Air blasting devices for plumbing purposes to clean, clear, unclog, or unstop drains or pipes

• US 20100313345A1
• Filed: 08/19/2010
• Published: 12/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pacific Jade, FLP
• Original Assignee: HLS Holdings International, LLC
• Inventors: Stein, Harvey Lewis
• Granted Patent: US 8,307,468 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 4/255.11
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/308 by means of a pumping device

Abstract

An improved plunger comprises a generally V-shaped handle attached to a top distal end of a shaft. The handle comprises two mirrored arms that face inwards from a base so that neither of them nor the shaft shares a vertical or a horizontal plane. The handle is removably detachable from the plunger so that it can be washed, disinfected, and sanitized. At least one extension shaft portion extends a height of the shaft when it is not collapsed into and housed in the hollow shaft.

Claims

1. An improved plunger, comprising:

a hollow shaft vertically extending upwards from a crest of an inverted rubber plunger cup; and

,

a generally V-shaped handle attached to a top distal end of said shaft.

2. The plunger of claim 1, wherein said handle comprises:

two mirrored arms that face inwards so that neither of said arms nor said shaft share a vertical or a horizontal plane;

hence, all of the arms and the shaft travel in separate planes; and

,

a base that is a leg vertically extending downwards a length where said arms meet.

3. The plunger of claim 2, wherein said handle is removably detachable from said plunger so that it can be washed, disinfected, and sanitized.

4. The plunger of claim 1, further comprising at least one extension shaft portion to extend a height of said shaft.

5. The plunger of claim 4, further comprising a threaded rod to connect said shaft to said plunger.

6. The plunger of claim 5, further comprising:

a cavity at a crest of said plunger cup that travels a vertical depth to accommodate a first length of said threaded rod, wherein said first length of said threaded rod comprises a circumference slightly smaller than that of said cavity; and

,

a second, remaining length of said threaded rod comprising a second circumference slightly smaller than that of a hollow depth protruding from at least at a distal end of said shaft, wherein said depth at said distal end of said shaft comprises corresponding threads along an inner shaft wall which mate with those on said second, remaining length;

wherein said cavity comprises corresponding threads across its inner wall that mate with those on said first length of the rod;

wherein said cavity receives said first length of said rod while said second, remaining length is received in said depth of said shaft.

7. The plunger of claim 4, wherein said shaft comprises a cross-section slightly greater than that of said extension shaft portion so that a latter can collapse into and be housed in a former.

8. The plunger of claim 4, wherein said extension shaft portion comprises a threaded distal length that mates with corresponding threads along an inner cavity wall formed at a base of said handle.

9. The plunger of claim 4, wherein a lower distal end of said extension shaft portion comprises a threaded length that mates with a corresponding threaded length comprised on an inner shaft wall proximate to a corresponding top distal end of said shaft.

10. The plunger of claim 1, wherein said plunger cup comprises:

a rim that flanges outwards before a first continuous sidewall extends nearly vertically upwards;

a continuous sidewall extending vertically from said rim and thereby forming a mouth of a cavity and tapering to a horizontal plane, said sidewall extending nearly vertically upwards to extend a height, and hence a volume, of said plunger cup; and

,

a series of ribs spaced radially about said sidewall and formed along a vertical centerline of the plunger cup as a thickened protrusion of the sidewall;

wherein said ribs provide a rebound resiliency to said sidewall to prevent collapse of said sidewall when the plunger cup is depressed, thereby allowing for the sidewall to rebound to its original shape.

11. The plunger of claim 1, wherein said plunger cup comprises a dislodging protrusion in a form of a dull spike that shares a longitudinal axis with said shaft, said dislodging protrusion protrudes downwards from an inside of a continuous sidewall of said plunger cup just beneath the crest;

wherein said dislodging protrusion protrudes past a cross-plane formed at said plunger cup'"'"'s rim when said plunger is compressed.

12. The plunger of claim 11, wherein said dislodging protrusion comprises stiff bristles that extend outwards from at least a portion of its surface.

13. The plunger of claim 11, wherein said rim forms an ‘

O’

-ring for sealing said to a target surface.

14. An improved plunger, comprising:

a shaft vertically extending upwards from a crest of an inverted rubber plunger cup, wherein said plunger cup comprises;

a rim that flanges outwards before a first continuous sidewall extends nearly vertically upwards;

a second continuous sidewall affixed to said first sidewall where said first continuous sidewall begins to taper to a horizontal plane, said second continuous sidewall next extends nearly vertically upwards to extend a height, and hence a volume, of said plunger cup; and

,

a third continuous sidewall affixed to said second continuous sidewall when said second continuous sidewall begins to taper another horizontal plane, said third continuous sidewall tapers inward toward and travels a short distance in a third horizontal plane before it tapers again upwards in a vertical plane where it terminates at a mouth of a cavity;

wherein each of said continuous sidewalls comprises a circumference smaller than a last such that said plunger cup is embodied as a plurality of concentric, stacked sidewalls.

15. The plunger of claim 14, further comprising:

a series of ribs spaced radially about said sidewall and formed along a vertical centerline of the plunger cup as a thickened protrusion of the sidewall;

wherein said ribs provide a rebound resiliency to said sidewall to prevent collapse of said sidewall when the plunger cup is depressed, thereby allowing for the sidewall to rebound to its original shape.

16. The plunger of claim 14, wherein said plunger cup comprises a dislodging protrusion in a form of a dull spike that shares a longitudinal axis with said shaft, said dislodging protrusion protrudes downwards from an inside of a continuous sidewall of said plunger cup just beneath the crest;

wherein said dislodging protrusion protrudes past a cross-plane formed at said plunger cup'"'"'s rim when said plunger is compressed.

17. The plunger of claim 14, wherein said shaft further comprises a generally V-shaped handle attached to a top distal end of said shaft.

18. The plunger of claim 16, wherein said handle comprises:

two mirrored arms that face inwards so that neither of said arms nor said shaft share a vertical or a horizontal plane;

hence, all of the arms and the shaft travel in separate planes; and

,

a base that is a leg vertically extending downwards a length where said arms meet.

19. The plunger of claim 14, further comprising, in combination, a supporting drip guard, wherein said drip guard received and support said plunger, wherein said drip guard comprises:

a stabilizing base opposite of and forming a liquid retention cavity;

a plurality of pedestal extensions extending upward from the liquid retention cavity.

20. The plunger of claim 19, wherein said pedestal extensions coordinate to receive and support said plunger cup, while at the same time guiding and urging the shedding of any fluid from the inner or outer surface of the cup downward to the common liquid retention cavity.