Patent ID: 6398278
Filing Date: 2002-06-04
Classification: E01H

Abstract:
An item collection device comprising:(a) an item mover, said item mover comprised of a handle, striking means, lifting means and an adjustable attaching means, said handle being elongated and generally cylindrical and having a top end, bottom end and a longitudinal axis wherein the lower portion of said handle is configured to be an integral component of the adjustable attaching means and to interface with and receive the remaining components of the adjustable attaching means, said striking means having a generally flat front surface and a straight bottom edge, said striking means configured to be an integral component of said adjustable attaching means and to interface with and receive the remaining components of the adjustable attaching means, wherein the striking means is attached to the handle in the lower portion of said handle by the adjustable attaching means, said lifting means being generally flat and platelike having a generally sharp front edge, a straight back edge, a top surface and an oppositely disposed bottom surface, wherein said lifting means back edge is joined at a junction to the striking means bottom edge, wherein said junction may be at a sharp intersection of the lifting means and the striking means or the junction may be rounded wherein the junction would include all the material required in the round portion to join the striking means bottom edge to the lifting means back edge, said lifting means extending laterally outwardly from the striking means front surface and terminating in the lifting means front edge, wherein the striking means is attached to the handle in an orientation such that the plane established by the striking means front surface is either generally parallel to, or includes, the handle longitudinal axis, said adjustable attaching means providing a means to attach the handle to the striking means in either one of two positions, either said position providing a handle offset wherein, in a view facing the lifting means front edge, in one position the handle top end is upwards and to the right of the striking means rendering the item mover convenient to be used by the right hand, wherein in the other position, the handle top end is upwards and to the left of the striking means rendering the item mover convenient to be used by the left hand, wherein a handle offset angle exists between the handle longitudinal axis and a plane X, said plane X being established by the bottom surface of the lifting means, said handle offset angle being measured in a plane Y, wherein plane Y contains the handle longitudinal axis and also perpendicularly intersects said plane X, whereas a handle offset angle can be any angle within a considerable angle range and still render an item mover that functions satisfactorily; (b) an item receiver, said item receiver being comprised of a containing means and a pulling means, said containing means comprised of a generally rigid structure having an open front end, bottom side, bottom side inner surface, back side and a barrier means, said containing means being enclosed except for the front end portion, said containing means having substantial interior vacant space, said containing means being configured to allow attachment of the pulling means near the open front end, said back side being oppositely disposed from the open front end, said bottom side inner surface resides inside the containing means, said bottom side inner surface being the top surface of the bottom side, said open front end is open space that exposes the interior of the containing means including the bottom side inner surface, said containing means orientation during the item collection process is such that the bottom side rests on the item bearing surface, said barrier means being attached to the bottom side inner surface near the open front end, said barrier means so configured that substantial open space exists above said barrier means to allow item entry into the containing means, said barrier means also configured to occupy a limited amount of space in an area near the open front end so as to leave substantial room to the rear of the barrier means where collected items may reside, wherein the barrier means functions to prevent, up to a limited amount, already collected items from spilling out of the containing means during the item collection process, wherein the amount of the limited amount of said items is generally proportional to the height of the barrier means, said barrier means containing a deflection means, said deflection means functioning to deflect most entering items that happen to strike said barrier means in a manner that the items travel upwards and over the barrier means, allowing said items to continue on into the containing means, wherein the containing means back side is so configured that said back side could rest on a flat horizontal surface thereby placing the containing means in an upright position wherein the open front end would be above the back side, wherein the upright position is useful for storage purposes, said pulling means is attached to the containing means near the open front end, wherein the pulling means provides a means for pulling the containing means in any direction on a horizontal surface and also in an upwards direction away from the horizontal surface.