Rear-Mounted Flexible Rod Snow Dislodging Apparatus
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing road clearing methods, such as plowing, often leave behind a thin layer of snow and/or ice on roadways, necessitating a more effective solution for dislodging these materials from road surfaces, especially one that can be integrated into or secured to a vehicle's rear bumper.
Innovation Solution
A road clearing apparatus featuring a housing made of rigid material with aligned apertures and movable rod members, actuated to extend downward and engage the road surface, manufactured from steel cable to effectively dislodge snow and ice, is designed to be secured to a vehicle's rear bumper.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If plowing is used to clear snow and ice from roadways, then large amounts of snow and ice can be removed, but a thin layer of snow and/or ice remains on the road surface
Solution Approach 1:
The road clearing system is divided into two distinct components: a plow for bulk snow removal and a rear bumper-mounted apparatus with rod members for final surface clearing. This segmentation allows each component to specialize in different aspects of snow and ice removal, with the rod members specifically targeting the thin residual layer that plows cannot eliminate.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from front-mounted plowing (horizontal clearing) to rear-mounted rod members that extend downward (vertical engagement). This dimensional change allows the rod members to reach and break up the thin layer of snow and ice that remains on the road surface after plowing, providing clearing in a different spatial dimension.
2Strength
If rigid structures are used for road clearing apparatus, then dislodging capability is improved, but damage risk from immovable objects increases
Solution Approach 1:
The rod members are constructed from flexible steel cable rather than rigid solid material. This flexibility allows the cable to bend and flex when encountering immovable objects like rocks or debris, preventing damage while still providing sufficient rigidity to dislodge snow and ice when properly tensioned.
Solution Approach 2:
The steel cable rod members can change their physical parameters dynamically - maintaining high tensile strength for snow and ice breaking while allowing controlled flexing when encountering immovable objects. The cable's tension and flexibility parameters adjust based on the resistance encountered during operation.
3Ease of manufacture
If the road clearing apparatus is mounted on the rear bumper, then vehicle integration is simplified, but the apparatus must withstand vehicle motion and road conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible steel cable construction of the rod members allows the apparatus to withstand vehicle motion, vibrations, and road shocks without transmitting excessive forces to the mounting points. The flexibility absorbs dynamic loads while maintaining secure attachment to the rear bumper.
Data Source
AI summary
A road clearing apparatus that is configured to dislodge snow and ice from a surface of a roadway. The road clearing apparatus includes a housing that is operably secured to a rear of a motor vehicle. The housing is manufactured from a rigid material and includes a first end and a second end. The housing has a plurality of apertures that are formed in the top wall and bottom wall, wherein the plurality of apertures are axially aligned. Operably coupled with the plurality of apertures are rod members. The rod members are movable intermediate a first position and a second position wherein in the second position the rod members are extended downward from the housing so as to engage a roadway surface. Actuators are operably coupled to the rod members and are configured to provide movement thereof. A controller is present to provide an operational interface.