Vertically Attachable Dustpan

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is related to and claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application 63/731,192 filed Apr. 8, 2024 and U.S. Provisional Patent Application 63/731,976 filed Jun. 26, 2024 which are incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The following includes information that may be useful in understanding the present disclosure. It is not an admission that any of the information provided herein is prior art nor material to the presently described or claimed inventions, nor that any publication or document that is specifically or implicitly referenced is prior art.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates generally to the field of cleaning tools of existing art and more specifically relates to a dustpan that attaches vertically, with blade edge parallel to a handle of a broom.

RELATED ART

Dustpans are essential cleaning tools designed to collect dust, dirt, and debris swept into them with a broom. They come in various shapes and sizes, typically featuring a flat, scooped front blade edge that rests flush against the floor to easily gather small particles.

Some dustpans are designed to attach directly to brooms, providing a convenient, all-in-one solution for quick cleanups. Currently, clips or brackets are provided on the dustpan or the broom to mount the dustpan with the front blade edge oriented horizontally (positioned parallel to the floor and perpendicular to the broom handle).

However, this current design creates a cumbersome bulk that can interfere with the broom's natural sweeping motion. This horizontal alignment often causes the dustpan to wobble or shift when the broom is in use, reducing the overall effectiveness and ease of sweeping. Further, the added weight and imbalance can make maneuvering the broom more challenging, especially when trying to reach tight corners or under furniture. Additionally, the width of the dustpan often extends past the broom head, further contributing to its obstructiveness. Accordingly, a suitable solution is desired.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known dustpan art, the present disclosure provides a novel vertically attachable dustpan. The general purpose of the present disclosure, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a dustpan that can attach to a handle of a broom vertically, such that a leading blade edge of the dustpan is positioned parallel to the handle of the broom. As such, the dustpan does not obstruct use of the broom and does not continuously fall from the handle of the broom.

A dustpan for attachment to a broom is disclosed herein. According to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure, the dustpan may include a base panel including a front blade edge, a pair of side walls disposed at opposite sides of the base panel and extending upwardly therefrom, a rear wall disposed at a rear of the base panel (opposite the front blade edge) and extending upwardly therefrom, and a fastener. The fastener may be attached about the rear wall and configured to facilitate attachment of the dustpan to an elongated handle of the broom; the fastener oriented such that the attachment of the dustpan to the broom positions the front blade edge of the base panel parallel to a longitudinal axis of the elongated handle.

According to another embodiment, a dustpan and broom is also disclosed herein. The dustpan and broom may include a broom including an elongated handle defining a longitudinal axis; and a broom head disposed at an end of the elongated handle and including a plurality of bristles and defining a broom head width.

The dustpan may, as above, include a base panel including a front blade edge, a pair of side walls disposed at opposite sides of the base panel and extending upwardly therefrom, and a rear wall disposed at a rear of the base panel and extending upwardly therefrom. The rear wall is opposite the front blade edge and a dustpan depth is defined between the rear wall and the front blade edge. The dustpan depth is lesser than the broom head width of the broom head.

A fastener may be attached about the rear wall and configured to facilitate attachment of the dustpan to the elongated handle of the broom. The fastener is oriented such that the attachment of the dustpan to the broom positions the front blade edge of the base panel parallel to the longitudinal axis of the elongated handle. When the dustpan is attached to the broom, the broom head width extends further than the dustpan depth.

According to another embodiment, a method of attaching a dustpan to a broom. According to one or more embodiments, the method may comprise the steps of: providing the dustpan including a base panel having a front blade edge, a pair of side walls, a rear wall, and a fastener, wherein the fastener and the pair of side walls define a receiving space at a rear of the dustpan; orienting the dustpan such that the front blade edge of the base panel is parallel to a longitudinal axis of an elongated handle of the broom; and inserting the elongated handle of the broom into the receiving space, thereby attaching the dustpan to the broom in a position whereby the front blade edge is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the elongated handle.

For purposes of summarizing the invention, certain aspects, advantages, and novel features of the invention have been described herein. It is to be understood that not necessarily all such advantages may be achieved in accordance with any one particular embodiment of the invention. Thus, the invention may be embodied or carried out in a manner that achieves or optimizes one advantage or group of advantages as taught herein without necessarily achieving other advantages as may be taught or suggested herein. The features of the invention which are believed to be novel are particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the concluding portion of the specification. These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings and detailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The figures which accompany the written portion of this specification illustrate embodiments and methods of use for the present disclosure, a vertically attachable dustpan, constructed and operative according to the teachings of the present disclosure.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a dustpan attached to a handle of a broom in a vertical orientation whereby a front blade edge of the dustpan is parallel to the handle of the broom, according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the dustpan detached from the broom and being used to sweep debris thereinto, according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 3 is a front perspective view of the dustpan including a base panel having the front blade edge, a pair of side walls at opposite sides of the base panel, a rear wall at a rear of base panel, and a fastener, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 4 is a front view of the dustpan, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the dustpan, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 6 is a bottom plan view of the dustpan, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 7 is a side view of the dustpan attached to the handle of the broom, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 8 is a front view of the dustpan being attached to the handle of the broom, the handle including a longitudinal axis and a length of the front blade edge of the dustpan being oriented parallel relative to the longitudinal axis of the handle, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 9 is a front view of the dustpan attached to the handle of the broom and positioned parallel thereto, the broom including a broom head width greater than a dustpan depth of the dustpan such that the broom head width extends further than the dustpan depth, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 10 is a flow diagram illustrating a method of attaching a dustpan to a broom, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

The various embodiments of the present invention will hereinafter be described in conjunction with the appended drawings, wherein like designations denote like elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As discussed above, embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a vertically attachable dustpan. Generally, the vertically attachable dustpan provides an improvement over prior art dustpans by providing a dustpan that can fasten with its leading blade edge oriented vertically and parallel relative to a handle of a broom. As such, the vertically attachable dustpan does not obstruct use of the broom and prevents the dustpan from falling off of the broom during use of the broom.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings by numerals of reference, there is shown in FIGS. 1-9, various views of a dustpan 100, a broom 101, and a method 200 of attaching the dustpan 100 to the broom 101, according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. The dustpan 100 may be configured to attach to any existing broom or can be designed for use with a specific broom.

Referring first to FIGS. 1-2, there are shown various views of the dustpan 100 and broom 101, according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. In particular, FIG. 1 illustrates the dustpan 100 attached to the broom 101 and the broom 101 being used to sweep a floor, as normal; and FIG. 2 illustrates the dustpan 100 detached from the broom 101 and being used to sweep debris from the floor into the dustpan 100. As shown in FIG. 1, the dustpan 100 is attached to the broom 101 in a vertical orientation, in that a front blade edge 111 (i.e., the leading edge) of the dustpan 100 is oriented parallel relative to an elongated handle 102 of the broom 101 (and generally perpendicular to the floor). This allows for a wider dustpan 100 whilst preventing the dustpan 100 from being obtrusive to use of the broom 101 when sweeping.

The dustpan 100 can be made of any suitable material that is easily cleanable, offers durability and an appropriate flexibility to enable sufficient contact with the floor to receive the debris therefrom. For example, the dustpan 100 can be made from (but is not limited to) plastic, hard rubber, or the like.

As above, the dustpan 100 may be configured to attach to any existing broom 101 or can be designed for specific brooms. As shown in FIG. 1, it is contemplated that the broom 101 includes the elongated handle 102 and a broom head 104 attached to an end of the elongated handle 102, which includes a plurality of bristles 105 for sweeping the floor.

Referring now to FIGS. 3-6, there are shown various views of the dustpan 100, according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. These figures demonstrate a front perspective view of the dustpan 100 (FIG. 3), a front view of the dustpan 100 (FIG. 4), a top view of the dustpan 100 (FIG. 5) and a bottom view of the dustpan 100 (FIG. 6). As shown in these figures, the dustpan 100 may include a base panel 110 including a front blade edge 111, a pair of side walls 112, 113 and a rear wall 114, all defining a debris pan 128 for receiving debris. The front blade edge 111 of the base panel 110 defines a front of the dustpan 100 (leading edge) and is generally flat in profile so as to be flush, or at least substantially so, against the floor during use of the dustpan 100. As shown in FIGS. 5-6, the base panel 110 may include a top surface 133 (FIG. 5) opposite a bottom surface 132 (FIG. 6).

As above, the vertical orientation of the dustpan 100 when attached prevents obstruction of the use of the broom 101. As such, the front blade edge 111 of the dustpan 100 is able to be of a greater length than many prior art dustpans. In particular, the front blade edge 111 of the dustpan 100 of the present invention can include a length 116 (FIG. 8) of 12 inches, as measured from one of the pair of side walls to the other (112 to 113 or vice versa). It should however be appreciated that the front blade edge 111 is not limited to this size.

In some embodiments, as demonstrated best in FIG. 3 and FIG. 5, the front blade edge 111 may be greater in length 116 than the rear wall 114 of the dustpan 100. This may be achieved via outward tapering of the base panel 110. Further, as shown in FIG. 3 in particular, the base panel 110 of the dustpan 100 may include an elongated ridge 126 behind the front blade edge 111, configured to prevent debris that has been swept into the debris pan from falling back out from the front blade edge 111.

The dustpan 100 includes the pair of side walls 112, 113 disposed at opposite sides of the base panel 110 and extending upwardly therefrom, and a rear wall 114 disposed at a rear of the base panel 110 and extending upwardly therefrom. Further, a fastener 115 may be attached about the rear wall 114 and configured to facilitate attachment of the dustpan 100 to the elongated handle 102 of the broom 101. As shown here, the fastener 115 may be oriented such that the attachment of the dustpan 100 to the broom 101 positions the front blade edge 111 of the base panel 110 parallel to a longitudinal axis 103 of the elongated handle 102 (as demonstrated in FIG. 8).

As demonstrated in FIG. 3, the base panel 110, the pair of side walls 112, 113 and the rear wall 114 may be unitary in construction, made from one piece. However, the base panel 110, the pair of side walls 112, 113 and the rear wall 114 are not limited to being one piece. As such, the pair of side walls 112, 113 may be attached to the rear wall 114 at a rear of each of the side walls 112, 113. As shown particularly in FIG. 3, the pair of side walls 112, 113 may each include a rounded portion 131 a, 131 b beginning toward the rear (forward of a cradle portion 119 a, 119 b of the pair of side walls 112, 113, which will be discussed in further detail below). The rounded portion 131 a, 131 b may taper downwardly into the front blade edge 111 of the base panel 110.

Further, a handle 124 may be attached to the rear wall 114 of the dustpan 100 and extending rearwardly therefrom. The handle 124 may enable use of the dustpan 100 and also aid in the attaching and detaching of the dustpan 100 from the broom 101. In some embodiments, as shown here, the handle 124 may include a grip portion 125 extending upwardly from a rear thereof, further aiding in grip of the handle 124 and facilitating use of the dustpan 100. As shown here, in some embodiments, the fastener 115 may be attached to a front of the handle 124.

As shown in FIG. 3 and with reference now also to FIG. 7 (illustrating a side view of the fastener 115 and a side wall 112), the pair of side walls 112, 113 and the fastener 115 may together provide a receiving space 121 for receiving, or ‘cradling’ the elongated handle 102 of the broom 101, providing a three point connector for attaching the dustpan 100 thereto. In particular, each of the pair of side walls 112, 113 may include the cradle portion 119 a, 119 b disposed towards a rear thereof and including a curvature complimentary to the curvature of the elongated handle 102 of the broom 101. For example, as shown in FIG. 3, the cradle portion 119 a, 119 b of each of the pair of side walls 112, 113 includes a generally concave depression extending downwardly into each of the pair of side walls 112, 113 and able to surround a bottom portion of the elongated handle 102 of the broom 101. The cradle portions 119 a, 119 b of each of the pair of side walls 112, 113 are aligned.

Further, as shown in FIG. 7, the fastener 115 may include a forwardly extending arm 117 including a central seat portion 118 having a curvature complimentary to the curvature of the elongated handle 102 of the broom 101. For example, the central seat portion 118 may be an upwardly extending concave portion able to surround a top portion of the elongated handle 102 of the broom 101. The central seat portion 118 is in line with each of the cradle portions 119 a, 119 b of the pair of side walls 112, 113, defining the receiving space 121 and enabling the securement of the elongated handle 102 of the broom 101 between the pair of side walls 112, 113 and the fastener 115. Further, as shown best in FIG. 7, the forwardly extending arm 117 may include an upwardly extending lip 122, facilitating insertion of the elongated handle 102 into the central seat portion 118. In particular, the upwardly extending lip 122 can flex as the elongated handle 102 is pushed into the fastener 115 and return back to its position once the elongated handle 102 is within the receiving space 121 between the fastener 115 and the pair of side walls 112, 113, thereby securing the elongated handle 102 within the receiving space 121.

A distance between a top of the fastener 115 and a bottom of each of the cradle portions 119 a, 119 b (i.e., a height of the receiving space 121) may be slightly lesser than a diameter of the elongated handle 102 of the broom 101. As such, the dustpan 100 is secured to the elongated handle 102 of the broom 101 as a result of the fastener 115 being compressed to accommodate the diameter of the elongated handle 102.

It should be appreciated that the fastener 115 shown and discussed here is provided as an example of one of many contemplated embodiments and is not limited to the configuration shown in these figures or described here. It is contemplated that there is no limit to the type of fastener 115 or fastening means used to attach the dustpan 100 to the broom 101.

Referring now to FIGS. 8-9, which demonstrate the dustpan 100 being attached to the broom 101. As above and as shown here, the front blade edge 111 of the dustpan 100 is positioned parallel (vertical) relative to the elongated handle 102 of the broom 101, allowing for a wider dustpan 100 and preventing the dustpan 100 from being obstructive to use of the broom 101 when sweeping. As such, the fastener 115 is orientated on the dustpan 100 to enable this. For example, as shown here, a length of the forwardly extending arm 117 may be oriented perpendicular to the front blade edge 111 of the dustpan 100, and thus perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 103 of the elongated handle 102 when the dustpan 100 is attached to the elongated handle 102.

As has been discussed above and as shown here, the broom 101 includes a broom head 104 disposed at an end of the elongated handle 102 including a plurality of bristles 105 and defining a broom head width 106. Further, a dustpan depth 123 is defined between the rear wall 114 of the dustpan 100 and the front blade edge 111 of the base panel 110. As demonstrated here in FIG. 9, the dustpan depth 123 is lesser than the broom head width 106 of the broom head 104, and when the dustpan 100 is attached to the broom 101, the broom head width 106 extends further than the dustpan depth 123. As such, the dustpan 100 is not obstructive to use of the broom 101.

Referring now to FIG. 10 showing a flow diagram illustrating a method 200 of attaching a dustpan to a broom, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. In particular, the method 200 may include one or more components or features of the dustpan 100 and broom 101 as described above. As illustrated, the method 200 may include the steps of: step one 201, providing the dustpan including a base panel having a front blade edge, a pair of side walls, a rear wall disposed opposite the front blade edge, and a fastener attached about the rear wall of the base panel, wherein the fastener and the pair of side walls define a receiving space at a rear of the dustpan; step two 202, orienting the dustpan such that the front blade edge of the base panel is parallel to a longitudinal axis of an elongated handle of the broom; and step three 203, inserting the elongated handle of the broom into the receiving space, thereby attaching the dustpan to the broom in a position whereby the front blade edge is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the elongated handle.

A further step may include step 201 a, providing the broom, the broom including a broom head disposed at an end of the elongated handle and including a plurality of bristles, the broom head including a broom head width.

It should be noted that certain steps are optional and may not be implemented in all cases. Optional steps of method 200 are illustrated using dotted lines in FIG. 10 so as to distinguish them from the other steps of method 200. The use of “step of” should not be interpreted as “step for”, in the claims herein and is not intended to invoke the provisions of 35 U.S.C. § 112(f). It should also be noted that, under appropriate circumstances, considering such issues as design preference, user preferences, marketing preferences, cost, structural requirements, available materials, technological advances, etc., other methods are taught herein.

The embodiments of the invention described herein are exemplary and numerous modifications, variations and rearrangements can be readily envisioned to achieve substantially equivalent results, all of which are intended to be embraced within the spirit and scope of the invention. Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientist, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application.