PLUNGER

Abstract

A device to reduce the size of objects in the toilet and then to plunge the objects from the toilet bowl if necessary. Prior art devices attempt to remove blockages from the pipe of a toilet or drain. The present invention reduces the size of objects to the point they can be flushed easily without the need to place unwanted pressure on the plumbing or the toilet itself. The size of the objects is quickly reduced by moving the cutting blade up and down then flushing to remove all debris present.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The use of plungers is not new to the art. There are a wide variety of devices available to free clogs or debris from a toilet. However, the present invention has a greater utility over all prior art device in that it is capable of severing large articles within the toilet and reducing the size, allowing for the toilet to work properly on its own.

One such prior art device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,213,273 entitled “High Pressure Plunger” issued to Wang on May 8, 2007 describing a plunger apparatus that develops high pressure to force the removal of the blockage within the drain pipe of a sink or toilet. The device places back pressure in an effort to eliminate the blockage which can damage pipe connections and seals. The user can actually create enough back pressure to separate pipes.

Another such prior art device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,898,807 entitled, “Snake Plunger” issued to Tash on May 31, 2005 that describes a plunger that has a snake apparatus within the plunger. This device is capable of plunging and snaking the drain pipe in an effort to remove a blockage. The snake has a relatively small head for use mainly in a pipe to remove objects collected such as hair, and pull it out.

Another example of prior art is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,765,626 entitled “Drain-Clearing Device”, issued to Sapia on Aug. 3, 2010. This device is similar to that of Tash in that the device has a drain clearing apparatus. Again, the device is needed after a blockage has developed.

THE INVENTION

The current invention is a plunger. This plunger comprises in combination, a hollow housing and contained within the hollow housing is a moveable shaft. This moveable shaft has a near end, a distal end, and a middle section. The near end of the moveable shaft has a handle and the distal end of the shaft has a shackle configuration with two legs. Each of the legs has an opening therethrough.

There is also a spade. The spade has a top end. There is an opening near the top end of the spade that aligns with the openings of each of the legs. There is also one pin inserted through all of the openings.

The distal end of the hollow housing has affixed thereto a flexible rubber plunger head. The flexible plunger head is surmounted by a flexible rubber gasket.

The moveable shaft is surrounded near the middle section by a spring. The spring has spring stops at each end thereof. One of the stops is located and surmounts the flexible rubber gasket.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a full side view of a device of this invention.

FIG. 2 is a full top view of the device of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a full side view of the spade portion of the moveable shaft.

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view of a device through line A-A of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a full front view of a device of this invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows the plunger 2 from the side. The plunger 2 has a hollow shaft 4 and a plunger head 40. Inside of the hollow shaft 4 is a moveable shaft 12. The moveable shaft 12 has a handle 20 at the near end 14. The distal end 16 of the movable shaft 12 has a spade 32.

FIG. 2 shows the plunger 2 from the top. The handle 20 and the plunger head 40 are shown.

FIG. 3 shows the spade portion 32 of the moveable shaft 12. The moveable shaft 12 has a near end 14 and a distal end 16. The handle 20 is located near the near end 14. The spade portion 32 is located near the distal end 16. The moveable shaft 12 has a middle section 18. The middle section 18 has a spring 44 located on it. The spring 44 is located between two spring stops 46 and 47. The upper spring stop 46 stops the spring 44 from moving any farther up the moveable shaft 12. The lower spring stop 47 prevents the spring from moving any further down the moveable shaft 12.

FIG. 4 shows the plunger 2. This shows the internal working of the plunger 2. It is clear that the moveable shaft 12 is moveable within the hollow housing 4. The hollow housing 4 has a near end 6 and a distal end 8. Located near the distal end 6 of the hollow housing is the plunger head 40.

The moveable shaft 12 has a near end 14 and a distal end 16. There is a center portion or middle section 18 that has a spring 44 that is contained by an upper spring stop 46 and a lower spring stop 47. This spring bias allows the user to push the handle 20 and the spring 44 compresses then stops and the bias forces the handle 20 back to its original location to be depressed again.

This action is repeated until the object is reduced in size by cutting it into smaller segments that are now flushable. This cutting action is accomplished by the spade 32 located near the distal end 16 of the moveable shaft 12. The spade 32 is attached to the distal end 16 of the moveable shaft 12 near the top end 34 of the spade 32. The cutting edge or the bottom edge 48 is located opposite of the top end 34. The spade 32 is manufactured of a non stick material.

FIG. 5 shows the spade portion 32 from the side. This shows the relationship between the shackle 22 and the spade 32. There is a first leg 24 and a second leg 26 that the spade 32 fits between and then is secured to the moveable shaft 12 by a pin 38 that combines the first leg 24 and the second leg 26 with the blade 32. Each of the legs 24, 26 and the spade have openings 28, 30 and 36 respectively. The shackle 22 is comprised of the first leg 24 and the second leg 26.

The plunger is designed to reduce the size of objects before the toilet is flushed ensuring that there is no debris large enough to clog the toilet and the plunger head also ensures that if the size was not reduced enough that minor pressure is applied to complete the job.

The present device clearly has a greater utility over the prior art in that it can reduce the size of the blockage before pressure is applied to the pipes reducing the amount of pressure needed to remove the blockage and reduce the amount of pressure that is placed on the plumbing system.

The present device is designed to reduce the size of large objects within the toilet bowl. The present device clearly has a greater utility in that it has a large spade for repeated chopping or reduction of bowl debris. It is not designed to work as a snake within the pipe. It has been discovered that the repeated chopping reduces the size of any bowl blockage before it enters the plumbing system reducing blockages before they are a problem not after they become lodged within the pipes of the plumbing system, giving the present device a greater utility.

Claims

1. A plunger, said plunger comprising in combination:

a. a hollow housing and contained within said hollow housing, a moveable shaft, said moveable shaft having a near end, a distal end, and a middle section;

b. said near end of said moveable shaft having a handle and said distal end of said shaft having a shackle configuration with two legs, each said leg having an opening therethrough;

c. a spade, said spade having a top end, there being an opening near the top end of said spade that aligns with said openings of each said leg, there being one pin inserted through all of said openings;

d. said distal end of said hollow housing having affixed thereto a flexible rubber plunger head, said flexible plunger head being surmounted by a flexible rubber gasket;

e. said moveable shaft being surrounded near said middle section by a spring, said spring having spring stops at each end thereof, one such stop being located and surmounting said flexible rubber gasket.