Drop down dust tray for floor sweeper

Abstract

A handheld floor sweeper having a debris receiving compartment in the sweeper body having a bottom tray that is pivotally connected to the sweeper body. A latching mechanism that is operated by the user pushing a release lever allows the bottom tray to pivot to an open position to discharge debris collected in the compartment without the user having to contact the debris. The tray is pushed back to the closed position by the user after the debris is discharged where the tray is once again latched in the closed position.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A handheld floor sweeper adapted for movement over a surface and clean debris from that surface by brushing, the sweeper comprising:
 a sweeper body having a top surface, a bottom and peripheral sides,   a plurality of brushes mounted to the bottom of the sweeper body, the brushes engaging the surface to be cleaned,   a debris receiving compartment in the sweeper body having a bottom tray and at least one opening for allowing debris to enter the compartment, the bottom tray having a front edge, a back edge and side edges,   a pivot connection for mounting the front edge to the sweeper body,   a latch on the back edge for releasably attaching the back edge of the tray to the sweeper body,   an operating lever mounted to the sweeper body, the operating lever engaging the latch for latching and unlatching the latch from the operating lever, the operating lever releasing the latch when depressed, thereby allowing the bottom tray to drop down and discharge the debris from the compartment.   
     
     
         2 . The handheld floor sweeper of  claim 1  wherein the operating lever is mounted to the sweeper body by means of a second pivot connection allowing the operating lever to rotate about the second pivot connection. 
     
     
         3 . The handheld floor sweeper of  claim 2  wherein the operating lever has a top portion above the second pivot connection and a bottom portion below the second pivot connection, the bottom portion having a retaining finger to engage the latch. 
     
     
         4 . The handheld floor sweeper of  claim 3  and further comprising a spring mounted between the sweeper body and the top portion of the operating lever to apply a force to the top portion of the operating lever when the operating lever is depressed. 
     
     
         5 . The handheld floor sweeper of  claim 4  and further comprising a complimentary finger on the latch for engaging the retaining finger on the operating lever on a latching engagement in a first latching position and the retaining finger releasing the complimentary finger when the top portion of the operating lever is depressed. 
     
     
         6 . The handheld floor sweeper of  claim 5  wherein at least one of the complimentary finger or retainer finger has a curved surface whereby when the bottom tray is pushed from its open position to the closed position, the complimentary finger provides a force to the retainer finger to pivot the bottom portion of the operating lever away from the sweeper body thereby allowing the complimentary finger to pass over the retainer finger. 
     
     
         7 . In a handheld floor sweeper adapted for movement over a surface and clean debris from that surface by brushing, the sweeper having a sweeper body, a debris receiving compartment in the sweeper body having a bottom tray and at least one opening for allowing debris to enter the compartment, the bottom tray having a front edge, a back edge and side edges, a pivot connection for mounting the front edge to the sweeper body, a latch on the back edge for releasably attaching the back edge of the tray to the sweeper body, an operating lever mounted to the sweeper body, the operating lever engaging the latch for latching and unlatching the latch from the operating lever, the operating lever releasing the latch when depressed, thereby allowing the bottom tray to drop down and discharge the debris from the compartment, the operating lever mounted to the sweeper body by means of a second pivot connection allowing the operating lever to rotate about the second pivot connection for engaging and disengaging from the latch. 
     
     
         8 . The handheld floor sweeper of  claim 7  wherein the operating lever has a top portion above the second pivot connection and a bottom portion below the second pivot connection, the bottom portion having a retaining finger to engage the latch. 
     
     
         9 . The handheld floor sweeper of  claim 8  and further comprising a spring mounted between the sweeper body and the top portion of the operating lever to apply a force to the top portion of the operating lever when the operating lever is depressed. 
     
     
         10 . The handheld floor sweeper of  claim 9  and further comprising a complimentary finger on the latch for engaging the retaining finger on the operating lever on a latching engagement in a first latching position and the retaining finger releasing the complimentary finger when the top portion of the operating lever is depressed. 
     
     
         11 . The handheld floor sweeper of  claim 10  wherein at least one of the complimentary finger or retainer finger has a curved surface whereby when the bottom tray is pushed from its open position to the closed position, the complimentary finger provides a force to the retainer finger to pivot the bottom portion of the operating lever away from the sweeper body thereby allowing the complimentary finger to pass over the retainer finger.