Abstract:
The adjustable ceiling fan blade cleaner consists of a clamp that connects around the body of a ceiling fan motor via a two-member telescoping ring. Two arms project out the end of the cleaner. Each arm then has a section of cloth that hangs down and slightly drapes over the fan blade in much the same manner as a flag. Thus as the blades of the fan turn, the cloth swipes off any dust. When dirty, the cloths are simply slid off of the end, washed, and then replaced. Disposable, one-time cleaning cloths may also be used as well. The use of the attachable duster for ceiling fan allows for virtually effortless cleaning of ceiling fan blades in a manner, which is quick, easy and effective.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present invention was first described in Disclosure Document Registration 507,255 filed on Mar. 6, 2002 under 35 U.S.C. §122 and 37 C.F.R. §1.14. There are no previously filed, nor currently any co-pending applications, anywhere in the world. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates generally to cleaning of ceiling fan blades, and more specifically to an attachment that allows the ceiling fan to operate in a self-cleaning fashion. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     With today&#39;s fast-paced lifestyles, people are becoming increasingly pressed to accomplish the variety of household chores under their responsibility. One of these chores is that of dusting. While most dusting is accomplished with a simple rag, there are some locations that are harder to get at, yet, must be done since they are visible to the casual observer. One such location is that of ceiling fan blades. Not only do ceiling fan blades collect the normal amount of dust as other locations, they also attract dust while in operation. While some cleaning devices with long handles are available, they still require time to use, and usually do a less than satisfactory job. A step-stool is usually required to clean the fan blades thoroughly, but once again, this requires even more time, and exposes the person to a dangerous fall. There are also a number of vacuum attachments available for cleaning ceiling fan blades. Accordingly, there is a need for a means by which ceiling fan blades can be kept clean at all times in a continuous manner. 
     A search of the prior art did not disclose any patents that read directly on the claims of the instant invention; however, the following references were considered related: 
     U.S. Pat. No. 6,345,409, issued in the name of LaCroix, describes a vacuum nozzle for cleaning ceiling fan blades; 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,765,259, issued in the name of Cika, describes a vacuum nozzle for cleaning ceiling fan blades; 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,488,754, issued in the name of Shadley, describes a vacuum nozzle for cleaning ceiling fan blades; 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,410,776, issued in the name of Schneider, describes a vacuum nozzle for cleaning ceiling fan blades; 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,319,821, issued in the name of Nicholson, describes a vacuum nozzle for cleaning ceiling fan blades; 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,313,687, issued in the name of Schneider, describes a vacuum nozzle for cleaning ceiling fan blades; and 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,823,431, issued in the name of Carpenter, describes a vacuum nozzle for cleaning ceiling fan blades. 
     Consequently, there exists a need for new product ideas and enhancements for existing products in the ceiling fan industry directed at self-cleaning of the fan blades. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an adjustable duster attachable to a ceiling fan for cleaning fan blades during operation. 
     It is a feature of the present invention to provide an adjustable duster having adjustable arms for proper positioning of the arms. 
     It is a further feature of the present invention to provide an adjustable duster having disposable dusting apparatuses capable of easy removal and replacement. 
     It is a further feature of the present invention to provide an adjustable duster having dusting cloths chemically treated with static enhancing material to provide enhanced attraction of dust and debris. 
     It is a further feature of the present invention to provide an adjustable duster having dusting cloths chemically treated with fragrances for permeating a room in which the ceiling fan is used, providing a fresh and pleasant smell to that room. 
     Briefly described according to one embodiment of the present invention, the attachable duster for a ceiling fan is an apparatus that provides self cleaning capability to ceiling fans. The invention consists of a clamp that connects around the body of the ceiling fan motor via a strap or similar method. From this clamp, two or more extendable rods protrude out the end of the fan blades. Each rod then has a section of cloth that hangs down and slightly drapes over the fan blade in much the same manner as a flag. Thus as the blades of the fan turn, the cloth swipes off any dust. When dirty, the cloths are simply slid off of the end, washed, and then replaced. Disposable, one-time cleaning cloths may also be used as well. The use of the attachable duster for ceiling fan allows for virtually effortless cleaning of ceiling fan blades in a manner, which is quick, easy and effective. 
     The use of the present invention provides users with all of the materials and tools necessary to ensure that a user may easily use and maintain an adjustable duster attachable to a ceiling fan. 
     An advantage of the present invention is that it is specifically adapted for home or office use. 
     A further advantage of the present invention is that it provides a unique alternative to the vacuum attachments necessary to clean the top portion of ceiling fan blades. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The advantages and features of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following more detailed description and claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like elements are identified with like symbols, and in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an adjustable duster affixed to a ceiling fan; 
     FIG. 2 a  is a top view of the apparatus of FIG. 1, illustrating the detached arrangement of a ring and ring members; 
     FIG. 2 b  is a top view of the apparatus of FIG. 2 a , illustrating the attached arrangement of a ring and ring members, wherein the ring is attached to the motor housing of a ceiling fan; 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the apparatus of FIG. 2 a  and FIG. 2 b , illustrating the channel formed by within the first ring member and the slidable insertion of the second ring member with the channel; 
     FIG. 4 is a top view of the apparatus of FIG. 2 a  and FIG. 2 b , and illustrating the collar incorporated into the attachment of the adjustable duster to the spindle of the ceiling fan (as opposed to the motor housing depicted in FIG. 1, FIG. 2 a  and FIG. 2 b;    
     FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective of a dusting apparatus detached from an arm; 
     FIG. 6 is a perspective of the apparatus shown in FIG. 5, illustrating the slidable insertion of the dusting apparatus into the arm; and 
     FIG. 7 is a perspective of the apparatus of FIG. 1 illustrating the pivots provided for adjusting the angle and arrangement of the arms and the dusting cloths in relation to the fan blades. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The best mode for carrying out the invention is presented in terms of its preferred embodiment, herein depicted within the Figures. 
     1. Detailed Description of the Figures 
     Referring now to FIG. 1, an attachable duster for a ceiling fan blade  10  is shown in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention. The attachable duster  10  includes an adjustable telescoping ring  12  for mounting the attachable duster  10  to the motor housing  14  of a ceiling fan  16 . A pair of arms  18  and  20  are projecting away from the ring  12  and are positioned 180° apart along the outer circumference of the ring  12 . A corresponding pair of dusting cloth apparatuses  22  and  24  project downward from the arms  18  and  20 . As the fan blades  26  rotate, in either a clockwise or counterclockwise fashion, the dusting cloth apparatuses  22  and  24  brush against and clean the top surface of the fan blades  28 . 
     Referring now to FIG. 2, FIG.  3  and FIG. 4, the adjustable telescoping ring  12  includes a first ring member  30  and a second ring member  32 . The first ring member  30  includes a curvilinear first sidewall  34  opposite to a curvilinear second sidewall  36 . The top portions of the curvilinear first and second sidewalls  34  and  36  depend from a curvilinear top wall  38 . The bottom portions of the curvilinear first and second sidewalls  34  and  36  depend from a curvilinear bottom wall  40 . The first and second sidewalls  34  and  36  and the top and bottom walls  38  and  40  form a first ring member cavity  42  that transverses the first ring member  30  so as to accommodate the second ring member  32 . 
     The second ring member  32  includes a curvilinear anterior portion  46  and an opposing curvilinear posterior portion  47 . The second ring member  32  further includes a curvilinear top portion  48  and an opposing curvilinear bottom portion  49 . Unlike the first ring member  30 , however, the second ring member  32  does not include a cavity, but is instead a generally solid component that telescopes into and out of the first ring member cavity  42  described above. The telescoping action of the ring  12 , and its first and second ring members  30  and  32 , allow the ring  12  inward or outward movement and thereby providing the adjustability necessary so that the ring  12  may accommodate the various sized ceiling fan motor housings  14  or the spindle  50  found in the industry. It is also envisioned, in an alternative embodiment of the present invention, that the ring  12  may have a hinge and a latch, whereby a user could attach the ring  12  to a ceiling fan by releasing the latch, pivoting the hinge to an open position, sliding the ring  12  around the ceiling fan, and then securing the latch to provide a secure fit. In addition, other similar attachment devices are envisioned as being incorporated into the adjustable duster  10 . 
     The ring  12  may also include an adapter collar  52  (as illustrated in FIG. 4) that has an annular shape with a first end portion  54  that abuts to a second end portion  56 . The collar  52  is necessary if placement of the ring  12  onto the motor housing  14  is not practicable. For instance, some ceiling fans have a motor housing that also rotates as the blades are rotated. Attachment of the ring  12  to the rotating motor housing would render the adjustable duster  10  ineffective, since the duster  10  would rotate at the same speed and along the same path as the fan blades, and thus would not clean the blades as envisioned. For such a circumstance, the collar  52  is provide to snugly fit around the ceiling fan spindle  50 , wherein the first end portion  54  is separated from the second end portion  56  until the collar  52  is placed around the spindle  50 . Then, the ring  12  may be adjusted about the collar  52  until the ring  12  abuts against the collar  52 , which then abuts to the spindle  50 , thereby providing a suspended, yet secure, connection of the adjustable duster  10  to the ceiling fan  16 . 
     Referring now to FIG.  5  and FIG. 6, the pair of arms  18  and  20  includes a first arm  18  and a second arm  20 . The first and second arms  18  and  20  are mirror images of one another, therefore the following detailed description of the first arm  18  will serve as a representative description of the second arm  20 , wherein the reference numerals for the corresponding components of the second arm  20  are in parentheses. The first arm  18  is a linearly elongated member depending from the first ring member  30  and having a first top surface  58  (or second top surface  66 ) and a pair of downwardly projecting beams  60  ( 68 ) and  62  ( 70 ) and forming a first channel  64  (or second channel  72 ) for receiving the dusting cloths apparatuses  22  or  24 . The first beam  60  (or third beam  68 ) and the second beam  62  (or fourth beam  70 ) are inwardly biased toward the centerline of the top surface  58  ( 66 ) so as to form the first channel  64  (or second channel  72 ) for mechanically impinging the dusting cloth apparatuses  22  or  24 . The first or second arm  18  or  20  also includes a pair of lockable and adjustable pivots  90  ( 94 ) and  92  ( 96 ), as illustrated in FIG.  7 . The first and second pivots  90  (or third pivot  94 ) and  92  (or fourth pivot  96 ) provide a means for the first and second arms  18  and  20  to be adjusted at an appropriate angle for thoroughly and efficiently cleaning the fan blades during operation. The pivots  90  ( 94 ) and  92  ( 96 ) are especially advantageous for use with the embodiment incorporating the collar  52  for connecting the ring  12  to the ceiling fan spindle  50 . The pivots  90  ( 94 ) and  92  ( 96 ) allow the arms to pivot downwardly (as shown by the phantom lines in FIG. 7) to provide better contact between the dusting cloths  80  and  82  and the fan blades  28 . 
     The dusting cloths apparatuses  22  and  24  include a first dusting cloth apparatus  22 , corresponding to the first arm  18 , and a second dusting cloth apparatus  24 , corresponding to the second arm  20 . The first and second dusting cloth apparatuses  22  and  24  are mirror images of one another, therefore the following detailed description of the first dusting cloth apparatus  22  will serve as a representative description of the second dusting cloth apparatus  24 , wherein the reference numerals for the corresponding components of the second dusting cloth apparatus  24  are in parentheses. The first dusting cloth apparatus  22  is a linearly elongated member having a first top segment  74  (or second top segment  84 ) and two downwardly projecting first side segment  76  (or third side segment  86 ) and second side segment  78  (or fourth side segment  88 ). The side segments  76  ( 86 ) and  78  ( 88 ) are inwardly biased toward the centerline of the top segment  74  ( 84 ) so as to mechanically impinge a first or second dusting cloth  80  or  82 . The first or second dusting cloth apparatus  22  or  24  is slidably inserted into the first or second channel  64  or  72  so that the first and second dusting cloths  80  or  82  are suspended from the first or second arm  18  or  20 . 
     It is envisioned that the dusting apparatuses  22  and  24  are disposable, wherein the used and saturated dusting apparatus  22  or  24  is slidably removed from an arm  18  or  20  and a new dusting apparatus  22  or  24  is slidably inserted in an arm  18  or  20  for new and continued use. The replacement dusting apparatuses  22  or  24  may be included in the commercial embodiment or may follow as a separate commercial purchase. 
     An alternative embodiment of the present invention includes the chemical treatment of the first and second dusting cloths  80  and  82  so as to provide a variety of scents or cleansing effects. For example, and in no way providing a limitation to the scope of the present invention, the additives described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,636,429, issued in the name of Morrell et al., provide a process and a means for treating non-woven polypropylene webs so as to provide an increased dust-attracting capability of the fabric used in dusting furniture. In Morrell et al., the polypropylene webs are treated with polypropylene glycol by weight of 0.1% to 5.0%. The chemical treatment as described in Morrell et al. is anticipated as a general type of treatment so as to provide the dusting cloths  80  and  82  with enhanced dust-attraction capabilities and is hereby incorporated by reference herein as though written in its entirety. Further chemical enhancements may include the addition of fragrance additives, so as to provide a variety of refreshing smells to a room and exaggerated by the turning of the ceiling fan blades. 
     It is envisioned that other styles and configurations of the present invention can be easily incorporated into the teachings of the present invention, and only one particular configuration shall be shown and described for purposes of clarity and disclosure and not by way of limitation of the scope. 
     2. Operation of the Preferred Embodiment 
     A user will slidably insert the second member ring  32  into the first member ring  30  (as illustrated by FIG. 2 a  and FIG. 2 b ) until the ring  12  securely abuts against the motor housing  14 . The user will adjust the first and second arms  18  and  20  so that the first and second dust cloths  80  and  82  are suspended at an appropriate length to thoroughly and efficiently clean dust and debris from the top portion of the fan blades  28 . 
     The foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical application, to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the Claims appended hereto and their equivalents. Therefore, the scope of the invention is to be limited only by the following claims.