US20070214684A1

US20070214684A1 - Simple and fast method for clearing snow

Info

Publication number: US20070214684A1
Application number: US11/378,985
Authority: US
Inventors: Tesfa Guma
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2006-03-20
Filing date: 2006-03-20
Publication date: 2007-09-20

Abstract

The device in this new invention is basically a solid panel placed over pavements so as to cover driveway pavement and the like. It is positioned so as to receive falling snow and easily cart the accumulated snow off the pavement with the help of rollers, and adjustable long handle. The surfaces of the panel are water proof, and the handle is removable. Since each panel has to be designed to be of manageable size, plurality of such panels are necessary to cover the said pavements, the number of the panels are determined by the size of the pavement. The long adjustable handle is removable so that it can be used to manipulate each panel, one at a time. Deployment of this new invention enables people, especially the infirm, the aged and those who cannot stand cold, to cart accumulation of fallen snow off their drive ways, and similar structures with ease, without bending down, in very short time and with minimum financial expenses.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

During the winter, in many parts of the world, drive ways, walkway pavements, porches, disability ramps, steps, side walks and decks are covered with snow. Residents of homes with such structures, especially people with back pains, old persons, the infirm, and those who dislike cold and snow often worry about the physical strain they go through when shoveling snow off their pavements. Many of these people, often die of heart attacks or pneumonia caused by clearing the snow. Because of this, people chose to leave accumulation of snow for many days until it melts away. While the snow is in melting process pedestrians walk over the snow-covered pavement and many fall down, suffering various body injuries. Many of them have to incur costly hospital expenses, the loss of time, the loss of job as well as suffer permanent disablement.

THE INVENTION

This invention relates to clearing snow from pavements. More specifically the new invention relates to a method of clearing snow off all structures and properties where it is not wanted, with minimum effort, inconvenience and in very short time.

DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART

Shovels are the oldest method mostly used to clear snow off pavements. But this method requires being able bodied and staying in the cold for long hours. It has caused uncountable back aches and heart attacks and even deaths. Aside from causing.
To avoid these mishaps, home owners have to purchase expensive snow blowers. The main problem with snow blower is it also requires able bodied person to operate it. It is quite inconvenient for those who drive to work every morning to brave the weather and use snow blowers to clear drive ways often early in the mornings. The initial cost as well as maintenance cost of snow blowers, which can be used only a few days of the year in many regions is uneconomical.
Alternatively the infirm often prefer to employ the able bodied to help them clear the pavements. This method is again an endless financial drain on those who can ill afford to employ people.
Others use costly snow covers made of canopies made of fabrics which require manual labor and body strain to do the covering and uncovering of the structure. Canopies are subject to be blown away by wind. So far no solution has been found to help people out of these problems.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This new invention is about solving the above mentioned problems. It does so by means of a device which collects falling snow. The snow so accumulated is carted away from the structure. The carting away of the accumulated snow is simplified by means of rollers and an auxiliary accompanying holding and pulling device which helps people to avoid strenuous stooping, shoveling or walking behind snow blower in the cold.

OBJECT OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

One object of this invention is to enable people to clear snow off their pavements and other structures with minimum effort and without any physical strain or inconveniences.
Another object is to enable people to clear snow while avoiding body injuries, psychological damages, hospital costs and probable deaths.
Still more object of this invention is to make the means of clearing pavements of snow inexpensive.
Yet another object of this invention is to enable people to avoid working in the cold for long duration which can cause health hazards.
Another object of this invention is to make the work of clearing snow very simple job.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The new invention can best be described by referring to the attached drawings.
FIG. 1 shows perspective view of a solid panel which has a manageable shape and size and positioned to cover a portion of a concrete pavement.
FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of reduced size of the same panel of FIG. 1 fitted with a handle to which an elongated adjustable hooking rod connected.
FIG. 3 shows one of the side end views of the panel fitted with rollers near one end and a support anchor at the other end.
FIG. 4 shows one shorter end view of the panel fitted with rollers on its bottom side.
FIG. 5 shows a plan view of an elongated adjustable manipulation rod fitted with hooks at both of its extremities.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As best illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 a flat panel 20 is laid on a drive way structure 21 so as to cover part of the pavement and collect the falling snow until it accumulates enough for final carting away. The panel can be designed and made of any solid material cut to manageable size. The panel must be hard enough to carry snow. The surface of the panel can be coated with water repellent or water proof material 27 so that it can last longer and remain dry and light for easy manipulation. The water proof material also helps the snow to slide off the surface of the panel when it is unloaded for cleaning and storage.
As best illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 5 in the present exemplary embodiment, panel 20 is fitted with handle 22. The handle is positioned at one edge of the panel, approximately near the middle area of the selected edge. The said handle is shaped so that it can accommodate a hooking or a grabbing rod 24 for manipulation.
As best shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, of this presently preferred embodiment, near to the edge opposite to the handle are fastened rollers 23 on the bottom side surface of the panel facing the pavement. The rollers are evenly spaced for uniform distribution of the snow weight. More rollers can be added where necessary. The rollers enable easy manipulation of the panel over the pavement.
As illustrated FIGS. 3 and 4, of this exemplary embodiment, a small anchor 26 is provided at the bottom side surface of the panel in the proximity of handle 22, close to the center of the edge of the panel. This permits usage of less number of rollers. When the panel is deployed to cover the pavement it will be in such position that the rollers 23 touch the pavement at one end and anchor 26 touches the pavement at the opposite end. In this covering position both rollers 23 and anchor 26 prevent the major area of the bottom surface of the panel from touching the wet pavement.
As best illustrated in FIG. 3, water proofing sheet metal or painting 27 is applied to the surface of the panel. This along with the air space created between the structure and the panel eliminates the possibility of ice formation between the surface of the panel and the pavement. This arrangement also protects the panel from being soaked with water from the wet pavement. The panel also would have the natural capability of sliding over any snow covered surface just like snow board when, pulled over the lawn grass. Depending on the size of the structure to be covered, several panels may be necessary to cover a whole drive way.
As best shown in FIG. 5, a hook 25 attached to long rod 24 is provided for hooking on to or grabbing handle 22. The rod is provided with adjustment means 28. As illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3 as well, the manipulation rod or arm is used for hooking and pulling or manipulating the panel during deployment and redeployment. The manipulation rod can be unhooked from the handle. It is portable hence can be used to manipulate as many panels as necessary separately. Therefore only one manipulation rod is necessary per user of this device.
With this presently preferred embodiment the falling snow never gets a chance of reaching the pavement, but instead accumulates on the protective cover until it is eventually carted away. Subsequently, this arrangement facilitates easy method of carting of snow-loaded panel off the pavement, thus eliminating the need to lift and carry the heavy panel especially when it is loaded with snow. The adjustability of the long manipulation rod helps the user to avoid the strain of reaching down or bending over to do any lifting or any manipulation by hand.
To accomplish the work of clearing snow from pavements and other structures the manipulation rod is first adjusted, hooked on the handle of the panel, and the panel is manipulated into position to cover the structure. The same process is applied to cart the snow laden panel off the pavement. All this can be done by the user while in a strait up standing position. This way no back pain is felt or hard work is performed while manipulating the panel to clear the snow off the pavement. These arrangements make covering and uncovering pavement against snow a fast and effortless exercise.
To get rid of the snow for immediate reuse of the panel or to store it, the panel is pulled up by the manipulator rod and made to stand on one of its edges. The panel is held in that position by one hand and the manipulation rod is used to drop the snow off by slightly striking the panel on the clean surface. The snow easily slides off the panel. Then the panel can be redeployed or it can be pulled to its storage area. Plurality of such panels will have to be deployed depending on the size of the pavement area to be covered. This method makes snow shoveling totally unnecessary. This invention has been successfully tested for three years. The tests of the new method have proven that the whole process of getting rid of the snow off a pavement area of 400 square feet takes less than three minutes.
In the snow bound regions where the snow panels have to be reused multiple times because of continuous snowing, it is often necessary to keep the panels close to the structure where they are to be used repeatedly. In such cases there may be fear of the panels being stolen when left out in the yard. To protect the panels against theft it is wise to chain the panels to each other and lock the end of the chain on a heavy object or immovable structure.
Although only a few exemplary embodiments of this invention have been described in detail above, those skilled in the art would readily appreciate that many modifications are possible in the exemplary embodiments without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of this invention. Accordingly, all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of this application as defined in the following claims.

Claims

1. Means to clear snow off pavement, said pavement comprising driveway pavement, side walkway pavements, porches, decks, disability ramps and steps , and said means to clear snow comprises:

plurality of panel means, said panel means having one top side surface and one bottom side surface, said top side surface to receive falling snow for accumulation, said panel means being capable to carry accumulation of snow, said panel means provided with or made of water proof means,

plurality of roller means, said roller means fastened to said bottom side surface of said panel means, said roller means to facilitate for easy manipulation and carting said panel means off and on said structure,

plurality of means for handling, at least one of said means for handling provided as part of said panel means, said means for handling designed to receive and engage a hand or other means for manipulation,

means for manipulation, said means for manipulation having an elongated shape, said means for manipulation being adjustable in length, said means for manipulation to enable the user to avoid reaching down or stooping too low when manipulating said panel means, said means for manipulation having two ends, said two ends of said means for manipulation having shapes to enable it to engage said means for handling, said means for manipulation enabling a hand to hold it at one of its shaped ends and manipulate it, said means for manipulation deployed to engage said means for handling at its other shaped end, said means for manipulation to be deployed to manipulate said panel means, said means for manipulation to be deployed to cart off said panel means when laden with snow thus clearing said snow off said structure, said means for manipulation also deployed to drop snow off said panel means prior to storage, and said means for manipulation being detachable from said means for handling and deployable to manipulate multiple of other said panel means,

2. (canceled)

3. (canceled)

4. (canceled)

5. (canceled)

6. (canceled)

7. (canceled)

8. Means for clearing snow according to claim 1, wherein said panel means is convertible into a box form.

9. Means for clearing snow according to claim 1, where in said plurality of panel means are provided with chain and lock, said chain and lock deployed to chain said plurality of panel means to each other and locked on to permanently fixed object or structure against removal for theft, and such assembly, arrangement and deployment of said means for clearing snow to enable people to clear their pavements of snow in an effortless, simple, fast, convenient and safe way.