Debris impeller

Claim 2

An impeller for floor cleaning devices, including: an axle having a non-cylindrical cross section; a plurality of individual integrally molded impeller segments each having a plurality of paddles and a central body with a non-cylindrical central opening adapted to be slipped over said axle, whereby said impeller may be assembled by said plurality of segments being slipped over said axle.

Claim 3

The impeller as defined in claim 1, wherein said axle is twisted to provide a non-linear orientation of tips of adjacent paddles when said plurality of segments are received on said axle.

Claim 4

The impeller as defined in claim 2, wherein said bar is twisted such that one end of said axle is oriented at an angle of approximately 90° with respect to the other end of said axle and said twist forms a continuous curve substantially from said one end to said other end.

Claim 5

The impeller as defined in claim 2, wherein each of said paddles of each of said segments has a respective end which is thicker than the respective mid-section of each of said paddles.

Claim 6

The impeller as defined in claim 4, wherein said twist of said axle is such that an impeller on said one end of said axle is rotated with respect to an impeller at said other end by an angle which is greater than or equal to 360° divided by the number of paddles on each segment and less than 360° divided by one-half the number of paddles on each segment.

Claim 7

The impeller as defined in claim 5, wherein said segment is made of a non-marring, non-transferring, material which will not interact with floor cleaning chemicals used in commercial and residential settings.

Claim 8

An integrally molded impeller segment for cleaning devices, comprising: a plurality of elastic tapered paddles, each paddle having a thicker end than mid-section whereby said mid-section provides flex and spring and said end provides mass for throwing debris or pushing liquids; and a central body from which said paddles project, said body having a non-cylindrical central opening adapted to be slipped over an axle.

Claim 9

An integrally molded impeller segment for cleaning devices, comprising: a plurality of elastic tapered paddles, each paddle having a thicker end than mid-section whereby said mid-section provides flex and spring and said end provides mass for throwing debris or pushing liquids; and a central body from which said paddles project, said body having a non-cylindrical central opening adapted to be slipped over an axle.

Claim 10

An impeller segment as defined in claim 7, wherein each said paddle has a front surface and a back surface which are substantially elliptically curved, and a tip which is substantially flat and rectangular, whereby said concave surfaces and said flat end form a corner for removing dirt from a carpet or rug and for lifting debris and liquids off of hard surfaces as they rotate.

Claim 11

An impeller including a plurality of impeller segments as defined in claim 8, wherein said impeller includes a plurality of said impeller segments carried by a non-cylindrical axle.

Claim 12

The impeller as defined in claim 9, wherein said non-cylindrical axle is twisted to provide a non-linear orientation of adjacent ends of said paddles.

Claim 13

The impeller as defined in claim 10, wherein said non-cylindrical axle is twisted such that one end of said axle is oriented at an angle of approximately 90° with respect to the other end of said axle and said twist is continuous from substantially said one end to substantially said other end.

Claim 14

The impeller as defined in claim 10, wherein said segments are substantially identical and said ,twist of said axle is such that an impeller at said one end is positioned with respect to a segment at said other end at an angle which is greater than or equal to 360° divided by the number of paddles on each segment and less than 360° divided by one-half the number of paddles on each segment.

Claim 15

The impeller as defined in claim 12, wherein said paddles is made of a non-marring and non-transferring material.

Claim 16

An integrally molded impeller segment of an impeller for cleaning devices which comprises a plurality of said segments, comprising: at least one tapered paddle having a thicker end than mid-section, said at least one paddle having substantially uniform width throughout its length, and said at least one paddle having a front or back surface which is curved, and said at least one paddle having a substantially flat end.

Claim 17

An integrally molded impeller segment of an impeller for cleaning devices which comprises a plurality of said segments, comprising: at least one tapered paddle having a thicker end than mid-section, said at least one paddle having substantially uniform width throughout its length, and said at least one paddle having a front or back surface which is curved, and said at least one paddle having a substantially flat end.

Claim 18

The impeller segment as defined in claim 14, wherein each said impeller segment includes a central body with a non-cylindrical central opening adapted to be slipped over a similarly shaped non-cylindrical axle.

Claim 19

An impeller comprising a plurality of impeller segments as defined in claim 15, wherein a plurality of said impeller segments are carried by said non-cylindrical axle.

Claim 20

The impeller as defined in claim 16, wherein said non-cylindrical axle is twisted to provide a non-linear orientation of ends of said paddles.

Claim 21

The impeller as defined in claim 17, wherein said non-cylindrical axle is twisted end of said axle is oriented at an angle of approximately 90° with respect to the other end of said axle and said twist is continuous from substantially said one end to substantially said other end.

Claim 22

An impeller segment as defined in claim 14 wherein said front and back surfaces are curved as viewed from a side of said at least one paddle.

Claim 23

A floor sweeper including a dust and debris receiving pan, an impeller which, upon rotation, lifts dust and debris into said pan, and drive means for rotating said impeller responsive to movement of said sweeper across a floor, said impeller comprising: a plurality of integrally molded impeller segments, each including a central body, a plurality of paddles extending from said central body, said central body including a non-cylindrical central opening receiving an axle, said axle having a non-cylindrical cross section matching said non-cylindrical central opening, said axle being twisted to provide a non-linear orientation of tips of adjacent paddles when said plurality of impeller segments are received on said axle, and wherein each said impeller segment is molded from a non-marring, non-transferring, material which will not react with chemicals used for cleaning floors in residential and commercial settings.

Claim 24

A floor sweeper including a dust and debris receiving pan, an impeller which, upon rotation, lifts dust and debris into said pan, and drive means for rotating said impeller responsive to movement of said sweeper across a floor, said impeller comprising: a plurality of integrally molded impeller segments, each including a central body, a plurality of paddles extending from said central body, said central body including a non-cylindrical central opening receiving an axle, said axle having a non-cylindrical cross section matching said non-cylindrical central opening, said axle being twisted to provide a non-linear orientation of tips of adjacent paddles when said plurality of impeller segments are received on said axle, and wherein each said impeller segment is molded from a non-marring, non-transferring, material which will not react with chemicals used for cleaning floors in residential and commercial settings.

Claim 25

An integrally molded impeller segment for cleaning devices used for lifting debris from a floor, comprising: a central body, a plurality of paddles extending from said central body, said central body including a central opening, and wherein said impeller segment is molded from a non-marring, non-transferring, material which will not react with chemicals used for cleaning floors in residential and commercial settings, wherein said paddles are elastic tapered paddles, each paddle having a thicker end than mid-section, whereby said mid-section provides flex and spring and said end provides mass for throwing debris or pushing liquids.

Claim 26

An integrally molded impeller segment for cleaning devices used for lifting debris from a floor, comprising: a central body, a plurality of paddles extending from said central body, said central body including a central opening, and wherein said impeller segment is molded from a non-marring, non-transferring, material which will not react with chemicals used for cleaning floors in residential and commercial settings, wherein said paddles are elastic tapered paddles, each paddle having a thicker end than mid-section, whereby said mid-section provides flex and spring and said end provides mass for throwing debris or pushing liquids.

Claim 27

An impeller segment as defined in claim 21, wherein each said paddle has a front surface and a back surface which are substantially elliptically curved, and a tip which is substantially flat and rectangular, whereby said concave surfaces and said flat end form an edge for removing dirt from carpets and rugs and for lifting debris and liquids off of hard surfaces as they rotate.

Claim 30

The method of providing an impeller as defined in claim 22, wherein said step of providing a plurality of segments includes providing segments comprising elastic tapered paddles, each paddle having a thicker end than mid-section whereby said mid-section provides flex and spring and said end provides mass for throwing debris and pushing liquids.

Claim 31

The method as defined in claim 24, wherein said step of providing a plurality of paddles further includes providing paddles each of which has a front surface and a back surface which are substantially rectangular and arced inwardly, and a tip which is substantially flat and rectangular, whereby said concave surfaces and said flat end form an edge for removing debris from carpets and rugs and for lifting debris and liquids off of hard surfaces as they rotate.

Claim 32

A floor sweeper including a dust and debris receiving pan, an impeller which, upon rotation, lifts dust and debris into said pan, and drive means for rotating said impeller responsive to movement of said sweeper across a floor, said impeller comprising: a plurality of integrally molded impeller segments, each including a central body, a plurality of paddles extending from said central body, said central body including a central opening receiving an axle, and each said impeller segment being molded from a non-marring, non-transferring, material which will not react with chemicals used for cleaning floors in residential and commercial settings; and each said central body having an outer diameter, said paddles having a length substantially greater than said outer diameter of said central body.

Claim 33

A floor sweeper including a dust and debris receiving pan, an impeller which, upon rotation, lifts dust and debris into said pan, and drive means for rotating said impeller responsive to movement of said sweeper across a floor, said impeller comprising: a plurality of integrally molded impeller segments, each including a central body, a plurality of paddles extending from said central body, said central body including a central opening receiving an axle, and each said impeller segment being molded from a non-marring, non-transferring, material which will not react with chemicals used for cleaning floors in residential and commercial settings; and each said central body having an outer diameter, said paddles having a length substantially greater than said outer diameter of said central body.