Selectable-Width Push Plow With Pivotable Panels for Compact Storage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing shovels struggle to efficiently remove snow in both narrower and broader-width passes while maintaining compact storage, with wider blades increasing weight and requiring more physical strength, and narrower blades being less effective in wider areas.
Innovation Solution
A push plow-type shovel with a multi-segment blade that allows users to manually adjust between narrower and broader-width configurations without tools, featuring pivotable panels and a locking mechanism for secure positioning, enabling adaptable use and compact storage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the blade width is increased to remove more snow in a single pass, then the productivity is improved, but the weight of the shovel increases requiring more physical strength
Solution Approach 1:
The blade is divided into a first panel and a second panel that can be pivotally connected. The second panel can be positioned in multiple configurations (retracted, intermediate, extended) relative to the first panel, allowing the user to select different effective blade widths. This segmentation enables the blade to cover broader areas when needed while maintaining a compact, lighter configuration for storage or when less strength is available.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the blade width is increased to clear wider areas, then the adaptability to different surface widths is improved, but the storage space required increases
Solution Approach 1:
The blade structure incorporates a pivotal connection between the first and second panels, allowing the blade to dynamically change its width configuration. The second panel can be pivoted to different positions (retracted, intermediate, extended) to adapt to various surface widths. When not in use, the blade can be stored in a compact state with the panels in a retracted or collapsed configuration, minimizing storage space while maintaining full adaptability when needed.
3Productivity
If the blade width is increased to remove snow faster, then the productivity is improved, but the ease of operation deteriorates for users with insufficient physical strength
Solution Approach 1:
The blade is segmented into movable panels that can be adjusted to different widths. Users with insufficient physical strength can select a narrower effective blade width by positioning the second panel in a retracted or intermediate configuration, reducing the weight and effort required to operate the shovel while still maintaining the ability to use a broader configuration when more strength is available and faster clearing is needed.
Data Source
AI summary
A selectable-width push plow for removing snow or other material. The push plow is configurable in any one of several pre-defined blade-width blade configurations without requiring special tools or great dexterity to adjust, while also allowing for compact storage of the device. The push plow includes a plow blade having a first panel and a second panel pivotably interconnected to the first panel. The second panel is pivotable between a retracted position in which the bottom edges of the first and second panel extend transversely to one another, and an extended position in which the bottom edges of the first and second panel extend in a common direction. The push-plow further includes an adjustable-length handle extend substantially vertically the plow blade and a glide adjacent the bottom of each panel to promote gliding of push plow over concrete, macadam or another rough or uneven surface.