Snowplow with Side Shield

Abstract

This present invention relates to an improved snowplow system for commercial snowplow trucks. The snowplow system includes a snowplow blade, a mechanical side shield that raises or lowers into a position generally perpendicular or orthogonal to the snowplow blade. The side shield prevents selective and intermittent snow displacement from one side of the plow blade for an effective snowplowing process that avoids snow discharge in undesirable areas. The side shield features a retraction and activation control inside the snowplow truck cab, along with three adjustable speed settings to accommodate snow conditions and vehicle speed. A hydraulic mechanism and a rotating actuator are present for rotation of the snowplow blade and the side shield.

Claims

1. A snowplow blade system for use with a plow vehicle, the snowplow blade system comprising: a blade with vertical reinforcing ribs; a side shield extending forward from a first end of said blade; wherein said side shield includes an actuator for selective movement of said side shield from a first retracted position to a second deployed position; wherein said first position of said side shield enables sideways discharge of snow during use of the snowplow blade system; and wherein said second position of said side shield prohibits sideways discharge of snow during use of the snowplow blade system.

2. The snowplow blade system of claim 1, wherein said selective movement of said side shield is intermittent from said first position to said second position.

3. The snowplow blade system of claim 2 further comprising a speed controller for controlling the speed of said selective movement of said side shield from said first position to said second position.

4. The snowplow blade system of claim 3, wherein said selective movement of said side shield is repeated continuously from said first position to said second position during use of the snowplow blade system.

5. The snowplow blade system of claim 1, wherein said side shield is orthogonal to said blade.

6. The snowplow blade system of claim 1 further comprising a hydraulic cylinder for controlling a position of said blade.

7. The snowplow blade system of claim 6, wherein the actuation of said side shield is independent of the controlling said position of said blade.

8. The snowplow blade system of claim 7, wherein the actuation of said side shield is dependent on the controlling said position of said blade.

9. The snowplow blade system of claim 3, wherein said controlling the speed of said selective movement of said side shield from said first position to said second position is based on the snow conditions during use of the snowplow blade system.

10. The snowplow blade system of claim 3, wherein said controlling the speed of said selective movement of said side shield from said first position to said second position is based on the speed of the plow vehicle during use of the snowplow blade system.

11. A method of selectively blocking a discharge of snow from one side of a snowplow blade, the method comprising the steps of: providing said snowplow blade with a side shield attachment connected to a side of said snowplow blade, wherein said side shield includes a straight vertical edge, a curved edge, and a pair of lateral edges; said side shield extends forward of and generally orthogonal to said snowplow blade; actuating said side shield for selective movement of said side shield from a first retracted position to a second deployed position; wherein said first position of said side shield enables sideways discharge of snow during use of the snowplow blade; and wherein said second position of said side shield prohibits sideways discharge of snow during use of the snowplow blade.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising a step of converting said snowplow blade to a partial pusher box plow blade when said side shield is in said second position.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said actuating of said side shield is intermittent from said first position to said second position.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising a speed controller for controlling said actuating of said side shield from said first position to said second position.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein said actuating of said side shield is repeated continuously from said first position to said second position during use of the snowplow blade system.

16. The method of claim 13 further comprising a hydraulic cylinder for controlling a position of said snowplow blade.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said actuating of said side shield is independent of said controlling said position of said snowplow blade.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein said actuating of said side shield is dependent on said controlling said position of said snowplow blade.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein said controlling said actuating of said side shield from said first position to said second position is based on the snow conditions during use of said snowplow blade.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein said controlling said actuating of said side shield from said first position to said second position is based on the speed of a plow vehicle with said snowplow blade mounted thereto.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] The description refers to provided drawings in which similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the different views, and in which:

[0016] FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of one potential embodiment of a snowplow device with a side shield of the present invention designed to attach to the front of a snowplow truck in accordance with the disclosed architecture;

[0017] FIG. 2 illustrates a perspective view of one potential embodiment of a snowplow device with a side shield of the present invention showing the hydraulic mechanism and rotating mechanism in accordance with the disclosed architecture;

[0018] FIG. 3 illustrates a close-up perspective view of the connection of one potential embodiment of the side shield to the mounting side shield base of the snowplow device of the present invention in accordance with the disclosed architecture;

[0019] FIG. 4 illustrates a perspective view of one potential embodiment of the control buttons present in the cabin of a truck to which the snowplow blade with a side shield of the present invention is attached in accordance with the disclosed architecture;

[0020] FIG. 5 illustrates a perspective view of one potential embodiment of the snowplow device with a side shield of the present invention attached to the front of a vehicle in accordance with the disclosed architecture;

[0021] FIG. 6 illustrates a perspective view of one potential of the snowplow device with a side shield of the present invention being used to plow snow from a surface in accordance with the disclosed architecture.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

[0022] The innovation is now described with reference to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals are used to refer to like elements throughout. In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding thereof. It may be evident, however, that the innovation can be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form in order to facilitate a description thereof. Various embodiments are discussed hereinafter. It should be noted that the figures are described only to facilitate the description of the embodiments. They are not intended as an exhaustive description of the invention and do not limit the scope of the invention. Additionally, an illustrated embodiment need not have all the aspects or advantages shown. Thus, in other embodiments, any of the features described herein from different embodiments may be combined.

[0023] As noted above, there is a long-felt need in the art for a snowplowing device that allows the users to quickly and easily displace snow accumulated on roads, wheel chair ramps, and other similar areas. There is also a long-felt need in the art for a snowplowing device that selectively allows and prevents the snowplow blades from pushing the displaced snow to the sides of the road surfaces. There is also a long-felt need in the art for a snowplowing device that prevents snow accumulation on driveway aprons and pathways. Additionally, there is a long-felt need in the art for a snowplowing device that prevents the driveway aprons, wheel chair ramps and sidewalks from being blocked due the accumulation of snow displaced from the roads. Moreover, there is a long-felt need in the art for a snowplowing device that allows the people to easily commute during bitter winter conditions. Further, there is a long-felt need in the art for a snowplowing device which does not cause any inconvenience to homeowners by blocking their driveway apron with plowed snow from the roadway. Finally, there is a long-felt need in the art for a snowplowing device which improves the overall snow removal process by selectively converting a standard snowplow configuration into a partial snow pusher box plow configuration.

[0024] The present invention, in one exemplary embodiment, is a novel snowplow device having a side shield that is selectively deployable. The snowplow device comprises: a mounting frame to attach to a front of a vehicle; a hydraulic unit attached to the mounting frame and having a hydraulic cylinder connected to a snowplow blade; the snowplow blade having a top rail, a bottom rail and two C-shaped longitudinal edges; a side shield attached to one C-shaped longitudinal edge of the snowplow blade using a side shield base fixed at the rear of the snowplow blade; the side shield is pivotally-connected to the side shield base using a rotating actuator wherein the rotating actuator is attached to an electronic circuit or a hydraulic circuit for providing rotation to the side shield; and the hydraulic cylinder connected to the rear of the snowplow blade via a universal joint for providing the vertical and rotational movements to the snowplow blade. The rotating actuator includes a range of 180 degrees and can rotate the side shield up to 90° to the snowplow blade. While the plow vehicle is traveling in the forward direction and during the snowplowing process, the side shield is aligned along the C-shaped longitudinal edge.

[0025] Referring initially to the drawings,

[0026] FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of one potential embodiment of a snowplow device 100 with a side shield 102 of the present invention designed to attach to the front of a snowplow truck in accordance with the disclosed architecture. More specifically, the snowplow device 100 with a side shield 102 includes a C-shaped main blade 106 similar to a conventional blade and a planar side shield 102. The blade 106 includes a top rail 1060 and a bottom rail 1062 and includes a plurality of reinforcing ribs 112, longitudinally-spaced along the main axis of the blade 106. The C-shaped blade 106 includes two curved longitudinal ends 118, 120. The plow blade 106 generally extends horizontally across the width of a conventional snowplow truck, so as to clear a passage in front of the truck as the truck drives forward.

[0027] The bottom rail 1062 is a hardened rail which normally runs over the surface of the roadway. The front surface of the blade 106 curves upward in a C-shaped cross-section opening forward so as to prevent the snow pushed by the plow blade 106 from climbing over the top rail 1060 of the plow blade 106.

[0028] The planar side shield 102 is attached to the C-shaped end 118 of the blade 106 and is also attached to a side shield base 104 through a rotating actuator (shown in FIG. 2). The side shield base 104 is connected to a rear portion 122 of the blade 106 through a mechanical fastener. The side shield 102 is pivotally-rotatable using the rotating actuator. The side shield 102 includes a vertical front edge 1020, a top horizontal edge 1022, a bottom horizontal edge 1024 and a C-shaped edge 1023. The C-shaped edge 1023 of the side shield 102 includes the same curve and size as of the C-shaped end 118 of the blade 106, and conforms and aligns with the C-shaped end 118 in an activated or deployed state. The side shield 102 in an activated state, extends laterally from the plow blade 106 and rotates hingedly along the rotating actuator. The side shield 102 creates a shield for the plow device 100, preventing snow displacement onto driveway entrances to ensure homeowners are not blocked in during heavy snow accumulation. During the snowplow operation, the side shield 102 is in an activated state, and conforms to the side of the blade 106, thereby blocking sideways discharge of snow. Once the snowplow action is completed, the side shield 102 can be rotated in a clockwise direction to raise the side shield 102 using the rotating actuator.

[0029] To vertically raise and rotate the blade 106 for snowplowing action, a hydraulic power unit 114 is present and attached to the snowplow blade 106. The hydraulic power unit 114 can be attached to the vehicle power supply with a front connection mechanism and mount. The hydraulic power unit 114 on a side surface 124 includes a hydraulic cylinder 110 which is attached to a connecting rod 108 through a connecting member 116, and the connecting rod 108 is attached to the blade 106 through a universal joint (shown in FIG. 2) for slight vertical rotating movement of the blade 106. The movement of the hydraulic cylinder 110 moves along a piston rod 126 for vertical movement of the blade 106. It is to be appreciated that the hydraulic power unit 114 connecting the rear end 122 of the blade 106 allows uniform blade stability. More specifically, the angle of the blade 106 with respect to the ground surface remains at all times constant, even when the blade deflects upwardly.

[0030] The side shield 102 electively prohibits the plow blade 100 from displacing snow (i.e. sideways discharge) onto a driveway entrance or driveway apron through the open side surface. As a result, a more efficient plowing operation can be achieved and also roads become clear without accumulation of large amounts of snow on driveway aprons and in front of houses. The side shield 102 is substantially planar and is pivotably joined to the side shield base 104, having a mounting frame as described hereinbefore.

[0031] The side shield 102 attachment withstands the shock normally associated with plowing operations without damaging any part of the attachments. When the side shield 102 is in the retracted position as shown in FIG. 1, the side shield 102 is oriented vertically and a portion of the side shield 102 extends above the top rail 1060 of the blade 106. In the deployed or activated position shown in FIGS. 5-6, the side shield 102 is positioned generally perpendicular to the front surface of the plow 106 and is supported on the edge 118 to prevent the diversion of snow caught by the plow 106 without inducing instability to the plow 106 or to the side shield 102.

[0032] FIG. 2 illustrates a perspective view of one potential embodiment of a snowplow device 100 with a side shield 102 of the present invention showing the hydraulic mechanism and rotating mechanism in accordance with the disclosed architecture. More specifically, the planar side shield 102 of the present invention is pivotally connected to the mounting side shield base 104 through a rotating actuator 202. The rotating actuator 202 is electrically-powered and can be controlled by an operator of the snowplow truck from the cabin using a control button. A shaft 204 is a part of the rotating actuator 202 and allows the side shield 102 to rotate from an activated state of the side shield 102 being aligned with the C-shaped end 118, to a retracted or raised state of being perpendicular to the mounting side shield base 104 as shown in FIG. 2.

[0033] The mounting side shield base 104 is fixed to the rear portion 122 of the blade 106 through a strong and durable mechanical fastener 206. The rotating actuator 202 includes a range of 180° in rotation. As far as the rotating actuator 202 is concerned, the side shield 102 generally lies at 90°, or orthogonal, to the plow blade 106, in the forward direction. The rotating actuator 202 is cost-effective and more efficient than equivalent linear cylinder(s) and associated linkage. Also, the rotatory actuator 202 is small and compact, thereby providing an alternative arrangement from the cylinder-and-linkage equivalent for rotating the side shield 102.

[0034] To vertically raise and provide the desired rotation to the blade 106, a hydraulic cylinder 110 moves vertically along a piston rod 126 and is connected to an extendable piston rod 208. The extendable piston rod 208 is connected to a universal joint 210 which allows the rotation of the blade 106 for an effective snowplowing process. The connecting rod 108 is raised vertically by the movement of the hydraulic cylinder 110 along the piston rod 126 to raise the blade 106. The connecting rod 108 is attached to the rear portion 122 of the plow blade 106.

[0035] The hydraulic mechanism connected to the connecting rod 108 is electronically operated, and can be connected to the electronic circuitry of the truck to which the snowplow device of the present invention is connected. An operator of the truck can easily control the hydraulic mechanism and rotating actuator. In one embodiment, the angle of the side shield 102 relative to the plow blade 106 can be controlled by the hydraulic operation of the rotating actuator 202. The rotating actuator 202 can have an associated hydraulic circuit with a pressure-sensing cross-over valve.

[0036] It should be noted that although in the present embodiment and other embodiments of the present invention, only a single connecting rod 108 is shown, the possibility of a second connecting rod to support the movement of the plow blade 106 can be added to the device. A second hydraulic mechanism can be present to support the second connecting rod or a single hydraulic mechanism can support both of the connecting rods. Based on the needs and requirements of the plowing operation, side shields can be present on the other C-shaped end 120 of the plow blade 106.

[0037] FIG. 3 illustrates a close-up perspective view of the connection of one potential embodiment of the side shield 102 to the mounting side shield base of the snowplow device 100 of the present invention in accordance with the disclosed architecture. More specifically, as described above, a rotating actuator 202 is used for rotating the side shield 102. The housing of the rotating actuator 202 is bolted to the mounting side shield base 104 and a rotating shaft connects to the planar surface of the side shield 102, using the prepared bolt-holes in the side shield 102. The appropriate struts, gussets and other reinforcing components can be used as required for attaching the side shield 102.

[0038] The mounting shield base 104 is fixed and remains static in a direction laterally perpendicular to the main plow blade 106 and is affixed along the C-shaped edge 118. During the movement of the main plow blade 106, and also during the rotation of the side shield 102, the mounting shield base 104 remains static and stable using the mechanical fastener 206. In case of an electronically controlled side shield 102, a circuitry is connected to the rotating actuator 202 which connects the rotating actuator 202 to the electronic circuit of the truck on which the plow blade 106 is attached. The side shield 102 and the mounting shield base 104 can be constructed using stainless steel, aluminum or heavy plastic materials. The electronically-controlled rotating actuator 202 enables drivers to selectively activate the side shield 102 to intermittently block snow displacement (i.e. snow discharge) on one side of the plow blade.

[0039] FIG. 4 illustrates a perspective view of one potential embodiment of the control buttons present in the cabin of a truck to which the snowplow blade device 100 with a side shield 102 of the present invention is attached in accordance with the disclosed architecture. For easily activating and retracting the side shield 102 during the snowplowing process, an operator of the truck uses the control system 400 connected to the wired circuitry of the snowplow device 100 of the present invention. The control system 400 includes a retraction and activation button 402 having an upward control 4022 to raise the side shield 102, and a downward control 4024 to lower the side shield 102 to align the side shield 102 with the C-shaped end of the main blade. The retraction and activation button 402 is electronically-connected to the rotating actuator for operating and controlling the side shield 102 rotation for activation and retraction. The retraction and activation button 402 enables truck drivers and operators to selectively and intermittently activate the side shield 102 to block snow displacement on one side of the plow.

[0040] In addition to the retraction and activation button 402, three speed control buttons 404, 406, 408 are also present in the controlling system 400, for providing speed settings for the snowplow device 100 including the main blade 106 and the side shield 102. The high speed button 408 snow powder, a moderate speed button 406 for regular snowfall accumulation, and a slow speed button 404 for heavy snowfall accumulation. It is to be appreciated that the speed control buttons 404, 406, 408 control the speed of rotation and movement of both the main blade 106 and the side shield 102, and can correspond to the speed of the plow vehicle during use thereof.

[0041] FIG. 5 illustrates a perspective view of one potential embodiment of the snowplow device 100 with a side shield 102 of the present invention attached to the front of a vehicle in accordance with the disclosed architecture. More specifically, the snowplow device 100 is attached to the front portion 504 of a vehicle 500, such as a snowplow truck. A frame 502 having a plurality of flexible hydraulic vertical bands are attached to the hydraulic unit 114 of the snowplow device 100. The blade 106 and the side shield 102 can be easily rotated to perform the snowplowing process by a driver or an operator using the controlling section present in the cabin of the vehicle 500. In one embodiment, the snowplow device 100 is removably attached to a frame connection at the front of the vehicle 500. In another embodiment, the snowplow 100 is removably-attached to the undercarriage or chassis of the vehicle 500.

[0042] FIG. 6 illustrates a perspective view of one potential of the snowplow device 100 with a side shield 102 of the present invention being used to plow snow from a surface in accordance with the disclosed architecture. For plowing snow 600 in areas such as in front of buildings and overhead doors, the driver travels to the destination with the snowplow truck 500 having the plow blade 106 raised and the side shield 102 in a retracted position. Once the driver arrives at the destination, the driver then activates or deploys the side shield 102 using the retraction and activation button, and lowers the plow blade 106 to the roadway in order to push the snow away while blocking snow displacement and discharge on one side of the blade by the side shield. The plowing is performed with the intermittently-activated side shield 102 such that the side shield 102 selectively blocks snow displacement towards a selected area, and does not cause inconvenience to homeowners/community members.

[0043] When the side shield 102 is in the deployed or activated position, the snow 600 collected from a roadway or other surface by the snowplow blade 106, contacts the side shield 102 and is temporarily prevented from being discharged from the side of the plow 106. The planar and durable surface of the side shield 102 controls the snow contacting the side shield 102 and temporarily prevents the snow from diverting from the plow to an undesired location, such as across a driveway apron or other roadway section. To return to normal plow function, i.e., when it is desired to dispense snow away from the plow blade, the pivotal side shield 102 is raised from the extended position on the front of the snowplow into a retracted position so that snow can be deposited to the side of the plow.

[0044] In one embodiment of the present invention, the side shield 102 and the blade 106 can have integrated heating coils such as electric heating coils, steam coils, heating solenoids or any other heating element to melt and help remove and displace snow from the plow device. The integrated heating coils receive the power for heating from the truck to which the snowplow is attached. The heating elements are placed such that they are evenly-spaced apart from one another for providing uniform heating, and can be used for heavy snow.

[0045] Certain terms are used throughout the following description and claims to refer to particular features or components. As one skilled in the art will appreciate, different persons may refer to the same feature or component by different names. This document does not intend to distinguish between components or features that differ in name, but not in structure or function. As used herein “snowplow device with side shield”, “snowplow device”, “snowplow device with side attachment”, “improved snowplow device”, and “snowplow device” are interchangeable and refer to the snowplow device with side shield 100 of the present invention.

[0046] Notwithstanding the forgoing, the snowplow device with side shield 100 of the present invention can be of any suitable size and configuration as is known in the art without affecting the overall concept of the invention, provided that it accomplishes the above-stated objectives. One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the size, configuration and material of the snowplow device with side shield 100 as shown in the FIGS. are for illustrative purposes only, and that many other sizes and shapes of the snowplow device with side shield 100 are well within the scope of the present disclosure. Although the dimensions of the snowplow device with side shield 100 are important design parameters for user convenience, the snowplow device with side shield 100 may be of any size that ensures optimal performance during use and/or that suits the user's needs and/or preferences.

[0047] Various modifications and additions can be made to the exemplary embodiments discussed without departing from the scope of the present invention. While the embodiments described above refer to particular features, the scope of this invention also includes embodiments having different combinations of features and embodiments that do not include all of the described features. Accordingly, the scope of the present invention is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications, and variations as fall within the scope of the claims, together with all equivalents thereof.

[0048] What includes been described above includes examples of the claimed subject matter. It is, of course, not possible to describe every conceivable combination of components or methodologies for purposes of describing the claimed subject matter, but one of ordinary skill in the art may recognize that many further combinations and permutations of the claimed subject matter are possible. Accordingly, the claimed subject matter is intended to embrace all such alterations, modifications and variations that fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. Furthermore, to the extent that the term “includes” is used in either the detailed description or the claims, such term is intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term “comprising” as “comprising” is interpreted when employed as a transitional word in a claim.