US-12618427-B2 - Pole adapter and related hand tools using the adapter

Abstract

A pole adapter extends along a longitudinal axis, and includes a flange and a skirt extending axially away from the flange. The flange includes an inboard side including an adapter base surface, an outboard side having an outboard surface and a plurality of circumferentially spaced and axially inwardly extending pockets in the outboard surface and having obliquely oriented receiver facets, a radially inner portion extending axially between the outboard and inboard sides and having circumferentially spaced radially inwardly facing receiver flats, and a radially outer portion extending axially between the outboard and inboard sides. The skirt includes a radially outer portion extending away from the adapter base surface of the flange and having a radially outer surface, and a radially inner portion having a radially inner surface carrying one or more internal threads. A related system and tool handle are also disclosed.

Inventors

• Mitch Barbon

Assignees

• BEHR PROCESS CORPORATION

Dates

Publication Date

20260505

Application Date

20240530

Claims (20)

1. 1 . A pole adapter extending along a longitudinal axis, and comprising: a flange including an inboard side including an adapter base surface, an outboard side having an outboard surface and a plurality of circumferentially spaced and axially inwardly extending pockets in the outboard surface and having obliquely oriented receiver facets, a radially inner portion extending axially between the outboard and inboard sides and having circumferentially spaced radially inwardly facing receiver flats, and a radially outer portion extending axially between the outboard and inboard sides; and a skirt extending axially away from the flange and including a radially outer portion extending away from the adapter base surface of the flange and having a radially outer surface, and a radially inner portion having a radially inner surface carrying one or more internal threads.
2. 2 . The pole adapter of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of circumferentially spaced and axially inwardly extending pockets of the outboard side of the flange constitute a first locking interface receiver configured for locked coupling to a first locking interface of a first pole, the receiver flats of the radially inner portion of the flange constitutes a second locking interface receiver configured for locked coupling to a second locking interface of a second pole, and the one or more internal threads of the radially inner portion of the skirt are configured for threaded coupling to one or more external threads of a third pole.
3. 3 . The pole adapter of claim 2 , wherein the skirt further includes one or more transverse reliefs configured to accept a locking member of the first pole.
4. 4 . The pole adapter of claim 2 , wherein the flange further includes one or more transverse reliefs configured to accept a locking member of the second pole.
5. 5 . The pole adapter of claim 1 , wherein a diametric distance between opposed instances of the radially inwardly facing receiver flats is greater than an inside diameter of the radially inner portion of the skirt.
6. 6 . The pole adapter of claim 1 , wherein the skirt includes a plurality of transversely extending apertures at an intersection of the adapter base surface and the skirt.
7. 7 . The pole adapter of claim 1 , wherein the radially outer portion of the skirt also includes axially extending ribs projecting radially outwardly from the radially outer surface.
8. 8 . The pole adapter of claim 7 , wherein the axially extending ribs are tapered radially inwardly extending in a direction away from the adapter base surface.
9. 9 . The pole adapter of claim 7 , wherein the radially outer portion of the skirt also includes a circumferentially extending rib projecting radially outwardly from the radially outer surface.
10. 10 . The pole adapter of claim 9 , wherein the circumferentially extending rib is located proximate the adapter base surface.
11. 11 . The pole adapter of claim 1 , wherein the flange includes one or more transverse reliefs extending therethrough configured to be coupled to a locking member of a pole.
12. 12 . A hand tool, comprising: a handle including a sidewall circumscribing the longitudinal axis, a frame end, and a free end axially oppositely disposed from the frame end and having a handle base wall with an outboard base surface and an adapter pocket in the handle base wall; and the pole adapter of claim 1 carried in the adapter pocket of the handle, wherein the adapter base surface of the flange locates against the handle base wall of the sidewall of the handle.
13. 13 . The hand tool of claim 12 , wherein the sidewall of the handle includes at least one transverse relief therein configured to accept a locking member of a pole.
14. 14 . The hand tool of claim 13 , wherein the frame end of the handle includes oppositely disposed flanges, and the at least one transverse relief includes multiple reliefs circumferentially aligned with the oppositely disposed flanges.
15. 15 . A pole adapter system, comprising: a first pole including a first locking interface including a first locking interface plug; a second pole including a second locking interface different from the first locking interface of the first pole and including a second locking interface plug; a third pole including one or more external threads; and an adapter including a first locking interface receiver configured for locked coupling to the first locking interface of the first pole, a second locking interface receiver configured for locked coupling to the second locking interface of the second pole, and one or more internal threads for threaded coupling to the one or more external threads of the third pole.
16. 16 . The pole adapter system of claim 15 , wherein the first locking interface plug includes circumferentially spaced and axially outwardly projecting lugs having obliquely oriented flanks and the first locking interface receiver includes circumferentially spaced and axially inwardly extending pockets having obliquely oriented receiver flanks that engage the obliquely oriented flanks of the axially outwardly projecting lugs.
17. 17 . The pole adapter system of claim 15 , wherein the second locking interface plug includes circumferentially spaced radially outwardly facing plug flats and the second locking interface receiver includes circumferentially spaced radially inwardly facing receiver flats that engage the radially outwardly facing plug flats.
18. 18 . The pole adapter system of claim 15 , wherein the first locking interface has a radially outwardly projecting tooth and the adapter has a sidewall with a tooth passage to accept the radially outwardly projecting tooth therethrough.
19. 19 . The pole adapter system of claim 15 , wherein the second locking interface has a radially inwardly projecting tooth and the adapter has a sidewall with a tooth passage to accept the radially inwardly projecting tooth therethrough.
20. 20 . The pole adapter system of claim 15 , further comprising: a fluent material roller including a handle having a wire end and a pole coupling end having an opening therein, wherein the adapter is carried in the opening of the pole coupling end of the handle of the fluent material roller.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD This disclosure relates generally to couplings between poles and hand tools and, more particularly, to an adapter used to couple poles to hand tools. BACKGROUND Paint rollers generally include several components: a frame, a handle attached to one end of the frame, a roller carrier at the other end of the frame, and a roller cover or applicator mounted on the roller carrier. The handle typically features a coupling in the form of a threaded free end designed to accommodate a threaded extension pole. Certain paint roller manufacturers have introduced their own extension poles with distinctive handle connectors. These handle connectors necessitate paint roller handles having specially tailored free ends to accommodate the specific extension pole connectors manufactured by each manufacturer. Unfortunately, because the connectors are mutually exclusive, this scenario often obliges consumers to pair the extension pole and the paint roller from the same manufacturer. SUMMARY According to an embodiment, a pole adapter extends along a longitudinal axis, and includes a flange and a skirt extending axially away from the flange. The flange includes an inboard side including an adapter base surface, an outboard side having an outboard surface and a plurality of circumferentially spaced and axially inwardly extending pockets in the outboard surface and having obliquely oriented receiver facets, a radially inner portion extending axially between the outboard and inboard sides and having circumferentially spaced radially inwardly facing receiver flats, and a radially outer portion extending axially between the outboard and inboard sides. The skirt includes a radially outer portion extending away from the adapter base surface of the flange and having a radially outer surface, and a radially inner portion having a radially inner surface carrying one or more internal threads. According to another embodiment, a pole adapter system includes a first pole including a first locking interface including a first locking interface plug, a second pole including a second locking interface different from the first locking interface of the first pole and including a second locking interface plug, and a third pole including one or more external threads. The pole adapter system also includes an adapter including a first locking interface receiver configured for locked coupling to the first locking interface of the first pole, a second locking interface receiver configured for locked coupling to the second locking interface of the second pole, and one or more internal threads for threaded coupling to the one or more external threads of the third pole. According to a further embodiment, a hand tool including a handle having a sidewall circumscribing a longitudinal axis, a frame end, and a free end axially oppositely disposed from the frame end and having a handle base wall with an outboard base surface and an adapter pocket in the handle base wall. The hand tool also includes a pole adapter extending along the longitudinal axis and carried in the adapter pocket of the handle. The pole adapter includes a flange including an inboard side including an adapter base surface, and an outboard side having an outboard surface and a plurality of circumferentially spaced and axially inwardly extending pockets in the outboard surface and having obliquely oriented receiver facets. The flange also includes a radially inner portion extending axially between the outboard and inboard sides and having circumferentially spaced radially inwardly facing receiver flats, and a radially outer portion extending axially between the outboard and inboard sides. The pole adapter also includes a skirt extending axially away from the flange and including a radially outer portion extending away from the adapter base surface of the flange and having a radially outer surface, and a radially inner portion having a radially inner surface carrying one or more internal threads. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view according to a illustrative embodiment of a hand tool in the form of a portion of a paint roller including a wire frame having a free end establishing a rotational axis for a rotatable paint roller cage, and a handle having a frame end coupled to the wire frame and a free end including extension pole connection features and adapter; FIG. 2 is an enlarged front view of the handle of the paint roller of FIG. 1, wherein a rear view of the handle may be substantially the same as the front view; FIG. 3 is an enlarged right side view of the handle of the paint roller of FIG. 1, wherein a left side view of the handle may be substantially the same as the right side view; FIG. 4 is an enlarged top view of the handle of the paint roller of FIG. 1; FIG. 5 is an enlarged bottom view of the handle of the paint roller of FIG. 1; FIG. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view of the handle of the paint roller of FIG. 1, taken from line 6-6 of FIG. 4;