Reversible Snow Pusher With Flexible Cutting Edge
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional snow pushers and material moving apparatuses lack efficiency and safety when dealing with varied snow conditions and immovable objects, as they often damage these objects due to rigid edges and lack adaptability.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a reversible pusher with dual cutting edges (flexible and rigid) and a breakaway edge mechanism, along with a flexible scraping edge and extended wear shoes, allowing for adaptable operation on different surfaces and preventing damage to immovable objects.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a rigid cutting edge is used on conventional snow pushers, then the pusher can effectively cut through hard snow and ice, but it causes damage to immovable objects such as curbs, manholes, and trees
Solution Approach 1:
The cutting edge is designed to be flexible rather than rigid, allowing it to dynamically adapt to the surface being pushed. The flexible cutting edge can bend and conform to the contours of immovable objects, preventing damage while maintaining effectiveness on snow and ice.
Solution Approach 2:
The cutting edge material properties are changed from rigid to flexible, altering its mechanical characteristics. This parameter change allows the cutting edge to maintain sufficient hardness to cut snow and ice while gaining the flexibility to avoid damaging immovable objects through controlled deformation.
2Device complexity
If a single cutting edge design is used, then the pusher structure is simple, but it cannot adapt to varied snow conditions and different surface types
Solution Approach 1:
The pusher is designed with multiple cutting edges that can be interchanged or selected based on the specific working conditions. Different cutting edges with varying degrees of flexibility and material properties allow the same pusher structure to handle diverse snow conditions, surface types, and operational requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The cutting edge system allows for dynamic selection or adjustment of edge characteristics based on operational needs. This enables the pusher to adapt to varied snow conditions (fresh snow, packed snow, ice) and different surface types (asphalt, concrete, grass) without requiring multiple complete pusher units.
3Productivity
If the cutting edge continuously contacts immovable objects, then material is constantly removed from the cutting edge, but this leads to rapid wear and reduced operational life
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible cutting edge is designed with inherent compliance that acts as a cushion before damage can occur. When encountering immovable objects, the flexible material absorbs impact forces through elastic deformation, preventing the continuous material removal that would otherwise occur with rigid edges, thereby extending service life.
Solution Approach 2:
The material properties of the cutting edge are optimized to balance wear resistance with flexibility. By changing the material parameters (such as using elastomers or composite materials with specific durometer ratings), the cutting edge can withstand repeated contact with immovable objects without excessive wear while maintaining its cutting effectiveness on snow and ice.
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
Enhances operational efficiency and safety by allowing the pusher to handle various snow conditions and navigate around obstacles without causing damage, improving usability and reducing wear on components.
Implementation Method 1
a flexible base, removably attached to the moldboard, along a top portion of the base; a rigid cutting edge extending along and removably attached to said flexible base along a bottom portion of the base, wherein said flexible base flexes to allow the cutting edge to bypass immovable objects it contacts
Implementation Method 2
a tensioner to bias said flexible base into a partially flexed position
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed herein are various aspects of an improved snow or material pushers for use with loaders, backhoes, agricultural and larger home and garden tractors and the like for moving snow or other materials on generally flat areas such as parking lots, driveways, feed lots, runways, and loading areas. The improvements include, among others, a reversible design, extended side plates and/or wear shoes as well as improved scraping edge configurations so as to provide added functionality and versatility to pushers. As described the various features may be employed alone or in combination to provide the capability for snow and ice removal while minimizing the potential for damage to surfaces and objects thereon.