Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
1
SELF-ADJUSTING SYSTEM, SNOW-REMOVAL VEHICLE INCLUDING SUCH A
SYSTEM, KIT FOR ASSEMBLING THE SAME, AND CORRESPONDING
METHODS OF MANUFACTURING, ASSEMBLING AND OPERATING
ASSOCIATED THERETO
Field of the invention:
The present invention relates to the field of snow-removal equipment. More
particularly, the present invention relates to a self-adjusting system (ex. a
self-
adjusting skid shoe, a self-adjusting chain tensioner, etc.), and also relates
to a snow-
removal vehicle including such a system, as well as to a kit with
corresponding
components for assembling the same, and to corresponding methods of
manufacturing, assembling and/or operating associated thereto.
Background:
Snowblowers are well known in the art. They may be intended for domestic,
commercial or industrial use (see FIG. 1). Also, they may be of reverse type
(see FIG.
2), and/or provided with an integrated blade (see FIG. 3), etc. Also, they may
be used
on a carrying vehicle (e.g., a farm tractor, see FIG. 4), an articulated
loader (see FIG.
5), or on a compact motorized vehicle (see FIG. 6), provided with a three-
points hitch
(1), with a quick hitch (2) or any other type of hitches, providing power to
the
snowblower via a transmission shaft (3) (e.g., connected to a PTO shaft), a
hydraulic
power (4), etc.
Self-adjusting skid shoes (12) are well known in the field of snow removal,
because of their usefulness in the fact that they follow closely the ground
during snow
removal operations. This allows the user to scrape the ground more precisely
and
efficiently, preventing snow spilling on the sides of the equipment, even on
uneven
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-02-08
2
ground. This is an added value to any snow-removal operation. Various systems
have
been developed and are still in use to push a skid shoe (12) towards the
ground.
Some of these systems rely on gravity. In these systems, the skid shoe (12) is
attached at one of its ends to the frame (8) of the snowblower, creating a
pivot point
(14) for said skid shoe. Through slots (11) cut into the skid shoe, fasteners
(15) are
fixed to the frame (8), effectively acting as a guide for the movement of the
skid shoe.
Alternatively, the pivot point (14) can be removed, and the movement of the
skid shoe
would be guided only by the slots. The skid shoe (12) is purposefully designed
to be
as heavy as possible such that gravity always pushes it towards the ground.
Most other self-adjusting skid shoe systems use the potential energy of
springs
to apply a force downwards on the skid shoe. In the work environment in which
self-
adjustable skid shoes are used, they can easily get stuck in ice and snow at
their top
.. position, rendering their "self-adjustability" qualities useless. The use
of a spring
forcing the skid shoe down helps the mechanism avoid this issue.
Some of the most popular systems to this effect utilize compression springs
(13) (see FIG. 8 and FIG. 9). In these systems, the skid shoe (12) is attached
at one
of its ends to the frame (8) of the snowblower, creating a pivot point (14)
for said skid
shoe (see FIG. 8). Through slots (11) cut into the skid shoe, fasteners (15)
are fixed
to the frame (8), effectively acting as a guide for the movement of the skid
shoe.
Alternatively, the pivot point (14) can be removed (see FIG. 9), and the
movement of
the skid shoe (12) would be guided only by the slots (11). One or more
compression
springs (13) are used in these assemblies. One end of a compression spring is
fixed
to the frame of the snowblower, while the other end is fixed on the skid shoe.
Between
those two fixed points, a pre-loaded compression spring (13) is used to always
push
the skid shoe in motion towards the ground.
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-02-08
3
Another type of system utilizes leaf springs (16) (see FIG. 10). In these
systems, the skid shoe (12) is attached at one of its ends to the frame (8) of
the
snowblower, creating a pivot point (14) for the skid shoe. Through slots (11)
cut into
said skid shoe, fasteners (15) are fixed to the frame (8), effectively acting
as a guide
for the movement of the skid shoe (12). Alternatively, the pivot point (14)
can be
removed, and the movement of the skid shoe would be guided only by the slots.
One
or more leaf springs (16) are used in these assemblies. One end of a leaf
spring is
fixed to the frame (8) of the snowblower, while the other end is either fixed
on the skid
shoe, or free to slip on the cross-section of the skid shoe. Between those two
points,
a pre-loaded leaf spring (16) is used to always push the skid shoe (12) in
motion
towards the ground. Varying the position and angle of the leaf spring (16)
allows the
user the adjust how strong the spring resistance is.
Another type of system utilizes spring rods (18) (see FIG. 11). In these
systems,
the skid shoe (12) is attached at one of its ends to the frame (8) of the
snowblower,
creating a pivot point (14) for the skid shoe (12). Through slots (11) cut
into the skid
shoe, fasteners (15) are fixed to the frame, effectively acting as a guide for
the
movement of said skid shoe. A spring rod (18), round, square or of flat cross-
section,
is attached to the frame at one of its ends and is held in place by a support
(17) at
mid-length. The other end of the spring rod (18) is in contact (19) ("i.e.
free to slip")
with the cross section of the skid shoe (12), pushing it towards the ground.
There are three main disadvantages that are common to most of these
systems.
First, since these spring systems are often bulky and take up a lot of space,
they cannot be enclosed in the frame (8) of the snowblower. Those bulky and
uncovered systems can get in the way or collide with obstacles along the
working
area. They are also exposed to the contaminants in the environment, which can
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-02-08
4
quicken the normal wear and tear of the mechanism, rendering the system less
durable. Sand, salts and calcium currently used in snow removal activities are
harsh
contaminants for steel and steel-like materials.
Second, self-adjusting skid shoe systems often use open wound compression
springs (13). These springs tend to get clogged up with snow and ice in the
space
between their spires, which prevents a normal and reliable movement and
consistent
strength along their longitudinal axis.
Third, some of these systems tend to widen the equipment. The useful working
area is the space that comes into contact with the snow and debris to clear
out. It is
not desirable to install the mechanism in the useful working area of the
equipment, as
this would expose the system to lots of impacts and contaminants. Instead, the
systems are most often installed outside of the useful working area of the
equipment.
The way the position of the self-adjusting system impacts the width of the
equipment
varies depending on the geometry of the equipment, however, the equipment is
often
widened significantly, without increasing its useful working area, which is a
disadvantage.
It is also known in the art that a roller chain (10) is generally used as an
element
for the transmission of power (see FIG. 7) between a side shaft (5) of the
gear box (6)
and the auger (7) of the snow blower (8). Important advantages of the roller
chain (10)
are its resistance to impact, mounting flexibility, and configuration
tolerance. It is well
known in the art that to preserve the useful life of the roller chain (10),
the roller chain
must be well lubricated, kept under a perfect tension and prevented to be
exposed to
debris and/or contaminants (e.g., water, salts, sands, etc.). However, these
requirements are difficult to obtain with existing snow removal devices,
especially
snowblowers.
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-02-08
5
One of the biggest problems to be solved by a person skilled in the art is the
adjustment of the tension of the roller chain (10). This tension required
needs to be
sufficient to keep the rollers of the roller chain against the bottom of the
teeth of the
output gear (20) and the driving gear (21), to prevent a premature wear of the
teeth
and/or of the roller chain. Also, the tension applied should not be excessive,
in order
to prevent a premature elongation of the roller chain and a loss of energy.
An elongation of the roller chain (10) is a normal consequence of the use of
the
roller chain. However, by limiting this elongation, the maintenance steps are
reduced
.. and the useful life of the roller chain, output gear and driving gear is
increased. Also,
when the tensioning force of the roller chain is too high, the noise generated
by the
movement of the roller chain on the output gear and the driving gear
increases,
causing discomfort to the snowblower operator and nearby residents during snow
removal operations.
Various systems have been developed and are still in use for applying a
tension
to the roller chain of a snowblower, such as a single tensioning sprocket
wheel (23)
(see FIG. 12), a pivoting chain tensioner (26) (see FIG. 13) mounted in tandem
with a
spring (22), and, in certain cases, a fixed sprocket wheel (25) (see FIG. 14).
FIG. 12 illustrates a simple system with a single tensioning sprocket wheel
(23),
which has the advantage of being economical. However, this simple system has
the
inconvenient that its adjustment must be made with tools. Also, this simple
system
does not continuously apply a tension on the roller chain. The roller chain,
when worn
and elongated, will become loose. As long as the operator does not readjust
the single
tensioning sprocket wheel (23), the roller chain (10), the output gear (20)
and the
driving gear (21) will wear quickly because the contacts between the rollers
and the
teeth of the output gear (20) and the driving gear (21) will not be adequate.
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-02-08
6
FIG. 13 illustrates a pivoting chain tensioner (26) mounted in tandem with a
spring (22) which has the advantage of self-tensioning the roller chain (10).
Some
manual readjustments will need to be made from time to time. The advantage of
this
system is that the roller chain (10) is always under tension and keeps ideal
contacts
with the output gear (20) and the driving gear (21). The inconvenient is that
this design
uses an open wound compression spring (22). These springs tend to get clogged
up
with snow and ice in the space between their spires, which prevents normal and
reliable movements and consistent strength in their longitudinal axis. In
addition, these
spring systems are often bulky and take up a lot of space. The spring-loaded
rod
assembly (22, 28 and 29) (see FIG. 15) is rarely enclosed in the frame of the
snowblower, because of its size, and because of the constraints it creates for
the
adjustment of the system. In some cases, the chain guard is large enough that
there
is a way to fit the spring-loaded assembly in, but this is more the exception
than the
rule. In other cases, the chain guard must be open to some extent to let the
spring
(22) outside of the guard, which exposes the chain tensioner system as well as
the
driving system to contaminants projected by the wheels (9) (see FIG. 7) of the
carrying
vehicle. Those bulky and uncovered systems can get in the way or collide with
obstacles along the working area. In addition, the spring-loaded rod assembly
tends
to jolt the pivoting chain tensioner (26) when there are violent shocks to the
snowblower because it adds weight on the periphery of the pivoting chain
tensioner.
This jolting can damage the roller chain (10) and the spur gears (24).
FIG. 15 shows that pivoting chain tensioners (26) used in prior art are
usually
held in place by a pin (30), which is inserted into a bushing (34) welded to
the pivoting
chain tensioner. This pin then goes through a hole (31) in the frame (8) of
the
snowblower and held in place with a fastener (32). They are also equipped with
a pivot
system at the interaction between the spring-loaded rod (28) and the pivoting
chain
tensioner (26). The end of the spring-loaded rod (28) is inserted onto a pin
(33) welded
to the pivoting chain tensioner. The inner surface of the bushing and outer
surface of
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-02-08
7
the pin slip on each other, acting as a pivot point, and thus these points of
contact
need to be kept well lubricated. To keep these contact points well lubricated,
a very
common and cost-effective solution is to pierce a radial hole through the
outer bushing
and equip it with a grease fitting (27). The same method is used to keep the
main pivot
bushing (34) lubricated.
This solution requires a way to reach the grease fittings (27) with a greasing
gun. This is achieved by cutting openings through the frame, such that the
maintenance area can be easily accessible from the side of the snowblower.
These
openings are an entry point for snow and other contaminants to enter the chain
case
and damage the driving system.
Despite improvements made over the years, there is always a need to continue
innovating and finding better and/or different ways of providing self-
adjusting capability
to snow-removal equipment, for example, and to be able do so, in a quicker,
easier,
simpler, faster, safer, more efficient, more convenient, more reliable, more
secure,
more economical and/or more sustainable manner.
Therefore, it would be particularly useful to be able to provide an improved
self-
adjusting system which would be able to overcome or at the very least minimize
some
of known drawbacks associated with the conventional ways and devices known in
the
art, as discussed above, for example.
Summary of the invention:
An object of the present invention is to provide a self-adjusting system
which,
by virtue of its design and components, would be an improvement over other
related
conventional systems, methods, and/or the like known in the prior art.
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-02-08
8
In accordance with the present invention, the above object is achieved, as
will
be easily understood from the present description, with a self-adjusting
system (ex. a
self-adjusting skid shoe, a self-adjusting chain tensioner, etc.) such as the
one briefly
described herein and such as the one exemplified in the accompanying
drawing(s).
More particularly, according to one possible embodiment of the present self-
adjusting system, an object is to provide a self-adjusting skid shoe by means
of a
torsion spring, including a slot shape, such as the one briefly described
herein and
such as the one exemplified in the accompanying drawing(s).
According to another possible embodiment of the present self-adjusting
system, an object is to provide a self-adjusting chain tensioner by means of a
torsion
spring, including a self-lubricating feature, such as the one briefly
described herein
and such as the one exemplified in the accompanying drawing(s).
According to another aspect of the invention, there is also provided a snow-
removal equipment and/or vehicle provided with the above-mentioned self-
adjusting
system.
According to yet another aspect of the invention, there is also provided a
method of manufacturing components of the above-mentioned self-adjusting
system,
snow-removal equipment and/or vehicle.
According to yet another aspect of the invention, there is also provided a
method of assembling components of the above-mentioned self-adjusting system,
snow-removal equipment and/or vehicle.
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-02-08
9
According to yet another aspect of the invention, there is also provided a
method of using the above-mentioned self-adjusting system, snow-removal
equipment, vehicle and/or component(s) thereof.
According to yet another aspect of the invention, there is also provided a kit
with components for assembling the above-mentioned self-adjusting system, snow-
removal equipment, and/or vehicle.
According to yet another aspect of the present invention, there is also
provided
a set of components for interchanging with components of the above-mentioned
kit.
According to yet another aspect of the present invention, there is also
provided
a method of assembling components of the above-mentioned kit and/or set.
According to yet another aspect of the present invention, there is also
provided
a method of displacing snow and/or any other type of material, with the above-
mentioned self-adjusting system, snow-removal equipment, vehicle, component(s)
thereof, kit, set and/or method(s).
According to yet another aspect of the present invention, there is also
provided
a method of doing business with the above-mentioned self-adjusting system,
snow-
removal equipment, vehicle, component(s) thereof, kit, set and/or method(s).
The objects, advantages, and other features of the present invention will
become more apparent upon reading of the following non-restrictive description
of
preferred embodiments thereof, given for the purpose of exemplification only,
with
reference to the accompanying drawing(s).
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-02-08
10
Brief description of the drawinqs:
Figures 1-21 are illustrations and representations of different possible
aspects,
embodiments, components, features, variants and/or resulting advantages being
discussed in the following description.
Detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention:
In the following description, the same numerical references refer to similar
elements. Furthermore, for sake of simplicity and clarity, namely so as to not
unduly
burden the figures with several reference numbers, only some figures have been
provided with reference numbers, and components and features of the present
invention illustrated in other figures can be easily inferred therefrom. The
embodiments, geometrical configurations, materials mentioned and/or dimensions
shown in the figures are preferred, for exemplification purposes only.
Moreover, although the present invention was primarily designed for use with
snow and/or other possible precipitation(s) and/or material(s) (whether
"malleable"
and/or not), and associated groupings and/or piles thereof, for example, it
may be
used with other objects and/or in other types of applications, as apparent to
a person
skilled in the art. For this reason, expressions such as "snow",
"precipitation",
"malleable", "material(s)", "grouping(s)", "pile(s)", etc., used herein should
not be
taken so as to limit the scope of the present invention and include all other
kinds of
objects and/or applications with which the present invention could be used and
may
be useful, as can be easily understood by a person skilled in the art.
Moreover, in the context of the present invention, the expressions "self-
adjusting", "system", "assembly", "machine", "device", "apparatus", "product",
"unit",
"equipment", "tool", "method" and "kit", as well as any other equivalent
expression(s)
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-02-08
11
and/or compound word(s) thereof known in the art will be used interchangeably,
as
apparent to a person skilled in the art. This applies also for any other
mutually
equivalent expressions, such as, for example: a) "boom", "flange", "truss",
"bar",
"linkage", "extension", "piece", "part", "component", "sub-component", etc.;
b)
"actuator", "cylinder", "motor", "driver", "puller", "pusher", "activator",
"gear assem bly",
"transmission", etc.; c) "pin", "insert", "connector", "fastener", "coupler",
"pivot",
"hinge", etc.; d) "slot", "notch", "hole", "orifice", "groove", "recess",
etc.; e) "vehicle",
"snow-plow", "snow-blower", "tractor", "excavator", "loader", etc.; f)
"frame", "bucket",
"auger", etc., as well as for any other mutually equivalent expressions,
pertaining to
the aforementioned expressions and/or to any other structural and/or
functional
aspects of the present invention, as also apparent to a person skilled in the
art. Also,
in the context of the present description, expressions such as "can", "may",
"might",
"will", "could", "should", "would", etc., may also be used interchangeably,
whenever
appropriate, as also apparent to a person skilled in the art.
Furthermore, in the context of the present description, it will be considered
that
all elongated objects will have an implicit "longitudinal axis" or
"centerline", such as
the longitudinal axis of shaft for example, or the centerline of a coiled
spring, for
example, and that expressions such as "connected" and "connectable", or
"mounted"
and "mountable", may be interchangeable, in that the present invention also
relates to
a kit with corresponding components for assembling a resulting fully-assembled
and
fully-operational self-adjusting system (ex. a self-adjusting skid shoe, a
self-adjusting
chain tensioner, etc.) and/or corresponding working snow-removal equipment
and/or
vehicle.
Moreover, components of the present system(s) and/or steps of the method(s)
described herein could be modified, simplified, altered, omitted and/or
interchanged,
without departing from the scope of the present invention, depending on the
particular
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-02-08
12
applications which the present invention is intended for, and the desired end
results,
as briefly exemplified herein and as also apparent to a person skilled in the
art.
In addition, although the preferred embodiments of the present invention as
illustrated in the accompanying drawings comprise various components, and
although
the preferred embodiments of the present self-adjusting system (and/or
corresponding
snow-removal equipment and/or vehicle) and
corresponding
portion(s)/part(s)/component(s) as shown consist of certain geometrical
configurations, as explained and illustrated herein, not all of these
components and
geometries are essential to the invention and thus should not be taken in
their
restrictive sense, i.e. should not be taken so as to limit the scope of the
present
invention. It is to be understood, as also apparent to a person skilled in the
art, that
other suitable components and cooperation thereinbetween, as well as other
suitable
geometrical configurations may be used for the present self-adjusting system
(and/or
corresponding snow-removal equipment and/or vehicle) and corresponding
portion(s)/part(s)/component(s) according to the present invention, as will be
briefly
explained herein and as can be easily inferred herefrom by a person skilled in
the art,
without departing from the scope of the present invention.
Broadly described, and as better exemplified in the accompanying drawings,
the present invention relates to a self-adjusting system (ex. a self-adjusting
skid shoe,
a self-adjusting chain tensioner, etc.), and also relates to a snow-removal
equipment
and/or vehicle including such a system, as well as to a kit with corresponding
components for assembling the same, and to corresponding methods of
manufacturing, assembling and/or operating associated thereto.
As can be easily understood from the aforementioned and the accompanying
drawings, the present self-adjusting system may come in various possible
embodiments, such as a self-adjusting skid shoe, a self-adjusting chain
tensioner, etc.
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-02-08
13
(and/or associated working snow-removal equipment and/or vehicle) including
one
and/or several of the following possible components and features (and/or
different
possible combination(s) and/or permutation(s) thereof):
When referring to an embodiment of the present self-adjusting system in the
form of a self-adjusting skid shoe by means of a torsion spring and its slot
shape, for
example, it is worth mention that innovative feature(s) of the present system
reside in
the shape of the slot of the self-adjusting system, as well as in the pivot
mechanism
of the self-adjusting system. It is worth mentioning also that these two
aspects could
be each used in combination with one another, and/or alternatively, used
individually
on their own, given that the presence of one is not dependant on the presence
of the
other, as can be easily understood by a person skilled in the art.
Concerning the "pivot mechanism" of the self-adjusting system, it is worth
mentioning that relies on the principle that by using a torsion spring (40) at
a pivot
point (14), it is possible to apply a moment of force (torque) on the pivot
joint. This
force is proportional to the deflection angle of the torsion spring (40) in
regards with
its neutral position. This embodiment is shown in FIG. 16, for example.
A bushing (36) is assembled through a hole in the skid shoe (12) up to its
flange.
The torsion spring (40) is installed around the circular bushing (36) on the
narrower
side of the bushing. There is a circular cavity (41) on the frame of the
snowblower in
which the torsion spring and bushing are inserted. A fastener (35) and nut
(43) are
used to join the bushing (36), skid shoe (12) and frame (8) together,
effectively
enclosing the torsion spring (40) inside the cavity (41) on the frame of the
snowblower.
The fastener and bushing will act as the pivot point of the skid shoe.
Each end of the torsion spring (40) is inserted in a hole, hole (42) on the
frame
(8) and hole (38) on the skid shoe (12). Those holes allow us to pre-load the
spring
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-02-08
14
(40) at installation, in such a way that the skid shoe (12) is always pushed
in a
rotational motion downwards. Modifying the position of the holes (42,38)
allows us to
vary the angular displacement the spring (40) is subjected to, hence varying
the torque
applied on the skid shoe (12) and its aggressivity on the ground.
Concerning the "slot" aspect of the self-adjusting system, it is worth
mentioning
that there is a slot (37) on the skid shoe that determines the amplitude
allowed in the
motion of said skid shoe. The intricate shape of the slot (37) is designed in
such a way
as to let evacuate the contaminants, such as snow, salt, sand and ice, that
are specific
to snow removal operations.
A bushing (36) is fixed, through the widest part of the slot (37), to the
frame (8)
of the snowblower. It is fixed in place to the frame with a bolt (35) and nut
(43). The
bushing (36) acts as a guide inside the slot (37) to control the movement of
the skid
shoe. The length of the widest part of the slot (37) determines the amplitude
of the
movement that the skid shoe is allowed. The longer the widest part of the slot
is, the
greater the amplitude of rotation of the skid shoe will have. The bottom part
of the slot
(37), which has a funneling section (44) followed by a raindrop shape (45)
(see FIG.
17) is made this way to avoid the piling up of snow and ice in the slot (37),
which would
prevent the skid shoe (12) to reach full amplitude. When snow gets in the slot
(37), it
will be pushed by the bushing (36) through the funneling section (44) and tend
to fall
outside much more easily than if there is no such shape, in which case it
would be
compressed at the bottom of the slot and tend to pile up. A similar shape at
the top of
the slot (37) works in a similar way. The snow is pushed upwards through the
funneling
portion (44) and can escape through the clearance instead of getting
compressed at
the top.
As may now be better appreciated, the above-discussed self-adjusting skid
shoe of the present self-adjusting system (and associated snow-removal
equipment
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-02-08
15
and/or vehicle) is a considerable improvement over conventional systems in
that, for
example:
a) the fact that the spring mechanism is completely enclosed inside the
snowblower frame protects it from the outside contaminants such as snow,
salt and sand;
b) some other self-adjusting skid shoes systems use open wound compression
springs - these springs tend to get clogged up with snow and ice in the space
between their spires, which prevents normal and reliable movements and
consistent strength along their longitudinal axis - the use of a close wound
torsional spring (40) prevents this common problem;
c) prior art designs often use compression (13) or leaf (16) springs - since
these
spring systems are often bulky and take up a lot of space, they cannot be
enclosed in the frame of the snowblower - those bulky and uncovered systems,
can get in the way or collide with obstacles along the working area ¨ the
present
design avoids this problem;
d) the present system does not widen the equipment unnecessarily;
e) highly cost-effective, because there are less parts than previous designs,
while
keeping design tolerances fairly large - no expensive machining milling,
taping
or drill is required to make the parts - the skid shoe (12) itself is only
laser cut;
f) for the same skid shoe (12) movement, the torsion spring (40) requires less
movement amplitude than the compression spring (13) - the compression
spring (13) has to deform while fighting against the ice and snow that gets
stuck
in its spires - this means that the compression spring (13) wastes more of its
energy on deformation than the torsion spring (40) does for the same work;
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-02-08
16
g) requires very minimal design modifications on the snowblower to be
integrated
as a feature;
h) follows the ground precisely;
i)
cuts through hardened snow instead of floating on top of the hardened snow -
the aggressivity of the skid shoe can be controlled; and
j) the skid shoe can be narrow because it does not require additional
reinforcements, anchors, structures to accommodate a pre-loaded spring.
As can be easily understood, in addition to the various innovative components
and features of the self-adjusting skid shoe of the present system, and
explained
and/or exemplified in the present patent specification, the self-adjusting
system
according to the present invention could also be provided with various other
known
components and features of other conventional systems and/or the like being
well
known (ex. cameras, movement counters, anti-theft devices, etc.), as apparent
to a
person skilled in the art.
Other possible aspect(s), object(s), embodiment(s), variant(s), and/or
resulting
advantage(s) of the self-adjusting skid shoe of the present self-adjusting
system
(and/or associated working snow-removal equipment and/or vehicle), all being
preferred and/or optional, are briefly explained hereinbelow, and can be
easily
understood and/or inferred from the accompanying drawings, as well.
Namely, several modification(s), alteration(s), addition(s) and/or
simplification(s) could be made to the self-adjusting skid shoe of the present
self-
adjusting system (and/or associated working snow-removal equipment and/or
vehicle), depending on the intended purpose(s) and/or desired result(s),
without
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-02-08
17
departing from the scope of the present invention, as can be easily understood
by a
person skilled in the art. For example:
a) the spring could be enclosed inside another part of the snowblower that is
not
the frame, such as inside of the skid shoe, for example - alternatively, it
could
be exposed to environment;
b) the torsion spring could apply a torque on the skid shoe by applying on it
a
direct pressure anywhere on it, not only by being constrained by its ends in
holes - alternatively, the torsion spring could apply a torque on the skid
shoe
via a lever, for example;
c) the torsion spring could have any orientation - its ends could face
upwards,
downwards, and/or either side;
d) the torsion spring could be replaced by a torsion rod where one end is
fixed to
the frame and the other end is fixed to the skid shoe - alternatively, the
torsion
spring could also be replaced by a rubber torsion element, for example;
e) the pivot could be placed upstream or downstream of the working direction,
or
it could be placed somewhere in the middle - the pivot could even be
completely
eliminated - in this case, two or more torsions spring would apply a pressure
on
the skid shoe - the skid shoe would be free to move in the slot(s);
f) alternatively, the spring could be placed on the opposite side of the
pivot, and
its opening amplitude would be equal to the amplitude of movement of the skid
shoe - the torsion spring could be placed anywhere on the assembly such that
its longitudinal axis is not coincident with the pivot rotation axis;
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-02-08
18
g) the system could have one or more slots, and these slots could either be on
the frame and/or on the skid shoe - they could be exposed, semi-enclosed,
and/or enclosed;
h) there could be an embodiment of the present system in which a compression
spring is protected inside a cavity similar to the cavity (41) shown in the
preferential embodiment - this spring applies a force on the skid shoe,
tangent
to an imaginary circle around the pivot, effectively creating a torque and
achieving a similar result;
i) alternative slot shapes would include pointy tips, and/or very large
openings at
the top and bottom - it could have chamfers on its edges, either on some edges
or on all edges - the slot could also be closed at the top and open at the
bottom,
and/or closed at both ends;
j) there could be many holes in the frame such that the client can adjust the
aggressivity of the skid shoe on their own;
k) the torsion spring used could have axial, tangential, or radial legs - it
could also
have special legs - it could be right-wounded, left-wounded, or double torsion
-
the concept of a torsion spring should be understood in its largest sense,
encompassing all types and variations of torsion springs;
I) alternatively, the present system could be used as combination with
any of the
prior art designs as a hybrid;
m) in the concept presented, all the parts are made of steel, but it would be
possible to change the materials of the frame, the mechanism or the skid shoe,
depending on the abrasion resistance desired;
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-02-08
19
n) embodiments of the present system could be any combinations of the
variations
mentioned above; and
o) the present system can be easily installed on all types of snow removal
equipment: all tractor and loader driven snowblowers, snow plows, etc.
When referring to an embodiment of the present self-adjusting system in the
form of a self-adjusting chain tensioner by means of a torsion spring, for
example, it is
worth mention that innovative feature(s) of the present system reside in the
self-
adjustment feature of the self-adjusting system, as well as in self-
lubricating of the
self-adjusting system. It is worth mentioning also that these two aspects
could be each
used in combination with one another, and/or alternatively, used individually
on their
own, given that the presence of one is not dependant on the presence of the
other, as
can be easily understood by a person skilled in the art.
Concerning the "self-adjusting feature" of the self-adjusting system, it is
worth
mentioning that FIG. 18 shows a possible solution for a self-adjusting roller
chain
tensioner. The pivoting chain tensioner (26) is inserted on a pin (30) up to
its flange.
A bushing (34) welded to the chain tensioner is designed such that its outer
diameter
is smaller than the inner diameter of the spring (40), allowing the spring
(40) to be
installed around the bushing (34), on the pivoting chain tensioner. The pin is
then fixed
to the frame (8) of the snow removal equipment with a fastener (32).
Each end of the torsion spring (40) is inserted in a hole, hole (46) on the
frame
(8) and hole (47) on the pivoting part (26). Those holes allow us to pre-load
the spring
at installation, in such a way that the pivoting tensioner is always subjected
to a torque,
tending the roller chain (10). Modifying the position of the holes (46,47)
allows us to
vary the angular displacement the spring (40) is subjected to, hence varying
the torque
applied on the pivoting part (26) and the tension it creates in the chain
(10). There
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-02-08
20
could be one or more holes (47) on the pivoting part in order to allow the
user to adjust
the desired tension on the chain.
It is possible to control if one wants to subject the pivoting tensioner (26)
to a
clockwise or counterclockwise torque, either by installing the torsion spring
in
compression or in tension. The path of the roller chain will change
accordingly (see
FIG. 19 and FIG. 20).
Concerning the "self-lubricating feature" of the self-adjusting system, it is
worth
mentioning that self-lubricating materials are well known in the art but have
not been
used as self-lubricating pivot bushing for a snowblower self-adjusting chain
tensioner.
Self-lubricating materials have a tendency to be more expensive to
manufacture,
because they are often used in assemblies that require small design
tolerances.
However, they provide the advantage of not needing hands-on maintenance.
This proves to be a game changer once we could figure out a way to make a
self-adjusting chain tensioner that does not require an opening in the chain
guard. In
this case, there is a big advantage in eliminating the other holes in the
chain guard. It
would be a strong asset for snowblowers, because it would allow users to even
further
protect the crucial components of the driving system from contaminants, etc.
A specific hole in the chain guard which has proven difficult to remove in
prior
art is a hole to lubricate the pivot points of the chain tensioner (26). In
the majority of
prior art designs, grease fittings (27) are used for lubrification purposes,
hence the
frame (8) needs to be provided with an opening to access said grease fittings.
This
opening can let snow or other contaminants enter the chain case, damaging the
driving system.
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-02-08
21
The present concept does not use a grease fitting. It requires no manual
lubrification. As seen in FIG. 21, the chain tensioner (26) of the present
system has a
welded bushing on one side (34). Inside of this bushing (34), a smaller self-
lubricating
bushing (39) is press fitted. The self-lubricating bushing (39) is made out of
bronze
impregnated with oil, and is self-lubricating, such that there is no need for
an opening
in the frame to access the system.
As may now be better appreciated, the above-discussed self-adjusting chain
tensioner of the present self-adjusting system (and associated snow-removal
equipment and/or vehicle) is a considerable improvement over conventional
systems
in that, for example:
a) other self-adjusting chain tensioners often use open wound compression
springs - these springs tend to get clogged up with snow and ice in the space
between their spires, which prevents normal and reliable movements and
consistent strength along their longitudinal axis - the use of a close wound
torsional spring prevents this common problem;
b) prior art designs often use compression springs located outside of the
chain
guard - these systems are exposed, and thus more likely to get in the way or
collide obstacles along the working area ¨ the present design avoids this
problem;
c) using the torsion spring principle allows us to remove the pin (33) from
the
pivoting tandem (26) - this reduces the welding required on the tandem, and
will decrease the deformation due to the heat produced while welding - this
allows the gears (24) to keep a better alignment, in the same plane;
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-02-08
22
d) for the same pivoting chain tensioner movement, the torsion spring requires
less movement amplitude than the compression spring - in addition, the
compression spring has to deform while fighting against the ice and snow that
gets stuck in the spires - this means that the compression spring wastes more
of its energy on deformation than the torsion spring does for the same work;
e) requires very minimal design modifications on the snowblower to be
integrated
as a feature; and
f) the self-lubricating feature removes the need for a grease fitting, which
removes
the need for an access hole in the frame of the snowblower - this is where an
important advantage of this improvement lies: since there is no need for an
opening on the guard, no contaminants get in, and the driving system's life
expectancy rises - in addition, since the maintenance required is reduced,
there
is a time gain for the user - the average snowblower user is not as diligent
about
their snowblower maintenance as they should, thus, removing one step without
compromising the driving system's life expectancy is desirable.
As can be easily understood, in addition to the various innovative components
and features of the present self-adjusting tensioner of the system, and
explained
and/or exemplified in the present patent specification, the self-adjusting
system
according to the present invention could also be provided with various other
known
components and features of other conventional systems and/or the like being
well
known (ex. cameras, movement counters, anti-theft devices, etc.), as apparent
to a
person skilled in the art.
Other possible aspect(s), object(s), embodiment(s), variant(s), and/or
resulting
advantage(s) of the present self-adjusting tensioner of the self-adjusting
system
(and/or associated working snow-removal equipment and/or vehicle), all being
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-02-08
23
preferred and/or optional, are briefly explained hereinbelow, and can be
easily
understood and/or inferred from the accompanying drawings, as well.
Namely, several modification(s), alteration(s), addition(s) and/or
simplification(s) could be made to the self-adjusting tensioner of the present
self-
adjusting system (and/or associated working snow-removal equipment and/or
vehicle), depending on the intended purpose(s) and/or desired result(s),
without
departing from the scope of the present invention, as can be easily understood
by a
person skilled in the art. For example:
a) the pivot point can be placed near the center of mass, or anywhere else on
the pivoting chain tensioner - alternatively, the axis of rotation of the
pivoting
chain tensioner could coincide with the axis of rotation of a gear,
effectively
making said gear an idler gear;
b) the spring could be exposed to the environment instead of enclosed in the
chain guard;
c) the torsion spring could apply a torque on the pivoting chain tensioner by
applying on it a direct pressure on any part of it, not only by being
constrained
by its legs in holes - alternatively, the torsion spring could apply a torque
on the
pivoting chain tensioner via a lever;
d) an embodiment of the present system could be that a torsion spring leg
applies
a direct pressure to the pivoting chain tensioner in order to create a torque -
the
shape of the pivoting chain tensioner can be designed such that depending on
the torsion spring angular amplitude, the distance between the point of
contact
with the spring leg and the pivot varies - this would allow the torque applied
on
the chain tensioner to be constant;
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-02-08
24
e) the torsion spring could have any orientation - its ends could face
upwards,
downwards, or either side;
f) the torsion spring used could have axial, tangential, or radial legs - it
could also
have special legs - it could be right-wounded, left-wounded, or double torsion
-
the concept of a torsion spring should be understood in its largest sense,
encompassing all types and variations of torsion springs;
g) the torsion spring could be placed anywhere on the assembly such that its
longitudinal axis is not coincident with the pivot rotation axis;
h) the torsion spring could also be replaced by a torsion rod where one end is
fixed to the frame and the other end is fixed to the skid shoe - the torsion
spring
could also be replaced by a rubber torsion element;
i) the pivot could even be completely eliminated - in this case, two or more
torsion
springs would apply a pressure on the pivoting chain tensioner - the chain
tensioner would be free to move in slots;
j) there could be many holes in the frame such that the client can adjust the
aggressivity of the chain tensioner on their own;
k) instead of a self-lubricating bushing, it is possible to press fit a
bearing in the
assembly to allow the rotation on the pivot point;
I) alternatively, this system could be used as combination with any of
the prior art
designs as a hybrid;
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-02-08
25
m) in this case, all the parts except the self-lubricating bushing are made of
steel,
but it would be possible to change the materials of the frame, the mechanism
or the pivoting chain tensioner; and
n) embodiments of the present system could be any combinations of the
variations
mentioned above.
As may now be better appreciated, the present self-adjusting system is a
considerable improvement over conventional systems in that it overcomes the
many
drawbacks and inconveniences associated with conventional systems, as
discussed
hereinabove.
Furthermore, the present self-adjusting system is advantageous in that it
offers
an innovative design with minimal components that can be modular and/or
interchangeable depending on the applications(s) for which the self-adjusting
system
is intended for, and the desired end result(s), and the present self-adjusting
system is
also advantageous in that it enables to provide a great variety of different
types of
configuration(s) and/or application(s) with a same snow-removal equipment
and/or
corresponding vehicle, in a quicker, easier, simpler, faster, safer, more
efficient, more
convenient, more reliable, more secure, more economical and/or more
sustainable
manner.
The present self-adjusting system and corresponding parts are preferably
made of substantially rigid materials, such as metallic materials, hardened
polymers,
composite materials, polymeric materials, and/or the like, so as to ensure a
proper
operation thereof depending on the particular applications for which the self-
adjusting
system is intended and the different parameters (ex. loads involved,
associated
torques, weights, etc.) in cause, as apparent to a person skilled in the art.
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-02-08
26
Of course, and as can be easily understood by a person skilled in the art, the
scope of the claims should not be limited by the possible embodiments set
forth in the
examples, but should be given the broadest interpretation consistent with the
description as a whole.
Furthermore, although preferred embodiments of the present invention have
been briefly described herein and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, it
is to be
understood that the invention is not limited to these embodiments and that
various
changes and modifications could be made without departing form the scope and
spirit
of the present invention, as apparent to a person skilled in the art.
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-02-08
