Dust-Collecting Chalkboard Eraser with Rotating Ring Brush and Electrostatic Trap

The problem

Wiping a chalkboard throws chalk dust into the air; much of it settles on the board ledge, the floor and the person wiping, and some is breathed in. According to the patent, teachers who wipe boards every day often complain of nose and throat discomfort. Earlier dust-absorbing erasers combined a motor, fan, battery and wet sponge, which made them heavy, power-hungry and noisy.

The solution

1. The housing (1) is hollow. On its wiping face, an annular rail (4) carries a ring brush (3), with a dust suction opening (5) in its center.
2. As the brush turns quickly, according to the patent it creates a high-pressure airflow that carries chalk dust into the housing; an air vent (10) on the side keeps air moving through.
3. A first guide plate (12) near the top and a second guide plate (9) near the bottom, both glass and slanted at 45 degrees, direct the dust toward a channel (11) on the far side.
4. The channel has a first vent (13) and a second vent (14) that take in the dust from each plate and lead it to a storage bin (6) at the bottom, which is removable.
5. An electrostatic system - a cathode plate (8) at the top, an anode plate (7) above the bin and a power supply (2) - catches the fine particles that become charged by friction while brushing.
6. A switch button on the housing turns the power supply on and off.

Who it is for

• School-supply brands and distributors selling classroom essentials to schools and districts that still use chalkboards.
• Education procurement suppliers in markets where chalkboards are common and teachers ask for less dust.
• Cafe, restaurant and retail sign suppliers whose chalkboard menus and A-frame signs are rewritten daily.
• Home and craft stores selling chalkboard walls, kids’ easels and chalkboard paint.

How it works

The main parts

Using it

1. Switch on the electrostatic trap with the button on the housing.
2. Wipe the board - the ring brush turns and draws dust into the central opening.
3. Coarse dust is steered by the guide plates into the channel and bin; fine dust is caught between the charged plates.
4. Empty the bin by sliding it out and tapping it over a waste basket.

Applications

Classrooms with chalkboards

Teachers wipe the board many times a day; less dust on hands, clothes and the front desks.

Lecture halls and training rooms

Large boards in universities and training centers create the most dust per wipe.

Cafe and restaurant menu boards

Staff rewriting daily specials keep dust off counters and food areas.

Homes and kids’ easels

Parents with chalkboard walls or easels can keep dust off floors and furniture.

Sports and coaching boards

Coaches using chalk tactic boards in locker rooms keep the room cleaner.

Where it is less suitable

• Whiteboards - dry-erase markers leave no dust; this is a chalkboard tool only.
• Very large boards wiped in one sweep - a long felt eraser may be faster for big areas, with less dust capture.
• Lowest-price school buying - a powered eraser costs more than a felt block.