CA2268568C

CA2268568C - Two handed swivel ice scraper

Info

Publication number: CA2268568C
Application number: CA 2268568
Authority: CA
Inventors: Dennis Hamilton
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1999-04-09
Filing date: 1999-04-09
Publication date: 2003-06-10
Anticipated expiration: 2019-04-09
Also published as: CA2268568A1

Abstract

A windshield scraper, for removing frost or ice from glass surfaces of motor vehicles, has a blade attached to an elongate main handle, plus an auxiliary handle swivellably connected to the main handle. The user holds the main handle with one hand, with the blade at a desired angle against the surface being scraped, while with the other hand holding the auxiliary handle at a desired angle relative to the main handle. The user applies longitudinal force to both the main handle and the auxiliary handle. The force applied to the main handle acts primarily to move the blade across the scraped surface. The force applied to the auxiliary handle acts primarily to augment the normal force against the surface, keeping the blade in effective contact with the surface as it is moved across the surface.

Description

ICE SCRAPER WITH SWIVELLING A~.1XILIARY HANDLE
FIELD I~F THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to devices for removing frost and ice from glass surfaces, and in particular to devices for removing frost and ice from motor vehicle;
windshields and windows.
1 o BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
It is common for frost ar ice to form on the windshield and windows of a motor vehicle during cold weather. Because frost or ice obscures visibility through the windshield and windows, it must be removed before the vehicle can be operated safely.
The prior art discloses numerous examples of devices for scraping frost and ice from vehicle windshields and windows. Such devices typically include a handle having a blade element which can be moved across a window surface while being pressed in close contact with the surface, thus scraping off the frost or ice. Effective use of such devices typically requires application of two components of force to the blade; i.e., a force component normal to the surface being scraped (to keep the blade in close contact with the surface), and a longitudinal force component (to move the scraper across the surface). The application of these force components is usually accomplished by applying the scraping device against the window surface at an angle.

Exampleofpriorart scrapers include Canadian PatentNo.1,289,704, issued October 1,1991 to Hopkins, and U.S. Patent No. 4,813,458, issued March 21, 1989 to Jacobucci.
The prior art ice scrapers function adequately when scraping glass surfaces that are easily accessible to the user. However, they do not always function satisfactorily when attempting to scrape glass surfaces that are hard to reach because ofi' the size or configuration of the vehicle.
This can be a particular problem with large vehicles such as trucks, vans, sport utility vehicles, and buses. The problem is exacerbated for people of smaller stature or whose physical mobility is restricted.
Scrapers with short handles are difficult or impossible to use effectively on hard-to-reach surfaces, and attempts to do so can cause strain to the arms, shoulders, and back. In an effort to alleviate these problems, some scrapers have an extended handle which gives the blade a longer reach. Unfortunately, the farther the blade is away from the user's h~u~d, the harder it becomes to apply a normal force component sufficient to keep the blade in close enough contact with the glass surface for effective and efficient removal of frost or ice. 'this is primarily because the angle formed between the scraper handle and the glass surface generally becomes shallower the farther the user tries to reach with the scraper. As the angle decreases, the normal force component becomes smaller relative to the longitudinal force component. When the normal force component becomes too small, 2 0 the blade cannot exert sufficient normal farce on the glass surface to allow the blade to remove frost or ice as the blade is moved longitudinally across the glass surface.

For these reasons, there is a need for an ice scraper that can reach areas beyond the camfortable reach of the user's hand, while at the same time allowing the user to apply sufficient normal force between the blade and the surface being scraped so that the biade remains in effective contact with the surface as the blade is moved across the surface. As well, there is a need for an ice scraper that allows the user to remove frost or ice from hard-to-reach surfaces without undue strain on the user's arms, shoulders, back, or other parts of the body. Furthermore, there is a need for an ice scraper that addresses these needs while being compact in construction and easy to store in the passenger compartment of a motor vehicle. The present invention is directed to these needs.
1 o BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In general terms, the present invention is an ice scraper with a blade attached to an elongate main handle, plus a swivelling auxiliary handle attached to the main handle.
The main handle enables the user to reach surfaces beyond arm's reach, much like prior art scrapers with extension handles. The auxiliary handle allows the user to apply additional normal force against the surface being scraped, in order to keep the blade in close contact with the surface while the blade is being moved across the surface in the usual scraping motion.
In one embodiment, the present invention is an ice scraper, for removing ice or frost from 2 o glass surfaces, said ice scraper comprising:
(a) an elongate main handle having a blade end and a gripping end;
(b) a blade element attached to the blade end of the main handle; and (c) an elongate auxiliary handle having a gripping end and. a swivel end, said swivel end being connected to the main handle by swivel means at a point between the blade end and the gripping end of the rciain hancll:;;
wherein the auxiliary handle may swivel through an angle up to ninety degrees relative to the main handle.
In one embodiment of the invention, the swivel means is made up of one or more brackets connected to the main handle, each bracket having an extension piece with a swivel pin hole, plus a swivel pin that passes through the holes in the bracket extensions and also through a corresponding 1 o hole in the auxiliary handle.
In the preferred embodiment, the auxiliary handle may be rotated into a closed position such that the auxiliary handle lies adjacent to the main handle, with the gripping end of the auxiliary handle oriented toward the gripping end of the main handle. As well, the preferred embodiment has locking means for disengageably locking the auxiliary handle in the closed position. The locking means could be a mechanical closure assembly of any well known type.
The ice scraper may also include a brush attached to the main handle. The scraper blade could be made of plastic or metal. The main handle and auxiliary handle could be made of wood, 2 o plastic, or metal.
_g-BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
imbodiments ~_>f tie invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying figures, in which numerical references denote like parts, and in which:
Figure 1 is an isometric view of the preferred embodiment of the invention.
Figure 2 is a side view of the preferred embodiment, illustrating the auxiliary handle in the closed position.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
In the preferred embodiment illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, the present invention, generally indicated by reference numeral 10, has an elongate main handle 12 having a gripping end 12a and a scraper end 12b, an auxiliary handle 14 having a gripping end 14a and a swivel end 14b, and a scraper blade element 16 connected to the main handle 12 at its scraper end x2b. The swivel end 14b of the auxiliary handle 14 is swivellingly connected to the main handle 12, at a convenient selected point between the gripping end 12a and the scraper end 12b, by swivel means 18. In the embodiment shown in the Figures, the swivel means 18 is made up of one or more brackets 18a 2 0 connected to the main handle 12, each bracket 18a having an extension 18b with a swivel pin hole 18c, plus a swivel pin 18d that passes through the swivel pin holes 18c in the bracket extensions 18b and also through a corresponding hole (not shown) in the auxiliary handle 14.

As indicated by the curved arrows in Figure I, the auxiliary handle 14 may be rotated freely relative to the main handle 12. In the preferred embodiment, the auxiliary handy 14 r~iay be rotaied through an angle up to ninety degrees. 'the auxiliary handle 14 may be rotated into a closed position, as illustrated in Figure 2, such that the auxiliary handle 14 lies adjacent to the main handle 14, with the gripping end 14a of the auxiliary handle 14 oriented toward the gripping end 12a of the main handle 12.
The preferred embodiment also features locking means 20 for disengageably locking the auxiliary handle 14 in the closed position. The locking means 20 could be a two-component mechanical closure assembly of any well known type, with a first lock component 20a connected to the auxiliary handle 14 and a second lock component 20b connected to the main handle 12, such that the two lock components 20a and 20b will engage each other when the auxiliary handle 14 is rotated into the closed position. Alternatively, the locking means 20 may be a one-component apparatus attached to the main handle 12 (or the auxiliary handle 14) which directly engages the auxiliary handle 14 (or the main handle 12) when the auxiliary handle 14 is rotated into the closed position.
The blade element 16 may be of any type well known in the art. The blade element 16 may 2 o be fashioned from plastic or metal. The maic handle 12 and the auxiliary handle 14 may be made using any appropriate material, including wood, plastic, or metal.
~6-In the preferred embodiment, the invention XO has a brush element 22 attached to the main handle 12, thus providing the user with convenient means for brushing snow, frost, or ice off a vehicle window or windshield either before or after scraping away ice or frost which may have built up on the window or windshield. As illustrated in the Figures, the brush 22 may be attached to the main handle 12 near its gripping end 12a.
The advantageous use of the invention 10 may now be simply described. Holding the gripping end 12a of the main handle 12 in one hand, and the gripping end 14a of the auxiliary handle 14 in the other hand, the user moves the blade element 16 at an angle across a surface to be scraped, primarily by applying a longitudinal force to the main handle 12. At the same time, the user rotates the auxiliary handle 14 at a desired angle relative to the main handle 12, and applies a longitudinal force to the auxiliary handle 14. It will be readily appreciated that because of the angle between the auxiliary handle 14 and the main handle 12, the longitudinal force applied to the auxiliary handle 14 will resolve into a normal force component acting against the surface being scraped at the point of contact with the blade element 16, as well as a longitudinal :force component acting to assist in moving the blade element 16 across the surface. The normal force component thus applied through the auxiliary handle 14 greatly assists in keeping the blade element 16 in contact with the surface so that it can effectively remove frost and ice even when the main handle 12 is being held at a shallow angle relative to the surface, as commonly will be the case when the user is trying to scrape 2 0 hard-to-reach vehicle windows.
Although the Figures illustrate the auxiliary handle 14 being connected to the main handle 12 at a point near the scraper end 12b thereof, this is not essential or critical to the invention.
The foregoing is a description o ~ ~ pr;.°:Pt-red embodirt~nt of the invention which is given here by way of example only, and the invention is not to be taken as limited to any of the specific features described. It will be readily seen by those skilled in the art that various modifications of the present invention may be devised without departing from the essential concept of the invention, and all such modifications are intended to be included in the scope of the claims appended hereto.
_g_

Claims

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE PROPERTY
OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:

An ice scraper, for removing ice or frost from glass surfaces, said ice scraper comprising:
(a) an elongate main handle having a blade end and a gripping end;
(b) a blade element attached to the blade end of the main handle; and (c) an elongate auxiliary handle having a gripping end and a swivel end, said swivel end being connected to the mail,.a, handle by swivel means at a point between the blade end and the gripping end of the main handle;
wherein the auxiliary handle may swivel through an angle up to ninety degrees relative to the main handle.
2. The ice scraper of Claim 1 wherein the auxiliary handle may be rotated into a closed position wherein the auxiliary handle will lie adjacent to the main handle, with the gripping end of the auxiliary handle oriented toward the gripping end of the main handle.
3. The ice scraper of Claim, 2 further comprising locking means for disengageably locking the auxiliary handle in said closed position.
4. The ice scraper of Claim 3 wherein the locking means comprises a mechanical closure assembly.
5. The ice scraper of Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the auxiliary handle has a swivel pin hole near its swivel end, and wherein the swivel means comprises:
(a) one or more brackets connected to the main handle, each bracket having an extension with a swivel pin hole; and (b) a swivel pin passing through the swivel pin holes in the auxiliary handle and in the extensions of said one or more brackets.
6. The ice scraper of Claim 1 wherein the blade element comprises a blade made of plastic.
7. The ice scraper of Claim 1 wherein, the blade element comprises a blade made of metal.
8. The ice scraper of Claim 1 further comprising a brush element connected to the main handle.
9. The ice scraper of Claim 8 wherein the brush element is connected to the main handle proximate to the gripping end thereof.
10. The ice scraper of Claim 1 wherein the main handle is made of materials comprising wood.
11. The ice scraper of Claim 1 wherein the main handle is made of materials comprising metal.
12. The ice scraper of Claim 1 wherein the main handle is made of materials comprising plastic.
13. The ice scraper of Claim, 1 wherein the auxiliary handle is made of materials comprising wood.
14. The ice scraper of Claim 1 wherein the auxiliary handle is made o~
materials comprising metal.
15. The ice scraper of Claim 1 wherein the auxiliary handle is made of materials comprising plastic.