FIELD
Embodiments of the present invention relate to a floor sweeper and more particularly to a hand held floor sweeper having a plurality of sweeping brushes and a receptacle.
BACKGROUND
Cleaning can be a difficult and undesirable chore. Many existing cleaning implements, such as brooms and dustpans, can be difficult to use and are often unreliable in properly cleaning. Brooms and dustpans typically require the user to bend over close to the floor. Yet still, brooms and dustpans are unable to collect all of the mess, often spreading the mess and leaving much of the mess on the floor. Frequently, debris and particles of the mess are unable to be swept up by the sweeping action of the broom into the dustpan past the edge where the dustpan meets the floor, and the sweeping action of the broom commonly propels debris and particles past the dustpan. Further, much of the mess captured in a dustpan regularly escapes the dustpan as the mess is being transported to a garbage receptacle, requiring the user to repeat the futile efforts to clean with a dustpan and broom.
SUMMARY
Embodiments of the present invention can provide a sweeping apparatus including a body having a first surface and a second surface, the first surface being different than the second surface, a receptacle configured to receive debris via a passageway, the receptacle including a door disposed on the first surface and an actuatable member disposed on the second surface, the door releasably coupled to the body via the actuatable member, and a plurality of brushes operatively coupled to the body, configured to urge debris into the receptacle via the passageway.
According to certain embodiments, the first surface may include a bottom surface. The second surface may include a back surface of the body. Further, the door may be disposed between a pair of wheels.
According to certain embodiments, the plurality of brushes may include a first brush, a second brush, and a third brush, the first and second brush having axes of rotation substantially perpendicular to an axis of rotation of the third brush. The first and second brushes may have bristles which extend beyond a perimeter of the body. Moreover, the first brush may rotate in a direction opposite to the second brush.
According to certain embodiments, the sweeping apparatus may further include at least one wheel having teething configured to cause rotation of at least one of the plurality of brushes. Further, the sweeping apparatus may include a handle assembly, the handle assembly having members to allow a user to adjust a length of the handle assembly.
According to certain embodiments, the body may include a triangular opening disposed between at least two of the plurality of brushes.
According to certain aspects, a top portion of the actuatable member may be spring biased away from the body. The door may open upon actuation of a top portion of the actuatable member. A bottom portion of the actuatable member may include a protrusion configured to releasably engage the door. Further, the actuatable member may be pivotally coupled to the body.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The features and advantages of the present invention can be more readily understood from the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:
FIG. 1 is a diagram of an exemplary sweeping apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a diagram of an exemplary sweeping apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 3 is a diagram of an exemplary sweeping apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 4 is a diagram of an exemplary sweeping apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention
FIG. 5 is a diagram of an exemplary sweeping apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention; and
FIG. 6 is a diagram of an exemplary sweeping assembly according to one embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 7 is a diagram of an exemplary sweeping assembly according to one embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Exemplary embodiment of the present invention can provide a novel sweeping apparatus. An embodiment of the present invention can provide an exemplary sweeping apparatus as shown in FIGS. 1-7. Exemplary sweeping apparatus 100 can facilitate cleaning of a surface. Exemplary sweeping apparatus 100 may include handle assembly 108 and sweeping assembly 102. Handle assembly 108 may be pivotally coupled to sweeping assembly 102 via coupling mechanism 106. In operation, exemplary sweeping apparatus 100 can be used to clean any surface desired by a user.
As shown in FIGS. 1-5, handle assembly 108 may be coupled to sweeping assembly 102 and may be configured to facilitate operation of sweeping apparatus 100, for example, by allowing a user to move sweeping apparatus 100 over a surface. For example, a user can grip handle assembly 108 and maneuver sweeping assembly 102 over the surface being swept. Handle assembly 108 may include gripping elements 115, first member 110, second member 111, and third member 113, and handle opening 116. Gripping element 115 can allow a user to ergonomically grip handle assembly 108, while members 110, 111, 113 may allow for handle assembly 108 to be adjustable in length. For example, members 110 of handle assembly 108 may allow the overall length of handle assembly 108 to be adjusted. First member 110 may be axially received inside second member 111, which may be axially received within third member 113. Third member 113 may be coupled to sweeping assembly 102 via coupling mechanism 106. In one embodiment of the present invention, members 110, 111, 113 may be telescopically coupled to allow a user to adjust the length without having to decouple members 110, 111, 113 from each other. In another embodiment of the present invention, members 110, 111, 113 may be coupled via threading disposed on the ends of members 110, 111, 113. For example, first member 110 may include a male end with threading which may be received by a female end of second member 111 to secure first member 110 to second member 111. Moreover, second member 111 may include a male end with threading on an end opposite the female end, which may be received by a female end of third member 113. Third member 113 may be inserted into coupling mechanism 106.
As shown in FIGS. 1-5, handle assembly 108 may also include locking mechanisms 112 which may allow members 110, 111, 113 to be locked in a desired configuration or length. To reduce the weight of handle assembly 108, members 110, 111, 113 may be hollow cylinders made out of plastic. However, members 110, 111, 113 can be made of various desired materials, including aluminum, stainless steel, wood, or any other material desired. Further, as shown in FIGS. 1-4, handle assembly 108 can include handle opening 116 at a distal end of handle assembly 108 so that sweeping apparatus 100 can be stored by hanging sweeping apparatus 100. For example, a hook or other hanging device may be inserted into handle opening 116 of handle assembly 108 to hang sweeping apparatus 100.
As shown in FIGS. 1-5, handle assembly 108 may be operatively coupled to sweeping assembly 102 via coupling mechanism 106. In one embodiment, coupling mechanism 106 may include recess 109 configured to allow coupling mechanism 106 to couple handle assembly 108 to sweeping assembly 102. Coupling mechanism 106 may be configured to releasably couple handle assembly 108 to sweeping assembly 102. However, handle assembly 108 can also be fixed to sweeping assembly 102 by coupling mechanism 106. Coupling mechanism 106 may also be configured to pivotally couple handle assembly 108 to sweeping assembly 102, allowing handle assembly 108 to move in a free range of motion in 360 degrees.
As shown in FIGS. 1-5, coupling mechanism 106 may include first hinge 105 and second hinge 107. First hinge 105 may be configured to move in a forward to backward direction and second hinge 107 may be configured to move in a right to left direction to allow handle assembly 108 to have a free range of motion relative to sweeping assembly 102 in 360 degrees in multiple planes. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4-5, second hinge 107 may include slot 127 which may receive first hinge 105. In one embodiment of the present invention, first hinge 105 may be inserted into slot 127 of second hinge 107 forming a saddle joint, allowing for 360-degree range of motion. Alternatively, coupling mechanism 106 can be configured with less than a 360-degree range of motion. For example, coupling mechanism 106 may have only one hinge configured to allow movement in only one axis. However, coupling mechanism can have any number of hinges, such as one, two, three, four, or any other number desired. Coupling mechanism 106 may also include other pivoting mechanisms to provide various ranges of motion. For example, coupling mechanism 106 can couple handle assembly 108 to sweeping assembly 102 with a ball-in-socket joint, a fastener, a magnet, or any other coupling mechanism. Further, coupling mechanism 106 can include a releasably locking mechanism that may be configured to fix sweeping assembly 102 to handle assembly 108 in desired configurations.
As shown in FIG. 7, sweeping assembly 102, can include body 104, rotation assembly 126, receptacle 140, and wheels 134, 136. The rotation assembly 126 may include lateral brushes 120, 122, and center brush 124, center axle 125, and gears 130, 132, configured to rotate brushes 120, 122, 124. Body 104 may encompass a substantial portion of rotation assembly 126 and receptacle 140.
In one embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIGS. 1-7, rotation assembly 126, receptacle 140, and wheels 134, 136 may be disposed within body 104. BodyBody 104 may be made out of plastic. However, body 104 can be made of any other material, such as metal or any other durable material desired. BodyBody 104 may be coupled to handle assembly 108 via coupling mechanism 106, which may be disposed on top of bodybody 104. Alternatively, coupling mechanism 106 may be disposed on the front, back, or side of body 104. As shown in FIGS. 1-7, the bottom of body 104 may be substantially flat, with an opening for brushes 120, 122, 124 to urge particles into receptacle 140 to capture and retain the debris being cleaned by sweeping apparatus 100. The bottom of body 104 may include a perimeter around the bottom of body 104 which defines the outer limits of body 104. As shown in FIGS. 6-7, one embodiment of sweeping assembly 102 may include body 104 with a perimeter that is substantially trapezoidal in shape, with the longer of the parallel edges at the front of the sweeping assembly 102. The trapezoidal shape of body 104 is configured to allow first vertex 117 and second vertex 119 to access corners of a room for sweeping and cleaning. Alternatively, body 104 can be configured in any desired shape, including triangular, rectangular, circular, oval, diamond-shaped, and other geometric or non-geometric shape. The top surface of body 104 may be sloped downward away from coupling mechanism 106 to the perimeter of body 104. In one embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 1-2, body 104 may be configured with body opening 118 having a substantially triangular shape. Body opening 118 can be located between lateral brushes 120, 122 to allow particles to be urged into receptacle 140. Alternatively, body opening 118 can be located anywhere along the perimeter of body 104. Body opening 118 may be configured in any desired shape to allow debris into receptacle 140.
As shown in FIGS. 4-7, rotation assembly 126 may be disposed in the front portion of body 104 and may include brushes 120, 122, 124 and gears 130, 132 which may be configured to rotate brushes 120, 122, 124. However, rotation assembly 126 may be disposed anywhere in body 104. For example, rotation assembly 126 may disposed in the back, side, bottom, or any other location. Further, although FIGS. 4-7 show rotation assembly 126 having two gears 130, 132, rotation assembly 126 may include any number of wheels. For example, rotation assembly 126 may include one wheel, three wheels, four wheels, or any number of wheels desired. In one embodiment of the present invention, lateral brushes 120, 122 may be circular. However, lateral brushes 120, 122 may be triangular, octagonal, or any other shape. Lateral brushes 120, 122 may be made from various materials, including plastic or metal. As shown in FIG. 7, lateral brushes 120, 122 may be substantially the same size and shape. Alternatively, lateral brush 120 may be a different shape than lateral brush 122. In one embodiment, as shown in FIG. 7, bristles 121, 123 of lateral brush 120 and lateral brush 122 may extend beyond the perimeter of body 104. Lateral brush 120 and lateral brush 122 may include bristles 121 and 123, respectively, which may extend outward from their respective centers. However, lateral brushes 120, 122 may be configured without bristles 121, 123. For example, lateral brushes 120, 122 may be configured with a cleaning pad or an adhesive strip.
In one embodiment of the present invention, bristles 121, 123 may cover the circumference and/or perimeter of lateral brush 120 and lateral brush 122 at various intervals and may be substantially the same length. In another embodiment of the present invention, lateral brush 120 and lateral brush 122 may have bristles 121, 123 of alternating shorter and longer lengths or any other configuration of bristle thickness and length. For example, bristles 121, 123 need not surround the entire circumference of lateral brushes 120, 122 or may have gaps between groups of bristles. The orientation and lengths of bristles 121, 123 can be configured in any desired combination. As shown in FIG. 7, bristles 121, 123 may be connected to the center of lateral brushes 120, 122 by spokes 131, 133. The center of lateral brushes 120, 122 may be designed to freely rotate around their center axes. The center axes of lateral brushes 120, 122 may be perpendicular to the spokes. Lateral brushes 120, 122 can be configured without spokes 131, 133. For example, the centers of lateral brushes 120, 122 may have a solid continuous shape, with no gaps. For example, lateral brushes 120, 122 may be a solid circular shape, a gear shape, or any other geometric orientation.
In one embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 7, rotation assembly 126 may further include center brush 124, which may be disposed between lateral brushes 120, 122. However, center brush 124 may be disposed in front of, behind, above or below lateral brushes 120, 122. According to certain embodiments of the present invention, center brush 124 may have a cylindrical shape. Alternatively, center brush 124 can be configured with a helix shape, a conical shape, or any other geometric shape. Center brush 124 may rotate about center axle 125 and may include bristles 129. Bristles 129 of center brush 124 may extend outward from center axle 125 along the length of center brush 124. In one embodiment of the present invention, bristles 129 of center brush 124 may be substantially the same length. Alternatively, bristles 129 of center brush 124 may be configured to be alternating shorter and longer lengths. According to certain embodiments, bristles 129 may be made of the same material as bristles 121 and 123. However, bristles 129 may be made out of a different material than bristles 121 or 123.
In one embodiment of the present invention, gears 130, 132 may be disposed at opposite ends of center axle 125 of rotation assembly 126. Gears 130, 132 may be operatively coupled to brushes 120, 122, 124 to rotate brushes 120, 122, 124. Brushes 120, 122, 124 may be configured to rotate in a forward and backward direction. For example, forward rotation of gears 130, 132 may cause forward rotation of brushes 120, 122, 124, and backward rotation of gears 130, 132 may cause backward rotation of brushes 120, 122, 124. Although FIG. 7 shows two gears 130, 132, Brushes 120, 122, 124 may be rotated by any number of gears, including one, three, four, or any number of gears desired. In one embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 4-7, gears 130, 132 may include teeth 135 along the circumference, configured to fit between spokes 131, 133 of lateral brushes 120, 122, and engage with the surface being swept. In practice, movement of sweeping apparatus 100 causes rotation of gears 130, 132, as gears 130, 132 may come into contact with the surface being cleaned during movement of sweeping apparatus 100. Rotation of gears 130, 132 may cause rotation of lateral brushes 120, 122 in a direction perpendicular to the rotation of gears 130, 132, and may also cause the rotation of third brush 124.
According to one embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 7, receptacle 140 of sweeping assembly 102 may be disposed in the back portion of body 104 and may include door 141. However, receptacle 140 may be disposed anywhere within body 104, including the front or sides of body 104. Although FIG. 7 shows receptacle 140 being disposed within body 104, receptacle 140 may be disposed outside of body 104. For example, receptacle 140 may be a container that is external to body 104 that may couple to body 104 during use of sweeping apparatus 100.
As shown in FIG. 7, receptacle 140 may be configured with door 141 for access to debris collected during use of sweeping apparatus 100 and may further include actuatable member 142. Actuatable member 142 may be configured to cause door 141 to open and pivot away from body 104, allowing debris collected in receptacle 140 to be easily discarded. In one embodiment of the present invention, debris may enter receptacle 140 via passageway 143 which may be disposed behind center brush 124 and provide fluid communication between receptacle 140 and the exterior of sweeping assembly 102. Forward rotation of brushes 120, 122, 124 may urge debris to enter receptacle via passageway 143, and debris may be removed from receptacle 140 via door 141 and actuatable member 142. However, sweeping assembly 102 may include additional passageways located behind lateral brushes 120, 122. Rotation of lateral brushes 120, 122 in a reverse direction may urge debris into the additional passageways located behind lateral brushes 120, 122. In one embodiment of the present invention, sweeping assembly 102 may be configured to allow debris to only enter receptacle 104 via passageway 143, but not allow debris exit sweeping assembly 102 via passageway 143.
In one embodiment of the present invention, door 141 may be disposed on a surface of sweeping assembly 102 adjacent to the surface being cleaned by sweeping apparatus 100 e.g., a bottom surface of sweeping assembly 102. Alternatively, door 141 may be disposed anywhere on sweeping assembly 102, including the top or the sides. Door 141 may be pivotably coupled to body 104 via a hinge. However, door 141 may be coupled to body 104 via other methods, such as magnets, fasteners, sliding grooves, or any other method. Door 141 may be configured to be in an open position or closed position. Door 141 may be secured in a closed position via actuatable member 142. As shown in FIG. 3, actuatable member 142 may be disposed on a surface other than the surface on which door 141 is disposed, for example, e.g., the back, top, side, etc. of body 104 when door 141 is disposed on a bottom surface of body 104. Actuatable member 142 may be engaged with door 141 and may be biased to keep door 141 in a closed position.
As shown in FIG. 3, actuatable member 142 may include top portion 150, center portion 152, and bottom portion 154. In one embodiment of the present invention, actuatable member 142 may be pivotally coupled to body 104 at center portion 152 via a pin, magnet, fastener, or any other coupling device. Actuatable member 142 may be able to pivot about center portion 152. Further, top portion 150 of actuatable member 142 may be spring biased away from body 104, resulting in bottom portion 154 of actuatable member 142 being closer to body 104, due to actuatable member 142 being pivotally coupled to body 104 at center portion 152. Bottom portion 154 may include a protrusion which may engage with door 141. Specifically, door 141 may rest on the protrusion of bottom portion 154. In practice, actuating of top portion 150 causes the protrusion of bottom portion 154 to move away from body 104 and disengage with door 141. The protrusion of bottom portion 154 disengaging with door 141, causes door 141 to open due to gravity. Once top portion 150 of actuatable member 142 is no longer actuated by a user, door 141 may be placed in a closed position covering receptacle 140, and the protrusion of bottom portion 154 may be engaged with door 141 due to top portion 150 being biased away from body 104. This allows door 141 to rest on the protrusion of bottom portion 154 and remain in a closed position. Door 141 resting on the protrusion of bottom portion 154 secures door 141 in a closed position until top portion 150 of actuatable member 142 is actuated.
In practice, a user may actuate top portion 150 of actuatable member 142 to cause door 141 to open and provide access to receptacle 140. A user may actuate top portion 150 of actuatable member 142, which may cause door 141 to open, causing debris within receptacle to fall out. Door 141 being located on the bottom of body 104 and actuatable member 142 being located adjacent to door 141 on a separate surface of body 104, for example, on the back of body 104, allows for the debris in receptacle 140 to be removed in an easy manner when top portion 150 of actuatable member 142 is actuated. For example, a user may actuate top portion 150 of actuatable member 141 when sweeping apparatus 100 is placed over a trash bin. Actuatable member 142 may be configured to cause door 142 to open upon actuation, causing debris to easily fall out of receptacle 140 and directly into a trash bin. Door 141 being located on the bottom of body 104 limits the amount of engagement a user is required to make with the debris in receptacle 140. According to certain embodiments of the present invention, receptacle 140 may be configured to be removed from sweeping assembly 102. The removable receptacle may be disposed within or outside of body 104.
As shown in FIGS. 4-5, 7, sweeping assembly 102 may include wheels 134, 136 disposed towards the back of sweeping assembly 102. Wheels 134, 136 may be disposed anywhere on sweeping assembly 102. Although FIG. 7 shows sweeping assembly 102 having two wheels 134, 136, sweeping assembly 102 may have any number of wheels, including zero, one, three, four, or any other number desired. Wheels 134, 136 may be fixed to sweeping assembly 102 or may be removable. In one embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 4-5 and 7, wheels 134, 136 may be smaller than gears 130, 132. However, wheels 134, 136 may be substantially the same size or larger than gears 130, 132. Wheels 134, 136 may allow for movement of sweeping apparatus 100.
The embodiments and examples shown above are illustrative, and many variations can be introduced to them without departing from the spirit of the disclosure. For example, elements and/or features of different illustrative and exemplary embodiments herein may be combined with each other and/or substituted with each other within the scope of the disclosure. For a better understanding of the disclosure, reference should be had to any accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there is illustrated exemplary embodiments of the present invention.
Patent Application
20180213993
