MXPA97008814A - Handle handle su - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a handle for a paint roller structure or other hand tool comprising an inner core made of a substantially rigid material, said core having an internally threaded opening at an outer end for the threaded clutch by means of a stick. extension, said opening being internally threaded by a flat end wall, and an outer handle made of a softer material similar to the rubber covering said inner core and including an outer end portion superimposed on said flat end wall to act as a safety washer , resisting the twisting of the extension stick of said threaded opening when the extension stick is screwed down tightly, and a projection on a base of the threads of the extension stick comes into contact with the outer end portion of said outer grip overlying said extreme wall pla

Description

SOFT HANDLE HANDLE FIELD OF THE INVENTION The invention relates in general to a handle for a paint roller or other hand tool having an outer handle made of a soft material similar to rubber. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION It is generally known to provide handles for different types of hand tools with an inner core of a substantially rigid plastic material to give the handle the strength and rigidity required to support the tool during use, and an outer handle of a softer thermoplastic material similar to rubber to give the grip a softer feel and a more comfortable grip. One common way of making such a handle is to overmold the outer handle on the inner core. However, frequently the outer handle is only molded around the inner core portions, leaving areas of the inner core exposed. This gives the unwanted appearance that the outer handle is a separate piece that slides over the inner core instead of being molded integrally with it. Actually, if the outer handle material is not chemically compatible with the inner core material, or if the outer handle is not molded around the inner core at a temperature high enough to cause a thermo-link to take place between the outer handle and the inner core, the outer handle may be susceptible to being pulled or detached from the inner core. It is also generally known to mold the outer handle completely around and toward an opening at the outer end of the inner core to avoid any tendency of the outer handle to become loose laterally with respect to the inner core. However, this has the disadvantage that it does not make it possible to provide a threaded opening at the outer end of the inner core for a threaded gear by means of an extension stick or the like. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a handle for a paint roller or other hand tool, which includes an inner core made of a substantially rigid plastic material and an outer handle made of a material similar to the softer thermoplastic rubber than completely and substantially covers the inner core. According to one aspect of the invention, the outer handle extends substantially over the entire length of the inner core and partially around both ends of the inner core, to securely retain the outer handle on the inner core. According to another aspect of the invention, the inner core includes a threaded opening at the outer end thereof surrounded by a flat end wall, on which extends an end portion of the outer handle, which acts as a safety washer, resisting the unscrewing of an extension stick from the threaded opening when the extension stick is screwed downwardly into the threaded opening, and a protrusion at the base of the threads of the extension stick comes into contact with the end portion of the outer handle surrounding the threaded opening. According to another aspect of the invention, the handle is shaped to provide generally rounded upper and lower surfaces that extend substantially over the total length of the handle, with circumferentially extending ridges, formed on the outer handle surrounding the rounded surfaces , including the concave rounded thumb supports, adjacent the inner end of the handle to provide increased frictional contact when held by the user's hand. According to another aspect of the present invention, the sides of the outer handle have substantially parallel, smooth, flat surfaces for engaging in the palm and fingers of the user's hand. According to another aspect of the invention, relatively small recesses or indentations may be formed in the form of a design or logo on the flat surfaces of the outer handle. According to another aspect of the invention, the recesses or indentations on the flat surfaces of the outer handle can be completely extended through the outer handle to expose the corresponding flat surfaces of the inner core downwards, which can be of a different color of the outer handle to provide a two-tone effect. These and other aspects, advantages and features of the present invention will be apparent as the following description proceeds. For the accomplishment of the above and related purposes, the invention then comprises the features described in full hereinafter and particularly pointed out in the claims, the following description and annexed drawings that establish in detail a certain illustrative embodiment of the invention, however, this being indicative of only one of the various ways in which the principles of the invention may be employed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a paint roller structure including a soft handle handle made in accordance with the present invention; Figure 2 is an enlarged side elevational view of the handle of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a longitudinal section through the handle of Figure 2, taken generally on the plane of line 3-3 thereof, showing the relatively small recesses or indentations in the form of a design or logo that it extends partially through the outer handle; Figure 4 is a fragmentary longitudinal section through the handle, similar to the figure 3, but showing the recesses or indentations comprising openings extending completely through the outer handle, exposing the outer surface of the inner core downward; Figure 5 is an enlarged top plane view of the handle of Figure 1; and Figure 6 is a longitudinal section through the handle of Figure 5, taken generally on the plane of line 5-5 thereof, and showing the tip of a threaded extension stick towards the outer end of the hilt. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED MODE Referring now in detail to the drawings, and initially to Figure 1, there is shown a preferred form of the handle 1 according to this invention, with its inner end 2 press fit on the outer end 3 of a heavy gauge wire or pin 4 of a paint roller structure 5 or other hand tool. At the outer end 6 of the grip 1 there is an internally threaded bore 7 to which the tip 8 of an extension stick 9 can be threadably connected to it (see Figure 6). As best seen in Figures 3 and 6, the handle 1 includes an inner core 10 molded of a suitably rigid plastic material. If the tool is a paint applicator, the inner core 10 is preferably made of polypropylene or other thermoplastic material that will not degrade when exposed to paint solvents and the like. During the molding process, the internal threads 7 can be molded as an integral part of the inner core 10. Alternatively, a separate insert containing an internally threaded bore can be quickly adjusted in the pre-molded inner core, similar to US Patent 5,288,161 assigned to the same assignee of the present application, of which, the entire disclosure is incorporated herein, for reference. The inner core 10 has a substantially smooth outer surface 11 and is preferably formed in a suitable ergonomic shape including rounded upper and lower sides 12 and 13, which substantially extend the full length of the handle including the rounded concave thumb supports 14 and 15 adjacent to the inner end of the handle, and to the substantially flat parallel surfaces 16 and 17 on opposite sides 18 and 19 of the handle, for easy clutch by the palm and fingers of the user's hand. To provide the handle 1 with a softer feel and a more comfortable hold by the user's hand, an outer handle 20 of a relatively soft thermoplastic elastomeric material made, for example, by Advanced Elastomers Corp., is overmolded around the inner core 10, under the trade name / trademark SANTOPRENE. The outer handle 20 extends substantially over the entire length of the inner core 10 and partially around both the end walls 21 and 22, exposing the perforation 23 in the inner end wall 21, in which the tang 4 of the tool structure 5 is adjusted under pressure, as in the threaded bore 7 in the flat inner end wall 22, in which the tip of the extension stick 8 is screwed in. This has the advantage that the outer handle 20 will be securely retained on the inner core 10 without the need for a chemical bond between them. A) Yes, the outer handle 20 can be overmoulded on the inner core 10 at lower temperatures and therefore at faster cycles than would otherwise be possible, if a chemical bond were formed between the outer handle and the inner core. Another benefit of molding the outer handle 20 around the flat outer end wall 22 of the inner core 10 surrounding the threaded opening 7 is that the end portion 24 of the outer handle 20 which overlies such a flat outer end wall will act as a safety washer, resisting the unscrewing of the extension stick 9 from the threaded opening when the extension stick is screwed downwardly, and a projection 25 at the base of the threads 26 of the extension stick comes into contact with the end portion 24 of the outer handle as shown schematically in Figure 6. The thickness of the outer handle 20 is substantially uniformly desirable over substantially the entire length and at the ends of the inner core 10. However, during the overmolding process, the flanges circumferentially extending, axially spaced thicknesses 30 are desirably formed on the outer handle 20 on the surfaces Rounded ies of the handle 1 including the rounded bottom and top sides 12 and 13 and the concave thumb supports 14 and 15 adjacent the inner end of the handle to provide increased frictional contact when held by the user's hand. Also, relatively small recesses or indentations 31, 32 may be formed in the form of a design or logo on the flat outer surfaces 16 'and 17' of the outer handle 20 during the overmolding process. In Figures 2 and 3 the recesses or indentations 31, 32 are shown extending only partially through the outer handle 20, whereas in Figure 4 the recesses or indentations 31 'and 32' are openings that extend completely through the handle outer 20 to expose portions of the outer surface 33 of the inner core 10 beneath it. Also, the inner core 10 can be made a different color than the outer handle 20 to provide a two tone effect wherein the outer surface 33 of the inner core 10 is exposed through the openings 31 *, 32 'in the handle outer 20 as illustrated schematically in Figure 4. Although the invention has been shown and described with respect to certain preferred embodiments, it is obvious that alterations and equivalent modifions will occur to other experts in the field after reading and understanding the specifion. . The present invention includes such alterations and equivalent modifions, and is limited only by the scope of the claims.

Claims (20)

1. NOVELTY OF THE INVENTION Having described the present invention, it is considered as a novelty and therefore the property described in the following claims is claimed as property.
2. A handle for a paint roller structure or other hand tool comprising an inner core made of a substantially rigid material, said core having an internally threaded opening at an outer end for the threaded clutch by means of an extension stick, said internally threaded opening surrounded by a flat end wall, and an outer handle made of a softer material similar to the rubber covering said inner core and including an outer end portion superimposed on said flat end wall to act as a safety washer, resisting the unscrewing the extension stick from said threaded opening when the extension stick is screwed downwardly tight, and a protrusion at a base of the threads of the extension stick comes into contact with the outer end portion of said outer handle overlying said end wall flat The handle according to claim 1, characterized in that said inner core has an inner end wall containing a bore, in which a tang portion of the hand tool is received, said outer handle including an inner end portion that overlaps the said inner extreme wall.
3. The handle according to claim 1, characterized in that it has generally rounded profiled lower and outer surfaces, the full length of said handle substantially extending, and forming on said outer handle, the circumferentially extending shoulders, axially spaced on said rounded surfaces. to provide frictional contact, increased when held by the user's hand.
4. The handle according to claim 3 further characterized in that it comprises rounded concave thumb supports, adjacent an inner end of said handle, also including said thumb supports, circumferentially extending, axially spaced beads formed on said handle Exterior.
5. The handle according to claim 1 characterized in that it also comprises smooth parallel surfaces, substantially flat on the sides of said handle between said upper and lower rounded surfaces for clutch by the palm and fingers of the user's hand.
6. 6. The handle according to claim 1 characterized in that said inner core has a substantially smooth outer surface, and said outer handle is formed with a plurality of circumferentially extending shoulders, spaced axially along the axial extension of said handle for provides increased frictional contact when held by the user's hand.
7. 7. The handle according to claim 1, characterized in that said inner core is made of a thermoplastic material, which is resistant to paint solvents.
8. 8. The handle according to claim 7, characterized in that said thermoplastic material is polypropylene.
9. 9. The handle according to claim 1, characterized in that said outer handle is made of a thermoplastic rubber.
10. The handle according to claim 5, characterized in that relatively small recesses or indentations in the form of a design or logo are partially extended through said outer handle on one or both of said flat surfaces of said handle.
11. The handle according to claim 5, characterized in that a relatively small opening in the form of a design or logo extends completely through said outer handle on one or both of said flat surfaces of said handle to expose an outer surface of said core. inside below this.
12. The handle according to claim 11 characterized in that said inner core is of a different color from said outer handle to provide a two tone effect, wherein said outer surface of said inner core is visible through said opening in said outer handle.
13. The handle according to claim 11, characterized in that the surface of said outer handle through which said opening extends and the superposed surface of said inner core exposed through said opening in said outer handle, are smooth parallel surfaces. , substantially flat.
14. 14. In combination, a hand tool having a handle connected to said hand tool at one end of said handle, an internally threaded opening at another end of said handle surrounded by a flat end wall, and an extension stick having a threaded tip for the threaded clutch in said threaded opening, said handle comprising an inner core made of a substantially rigid material, and an outer handle made of a softer rubber-like material surrounding said inner core and including an outer end portion superposed to said flat end wall to act as a lock washer, resisting the unscrewing of said extension stick from said threaded opening when said extension stick is screwed downwardly tightened and a protrusion at a base of the threads of the extension stick enters. contact with said outer end portion of said outer handle that is over puts said extreme flat wall.
15. The combination according to claim 14, characterized in that said outer handle also includes an inner end portion that is superimposed on one end of said inner core.
16. 16. The combination according to claim 15 characterized in that said inner core is made of a thermoplastic material, and said outer handle is made of a thermoplastic material similar to rubber.
17. 17. The combination according to claim 14, characterized in that said handle has generally rounded profiled bottom and exterior surfaces extending substantially over the entire length of said grip, and circumferentially extending, axially spaced ridges formed-li in said outer handle on said rounded surfaces to provide increased frictional contact when held by the user's hand. The combination according to claim 17, characterized in that said outer handle includes opposite sides of the face between said lower and upper rounded surfaces having parallel, smooth, substantially flat surfaces for the clutch with the palm and fingers of the user's hand. A handle for a paint roller or other hand tool comprising an inner core made of a substantially rigid material having an inner end adapted to be mounted on a hand tool, and an outer end adapted to be attached to an extension stick , and an outer handle made of a softer material similar to the rubber that surrounds said inner core and that extends partially around both ends of said inner core. The handle according to claim 19 characterized in that said outer end of said inner core has an internally threaded opening surrounded by a flat end wall, said outer handle including an outer end portion that overlaps said flat end wall to act as a washer of safety, resisting the unscrewing of an extension stick from said threaded opening when the extension stick is screwed downward, and a protrusion at a base of the threads of the extension stick comes into contact with said outer end portion of said handle exterior that overlaps said flat extreme wall.