BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a top plan of an embodiment, in one form, of a flat blank that can be used to form a bristle brush, a paddle, a dustpan and two scrapers.
FIG. 2 is an exploded view of a top plan of an embodiment, in one form, of a flat blank that can be used to form a bristle brush, a paddle, a dustpan and two scrapers.
FIG. 3 is a top plan of an embodiment, in one form, of a dustpan that has been detached from a flat blank, but not yet formed.
FIG. 4 is a front elevational view of an embodiment, in one form, of a dustpan that has been detached from a flat blank and that has been formed.
FIG. 5 is a top plan of an embodiment, in one form, of a bristle brush that has been detached from a flat blank.
FIG. 6 is a top plan of an embodiment, in one form, of a bristle brush that has been detached from a flat blank.
FIG. 7 is a top plan of an embodiment, in one form, of a bristle brush that has been detached from a flat blank, but not yet formed.
FIG. 8 is a top plan of an embodiment, in one form, of a bristle brush that has been detached from a flat blank and that has been formed.
FIG. 9 is a bottom plan view of an embodiment, in one form, of a dustpan that has been detached from a flat blank, but not yet formed.
FIG. 10 is a bottom plan view of an embodiment, in one form, of a dustpan that has been detached from a flat blank that is in the process of being formed by a hand grasping a handle and squeezing the two halves of the handle together.
FIG. 11 is a left lower perspective view of an embodiment, in one form, of a dustpan that has been detached from a flat blank and which has been formed by a hand grasping a handle and squeezing the two halves of the handle together.
FIG. 12 is a left elevational view of an embodiment, in one form, of a dustpan that has been detached from a flat blank and which has been formed by a hand grasping a handle and squeezing the two halves of the handle together.
FIG. 13 is an upper left perspective view of an embodiment, in one form, of a brush with bristles being used to sweep debris into a dustpan, both of which have been detached and formed from a flat blank.
FIG. 14 is a front upper right perspective view of an embodiment, in one form, of a box incorporating a flat blank that can be used to form a bristle brush, a paddle, a scraper and a dustpan.
FIG. 15 is a front upper left perspective view of an embodiment, in one form, of a box incorporating a flat blank that can be used to form a bristle brush, a paddle, a scraper and a dustpan.
FIG. 16 is a top plan of an embodiment, in one form, of a flat blank that can be used to form a bristle brush with handle, a paddle and a dustpan.
FIG. 17 is a top plan of an embodiment, in one form, of a bristle brush with handle formed from a flat blank that can be used to form a bristle brush with handle, a paddle and a dustpan.
FIG. 18 is a right upper perspective view of an embodiment, in one form, of a dustpan formed from a flat blank that can be used to form a bristle brush with handle, a paddle and a dustpan.
FIG. 19 is a top plan of an embodiment, in one form, of a flat blank that can be used to form a combination bristle brush and paddle, a dustpan and a paddle.
FIG. 20 is an exploded view of a top plan of an embodiment, in one form, of a flat blank that can be used to form a combination bristle brush and paddle, a dustpan and a paddle.
FIG. 21 is an upper left front perspective view of an embodiment, in one form, of a dustpan formed from a flat blank that can be used to form a combination bristle brush and paddle, a dustpan and a paddle.
FIG. 22 is an upper left front perspective view of an embodiment, in one form, of a scraper formed from a flat blank that can be used to form a combination bristle brush and paddle, a dustpan and a paddle.
FIG. 23 is an upper left front perspective view of an embodiment, in one form, of a combination bristle brush and paddle formed from a flat blank that can be used to form a combination bristle brush and paddle, a dustpan and a paddle.
FIG. 24 is a front left perspective view of an embodiment, in one form, of a paddle formed from a flat blank that can be used to form a combination bristle brush and paddle, a dustpan and a paddle.
FIG. 25 is a top plan view of an embodiment, in one form, of a dustpan formed from a flat blank that can be used to form a combination bristle brush and paddle, a dustpan and a paddle.
FIG. 26 is a lower right perspective view of an embodiment, in one form, of a dustpan formed from a flat blank that can be used to form a combination bristle brush and paddle, a dustpan and a paddle.
FIG. 27 is a left elevational view of an embodiment, in one form, of a dustpan formed from a flat blank that can be used to form a combination bristle brush and paddle, a dustpan and a paddle.
FIG. 28 is a bottom plan view of an embodiment, in one form, of a dustpan formed from a flat blank that can be used to form a combination bristle brush and paddle, a dustpan and a paddle.
FIG. 29 is a front upper right perspective view of an embodiment, in one form, of a box incorporating a flat blank that can be used to form a combination bristle brush and paddle, a dustpan and a paddle.
FIG. 30 is a front upper right perspective view of an embodiment, in one form, of a box incorporating a flat blank that can be used to form a combination bristle brush and paddle, a dustpan and a paddle.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS
The disclosed embodiments and methods pertain both to disposable brushes with bristles, paddles and dustpans and methods for creating same from flat materials and to boxes, containers and other items into which disposable brushes with bristles, paddles and dustpans are incorporated.
The disclosed embodiments and the methods associated therewith have applicability to any area of industrial or residential cleaning. They are particularly applicable to situations involving biological, chemical or nuclear waste in which any clean up tools used are likely to become severely contaminated. They are also applicable to any situation where it would be convenient, desirable or cost effective to dispose of the clean up tools along with the waste that they were used to clean up.
Although the embodiments disclosed in the figures use cardboard, any bendable material could be used that can be incised, scored and folded and whose stiffness is approximately equivalent to or greater than that of cardboard, including, but not limited to corrugated fiberboard, paper, nylon, plastic, foil, aluminum or other metals, paperboard, wood veneer, palm fronds, leaves, composable paperboard or other composite material without departing from the disclosures contained in and claimed by this application.
This application discloses three embodiments of flat blanks that can be used to create brushes with bristles, paddles and dustpans. Additionally this application discloses exemplary embodiments showing how the embodiments of the blanks disclosed can be incorporated into boxes, containers or other items.
Each of the disclosed and claimed embodiments may be used to clean up debris. In this regard, it is to be understood that the word debris is used in its broadest possible meaning and includes not only dry solids, dust and other dry particles, but also semi-solid and liquid waste of all types including, but not limited to, excrement, vomit, dead organisms, blood, urine, bodily fluids and biological, chemical or nuclear waste.
First Exemplary Embodiment
An embodiment is disclosed which allows for the creation of a disposable bristle brush, a dustpan, a paddle and two scrapers out of a flat sheet of bendable material. This is depicted in FIG. 1, which shows a detailed view of a pattern of incised lines and score and fold marks on a sheet of bendable material which can be used to create an embodiment, in one form, of a disposable bristle brush, a dustpan, a paddle and two scrapers. All proportions shown on FIG. 1 are merely illustrative of one particular embodiment of the disclosure; it is to be understood that other embodiments of the disclosure could be created using different proportions without departing from the device and method being claimed in this application.
FIG. 2 is an exploded view of FIG. 1 and illustrates how the embodiment disclosed in FIG. 1 can be disassembled along the disclosed pattern of incised lines in order to create a Bristle Brush (20), a Dustpan (18), a Paddle (15), a First Scraper (3) and a Second Scraper (7).
Each of these may be disassembled from the flat sheet of bendable material by the following method, the first three steps of which can be executed in any order and the last two steps of which can be executed in any order. First, the First Scraper can be separated from the sheet of bendable material which it is a part of by bending the First Scraper back and forth along an incised line bounding a first scraper portion (17), until the First Scraper breaks off. Second, the Paddle (15), can be separated from the sheet of bendable material which it is a part of by bending the Paddle back and forth along the incised line bounding dustpan (12), until the Paddle breaks off. Third, the Bristle Brush and the Second Scraper can be separated from the sheet of bendable material which they are a part of by bending them back and forth along the incised line bounding the dustpan (12), until they break off. Fourth, the Bristle Brush and the Second Scraper can be separated from each other by bending them back and forth along the portion of the incised line bounding the dustpan (12), that extends between the Bristle Brush (20), and the Second Scraper (7).
Fifth, the dustpan can be formed in the manner shown in FIG. 9 by grasping near the mid-handle incised line [(4) in FIG. 2] with a hand and squeezing as shown in FIG. 10, thus causing the portion of the Dustpan being grasped to bend downward bilaterally along the dustpan handle fold line (13), and causing a portion of the bendable material to bend upward along the right back score and fold mark (6), and along the left back score and fold mark (9), the bendable material to bend downward bilaterally along the rear spine score and fold mark (14), and downward from the intersect at mid-pan (10), along a plurality of sidewall score and fold marks (8), thereby forming a three dimensional dustpan from the flat bendable material.
The various incised lines and score and fold marks pertaining to the dustpan portion of the flat bendable material are further depicted in FIG. 3 and a formed Dustpan, in one form, is depicted in FIG. 4.
FIG. 5 depicts a Bristle Brush which has been detached from the flat bendable material and FIG. 6 depicts the same Bristle Brush in an optional form where the top portion has been bent downward across the angled brush score and fold mark (2), in order to create a more rigid surface for grasping the Bristle Brush. Thus, the Bristle Brush in the configuration depicted in FIG. 5 can be grasped in the manner depicted in FIG. 7 or the Bristle Brush in the optional form depicted in FIG. 6 can be grasped in the manner depicted in FIG. 8.
The Dustpan depicted in FIG. 10, which is also shown from a left lower perspective in FIG. 11, and from a left elevational view in FIG. 12, can be used in conjunction with the Bristle Brush as depicted in FIG. 13, to sweep up debris (130). The Bristle Brush (20), Dustpan (18), Paddle (15), First Scraper (3) and Second Scraper (7), or any of them, can either be kept for future use or may be disposed of, as desired.
Incorporation of the First Exemplary Embodiment into Boxes, Containers and Other Items
The first disclosed embodiment and the Bristle Brush, Dustpan, Paddle, First Scraper and Second Scraper that can be created therefrom can be incorporated into a box, a container or other item. This is illustrated by FIG. 14 in which the flat blank of FIGS. 1 and 2 has been incorporated into the side of a box, from which a flat blank can be punched out and from which the Bristle Brush, Dustpan, Paddle, First Scraper and Second Scraper of the first disclosed embodiment can then be created according to the method disclosed above under the discussion of the First Embodiment.
Second Exemplary Embodiment
An embodiment is disclosed which allows for the creation of a disposable bristle brush with handle, a dustpan and a paddle out of a flat sheet of bendable material. This is depicted in FIG. 16, which shows a detailed view of a pattern of incised lines and score and fold marks on a sheet of bendable material which can be used to create an embodiment, in one form, of a disposable bristle brush with handle, a dustpan and a paddle. All proportions shown on FIG. 16 are merely illustrative of one particular embodiment of the disclosure; it is to be understood that other embodiments of the disclosure could be created using different proportions without departing from the device and method being claimed in this application.
FIG. 16 shows that an incised line bounding dustpan (172), separates a Bristle Brush with Handle (180), a Dustpan (178) and a Paddle (175). Each of these may be disassembled from the flat sheet of bendable material by the following method, the first two steps of which can be executed in any order. First, the Paddle and the Dustpan are bent back and forth along the portion of the incised line bounding dustpan (172), separating them until the Paddle breaks away from the flat sheet of bendable material. Second, the Bristle Brush with Handle and the Dustpan are bent back and forth along the portion of the incised line bounding dustpan (172), separating them until they break apart from one another.
Third, the Dustpan (178), depicted in FIG. 18 is formed by squeezing together on the Dustpan on the periphery of what was the incised line bounding dustpan (172), bilaterally along a dustpan handle fold line (173), thereby causing the score and fold marks on the Dustpan to bend in a way that creates an intersect at the rear of the dustpan (165).
The Bristle Brush with Handle of FIG. 17 contains a plurality of incised bristle lines (161), which separate strips of the bendable material into individual bristles. This can be more useful in certain circumstances in sweeping debris into the Dustpan of FIG. 18 than using a Paddle. On the other hand, in certain circumstances, using the Paddle [(175) in FIG. 16] may prove more effective in causing debris to be pushed into the Dustpan. The Bristle Brush with Handle, Dustpan and Paddle, or any of them, can either be kept for future use or may be disposed of, as desired.
Incorporation of the Second Exemplary Embodiment into Boxes, Containers and Other Items
The second disclosed embodiment and the Bristle Brush with Handle, Dustpan and
Paddle that can be created therefrom can be incorporated into a box, a container or other item. The flat blank of FIG. 16 may be incorporated into a box, from which it can be punched out and from which the Bristle Brush with Handle, Dustpan and Paddle of the second disclosed embodiment can then be created according to the method disclosed above under the discussion of the Second Embodiment, in a similar manner to how the First Embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2 were shown incorporated into a box in FIGS. 14 and 15.
Third Exemplary Embodiment
An embodiment is disclosed which allows for the creation of a disposable combination bristle brush and paddle, a dustpan, a paddle and a scraper out of a flat sheet of bendable material. This is depicted in FIG. 19, which shows a detailed view of a pattern of incised lines and score and fold marks on a sheet of bendable material which can be used to create an embodiment, in one form, of a disposable combination bristle brush and paddle, a dustpan, a paddle and a scraper. All proportions shown in FIG. 19 are merely illustrative of one particular embodiment of the disclosure; it is to be understood that other embodiments of the disclosure could be created using different proportions without departing from the device and method being claimed in this application.
FIG. 19 discloses a flat sheet of bendable material comprising a Combination Bristle Brush and Paddle (206), a Dustpan (205), a Paddle (194) and a Scraper (197). The Combination Bristle Brush and Paddle contains angled incised bristle lines (191).
FIG. 20 is an exploded view of FIG. 19 and illustrates how the embodiment disclosed in FIG. 20 can be disassembled along the disclosed pattern of incised lines in order to create a Combination Bristle Brush and Paddle, 206, a Dustpan (205), a Paddle (194) and a Scraper (197).
Each of these may be disassembled from the flat sheet of bendable material by the following method, the first three steps of which can be executed in any order. First, the Scraper (197), which may optionally contain a retail merchandising cutout (193), is removed from the remainder of the bendable sheet of material by bending it back and forth along the portion of the incised line bounding dustpan (202), that separates the Scraper from the remainder of the bendable sheet of material until the Scraper separates, thereby resulting in the Scraper that is depicted in FIG. 22.
Second, the Paddle (194), is removed from the remainder of the bendable sheet of material by bending it back and forth along the portion of the incised line bounding dustpan (202), that separates the Paddle from the Dustpan (205), until the Paddle separates, thereby resulting in the Paddle that is depicted in FIG. 24.
Third, the Combination Bristle Brush and Paddle (206), is separated from the Dustpan (205), by tearing it along both the bristle brush score and fold mark (192), and the incised line bounding dustpan (202), thereby resulting in the Combination Bristle Brush and Paddle depicted in FIG. 23 and the Dustpan (205), depicted in FIG. 20.
Fourth, the handles of the dustpan are squeezed together to bring the periphery of what was formerly the incised line bounding dustpan (202), together in the manner shown in FIG. 21, to fold the dustpan handle bilaterally along the dustpan handle fold line [(203) in FIG. 19]. Doing this will cause the Dustpan to fold upward along the right back score and fold mark (196), and along the left back score and fold mark (199), and cause the Dustpan to buckle down toward the intersect at mid-pan (200), along the dustpan handle fold line (205), and along the plurality of sidewall score and fold marks (198), thereby forming a Dustpan with a plurality of rear pan inclines (204) and with a pan-to-floor interface (201), resulting in the Dustpan depicted in FIG. 21.
The Dustpan depicted in FIG. 21 is shown from a lower right perspective view in FIG. 26, from a left elevational view in FIG. 27 and from a bottom plan view in FIG. 28.
Incorporation of the Third Exemplary Embodiment into Boxes, Containers and Other Items
The third disclosed embodiment and the Combination Bristle Brush and Paddle, Dustpan, Paddle and Scraper that can be created therefrom can be incorporated into a box, a container or other item. This is illustrated by both FIGS. 29 and 30 in which the flat blank of FIGS. 19 and 20, has been incorporated into the side of a box (FIG. 29) and into the top of a box (FIG. 30), from either of which a flat blank can be punched out and from which the Combination Bristle Brush and Paddle, Dustpan, Paddle and Scraper of the third disclosed embodiment can then be created according to the method disclosed above under the discussion of the Third Embodiment.
Other Possible Variants of the Disclosed Embodiments
Other possible variants of the disclosed embodiments can be created wherein the bendable material (from which a bristle brush, a bristle brush with handle, a combination bristle brush and paddle, a dustpan and one paddle or a plurality of paddles can be formed) is made of materials that are either or both:
A. Resistant to liquids, such as hydrophobic paper or cardboard that has self-assembled silicon-oxide nanoparticles with functional silane groups and fluorocarbonated compounds linked directly to cellulose fibers of at least one of the surfaces thereof, with a Cobb value of 8 to 25 g/m2 and water contact angles of 100 to 140 degrees [such as that taught by Marroquin in EP Application 2837736 A1 (which is hereby incorporated by reference)] and similar; or
B. coated with materials that are resistant to liquids, including, but not limited to, waterproof film laminated to cardboard, polyethylene, waxes, fluor-derivatives, biopolymers, such as polysaccharides, proteins, lipids and polyesters, biopolymer nanoparticles and nanofillers such as nanoclay and nanocellulose.
All such embodiments are claimed by this application.
Other additional embodiments are also possible as to each of the Exemplary Embodiments previously described. For instance, while the First Exemplary Embodiment leaches a First Scraper, a Second Scraper, a Paddle, a Dustpan and a Bristle Brush, it is possible to construct other embodiments which create fewer than all of these elements. All such embodiments are claimed by this application.
Similarly, while the Second Exemplary Embodiment teaches a Bristle Brush with Handle, a Dustpan and a Paddle, it is possible to construct other embodiments which create fewer than all of these elements. All such embodiments are claimed by this application.
Additionally, while the Third Exemplary Embodiment teaches a Scraper, a Paddle, a Dustpan and a Combination Bristle Brush and Paddle, it is possible to construct other embodiments which create fewer than all of these elements. All such embodiments are claimed by this application.
Wherever reference is made in this disclosure to separating any portion of the sheet of bendable material from any other portion of the sheet of bendable material along any incised line or any score and fold mark, the separation may be achieved by bending the bendable material back and forth until it breaks along the incised line or the score and fold mark, by tearing the material down the incised line or the score and fold mark, by cutting the bendable material along the incised line or the score and fold mark with any sort of tool or by any other means of separating the bendable material along the incised line or the score and fold mark; all such methods of separation are claimed by this application.
Wherever incised bristle lines are mentioned in this disclosure it is understood that the material on either side of the incised bristle lines can be separated along those incised bristle lines to create individual bristles, if desired.
In the event that any of the patent documents that are incorporated by reference herein define or use a term in a manner that is inconsistent with either the non-incorporated disclosure of the present application or with any of the other incorporated patent documents, the non-incorporated disclosure of the present application shall control with respect to the present application, and the term or terms as used in an incorporated patent document shall only control with respect to the document in which the term or terms are defined or used.
The various disclosed elements of apparatuses and steps of methods disclosed herein are not required as to all apparatuses and methods set forth in the present disclosure, and the present disclosure includes all novel and non-obvious combinations and sub-combinations of the various elements and steps disclosed herein. Moreover, one or more of the various elements and steps disclosed herein may define independent inventive subject matter that is separate and apart from the whole of a disclosed apparatus or method. Accordingly, such inventive subject matter is not required to be associated with the specific apparatuses and methods that are expressly disclosed herein; such inventive subject matter may find utility in future apparatuses and/or methods and may be claimed through amendment of the present claims or presentation of new claims in this or a related application.
The specific alternatives, embodiments, and methods thereof as disclosed and illustrated herein are not to be considered in a limiting sense, as numerous variations are possible. The present disclosure includes all novel and non-obvious combinations and sub-combinations of the various elements, features, functions, properties, methods, and/or steps disclosed herein. The following claims particularly point out certain combinations and sub-combinations that are directed to one of the disclosed inventions and are novel and non-obvious. Inventions embodied in other combinations and sub-combinations of features, functions, elements, properties, methods, and/or steps may be claimed through amendment of the present claims or presentation of new claims in this or a related application. Such amended or new claims, whether they are directed to a different invention or directed to the same invention, whether different, broader, narrower, or equal in scope to the original claims, are also within the subject matter of the present disclosure.
While the description of several embodiments has been presented and while the exemplary embodiments are described in detail, it is not the intention of the applicant to restrict or in any way limit the scope of the appended claims to such detail. Applicant intends by this application to cover all possible embodiments that are described by the claims, even if such embodiments are not specifically shown or described in the Figures or in the Description of the Embodiments. That is, the claims in their broader aspects are therefore not limited to any of the specific details or to any of the representative apparatus and illustrative examples shown and described in the Figures and the specification. Accordingly, departures may be made from such details without departing from the spirit or scope of applicant's general concept as claimed.
Patent Application
20180317736
