Flexible Vinyl Snow Chute for Roof Safety
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for removing snow from roofs, such as shoveling and raking, are hazardous, inefficient, and can cause damage to roofs, as they require manual labor, pose risks of slipping and falling, and are limited in reaching high areas, and may damage shingles.
Innovation Solution
A flexible vinyl sheet with a grasping surface backing is used to create a snow chute, allowing snow to be easily shoveled onto the sheet and removed by gravity, reducing effort and improving safety, especially on larger roofs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If shoveling is used to remove snow from the roof, then snow can be removed, but the user is exposed to cold for longer periods and faces risks of slipping and falling
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a flexible sheet as an intermediary tool between the user and the snow. The sheet is placed on the roof surface and used to gather and redirect snow away from the building, eliminating the need for the user to directly shovel snow while standing on the roof. This mediator approach resolves the contradiction by enabling snow removal without direct manual shoveling exposure to cold and safety risks.
2Productivity
If raking is used to remove snow from the roof, then snow can be removed from high areas, but the rake may pull shingles from the roof or damage them
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible sheet acts as an intermediary that gathers snow and redirects it away from the building without requiring direct contact between rigid raking tools and the roof surface. The sheet's flexibility and conformability to the roof surface prevent shingle damage while maintaining effective snow removal capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a flexible sheet that can conform to the roof surface contours without exerting damaging forces on shingles. Unlike rigid rakes, the flexible material adapts to the roof surface, preventing mechanical damage to shingles while effectively gathering and redirecting snow.
3Ease of operation
If conventional snow rakes are used, then snow can be removed, but the handle length limits the ability to reach the highest or middle part of the roof
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible sheet serves as an intermediary tool that can be extended and maneuvered to reach high areas of the roof without being constrained by rigid handle length limitations. The user can position the sheet to access difficult-to-reach areas and gather snow for redirection, overcoming the physical constraints of conventional rake designs.
4Productivity
If shoveling is used to remove snow, then snow can be removed, but the shovel can only remove a certain amount of snow at a time requiring numerous movements
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible sheet merges multiple functions into a single tool: it gathers snow, forms snowballs, and redirects them away from the building in one continuous operation. This eliminates the need for separate shoveling, carrying, and throwing actions required by conventional methods, thereby increasing productivity while maintaining simple device design.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution enables quicker, safer, and more efficient snow removal without the need for maintenance or moving parts, allowing for easier access to high areas and reducing the risk of damage to roofs.
Implementation Method 1
The snow is then deposited off the roof and to the ground by means of gravity
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus for removing snow from the surface of a pitched roof that is a substantially rectangular, flat, flexible sheet with a snow grasping surface and a snow sliding surface, and that is conformable to the shape of the snow.