Abstract:
A broom for minimizing the aggregation of dust and particulates when sweeping. The broom includes a shaft having a first end and a second end. A broom head having a plurality of bristles is affixed to the second end of the shaft, wherein a channel is disposed within the shaft. The channel is in fluid communication with a nozzle disposed on the broom head, wherein the bristles conceal the nozzle. A reservoir is removably fastened to the first end of the shaft. When fastened to the shaft, the reservoir is in fluid communication with the channel. The reservoir can to excrete a quantity of liquid into the channel and out of the nozzle, thereby moistening the bristle.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/364,521 filed on Jul. 20, 2016. The above identified patent application is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety to provide continuity of disclosure. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to floor debris removal tools. Specifically, the present invention provides a broom having a shaft with an interior channel for dispensing a quantity of a liquid onto a plurality of bristles to reduce the number of atmospheric particulates generated by sweeping with a broom. 
         [0003]    When dust, dirt, crumbs and other debris are scattered on a floor, people typically use a broom to sweep it up and throw it away. Standard sweeping relocates and organizes floor debris but also irritates smaller particulates of dust and debris into the immediate atmosphere, where these smaller particulates of dust and debris may be inhaled by the person using the broom or other people in the vicinity. To prevent dust and other particulates from getting kicked-up into the immediate atmosphere, some people dip brooms in water. 
         [0004]    Several devices have been proposed to reduce the quantity of atmospheric particulates produced by sweeping a floor that utilize the application of moisture to a broom. One device provides a broom that has a hose attached to the handle. In this device, liquid is run through the hose and dispensed through a nozzle onto the broom&#39;s bristles or onto a surface to be swept. Some devices that utilize this hose arrangement also include control switches to allow the user to regulate the dispensation of liquid through the nozzle. These known devices do not provide an integrated channel system to disperse the liquid onto the broom bristles, however, thereby providing all the conveniences of a broom shaft without the imposition of external hoses. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of floor debris removal tools now present in the known art, the present invention provides a floor debris removal tool wherein the same can be utilized for providing convenience for the user when minimizing the aggregation of dust and particulates when sweeping. The present system comprises a broom having a broom head affixed to a shaft. On an end opposite the broom head, a reservoir is affixed to the shaft. The reservoir fluidly communicates with a channel running through the shaft. The reservoir is configured to release a quantity of liquid into the channel when squeezed. A nozzle is disposed on the broom head, which is enclosed by a plurality of bristles also affixed to the broom head. The quantity of liquid that is released from the reservoir is adapted to move through the channel and out of the nozzle, moistening the plurality of bristles. 
         [0006]    One object of the present invention is to provide a floor debris removal apparatus that reduces the number of particulates swept into the air, thereby minimizing pulmonary irritation when sweeping a floor. 
         [0007]    Another object of the present invention is to provide interior dispersion means to lessen the burden of external hoses and other water sources used to provide moisture to a plurality of bristles of the floor debris removal apparatus. 
         [0008]    Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a floor debris removal apparatus with moisture dispersion means that has a plurality of nozzles to disperse a liquid evenly across a plurality of bristles. 
         [0009]    A further object of the present invention is to provide a moisture dispersion means for a floor debris removal apparatus that can be controlled by a user while sweeping with the floor debris removal apparatus. 
         [0010]    Another object of the present invention is to provide a floor debris removal apparatus with a telescoping shaft. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]    Although the characteristic features of this invention will be particularly pointed out in the claims, the invention itself and manner in which it may be made and used may be better understood after a review of the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like numeral annotations are provided throughout. 
           [0012]      FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of an embodiment of the floor debris removal apparatus. 
           [0013]      FIG. 2 a    shows an exploded view of a reservoir-shaft joint of an embodiment of the floor debris removal apparatus. 
           [0014]      FIG. 2 b    shows an exploded view of an alternate reservoir-shaft joint of an embodiment of the floor debris removal apparatus having a plurality of interior channels. 
           [0015]      FIG. 3  shows an isometric view of an alternate embodiment of the floor debris removal apparatus with a telescopic shaft. 
           [0016]      FIG. 4  shows a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the floor debris removal apparatus having a plurality of interior channels. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0017]    Reference is made herein to the attached drawings. Like reference numerals are used throughout the drawings to depict like or similar elements of the floor debris removal apparatus. The figures are intended for representative purposes only and should not be considered to be limiting in any respect. Unless specifically limited to a single unit, “a” is intended to be equivalent to “one or more” throughout the present disclosure. 
         [0018]    Referring now to  FIG. 1 , there is shown a perspective view of an embodiment of the floor debris removal apparatus  10 . The floor debris removal apparatus  10  comprises a shaft  11  having a first end  12  opposed to a second end  13 . A brush head  14  is affixed to the second end  13  of the shaft  11 . A channel  15  is disposed within the interior of the shaft  11  and runs from the first end  12  of the shaft  11  to the second end  13  of the shaft  11 . The channel  15  is in fluid communication to nozzles  18  disposed on the brush head  14 . A reservoir  16  is removably fastened to the first end  12  of the shaft and in fluid communication with the channel  15 . 
         [0019]    With this arrangement, a quantity of liquid  17  stored in the reservoir  16  affixed to the first end  12  of the shaft  11  can flow through the channel  15  and out of the nozzles  18  on the brush head, unhindered. When the quantity of liquid  17  discharges from the nozzles  18 , the quantity of liquid  17  bedews a plurality of bristles affixed to the brush head, thereby dampening the portion of the floor debris removal apparatus that interacts with floor debris. In the exemplary embodiment, the quantity of liquid  17  is water. However, in alternate embodiments the liquid can be any suitable cleaning solution. 
         [0020]    The floor debris removal apparatus  10  is adapted to reduce atmospheric particulates generated from sweeping an area when the bristles are moistened with liquid from the reservoir  16 . For example, a plurality of damp bristles can trap swept dust from being suspended in the immediate atmosphere through electrostatic attractions. 
         [0021]    Referring now to  FIG. 2A , there is shown an exploded view of a reservoir-shaft joint of an embodiment of the floor debris removal apparatus  10 . In the illustrated embodiment, the first end of the shaft  11  forms a depression  55  in which the reservoir  16  is secured to the shaft. In the illustrated embodiment, the reservoir  16  has a neck  50  with an opening  52  disposed therein. In this embodiment, the reservoir  16  is fastened to the shaft  11  through a threaded connection between the neck  50  of the reservoir and a sidewall of the depression  55 . 
         [0022]    The opening  52  of the reservoir  16  leads to an internal cavity of the reservoir  16 . In the exemplary embodiment, the flow of the quantity of liquid  17  from the reservoir  16  is regulated by a one-way valve  60  affixed to the neck  50  of the reservoir  16  and covers the opening  52  of the reservoir  16 . In this exemplary embodiment, the one-way valve  60  is a rubber cap with a slit disposed therein. In other embodiments, the one-way valve is a twist-release cap, wherein the user rotates the reservoir  16  with respect to the shaft  11  to move the twist-release cap to an open and a closed position. 
         [0023]    When pressure is applied to the rubber cap configuration of the one-way valve  60 , the slit moves to an open position, allowing the quantity of liquid  17  to pass into the channel  15 . A user can apply pressure by squeezing the reservoir  16 . Thus, for this present embodiment, the reservoir  16  is made of a flexible but semi-rigid material, such as soft plastic. 
         [0024]    In the illustrated embodiment, a graduation mark  40  is disposed on the reservoir  16  to indicate how much of the quantity of liquid  17  remains in the reservoir  16  and how much of the quantity of liquid  17  is releases from the reservoir  16 . Additionally, a removable lid  53  configured to allow a user to refill the reservoir  16  is disposed on the reservoir opposite the neck  50  and opening  52 . 
         [0025]    Referring now to  FIG. 2B , there is shown an exploded view of an alternate reservoir-shaft joint of an embodiment of the floor debris removal apparatus having a plurality of interior channels. In alternate embodiments, the floor debris removal apparatus  10  comprises a plurality of channels  20  disposed within the interior of the shaft  11 . A one-way valve  61  is disposed on the opening  50  of the reservoir  16  and adapted to control the flow of liquid therein. A plurality of nipples  62  are disposed on a distal end of the valve  61 , wherein the arrangement of nipples  62  is configured to align each nipple to a corresponding channel of the plurality of channels  20  as shown in  FIG. 2B . 
         [0026]    Referring now to  FIG. 3 , there is shown an isometric view of an alternate embodiment of the floor debris removal apparatus with a telescopic shaft. In certain embodiments of the apparatus, as the one shown in  FIG. 3 , the shaft  11  is telescopic. In the illustrated embodiment, the shaft  11  is further comprised of a first shaft segment  71  and a second shaft segment  70 , wherein the first shaft segment  71  has a slightly larger width or diameter than the second shaft segment  70 . The first shaft segment  71  is configured to house a portion of the second shaft segment  70 . A telescoping joint  72  is configured to allow the second shaft segment  70  to telescope out of or retreat into the first shaft segment  71 . In the illustrated embodiment, the telescoping joint  72  frictionally secures the bottom shaft segment  70  to the top shaft segment  71  by twisting the joint in a direction to tighten the joint and twisting the joint in the opposite direction to loosen the joint. 
         [0027]    Referring now to  FIG. 4 , there is shown a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the floor debris removal apparatus having a plurality of interior channels. In this illustrated embodiment, the quantity of liquid  17  flows through a plurality of channels  20  that are interior to the shaft  11 . In some embodiments, a plurality of nozzles  21  is disposed on the brush head  14 . And further, some embodiments possess both a plurality of channels  20  and a plurality of nozzles  21 . In this embodiment, each channel of the plurality of channels  20  is connected to a nozzle of the plurality of nozzles  21 . This arrangement maximizes the dispersion area of the quantity of liquid  17  onto the plurality of bristles  19 . In the illustrated embodiment, the nozzles  21  are disposed at fixed intervals from one another, such that the liquid is evenly dispersed along the bristles. 
         [0028]    In use, the floor debris removal apparatus  10  bedews the plurality of bristles  19  affixed to the brush head  14 . When a user determines that moisture is needed on the plurality of bristles  19  to reduce dust and other atmospheric particulates from being generated by sweeping a floor, the user squeezes the reservoir  16 , releasing the quantity of liquid  17  through the channel  15  and onto the bristles  19 , as desired. This process can be repeated as necessary to keep the bristles  19  of the floor debris removal apparatus  10  damp for the duration of the sweeping period. In embodiments where the shaft  11  is telescoping, a user can adjust the length of the shaft  11  by unsecuring the telescopic joint  72 , sliding the second shaft segment  70  in or out of the first shaft segment  71  until the desired length is achieved, then resecuring the telescopic joint  72 . In this way, the floor debris removal apparatus  10  provides an ergonomic and effective way of removing debris from the floor. 
         [0029]    It is therefore submitted that the instant invention has been shown and described in various embodiments. It is recognized, however, that departures may be made within the scope of the invention and that obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art. With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention. 
         [0030]    Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.