Actuable Side Wall Assemblies for Bidirectional Snow Plow Blades
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing snowplow blades face inefficiencies when reversing direction, as snow can escape around the ends and side walls, and protruding side walls limit proximity to structures during operation.
Innovation Solution
A plow blade system with actuable side wall assemblies that extend and retract to improve functionality in both working directions, allowing for better snow containment and closer approach to structures, featuring a bowed blade with extendable and retractable side walls and actuators for directional adaptability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If side walls protrude forwardly to contain snow, then snow containment is improved, but proximity to structures is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The side wall assemblies are made dynamically adjustable through actuators that allow the side walls to extend forwardly during pushing operations for optimal snow containment, and retract during pulling operations to enable closer proximity to structures. This dynamic configuration resolves the contradiction by adapting the side wall position to the specific operational requirement.
2Productivity
If plow blade is used for pushing snow, then snow pushing capability is improved, but reverse direction performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The side wall assemblies dynamically reconfigure between pushing and pulling operations through actuator control. During pushing, side walls extend to contain snow effectively; during pulling/reversing, side walls retract to prevent snow escape while maintaining operational effectiveness. This dynamic adaptation enables the system to perform well in both forward and reverse directions.
Solution Approach 2:
The plow blade system with adjustable side wall assemblies is designed to perform multiple functions effectively - both pushing and pulling snow. The side walls can be positioned to optimize performance for either operation mode, making the system universal and versatile for bidirectional snow removal operations.
3Reliability
If side walls are fixed in extended position, then snow containment in primary direction is improved, but functionality in reverse direction deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The side wall assemblies transition from a fixed configuration to a dynamically adjustable one. Actuators enable the side walls to extend for optimal snow containment during primary direction pushing, and retract for effective reverse direction pulling operations. This dynamic capability resolves the contradiction between optimized primary direction performance and reverse direction functionality.
Data Source
AI summary
A plow blade system adapted for mounting to a vehicle, the blade system having a blade orientable transversally to a longitudinal orientation of movement of the vehicle and having two opposite ends, and two side wall assemblies; each side wall assembly having a primary sidewall portion mounted to a corresponding end of the blade, the primary sidewall portion extending longitudinally from the corresponding end in a first longitudinal working direction, a sidewall extension slidably mounted to the primary sidewall portion, and a sidewall actuator mounted between the primary sidewall portion and the sidewall extension and operable to selectively slidingly extend the sidewall extension in a second longitudinal working direction opposite to the first longitudinal working direction and retract the sidewall extension within the primary sidewall portion.