Patent Publication Number: US-7594298-B2

Title: Duster having a rotatable vacuum pick-up

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application has subject matter related to that of U.S. application Ser. No. 10/731,976 (Published as US 2004/0134023 A1), filed Dec. 10, 2003; Ser. No. 09/963,954 filed Sep. 26, 2001; 60/235,658, filed Sep. 26, 2000; Ser. No. 60/432,185, filed Dec. 10, 2002, and Ser. No. 60/439,706 filed Jan. 13, 2003. Each application referred to in this paragraph is incorporated here by reference in its entirety to provide continuity of disclosure. 
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to tools used for maintaining and in treating surfaces and for cleaning and collecting debris from a variety of surfaces. The illustrated embodiment more particularly relates to a duster or similar tool having a mechanized dusting element. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     While there have been a multitude of tools to clean our environments there are serious limitations, as the solutions to date have been manual, limited in cleaning capacity, and lacking the advantages and efficiency that automation brings to most tasks. A mechanized duster addressing these problems is disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication 2004/0134023, inventor Steven Caruso, published Jul. 15, 2004, and the other patent applications incorporated by reference above. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Certain further improvements and revisions have been made to the mechanized duster disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication 2004/0134023. 
     One aspect of the invention is a hand-held device for dusting a surface. The device includes a housing, a drive motor associated with the housing, a rotating dusting element rotated about its axis by the drive motor, and at least one conduit for removing dust from the dusting element. The conduit has a first portion for attachment to a source of vacuum and a side portion extending parallel to the axis of the duster and adjacent to the duster. Optionally, the first portion of the conduit is adapted to couple to a vacuum cleaner hose to draw air and debris into the side portion and out of the first portion of the conduit. 
     The side portion of the conduit has one or more vacuum inlets extending along the duster for drawing dirt from the duster. One or more vacuum inlets are selectively rotatable from a first position generally facing toward the duster to a second position generally facing away from the duster and providing access to the vacuum inlet independent of the duster. The device weighs less than five pounds. 
     In certain embodiments the hand-held dusting device can include a rotating coupling between the first portion and the side portion of the conduit allow the side portion of the conduit to rotate about an axis extending in the axial direction relative to the first portion of the conduit. The rotating coupling can include a seal to allow a partial vacuum to be drawn to convey dust from the side portion to the first portion of the conduit. 
     In some embodiments the hand-held dusting device can include a switch associated with the housing for turning on the drive motor. Optionally, the operator can lock the switch in the “on” position to keep the duster rotating without actively holding the switch down. 
     In some embodiments, the switch mechanism comprises a trigger, an abutment, and first and second electrical contacts. 
     The housing captures the trigger. It is movable in a first direction between an unlocked “on” position and an “off” position, and biased toward the “off” position. It is also movable from its unlocked “on” position to a locked “on” position. 
     The abutment is engaged by the trigger to resist the trigger bias when the trigger is in its locked “on” position. 
     The first and second electrical contacts are normally biased apart. One of the contacts is operatively connected to the trigger, so it will close against the other contact (so the switch is “on”) when the trigger is advanced from the “off” position to one of the “on” positions. 
     Another aspect of a hand held device for dusting a surface has a duster, a conduit, a housing, a cleat, and a drive motor. 
     The duster optionally is generally cylindrical, and has an axis of rotation, a first end, and an axially spaced second end. 
     The conduit extends generally parallel and adjacent to the duster. The conduit has a vacuum opening for attachment to a source of vacuum and a vacuum inlet extending along the axis of the duster for drawing dust from the duster. The conduit has an attachment area on its side. 
     The housing is made of first and second shell portions joined at a parting plane. The first shell portion has a cleat slot extending depthwise generally perpendicular to the parting plane. 
     The cleat has a first portion anchored at the attachment area and a wing portion captured in the cleat slot of the housing. 
     The drive motor is mounted within the housing and operatively connected with the duster to rotate the duster about its axis. 
     In some embodiments, the first portion of the conduit can be adapted to couple to a vacuum cleaner hose or other vacuum source to draw air and debris into the side portion and out the first portion of the conduit. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a longitudinal section of an embodiment of the present duster. 
         FIG. 2  is a bottom plan view of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a detail view of the structure called out in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is a detail view of the structure called out in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 5  is a cross-section taken along section line  5 - 5  of  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 6  is an elevation taken from the line  6 - 6  of  FIG. 4 , with the end cap removed to show underlying structure. 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the snap ring of  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 7A  is a side elevation of the snap ring of  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 7B  is a front elevation of the snap ring of  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 7C  is a diametric section of the snap ring of  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 8  is a view similar to  FIG. 2 , with the motor case and duster removed. 
         FIG. 9  is an exploded view of the structure of  FIG. 8 . 
         FIG. 10  is a side view, partially in section, of one half shell of the motor case, showing the battery cover open. 
         FIG. 11  is a view similar to  FIG. 10 , but showing the connecting structure in phantom lines and the battery cover closed. 
     
    
    
     LIST OF REFERENCE CHARACTERS 
     The reference characters used in the drawings are listed below; like characters indicate like parts:
           20 . device     22 . housing     24 . motor     26 . duster     28 . axis     30 . conduit     32 . first portion of  30       34 . side portion of  30       36 . vacuum inlet     38 . rotating coupling     40 . snap ring     42 . sealing ring     44 . groove (for  40 )     46 . groove (for  42 )     48 . detent     50 . detent     52 . pocket     54 . pocket     56 . wheel     58 . end cap     60 . axle (of  56 )     62 . switch     64 . trigger     66 . lever     68 . lever     70 . plunger     72 . ramp     74 . arm of  66       76 . arm of  66       78 . pivot     80 . ramp     82 . abutment     83 . trigger bias spring     84 . following surface of  80       86 . following surface of  72       88 . battery bracket     90 . door     92 . side opening     94 . cleat     96 . wing of  94       98 . wing of  94       99 . surface     100 . shell portion     102 . shell portion     104 . parting plane     106 . cleat slot     108 . fasteners     110 . reduction gear set       

     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENT 
     While the invention will be described in connection with several preferred embodiments, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to these embodiments. On the contrary, the invention includes all alternatives, modifications, and equivalents as may be included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. 
     The entire description and all the drawing Figures of US 2004/0134023 A1, incorporated by reference above, show various aspects of a duster or similar tool that has certain features in common with the embodiments described in this application. Features described in the application incorporated by reference are also contemplated for use in any combination with the features of the embodiments described here. The incorporated reference also shows how the dusting device may be used. 
     Certain further improvements and revisions have been made to the mechanized duster disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication 2004/0134023, as discussed below. 
       FIGS. 1-11  show a hand-held device for dusting a surface. The device weighs less than five pounds, in one embodiment. 
     Referring in particular to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the device  20  includes a housing  22 , a drive motor  24  associated with the housing  22 , a rotating duster  26 , shown as generally cylindrical but optionally having a different shape, rotated about its axis  28  by the drive motor  24 , and an conduit  30  for removing dust from the duster  26 . The conduit  30  has a first portion  32  for attachment to a source of vacuum (not shown) and a side portion  34  extending parallel to the axis  28  of the duster  26  and adjacent to the duster  26 . Optionally, the first portion  32  of the conduit  30  is adapted to couple to a vacuum cleaner hose to draw air and debris into the side portion  34  and out of the first portion  32  of the conduit  30 . Alternatively, the device  20  can include a built-in vacuum motor and form, as in a handheld vacuum unit. 
     The side portion  34  of the conduit  30  has a vacuum inlet, here a series of vacuum inlets  36  increasing in size going distally to provide more uniform suction along the duster for drawing dirt from the duster. The vacuum inlet  36  can be selectively rotatable from a first position, as shown in  FIG. 1 , generally facing toward the duster to a second position (not illustrated) generally facing away from the duster and providing access to the vacuum inlet  36  independent of the duster. In this embodiment, this rotation is accomplished by rotating the side portion  34  relative to the first portion  32 . 
     In certain embodiments the hand-held dusting device can include a rotating coupling between the first portion  32  and the side portion of the conduit  30  to allow the side portion of the conduit  30  to rotate about an axis extending in the axial direction relative to the first portion  32  of the conduit  30 . The rotating coupling can include a seal to allow a partial vacuum to be drawn to convey dust from the side portion to the first portion  32  of the conduit  30 . 
     A detent optionally can be associated with the coupling for maintaining the side portion in at least one detent position relative to the first portion  32  of the conduit  30 . The detent can be configured to detent the vacuum inlet  36  of the side portion in a position generally facing toward the duster, or in a position facing generally away from the duster, or in a position facing in a direction rotationally displaced from the axis of the duster. 
     Referring particularly to  FIGS. 3 ,  5 ,  7  through  7 C, and  9 , the rotating coupling  38  in this embodiment includes a snap ring  40  and a sealing ring  42  respectively received in the grooves  44  and  46  in the first portion  32  and, as shown in  FIG. 3 , engaging mating structure in the second portion  34 .  FIG. 5  shows the assembly of the first and second portions  32  and  34  and the snap ring  40  in section. The snap ring  40  is shown in isolation in  FIGS. 7 through 7C . 
     The snap ring  40  has a pair of opposed detents  48  and  50  that are received in pockets  52  and  54  formed in the side portion  34  to index the vacuum inlet  36  either facing toward the duster  26 , so the inlet  36  draws dirt from the duster  26 , or away from the duster  26 , so the inlet  36  can be used independent of the duster  26  to vacuum dust, as when an accumulation of dust on a surface is more easily removed by using a vacuum alone, or as when debris is to be picked up that is too large or heavy to pick up with the duster  26 . In an alternate embodiment, not illustrated, more or fewer detents such as  48  and  50  can be provided, for example four detents at 90-degree intervals, to allow more detented positions for the vacuum inlet  36  relative to the duster  26 . Alternatively or in addition, more pockets such as  52  and  54  can be provided to allow more detented positions for the vacuum inlet  36  relative to the duster  26 . Additionally, the first and second portions  32  and  34  can be positioned so the detents  48  and  50  are displaced from the pockets  52  and  54 , if desired. 
     In some embodiments, illustrated here in  FIGS. 1 ,  2 , and  4 , the hand-held dusting device can further include a rolling element, for example a wheel  56  mounted in or near its distal end in a fixed position relative to the axially spaced second end of the duster. The wheel  56  is carried on an axle  60  and positioned to make rolling contact with a surface at or near the surface being dusted, as when dusting along a table with the vacuum inlet  36  turned away from the duster  26  so the duster  26  does not prevent contact of the wheel  56  with a table or other flat surface. The rolling element can serve to locate the duster in an effective dusting position relative to a surface being dusted, without scratching or abrading the flat surface. 
     In some embodiments the hand-held dusting device can include a switch  62  associated with the housing  22  for turning on the drive motor  24 . Optionally, an operator can lock the switch in the “on” position to keep the duster rotating without actively holding the switch down. 
     In this embodiment the housing  22  captures the trigger. It is movable in a first direction between an unlocked “on” position and an “off” position, and biased toward the “off” position. It is also movable from its unlocked “on” position to a locked “on” position. 
     An abutment is engaged by the trigger to resist the trigger bias when the trigger is in its locked “on” position, and so it does not resist the trigger bias when the trigger is in its unlocked “on” position. 
     The first and second electrical contacts are normally biased apart. One of the contacts is operatively connected to the trigger, so it will close against the other contact (so the switch is “on”) when the trigger is advanced from the “off” position to one of the “on” positions. 
     Optionally, the switch mechanism further can include a lever mechanism. The lever can have a fulcrum pivoted to the housing and first and second arms depending from the fulcrum. The first electrical contact can be operatively connected to the first arm and aligned to contact the second contact when the first arm is pivoted about the fulcrum. In certain embodiments, the trigger can operatively engaging the second arm to pivot the second arm, causing the first arm to pivot and the contacts to close, when the trigger is moved from the “off” position to one of the “on” positions. 
     In the illustrated embodiment, the switch mechanism comprises a trigger  64  and a linkage defined by the levers  66  and  68  for operating the switch plunger  70  to open and close the contacts of the switch  62 . The trigger  64  is captured for sliding motion generally to the left and right as shown in  FIG. 10 ; it is shown in its “off” position in  FIG. 10 . The leading portion of the trigger  64  is a ramp  72 . The lever  66  has a trailing arm  74 , a leading arm  76 , a pivot  78  and a ramp  80  on the trailing arm  74 . An abutment  82 , here formed by part of the housing  22 , prevents downward motion of the ramp  72 . First and second electrical contacts (conventional, not shown) within the switch body  62  are brought into contact, closing the switch, by depressing the plunger  70 . 
     The contacts of the switch  62  are biased apart by internal structure, thus biasing the plunger  70  out of the body of the switch  62 . The trigger bias spring  84  biases the lever arm  76  up, thus the arm  74  and ramp  80  down, thus the trigger  64  and its ramp  72  to the left, as shown in  FIGS. 10 and 11 . When the trigger  64  is manually slid partially to the right by the operator, the travel of the ramp  72  pushes the ramp  80  upward, thus the lever  68  and plunger  70  downward, closing the switch  70  in a momentary-contact mode. 
     If the trigger  64  is manually slid fully to the right, it latches as the flat following surface  84  of the ramp  80  overrides the flat following surface  86  of the ramp  80 , so the bias of the spring  83  is resisted by contact between the flat following surfaces  84  and  86  and the reactive force provided by the abutment  82 . 
     The trigger  64 , when latched, can be released by manually moving the trigger  62  to the left so the ramps  72  and  80  engage, allowing the bias of the spring  83  to slide the trigger  64  to the left to allow the lever arm  76 , thus the lever  68  and the plunger  70 , to rise, thus allowing the contacts of the switch  62  to break contact and disconnect the electricity otherwise flowing to the motor. 
     The device can include a battery bracket generally indicated at  88  secured to the housing  22  and electrically connected to the drive motor  24  via the switch. The battery bracket  88  is accessed through an insertion door  90 , which is shown open, with the battery removed, in  FIG. 10 , and closed, with the battery present, in  FIG. 11 . The illustrated embodiment can be adapted to use various types of batteries, for example a pair of conventional or rechargeable AAA cells. 
     Another optional feature of the illustrated embodiment is the connection between the housing  22  and the conduit  30 . Referring to  FIG. 9 , the conduit  30  has a side opening  92  defining an attachment area secured to a cleat  94 . In this embodiment, the cleat  94  is formed integrally with the conduit  30 , although it can also be provided as a separate part attached to the conduit  30 . The cleat  94  has first and second wings  96  and  98 . 
     The housing  22  is made of first and second mating shell portions  100  and  102  (shown best in  FIG. 2 ) joined at a parting plane  104  that is perpendicular to the paper in the embodiment of  FIG. 2 . The first shell portion  100 , and here also the mating second shell portion  102  (interior not shown), has a cleat slot  106  extending depthwise generally perpendicular to the parting plane. 
     The cleat  94  has a first portion anchored at the attachment area and a wing portion such as  98  captured in the cleat slot  106  of the shell portion  100  of the housing  22 . A second cleat slot can be provided in the second shell portion, the second cleat slot extending depthwise generally perpendicular to the parting plane. The second wing portion of the cleat can be captured in the second cleat slot. Fasteners such as those generally indicated at  108 , which can be mating nuts and bolts, welds, snaps, or other types of fasteners, join the shells. When the wings are assembled in the cleat slots and the shells  100  and  102  are joined together, the cleat is captured in the slots, holding the housing  22  against the conduit  100 . 
     It will be appreciated that the housing  22  could alternatively be made integrally with the conduit  30 , instead of joining them. 
     The drive motor is mounted within the housing  22  and operatively connected with the duster  26  to rotate the duster  26  about its axis  28 . 
     In certain embodiments, the hand-held dusting device can be powered by an external source of power. 
     In some embodiments, the first portion  32  of the conduit  30  can be adapted to couple to a vacuum cleaner hose to draw air and debris into the side portion and out the first portion  32  of the conduit  30 . 
     The duster  26  may be composed of fairly flexible fibers like one would find incorporated into a duster. Such dusters are commonly made from feather-based fibers, lambs wool based fibers, or plastic based fibers. It has also been found that the fibers may be made from threads, woven or not, that for sake of illustration are substantially similar to the fringe on an area rug. Such fibers can be made from a variety of materials from cotton to nylon. However, it has been found that synthetics such as nylon do have greater static-electricity-charging capabilities. A distinction can be drawn between the geometry and functionality of duster fibers, and the bristles of a brush. A duster&#39;s fibers can function as follows: as the relatively flexible fibers come into contact with a surface to be cleaned, the sides of the fibers grab the dust or debris. Contrast this with the action of brush rolls on a vacuum cleaner, or a household broom. In these situations it is the ends of relatively stiff bristles that serve to flick or brush directionally the debris. And so the sides of the fibers might have no functionality except to geometrically connect the ends of the brush elements to the rest of the device, and to flex only enough for the flicking action and to compensate for surface interference. So the fibers of a duster commonly are relatively flexible so that extremely little force is required to cause their lengths to flatten against the surface to be cleaned, as opposed to the types of bristles used in traditional brush-rolls and the like. Another related distinction between traditional brush rolls on a vacuum cleaner and the disclosed duster regards the length of the cleaning elements. The effective length of the bristles used in brush rolls is generally ½″ or less. Some embodiments of the disclosed duster have fibers greater than 1 inch (2 cm) long. Again this goes to flexibility, so that the sides of the fibers can be used for cleaning. And this flexibility is also useful to conform to irregular surfaces of objects (such as picture frames, piano keys, glass ware and the like) without pushing these very same objects around. 
     Optionally, a vacuum air pump could either be an integral part of the illustrated embodiment, or a separate source of vacuum, which may be in fluid communication with the illustrated embodiment. 
     The operation of the device is as follows. The vacuum conduit  30  is either in close proximity to the duster  26 , so that dust and debris may be removed from the duster  26  by a vacuum air pump, or the vacuum conduit  30  is in active frictional engagement or interfering relation with the fibers of the duster  26 , so the vacuum conduit  30  acts as a comb or shear to loosen the dust and debris from the duster  26  as the fibers contact the conduit  30 . The vacuum air pump may then remove the dust and debris from the area. Active frictional engagement may also reduce the amount of negative vacuum pressure necessary to remove the debris from the fibers. Centrifugal force, caused by the spinning action of the duster  26 , may also aid in bringing the fibers or pick-up elements of the duster  26  into the air flow region of the device, or into the active frictional engagement that has already been described. The movement of the duster  26  may be continuous while cleaning or intermittent with the user only pulsing the unit on for intermittent cleaning of the duster. And so speed of rotation is not very critical, in other words the movement of the duster can be quite slow, however, it has been found that the user feels it is working best when it is moving at least 20 rpm. It should also be appreciated that if the duster moves too quickly, the flailing of the fibers can fan dust away before it has been picked up. This generally seems to occur at speeds greater than 250 rpm. 
     The switch may be reversible to further aid in the versatility of the unit&#39;s cleaning ability. Additionally, the duster may have a static charge imparted on it throughout the process via frictional or electrically driven means. 
     Again, all previously described embodiments may be powered through conventional means such as a motor and associated gearing and/or belt drives. For example, in the illustrated embodiment the duster  26  is mechanically connected to the motor  24  by a reduction gear set generally indicated at  110 . The motor could be electrical in nature, a mechanical wind-up spring driven motor, or an air-turbine motor powered by an on board or separate, external air movement device such as a vacuum fan. And so a variety of novel tools have been disclosed.