SNOW THROWER WITH AN ERGONOMIC HANDLE

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a snow thrower with an ergonomic bent handle. More

particularly, the snow thrower includes a directional chute having a plurality of movable

blades for directing snow removal .from the snow thrower to the left or right direction or the

forward direction during operational use.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Snow throwers, snow blowers, and snow removal apparatus are well known in the art.

In the northern U.S. snow accumulation is quite common on the ground in relatively large amounts. It is necessary to clear the snow from sidewalks, driveways, paths and the like of homes, commercial buildings and industrial complexes. More particularly, snow removal is

often required simply to have easy access to the user's home and to allow the user's car to

be removed from the driveway.

Various types of snow removal machines, commonly referred to as snow blowers or

snow throwers, have been developed and used in place of manual snow shoveling. These

devices usually include a housing having some type of snow impelling mechanism, e.g. a

rotatable rotor or auger. The mechanism throws or blows the snow outwardly from the

housing to a point remote from the ground area being cleared. Many of the prior art snow

blowers have been relatively heavy. Wheels or rollers have been attached to the housing to

allow the snow blower to be rolled or steered over the ground. Some of these snow blowers

were so heavy that these wheels were driven by a drive motor. However, these types of snow blowers were difficult to handle and steer, especially on a slippery surface such as snow.

Users have been deterred from using them because of these problems. In addition, the

complexity and weight of the snow blowers increases their costs rendering them

uneconomical for users who do not have large areas of ground to be cleared of snow.

Small electrically operated'snow throwers, and snow blowers have been developed

to replace the more conventional manual shovels and the larger motorized snow blowers or

snow throwers currently in use. This type of snow thrower is configured to act much like a

shovel and is operated by the user in a manner similar to a shovel. This type of snow thrower has a small housing at one end of an elongated handle that extends upwardly from the housing. The housing includes a relatively open reel-type impeller and a small electric motor

for rotating the impeller. A scraper bar is provided adjacent the bottom edge of the rear wall

of the housing to allow the housing to bite into the snow. The rear wall of the housing also

includes a guide section and an acuate portion which conforms to the periphery of the

impeller. As the impeller rotates, the blades of the impeller contact and move the snow through the housing and eventually throw the snow up along the guide section of the rear

wall to a position distally located from the snow thrower.

There remains a need for an improved snow thrower apparatus having a directional

chute with a plurality of movable blades therein for directing the snow removal from the snow thrower to the left or right direction, as well as the forward direction during operational

use. In addition, the snow thrower apparatus may include an ergonomic handle having a bent

shaft for increased maneuverability for moving the snow thrower apparatus through the snow

with a minimal physical effort by the user.

Accordingly, it is an obje"ct of the present invention to provide a snow thrower

apparatus having an ergonomic handle having a bent shaft for increased maneuverability of

moving the snow thrower through snow. Another object of the present invention is to provide a snow thrower apparatus having a directional chute with a plurality of movable blades mounted in a directional track for

throwing snow in a forward or sideward direction.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a snow thrower apparatus having

a full-sized handle support assembly with an electrical plug outlet and ignition key

compartment pad attached thereto.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a snowthrower apparatus having

a heavy-duty plastic snow thrower housing that can withstand temperatures in the range of

-3O ⁰ C to 66°C.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a snow thrower apparatus that

is easily maintained, easy to clean and use and operates in a safe manner.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a snow thrower that can be mass

produced in an automated and economical manner and is readily affordable by the user.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

Snow throwers, snow blowers and snow removers having various designs, structures,

configurations and materials of construction have been disclosed in the prior art. For

example, U.S. Patent No. 4,325,195 to COMBER discloses a snow thrower having an

impeller with forward facing blades which extends a short distance inward from the

periphery of the impeller. The snow thrower also includes a deflector vane assembly having

a plurality of deflector vanes being laterally movable by a deflector plate. The deflector plate

is also laterally movable with respect to the rear wall by means of a linkage assembly. The

linkage pivots about a centrally-located point in order to deflect the plurality of deflector

vanes to the right, center or left in order to permit a forward or sideward deflection of snow

during snow throwing. This prior art patent does not disclose or teach the same structure,

configuration and design of the plurality of movable blades for directing snow removal from

the snow blower as in the present invention.

U.S. Patent No. 6,163,986 to TOWNSEND discloses a non-motorized machine for

throwing snow or other debris. The machine includes a frame supported by at least one wheel

that activates at least one rotating blade or brush when the machine is pushed forward. The

machine also includes a pivoting mechanism which allows an operator to direct the thrown snow/debris to either side by pivoting the blade or brush. The housing and blade pivot together as a unit. An adjustment lever and a pivot lock are provided to facilitate the pivoting

action. This prior art patent does not disclose or teach the same structure, configuration and

design of the plurality of movable blades for directing snow removal from the snow blower

as in the present invention.

U.S. PatentNo.4,295,285 ώ STEVENS discloses a snow thrower including ahousing

having rotatable impeller therein. The rotation of the impeller moves the snow through the housing and ejects the snow upwardly with sufficient force to throw the snow to a point

distally located from the snow blower. This prior art patent does not disclose or teach the same structure, configuration and design of the snow blower of the present invention.

None of these prior art patents teach or disclose a snow thrower apparatus having an

ergonomic handle and a directional chute with movable blades mounted in a directional track

for throwing snow in a forward or sideward direction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a snow thrower apparatus

for removing snow from the ground. The snow thrower apparatus includes a snow thrower

housing having a top wall, a rear wall and side walls. The snow thrower housing includes a

rotatable snow throwing impeller assembly. A portion of the snow thrower housing forms

a directional chute having a plurality of movable blades for throwing snow in a forward or sideward direction during operational use thereof. The directional chute includes a directional track having a control knob thereon to move the plurality of movable blades in a left or right

direction. The snow thrower apparatus also includes an ergonomic handle connected to the

snow thrower housing for pushing the snow thrower apparatus through the snow; and wheels detachably connected to the snow thrower housing for moving the snow thrower apparatus

on the ground.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Further obj ects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent

upon the consideration of the following detailed description of the presently preferred embodiment when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a front perspective view of the snow thrower apparatus with an ergonomic

handle of the preferred embodiment of the present invention showing the major component

parts of the apparatus;

Figure 2 is a bottom perspective view of the snow thrower apparatus of the present

invention showing a snow thrower housing having a directional chute with a plurality of

movable blades maintained in a directional track and a rotatable snow throwing impeller

assembly; Figure 3 is a top perspective view of the snow thrower apparatus of the present

invention showing the snow thrower housing, the directional chute having a movable control

knob and a portion of a handle shaft;

Figure 4 is a bottom elevational view of the snow thrower apparatus of the present invention showing the directional chute, the plurality of movable blades within the

directional track and the rotatable snow throwing impeller assembly;

Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of the snow thrower apparatus of the present

invention taken along lines 5-5 of Figure 1 in the direction of the arrows showing a motor,

a pulley system and the snow thrower housing;

Figure 6 is an exploded perspective view of the snow thrower apparatus of the present

invention showing all of the major component parts contained therein;

Figure 6a is a perspective view of the snow thrower apparatus of the present invention

showing the directional track and control push rod knob contained therein; and

Figure 7 is a perspective view of the snow thrower apparatus of the present invention

showing a handle member having a ignition key pad and an electrical plug member.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The snow thrower apparatus 10 and its component parts of the preferred embodiment of the present invention is represented in detail by Figures 1 through 6 and 6a of the patent

drawings. The snow thrower apparatus 10 is used for removing snow 12 from the ground 14.

As shown in Figures 1 to 6, the snow thrower apparatus 10 includes a snow thrower

housing 20 having a top wall 22, a rear wall 24 and side walls 26 and 28. The snow thrower

housing 20 includes a rotatable snow throwing impeller assembly 30. The impeller assembly

30 includes a plurality of snow removing blades 32, and end covers 34a and 34b for

detachably connecting to the opposing side walls 26 and 28, as shown in Figures 2 and 4 of

the patent drawings. Each of the end covers 34a and 34b include shaft elements 36a and 36b being centrally positioned on each of the end covers 34a and 34b, respectively, as depicted in Figure 6. Shaft element 36b is detachably connected to an electrical motor 40, as shown

in Figures 5 and 6 of the drawings. In addition, as shown in Figures 5 and 6, the electrical

motor 40 further includes a first pulley 42, a second pulley 43 and a third pulley 44 and a

pulley belt 46. Snow thrower housing 20 further includes a first covering 48, and a second

(motor) covering 49 for side walls 26 and 28, respectively.

A portion of the snow thrower housing 20 forms a directional chute 50. The

directional chute 50 is formed by integrally connecting the top wall 22, a section of the rear

wall 24 and side walls 26 and 28 with each other, as shown in Figures 1, 4 and 6 of the

drawings. The directional chute 50 includes a directional track 52 having a plurality of

movable blades 54a 54b, 54c, 54d and 54e thereon. The directional track 52 is mounted

within a track opening 56 of top wall 22. Each movable blade 54a to 54e has a first pivot pin 55a and a second pin 55b, wherein the first pivot pin 55a pivots relative to wall 22 and second pin 55b moves on the directional track 52 in either the left or right directions, as each blade 54a to 54e pivots relative to its first pivot pin 55a, as shown in Figure 6a of the

drawings. The directional track 52 is movable in the left or right directions within track

opening 56 via a movable (push rod) control knob 58. The control knob 58 enables the movable blades 54a to 54e to pivot to either the left or right direction about pivot pin 55a, in a 90° degree arc, as depicted in Figure 6a of the drawings.

As shown in Figures 2, 3 and 5, the rear wall 24 of snow thrower housing 20 further

includes a first wheel well 60 and a second wheel well 62 for wheels 6 l and 63, respectively, therein. Additionally, the rear wall 24 of snow thrower housing 20 also includes a scraper blade 64 detachably connected to a rear wall edge 24e, as depicted in Figures 2, 4 and 6 of

the drawings. Rear wall 24 of snow tibrower housing 20 additionally includes an integrally

attached conicaUy-shaped handle holding member 66 having a shaft opening 68 for receiving a distal end 72 of a bent handle shaft 74 therein of an ergonomic handle assembly 70.

The ergonomic handle assembly 70 includes a bent hollow handle shaft 74 having a

first detachable hollow section 76 with a distal end 72 and having a second hollow

detachable section 78 with a proximal end 73. First detachable section 76 includes an inner

first end 77 and the second detachable section 78 includes an inner second end 79. Each of

the inner first and second ends 77 and 79 are joined together using a connector member 75 to form the bent handle shaft 74. The proximal end 73 of the second detachable section 78

includes a handle member 80. Handle member 80 includes an electrical plug outlet element 82 and an ignition key pad member 84. The electrical plug outlet element 82 and the ignition

key pad member 84 are electrically connected to the electrical motor 40 by an electrical line

85. The electrical line 85 is received within the bent hollow handle shaft 74 and the snow

thrower housing 20. The second detachable section 78 includes a removable and detachably

connected gripping member 86 having an adjustment tab element 88 thereon, as depicted in

Figures 1 and 6 of the drawings.

OPERATION QF THE PRESENT INVENTION In operating the snow thrower apparatus 10, as shown in Figures 1 and 4 of the patent

drawings, the user adjusts the push rod control knob 58 on the directional track 52 for moving the plurality of movable blades 54a to 54e to a left direction, a right direction or a

straight (centered) position for directing the snow removal to a sideward direction or a

forward direction, respectively. The user now connects an electrical extension cord 16 to the

electrical plug outlet 82, where then the user then pushes or turns on the ignition key pad 84

via key 18 to start the snow thrower apparatus 10. The user then proceeds to push the snow

thrower apparatus 10 by the handle member 80 and gripping member 86 in order to remove

the excess snow 12 from the ground 14, as shown in Figure 1 of the drawings.

ADVANTAGES OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

Accordingly, an advantage of the present invention is that it provides for a snow

thrower apparatus having an ergonomic handle having a bent shaft for increased

maneuverability of moving the snow thrower through snow.

Another advantage of the present invention is that it provides for a snow thrower

apparatus having a directional chute with a plurality of movable blades mounted in a

directional track for throwing sno"W in a forward or sideward direction.

Another advantage of the present invention is that it provides for a snow thrower

apparatus having a full-sized handle support assembly with an electrical plug outlet and ignition key compartment pad attached thereto.

Another advantage of the present invention is that it provides for a snow thrower

apparatus having a heavy-duty plastic snow thrower housing that can withstand temperatures

in the range of -30 ⁰ C to 66°C.

Another advantage of the present invention is that it provides for a snow thrower

apparatus that is easily maintained, easy to clean and use and operates in a safe manner.

A further advantage of the present invention is that it provides for a snow thrower that

can be mass produced in an automated and economical manner and is readily affordable by

the user.

A latitude of modification, change, and substitution is intended in the foregoing

disclosure, and in some instances, some features of the invention will be employed without

a corresponding use of other features. Accordingly, it is appropriate that the appended claims

be construed broadly and in a manner consistent with the spirit and scope of the invention

herein.