U.S. patent application number 13/767516 was filed with the patent office on 2013-06-20 for waste receptacle.
This patent application is currently assigned to QUIRKY INCORPORATED. The applicant listed for this patent is QUIRKY INCORPORATED. Invention is credited to Gareth Brown, Timothy M. Connelly, Jordan DIATLO, Przemek Godycki, Anand K. Goswami, Nikki Kaufman, Benjo Manuel, Nicholas Oxley, Kate VALLON, Bill WARD.
Application Number | 20130152331 13/767516 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 48608645 |
Filed Date | 2013-06-20 |
United States Patent
Application |
20130152331 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
WARD; Bill ; et al. |
June 20, 2013 |
WASTE RECEPTACLE
Abstract
A dustpan configured to receive and contain debris includes a
base and a wall. The base has a front edge over which debris can be
swept when placed in contact with a surface. The wall extends
upwardly from a portion of the base other than the front edge to
contain the debris. A tooth assembly that includes a set of
protrusions configured to remove debris from the bristles of a
broom when the broom is swept across the protrusions. The tooth
assembly can be at least partially disposed in a handle with an
arcuate cross-section. The tooth assembly can define a channel
configured to frictionally engage a broom handle. The tooth
assembly can be moveable with respect to the dustpan. A handle
coupled to the tooth assembly can allow a user to move the tooth
assembly between a first configuration and a second
configuration.
Inventors: |
WARD; Bill; (Ravanel,
SC) ; DIATLO; Jordan; (New York, NY) ; VALLON;
Kate; (New York, NY) ; Brown; Gareth; (Jersey
City, NJ) ; Kaufman; Nikki; (New York, NY) ;
Goswami; Anand K.; (New York, NY) ; Godycki;
Przemek; (New York, NY) ; Oxley; Nicholas;
(New York, NY) ; Connelly; Timothy M.; (New York,
NY) ; Manuel; Benjo; (New York, NY) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
QUIRKY INCORPORATED; |
New York |
NY |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
QUIRKY INCORPORATED
New York
NY
|
Family ID: |
48608645 |
Appl. No.: |
13/767516 |
Filed: |
February 14, 2013 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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13709391 |
Dec 10, 2012 |
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13767516 |
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13226745 |
Sep 7, 2011 |
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13709391 |
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61476663 |
Apr 18, 2011 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
15/257.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A46B 17/06 20130101;
A47L 13/52 20130101; A46B 2200/302 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
15/257.1 |
International
Class: |
A47L 13/52 20060101
A47L013/52 |
Claims
1. An apparatus comprising: a dustpan configured to receive and
contain debris, the dustpan including: a base configured to be
placed in contact with a surface to be cleaned, the base having a
front edge over which debris can be swept into the dustpan; and a
wall extending upwardly from at least a portion of the base other
than the front edge, the wall at least partially configured to
contain debris in the dustpan; a handle having a substantially
arcuate cross-section coupled to the wall of the dustpan and
configured to allow a user to place the base in contact with the
surface to be cleaned; and a tooth assembly at least partially
disposed in the arcuate cross-section of the handle, the tooth
assembly having a plurality of protrusions extending from the wall
and configured to remove debris from bristles of a broom when the
broom is swept across the plurality of protrusions.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the handle extends away from
the dustpan so that at least a portion of the handle is disposed
approximately co-planar with the base.
3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the handle extends downwardly
away from a top edge of the wall so that at least a portion of the
handle is disposed approximately co-planar with the base.
4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the portion of the tooth
assembly disposed in the arcuate cross-section of the handle
defines a channel configured to frictionally engage a broom
handle.
5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the tooth assembly is
unitarily formed.
6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality
of protrusions has a taper from its base to its tip.
7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of
protrusions are approximately equally spaced from each other.
8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality
of protrusions has a substantially triangular cross-section.
9. An apparatus comprising: a dustpan configured to receive and
contain debris, the dustpan including: a base configured to be
placed in contact with a surface to be cleaned, the base having a
front edge over which debris can be swept into the dustpan; and a
wall extending upwardly from at least a portion of the base other
than the front edge, the wall at least partially configured to
contain debris in the dustpan; a handle having a substantially
arcuate cross-section coupled to the wall of the dustpan and
configured to allow a user to place the base in contact with the
surface to be cleaned; a tooth assembly coupled to at least one of
the wall and the handle, the tooth assembly having a plurality of
protrusions extending from the wall and configured to remove debris
from bristles of a broom when the broom is swept across the
plurality of protrusions; and a portion of the tooth assembly
disposed in the arcuate cross-section of the handle and defining a
channel configured to frictionally engage a broom handle.
10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the base includes a flexible
material disposed on the front edge configured to reduce the debris
that can fit between the front edge and the surface to be
cleaned.
11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein each of the plurality of
protrusions includes a substantially rounded tip at a distal end of
each of the plurality of protrusions.
12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein each of the plurality of
protrusions includes a substantially flat tip at a distal end of
each of the plurality of protrusions.
13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the plurality of protrusions
are rubber.
14. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the plurality of protrusions
are plastic.
15. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein at least one protrusion of
the plurality of protrusions is a different size than a second
protrusion of the plurality of protrusions.
16. An apparatus comprising: a dustpan defining an interior region
configured to receive and contain debris, the dustpan including a
base configured to be placed in contact with a surface to be
cleaned, the base having a front edge over which debris can be
swept into the dustpan; a tooth assembly having a plurality of
protrusions, the tooth assembly coupled to the dustpan for
rotational movement relative to the dustpan between a first
configuration such that the plurality of protrusions extend toward
the front edge when the base is placed in contact with the surface
to be cleaned, and a second configuration such that the plurality
of protrusions extend into the interior region of the dustpan when
the base is lifted away from the surface to be cleaned, the
plurality of protrusions configured to remove debris from bristles
of a broom when the broom is swept across the plurality of
protrusions; and a handle coupled to the tooth assembly and
configured to allow a user to move the tooth assembly between the
first configuration and the second configuration.
17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the plurality of protrusions
are flexible.
18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the plurality of protrusions
are substantially rigid.
19. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising: a coupling
member configured to operably couple the tooth assembly and the
handle to the dustpan.
20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the dustpan includes
projections and the coupling member includes recesses configured to
receive the projections, the coupling member configured to rotate
about the projections between the first configuration and the
second configuration.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 13/709,391, filed Dec. 10, 2012, which is a
continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/226,745, filed
Sep. 7, 2011, which claims priority to and the benefit of U.S.
Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/476,663, filed Apr. 18,
2011, the disclosures of each of which are incorporated herein by
reference in their entirety.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Embodiments described herein relate generally to an
apparatus and methods for collecting swept waste material, and
particularly to a waste receptacle with a set of protrusions for
removing debris from the bristles of a broom.
[0003] Waste receptacles or "dustpans" can be used to collect
debris swept into the body of the pan by a broom and are typically
comprised of a pan and/or base, a set of walls, and a handle that
typically extends laterally from a rear wall of the pan. A user
normally holds the dustpan in one hand by the handle while using a
broom in the other hand to sweep debris into the pan. This process
can become cumbersome and inefficient as a user may try to
stabilize the broom using a shoulder or other body part. In some
instances, two people may perform the operation, with one person
holding the handle of the dustpan and the other person using the
broom to sweep debris into the dustpan. In other instances, a user
can choose to use a small handheld broom, requiring the user to
bend down and/or kneel to sweep debris into the dustpan.
[0004] In some instances, swept debris can become entrained in the
bristles of the broom. In such instances, only a portion of the
debris is collected in the body of the pan, while the entrained
debris remains in the bristles of the broom. In some instances, the
debris can fall out of the bristles outside of the dustpan or
otherwise spread to undesired locations.
[0005] Thus, a need exists for a waste receptacle or dustpan that
can be easily held in place and that effectively removes debris
from the bristles of a broom without spreading debris to areas
outside of the dustpan.
SUMMARY
[0006] An apparatus and methods for collecting swept waste material
are described herein. In some embodiments, an apparatus includes a
dustpan configured to receive and contain debris. The dustpan
includes a base and a wall. The base can be placed in contact with
a surface to be cleaned and has a front edge over which debris can
be swept. The wall extends upwardly from a portion of the base
other than the front edge to contain the debris in the dustpan. A
handle with a substantially arcuate cross-section is coupled to the
wall of the dustpan to allow a user to place the base in contact
with the surface to be cleaned. A tooth assembly is at least
partially disposed in the arcuate cross-section of the handle and
includes a set of protrusions that extend inwardly from the wall of
the dustpan. The set of protrusions is configured to remove debris
from the bristles of a broom when the broom is swept across the set
of protrusions.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a waste receptacle
according to an embodiment.
[0008] FIGS. 2 and 3 are schematic illustrations of a waste
receptacle in a first configuration and a second configuration,
respectively, according to an embodiment.
[0009] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a waste receptacle according
to an embodiment.
[0010] FIG. 5 is a side view of the waste receptacle of FIG. 4.
[0011] FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of the waste
receptacle of FIG. 4.
[0012] FIG. 7 is a rear perspective view of a first member of a
tooth assembly included in the waste receptacle of FIG. 4.
[0013] FIG. 8 is a rear perspective view of a second member of the
tooth assembly included in the waste receptacle of FIG. 4.
[0014] FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the waste receptacle
taken along the line X-X in FIG. 4.
[0015] FIG. 10 is an enlarged portion of the waste receptacle
identified as region Z in FIG. 9.
[0016] FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the waste receptacle of
FIG. 4 in use.
[0017] FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a waste receptacle
according to an embodiment.
[0018] FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a waste receptacle
according to an embodiment.
[0019] FIG. 14 is an exploded view of the waste receptacle of FIG.
13.
[0020] FIG. 15 is a perspective view of a bin included in the waste
receptacle of FIG. 13.
[0021] FIG. 16 is an exploded view of a coupling member and a tooth
assembly included in the waste receptacle of FIG. 13.
[0022] FIG. 17 is a perspective view of the coupling member and the
tooth assembly of FIG. 16 coupled to a handle included in the waste
receptacle of FIG. 13.
[0023] FIG. 18 is a perspective view of the waste receptacle of
FIG. 13 in a first configuration.
[0024] FIG. 19 is a perspective view of the waste receptacle of
FIG. 13 in a second configuration.
[0025] FIGS. 20 and 21 illustrate the waste receptacle of FIG. 13
being stored with a broom.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0026] In some embodiments, an apparatus includes a dustpan
configured to receive and contain debris. The dustpan includes a
base and a wall. The base can be placed in contact with a surface
to be cleaned and has a front edge over which debris can be swept.
The wall extends upwardly from a portion of the base other than the
front edge to contain the debris in the dustpan. A handle with a
substantially arcuate cross-section is coupled to the wall of the
dustpan to allow a user to place the base in contact with the
surface to be cleaned. A tooth assembly is at least partially
disposed in the arcuate cross-section of the handle and includes a
set of protrusions that extend inwardly from the wall of the
dustpan. The set of protrusions is configured to remove debris from
the bristles of a broom when the broom is swept across the set of
protrusions.
[0027] In some embodiments, an apparatus includes a dustpan
configured to receive and contain debris. The dustpan includes a
base and a wall. The base can be placed in contact with a surface
to be cleaned and has a front edge over which debris can be swept.
The wall extends upwardly from a portion of the base other than the
front edge to contain the debris in the dustpan. A handle with a
substantially arcuate cross-section is coupled to the wall of the
dustpan to allow a user to place the base in contact with the
surface to be cleaned. A tooth assembly is at least partially
disposed in the arcuate cross-section of the handle and defines a
channel that frictionally engages a broom handle. The tooth
assembly includes a set of protrusions that extend inwardly from
the wall of the dustpan. The set of protrusions is configured to
remove debris from the bristles of a broom when the broom is swept
across the set of protrusions.
[0028] In some embodiments, an apparatus includes a dustpan that
defines an interior region configured to receive and contain
debris. The dustpan includes a base that can be placed in contact
with a surface to be cleaned and has a front edge over which debris
can be swept. A tooth assembly includes a set of protrusions
coupled to the dustpan for rotational motion relative to the
dustpan between a first configuration and a second configuration.
When in the first configuration, the base is placed in contact with
a surface to be cleaned such that the set of protrusions extend
away from the tooth assembly toward the front edge to remove debris
from the bristles of a broom when the broom is swept across the set
of protrusions. When in the second configuration, the set of
protrusions extend into the interior region of the dustpan when the
base is lifted away from the surface to be cleaned. A handle is
coupled to the tooth assembly to allow a user to move the tooth
assembly between the first configuration and the second
configuration.
[0029] 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. Thus, for example, the term
"a wall" is intended to mean a single wall or a combination of
walls. Furthermore, the words "proximal" and "distal" refer to a
direction closer to and away from, respectively, an user who would
hold the waste receptacle at a handle (i.e., proximal end) with a
front lip (i.e., distal end) of the dustpan receiving debris.
[0030] As used herein, the term "set" can refer to multiple
features or a singular feature with multiple parts. For example,
when referring to set of walls, the set of walls can be considered
as one wall with distinct portions, or the set of walls can be
considered as multiple walls. Similarly stated, a monolithically
constructed item can include a set of walls. Such a set of walls
can include, for example, multiple portions that can be
discontinuous from each other. A set of walls can also be
fabricated from multiple items that are produced separately and are
later joined together (e.g., via a weld, an adhesive, or any other
suitable method).
[0031] As used herein, the term "parallel" generally describes a
relationship between two geometric constructions (e.g., two lines,
two planes, a line and a plane or the like) in which the two
geometric constructions are substantially non-intersecting as they
extend substantially to infinity. For example, as used herein, a
line is said to be parallel to another line when the lines do not
intersect as they extend to infinity. Similarly, when a planar
surface (i.e., a two-dimensional surface) is said to be parallel to
a line, every point along the line is spaced apart from the nearest
portion of the surface by a substantially equal distance. Two
geometric constructions are described herein as being "parallel" or
"substantially parallel" to each other when they are nominally
parallel to each other, such as for example, when they are parallel
to each other within a tolerance. Such tolerances can include, for
example, manufacturing tolerances, measurement tolerances, or the
like.
[0032] FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a waste receptacle 100
according to an embodiment. The waste receptacle 100 (also referred
to herein as "dustpan") can be used to collect (e.g., receive and
at least temporarily contain) debris that is swept into the dustpan
100 by a broom or the like. The dustpan 100 includes a base 110, a
set of walls 120, a handle 135, and a tooth assembly 150. The base
110 can be any suitable shape, size, or configuration. For example,
in some embodiments, the base 110 can have a shape that can be
polygonal (e.g., square, rectangular, pentagonal, etc.),
curvilinear (e.g., rounded, circular, elliptical, etc.),
symmetrical, asymmetrical, or any suitable combination thereof. The
base 110 includes a distal edge 116 over which debris can be swept.
For example, the base 110 can be placed in contact with a surface
to be cleaned such that debris can be swept over the distal edge
116. In some embodiments, the distal edge 116 (also referred to
herein as "front edge") can be formed from a flexible material that
can deform or otherwise reconfigure when the base 110 is placed in
contact with the surface. For example, in some embodiments, the
distal edge 116 can be an over-molded portion formed from rubber,
polypropylene, polyethylene, nylon, silicone, ethylene propylene
rubber (EPM), thermoplastic rubber (TPR), or the like. In this
manner, the distal edge 116 can elastically deform (e.g.,
nonpermanently deform) when the base 110 is placed in contact with
a surface to be cleaned and can return to an undeformed
configuration when the base 110 is removed from contact with the
surface.
[0033] In some embodiments, the base 110 can be a substantially
planar surface. For example, when the dustpan 100 is disposed
adjacent to a surface to be cleaned, an outer portion of the base
110 is entirely (substantially) in contact with the surface. In
other embodiments, the base 110 can include or define one or more
discontinuities such that only a portion of the base 110 is placed
in contact with the surface. In such embodiments, the one or more
discontinuities can be arranged to divide the base 110 into, for
example, distinct portions. For example, in some embodiments, the
base 110 can include a discontinuity that divides the base 110 into
a first portion (not shown in FIG. 1) and a second portion (not
shown in FIG. 1). In such embodiments, when the base 110 is placed
in contact with a surface to be cleaned, the first portion can be
disposed at an angle relative to the surface while the second
portion can be substantially parallel to the surface. In this
manner, the first portion of the base 110 can act to retain the
debris within or on the second portion of the base 110.
[0034] The set of walls 120 surround at least a portion of the base
110 and extend upwardly from a set of edges of the base 110 (e.g.,
the edges forming the sides of the base 110) other than the distal
edge 116, as shown in FIG. 1. For example, the set of walls 120 can
include a back wall and a set of side walls. In some embodiments,
the walls 120 are monolithically formed with the base 110. In other
embodiments, the walls 120 can be coupled to the base 110 (e.g.,
via ultrasonic welding, an adhesive, or any other mechanical
coupler). The walls 120 can extend in a substantially perpendicular
direction relative to the base 110. In other embodiments, the walls
120 can extend from the base 110 at any suitable angle other than
90.degree. (e.g., 95.degree., 100.degree., 105.degree.,
110.degree., 115.degree., or any other suitable angle). In still
other embodiments, the walls 120 can extend from the base 110 at
angle less than 90.degree.. In yet other embodiments, the angle at
which the walls 120 extend from the base 110 can vary along a
length of the walls 120. For example, the walls 120 can include a
portion that is substantially perpendicular to the base 110 (e.g.,
a rear portion) and one or more portions that are not perpendicular
to the base 110. In some embodiments, the walls 120 and the base
110 can collectively form a rounded contour as the walls 120 extend
from the base 110. In other embodiments, the walls 120 and the base
110 can collectively form one or more linear edges.
[0035] While not shown in FIG. 1, the walls 120 can extend from the
base 110 at any suitable height. For example, in some embodiments,
the walls 120 can extend from the base 110 at substantially uniform
height. In other embodiments, the height of the walls 120 can be
varied. For example, a height of the walls 120 can increase from a
first height at a position adjacent to the distal edge 116 of the
base 120 to a second height at a position opposite the distal edge
116 (e.g., a rear portion). Said a different way, the walls 120 can
include a tapered edge that decreases in height as the walls 120
extend from a back wall toward the distal edge 116 of the base 110.
Thus, walls 120 can have a suitable height to retain the debris in
a storage portion, while saving on material usage by decreasing the
height of the walls 120 at areas where debris storage is less
likely (e.g., adjacent to the distal edge 116).
[0036] As shown in FIG. 1, the handle 135 is coupled to the walls
120 and extends in a substantially perpendicular direction away
from distal edge 116 of the base 110. In some embodiments, the
handle 135 can be monolithically formed with the walls 120. In
other embodiments, the handle 135 can be coupled to the walls 120
(e.g., via ultrasonic welding, an adhesive, a mechanical coupler
(screw, bolt, and/or nut), or the like). The handle 135 can be any
suitable shape, size, or configuration. For example, the handle 135
can include substantially linear sides that extend toward an
arcuate end portion. While not shown in FIG. 1, in some
embodiments, the handle 135 can have a substantially arcuate
cross-sectional shape. For example, in some embodiments, the handle
135 can be substantially U-shaped, defining a channel between a set
of side walls (not shown in FIG. 1). In other embodiments, the
handle 135 can define any suitable cross-sectional shape. In some
embodiments, the cross-sectional shape of the handle 135 can
varying along the length of the handle 135. For example, in some
embodiments, the handle 135 can include or define a set of grooves
on an outer surface. In such embodiments, a user can place one or
more fingers in the grooves, thereby increasing the ergonomics of
the handle 135.
[0037] The handle 135 can be configured to extend from the walls
120 at any suitable angle. For example, in some embodiments, the
handle 135 can extend from the walls 120 in a perpendicular
direction. In other embodiments, the handle 135 can extend in a
substantially linear path at an angle, less than 90.degree., such
that a portion of the handle 135 is substantially coplanar with at
least a portion of the base 110. Similarly stated, the handle 135
can extend from the walls 120 at an angle such that a surface of
the handle 135 is substantially aligned with a surface of the base
110. In other embodiments, the handle 135 can extend from the walls
120 in a substantially curvilinear path. For example, in some
embodiments, the handle 135 can extend from the walls 120 in a path
substantially similar or the same as the handles described in U.S.
Patent Publication No. 20120260453, filed Sep. 7, 2011, entitled
"Waste Receptacle," the disclosure of which is incorporated by
reference herein in its entirety.
[0038] The tooth assembly 150 included in the dustpan 100 can be
any suitable shape, size, or configuration. As shown in FIG. 1, at
least a portion of the tooth assembly 150 is disposed in or coupled
to the handle 135. For example, in some embodiments, the tooth
assembly 150 can be at least partially disposed within a channel
defined by the handle 135. The tooth assembly 150 includes a set of
protrusions 171 (i.e., teeth) that extend from a surface of the
walls 120 toward the distal edge 116 of the base 110. As described
in further detail herein, the protrusions 171 can remove debris
from a set of bristles of a broom by separating the bristles a
sufficient amount to dislodge debris disposed between adjacent
bristles.
[0039] The tooth assembly 150 can be formed from any suitable
material. For example, in some embodiments, the tooth assembly 150
can be formed from a relatively flexible material such as, rubber,
polypropylene, polyethylene, silicone, ethylene propylene rubber
(EPM), thermoplastic rubber (TPR). In some embodiments, the tooth
assembly 150 can include, for example, a relatively rigid substrate
such as a hard plastic or nylon that is over-molded with a flexible
material such as TPR or silicone. In some embodiments, the rigid
substrate can be monolithically formed with the base 110, the walls
120, and/or the handle 135. In other embodiments, the tooth
assembly 150 can be independently formed from relatively rigid
material and coupled to the walls 120 via ultrasonic welding,
chemical bonding, and/or mechanical fastening (e.g., screw, bolt,
keyway coupling, or the like).
[0040] The set of protrusions 171 of the tooth assembly 150 can be
any suitable shape, size, or configuration. For example, the set of
protrusions 171 can be substantially triangular (e.g., a
cross-sectional area of each protrusion 171 is decreased as each
protrusion 171 extends from the walls 120) having a substantially
uniform size. Similarly, the protrusions 171 can be spaced at a
substantially uniform distance. Said another way, the arrangement
of the protrusions 171 is such that a uniform space is disposed
between each adjacent protrusion 171. In other embodiments, the
size and/or shape of the protrusions 171 can be varied. Although
not shown in FIG. 1, the set of protrusions 171 can be spaced at
any suitable position along the height of the walls 120. For
example, in some embodiments, the protrusions 171 can be disposed
adjacent to the base 110 (e.g., in contact with the base 110). In
other embodiments, the protrusions 171 can be spaced a distance
from the base 110. Furthermore, the position, size, shape, spacing,
or the like can be modified within a tolerance without
substantially limiting the performance of the tooth assembly
150.
[0041] As described above, the protrusions 171 can be formed from
any suitable material (e.g., a relatively flexible material). More
specifically, the protrusions 171 can be formed from a material
configured to define a relatively large coefficient of friction
between a surface of the protrusions 171 and the bristles of a
broom as the broom is swept across the protrusions 171. In this
manner, the protrusions 171 can act to remove debris from the
bristles of the broom by separating the bristles a sufficient
amount to dislodge debris disposed between adjacent bristles.
Furthermore, as the bristles of the broom are moved across the
protrusions 171, a measure of friction between the surface of the
protrusions 171 and a portion of the debris is sufficiently large
to frictionally couple, at least temporarily, the debris to the
protrusions 171. Thus, debris is removed from the bristles of the
broom and disposed within a volume defined between the walls 120
and the base 110.
[0042] FIGS. 2 and 3 are schematic illustrations of a waste
receptacle 200, in a first configuration and a second
configuration, respectively, according to an embodiment. The waste
receptacle 200 (also referred to herein as "dustpan") can be used
to collect (e.g., receive and at least temporarily contain) debris
that is swept into the dustpan 200 by a broom or the like. The
dustpan 200 includes a base 210, a set of walls 220, a handle 235,
and a tooth assembly 250, and defines an interior region 229. The
base 210 can be any suitable shape, size, or configuration. For
example, in some embodiments, the base 210 can have a shape that
can be polygonal (e.g., square, rectangular, pentagonal, etc.),
curvilinear (e.g., rounded, circular, elliptical, etc.),
symmetrical, asymmetrical, or any suitable combination thereof. The
base 210 includes a distal edge 216 over which debris can be swept.
For example, the base 210 can be placed in contact with a surface S
to be cleaned such that debris can be swept over the distal edge
216. The distal edge 216 can be substantially similar in form and
function as the distal edge 116 described above with reference to
FIG. 1; therefore, the distal edge 216 is not described in further
detail herein.
[0043] In some embodiments, the base 210 can be a substantially
planar surface. For example, when the dustpan 200 is in a first
configuration (FIG. 2), an outer surface of the base 210 is
entirely (substantially) in contact with the surface S. In other
embodiments, the base 210 can include or define one or more
discontinuities that can be arranged to divide the base 210 into,
for example, distinct portions (as described in detail with
reference to the base 110).
[0044] The set of walls 220 surround at least a portion of the base
210 and extend away from a set of edges of the base 210 (e.g., the
edges forming the sides of the base 210) other than the distal edge
216, as shown in FIG. 2. For example, the set of walls 220 can
include a back wall, a set of side walls, and a top wall. In some
embodiments, the walls 220 are monolithically formed with the base
210. In other embodiments, the walls 220 can be coupled to the base
210 (e.g., via ultrasonic welding, an adhesive, or any other
mechanical coupler). As described above with reference to the walls
110, the walls 220 can extend from the base 210 any suitable
distance (i.e., the walls 220 can have any suitable height) and at
any suitable angle. Moreover, the walls 220 and the base 210
collectively define the interior region 229. Thus, the interior
region 229 is bounded by the set of walls 220 and/or the base 210
on all sides other than the side associated with the distal edge
216. Similarly stated, the walls 220 and the base 210 are arranged
to define an opening adjacent to the distal edge 216 to allow
access to the interior region 229. In some embodiments, the walls
220 can include a set of edges that are substantially aligned with
the distal edge 216. In other embodiments, the edges of the walls
220 are spaced a distance from the distal edge 216, as shown in
FIG. 2. In some embodiments, a top edge of the walls 220 can be
spaced a distance from the distal edge 216 and a side edge(s) can
increase in height from the distal edge 216 of the base 210 to the
top edge of the walls 220.
[0045] The tooth assembly 250 of the dustpan 200 includes a set of
protrusions 271. While only one protrusion 271 is shown in FIGS. 2
and 3, any number of protrusions 271 can be included in the tooth
assembly 250. The tooth assembly 250 can be any suitable shape,
size, or configuration and can be formed from any suitable
material. For example, in some embodiments, the tooth assembly 250
can be formed from a relatively flexible material such as, rubber,
polypropylene, polyethylene, silicone, ethylene propylene rubber
(EPM), thermoplastic rubber (TPR). In some embodiments, the tooth
assembly 250 can include, for example, a relatively rigid substrate
such as a hard plastic and can include at least a portion that is
over-molded with a flexible material such as TPR or silicone to
form the protrusions 271. In other embodiments, the tooth assembly
250 can include a first portion that can be coupled to the walls
220 and/or the handle 235 of the dustpan 200 and a second portion
that can include the set of protrusions 271. In such embodiments,
the first portion can be a relatively rigid portion (e.g., a hard
plastic) and the second portion can be a relatively flexible
portion (e.g., silicone or TPR). In this manner, the first portion
and the second portion can be coupled together (e.g., via
ultrasonic welding, chemical bonding, and/or mechanical fastening)
to form the tooth assembly 250.
[0046] The tooth assembly 250 is rotatably coupled to the walls 220
of the dustpan 200 and fixedly coupled to the handle 235. The
handle 235 can be any suitable shape, size, or configuration. For
example, in some embodiments, the handle 235 is a substantially
elongate tube that extends from the tooth assembly 250. The tooth
assembly 250 can be rotatably coupled to the walls 220 in any
suitable manner. For example, in some embodiments, the tooth
assembly 250 can include a set of cylindrical protrusions that
extend from a surface of the tooth assembly 250 to be disposed
within a set of openings (not shown in FIGS. 2 and 3) defined by an
inner surface of the walls 220. In other embodiments, the tooth
assembly 250 can define a set of openings configured to receive a
set of protrusions that extend from the inner surface of the walls
220. In still other embodiments, the tooth assembly 250 can be
rotatably coupled to the walls 220 via one or more hinges,
bearings, pivot pins, or the like. In this manner, a user can
manipulate the handle 235 to move the tooth assembly 250 between a
first configuration (FIG. 2) and a second configuration (FIG. 3),
as described in further detail herein.
[0047] The tooth assembly 250 includes a set of protrusions 271
(i.e., teeth) that extend from a surface of the tooth assembly 250
toward the distal edge 216 of the base 210 when the dustpan 200 is
in the first configuration (FIG. 2). The set of protrusions 271 of
the tooth assembly 250 can be any suitable shape, size, or
configuration. For example, the set of protrusions 271 can be
substantially triangular (e.g., a cross-sectional area of each
protrusion 271 is increased or decreased as each protrusion 271
extends from the walls 220) having a substantially uniform size.
Similarly, the protrusions 271 can be spaced at a substantially
uniform distance (as described above with reference to the
protrusions 171). In other embodiments, the size, shape and/or
spacing of the protrusions 271 can be varied.
[0048] As described above, the protrusions 271 can be formed from
any suitable material (e.g., a relatively flexible material). More
specifically, the protrusions 271 can be formed from a material
configured to define a relatively large coefficient of friction
between a surface of the protrusions 271 and the bristles of a
broom as the broom is swept across the protrusions 271. In this
manner, when the dustpan 271 is in contact with the surface S, the
protrusions 271 can extend from the tooth assembly 250 and act to
remove debris from the bristles of the broom by separating the
bristles a sufficient amount to dislodge debris disposed between
adjacent bristles. Furthermore, as the bristles of the broom are
moved across the protrusions 271, a measure of friction between the
surface of the protrusions 271 and a portion of the debris is
sufficiently large to frictionally couple, at least temporarily,
the debris to the protrusions 271. Thus, debris is removed from the
bristles of the broom and is disposed within the interior region
229 defined between the walls 220 and the base 210.
[0049] With the desired debris disposed within the interior region
229, the user can exert a force on the handle 235 operative in
lifting the base 210 from the surface S. With the base 210 removed
from contact with the surface S, the tooth assembly 250 rotates
relative to the base 210 (or vice versa) to place the dustpan 200
in the second configuration, as indicated by the arrow AA in FIG.
3. Moreover, with the dustpan 200 in the second configuration, the
protrusions 271 extend into the interior region 229 toward the base
210. Thus, the dustpan 200 can be stored in the second
configuration to limit potential damage to or interaction with the
protrusions 271.
[0050] FIGS. 4-11 illustrate a waste receptacle 300 according to an
embodiment. The waste receptacle 300 (also referred to herein as
"dustpan") can be used to collect (e.g., receive and at least
temporarily contain) debris that is swept into the dustpan 300 by a
broom or the like. The dustpan 300 includes a base 310, a set of
walls 320, a handle 335, and a tooth assembly 350. The dustpan 300
can be formed from any suitable material or combination of
materials. For example, in some embodiments, the base 310 can be
formed from a relatively hard plastic that is sufficiently rigid to
limit an amount of deformation of the base 310 when debris is
disposed thereon. Similarly stated, the base 310 can be
sufficiently rigid such that the base 310 does not substantially
deform during normal use (e.g., when the weight of the debris
disposed within the dustpan 300 is below a given threshold).
[0051] The base 310 can be any suitable shape, size, or
configuration. For example, in some embodiments, the base 310 can
have a shape that is polygonal (e.g., square, rectangular,
pentagonal, trapezoidal, etc.), curvilinear (e.g., rounded,
circular, elliptical, etc.), symmetrical, asymmetrical, or any
suitable combination thereof. For example as shown in FIG. 4, the
base 310 has a substantially trapezoidal shape with rounder corners
between a pair of side edges and a proximal (e.g., rear) edge. The
base 310 includes a first portion 311 and a second portion 313. The
first portion 311 (also referred to herein as "body portion") of
the base 310 is configured to receive and retain debris swept into
the dustpan 300, as described in further detail herein. As shown in
FIG. 4, the first portion 311 extends from a rear edge of the base
310 toward the second portion 313. The first portion 311 and the
second portion 313 collectively define a discontinuity 312
therebetween. As shown in FIG. 5, the discontinuity 312 can be a
change in height or angle in the base 310, such as a step or the
like. The arrangement of the first portion 311 and the second
portion 313 can be such that the discontinuity 312 can act to
retain debris within the first portion 311. For example, if the
dustpan 100 is placed at an angle such that debris slides from the
first portion 311 toward the second portion 313, the discontinuity
312 acts to confine the debris within the first portion 311, thus,
the risk of spilling the debris can be reduced.
[0052] The second portion 313 extends from the discontinuity 312 in
a distal direction (e.g., away from the first portion). The second
portion 313 includes a coupling surface 314 (see e.g., FIG. 6) that
can be coupled to a skirt 315. The coupling surface 314 can be for
example, a protrusion, an edge, a recess, or the like. Moreover,
the skirt 315 can include a corresponding surface (not shown in
FIGS. 4-11) configured to mate with to the coupling surface 314. In
some embodiments, the coupling surface 314 and the corresponding
surface of the skirt 315 can form a friction fit that maintains the
skirt 315 in contact with the coupling portion 314. In other
embodiments, the skirt 315 can be coupled to the coupling surface
314 via an adhesive, a snap fit, a mechanical fastener (e.g., a
screw), and/or any other suitable coupling method.
[0053] The skirt 315 includes a substantially straight distal edge
316 over which debris can be swept. For example as shown in FIG. 5,
at least a portion of the base 310 and/or the skirt 315 is placed
in contact with a surface S to be cleaned such that debris can be
swept over the distal edge 316 of the skirt 315. In some
embodiments, the skirt 315 can be formed from a flexible material
that can deform or otherwise reconfigure when the base 310 is
placed in contact with the surface S. For example, in some
embodiments, the skirt 315 can be formed from rubber,
polypropylene, polyethylene, nylon, silicone, ethylene propylene
rubber (EPM), thermoplastic rubber (TPR), or the like. In this
manner, the skirt 315 can elastically deform (e.g., nonpermanently
deform) when the base 310 is placed in contact with the surface S
to be cleaned and can return to an undeformed configuration when
the base 310 is removed from contact with the surface S. This
arrangement can substantially prevent debris from being swept
underneath the base 310. While described as being coupled to the
coupling surface 314 of the base 310, in some embodiments, the
skirt 315 can be, for example, an over-molded portion of the base
310. For example, the coupling surface 314 of the second portion
312 act as a relatively hard substrate about which the skirt 315
can be over-molded.
[0054] The set of walls 320 surround at least a portion of the base
310 and extend upwardly from a set of edges of the base 310 (e.g.,
the edges forming the sides of the base 310) other than the distal
edge 316, as shown in FIGS. 4-6. The set of walls 320 include a
first portion 321 and a second portion 322. In some embodiments,
the walls 320 are unitarily formed with each other and/or the base
310. In other embodiments, the walls 320 can be formed
independently and can be coupled to the base 310 (e.g., via
ultrasonic welding, an adhesive, or any other mechanical coupler).
The walls 320 extend in a substantially perpendicular direction
relative to the base 310. In other embodiments, the walls 320 can
extend from the base 310 at any suitable angle other than
90.degree. (as described above with reference to FIG. 1). The walls
320 and the base 310 collectively form a rounded contour as the
walls 320 extend from the base 310. Although shown in FIGS. 4-6 as
substantially non-uniform, the walls 320 and the base 310 can form
a rounded contour with a uniform radius.
[0055] The first portion 321 of the walls 320 extends from the
skirt 315 toward the second portion 322. In this manner, the first
portion 321 of the walls 320 is formed from a pair of side walls
and the second portion 322 of the walls 320 is formed from a rear
(i.e., a proximal wall) of the dust pan 300. The first portion 321
includes a tapered edge that decreases in height as the first
portion 321 (the side walls) extend from the second portion 322
toward the skirt 315. The arrangement of the tapered edges provides
a taller wall height at the area of debris storage (i.e., the first
portion 311, shown in FIGS. 4 and 5), while saving on material
usage by decreasing the wall height at areas where debris storage
is less likely (i.e., the second portion 3120).
[0056] The second portion 322 of the walls 320 has an outer surface
323 and an inner surface 324 and defines a channel 326. As shown in
FIG. 6, the inner surface 324 includes a set of protrusions 327
that can at least partially couple the tooth assembly 350 to the
second portion 322 of the walls 320, as described in further detail
herein. As shown in FIGS. 4-6, the handle 335 is coupled to the
second portion 322 of the walls 320 and is configured to extend in
a substantially perpendicular direction away from the outer surface
323. In some embodiments, the handle 335 can be monolithically
formed with the second portion 322 of the walls 320. In other
embodiments, the handle 335 can be coupled to the second portion
322 of the walls 320 (e.g., via ultrasonic welding, an adhesive, a
mechanical coupler (screw, bolt, and/or nut), or the like).
[0057] The handle 335 can extend from the second portion 322 of the
walls 320 at any suitable angle. For example, as shown in FIG. 5,
the handle 335 extends from the second portion 322 of the walls 320
in a substantially linear path at an angle, less than 90.degree.,
such that a portion of the handle 335 is substantially coplanar
with at least a portion of the base 310. More specifically, the
handle 335 extends from the second portion 322 of the walls 320 at
an angle such that a surface of the handle 335 is substantially
aligned with the distal edge 316 of the skirt 315. While not shown
in FIGS. 4-11, in some embodiments, the handle 335 can include a
pedal portion (e.g., a foot pedal) that can be similar to those
described in the U.S. Patent Publication No. 20120260453,
incorporated by reference above. In this manner, the foot pedal can
be in contact with a surface to be cleaned (e.g., the surface S
shown in FIG. 5) and the user can place a foot on the pedal to
secure at least a portion of the dustpan 300 to the surface.
[0058] The handle 335 can be any suitable shape, size, or
configuration. For example as shown in FIG. 6, the handle 335
includes substantially linear sides that extend toward an arcuate
end portion. The handle 335 has a substantially U-shaped
cross-section with an inner surface that defines a channel 343
between the side walls. The arrangement of the handle 335 and the
second portion 322 of the walls 320 is such that the channel 343 of
the handle 335 is substantially aligned with the channel 326 of the
second portion 322 of the walls 320. In this manner, the channel
326 and the channel 343 can each receive a portion of the tooth
assembly 350. Moreover, the handle 335 includes a protrusion 345
and defines an aperture 344 that are each configured to engage a
portion of the tooth assembly 350 when the portion of the tooth
assembly 350 is disposed within the channel 343.
[0059] The tooth assembly 350 is coupled to the walls 320 of the
dustpan 300 to remove debris from a set of bristles of a broom as
the broom is swept across the tooth assembly. As shown in FIG. 6,
the tooth assembly 350 includes a first member 351 and a second
member 358. The first member 351 includes a first portion 352 and a
second portion 358. The first portion 352 includes a first surface
353 (FIG. 6) and a second surface 354 (FIG. 7). The first surface
353 includes or defines a set of detents 355 and a set of
protrusions 356 that engage a portion of the second member 365 to
couple the second member 365 to the first member 351. As shown in
FIG. 7, the second surface 354 includes a set of openings 355 that
receive the protrusions 327 extending from the inner surface 324 of
the second portion 322 of the walls 320, as described in further
detail herein.
[0060] The second portion 358 of the first member 351 is at least
partially disposed within the channel 326 defined by the second
portion 322 of the walls 320 and the channel 343 defined by the
handle 335. Although not shown in FIGS. 4-11, the second portion
358 can define an opening that can receive the protrusion 345 of
the handle 335 to at least partially retain the second portion 358
within the channel 343 of the handle 335. In some embodiments, the
protrusion 345 can be configured to deform when disposed within the
opening defined by the second portion 358 (e.g., in a manner
similar to a rivet). In other embodiments, the protrusion 345 can
be disposed within the opening can secured thereto via a mechanical
fastener (e.g., a screw). In some embodiments, the first member 351
and the surface defining the channel 343 of the handle 335 form a
friction or press fit that can also retain the second portion 358
within the channel 343. The second portion 358 is disposed within
the channel 343 such that an aperture 361 (FIG. 6) defined by the
second portion 358 is substantially aligned (e.g., coaxial) with
the aperture 344 defined by the handle 335. The second portion 359
further defines a channel 359 and an alignment protrusion 360 that
are each placed in contact with a portion of the second member 365
to at least partially couple the second member 365 thereto, as
described in further detail below.
[0061] The second member 365 of the tooth assembly 350 includes a
first portion 366 and a second portion 376. The first portion 366
includes a first surface 367 (FIG. 6) and a second surface 368
(FIG. 7). The first surface 367 includes a set of protrusions 371
(i.e., teeth) that extend outwardly from the first surface 367, as
described in further detail herein. The set of protrusions 371 of
the tooth assembly 350 can be any suitable shape, size, or
configuration. For example, as shown in FIG. 6, the set of
protrusions 371 are substantially triangular each including a first
surface 372 and a second surface 373 that collectively form a
rounded tip 374. The protrusions 371 are substantially uniform in
size and can be spaced at a substantially uniform distance. Said
another way, the arrangement of the protrusions 371 is such that a
uniform space is disposed between each adjacent protrusion 371. In
other embodiments, the size and/or shape of the protrusions 371 can
be varied.
[0062] As shown in FIG. 7, the second surface 368 of the first
portion 365 defines a set of detents 369 and a set of openings 370.
More specifically, the detents 369 and the openings 370
substantially correspond with the detents 356 and protrusions 357
of the first member 351. In this manner, the first portion 366 of
the second member 365 can be coupled to the first portion 352 of
the first member 351.
[0063] The second portion 376 of the second member 365 defines a
channel 377 and an alignment aperture 378 and includes a coupler
379. As described above, the second portion 376 of the second
member 365 is coupled to the second portion 358 of the first member
351. More specifically, a surface of the second portion 376 that
defines the channel 377 is disposed within the channel 359 of the
first member 351. Similarly, the coupler 379 is disposed within the
aperture 361 defined by the first member 351. In addition, the
alignment protrusion 360 of the first member 351 is disposed within
the alignment aperture 378 of the second member 365.
[0064] As described above, the tooth assembly 350 is coupled to the
second portion 322 of the walls 320 and partially disposed within
the handle 335. More specifically, the first member 351 and the
second member 365 are coupled together and are coupled to the inner
surface 324 of the walls 320 and the handle 335 with a series of
frictional interfaces defined therebetween. For example, the first
member 351 and the second member 365 of the tooth assembly 350 can
be formed from a relatively flexible material such as, rubber,
polypropylene, polyethylene, silicone, ethylene propylene rubber
(EPM), thermoplastic rubber (TPR). In some instances, the material
used to form the first member 351 and/or the second member 365 can
define a relatively large friction coefficient with a surface when
placed in contact with the surface. Thus, portions of the tooth
assembly 350 can be at least partially deformed (e.g., elastically
or plastically) to couple (e.g., at least partially via a friction
fit) the first member 351 to the second member 365 and/or the first
member 351 and second member 365 to the walls 320 and the
handle.
[0065] For example, with the second member 365 coupled to the first
member 351, the coupler 379 extends through the aperture 361
defined by the first member 361 and the aperture 344 defined by the
handle 335. The coupler 379 includes a lip that is placed in
contact with a surface of the handle 335 when the coupler 379 is
disposed within the aperture 344. In some embodiments, the lip can
form a friction fit with the surface of the handle 335 to at least
partially retain the second member 365 in a fixed position relative
to the handle 335. As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the protrusions 327
that extend from the inner surface 324 of the walls 320 form a
friction fit with a surface of the first member 351 that defines
the openings 355. Similarly, the second surface 368 of the second
member 365 that defines the detents 355 and the openings 356 (not
shown in FIGS. 9 and 10) forms a friction fit with the first
surface 353 of the first member 351 that defines the corresponding
detents 356 and protrusions 357. Thus, the tooth assembly 350 is
fixedly coupled to the second portion 322 of the walls 320 such
that a portion of the tooth assembly 350 is fixedly disposed within
the channel 343 defined by the handle 335.
[0066] As shown in FIG. 11, the dustpan 300 can be placed in
contact with a surface to be cleaned. In this manner, a user can
manipulate a broom to sweep debris over the skirt 315 and the
second portion 312 to deposit at least a portion of the debris at
the area for debris storage. The user can manipulate the broom to
sweep the bristles of the broom across the protrusions 371 of the
tooth assembly to remove debris entrained in the bristles. More
specifically, as described above, the protrusions 371 can remove
debris from a set of bristles of a broom by separating the bristles
a sufficient amount to dislodge debris disposed between adjacent
bristles. Furthermore, tooth assembly 350 and, therefore, the
protrusions 371 can be formed from a material configured to define
a relatively large coefficient of friction between a surface of the
protrusions 371 and the bristles of a broom as the broom is swept
across the protrusions 371. In this manner, the protrusions 371 can
act to remove debris from the bristles of the broom by separating
the bristles a sufficient amount to dislodge debris disposed
between adjacent bristles. Furthermore, as the bristles of the
broom are moved across the protrusions 371, a measure of friction
between the surface of the protrusions 371 and a portion of the
debris is sufficiently large to frictionally couple, at least
temporarily, the debris to the protrusions 371. Thus, debris is
removed from the bristles of the broom and disposed within a volume
defined between the walls 320 and the base 310.
[0067] Although not shown in FIGS. 4-11, in some instances, the
dustpan 300 can be coupled to a broom, for example, during storage.
In such instances, a handle of the broom can be disposed within the
channel 377 defined by the tooth assembly 350. The arrangement of
the tooth assembly 350 is such that a surface of the second member
365 that defines the channel 377 forms a friction fit with a
surface of the handle of the broom. In this manner, the dustpan 300
can be stored in a fixed position along the length of the handle of
the broom until a time where a user removes the dustpan 300 from
contact with the broom handle. Moreover, the coupling of the
portion of the tooth assembly 350 disposed with the handle 335 can
be sufficiently strong to retain the tooth assembly 350 relative to
the handle 335. In other words, the portion of the tooth assembly
350 is securely disposed within the channel 343 defined by the
handle 335 such that when a force is exerted on the dustpan 300 to
remove the dustpan 300 from the broom handle, the tooth assembly
350 is not removed from the channel 343 of the handle 335.
[0068] While the dustpan 300 is shown and described as including a
channel 377 that can receive a broom handle to couple the dustpan
300 thereto, in other embodiments, a dustpan need not include a
channel. For example, FIG. 12 illustrates a dustpan 400 according
to an embodiment. As shown, the dustpan 400 includes a base 410, a
set of walls 420, a handle 435, and a tooth assembly 450. The base
410 is coupled to a skirt 415. The dustpan 400 is substantially
similar to or the same as the dustpan 300 described above with
reference to FIGS. 4-11. Thus, similar portions are not described
in further detail herein. The dustpan 400 can differ, however, by
including the tooth assembly 450 that does not define a channel
(e.g., the channel 377 shown in FIGS. 4-11). In this manner, a top
surface of the tooth assembly 450 can be substantially flat. In
some embodiments, the top surface of the tooth assembly 450 can be
coplanar with a top surface of the set of walls 420 and/or the
handle 435. In other embodiments, the top surface of the tooth
assembly 450 can be disposed above the top surface of the set of
walls 420 and/or the handle 435. In such embodiments, the
arrangement of the portion of the tooth assembly 450 disposed above
the top surface of the set of walls 420 and/or the handle 435 can
increase the ergonomics of the dustpan 400 due to the tooth
assembly 450 being formed from a relative flexible material. In
still other embodiments, the top surface of the tooth assembly 450
can be disposed below the top surface of the set of walls 420
and/or the handle 435. As shown in FIG. 12, the dustpan 400 can
include an opening 480. In some instances, the opening 480 can be
disposed about a hook, nail, screw, or the like to store the
dustpan 400 (e.g., to hang the dustpan 400 for storage).
[0069] While the dustpans 300 and 400 are shown as being an open
configuration including a fixedly attached handle 335 and 435,
respectively, in other embodiments, a dustpan can include a
substantially closed bin that can be rotatably coupled to a handle.
For example, FIGS. 13-21 illustrate a dustpan 500 according to an
embodiment. The dustpan 500 can be placed in contact with a surface
to be cleaned to receive and at least temporarily store debris
swept into the dustpan from a broom.
[0070] As shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, the dustpan 500 includes a bin
505, a handle 535, a coupling member 546, and a tooth assembly 550.
The handle 535 is an elongate tube that can be manipulated by a
user to move the dustpan 500 between a first configuration (FIG.
18) and a second configuration (FIG. 19), as described in further
detail herein. The bin 505 includes a base 510 and a set of walls
520. The base 510 can be any suitable shape, size, or
configuration. For example, in some embodiments, the base 510 can
have a shape that is polygonal (e.g., square, rectangular,
pentagonal, trapezoidal, etc.), curvilinear (e.g., rounded,
circular, elliptical, etc.), symmetrical, asymmetrical, or any
suitable combination thereof. For example as shown in FIG. 15, the
base 510 has a substantially rectangular shape with rounder corners
between a pair of side edges and a proximal (e.g., rear) edge. The
base 510 includes a distal edge 516 over which debris can be swept.
In some embodiments, the base 510 can be a substantially planar
surface. For example, the dustpan 500 can be placed in the first
configuration such that an outer surface of the base 510 is
entirely (substantially) in contact with a surface to be cleaned.
In other embodiments, the base 510 can include or define one or
more discontinuities that can be arranged to divide the base 510
into, for example, distinct portions (as described in detail with
reference to the base 110). Although not shown in FIGS. 13-21, in
some embodiments, the base 510 can include or be coupled to a skirt
such as, for example, the skirt 315 described above with reference
to FIG. 5.
[0071] The set of walls 520 surround at least a portion of the base
510 and extend upwardly from a set of edges of the base 510 (e.g.,
the edges forming the sides of the base 510) other than the distal
edge 516, as shown in FIGS. 13-15. The set of walls 520 include a
first portion 521, a second portion 522, and a third portion 528.
In some embodiments, the walls 520 are unitarily formed with each
other and/or the base 510. In other embodiments, the walls 520 can
be formed independently and can be coupled to the base 510 (e.g.,
via ultrasonic welding, an adhesive, or any other mechanical
coupler). The first portion 521 and the second portion 522 of the
walls 520 extend in a substantially perpendicular direction
relative to the base 510. In other embodiments, the first portion
521 and the second portion 522 of the walls 520 can extend from the
base 510 at any suitable angle other than 90.degree. (as described
above with reference to FIG. 1).
[0072] The first portion 521 of the walls 520 extends from the
distal edge 516 toward the second portion 522 of the walls 520. In
this manner, the first portion 521 of the walls 520 is formed from
a pair of side walls and the second portion 522 of the walls 520 is
formed from a rear (i.e., a proximal wall) of the dust pan 500. The
third portion 528 extends between the side walls forming the first
portion 521. Thus, the base 510 and the set of walls 520
collectively define an interior region 529 that is bounded by the
set of walls 520 and/or the base 510 on all sides other than the
side associated with the distal edge 516. Similarly stated, the
walls 520 and the base 510 are arranged to define an opening
adjacent to the distal edge 516 to allow access to the interior
region 529. As shown, the first portion 521 of the walls 520 can
include a set of edges that are substantially aligned with the
distal edge 516. In other embodiments, the edges of the walls 520
are spaced a distance from the distal edge 516. As shown, an edge
of the third portion 528 of the walls 520 can be spaced a distance
from the distal edge 516 and an edge(s) of the first portion 521
can increase in height from the distal edge 516 of the base 510 to
the edge of the third portion 528 of the walls 520.
[0073] As shown in FIG. 15, the first portion 521 of the walls 520
includes a pivot portion 530 configured to rotatably couple the bin
505 to the coupling member 546. For example, in some embodiments,
the pivot portion 530 is a pair of protrusions extending from the
first portion 521 of the walls 520 into the interior region 529. In
other embodiments, the pivot portion 530 can be a pair of openings
defined by the first portion 521 of the walls 520. In still other
embodiments, the pivot portion 530 can include one or more bearings
or the like. Thus, the coupling portion 546 can be coupled to the
bin 505 and allowed to rotate about the pivot portion 530.
Moreover, the first portion 521 of the walls 520 also include a set
of tabs 532 that can engage the coupling member 546 to at least
temporarily retain the coupling member 546 in a fixed position
relative to the bin 505, as described in further detail herein
[0074] The coupling member 546 can be any suitable configuration
(size and shape) to operably couple the tooth assembly 550 to the
handle 535 and the bin 505. The coupling member 546 is configured
to be rotatably coupled to the bin 505 and fixedly coupled (at
least temporarily) to the handle 535 and the tooth assembly 550. As
shown in FIG. 16, the coupling member 546 includes a first coupling
portion 547 that is rotatably coupled to the pivot portion 530 of
the bin 505, a second coupling portion 548 that is coupled to the
tooth assembly 550, and a third coupling portion 549 that is
coupled to the handle 535. The first coupling portion 547 can be
any suitable configuration configured to correspond to the pivot
portion 530 of the bin 505. For example, in some embodiments, the
pivot portion 530 of the bin 505 can be a set of openings and the
first coupling portion 547 of the coupling member 546 can be a set
of protrusions (or vice versa). In other embodiments, the first
coupling portion 547 can be an axle configured to be at least
partially disposed within a bearing or the like. Thus, the coupling
member 546 is rotatably coupled to the bin 505 and is movable
between a first configuration and a second configuration, as
described in further detail herein.
[0075] The second coupling portion 548 is configured to receive a
portion of the tooth assembly 550 (FIG. 16). The tooth assembly 550
can be coupled to the second coupling portion 548 in any suitable
manner. For example, in some embodiments, the tooth assembly 550
and the second coupling portion 548 can form a friction or press
fit and/or a portion of the tooth assembly 550 can be at least
partially disposed within a channel or groove defined by the second
coupling portion 548. In other embodiments, the tooth assembly 550
can be coupled to the second coupling portion 548 via an adhesive
or ultrasonic welding. In still other embodiments, the tooth
assembly 550 can be coupled to the second coupling portion 548 via
one or more mechanical fasteners.
[0076] As shown in FIG. 17, the third coupling portion 549 of the
coupling member 546 is configured to be coupled to the handle 535.
For example, in some embodiments, the handle 535 and the third
coupling portion 549 can form a threaded coupling. In other
embodiments, the third coupling portion 549 can be coupled to the
handle 535 via one or more mechanical fasteners (e.g., screws or
the like). In this manner, the handle 535 can be fixedly coupled
(at least temporarily) to the third coupling portion 549. Thus,
with the handle 535 fixedly coupled to the coupling member 546, the
user can manipulate the handle 535 to move the coupling member 546
between its first configuration and its second configuration,
relative to the bin 505.
[0077] As shown in FIG. 16, the tooth assembly 550 of the dustpan
500 includes first member 551 and a second member 565. The first
member 551 can be coupled to the second coupling portion 548 of the
coupling member 546 as described above. The first member 551 can be
any suitable configuration and can be formed from any suitable
material. For example, in some embodiments, the first member 551 is
formed from a relatively rigid material (e.g., nylon, hard plastic,
polypropylene, or the like). In some embodiments, the first member
551 can form a relatively rigid substrate about which the second
member 565 can be over-molded. In other embodiments, the second
member 565 can be coupled to the first member 551 via an adhesive,
ultrasonic welding, one or more mechanical fasteners, or the
like.
[0078] The second member 565 includes a first surface 5567 and a
second surface 568. The second surface 568 is coupled to the first
member 551 to form the tooth assembly 550 (as described above). The
first surface 567 includes a set of protrusions 571 that extend
from a first surface 567 of the second member 565 (FIG. 16). The
second member 565 can be any suitable shape, size, or configuration
and can be formed from any suitable material. For example, in some
embodiments, the second member 565 can be formed from a relatively
flexible material such as, rubber, polypropylene, polyethylene,
silicone, ethylene propylene rubber (EPM), thermoplastic rubber
(TPR), or silicone. In some embodiments, the second member 565 can
be over-molded about the first member 551 (as described above). In
other embodiments, the second member 565 can be formed from a
relatively rigid material such as a hard plastic, nylon, or the
like. Furthermore, the second member 565 can be formed from a
material configured to define a relatively large coefficient of
friction between a surface of the protrusions 571 and the bristles
of a broom as the broom is swept across the protrusions 571.
Although the tooth assembly 550 is shown and described as including
the first member 551 and the second member 565, in other
embodiments the first member 551 and the second member 565 can be
unitarily formed.
[0079] As shown in FIG. 18, the user can manipulate the handle 535
of the dustpan 500 to place the base 510 in contact with a surface
to be cleaned and can position the handle 535 relative to the bin
505 such that the protrusions 571 of the tooth assembly 550 extend
from the first surface 567 of the second member 565 toward the
distal edge 516 of the base 510, thereby placing the dustpan 500 is
in the first configuration. Moreover, while in the first
configuration, the first surface 567 of the second member 565 of
the tooth assembly 550 can be placed in contact with the tabs 532
of the first portion 521 of the walls 520. Thus, the tabs 532 can
retain the coupling member 546 in a substantially fixed position
relative to the bin 505. In this manner, the user can manipulate a
broom to sweep debris from the surface into the interior region 529
of the bin 505. Moreover, the user can manipulate the broom to
sweep the bristles of the broom across the protrusions 571 of the
tooth assembly 550. Thus, the protrusions 571 act to remove debris
from the bristles of the broom by separating the bristles a
sufficient amount to dislodge debris disposed between adjacent
bristles. Furthermore, as the bristles of the broom are moved
across the protrusions 571, a measure of friction between the
surface of the protrusions 571 and a portion of the debris is
sufficiently large to frictionally couple, at least temporarily,
the debris to the protrusions 571. Thus, debris is removed from the
bristles of the broom and is disposed within the interior region
529 defined between the walls 520 and the base 510.
[0080] With the desired debris disposed within the interior region
529, the user can exert a force on the handle 535 operative in
lifting the base 510 from the surface. With the base 510 removed
from contact with the surface, the user can manipulate the handle
535 and/or the bin 505 to disengage the first surface 567 of the
second member 565 from the tabs 532. Thus, the coupling member 546
can rotate relative to the base 510 (or vice versa) to place the
dustpan 500 in the second configuration, as indicated by the arrow
BB in FIG. 19. Moreover, with the dustpan 500 in the second
configuration, the protrusions 571 extend into the interior region
529 toward the base 510. In a similar manner as described above,
while in the second configuration, the coupling member 546 can be
placed in contact with a portion of the tabs 532 to retain the
coupling member 546 in a substantially fixed position relative to
the bin 505. Said another way, the tabs 532 can engage to the
coupling member 546 to retain the coupling member 546 such that the
coupling member 546 does not substantially move, relative to the
bin 505, under the force of gravity. Thus, the dustpan 500 can be
stored in the second configuration to limit potential damage to or
interaction with the protrusions 571. As shown in FIGS. 20 and 21,
in some instances, a broom can be stored within the interior region
529 of the bin 505. For example, in some embodiments the broom can
be disposed within the interior region 529 prior to the dustpan 500
being completely moved to the second configuration. In other
embodiments, the dustpan 500 can be in the second configuration and
the broom can be inserted into the interior region 529, as
indicated by the arrow CC in FIG. 20. Thus, as shown in FIG. 21,
the dustpan 500 can be stored with the broom.
[0081] While the tooth assemblies 150, 250, 350, 450, and 550, have
been particularly shown and described herein, a dustpan can include
a tooth assembly of any suitable arrangement. For example, in some
embodiments, the cross-sectional shape of a set of protrusions
included in a tooth assembly can be varied. In some embodiments,
the spatial arrangement of the protrusions can be varied. For
example, in some embodiments, the protrusions can be arranged in a
staggered pattern. For example, the tooth assembly can include a
bottom row of protrusions and a top row of protrusions in a
staggered pattern, e.g., the top row of protrusions are directly
above the space created between adjacent protrusions of the bottom
row.
[0082] The waste receptacles or dustpans described herein can be
formed of any suitable material or using any suitable method.
Furthermore, various components can be of similar or different
materials. Similarly, various components of the dustpan can be
unitarily formed or be comprised of multiple parts. For example,
the body of the dustpan 300 (i.e., the base 310 and the set of
walls 320) can be formed of a hard plastic, while the skirt 315 and
the tooth assembly 350 can be formed of a flexible rubber.
[0083] In some embodiments, the plurality of protrusions can be
unitarily formed of a relatively hard plastic with the body of the
dustpan. An over-mold can be used to apply a layer of thermoplastic
rubber (TPR) or silicone material over the hard plastic base layer
of the protrusions and/or the handle to modify the characteristics
of such components. For example, a TPR over-mold can be used to
increase the friction coefficient between the protrusions and the
debris so more debris is removed from the bristles of a broom.
Furthermore, the TPR over-mold can be applied to the handle to
increase comfort when a user grips the handle. In other
embodiments, no over-mold is applied, thus the protrusions are
rigid.
[0084] While various embodiments have been described above, it
should be understood that they have been presented by way of
example only, and not limitation. Where schematics and/or
embodiments described above indicate certain components arranged in
certain orientations/or positions, the arrangement of components
may be modified. Similarly, where methods and/or events described
above indicate certain events and/or procedures occurring in
certain order, the ordering of certain events and/or procedures may
be modified. While the embodiments have been particularly shown and
described, it will be understood that various changes in form and
details may be made.
* * * * *