Cleaning apparatus

Abstract

A dustpan comprises a base having an upper surface for collection of waste and a lower surface for resting on a floor. The base comprises an elongate channel extending between opposing edges of the base. The channel is open to the lower surface of the base and configured to house a portion of a shaft of a broom to releasably attach the dustpan thereto.

1 . A dustpan having:
 a base having an upper surface for collection of waste and a lower surface for resting on a floor; wherein:   the base comprises an elongate channel extending between opposing edges of the base;   the channel is open to the lower surface of the base and configured to house a shaft of a broom to releasably attach the dustpan thereto.   
     
     
         2 . The dustpan of  claim 1  wherein the channel is substantially semi-cylindrical. 
     
     
         3 . The dustpan of  claim 1  wherein the channel is positioned on the dustpan such that the weight distribution to either side of the channel is between 30/70 and 70/30 or is between 40/60 and 60/40, or is between 45/55 and 55/45, or is around 50/50. 
     
     
         4 . The dustpan of  claim 1  wherein the channel is positioned in the middle third of the dustpan, or is positioned in the middle quarter of the dustpan, or is positioned in the middle fifth of the dustpan, or is positioned substantially centrally between a front edge and a rear edge of the dustpan. 
     
     
         5 . The dustpan of  claim 1  wherein the base is substantially rectangular, a first pair of opposing edges is longer than a second pair of opposing edges and the channel is substantially parallel to the longer pair of edges. 
     
     
         6 . The dustpan of  claim 1  wherein the channel comprises at least one narrowed portion, or a plurality of narrowed portions configured to grip a shaft of a broom. 
     
     
         7 . The dustpan of  claim 1  wherein the channel comprises a first narrowed portion adjacent a first end of the channel and a second narrowed portion adjacent a second end of the channel. 
     
     
         8 . The dustpan of  claim 1  wherein the base comprises a front edge over which waste is to be swept, an opposing rear edge and first and second side edges;
 the dustpan comprises a dividing wall extending between first and second side edges; 
 the dividing wall extends upwardly from a part of the base that defines a wall of the channel and partitions the base of the dustpan into a frontal waste-collection area and a rear foot grip area. 
 
     
     
         9 . The dustpan of  claim 8  wherein the dustpan comprises first and second side walls extending upwardly from the base along the first and second side edges. 
     
     
         10 . The dustpan of  claim 8  wherein the dustpan comprises an upper handgrip portion extending over the foot grip area and towards the rear of the dustpan. 
     
     
         11 . The dustpan of  claim 10  wherein the handgrip portion is substantially planar and located in a plane substantially parallel to the base. 
     
     
         12 . The dustpan of  claim 8  wherein the foot grip area comprises a textured surface. 
     
     
         13 . A dustpan and broom combination comprising the dustpan of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         14 . The dustpan and broom combination of  claim 13  wherein the broom comprises at least one collar of greater diameter than the shaft and a portion of the channel of the dustpan is sized such that it may accommodate the collar when the dustpan is attached to the broom. 
     
     
         15 . The dustpan and broom combination of  claim 14  wherein a portion of the channel of the dustpan that is sized to accommodate a collar is a portion of channel located between two narrowed portions of channel.