Small rod made of plastic

Abstract

A small rod made up of a front part and a rear part includes a connecting zone in which the two parts are connected together. The front part and the rear part of the small rod each includes two opposing sectors. The sectors of both parts are configured so that they may be inserted into each other to a connected position in which they are locked together by means of at least one saw-tooth zone. The cross-section of the parts may have a circular, oval or rectangular shape, for example, and the sectors facing each other may have arbitrary shapes.

1 - 8 . (canceled)  
   
   
       9 . A product including: 
 (a) a rod front part having a brush section at a first end thereof;    (b) a rod rear part;    (c) a front part connector structure at an end of the rod front part opposite to the first end of the rod front part, the front part connector structure including two opposing front part sectors;    (d) a rear part connector structure at an end of the rod rear part, the rear part connector structure including two opposing rear part sectors that are configured to be inserted into areas defined between the front part sectors to a connected position between the front part connector structure and the rear part connector structure; and    (e) a saw tooth structure formed on at least one of the front part sectors and a corresponding saw tooth structure formed on at least one of the rear part sectors, the saw tooth structure and corresponding saw tooth structure being configured to mate together when the front part connector structure and the rear part connector structure are in the connected position so that the saw tooth structure and the corresponding saw tooth structure cooperate to resist separation between the front part connector structure and the rear part connector structure along a longitudinal axis of the apparatus.    
   
   
       10 . The apparatus of  claim 9  wherein a respective saw tooth structure is formed on each of the front part sectors and a respective corresponding saw tooth structure is formed on each of the rear part sectors.  
   
   
       11 . The apparatus of  claim 9  wherein the front part connector structure and the rear part connector structure form a cylindrical shape in the connected position and wherein each front part sector and each rear part sector forms a respective quadrant of the cylindrical shape.  
   
   
       12 . The apparatus of  claim 9  wherein the front part connector structure and the rear part connector structure define a connecting zone when in the connected position and wherein the length of connecting zone is one sixth to a quarter of the length of the rod rear part.  
   
   
       13 . The apparatus of  claim 9  further including a sleeve configured to be moved to a locked position surrounding the front part connector structure and rear part connector structure in the connected position.  
   
   
       14 . The apparatus of  claim 13  further including a locking arrangement associated with the sleeve and the rod rear part for retaining the sleeve in the locked position.  
   
   
       15 . The apparatus of  claim 14  wherein the locking arrangement includes a recess formed in one of the sleeve or the rod rear part and a corresponding nub formed on the other one of the sleeve or the rod rear part and wherein the recess and the nub engage each other when the sleeve is in the locked position.  
   
   
       16 . The apparatus of  claim 9  including a gripping portion forming part of the rod rear part.  
   
   
       17 . The apparatus of  claim 16  further including an inscription surface on the gripping portion for carrying an inscription.  
   
   
       18 . A product including: 
 (a) a rod front part having a brush section at a first end thereof;    (b) a rod rear part;    (c) a front part connector structure at an end of the rod front part opposite to the first end of the rod front part, the front part connector structure including two opposing front part sectors;    (d) a rear part connector structure at an end of the rod rear part, the rear part connector structure including two opposing rear part sectors that are configured to be inserted into areas defined between the front part sectors to a connected position between the front part connector structure and the rear part connector structure; and    (e) a saw tooth retaining structure associated with the front part connector structure and with the rear part connector structure for retaining the front part connector structure and the rear part connector structure in the connected position.    
   
   
       19 . A connector structure for connecting two elongated rod parts, the connector structure including: 
 (a) a front part connector structure at an end of a rod front part, the front part connector structure including two opposing front part sectors;    (b) a rear part connector structure at an end of a rod rear part, the rear part connector structure including two opposing rear part sectors that are configured to be inserted into areas defined between the front part sectors to a connected position between the front part connector structure and the rear part connector structure; and    (c) a saw tooth retaining structure associated with the front part connector structure and with the rear part connector structure for retaining the front part connector structure and the rear part connector structure in the connected position.    
   
   
       20 . The connector structure of  claim 19  wherein the saw tooth retaining structure includes a saw tooth surface formed on at least one of the front part sectors and a corresponding saw tooth surface formed on at least one of the rear part sectors, the saw tooth surface and corresponding saw tooth surface being configured to mate together when the front part connector structure and the rear part connector structure are in the connected position so that the saw tooth surface and the corresponding saw tooth surface cooperate to resist separation between the front part connector structure and the rear part connector structure along a longitudinal axis of the front part connector structure.  
   
   
       21 . The connector structure of  claim 20  wherein a respective saw tooth surface is formed on each of the front part sectors and a respective corresponding saw tooth surface is formed on each of the rear part sectors.  
   
   
       22 . The connector structure of  claim 19  wherein the front part connector structure and the rear part connector structure form a cylindrical shape in the connected position and wherein each front part sector and each rear part sector forms a respective quadrant of the cylindrical shape.  
   
   
       23 . The connector structure of  claim 19  wherein the front part connector structure and the rear part connector structure define a connecting zone when in the connected position and wherein the length of connecting zone is one sixth to a quarter of the length of the rod rear part.  
   
   
       24 . The connector structure of  claim 19  further including a sleeve configured to be moved to a locked position surrounding the front part connector structure and rear part connector structure in the connected position.  
   
   
       25 . The connector structure of  claim 24  further including a locking arrangement associated with the sleeve and the rod rear part for retaining the sleeve in the locked position.  
   
   
       26 . The connector structure of  claim 25  wherein the locking arrangement includes a recess formed in one of the sleeve or the rod rear part, and a corresponding nub formed on the other one of the sleeve or the rod rear part, and wherein the recess and the nub engage each other when the sleeve is in the locked position.