Patent Publication Number: US-2013247533-A1

Title: Landscape And Construction Tool  With Multiple Heads

Description:
PRIORITY 
     The present invention claims priority to provisional application 61/615,343, which has a filing date of Mar. 25, 2012, which is hereby incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a device for use in landscaping and construction, more specifically to a device with multiple heads for use in landscaping and construction. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Property owners and landscape companies must spend a significant amount of time maintaining the lawn, landscape, and garden. Some of the tasks include mowing, sweeping, raking. A significant part of this effort includes raking, sweeping, edging, mulching, weeding, digging, and cleanup. Those tasks can involve repetitive motion in sustained or awkward positions. 
     Furthermore, each of the tasks can require a separate tool, with each tool requiring additional space. Several tools may be suspended from a wall of a shed, but they still consume unnecessary, significant storage space. Moreover, a significant part of the landscaping effort requires walking back and forth to retrieve the different tools, consuming time and energy. 
     A push broom having a wooden handle with a threaded end for attachment to broom head with corresponding interior threads for receipt of the broom handle is known in the art, but it has limited configurability, function, durability, and ergonomics. 
     For the above reasons, it would be advantageous to have a landscaping tool with multiple heads, which is durable and configurable to enable fast, comfortable, and efficient use. 
     SUMMARY 
     A landscaping tool comprising a rigid shaft having a proximal and distal end and presenting a central axis, a rake head having a rake base, and a plurality of tines extending outwardly from the rake base. The rake head is oriented from about 90° to 120° relative to said central axis. A brace comprises two arms, each of the arms joined to the head at opposing sides and extending from the head and converging at the shaft. The device optionally further comprises additional heads. 
     These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the invention will become better understood with reference to the following description, and accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  depicts a side perspective view of an embodiment of the current invention with rake and broom heads; 
         FIG. 2  depicts a side view of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  depicts a partial side view of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  depicts a partial bottom view of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 5  depicts a partial side view of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 6  depicts a partial top view of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 7  depicts a side perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the current invention; 
         FIG. 8  depicts a side perspective view of another alternate embodiment of the current invention; 
         FIG. 9  depicts a partial alternative side perspective view of the embodiment of  FIG. 8 ; 
         FIG. 10  depicts a side perspective view of another alternate embodiment of the current invention; 
         FIG. 11  depicts an alternate partial side perspective view of the embodiment of  FIG. 10 ; and 
         FIG. 12  depicts a top view of the embodiment of  FIG. 10 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Detailed descriptions of the preferred embodiment are provided herein. It is to be understood, however, that the present invention may be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but rather as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to employ the present invention in virtually any appropriately detailed system, structure or manner. 
     The present invention is directed to a device for use in lawn maintenance, garden maintenance, and construction in commercial or residential settings such as, but not limited to, raking, sweeping, edging, mulching, weeding, digging, cleanup, excavation, digging, leveling, and smoothing.  FIG. 1  illustrates a multiple head landscaping tool  10 . The device includes a handle  12 , a shaft  14 , a brace  26 , and plural head members  39   41 . 
     The shaft  14  is a rigid member having a proximal end and a distal end. It is composed of durable materials such as metal, plastic, composites, or the like. It is preferably tubular shaped and optionally includes a handle  12  at its proximal end operable as a gripping surface. The shaft  14  presents a central axis  13  extending longitudinally through its length and extending past its distal end. 
     The shaft  14  is joined to at least one head  39   41   63 , where each head is operable to perform select landscaping, garden, yard, and construction functions. The exemplary landscape tool  10  includes two heads  39   41   63 . The heads  39   41   63  oriented in a spaced apart, angular relationship where the configured orientations include the angle of the head  39   41   63  relative to the ground during use, the angle of the head  39   41   63  relative to the shaft  14 , the angle of a first head  39   41   63  relative angle to a second head  39   41   63 . In order to optimize function, durability, and ergonomics, each landscaping tool  10  embodiment&#39;s head&#39;s angles are selectively configured. The body of each head  39   41   63  is substantially linear and perpendicular to the shaft  14  when attached. 
     Having disclosed the general principal of the heads  39   41   63 , different head configurations will be disclosed.  FIGS. 1-3  illustrate an embodiment incorporating a rake head  41 . As shown in  FIG. 4 , the rake head  41  includes a rake base  43  and a plurality of tines  42 . The rake base  43  extends laterally with spaced apart tines  42  extending outwardly from the rake base  43 . In exemplary configuration, the tine to tine spacing  33  is consistent from the top end of the tine  42  to the tip of the tine  42 . The rake base  43  optionally includes a recessed arc region  35  between the tines  42 . As shown in  FIG. 5 , the tines  42  has a front face  44 , a rear  45 . The tines  42  preferably incorporate a curvilinear tip  37  on their front faces  44 . Optionally, the tines  42  are angled slightly acute from the rake base  43 . In the configuration of  FIG. 7 , bristles  40  of similar length to the tines  42  extend outwardly from the rake base  43  interposed with the tines  42 . 
       FIG. 2  illustrates a broom head  39  having a broom base  27  extending laterally with bristles  40  extending outwardly along the length of the broom base  27 . 
       FIG. 9  illustrates a squeegee head  63  having a squeegee base  61  extending laterally securing a flexible blade  64 . The blade  64  extends outwardly from the squeegee base  61  along the length of the squeegee base  61 . 
     Having disclosed the head  39   41   63  configurations, multiple landscape tool  10  embodiments incorporating the heads  39   41   63  will be disclosed.  FIG. 1  discloses a landscape tool  10  having a rake head  39  and a broom head  41  joined lengthwise with the heads  39   41  disposed in an angular relationship relative to each other and the axis  13  presented by the handle  14 .  FIG. 3  depicts the exemplary configuration of this embodiment. In it, the rake head  39  is oriented at about 110° relative to the axis of the handle  14  and the broom head  41  is oriented at about 240° relative to the axis of the handle  14 . In an alternate configuration, the rake head  39  is oriented from about 120° to about 90° relative to the axis of the handle  14  and the broom head  41  is oriented from about 240° to about 270° relative to the axis of the handle  14 . 
       FIGS. 8 and 9  disclose a landscape tool  10  having a rake head  39  and a squeegee head  63  joined lengthwise with the heads  39   63  disposed in an angular relationship relative to each other and the axis  13  presented by the handle  14 .  FIG. 9  depicts the exemplary configuration of this embodiment. In it, the rake head  39  is oriented at about 110° relative to the axis of the handle  14  and the squeegee head  63  is oriented at about 240° relative to the axis of the handle  14 . In an alternate configuration, the rake head  39  is oriented from about 120° to about 90° relative to the axis of the handle  14  and the squeegee head  63  is oriented from about 240° to about 270° relative to the axis of the handle  14 . 
       FIGS. 10 and 11  disclose a landscape tool  10  having a rake head  39 , hoe blade  49 , and a pick blade  50 . In the exemplary configuration of this embodiment, the rake head  39  is oriented at about 110° relative to the axis of the handle  14 . In an alternate configuration, the rake head  39  is oriented from about 120° to about 90° relative to the axis of the handle  14 . The wider hoe blade  49  preferably extends from a first end of the rake head  39  substantially orthogonally to the handle  14 . The more narrow pick blade  50  preferably extends from the opposing end of the rake head  39  substantially orthogonally to the handle  14 . 
     The heads  39   41   63  are secured to the handle  14  with a brace  26 . As shown in the configuration of  FIG. 6 , the illustrated brace  26  has two arms  25 , each extending from opposing sides of the head  39   41   63 . Each arm  25  extends from the head  39   41   63  and the two arms  25  converge at the handle  14 . The brace  26  optionally includes a bore  29  where mechanical fasteners, such as a locking pin  20 , are used to secure the handle  14  to the head  39   41   63 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , the landscaping tool  10  optionally includes a locking structure for secure, detachable joining head members to the shaft  14 . In the illustrated embodiments, part of the locking structure is incorporated in the shaft  14  and part in the head  39   41   63 . At its distal end the shaft  14  includes a slot  17 , preferably planar and spanning the width of the shaft  14 . The depth of the slot  17  is configured to provide lateral stability to a head member attached therein. The shaft  14  also includes at least one aperture  18  extending through it and the slot  17 . The head  39   41   63  has a locking tab  22 , preferably planar and extending distally to the base  38   43 , operable to slidably mate with the slot  17  of the shaft  14 . Its width and length should be about that of the corresponding slot  17  in the shaft  14 . The locking tab  22  also includes an opening towards its upper end, such that upon mating with the slot  17  of the shaft  14 , the aperture of the shaft  14  aligns with the opening of the locking tab  22 , forming a complete channel. A locking pin  20  or similar fastener can be inserted therethrough to secure the head  39   41   63  to the shaft  14 . 
     Insofar as the description above and the accompanying drawing disclose any additional subject matter that is not within the scope of the single claim below, the inventions are not dedicated to the public and the right to file one or more applications to claim such additional inventions is reserved.