Field of the Invention

[I] The present invention relates to hand tools and in particular, but not necessarily entirely, to a shovel head for scooping a predetermined amount of material.

Summary of the Disclosure

[2] According to one aspect, there is provided a shovel head for scooping a predetermined amount of material, the shovel head comprising a body defining a handle socket for engaging an elongate handle; a lower blade portion configured for digging; and an upper roof portion, wherein, the lower blade portion and the upper roof portion are substantially collocated and sized and shaped such that, in use, when the lower blade portion digs into, and collects, the material, the upper roof portion may be configured to control the amount of material scooped such that the shovel head may be configured to scoop substantially the predetermined amount of material.

[3] The handle socket may be orientated substantially opposite the blade and upper roof portions such that, in use, when the handle is held substantially horizontally, the shovel head may be slightly angled upwardly orientated so as to allow for the retainment of the material therein.

[4] The blade and upper roof portions are configured such that the shovel head scoops a predetermined volume of the material.

[5] The blade and upper roof portions are configured such that the shovel head scoops a predetermined weight of the material.

[6] The blade and upper roof portions taper towards the handle socket.

[7] The lower blade portion may comprise a substantially planar central portion.

[8] The lower blade portion further may comprise edge walling.

[9] The upper roof portion may comprise a central portion located substantially opposite the lower blade portion.

[10] The upper roof portion may be substantially parallel with the lower blade portion.

[II] The central portion of the upper roof portion may be domed.

[12] The upper roof portion further may comprise innermost edge walling adjacent the central portion.

[13] The upper roof portion further may comprise outermost edge walling adjacent the innermost edge walling.

[14] The innermost edge walling has a greater angle with respect to the lower blade portion as compared to the outermost edge walling. [15] The handle socket may be inclined with respect to the lower blade portion.

[16] Respective lateral edges between the blade and upper roof portions may each define a notch configured for allowing the lateral pouring of the material from the shovel head.

[17] Other aspects of the invention are also disclosed.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[18] Notwithstanding any other forms which may fall within the scope of the present invention, a preferred embodiment of the disclosure will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

[19] Figure 1 shows a side perspective view of a shovel head for scooping a predetermined amount of material in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure;

[20] Figure 2 shows a rear side perspective view of the shovel head of Figure 1 in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present disclosure; and

[21] Figure 3 shows a top front perspective view of the shovel head of Figure 1 in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present disclosure.

Description of Embodiments

[22] For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles in accordance with the disclosure, reference will now be made to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the disclosure is thereby intended. Any alterations and further modifications of the inventive features illustrated herein, and any additional applications of the principles of the disclosure as illustrated herein, which would normally occur to one skilled in the relevant art and having possession of this disclosure, are to be considered within the scope of the disclosure.

[23] Before the structures, systems and associated methods relating to the shovel head are disclosed and described, it is to be understood that this disclosure is not limited to the particular configurations, process steps, and materials disclosed herein as such may vary somewhat. It is also to be understood that the terminology employed herein is used for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting since the scope of the disclosure will be limited only by the claims and equivalents thereof.

[24] In describing and claiming the subject matter of the disclosure, the following terminology will be used in accordance with the definitions set out below.

[25] It must be noted that, as used in this specification and the appended claims, the singular forms "a," "an," and "the" include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. [26] As used herein, the terms "comprising," "including," "containing," "characterised by," and grammatical equivalents thereof are inclusive or open-ended terms that do not exclude additional, unrecited elements or method steps.

[27] It should be noted in the following description that like or the same reference numerals in different embodiments denote the same or similar features.

[28] Turning now to figure 1, there is shown a shovel head 1 for scooping a predetermined amount of material. As will be described in further detail below, the shovel head 1 has application where predetermined amounts of material are required, such as when building, such as when concreting wherein the concrete mix requires a specific amount of sand, for example.

[29] The shovel head 1 comprises a body defining a handle socket 4 for engaging an elongate handle (not shown). Differing handles may be used depending on the application such as handles manufactured from wood (such as ash or maple) fibreglass or the like.

[30] In embodiments, the handle socket 4 may be configured for interchanging differing types of handles.

[31] The body further defines a lower blade portion 3 configured for digging into the material in use. The body further defines an upper roof portion 2.

[32] Now, the lower blade portion 3 and the upper roof portion 2 are substantially collocated and sized and shaped such that, in use, when the lower blade portion 3 digs into, and collects, the material, the upper roof portion 2 is configured to limit the amount of material scooped such that the shovel head 1 is configured to scoop substantially the predetermined amount of material.

[33] As can be seen, the lower blade portion 3 and the upper roof portion 2 define a mouth facing away and opposite the handle socket 4 wherein when digging or scooping, the predetermined amount of material into the mouth of the shovel head 1.

[34] For example, utilising the above example where the shovel head 1 is configured for scooping a predetermined amount of sand when concreting, the user would dig the blade 3 into a pile of sand and drive the shovel head 1 forwards such that sand piles upon the blade 3. Once the pile of sand on the blade 3 has reached the predetermined amount, the roof 2 would prevent further pileup such that the shovel head 1 is able to be removed comprising substantially the predetermined amount of sand.

[35] In the preferred embodiment as shown in the figures, the handle socket 4 is orientated substantially opposite the blade and upper roof portions 2, 3 such that, in use, when the handle is held substantially horizontally, the shovel head 1 is slightly angled upwardly orientated so as to allow for the retainment of the material therein. For example, and again using the above concreting example, once the sand has been scooped, the user may hold the shovel handle between a horizontal and approximately 45° angle such that the shovel head 1 is upright so as to be able to walk towards the concrete mixing machine prior to unloading the shovel head 1.

[36] Furthermore, in a preferred embodiment, the handle socket 3 is inclined with respect to the lower blade portion 3 such that, in use, when the handle is held by the user, the inclined angle of the handle socket 3 allows the user to present the lower blade portion 3 substantially parallel to the ground surface.

[37] Furthermore, the inclined orientation of the handle socket 4 allows the unloading of the shovel head 1 by rotating the handle. For example, when he shovel head 1 is loaded, the handle may be held substantially horizontally such that the shovel head 1 is upwardly inclined so as to retain the loaded material therein. Thereafter, for subsequent unloading, the user would rotate the handle through 180° along the elongate axis of the handle such that the shovel head 1 rotates accordingly and becomes downwardly orientated so as to unload the material therefrom.

[38] It should be noted that in embodiments, the blade and upper roof portions 2, 3 may be configured such that the shovel head 1 scoops a predetermined volume of material, or a predetermined weight of material.

[39] For the first embodiment, the shovel head 1 may be configured to scoop 3000 cm ³ of material. In one embodiment, shovel heads 1 of differing sizes may be sold as a kit so as to allow the user to scoop differing amounts depending on the application.

[40] In a second embodiment, the shovel head 1 may be configured to scoop a predetermined weight of material determined in accordance with the density of the material. For example, a first shovel head 1 may be configured to scoop 3 kg of quartz sand (having a density of between 1281 and 1602 kg/m ³ ) and a second shovel head 1 configured to scoop 3 kg of wood chips (having a density of substantially 481 kg/m ³ ).

[41] As can be best seen from figure 2, the blade and upper roof portions 2, 3 taper towards the handle socket 4.

[42] The lower blade portion 3 comprises a substantially planar central portion 5 bounded by edge walling 6.

[43] Furthermore, the upper roof portion 2 may comprise a central portion 7 located substantially opposite the lower blade portion 3. Furthermore, the upper roof portion 2 may be substantially parallel with the lower blade portion 3 yet not exactly so in embodiments, so as to allow for tapering towards the handle portion 4.

[44] The central portion 7 of the upper roof portion 2 may be domed as shown in the accompanying figures. Furthermore, the upper roof portion 2 comprises inner most edge walling 8 adjacent the central portion 7 and outermost edge walling 9 adjacent the innermost edge walling 8. The innermost edge walling 8 has a greater angle with respect to the lower blade portion 3 as compared to the outermost edge walling.

[45] Through trial and experimentation, the Inventor has discovered that the configuration of the upper roof portion 2 in comprising the stepped arrangement having the innermost edge walling 8 of greater angle than that of the outermost edge walling 9 advantageously prevents or reduces the material from becoming clogged or otherwise stuck within the shovel head 1. The Inventor believes that the substantially stepped configuration of the upper roof portion 2 reduces compaction forces on the material as compared to were the roof portion 2 domed or the like.

[46] In one embodiment, and as can be best seen in figure 1, the respective lateral edges between the blade and upper roof portions 2, 3 each define a notch 10 configured for allowing the lateral pouring of the material from the shovel head 1. In this manner, once having scooped the material, as opposed to having to pitch the shovel head forwards 1 to dispense of the material, the shovel head 1 may be tilted sideways through a twisting action of the handle so as to allow the material to pour from the notches 10. In this manner, the material may be unloaded gradually if required.

[47] In embodiments, the shovel head 1 may be made from a substantially rigid material, such as metal, such as sheet steel wherein, in one embodiment, the upper roof portion 3 may be welded to the lower blade portion 3.

Interpretation

Embodiments:

[48] Reference throughout this specification to "one embodiment" or "an embodiment" means that a particular feature, structure or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, appearances of the phrases "in one embodiment" or "in an embodiment" in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment, but may. Furthermore, the particular features, structures or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner, as would be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art from this disclosure, in one or more embodiments.

[49] Similarly it should be appreciated that in the above description of example embodiments of the invention, various features of the invention are sometimes grouped together in a single embodiment, figure, or description thereof for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure and aiding in the understanding of one or more of the various inventive aspects. This method of disclosure, however, is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed invention requires more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive aspects lie in less than all features of a single foregoing disclosed embodiment. Thus, the claims following the Detailed Description of Specific Embodiments are hereby expressly incorporated into this Detailed Description of Specific Embodiments, with each claim standing on its own as a separate embodiment of this invention.

[50] Furthermore, while some embodiments described herein include some but not other features included in other embodiments, combinations of features of different embodiments are meant to be within the scope of the invention, and form different embodiments, as would be understood by those in the art. For example, in the following claims, any of the claimed embodiments can be used in any combination.

Different Instances of Objects

[51] As used herein, unless otherwise specified the use of the ordinal adjectives "first", "second", "third", etc., to describe a common object, merely indicate that different instances of like objects are being referred to, and are not intended to imply that the objects so described must be in a given sequence, either temporally, spatially, in ranking, or in any other manner.

Specific Details

[52] In the description provided herein, numerous specific details are set forth. However, it is understood that embodiments of the invention may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known methods, structures and techniques have not been shown in detail in order not to obscure an understanding of this description. Terminology

[53] In describing the preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings, specific terminology will be resorted to for the sake of clarity. However, the invention is not intended to be limited to the specific terms so selected, and it is to be understood that each specific term includes all technical equivalents which operate in a similar manner to accomplish a similar technical purpose. Terms such as "forward", "rearward", "radially", "peripherally", "upwardly", "downwardly", and the like are used as words of convenience to provide reference points and are not to be construed as limiting terms.

Comprising and Including

[54] In the claims which follow and in the preceding description of the invention, except where the context requires otherwise due to express language or necessary implication, the word "comprise" or variations such as "comprises" or "comprising" are used in an inclusive sense, i.e. to specify the presence of the stated features but not to preclude the presence or addition of further features in various embodiments of the invention.

[55] Any one of the terms: including or which includes or that includes as used herein is also an open term that also means including at least the elements/features that follow the term, but not excluding others. Thus, including is synonymous with and means comprising.

Scope of Invention

[56] Thus, while there has been described what are believed to be the preferred embodiments of the invention, those skilled in the art will recognize that other and further modifications may be made thereto without departing from the spirit of the invention, and it is intended to claim all such changes and modifications as fall within the scope of the invention. For example, any formulas given above are merely representative of procedures that may be used. Functionality may be added or deleted from the block diagrams and operations may be interchanged among functional blocks. Steps may be added or deleted to methods described within the scope of the present invention.

[57] Although the invention has been described with reference to specific examples, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the invention may be embodied in many other forms.