LIGHTWEIGHT SWEEPER

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to a floor cleaning device, and more particularly, a lightweight electric carpet sweeper. The controls of a floor sweeper are often placed on the sweeper head and are intended to be operated by the foot. This includes a handle release button, which enables the elongated handle to be moved freely at an angle and an electric switch. It is often difficult for individuals with physical limitations to reach the handle release button. Many handicapped individuals feel as though they must be dependent on someone else in order to complete the floor cleaning task. A suitable alternative is needed.

[0003] The lightweight sweeper is a uniquely designed electric floor sweeper that provides the controls entirely on an elongated handle near a loop shaped handgrip to assist individuals with limited mobility or that are handicapped. The present invention allows individuals that are burdened by physical limitations, such as confined confined to a wheelchair, with the ability to access the controls being a handle release button and an electric switch on the floor sweeper with ease. The sweeper is lightweight and easy to control. It is ideal for the elderly, the disabled, and anyone else who may have trouble reaching the controls on a sweeper.

[0004] 2. Description of the Prior Art

[0005] Numerous innovations for cleaning implements have been provided in the prior art that will be described. Even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, however, they differ from the present invention.

[0006] A FIRST EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 4,369,539, Issued on Jan. 25, 1983, to Nordeen teaches a powered floor sweeper having a nozzle housing formed of a plurality of segments and tie elements extending through the segments for retaining the segments in assembled side-by-side relationship. The assembled segments define open ends closed by end caps also secured in the assembly by the tie elements. A pivotable door is secured to the nozzle housing by a tie element and cooperating retaining structure is provided on the door and assembled nozzles for retaining the door releasably in a position closing the dirt-collecting space of the nozzle housing. The device further includes a sweeper brush rotatably carried in the housing and a powered drive for forcibly rotating the brush. Internal baffles separate the sweeper brush bearing zone from the dirt-collecting space. The brush bristle tufts are arranged in preselected spaced relationship to effectively minimize and substantially preclude dust puffing in the operation of the floor sweeper.

[0007] A SECOND EXAMPLE, U.S. Patent Office Publication No. 2004/0045126, Published on Mar. 11, 2004, to Parker et al. teaches a battery-powered, upright vacuum sweeper that includes a base assembly and a handle pivotably attached thereto. The base assembly comprises a vacuum fan assembly fluidly communicating with an inlet for vacuuming dust and the debris particles from a surface into a removable reservoir. A rotating roller brush attached to the base assembly sweeps the particles into the inlet. A dust pad assembly comprises a disposable dust cloth extending over a portion of the base assembly in contact with the surface to be cleaned for removing dust particles which are not removed by vacuuming.

[0008] A THIRD EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 6,817,059, Issued on Nov. 16, 2004, to Tsuchiya et al. teaches a vacuum cleaner which includes working elements of cleaner, that is, a blower and a dust collection unit disposed in a nozzle section of which casing is composed of an upper unit and a lower unit, and having a handle coupled to the nozzle section. At least one of the working elements is supported by the upper unit and a support unit provided in the lower unit or by the lower unit and a support unit provided in the upper unit. Therefore, the cleaner can be repaired without having all screws removed, thus repaired conveniently.

[0009] A FOURTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Patent Office Publication No. 2005/0005377, Published on Jan. 13, 2005, to Kaleta teaches alight weight floor sweeper having a very low profile sweeper head that uses glides rather than rollers to slide across the surface to be cleaned. The floor sweeper head is mounted to an elongated handle by means of a universal pivot or universal joint which allows the floor sweeper head to easily pivot about the handle in any direction to pick up debris under over hanging cabinets or under furniture. The floor sweeper has sweeping brushes mounted around all sides of the sweeper head to provide sweeping action in any direction. Furthermore there are corner brushes extending out from the sides of the sweeper head that reach into corners to sweep debris toward the main sweeping brushes. All of the brushes are powered by a small electric motor. The motor drives the brushes to direct the debris into a dust-receiving tray in the sweeper head.

[0010] A FIFTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Patent Office Publication No. 2005/0066467, Published on Mar. 31, 2005, to Moshenrose teaches a manually-powered floor sweeper. In one embodiment, the manually-powered floor sweeper includes a chassis and handle, one or more agitator rollers rotatably affixed to the chassis and rotated by movement of the floor sweeper, and a vacuum port formed in the chassis and communicating with the one or more agitator rollers and adapted to receive a vacuum hose. Debris picked up and propelled by the one or more agitator rollers is drawn out through the vacuum port when a vacuum is introduced into the vacuum port.

[0011] A SIXTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Patent Office Publication No. 2005/0181968, Published on Aug. 18, 2005, to Policicchio et al. teaches a cleaning implement for cleaning a soft or a hard surface that comprises a handle, a sweeper head, rotating blades and a collection bin. The bottom wall of the collection bin includes an opening that is covered by a cleaning sheet during the cleaning operation. The height of this bottom wall relative to the surface being cleaned is adjustable by a user. The cleaning implement can be used with a disposable cleaning sheet, which includes protrusions that are capable of removing entangled hair from a carpet surface.

[0012] A SEVENTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Patent Office Publication No. 2005/0268410, Published on Dec. 8, 2005, to Kaleta teaches a floor sweeper head that is mounted to an elongated handle by means of a universal pivot or universal joint which allows the floor sweeper head to easily pivot about the handle in any direction to pick up debris under over hanging cabinets or under furniture. The floor sweeper has sweeping brushes mounted around all sides of the sweeper head to provide sweeping action in any direction. All of the brushes are powered by a small electric motor. There is a battery mounted on the elongated handle and electrical connections are provided through the elongated handle and through the universal pivot to the electric motor so that power is provided to the brushes regardless of the orientation of the elongated handle.

[0013] AN EIGHTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Patent Office Publication No. 2006/0242775, Published on Nov. 2, 2006, to Ho teaches an electric cleaning sweeper that comprises a housing, including a detachable dirt tray placed inside the housing; and at least one openable wall located on the dirt tray wherein the openable wall is responsive to movement of a device located on the handle which can pick up the dirt tray and remove it off the housing to discharge the dust and debris while direct contact of the dirt tray by a human hand is avoided.

[0014] A NINTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 7,152,267,Issued on Dec. 26, 2006, to Kaleta teaches a light weight floor sweeper having a very low profile sweeper head that uses glides rather than rollers to slide across the surface to be cleaned. The floor sweeper head is mounted to an elongated handle by a universal pivot or universal joint which allows the floor sweeper head to easily pivot about the handle in any direction to pick up debris under over hanging cabinets or under furniture. The floor sweeper has sweeping brushes mounted around all sides of the sweeper head to provide sweeping action in any direction. Furthermore there are corner brushes extending out from the sides of the sweeper head that reach into corners to sweep debris toward the main sweeping brushes. All of the brushes are powered by a small electric motor. The motor drives the brushes to direct the debris into a dust-receiving tray in the sweeper head.

[0015] A TENTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 7,340,795, Issued on Mar. 11, 2008,to Kaleta teaches a floor sweeper head that is mounted to an elongated handle by a universal pivot or universal joint which allows the floor sweeper head to easily pivot about the handle in any direction to pick up debris under over hanging cabinets or under furniture. The floor sweeper has sweeping brushes mounted around all sides of the sweeper head to provide sweeping action in any direction. All of the brushes are powered by a small electric motor. There is a battery mounted on the elongated handle and electrical connections are provided through the elongated handle and through the universal pivot to the electric motor so that power is provided to the brushes regardless of the orientation of the elongated handle.

[0016] AN ELEVENTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Patent Office Publication No. 2008/0271283, Published on Nov. 6, 2008, to Thomas et al. teaches a vacuum cleaner with a self-cleaning filter and a sweeper stand that also functions as an electric dustpan when the vacuum is seated within the sweeper stand. The vacuum includes a housing having an air inlet at one end of the housing and a handle at the other end of the housing. An air passageway includes a deflector to direct dirt into a dirt collection tray which is pivotably mounted to the housing. A filter mounted on the motor divider wall and a filter cleaning arch mounted on the dirt collection tray so that the filter cleaning arch strikes the filter to dislodge dirt collected on the filter as the dirt collection tray pivots open. The sweeper stand includes a housing for receiving the hand vacuum, an opening for directing dirt laden air into an air inlet of the hand vacuum. Power switches to actuate the hand vacuum when the hand vacuum is seated in the sweeper stand are provided.

[0017] It is apparent now that numerous innovations for cleaning implements have been provided in the prior art that are adequate for various purposes. Furthermore, even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, accordingly, they would not be suitable for the purposes of the present invention as heretofore described.

[0018] AN OBJECT of the present invention is to provide a lightweight sweeper that avoids the disadvantages of the prior art.

[0019] ANOTHER OBJECT of the present invention is to provide a lightweight sweeper that is simple and inexpensive to manufacture.

[0020] STILL ANOTHER OBJECT of the present invention is to provide a lightweight sweeper that is simple to use.

[0021] BRIEFLY STATED, STILL YET ANOTHER OBJECT of the present invention is to provide a lightweight sweeper for a person with limited mobility comprises an elongated handle. A sweeper head having a pivot joint is connected to a bottom end of the elongated handle. A release button is located near a top end of the elongated handle, whereby the person can easily depress the release button to allow the elongated handle to pivot at various angles on the pivot joint of the sweeper head when the sweeper head travels along a floor. An electric switch is located near the top end of the elongated handle, whereby the person can easily turn the electric switch on and off to operate a motorized brush unit in the sweeper head.

[0022] The novel features which are considered characteristic of the present invention are set forth in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of the specific embodiments when read and understood in connection with the accompanying drawing.

[0029] 110 lightweight sweeper

[0030] 112 person

[0031] 113 wheelchair

[0032] 114 elongated handle of sweeper 110

[0033] 116 sweeper head of sweeper 110

[0034] 118 pivot joint of sweeper head 116

[0035] 120 release button of sweeper 110

[0036] 122 floor

[0037] 124 ON/OFF electric switch of sweeper 110

[0038] 126 motorized brush unit in sweeper head 116

[0039] 128 loop shaped handgrip of sweeper 110

[0040] 130 wheel of sweeper 110

[0041] 132 side aperture in elongated handle 114

[0042] 134 power cord of sweeper 110

[0043] 136 L-shaped holder of sweeper 110

[0044] 138 timer in ON/OFF electric switch 124

[0045] As shown in FIGS. 1-2 and 5, the present invention is a lightweight sweeper 110 for a person 112 in a wheelchair 113 with limited mobility. The sweeper 110 comprises an elongated handle 114 with a sweeper head 116 having a pivot joint 118 connected to a bottom end of the elongated handle 114. A release button 120 is located near a top end of the elongated handle 114. The person 112 can easily depress the release button 120 to allow the elongated handle 114 to pivot at various angles on the pivot joint 118 of the sweeper head 116 when the sweeper head 116 travels along a floor 122.

[0046] The sweeper 110 further comprises an electric switch 124 located near the top end of the elongated handle 114. The person 112 can easily turn the electric switch 124 on and off to operate a motorized brush unit 126 in the sweeper head 116. A loop shaped handgrip 128 is affixed to the top end of the elongated handle 114 to allow the person 112 to easily grasp the loop shaped handgrip 128 to push and pull the elongated handle 114 to move the sweeper head 116. The sweeper 110 further contains a plurality of wheels 130. The wheels 130 are rotatably mounted to the sweeper head 116 to eliminate friction when the sweeper head 116 travels along the floor 122.

[0047] As shown in FIG. 3, the elongated handle 114 has a side aperture 132 near the top end. A power cord 134 has a portion extending into the side aperture 132 in the elongated handle 114 for connecting the electric switch 124 to the motorized brush unit 126 in the sweeper head 116. Two L-shaped holders 136 are oppositely mounted vertically above the side aperture 132 in the elongated handle 114, whereby the remainder of the power cord 134 can be wrapped about the two L-shaped holders 136.

[0048] As shown in FIG. 4, a timer 138 may be incorporated within the ON/OFF electric switch 124 to ascertain preset cleaning cycles for the motorized brush unit 126 in the sweeper head 116. Typically, the cleaning cycles can be five minutes, ten minutes, fifteen minutes, twenty minutes, twenty five minutes or thirty minutes.

[0049] The sweeper 110 weighs approximately three to four pounds and is approximately forty inches in height. The elongated handle 114 is approximately thirty four to thirty six inches in length. The sweeper head 116 is rectangular in shape and is approximately eleven inches wide by thirteen inches in length.

[0050] A dust bin (not shown) can be positioned in the sweeper head 116 at a level which allows for easy emptying by the person 112 in a sitting position. There may be a release lever (not shown) on the elongated handle 114 that allows the person 112 to release the dust bin for emptying. Once empty, the dust bin can be repositioned on the sweeper head 116 and snap clicked into place.

[0051] The loop shaped handle 128 of the sweeper 110 may be blue. The elongated handle 114 can be made with silver color such as aluminum material. The release button 120 and the electric switch 124 can also be blue. The power cord 134 may be black, while the head sweeper 116 may be light blue with the name “Blue Angel” printed on the front of the sweeper head 116 in dark blue. The wheels 130 which are four in number may also be dark blue. The exact specifications may vary.

[0052] It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of constructions differing from the types described above.

[0053] While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodiments of a lightweight sweeper, accordingly it is not limited to the details shown, since it will be understood that various omissions, modifications, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and its operation can be made by those skilled in the art without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

[0054] Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention.