Snow shovel with convex edge

Abstract

A shoveling implement (10) includes an elongate shaft (12) attached to a blade (14) having a convexly shaped portion (16) protruding from the backside of the blade adjacent the lower leading (or distal) edge (17), which allows the blade to be easily pushed over rough or uneven surfaces.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a snow shovel with a blade having a leading lower edge which is specifically configured to easily scrape snow from rough, unpaved ground as well as other irregular or uneven surfaces.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In addition to their smoothly paved driveways, many home-owners have to clear snow from other rough or uneven surfaces, such as wood decks, rooftops, and stone, aggregate, or brick walkways or patios. This is especially true in rural areas, where most people have gravel driveways. In the snow-belt regions, farmers, ranchers, construction workers, service people and others must regularly go out into the field and clear snow from rough terrain. As anyone with experience shoveling snow from rough or uneven surfaces knows, it is difficult and frustrating to do with conventional snow shovels, because the thin, sharp edge of the blade tends to “dig” into the ground or “catch” on protruding ice, nail heads, wood planks, or frozen gravel, bringing forward motion and momentum to an abrupt and often painful wrist-jarring and/or gut-jabbing stop; and when the user attempts to compensate by lowering the shovel shaft, the blade skims up and over the snow, instead of under it.

Many commercial buildings have large flat roofs, which are covered with a thin rubber membrane or a tar-and-gravel coating. In snow-belt regions, these rooftops must be periodically cleared of excessive accumulated snow, and these fragile surfaces are easily damaged by sharp-edged, conventional snow shovels.

Because all known hand-held snow shovels have a relatively sharp edge, which is difficult and frustrating to use on rough or uneven surfaces, there is a need for a shovel with an edge better suited for pushing snow across irregular, uneven, or fragile surfaces like rooftops.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention provides a snow shovel having a blade with a convexly-shaped surface located underneath the leading lower edge, which allows the blade to easily scrape snow from rough, unpaved ground as well as other irregular or uneven surfaces. This curved shape, which begins at the outermost edge of the blade and extends downward to, then up away from the ground, allows the blade to “ride over” protruding irregularities, instead of being abruptly stopped by them, as happens with a conventional shovel having a thin or flat bottom edge.

Another benefit resulting from the shape of the convex edge is not having to keep the blade (and handle) at a fixed angle to the ground in order to effectively scrape snow. Additionally, the convex edge can be pushed across flat or shingled roofs without causing damage, as often happens with a sharp-edged shovel.

The convex edge can be molded into the blade or added as a separate piece, and can be shaped as a constant or graduated curve. It can be made from plastic, metal, or any other suitable material.

These and other features, advantages and objects of the present invention will be further understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art by reference to the following specification, claims and appended drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a shovel with a convex edge.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the tool shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a rear view of the tool shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 4 is a side view of the tool shown in FIGS. 1-3.

FIG. 5 is a side view of the tool shown in FIGS. 1-4, as it pushes snow across rough terrain.

FIG. 6 is a side view of an alternative design of a convex edge that may be used with the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS

An embodiment of the invention is shown in FIGS. 1-5. Tool 10 includes an elongate shaft 12 and a blade 14. Shaft 12 is connected to blade 14 via bracket 11 and screw 15 although other conventional means of attachment may be used. Blade 14 includes a backside that is bounded by two side edges, a distal edge 17, and a proximal edge that is closest to the elongate shaft. Blade 14 includes a convex surface 16, which extends (laterally) along the full width of blade 14. The convexly-shaped outside surface of convex surface 16 begins at distal edge 17 of blade 14 and extends upward along the backside of blade 14. Convex surface 16 may be formed integrally with blade 14 or may be separately formed and attached to distal edge 17 of blade 14 as a single piece or as a plurality of pieces. If formed as a plurality of separate pieces, each piece would be attached to distal edge 17 of blade 14 so as to provide a convex surface 16 that extends substantially across the entire width of blade 14. If separately formed and attached, the separate piece(s) forming convex surface 16 may include a lip that extends over distal edge 17 of blade 14. In this manner, if blade 14 is made of a polymer, a separate edge piece made of metal including convex surface 16 may be attached to additionally serve to reinforce leading edge 17 of the shovel.

The portion of blade 14 forming convex surface 16 may have a substantially uniform thickness and convex surface 16 is formed by a portion of blade 14 that is bent under the backside of blade 14.

Convex surface 16 preferably protrudes at least ¼ inch from the backside of blade 14 and extends laterally across substantially the entire width of the blade adjacent distal edge 17. Convex surface 16 may have a generally cylindrical contour and may have a radius of between about 3/16 inch and 10 inches. Convex surface 16 preferably extends no more than about 5 inches up from distal edge 17 of blade 14.

As shown in FIG. 5, the curved shape of convex surface 16 allows blade 14 to be pushed over rough or uneven surfaces without being snagged by protruding irregularities.

A second embodiment 110 of the invention is shown in FIG. 6. Tool 110 shows an alternative design of the convex surface 116, which may be integrally formed with blade 114. If convex surface 116 is made integral with the rest of blade 114, blade 114 may have a non-uniform thickness and convex surface 116 may be formed at a thick portion of blade 114.

The tools described above can be made from plastic, metal, or any other suitable material, and the convex edge can be variously configured.

The above description is considered that of the preferred embodiments only. Modifications of the invention will occur to those skilled in the art and to those who make or use the invention. Therefore, it is understood that the embodiments shown in the drawings and described above are merely for illustrative purposes and not intended to limit the scope of the invention, which is defined by the following claims as interpreted according to the principles of patent law, including the doctrine of equivalents.

Claims

1. A shovel comprising:

an elongate shaft; and

a blade attached to the elongate shaft, the blade including a backside and bounded by two side edges, a distal edge, and a proximal edge, the blade having a convex surface which protrudes at least ¼ inch from the backside of the blade and extends laterally across substantially the entire width of the blade adjacent the distal edge, the convex surface having a radius of between 3/16 inch and 10 inches, and extends no more than 5 inches up the backside from the distal edge of the blade.

2. The shovel of claim 1, wherein the convex surface has a generally cylindrical contour.

3. The shovel of claim 1, wherein the convex surface is formed as a separate piece from the rest of the blade, the separate piece being attached proximate the distal edge of the rest of the blade.

4. The shovel of claim 3, wherein the separate piece having the convex surface is made of a different material than the rest of the blade.

5. The shovel of claim 4, wherein the separate piece is made of metal, and the rest of the blade is made of a polymer.

6. The shovel of claim 4, wherein the separate piece is made of a polymer, and the rest of the blade is made of metal.

7. The shovel of claim 3, wherein the separate piece having the convex surface is made of the same material as the rest of the blade.

8. The shovel of claim 7, wherein both the separate piece and the rest of the blade are made of a polymer.

9. The shovel of claim 7, wherein both the separate piece and the rest of the blade are made of metal.

10. The shovel of claim 1, wherein the convex surface is integral with the rest of the blade.

11. The shovel of claim 10, wherein the blade has a non-uniform thickness and the convex surface is formed at a thick portion of the blade.

12. The shovel of claim 10, wherein the portion of the blade forming the convex surface has a substantially uniform thickness and the convex surface is formed by a portion of the blade that is bent under the backside of the blade.

13. The shovel of claim 1, wherein the portion of the blade forming the convex surface has a substantially uniform thickness and the convex surface is formed by a portion of the blade that is bent under the backside of the blade.

14. The shovel of claim 1, wherein the blade has a non-uniform thickness and the convex surface is formed at a thick portion of the blade.

15. The shovel of claim 1, wherein the convex surface is formed as a plurality of separate pieces from the rest of the blade, the separate pieces each being attached proximate the distal edge of the rest of the blade.