SNOW-CLEARING STRIP FOR THE SNOW-CLEARING BLADE OF A SNOWPLOW

Abstract

The invention relates to a snow-clearing strip (1) for the snow-clearing blade of a snowplow, having an attachment neck (2), onto which an elongated rubber body (3) is vulcanized, which body has a wear section (3a) that projects downward and is freely flexible, and in which hard-material wear bodies are embedded over the wear height (H). It is the task of the invention to improve the wear resistance of snow-clearing strips of the type stated initially, to the effect that these are better suitable for use at high snow-clearing speeds and/or in the case of uneven surfaces to be cleared, and achieve longer useful lifetimes. To accomplish this task, the invention proposes that a reinforcement is attached to the attachment neck (2), which reinforcement-extends over at least the upper third of the wear height (H) and is connected with the rubber body (3) with material bonding.

Claims

1. Snow-clearing strip (1) for the snow-clearing blade of a snowplow, having an attachment neck (2), onto which an elongated rubber body (3) is vulcanized, which body has a wear section (3a) that projects downward and is freely flexible, and in which body hard-material wear bodies are embedded above the wear height (H), wherein a reinforcement (6) is attached to the attachment neck (2), which reinforcement extends over at least the upper third of the wear height (H) and is connected with the rubber body (3) with material bonding.

2. Snow-clearing strip (1) according to claim 1, wherein the reinforcement (6) is vulcanized into the rubber body (3) adjacent to the front side of the snow-clearing strip (1).

3. Snow-clearing strip (1) according to claim 1, wherein the reinforcement (6) is vulcanized onto the front side of the snow-clearing strip (1).

4. Snow-clearing strip (1) according to claim 1, wherein the reinforcement has at least one ply of reinforcement threads (6b).

5. Snow-clearing strip (1) according to claim 4, wherein at least some of the reinforcement threads (6b) are disposed parallel to the wear height (H).

6. Snow-clearing strip (1) according to claim 4, wherein at least some of the reinforcement threads (6b) are disposed perpendicular to the wear height (H).

7. Snow-clearing strip (1) according to claim 1, wherein the reinforcement (6) has the form of a woven reinforcement fabric (6a), at least in part.

8. Snow-clearing strip (1) according to claim 7, wherein the warp thread density of the woven reinforcement fabric (6a) increases along the wear height (H), from bottom to top.

9. Snow-clearing strip (1) according to claim 1, wherein the reinforcement (6) has multiple reinforcement rods oriented parallel to the wear height (H).

10. Snow-clearing strip (1) according to claim 9, wherein the diameter of the reinforcement rods increases along the wear height (H), from bottom to top.

11. Snow-clearing strip (1) according to claim 1, wherein the reinforcement (6) has at least one metal reinforcement sheet.

12. Snow-clearing strip (1) according to claim 11, wherein the thickness of the metal reinforcement sheet increases along the wear height (H), from bottom to top.

13. Snow-clearing strip (1) according to claim 1, wherein a further reinforcement is attached at the outer side surfaces.

14. Snow-clearing strip (1) according to claim 13, wherein the further reinforcement at the outer side surfaces comprises reinforcement threads oriented parallel to the surface to be cleared.

15. Snow-clearing strip (1) according to claim 1, wherein the reinforcement (6) comprises aramid, at least in part.

16. Snow-clearing strip (1) according to claim 1, wherein the reinforcement (6) comprises spring steel, at least in part.

17. Snow-clearing strip (1) according to claim 1, wherein the reinforcement (6) comprises fiberglass, at least in part.

18. Snow-clearing strip (1) according to claim 1, wherein the attachment neck (2) is beveled on its lower edge (2a).

19. Snow-clearing strip (1) according to claim 1, wherein the attachment neck (2) is rounded off on its lower edge (2a).

Description

[0024] In the following, the invention will be described in greater detail using drawings.

[0025] FIG. 1 shows: schematically, a side view of a snow-clearing strip according to the state of the art in the case of stress;

[0026] FIG. 2 shows: schematically a side view of a snow-clearing strip according to the state of the art in the case of stress, with a planned breaking point;

[0027] FIG. 3 shows: schematically, a front view of a snow-clearing strip according to the invention in a first exemplary embodiment;

[0028] FIG. 4 shows: schematically, a 3D view of a snow-clearing strip according to the invention even before affixation of the reinforcement, in a second exemplary embodiment;

[0029] FIG. 5 shows: schematically, a side view of a snow-clearing strip according to the invention;

[0030] FIG. 6 shows: schematically, a side view of the snow-clearing strip according to FIG. 5 in the case of stress.

[0031] In the drawing, the snow-clearing strip in its totality is identified with the reference symbol 1, in each instance. Each snow-clearing strip has an attachment neck 2, onto which an elongated rubber body 3 is vulcanized. The snow-clearing strip 1 is attached to a snow-clearing blade of a snowplow, not shown, by way of the attachment neck 2. The elongated rubber body 3 has a wear section 3a. Hard-material wear bodies 4 are vulcanized into the rubber body 3 over the wear height H.

[0032] In FIG. 1, a snow-clearing strip 1 according to the state of the art is shown in the stressed state, in other words during use. Due to the contact with the surface 5 to be cleared, a bending force acts on the snow-clearing strip 1. This bending force increases as a function of the speed of the snowplow and the sliding properties. Furthermore, frontal impacts can come about due to unevenness of the surface 5 to be cleared, which impacts further reinforce the bending force.

[0033] Due to the bending force, the rubber body 3 is at risk of tearing. The risk of such tearing is particularly high at the upper end of the wear section. As soon as a first, small tear has formed, it represents a weak point so that the tear propagates more and more during further use. After some time, the snow-clearing strip 1 is no longer suitable for use, and part of the rubber body 3 is actually at risk of breaking off, as shown in FIG. 2.

[0034] A further weak point is represented by the relatively sharp-edged corner 2a at the end of the attachment neck 2. Here, too a tear can quickly form, which tear increases in size during further use and thereby significantly accelerates wear of the snow-clearing strip 1. Furthermore, such a propagating tear in the interior of the snow-clearing strip 1 could not be identified, or could only be identified with great effort.

[0035] According to the invention, the snow-clearing strip 1 is therefore provided with a reinforcement 6, which is attached to the attachment neck 2 and is connected with the rubber body 3 with material bonding.

[0036] A first exemplary embodiment is shown in FIG. 3. The reinforcement 6 consists, in this case, of a woven reinforcement fabric 6a composed of aramid, which is vulcanized onto the front side of the rubber body 3 and onto the attachment neck 2. The woven reinforcement fabric 6a extends over the entire front side of the rubber body 3 and over part of the attachment neck 2. In the region of the detail A, the hard-material wear bodies 4 vulcanized into the rubber body 3 are shown.

[0037] A second exemplary embodiment is shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. Reinforcement threads 6b are provided perpendicular and parallel to the wear height H, at the outer edge regions, in each instance, as a reinforcement 6. In the center region of the snow-clearing strip 1, only reinforcement threads 6b parallel to the wear height H are provided. Experience has shown that the outer regions of the snow-clearing strip 1 are generally subject to greater stress, since unevenness occurs more frequently in the edge region of the surface 5 to be cleared, for example lane markings or the like, which lead to additional bending stresses. As a result, the snow-clearing strip 1 is subject not only to bending stress toward the rear but also to bending stress outward in these regions. Because of the reinforcement threads 6b perpendicular to the wear height H, the snow-clearing strip is also better protected against these bending forces. Furthermore, reinforcement threads 6b oriented parallel to the surface to be cleared are also provided at the outer side surface of the snow-clearing strip, in order to protect the snow-clearing strip against additional stress, for example caused by contact with the curbstone, in this region. If the snow-clearing strip 1 according to the invention is now subject to bending stress during use, as described above, the front side of the rubber body 3 is protected against tearing by the reinforcement 6. This is because the reinforcement 6 absorbs a major portion of the bending force, as shown in FIG. 6. Other embodiments and materials can also be provided for the reinforcement 6. For example, it can be structured in the form of reinforcement rods or a metal reinforcement sheet. The materials should be as tear-resistant as possible. A reinforcement composed of spring steel or fiberglass would also be possible.

[0038] As is furthermore shown in FIG. 3-6, the lower corner 2a of the attachment neck 2 is beveled, so that here, no tear forms in the interior of the snow-clearing strip 1.

[0039] In total, the snow-clearing strip 1 in these embodiments achieves greater robustness during use and therefore longer useful lifetimes.

REFERENCE SYMBOL LIST

[0040] 1 snow-clearing strip [0041] 2 attachment neck [0042] 2a lower corner 2a of the attachment neck [0043] 3 rubber body [0044] 3a wear section [0045] H wear height [0046] 4 hard-material wear body [0047] 5 surface to be cleared [0048] 6 reinforcement [0049] 6a woven reinforcement fabric [0050] 6b reinforcement threads