Patent Application
20140373397
The present invention relates to a plow for use with an automobile to push snow, sand, gravel and other such materials.
This invention relates to a lightweight plow that can be attached to the front of a motor vehicle such as an automobile or small truck or an ATV, for use in removing snow from a residential driveway. It may also be used for occasional moving of other materials such as sand or gravel. There are many commonly used methods of removing snow from residential driveways; snow shovels, snow blowers, and heavy hydraulically operated snow plows mounted on the front of trucks. The deficiencies of the snow shovel are that it requires heavy lifting and/or pushing of snow in back breaking fashion in multiple, small quantities. Snow blowers can be quite expensive, require trips to the gas station for fuel, may have persistent starting problems, and may be inefficient due to wind conditions. Both shoveling and snow blowers require the user to be out in the cold elements and require them to be in relatively good health as to avoid stress on their hearts. The snow plows attached to trucks require enormous investment in both the vehicle and the plow. The plows are usually made of steel which will rust over time, and require substantial storage space. The hydraulics used to operate the plows require substantial maintenance. Finally, the majority of home owners do not have there own truck and snow plow, but must hire someone to clear their drive. This may result in the drive not being cleared as soon as the homeowner would prefer.
While not commonly used, arrangements have been disclosed in the past for attaching a plow to a passenger vehicle. Many such arrangements required welding or bolting plow support structures to the frame or other metal structures, such as metal bumpers, of the automobile. The following patents disclose arrangements for propelling plows by an automobile which do not require the bolting, clamping or welding of metal structures to the automobile:
The Pipes et al patent sets forth a snowplow for a vehicle which attached to a vehicle by a pair of universal bumper hitch assembly 64 each of which includes a rod 66 extending from the bumper to the rear of the mold bars 16. Thus, the snowplow arrangement of the Pipes et al patent is not usable with current automobiles that do not have bumpers. Similarly, the snow plow assembly of the Rosenberg patent is attached to the bumper of an automobile. The Kowalczyk patent reveals a snow plow blade which is supported on the vertical portions of two L-shaped Members, with the horizontal portions being attached to the automobile by suction cups. The Grossman patent sets forth a snow plow which is formed by folding sheets of planar material, and attaching the formed snow plow to an automobile with straps, Velcro strips, screw, bolts, adhesives, or any other suitable material. The Matisz et al patent shows a snow plow consisting of two blade wing sections, each of which has an integrally formed bumper column which engages the bumper of a vehicle. Each of the two blade wing sections are secured to the vehicle by a strap.
It is an object of this invention to provide a plow which is readily attached to an automobile without requiring any modification of the automobile and without requiring the use of tools. It is another object of this invention to provide a plow which is light weight, such that it may be readily positioned for use on a vehicle and removed therefrom for storage. It is still another object of this invention to provide a plow having a blade which is provided in segments which may be readily attached to each other. A still further object of this invention is to provide a plow which includes readily assembled parts which make the plow adaptable for use on a variety of vehicles and for aligning the plow to move the plowed material to the right, left or directly ahead of the direction of movement of the vehicle.
a and 4b are respectively front and rear perspective views of a blade section of a plow in accordance with this invention;
a and 5b are respectively outer and inner perspective views of an end cap for the blade sections of a plow in accordance with this invention;
a and 6b are respectively front and rear perspective views of a cog plate of a plow in accordance with this invention;
a and 7b are respectively top and bottom perspective views of a cog extender of a plow in accordance with this invention;
a and 8b are respectively rear and bottom perspective views of a cog of a plow in accordance with this invention;
a and 9b are respectively rear and bottom perspective views of a stud cap of a plow in accordance with this invention; and
a and 10b are respectively top and bottom perspective views of a hood clip of a plow in accordance with this invention.
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Each of the components of the snow plow 12 in accordance with this invention will now be described by making reference to FIGS. 3 and 4-10, a and b.
Front and rear views of a blade section 24 are shown in
The blade sections 24 as well as most of the other components of the snow plow 12 are constructed of injected molded structural foam, of sufficient thickness to provide for strength and durability, when plowing, even under the harsh conditions of winter. When bolted together, the combined sections create a strong, yet flexible blade in excess of six feet in length. This flexibility is provided by the material forming the blade sections 24 and by the multiple sections. The flexibility allows for the stress and weight of the snow to be distributed throughout the several blade sections, rather than just in the area directly affected.
The top 46 and the bottom 48 of each of the blade sections 24 is provided with a rounded reinforced edge that enhances the durability of the snow plow as it pushes snow over a concrete, gravel or asphalt surface. The top 46 and bottom 48 of a blade section may be rotated, so as to replace a worn bottom 48 with an unworn top 46. The rounded edges, along with the flexibility of the blade, will keep the blade from getting stuck against cracks or solid ice. In addition, the blade is designed so that the top and bottom are the same, thus making it reversible, and thereby doubling the life of the snow plow.
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The assembly of the plow is simple, such that anyone familiar with the use of a screw driver and wrench can put it together in approximately ten minutes. In the preferred assemble, two bolts attach each of the blade sections and end caps, four bolts attach each cog plate to two adjacent blade sections, or to two cog extenders, and four bolts attach the cog to two adjacent cog plates.
In the preferred embodiment, a stud 34 is formed of typical 2×4 lumber cut to an appropriate length to extend, for instance, above the hood of an automobile with which the plow is to be used. The 2×4 may be wrapped with a material, such as neoprene, to provide a cushion where it comes into engagement with the automobile. The neoprene cover slip may be attached to the stud with hook and loop material. Wood screws may be used to attach a stud 34 to a cog 30 and a stud cap 36. In a preferred assembly, bolts and wing nuts are used to secure a cog to a cog plate. The use of the wing nuts makes it easier to adjust the vertical position of the cog 30 on the cog plate 28, depending on the height of the surface of the vehicle against which the curved surface 64 will bear with respect to the bottom of the blade sections 24. In addition, the cogs 30 can be adjusted to the right or left of center to account for the various curves of the vehicle surface to be engaged by the curved surface 64 of the cog 30. This allows for a flush fit of the stud 34 to the engaging surface of the vehicle, which will keep damage and/or scratches from occurring. In addition to this adjustment, we have included a neoprene cover slip that will attach to the stud with hook and loop material to provide additional protection to the bumper.
The key to the functionality of the blade is the stud and cog assembly. A quick measurement of the height of the bumper or other portion of the engaging vehicle which engages the cog from the ground is made and the cog is tightened into an appropriate slot of the cog plate. The studs 34 are preferably cut to a length that allows for the stud cap to come even with height of the hood or trunk. A typical passenger car requires a 20″-24″ length, while an SUV or pickup may be 30″-36″ or higher. If the user of the plow of this invention has both types of vehicles, two sets of studs will provide for use of the plow on either vehicle. The cog extender plate can be attached to either the right or left side of the plow depending on which direction from the vehicle you want the plowed material to be displaced. The cog plate extenders 32 can be moved from either side of the blade easily and quickly.
Once the blade is assembled and the location of the cogs 30 and the height of the studs 34 are determined, it will take very little time to complete the attachment to the vehicle for use, regardless if attaching it to the front or back of the vehicle. You begin by leaning the snow plow 12 against the engaging surface of the vehicle. A strap, formed of a material such as nylon, is run through the slots 70 and 72 in the stud cap 36, with the other end slid through the strap clip 20, which engages the top edge of the hood or trunk. The clip 20 is made of, or coated with a material that will not scratch the vehicle, yet is strong enough to keep the strap in place. The strap is pull tight, but not over tightened. When the car is in motion, the weight of the snow and force of the vehicle makes the top of the blade sections and therefor the top of the studs 34 to lean forward away from the vehicle. The strap keeps the stud securely against the bumper thus keeping the snow plow blade upright. In addition, the cog 30 will provide additional support to the stud 34 as it engages a vehicle surface. The combination of the strap 18 and engagement of the cog 30 against the underside of the bumper distributes the stress of the plow while it's pushing snow or other material.
To keep the snow plow 12 attached to the vehicle when going in the opposite direction, a resilient strap or cord, such as a bungee cord is secured to an end cap 26, at hole 49, and the other end to a suitable structure in the wheel well of the vehicle. This allows for the vehicle to go down the driveway pushing snow, return up the driveway, and then change lanes to complete the snow removal. When the task is complete, one may simply unattach the hook clips from the vehicle and store the plow in a suitable location. When the snow plow 12 will not be used for an extended period, such as at the end of winter, it may be easily disassembled and put into a box or bag for easy storage.
While a preferred embodiment of the plow of this invention has been shown, it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that what has been shown and described is considered at present to be a preferred embodiment of the plow of this invention. In accordance with the Patent Statutes, changes may be made in the plow of this invention without actually departing from the true spirit and scope of this invention. The appended claims are intended to cover all such changes and modifications which fall in the true spirit and scope of this invention.
