Towed Snow Removal System with Segmented Tools
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current snow and ice clearing technologies are inefficient as they primarily displace rather than remove snow and ice, leading to slippery surfaces, requiring multiple passes and operators, which is costly and unsafe.
Innovation Solution
A towed system behind a vehicle featuring a trailer with a rigid frame structure, suspension appliance, and multiple snice removal tools that can be selectively connected and disconnected, allowing for simultaneous front and rear snow removal, including elongated blades, rotating brushes, air blowers, and vacuums to effectively clear pavement surfaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If current snow clearing technology and techniques are used to displace snow and ice, then the top layers of snow can be skimmed off, but the lower layers pack down and make the surface slippery and difficult to navigate
Solution Approach 1:
The snow removal system is divided into multiple independent tools that work together: a front plow for initial displacement, followed by a rear trailer equipped with rotating brushes, vacuum systems, and air blowers to completely remove all layers of snow and ice, preventing surface packing and slipperiness
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical displacement methods with a combination of mechanical (rotating brushes), pneumatic (air blowers), and vacuum systems to thoroughly remove snow and ice layers rather than just displacing them, eliminating the slippery surface problem
2Productivity
If multiple operators, multiple snow clearing vehicles and multiple passes are used to more completely clear roadways, then more snow and ice can be removed, but it is costly in terms of time, money, gas and emissions
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple snow removal functions (plowing, brushing, vacuuming, air blowing) that previously required separate vehicles and operators are merged into a single integrated trailer system that can be towed by one vehicle, achieving complete snow removal in one pass and reducing time, cost, and emissions
3Ease of operation
If a single shovel or plow/blade/moldboard is towed behind a passenger vehicle, then the vehicle can clear driveways, but it cannot effectively remove all layers of snow and ice
Solution Approach 1:
The trailer is designed as a universal, multi-functional system that can clear various types of snow and ice accumulations on different surfaces (driveways, roadways, sidewalks) using multiple tools (plow, rotating brushes, vacuum, air blower), making it both easy to operate and highly effective at complete snow removal
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
This approach enables efficient, effective, and cost-effective snow and ice removal in one pass, reducing accidents, emissions, and operational costs while providing safer and clearer roadways.
Implementation Method 1
rotating brushes
Implementation Method 2
rotating brushes
Implementation Method 3
air blowers
Implementation Method 4
vacuums
Data Source
AI summary
A system that is towed behind a vehicle to remove snow and ice from pavement. The system includes a trailer. The trailer includes a longitudinal substantially rigid frame structure, a trailer hitch connected to a front end of the trailer for selective connection-disconnection to the vehicle, and a suspension appliance connected to a rear portion of the trailer to separate at least a rear portion of the frame structure from the pavement. At least two additive snow and ice removal tools are connected to the frame structure and located underneath the trailer and over the pavement, each of the tools enabling a different type of snow and ice removal from the pavement when towing the system behind the vehicle to remove snow and ice from the pavement.