GB2485199A

GB2485199A - Bristled dustpan and groove cleaner arrangement

Info

Publication number: GB2485199A
Application number: GB1018668.2A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Carrie Lakeman
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2010-11-05
Filing date: 2010-11-05
Publication date: 2012-05-09
Anticipated expiration: 2030-11-05
Also published as: GB201018668D0; GB2485199B

Abstract

Dustpan (fig 5) comprises a handle 210, a dust receiving cavity 200 and a flat edge 202, on to which a bristle 204 may be placed, followed by elastomer foam strip 206. Sliding bristles 208 are mounted on to strip 206 and potentially angled by 45 degrees. Also disclosed is an associated handheld groove cleaner (fig 2) having scraper prongs 102 held by housing 100. Slots 104 accommodate sanding strips 106, and the gap between prongs 102 may be adjusted via adjusting means 108. The groove cleaner may be handheld by grip area 110. The intended use of these arrangements are for the cleaning and sanding of garden timber decking.

Description

Patent Application of Carrie Lakenan for Timber Decking Maintenance Apparatus

Background of the Invention

[1] The present invention relates to cleaning of garden timber decking.

[2] Means for sanding flat wood floors are known in the art as belt sanders or drum sanders.

[3] ON 201077020 to Zhicheng discloses a means for sanding a concave wood floor. The sander comprises a frame provided with a conveyor belt, a support arranged on the upper part of the conveyor belt, and two rolls respectively arranged on the two sides of the support, the rolls being provided with annular abrasive bands. A guide rail parallel with the two rolls is arranged between the rolls and inside the annular abrasive bands, which is provided with a slide-connected pressure grinder; and the pressure grinder is connected with a reciprocating swing device arranged on one side of the frame of the mounting bracket.

Thus a concave floor can be mechanically sanded effectively.

[4] Smaller sanders are also known in the art, to provide a smaller plane surface. For example, EP 2039468 to Wall discloses a belt sander comprising: a first roller; a second roller; a motor operationally coupled to the first roller to cause rotation thereof; a groove formed in the first roller; and a band within the groove, the band being in contact with a sanding belt of the belt sander during operation thereof and ccnfigured to impart dustpan and a groove cleaner. The dustpan comprises a dust receiving cavity; a substantially flat edge to the front of said cavity; a bristle holder for attachment to said edge; an elastomer foam strip; and sliding bristles mounted on said strip.

The groove cleaner comprises a multiplicity of scraper prongs; a multiplicity of sanding strips; and slots in said scraper prongs for receiving said sanding strips.

[9] An advantage of the present invention is that dirt can be efficiently cleaned out from the grooves of timber decking. A yet further advantage is that decking boards can be efficiently sanded to renew their finish. A further advantage is that the gaps between the scraper prongs and sanding strips can be adjusted to suit all designs of decking boards. A yet further advantage is that all dirt and dust cleaned out of the decking boards can be efficiently swept up using the spring-loaded bristles of the dustpan to create a profile matching that of the decking boards. A yet further advantage is that the angled bristle ends provide better contact of the bristles with the decking to enable more dust and dirt to be collected.

Brief Description of the Several Views of the Drawing [10] The invention can be better understood with reference to the following drawings, in which: [11] Figure 1 shows the groove cleaner of the present invention.

[12] Figure 2 shows the underside of the groove cleaner of the present invention.

[13] Figure 3 shows the dustpan of the present invention.

[14] Figure 4 shows a close-up of the dustpan with angled bristles.

motion of the first roller to the sanding belt for rotation of the sanding belt around the first roller and the second roller.

[5] Furthermore, means for collecting dust from a variety of surfaces are known in the art. For example JP 2009118686 to Teramoto discloses a dustpan foi sweeping both a flat surface and a groove. The dustpan includes a box-shaped dust receiving member having a large, opening on a first side and a smaller, groove-shaped opening on a second side. The dust receiving member is rotatably mounted to a handle such that in a first position, the large opening is in contact with the ground for sweeping flat surfaces, and in a second position, perpendicular to the first position, the smaller opening is in contact with the ground for sweeping out grooves of the same size as the groove-shaped openingS Brief Sununary of the Invention [6] A need has arisen for a means to both clean and sand timber garden decking. It can be seen from the forgoing that, while means are known in the art for sanding flat and concave surfaces, no means are available for cleaning or sanding a surface having the particular profile of timber decking.

Similarly a need has arisen for an apparatus for collecting dirt or dust collected from cleaning or sanding timber decking since common flat-edged dustpans are inadequate due to the grooved profile of timber decking.

[7] It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a means for cleaning and sanding timber decking, and for collecting the dirt and dust created from such cleaning and sanding.

[8] To this end, an apparatus for maintaining timber decking is disclosed comprising an automatically adjusting [15] Figure 5 shows an exploded view of the dustpan of the present invention.

Detailed Description of the Invention

[16] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, shown in Figures 1-4 wherein like numerals refer to like components, an apparatus for maintaining timber decking is disclosed comprising: a groove cleaner and an automatically adjusting dustpan.

[17) The groove cleaner is shown in Figures 1 and 2 and comprises: a multiplicity of scraper prongs 102 held in a housing 100; a multiplicity of sanding strips 106; and slots 104 in said scraper prongs for receiving said sanding strips. Preferably the groove cleaner further comprises means 108 for adjusting the gaps between said prongs; and a grip area 110 for holding the groove cleaner.

[18] The automatically adjusting dustpan is shown in Figures 3, 4 and 5 and comprises: a dust receiving cavity 200; a substantially flat edge 202 to the front of said cavity; a bristle holder 204 for attachment to said edge; an elastomer foam strip 206; and sliding bristles 208 mounted on said strip.

Preferably, the dustpan also comprises a handle.

[19] The groove cleaner shall now be described in more detail. The groove cleaner is preferably contained in a housing formed from a plastic or the like, and shaped as shown in Figure 1. Alternatively it may be other shapes, or there may be no housing and the scraper prongs may be attached together without a housing.

[20] Preferably, the scraper prongs are shaped as shown having at least one end sized and shaped to fit inside the grooves of standard timber decking and scrape dirt out therefrom.

The prongs preferably extend longitudinally as shown and comprise a slot along their length for holding sanding strips. Preferably the slot is centrally positioned, that is, aligned with the points of the prongs. Alternatively the strips may be gripped between the prongs or gripped by the housing, or be held in by some other means. An advantage of having the strips centrally held in the prongs is that by adjusting the gaps between the prongs, the gaps between the strips are also adjusted.

Furthermore, since the strips are held in the centre of the prong pieces, the user will not need to adjust the lateral position of the groove cleaner with respect to the timber decking when switching between scraping and sanding.

[21] The strips are strips of sandpaper as known in the art, which are preferably reinforced by mounting on compressed paper or card or other stiff material as known in the art. The strips preferably comprise sand paper on both sides although they may have one sandpaper side and one smooth side. Any grade or roughness of sandpaper may be used, or a multiplicity of grades may be provided to be interchangeably used. The slots are simply cavities shaped as shown in the figures for receiving the strips.

The strips preferably push-fit into the cavities although the slots may further comprise gripping means for securing the strips as known in the art.

{22J The means for adjusting the gaps between the prongs preferably comprises base mouldings 108 as shown which fit snugly beneath the prongs and hold them in place. Thus a user can remove the base mouldings, slide the prongs into the correct position manually within the housing, and replace the base mouldings, and the prongs will remain in place thereafter.

[23] Preferably, the grip area comprises an over-moulded TPE grip area shaped and fitted around the top of the housing as shown in the figures, although it may comprise a rubber mounding, a textured surface on the housing, other materials or may be a handle or the like as known in the art.

[24] The automatically adjusting dustpan will now be described in more detail. The dustpan is preferably shaped as a regular dustpan as known in the art, with a cavity shaped as shown, a substantially flat edge, and a handle for holding the dustpan, which may be any handle as known in the art. However, included in the scope of the invention is any dust receiving cavity to which is mounted the spring loaded bristles of the present invention.

[25] Preferably the bristle holder is shaped as shown and comprises flexible plastic that grips removably to said flat edge. Alternatively the bristle holder may be permanently attached to the flat edge or may attach thereto by any means.

[26] An elastomeric foam strip is mounted to the front of the bristle holder, and the bristles are slidably mounted on the foam strip. Thus the foam strip spring loads the bristles such that, when pressure is applied to a bristle, it pushes into the foam strip, and when the pressure is removed, the bristle slides out to align with the other unpressured bristles. In this way, when the dustpan is pushed against a non-flat surface such as timber decking, the bristles create a non-flat profile on the edge of the dustpan, matching the profile of the non-flat surface, which enables dust to be swept efficiently from the non-flat surface into the dustpan without escaping through gaps.

Using a regular flat-edged dustpan, dust would escape through gaps which would be present between the non-flat surface and the flat edge of such a dustpan.

[27] The bristles themselves preferably comprise nylon bristles as known in the art, although they may also comprise other stiff plastics or suitable materials. In a preferred embodiment, the ends of the bristles furthest from the dustpan 212 are cut at an angle, which is preferably an angle of 45° to the plane of the bristles although it may be another angle, to allow for better contact with the decking surface.

Claims

Claims 1. An apparatus for maintaining timber decking comprising an automatically adjusting dustpan comprising: a dust receiving cavity; a substantially flat edge to the front of said cavity; a bristle holder for attachment to said edge; an elastomer foam strip; and sliding bristles mounted on said strip.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a groove cleaner comprising: a multiplicity of scraper prongs; a multiplicity of sanding strips; and slots in said scraper prongs for receiving said sanding strips.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said groove cleaner further comprises means for adjusting the gaps between said prongs.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said sliding bristles comprise first ends projecting from said elastomer strip, wherein said first ends are angled with respect to the plane of the bristles.
5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said angle is 45°.B