Dustpan with dust roller

Abstract

A dustpan for collecting dust from a floor or similar surface. The dustpan has a roller mounted to the rearwall of the dustpan. The roller has a sticky or tacky surface that is rolled over the surface to remove the line of dust left in front of the leading edge of the dustpan when dust is swept into the dustpan by a broom. The roller is rolled over the line of dust to remove it from the surface. The surface of the roller can be washed when it is coated with dust so that it can be reused. In an alternate embodiment the roller is made of a roll of sticky paper that can have the dirty portion removed leaving a new layer of clean, sticky paper.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A dustpan for collecting dust from a surface comprising: 
 a bottom portion having a front, a back, and opposite sides,    a leading edge on the front of the bottom portion,    a handle operatively connected to the back, the handle adapted for grasping by the user, and    roller means connected to the back, the roller means having a tacky outer surface for removing dust from the surface when the roller means is placed in contact with the surface and rolled over the surface, whereby the dust adheres to the tacky outer surface.    
     
     
         2 . The dustpan of  claim 1  and further comprising mounting brackets connected to the back for attaching the roller means to the back.  
     
     
         3 . The dustpan of  claim 2  wherein the mounting brackets are mounted above a horizontal plane passing through the bottom portion whereby the tacky outer surface is disposed above the surface, and the tacky outer surface contacts the surface when the handle is pushed down toward the surface.  
     
     
         4 . The dustpan of  claim 3  wherein the roller defines a pivot point between the handle and the bottom portion, the bottom portion being raised when the handle is pushed down and the bottom portion being lowered when the handle is raised, whereby the bottom portion or the roller is selectively placed in contact with the surface.  
     
     
         5 . The dustpan of  claim 2  wherein the mounting brackets are mounted above a horizontal plane passing through the bottom portion whereby the tacky outer surface contacts the surface when the bottom portion is placed on the surface, and the tacky outer surface remains in contact with the surface when the handle is pushed forward toward the front edge or in the opposite direction.  
     
     
         6 . The dustpan of  claim 1  wherein the handle is semi-circular in cross section and has a concave interior surface adapted to be received by a cylindrical member.  
     
     
         7 . The dustpan of  claim 5  wherein the concave interior is dimensioned to receive in frictional engagement the cylindrical member to retain the handle on the cylindrical member until a releasing force is applied to the handle to overcome the frictional engagement thereby releasing the handle.  
     
     
         8 . A dustpan for collecting dust from a surface comprising: 
 a bottom portion having a front, back and opposite sides,    a leading edge along the front,    an upstanding back wall connected to along the back,    a handle connected to the upstanding back wall adapted for grasping by a user,    a roller mounted to the back wall, the roller having a tacky outer surface, the dust adhering to the tacky outer surface when the roller is rolled over the dust on the surface.    
     
     
         9 . The dustpan of  claim 8  and further comprising mounting brackets connected to the back wall, the mounting brackets supporting shaft means for rotatably mounting the roller thereon.  
     
     
         10 . The dustpan of  claim 8  wherein the bottom portion lies in a horizontal plane and the tacky outer surface is disposed above the surface when the bottom portion is placed flush on the surface, the roller acting as a pivot point causing the bottom portion to raise when the handle is pushed down and the bottom portion being lowered when the handle is raised, whereby the bottom portion or the roller is selectively placed in contact with the surface.  
     
     
         11 . The dustpan of  claim 9  wherein the mounting brackets are mounted above a horizontal plane passing through the bottom portion whereby the tacky outer surface contacts the surface when the bottom portion is placed on the surface, and the tacky outer surface remains in contact with the surface when the handle is pushed forward toward the front edge or in the opposite direction.  
     
     
         12 . The dustpan of  claim 8  wherein the handle is semi-circular in cross section and has a concave interior surface adapted to be received by a cylindrical member.  
     
     
         13 . The dustpan of  claim 12  wherein the concave interior is dimensioned to receive in frictional engagement the cylindrical member to retain the handle on the cylindrical member until a releasing force is applied to the handle to overcome the frictional engagement thereby releasing the handle.