Leaf skimming apparatus

This non-provisional patent application claims the benefit of provisional application Ser. No. 61/609,012 filed on Mar. 9, 2012, titled Leaf Skimming Apparatus.

This invention relates generally to swimming pool cleaning tools and, more particularly, to a leaf skimming apparatus that is configured to enable a user to lift a swimming pool skimmer basket or its lid without having to bend over.

Both residential and commercial swimming pools require a certain amount of regular cleaning to maintain a safe and desirable environment for swimming. The pools themselves may include skimmer baskets positioned at regular intervals around a pool that collect debris such as leaves, trash, and other debris. These skimmer baskets must be manually cleaned out on a regular basis in order to work efficiently and effectively.

Cleaning out skimmer baskets can be a inconvenient and labor intensive task in that a user must bend over at the waist to remove a skimmer basket from its position at or below water level or at least remove the basket's lid so as to access the basket's interior. For larger pools, there may be many baskets to clean such that a user must bend over, clean the basket, and return the basket to its operational position multiple times which may result in injury, fatigue, or frustration.

Therefore, it would be desirable to have a leaf skimming apparatus having an elongate pole that enables a user to reach a skimmer basket without having to bend at the waist. Further, it would be desirable to have a leaf skimming apparatus having a scoop assembly at a distal end of the pole and a trigger at a proximal end of the pole such that the scoop assembly may be opened and closed by action of the trigger in order to capture debris from inside the skimmer basket.

A leaf skimming apparatus according to the present invention includes an elongate pole having first and second ends and defining a tubular configuration. A handle is positioned adjacent the pole first end. A scoop assembly is coupled to the housing second end, the scoop assembly having lower and upper scoop portions pivotally movable between open and closed configurations. A manually operable trigger is attached to the housing adjacent to the handle, the trigger being operatively connected to the scoop assembly and configured to selectively move the lower and upper scoop portions between the open and closed configurations. A linkage is situated in the housing that is operatively connected to the trigger and to the scoop assembly and configured to move the lower and upper scoop portions between the open and closed configurations upon respective operations of the trigger.

Therefore, a general object of this invention is to provide a leaf skimming apparatus configured to enable a user to clean leaves and debris out of swimming pool debris collecting containers without having to bend down and lift the container or its lid by hand.

Another object of this invention is to provide a leaf skimming apparatus, as aforesaid, having an elongate pole such that the apparatus may be positioned as desired without a user having to bend at the waist.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a leaf skimming apparatus, as aforesaid, which may be extended to collect debris directly from a water surface.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a leaf skimming apparatus, as aforesaid, having a scoop assembly that selectively opens and closes in the manner of jaws.

A further object of this invention is to provide a leaf skimming apparatus, as aforesaid, that is lightweight and easy to use.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein is set forth by way of illustration and example, embodiments of this invention.

FIG. 1 a is a top view of a leaf skimming apparatus according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 1 b is a side view of the leaf skimming apparatus as in FIG. 1 a;

FIG. 1 c is a distal end view of the leaf skimming apparatus as in FIG. 1 a;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the leaf skimming apparatus as in FIG. 1 a shown with a scoop assembly in a closed configuration;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the leaf skimming apparatus as in FIG. 2 shown with the scoop assembly in an open configuration;

FIG. 4 a is a top view of the leaf skimming apparatus as in FIG. 1 a;

FIG. 4 b is a sectional view taken along line 4 b - 4 b of FIG. 4 a;

FIG. 5 is an exploded view of the leaf skimming apparatus as in FIG. 2 ;

FIG. 6 is an isolated view on an enlarged scale of the handle shown in FIG. 1 a;

FIG. 7 a is a side view of an upper scoop portion of the leaf skimming apparatus;

FIG. 7 b is a perspective view of the upper scoop portion as in FIG. 7 a;

FIG. 7 c is a bottom view of the upper scoop portion as in FIG. 7 a;

FIG. 8 a is a side view of a lower scoop portion of the leaf skimming apparatus with the hook member in a retracted configuration;

FIG. 8 b is a perspective view of the lower scoop portion as in FIG. 8 a;

FIG. 8 c is a bottom view of the lower scoop portion as in FIG. 8 a;

FIG. 9 a is a perspective view of the lower scoop portion as in FIG. 8 b with the hook member in an extended configuration;

FIG. 9 b is a perspective view of the lower scoop portion as in FIG. 8 b with the hook member in a retracted configuration;

FIG. 9 c is a top view of the lower scoop portion as in FIG. 9 a ; and

FIG. 9 d is a top view of the lower scoop portion as in FIG. 9 c.

A leaf skimming apparatus according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 8 c of the accompanying drawings. The leaf skimming apparatus 10 includes an elongate pole 20 , a handle 30 , a scoop assembly 40 , a handle 30 with trigger 32 , and a linkage 34 connecting the trigger 32 to the scoop assembly 40 .

The elongate pole 20 includes first 22 and second 24 ends and has a tubular configuration defining a hollow interior area ( FIGS. 2 and 4 ). The handle 30 is coupled to the first end 22 of the pole 20 (also referred to as a proximal end) and includes an ergonomic configuration to be grasped by a user's hand. The handle 30 includes a trigger 32 that is manually operable by a user's hand or finger. The trigger 32 may be biased by a spring (not shown) such that the scoop portions are normally closed unless the spring biased trigger is actuated as will be described later. Alternatively, the trigger 32 may be configured such that the scoop portions are normally open unless the spring biased trigger is actuated.

The scoop assembly 40 is operatively coupled to the second end 24 of the pole 20 (also referred to as a distal end). It is understood that a mounting interface 42 may be utilized to couple the scoop assembly 40 to the pole second end 24 . More particularly, the mounting interface 42 may include a tubular end 44 having a configuration that is complementary to the tubular second end 24 of the pole 20 and having opposed arms 46 to which the scoop assembly 40 may be pivotally coupled for movement between open and closed configurations as will be described in more detail below.

The scoop assembly 40 includes a lower scoop portion 50 and an upper scoop portion 60 that are cooperatively movable between an open configuration ( FIG. 3 ) and a closed configuration ( FIG. 2 ). More particularly, the upper scoop portion 60 includes opposed first 62 and second 64 side walls with a top wall 66 extending therebetween. The top wall 66 has an outwardly/upwardly concave configuration when viewed from its inner or interior area. In other words, the top wall 66 has an upwardly partially dome-shaped or hemispherical configuration that is configured to capture material on its inner surface. Similarly, the lower scoop portion 50 includes opposed first 52 and second 54 side walls with a bottom wall 56 extending therebetween. The bottom wall 56 has an outwardly/downwardly concave configuration when considered from its inner or interior area. In other words, the bottom wall 56 has an outwardly partially dome-shaped or hemispherical configuration that is configured to capture material on its inner surface. Together, the scoop portions define an interior area for collecting and temporarily storing debris as will be explained further below.

A linkage 34 is positioned in the interior area of the tubular pole 20 and interconnects the trigger 32 and the scoop assembly 40 ( FIG. 4 ). The linkage 34 may be a wire having one end coupled to the trigger 32 and an opposed end coupled to the scoop assembly 40 . More particularly, the opposed end of the linkage 34 may be bifurcated into two wire segments that are coupled to flanges 67 , 57 positioned on the top 66 and bottom 56 walls of the upper 60 and lower 50 scoop portions, respectively. In operation, an actuation of the trigger 32 causes the linkage 34 to simultaneously retract or pull against the upper 60 and lower 50 scoop portions, thus causing the scoop assembly 40 to move toward the open configuration ( FIG. 3 ). Movement of the trigger 32 in an opposite direction, such as by a spring returns the scoop assembly 40 to a closed configuration ( FIG. 2 ).

Each scoop portion 50 , 60 includes a plurality of finger portions 58 , 68 coupled to and extending away from respective front edges 59 , 69 . Specifically, the finger portions 68 of the upper scoop portion 60 extend generally downwardly and the finger portions 58 of the lower scoop portion 50 extend generally upwardly. Free ends of the finger portions may be generally pointed although preferably not sharp as to be dangerous.

Further, a hook member 70 may be pivotally coupled to a first side wall 52 of the lower scoop portion 50 . The hook member 70 may be selectively movable between a retracted configuration generally adjacent the lower scoop portion first side wall 52 ( FIGS. 8 b and 9 b ) and an extended configuration extending outwardly away from the first side wall 52 ( FIGS. 9 a and 9 c ). The first side wall 52 may define a slot 72 into which the hook member 70 may be retracted at the retracted configuration. As shown in the drawings, the hook member 70 may include a generally L-shaped configuration that may be inserted into the slot or opening of a skimmer basket associated with a swimming pool so as to elevate and remove the container or its lid prior to operating the scoop assembly 40 to collect debris.

In use, the leaf skimming apparatus 10 may be used effectively to collect leaves, trash, and other debris from skimmer baskets, or other locations around or related to a swimming pool. First, a user may manually move the hook member 70 to the extended configuration. Using the extended hook member 70 , the lid or entire skimmer basket may be lifted out of its operating position such that leaves or debris therein is exposed. Then, a user may operate the trigger 32 and, as a result, move the upper and lower scoop portions to the open configuration. The concave configurations of the scoop portions provide an interior area for collecting debris. The open scoop portions may then be positioned to surround debris within the skimmer basket. An opposite movement of the trigger 32 then causes the scoop assembly 40 to return to a closed configuration and to effectively capture debris therein. The debris may then be deposited into a trash receptacle or the like by the user's operation of the trigger 32 to open the scoop assembly.

Accordingly, the leaf skimming apparatus is effective to collect leaves or other debris from skimmer baskets associated with a swimming pool without the user having to bend at the waist.