Patent Application
20060117511
Pushbrooms are effective cleaning tools. The standard pushbroom consists of a separable elongated handle and a broomhead made up of bristles, a rigid bristle supporting base, often made of wood, plastic, light metal, or other hard material, and some interconnection between the broomhead and the handle. Most often, a threaded hole is located on the top side of the broomhead to allow engagement with the end of the handle which has corresponding threads. The handle is easily screwed into the broomhead to allow use of the pushbroom. Sometimes a broomhead is provided with two threaded holes, one on one side of the top surface of the head and the other on the other side of the top surface of the head, allowing the handle to be switched from one hole to the other, when the bristles become worn in one pushing direction.
While this basic arrangement provides a functional pushbroom, several inherent problems exist. During the use of the broom, the threaded attachment between the handle and head routinely loosens, resulting in the need to stop sweeping and tighten or, if the head comes completely off, to reattach the handle and head. Additionally, the handle is sometimes caused to bend, fail or break near the head while sweeping, especially when the bristles are pushed against heavy material or debris. An elongated handle attached solely by threaded connection to the head accounts for broom instability, which increases the required sweeping effort and also tends to lead to handle breakage.
It is thus the object of the present invention to overcome the limitations and disadvantages of prior pushbrooms.
It is a general object of the invention to provide a pushbroom with a brace which provides rigidity and stability to the pushbroom, while ensuring for a secure connection between the handle and the broomhead.
It is another object of the invention to provide a pushbroom with a brace which is lightweight and high strength in its design and construction, yet provides a secure connection between the handle and the broomhead.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a pushbroom with a brace which, when a pushing force is applied to the broomhead, assists in minimizing lateral forces effecting the handle at the point of attachment of the handle to the broomhead.
These and other objects are accomplished by the present invention, a pushbroom using a broom brace, optimally manufactured as an integral one-piece lightweight molded element. The brace consists of a framework of outer and lower rib members substantially circumscribing the outer surface of the brace and a central rib member. Strengthening web sections are located and extend between the rib members. The brace is secured to the handle and the broom head by threaded connectors or similar attachment devices.
The novel features which are considered as characteristic of the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its design, construction, and use, together with additional features and advantages thereof, are best understood upon review of the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Pushbroom 1 comprises handle 2 and broomhead 3 with brace 4 and broom bristles configuration 5. As best seen in
Broom brace 6 is an integral, unitary one-piece component body preferably manufactured of lightweight, high strength moldable plastic. Brace 6 has threaded opening at 8 into which handle 2 is threadably connected. Screw 10 ensures for a tight connection between handle 2 and brace 6.
Brace 6, as shown, is curved in nature, and comprises a framework of rib members, including curved outer rib members 12 and 14 which partially circumscribe the brace, lower rib member 13, and central rib member 16. Web sections 18 and 20 are located between the rib members. Openings 22 and 23 in rib members 12 and 14 allow attachment screws 25 and 26 to be inserted in the openings and secured to the flat upper surface of base 4 of broomhead 3. As the bottom surface of brace 6 is substantially flat, it is readily positioned on the upper flat surface of base 4 to allow holes in the upper surface of the base to be aligned with openings 22 and 23 for connection by screws 25 and 26.
Brace 6 is configured to be reversible. That is, when bristles 5 are worn from being pushed in one direction, screws in openings 22 and 23 can be removed and brace 6 rotated 180° to allow the brace and its connected handle 2 to be secured to broomhead 3 from the opposite side of the broom head. This arrangements ensures that handle 2 continues to be secured to brace 6 and both sides of bristles 5 can be used, thus prolonging the useful life of the broom.
The ergonomic shape and angle of attachment of brace 6 also makes use of the broom easier and more effective. Significantly, brace 6 has a high degree of strength, adds rigidity, and provides stability to pushbroom 6 by means of rib members 12, 13, 14, and 16, with interconnecting webs 18 and 20. These components also distribute the pushing forces received from handle 2 to broomhead 3, while minimizing the lateral forces effecting the handle at the point of attachment of the handle to the brace/broomhead. This not only assists in preventing breakage of handle 2, but also provides stability to the broom during the sweeping operation.
Certain novel features and components of this invention are disclosed in detail in order to make the invention clear in at least one form thereof. However, it is to be clearly understood that the invention as disclosed is not necessarily limited to the exact form and details as disclosed, since it is apparent that various modifications and changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.
