U.S. patent application number 10/876845 was filed with the patent office on 2005-12-29 for method for improving brooms.
Invention is credited to Kubaitis, William James.
Application Number | 20050285439 10/876845 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 35504886 |
Filed Date | 2005-12-29 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050285439 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Kubaitis, William James |
December 29, 2005 |
Method for improving brooms
Abstract
Increased carpet sweeping effectiveness of a broom is achieved
by simple means comprising the application of a heat source or
additive means sufficient to form nodules (13) on the ends of the
bristles (12) of the broom. The ends of the bristles (12) are the
areas of the bristles (12) that make physical contact with surface
debris or with the surface being cleaned. The bristles (12) or some
part of the bristles (12) can be flagged and a plurality of nodules
(13) can be formed on the split sections of the flagged bristles as
is shown in FIG. 5B. The nodules (13) increase the surface area of
the ends of the broom's bristles (12) and thus increase friction
between the ends of the bristles (12) and the surface debris. The
nodules (13) also provide the improved broom with an ability to
grab, hook or entangle surface debris.
Inventors: |
Kubaitis, William James;
(Champaign, IL) |
Correspondence
Address: |
William J. Kubaitis
1827 Tahoe Ct.
Champaign
IL
61822
US
|
Family ID: |
35504886 |
Appl. No.: |
10/876845 |
Filed: |
June 25, 2004 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
300/21 ;
15/207.2 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A46D 1/00 20130101; A46B
2200/302 20130101; A46D 1/0284 20130101; A46D 1/0292 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
300/021 ;
015/207.2 |
International
Class: |
A46D 001/00 |
Claims
I claim:
1. A method for improving the carpet sweeping effectiveness of
brooms having plastic bristles, comprising subjecting a plurality
of the ends of said bristles to a heat source sufficient to melt
said bristles in a manner that forms nodules on a plurality of said
ends of said bristles, and said ends of said bristles being the
areas of said bristles that, in operation of the broom, make
physical contact with the debris being swept, and said ends of said
bristles being the areas of said bristles that, in operation the
broom, make physical contact with the surface being cleaned.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein said heat source comprises a
flame.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein said heat source comprises an
oven.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein said heat source comprises
microwave radiation.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein said heat source comprises
ultrasound radiation.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein said heat source comprises laser
radiation.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein said heat source comprises a hot
liquid.
8. The method of claim 1 wherein said heat source comprises a hot
gas stream.
9. The method of claim 1 wherein said heat source comprises a
heated metallic surface.
10. The method of claim 1 wherein said heat source comprises
dielectric heating.
11. The method of claim 1 wherein said heat source comprises an
electrical currant.
12. A method for improving the carpet sweeping effectiveness of
brooms having plastic bristles, said method comprising an additive
means admixed with a plurality of said bristles, and said additive
reacts with said bristles in a manner that forms nodules on a
plurality of said ends of said bristles, and said ends of said
bristles being the areas of said bristles that, in operation of the
broom, make physical contact with the debris being swept, and said
ends of said bristles being the areas of said bristles that, in
operation of the broom, make physical contact with the surface
being cleaned.
13. The method of claim 12 wherein said additive means comprises a
solvent.
14. The method of claim 12 wherein said additive means comprises
plastic that is in a heated liquid state.
15. The method of claim 12 wherein said additive means comprises a
polymeric material that is in a heated liquid state.
16. The method of claim 12 wherein said additive means comprises a
liquid material that is capable of solidification.
17. A method of improving the carpet sweeping effectiveness of
brooms having plastic bristles, said method comprising the
attachment of nodules to a plurality of the ends of said bristles
by a means comprising the use of an industrial adhesive, and said
ends of said bristles being the areas of the bristles that, in
operation of the broom, make physical contact with the debris being
swept, and said ends of said bristles being the areas of the
bristles that, in operation of the broom, make physical contact
with the surface being cleaned.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] Not Applicable
FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH
[0002] Not Applicable
SEQUENCE LISTING
[0003] Not Applicable
BACK GROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0004] 1. Field of Invention
[0005] This invention relates to brooms, specifically a method for
improving the sweeping effectiveness of brooms on carpeted
surfaces.
[0006] 2. Background of the Invention
[0007] Currently there are not many non-electrical brooms available
to consumers for carpeted surfaces. Brooms capable of effectively
sweeping on carpeted surfaces provide a low-cost alternative to
vacuum cleaners and save consumers the time and trouble of getting
out a vacuum cleaner for small jobs or for small rooms with limited
space.
[0008] Many brooms that are capable of sweeping on carpeted
surfaces have a push broom-type design and/or have unusual
bristles. One such broom is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,671,921 to
Hickman (2004). Hickman suggests metal bristles for his broom.
Another such broom is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,966,771 to Stroud
(1999). Stroud's invention has unusually shaped bristles. Though
Stroud's broom and Hickman's broom have different bristle types,
they both have in common a push broom-type design. The bristles of
these inventions are not in axial alignment with the handle. In
operation one uses a pulling or raking action to remove debris from
carpeted surfaces.
[0009] There are several problems with carpet brooms that have a
push broom-type design. Users of carpet-sweeping push brooms tend
to sweep in a slightly bent over position, which stresses the
muscles of the lower back. The metallic bristles of Hickman's
patent cling excessively to carpeted surfaces, adding to the effort
it takes to sweep. Another problem with inventions of this type is
that the action of pulling a push broom across a carpet is very
restrictive. The elongated push broom head and the angled handle
make the task of sweeping around furniture or in small spaces very
difficult. Most consumers choose longitudinally designed brooms for
in-home use. This is because push broom designs require excessive
horizontal space for sweeping and are cumbersome around furniture
and in narrow spaces.
[0010] Some other carpet brooms with a push broom-type design can
be seen in U.S. Pat. No. 4,042,995 to Varon (1977), U.S. Pat. No.
5,072,479 to Van Niekerk (1991) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,930,862 to
Garrett (1999).
[0011] A method for improving the carpet sweeping effectiveness of
longitudinally designed household brooms would provide users with a
broom that is less strenuous or cumbersome than push broom-type
carpet brooms. This is because standard household brooms have a
longitudinal design that requires less room to sweep. Also, as a
result of longitudinal designs, users can choose from a variety of
different sweeping paths. For example, when a person uses a
longitudinally designed household broom to sweep on a wide-open
surface that has no obstacles, the broom can be turned so that its
sweeping path is wide. When a person uses the same broom in narrow
areas, such as between a television and a wall, the broom can be
turned sideways so that its sweeping path is narrow. Push broom
designs do not have this same ability because of the angled handle.
In operation, push brooms are only practical when they are pushed
or pulled.
[0012] U.S. Pat. No. 4,756,039 to Pardo (1988) shows a broom having
a longitudinal design with both flexible and stiff bristles. This
broom successfully solves a common problem of brooms having angled
bristles. The problem is that the longer bristles of an angled
broom have greater flexibility than the shorter bristles, provided
that the bristles have uniform stiffness. Pardo insightfully
noticed that the greater flexibility of the longer bristles is
contrary to the purpose of angled brooms, which are angled for
improved effectiveness in corners and narrow spaces.
[0013] Pardo's solution combines soft and stiff bristles to make a
broom that is more effective for tight spaces and corners while
still retaining its sweeping effectiveness for open spaces. On page
3, column 1, lines 33-39 of U.S. Pat. No. 4,756,039, Pardo states
"If the bristles are of uniform stiffness and relatively flexible
or soft in order to be suitable for flat floor surfaces, the
softness inhibits sweeping efficiency in corners and edges.
Conversely, if the bristles are of uniform stiffness and relatively
inflexible or hard enough to sweep corners and edges well, the
broom would be inefficient for flat surfaces." The second part of
this statement identifies the problem that brooms having stiff
bristles are less efficient on hard surfaces. Pardo successfully
increases the friction between his broom's longer bristles and the
surface debris being swept while decreasing the effectiveness of
the broom's longer bristles for sweeping fine or light types of
debris such as dust. This is achieved by the increased stiffness of
the longer bristles, which allows a user to apply more force to the
surface that is being swept, consequently giving the user an
increased ability to pry debris from corners or tight spaces.
[0014] Although Pardo makes no mention of carpeted surfaces in his
patent, his patent identifies the common problem of stiff bristles
having poor sweeping effectiveness on hard surfaces for light or
fine debris such as dust. Carpet brooms with relatively stiff
bristles increase friction between the bristles and the surface
being cleaned by allowing the user to apply a greater force that is
carried through the stiff bristles to the surface and/or the
surface debris. Alternatively, the method according to the present
invention increases bristle friction by increasing the surface area
on the ends of the broom bristles. This is achieved by a means
comprising the formation of nodules on the ends of the bristles.
This alternative method relieves users of the force that is
necessary to generate surface friction when brooms having
relatively stiff bristles are used. One variant of the present
invention allows the broom's bristles to be relatively flexible.
According to the present invention a plurality of the bristles may
be left unmodified and intact, allowing the broom to retain its
sweeping effectiveness on hard surfaces. Also, contrary to stiff
bristled brooms, flexible bristled brooms improved by the method
provided by the present invention will have less unnecessary or
extraneous friction between the broom bristles and the carpet
itself. Stiff bristle brooms grip excessively to carpeted
surfaces.
[0015] U.S. Pat. No. 6,606,756 to Fernandez (2003) shows a broom
that has bristles with variable stiffness. This broom also has a
longitudinal design with bristles that are in axial alignment with
the broom's handle. Like Pardo's broom, it has a broom head that is
narrower and less cumbersome than the elongated push broom heads in
the inventions of Stroud and Hickman. The problem with this design
is that one has to continually adjust the stiffness of the bristles
depending on the type of debris a person is sweeping or the type of
surface that is being cleaned. Fernandez's mechanism for increasing
bristle stiffness makes the broom more difficult and costly to
manufacture than every day household brooms.
[0016] Many brooms designed to be effective at sweeping on carpeted
surfaces seem to be designed with the idea in mind that the
bristles of such a broom need to be stiff. Fernandez says in the
"Background of the invention" section of his patent on page 8,
column 1, lines 19-25, "It is obvious that for different floor
surfaces to be cleaned, cleaning can be more effective when
bristles of the right stiffness are used. For instance, brooms with
stiffer bristles will be more efficient for the cleaning of
carpeted floor while those brooms with softer bristles will be more
suitable for the sweeping of a polished floor." The present
invention will show that this is not in fact the case. Brooms with
relatively soft or flexible bristles can be quite effective at
cleaning a carpeted surface.
[0017] The variable that affects a broom's sweeping effectiveness
on carpets is not the stiffness of the bristles. It is a matter of
friction between the broom's bristles and the debris on the
carpeted surface. It is also a matter of the bristles ability to
grab, snare or entangle carpet debris. When a sweeping motion is
used with stiff bristle brooms, the stiffness of the bristles
allows the user to increase friction by applying an increased force
that is carried through the stiff bristles to the surface and/or
the debris that is being cleaned. The present invention provides a
broom with an increased carpet sweeping effectiveness while
allowing for the use of relatively soft and/or flexible bristles.
The present invention furthermore provides a broom that generates
surface friction with the alternative means of forming or adding an
increased surface area onto the ends of the broom bristles. The
present invention can be applied to brooms having relatively
flexible bristles of the same variety found in everyday household
brooms. In this variant of the present invention, flexible bristles
serve to relieve the broom's user of extraneous or unnecessary
friction between the carpet and the broom bristles. I believe that
the tendency of flexible bristles to absorb or nullify extraneous
bristle-to-carpet friction is due to their ability to bend and
release their hold on the carpet as a sweeping motion is
performed.
[0018] Another type of non-electrical carpet cleaning device uses
rollers that cling to debris on carpeted surfaces. A patent for
this type of sweeper can be seen in U.S. Pat. No. 5,208,935 to
Jailor and Rosendall (1993). Carpet sweepers of this type go back
to at least the 1800's and have been very successful as a
non-electrical tool for cleaning small and light debris from
carpeted surfaces. This type of design comprises roller brushes
that are housed in some type of casing. The roller brushes cling to
carpet debris and roll the debris into a compartment that can be
emptied. The problem with sweepers of this type is that the debris
being cleaned has to be small enough to fit under the sweeper.
Large pieces of material such as large pieces of glass cannot be
cleaned with a roller type sweeper. The same is true for roller
sweepers that rely on stickiness or magnets as a method of clinging
to debris. Also the brushes of brush roller-type sweepers will not
pick up heavy types of carpet debris such as coins. Another brush
roller-type sweeper can be seen in U.S. Pat. No. 5,664,276 to Arias
(1997.)
[0019] It is important to discuss longitudinally designed household
brooms having standard plastic bristles as a prior invention that
is directly related to the present invention. This is because the
present invention provides a method for manufacturing brooms that
can be sold and marketed as standard household brooms that have
improved sweeping effectiveness on carpets.
[0020] Longitudinally designed household brooms predate history and
have no inventor except in the case of specific designs such as is
shown in U.S. Pat. No. 367,175 to Teufel and Juratovac (1996). An
example of a common household broom design comprises a handle, a
broom head, and bristles that are attached in some manner to the
broom head. The handles of such brooms can be made of wood, metal
or plastic. The head of current household brooms often comprises a
base and a base cap. The base cap rest on or attaches to the broom
base in a manner that gives the broom an aesthetically pleasing
appearance. The handle is often threaded through the base cap into
a socket on the broom base. There are other designs for household
brooms and the means for constructing household brooms may be
varied. Most household brooms have a longitudinal design.
[0021] Historically the bristles for household brooms were made of
natural fiber. Currently most household brooms have bristles that
are made of plastic materials such as polypropylene, polystyrene
and polyethylene. Plastic bristles last longer than bristles made
of natural fibers and are stronger. Often the bristles of this type
of broom are flagged. Flagged bristles have been split at the ends
to improve the broom's sweeping effectiveness. The end of a flagged
bristle is shown in FIG. 5A. The bristles of household brooms are
also often cut at an angle, which facilitates easier sweeping
access to small spaces or corners.
[0022] Every day household brooms with standard plastic bristles
can sweep some types of carpet debris with a small degree of
effectiveness, but there are significant problems when brooms of
this type are used on a carpeted surface. One problem is that of
poor adhesion or friction between the bristles and the carpet or
between the bristles and the carpet debris. When a standard
household broom with relatively flexible plastic bristles is used
on a carpeted surface, the bristles will have a very poor clinging
ability to the carpet and/or to the carpet debris. This lack of
friction between the bristles and the carpeted surface and/or
carpet debris causes the problem that, when a sweeping motion is
used, the bristles will tend to fling light carpet debris in random
directions. This problem makes it very difficult to organize carpet
debris into distinct piles.
[0023] Another problem relates to heavy types of carpet debris such
as coins, glass, or pieces of broken ceramic dishware. Flexible
plastic bristles in everyday household brooms will not cling to
heavier types of carpet debris due to a lack of friction or
gripping ability. This is especially true with coins due to their
weight and flat shape. As will be described in the "Objects and
Advantages" section below, one of the more dramatic results of the
present invention is that the present invention provides standard
household brooms with a new ability to sweep coins on a carpeted
surface. It is very difficult to sweep coins on a carpeted surface
with current standard household brooms. The bristles will tend to
pass over the coin. This is true no matter what degree of pressure
is applied to the broom The hairbrush and toothbrush industries
have long made use of methods of rounding the ends of plastic
bristles. Two such methods can be seen in U.S. Pat. No. 6,372,163
to Boucherie (2002) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,007,686 to Klein (1991.)
These types of methods are fundamentally different than the method
according to the present invention for the following reasons,
[0024] Purpose
[0025] The purpose of the methods used by the hairbrush and
toothbrush industries and described in the patents of Boucherie and
Klein is to improve tools that are for use on human beings. The
first sentence of the Background of the Invention section of U.S.
Pat. No. 6,372,163 to Boucherie (2002) page 5, column 1, line 8-9
states, "Brushes for dental or cosmetical use must have bristles
with rounded free ends to avoid injury or harm to the user." The
present invention has the dramatically different purpose of
increasing the sweeping effectiveness of brooms on carpeted
surfaces.
[0026] Cost and Complexity
[0027] The methods described in these inventions are more complex
and more costly.
[0028] This is because the hairbrush and tooth brush industries
desire precise methods that can produce round-ended bristles in a
manner that the rounded ends are consistent in shape and/or
distribution. The present invention does not require this kind of
precision because the purpose of method according to present
invention is so fundamentally different. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,007,686
to Klein (1991) it states on page 4, column 1, lines 31-35, "One of
the problems encountered with rounding off bristles made from
thermoplastic material was that the uncontrolled melting of the tip
portions often resulted in that the bristles stuck together,
particularly when there was a close spacing between the bristles."
Problems such these are not relevant to the method provided by the
present invention because the method is applied to bristles that
make contact with floor surfaces and not with human beings.
Therefore, the aesthetic nature of the nodules described in the
present invention need not be controlled by such precise and costly
methods. Furthermore, the bristles used by the hairbrush and
toothbrush industries serve a fundamentally different purpose than
broom bristles.
[0029] I believe that the nodules described by the present
invention and the rounded-ends provided by the methods used by the
hairbrush and toothbrush industries are of a fundamentally
different nature. The broom industry has had since the invention of
plastic bristles in the 1950's to discover methods of rounding
bristle ends for the purpose of improving a brooms carpet-sweeping
effectiveness. It is for this reason and the reasons described
above that I believe the novelty of the present invention to be
unobvious. As evidence of this, I have been able to find no patent
or product that applies the above-described methods, used by the
hairbrush and toothbrush industries, to brooms for the purpose of
increasing a broom's carpet-sweeping effectiveness.
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION--OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES
[0030] Accordingly several objects and advantages of the present
invention are:
[0031] (a) to provide a method of producing an improved broom that
can be used to sweep on carpeted surfaces in the same manner that
standard house hold brooms are used to sweep on hard surfaces.
[0032] (b) to provide a method of producing an improved broom that,
unlike current household brooms, can sweep easily and effectively
on both hard surfaces and carpeted surfaces.
[0033] (c) to provide a method of producing an improved broom that
can easily and effectively sweep large and small types of debris on
a carpeted surface.
[0034] (d) to provide a method of producing an improved broom that
can easily sweep carpet debris around obstacles such as furniture,
in corners, or any place where space is constrained.
[0035] (e) to provide a method of producing an improved broom that
requires much less effort than current carpet brooms for the task
of removing pet hair from carpeted surfaces. The nodules described
by the present invention provide the broom's bristles with a
dramatic ability to hook, grab, or entangle carpet debris, such as
pet hair or human hair. Contrary to stiff bristled brooms, a broom
having flexible bristles that has been improved by the method
according to the present invention will have less unnecessary or
extraneous friction between the bristles of the broom and the
carpet itself. Stiff bristle brooms cling excessively to carpeted
surfaces, causing the users of such brooms to expend unnecessary
effort when sweeping on a carpeted surface.
[0036] (f) to provide a method of producing a broom that has
flexible bristles that grip carpeted surfaces in a gentler manner
than current carpet brooms having bristles that are stiff. The
present invention allows for the use of flexible bristles that
serve to relieve the user of unnecessary or extraneous friction
between the bristles of the broom and the carpet itself. Flexible
bristles bend and release their grip on the carpeted surface when a
sweeping motion is performed. The nodules on the bristles serve to
push, grip, or entangle carpet debris when a sweeping motion is
performed.
[0037] (g) to provide a method of producing a broom that can
effectively sweep lighter types of carpet debris such as pieces of
paper, food debris, lint, and human hair.
[0038] (h) to provide a method of producing a broom having flexible
bristles that can effectively sweep heavy types of carpet debris
such as coins, broken ceramic dishware, and glass.
[0039] One dramatic result of the present invention is the fact
that it provides everyday household brooms with a new ability to
sweep coins on carpeted surfaces. I demonstrated this dramatic
effect to a close friend of mine on May 24, 2004. We used an
everyday household broom with standard plastic bristles that were
in axial alignment with the handle. We attempted to sweep debris on
a carpeted surface. The types of debris used were coins, potato
chips, fish food flakes, cat hair, paper, lint, and broken glass.
Then I applied a heat source to the ends of the bristles and melted
the tips of the broom's bristles until some quantity of nodules had
formed on the ends of the bristles. After melting the tips of the
plastic bristles we could feel the improved broom gently gripping
the carpet as we swept. The broom had an increased effectiveness
for sweeping the debris on the carpeted surface, including a
dramatic new ability to sweep coins. In fact, the prototype was
able to push coins indefinitely without lifting the broom head from
the carpeted surface--that is without performing multiple sweeping
motions. I did not have to melt all of the tips of the broom's
bristles to achieve the increased sweeping effectiveness on
carpeted surfaces. A majority of the bristles were left in tact and
did not have nodules on their ends. The improved broom retained its
original ability to sweep effectively on hard surfaces.
[0040] Further objects and advantages are to provide a method of
producing a broom capable of sweeping on carpeted and hard surfaces
that is easy and convenient to use. While I make no claim that
brooms that are improved by the present method can clean as
effectively as electrical vacuum cleaners, the method provides a
broom that can be manufactured and sold at the fraction of the cost
of vacuum cleaners. The present invention provides an improved
broom that can be used in instances where vacuum cleaners would be
too cumbersome, inconvenient, or noisy, such as dorm rooms, public
areas, restaurants, or bars. The present invention provides an
improved broom that can be marketed and sold in stores where vacuum
cleaners are not sold.
[0041] The present invention provides an improved broom that has
the convenience characteristic of being able to be used quickly for
small jobs. The present invention provides an improved broom that
has a clear competitive advantage over standard household brooms in
that, in addition to being able to sweep on hard floors, the
improved broom has an increased sweeping effectiveness on carpeted
surfaces that is not present in today's standard household
brooms.
SUMMARY
[0042] The present invention, a method for improving the
carpet-sweeping effectiveness of brooms, is achieved by simple
means comprising the application of a heat source or additive means
sufficient to form a plurality of nodules on a plurality of the
bristle ends.
DRAWINGS--FIGURES
[0043] In the drawings, closely related figures have the same
number but different alphabetic suffixes.
[0044] FIG. 1 is an illustrative example of a household broom
improved by the method according to the present invention and shows
a handle, a head, a plurality of bristles, and a plurality of
nodules that are at or near to the ends of the bristles.
[0045] FIG. 2 is another illustrative example of a broom improved
by the method according to the present invention and shows a front
view of a broom's base cap, broom base, bristles, and a plurality
of nodules that are at or near to the ends of the bristles.
[0046] FIG. 3 is a closer view of the bristles of a broom improved
by the method according to the present invention and shows a
plurality of the bristles having nodules that are at or near to the
ends of the bristles.
[0047] FIG. 4A shows a single bristle tip having no nodules at or
near to the end of the bristle.
[0048] FIG. 4B shows a single bristle tip having a single nodule
near to the end of the bristle.
[0049] FIG. 4C shows a single bristle tip having a single nodule at
the end of the bristle.
[0050] FIG. 5A shows a flagged bristle tip having no nodules on its
split sections.
[0051] FIG. 5B shows a flagged bristle tip having multiple nodules
on its split sections.
[0052] FIG. 6 is an illustrative example a smooth bottomed nodule
shape formed by the application of a sufficient heat source to a
plastic bristle or the split section of a flagged plastic
bristle.
[0053] FIG. 7 is an illustrative example of another nodule shape
that has a bottom surface that is divided, rough, cauliflower-like,
or lobe-like in shape, and is formed by the application of a
sufficient heat source to a plastic bristle or the split section of
a flagged plastic bristle.
DRAWINGS--REFERENCE NUMERALS
[0054] 10 BROOM HANDLE
[0055] 11 BROOM HEAD
[0056] 12 BRISTLES
[0057] 13 NODULES
[0058] 14 BASE CAP
[0059] 15 BROOM BASE
[0060] 16 LOBES
[0061] Detailed Description--FIGS. 1, 2 and 3
[0062] FIG. 1 is an illustrative example of a longitudinally
designed broom improved by the method according to the present
invention. It shows a typical household broom having a handle (10),
a head (11) comprising a broom base (15) and a base cap (14), and a
plurality of plastic bristles (12) that have had nodules (13)
formed on their ends. Preferably, the nodules (13) are formed on
the ends of the bristles (12) by a means comprising the application
of a heat source sufficient to soften or melt the plastic bristles
(12) in a manner that forms the nodules (13). The nodules (13) may
also be formed by other means such as dipping the bristles (12) in
a heated liquid plastic or polymeric material that when cooled,
solidifies and adheres to the bristles (12) in a manner such that
nodule-like shapes are produced. The broom's bristles (12) may be
of equal length as shown in FIG. 1 or they may be angled as shown
in FIG. 2. Angled bristles (12) give longitudinally designed brooms
easier sweeping access to tight spaces or corners. It is clear that
the type of broom to be modified by the method may be varied, and
that the particular mode described and/or illustrated is only by
way of example of a broom wherein, according to the method provided
by present invention, the bristles (12) have been modified to have
nodules (13) on the ends of the bristles (12) so as to effect
desired cleaning of carpeted surfaces.
[0063] Detailed Description--FIGS. 4A to 5B
[0064] FIGS. 4A to 5B are illustrative approximations of different
bristle types of a broom improved by the method according to the
present invention. FIG. 4A shows a single bristle tip or one single
split section of a flagged bristle tip that has no nodules (13). To
achieve improved carpet sweeping effectiveness, a plurality of the
broom's bristles (12) may be left intact and do not need to be
modified to have nodules (13) on the ends of the bristles (12).
[0065] The desired increased sweeping effectiveness on carpets can
be achieved when only a part of the bristles (12) have been
modified to have nodules (13) on the ends of the bristles (12).
Thus a broom with increased sweeping effectiveness on carpeted
surfaces can still have some quantity of bristles (12) that have
not been modified and remain without nodules (13).
[0066] FIG. 4B is an illustration of a nodule (13) that is near to
the end of a bristle or near to the end of a split section of a
flagged bristle. FIG. 4C shows another possible location of a
nodule (13) on a single bristle tip or a single split section of a
flagged bristle tip. The nodule (13) of FIG. 4C is at the end of
the bristle or at the end of a split section of a flagged bristle.
One may also form multiple nodules (13) on a single bristle or a
single split section of a flagged bristle. FIG. 5A shows a single
flagged bristle tip that does not have any nodules (13) on the
bristle or on the split sections of a flagged bristle tip. As
mentioned earlier one can increase the sweeping effectiveness of a
broom by modifying a minority or a majority of the brooms bristles
(12) to have nodules (13) on the ends of the bristles (12). FIG. 5B
shows the end of a flagged bristle tip that has been modified to
have nodules (13) on its split sections.
[0067] The quantity of nodules (13) that is desired when one
applies the method according to the present invention is largely
dependent on the degree of friction and/or gripping ability that is
desired. For example, if a broom having bristles (12) with a
maximized amount of friction or gripping ability is desired, then
the method for improving brooms can be used to modify all or a
large majority of the bristles (12) to have nodules (13) on the
ends of the bristles (12). This would be useful for production of a
broom that is used in extreme circumstances such as the removal of
pet hair from carpet. A broom having a lesser quantity of nodules
(13) will grip the carpet debris in a gentler manner but will still
have an increased sweeping effectiveness on a carpeted surface. A
combination of modified and unmodified bristles (12) provides this
variant of the present invention with the duel-functionality of
being a useful sweeping device for both carpeted and hard
surfaces.
[0068] It should be noted here that a broom improved by the method
according to the present invention will gain a dramatic ability to
sweep heavy types of carpet debris such as coins when a
surprisingly small minority of the plastic bristles (12) have been
modified to have nodules (13) on the ends of the bristles (12).
[0069] It should also be noted that the method allows for the use
of flexible bristles (12) that serve to relieve the broom's user of
unnecessary or extraneous friction between the bristles (12) of the
broom and the carpet itself.
[0070] Detailed Description FIGS. 6 and 7
[0071] FIGS. 6 and 7 show two different possible nodule (13) types
that are formed by applying a heat source sufficient to melt a
broom's plastic bristles (12). FIG. 6 shows a nodule (13) having a
smooth bottom surface. When a sufficient heat source, is applied to
the ends of a broom's plastic bristles (12), many of the resulting
nodules (13) may have a rounded and smooth bottom surface and will
be similar to the nodule (13) shown in FIG. 6.
[0072] Also, when a sufficient heat source is applied to the ends
of a broom's plastic bristles (12), many of the resulting nodules
(13) may have a rough cauliflower-like bottom surface that has
multiple lobes (16). This is illustrated in a perspective that is
from the side of such a nodule (13) in FIG. 7. These types of rough
nodules (13) shown in FIG. 7 may have any number of lobes (16).
Some of the resulting nodules (13) in my prototypes had only two
lobes (16) where as others had three or more lobes (16.) The lobes
(16) had both rough and smooth textures.
[0073] The nodules (13) formed by the method are not always in
axial alignment with the bristles (12). The nodules (13) are often
bent or pointed in a variety of directions. The variety of
different nodule (13) shapes and sizes that are formed by applying
a heat source sufficient to soften or melt the ends of the plastic
bristles (12) is far greater than can be illustrated. Increased
carpet-sweeping effectiveness is achieved when the nodules (13)
have the following qualities,
[0074] a. the nodules are larger or denser in some manner than the
rest of the bristle or the rest of the split section of the bristle
on which they reside.
[0075] b. the nodules increase the surface area of the ends of the
bristles (12), thereby increasing surface friction between the
broom's bristle ends and the surface debris.
[0076] c. the nodules have a hooking, grabbing or snaring ability
that is that is due to their shape.
[0077] It should be noted here that the illustrations in FIGS. 6
and 7 are merely approximations of two common shapes of nodules
(13) that result when a sufficient heat source, in this case a gas
burning flame, is applied to the ends of a broom's plastic bristles
(12).
[0078] It is clear that there are many different types of heat
sources that can be used to soften melt or burn the bristles (12)
in a manner that forms nodules (13) on the ends of the bristles
(12) and that the type of heat source used in the above described
method may be varied. The described method of improving the carpet
sweeping effectiveness of brooms having plastic bristles (12)
requires only that such a heat source be sufficient to soften or
melt the plastic bristles (12) in a manner that forms nodules (13)
on the ends of the plastic bristles (12). Examples of other types
of heat sources that could be used to melt plastic bristles (12)
include, ovens, hot gas streams, laser radiation, microwave
radiation, ultrasound radiation, dielectric heat sources,
electrical currents, boiling liquids, or heated metallic
surfaces.
[0079] Other means of forming, creating, or adding nodules (13)
onto the ends of a broom's bristles (12) may also be used to
produce a carpet-sweeping-capable broom. Examples of alternative
means that could be used to create, form or add nodules (13) onto
the bristle's (12) ends include, dipping the bristles (12) into a
heated liquid plastic or polymeric material which solidifies and
forms nodules (13) when cooled, an additive means comprising a
solvent that is admixed with the bristles (12), attaching
nodule-like objects to the ends of the bristles (12) with an
industrial adhesive.
[0080] The purpose of the method for improving brooms is to provide
a simple means of improving already existing brooms in a manner
that achieves a similar carpet-sweeping ability to current
inventions having unusual bristles or unusual designs. This method
is a simpler alternative to current inventions that heretofore
known have taken a different design route for achieving their
carpet-sweeping effectiveness. Though the formation of nodules (13)
by a means comprising the application of a sufficient heat source
is the preferred means of creating nodules (13), other means of
creating, adding or forming nodules (13) may exist that still
achieve the above-described purpose of the present invention. The
nodules (13) described by the present invention increase the
surface area of the ends of the broom's bristles (12) and provide
the bristles (12) with an ability to hook, grab, snare, or entangle
carpet debris. The manner and mode of forming or adding nodules
(13) to a broom's bristles and for the purpose of increasing the
carpet sweeping effectiveness of the broom may be varied. The
nodules (13) described by the present invention may be formed or
added at any point in the manufacturing process of the broom.
Furthermore, the nodules (13) described by the present invention
may be formed or added at any point in the manufacturing process of
the bristles (12).
[0081] Operation
[0082] The method according to the present invention provides a
broom that can be used in the same manner that an everyday
household broom is used on a hard surface. The present invention
provides a method for producing brooms that can be used on carpets
and hard surfaces. When used on a carpeted surface, a broom
improved by the method provides the user with an obvious griping
sensation. One can feel the nodules (13) gripping slightly to the
carpet as one sweeps. The method can be used to improve the
sweeping effectiveness of a broom having flexible bristles (12).
Contrary to brooms having stiff bristles, brooms with flexible
bristles (12) modified by the method according to the present
invention allow a user to perform a sweeping motion on a carpeted
surface with a reduced amount of unnecessary or extraneous surface
friction between the carpet and the broom's bristles (12).
Accordingly, I believe that this decreased effort is due to a
tendency of the flexible bristles (12) to bend and release their
hold on the carpeted surface as a sweeping motion is used. A broom
improved by the method according to the present invention has an
increased sweeping effectiveness on carpeted surfaces. I believe
that that the increased sweeping effectiveness is due to the
nodules (13), which increase surface friction by providing the
bristles (12) with an increased surface area on the bristle ends.
Furthermore, I believe that, due to the shape of the nodules (13),
the bristles (12) of a broom improved by the method are provided
with a new ability to grab, snare, or entangle carpet debris.
Dramatically, the present invention provides a broom that can push
heavy types of carpet debris such as coins indefinitely without
lifting the bristles (12) from the carpeted surface or performing
multiple sweeping motions. Contrary to current household brooms, a
broom improved by the method is provided with an increased
effectiveness for sweeping most types of carpet debris into
distinct piles.
[0083] Advantages
[0084] From the description above, a number of advantages of the
present invention become evident:
[0085] 1. The present invention provides an improved broom that
requires less effort than current brooms that are designed to sweep
on carpeted surfaces. This is because many brooms designed to sweep
on carpeted surfaces achieve their carpet sweeping effectiveness by
means of stiffer bristles and/or a push broom design. The stiff
bristles of these types of carpet brooms give the user the ability
to increase surface friction by applying a force that is carried
through the stiff bristles to the surface that is being cleaned. My
alternative method can be applied to a broom having flexible
bristles consequently relieving the user of unnecessary friction
between the broom's bristles and the carpeted surface. The method
according to the present invention increases bristle surface
friction by the alternative means that comprises increasing the
surface area of the bristle ends by forming nodules on the bristle
ends. Besides increasing friction, the nodules also have the
function that, due to their rounded shape, they give the bristles
an ability to grab, snare, or entangle carpet debris. When the
method is applied to brooms having flexible bristles, unnecessary
friction between the bristles and the carpeted surface is absorbed
or reduced due to the flexibility of the bristles, which tend to
bend and release their hold on the carpeted surface as one
sweeps.
[0086] 2. The nodules described by the present invention provide a
hooking or grabbing ability that is due to their shape. Current
household brooms lack this ability to entangle, grab or snare
carpet debris.
[0087] 3. The present invention can be applied to brooms that have
a longitudinal design, providing a broom that is easier to
manipulate than push broom-type carpet brooms. A user of a
longitudinally designed broom modified by the method according to
the present invention can turn the broom head in multiple positions
as the user sweeps. This gives the user the choice of many
different types of sweeping paths. Push broom-type designs are
effective only when they are pushed or pulled and require excessive
horizontal space for sweeping.
[0088] 4. The present invention of improving the carpet-sweeping
effectiveness of brooms can be applied at an extremely low cost,
which makes brooms provided by the present invention an effective
competitor to current household brooms that do not have an
additional carpet sweeping ability.
[0089] 5. Brooms improved by the method according to the present
invention have the multifunctional ability of being a useful tool
for both carpeted and hard surfaces. As described earlier as one
variant of the present invention, a mixture of modified and
unmodified bristles of a broom improved by the described method
will provide the broom with an improved sweeping effectiveness on
carpeted surfaces while maintaining the broom's sweeping
effectiveness for hard surfaces.
[0090] Although the description above contains many specificities,
these should not be construed as limiting the scope of the
invention but as merely providing illustrations of some of the
presently preferred applications of the present invention. For
example, the bristles of a broom improved by the method may be
stiff rather than flexible in cases where dramatically excessive
friction is desired. There may also be instances that a push
broom-type design is desired. Such embodiments may be desirable in
environments where surfaces and/or debris are unusual or extreme
such as outdoors or in industrial areas such as machine shops. The
present invention could also be used to improve the friction and/or
grabbing ability of the bristles of roller brush type sweepers or
the bristles of electrical carpet cleaning machines, such as vacuum
cleaners.
[0091] Thus the scope of the present invention should be determined
by the appended claims and their legal equivalents, rather than by
the examples given.
* * * * *