Snow shovel
The manually powered wheeled-levered shovel/launcher device for the purpose of snow removal, which permits user to stand relatively upright; while, engaged in shoveling with minimal effort and limited bending posture resulting in safer operation. The shoveling device has a handle at one end to a tool head, such as a snow shovel head. A collapsibly foldable wheel assembly acts as a fulcrum is attached to the device for easy handling a snow load. Shovel head is able to tilt downward coupled with spring-loaded mechanism for the purpose of altering the launch direction from upward direction due to centrifugal force around the wheel resting on the ground to forward direction when a sudden force downward is applied on the handle.
The present invention is in the field of devices coupled with integrated tilting shovel head and adapted for engaging snow for maneuvering and manipulating purposes. More specifically, the invention is in the field such devices having shovel head for engaging snow, which include a tilting shovel head coupled with integrated spring-loaded mechanism in additional to the usual wheeled/levered shovel.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONWheeled and/or levered snow shovels have been invented, capable of scraping and gathering, lifting, dumping and launching quantities of material such as snow with minimal amount of physical exertion and strain on the operator, especially on the spine.
U.S. Pat. No. 20050160633 issued to Mark Noonan on Jul. 28, 2005 discloses a relatively large wheeled shovel having a handle formed at the end of an elongated yoke, the yoke in the middle is supporting through a wheel's axle of a large wheel for the purpose of picking up of a load, transporting it to a location, and propelling the load over-board with quick arm/body motion on the part of a person operating on the handle. The substantially waist-high wheel is adapted to receive the body force of an operator as an effective leverage through the handle and causes a recoil action from the wheel to enhance the throwing power of the apparatus of the invention, comprising the shovel, the wheel and the yoke as the driving member.
U.S. Pat. No. 20050160632 issued to Cyril Williams on Jul. 28, 2005 discloses a wheeled shovel with pivot mounted behind the scoop. Upon activation of a release lever, the scoop head is allowed to rotate downward, hence dumping its load. A wheel assembly mounted to an intermediate portion of the frame supports the scoop in an inclined position. Furthermore, the wheel assembly acts as a fulcrum whereby downward pressure on the handlebars of the shovel elevates the scoop for ease of transport.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,735,887 issued to Mohiuddin Muzzammel on May 18, 2004 discloses a wheeled shovel with a pair of large wheels placed well behind the snow scoop.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,918,921 issued to Vernon Samuelson on Jul. 6, 1999 discloses a levered shovel with wheel assembly connected to approximately the centre of the handle shaft of a shovel, which wheel acts as a fulcrum for the shovel.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,511,327 issued to Marlin/Kevin Jurkowski on Apr. 30, 1996 discloses a cart-like structural wheeled shovel having a wheel centrally located. The wheel acts as a fulcrum in order to elevate the scoop by pressing downward on the handlebar.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,302,894 issued to Sam Emma on Dec. 1, 1981 discloses a cart-like structural wheeled shovel with wheel centrally positioned and manually operated lever and when lever is activated, it causes the scoop to rotate downward thus dumping the load off the scoop.
Tilting shovel head has been developed to address the problem with operator running forward to facilitate adequate forward force, hence preventing slippage on ice which causes injuries in order not to receive snow shower during launch-off due to centrifugal force which pivotal around the wheel resting on the ground toward the operator.
Tilting shovel head downward coupled with spring-loaded mechanism alter the centrifugal circular-upward force; hence the launch is diverted to a forward launch direction.
Although, the above devices each may be useful for its intended purpose, it would be beneficial to the field to have an alternative combination of wheel/lever shovel which overcomes these limitations.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONA device for removing and disposing of snow comprising: a handle; a foldable wheel assembly; shovel head that tilts to launch a snow load when a sudden force downward is applied on the handle bounces back to its original position when the snow load is launched off.
With operator stationary in standing upright position, it is possible to launch the snow on the shovel head by introducing a sudden downward force on the handle by using both arms/upper body motion, hence create an additional artificial load on the shovel head on the other end and with the assistance of integrated tilting mechanism located just behind the shovel head, then snow load is launched toward horizontal direction away from the operator.
The shovel head tilts back once the snow is launched-off the shovel head, due to springs or alternate bendable plastic/rubber like compound material called “elastic” which retracts or bounce-back to its original length or straight-shape in a sudden manner which create an abrupt stop, which prevent snow to stick to and/or build-up on the shovel head.
The wheel assembly can be quickly folded after each use in order to save space for storing purposes.
The handle can be quickly removed after each use in order to save space for storing purposes.
The handle height can be quickly adjusted by means of telescoping to ensure perfect ergonomic comfort to the operator.
Referring now to the drawings,
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‘A1’; Handle elevation at gathering mode
‘A2’; Shovel head at gathering mode
‘B1’; Handle elevation at initial launch
‘B2’; Shovel head at initial launch
‘C1’; Handle elevations at final launch and launched-off
‘C2’; Shovel head at final launch
‘C3’; Shovel head at launched-off
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The foregoing is a description of a preferred embodiment of the invention which is given here by way of example only. The invention is not to be taken as limited to any of the specific features as described, but comprehends all such variations thereof as come within the scope of the appended claims.
Claims
1. A device for removing and disposing of snow comprising:
- a handle having upper and lower ends;
- a foldable wheel assembly connected adjacent to said lower end of said handle;
- shovel head on said lower end of said handle that tilts to launch a snow load when a sudden force downward is applied on the handle; and,
- spring means connected between said handle and said shovel operable to urge said shovel to bounce back to its original position when the snow load is launched off.
2. The device of claim 1, wherein the handle is detachable quickly for compact space-saving storage.
3. The device of claim 1, wherein the handle is adjustable quickly to suit different height operator by means of telescoping.
4. The device of claim 3, wherein the height of handle is adjustable quickly between 36 to 48 inches.
5. The device of claim 1, wherein the device uses one wheel for smaller/narrower shovel head.
6. The device of claim 5, wherein the diameter of the wheel is between 2 to 12 inches.
7. The device of claim 1, wherein the device uses two wheels for a larger/wider shovel head to provide additional stability, thus preventing the device from tipping side to side while launching.
8. The device of claim 7, wherein the diameter of the wheels are between 2 to 12 inches.
9. The device of claim 1, wherein the wheel assembly is collapsibly foldable quickly for compact space-saving storage.
10. The device of claim 1, wherein the shovel head is pivotably mounted on said handle whereby to tilt downward due to a pivot proximate at the back of the shovel head to within 24 inch from the back of shovel head
11. The device of claim 10, wherein the downward tilting of the shovel head is controlled by the weight in the shovel head against pre-design springs.
12. The device of claim 1, wherein the shovel head is formed of bendable plastic/rubber like material which offer elasticity proximate at the back of the shovel head whereby to enable it to tilt downward due to an alternate to within 24 inch from the back of shovel head.
13. The device of claim 12, wherein the downward tilting of the shovel head is controlled by the weight in the shovel head against said bendable plastic/rubber like material.
14. The device of claim 1, wherein the launching of snow in the shovel head is possible by operator creating a sudden force downward movement on the handle by using both arms/upper body motion, which cause the entire device then to rotate toward the operator around the wheel resting on the ground.
15. The device of claim 14 wherein said sudden jerk movement will also simultaneously/automatically lift and induce an additional artificial weight to the shovel head on the other end of the device, to overcome the biassing of the springs, causing the springs to extend and the shovel head assembly then to tilt downward toward the opposite side of the operator in which the launch direction is diverted from the upward direction due to centrifugal force which pivotal around the wheel resting on the ground to a forward launching direction.
16. The device of claim 1, wherein the launching of snow in the shovel head is possible by operator creating a sudden force downward movement on the handle by using both arms/upper body motion, which cause the entire device then to rotate toward the operator around the wheel resting on the ground.
17. The device of claim 16 and wherein said sudden movement will also simultaneously/automatically lift and induce an additional artificial weight to the shovel head on the other end of the device, to overcome the elasticity of the plastic/rubber like material, causing the elastic material to bend and the shovel head assembly then to tilt downward toward the opposite side of the operator in which the launch direction is diverted from the upward direction due to centrifugal force which pivotal around the wheel resting on the ground to a forward launching direction.
18. The device of claim 1, wherein once the snow is launched-off the shovel head, the springs will retract to its original length in a sudden manner which soon bottom-out, hence create an abrupt stop, which prevent any snow to stick to the shovel head.
19. The device of claim 1, wherein once the snow is launched-off the shovel head, the alternate elastic material bounces back to its original straight position in a sudden manner which soon bottom-out, hence create an abrupt stop, which prevent any snow to stick on the shovel head.
20. The device of claim 1, wherein the tilting shovel head alone causes the operator not require to induce an additional forward force by means of running, hence prevent slipping on ice and injury minimized because of it, in order to counter the upward force due to centrifugal force pivotal around the wheel; Therefore, the launch is altered from upward direction to forward direction, which launch the snow to a substantial distance away from the device.
Type: Application
Filed: Apr 3, 2007
Publication Date: Oct 4, 2007
Inventor: Yohans S. Adinata (Toronto)
Application Number: 11/730,619