Foldable ice scraper

Abstract

A foldable ice scraper includes a handle and an ice scraper blade connected to the handle by a joint mechanism which mounts the heel portion of the blade to the handle. The joint mechanism includes indexing structure for selective engagement with complementary indexing structure on the heel portion and the handle so that engagement of the indexing structures permits the blade to be disposed in a folded position against the handle or in an ice scraping operative position where the blade extends generally outwardly from the handle. A release mechanism permits the indexing structures to be disengaged so that the handle could be moved to the different positions.

1 . A foldable ice scraper comprising a handle, an ice scraper blade, said ice scraper blade having a heel portion, a joint mechanism mounting said heel portion to said handle, said joint mechanism including indexing structure for selective engagement with complementary indexing structure on one of said heel portion and said handle whereby engagement of said indexing structure and said complementary indexing structure locks said blade to said handle in at least two different positions, one of said positions being a folded position wherein said blade is disposed toward said handle and another of said positions being an ice scraping operative position wherein said blade extends outwardly from said handle, and a release mechanism to disengage said indexing structures and thereby permit said handle and said blade to be selectively disposed in different positions.  
   
   
       2 . The scraper of  claim 1  including a stop shoulder on said heel portion of said blade and a stop shoulder on said handle in the path of movement of said stop shoulder on said heel portion, and said stop shoulders being in abutting contact when said blade is in said operative position.  
   
   
       3 . The scraper of  claim 2  wherein said joint mechanism rotatably mounts said blade to said handle.  
   
   
       4 . The scraper of  claim 3  wherein said blade is rotated from said folded position to said operative position over an angle slightly less than 180° to dispose the user's hand generally in line with said handle.  
   
   
       5 . The scraper of  claim 4  wherein said angle is in the range of 160° to 170°.  
   
   
       6 . The scraper of  claim 4  wherein said handle includes an upper surface, and a concavity in said upper surface generally at said joint mechanism for receiving a finger of the user.  
   
   
       7 . The scraper of  claim 6  wherein said handle is of elongated ergonomical shape having outward longitudinal bulges on its side walls and having a rounded rear end.  
   
   
       8 . The scraper of  claim 4  wherein said joint mechanism includes a crown clutch.  
   
   
       9 . The scraper of  claim 4  wherein said indexing structure and said complementary indexing structure comprise sets of coarcuately arranged teeth.  
   
   
       10 . The scraper of  claim 9  wherein said joint mechanism includes at least one spring button urged toward contact with a portion of said handle, said sets of coarcuate spaced teeth comprising two spaced sets of teeth on said portion of said handle and two spaced sets of teeth on said spring button disposed toward intermeshing engagement with said sets of spaced teeth on said portion of said handle, and said spring button further comprising said release mechanism.  
   
   
       11 . The scraper of  claim 10  wherein said handle and said blade include stop shoulders disposed for contacting each other when said blade is in said folded position.  
   
   
       12 . The scraper of  claim 10  wherein said joint mechanism includes a spline mounted to said heel portion, and said button being non-rotationally and slidably mounted on said spline.  
   
   
       13 . The scraper of  claim 12  wherein said handle comprises two handle shells of generally mirror image with respect to each other, and said heel portion being mounted between said shells.  
   
   
       14 . The scraper of  claim 13  wherein each of said shells includes said two sets of spaced teeth transversely aligned with each other and there being two of said buttons each of which has said two spaced sets of teeth transversely aligned with each other, and each of said buttons being mounted on a respective end of said spline.  
   
   
       15 . The scraper of  claim 14  wherein said spline is hollow with a central partition, a pocket in said spline on each side of said partition, and a spring in each of said pockets disposed against a respective one of said buttons to urge said buttons outwardly toward said handle shells.  
   
   
       16 . The scraper of  claim 15  wherein said spline is fluted with a series of ribs/channels which are in engagement with ribs/channels on each of said buttons.  
   
   
       17 . The scraper of  claim 16  wherein each of said handle shells has an extension, said sets of teeth being located on an inner surface of said extension, said heel portion having an extension mounted between said handle shell extensions, said spline being mounted to said heel portion extension, each of said buttons having an annular ledge disposed toward a respective one of said handle shell extensions, said sets of teeth on said buttons being located on said ledge, and each of said buttons having an exposed outer surface capable of being pressed inwardly by the user.  
   
   
       18 . The scraper of  claim 17  wherein said joint mechanism makes an audible click sound when said blade is moved into each of said folded position and said operative position.  
   
   
       19 . The scraper of  claim 1  wherein said heel portion is detachable from a portion of said blade which includes a scraping edge.  
   
   
       20 . The scraper of  claim 1  in combination with a glove having an open end and having a generally closed end, a slit extending through said generally closed end, and said handle extending through said slit to be disposed within said glove.  
   
   
       21 . The scraper of  claim 20  wherein said glove comprises a storage case for said scraper in said folded position.  
   
   
       22 . The scraper of  claim 1  wherein said blade is rotated from said folded position to said operative position over an angle slightly less than 180° to dispose the user's hand generally in line with said handle.  
   
   
       23 . The scraper of  claim 1  wherein said handle is rotatably movable to and from said folded position and said operative position, and said joint mechanism including a crown clutch.  
   
   
       24 . The scraper of  claim 1  wherein said indexing structure and said complementary indexing structure comprise sets of coarcuately arranged teeth.  
   
   
       25 . The scraper of  claim 1  wherein said joint mechanism makes an audible click sound when said blade is moved into each of said folded position and said operative position.  
   
   
       26 . The scraper of  claim 1  wherein at least a portion of said handle is transparent, and a light bulb being in said handle.  
   
   
       27 . A foldable hand tool comprising a handle, a tool having a working end and a heel portion, a joint mechanism mounting said heel portion to said handle, said joint mechanism including indexing structure for selective engagement with complementary indexing structure on one of said heel portion and said handle whereby engagement of said indexing structure and said complementary indexing structure locks said tool to said handle in at least two different positions, one of said positions being a folded position wherein said tool is disposed toward said handle and another of said positions being an operative position wherein said tool extends outwardly from said handle, said tool and said handle having stop shoulders for engagement against each other when said tool is in said operative position, and a release mechanism to disengage said indexing structures and thereby permit said handle and said tool to be selectively disposed in different positions.  
   
   
       28 . The tool of  claim 27  wherein said blade is rotated from said folded position to said operative position over an angle slightly less than 180° to dispose the user's hand generally in line with said handle.  
   
   
       29 . The tool of  claim 28  wherein said handle is rotatably movable to and from said folded position and said operative position, and said joint mechanism including a crown clutch.  
   
   
       30 . The tool of  claim 29  wherein said joint mechanism includes at least one spring button urged toward contact with a portion of said handle, said sets of coarcuate spaced teeth comprising two spaced sets of teeth on said portion of said handle and two spaced sets of teeth on said spring button disposed toward intermeshing engagement with said sets of spaced teeth on said portion of said handle, and said spring button further comprising said release mechanism.  
   
   
       31 . The tool of  claim 30  wherein said joint mechanism includes a spline mounted to said heel portion, and said button being non-rotationally and slidably mounted on said spline, said handle comprising two handle shells of generally mirror image with respect to each other, said heel portion being mounted between said shells, each of said shells including said two sets of spaced teeth transversely aligned with each other and there being two of said buttons each of which has said two spaced sets of teeth transversely aligned with each other, and each of said buttons being mounted on a respective end of said spline.  
   
   
       32 . The tool of  claim 31  wherein said spline is hollow with a central partition, a pocket in said spline on each side of said partition, a spring in each of said pockets disposed against a respective one of said buttons to urge said buttons outwardly toward said handle shells, said spline being fluted with a series of ribs/channels which are in engagement with ribs/channels on each of said buttons, each of said handle shells having an extension, said sets of teeth being located on an inner surface of said extension, said heel portion having an extension mounted between said handle shell extensions, said spline being mounted to said heel portion extension, each of said buttons having an annular ledge disposed toward a respective one of said handle shell extensions, said sets of teeth on said buttons being located on said ledge, and each of said buttons having an exposed outer surface capable of being pressed inwardly by the user.  
   
   
       33 . The tool of  claim 27  wherein said joint mechanism makes an audible click sound when said blade is moved into each of said folded position and aid operative position.