A snow shovel including a middle portion interposed between, and coupled to, each of a blade portion and a handle portion. Included with the middle portion is a flex control mechanism structured for controlling an amount of downward flexing possible by the blade portion with respect to the handle po
A snow shovel including a middle portion interposed between, and coupled to, each of a blade portion and a handle portion. Included with the middle portion is a flex control mechanism structured for controlling an amount of downward flexing possible by the blade portion with respect to the handle portion. While collecting a volume of snow the blade portion is maintained and biased in a first normal position. When lifting a volume of collected snow, the blade portion flexes downwardly, possibly assuming a pre-established second fully flexed position. When the collected and lifted snow is tossed, the energy stored in the flexible member by the downward flexing helps assist in tossing the snow. This abstract is provided to comply with rules requiring an abstract, and is submitted with the intention that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope and meaning of the claims.
대표청구항▼
What is claimed is: 1. A snow shovel, comprising: a) a blade portion for contacting a ground surface for use in collecting a volume of snow, the blade portion arranged with a first end and a second end, with the first end structured having a ground contacting edge; b) a handle portion structured ha
What is claimed is: 1. A snow shovel, comprising: a) a blade portion for contacting a ground surface for use in collecting a volume of snow, the blade portion arranged with a first end and a second end, with the first end structured having a ground contacting edge; b) a handle portion structured having a first end and a second end; c) an elongated flexible member fixedly coupleable to each of the blade portion at the second end and the handle portion at the first end, such that the handle portion, the elongated flexible member, and the blade portion are substantially linearly aligned, and arranged for the blade portion to flex downwardly, with respect to the handle portion, when a volume of collected snow is lifted upon an upper snow collecting surface of the blade portion for subsequent tossing; d) a flex control mechanism included for, at minimum, limiting the range of flexing motion possible as the blade portion flexes downwardly with respect to the handle portion, the flex control mechanism including: i) a rigid elongated member having a first end and a second end, with the second end of the rigid elongated member fixedly coupled to the first end of the handle portion and extending therefrom, such that the first end of the rigid elongated member is located proximate to and spaced from one of the second end of the blade portion and the first end of the flexible member; and ii) movable coupling means for movably coupling the first end of the rigid elongated member to a portion of the snow shovel at the second end of the blade portion, such that the blade portion is biased and maintained in a first normal position, with the blade assuming a second flexed position by flexing downwardly for a pre-established flex distance, with respect to the handle portion, when a volume of collected snow is lifted upon the upper snow collecting surface of the blade; e) with the flexing downwardly and an assuming of the second position causing an increasing in potential energy stored in the flexible member and available for aiding in a subsequent tossing of the volume of snow. 2. The snow shovel in accordance with claim 1, wherein the movable coupling means is located proximate to each of the second end of the blade portion and the first end of the flexible member, and further includes a flex control post structured with a first end and a second end, with the first end of the flex control post fixed to one of: a) a location proximate to where the flexible member is coupled to the second end of the blade portion; and b) the first end of the rigid elongated member. 3. The snow shovel in accordance with claim 2, wherein the flex control post extends substantially orthogonally between the first end of the rigid elongated member and the location proximate to where the flexible member is coupled to the second end of the blade portion, with the second end of the flex control post slidably coupled to the first end of the rigid elongated member such that the blade portion and flexible member can move between the first normal position and the second flexed position during snow shoveling activities. 4. The snow shovel in accordance with claim 1, wherein the movable coupling means includes a flex control loop as a portion of the flex control mechanism. 5. The snow shovel in accordance with claim 4, wherein the flex control loop is structured with: a) a first loop end and a second loop end, with the first loop end of the flex control loop fixed to a location that is one of: i) proximate to where the flexible member is coupled to the second end of the blade portion; and ii) proximate to the first end of the rigid elongated member; b) with the flex control loop further configured to have passing therethrough one of: i) the first end of the rigid elongated member, when the flex control loop is fixed to a location proximate to the second end of the blade portion; and ii) the first end of the flexible member, when the flex control loop is fixed to a location proximate to the first end of the rigid elongated member. 6. The snow shovel in accordance with claim 4, wherein the flex control loop is formed substantially of a curved elongated strip portion having a first end and a second end, with each end of the elongated strip portion fixed proximate to one of: a) the first end of the rigid elongated member; and b) the first end of the flexible member proximate to where the flexible member is fixedly coupled to the second end of the blade portion. 7. The snow shovel in accordance with claim 1, wherein the flexible member is provided by at least one of: a) an elongated fiberglass rod; b) an elongated resilient member formed of a composite material. 8. The snow shovel in accordance with claim 7, structured such that at least one of the handle portion and the blade portion is removably coupled to the snow shovel for detachment therefrom, for storage or transporting purposes when not needed for collecting and tossing snow. 9. The snow shovel in accordance with claim 1, wherein the handle portion and rigid elongated member are formed of a single rigid modified handle portion, with the modified handle portion formed of at least one of: a) wood; b) aluminum; c) titanium; d) fiberglass; and e) a composite material. 10. A snow shovel structured for collecting and lifting a volume of snow, and subsequently, aiding in tossing the volume of snow, the snow shovel comprising: a) a blade portion having a first end and a second end, the blade portion including a ground contacting edge provided at a perimeter of the first end of the blade portion, and structured for contacting a ground surface for collecting a volume of snow to be tossed; b) an elongated flexible member having a first end and a second end, with the first end of the flexible member fixedly coupled to a pre-selected perimeter location proximate to a second end of the blade portion; c) an elongated handle portion having a first end and a second end, with the first end of the handle portion coupled to the second end of the flexible member; d) a flex control mechanism, including a rigid elongated member having a first end and a second end, with the second end of the rigid elongated member fixed proximate to the first end of the handle portion and extending therefrom such that the first end of the rigid elongated member is located proximate to and spaced from one of: i) the second end of the blade portion, and ii) the first end of the flexible member; e) with the flex control mechanism structured for limiting the range of downward flexing of the blade portion with respect to the handle portion to the pre-established flex distance, wherein a collecting and lifting of a volume of snow upon an upper snow collecting surface of the blade portion causes the downward flexing of the blade portion and an increasing of the potential energy stored in the flexible member for aiding in a subsequent tossing of the collected volume of snow. 11. The snow shovel in accordance with claim 10, wherein the flex control mechanism is structured for: a) initially biasing and maintaining the flexible member in a first normal position while the volume of snow is being collected but not being lifted; and b) enabling the blade portion to flex downwardly with respect to the handle portion, assuming a second flexed position, when the volume of snow is being lifted to be subsequently tossed. 12. The snow shovel in accordance with claim 11, wherein flex control mechanism includes a coupling means for movably coupling the first end of the rigid elongated member proximate to one of: a) the second end of the blade portion; and b) the first end of the flexible member; c) with the movable coupling means structured such that the blade portion is biased and maintained in the first normal position, and upon the collecting and lifting of a volume of snow thereupon, assumes the second flexed position by flexing downwardly with respect to the handle portion. 13. The snow shovel in accordance with claim 12, wherein the flexible member is provided by an elongated fiberglass rod having a first end coupled to the blade portion and a second end coupled to the handle portion. 14. The snow shovel in accordance with claim 10, wherein the handle portion and rigid elongated member are each provided by a single rigid modified handle portion formed of a single piece of elongated material. 15. The snow shovel in accordance with claim 10, further including a locking mechanism that may be employed by a user to prevent the flexing of the blade portion with respect to the handle portion. 16. The snow shovel in accordance with claim 15, wherein the locking mechanism includes: a) a threaded bolt, providing a flex control post, having a first cap end and a second threaded end, the threaded bolt extending substantially orthogonally from and fixed to a location proximate to where the second end of the blade portion is fixed to the first end of the flexible member; b) a cap-nut threaded and fixed onto the threaded bolt at the second threaded end; c) wherein the threaded end passes through a hole provided at the first end of elongated rigid member and is capped by the cap-nut; and d) a wing-nut, also threaded upon the threaded bolt and arranged to be placed in either one of: i) a first position, wherein the controlled flexing of the blade portion with respect to the handle portion is enabled; and ii) a second position, wherein the controlled flexing of the blade portion with respect to the handle portion is substantially prevented. 17. A middle portion including a flex control mechanism structured for being fixedly coupled between an elongated handle portion and a head portion, with the middle portion structured for enabling a controlled flexing of the head portion with respect to the handle portion, the middle portion comprising: a) an elongated flexible member having a first end and a second end; b) a rigid elongated member having a first end and a second end, with the first end of the rigid elongated member arranged proximate to and spaced from the first end of the flexible member; c) a coupling for fixedly coupling the second end of the rigid elongated member, to the second end of the flexible member, and further available for rigidly coupling to a first end of the handle portion; d) a second coupling available for fixedly coupling the first end of the flexible member to a selected head portion; e) a flex control means for movably coupling the first end of the rigid elongated member to at least one of: i) the second coupling; ii) the second end of the head portion; and iii) the first end of the flexible member; f) with the flex control means included for: i) biasing and maintaining the head portion in a first normal position with respect to the handle portion, with the biasing realized by providing for an initial bending of the flexible member when in the first normal position; ii) enabling the head portion to flex downwardly with respect to the handle portion and assume a second flexed position, upon a collecting and lifting of a volume of snow; and iii) establishing a range of flexing motion possible between the head portion and the handle portion when moving between the first normal position and the second flexed position, or visa versa; and g) a locking mechanism that may be employed by a user to prevent the flexing of the blade portion with respect to the handle portion, the locking mechanism including: i) a threaded bolt, providing a flex control post, having a first cap end and a second threaded end, the threaded bolt extending substantially orthogonally from and fixed to a location proximate to where the second end of the blade portion is fixed to the first end of the flexible member; ii) a cap-nut threaded and fixed onto the threaded bolt at the threaded end; iii) wherein the threaded end of the threaded bolt passes through a thru-hole provided at the first end of elongated rigid member and is capped by the cap-nut, establishing the first biased normal position; and iv) a wing-nut, also threaded upon the threaded bolt and arranged to be placed in either one of a first position, wherein the controlled flexing of the blade portion with respect to the handle portion is enabled, and a second position, wherein the controlled flexing of the blade portion with respect to the handle portion is substantially prevented.
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