Snow Melting Surface with Integrated Liquid Collection
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Homeowners face challenges with labor-intensive and time-consuming snow removal from driveways and roofs, leading to hazardous conditions and difficult snow management.
Innovation Solution
A snow melting surface comprising a main body with a heating coil to increase temperature and melt snow, a liquid collection compartment to store melted precipitation, and a hose and guide rails for efficient liquid extraction and drainage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual shoveling is used to remove snow, then snow can be cleared from the driveway, but labor intensity and time consumption increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical shoveling with an automated thermal system. Heating coils generate heat to melt snow automatically, eliminating the need for manual labor. The system uses electrical/thermal energy conversion to substitute human physical effort, directly resolving the contradiction between productivity and ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes the phase transition of snow from solid to liquid through controlled heating. The heating coils raise the temperature of snow above its melting point, causing it to transition from solid ice/snow to liquid water, which then drains away automatically. This phase change mechanism enables automated snow removal without manual intervention.
2Productivity
If snow is shoveled to one location, then the driveway is cleared, but snow accumulation at another location creates new management difficulties
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the snow removal process from the traditional 'move and pile' approach. Instead of transporting snow to a disposal location, the system melts snow in place and extracts only the liquid water through drainage. This eliminates the need to manage snow accumulation at secondary locations, resolving the contradiction between driveway clearance and snow disposal management.
Solution Approach 2:
By melting snow in place through phase transition, the system converts solid snow into liquid water that can be drained through gravity-fed channels. This eliminates the need to physically relocate snow, thereby avoiding accumulation problems at disposal locations while maintaining effective driveway clearance.
3Productivity
If heating coil increases temperature to melt snow, then snow accumulation is eliminated, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies heating coils only to specific areas where snow accumulation occurs rather than heating the entire driveway surface. The heating elements are strategically positioned to target snow-prone zones, providing localized heat treatment that reduces overall energy consumption while maintaining effective snow melting where needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses phase transition at the snow-ice interface, heating only enough to achieve melting at the critical temperature threshold. Once snow begins to melt and drain, heating can be reduced or stopped, as the phase change process and gravitational drainage continue to clear snow without requiring sustained high-energy input.
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 snow melting surface effectively eliminates snow accumulation on driveways and roofs, reducing the need for manual shoveling and improving safety by providing a clear and slip-resistant surface.
Implementation Method 1
a heating coil disposed within at least a portion of the main body to increase a temperature level of the main body in response to the heating coil being turned on
Implementation Method 2
to store at least one liquid created from melting of frozen precipitation disposed on the main body
Data Source
AI summary
A snow melting surface to be disposed on an external surface, the snow melting surface including a main body to cover the external surface, a heating coil disposed within at least a portion of the main body to increase a temperature level of the main body in response to the heating coil being turned on, and a liquid collection compartment disposed on at least a portion of main body to store at least one liquid created from melting of frozen precipitation disposed on the main body.