Telescoping plunger

Abstract

A toilet plunger assembly having telescopic features is disclosed. The plunger assembly includes a cup assembly, a tubular member and an elongated rod. The tubular member has a first end portion and a second end portion. The second end portion is fixed to the cup assembly. The elongated rod has a first end portion, a second end portion, and an outer diameter. The rod is slideably engaged within the tubular member such that the rod is moveable between a collapsed position and an extended position. In the collapsed position, the rod second end portion is removably joined to the cup assembly, while in the extended position, the rod second end portion is removably joined to the tubular member first end portion.

1 . A toilet plunger assembly comprising: 
 a) a cup assembly;    b) a tubular member having a first end portion and a second end portion, wherein said second end portion is fixed to said cup assembly, the first end portion including a threaded section; and    c) an elongated rod having a first end portion, a second end portion, and an outer diameter, said rod being slideably engaged within said tubular member such that said rod is moveable between a collapsed position and an extended position, the second end portion of the rod including a first threaded section;    d) wherein said rod second end portion is removably joined to said cup assembly when said rod is in said collapsed position and said rod second end portion is removably joined to said tubular member first end portion when said rod is in said extended position, wherein the first threaded section of the rod threadedly engages the threaded section of the first end portion of the tubular member in the extended position.    
   
   
       2 - 21 . (canceled)  
   
   
       22 . A toilet plunger assembly comprising: 
 a) a cup assembly having an inner opening with first and second threaded sections disposed on an interior surface thereof;    b) a tubular member comprising a first end, a second end, an interior surface and an exterior surface, the first end having a threaded section disposed on the interior surface thereof and the second end having threaded section disposed on the exterior surface thereof, the second end threaded section adapted to engage the cup assembly first threaded section; and    d) an elongated rod comprising a first end, a second end, an outer diameter, and an exterior surface, the second end having distal and proximal threaded sections disposed on an exterior surface thereof, the distal threaded section adapted to engage the cup assembly second threaded section, and said proximal threaded section adapted to engage the threads of said tubular member first end;    e) wherein said rod is slideably engaged within said tubular member from a collapsed position to an extended position.    
   
   
       23 . The plunger assembly of  claim 22  wherein the cup assembly first threaded section is of a greater diameter than the cup assembly second threaded section.  
   
   
       24 . The plunger assembly of  claim 22  wherein said rod second end comprises a stem portion extending axially from said rod having an outer diameter less then said rod outer diameter, the distal threaded section being disposed on the stem portion.  
   
   
       25 . The plunger assembly of  claim 22  wherein an axial rotation of said rod with respect to said cup disengages said rod from the cup when in said collapsed position.  
   
   
       26 . The plunger assembly of  claim 22  wherein an axial rotation of said rod with respect to said cup disengages said rod from the tubular member when in said extended position.  
   
   
       27 . A toilet plunger assembly comprising: 
 a) a cup assembly including an opening defining a threaded section;    b) a tubular member having a first end portion and a second end portion, wherein the second end portion engages the cup assembly; and    c) an elongated rod having a first end portion, a second end portion, the rod being slideably engaged within the tubular member such that the rod is moveable between a collapsed position and an extended position, the second end portion of the rod including a first threaded section;    d) wherein the first threaded section of the rod second end portion engages threaded section of the cup assembly when the rod is in the collapsed position; and    e) the rod second end portion engages the tubular member first end portion when the rod is in the extended position.    
   
   
       28 . The toilet plunger assembly of  claim 27  wherein the second end portion of the rod further includes a second threaded section and the first end portion of the tubular member includes a threaded section wherein the second threaded section of the rod threadedly engages the threaded section of the first end portion of the tubular member when the rod is in the extended position.  
   
   
       29 . The toilet plunger assembly of  claim 28  wherein the second threaded section of the tubular member is of a greater diameter than the first threaded section of the tubular member.  
   
   
       30 . The toilet plunger assembly of  claim 27  wherein the second end portion of the tubular member threadedly engages the cup assembly.