Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02382992 2002-04-23
Title: Snow Shovel System
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to snow shovels
and more specifically it relates to a snow shovel system for
easily removing snow from a surface without requiring
significant physical effort by a user.
Description of the Prior Art
Snow shovels have been in use for years. Typically, a
conventional snow shovel is comprised of a handle with a broad
scoop portion attached to the end of the handle. To utilize
a conventional snow shovel the user first must insert the
scoop portion into a pile of snow and then physically elevate
the scoop which requires significant physical exertion.
Utilizing a conventional snow shovel applies significant
pressures and forces to the back of the user. In addition,
many individuals in poor physical health often times become
injured as a result of the significant physical requirements
to utilize a conventional snow shovel.
Examples of patented snow shovel devices which are
illustrative of such prior art include U.S. Patent 305,603 to
Nelson et al.; U.S. Patent 190,820 to O~Connor; U.S. Patent
407,723 to Weisman et al.; U.S. Patent 5,559,163 to Winter;
U.S. Patent 1,415,979 to Bedford; U.S. Patent 1,534,179 to
Klinger; U.S. Patent :?,441,449 to Shaw; U.S. Patent 3,810,320
to Siebert; U.S. Patent 4,910,893 to Asay; U.S. Patent
5,493,797 to Jackson; U.S. Patent 4,865,3'13 to Hudson; U.S.
Patent 4,199,181 to Mason.
CA 02382992 2002-04-23
While these devices may be suitable for the particular
purpose to which they address, they are not as suitable for
easily removing snow from a surface without requiring
significant physical effort by a user. Conventional snow
shovel devices require an individual to exert significant
physical forces which are not desirable.
In these respects, the snow shovel system according to
the present invention substantially departs from the
conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so
doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the
purpose of easily removing snow from a surface without
requiring significant physical effort by a user.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the
known types of snow s',hovels now present in the prior art, the
present invention provides a new snow shovel system
construction wherein the same can be utilized for easily
removing snow from a surface without requiring significant
physical effort by a user.
The general purpose of the present invention, which will
be described subsequently i.n greater detail, is to provide a
new snow shovel system that has many of the advantages of the
snow shovels mentioned heretofore and many novel features that
result in a new snow shovel system which is not anticipated,
rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the
prior art snow shovels, either alone or :in any combination
thereof .
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To attain this, the present invention generally comprises
a blade member having a first edge and a second edge, a frame
attached to a rear surface of the blade member, a handle
pivotally attached to the frame, and one or more wheels
rotatably attached to the frame for maintaining the blade
member in a substantially horizontal position. The handle may
be rotated approximately 180 degrees with respect to the blade
member for allowing the user. to select which edge of the blade
member will be utilized to engage the surface to be cleaned of
snow which determines whether the snow is pushed to the left
side or right side of the user during a forward movement.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more
important features of the invention in order that the detailed
description thereof rnay be better understood, and in order
that the present contribution to the art may be better
appreciated. There are additional features of the invention
that will be described hereinafter and that will form the
subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
In this respects, before explaining at least one
embodiment of the invention in detail, it i.s to be understood
that the invention i~~ not limited in its application to the
details of construction and to the arrangements of the
components set forth in the following description or
illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of
other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in
various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the
phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the
purpose of the description and should not be regarded as
limiting.
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A primary object of the present invention is to provide
a snow shovel system that will overcome the shortcomings of
the prior art devices.
A second object is to provide a snow shovel system for
easily removing snow from a surface without requiring
significant physical effort by a user.
Another object is to provide a snow shovel system that
does not require the user to elevate the shovel or snow to
remove snow from a surface.
An additional object is to provide a snow shovel system
that can be utilized upon various surfaces such as but not
limited to sidewalks, driveways, streets and other surfaces.
A further object is to provide a snow shovel system that
easily allows the user to create and manipulate a windrow of
snow to push to one side of a surface.
Another object is to provide a snow shovel system that
allows the user to push snow to either their left side or
right side during a forward movement.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention
will become obvious to the reader and it is intended that
these objects and advantages are within the scope of the
present invention.
To the accomplishment of the above and related objects,
this invention may be embodied in the form illustrated in
the accompanying drawings, attention being called to the
fact, however, that. the drawings are illustrative only, and
that changes may be made in the specific construction
illustrated and described within the scope of the appended
claims.
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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Various other objects, features and attendant
advantages of the present invention will become fully
appreciated as the same becomes better' understood when
considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in
which like reference characters designate the same or
similar parts throughout the several views, and wherein:
FIG. 1 is a rear upper perspective view of the present
invention.
FIG. 2 is a front view of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a left= side view of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a top view of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is an exploded side view of the present
invention.
FIG. 6 is a side view of the present invention
illustrating the 180 degree movement of the handle with
respect to the blade member.
FIG. 7 is a right side view of the present invention.
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CA 02382992 2002-04-23
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Turning now descriptively to the drawings, in which
similar reference characters denote similar elements
throughout the several views, FIGS. 1 through 7 illustrate
a snow shovel system 10, which comprises a blade member 20
having a first edge 22 and a second edge 24, a frame 30
attached to a rear surface 26 of the blade member 20, a
handle 40 pivotally attached to the frame 30, and one or
more wheels 50 rotatably attached to the frame 30 for
maintaining the blade member 20 in a substantially
horizontal position. The handle 40 may be rotated
approximately 180 degrees with respect to the blade member
for allowing the user to select which edge of the blade
member 20 will be utilized to engage the surface to be
15 cleaned of snow which determines whether the snow is pushed
to the left side or right side of the user during a forward
movement.
As shown in Figures 1 through 7 of the drawings, the
blade member 20 is an. elongated structure . As best shown in
20 Figures 1, 3, 5, 6 and 7 of the drawings, the blade member
20 preferably is curved having a C-shape however various
other shapes may be utilized to construct the blade member
20. The blade member 20 is preferably constructed of a
rigid material such <~s but not limited to plastic or metal.
The blade member 20 includes a rear surface 26 and a front
surface 28 wherein the front surface 28 engages the snow to
be removed from the surface.
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As shown in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, the blade
member 20 has a first: edge 22 and a second edge 24 opposite
of the first edge 22. The first edge 22 engages the surface
being cleaned of snow when the snow shovel system 10 is
within a "first position" as best shown in Figures 3 and 7
of the drawings. When the snow shovel system 10 is within
a "second position" the second edge 24 of the blade member
20 engages the surface being cleaned of snow. The first
edge 22 and the second edge 24 may be tapered and/or include
a hardened metal portion to engage the surface being
cleaned.
As shown in Figures 1, 3 and 4 of the drawings , a frame
30 is attached to th,e rear surface 26 of the blade member
20. The frame 30 is preferably attached centrally upon the
rear surface 26 of the blade member 20 to allow the blade
member 20 to be rotated 180 degrees. The frame 30 includes
a base member 32, a first: arm 34, a second arm 36 and a
third arm 38.
The base member 32 is attached adjacent the rear
surface 26 of the bl<~de member 20 as best shown in Figure 1
of the drawings. The arms 34, 36, 38 extend away from the
base member 32 and the blade member 20 as further shown in
Figure 1 of the drawings. The third arm 38 is shorter in
length than the first arm 34.
The second arm 36 is attached to the base member 32
between the first arm 34 and the third arm 38 as shown in
Figures 1 and 4 of. the drawings. The second arm 36
preferably extends outwardly past the first arm 34 and the
third arm 38 as best shown in Figure 4 of the drawings. At
least one wheel 50 is rotatably attached to the distal end
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of the second arm 36 as best shown in Figures 1 and 3 of the
drawings to support r_he blade member 20 i.n a substantially
vertical position. Each wheel 50 preferably has a
rotational plane parallel to a forward movement of the blade
member 20.
The handle 40 i~~ pivotally attached to the frame 30 as
best shown in Figures 1, 3 and 6 of the drawings. The
handle 40 preferably includes a first pole 42 and a second
pole 44 connected to one another at an upper portion. The
lower distal ends of the first pole 42 and the second pole
44 are pivotally connected to the distal ends of the first
arm 34 and the third arm 38 respectively as shown in Figure
1 of the drawings. A pin 60 or other structure pivotally
attaches the poles 42, 44 to the frame 30 as further shown
in Figure 1 of the drawings.
In use, the user positions the first edge 22 of the
blade member 20 adjacent the surface to be cleaned thereby
placing the snow shovel system 10 in the first position.
The user then grasps the handle 40 and pushes the blade
member 20 forwardly thereby diverting the snow into a
windrow to the left side of the blade member 20. The wheels
50 provide rear support to the frame 30 and the blade member
20 thereby reducing the amount of wait applied to the handle
40 and for maintaining the blade member 20 in an upright
position with respect:. to the surface. When the user reaches
the end of the surface to be cleaned they rotate the blade
member 20 approximately 180 degrees so that the second edge
24 is now adjacent the surface being cleaned of snow for the
second position. 'The handle 40 is allowed to be extended
upwardly with respect to the blade member 20 since the
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handle 40 is pivotally attached to the frame 30 secured to
the blade member 20. The user then returns with the left
side engaging the newly created windrow and the blade member
20 diverts the snow to the right side of the blade member
20. When the user reaches the opposing end of the surface
being cleaned, the blade member 20 is rotated again into the
first position. The above process is repeated until the
surface is cleaned o:E snow as desired by the user.
As to a further discussion of the manner of usage and
operation of the present invention, the same should be
apparent from the above description. Accordingly, no
further discussion relating to the manner of usage and
operation will be provided.
With respect to the above description then, it is to be
realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the
parts of the invention, to include variations in size,
materials, shape, farm, function and manner of operation,
assembly and use, are deemed to be within the expertise of
those skilled in the art, and all equivalent structural
variations and relationships to those illustrated in the
drawings and describe=_d in the specification are intended to
be encompassed by the present invention.
Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative
only of the principles of the invention. Further, since
numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to
those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the
invention to the exact construction and operation shown and
described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and
equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of
the invention.
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