, the center line of said handle being positioned generally midway between the ends of said blade when said blade is in said extended position, but the center line of said handle being positioned about midway between the center of said blade and one end of said blade when said handle is in said storage position.