Contoured snow shovel with narrow apex

Abstract

A contoured snow shovel facilitates the removal of snow and ice. The contoured snow shovel is constructed with a handle attached to an arm portion which, in turn, extends to a shovel segment. The shovel segment comprises a contoured converging blade. Vertical side walls of the contoured converging blade are joined together to form a narrow apex. Due to the narrow apex, the shovel head easily cuts through snow layers and ice. Broken-up particles of the snow and ice collecting along either side of the shovel head, are moved substantially simultaneously in opposite, lateral directions, and plowed from the pathway being shoveled. Walkways and motor pathways are thereby cleared quickly, at low cost in a reliable, efficient manner.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0001]1. Field of the Invention[0002]The present invention relates to a snow shovel structured for ease in pushing through snow and ice; and more particularly to a contoured snow shovel construction comprising a handle, arm portion, and shovel segment that includes a contoured converging shovel head blade with vertical side walls joined together to form a narrow apex.[0003]2. Description of the Prior Art[0004]Snow removal is often a difficult task, and can become laborious, timely and costly. Snow shovels are commonly utilized for walkways and driveways for both commercial and residential snow removal projects. Snow accumulation of heavy flakes results in difficult removal of heavy snow layers which can cause difficulty in handling conventional snow shovels. Backbreaking snow removal causes many individuals to develop muscle aches and pain, and creates blisters on hands and fingers. Often, one must resort to a snow blower for removal; however such devices ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0009]The present invention provides a contoured snow shovel construction that maximizes snow and ice removal in relation to energy expended. Cutting through snow and ice is achieved with minimal energy exertion by means of an improved snow shovel construction, which is contoured on the vertical plane. The shovel acts as a plough to effectively push snow and ice from the sidewalk or pathway. Significantly, the snow shovel is provided with a shovel segment that includes a contoured, converging shovel blade. Dual vertical side walls of the shovel blade are joined together to form a narrow apex uniquely designed to provide optimal cutting through snow and ice.

[0010]More specifically, the contoured snow shovel comprises a handle attached to an arm portion which, in turn, extends to a shovel segment. The shovel segment comprises a contoured converging blade. Vertical side walls of the contoured converging blade are joined together to form a narrow apex. Advantageously, the narrow apex cuts through snow layers and ice in a highly efficient manner. As the snow and ice break-up, the crumbled snow and ice particles are ploughed by the vertical side walls to either side of the shovel head, effectively clearing the walkway being shoveled.

[0011]The contoured snow shovel moves snow quickly and efficiently without the need for motors, petroleum, oil and the like. It is lightweight and easily stored in a small space or hung on a wall for future use. Shoveling is accomplished without having to lift or carry clumps of snow. The contoured snow shovel acts like a plow when moved across a sidewalk or driveway area, causing snow to be pushed away to either side of the shovel head, efficiently clearing a walkway or motoring path.

Problems solved by technology

Snow removal is often a difficult task, and can become laborious, timely and costly.

Snow accumulation of heavy flakes results in difficult removal of heavy snow layers which can cause difficulty in handling conventional snow shovels.

Backbreaking snow removal causes many individuals to develop muscle aches and pain, and creates blisters on hands and fingers.

Often, one must resort to a snow blower for removal; however such devices can be cumbersome, expensive, and require use of gasoline, which does not store well and may not be readily available when needed.

Heavy snow and ice gathers on the blade weighing down the shovel, and causing more force to be applied by the shovel operator.

Although the blades are shallow in height at the ground—shovel blade interface, the blades do not cut through the snow and ice very easily.

Inability of the blade to adequately cut through the snow and ice, together with the heavy load carried by the shovel, increase forces required by shovel operator, tending to cause soreness or injury.

This extra force and effort makes snow removal even more tedious, time consuming and frustrating for the shovel operator.

The horizontal blade shovel construction has limitations owing to its lack of ability to optimally cut through layers of heavy snow and ice.

Application of excessive force is required to force the blade underneath the snow and ice layers.

As the snow and ice layers load onto the shovel, the shovel becomes heavy and difficult to maneuver.

These types of shovel constructs are subject to disadvantages similar to those encountered by conventional shovels in that the ground-shovel interface consists of a horizontal blade configuration.

Limitations attending horizontal blade shovel constructions apply to the contoured arc-type body constructs, since the contoured arc-type body does not enhance the shovels' ability to optimally cut through layers of heavy snow and ice.

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