Snow shovel for unconventional surfaces

Abstract

The present invention provide for snow shovels suitable for removing snow from uneven surfaces without inflicting damage to the underlying surface or jarring stops, while leaving a layer of protective snow with larger convex lower edges. The snow shovel includes an elongated handle attached to a scoop having a well for collecting snow and a front end for receiving snow. The front end defines an outwardly convex shape, such as a half-cylinder or a half-tear drop shape.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/337,820, filed Feb. 12, 2010.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The presently disclosed subject matter is directed towards a snow shovel for removing snow from uneven surfaces.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Snow seasonally falls and accumulates throughout much of the United States. While snow is welcomed at many locations such as ski resorts, snow removal can be both unpleasant and difficult. However, snow removal is an important task that must be performed quickly to allow normal activities to proceed.

A factor that can seriously complicate the difficulty of snow removal is the underlying surface upon which the snow accumulates. For example, decking, brick patios, grass lawns and other surfaces are often uneven and can have protrusions and obstructions. Prior art snow shovels do not slide easily over such surfaces, which often can be seriously damaged by prior art snow shovels. Furthermore, using prior art snow shovels on many surfaces often results in frequent jarring stops.

Additionally, prior art snow shovels are designed to scrap snow from surfaces. However, there are benefits to allowing a snow layer to remain on vegetation covered surfaces. For example, a snow layer both helps protect vegetation from extreme temperatures, mitigates potential detrimental effects of concentrated pet excrement, and mitigates attracting winter-grazing animals such as rabbits.

However, removing some snow from uneven surfaces and vegetative-covered surfaces can be extremely important. As an example, small pets often make use of decking and lawns when they need to relive themselves. But, a deck and lawn covered in deep snow can make such use problematic or impossible. Therefore, a snow shovel for removing snow from uneven surfaces such as decks, brick patios, and grass lawns would be highly useful and beneficial.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The principles of the present invention provide for snow shovels suitable for removing snow from uneven surfaces without inflicting damage to the surface and avoiding jarring stops to the individual shoveling snow. The principles of the present invention further provide for snow shovels that remove some snow from surfaces while leaving a layer of protective snow.

A snow shovel in accord with the principles of the present invention includes an elongated handle attached to a scoop having a well for collecting snow and a front end for receiving snow. The front end defines an outwardly convex shape, such as a half-cylinder or a half-tear drop shape.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The advantages and features of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following detailed description and claims when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like elements are identified with like symbols, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a snow shovel suitable for removing snow from uneven surfaces;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the snow shovel illustrated in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of an alternative front end.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The presently disclosed subject matter now will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to FIGS. 1, 2, and 3 in which some, but not all embodiments are shown. However, the invention is not limited to the described and illustrated embodiments, and a person skilled in the art will appreciate that many other embodiments of the invention are possible without deviating from the basic concept of the invention and that any such work around will also fall under scope of this invention.

The present invention relates to snow shovels suitable for use over uneven surfaces such as decks, textured patios, lawns, brick sidewalks, broken paving, nail impregnated materials, and other such surfaces. In particular, FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrates a snow shovel 90 that is in accord with the principles of the present invention. As shown in both FIGS. 1 and 2 the snow shovel 90 includes a scoop 100 that is attached to an elongated handle 101. The scoop 100 has a front end 102 that allows some snow to pass into a well 104 (illustrated only in FIG. 1) without scrapping the surface from which snow is being removed. A user then manipulates the handle 101 to cause snow to move into the well 104 and then to move the snow to another location.

While the use of the shovel 90 is conventional, the front end 102 of the shovel 90 forms an outwardly convex shape. While the front end 102 is illustrated as having a continuous half-cylindrical shape that extends along the full length of the scoop, it should be understood that the front end shape can be formed in various shapes. For example, FIG. 3 illustrates a front end 110 having another useful shape, the “half tear-drop.” In any event, it is important that the front end 102 convex shape be sufficiently large to slide over surface obstructions (such as wood, bricks, grass) without digging into those obstructions.

A front end having a half-cylindrical shape with a radius of about ¾ inch will allow the shovel 90 to slide over many uneven surfaces such a wood decks and bricked sidewalks or patios, while a radius of about 2 inches will be useful when removing snow from vegetation (such as grass) or gravel covered surfaces without damage to the vegetation or without unduly disturbing the gravel and intentionally leaving behind a protective layer of compacted snow.

In practice it will be advantageous to construct the scoop from a durable plastic or metal sufficiently rigid to withstand the abrasive environment in which it will be used. The use of structural ridges or other supporting features may be used. Additionally, it may be beneficial to form the front end 102 as an integral part of the scoop 100. However, this is not a requirement and a separate convex shaped piece can be added to form the completed scoop 100.

It is to be understood that while the figures and the above description illustrate the present invention, they are exemplary only. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. Others who are skilled in the applicable arts will recognize numerous modifications and adaptations of the illustrated embodiments that remain within the principles of the present invention. Therefore, the present invention is to be limited only by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A snow shovel comprising:

an elongated handle and a scoop attached to said elongated handle, wherein said scoop includes a well for collecting snow and a front end for receiving snow, wherein said front end defines an outwardly convex shape.

2. A snow shovel according to claim 1, wherein said outwardly convex shape is a half-cylinder.

3. A snow shovel according to claim 2, wherein said half-cylinder has a radius less than 1 inch.

4. A snow shove according to claim 2, wherein said half-cylinder has a radius greater than 1 inch.

5. A snow shovel according to claim 1, wherein said outwardly convex shape is tear-dropped.

6. A snow shovel according to claim 1 wherein said outwardly convex shape fully extends along the front end.