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(11) | EP 1 676 498 A1 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
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| (54) | Multifunctional tool |
| (57) A two-part multifunctional tool comprising a female member 1 which is adapted, in
use, to demountably engage a complementary male member 11 in which the male member
11 includes a pair of key portions 12, 13 and the female member 1 includes a pair
of locking portions 6,7 adapted, in use, to receive said key portions 12, 13 in locking
engagement, together with means 4, 5 to independently maintain said locking portions
6, 7 in said locking engagement and means 9, 10 to independently release said locking
portions 6, 7 from said locking engagement. The means 4,5 to maintain the locking
engagement may comprise springs, the means 9,10 to release the locking engagement
may comprise push-buttons. The tool may be a tool for decorating. To be accompanied, when published, by Figure 1 of the drawings. |
[0001] This invention relates to a multifunctional tool, and in particular, though not exclusively, to a tool for use in decorating.
[0002] Decorating, especially painting; can be slow and tedious, especially when using more than one colour in an area. When using more than one colour in an area the paint-brush must be cleaned during painting to remove the previous colour paint before a different colour can be applied using the same brush.
[0004] It is a further object of the present invention to provide a cheap, disposable, decorating tool.
[0005] Accordingly, the present invention provides a two part multi-functional tool comprising a female member which is adapted, in use, to demountably engage a complementary male member, in which the male member includes a pair of key portions and the female member includes a pair of locking portions adapted, in use, to receive said key portions in locking engagement, together with means to independently maintain said locking portions in said locking engagement and means to independently release said locking portions from said locking engagement.
[0006] Preferably, the key portions on the male member are asymmetrically disposed on either side of a main axis of the member. Suitably, the key portions are mirror-images of each other, so that the male member can be used in the manner of a "double-entry" key.
[0007] The locking portions on the female member are suitably of complementary configuration relative to the key portions on the male member. Preferably, the locking portions are disposed symmetrically on either side of a main axis of the female member.
[0008] Preferably, the means to maintain said locking portions in engagement with the key portions comprises at least one spring, especially a spring in compression. The spring may be, for example, a helical spring. Alternatively, the spring may be a leaf spring.
[0009] The locking portions may be substantially circular, trapezoidal, quadrilateral (e.g. rectangular) or triangular in section.
[0011] The body of the female member may comprise one or more guides adapted, in use, to securely retain said locking portion in position.
[0012] The tool is preferably manufactured from a plastics material. The plastics material is preferably a mouldable plastics material. The plastics material may be reinforced with glass fibres or carbon fibres.
[0013] The tool, when made from a plastics material, may conveniently be manufactured by injection moulding.
[0014] Alternatively, the tool may be manufactured from a metal, for example, stainless steel or aluminium.
[0015] The tool, if manufactured from a metal, is conveniently manufactured by a die casting process.
[0018] The tool may be selected from the group consisting of a paintbrush, a roller, a putty knife, a scraper, an extension arm (optionally comprising one or more telescoping portions) and an articulated joint. It will be appreciated that the aforementioned list is not exhaustive and many other tool types could be accommodated by the invention.
[0019] The female member may comprise a further compression spring, located co-axially with a longitudinal axis of the male member, to facilitate the disengagement of the male member from the female member.
[0020] The female member may further comprise a resiliently mounted plunger. The plunger may be mounted on a spring. The spring may be located at least partially within a bore within the body of the female member. This may be advantageous as the spring may thereby be protected from environmental damage. Further, the bore may guide the compression and/or extension of the spring so as to prevent it from buckling.
[0021] The female member may comprise openings through which the locking portions may be operated. The openings may be covered with a seal. The seal may comprise a flexible membrane. The seal may comprise a plastic, rubber, neoprene, or the like. A seal may be convenient as it may protect the workings of the tool from the ingress of water, paint, and the like.
[0022] The invention will now be described, merely by way of example, with reference to the accompanying Figures, of which:
Figure 1 shows a female member of a multi-functional tool in accordance with the present invention;
Figure 2 to 4 show the engagement and disengagement of male and female members of the multi-functional tool;
Figure 5 is an end elevation of the female member of Figure 1 along axis AA;
Figures 6 to 16 show different tool portions located on the male member 11 and interchangeable with the female member (not shown);
Figure 17 shows an embodiment of the engagement of male and female members of the multi-functional tool according to one embodiment; and
Figures 18a and 18b show a further embodiment of the invention incorporating a seal.
[0024] Referring to Figure 1, a female member 1 of a multifunctional tool is shown. The female member 1 comprises locking portions 6, 7 which, in use, receive the key portions (not shown) on the male member.
[0025] The locking portions 6, 7 are maintained in engagement with their complementary key portions by means of two compression springs 4, 5. The locking portions 6, 7 are released from engagement with the respective key portions by means of push-buttons 9, 10 located on the locking portions 6, 7.
[0026] A further compression spring 8 is provided to facilitate the removal of the male member from the female member 1.
[0027] Referring to Figure 2, the male member 11 is inserted into a cavity 3 in the female member 1. This is facilitated by a groove (not shown) on the male member 11 which locates and receives a tongue 14 of complementary configuration located on the female member 1 (see Figure 1).
[0028] Referring to Figure 3 when the male member 11 is fully inserted into the female member 1 the locking portions 6, 7 are in demountable engagement with the key portions 12, 13. The key portions 12, 13 are maintained in a locked state by means of two compression springs 4, 5 (only one of which 4 is shown).
[0029] Referring to Figure 4, in order to disengage the male 11 and female 1 members, both push-buttons 9, 10 must be depressed inwardly of the female member 1. The locking members 6, 7 are laterally displaced outwardly of the main axis AA of the female member 1. This disengages the complementary locking portions 6, 7 and the key portions 12, 13 and allows the compression spring 8 to eject the male member 11 from the body of the female member 1.
[0030] Figures 6 to 16 show tool portions which may be attached to the male member 11. They include a paintbrush (Figure 6), paint roller (Figure 7), craft knife (Figure 8) and a wallpaper remover (Figure 9). Figure 10 shows an extension arm which may have one or more telescopic portions. Figure 11 shows an articulated joint attachment. Figure 13 shows a fork. Figure 14 shows a trowel. Figure 15 shows an embodiment of the present invention as a paintbrush for hobby painting and the like. Figure 16a shows a male member 11, in section, having a recessed, peripheral, groove 30 to prevent paint from dripping on a user.Figure 16b shows a male member 11 having a frusto-pyramidal attachment 40 adapted, in use, to prevent spillage of paint on to a user.
[0031] Figure 17 shows an embodiment of the invention in which the female member 1 in which the locking portions 6, 7 are maintained in engagement with their complementary key portions by means of a leaf spring 33. A compression spring 8 is provided in a blind bore 34 in the female member which is arranged to act on a plunger 35 to facilitate the removal of the male member 11 from the female member 1. The embodiment functions as described in relation to Figures 1 to 5 above
[0032] Figures 18a and 18b show respectively a perspective view and a sectional view of an embodiment wherein the locking portions 6, 7 are arranged behind seals 37. The seals 37 comprise a membranes of a flexible plastics material with a double peripheral lip 38 arranged to engage the rim of openings 39 in the female member 1. The seals 37 are therefore stretched across the openings 39 in the female member 1 and act to prevent the ingress of water, paint and the like into the female member 1 where it may interfere with or damage the workings of the tool. However, the seals 37 are sufficiently flexible to allow the push-buttons 9, 10 to be depressed inwardly of the female member 1. The locking members 6, 7 are laterally displaced outwardly of the main axis of the female member 1 (perhaps acting to deform the seals 37), disengaging the complementary locking portions 6, 7 from the key portions 12, 13, allowing the compression spring 8 to eject the male member 11 from the body of the female member 1.
1. A two part multifunctional tool comprising a female member which is adapted, in use,
to demountably engage a complementary male member, in which the male member includes
a pair of key portions and the female member includes a pair of locking portions adapted,
in use, to receive said key portions in locking engagement, together with means to
independently maintain said locking portions in said locking engagement and means
to independently release said locking portions from said locking engagement.
2. A tool as claimed in Claim 1, in which the key portions on the male member are symmetrically
disposed on either side of a main axis of the member.
3. A tool as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the locking portions
are disposed symmetrically on either side of a main axis of the female member.
4. A tool as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the means to maintain
said locking portions and in engagement with the key portions comprises at least one
spring.
5. A tool as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the locking portions
are substantially circular, trapezoidal, quadrilateral, or triangular in section.
6. A tool as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the locking portions
are in pivotal engagement with the body of the female member.
7. A tool as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the body of the female
member comprises openings in which the locking portions are mounted.
8. A tool as claimed in claim 7 in which the openings are covered by a flexible seal.
9. A tool as claimed any one of the preceding claims, in which the body of the female
member comprises one or more guides adapted, in use, to securely retain said locking
portions in position.
10. A tool as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which said tool is manufactured
from a plastics material and/or a metal.
11. A tool as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the male member has
a portion adapted, in use, to function as a tool.
12. A tool as claimed in Claim 11, in which said tool is selected from the group comprising
a paintbrush, a roller, a putty knife, a scraper, an extension arm and an articulated
joint.
13. A tool as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the female member comprises
a further compression spring to facilitate the disengagement of the male from the
female member.
14. A tool as claimed in claim 16 in which the body of the female member comprises a bore
and the spring to facilitate disengagement of the male member is at least partially
housed within the bore.