Abstract:
A broom assembly is provided. The broom assembly includes a broom head which comprises an elongated back plate and a plurality of bristles extending from the back plate. The broom assembly also includes an elongated mounting plate which is attached to the back plate and extends over a longitudinal end of the back plate. A handle receiving bracket is attached to the mounting plate, projecting the same direction from the mounting plate as the broom head. The handle receiving bracket comprises at least two receiving cavities for attaching a handle. The broom assembly further comprises an elongated handle for insertion in the handle receiving bracket.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     This application relates generally to sweeping devices, and more particularly, to brooms and brushes that utilize a handle and an inverted brush head. 
     In at least some known Recreational Vehicles (RV&#39;s), a top of a hard to reach area must be swept as a part of normal maintenance and cleaning. Specifically, an RV may have a slideout section for expanding the interior of the RV, and these slideouts may need to be free of debris and liquid, such as rain water, before they are moved to a retracted position in order to prevent harm to the RV. Debris can damage the seal around the slideout, leading to leaks and other unwanted consequences. Some slideouts also have retractable awnings protecting the top of the slideout itself, but these awnings should similarly be free of debris and liquid before they are retracted. RV owners and users are forced to climb on top of the RV or hang off of a ladder to reach these areas. It can not only be difficult climbing up to free the areas of debris, but it can be very dangerous at such heights. It is especially dangerous if the surface is wet, which is commonly the case. 
     Similarly, the tops of objects in other areas of life may be difficult or dangerous to reach, but still require cleaning. Household examples include but are not limited to the sweeping of awnings or bay windows. 
     SUMMARY 
     In one exemplary embodiment, a broom assembly is provided. The broom assembly may include a broom head which includes an elongated back plate and a plurality of bristles extending from the back plate. The broom assembly may further include an elongated mounting plate which is attached to the back plate and extends over a longitudinal end of the back plate. A handle receiving bracket may be attached to the mounting plate, disposed on the same face of the mounting plate as the broom head. The handle receiving bracket may have at least two handle receiving cavities. An elongated handle may also be included in the broom assembly and may be securable in a receiving cavity of the handle receiving bracket. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Advantages of embodiments of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of the exemplary embodiments. The following detailed description should be considered in conjunction with the accompanying figures in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a broom assembly that may be used to clean the top of an RV. 
         FIG. 2  is a side elevation view of a broom assembly. 
         FIG. 3  is a bottom plan view of a broom assembly. 
         FIG. 4  is a top plan view of a broom assembly. 
         FIG. 5  is an end view of a broom assembly. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Aspects of the present invention are disclosed in the following description and related figures directed to specific embodiments of the invention. Those skilled in the art will recognize that alternate embodiments may be devised without departing from the spirit or the scope of the claims. Additionally, well-known elements of exemplary embodiments of the invention will not be described in detail or will be omitted so as not to obscure the relevant details of the invention. 
     As used herein, the word “exemplary” means “serving as an example, instance or illustration.” The embodiments described herein are not limiting, but rather are exemplary only. It should be understood that the described embodiments are not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments. Moreover, the terms “embodiments of the invention”, “embodiments” or “invention” do not require that all embodiments of the invention include the discussed feature, advantage or mode of operation. 
       FIGS. 1-5  show an exemplary embodiment of a broom assembly  100 . An exemplary embodiment of a broom assembly  100  may comprise a brush head  110 , a mounting plate  120 , a mounting bracket  130 , and an elongated handle  140 . Brush head  110  may include an elongated back plate  112  and a plurality of bristles  114 . Bristles  114  may include hair, vegetable fiber, or synthetic material, such as nylon, carbon fiber, polyester, polyethylene, or PVC, though this list should not be read as limiting. Any other bristle material as would be reasonably understood by a person having ordinary skill in the art could be used. Bristles  114  may also include combinations of such materials. A mounting plate  120  may be removably attached to elongated back plate  112 , so as to extend over a longitudinal end of brush head  110 . Mounting plate  120  may optionally be attached to the elongated back plate  112  by at least one bolt and nut assembly  116 , however this should not be understood as limiting. Any means of coupling reasonably anticipated by a person having ordinary skill in the art may be used, such as, but not limited to, straps, clips, adhesives, nails, or welding. A mounting bracket  130  may be removably attached to mounting plate  120  by at least one bolt and nut assembly  116 , however this too should not be understood as limiting. Any means of coupling reasonably anticipated by a person having ordinary skill in the art may be used, such as, but not limited to, straps, clips, adhesives, nails, or welding. In some exemplary embodiments, mounting plate  120  may be integrally formed with back plate  112  or mounting plate  120  may be integrally formed with mounting bracket  130 . In yet other exemplary embodiments, mounting bracket  130 , mounting plate  120 , and back plate  112  may all be integrally formed. 
     Back plate  112 , mounting plate  120 , mounting bracket  130 , and handle  140  may include plastic, wood, rubber, fiberglass, carbon fiber, metal, or any other material reasonably understood by a person having ordinary skill in the art. Back plate  112 , mounting plate  120 , mounting bracket  130 , and handle  140  may include all the same material or the different members may be made of different materials. In some exemplary embodiments, back plate  112  may include wood, mounting plate  120  may include metal, mounting bracket  120  may include metal, and handle  140  may include fiberglass. In other exemplary embodiments, back plate  112  may include plastic, mounting plate  120  may include metal, mounting bracket  120  may include plastic, and handle  140  may include carbon fiber. Yet other embodiments may include any combination of materials reasonably understood by a person having ordinary skill in the art. 
     Brush head  110  may be various sizes intended for general or specific uses. For example, brush head  110  may be sized to work with specific RV slideout sizes. In some exemplary embodiments, brush head  110  may be approximately 24 inches long. In other exemplary embodiments, brush head  110  may be approximately 36 inches long. Alternatively, the brush head may be approximately 18 to approximately 48 inches long. Bristles  114  disposed from brush head  110  may also be sized appropriately for use with slideouts generally or for use with specific slideouts. In some exemplary embodiments, bristles  114  may be approximately 3 inches in length. Alternatively, bristles  114  may be approximately 2 inches to approximately 8 inches long. The above provided dimensions are exemplary and should not be read as limiting. Broom assembly  100  may be any dimensions reasonably understood by a person of ordinary skill in the art. 
     Mounting bracket  130  may include at least one handle receiving cavity and may be disposed from the same face of mounting plate  120  as brush head  110 . In some exemplary embodiments, mounting bracket  130  may have a first handle receiving cavity  132  disposed at an angle from mounting plate  120  and a second handle receiving cavity  134  disposed perpendicular to mounting plate  120 . Handle receiving cavity  132  may be positioned so handle  140  extends at an angle away from brush head  112 . In some exemplary embodiments, handle receiving cavity  132  may form an angle with mounting plate  120  of approximately 30 degrees to approximately 80 degrees. Handle receiving cavity  132  may angle in a direction extending past an end of elongated mounting plate  120  distal brush head  110 . Mounting bracket  130  may have at least one pin receiving hole for securing a handle  140 . Handle  140  may be inserted into a receiving cavity in mounting bracket  130  and may be secured by a pin  142 . Pin  142  may be a wire lock pin. In other exemplary embodiments, pin  142  may be a ball bearing pin, push button pin, threaded pin, clevis pin, or any other securing pin as reasonably would be understood by a person of ordinary skill in the art, that enables handle  140  to be secured in a receiving cavity. Alternatively, any other manner of securing handle  140  in a receiving cavity, as would reasonably be understood by a person of ordinary skill in the art, may be used. 
     In some exemplary embodiments, handle  140  may include an elongated pole. In other exemplary embodiments, handle  140  may include a telescoping pole apparatus. For Example, handle  140  may include two elongated pole members, one elongated pole member capable of sliding in the other, and a tightening piece  144  to affix the two elongated pole members in a desirable orientation, as shown in  FIG. 1 . Handle  140  may be sized appropriately for general use, or for specific uses. For example, in the RV slideout cleaning application, handle  140  may be sized to reach a specific height. In one exemplary embodiment, handle  140  may telescope from 5 feet to 10 feet. Alternatively handle  140  may be approximately 3 feet to approximately 8 feet long in a retracted position and approximately 6 feet to approximately 16 feet in an extended position. In yet other embodiments, handle  140  may have a fixed length of approximately 3 feet to approximately 16 feet. These lengths should not be considered limiting, as handle  140  may be any length reasonably understood by a person having ordinary skill in the art. 
     An exemplary embodiment of a broom assembly may be operated as follows. A user may select a desired handle receiving cavity and attach the handle therein. The user may then extend the broom assembly over an intended surface and engage the bristles to clean the surface. In some instances, the user may brush with a side to side sweeping motion. In others, the user may hold the brush firmly and walk along the path of the desired surface, causing the brush to clean the surface as it moves in line with the user. The broom assembly may be used in any other manner reasonably understood by a person of ordinary skill in the art. 
     The foregoing description and accompanying figures illustrate the principles, preferred embodiments and modes of operation of the invention. However, the invention should not be construed as being limited to the particular embodiments discussed above. Additional variations of the embodiments discussed above will be appreciated by those skilled in the art. 
     Therefore, the above-described embodiments should be regarded as illustrative rather than restrictive. Accordingly, it should be appreciated that variations to those embodiments can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.