Portable dusting tool

Abstract

There is provided a non-scrubbing dusting tool for cleaning the exposed surface of a digital camera sensor lens in a recessed digital camera sensor chamber. The dusting tool comprises a dust brush having an elongated shank with a tuft of bristles having electrostatic charge built up therein at one end, and a handle at the other end. The tuft of bristles is V-shape and its free end tips are bevelled, for best performance. The duster is sized to adjustably fit inside the digital camera sensor chamber in such a fashion that the bristles leading edge tips will be able to reach all of the exposed surface of the camera sensor lens while avoiding contaminating contact with the camera sensor chamber. In an operative sensor lens cleaning condition of the dusting tool, the dust brush remains motionless relative to the handle while the dusting tool bristles leading edge tips are manually swept over the camera sensor lens to be cleaned. When the dusting tool is not in use, a rotating motor may spin the dust brush so that the bristles fan out under centrifugal force, so as to remove dust collected by the bristles during cleaning operations.

1 . A non-scrubbing dusting tool for cleaning the exposed surface of a digital camera sensor lens in a recessed digital camera sensor chamber, said dusting tool comprising:
 a) a duster member defining an elongated shank having opposite one and another end, a tuft of bristles having electrostatic charge built up therein, and first connector means directly coupling said tuft of bristles to said shank one end;   b) a handle; and   c) second connector means directly coupling said handle to said shank another end;   
       wherein each of said bristles define a corresponding leading edge tip opposite said shank, said leading edge tips for operative engagement with the sensor lens; 
       wherein said duster member is sized to adjustably fit inside the camera sensor chamber in such a fashion that said bristles leading edge tips will be able to reach all of the exposed surface of the camera sensor lens while avoiding contaminating contact with the camera sensor chamber; and 
       wherein in an operative sensor lens cleaning condition of said dusting tool, said duster member remains motionless relative to said handle while said dusting tool bristles leading edge tips are manually swept over the camera sensor lens to be cleaned. 
     
     
         2 . A dusting tool as in  claim 1 ,
 further including a selectively activated duster actuator, fixedly mounted to said handle and rotatably mounted to said shank, said actuator operating only when said dusting tool is not cleaning the sensor lens;   wherein once said electrostatic charge of said tuft of bristles has been depleted, said electrostatic charge thereof is recharged while concurrently removing dust collected by said bristles by bringing said duster tool to an inoperative sensor lens cleaning condition away from the camera sensor chamber and with said actuator being powered to power rotate said shank, wherein said bristles will fan out radially under centrifugal forces.   
     
     
         3 . A dusting tool as in  claim 2 ,
 wherein said actuator is lodged into a cavity made into said handle.   
     
     
         4 . A dusting tool as in  claim 2 ,
 wherein said first connector means consists of a tubular element, integral to said shank one end and defining a flattened mouth portion opposite said shank one end, said tuft of bristles defining an inner end portion frictionally taken in sandwich within said tubular element flattened mouth portion.   
     
     
         5 . A dusting tool as in  claim 2 ,
 wherein said tubular element flattened mouth portion further defines a pair of opposite notches, said notches engaged by registering bristles from said tuft of bristles, wherein said tuft of bristles form a V-shape in said operative lens cleaning condition of said dusting tool, said V-shape providing enhanced lens cleaning capabilities.   
     
     
         6 . A dusting tool as in  claim 5 ,
 wherein said bristles are made from polyamide.   
     
     
         7 . A dusting tool as in  claim 5 ,
 wherein each of said bristles has a thickness with the range of 40 to 60 micrometers and are tapered at their leading edge tip portion.   
     
     
         8 . A dusting tool as in  claim 2 ,
 wherein said electrostatic charge build up of said bristles enables attraction of macroscopic particles up to 14 millimeters in total length.   
     
     
         9 . A dusting tool as in  claim 2 ,
 wherein said electrostatic charge build up of said bristles enables attraction of macroscopic particles down to 1 micrometer in total length.   
     
     
         10 . A method of use of a dusting tool for cleaning the exposed surface of a camera sensor lens in a recessed digital camera sensor chamber while avoiding contaminating contact with the side walls of the camera sensor chamber, the method comprising the following steps:
 a) providing a non-scrubbing duster member defining an elongated shank having opposite one and another ends, a tuft of bristles having electrostatic charge built up therein and first connector means directly coupling said tuft of bristles to said shank one end; a handle; and second connector means directly coupling said handle to said shank another end, with each of said bristles defining a corresponding leading edge tip opposite said shank;   b) engaging said duster member inside the camera sensor chamber;   c) operatively engaging said bristles leading edge tips onto the exposed surface of the camera sensor lens;   d) manually sweeping said dusting tool bristles leading edge tips over the full exposed surface of the camera sensor lens including the peripheral edge portion thereof but excluding contaminating contact with the side walls of the camera sensor chamber, while said duster member remains motionless relative to said handle.   
     
     
         11 . A method of use of a dusting tool as in  claim 10 ,
 wherein in step (a), the electrostatic charge build-up is imparted to said bristles by applying a chemical to said bristles.   
     
     
         12 . A method of use of a dusting tool as in  claim 10 ,
 wherein in step (a), the electrostatic charge build-up is imparted to said bristles by applying an ionization treatment to said bristles.   
     
     
         13 . A method of use of a dusting tool as in  claim 10 ,
 further including the steps of:   e) providing a selectively activated duster actuator, fixedly mounted to said handle and rotatably mounted to said shank;   g) depleting said electrostatic charge of said tuft of bristles following said sweeping action of said dusting tool bristles leading edge tips;   h) bringing said duster tool to an inoperative sensor lens cleaning condition and away from the camera sensor chamber; and   i) powering said actuator wherein said shank is power rotated and said bristles are brought to fan out radially under centrifugal forces leading to recharging of said electrostatic charge of said bristles while concurrently removing dust collected by said bristles during said manual sweeping step.   
     
     
         14 . A method of use as in  claim 10 ,
 wherein in step (c), said operative engagement of the bristles leading edge tips includes the step of non-contacting sweeping action over the exposed surface of camera sensor lens in closely spaced fashion relative thereto.   
     
     
         15 . A method of use as in  claim 10 ,
 wherein in step (c), said operative engagement of the bristles leading edge tips includes the step of direct contacting sweeping action against the exposed surface of camera sensor lens.   
     
     
         16 . In combination,
 a digital camera having a recessed camera sensor chamber and a sensor lens at a flooring section of said camera sensor chamber, said sensor lens having an exposed surface opening into said camera sensor chamber, and   a non-scrubbing dusting tool for cleaning said exposed surface of said camera sensor lens, said dusting tool comprising:
 a) a duster member defining an elongated shank having opposite one and another end, a tuft of bristles having electrostatic charge built up therein, and first connector means directly coupling said tuft of bristles to said shank one end; 
 b) a handle; and 
 c) second connector means directly coupling said handle to said shank another end; 
   
       wherein each of said bristles define a corresponding leading edge tip opposite said shank, said leading edge tips adapted to operatively engage with said sensor lens; 
       wherein said duster member is sized to adjustably fit inside the camera sensor chamber in such a fashion that said bristles leading edge tips will be able to reach all of the exposed surface of the camera sensor lens while avoiding contaminating contact with the camera sensor chamber; and 
       wherein in an operative sensor lens cleaning condition of said dusting tool, said duster member, remains motionless relative to said handle while dusting tool bristles leading edge tips are manually swept over the camera sensor lens to be cleaned. 
     
     
         17 . A dusting tool and camera combination as in  claim 16 ,
 with said dusting tool further including a selectively activated duster actuator, fixedly mounted to said handle and rotatably mounted to said shank; said actuator operating only when said dusting tool is not cleaning the sensor lens;   wherein once said electrostatic charge of said tuft of bristles has been depleted, said electrostatic charge thereof is recharged while concurrently removing dust collected by said bristles by bringing said duster tool to an inoperative sensor lens cleaning condition away from the camera sensor chamber and with said actuator being powered to power rotate said shank, wherein said bristles will fan out radially under radial forces.   
     
     
         18 . A dusting tool and camera combination as in  claim 17 ,
 wherein said tubular element flattened mouth portion further defines a pair of opposite notches, said notches engaged by registering bristles from said tuft of bristles, wherein said tuft of bristles form a V-shape in said operative lens cleaning condition of said dusting tool, said V-shape providing enhanced lens cleaning capabilities.   
     
     
         19 . A dusting tool as in  claim 2 ,
 further including an elongated protective cap, releasably mounting over said duster member in friction fit fashion against said second connector means when said dusting tool is not in use.