Handle with retractable plunger

A mechanism for retracting a plunger along a central axis during rotation of a handle about the central axis, the mechanism comprising:

• (a) the handle having at least first and second substantially perpendicular end sections, the first end section being mounted to pivot about the central axis and the second end section having a substantially cylindrical handle sidewall defining a barrel that is coaxial with the central axis, the handle sidewall having first and second opposed, elongated, substantially parallel slots formed therein that are substantially parallel to the central axis;
• (b) a plunger longitudinally slidably mounted in the barrel, wherein the plunger is coaxial with the central axis;
• (c) a spring that biases the plunger away from the first end of the handle;
• (d) first and second opposing roller bars extending from rigid attachment to the plunger through the opposed elongated slots;
• and
• (e) a collar body in which the handle sidewall is rotatably mounted, the collar body having a collar sidewall with opposed first and second surfaces defining opposed first and second openings, respectively, each of the first and second openings receiving a respective one of the roller bars resting upon a respective one of the first and second surfaces, wherein upon rotation of the first end section of the handle about the central axis, the roller bars follow the first and second surfaces and drive the plunger longitudinally along the central axis against the bias of the spring, thereby retracting the plunger into the collar body.

A method of retracting a plunger along a central axis, the method comprising:

• (a) mounting a handle in a collar body,
• (i) the handle having at least first and second substantially perpendicular end sections, the second end section having a substantially cylindrical handle sidewall defining a barrel that is coaxial with the central axis, the handle sidewall having first and second opposed, elongated, substantially parallel slots formed therein that are substantially parallel to the central axis;
• (ii) a plunger longitudinally slidably mounted in the barrel, wherein the plunger is coaxial with the central axis;
• (iii) a spring mounted in the barrel that biases the plunger away from the first end of the handle;
• (iv) first and second opposing roller bars extending from rigid attachment to the plunger through the opposed elongated slots;
• and
• (v) the collar body having a collar sidewall with opposed first and second surfaces defining opposed first and second openings, respectively, each of the first and second openings receiving a respective one of the roller bars resting upon a respective one of the first and second surfaces;
• and
• (b) pivoting the first end section of the handle about the central axis, thereby causing sidewall edges defined by the elongated slots to drive the roller bars in pivoting movement about the central axis and along the first and second surfaces, thereby driving the plunger longitudinally along the central axis against the bias of the spring and retracting the plunger into the collar body.