Dustpan with a latching mechanism

Abstract

A dustpan has a dustpan receptacle, a handle and a novel latching mechanism, which enables the dustpan receptacle to be latched in a horizontal position for a waste pick up and unlatched by hand or foot in a vertically extended position for a direct waste disposal and easier storage. The novel latching mechanism has two latching members interacting with each other and connecting the dustpan receptacle to the handle. Compared to dustpans in the prior art, the present dustpan is less fatiguing to use, and easier to construct and repair.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to waste receptacles, and more particularly to dustpans used for picking up debris.

The present invention relates to a dustpan of the type having a latching mechanism enabling a dustpan receptacle to have two positions: a latched horizontal position and an unlatched vertical position.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

Dustpans of the general type described herein and known in the prior art have a receptacle portion pivotally mounted and hooked to a handle. Dustpans in the prior art are usually unhooked by exerting downward pressure on the handle. The main disadvantage of those dustpans is that when the handle of the unhooked receptacle is lifted, the receptacle rotates to a position of axial alignment with the shaft preventing the waste from falling out and thus necessitating the manual movement of the receptacle to dispose the waste.

Some dustpans known in the prior art are capable of being unhooked to assume a vertically extended position. However, such dustpans require a mechanism located within the handle. As a result, it is more difficult to make and repair them.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention solves the problems in the prior art by providing a novel latching mechanism comprising two latching members interfacing each other and connecting the dustpan receptacle to the handle, which enables the dustpan receptacle to have two positions: a latched horizontal position for a waste pick up and an unlatched vertical position for a direct waste disposal into trashcans.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved dustpan with a simplified operational mode so that it is less fatiguing to the user.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved dustpan with a simplified construction and repair mode.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from reading the following detailed description of the invention and the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of the dustpan in its unlatched vertical position.

FIG. 2 is a rear elevational view of the dustpan in its unlatched horizontal position.

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the dustpan in its unlatched horizontal position.

FIG. 4 is an exploded, fragmentary, front elevational view of the latching mechanism.

FIG. 5 is an exploded, fragmentary, rear elevational view of the latching mechanism.

FIG. 6 is a front elevational view of the dustpan in its latched position.

FIG. 7 is a rear elevational view of the dustpan receptacle.

FIG. 8 is a front elevational view of the handle.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

With reference to the drawings, in particular to FIGS. 1-8 thereof, the present invention, a dustpan with a novel latching mechanism, denoted by reference numeral 1 will be described. A dustpan 1 is shown comprising a dustpan receptacle 2, a handle 3 and a latching mechanism 4 consisting of two members: an upper latching member 5 and a lower latching member 6. The handle 3 is connected to the upper latching member 5 and the lower latching member 6. The dustpan receptacle 2 is connected to the lower latching member 6 by a pivotal connection 7. The upper latching member 5 and the lower latching member 6 are connected and interface each other. The handle 3 has a lower end 8 and an upper end 8a.

The upper latching member 5 has a first latching interface 9 (considered to be the front surface of the upper latching member 5) and a back surface 10 and consists of a plate 11, and an open ended hollow rod 12 for accepting a part of the handle 3. The plate 11 has a top edge 13, a bottom edge 14, and two spaced apart parallel and equal side edges 15. The plate has a rectangular form where the top edge 13 and the bottom edge 14 have equal lengths, which are smaller than the length of the side edges 15. The plate 11 can have a different geometric form.

The hollow rod 12 is attached to the first latching interface 9 of the upper latching member 5) so that more than a half of the hollow rod 12 raises above the top edge 13. There are two pointed protrusions 16, one on each side of the hollow rod 12. The pointed protrusions 16 can be in the form of ramps or right angle triangles where the right angle is aligned with the angle formed between the hollow rod 12 and the top edge 13 of the plate 11. The first latching interface 9 also contains two spaced apart parallel protrusions 17, located equidistantly from the centerline of the plate 11 and near the bottom edge 14 and the side edges 15. The protrusions 16 are columnar and have a cross section in the form of an equilateral triangle. One side of the equilateral triangle is parallel to the top edge 13 and the bottom edge 14 of the plate 11, the second side of the equilateral triangle is parallel to the side edges 15 of the plate 11, and the third side of the equilateral triangle forms an angle of approximately 45° with a line parallel to the top edge 13 and the bottom edge 14 of the plate 11. The protrusions can have a cross section with other geometric forms. The back surface 10 has an indented protrusion 18 for accepting the handle of another cleaning tool such as a broom. Also the indented protrusion 18 is used to accept one's fingers or foot to exert a downward pressure in order to unlatch the dustpan 1.

The second latching member 6 has a second latching interface 19 (considered to be the back surface of the upper latching member 6) and a front surface 20 and consists of a main body 21 and two spaced apart parallel channels 22 which become hooks 23 facing the latching surface of the second latching member 6. Each hook 23 has a lowest part 23a and a tip 23b. The main body has a top edge 24, a bottom edge 25 and two spaced apart parallel and equal side edges 26. The length of top edge 24 is approximately equal to the length of the bottom edge 25 but greater than the length of the side edges 26. The two channels 22 are located equidistantly from the centerline of the main body 21 so that there is a space between the channels 22 for a circular protrusion 27 adapted to accept the handle 3. The circular protrusion 27 can be substituted with a circular indentation.

Each of the two channels 22 has a top wall 28 and two spaced apart parallel side walls 29. The inner of the two side walls 29 faces the handle 3 and starts at the top edge 24 of the main body 21. The outer of the two side walls 29 is longer allowing for its upward and subsequent downward extensions and a termination in the form of a hook 22 facing the second latching interface 19 of the lower latching member 6. The main body 21 of the lower latching member 6 is pivotally connected with the dustpan receptacle 2. The pivotal connection 7 consists of two slots 30 located at the center and near the bottom edge 25 of the main body 21, and pivotal protrusions 31 located on the dustpan receptacle 2. The pivotal connection can consists of other types of pivotal connection known in the art. The latching surface of the lower latching member further contains two arcuate protrusions 32 located near the bottom edge 25 of the main body 21 of the lower latching member 6, and equidistantly from the centerline of the main body 21.

The dustpan receptacle 2 consists of a top wall 33, a bottom wall 34, back wall 35 and a pair of spaced apart parallel side walls 36. The back wall 35 has an opening 37, which is located centrally and has a width equal to the distance between the tips of the hooks 22 of the upper latching member 5. The opening 37 starts at said bottom wall 34 at a place for a pivotal connection 7, and continues through said back wall 35 and said top wall 33. The back wall 35 has two parallel slots 38 each of them located on each side of the opening 37. The top wall 33 has two parallel protruding edges 39 on each side of the opening 37 and facing the bottom wall 34. The bottom wall 34 can have a blade portion 40 for the easier pick up of the waste and a shoulder 41 for preventing the waste from slipping out of the dustpan receptacle 2 once it has been swept in. The shoulder 41 is located near the blade portion 40 and consists of a part of the bottom wall 34, which is raised above the remaining part of the bottom wall 34. The top wall 33 of the dustpan receptacle terminates with a broom cleaning edge 42.

The dustpan 1 contains a spring 43 wrapped around the lower end 8 of the handle 3 and located between said hollow rod 12 of the upper latching member 5 and the accepting circular protrusion 27 of the lower latching member 6.

The handle 3 can have an opening 44 or a hook for suspending the dustpan 1, an ergonomically shaped handle 45 making the use easier and less fatiguing and an indented protrusion 46 for accepting another cleaning tool such as a broom. The handle 3 can be elongated for cleaning floors without the necessity to bend over, or shortened for cleaning raised surfaces such as tables, desks and others. The handle 3 can be hollow as to accept other cleaning tools such as brooms, dusters and others.

FIG. 1 shows the dustpan 1 in its unlatched vertical position, which is utilized to comfortably discharge the waste directly into trashcans, to attach an additional cleaning tool such as a broom and to easily store it. FIG. 1 shows that the upper latching member 5 is connected to the lower latching member 6 through an interaction between the latching interface 9 of the upper latching member 5 and the latching interface 19 of the lower latching member 6. The protrusions 17 of the upper latching member 5 fit into the channels 22 of the lower latching member 6.

In order to use the dustpan 1 for a waste pickup, one has to latch the hooks 23 of the lower latching member 6 onto the two parallel protruding edges 39 of the top wall 33 of the dustpan receptacle 2 as shown on FIG. 2 depicting the dustpan 1 in its latched horizontal position. The distance between the lowest parts 23a of the hooks 23 is slightly smaller than the width of the opening 37 on the top wall 33 of the dustpan receptacle 2. The distance between the tips 23b of the hooks 23 is slightly greater that width of the opening 37 on the top wall 33 of the dustpan receptacle 2. These distance differences allow the hooks 23 to slide into the opening 37 and to hook onto the protruding edges 39 of the top wall 33. Furthermore, the two arcuate protrusions 32 on the second latching interface 19 of the lower latching member 6 fit into the slots 38 of the dustpan receptacle 2 preventing the movement of the latching mechanism and resulting in a more stable latched dustpan. The dustpan receptacle 2 is moved about its pivotal connection 7 so that the dustpan receptacle 2 is perpendicular to the handle. The latching of the dustpan 2 does not require any pressure but only the movement of the dustpan receptacle to its horizontal position.

To unlatch the dustpan 1, one has to exert downward pressure on the upper latching member 5 so that the spring 43 is being pressed downward and reduced in length. As a result, each of the protrusions 17 slides into each of the channels 22 of the lower latching member 6 in a downward direction, each of the pointed protrusions 16 of the upper latching member 5 fit between each of the channels 22 of the lower latching member 6 and the handle 3 resulting in flexing the channels 22 and hooks 23 away from the protruding edges 39 and disengaging and unlatching the hooks 23. As a result of this disengagement, the weight of the dustpan receptacle 2 causes a pivotal traverse and provides for its discharge and achieving a storage position. The subsequent release of the upper latching member 5 causes the return of the upper latching member 5 to its original position under spring urgency.

From the above description, it should be readily appreciated that the dustpan substantially simplifies the dustpan's operational, construction and repair mode. A latitude of modifications and substitutions is intended. As a result, the appended claims should be construed broadly in a manner consistent with the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A dustpan comprising

a dustpan receptacle;

a handle;

a latching mechanism comprising an upper latching member having a first latching interface and a lower latching member having a second latching interface, said handle being connected to said dustpan receptacle by said latching mechanism, said lower latching member being pivotally connected to and adapted to hook to said dustpan receptacle, and said first latching interface being connected to said second latching interface.

2. The dustpan as claimed in claim 1, wherein said handle is connected to said upper latching member and said lower latching member.

3. The dustpan as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first latching interface has a ramp, said second latching interface has a hook, and said ramp is adapted to unlatch said hook.

4. The dustpan as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first latching interface has two ramps and said second latching interface has two hooks, said ramps being adapted to slide between and unlatch said hooks.

5. The dustpan as claimed in claim 4, wherein said upper latching member further contains a hollow cylinder for accepting said handle, said ramps being located on each side of said hollow cylinder.

6. The dustpan as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first latching interface includes two parallel protrusions, said protrusions being adapted to fit into channels on said lower latching member.

7. The dustpan as claimed in claim 6, wherein said protrusions are columns.

8. The dustpan as claimed in claim 7, wherein said columns have a triangular cross section.

9. The dustpan as claimed in claim 1, wherein said upper latching member has a member for receiving one of user's foot, user's fingers and a broom's handle.

10. The dustpan as claimed in claim 1, wherein said dustpan receptacle is cable of having a latched horizontal position and unlatched vertical position.

11. The dustpan as claimed in claim 1, wherein said dustpan receptacle is capable of being unlatched by hand so that one can easily discard the content of said dustpan receptacle directly into a trashcan.

12. The dustpan as claimed in claim 1, wherein the dustpan receptacle is capable of being unlatched by foot.

13. The dustpan as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a spring, said spring being wrapped around said handle and located between said upper latching member and said lower latching member.

15. The dustpan as claimed in claim 1, wherein said handle is one of a short handle and a long handle.

16. The dustpan as claimed in claim 1, wherein said handle is a hollow rod for accepting an additional cleaning tool.

17. The dustpan as claimed in claim 1, wherein said handle has one of a hook or slot for suspending said handle.

18. The dustpan as claimed in claim 1, wherein said handle has an indentation for accepting another cleaning member such as a broom.

19. The dustpan as claimed in claim 1, wherein said dustpan receptacle has a broom-cleaning edge.

20. The dustpan as claimed in claim 1, wherein said dustpan receptacle has a front blade portion and a shoulder, said shoulder being slightly raised so that received debris would not slide back from the receptacle.