Broom and dustpan combination and kit for use in constructing the same

• US 20040134803A1
• Filed: 01/10/2003
• Published: 07/15/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Butler Home Products LLC (Bradshaw International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Butler Home Products LLC (Bradshaw International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Dunn, Thomas, Michelson, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 6,902,060 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 206/223
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 15/0055 Brushes combined with other articles normally separate from the brushing process, e.g. combs, razors, mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 15/0061 with a container for accessories, e.g. pills, polish, condoms, cells A46B11/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 15/0091 Container, e.g. bag or box with a collection of various devices
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 2200/302 Broom
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 13/51 Storing of cleaning tools, e.g. containers therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 13/52 Dust pans; Crumb trays

Abstract

A kit includes the combination of an stand-up dustpan having a length of approximately 107.5 cm and a less than full-sized broom having a length of approximately 84.8 cm. The floor cleaning kit also includes an enclosed box-shaped container shaped to define an interior cavity into which the dustpan and broom, when they are disassembled, can be disposed, the container having a length of approximately 36.8 cm, a width of approximately 32.6 cm and a depth of approximately 10.9 cm. Each of the dustpan and the broom includes a handle comprising at least two independent sections which are adapted to be coupled together. The container includes a rear panel, a front panel, a pair of side panels, a top panel and a bottom panel which together define the enclosed interior cavity. The container additionally includes a partition which at least partially subdivides the enclosed interior cavity into an upper chamber and a lower chamber.

Claims

1. A kit comprising:

(a) a dustpan base member;

(b) a plurality of separate handle sections adapted to be joined together to form a dustpan handle, said dustpan handle being adapted to be joined to said dustpan base member; and

(c) a container, said container being shaped to define an interior cavity, said interior cavity being dimensioned to contain said dustpan base member and said separate handle sections.

2. The kit of claim 1 wherein said dustpan handle comprises a first section having a first end and a second end, and a second section having a first end and a second end, the first end of the second section being coupled to the second end of the first section.

3. The kit of claim 2 wherein said dustpan handle further comprises a third section, said third section having a first end and a second end, the first end of the third section being coupled to the second end of the second section.

4. The kit of claim 2 wherein a first connector is formed on the second end of the first section and a second connector is formed on the first end of the second section, said second connector being adapted to engage the first connector.

5. The kit of claim 4 wherein one of said first connector and said second connector is in the form of a male connector which includes an elongated shaft and a threaded shaft formed onto one end of said elongated shaft.

6. The kit of claim 5 wherein said elongated shaft is approximately 3.0 cm in length and said threaded shaft is approximately 1.5 cm in length.

7. The kit of claim 3 wherein each of said first, second and third sections is in the form of a hollow, cylindrical tube which is constructed of steel and which has a diameter of approximately 2.2 cm.

8. The kit of claim 2 wherein the dustpan handle has an overall length of approximately 83.6 cm.

9. The kit of claim 2 wherein said base member comprises (i) a bottom panel, (ii) a pair of spaced apart side panels which protrude up from opposite sides of said bottom panel, (iii) a back panel which extends between said side panels along the rear edge of said bottom panel, and (iv) a top panel which extends laterally across the top of said pair of side panels in a spaced apart, substantially parallel relationship with said bottom panel, said bottom panel, said pair of side panels, said back panel and said top panel together at least partially defining an interior cavity for said base member, the interior cavity for said base member being accessible through an open front end, said kit further comprising a cover pivotally coupled to said base member, said cover being sized and shaped to selectively enclose the open front end thereof.

10. The kit of claim 9 further comprising a pair of fasteners for pivotally coupling said cover to said base member.

11. The kit of claim 10 wherein each fastener is coupled to said cover and is adapted to engage the inner surface of a corresponding side panel of said base member.

12. The kit of claim 1 further comprising a broom head and a plurality of separate broom handle sections, said broom head and said separate broom handle sections being disposed within said container, said separate broom handle sections being adapted to be joined together to form a broom handle, said broom handle being adapted to be joined to said broom head.

13. The kit of claim 12 wherein said broom handle comprises

(a) a first section, said first section having a first end and a second end, the first end of the first section being adapted to be coupled to said broom head, and

(b) a second section, said second section having a first end and a second end, the first end of the second section being adapted to be coupled to the second end of the first section.

14. The kit of claim 13 wherein said broom handle further comprises a third section having a first end and a second end, the first end of the third section of the broom handle being adapted to be coupled to the second end of the second section of the broom handle.

15. The kit of claim 14 wherein the broom handle has an overall length of approximately 77.4 cm.

16. The kit of claim 13 wherein said container comprises a partition which at least partially subdivides the interior cavity defined by said container into an upper chamber and a lower chamber.

17. The kit of claim 13 wherein said container is formed from a single-piece corrugated paperboard blank.

18. The kit of claim 13 wherein said container comprises,

(a) a rear panel, a right side panel, a front panel, and a left side panel foldably connected together to form a box-shaped container having an open top and an open bottom,

(b) a bottom panel foldably connected to said front panel, said bottom panel being sized and shaped to close the open bottom when folded,

(c) a top panel foldably connected to said front panel, said top panel being sized and shaped to close the open top when folded, and

(d) a rear support panel foldably connected to said rear panel, a partition foldably connected to said rear support panel, and a front support panel foldably connected to said partition, said partition being sized and shaped to at least partially subdivide the interior cavity defined by said container when said rear support panel, said partition and said front support panel are folded.

19. The kit of claim 18 wherein said rear panel is wider than said partition.

20. The kit of claim 19 wherein an elongated slot is formed into said partition.

21. The kit of claim 20 wherein said container further comprises a rear support flap foldably connected to said rear panel, a dustpan support panel foldably connected to said rear support flap, a broom support panel foldably connected to said dustpan support panel, and a front support flap foldably connected to said broom support panel.

22. The kit of claim 21 wherein said dustpan support panel is shaped to define a slot which is sized and shaped to receive a portion of said base member.

23. The kit of claim 22 wherein said broom support is shaped to define a slot which is sized and shaped to receive a portion of said broom head.

24. The kit of claim 13 wherein said container has a length of approximately 36.8 cm, a width of approximately 32.6 cm, and a depth of approximately 10.9 cm.

25. A stand-up dustpan comprising:

(a) a dustpan base member; and

(b) a plurality of separate handle sections joined together to form a dustpan handle, said dustpan handle being joined to said dustpan base member.

26. The stand-up dustpan as claimed in claim 25 wherein said dustpan handle comprises three separate handle sections.

27. The stand-up dustpan as claimed in claim 26 wherein said dustpan handle is a generally pole-shaped member having a length of about 80-85 cm.

28. A broom comprising:

(a) a broom head; and

(b) a plurality of separate handle sections joined together to form a broom handle, said broom handle being joined to said broom head.

29. The broom as claimed in claim 28 wherein said broom handle comprises three separate handle sections.

30. The broom as claimed in claim 29 wherein broom handle is a generally pole-shaped member having a length of about 75-80 cm.

31. The broom as claimed in claim 28 wherein said broom head is adapted for pivotal movement relative to said broom handle.