1. The Field of the Invention
This invention relates to whisk brooms, squeegees, and related systems.
2. Background and Relevant Art
Whisk brooms and dustpans are common items found in most business and home settings. Whisk brooms and dustpans come in a variety of shapes and sizes. They are used to clean up a variety of dry spill debris only. Often, there is a need to clean up a wet spill, or a spill including both wet and dry components. Existing whisk brooms have limited usefulness in such circumstances.
The present invention provides a product having the ability to alternate between dry spill and wet spill clean-up by simply rotating the head to either the bristle side, for dry material clean-up, or the rubber squeegee side for wet material clean-up. Once rotated to the rubber squeegee side the user may now clean-up wet spills such as paint, oil, milk, a dropped egg, etc. Located on the handle is a release button. When this button is pulled or otherwise selectively activated (e.g., pushed, pressed, etc.) the head containing bristles on one end and a squeegee on the other will now rotate freely allowing the user to alternate between dry and wet clean-up. The whisk broom is used in identical fashion as existing whisk brooms, e.g., by simply sweeping the debris into the dustpan, then emptying the dustpan into the garbage. To use the squeegee to clean-up a wet spill the user rotates the head to the squeegee side, then presses the squeegee to the floor in front of the wet spill and moves (e.g., pulls) the spill into the dustpan. The liquid materials can simply be dumped and rinsed from the dustpan in a sink or basin to empty the dustpan. The squeegee edge of the broom head may be cleaned in similar fashion. The head may be locked at a variety of angles for side sweeping applications such as inside a cabinet or on top of a work bench, etc.
For example, according to an embodiment, a combination whisk broom and squeegee device may comprise an elongate handle, a rotatable head that is rotatably attached to the handle, and a release button disposed on or within the handle. The head includes a whisk broom end with a plurality of whisk broom bristles at one end of the head. The opposite squeegee end of the head includes a squeegee (e.g., a rubber or elastomeric tapered squeegee blade overmolded over the opposite end). The whisk broom end may be used to sweep up dry spills, while the squeegee end may be used to clean up wet spills. The head is rotatably coupled (e.g., snap-fitted) to the handle, so that the head is selectively rotatable and selectively lockable in a desired orientation relative to the handle so as to orient the whisk broom end or the squeegee end in a desired locked orientation for use of a respective end. The release button may be coupled to the snap fit or other rotatable coupling structure of the head to selectively release and selectively lock the rotatable head in a desired orientation relative to the handle.
These and other advantages and features of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims, or may be learned by the practice of the invention as set forth hereinafter.
To further clarify the above and other advantages and features of the present invention, a more particular description of the invention will be rendered by references to specific embodiments thereof, which are illustrated in the appended drawings. It is appreciated that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope. The invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings in which:
I. Introduction
The present invention provides a product having the ability to alternate between dry spill and wet spill clean-up by simply rotating the head to either the bristle side, for dry material clean-up, or the rubber squeegee side for wet material clean-up. Once rotated to the rubber squeegee side the user may clean-up wet spills such as paint, oil, milk, water, a dropped egg, etc. Located on the handle is a release button coupled to the rotatable coupling by which the head rotates about the handle. When this button is pulled or otherwise selectively activated (e.g., pushed, pressed, etc.) the head containing bristles on one end and a squeegee on the other will now rotate freely allowing the user to alternate between dry and wet clean-up. The whisk broom is used in identical fashion as existing whisk brooms, e.g., by simply sweeping the debris into the dustpan, then emptying the dustpan into the garbage. To use the squeegee to clean-up a wet spill the user rotates the head to the squeegee side, then presses the squeegee to the floor in front of the wet spill and moves (e.g., pulls) the spill into the dustpan. The liquid materials can simply be dumped and rinsed from the dustpan in a sink or basin to empty and clean the dustpan. The squeegee edge of the broom head may be cleaned in similar fashion. In an embodiment, the head may be locked at a variety of angles for side sweeping applications such as inside a cabinet, on top of a work bench, etc.
According to an embodiment, a combination whisk broom and squeegee device may comprise an elongate handle, a rotatable head that is rotatably attached to the handle, and a release button disposed on or within the handle. The head includes a whisk broom end with a plurality of whisk broom bristles at one end of the head. The opposite squeegee end of the head includes a squeegee (e.g., a rubber or elastomeric tapered squeegee blade overmolded over the opposite end). The whisk broom end may be used to sweep up dry spills, while the squeegee end may be used to clean up wet spills. The head is rotatably coupled (e.g., snap-fitted) to the handle, so that the head is selectively rotatable and selectively lockable in a desired orientation relative to the handle so as to orient the whisk broom end or the squeegee end in a desired locked orientation for use of the respective end. The release button may be coupled to the snap fit or other rotatable coupling structure of the head to selectively release and selectively lock the rotatable head in a desired orientation relative to the handle.
III. Exemplary Combination Whisk Broom and Squeegee Devices
The Figures illustrate an exemplary combination device 100.
Head 104 is rotatably coupled to handle 102, e.g., at snap fit rotatable coupling 116. Head 104 is selectively rotatable about coupling 116, allowing head 104 to be locked into one of any number of given positions. This allows a user to orient head 104 relative to handle 102 in a desired configuration to employ either the whisk broom end (i.e., bristles 110) or the squeegee end (i.e., squeegee 114) of head 104, as desired.
Release button 106 works with the rotatable coupling 116 to allow selective release of coupling 116, allowing head 104 to rotate freely, followed by relocking head 104 into a desired orientation upon release of button 106, following rotation.
As seen in
Because cylinder 120 is notched, it can easily flex inwardly (i.e., compress) as it is introduced into cylindrical recess 122. As soon as it is fully inserted, the outwardly flared flange ends 126 snap outwardly, so as to overhang the distal end of sidewall 124, coupling cylinder 120 and handle 102 together in a snap-lock connection. The coupling provides for free rotation of cylinder 120 within recess 122, and thus head 104 about handle 102.
As shown, handle 102 may terminate at its bottom end in an enlarged cylinder shape 128, which cylinder 128 may extend generally forwardly (opposed to the rearward extension of cylinder 120). Cylinder 128 is hollow, and includes sidewall 124 defining inner cylindrical recess 122 which mates with notched cylinder 120. As seen in
Referring again to
The handle 102 may include front and rear portions fastened together (e.g., snap fit and/or with fasteners such as screws, adhesive, etc.). Sliding locking pin 134 may be spring loaded (e.g., spring 140) within handle 102 so that button 106 is biased to a position corresponding to one where head 104 is locked against rotation relative to handle 102. Locking pin 134 may further include a spring retention protrusion 144 at its bottom end, adjacent the distal pin end 136, for retaining spring 140. Release button 106 may comprise a portion of sliding locking pin 134, which is manually accessible through a window 142 cut-out in the front portion of handle 102. The release button 106 and elongate sliding locking pin may be an injection molded single piece. Many of the other structures (e.g., forward and rear handle 102 halves, the head 104, the dustpan 150, etc.) may similarly be injection molded. As perhaps best seen in
As used in this specification and the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an” and “the” include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.
The present invention can be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. Thus, the described implementations are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. All changes that come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.
The present application claims the benefit of U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 61/750,264, filed Jan. 8, 2013, entitled “WHISK BROOM WITH SQUEEGEE”, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference in its entirety.
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Number | Date | Country | |
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61750264 | Jan 2013 | US |