U.S. patent application number 10/135940 was filed with the patent office on 2003-10-30 for debris collecting device and method.
Invention is credited to Bolduc, Paul, West, R. Scott.
Application Number | 20030200728 10/135940 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 29249574 |
Filed Date | 2003-10-30 |
United States Patent
Application |
20030200728 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
West, R. Scott ; et
al. |
October 30, 2003 |
Debris collecting device and method
Abstract
A debris collecting device for gathering and moving quantities
of debris comprising of a pliable, flexible material of sufficient
size, and a plurality of elongated support members of substantially
equal length. The debris collecting device is operated by a person.
The debris collecting device is put over the pile of debris and the
elongated support members are brought underneath the debris and
then the debris collection device can be maneuvered into position
for carrying and or disposal.
Inventors: |
West, R. Scott; (Elliot,
ME) ; Bolduc, Paul; (Dover, NH) |
Correspondence
Address: |
DAVIDSON, DAVIDSON & KAPPEL, LLC
485 SEVENTH AVENUE, 14TH FLOOR
NEW YORK
NY
10018
US
|
Family ID: |
29249574 |
Appl. No.: |
10/135940 |
Filed: |
April 29, 2002 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
53/461 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65B 67/1238 20130101;
B65F 1/00 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
53/461 |
International
Class: |
B65B 011/00 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A debris collection device, which collects the debris from the
top comprising: a sheet of flexible pliable material for covering a
pile of debris; a plurality of elongated support members of
substantially equal length; and means for joining said elongated
support members to said flexible pliable material.
2. The debris collection device as recited in claim 1 wherein said
elongated support members each are less than 2.0 meters long.
3. The debris collection device as recited in claim 2 wherein said
elongated support members each are less than 1.5 meters long.
4. The debris collection device as recited in claim 1 wherein the
flexible pliable material is less than 2.0 meters wide.
5. The debris collection device as recited in claim 1 wherein said
flexible, pliable material is made of polyethylene.
6. The debris collection device as recited in claim 1 further
comprising a hinge connecting a first of the plurality of elongated
support members to a second of the elongated support members.
7. The debris collection device as recited in claim 6 wherein the
first and second elongated support members have angled ends.
8. A debris collection device comprising: a sheet of flexible
material having a first side edge and a second side edge; a width
between the first and second side edges being less than two meters
and a length of the first and second side edges each being less
than two meters; a first rigid support member attached to the first
side edge; and a second rigid support member attached to the second
side edge, the first and second rigid support members capable of
being brought together so that the sheet of flexible material
encircles debris.
9. A method for collecting debris comprising the steps of: placing
a debris collecting device having a sheet of flexible material
having a first side edge and a second side edge, a first rigid
support member attached to the first side edge and a second rigid
support member attached to the second side edge manually over a
pile of debris; manually moving the first rigid support member and
the second rigid support member together so as to encircle at least
a portion of the pile of debris; and manually transporting the
debris collecting device using the first and second rigid support
members.
10. The method as recited in claim 9 wherein the steps are
performed by a single person.
11. The method as recited in claim 9 wherein the steps are
performed by two people.
12. The method as recited in claim 9 further comprising dumping the
debris by releasing one of the support members.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to debris collecting
devices.
[0002] Typical debris collecting devices for gathering and moving
quantities of landscaping debris collect the debris from the side
or bottom. Typical tools used are rakes, or rake-like devices. U.S.
Pat. No. 5,706,640 to Tyrell (1996) discloses a complex landscaping
debris collecting device comprising a right and left plate member,
each having an inside and outside face. Each member has a rake end
and a contoured end, the contoured end of which is secured inside
the palm of one's hand. The right and left plate members are used
to collect the quantities of debris by bringing together the right
and left plates and sandwiching together landscaping debris. These
collection devices only pick up small piles of debris.
[0003] U.S. Pat. No. 4,378,670 (Mathias) discloses a hand scoop for
grass and leaves which are operated by a person's hands and
assembles the debris for lifting from the side. This device is not
well suited for larger debris piles.
[0004] Thus for large piles of debris the devices are
disadvantageous. Also being relatively clumsy and small, the
devices are of little or no use for larger sticks and branches.
[0005] Several types of tarp loaders have been proposed to collect
debris. U.S. Pat. No. 5,573,365 (Michalski) discloses a complex
tarp loading method which requires the debris to be put on the tarp
before it is useful. This along with the requirement for an
attached receptacle makes this method unpractical for a typical
homeowner.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] Objects of the present invention include:
[0007] (a) to provide a debris removal system that eliminates the
need to rake debris onto a removal device, after the debris has
already been piled;
[0008] (b) to provide a debris removal device which in one
operation will load and transport the debris;
[0009] (c) to provide a debris removal device which by a single
operation of loading and transporting large piles of debris will
increase the efficiency of the debris removal operation;
[0010] (d) to provide a debris removal device that will remove not
only small sized debris, but also larger sized debris;
[0011] (e) to provide a debris removal device that can be
manufactured for single person operation;
[0012] (f) to provide a debris removal device that can be
manufactured for multiple person operation;
[0013] (g) to provide a debris removal device that can be brightly
colored; and/or
[0014] (h) to provide a debris removal device that can be labeled
for advertisement.
[0015] The present invention thus provides a debris collection
device, which collects the debris from the top comprising:
[0016] a sheet of flexible pliable material of sufficient size for
covering a pile of debris;
[0017] a plurality of elongated support members of substantially
equal length; and means for joining said elongated support members
to said flexible pliable material.
[0018] The elongated support members may be hinged at one end.
[0019] Preferably, the elongated support member is less than two
meters long, and most preferably shorter than 1.5 meters to permit
single person operation. The width of the pliable material between
the two support members preferably is also less than two
meters.
[0020] The pliable material may be porous, such as a netting, but
preferably is solid so that debris is not caught in the porous
materials and so that advertising may be printed on the material.
Preferably, the material is made of polyethylene.
[0021] Preferably, the elongated support members protrude past the
flexible, pliable material for easy grasping.
[0022] The device may further include a hinge to connect the
support members, making single person operation easier.
[0023] The present invention also provides a debris collection
device comprising:
[0024] a sheet of flexible material having a first side edge and a
second side edge;
[0025] a width between the first and second side edges being less
than two meters and a length of the first and second side edges
each being less than two meters;
[0026] a first rigid support member attached to the first side
edge; and
[0027] a second rigid support member attached to the second side
edge.
[0028] Unlike simple tarpaulins used for debris collection, the
present invention permits the debris to be collected from the top
due to the rigid support members at the side edges.
[0029] The present invention also provides a method for collecting
debris comprising:
[0030] placing a debris collecting device having a sheet of
flexible material having a first side edge and a second side edge,
a first rigid support member attached to the first side edge and a
second rigid support member attached to the second side edge
manually over a pile of debris;
[0031] manually moving the first rigid support member and the
second rigid support member together so as to encircle at least a
portion of the pile of debris; and
[0032] manually carrying the debris collecting device using the
first and second rigid support members.
[0033] The debris may then be dumped by separating the first rigid
support member and the second rigid support member.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0034] A preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown in
the drawings, in which:
[0035] FIG. 1 shows a debris removal device according to the
present invention the flexible pliable material.
[0036] FIGS. 2a, 2b, 2c and 2d show the progression of the
preferred method according to the present invention.
[0037] FIG. 3 shows the elongated members having a similar
length.
[0038] FIG. 4 shows the flexible pliable material with sewing
lines.
[0039] FIG. 5a shows an alternate embodiment with a hinge in a
partially closed position.
[0040] FIG. 5b shows the embodiment of FIG. 5a fully open.
[0041] FIG. 5c shows the hinge of the embodiment of FIG. 5a.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0042] FIG. 1 shows the debris removal device 10 having a solid
flexible material 12, and a first rigid support 13 and a second
rigid support 14. The flexible material 12 may be connected to the
rigid supports 13, 14 by any connection means, for example, by
stitches 15 creating a tube at the edge of the material 12 in which
a support is firmly held. Alternately, glue, screws, nails, or
other fasteners may be used to attach the rigid supports.
[0043] Grip areas 20, 21 of the supports preferably extend beyond
the flexible material 12, so that supports 13, 14 are easily
gripped. Supports 13, 14 may be made of wood or plastic, for
example.
[0044] FIG. 2a shows the debris removal device covering a pile of
debris, preferably lawn debris such as dead leaves.
[0045] FIG. 2b shows the debris removal devices plurality of
elongated support members brought together to encircle and collect
the debris. FIG. 2c shows the debris removal device in its carrying
position. FIG. 2d shows the debris removal device in its emptying
position.
[0046] FIG. 3 shows a plurality of elongated support members 13, 14
of substantially equal length.
[0047] FIG. 4 shows the flexible pliable material 12 with the
sewing lines, which provide access for the elongated support
member. Each member is held by the overlap lap of flexible pliable
material, which is sewn together manufacturing an area of limited
movement for the elongated support.
[0048] FIGS. 5a, b and c shows an alternate embodiment in which
elongated support members 113 and 114 are connected by a hinge 115
having a first wing 116 and a second wing 117. Support members 113,
114 support a trapezoidal-shaped flexible pliable material 112. The
first and second wings 116, 117 can be attached for example by
screws to angled ends of the respective support members 113,
114.
[0049] Advantages of the debris collecting device include:
[0050] (a) a majority of the time spent cleaning up debris is
involved in picking up the small often-raked piles. The present
device and method for removing the pile from the top makes this
process more efficient.
[0051] (b) transporting debris in tarps, wheelbarrows or other
mechanisms is difficult and cumbersome, the present device and
method allows the debris to easily be moved.
[0052] (c) dumping the debris is typically an additional step that
must be taken with conventional techniques. The present device and
method can dump the debris by maneuvering one of the supports.
[0053] (d) The presence of a wide area of the flexible pliable
material permits the debris removal device to be manufactured in
company colors as well as with company logos applied.
[0054] The manner of using the debris removal device is different
from conventional techniques. The debris must be first collected
into a pile, the bigger the pile the more efficient the debris
collection device will be. After collection of the debris into a
pile, a user manually covers the debris pile with the debris
collection device. This is done by putting one of the elongated
support members on one side of the debris pile. The other elongated
support member should be extended over the debris pile as far as
possible as shown in FIG. 2a. Next the user takes the elongated
support members and drags them along the ground or brings them
together and under at least a part of the debris until the support
members are held together as shown in FIG. 2b. To lift the debris
for carrying, the user holds the elongated support members together
and brings them away from the ground toward the user as shown in
FIG. 2c. This position is also used to carry the debris. To dump
the debris once the user has located the correct location, the user
lets go of one of the elongated support members and the debris
falls into the desired location as shown in FIG. 2d.
[0055] The debris collection device invention can be used to pick
up debris very easily, and can be used to transport larger amount
of debris and dump debris with more efficiency than with
conventional techniques. Furthermore, the debris collection device
has the additional advantages in that:
[0056] It can be manufactured for single person use.
[0057] It can be manufactured for multiple person use.
[0058] It can be manufactured in bright colors.
[0059] It can be used for advertisement of company logos.
[0060] It can carry larger debris such as sticks, branches, as well
as more debris than conventional techniques.
[0061] It uses fewer operations to move the same amount of material
using a conventional tarp and raking onto it.
[0062] Although the description above describes preferred
embodiments, these should not be construed as limiting the scope of
the invention but as merely providing illustrations of some of the
presently preferred embodiments of this invention. For example, the
debris collecting device can have other shapes, such as
trapezoidal, triangular, rectangular, etc. The elongated members
can be hinged, or be made of two pieces for easy storage.
[0063] Thus the scope of the present invention should be determined
by the appended claims and their legal equivalents, rather than by
the examples given.
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