Sweeper with pivotally mounted dust bin

• US 4,878,261 A
• Filed: 08/04/1988
• Issued: 11/07/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bissell Homecare, Inc. (Bissell Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bissell Inc.
• Inventors: Rosendall, Henry J.
• Primary Examiner(s): ROBERTS JR, EDWARD
• Application Number:
  US07/228,259
• Time in Patent Office: 460 Days
• Field of Search: 15/41 R-48 R, 15/49 C, 15/79 R, 15/79 A
• US Class Current: 15/41.1
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/33 having means for storing dirt
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4013 Contaminants collecting devices, i.e. hoppers, tanks or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4025 Means for emptying
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4041 Roll shaped surface treating tools
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4072 Arrangement of castors or wheels

Abstract

A floor sweeper for sweeping and collecting dirt and debris from a floor surface includes a rotative brush element and a cooperatively associated pivotal dust bin. The bin is pivotally mounted for movement between a generally horizontal operative position and a generally vertical dumping position. The bin further includes an opening along its forward wall which is adapted to receive the debris from the brush when the bin is in its operative position, and which is directed downwardly to release the debris when the bin is moved to its dumping position. To facilitate easy dumping and release of the debris contained within the bin, the housing is constructed with a stop face which permits the bin to be rocked about its vertical position and thereby knock against the housing to jar loose the debris contained therein and effect easy release thereof. To minimize the retention of the debris within the housing, the stop face is oriented such that the opening is continually directed downwardly through the entire rocking operation.

Claims

1. A floor sweeper comprising:

a housing;

a plurality of wheels rollingly supporting said housing on a floor surface;

a brush element rotatively mounted in said housing for sweeping debris from the floor surface;

a dust bin for receiving and collecting the debris swept up by said brush element, said dust bin including an opening through which the debris is passed into and out of said dust bin, said dust bin being pivotally mounted to said housing for movement between an operative position wherein said opening is positioned to receive within said dust bin the debris from said brush, and a dumping position wherein said opening is positioned downwardly to effect release of the debris contained therein;

a dust knocker stop fixed to said housing and oriented such that said dust bin can be rocked to repeatedly knock against said dust knocker stop when said dust bin is in said dumping position to dislodge any debris retained therein;

said dust bin and said dust knocker stop being oriented such that said dust bin opening be directed substantially downwardly throughout the knocking of said dust bin against said dust knocker stop;

said dust bin further being oriented in a substantially vertical orientation in said dumping position, wherein said dust bin is rocked only slightly from said vertical orientation when knocking said dust bin against said dust knocker stop, so that retention of the debris by walls defining said bin and said opening is minimized; and

said dust bin further being swung within a range of substantially twenty degrees to each side of a true vertical position when rocking said dust bin to knock against said dust knocker stop.

2. A floor sweeper comprising:

a housing;

a plurality of wheels rollingly supporting said housing on a floor surface;

a brush element rotatively mounted in said housing for sweeping debris from the floor surface;

a dust bin for receiving and collecting the debris swept up by said brush element, said dust bin including an opening through which the debris is passed into and out of said dust bin, said dust bin being pivotally mounted to said housing for movement between an operative position wherein said opening is positioned to receive within said dust bin the debris from said brush, and a dumping position wherein said opening is positioned downwardly to effect release of the debris contained therein;

a dust knocker stop fixed to said housing and oriented such that said dust bin can be rocked to repeatedly knock against said dust knocker stop when said dust bin is in said dumping position to dislodge any debris retained therein;

said dust bin and said dust knocker stop being oriented such that said dust bin opening is directed substantially downwardly throughout the knocking of said dust bin against said dust knocker stop;

said dust bin further being oriented in a substantially vertical orientation in said dumping position, wherein said dust bin is rocked only slightly from said vertical orientation when knocking said dust bin against said dust knocker stop, so that retention of the debris by walls defining said bin and said opening is minimized; and

said dust knocker stop further including a generally vertical stop face, and in which said dust bin further includes a top wall, wherein said top wall strikes said stop face to cause said knocking of said dust bin.

3. A floor sweeper comprising:

a housing;

a plurality of wheels rollingly supporting said housing on a floor surface;

a brush element rotatively mounted in said housing for sweeping debris from the floor surface;

a dust bin for receiving and collecting the debris swept up by said brush element, said dust bin including an opening through which the debris is passed into and out of said dust bin, said dust bin being pivotally mounted to said housing for movement between an operative position wherein said opening is positioned to receive within said dust bin the debris from said brush, and a dumping position wherein said opening is positioned downwardly to effect release of the debris contained therein;

a dust knocker stop fixed to said housing and oriented such that said dust bin can be rocked to repeatedly knock against said dust knocker stop when said dust bin is in said dumping position to dislodge any debris retained therein;

said dust bin and said dust knocker stop being oriented such that said dust bin opening is directed substantially downwardly throughout the knocking of said dust bin against said dust knocker stop;

said dust bin further being oriented in a substantially vertical orientation in said dumping position, wherein said dust bin is rocked only slightly from said vertical orientation when knocking said dust bin against said dust knocker stop, so that retention of the debris by walls defining said bin and said opening is minimized; and

said dust bin further including a projecting shaft and said housing further including a slot through which said shaft travels as said dust bin moves between said operative position and said dumping position, wherein said slot includes a pair of opposite ends, and wherein said shaft strikes said dust knocker stop defined by one of said ends of said slot to cause said knocking of said dust bin.

4. A floor sweeper comprising:

a housing;

a plurality of wheels rollingly supporting said housing on a floor surface;

a brush element rotatively mounted in said housing for sweeping debris from the floor surface;

a dust bin for receiving and collecting the debris swept up by said brush element, said dust bin including an opening through which the debris is passed into and out of said dust bin, said dust bin being pivotally mounted to said housing for movement between an operative position wherein said opening is positioned to receive within said dust bin the debris from said brush, and a dumping position wherein said opening is positioned downwardly to effect release of the debris contained therein;

a dust knocker stop fixed to said housing and oriented such that said dust bin can be rocked to repeatedly knock against said dust knocker stop when said dust bin is in said dumping position to dislodge any debris retained therein; and

said dust knocker stop further including a generally vertical stop face, and in which said dust bin further includes a top wall, wherein said top wall strikes said stop face to cause said knocking of said dust bin.

5. A floor sweeper comprising:

a housing;

a plurality of wheels rollingly supporting said housing on a floor surface;

a brush element rotatively mounted in said housing for sweeping debris from the floor surface;

a dust bin for receiving and collecting the debris swept up by said brush element, said dust bin including an opening through which the debris is passed into and out of said dust bin, said dust bin being pivotally mounted to said housing for movement between an operative position wherein said opening is positioned to receive within said dust bin the debris from said brush, and a dumping position wherein said opening is positioned downwardly to effect release of the debris contained therein;

a dust knocker stop fixed to said housing and oriented such that said dust bin can be rocked to repeatedly knock against said dust knocker stop when said dust bin is in said dumping position to dislodge any debris retained therein; and

said dust bin further including a projecting shaft and said housing further including a slot through which said shaft travels as said dust bin moves between said operative position and said dumping position, wherein said slot includes a pair of opposite ends, and wherein said shaft strikes said dust knocker stop defined by one of said ends of said slot to cause said knocking of said dust bin.

6. A floor sweeper comprising:

a housing;

a plurality of wheels rollingly supporting said housing on a floor surface;

a brush element rotatively mounted in said housing for sweeping debris from the floor surface;

a dust bin for receiving and collecting the debris swept up by said brush element, said dust bin including an opening through which the debris is passed into and out of said dust bin, said dust bin being pivotally mounted to said housing for movement between an operative position wherein said opening is positioned to receive within said dust bin the debris from said brush, and a dumping position wherein said opening is positioned downwardly to effect release of the debris contained therein;

a dust knocker stop fixed to said housing and oriented such that said dust bin can be rocked to repeatedly knock against said dust knocker stop when said dust bin is in said dumping position to dislodge any debris retained therein;

said floor sweeper further including a spring means acting between said housing and said dust bin for normally biasing said dust bin in said operative position;

said housing including a first abutment surface and said dust bin including a second abutment surface, wherein said first and second abutment surfaces abuttingly engage one another to accurately position said opening of said dust bin to receive the debris from said brush when said bin is in said operative position; and

said housing further including a top and bottom, and a cavity extending through said top and bottom of said housing, and in which said dust bin further includes a top wall, wherein said dust bin is received within said housing cavity such that said top wall of said dust bin is substantially aligned with said top of said housing when said dust bin is in said operative position to thereby form a top surface of said sweeper.

7. A floor sweeper comprising:

a housing;

a plurality of wheels rollingly supporting said housing on a floor surface;

a brush element rotatively mounted in said housing for sweeping debris from the floor surface;

a dust bin for receiving and collecting the debris swept up by said brush element, said dust bin including an opening through which the debris is passed into and out of said dust bin, said dust bin being pivotally mounted to said housing for movement between an operative position wherein said opening is positioned to receive within said dust bin the debris from said brush, and a dumping position wherein said opening is positioned downwardly to effect release of the debris contained therein;

a dust knocker stop fixed to said housing and oriented such that said dust bin can be rocked to repeatedly knock against said dust knocker stop when said dust bin is in said dumping position to dislodge any debris retained therein; and

said housing further including a top and bottom, and a cavity extending through said top and bottom of said housing, and in which said dust bin further includes a top wall, wherein said dust bin is substantially aligned with said top of said housing when said dust bin is in said operative position to thereby form a top surface of said sweeper.

8. A floor sweeper comprising:

a housing;

a plurality of wheels rollingly supporting said housing on a floor surface;

a brush element rotatively mounted in said housing for sweeping debris from the floor surface;

a dust bin for receiving and collecting the debris swept up by said brush element, said dust bin including an opening through which the debris is passed into and out of said dust bin, said dust bin being pivotally mounted to said housing for movement between an operative positive wherein said opening is positioned to receive within said dust bin the debris from said brush, and a dumping position wherein said opening is positioned downwardly to effect release of the debris contained therein;

a dust knocker stop fixed to said housing and oriented such that said dust bin can be rocked to repeatedly knock against said dust knocker stop when said dust bin is in said dumping position to dislodge any debris retained therein;

said housing further including a top and bottom, and a cavity extending through said top and bottom of said housing, and in which said dust bin further includes a top wall, wherein said dust bin is substantially aligned with said top of said housing when said dust bin is in said operative position to thereby form a top surface of said sweeper; and

said top of said housing mounts said dust knocker stop, wherein said top wall strikes said dust knocker stop to cause said knocking of said dust bin.

9. A floor sweeper comprising:

a housing;

a plurality of wheels rollingly supporting said housing on a floor surface;

a brush element rotatively mounted in said housing for sweeping debris from the floor surface;

a dust bin for receiving and collecting the debris swept up by said brush element, said dust bin including an opening through which the debris is passed into and out of said dust bin, said dust bin being pivotally mounted to said housing for movement between an operative position wherein said opening is positioned to receive within said dust bin the debris from said brush, and a dumping position wherein said opening is positioned downwardly to effect release of the debris contained therein;

a dust knocker stop fixed to said housing and oriented such that said dust bin can be rocked to repeatedly knock against said dust knocker stop when said dust bin is in said dumping position to dislodge any debris retained therein;

said housing further including a top and bottom, and a cavity extending through said top and bottom of said housing, and in which said dust bin further includes a top wall, wherein said dust bin is substantially aligned with said top of said housing when said dust bin is in said operative position to whereby form a top surface of said sweeper;

said dust bin further including a handle positioned above said housing to facilitate manual pivoting of said dust bin between said operative position and said dumping position.

10. A method for emptying debris from a dust bin of a floor sweeper, comprising:

providing a floor sweeper having a housing, a dust knocker stop fixed to said housing, a brush rotatably mounted to said housing for sweeping debris from a floor surface, and a dust bin pivotally mounted to said housing adjacent said brush, said dust bin further including an opening;

moving said floor sweeper across a floor surface such that said brush sweeps debris from the floor and deposits it through said opening and into said dust bin;

transporting the floor sweeper to a dumping location;

manually pivoting said dust bin such that said opening is directed generally downwardly;

rocking said dust bin so that it knocks against said dust knocker stop to loosen and dislodge the debris until the debris has been released from said dust bin; and

said provided dust knocker stop further including a stop face and said provided dust bin further including a top wall, and wherein said knocking of said dust bin includes striking said top wall against said stop face.

11. A method for emptying debris from a dust bin of a floor sweeper, comprising:

providing a floor sweeper having a housing, a dust knocker stop fixed to said housing, a brush rotatably mounted to said housing for sweeping debris from a floor surface, and a dust bin pivotally mounted to said housing adjacent said brush, said dust bin further including an opening;

moving said floor sweeper across a floor surface such that said brush sweeps debris from the floor and deposits it through said opening and into said dust bin;

transporting the floor sweeper to a dumping location;

manually pivoting said dust bin such that said opening is directed generally downwardly;

rocking said dust bin so that it knocks against said dust knocker stop to loosen and dislodge the debris until the debris has been released from said dust bin; and

said provided housing further including an arcuate slot having a pair of opposite ends and said provided dust bin further including a shaft which extends through said slot, and wherein said knocking of said dust bin includes striking said shaft against said dust knocker stop defined by one of said ends of said slot.