The present disclosure relates to the field of vehicle maintenance accessories, but more particularly to vehicle snow blowers.
As is generally well known, snow removal is accomplished either by using a shovel or a power operated ground engaging snow blower. Use of a shovel generates undesired stresses onto a lower back portion of the user and causes fatigue when large amounts of snow must be removed.
Use of a traditional ground engaging powered snow blower equipment alleviates the problem of lower back stresses and user fatigue. However, such equipment is difficult to maneuver and may be cumbersome for users with limited physical strength. Furthermore, traditional snow blowers are disadvantaged in cleaning elevated surfaces such as steps and porches.
Additionally, the use of a shovel or traditional snow blower equipment fails to completely remove snow and ice build-up from the ground surface.
Snow and ice on cars and other delicate surfaces require special devices adapted to prevent deterioration of the delicate surfaces, preventing scratching the car paint for instance. Use of specialized snow brooms, with an ice scraper extremity, are usually used for this application. Powered alternatives also include heat ice scraper featuring an electrically heated element housed in a handheld device that is used to melt the ice off the windshields and other glass areas.
However, none of these solutions is well adapted to a variety of conditions, including de-icing small areas, removing snow and de-ice of a car for instance.
Therefore, there is a need for an improved portable apparatus for removing snow and ice build-up and which significantly removes such snow and ice build-up.
According to an embodiment, there is provided a snow blower for removal of at least one of snow and ice from a surface, the snow blower comprising: a body; an intake port; a discharge port; a conduit having an interior wall, the conduit fluidly connecting the intake port to the discharge port; a power source housed within the body; an electric circuit housed within the body and electrically connected to the power source; an electric blower housed within the body and powered by the electric circuit; and a heating coil electrically connected to the electric circuit and extending along at least a portion of the interior wall, wherein air is forced by the electric blower from the intake port through the conduit, heated by the heating coil and exhausted at the discharge port to contribute to remove the at least one of snow and ice from the surface.
According to an aspect, the snow blower further comprises: an extension duct which forms the conduit; and a nozzle, wherein the nozzle is releasably attached and fluidly connected to the extension duct, and wherein the nozzle comprises the discharge port.
According to an aspect, the nozzle comprises a pair of blades guiding the air exhausted at the discharge port.
According to an aspect, at least one of the blades from the pair of blades comprises ribs.
According to an aspect, the snow blower further comprises thermally conducting spines housed by the ribs that are thermally connected to the heating coil.
According to an aspect, the snow blower further comprises a power chamber housing the electric circuit and the electric blower, wherein the power chamber is fluidly connected to the intake port.
According to an aspect, the snow blower further comprises a handle comprising extremities, a first one of the extremities being secured to the power chamber and a second one of the extremities being secured to the conduit.
According to an aspect, the handle defines a hollow passage fluidly connecting the conduit and the power chamber.
According to an embodiment, there is provided a snow blower for removal of at least one of snow and ice from a surface, the snow blower comprising: an intake port; an electric blower; and a nozzle comprising a pair of blades protruding away from each other and defining a discharge port therebetween for guiding air exhausted from the discharge port towards the surface, wherein air is forced by the electric blower from the intake port to be exhausted at the discharge port to contribute to remove the at least one of snow and ice from the surface.
According to an aspect, one of the blades of the pair of blades comprises ribs.
According to an aspect, the snow blower further comprises a power chamber housing the electric circuit and the electric blower, wherein the power chamber is fluidly connected to the intake port.
According to an aspect, the snow blower further comprises a handle comprising extremities, a first one of the extremities being secured to the power chamber and a second one of the extremities being secured to the conduit distant from the intake port.
According to an aspect, the handle defines a hollow passage fluidly connecting the conduit and the power chamber.
According to an aspect, the snow blower further comprises a one-way valve, wherein the one-way valve operates upon excessive air pressure inside the snow blower.
According to an embodiment, there is provided a snow blower for removal of at least one of snow and ice from a surface, the snow blower comprising: an intake port; a discharge port; a conduit comprising an interior wall; a heating coil mounted to the conduit along the interior wall and extending over a portion of a length of the conduit; and an electric blower for drawing air through the intake port and exhausting air heated by the heating coil through the discharge port via the conduit; wherein air exhausted at the discharge port to contribute to remove the at least one of snow and ice from the surface.
According to an aspect, the conduit comprises: an extension duct; and a nozzle, wherein the extension duct and the nozzle are releasably attached and fluidly connected to each other, and wherein the nozzle comprises the discharge port.
According to an aspect, the nozzle comprises a pair of blades (350) guiding the air exhausted at the discharge port.
According to an aspect, one of the pair of blades comprises ribs.
According to an aspect, the snow blower further comprises a power chamber and a handle comprising extremities, a first one of the extremities being secured to the power chamber and a second one of the extremities being secured to the conduit.
According to an aspect, the handle defines a hollow passage fluidly connecting the conduit and the power chamber.
According to an aspect, the snow blower further comprises an electric circuit and a power chamber housing the electric circuit and the electric blower, wherein the power chamber is fluidly connected to the intake port.
Further features and advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in combination with the appended drawings, in which:
It will be noted that, for the sake of clarity and understanding, spatial references such as top, bottom, front and back are used for teaching purpose only and do not limit the use or structure of the embodiments of snow blower more than limitation regarding the relative components, relative locations and configurations of the different parts of the embodiments of snow blower herein described.
It will be noted that the terms upstream and downstream are further used to identify components, component parts and locations, these terms referring to the flow of air within the snow blower.
Furthermore, it will be noted that snow and ice are used as example of materials to be removed, based on its characteristics. However, the embodiments of snow blower may be used in relation with other material sharing at least some of the characteristics of snow and ice without departing from the intended scope of the present teaching.
Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to
Referring to
Referring additionally to
The heating coil 210 housed in the extension duct 200 is wound on the interior wall 212 of the extension duct 200 following the interior surface 214 and extending longitudinally over a distance corresponding to a portion of the length of the extension duct 200. The extension duct 200 comprises at its upstream extremity 230 a heater connector 216 (not visible) that, upon assembly of the extension duct 200 to the power chamber 100, connects to the matching heater contact 116 of the power chamber 100. The heating coil 210 comprising the heater connector 216 is therefore, upon assembly, electrically connected to the power chamber 100 and capable of being powered by the battery cell 106 housed in the power chamber 100.
The heating coil 210, disposed along the interior wall 212 of the extension duct 200, is in contact with flowing air. The heating coil 210 is designed to heat the air without hindering its flow. The heating coil 210 further heats a portion of the interior wall 212 of the extension duct 200. The extension duct 200 being made of electrically insulating material, the electric current powering the heating coil 210 is prevented from being communicated to the exterior wall 208 of the extension duct 200, ensuring safety of the operator. The extension duct 200 also being made of thermally insulating material, a low portion of the heat generated by the heating coil 210 reaches the exterior wall 208 of the extension duct 200.
The extension duct 200 further comprises on top, distant from its upstream extremity 230, a bracket 250 for fastening a front extremity of the front handle 410.
Referring to
Referring now to
The shape of the nozzle 300 between its upstream extremity 330 and its discharge port 318 evolves from a circular shape to an elongated rectangular shape at which two blades 350 extend. The rectangular shape of the discharge port 318 promotes the heated air to flow close to the blades 350, the flow of hot air forming a powered wave capable of removing snow located close to the blades 350 and melting snow and ice attached to a surface and resisting the pressure of the heated air flow.
It will be noted that the nature of the heating coil 210 following the interior wall 212, the gradual evolution of the shape of the nozzle 300 from a circular shape at its inlet port 320 to a rectangular shape and the shape of the blades 350 favour a laminar flow of air at the discharge port 318 of the nozzle 300.
Regarding more specifically the blades 350, they are designed to be interchangeable based on needs; the nozzle 300 being installed in a first configuration or a second configuration based on the blade 350 the operator wishes to use. On
Regarding the assembly of the nozzle 300 to the extension duct 200, it takes advantage of resiliency of the material of the nozzle 300 and the extension duct 200. According to the illustrated first embodiment, the nozzle 300 comprises at its upstream extremity 330 an assembly ring 340 of a smaller outer diameter than the body 341 of the nozzle 300, thereby defining a shoulder 342. The assembly ring 340 is for inserting in a mating portion at the downstream extremity 240 of the extension duct 200; mating with a duct assembly section 299 of similar interior diameter.
According to an embodiment, the assembly ring 340 and the duct assembly section 299 feature a lip/groove combination extending along the circumference of the assembly ring 340 and the duct assembly section 299. When assembled (by forcing the assembly ring 340 in the duct assembly section 299), the lip 345 lands in the groove 245, and the edge 246 of the downstream extremity 240 of the extension duct 200 abuts the shoulder 342, locking the components in an assembled configuration. The circular shape of the assembly allows to orientate the nozzle 300 to have the desired blade 350 in an operating position without having to disconnect the components.
According to the first embodiment, the snow blower 10 comprises an electric blower 104 with an intake port 120 located on one side of the power chamber 100; the electric blower 104 being mounted relative to a horizontal power shaft (not shown). According to another embodiment (not shown), the snow blower 10 comprises an intake port located under the power chamber 100 with the electric blower 104 being mounted to a power shaft having an axis, forming part of a vertical plane, extending along the longitudinal orientation of the snow blower 10.
According to an embodiment (not shown), the battery cell 106 is located in the power chamber 100 in front of the electric blower 104. The air flow forced by the electric blower 104 in the power chamber 100 flows around a portion of the battery cell 106 or flows along a cooling surface in contact with the battery cell 106 for the air flow to cool down battery cell 106.
According to the illustrated embodiment, the electric socket 110 is downwardly facing to provide a flat support face to support the snow blower 10 when laid down on the ground. According to another embodiment, a support protrusion is located at the illustrated current location of the electric socket 110 and the electric socket 110 is located closer to the handle 400. According to embodiments, the electric socket 110 is facing downward or sideward for preventing falling snow from accumulating around the electric socket 110.
According to embodiments, the snow blower 10 comprises a series of switch positions controlled by one or more switches. One feature controlled by the switch positions is powering the electric blower 104. An optional feature controllable with the switch positions is the speed of the electric blower 104, thus the air flow. According to one embodiment, the electric blower 104 can be powered up to spin at least at two distinct speeds. Another optional feature controllable with the switch positions is the powering of the heating coil 210. According to an embodiment, the snow blower 10 may be operated with the heating coil 210 not turned on, the air exhausted from the nozzle 300 not being heated. Such an operating condition may be used when the heating would not provide advantages, such as for blower alternative material such as leaves or dust. Additional temperature controls may be present for controlling the heating coil 210. These features are intended to prolong the life use of the snow blower 10 over a single charge when operating solely on battery cell 106 power. It will be understood that some or more of the listed switch positions may be realized through a single power switch capable of landing on multiple setting locations with the electric circuit 114 adapted thereof to operate according to the corresponding settings, or a plurality of physical switches individually controlling distinct features, for instance one general powering switch and one heat control switch, with the electric circuit 114 designed accordingly.
According to the illustrated embodiment, the front handle 410 features a horizontal portion 412 close to the bracket 250 and is for gripping purposes. The horizontal portion 412 provides a clearance between the front handle 410 and the extension duct 200 for easy gripping. According to an alternative embodiment (not shown), the handle 400 comprises an orientable handle to be secured to the front handle 410, the orientable handle extending laterally from the front handle 410 for improved ergonomic operation.
According to an embodiment, the extension duct 200 comprises a heat dissipating surface (not shown). The heat dissipation surface extends over a substantial portion of the length of the interior wall 212 of the extension duct 200. The heating coil 210 is in contact with the heat dissipation surface, the heating coil 210 heating the heat dissipation surface. Accordingly, the surface heating the flowing air is improved with respect to the heating coil 210 alone.
According to embodiments, the electric connection between the power chamber 100 and the extension duct 200 may take many forms. According to the illustrated embodiment, the configuration of the junction sections of the power chamber 100 and the extension duct 200 used to assemble these parts feature embedded electrical connectors (heater connector 216 and heater contact 116) that when assembled in a right aligned configuration define a close electric circuit connecting the heating coil 210 to electric circuit 114 of the power chamber 100. According to another embodiment (not shown), an external connection involving a combination of a plug at the end of a power cord on, for example the extension duct 200, and a socket to connect the plug on to other one of the assembled components, for example the power chamber, is used to close the electric circuit.
According to another embodiment, the nozzle 300 features heating components (not shown) near or at the teeth of the ice scraper blade 360. The heating components according to an embodiment (not shown) are thermally conducting spines located within the ribs 366 conducting heat from the interior wall 212 of the extension duct 200 to the ice scraper blade 360 of the nozzle 300. The spines end at open locations on the surface of the ice scraper blade 360, close to its edge 363. This realization involves a heat transmitting component, typically a metallic component, heated by the heating coil 210 but electrically insulated from the heating coil 210 at one extremity, that thermally connects to the spines at the other extremity. Connection between the heat transmitting component and the spines may take a similar for as the one described in relation with the electric connection of the extension duct 200 to the power chamber 100.
According to another embodiment, the handle 400 consists in a hollow tube defining a hollow passage 460. The extension duct 200 features, at the location of the bracket 250, an opening fluidly connecting the interior of the extension duct 200 to the interior of the handle 400, namely the hollow passage 460. At the other end of the handle 400, the power chamber 100 comprises an opening operating as a backflow port for a portion of the backflowing air from the extension duct 200 to flow back to the power chamber 100. The pre-heat back flowing air increases the temperature of the mix of air exhausted by the electric blower 104.
According to an embodiment (not shown), the hollow handle 400, at its entry, at its exit or somewhere in-between houses a one-way valve opening when pressure exceeds a pre-set level. Accordingly, if the nozzle 300 becomes at least partially plugged, by ice for instance, preventing heated air from being exhausted correctly at the nozzle 300, part of the heated air gets in the mix of air feeding the electric blower 104 thereby increasing the temperature of the heated air to eject by the nozzle 300.
According to an embodiment (not shown), a temperature gauge is connected to the electric circuit 114 of the power chamber 100 to monitor the air temperature, and to turn off the power of the heating coil 210 when reaching a pre-set temperature. The temperature gauge and short circuit prevents overheating of the electric blower 104 and the battery cell 106. According to an embodiment, the temperature gauge is located in the power chamber 100 either between the electric blower 104 and the outlet port 118, or between the backflow port and the electric blower 104.
According to an embodiment (not shown), the handle 400 features thermal isolation preventing risk of burning the hands of the operator.
It will be noted that many options have been described herein as distinct embodiments. The teaching of these options as distinct embodiments is solely for easing the teaching, and does not limit the number or options and the nature of the options that may be implemented in one embodiment. It is the intent of teaching the whole breath of combinations of options though these distinct embodiments.
It will also be noted that the present snow blower 10 may be used for a variety of purposed else than blowing snow and ice, comprising without limitation blowing leaves, blowing pebbles and gravel, blowing dust and low-density material in a variety of locations and on a variety of surface types, drying surfaces, and blowing up items such as balls and mattresses.
While preferred embodiments have been described above and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, it will be evident to those skilled in the art that modifications may be made without departing from this disclosure. Such modifications are considered as possible variants comprised in the scope of the disclosure.
This application claims priority from U.S. patent provisional application 62/601,439 filed Mar. 22, 2017 and from U.S. patent provisional application 62/522,850 filed Jun. 21, 2017, the specifications of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/CA2018/050335 | 3/20/2018 | WO | 00 |
Number | Date | Country | |
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62601439 | Mar 2017 | US | |
62522850 | Jun 2017 | US |