US2007192972A9PendingUtilityA9

Electrostatic dust collection wand

45
Individually held — no corporate assignee on recordPriority: May 28, 2004Filed: May 28, 2004Published: Aug 23, 2007
Est. expiryMay 28, 2024(expired)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:James F. Kimball
A47L 13/38A47L 13/40
45
PatentIndex Score
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Cited by
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References
0
Claims

Abstract

An electrostatic dust wand has a handle, a triboelectric charge generator, and a fibrous material. The triboelectric charge generator is coupled to the handle, and generates an electrostatic charge to attract dust particles to the cleaning implement. The fibrous material at least partially covers the triboelectric charge generator, to collect and to retain dust particles. The triboelectric charge generator has at least one movable member having a first triboelectric property, and an actuator for driving the at least one movable member. The electrostatic charge may be generated by movement of he at least one movable member against the fibrous material. Alternatively, or in addition, the electrostatic charge may be generated by relative movement of two members of the triboelectric charge generator against one another.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
1 . A cleaning implement comprising: 
 a handle;    a triboelectric charge generator coupled to said handle, said triboelectric charge generator generating an electrostatic charge to attract dust particles to the cleaning implement; and    a fibrous material, at least partially covering said triboelectric charge generator, for collecting and retaining the dust particles.    
   
   
       2 . A cleaning implement according to  claim 1 , said triboelectric charge generator comprising at least one movable member having a first triboelectric property, and an actuator for driving said at least one movable member.  
   
   
       3 . A cleaning implement according to  claim 2 , said fibrous material having a triboelectric property different than that of said at least one movable member and contacting at least a portion of said at least one movable member, motion of said at least one movable member relative to said fibrous material at least partially generating the electrostatic charge.  
   
   
       4 . A cleaning implement according to  claim 2 , said triboelectric charge generator further comprising at least one stationary member having a triboelectric property different than that of said movable member and contacting at least a portion of said at least one movable member, motion of said at least one movable member relative to said at least one stationary member at least partially generating the electrostatic charge.  
   
   
       5 . A cleaning implement according to  claim 4 , said fibrous material having a triboelectric property different than that of said movable member and contacting at least a portion of said at least one movable member, motion of said at least one movable member relative to said fibrous material at least partially generating the electrostatic charge.  
   
   
       6 . A cleaning implement according to  claim 4 , wherein one of said at least one movable member and said at least one stationary member is disposed circumjacent to the other of said at least one movable member and said at least one stationary member.  
   
   
       7 . A cleaning implement according to  claim 4 , said at least one movable member and said at least one stationary member being disposed substantially parallel to and adjacent to one another.  
   
   
       8 . A cleaning implement according to  claim 1 , said triboelectric charge generator comprising at least two movable members, at least one movable member having a first triboelectric property and at least one movable member having a second triboelectric property different than the first triboelectric property, and an actuator for driving said at least two movable members, said at least two movable members being at least partially in contact with and movable relative to one another.  
   
   
       9 . A cleaning implement according to  claim 1 , said fibrous material comprising a sleeve, which fits over said triboelectric charge generator.  
   
   
       10 . A cleaning implement according to  claim 9 , said fibrous material being removably attached to the cleaning implement by a fastener.  
   
   
       11 . A cleaning implement according to  claim 9 , said fibrous material comprising at least one of loose fibers and loose flaps of material protruding from an exterior surface of said sleeve of fibrous material.  
   
   
       12 . A cleaning implement according to  claim 2 , said actuator comprising an electric motor powered by a power source, said electric motor driving said at least one movable member to impart motion thereto.  
   
   
       13 . A cleaning implement according to  claim 2 , said actuator comprising a manual actuator, said manual actuator configured to convert work input by a user to mechanical energy to drive said at least one movable member to impart motion thereto.  
   
   
       14 . A cleaning implement according to  claim 2 , said actuator driving said at least one movable member for substantially axial, reciprocating motion relative to said handle.  
   
   
       15 . A cleaning implement according to  claim 2 , said actuator driving said at least one movable member for substantially rotational motion relative to said handle.  
   
   
       16 . A cleaning implement according to  claim 2 , said at least one movable member comprising a first roller, said triboelectric charge generator further comprising a band of flexible material, said band extending around and riding on said roller.  
   
   
       17 . A cleaning implement according to  claim 16 , said triboelectric charge generator further comprising a second roller, said band of flexible material extending around and riding on both said first and second rollers.  
   
   
       18 . A cleaning implement according to  claim 17 , further comprising a conductive sleeve at least partially surrounding said triboelectric charge generator, and at least one conductive brush in electrical communication with said conductive sleeve, one end of said at least one brush being adjacent to, or in contact with, said band of flexible material.  
   
   
       19 . A cleaning implement according to  claim 18 , at least one of said conductive sleeve and said conductive brushes comprising a metal.  
   
   
       20 . A cleaning implement according to  claim 18 , at least one of said conductive sleeve and said conductive brushes comprising a conductive polymer.  
   
   
       21 . A cleaning implement according to  claim 1 , said cleaning implement comprising an electrostatic dust collection wand.  
   
   
       22 . A cleaning implement comprising: 
 a handle;    a triboelectric charge generator coupled to said handle, said triboelectric charge generator comprising an electric motor for driving at least one movable member, having a first triboelectric property, in motion relative to at least one other element having a second triboelectric property different than the first triboelectric property, thereby generating an electrostatic charge; and    a sleeve of fibrous sheet material at least partially covering said triboelectric charge generator, for collecting and retaining dust particles.    
   
   
       23 . A cleaning implement according to  claim 22 , said fibrous material being removably attached to the cleaning implement by a fastener.  
   
   
       24 . A cleaning implement according to  claim 22 , said fibrous material comprising at least one of loose fibers and loose flaps of material protruding from an exterior surface of said sleeve of fibrous sheet material.  
   
   
       25 . A cleaning implement according to  claim 22 , further comprising a power source for powering said electric motor.  
   
   
       26 . A cleaning implement according to  claim 22 , said electric motor driving said at least one movable member for substantially axial, reciprocating motion relative to said handle.  
   
   
       27 . A cleaning implement according to  claim 22 , said electric motor driving said at least one movable member for substantially rotational motion relative to said handle.  
   
   
       28 . A cleaning implement according to  claim 22 , said at least one other element comprising said sleeve of fibrous sheet material, motion of said at least one movable member relative to said sleeve of fibrous sheet material at least partially generating the electrostatic charge.  
   
   
       29 . A cleaning implement according to  claim 22 , said at least one other element comprising at least one stationary member having a triboelectric property different than that of said movable member and contacting at least a portion of said at least one movable member, motion of said at least one movable member relative to said at least one stationary member at least partially generating the electrostatic charge.  
   
   
       30 . A cleaning implement according to  claim 29 , wherein one of said at least one movable member and said at least one stationary member is disposed circumjacent to the other of said at least one movable member and said at least one stationary member.  
   
   
       31 . A cleaning implement according to  claim 29 , said at least one movable member and said at least one stationary member being disposed substantially parallel to and adjacent to one another.  
   
   
       32 . A cleaning implement according to  claim 22 , said at least one movable member comprising a first roller, said triboelectric charge generator further comprising a band of flexible material, said band extending around and riding on said roller.  
   
   
       33 . A cleaning implement according to  claim 32 , said triboelectric charge generator further comprising a second roller, said band of flexible material extending around and riding on both said first and second rollers.  
   
   
       34 . A cleaning implement according to  claim 33 , further comprising a conductive sleeve at least partially surrounding said triboelectric charge generator, and at least one conductive brush in electrical communication with said conductive sleeve, one end of said at least one brush being adjacent to, or in contact with, said band of flexible material.  
   
   
       35 . A cleaning implement according to  claim 34 , at least one of said conductive sleeve and said conductive brushes comprising a metal.  
   
   
       36 . A cleaning implement according to  claim 34 , at least one of said conductive sleeve and said conductive brushes comprising a conductive polymer.  
   
   
       37 . A cleaning implement according to  claim 22 , said cleaning implement comprising an electrostatic dust collection wand.

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