Abstract:
The invention is directed to a device used for cleaning up hair, fibers and other debris from surfaces, furnishings and carpets. More specifically, the invention relates to picking up such items using a mechanized apparatus with a static electric charged bar or roller and rotating gears that transfer torque to rotate a collecting roller. The collecting roller picks up and stores the hair, fibers and other debris that have been lifted by the static electric charged bar or roller and deposits them in a collection section of the device for disposal.

Description:
PRIOR PATENT APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application is a non-provisional patent application claiming priority to U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/856,204 filed on Nov. 1, 2006, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0002]    The invention is directed to an apparatus used for cleaning up hair, fibers, and other debris from surfaces, furnishings and carpets. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    Prior art cleaning apparatuses use a variety of methods to remove hair, fibers, and other debris from a surface to be cleaned, such as moving brushes, suction, and adhesives. Electric vacuum cleaners often use suction and moving brushes to clean surfaces. Vacuum cleaners are usually heavy and need to be plugged into an electrical outlet to function properly. In addition, vacuum cleaners typically require a supply of bags that must be replaced from time to time to be effective, and long hairs and fibers can become entangled in the mechanical parts of vacuum cleaners. Other prior art includes lighter weight floor cleaning devices that are quieter than electric vacuums. These, however, are designed to work on solid hard floors, not carpeted or fabric surfaces. Lint removers are typically designed in a small format, such as a hand-held brush or roller, and can quickly become saturated with hair and debris, losing their effectiveness. Due to their small size, lint removers do not have the attracting and collecting capabilities necessary for cleaning large surfaces or floors. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0004]    In general, in an aspect, the invention provides a pickup apparatus comprising a housing, a handle mounted to the housing, two wheels connected to the housing, and a collection container. A static roller is connected to the housing and disposed at a parallel, vertically offset position relative to a collection roller that is connected to the housing. A stripper bar periodically engages with the collection roller and is adjacent to the collection container. A pivot arm engages with the collection container. The housing has rotatable drive wheels mounted on it for enabling the housing to roll along a surface. Also, the rotation of the wheels causes the collection roller to rotate. 
         [0005]    Capabilities and advantages of the invention may include one or more of the following. The static electric charged bar or roller on the leading edge of a device may attract hair, fibers, and other debris, lifting them from the surface to be cleaned toward the charged bar or roller. This lifting may promote easier ensnaring and collecting of the hair, fibers, or debris by a collection roller. The static bar may be disposed below and at a parallel and vertically offset position relative to the collection bar. Unidirectional bristles along a surface of the collection roller may comb forward at a rate faster than the forward motion of the device and help to ensnare and gather the static standing hairs/fibers onto points of the bristles. The bristles extend at an angle from the roller&#39;s surface to maximize their engagement with the collected hairs/fibers. Therefore, short hairs/fibers may become collected entirely within the protruding bristles of the collection roller, and longer hairs may become partially intertwined. Hairs, fibers, and other debris may be collected continually when the device is in forward motion. 
         [0006]    When the drive wheels are rotated in reverse, the collection roller rotates in reverse and a friction clutch engages a stripper bar. The stripper bar may easily remove hairs/fibers by combing the hair/fibers against the orientation of the unidirectional bristles on the collection roller. Hair/fibers may then be collected in a bundle along an edge of the stripper bar. When forward motion again commences, the bundle of hair/fibers may be entangled by adhesive covered flanges of the collection box and may stay attached while more hair/fibers are collected. The hair/fibers and/or the box containing the hair/fibers can ultimately be disposed of. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
         [0007]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an exemplary pickup device according to the invention; 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  is a cross sectional view of the device shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of another exemplary pickup device according to the invention; 
           [0010]      FIGS. 4A-4E  are cross sectional views of rollers of the device shown in  FIG. 1  or  FIG. 2  during operation; and 
           [0011]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a further exemplary pickup device according to the invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0012]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , in an aspect, the invention provides a device  8  including drive wheels  10 , a static bar  12 , a collection roller  14 , a collection box  16 , and a handle  18 , which can be long or short for use of the device  8  on any of a variety of surfaces, such as, for instance, floors or furniture. Hand pressure exerted on the handle  18  causes the drive wheels  10 , which have high friction outer surfaces  20 , to roll against a surface from which hair, fibers, and other debris are to be removed. As forward pressure is exerted on the handle  18 , the drive wheels  10  roll in a forward motion, as shown by arrow  22  in  FIG. 1 , causing the collection roller  14  to rotate via a gear train (as described below). Movement of the drive wheels  10  powers the collection roller  14  in the same direction as drive wheels  10 , but at a higher rotational speed. 
         [0013]    The static bar  12  is disposed and attached to the device  8  at a parallel and vertically offset position relative to the collection bar  14 . In addition, the static bar  12  is preferably offset below the collection roller  14 . The position of the static bar  12  relative to the collection roller  12  helps to ensure the collection roller  14  will contact and ensnare at least some of the hair, fibers, and/or other debris disposed along the static bar  12 . A plurality of unidirectional bristles  50 , as shown on  FIG. 2 , are disposed along at least a portion of a surface of the collection roller  14 . Each bristle  50  is configured to protrude from the collection roller  14  surface at an angle, in a direction corresponding to arrow  46  in  FIG. 2 . As the collection roller  14  rotates, at least a portion of the bristles  50  contact the static bar  12 . 
         [0014]    The static bar  12  is electrically insulated from the remainder of the device  8  and is composed of a dielectric material. Therefore, the contact between the bristles  50  on the collection roller  14  and the static bar  12  may produce a static electric charge along the static bar  12 . Also, contact between the static bar  12  and surface over which the device  8  is moving, for example, a carpet, may produce a static electric charge along the static bar  12 . Once charged, the static bar  12  may attract hair, fibers, and other debris from a surface beneath the bar  12  that causes hair, fibers, and other debris to lift from the surface to thereby help to make contact with the collection roller  14 . The bristles  50  on the collection roller  14  face in a forward direction and engage and hold onto the hair, fibers, and other debris that the collection roller  14  encounters. 
         [0015]    When the device  8  is rolled in reverse, the drive wheels  10  and collection roller  14  rotate in the direction opposite to that shown by arrow  22  in  FIG. 1 . The backward motion engages a stripper bar (not visible in this view), which presses against the collection roller  14  and strips off the hair, fibers, and other debris that have collected on it. Such hair, fibers, and other debris are stripped off the collection roller  14  and become trapped in the collection box  16 . 
         [0016]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , the drive wheels  10  have an internal gear  40  that drives the collection roller  14  through a spur gear  38  mounted to a roller axle  44 . The collection roller  14  is connected to, removable from, and rotated by the roller axle  44  with the spur gear  38 . A second spur gear  32 , driven by the same internal gear  40  within the driving wheel  10 , rotates a pivot axle  34 . A pivot arm  36  is mounted on the pivot axle  34  that is connected to a friction clutch  30 . The friction clutch  30  moves the pivot arm  36  forward, when the driving wheels  10  are rotating in a forward direction, as shown by the arrow  46  in  FIG. 2 , and moves rearward when the wheels  10  drive in a reverse direction. The pivot arm  36  pivots to engage with the collection box  16 . The pivot arm  36  also pivots rearward away from the collection roller  14  when the device  8  is driven forward in collecting mode, as shown by arrow  46  in  FIG. 2 , and is caused to pivot forward toward the collection roller  14  when device  8  is driven in reverse. 
         [0017]    A plurality of unidirectional bristles  94 , similar to those on the collection roller  14 , are disposed along at least a portion of the front edge of the pivot arm  42 . Each bristle  94  is configured to protrude up from the front edge of the pivot arm  42 , as shown in  FIG. 4E  and described below. When the collection roller  14  rotates in reverse, the front edge of the pivot arm  42  is pressed against the collection roller  14 . The bristles  94  on the pivot arm  42  strip at least a portion of the ensnared hair, fibers, and other debris off the collection roller  14  and deposit removed hair, fibers, and other debris in the collection box  16 . 
         [0018]    The static bar  12  is disposed on the front of the devise  8 . Made of dielectric material, the static bar  12  is electrically insulated from the frame  48  and lightly touches the bristles  50  of the collection roller  14 . This contact with collection roller  14  may cause static electrical charge to build up on the static bar  12 , which could cause the hair, fibers, and other debris to lift from a surface and be more likely to be captured by the bristles  50  of the collection roller  14 . 
         [0019]    Referring to  FIG. 3 , in another aspect, the invention provides the device  8  as shown and described with reference to  FIGS. 1-3  with the exception that the static bar  12  is replaced with a static roller  86 . The static roller  86  is disposed and attached to the device  8  at a parallel and vertically offset position relative to the collection bar  14 . In addition, the static roller  86  is preferably offset below the collection roller  14 . The static roller  86  is electrically insulated from the remainder of the device  8  by a mounting  80  and is composed of a dielectric material. Forward motion of the device  8 , as shown by arrow  84  in  FIG. 3 , may cause the static roller  86  to build up static electric charge. Such build up can occur in several ways. The dielectric material of the roller  86  rubbing lightly on the collection roller  14  and/or a surface, a carpet or fabric may build up static charge. The roller  86 , may rotate on an inner shaft  82 . The outer surface of inner shaft  82  may be covered in a material suitable to build up a static charge, including, but not limited to, fur, synthetic fabric, standing-weave fabric, and any other material. When the outer surface of the shaft  82  is rubbed against the collection roller  86 , static charge may build along the roller  86 . 
         [0020]    Referring to  FIGS. 4A-4E , operation of the device  8  is described. The device  8  is moved in a forward motion, as shown by arrows  90  and  92  in  FIG. 4A , toward hair, fibers, or other debris embedded in a surface, such as a carpet, fabric surface, wood surface or other surface. This forward motion can be accomplished by manually pushing the device  8 , or by motorized propulsion of the device  8 . The collection roller  14  rotates forward at a rotational speed greater than that of the drive wheels  10 , and the static bar  12  may be charged by its forward motion. In operation, the device  8  is rolled over the surface being cleaned in a back and forth motion. The drive wheels  10  may be made up of a special material to maximize its grip on the surface and to maximize the torque generated by the device  8 . The drive wheels  10  may have a high-traction surface, such as rubber or a tread surface, including knurled, knobby, or protrusions, to grip the surface being cleaned. 
         [0021]    When the device  8  encounters hair, fibers, and other debris on the surface, the static electric charge on the static bar  12  may attract the hair, fibers, and other debris and lift the hair up toward it, as shown in  FIG. 4B . This lifting promotes grabbing of the hair, fibers and other debris by collection roller  14  for removal from the surface being cleaned. As the collection roller  14  rotates forward, the bristles  50  capture hair, fibers and other debris that have been lifted by static bar  12 , as shown in  FIG. 4C , and start to wrap the hair, fibers and other debris onto the collection roller  14 . The hair, fibers and other debris are collected and wrap around the collection roller  14 , as shown in  FIG. 4D , as the device  8  moves forward. The device  8  then moves backward, as shown by arrows  96  and  98  in  FIG. 4E , causing the stripper bar  66  to be engaged against the collection roller  14 . As the collection roller  14  rotates backwards, the unidirectional bristles  94  on the stripper bar  66  scrape against the bristles  50  on the collection roller  14 , removing the hair from the bristles  50  and into the collection box  16  where they are stored for subsequent disposal. 
         [0022]    Referring to  FIG. 5 , in a further aspect, the invention provides the device  8  as shown and described with reference to  FIGS. 1-4  with a stripper bar assembly  62  as an alternative to the pivot arm  42 . The assembly  62  includes an internal gear  40  that is integral with the drive wheels  10  and engages a spur gear  32 . The spur gear  32  is affixed to a drive shaft  64  on which a stripper bar assembly  62  is suspended. The stripper bar assembly  62  is free to rotate by a hollow tube  60  (or bearing or other mechanism) with minimal clearance and low friction. The stripper bar assembly  62  is engaged to the drive shaft  64  by a friction device that causes the stripper bar assembly  62  to rotate with the drive shaft  64  so far as it may before encountering an impediment which is a designed part of the system. When the drive shaft  64  is rotating in forward motion, in concert with the drive wheels  10  and the device  8 , as shown by the arrow  78 , the stripper bar assembly  62  moves the stripper bar  66  away from the surface of the collection roller  14 . When the direction of motion is reversed, the drive shaft rotates rearward and pulls the stripper bar  66  and its frictional surface  68  against the collection roller  14 . 
         [0023]    In one configuration, a friction clutch to provide such motion consists of an internally threaded cylinder  80  affixed to the hollow bearing tube  60 . The bearing tube  60  is drilled through on the axis of the threaded bore so that a friction disk  72  bears against the drive shaft  64 , creating a frictional connection to the drive shaft  64 . The friction disk  72  is loaded by a coil spring  74 , which is also placed into the threaded bore following friction disk  72 . The coil spring  74  is held by a set screw  76  or other threaded fastener which, when threaded into the bore, compresses the coil spring  74  and increases the load on the friction disc  72 . In such manner can the amount of friction be adjusted. 
         [0024]    Having described at least one illustrative embodiment of the invention, various alterations, modifications and improvements will readily occur to those skilled in the art. Such alterations, modifications and improvements are intended to be within the scope and spirit of the invention. Accordingly, the foregoing description is by way of example only and is not intended as limiting. The invention&#39;s limit is defined only in the following claims and the equivalents thereto.