Patent Publication Number: US-2009223007-A1

Title: Combination cleaning utensil and dustpan

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical Field 
     This patent application relates generally to a cleaning utensil, such as a broom, duster, brush, or the like, in combination with a dustpan. More particularly, this patent application relates to a cleaning utensil and dustpan that securely interlock with one another, for example, for storage or transportation purposes. 
     2. Related Art 
     Cleaning utensils, such as brooms, dusters, brushes, and the like, as well as dustpans, are known in the art. The cleaning utensils are generally used to clean relatively flat surfaces, such as floors, sidewalks, decks, walls, or the ceiling. The dustpans can be used to collect and discard dirt and other debris from the cleaning utensil. Commonly, the cleaning utensil and dustpan are stored together, for example, in a closet, garage, utility room, or laundry room. The cleaning utensil and dustpan are also commonly transported together. However, the prior art lacks a way to conveniently and securely fasten the cleaning utensil and dustpan together, for example, for storage and/or transportation. Therefore, there remains a need in the art for a cleaning utensil and dustpan combination that overcome the shortcomings of conventional solutions. 
     SUMMARY 
     According to an illustrative embodiment of the present invention, a cleaning utensil in combination with a dustpan comprises: a cleaning utensil comprising a cleaning head supporting a plurality of cleaning fibers, a hanging hole located in the cleaning head, and a pole connected to the cleaning head by a release mechanism; and a dustpan comprising a bottom wall, a sidewall extending upward from the bottom wall, and a snap connector located on the dustpan, wherein the hanging hole mates with the snap connector to releasably secure the cleaning head and the dustpan together. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The foregoing and other features and advantages of illustrative embodiments of a cleaning utensil and dustpan will be apparent from the following detailed description, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numbers generally indicate identical, functionally similar, and/or structurally similar elements. 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an illustrative cleaning utensil according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of an illustrative dustpan according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a partial, perspective view of the cleaning utensil of  FIG. 1  interconnected with the dustpan of  FIG. 2 ; and 
         FIG. 4  is a partial, exploded view of the cleaning utensil of  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Illustrative embodiments of a cleaning utensil and dustpan are discussed in detail below. In describing the embodiments, specific terminology is employed for the sake of clarity. However, the invention is not intended to be limited to the specific terminology so selected. While specific embodiments are discussed, it should be understood that this is done for illustration purposes only. A person skilled in the relevant art will recognize that other components and configurations can be used without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. 
     The present invention relates to a cleaning utensil in combination with a dustpan. FIG. I shows an illustrative embodiment of the cleaning utensil  10 , and  FIG. 2  shows an illustrative embodiment of the dustpan  50 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , the cleaning utensil  10  and dustpan  50  can be conveniently and securely connected to one another, for example, for storage or transportation, as will be described in more detail hereinafter. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , an illustrative embodiment of the cleaning utensil  10  is shown in the form of a broom. The present invention is not limited to brooms, however, and the cleaning utensil  10  can alternatively comprise other forms of cleaning utensils, such as, without limitation, a brush, duster, sweeper, or mop. However, purely for the sake of convenience, the cleaning utensil  10  will be described herein with respect to a broom. 
     The cleaning utensil  10  can include a cleaning head  12  supporting a plurality of cleaning fibers, such as bristles  14 , microfibers, or other materials. The cleaning head  12  can be attached to a pole  16 , for example, by a release mechanism  18 , to be described in more detail below. The pole  16  can be ergonomically curved, for example, to place the cleaning head  12  in a convenient position angled away from a user&#39;s body. 
     The cleaning head  12  can include a handle portion  22 , which may be formed integrally with the remainder of the cleaning head  12 , or alternatively, may be a separate part attached thereto. A user can hold the cleaning head  12  by the handle portion  22 , for example, when the pole  16  is detached. This may allow the user to use the cleaning utensil  10  as a hand brush or similar tool, for example, to access tight corners or other hard-to-reach spaces. 
     A hanging hole  24  can be located in the cleaning head  12 . The hanging hole  24  is preferably sized and dimensioned to receive a peg, hook, or other structure, to facilitate hanging of the cleaning utensil  10 , for example, during storage. Although the hanging hole  24  is shown as being circular, other shapes are possible, for example, without limitation, square, rectangular, polygonal, or free form. The hanging hole  24  can also facilitate a secure and convenient interconnection between the cleaning utensil  10  and dustpan  20 , as will be described in more detail hereinafter. As shown in the illustrative embodiment of  FIG. 1 , the hanging hole  24  is located at a junction between the handle portion  22  and the remainder of the cleaning head  12 , however, other locations are possible. 
     Referring still to  FIG. 1 , a handle  20  can be located at the top of the pole  16  to facilitate easy and comfortable gripping by the user. The handle  20  can be formed from a soft, ergonomic material, such as rubber or foam. A second hanging hole  26  can be located on the handle  20 , for example, to facilitate hanging of the cleaning utensil  10  in a different orientation. Similar to the hanging hole  24 , described above, the second hanging hole  26  is not limited to the round configuration shown, and can have any number of shapes and configurations, such as, without limitation, square, rectangular, polygonal, or free form. The second hanging hole  26  can also be used to secure the cleaning utensil  10  to the dustpan  50  via the handle  20 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , the dustpan  50  will be described in more detail. The dustpan  50  can generally include a bottom wall  52 , which may be, according to an illustrative embodiment, substantially flat, for example, to facilitate placement on a flat surface to be cleaned, such as a floor, sidewalk, or deck. According to alternative embodiments, however, the bottom wall  52  can have other shapes, for example, curved or angled, to conform to various different types of surfaces that may need to be cleaned. One or more sidewalls  54  can extend generally upwardly from the bottom wall  52 , forming an enclosed area with the bottom wall  52  for entrapping dirt, debris, or other substances. The dustpan  50  is not limited to the shape shown in  FIG. 2 , and can have any number of different shapes. 
     Still referring to  FIG. 2 , the dustpan  50  can define a leading edge  56  on the bottom wall  52 , and leading edge(s)  58  on the sidewall(s). To protect furniture, walls, baseboard, or other items during use of the dustpan  50 , a resilient guard  60  can cover the leading edges. For example, as shown in  FIG. 2 , the resilient guard  60  can comprise a rubber strip that extends forward from the leading edges  56  and  58 . The resilient guard  60  can comprise a single piece attached to the remainder of the dustpan  50 , or alternatively, multiple pieces attached to the remainder of the dustpan  50 . The dustpan  50  can also include toothed notches  62  located in one or both sidewalls  54 . The notches  62  can be used, for example, to clean dust, debris, or other substances from the cleaning fibers  14  of the cleaning utensil  10 . 
     The dustpan  50  can also include a portion  64  that substantially conforms to the shape of the handle portion  22  of the cleaning utensil  10 , as shown in  FIG. 3 . For example, the portion  64  can comprise part of the sidewall  54 , as shown in  FIG. 2 . Alternatively, the portion  64  can be separate from the sidewall  54 . 
     A snap connector  70  can be located on the dustpan  50 . For example, the snap connector  70  can extend from the bottom wall  52  of the dustpan  50 , however, other locations are possible. For example, the snap connector  70  can alternatively extend from the sidewall  54 , although such a configuration is not shown in the drawings. As shown in  FIG. 3 , the snap connector  70  and the hanging hole  24  in the cleaning head  12  can mate with one another to releasably secure (e.g., “snap”) the cleaning utensil  10  and the dustpan  50  together, for example, for storage or transportation purposes. Additionally or alternatively, the second hanging hole  26  (located in the handle  20  of the cleaning utensil  10 ) can mate with the snap connector  70  to releasably secure the cleaning utensil  10  and dustpan  50  together. 
     As best shown in  FIG. 2 , the snap connector  70  can comprise a substantially cylindrical protrusion that extends from the bottom wall  52 , or other portion, of the dustpan  50 . The snap connector  70  can alternatively have a square, rectangular, polygonal, of free-form cross-section, however, it is preferable that the snap connector  70  and the hanging hole  24  and/or hanging hole  26  have mating shapes that provide a secure and releasable connection between the snap connector  70  and hanging hole  24  and/or hanging hole  26 . 
     Still referring to  FIG. 2 , the snap connector  70  can include a lower portion  72  where it is joined to the dustpan  50 , for example, at the bottom wall  52 . The snap connector  70  can also include an upper portion  74  opposed to the lower portion  72 , for example, at the top of the snap connector  70 . A circumferential rim  76  can protrude around at least a portion of the upper portion  74 , for example, in the radially outward direction. The circumferential rim  76  can provide a “snap” connection between the snap connector  70  and the hanging hole  24  and/or hanging hole  26 , for example, due to an interference fit between the rim  76  and the hole  24  and/or hole  26 , however, other types of connections are possible. The circumferential rim  76  can extend around the entire circumference of the snap connector  70 , as shown in  FIG. 2 , or alternatively, can extend partially around the circumference of the snap connector  70 , for example, in segments. 
     As best shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the snap connector  70  can have a hollow shape that extends through the dustpan  50 , and accordingly, can serve as a hanging hole for the dustpan  50  alone, or alternatively, for the dustpan  50  and utensil  10 , if secured together. 
     Referring to  FIG. 4 , a partial, exploded view of an illustrative embodiment of the cleaning utensil  10  is shown. As shown, the lower end of the pole  16 , and the handle portion  22  of the cleaning utensil  10  can slide together in a mating relationship. For example, the lower end of the pole  16  can slide into the handle portion  22 , as shown, or vice versa. The release mechanism  18  can serve to releasably secure the lower end of the pole  16  and the handle portion  22  together. As shown, the release mechanism  18  can comprise an aperture  23  located in the handle portion  22 , and a mating button  17  located on the pole  16 , or vice versa. The button  17  can comprise a cantilever member formed integrally with the pole  16 , or some other resilient structure, such as a spring-loaded member. The button  17  can engage the aperture  23  to secure the pole  16  and cleaning head  12  together. The button  17  can be disengaged from the aperture  23 , to permit separation of the pole  16  and cleaning head  12 , for example, upon a sufficient pressing motion by the user. 
     Still referring to  FIG. 4 , the cleaning fibers  14  can be secured together, and/or can be connected to the cleaning head  12  via a bristle plate  15 . One of ordinary skill in the art will know, however, that other techniques and structures can be implemented to fasten the cleaning fibers  14  to the cleaning head  12 . A resilient guard  19  can be located between the cleaning fibers  14  and the cleaning head  12 . For example, the resilient guard  19  can be clamped between the bristle plate  15  and the cleaning head  12 , however, other configurations are possible. The resilient guard  19  can be formed of rubber, or other soft polymer or other material, and can serve to protect furniture, walls, baseboard, and other household surfaces from impact by the cleaning head  12 . 
     The embodiments illustrated and discussed in this specification are intended only to teach those skilled in the art the best way known to the inventors to make and use the invention. Nothing in this specification should be considered as limiting in scope. All examples presented are representative and non-limiting. The above-described embodiments may be modified or varied, as appreciated by those skilled in the art in light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that, within the scope of the claims and their equivalents, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.