DROP DOWN DUST TRAY FOR FLOOR SWEEPER

Abstract

A handheld floor sweeper having a debris receiving compartment in the sweeper body having a bottom tray that is pivotally connected to the sweeper body. A latching mechanism that is operated by the user pushing a release lever allows the bottom tray to pivot to an open position to discharge debris collected in the compartment without the user having to contact the debris. The tray is pushed back to the closed position by the user after the debris is discharged where the tray is once again latched in the closed position.

Claims

1. A handheld floor sweeper adapted for movement over a surface and clean debris from that surface by brushing, the sweeper comprising: a sweeper body having a top surface, a bottom and peripheral sides, a plurality of brushes mounted to the bottom of the sweeper body, the brushes engaging the surface to be cleaned, a debris receiving compartment in the sweeper body having a bottom tray and at least one opening for allowing debris to enter the compartment, the bottom tray having a front edge, a back edge and side edges, a pivot connection for mounting the front edge to the sweeper body, a latch on the back edge for releasably attaching the back edge of the tray to the sweeper body, an operating lever mounted to the sweeper body, the operating lever engaging the latch for latching and unlatching the latch from the operating lever, the operating lever releasing the latch when depressed, thereby allowing the bottom tray to drop down and discharge the debris from the compartment.

2. The handheld floor sweeper of claim 1 wherein the operating lever is mounted to the sweeper body by means of a second pivot connection allowing the operating lever to rotate about the second pivot connection.

3. The handheld floor sweeper of claim 2 wherein the operating lever has a top portion above the second pivot connection and a bottom portion below the second pivot connection, the bottom portion having a retaining finger to engage the latch.

4. The handheld floor sweeper of claim 3 and further comprising a spring mounted between the sweeper body and the top portion of the operating lever to apply a force to the top portion of the operating lever when the operating lever is depressed.

5. The handheld floor sweeper of claim 4 and further comprising a complimentary finger on the latch for engaging the retaining finger on the operating lever on a latching engagement in a first latching position and the retaining finger releasing the complimentary finger when the top portion of the operating lever is depressed.

6. The handheld floor sweeper of claim 5 wherein at least one of the complimentary finger or retainer finger has a curved surface whereby when the bottom tray is pushed from its open position to the closed position, the complimentary finger provides a force to the retainer finger to pivot the bottom portion of the operating lever away from the sweeper body thereby allowing the complimentary finger to pass over the retainer finger.

7. In a handheld floor sweeper adapted for movement over a surface and clean debris from that surface by brushing, the sweeper having a sweeper body, a debris receiving compartment in the sweeper body having a bottom tray and at least one opening for allowing debris to enter the compartment, the bottom tray having a front edge, a back edge and side edges, a pivot connection for mounting the front edge to the sweeper body, a latch on the back edge for releasably attaching the back edge of the tray to the sweeper body, an operating lever mounted to the sweeper body, the operating lever engaging the latch for latching and unlatching the latch from the operating lever, the operating lever releasing the latch when depressed, thereby allowing the bottom tray to drop down and discharge the debris from the compartment, the operating lever mounted to the sweeper body by means of a second pivot connection allowing the operating lever to rotate about the second pivot connection for engaging and disengaging from the latch.

8. The handheld floor sweeper of claim 7 wherein the operating lever has a top portion above the second pivot connection and a bottom portion below the second pivot connection, the bottom portion having a retaining finger to engage the latch.

9. The handheld floor sweeper of claim 8 and further comprising a spring mounted between the sweeper body and the top portion of the operating lever to apply a force to the top portion of the operating lever when the operating lever is depressed.

10. The handheld floor sweeper of claim 9 and further comprising a complimentary finger on the latch for engaging the retaining finger on the operating lever on a latching engagement in a first latching position and the retaining finger releasing the complimentary finger when the top portion of the operating lever is depressed.

11. The handheld floor sweeper of claim 10 wherein at least one of the complimentary finger or retainer finger has a curved surface whereby when the bottom tray is pushed from its open position to the closed position, the complimentary finger provides a force to the retainer finger to pivot the bottom portion of the operating lever away from the sweeper body thereby allowing the complimentary finger to pass over the retainer finger.

Description

III. DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0006] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the sweeper with the handle portion removed and shown in phantom.

[0007] FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view of the sweeper with the handle portion removed and shown in phantom

[0008] FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the sweeper and drop down tray.

[0009] FIG. 4 is a bottom rear perspective view of the sweeper with the drop-down tray in the dropped down position.

[0010] FIG. 5 is left side view partially in cross section illustrating the drop-down tray in the latched position and the latching mechanism in cross section.

[0011] FIG. 6 a left side view partially in cross section of the latching mechanism with the push button release button in the depressed position.

[0012] FIG. 7 is a left side view in cross section with portions of the sweeper removed illustrating the drop-down tray released from the latching mechanism.

[0013] FIG. 8 is a left side view in cross section with portions of the sweeper removed illustrating the drop-down tray being moved back to the latched and stored position just prior to in being latched by the pushbutton mechanism.

IV. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0014] FIG. 1 illustrates a handheld sweeper 10 having an elongated handle or shaft 12. The handle 12 has an upper end and a lower end 14 attached by means of a universal pivot or universal joint 16 to a sweeper body 18. The sweeper body 18 contains several brushes 20, and a drive mechanism to rotate the brushes 20 to pick up dust and debris on the floor. The sweeper body 18 normally assumes a substantially horizontal plane when sweeping a floor or similar surface. Inside the sweeper body 18 is a dust and debris storage compartment 22. As the sweeper 10 is pushed and pulled along the floor, the sweeper brushes 20 rotate to pick up and propel the dust and debris into the dust storage compartment 22. The dust storage compartment 22 is best illustrated in FIGS. 4-8.

[0015] The dust storage compartment 22 is formed by side walls 23 and a drop-down dust tray 24 that functions as the bottom cover of the dust storage compartment 22. The drop-down dust tray 24 is connected by a pivot connection 26 to the sweeper body 18 at a forward end of the dust storage compartment 22. One or more pivot points and connections can be utilized so long as it provides a suitable pivot connection about which the drop-down dust tray 24 can pivot from an open to a closed position.

[0016] FIG. 3 illustrated the bottom view of the sweeper 10 with the drop-down dust tray 24 in the closed and latched position. FIG. 4 is a bottom perspective view illustrating the drop-down dust tray 24 in the open or dropped down position. The drop-down dust tray 24 is seen pivoted to the open position about the pivot connection 26. At a rear end 25 of the drop-down dust tray 24 is a latching member 32.

[0017] A push button operating mechanism 29 operates the latching and release of the drop-down dust tray 24. As seen in FIGS. 5-8, there is a push button operating lever 30 that is mounted to the sweeper body 18 by means of a pivot connection or pivot bar 31. The pushbutton operating lever has a top portion above the pivot bar 31 and a lower portion below the pivot bar 31. The push button operating lever 30 is free to pivot about the pivot connection 31 when a force is applied to the top of the operating lever 30 as seen by the arrow A in FIG. 6. A spring 33 provides a counter force against the push button operating lever 30 so the force applied at A must be sufficient to overcome the spring force so that the operating lever 30 will move from the latched position of FIG. 5 to the unlatched position in FIG. 6.

[0018] Also, as seen in FIGS. 5-8, the bottom of the pushbutton operating lever 30 has a curved foot 36. This engages in a latching condition the latching member 32 at the rear end 25 of the drop-down dust tray 24 as seen in FIG. 5. To open the drop-down dust tray 24, the user applies the force A to the top of the operating lever 30 as described above. The operating lever 30 pivots about pivot connection 31 and the curvet foot 36 pivots away from the latching member 32. This releases the latching member 32 from engagement with the curved foot 36. The rear end 25 of the drop-down dust tray 24 will drop down in the direction of arrow B due to gravity as the drop-down dust tray 24 pivots about the pivot connection 26. As the force A is removed from the operating lever 30, the operating lever 30 is pushed back to its original position by the spring 33 as illustrated in FIG. 7.

[0019] To close the drop-down dust tray 24, the user pushes the drop-down dust tray 24 upward in the direction of arrow C as illustrated in FIG. 8. As the rear end 25 move upward, the latching member 32 engages the curved foot 36 of the operating lever 30, applying a force to the curved foot 36 in the direction of arrow D. This causes the operating lever 30 to move in the direction of arrow D. The force is sufficient to overcome the force of spring 33. The operating lever 30 pivots about pivot pin 31 a sufficient amount to allow the latching member 32 to pass over the end of the curved foot 36. The spring 33 pushes against the top of the operating lever 30 so that the pushbutton returns to its original position as seen in FIG. 5. The drop-down dust tray 24 then assumes the original closed and latched position illustrated in FIG. 5.

[0020] Various types and designs of latching members may be used as long as they serve the purpose of latching the drop-down dust tray 24 to a closed position and can be released by the user merely pushing a release button so that the user does not come into contact with the debris in the dust storage compartment.

[0021] Thus, there has been provided a sweeper with a drop-down dust tray that allows the user to dispose of dust and debris collected in a hand-held sweeper without the user coming into contact with the collected dust and debris. While the invention has been described in conjunction with a specific embodiment, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art in light of the foregoing description. Accordingly, it is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications and variations as fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.