Tool with extendible handle
AssigneeRTL Materials Ltd.
InventorRichard Wood
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The application describes a tool comprising a tool head and a handle. An end of the handle is connectable to the tool head. The handle comprises a bistable reelable composite member having a first stable form in the form of an elongate slit tube in which form the member is resiliently biased and acts as a handle when connected to the tool head. When separated from the tool head, the tube can be opened out at the slit at an end and progressively coiled around an axis transverse to its length to reversibly attain a second stable form in the form of a coil. Thus, the tool can assume a compact form for storage or transportation.
Claims18
A tool comprising:
- a tool head;
- and
- a handle, wherein an end of the handle is connectable to the tool head, wherein the handle comprises a bistable reelable composite member having a first stable form in the form of an elongate slit tube in which form the bistable reelable composite member is resiliently biased and acts as a handle when connected to the tool head, and wherein when separated from the tool head, the elongate slit tube can be opened out at a slit at an end and progressively coiled around an axis transverse to its length to reversibly attain a second stable form in the form of a coil.
A method of deploying a tool, comprising uncoiling a bistable reelable composite member from a stable coiled form to a stable elongate slit tube form in which form the bistable reelable composite member is resiliently biased, the method comprising:
- connecting a tool head to an end of the stable elongate slit tube;
- and
- using the tool with the stable elongate slit tube serving as a handle by which a use may manipulate the tool head.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.