Snow removal apparatus and method
OwnerNicholas Plumerinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A snow removal apparatus and related method for removing snow from an underlying surface. The apparatus includes a plow blade arranged to stand off from the underlying surface when the apparatus is in use, a first air transport unit for delivering forced air into an air blade plenum and a second air transport unit for delivering forced air to a Venturi vacuum jet. The air blade plenum is arranged to deliver air to the underlying surface to lift snow located thereon. The Venturi vacuum jet is arranged to push air and lifted snow into and through a collection chute. Use of the apparatus results in a cleaner roadway that results per pass at a higher speed with less need for the use of salt and/or sand and substantially less wear and tear on the roadway.
Claims16
A snow removal apparatus for removing snow from an underlying surface, the apparatus comprising:
- a plow blade coupled to a housing, wherein the housing is couplable to a vehicle and the plow blade is arranged to stand off from the underlying surface when the apparatus is in use;
- a first air transport unit including a first blower and a first plenum;
- a second air transport unit including a second blower and a second plenum;
- a collection chute within the housing, wherein the collection chute is arranged to be positioned at a diagonal, downwardly from a roadway side of the apparatus such that the snow slides down and out of the collection chute at a roadway shoulder side of the apparatus;
- a blade of air plenum extending from the first plenum and arranged to deliver air to the underlying surface to lift snow located thereon;
- and
- a Venturi vacuum jet extending from the second plenum positioned forward of the blade of air plenum and arranged to push air and lifted snow into the collection chute,
- wherein the first blower is operated to push air to the blade of air plenum and the second blower is operated to push air to a vacuum plenum.
A method of removing snow from an underlying surface of an apparatus, the method comprising the steps of:
- pushing a portion of the snow from the underlying surface with a plow blade;
- forcing air through a blade of air port of the apparatus onto remaining snow on the underlying snow with sufficient pressure to lift the remaining snow;
- causing lifted snow to be directed into a collection chute of the apparatus;
- and
- exhausting the lifted snow from the collection chute, wherein the collection chute is arranged to be positioned at a diagonal, downwardly from a roadway side of the apparatus such that the snow slides down and out of the collection chute at a roadway shoulder side of the apparatus.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.