Manually-powered floor sweeper with vacuum port

• US 7,246,409 B2
• Filed: 09/26/2003
• Issued: 07/24/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Techtronic Floor Care Technology Limited (Techtronic Industries Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Oreck Holdings LLC (Techtronic Industries Company Limited)
• Inventors: Moshenrose, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Snider, Theresa T.
• Application Number:
  US10/672,481
• Publication Number:
  US 20050066467A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,397 Days
• Field of Search: 153/83, 153/84, 153/52, 153/88, 153/28, 153/31, 15/411, 15 42- 43, 15/46, 15/48, 15/491, 15/521, 152/462, 153/49, 153/34
• US Class Current: 15/384
• 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 11/4041 Roll shaped surface treating tools
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4075 Handles; levers
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4094 Accessories to be used in combination with conventional vacuum-cleaning devices
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0422 driven by the rotation of the supporting wheels on which the nozzle travels over the floor
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/045 Friction gearings

Abstract

A manually-powered floor sweeper is provided according to the invention. 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.

Claims

1. A manually-powered floor sweeper, comprising:

a chassis;

a handle attached to and extending from the chassis;

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 spaced apart from the handle, with the vacuum port communicating with the one or more agitator rollers and adapted to receive a removable vacuum hose, wherein debris picked up and propelled by the one or more agitator rollers is drawn out, independently from the handle, through the vacuum port, by a vacuum airflow, when the vacuum hose is introduced into the vacuum port.

2. The floor sweeper of claim 1, wherein the vacuum port further comprises a cover that blocks the vacuum port when placed in a closed position.

3. The floor sweeper of claim 1, further comprising one or more collection bins attached to the chassis and positioned to receive debris picked up and propelled by the one or more agitator rollers, wherein the vacuum port further communicates with the one or more collection bins and wherein debris held in the one or more collection bins is drawn out through the vacuum port when a vacuum is introduced into the vacuum port.

4. The floor sweeper of claim 1, wherein the vacuum port is further adapted to receive a vacuum cleaner hose.

5. The floor sweeper of claim 1, further comprising one or more collection bins removably attached to the chassis and positioned to receive debris picked up and propelled by the one or more agitator rollers, wherein the vacuum port further communicates with the one or more collection bins and wherein debris held in the one or more collection bins is drawn out through the vacuum port when a vacuum is introduced into the vacuum port.

6. A manually-powered floor sweeper, comprising:

a chassis and a handle;

one or more agitator rollers rotatably affixed to the chassis and rotated by movement of the floor sweeper;

one or more collection bins attached to the chassis and positioned to receive material picked up and propelled by the one or more agitator rollers; and

a vacuum port formed in the chassis and communicating with the one or more collection bins and adapted to receive a removable vacuum hose, wherein debris held in the one or more collection bins is drawn out through the vacuum port when a vacuum is introduced into the vacuum port; and

a cover that blocks the vacuum port when placed in a closed position.

7. The floor sweeper of claim 6, wherein the cover fits inside the vacuum port.

8. The floor sweeper of claim 6, wherein the vacuum port further communicates with the one or more agitator rollers and wherein 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.

9. The floor sweeper of claim 6, wherein the vacuum port is further adapted to receive a vacuum cleaner hose.

10. The floor sweeper of claim 6, wherein the one or more collection bins are removably attached to the chassis.

11. The floor sweeper of claim 6, wherein the one or more collection bins are formed in the chassis.

12. A method of forming a manually-powered floor sweeper, said method comprising:

providing a chassis;

providing a handle attached to and extending from the chassis;

providing one or more agitator rollers rotatably affixed to the chassis of the floor sweeper and rotated by movement of the floor sweeper; and

providing a vacuum port formed in the chassis and spaced apart from the handle, with the vacuum port communicating with the one or more agitator rollers and adapted to receive a removable vacuum hose, wherein debris picked up and propelled by the one or more agitator rollers is drawn out independently from the handle, through the vacuum port, by a vacuum airflow, when the vacuum hose is introduced into the vacuum port.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising providing a cover capable of closing the vacuum port in a closed position.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising providing one or more collection bins in the floor sweeper and positioned to receive material picked up and propelled by the one or more agitator rollers, and wherein the vacuum port further communicates with the one or more collection bins and wherein debris held in the one or more collection bins is drawn out through the vacuum port when a vacuum is introduced into the vacuum port.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the vacuum port is further adapted to receive a vacuum cleaner hose.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising providing one or more removably attached collection bins in the floor sweeper and positioned to receive material picked up and propelled by the one or more agitator rollers, and wherein the vacuum port further communicates with the one or more collection bins and wherein debris held in the one or more collection bins is drawn out through the vacuum port when a vacuum is introduced into the vacuum port.

17. A method of forming a manually-powered floor sweeper, said method comprising:

providing a chassis;

providing a handle attached to and extending from the chassis;

providing one or more collection bins formed in the chassis of the floor sweeper and positioned to receive material picked up or propelled by one or more agitator rollers; and

providing a vacuum port formed in the chassis and communicating with the one or more collection bins and adapted to receive a removable vacuum hose, wherein debris held in the one or more collection bins is drawn out through the vacuum port when a vacuum is introduced into the vacuum port; and

providing a cover that blocks the vacuum port when placed in a closed position.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the cover fits over the vacuum port.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising providing the one or more agitator rollers rotatably affixed to a chassis of the floor sweeper and rotated by movement of the floor sweeper, wherein the vacuum port further communicates with the one or more agitator rollers and wherein debris picked up by the one or more agitator rollers is drawn out through the vacuum port when a vacuum is introduced into the vacuum port.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the vacuum port is further adapted to receive a vacuum cleaner hose.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein the one or more collection bins are removably attached to the chassis.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein the one or more collection bins are formed in the chassis.