Patent Application
20210137333
The invention generally relates to cleaning systems for home or commercial environment, and more particularly relates to a vacuum broom with replaceable bristles.
Typical home and commercial environments have vacuum devices and broom devices. These are usually separate devices. A user sweeps using the broom device to collect refuse in a location. The user then may vacuum the refuse using the room device at the location, or else collect the refuse in a dust pan or the like for disposal. Certain conventional vacuum and broom combinations employ fixed or securely connected elements. The broom bristles are fixedly connected to the vacuum device. When the bristles wear, the combination is less useful.
It would, therefore, be a significant improvement in the art and technology to provide combination vacuum and broom in a same device. It would further be an improvement to provide unitized combinations of elements of such devices that allow replacement, particularly when bristles become worn.
An embodiment of the invention is a system including a housing, a handle connected to the housing, a vacuum connected to the housing, and replaceable bristles selectively connected to the housing.
Another embodiment of the invention is a method. The method includes vacuuming a refuse with a broom, the broom includes a vacuum, and replacing the bristles of the broom.
Yet another embodiment of the invention is a method of manufacture of a broom vacuum cleaner. The method of manufacture includes providing a handle, connecting a housing to the handle, connecting a carrier to bristles, selectively connecting the carrier to the carrier connected to bristles are replaceable to obtain new bristles of the broom vacuum cleaner, and providing a vacuum to the housing.
The present invention is illustrated by way of example and not limitation in the accompanying figures, in which like references indicate similar elements, and in which:
Referring to
In operation, the carrier 112 is connected to the housing 102 by features of the housing 102 and the carrier 112 (not shown in detail in
The vacuum motor 104 is activated, as desired, and suction through the vacuum inlet 110 gathers refuse from the floor or other surface. The container 108 retains the refuse. The suction is exhausted through the vacuum outlet 108. The container 108 may be removed from connection to the housing 102 for empty of refuse collected.
The bristles 114 can become worn through extended use for sweeping. As desired, the button 116 may be depressed to disengage the carrier 112 from the housing 102. When disengaged, the carrier 112 may be removed from the housing 102. Replacement carrier and bristles (not shown) may then be substituted for the carrier 112 and bristles 114. As non-exclusive example, the housing 102 includes a guide on which the carrier 112 is slid on and off for engagement with the housing 102.
Referring to
In operation, the carrier 112 is connected to, as non-exclusive example, by sliding onto, the guide 204 by the matching track of the carrier 112. The carrier 112 is attached in secure connection to the housing 102 by the latch to the catch 202 upon contact. When the bristles 114 are to be removed, the button 116 is pressed. The carrier 112 is disconnected from, as non-exclusive example, by sliding from, the guide 204 by the track of the carrier 112.
Referring to
Referring to
The container 108 can become filled or otherwise empty of the container 108 may be desired. A button 404 is connected to the housing 102 and a lid 402. The lid 402 may swing outward from the housing 102 when the button 404 is depressed. This disengages the lid 402 from connection to the housing 102 and opens the container 108. The container 108 may thereby be emptied or cleaned.
In operation, the handle 103 is held and the bristles 114 are swept across a floor or other surface, Refuse is vacuumed by positioning the vacuum inlet 110 on or near the floor or other surface. The vacuum motor 104 draws the refuse into and through the inlet 110, and into the container 108. Exhaust air from the vacuum motor 104 exits the outlet 106. When the container 108 is filled or empty is desired, the button 404 is pressed and the lid 402 swings (downward in
Referring to
The motor 506 is electrically connected to a power source 514 by a circuit 508. The circuit 508 includes a switch 504. The switch 504 may be closed by hand, by press of the outlet 110 against a surface, or otherwise as desired in the embodiment.
A filter 510 may be located in vicinity of the outlet 106. Vacuum air “A” circulates from the inlet 110, through the container 108, across the filter 510 and out through the outlet 106, when the vacuum 106 is activated. In non-exclusive example, the motor 506, the fan 512, the circuit 508, the power source 514 and the filter 510 are enclosed by the housing 102.
In operation, the carrier 112 is connected to the housing 102. The handle 103 is manually manipulated to sweep the bristles 114 across a floor or other surface to be cleaned. As desired, the switch 504 is switched to on and off to power on and off, respectively, the vacuum motor 506. As non-exclusive example, the switch 504 is switched to on when the vacuum inlet 110 is contacted to the floor or surface, and continues on for set period of time. Alternately, the switch 504 can be manually or otherwise turned on and off, or other configuration is possible in embodiments.
When the vacuum motor 506 turns on, the motor 506 rotates the fan 512 to create suction through the vacuum inlet 110. Refuse is suctioned into the vacuum inlet. The suction continues to and through the container 108, where the suctioned refuse is collected. The suction continues from the container 108, and passes through a filter 510 or the like which captures the refuse in the container 108. From the filter 510, the exhaust suction exits the housing 102 through the vacuum outlet 106.
The motor 506 stops rotation of the fan 512 when the switch 504 is turned off. The switching of the switch 504 from on to off may be as desired in the embodiments to allow refuse to be sufficiently vacuumed. The switch 504 when turned on electrically completes the circuit 504 so that the power source 514 powers the motor 506. The power source 514 may be a direct current (DC), or alternating current (AC) converted to DC, supply. If AC, a cord or other connector may be included.
Refuse may be vacuumed until desired fill of the container 108. When the container 108 is filled (or at other desired or configured stage), the vacuum motor 506 may be powered off and the container 108 emptied or otherwise cleaned. The container 108 is opened by press of the button 404 or other access device and swing upward of the lid 402. The container 108 may be emptied through the opening and/or the container may be removed from the housing 102 and emptied according to non-exclusive embodiments.
Referring to
Referring to
Once the carrier is connected 702 to the housing, sweeping 704 a refuse by the bristles may include manual manipulation of the handle or otherwise. When sufficient sweeping 704 is complete, switching 706 to on of the vacuum motor of the housing begins suction through an inlet. The inlet is moved in vicinity of the refuse for vacuuming 708 the refuse. In vacuuming, the refuse is suctioned into the inlet and on to a collector.
The collector collects 710 the refuse that is vacuumed. The collecting 710 may be performed by the housing, a separate collector connected to the housing, or otherwise. The collecting 710 continues until the refuse is vacuumed or a fill of the collector occurs.
Once collecting 710 is completed, switching 712 turns off the vacuum motor. The switching 712 may be performed via a manual or automated switch. The switch may be part of or included in the housing, the inlet, the handle, or otherwise.
If the bristles become worn, replacing 714 the carrier with bristles is performed by disconnecting (such as by press of button to unlatch a latch to a catch, or otherwise) the old used carrier with bristles from the housing. A new carrier with bristles is then connected to the housing (such as by sliding of a track along a guide, or otherwise), The carrier may securely connect to the housing to prevent dislodgement of the carrier from the housing during sweeping, but may be removable from such connection when replacement of the carrier and bristles, cleaning of the housing, or other action is desired.
After replacing 714, the method 700 returns to sweeping 704.
If on completion of switching 712 the collector or other capture vessel of the refuse is filled, reaches a desired level, is to be cleaned or otherwise, opening 716 the collector allows access to within the collector or vessel, Opening 716 may be performed manually or automatedly, according to embodiments. As non-exclusive example, a button of the housing may be manually pressed to release a lid from secure connection to the housing. The lid may open the collector and/or, according to non-exclusive embodiments, allow the collector to be removed from integration with the housing, or otherwise.
Emptying 718 the collector is, as non-exclusive example, performed by shaking, turning, or otherwise manipulating the collector in a waste bin or other device. Replacing the collector in the housing and/or closing the lid, and/or other action or combination 720, renders the vacuum capable of again returning to sweeping 704 or vacuuming 708, as desired.
As will be understood, wide variation is possible in the foregoing embodiments. Various carrier and bristle arrangements and configurations are possible if replaceable in connection to a housing or vacuum. The vacuum unit can be any type of vacuum device and can include all possible vacuum technologies. Non-exclusive embodiments include unitized features of the system, as well as component options. For example, the collector can be unitized, and may be removable or disengaged with a housing or the carrier, the carrier and bristles may be unitized, and may be slidable and snapped for engagement and disengagement with the housing or collector, as applicable. The power source may be DC or AC, including any conversion, and may be internal or external to the housing, the earner, and/or otherwise. Although housing of the unit is illustrated as a wedge shape, alternative designs and shapes are possible to provide for selective connection and disconnection of bristles, such as for non-exclusive example via a carrier, Variation is also possible in the operations of the bristles, carrier, housing, vacuum, collector and other aspects. Additional, alternative, and replacement elements are possible, such as, for non-exclusive example, a variety of collector level controls, switching devices and operations, inlet and outlet configurations, bristle monitors, and other elements, devices, components and features are all included, Although certain operations are disclosed, numerous other steps, operations, processes and methods may be implemented in the systems.
In the foregoing, the invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments. One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate, however, that various modifications, substitutions, deletions, and additions can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. Accordingly, the specification and figures are to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense, and all such modifications substitutions, deletions, and additions are intended to be included within the scope of the invention. Any benefits, advantages, or solutions to problems that may have been described above with regard to specific embodiments, as well as device(s), connection(s), step(s) and element(s) that may cause any benefit, advantage, or solution to occur or become more pronounced, are not to be construed as a critical, required, or essential feature or element.
