Plunger assembly

Abstract

A toilet plunger assembly includes a plunger having a handle and a cup. The cup includes a continuous interface with the handle and the cup includes a suction-inducing face, wherein the cup is operatively coupled with a lower distal end of the handle at the interface by an over-molding process. A base and housing are provided, the housing having a first vertically extending side wall, a second vertically extending side wall adjacent and orthogonal to the first vertically extending side wall, an open third side, an open fourth side, and a top horizontal wall coupled with the first vertically extending side wall and the second vertically extending side wall. The first vertically extending side wall and the second vertically extending side wall are supported by the base when the housing is in a stored condition and the plunger is concealed with the housing are in their respective stored conditions.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A method of manufacturing a toilet plunger comprising the steps of:
 providing a first mold assembly adapted to receive a prefabricated plunger handle, wherein the plunger handle has an upper proximal end and a lower distal end and the lower distal end comprises an outwardly extending flange disposed about an outer periphery of the lower distal end, wherein a first exposed surface of the first mold assembly comprises a semi-spherical recess for forming an upper portion of a cup;   providing a second mold assembly, wherein a second exposed surface of the second mold assembly comprises a semi-spherical protuberance for forming a lower portion of the cup;   installing the plunger handle in the first mold assembly;   closing the first mold assembly relative the second mold assembly, wherein the first exposed surface of the first mold assembly and the second exposed surface of the second mold assembly cooperate to form a cavity corresponding to a finished shape of the cup and the lower distal end of the plunger handle extends into the cavity;   injection over-molding the cup by injecting an elastomeric material into the cavity and about the lower distal end of the plunger handle to form the cup, wherein the cup further comprises:
 an interface between the upper portion of the cup and plunger handle, wherein the interface comprises a recess and an outwardly extending groove at a base of the recess, such that the outwardly extending groove at the base of the recess is formed by the outwardly extending flange disposed about the lower distal end of the plunger handle and the interface between the upper portion of the cup and the plunger handle is continuous; and 
 a suction-inducing face on the lower portion of the cup; 
   separating the first mold assembly relative the second mold assembly after the elastomeric material is cured; and   removing the toilet plunger from the first mold assembly or the second mold assembly.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of positioning an impermeable end cap on the lower distal end of the plunger handle to block and prevent flow of the elastomeric material into an interior cavity of the plunger handle prior to the step of closing the first mold assembly relative the second mold assembly. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the elastomeric material of the cup is chemically bonded to the lower distal end of the plunger handle. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the elastomeric material is rubber. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the elastomeric material of the cup is chemically bonded to the lower distal end of the plunger handle. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of disposing an impermeable solid surface disposed on the lower distal end of the plunger handle prior to installing the plunger handle in the first mold assembly. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the plunger handle is hollow and the impermeable solid surface comprises an end cap disposed on the lower distal end of the plunger handle to block and prevent flow of the elastomeric material into an interior cavity of the plunger handle. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the suction-inducing face of the lower portion of the cup comprises a semicircular concave surface. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the suction-inducing face of the lower portion of the cup further comprises a flexible flap formed about an outer circumferential periphery of the suction-inducing face and wherein the flexible flap includes an opening at a lower distal end of the toilet plunger. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the flexible flap is adapted to fold out from inside semicircular concave surface of the cup. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of injection molded the plunger handle from a plastic resin prior to installing the plunger handle in the first mold assembly. 
     
     
         12 . A method of manufacturing a toilet plunger comprising the steps of:
 injection molding a plunger handle from a plastic resin, wherein the plunger handle has an upper proximal end and a lower distal end and the lower distal end comprises an outwardly extending flange disposed about an outer periphery of the lower distal end;   providing a first mold assembly adapted to receive the plunger handle, wherein a first exposed surface of the first mold assembly comprises a semi-spherical recess for forming an upper portion of a cup;   providing a second mold assembly, wherein a second exposed surface of the second mold assembly comprises a semi-spherical protuberance for forming a lower portion of the cup;   installing the plunger handle in the first mold assembly;   closing the first mold assembly relative the second mold assembly, wherein the first exposed surface of the first mold assembly and the second exposed surface of the second mold assembly cooperate to form a cavity corresponding to a finished shape of the cup and the lower distal end of the plunger handle extends into the cavity;   injection over-molding the cup by injecting an elastomeric material into the cavity and about the lower distal end of the plunger handle to form the cup;   separating the first mold assembly relative the second mold assembly after the elastomeric material is cured; and   removing the toilet plunger from the first mold assembly or the second mold assembly.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the cup further comprises an interface between the upper portion of the cup and the plunger handle, wherein the interface comprises a recess formed in the upper portion of the cup and an outwardly extending groove at a base of the recess, such that the outwardly extending groove at the base of the recess is formed by the outwardly extending flange disposed about the lower distal end of the plunger handle. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the interface between the upper portion of the cup and the plunger handle is continuous. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the cup further comprises a suction-inducing face on the lower portion of the cup. 
     
     
         16 . A method of manufacturing a toilet plunger comprising the steps of:
 injection molding a plunger handle from a plastic resin, wherein the plunger handle has an upper proximal end and a lower distal end;   providing a first mold assembly adapted to receive the plunger handle, wherein a first exposed surface of the first mold assembly comprises a semi-spherical recess for forming an upper portion of a cup;   providing a second mold assembly, wherein a second exposed surface of the second mold assembly comprises a semi-spherical protuberance for forming a lower portion of the cup;   installing the plunger handle in the first mold assembly;   closing the first mold assembly relative the second mold assembly, wherein the first exposed surface of the first mold assembly and the second exposed surface of the second mold assembly cooperate to form a cavity corresponding to a finished shape of the cup and the lower distal end of the plunger handle extends into the cavity;   injection over-molding the cup by injecting an elastomeric material into the cavity and about the lower distal end of the plunger handle to form the cup;   separating the first mold assembly relative the second mold assembly after the elastomeric material is cured; and   removing the toilet plunger from the first mold assembly or the second mold assembly.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein:
 the plunger handle comprises an outwardly extending flange disposed about an outer periphery of the lower distal end of the plunger handle; and   the cup further comprises an interface between the upper portion of the cup and the lower distal end of the plunger handle; and   wherein the interface comprises a recess formed in the upper portion of the cup and an outwardly extending groove at a base of the recess, such that the outwardly extending groove at the base of the recess is formed by the outwardly extending flange disposed about the lower distal end of the plunger handle.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the elastomeric material is rubber. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the elastomeric material of the cup is chemically bonded to the lower distal end of the plunger handle. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the plunger handle is hollow and further comprises an impermeable solid surface disposed on the lower distal end to block and prevent flow of the elastomeric material into an interior cavity of the plunger handle.