Plunger assembly and associated method

摘要

A household implement comprises a cup-shaped plunger member contactable with a household surface and a collapsible handle attached to the plunger member. The handle has an outer tubular handle part and an inner tubular handle part telescopingly inserted therein. One end of the inner tubular handle part is fixed to the plunger member, while an opposite end of the inner tubular handle part is disposed inside a first end of the outer tubular handle part. The first end of the outer tubular handle part is provided with an aperture. The household implement further comprises a hollow casing member attached to the outer tubular handle part at the first end thereof. The hollow casing member is larger than the plunger member, so that the casing member can substantially surround the plunger member upon movement of the outer tubular handle part over the first tubular handle part towards the plunger member. The household implement also comprises a locking mechanism for locking the collapsible handle in an extended, operative configuration. The locking mechanism includes at least one spring-loaded latch element provided on the inner tubular handle part proximately to the end thereof opposite the plunger member. The spring-loaded latch element is spaced from the plunger member and is insertable through the aperture in the outer tubular handle part to lock the handle parts to one another in the extended, operative configuration of the implement.