US20220307250A1

US20220307250A1 - Plungers, toilet brushes, and caddy assembiles

Info

Publication number: US20220307250A1
Application number: US17/701,917
Authority: US
Inventors: James Buckley; Brandon Temple; Stephen Huda; William Harrington
Original assignee: Unger Marketing International LLC
Current assignee: Unger Marketing International LLC
Priority date: 2021-03-26
Filing date: 2022-03-23
Publication date: 2022-09-29

Abstract

Plungers and cleaning implement assemblies are described. The plungers include a handle having a tapering portion and a grip and a plunger member attached to the handle opposite the grip. The plunger member has a handle engagement portion configured to securely engage with the handle, at least one compression rib, a contact rib having an increased wall thickness section, wherein the increased wall thickness section of the contact rib is greater than a wall thickness of the at least one compression rib, and a plunger rim defining an opening to an internal cavity defined by the plunger member. The plunger member has a non-circular geometric shape in profile taken in a plane normal to an axis through the handle.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 63/166,523, filed Mar. 26, 2021, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

The subject matter disclosed herein generally relates to plungers, toilet brushes, and caddy assemblies for storing plungers and toilet brushes.
The use of toilet bowl plungers for removing obstructions from toilet bowl drainpipes is well known. A toilet bowl plunger is typically used when a toilet bowl drainpipe (e.g., trap) becomes obstructed with waste matter or is otherwise clogged. The obstruction prevents water and other matter from flowing from the toilet bowl.
A typical toilet bowl plunger comprises an elongated handle and an inverted cup-shaped plunger portion connected to an end of the handle. The plunger portion is formed of rubber or some equivalent resilient material. When the trap becomes obstructed, the open end of the plunger portion is placed over the opening at the bottom of the toilet bowl and the walls of the plunger portion are rapidly collapsed in response to a downward push on the handle, thereby forcing air and/or water (under pressure) into the trap. The plunger portion is then rapidly returned to an initial shape by a user pulling upwardly on the handle, thereby applying suction to the trap. The resulting agitation tends to dislodge and free the obstruction from the trap.
A drawback to the use of conventional toilet bowl plungers is that during the process of dislodging the obstruction from the toilet trap, the plunger portion of the plunger comes into contact with unsanitary waste material. Such plunging action (compression and suction) can cause splashing of the water within the toilet bowl, which may be undesirable for the user. This splashing issue may be further exacerbated by the rapid and uncontrolled collapsing of the walls of the plunger portion. These issues may be exacerbated by high-efficiency toilets that may have non-circular trap designs that improve waste removal flow with less water usage. Further, after use, the plunger must be cleaned to ensure proper sanitary conditions. Accordingly, improved plungers and systems may be advantageous.

SUMMARY

According to some embodiments, plungers are provided. The plungers have a handle having a tapering portion and a grip and a plunger member attached to the handle opposite the grip. The plunger member includes a handle engagement portion configured to securely engage with the handle, at least one compression rib, a contact rib having an increased wall thickness section, wherein the increased wall thickness section of the contact rib is greater than a wall thickness of the at least one compression rib, and a plunger rim defining an opening to an internal cavity defined by the plunger member. The plunger member has a non-circular geometric shape in profile taken in a plane normal to an axis through the handle.
In addition to one or more of the features described herein, or as an alternative, further embodiments of the plungers may include that the increased wall thickness section has a wall thickness that is between 5% and 50% greater than the wall thickness of the at least one compression rib.
In addition to one or more of the features described herein, or as an alternative, further embodiments of the plungers may include that the at least on compression rib is three compression ribs.
In addition to one or more of the features described herein, or as an alternative, further embodiments of the plungers may include that the three compression ribs are different sizes such that when the plunger member is compressed the compression ribs nest within each other.
In addition to one or more of the features described herein, or as an alternative, further embodiments of the plungers may include that the handle engagement portion has a greater material thickness than the rest of the plunger member.
In addition to one or more of the features described herein, or as an alternative, further embodiments of the plungers may include that the non-circular geometric shape is substantially D-shaped.
In addition to one or more of the features described herein, or as an alternative, further embodiments of the plungers may include that the handle comprises a plunger engagement portion configured to securely engage with the plunger engagement portion of the plunger member.
In addition to one or more of the features described herein, or as an alternative, further embodiments of the plungers may include that the plunger engagement portion comprises a locking pin and the handle engagement portion comprises a locking channel configured to receive the locking pin and secure the engagement between the plunger engagement portion and the handle engagement portion to prevent relative rotation between the plunger engagement portion and the handle engagement portion.
In addition to one or more of the features described herein, or as an alternative, further embodiments of the plungers may include that the grip of the handle is bulbous.
In addition to one or more of the features described herein, or as an alternative, further embodiments of the plungers may include that the non-circular geometric shape is a trapezoid shape
In addition to one or more of the features described herein, or as an alternative, further embodiments of the plungers may include that the non-circular geometric shape is one of an egg, oval, or ovoid shape
In addition to one or more of the features described herein, or as an alternative, further embodiments of the plungers may include that the non-circular geometric shape is a rectangular or rounded rectangular shape.
In addition to one or more of the features described herein, or as an alternative, further embodiments of the plungers may include that the non-circular geometric shape is a triangular or rounded triangular shape.
In addition to one or more of the features described herein, or as an alternative, further embodiments of the plungers may include that the non-circular geometric shape is a diamond or rounded diamond shape.
In addition to one or more of the features described herein, or as an alternative, further embodiments of the plungers may include that the non-circular geometric shape is a pillow, peanut, or two-lobed shape.
In addition to one or more of the features described herein, or as an alternative, further embodiments of the plungers may include that the non-circular geometric shape is an oval, racetrack, obround, or discorectangular shape.
In addition to one or more of the features described herein, or as an alternative, further embodiments of the plungers may include that the non-circular geometric shape is a shape that is non-circular and asymmetrical about at least one axis.
In addition to one or more of the features described herein, or as an alternative, further embodiments of the plungers may include that the non-circular geometric shape incorporates a multi-curvature geometry.
According to some embodiments, cleaning implement assemblies are provided. The cleaning implement assemblies include a caddy configured to receive a plunger and a plunger. The plunger includes a handle having a tapering portion and a grip and a plunger member attached to the handle opposite the grip. The plunger member includes a handle engagement portion configured to securely engage with the handle, at least one compression rib, a contact rib having an increased wall thickness section, wherein the increased wall thickness section of the contact rib is greater than a wall thickness of the at least one compression rib, and a plunger rim defining an opening to an internal cavity defined by the plunger member. The plunger member has a non-circular geometric shape in profile taken in a plane normal to an axis through the handle.
In addition to one or more of the features described herein, or as an alternative, further embodiments of the cleaning implement assemblies may include that the caddy comprises a body, a base, and a holder, wherein the holder is configured to receive the tapered portion of the handle.
In addition to one or more of the features described herein, or as an alternative, further embodiments of the cleaning implement assemblies may include that the plunger is retained by the holder such that the plunger rim does not contact the base of the caddy.
In addition to one or more of the features described herein, or as an alternative, further embodiments of the cleaning implement assemblies may include an assembly base, wherein the caddy is configured to be removably supported on the assembly base.
In addition to one or more of the features described herein, or as an alternative, further embodiments of the cleaning implement assemblies may include that the assembly base is configured to receive more than one caddy. The cleaning implement assemblies further include a second caddy and a cleaning implement removably housed within the second caddy.
In addition to one or more of the features described herein, or as an alternative, further embodiments of the cleaning implement assemblies may include that the cleaning implement is a toilet cleaning brush.
In addition to one or more of the features described herein, or as an alternative, further embodiments of the cleaning implement assemblies may include that each of the caddy and the second caddy are removably coupled to the assembly base and adjustable in orientation with respect to each other when installed to the assembly base.
The foregoing features and elements may be combined in various combinations without exclusivity, unless expressly indicated otherwise. These features and elements as well as the operation thereof will become more apparent in light of the following description and the accompanying drawings. It should be understood, however, that the following description and drawings are intended to be illustrative and explanatory in nature and non-limiting.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The subject matter is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed at the conclusion of the specification. The foregoing and other features, and advantages of the present disclosure are apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1A is a schematic illustration of a plunger in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 1B is an alternative view of the plunger of FIG. 1A;

FIG. 1C is a top-down plan view of the plunger of FIG. 1A;

FIG. 1D is a bottom-up plan view of the plunger of FIG. 1A;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional illustration of a plunger in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 3 is a set of geometric profiles of plungers in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 4 is a schematic illustration of a portion of a plunger in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 5A is a schematic front elevation illustration of a plunger assembly in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 5B is a side elevation view of the plunger assembly of FIG. 5A;

FIG. 5C is a cross-sectional illustration of the plunger assembly of FIG. 5A;

FIG. 5D is an enlarged cross-sectional illustration of a portion of the plunger assembly of FIG. 5A;

FIG. 6A is a schematic illustration of a cleaning implement assembly in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure showing a first orientation;

FIG. 6B is a schematic illustration of the cleaning implement assembly of FIG. 6A illustration a second orientation;

FIG. 6C is a schematic illustration of the cleaning implement assembly of FIG. 6A illustration a third orientation;

FIG. 6D is a schematic illustration of the cleaning implement assembly of FIG. 6A illustration a fourth orientation; and

FIG. 7 is a schematic illustration of a cleaning implement assembly in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to FIGS. 1A-1D, schematic illustrations of a plunger 100 in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure are shown. FIGS. 1A-1B illustrate different perspective views of the plunger 100, FIG. 1C is a top-down plan view of the plunger 100, and FIG. 1D is a bottom-up plan view of the plunger 100. The plunger 100 includes a plunger member 102 and a handle 104. The plunger member 102 is configured for improved engagement with a toilet bowl and to reduce potential backsplash during use of the plunger 100. The handle 104 is ergonomically configured to improve an application of force to the handle 104 and plunger member 102 during use.
As shown in FIGS. 1A-1D, the plunger member 102 includes a handle engagement portion 106, a plurality of compression ribs 108 a-108 c, a contact rib 110, and a plunger rim 112 that defines an aperture or opening. The geometric shape of the plunger member 102 is substantially non-circular, and in this configuration is D-shaped. The unique geometries of the plunger member of the present disclosure can enable improved engagement with the bowl of the toilet, such as higher efficiency toilets that have noncircular entrances to the toilet trap for example. Further, the ribbed structure of the plunger member enables a reduced force required to actively use the plunger to unclog a toilet or other drain. Further, in some embodiments, the ribbed structure allows for the controlled compression of the plunger member 102 as opposed to the rapidly collapsing walls of prior art plungers. As used herein, the shape of the plunger member is described with respect to a plan view or in a plane that is normal to a direction of an axis along the handle 104 of the plunger 100. That is, in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, the shape that contacts a bowl of a toilet is non-circular. Further, other non-circular geometries may be employed without departing from the scope of the present disclosure, including, but not limited to, asymmetrical shapes, multi-curved shapes, non-circular shapes, and the like. The shape may be selected to improve a contact engagement between the contact rib 110 and a surface of a bowl of a toilet. In accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, each of the compression ribs 108 a-108 c may have the same geometry shape as the contact rib 110, and thus the overall appearance of the plunger member 102 may have the non-circular shape, which, in addition to providing a pleasing visual ornamental appearance, it also aids in the compression/release action by enabling the nesting of the different ribs into each other during the compression/release action.
The handle engagement portion 106 is configured to securely and fixedly engage with the handle 104. Generally, the material thickness of the plunger member 102 may be substantially uniform. However, in some embodiments, the handle engagement portion 106 may include increased material wall thickness in order to support the engagement with the handle 104. Further, in some embodiments, at least a portion of the contact rib 110 may include an increased material thickness as compared to the compression ribs 108 a-108 c. The increased material thickness of the contact rib 110 may be provided to ensure an improved engagement and sealing contact with a bowl of a toilet to ensure a seal about the drain of the toilet, thus improving the plunging action while reducing the risk of splashing of water in the toilet.
The compression ribs 108 a-108 c are configured to stack over and into each other during compression and plunging of the plunger member 102. That is, in a direction from the handle engagement portion 106 toward the contact rib 110, the compression ribs 108 a-108 c may progressively increase in size. As such, during a compression and plunging action of the plunger member 102, a first compression rib 108 a will compress and form, fit, or nest into the next largest compression rib (a second compression rib 108 b in this embodiment). The second compression rib 108 b will compress into and fit or nest into a third compression rib 108 c. Although shown in this embodiment with three compression ribs 108 a-108 c, those of skill in the art will appreciate that any number of compression ribs may be employed without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. For example, in some embodiments, a single compression rib may be arranged between the handle engagement portion 106 and the contact rib 110. In other embodiments, two, three, four, or more compression ribs may be used. As described herein, the ribs of the plunger members may nest or fit within each other. To achieve such a nesting, each successive rib may have a smaller diameter or smaller shape/dimension than the next/adjacent rib. As such, when one rib section is pushed downward into the adjacent rib, the edges of the ribs are not aligned, but rather the smaller rib structure fits within the next larger structure. Stated another way, nesting ribs of the present disclosure means that the outer periphery of one rib is smaller and inwardly disposed relative to the outer periphery of the next adjacent.
The compression ribs 108 a-108 c provide for a collapsible configuration that can lessen the amount of force used by a user when using the plunger to clear a clogged toilet. That is, the compression ribs 108 a-108 c of the present disclosure are an accordion structure. This geometry and tapered set of compression ribs allows a user to easily displace air from an interior of the plunger member 102 into the drain of a toilet without the need to apply excessive force and/or cause the plunger member from snapping or reacting quickly, which can cause splash or disrupt a sealed contact between the plunger member 102 and a toilet bowl.
The handle 104 includes a bulbous grip 114, a first shaft portion 116, and a second shaft portion 118. The bulbous grip 114 is a shaped head or handle portion that enables a user to more firmly grip and apply downward pressure upon the handle 104 to cause the plunging action with the plunger member 102. In an embodiment, the bulbous grip 114 includes a curved top portion having a first curvature, a pair of opposing sidewalls having a second curvature, and a pair of ends having a third curvature. In addition to providing a pleasing visually ornamental appearance, the bulbous grip allows the operator to distribute the force applied over a wider surface than prior art plunger handles to further facilitate controlling the compression/release action of the plunger portion. The first shaft portion 116 extends between the bulbous grip 114 and the second shaft portion 118 and is tapered. The size, shape, and length of the first shaft portion 116 may be selected for engagement with a caddy (described herein) to enable storage and drying of the plunger 100 after use. The second shaft portion 118 extends between the first shaft portion 116 and the handle engagement portion 106 of the plunger member 102. The second shaft portion 118 may also be tapered along a length thereof. The second shaft portion 118 includes a plunger engagement portion 120 that is configured to securely engage with the handle engagement portion 106 of the plunger member 102. The engagement between the handle engagement portion 106 and the plunger engagement portion 120 may be by a threaded connection, press-fit, snap engagement, pin-and-slot engagement, adhesive, fastener engagement, or other means or mechanism for joining the handle 104 to the plunger member 102. The handle 104 may be non-circular in cross-section, both along the first shaft portion 116 and the second shaft portion 118. This non-circular cross-section may assist in storage of the plunger 100 into a caddy, as described below.
Turning now to FIG. 2, a schematic cross-sectional view of a plunger 200 in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. The plunger 200 may be similar to that shown and described above with respect to FIGS. 1A-1D, and may be a non-circular shape. Specifically, the plunger 200 includes a plunger member 202 and a handle 204, and the plunger member 202 may have a non-circular shape.
As shown in FIG. 2, the plunger member 202 includes a handle engagement portion 206, a plurality of compression ribs 208 a-208 c, a contact rib 210, and a plunger rim 212. The handle 204 includes a plunger engagement portion 214 that is configured to securely engage with the handle engagement portion 206 and connect the plunger member 202 to the handle 204. The engagement, as shown in this embodiment, is a threaded connection. The plunger member 202 defines an interior cavity 216. The interior cavity 216 is configured to contain air such that when the plunger 200 is compressed by a user, air can be forced into pipes of a toilet and when the plunger 200 is released, the interior cavity 216 (in combination with a sealed contact between the contact rib 210 and the toilet bowl) causes a vacuum or suction to pull upon material lodged in the drain of the toilet.
As shown, the progressive sizes of the compression ribs 208 a-208 c enables compression and nesting or stacking of the compression ribs into/onto each other during a compression action. Further, as shown, the contact rib 210 includes an increased wall thickness section 218 relative to the wall thickness of the compression ribs 208 a-208 c. The increased wall thickness section 218 of the contact rib 210 is arranged facing downward and defines the portion of the plunger member 202 that contacts and sealingly engages with a surface of a toilet bowl. The increased wall thickness section 218 provides for increased structural rigidity to the material of the plunger member 202 such that a proper seal is formed and maintained during a plunging action. In other words, the increased wall thickness reduces the risk of the increased wall thickness section 218 deforming during use and disrupting the seal with the surface of the toilet. The increased thickness of the increased wall thickness section 218 may be between 5% and 50% thicker than the material that forms and defines the compression ribs 208 a-208 c.
Also shown in FIG. 2 is the increased thickness of the handle engagement portion 206. This increased material thickness is configured to provide mechanical or structural support at the location where the handle 204 engages with the plunger member 202. The increased thickness of the handle engagement portion 206 also provides stiffness to the plunger 200 such that a downward force applied to the handle 204 will be transferred into the plunger member 202 in a substantially downward direction and may prevent or minimize risk of application of force at an angle, which may reduce the effectiveness of or prevent a seal from forming between the contact rib 210 and a surface of a toilet bowl.
As noted above, the non-circular shape of the plungers of the present disclosure is not limited to a single geometric shape. For example, referring to FIG. 3, schematic illustrations of different geometric shapes for plungers in accordance with the present disclosure are shown. The shapes are non-circular. For example, a first plunger shape 300 is a trapezoid shape, a second plunger shape 302 is an egg, oval, or ovoid shape, a third plunger shape 304 is rectangular or rounded rectangular, a fourth plunger shape 306 is triangular or rounded triangular, a fifth plunger shape 308 is a diamond or rounded diamond shape, a sixth plunger shape 310 is a pillow, peanut, or two-lobed shape, and a seventh plunger shape 312 is an oval, racetrack, obround, or discorectangular shape (i.e., rectangular with semi-circular ends). FIG. 3 presents some examples that may be incorporated into embodiments of the present disclosure and the present disclosure is not to be limited to just the shapes shown and described herein. In each case, the geometric shape is non-circular, asymmetrical about at least one axis, and/or incorporates a multi-curvature geometry.
In accordance with some embodiments, the engagement between the plunger member and the handle may include features to enable alignment and desired orientation of the components to ensure a desired and secure engagement and connection of the two parts. Because the handle and/or plunger member may be non-circular, an alignment of the handle relative to the plunger member may be desired to allow the plunger member to be positioned in a desired orientation within a caddy or holder as is discussed in more detail herein.
For example, referring to FIG. 4, a schematic illustration of a plunger 400 in accordance with the present disclosure is shown. FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of the connection between a plunger member 402 and a handle 404 of the plunger 400. The plunger member 402 includes a handle engagement portion 406 and the handle 404 includes a plunger engagement portion 408. The handle engagement portion 406 includes a locking channel 410 that is configured to receive a locking pin 412 of the plunger engagement portion 408. The locking channel 410 includes a first stop 414 and a second stop 416 that define the bounds of the locking channel 410. During installation of the handle 404 to the plunger member 402, the plunger engagement portion 408 may be threaded into engagement with the handle engagement portion 406. When the material of the two components are in contact, the locking pin 412 may slide along a surface of the handle engagement portion 406 and then snap into engagement within the locking channel 410. Once engagement, the locking pin 412 will not be able to rotate either clockwise or counterclockwise due to the stops 414, 416. For manufacturing purposes, the locking pin 412 of each handle 404 may be formed in the same location. Similarly, the locking channel 410 of the handle engagement portion 406 of the plunger member 402 may be formed in the same location. As such, when the two components are threadedly connected, the orientation of the handle 404 relative to the plunger member 402 will always be the same. In an embodiment, the wider side of the handle 104 is aligned with a flat side of the plunger portion 102 when the locking pin 412 is disposed in the locking channel 410.
The plungers described herein include a non-round or non-circular plunger member, which in addition to providing a pleasing visual ornamental appearance, also provides for an improved sealing engagement with a toilet bowl surface. Further, the non-circular shapes can provide for improved and efficient downward (compression) action for unclogging toilets and pushing water down into the pipes. The non-circular shapes may also provide for a gradual, but strong and effective, thrust via a stepped bellows/pleats design, as shown and described herein. This stepped bellows/pleats design may reduce a “snapping” action inherent in conventional bell or globe shaped plungers. Further, the stepped bellows/pleats design (e.g., accordion style) plunger member helps with force application, preventing rapid collapsing of the plunger walls and snap-back of the plunger member to reduce the risk of splash back of water from the toilet. The bulbous grip on the handle, which in addition to providing a pleasing visual ornamental appearance, provides for an increase in surface area that a user can grip and engage with a palm to apply force during plunging. In accordance with some embodiments, the plunger member may be formed from non-rigid materials. For example, some prior plungers were formed using plastic materials. However, in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, the plunger member may be made from non-plastic materials, such as rubbers, elastomers, thermoplastics, and the like. In accordance with some embodiments, the material may be selected to further assist in the plunging action, including the use of a pliable material that can work with the accordion shape of the plunger member for smooth compression and release actions of the plunger during use. In accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure, the accordion configuration, the selection of the materials, and the non-circular shape can all present a desired force application in both the compression stage and the release stage of a plunging action. In some embodiments, the same force applied to compress is achieved in the release. This is in contrast to conventional bell-plungers, which may generate an excessive release force (rapid collapse and snap back) which can cause splash or lack of manual control of the plunger.
Turning now to FIGS. 5A-5D, schematic illustrations of a plunger assembly 500 in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure are shown. The plunger assembly 500 includes a plunger 502 and a caddy 504. FIG. 5A is a front elevation schematic of the plunger assembly 500, FIG. 5B is a side elevation schematic of the plunger assembly 500, FIG. 5C is a cross-sectional illustration of the plunger assembly 500, and FIG. 5D is an enlarged illustration of a portion of the plunger assembly 500. The plunger 502 of the plunger assembly 500 may be similar to the plungers shown and described above, including an accordion plunger member 506 having a non-circular geometric shape that is attached to a handle 508.
The plunger 502 includes a handle having one or more tapered portions 510 a, 510 b and a bulbous grip 512. At least one of the tapered portion 510 a, 510 b may be configured to be received or engage with a holder 514 of the caddy 504. The holder 514 includes two arms 516 a, 516 b that define a tapered, conical, or funnel-like channel or cavity for receiving and engaging with a portion of the handle. For example, as shown, the tapered portion 510 a of the handle of the plunger 502 can be fittingly received and supported by the holder 514 of the caddy 504. The holder 514 also includes an optional tab 518 which, in addition to providing a pleasing visual ornamental appearance, may be used for ease of picking up the caddy 504 with or without the plunger 502 installed therein.
The caddy 504 includes a body 520 with the holder 514 at a top side thereof. The body 520 of the caddy 504 defines an interior cavity for receiving the plunger member 506 of the plunger 502. At the bottom of the body 520 is a base 522. The base 522 is shaped to allow for a gap 524 to be present between a bottom of the plunger member 506 and the material of the base 522. As such, air may be able to flow between the interior cavity of the caddy 504 (e.g., ambient air) and an interior of the plunger member 506. This fluid connection through the gap 524 can aid in drying the plunger member 506 after use, preventing stagnant water/air from being trapped within the plunger member 506.
As shown in FIG. 5D, the gap 524 is present along a plunger rim 526 at the open end of the plunger member 506. The base 522 includes a depressed plate 528 that accommodates and forms the gap 524 when the plunger 502 is installed to and stored in the caddy 504. As shown, the base 522 can includes a snap connection 530 to secure the depressed plate 528 to the base 522. The gap 524 is formed, in part, due to the location at which the holder 514 engages with the tapered portion 510 a of the handle. That is, the shape of the holder 514 is set to receive the shape of the tapered portion 510 a of handle and prevent the bottom of the plunger member 506 from contacting the depressed plate 528 of the base 522.
In some configurations, the plunger assembly shown and described with respect to FIGS. 5A-5D may be combined with a toilet brush for a cleaning implement assembly. For example, referring to FIGS. 6A-6D, schematic illustrations of a cleaning implement assembly 600 in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure are shown. The cleaning implement assembly 600, which in addition to providing a pleasing visual ornamental appearance, provides for an adjustable or module caddy system that enables user-defined orientation of the components thereof. The cleaning implement assembly 600 includes a first caddy 602 with a plunger 604 installed therein, a second caddy 606 with a brush 608 installed therein, and an assembly base 610.
In an embodiment, the assembly base 610 includes a first portion 612 sized and shaped to receive the first caddy 602 and a second portion 614 that is sized and shaped to receive the second caddy 606. The first portion 612 and the second portion 614 are connected by an intermediate portion 616. In the illustrated embodiment, the portions 612, 614 are shaped to match or visually complement the curved side walls of the caddies 602, 606. However, is should be appreciated that the interface between the caddies 602, 606 and the portions 612, 614 may have other shapes, such as but not limited to circular, semi-circular, or square for example.
The first and second caddies 602, 606 are configured to be removed from the portions 312, 314 of the assembly base 610, allowing for rotation of the orientation of the first and second caddies 602, 606 relative to each other. FIGS. 6A-6D illustrate some (but not all) different orientations of the first and second caddies 602, 606 within the assembly base 610. The caddies 602, 606 may be completely removed using a tab on the top thereof, which provides for easy access can carrying by a user. As such, the caddies 602, 606 and the respective cleaning implements 604, 608 may be removed, used for cleaning purposes, and then returned to the assembly base 610 for storage/stowage.
In an embodiment, the portions 612, 614 each have a recess sized and shaped to receive the bottom portion of the caddies 602, 606, respectively. In an embodiment, this allows the caddies 602, 606 to separately be removably coupled to the assembly base 610 in a stable manner.
Turning now to FIG. 7, a schematic illustration of a cleaning implement assembly 700 in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure are shown. The cleaning implement assembly 700, which in addition to providing a pleasing visual ornamental appearance, provides for an adjustable or module caddy system that enables user-defined orientation of the components thereof. The cleaning implement assembly 700 includes a first caddy 702 with a plunger 704 installed therein, a second caddy 706 with a brush 708 installed therein, and an assembly base 710.
The assembly base 710 includes a first portion 712 sized and shaped to receive the first caddy 702 and a second portion 714 that is sized and shaped to receive the second caddy 706. The first portion 712 and the second portion 714 are connected by an intermediate portion 716. In the illustrated embodiment, the portions 712, 714 are shaped to match or visually complement the curved side walls/base of the caddies 702, 706. However, is should be appreciated that the interface between the caddies 702, 706 and the portions 712, 714 may have other shapes, such as but not limited to circular, semi-circular, or square for example.
FIG. 7 illustrates the first and second caddies 702, 706 as removed from the assembly base 710. Each caddy 702, 706 is configured to be removably placed and supported by a respective portion 712, 714 of the assembly base 710. When placing each of the caddies 702, 706 in the respective portions 712, 714 of the assembly base 710, each caddy 702, 706 may be independently oriented or placed. As such, the different orientations shown in FIGS. 6A-6D or other configurations/orientations may be possible without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.
Further, as shown, each portion 712, 714 of the assembly base 710 includes a respective rim 712 a, 714 a. The rims 712 a, 714 a are sized and shaped to receive a portion of the respective base or bottom 702 a, 706 a of the caddies 702, 706. In some non-limiting embodiments, the interface between the rims 712 a, 714 a of the assembly base 710 may be a shape fit that provides no physical engagement, but may provide for placement, orientation, and support to prevent the caddies 702, 706 from tipping over or moving relative to the assembly base 710. In other embodiments, a snap-fit or releasable fixed connection may be employed, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Further, in some embodiments, the first portion 712 and the second portion 714 may be removably connected to the intermediate portion 716, such as by snap-fit, press-fit, fastener, or the like. In other embodiments, the three components of the assembly base 710 may be uniformly or integrally formed as a single structure/body, such as by molding or machining. Still, in other embodiments, the portions 712, 714, 716 may be formed or made separated and then assembled using fasteners, glue, adhesives, bonding, welding, or the like, as will be appreciated by those of skill in the art.
Advantageously, embodiments described herein provide improved plungers and cleaning implement assemblies. The plungers described herein improve plunging action through improved force application by including a bulbous grip on the handle and a non-circular plunger member. The non-circular plunger member provides for improved sealing between the plunger member and a surface of a toilet bowl. The improved seal can enable improved compression/release action to unclog a clogged drain. Further, the non-circular shape can eliminate, reduce, or minimize splash back of water during a plunging action.
The non-circular plunger members can also include an increased wall thickness or material thickness at the location where the plunger member contacts the toilet bowl. This increased material or wall thickness ensures a desired seal and provides for structural and/or mechanical strength at the contact surface between the plunger and the toilet bowl. The increased thickness may be present only on a contact rib of the plunger member, and other compression ribs may be provided to form an accordion-style plunger, which enables controlled force application both on the downward compression action and the upward release action during a plunging action.
Further, advantageously, caddies are provided herein for the non-circular plungers. The caddies can provide storage or stowage for the plunger in a housing that can suspend the plunger with an air gap between the plunger and a base of the caddy. This gap may improve drying of the plunger after use. Further, the caddy may be an adjustable structure that can be oriented in a desired way by a user. Double caddies can accommodate both a plunger and a toilet cleaning brush or other cleaning implement. The double caddy may be customizable at least with respect to the orientation of each caddy of the double caddy system. A single assembly base may be provided to receive each of a first caddy (for a plunger) and a second caddy (for a brush), and permit adjustment of the two caddies relative to each other. Furthermore, the assembly base can enable removal of one or both caddies during use, and serve as a single location to store the caddies and cleaning implements when not in use.
It should be appreciated that the particular shapes, relative sizes and configurations of the components illustrated in the drawings may be chosen for a desired ornamental appearance and the functions described herein may be performed by components having a different size, shape, and/or configuration in accordance with, and without deviating from, the teachings provided herein. For example, the bodies of the caddies may have square or circular shapes rather than a wall that curves in two directions, or the assembly base may have a different shape (e.g., circular) than the caddy bodies.
The use of the terms “a”, “an”, “the”, and similar references in the context of description (especially in the context of the following claims) are to be construed to cover both the singular and the plural, unless otherwise indicated herein or specifically contradicted by context. The modifiers “about” and “substantially” used in connection with a quantity is inclusive of the stated value and has the meaning dictated by the context (e.g., it includes the degree of error associated with measurement of the particular quantity). All ranges disclosed herein are inclusive of the endpoints, and the endpoints are independently combinable with each other. As used herein, the terms “about” and “substantially” are intended to include the degree of error associated with measurement of the particular quantity based upon the equipment available at the time of filing the application. For example, the terms may include a range of ±8%, or 5%, or 2% of a given value or other percentage change as will be appreciated by those of skill in the art for the particular measurement and/or dimensions referred to herein. Further, the terms “about” and “substantially,” when applied to non-quantity properties (e.g., shapes, relative alignment, levelness, etc.) are used to represent that variations on the described characteristic or property within a level of understanding of those of skill in the art. For example, the term “circular” may not only encompass a perfect circle, but also shapes that are considered “circular” by those of skill in the art (e.g., with a margin of error from a perfect circle).
While the present disclosure has been described in detail in connection with only a limited number of embodiments, it should be readily understood that the present disclosure is not limited to such disclosed embodiments. Rather, the present disclosure can be modified to incorporate any number of variations, alterations, substitutions, combinations, sub-combinations, or equivalent arrangements not heretofore described, but which are commensurate with the scope of the present disclosure. Additionally, while various embodiments of the present disclosure have been described, it is to be understood that aspects of the present disclosure may include only some of the described embodiments.
Accordingly, the present disclosure is not to be seen as limited by the foregoing description but is only limited by the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A plunger comprising:

a handle having a tapering portion and a grip; and

a plunger member attached to the handle opposite the grip, the plunger member comprising:

a handle engagement portion configured to securely engage with the handle;

at least one compression rib;

a contact rib having an increased wall thickness section, wherein the increased wall thickness section of the contact rib is greater than a wall thickness of the at least one compression rib; and

a plunger rim defining an opening to an internal cavity defined by the plunger member,

wherein the plunger member has a non-circular geometric shape in profile taken in a plane normal to an axis through the handle.

2. The plunger of claim 1, wherein the increased wall thickness section has a wall thickness that is between 5% and 50% greater than the wall thickness of the at least one compression rib.

3. The plunger of claim 1, wherein the at least on compression rib is three compression ribs.

4. The plunger of claim 3, wherein the three compression ribs are different sizes such that when the plunger member is compressed the compression ribs nest within each other.

5. The plunger of claim 1, wherein the handle engagement portion has a greater material thickness than the rest of the plunger member.

6. The plunger of claim 1, wherein the non-circular geometric shape is substantially D-shaped.

7. The plunger of claim 1, wherein the handle comprises a plunger engagement portion configured to securely engage with the plunger engagement portion of the plunger member.

8. The plunger of claim 7, wherein the plunger engagement portion comprises a locking pin and the handle engagement portion comprises a locking channel configured to receive the locking pin and secure the engagement between the plunger engagement portion and the handle engagement portion to prevent relative rotation between the plunger engagement portion and the handle engagement portion.

9. The plunger of claim 1, wherein the grip of the handle is bulbous.

10. The plunger of claim 1, wherein the non-circular geometric shape is a trapezoid shape.

11. The plunger of claim 1, wherein the non-circular geometric shape is one of an egg, oval, or ovoid shape.

12. The plunger of claim 1, wherein the non-circular geometric shape is a rectangular or rounded rectangular shape.

13. The plunger of claim 1, wherein the non-circular geometric shape is a triangular or rounded triangular shape.

14. The plunger of claim 1, wherein the non-circular geometric shape is a diamond or rounded diamond shape.

15. The plunger of claim 1, wherein the non-circular geometric shape is a pillow, peanut, or two-lobed shape.

16. The plunger of claim 1, wherein the non-circular geometric shape is an oval, racetrack, obround, or discorectangular shape.

17. The plunger of claim 1, wherein the non-circular geometric shape is a shape that is non-circular and asymmetrical about at least one axis.

18. The plunger of claim 1, wherein the non-circular geometric shape incorporates a multi-curvature geometry.

19. A cleaning implement assembly comprising:

a caddy configured to receive a plunger; and

a plunger comprising:

a handle having a tapering portion and a grip; and

a handle engagement portion configured to securely engage with the handle;

at least one compression rib;

20. The cleaning implement assembly of claim 19, wherein the caddy comprises a body, a base, and a holder, wherein the holder is configured to receive the tapered portion of the handle.

21. The cleaning implement assembly of claim 20, wherein the plunger is retained by the holder such that the plunger rim does not contact the base of the caddy.

22. The cleaning implement assembly of claim 19, further comprising an assembly base, wherein the caddy is configured to be removably supported on the assembly base.

23. The cleaning implement assembly of claim 22, wherein the assembly base is configured to receive more than one caddy, the cleaning implement assembly further comprising:

a second caddy; and

a cleaning implement removably housed within the second caddy.

24. The cleaning implement assembly of claim 23, wherein the cleaning implement is a toilet cleaning brush.

25. The cleaning implement assembly of claim 23, wherein each of the caddy and the second caddy are removably coupled to the assembly base and adjustable in orientation with respect to each other when installed to the assembly base.

26. The cleaning implement assembly of claim 19, wherein the non-circular geometric shape is substantially D-shaped.