U.S. patent application number 10/661150 was filed with the patent office on 2004-07-29 for floor sweeper having a viewable receptacle.
This patent application is currently assigned to WILDWOOD INDUSTRIES, INC.. Invention is credited to Wilder, Brent A..
Application Number | 20040143919 10/661150 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 32738063 |
Filed Date | 2004-07-29 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040143919 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Wilder, Brent A. |
July 29, 2004 |
Floor sweeper having a viewable receptacle
Abstract
A floor sweeper for the collection of debris from a surface
which comprises a handle pivotatably attached to a body have top
and side portions and a open bottom containing at least two sets of
wheels, at least one roller brush and one or more collection
receptacles. At least segment of the top portion of the body
contains is formed of a transparent material, such that a window or
similar structure is provided for the sweeper user to observe the
function of the sweeper or the amount and type of debris
accumulated therein.
Inventors: |
Wilder, Brent A.;
(Bloomington, IL) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Thomas W. Ryan
PIPER RUDNICK LLP
P.O. Box 64807
Chicago
IL
60664-0807
US
|
Assignee: |
WILDWOOD INDUSTRIES, INC.
|
Family ID: |
32738063 |
Appl. No.: |
10/661150 |
Filed: |
September 12, 2003 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60410835 |
Sep 13, 2002 |
|
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|
Current U.S.
Class: |
15/41.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47L 11/4041 20130101;
A47L 11/4025 20130101; A47L 11/33 20130101; A47L 11/4072 20130101;
A47L 11/4013 20130101; A47L 11/4075 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
015/041.1 |
International
Class: |
A47L 011/33 |
Claims
I claim:
1. An floor sweeper having a handle, a base portion having a top
portion and four side portions, a plurality of wheels, at least one
brush roller, and a bottom receptacle, the improvement comprising
at least one segment of the top portion being formed from a
transparent material, whereby a user may observe material being
captured by the sweeper and the operation of the brush roller
during operation.
2. The floor sweeper of claim 1 having a front and back portions on
said top portion and two bottom receptacles wherein the improvement
further comprises two transparent segments located at each of the
front and back potions of said top portion, whereby the user may
observe captured material in both bottom receptacles by way of each
of the two transparent sections.
3. The floor sweeper of claim 1 having two brush rollers interposed
between said wheels.
4. The floor sweeper of claim 1 wherein said transparent segment is
comprised of material selected from the group comprising
transparent and translucent plastics.
5. A sweeper comprising: a housing having a top, bottom and lateral
sides; a plurality of wheels attached to said housing; at least one
rotary brush arranged in the housing, interposed between said
wheels ;and at least one bottom receptacle; wherein the top portion
of the housing contains at least one transparent segment whereby
the user may observe the material is being captured by the sweeper
and the operation of the brush roller during operation.
6. The floor sweeper of claim 5 wherein said transparent segment is
comprised of material selected from the group comprising
transparent and translucent plastics.
7. The floor sweeper of claim 5, wherein the at least one bottom
receptacle is attached to said body by a spring whereby the
receptacle will return to its original closed position when opened
and released by a user.
Description
PRIORITY
[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent
Application Serial No. 60/410,835, having a date of filing of Sep.
13, 2002.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of Invention
[0003] This invention finds use in the field of floor care and
cleaning. More particularly, this invention relates to a
non-powered floor sweeper for the collection of dust, dirt and
other detritus having a transparent top surface to allow the user
to view such accumulated debris and the operation of the sweeper
brush while in use.
[0004] 2. Background
[0005] Devices for cleaning bare and carpeted floors are well known
in the art. From the simple straw broom to an electric vacuum
cleaner with HEPA filtration, the average consumer has a wide array
of cleaning implements to choose from. One such cleaning tool is a
non-motorized floor sweeper. Used widely in commercial
establishments, particularly restaurants, such sweepers are well
adapted for quick and easy removal of dry debris, such as dirt,
dust, and food crumbs, when a powered vacuum would be to
cumbersome, obtrusive, or difficult to use.
[0006] The structure of a prior art non-motorized floor sweeper,
such as is seen in several models made by the Bissell Corporation,
generally consists of a handle horizontally and pivotally connected
to a body or base portion. The base portion has long, typically
rectangular and horizontal, top portion, four vertical side walls
attached thereto, and is open on the bottom, prior to final
assembly. Attached to the bottom of the base portion are two sets
of wheels, mounted within the base portion on axles or directly to
the base. In one variation of a prior art sweeper, a single brush
roller is interposed between and frictionally engaged to the wheels
such that when the wheels turn when the user rolls the sweeper
across the surface to be cleaned, the roller also rotates, thus
brushing the debris into the sweeper base. Other versions of such
sweepers have two brush rollers or fixed brushes in the corners of
the base. The remaining portion of the underside of the sweeper is
covered by one or more plates, dust pans or dirt receptacles; the
number of such pans depending on the positioning of the wheels and
brush rollers. The receptacles are generally removable or pivotally
open outward such that the debris accumulated within the sweeper
body can be removed. Non-motorized sweepers are conventionally
constructed, in whole or part, of metal or opaque plastic
materials.
[0007] Although the designs of prior art non-motorized sweepers are
generally quite efficient and non-problematic, such devices suffer
from at least one usability flaw. Under many circumstances, the
user may be interested in know the contents of the sweeper body
that have been collected during use or if a certain object has been
picked up. However, until and unless the user inverts the sweeper
and opens the plate or plates covering the bottom of the sweeper,
her or she is unable to ascertain the contents of interest.
Further, the operator has no way of knowing if the brush roller is
jammed or otherwise not moving or if the debris hopper is reaching
its capacity.
[0008] It is therefore an object of the present invention to
provide a non-motorized floor sweeper that allows a user to view
the contents of the sweeper's collection chamber.
[0009] These and other objections of the invention will be apparent
to those skilled in the art for the following detailed description
of the preferred embodiments of the invention.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
[0010] The invention comprises a non-motorized floor sweeper
generally having a handle, a base portion having a top portion and
four side portions, a plurality of wheels, at least one roller
brush, and a bottom receptacle. The improvement embodied by the
invention comprises a segment of the top portion being formed from
a transparent material, whereby the user may observe the material
being captured by the sweeper during operation and the motion of
the brush rollers.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] Specific embodiments of the invention have been chosen for
purposes of illustration and description, and are shown in the
accompanying drawing, forming a part of the specification
wherein:
[0012] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the sweeper of the instant
invention
[0013] FIG. 2 is a cutaway view of the sweeper of the instant
invention.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0014] The sweeper according to the present invention will be
described herein by reference to the accompanying drawings wherein
FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate one preferred embodiment of the present
invention, in which like parts are shown by corresponding reference
numerals throughout.
[0015] As can be seen in FIG. 1, the sweeper 10 of the instant
invention is generally comprised of a handle 12 pivotally attached
by a pivotable arm 14 to a body or base portion 20, such that the
handle 12 can be pivoted downward to a horizontal position even
with the top of the body to allow a variety of handle positions,
such that the sweeper 10 can be maneuvered into horizontal spaces,
such as under furniture. The base portion 20 is more specifically
comprised of a horizontal top 22 and four vertical sides 24
attached to the top, such that a box-like structure is formed
having an opened bottom (as can be seen in FIG. 2).
[0016] Referring to FIG. 2, at least two sets of wheels 26 are
attached to the bottom portion of the sweeper 10, either directly
to parallel sides 24 of the sweeper 10 or two axles 28 spanning
such side portions. At least one roller brush 30 on an rod 32 is
interposed between the sets of wheels 26 by an integrally
intermediate wheel or gear 34 such that a portion of the gear 34 is
frictionally engaged to wheels, thus rotating the brush 30 about
the rod 32 upon movement of the wheels 26 across a surface (see
FIG. 2). The wheels 26 are preferably rubberized or otherwise
contain materials with a high coefficient of friction such that the
wheels more readily engage the gear 34 and the cleaning surface.
The remaining open portions of the bottom of the sweeper base 20
are covered by at least one dust pan or dirt receptacle 36,
generally in the form of a cover or plate, therefore forming a
mostly closed cavity within the sweeper base. Said receptacle or
receptacles 36 are either removable by the user or hinged or
otherwise pivotally connected to the sweeper base 20, such as by
axles 28 and springs or leaves 40, thus allowing access to the
internal portion of the sweeper base 20 where the debris is
collected from the brush 30 when its bristles contact the vertical
edges of the receptacles 36. The density and number of bristles on
the brush 30 and arrangement thereof are a matter of design choice
and may be replaced by equivalent structures known in the art, such
as flexible paddles or blades.
[0017] The preferred contemplated embodiment of the disclosed
sweeper 10 is further defined by one or more segments of the top
portion 22 of the sweeper base 20 being constructed of a
transparent, translucent or otherwise clear material, such as
window 38. For purposes of this patent, the term "transparent" also
is used to mean materials that are translucent to transparent and
otherwise non-opaque. While the remainder of the base 20, i.e., the
side walls 24 can preferably be made of metal or opaque plastic,
the window or windows 38 is constructed of transparent plastic
materials, as are well known in the art. The window 38 portion may
be made of other transparent materials, but such materials, like
glass, may not be preferable to use for safety or economic reasons.
In one alternative embodiment, two transparent window portions 38
are used, at the front and back of the top portion 22, allowing the
user to view the wheels 26, brushes 30 and/or debris receptacles 36
contained directly underneath side windows. In yet a third
embodiment of the invention, the entirety of the top 22 and side
portions 24 of the body 20 are constructed of the transparent (or
translucent) material of choice.
[0018] The advantage of the preferred embodiment is that it allows
the user to observe the dirt and other materials being picked up by
the sweeper 10. As such, if an unintended item is picked up, the
user can immediately be informed. Further, a transparent window 38
also allows the user to observe the movement of the brush roller
30. If the roller 30 is jammed, or otherwise not functioning
correctly, the user is immediately made aware of the problem. To
assist this observation, it is contemplated that the bristles of
the brush roller, and even the entire roller itself, can be colored
in a bright or contrasting shade that increases visualization
against the dirt receptacles.
[0019] Although in the preferred disclosed embodiment the sweeper
is non-motorized, it is contemplated that the sweeper brushes 30
and/or wheels 26 can be motorized, as is known and practiced in the
art.
[0020] In addition to the structures, sequences, and uses
immediately described above, it will be apparent to those skilled
in the art that other modifications and variations can be made the
method of the instant invention without diverging from the scope,
spirit, or teaching of the invention. Therefore, it is the
intention of the inventors that the description of instant
invention should be considered illustrative and the invention is to
be limited only as specified in the claims and equivalents
thereto.
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