1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to apparatus, method and system for providing a dusting attachment device, which is installed on a suction-type vacuum cleaner and functions to equalize air flow current while providing a favorable dusting or dislodging surface.
2. Background Information
Those references found in the process of a U.S. patent search, having some relation in the prior art to technology attempting to address dusting and cleaning functions, or marshalling of debris in relation to another cleaning assembly, of those references found, include United States Patents to Miller, U.S. Pat. No. 5,123,142; Hamilton, U.S. Pat. No. 2,198,339; Palomino, Jr., U.S. Pat. No. 5,074,008; Smith, Jr., U.S. Pat. No. 4,972,541; Farmer, U.S. Pat. No. 4,198,727; Sorenson, U.S. Pat. No. 5,692,263; El Omary, U.S. Pat. No. 5,115,765; and Na, U.S. Pat. No. 5,652,997.
Miller ""142 discloses a Vacuum Operated Cleaner Attachment. Disclosed therein is a cleaner attachment for use with a common vacuum cleaner having a group of duck feathers which are longitudinally arranged around half of its cylindrical tube. Miller""s tube has the same cross-section throughout its entire length. The tube has a side wall and an end wall, and communicates, as claimed, with a vacuum source through its hollow internal passageway. This reference teaches a special securing means in the form of a wire overlying the quills of its feathers and heat shrinkable material overlying the wire holding the feathers. The feathers are each secured at one basic location, only, on the tube, and face the same longitudinal direction. A mustering of openings, having no discernible or disclosed pattern are provided through the side wall of Miller""s tube member beneath the one-directional feathers. Specifically, as disclosed, illustrated or claimed; Miller""s tube-side wall openings are beneath the longitudinal feathers and are said to be directing air flow laterally through the feathers, where the openings communicate with the passageway within the tube and serve to distribute generally equalized lateral air flow directly through the area of the feathers into the portion of the tube beyond the points of attachment of the feathers.
Miller does not illustrate or claim a conical or pyramidal central core, a functional and discernible patterning of air channels, or the multiple and diverse connection sites of feathering members at interstitial spaces between air channels throughout the majority of perimeter or circumferential space available on a core member. Nor does Miller set forth any of the configurational arrays of feathering set forth by the present invention; only one longitudinal arrangement of straight duck feathers secured at one basic location only; and dimensioned at basically one quill diameter and length of feather.
Palomino ""008 discloses a Dust Mop Attachment For Vacuum Cleaners. In its broadest teaching Palomino discloses and claims a mop attachment to a nozzle of a vacuum cleaner, having no feathering, and no array or patterning, or plurality, of air channels between or amongst which feathering or a reasonable equivalent is attached. Rather, only, a mop having a frame member, a mop element with one centrally located hole for receiving a vacuum cleaner nozzle, and means for detachable securing the mop element to its frame member and for detachably securing the cleaner nozzle to the mop element. elements of the mop simply surround one basic air hole, in vast difference with the present invention, where a diversity and plurality of feather members are attached to interstitial areas between a plurality and array of air channels deployed about a cone-like or pyramid-like core unit.
The Hamilton ""339 reference issued in 1940 discloses simply a xe2x80x9cbrush,xe2x80x9d especially adapted for cleaning foreign matter from radiators, Venetian blinds and other such devices with parts difficult to reach for cleaning. The xe2x80x9cbrushxe2x80x9d is disclosed as being adaptable to a vacuum cleaner, and shaped in its main body for working between xe2x80x98slatsxe2x80x99 of Venetian blinds or within and about the various tubes of a radiator, to loosen or dislodge, with the force and structure of a xe2x80x9cbrush,xe2x80x9d the dirt and foreign matter encountered, for vacuum cleaning removal. For this purpose, Hamilton""s sole disclosure and claim address: xe2x80x9cA brush comprising an elongated hollow body having one end [its connecting end] reduced to form a neck for insertion into a suction hose and provided at the opposite end with an arcuate curvaturexe2x80x9d having an opening cut on a bias. Hamilton""s hollow body is xe2x80x9cof substantially elliptical shape in cross section to provide opposed edges and opposed convex walls,xe2x80x9d in almost opposite distinction to the structure of the present invention. The xe2x80x98Brushxe2x80x99 of this reference is further provided with openings on the brush body which are disclosed as essentially being two lengthwise oriented lines of openings, one on each of the body""s two opposed convex walls, as shown in cross-section in Hamilton""s FIG. 2 drawing. Also, Hamilton discloses and claims xe2x80x9ctufts of bristles secured on the edges and opposed convex walls of the [brush] body;xe2x80x9d rather than a circumferentially oriented array and patterning of a number of air apertures on each arced or planar surface, with an interstitially attached number of feathering components about all such areas of a conical or pyramidal core unit. Hamilton does not teach a plurality of air channels in a diverse or patterned array about its available spacing; and does not teach the placement of feathering, or even its own xe2x80x98brush bristles,xe2x80x99 in areas between such air apertures or holes (interstitial areas) on either of the two opposing elliptical faces that Hamilton does teach.
Smith ""541 discloses a feather duster having its own built-in fan assembly, dust catching assembly and turbulence-inducing gap. Disclosed is a xe2x80x9cmultiplicity of feathersxe2x80x9d each of which is attached at one end, only, of the device, pointing in one direction relative to the device; and without a positional or functional relationship to a patterning, array and plurality of air apertures about a core unit attachment, as in the case of the present invention.
The remaining references found appear to be of less significance than those discussed previously herein. They pertain to a baseboard duster for vacuum cleaners (""727); a delicate dusting vacuum tool having outer holes sunk within grooves and no feathering components or reasonable structural similarity or equivalent (""263); a flea blower vacuum for pets (""765); and an auxiliary suction tool for use in a vacuum cleaner (""997).
None of the references found in the prior art specifically illustrate or disclose the vacuum dusting attachment device of the present invention. Nor is the invention obvious in view of any of the prior art references listed. In addition, all of the relevant prior art heretofore known suffer from a number of disadvantages.
None of the prior art references adequately address the problem of marshaling dust and particle debris to a central body for suction and evacuation.
Also, the prior art has not provided an accurate and flexible feathering arrangement for efficiently dislodging dust and like particles, but relied upon hard or substantially inflexible bristles or one-direction, hard, feathering of one basic length and dimensioning, secured to point in only one direction, and secured at one location only or at limited locations on inferior designed core bodies.
Additionally, none of the prior art devices in this area of technology have employed any configuration, or dimensioning or sizing, of feathering, except those of conventional dusters utilized in the art without vacuum cleaning devices. Nor has the prior art addressed the utilization of conical or pyramidal core units, uniformly tapered from their base end to their apex end, providing a diverse patterning of air channels over about two-thirds (⅔""s) of its length, and at the tip area, or providing a plurality of feather attachment sites at the spaces between each of a number of air channels on all faces of a core unit, for greater equalization of air currents and their effects more closely to a work site being dusted or contacted for dislodging particles therat.
Further, none of the prior art devices appear to have a central body or core which is constructed of malleable and flexible soft metal, alloy, polymer or composite; and which can be dimensionally adjusted by virtue of such construction materials, while retaining structural and positional integrity.
These and other disadvantages, structurally and functionally, of the prior art, will become apparent in reviewing the remainder of the present specification, claims and drawings.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a substantially improved dusting attachment device for use in interaction with a vacuum cleaner, vacuum/suction cleaning means or system, or blowing cleaner, or vacuum, system; having improved air-equalizing and particle or dust dislodging features.
In this regard it is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved conical or pyramidally configured and shaped core unit, tapering from its base end to its apex end and having improved positioning, patterning and dimensioning of air apertures; and improved feathering means, of a number of novel and improved configurations and dimensioning, with individual feather components attached to to its novel core unit at locations between the air apertures throughout about two-thirds (⅔""s) of the core""s available overall spacing or length.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a dusting attachment device having a core unit which is fabricated of soft, malleable and flexible metals, metal alloys, polymers, composite wood or metal-polymer materials, and positionable fabric material; each having positional integrity as adjusted or fitted; for ease in fitting, and size or dimensioning adjustment, in interaction with various cleaning system lines; and for simplicity and cost effectiveness in manufacturing and constructing the present invention. Yet a further related object, in this regard, is to provide cost effectiveness in the manufacturing process in utilizing many more diverse types and sizes of feathering and the convenient, efficient and inexpensive means of attaching the invention""s feather components in spacing between its air apertures by means of utilizing a diverse number of conventionally available glues, cements, polymers, caulks or like fluids.
It will, therefore, be understood that substantial and distinguishable structural and functional advantages are realized in the present invention over the prior art devices; and that the present invention""s simplicity and diversity of structure, diverse utility, and broad functional applications serve as important bases of novelty and distinction in this regard.
The foregoing and other objects of the invention can be achieved with the present invention, device, system and method which is a dusting attachment device for use in interaction with a cleaning system having a suction or blowing means and an line in communication therewith. The invention is provided with a core unit having apex and base ends and first, second and third portions therebetween, respectively, from the apex end to the base end, the core unit defining therewithin an air channel extending from the apex end, where it is enclosed thereat, to the base end, where it extends therethrough, and defining by virtue thereof an inboard surface adjacent to the air channel and an outboard surface spaced from the inboard surface. The apex end and the first and second portions of the core unit further define, in a patterning throughout a plurality of air apertures, extending through the outboard and inboard surfaces, and defining solid interstitial space portions between each of the air apertures on the apex end and on each of the outboard and inboard surfaces.
The invention is further provided with feathering means being fixedly attached to the solid interstitial space portions of the outboard surface of the apex end and the first and second portions of the core unit, the feathering means defining a configurational shape.
The dusting attachment can, therefore, be installed along the air channel of the base end, at the third portion of the core unit, in interaction with a line in communication with a suction or blowing means of a cleaning system, for functional use in equalizing the suction or blowing area between the apex end, the second portion and adjacent areas of the core unit, while dislodging dirt, dust, particles or debris in a work area.