Lawn sweeper assembly with adjustable brush assembly and hopper assembly and method of use thereof

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a lawn sweeper designed to collect debris, such as grass clippings and leaves, from a surface such as a lawn, and more particularly to a lawn sweeper with an adjustable brush assembly and characteristics associated with improved storage of such a device. A user may adjust the brush assembly with respect to the housing without needing to move the wheels. The hopper assembly may include a panel movable to be placed in at least two orientations, thereby allowing a user to change the volume within which the hopper assembly may collect debris. Methods are also disclosed for adjusting the brush assembly and for storing a lawn sweeper unit.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A lawn sweeper assembly comprising:
 a lawn sweeper unit including:   a housing including a front panel, a first side panel, and a second side panel;   a tow bar connected to the housing including a hitch tube slidably connected to the tow bar so as to be selectively movable along the tow bar between the first and second side panels, and foldable with respect to the tow bar so as to be disposed in a storage orientation substantially parallel to the tow bar and within the first and second side panels;   a brush assembly connected to the housing, the brush assembly including a bracket, a locking mechanism, and a brush axle, the bracket connected to the housing and rotatable about a wheel axle, the locking mechanism and the brush axle connected to the bracket such that the brush assembly is adjustable to more than one position so as to adjust a brush with respect to the ground; and   a hopper bag assembly, connected to the lawn sweeper unit, including: a frame; and a bag supported by the frame for collecting debris.   
     
     
         2 . The lawn sweeper assembly of  claim 1 , wherein a mounting bracket is connected to the tow bar and the hitch tube and the hitch tube is movable through approximately  180  degrees regardless of position of the bracket on the tow bar. 
     
     
         3 . The lawn sweeper assembly of  claim 1 , wherein an operative orientation of the hitch tube is defined when the hitch tube is disposed normal to the tow bar regardless of position of the bracket on the tow bar. 
     
     
         4 . The lawn sweeper assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first side panel and the second side panel each include a slot through which a first end and a second end of the brush axle extends therethrough. 
     
     
         5 . The lawn sweeper assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the brush assembly further includes a brush assembly bar connected to the bracket on an end of the bracket opposite the locking mechanism. 
     
     
         6 . A lawn sweeper assembly comprising:
 a tow bar connected to a housing and including a hitch tube slidably connected to the tow bar so as to be selectively movable along the tow bar between a first and a second side panel of the housing, and foldable with respect to the tow bar so as to be disposed in a storage orientation substantially parallel to the tow bar and within the first and second side panels; and   a brush assembly connected to the housing, the brush assembly including a bracket, a locking mechanism, and a brush axle, the bracket connected to the housing and rotatable about a wheel axle, the locking mechanism and the brush axle connected to the bracket such that the brush assembly is adjustable to more than one position so as to adjust a brush with respect to the ground.   
     
     
         7 . The lawn sweeper assembly of  claim 6 , wherein a mounting bracket is connected to the tow bar and the hitch tube and the hitch tube is movable through approximately  180  degrees regardless of position of the bracket on the tow bar. 
     
     
         8 . The lawn sweeper assembly of  claim 6 , wherein an operative orientation of the hitch tube is defined when the hitch tube is disposed normal to the tow bar regardless of position of the bracket on the tow bar. 
     
     
         9 . The lawn sweeper assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the first side panel and the second side panel each include a slot through which a first end and a second end of the brush axle extends therethrough. 
     
     
         10 . The lawn sweeper assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the brush assembly further includes a brush assembly bar connected to the bracket on an end of the bracket opposite the locking mechanism. 
     
     
         11 . A method comprising:
 actuating a locking mechanism connected to an outer end of a bracket of a brush assembly to disengage the locking mechanism from a side panel of a housing of a lawn sweeper unit;   moving the outer end of the bracket with respect to the housing about a wheel axle of the lawn sweeper unit, the wheel axle being fixed to the side panel to which the bracket is connected such that a brush axle connected to the bracket between the locking mechanism and the wheel axle is likewise moved without movement of the wheel axle with respect to the housing; and   actuating the locking mechanism to engage the side panel such that the bracket is secured in a desired position relative to the housing.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising a ground-engaging wheel rotatably connected to the wheel axle such that the outer end is disposed radially outward of an outer circumference of the wheel. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising a ground-engaging wheel rotatably connected to the wheel axle such that the bracket is disposed between the side panel and the wheel. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the locking mechanism is a knob disposed adjacent a front surface of a front panel of the housing.