GB2464371A

GB2464371A - Vacuum cleaner gutter cleaning attachment

Info

Publication number: GB2464371A
Application number: GB0915173A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Kevin Charles Norris
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2008-10-14
Filing date: 2009-09-01
Publication date: 2010-04-21
Also published as: GB0915173D0; GB0818800D0

Abstract

An attachment that allows dry vacuum cleaners to be used to remove debris from rain gutters without leaving the ground and without depositing the mess into their household vacuum cleaner. The attachment comprises a set of tubes that can be screwed together until the required height is obtained, a base unit which is arranged to collect water a debris and which includes a filter that prevents the water and debris from passing into the attached vacuum cleaner and a cleaning head that can be adjusted from straight ahead to 180' and any angle in between optimising the cleaning angle whatever obstructions there are. The cleaning head is in the form of a cone which is flexible so that it can fit through various sizes of gaps between the gutter and roof tiles and bends to the shape of the gutter once in.

Description

Description:

Title: "The Giraffe" Vacuum Cleaner Attachment

Background:

The majority of houses have rain gutters and these become blocked with moss, dirt and fallen leaves. Blocked rain gutters allow water to flow over the sides of the gutters and infiltrate the walls and roof space of the building. The water damages the external walls, roof space, internal walls and in worst case scenarios plastering and ceilings in the building. Traditionally this has been removed by going up a ladder and sweeping or scooping the debris out, although accident statistics have lead to the "Working at Height Regulations", strongly recommending that this is not done.

Recently gutter clearing companies have started to offer a clearing service with industrial wet/dry vacuum cleaners and lengthy attachments to reach the rain gutters.

This equipment is both large and expensive and would not be cost effective for the typical home owner to purchase. This invention allows a home owner the option of purchasing an attachment to their existing dry vacuum cleaner and doing the job themselves from the ground.

Statement of Invention:

This invention allows most householders, for the first time, to use their existing dry vacuum cleaner to remove debris from their rain gutters without leaving the ground and without depositing the mess into their household appliance. The cleaning head adjusts to any angle the user would ever need in order to optimise the angle of cleaning, whatever the obstruction. The cleaning cone is flexible, from the side, so that it can fit through various sizes of gaps between the gutter and roof tiles. The Giraffe can also reach over ground floor obstructions to allow "hard to get at" areas of the gutters to be cleared.

Introduction to Drawings:

*:: An example of the invention will now be described by referring to the accompanying drawings: * S *S..

Figure 1 -A diagram of the standard Giraffe.

* ** Figure 2-A diagram of the Base Unit * Figure 3 -A diagram of the Cone (md. fixing ring) * Figure 4-A diagram of the Head Figure 5 -A diagram of the Tubes *S*S *..: Figure 6 -A diagram of the various accessories (Strap, wheel, cutting tool, * stabiliser & camera) S.....

* Figure 7 -A diagram of the Giraffe clearing a gutter.

Detailed Description:

Design/Dimensions Figure 1 -Basic System (cxci. accessories) Base Unit, Tubes, Head and Cone (Diagrams are purely illustrative and not to scale or proportion).

Figure 2 -Base Unit Front, back, top and side views (Diagrams are purely illustrative and not to scale or proportion).

A cylindrical tube made from tough opaque plastic which is sufficiently opaque to see the level of dirt in the unit but hide the detail of the contents. They are normally revolting having spent months if not years sitting in a wet environment.

Working from the top of the base unit, there is a screw fitting connector to attach the cylindrical tubes to. The cormector (A) leads through the top of the base, which is sealed by a cap and is airtight, and bends at the end to the side of the unit. This directs the dirt/water in a circular motion downwards to the bottom of the base unit.

At the side of the unit is an inlet to plug in the handle of the vacuum cleaner (B).

This is made of rubber so that an air tight seal can be made. It decreases in diameter the closer it gets to the plastic tube. This allows different manufacturers handles to be pushed in to create a tight seal. The rubber seal seals over a hole in the side of the unit. Through the hole is a tube approximately the same size as the average tube in a vacuum cleaner. This is once again air tight and runs to almost the top of the base unit and is curved at the end to create a circular air motion drawing air from the top of the unit. This creates a vacuum in the unit which can only draw air from the base unit.

To ensure that no stray water/dirt rises sufficiently up the base unit towards the outflow tube (B) a filter is positioned across the top of the unit between the air suction tube (B) and the inlet for the dirt/water (A). The material the filter is made out of is commonly used in the production of filters for wet/dry vacuum cleaners and allows air to pass through it easily by traps water and debris.

At the base of the unit is a hard wearing cone which allows the operator to rest the * *.* unit on the ground without damaging it and lean it in any direction for ease of operation.

**. The whole base unit is constructed of light weight materials so that it can be used by an average sized adult.

***. S. * . Figure 3 -Cone (mci. fixing ring) (Diagrams are purely illustrative and not to S...

: scale or proportion) * S* S�S * The cone is made from a very thin flexible plastic. The cone only bends from the long side and when pressed from either open end the plastic does not give unless under hard pressure, that would never be applied during gutter clearing. The small end of the cone fits flush with the opening in the Head, to ensure the debris does not get trapped, and opens wider at the cleaning edge. The thin plastic works as a scraping tool to remove dried on dirt in the gutter. The cone if attached to the head by a screw fitting to ensure it does not become detached whilst cleaning.

Figure 4 Head (Diagrams are purely illustrative and not to scale or proportion) The head is made up of three interconnecting sections that push together. Each piece is bent at an angle of 60' so that when put together they create a maximum turning angle of 180' (a U turn). On the middle section's joints there are raised lips that fit into channels in the two end connectors. These are a very tight fitting so that the three parts do not become disconnected whilst working, although the design pushes the joints together whilst clearing gutters. The two ends have proud connectors so that a smooth tube is created when the three parts are pushed together and therefore dirt does not get stuck at the joints thus creating blockages.

The middle section also has a rubber covering on its two connecting joints which fits very tight against the walls of the outer pieces, so that the three pieces can be held in place to create different angles. The outer two joints are screw fitting so that the head does not become detached from the tubes or the attachments during cleaning.

Figure 5 Tubes (Diagrams are purely illustrative and not to scale or proportion) Each Tube is cylindrical and designed to screw into the next one to create a hollow, almost rigid, tube that is smooth inside thus stopping blockages. All tubes are identical.

The tubes are strengthened using small wings along the length of the tube to reduce flexing and making a number of tubes connected together easier to control.

This also reduces the overall weight of the tube as lighter material can be used.

At the top of the tubes next to the connector screw is a small lip that the tube * being screwed onto can fit tight to. This stops the joint from moving and creates a more stable set of tubes when many are connected and used together.

Figure 6 Options/Accessories (Diagrams are purely illustrative and not to scale or proportion) *... Strap

A strap clips onto the base unit and is put over one of the users shoulders. The strap allows the user to turn/dip the base unit at greater angles in order to reach otherwise inaccessible areas of guttering.

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*.S...

* . Wheel A wheel can be fitted to the cone at the base of the base unit so that the user can keep the weight of the unit on the ground thus making it easier to use, as the user * moves along the length of gutter requiring clearing. SS*.. S.

Cutting Tool The cutting tool has a dual purpose. The outer edges of the two prongs are sharpened to form blades. The attachment is screwed onto the head and is used to cut large turfs which can form in gutters into small manageable pieces. When a turf is sufficiently small the two prongs are pushed into the turf and by leaning back on the base unit the turf can be lift out of the rain gutter and brought to the ground.

Stabiliser The stabiliser is used when extra stability is required to clear a gutter. If the head cannot be held in the gutter in a controlled way the user is in danger of damaging the rain gutter. The stabiliser is made of a light weight material to allow it to be set up tens of feet in the air. The two feet which are made of rubber protect the building and tool from damage. The stabiliser can rotate freely around the tubes so that when it is used against an uneven surface such as where a window is situated, the two legs will still provide a stable base for the tool.

Camera Attached to the end section, where the cone is attached, is a miniature camera that is fixed to view above the cone when attached. The camera allows the user to observe how clear the gutters are when they are above head height without the user leaving the ground.

How to Use the Giraffe Figure 8 -A diagram of the Giraffe clearing a gutter (The diagram is for illustrative purposes and is not to scale).

The tool is leant at an angle so that the operator is rarely under the gutter being cleared. This ensures that if an object falls from the gutter or a tile is dislodged the user is not injured.

The angle also positions the cleaning cone so that it is pointing directly down the gutter and acts as a mini bull dozer scraping the dirt up into the flow of air into the tubes.

Advantages 1. Broad benefits of the key claims made below in Claims Section *S..

: a) The base unit collects the water and dirt, keeping it away from the household dry vacuum cleaner which would be damaged if it took in water b) The set of tubes that screw together, screw onto the base unit and can have the cleaning head screwed onto the furthest tube from the base unit ensuring that the "tube tower" is stable and can be * accurately positioned for clearing gutters without damaging the property c) The cleaning head made in three sections, each section turns : through 60' enabling the end of the head to point in an infinite * * , . number of angles from 0 to 180. With obstructions at ground level the angle of the head has to be changed to ensure the whole width of the gutter is cleared, usually in one pass d) The cone that bends when pressed from the long side as in Figure 3 and does not give easily when pushed from either end enables the cone to fit into most of the shape of the gutter e) An optional strap that clips onto the base unit gives the user greater control over the tool when in use. Users of slight statue will need the strap to be able to lean the tool over ground floor obstructions.

The further over the tool is leant the greater the weight f) The optional wheel fixed to the cone at the bottom of the base unit allows the weight of the tool to be kept on the ground throughout clearing a whole length of gutter keeping the optimum clearing angle as they work g) The optional stabiliser which slips over one of the extension tubes allows taller buildings to have their gutters cleared from the ground without resorting to scaffolding or damaging the property h) An optional micro camera attached to the head allows the operator to see what debris is in their gutters prior to clearing and whether alternative attachments are required. It also shows when the gutters are clear and the operator can cease clearing.

All these features enable the householder to use their domestic dry vacuum cleaner to clear their rain gutters without leaving the ground and in a fraction of the time of existing methods. It also gives them an alternative of buying a wet/dry vacuum cleaner or employing a professional gutter clearing service.

2a. The base unit in la will be made of opaque plastic to enable the user to see the level of dirt/water collected. When the container is nearly full it must be emptied as the user will run the risk of forcing water into the pipe leading to the dry vacuum cleaner 2b. The base unit in I a will be made of light weight plastic to enable an average size adult to easily use the tool on their own 2c. The base unit in Ia will have a screw fitting to safely secure the extension tubes onto and ensure the tubes are air tight and stable to use 2d. The base unit in Ia has an inlet tube for the water and debris that is sucked from the gutters that directs it in a circular motion into the base of the unit. This uses the speed of the debris/water to move down the base unit pushing it away from the suction source at the top of the base unit : 2e. The base unit in Ia has a rubber fitting connector that tapers in from * * the outside to the inside of the base unit. This allows different sizes of * *** dry vacuum handle to be pushed into it and a secure seal is created 2f. The base unit in Ia has a tube that is sealed and air tight to the rubber * * * * fitting that extends to just short of the top of the base unit and draws air from the top of the unit away from the dirt/water being collected. This enables the dry vacuum cleaner to act as a vacuum source without the danger of becoming infected with the contents of the rain gutter 2g. The base unit in la has a rigid plastic cone on its base with the point facing away from the tool to enable the tool to be leant in any direction without damaging the base unit.

3a. The tubes in lb have fins running along the length of them which connect with a ring of the same height where the connector starts. This increases the rigidity of the tubes and therefore reduces their weight.

The lighter and more rigid the tubes the more controlled the tool is whilst clearing gutters. The ring at each connector ensures the maximum material contact at the joint stopping the joint from opening whilst in use and making the tool unstable 3b. The tubes in I b have a male screw fitting at one end and a female screw fitting at the other so that the tubes can be fitted together to create a tower of the necessary height to reach the rain gutters. The screw fitting ensure the tubes are as rigid as possible at the joints 3c. The tubes in I b have a lip extending a few millimetres around the tube at the base of the male connector to enable the stabiliser to sit up the tower of tubes and move freely around the tubes 3d. The tubes in lb are all the same size so that they fit together to create longer tubes of varying length.

4a. The outer two sections of the cleaning head in I c can be twisted to create an infinite number of angles between 0 and 180' so that the head is always at the optimum angle to clear the gutters productively 4b. The middle piece of the cleaning head in Ic has both its male connectors lined with rubber so they fit very tight against the female cormectors of the outer pieces to hold the desired angle in place while clearing 4c. The middle piece of the cleaning head in Ic has a raised lip on each male connector which fits tightly into channels in the female connectors of the other two pieces. This allows the two outer pieces to be twisted without them becoming detached and being lost many feet off the ground 5a. The cone in Id bends to fit different size gaps between roof tiles and rain gutter edges 5b The cone in id also bends to form the shape of the rain gutter to optimise the amount of dirt scraped away and reduces the number of times the tool has to be used on the same length of gutter 6a. The optional strap in le is sufficiently long to pass over a shoulder of the user and both ends clip onto the base unit allowing the user to accurately place the tool at the optimum angle to clean and clear gutters at higher heights and over bigger obstacles * 6b. The optional strap in le can be adjusted to suite the size of the user to * make it comfortable and ensure all sizes of users can be accommodated * * 7a. The optional wheel in if has sufficient give to allow smooth travel over rough ground so that the head can be kept stable and reduce the risk of damaging the gutters **. S..

8a. The optional stabiliser in ig is made of two hollow tubes attached to a ring that slips over the inter connecting tubes so that taller buildings can have their gutters cleared 8b. The optional stabiliser in 1 g rotates around the inter connecting tubes so that the tool can be rested against the building even when the side of the building is uneven such as when windows are encountered 8c. The optional stabiliser in Ig has rubber feet so that the building does not get damaged 9a. The optional camera in I h is attached to the head so that it faces wherever the cleaning cone is facing and allows the operator to always see what is happening whilst the gutters are being cleared 9b. The optional camera in 1 h carries its own power supply to save getting tangled in loose wires and speed up the erection and dissemble of the tool 9c. The optional camera in lh transmits pictures live to a monitor with the user wirelessly to save getting tangled in loose wires and speed up the erection and dissemble of the tool. * * * ** * * * * S.. S. * * * S. *

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Claims

Claims "The Giraffe" -Vacuum Cleaner Attachment: 1. An attachment to a domestic dry vacuum cleaner consisting of a. A base unit to collect the water and dirt into keeping it away from the household dry vacuum cleaner which would damage if it took in water b. A set of tubes that screw together, screw onto the base unit and can have the cleaning head screwed onto the furthest tube from the base unit c. A cleaning head made in three sections, each section turns through 60'.d. A cone that bends when pressed from the long side as in Figure 3 and does not give easily when pushed from either end e. An optional strap that clips onto the base unit f. An optional wheel fixed to the cone at the bottom of the base unit.The bracket of the wheel is fixed so that the wheel will only allow the tool to travel in two directions g. An optional stabiliser which slips over one of the extension tubes.It is used to steady the tubes whilst clearing a gutter and stands against the side of the house h. An optional micro camera attached to the head That will enable a householder to use their domestic dry vacuum cleaner to clear their rain gutters without leaving the ground and keeping the debris and water from the gutters in the tool so that the dry vacuum cleaner is not damaged.

2a. The base unit in Ia will be made of opaque plastic to enable the user to see the level of dirtlwater collected 2b. The base unit in la will be made of light weight plastic to enable an average size adult to easily use the tool on their own 2c. The base unit in Ia will have a screw fitting to safely secure the extension tubes onto 2d. The base unit in I a has an inlet tube for the water and debris that is * sucked from the gutters that directs it in a circular motion into the base : of the unit 0s** 2e. The base unit in la has a rubber fitting connector that tapers in from the outside to the inside of the base unit. This allows different sizes of * * dry vacuum handle to be pushed into it and a secure seal is created 2f. The base unit in Ia has a tube that is sealed and air tight to the rubber : fitting that extends to just short of the top of the base unit and draws air * from the top of the unit away from the dirt/water being collected 2g. The base unit in la has a rigid plastic cone on its base with the point *..: facing away from the tool * 3a. The tubes in lb have fins running along the length of them which connect with a ring of the same height where the connector starts 3b. The tubes in lb have a male screw fitting at one end and a female screw fitting at the other 3c. The tubes in lb have a lip extending a few millimetres around the tube at the base of the male connector 3d. The tubes in I b are all the same size so that they fit together to create longer tubes of varying length.4a. The outer two sections of the cleaning head in Ic can be twisted to create an infinite number of angles between 0 and l80 4b. The middle piece of the cleaning head in Ic has both its male connectors lined with rubber so they fit very tight against the female connectors of the outer pieces 4c. The middle piece of the cleaning head in ic has a raised lip on each male connector which fits tightly into channels in the female connectors of the other two pieces. This allows the two outer pieces to be twisted without them becoming detached 4d. The outer connectors of the whole cleaning head in Ic are both male connectors to fit the top of the tubes and take the cone female connector 5a. The cone in Id bends to fit different size gaps between roof tiles and rain gutter edges 5b The cone in Id also bends to form the shape of the rain gutter 5c. The cone in I d has a female screw fitting so that it can be attached to any tube within the tool.6a. The optional strap in I e is sufficiently long to pass over a shoulder of the user and both ends clip onto the base unit 6b. The optional strap in le can be adjusted to suite the size of the user.7a. The optional wheel in if has sufficient give to allow smooth travel over rough ground.8a. The optional stabiliser in ig is made of two hollow tubes attached to a ring that slips over the inter-connecting tubes.8b. The optional stabiliser in I g rotates around the inter connecting tubes 8c. The optional stabiliser in Ig has rubber feet so that the building does not get damaged . : 9a. The optional camera in lh is attached to the head so that it faces *eS.wherever the cleaning cone is facing 9b. The optional camera in I h carries its own power supply . : 9c. The optional camera in lh transmits pictures live to a monitor with the * user wirelessly.** ** S. * S S...SS..... S 5