Deck cleaning tool

Abstract

A tool for clearing debris out of gaps between wooden or composite boards in a deck is provided, including at least a horizontal guide plate, a slanted blade, and an attachment point for coupling with a handle, vacuum cleaner tube, or leaf blower tube. In preferred operation, the tool is pushed along a deck gap, with the blade protruding ahead and dislodging the debris from the deck gap, up onto the deck to be removed. Other features in certain embodiments might include a detachable blade, a brush attachment, or a nozzle attachment.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A device adapted for coupling with a handle, the device comprising:
 a plate having a plate top side and a plate planar bottom surface (“bottom surface”), the bottom surface extending along an X axis in length and a Y axis in width and the bottom surface displaced in a downward position along a Z axis in depth from the plate top side, whereby a plate front side is defined in a forward position along the X axis, wherein the X axis, the Y axis and the Z axis are each mutually orthogonal to remaining axes;   a blade descending downward from the plate along the Z axis, the blade having a leading edge that extends downward in direction from the plate top side within a plane defined by the X axis and the Z axis, and the leading edge defined along an edge axis extending forward from the plate top side at an acute downward angle from the Z axis, wherein the leading edge descends from the plate top side at the plate front side; and   an attachment feature extending the plate top side, the attachment feature adapted for coupling with the handle.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the handle is elongate. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the attachment feature comprises a tapped inner channel adapted to engage with a threaded end of the handle. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the attachment feature comprises an inner channel that is undersized relative to an insertion end of the handle, and the inner channel is sized and shaped to enable a friction fit of at least a portion of the insertion end of the handle when the at least a portion of the insertion end of the handle is positioned within the inner channel. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the attachment feature comprises an inner channel that extends along a channel axis from the plate top side, wherein the inner channel extends away from the plate front side. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the channel axis extends from a plane formed by the X axis and the Y axis (“the X-Y plane”) at an acute angle relative to the top plate. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 6 , wherein the channel axis extends from the X-Y plane at an acute angle no less than 25 degrees relative to the top plate. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 6 , wherein the channel axis extends from the X-Y plane at an acute angle relative to the top plate no more than 50 degrees. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the edge axis extends from a plane formed by the X axis and the Y axis (“the X-Y plane”) at an acute angle no less than 25 degrees relative to the bottom surface. 
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the edge axis extends from the X-Y plane at an acute angle no less than no more than 50 degrees relative to the bottom surface. 
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the blade edge extends at least two inches below the bottom surface along a Z dimension defined by the Z axis. 
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the blade edge extends at or greater than two inches below the bottom surface along Z dimension defined by the Z axis. 
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the attachment feature is adapted to couple with a vacuum element and thereby enable deliver vacuum force proximate to the plate front side, wherein the vacuum element is comprised within the handle. 
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the attachment feature is adapted to couple with a vacuum element and thereby enable delivery of a vacuum force proximate to the plate front side. 
     
     
         15 . A device adapted for coupling with a vacuum system having an elongate portion, the device comprising:
 a plate having a plate top side and a plate planar bottom surface (“bottom surface”), the bottom surface extending along an X axis in length and a Y axis in width and the bottom surface displaced in a downward position along a Z axis in depth from the plate top side, whereby a plate front side is defined in a forward position along the X axis, wherein the X axis, the Y axis and the Z axis are each mutually orthogonal to remaining axes;   a blade descending downward from the plate along the Z axis, the blade having a leading edge that extends downward in direction from the plate top side within a plane defined by the X axis and the Z axis, and the leading edge defined along an edge axis extending forward from the plate top side at an acute downward angle from Z axis, wherein the leading edge descends from the plate top side at the plate front side; and   an attachment feature extending the plate top side, the attachment feature adapted for coupling with the vacuum system.   
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the attachment feature is adapted to couple with the vacuum system elongate portion. 
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the attachment feature comprises a V shape extending along a handle axis, a handle axis from the plate top side, wherein the V shape extends away from the plate front side. 
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 17 , wherein the attachment feature further comprises a strapping element, the strapping element adapted to press the vacuum system elongate element against the V shape. 
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 18 , wherein the strapping element is adapted to detachably couple the vacuum system elongate element with the V shape. 
     
     
         20 . A system comprising:
 a handle;   a plate detachably coupled with the plate, the plate having a plate top side and a plate planar bottom surface (“bottom surface”), the bottom surface extending along an X axis in length and a Y axis in width and the bottom surface displaced in a downward position along a Z axis in depth from the plate top side, whereby a plate front side is defined in a forward position along the X axis, wherein the X axis, the Y axis and the Z axis are each mutually orthogonal to remaining axes;   a blade descending downward from the plate along the Z axis, the blade having a leading edge that extends downward in direction from the plate top side within a plane defined by the X axis and the Z axis, and the leading edge defined along an edge axis extending forward from the plate top side at an acute downward angle from Z axis, wherein the leading edge descends from the plate top side at the plate front side; and   an attachment feature extending the plate top side, the attachment feature adapted for coupling with the handle.