Patent ID: 12202013

DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

In this specification, the references to top, bottom, upward, downward, upper, lower, vertical, horizontal, sideways, lateral, back, front, etc. can be used to provide a clear frame of reference for the various structures with respect to other structures while the articulating dust collector is being used by a user to clean a fan blade as shown inFIG.1, and not treated as absolutes when the frame of reference is changed, such as when the collector is laying on the ground unused.

The term “substantially” can be used in this specification because manufacturing imprecision and inaccuracies can lead to non-symmetricity and other inexactitudes in the shape, dimensioning and orientation of various structures. Further, use of “substantially” in connection with certain geometrical shapes, letter shapes, such as “U-shaped” and orientations, such as “parallel” and “perpendicular”, can be given as a guide to generally describe the function of various structures, and to allow for slight departures from exact mathematical geometrical shapes, letter shapes, and orientations, while providing adequately similar function. Those skilled in the art will readily appreciate the degree to which a departure can be made from the mathematically exact geometrical references.

Referring now toFIGS.1-3there is shown a user1cleaning a blade3of a ceiling fan4using an articulating dust collector2according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention. Each blade includes a pair of substantially parallel lateral edges extending from a connected end to a free end. Between the edges extends a substantially planar top and bottom surface. The blade is tilted at about a 8 degrees. A section of the blade can extend continuously and substantially planarly between the edges at a given distance from the connected end.

The articulating dust collector can include an openable jaw structure or head5located on the distal end of a hollow, oblong, extension pole6. The proximal end of the extension pole can have a handle7which can be grasped by the single hand of the user, and a trigger8for activating a jaw opening and closing mechanism within the collector. A collector sock9can have its open end10secured to the jaw structure.

The head5can include a pair of opposing, parallelly spaced apart jaws in the form of paddles11,12that separate from each other when the jaw structure is in the open position and come together in the closed position. The bottom paddle11can be fixed by a pair of support struts13to a housing14secured to the distal end of the extension pole6. A second pair of support struts15a,15bcan extend between the top paddle12and a pair of moveable flippers17a,17bhingedly attached to the housing. The support struts of the upper paddle15a,15bcan be fixed to the opposite lateral edges of the upper paddle and hingedly connect to the laterally distal ends16a,16bof the flippers.

The flippers17a,17bcan be driven to swing between a lower position shown in solid lines in the drawing, and an upper position shown in dashed lines in the drawing, by a drive mechanism carried within the collector2. The drive mechanism includes a rigid post20extending from the handle7to the housing14through the central lumen21of the extension pole6. The proximal end of the post can be hingedly connected24to the trigger8. The distal end of the post can have an array of axially spaced apart teeth22engaged by the geared laterally proximal ends23a,23bof the flippers. In this way when the trigger is depressed25, the post moves downwardly26, in an axially proximal direction. This causes the toothed distal end of the post to move across the laterally proximal ends of the flippers, causing the flippers to rotate about pivot points27a,27b, driving the flipper distal ends toward their upper position28a,28b. This causes the top paddle12to move upwardly a distance D, in the axially distal direction, to an upper position29, so that the jaw is in its open position. A spring30biases the trigger and thus the jaw toward the closed position.

In this way, referring back toFIG.1, when the jaw is in the open position, the open end of the attached sock9forms an open maw31. The maw can then be journaled endwise over the cantilevered fan blade3until the blade is substantially fully contained within the sock. In other words, the maw can be moved from the free end32of the blade to its attached end33. Once the sock opening has reached the attached end the user can release the trigger, allowing the maw to close, contacting the sock opening against the blade. When the maw is withdrawn from the blade in the opposite journaling motion, the internal surfaces of the sock scrape against the blade and dislodge and capture the dust and other debris that has accumulated on the blade. The process can be repeated to dislodge stubborn debris. Because the jaws are biased toward the closed position, less skill is required to provide an adequate clamping force on the top and bottom surfaces of the blade. In this way, the device can both dust and capture dust globs which do not adhere to the inwardly facing sock surfaces surrounding the maw.

As shown inFIG.4, the open end10of the sock9can be releasably secured to the jaw structure5of the collector2in various ways. A first way involves the sock having a circumferential elastic band35or drawstring surrounding the opening which when folded back upon itself cinches around the base of the jaw paddles near the supporting struts (only15bshown). Alternately, patches37of Velcro brand hook-and-loop fabric fastener, or other common fasteners. In this way the sock can be detached from the collector for cleaning, such as in a clothes washing machine, or disposal, and replaced with a clean sock. The sock can be made from a durable, flexible sheet material such as fabric, or other commonly available, and readily manufacturable sheet material. Alternately, the sock can be made from an inexpensive, disposable sheet material such as breathable polypropylene fabric. The inner surfaces of the maw can include panels38a,38bof electrostatic, dust adhering fibers to help capture fine particles of dust.

Referring now toFIG.5, there is shown an alternate embodiment of articulating dust collector40wherein the inner surfaces of the upper and lower paddles41,42are solid and can carry pair of opposing panels43a,43bof electrostatic, dust adhering fibers. In this embodiment the dust will adhere to the panels and there is no need for the sock. This adaptation of the device can be used for more frequent uses where only a light film of dust has accumulated.

Referring now toFIG.6there is shown an alternate embodiment of articulating dust collector50which allows for a telescoping extension pole51which also provides for an angularly adjustable jaw structure53. For clarity, the jointed connection52between the extension pole pieces shows the jaw structure pivoting in the same plane of movement as the flippers54a,54b. Those skilled in the art will readily recognize that other planes of movement may be preferable for enhanced function of the collector.

The extension pole51can include three rigid pieces, namely, a top piece55, a medial piece56, and a base piece57. The top piece includes a distal end connected to the jaw structure53, and a proximal end connected to the joint52. The medial piece56has a distal end connected to the joint, and a proximal end portion the telescopingly engaging the base piece57. The base has a distal end engaged by the medial piece, and a proximal end connected to the handle60.

The joint52can be a ball-in-socket-type, universal joint, which allows limited angular adjustment59of the position of the top piece55, and thus the jaw structure53, with respect to the medial piece56, and thus the handle60. The joint can have a friction fit so that it retains its angular positioning unless sufficient force is used to alter it, or can use other well known means to secure its orientation.

The axial length of the extension pole51can be adjusted by telescopingly moving the axial location of the medial piece56with respect to the base piece57. The relative positioning of the medial and base pieces can be releasably fixed by tightening a screw-based compression collar61engaging the split threaded distal end62of the base piece, which clamps the inner surface of the base piece onto the outer surface of the medial piece. The telescoping pole allows the user to adjust the distance between the handle and the head for greater comfort.

The movement of the flippers54a,54bbetween a retracted position68and an extended position69corresponding to the closed and open positions of the jaw respectively, are controlled similarly to the embodiment ofFIG.3. The flippers are hingedly mounted to a housing65secured to the distal end of the top piece55of the extension pole51. An axially movable toothed post66engages the geared proximal ends67a,67bof the flippers. The flippers are biased toward the retracted position by a compression spring70urging the toothed post upward in the distal direction. The bias of the post can be overcome by a force applied to the post by a cable71running within a coiled, flexible conduit72connected to the trigger73in the handle60.

Referring now toFIGS.7-9, there is shown an alternate embodiment of articulating dust collector80which provides for more rapid replacement of the dust collecting sock100and ease of manufacture. Similar to the above embodiments, the collector includes an oblong member or extension pole86extending along an axis76having a distal end77upon which is located an actuating head81including an openable jaw structure formed by a pair of substantially parallely spaced apart beams91,92protected by a guard frame90which surrounds the beams in their common plane. The pair of beams therefore can provide a pair of opposing inner surfaces97a,97b. A first beam91can remain stationary by being fixedly attached to the guard frame90while a second beam92can be mounted upon an axially and reciprocatingly movable rack98whose movement can be triggered by the pull of either a medial handle99or knob97located at the proximal end78of the extension pole. The handle and knob can connect to the opposite ends of a loop of cable104connected to the rack through a pulley130allowing both the knob and handle to act as a trigger for the jaw manipulation mechanism. Endwise access to the beams can be had by swinging opening118a pivotable door127on the guard frame. Thus the beams can be parallely separatable within the boundaries of the guard frame.

A collector sock100can mount upon the beams. The sock can include a closed end101and an open end121leading to an inner chamber. The open end can have an opening forming a maw103which can accept the fan blade therethrough in an endwise manner in order to clean the blade. The inner surfaces105a,105bof the maw are located and oriented to contact the surfaces of the fan blade while the collector is being journaled across the blade. The inner surfaces of the maw can include asperities111to facilitate cleaning and can include electrostatic, dust adhering fibers to help capture fine particles of dust. The closed end of the sock can include a reversably openable passageway106to help cleaning of the sock in a washing machine. The passageway can be sealed using a buttons, zipper, velcro, or other common fabric fastener. The sock can include a pair of opposed, parallel channels107,108formed along the periphery of the maw. Each beam can engage one of the channels to mount the sock upon the head.

The extension pole can be of a telescoping or non-telescoping type.FIG.10shows a non-telescoping type extension pole.FIGS.7and9show a telescoping type extension pole86including a top piece87, and a base piece89. The top piece can have a distal end connected to the head81and can be telescopingly mounted to the base piece. A compression collar88can lock the axial position of the top piece with respect to the base piece.

Referring primarily toFIG.8, the head81can include a pair of opposing, parallelly spaced apart jaws in the form of canteleveredly supported beams91,92each having a connected end93,94and an opposite free end95,96. The first beam91can remain stationary by being fixedly attached to the guard frame90which can form the outer periphery of the head and protect the beams continuously as the jaw structure moves between its open and closed positions. The beams can be oriented at between about 6 and 10 degrees from the horizontal to accommodate most common fan blade angles while using the extension pole in a substantially vertical orientation.

The guard frame90can be substantially U-shaped including an upper lateral support121spaced apart from a pair of lower lateral supports122,123extending from opposite sides of a central guard frame housing124. One of the lower lateral supports123is connected to the upper lateral support by a substantially vertical support125forming the closed end of the U-shape. A door127openably closes the open end of the U-shape. The door pivotably connects to a pivot128at the free end of the upper lateral support using a pivot axle129. A catch pin126located at the free end of the door engages a frictional snap catch119at the free end of the other lower lateral support122to lock the guard frame a closed configuration which prevents the inadvertent sliding off of the sock from the beams.

The stationary first beam91can connect at its connected end93to the vertical support125of the guard frame90. The free end95of the stationary first beam can be enclosed by the door127in its closed configuration. In this way the door can act as a brace against forward or backward movement of the stationary beam. This bracing function is important to support the cantelevered beams being subjected to front and back forces while the collector is journaled across the blade.

The second moveable beam92can be mounted upon an axially movable rack98having central post131which axially, slidingly engages an axial passage132in the central guard frame housing124. A support arm133connects the top of the central post to the connected end94of the moveable beam92through a curved springing switchback134which allows the moveable beam to deflect angularly and accommodate slight angular misalignment of the articulating dust collector to the fan blade.

The jaw manipulation mechanism can further include the moveable beam being biased toward the closed position by a spring140carried within a spring sleeve141mounted within the central guard frame housing124and fixed by a fix pin142. A pulley carrier150can mount to the rack98by a pulley prong151engaging a hole the central post131of the rack. The prong can be fixed to the central post by a fix pin152. The pulley carrier can include a pulley130rotatively mounted to a pulley housing154connected to the bottom of the pulley prong. A pulley axle155can rotatively support the pulley. The activation cable104can loop over the pulley.

As shown onFIG.9, the activation cable104can have a first end161connected to the medial handle99and a second end162connected to the pull knob97. By looping the cable over the pulley130attached to the spring loaded rack98, both the medial handle and the pull knob can act as triggers to manipulate the jaw. By providing two triggers on the extension pole, the user can avoid fatigue by alternating between the use of the triggers. It shall be noted that the cable104can wrap165around the bottom166of the top piece87in order to allow telescoping movement between the top piece and base piece89while still providing the dual trigger functionality. The bottom edge of the top piece can be rounded to facilitate the sliding movement of the cable around the bottom.

FIG.10shows a non-telescoping type of extension pole170having a single elongated pole piece171which mounts the head at its distal end172, a medial handle trigger173, and a knob trigger174at the proximal end175. A cable176can connect at one end to the handle and at the other end to the knob with a middle portion looping over a pulley177secured to a rack in a head identical to the head shown in the embodiment ofFIGS.7-9.

The beams can be dimensioned to engage the channels107,108of the sock100in order to mount the sock to the head81. The beams are substantially straight so that they support the maw103of the sock in a substantially flat manner so that the inner surfaces of the maw uniformly and continuously contact the entire section of the surface of the fan blade extending between the blade edges. In other words, the maw can close upon the section of the fan blade so that the entire surface section of the fan blade between the edges can be contacted continuously and under the force of the enclosing jaws. In other words the inner surfaces can simultaneously contact a top continuous surface extending across said blade between said edges, and a bottom continuous surface extending across the blade section.

It shall be understood that the head structure allows for injection moldable guard frame and rack. Further, the guard frame, rack and beams can readily be formed to have peripheral walls180extending frontwardly and backwardly, perpendicularly to the movement axis of the rack in order to rigidize the guard frame, rack and beams while minimizing material and head weight. This strengthens the head and helps avoid user fatigue. The peripheral walls also provide an I-shaped cross-section to the beams to strengthen them while minimizing material.

In this way a pair of cantelevered beams can engage opposing channels on the sock. The top beam can be fixedly supported within the boundaries of a substantially U-shaped guarding frame whose open end is closed by an openable door. The bottom beam can be supported upon a vertically moveable rack that moves within a plane including the other beam that is surrounded by the guard frame.

Although the above utilitarian aspects have been described in connection with a hand-manipulable ceiling fan blade duster, it shall be understood that the duster can easily be adapted to include automated and/or motorized elements.

While the preferred embodiments of the invention have been described, modifications can be made and other embodiments may be devised without departing from the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.