Vertically Attachable Dustpan

Abstract

A dustpan is disclosed herein. The dustpan comprises a base panel including a front blade edge, a pair of side walls disposed at opposite sides of the base panel and a rear wall disposed at a rear of the base panel, all defining a debris pan. A fastener is attached about the rear wall and configured to facilitate attachment of the dustpan to a handle of a broom. The fastener is oriented such that the attachment of the dustpan to the broom positions the front blade edge of the base panel vertical and parallel to a longitudinal axis of the handle. As such, the dustpan does not obstruct use of the broom and does not continuously fall from the handle of the broom.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A dustpan for attachment to a broom, the broom including an elongated handle defining a longitudinal axis, the dustpan comprising:
 a base panel including a front blade edge;   a pair of side walls disposed at opposite sides of the base panel and extending upwardly therefrom;   a rear wall disposed at a rear of the base panel and extending upwardly therefrom, the rear wall being opposite the front blade edge; and   a fastener attached about the rear wall and configured to facilitate attachment of the dustpan to the elongated handle of the broom, the fastener oriented such that the attachment of the dustpan to the broom positions the front blade edge of the base panel parallel to the longitudinal axis of the elongated handle.   
     
     
         2 . The dustpan of  claim 1 , wherein the front blade edge of the base includes a length of 12 inches, as measured from one of the pair of side walls to the other. 
     
     
         3 . The dustpan of  claim 1 , wherein the fastener includes a forwardly extending arm. 
     
     
         4 . The dustpan of  claim 3 , wherein the forwardly extending arm includes a central seat portion having a curvature complimentary to a curvature of the elongated handle of the broom. 
     
     
         5 . The dustpan of  claim 1 , wherein the pair of side walls each include a cradle portion disposed towards a rear thereof and in line with the central seat portion of the forwardly extending arm, each cradle portion including a curvature complimentary to the curvature of the elongated handle of the broom. 
     
     
         6 . The dustpan of  claim 5 , wherein the central seat portion and the cradle portions define a receiving space at a rear of the dustpan for receiving the elongated handle of the broom and securing the dustpan to the broom. 
     
     
         7 . The dustpan of  claim 6 , wherein the forwardly extending arm further comprises an upwardly extending lip, facilitating insertion of the elongated handle into the central seat portion. 
     
     
         8 . The dustpan of  claim 1 , wherein the broom includes a broom head disposed at an end of the elongated handle and including a plurality of bristles, the broom head including a broom head width, wherein a dustpan depth is defined between the rear wall and the front blade edge, wherein the dustpan depth is lesser than the broom head width of the broom head, and wherein when the dustpan is attached to the broom, the broom head width extends further than the dustpan depth. 
     
     
         9 . The dustpan of  claim 1 . further comprising a handle attached to the rear wall of the dustpan and extending rearwardly therefrom. 
     
     
         10 . The dustpan of  claim 9 . wherein the handle includes a grip portion extending upwardly from a rear thereof. 
     
     
         11 . A dustpan and broom comprising:
 a broom including:
 an elongated handle defining a longitudinal axis; and 
 a broom head disposed at an end of the elongated handle and including a plurality of bristles, the broom head including a broom head width; and 
   a dustpan including:
 a base panel having a front blade edge; 
 a pair of side walls disposed at opposite sides of the base panel and extending upwardly therefrom; 
 a rear wall disposed at a rear of the base panel and extending upwardly therefrom, the rear wall being opposite the front blade edge and a dustpan depth being defined between the rear wall and the front blade edge, and wherein the dustpan depth is lesser than the broom head width of the broom head; and 
 a fastener attached about the rear wall and configured to facilitate attachment of the dustpan to the elongated handle of the broom; 
 wherein the fastener is oriented such that the attachment of the dustpan to the broom positions the front blade edge of the base panel parallel to the longitudinal axis of the elongated handle; and 
 wherein when the dustpan is attached to the broom, the broom head width extends further than the dustpan depth. 
   
     
     
         12 . The dustpan and broom of  claim 11 , wherein the front blade edge of the base of the dustpan includes a length of 12 inches, as measured from one of the pair of side walls to the other. 
     
     
         13 . The dustpan and broom of  claim 11 , wherein the fastener includes a forwardly extending arm, wherein the forwardly extending arm includes a central seat portion having a curvature complimentary to a curvature of the elongated handle of the broom, wherein the pair of side walls each include a cradle portion disposed towards a rear thereof and in line with the central seat portion of the forwardly extending arm, each cradle portion including a curvature complimentary to the curvature of the elongated handle of the broom, and wherein the central seat portion and the cradle portions define a receiving space at a rear of the dustpan for receiving the elongated handle of the broom and securing the dustpan to the broom. 
     
     
         14 . The dustpan and broom of  claim 13 , wherein the forwardly extending arm further comprises an upwardly extending lip, facilitating insertion of the elongated handle into the central seat portion. 
     
     
         15 . The dustpan of  claim 11 , further comprising a handle attached to the rear wall of the dustpan and extending rearwardly therefrom. 
     
     
         16 . The dustpan of  claim 15 , wherein the handle includes a grip portion extending upwardly from a rear thereof. 
     
     
         17 . A method of attaching a dustpan to a broom, the method comprising the steps of:
 providing the dustpan including a base panel having a front blade edge, a pair of side walls, a rear wall, and a fastener, wherein the fastener and the pair of side walls define a receiving space at a rear of the dustpan;   orienting the dustpan such that the front blade edge of the base panel is generally parallel to a longitudinal axis of an elongated handle of the broom; and   inserting the elongated handle of the broom into the receiving space, thereby attaching the dustpan to the broom in a position whereby the front blade edge is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the elongated handle.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising the step of:
 providing the broom, the broom including a broom head disposed at an end of the elongated handle and including a plurality of bristles, the broom head including a broom head width.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein a dustpan depth is defined between the rear wall of the dustpan and the front blade edge of the base panel of the dustpan, wherein the dustpan depth is lesser than the broom head width of the broom head, and wherein when the dustpan is attached to the broom, the broom head width extends further than the dustpan depth. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the fastener includes a central seat portion having a curvature complimentary to a curvature of the elongated handle of the broom, wherein the pair of side walls each include a cradle portion disposed towards a rear thereof and in line with the central seat portion of the fastener, each cradle portion including a curvature complimentary to the curvature of the elongated handle of the broom, and wherein the central seat portion and the cradle portions define the receiving space for receiving the elongated handle of the broom.