Snowplow blade
By controlling the dimensions of a snowplow blade, improved snowplow performance may be achieved. In one embodiment, the snow that is being plowed moves both upward and outward from the mid-section of the snowplow blade toward and beyond each end of the snowplow blade.
1. A snowplow comprising:
a snowplow blade that is suitable to be attached to an associated vehicle and that has a snowplow surface for use in contacting and plowing associated snow as the associated vehicle moves;
wherein the snowplow surface has: a bottom portion; a top portion; and, a C-shaped cross-section;
wherein the snowplow surface has: a first end; a second end; and, a mid-section;
wherein: the top portion of the first end has at least a first segment that extends forwardly a first amount E 1 ; the top portion of the second end has at least a first segment that extends forwardly a second amount E 2 ; and, the top portion of the mid-section extends forwardly a maximum third amount E 3 that is significantly less than the first and second amounts E 1 and E 2 ; and,
wherein a horizontal line extending from the first end to the second end between the bottom portion and the top portion continuously contacts the snowplow surface.
2. The snowplow of claim 1 wherein:
the bottom portion of the snowplow surface has a width W 1 ; and,
the top portion of the snowplow surface has a width W 2 that is significantly greater than width W 1 .
3. The snowplow of claim 1 wherein:
the first end of the snowplow surface has a height H 1 ;
the second end of the snowplow surface has a height H 2 ; and,
the mid-section of the snowplow surface has a height H 3 that is significantly less than height H 1 and height H 2 .
4. The snowplow of claim 2 wherein:
the width of the snowplow surface gradually increases from the bottom portion with the width W 1 to the top portion with the width W 2 .
5. The snowplow of claim 4 wherein:
the first end has an upward width angle UWA of between 5 degrees and 15 degrees inclusively; and,
the second end has an upward width angle UWA of between 5 degrees and 15 degrees inclusively.
6. The snowplow of claim 2 wherein:
the ratio of the width W 1 to the width W 2 is between 0.85 and 0.95 inclusively.
7. The snowplow of claim 3 wherein:
the height of the first end of the snowplow surface gradually increases outwardly from the height H 3 to the height H 1 ; and,
the height of the second end of the snowplow surface gradually increases outwardly from the height H 3 to the height H 2 .
8. The snowplow of claim 7 wherein:
the first end has an upward height angle UHA of between 3 degrees and 15 degrees inclusively; and,
the second end has an upward height angle UHA of between 3 degrees and 15 degrees inclusively.
9. The snowplow of claim 7 wherein the entire mid-section has the height H 3 .
10. The snowplow of claim 1 wherein:
the extension of the first end of the snowplow surface gradually increases outwardly from the third extension amount E 3 to the first extension amount E 1 ; and,
the extension of the second end of the snowplow surface gradually increases outwardly from the third extension amount E 3 to the second extension amount E 2 .
11. The snowplow of claim 10 wherein:
the first end has an outward extension angle OEA of between 5 degrees and 25 degrees inclusively; and,
the second end has an outward extension angle OEA of between 5 degrees and 25 degrees inclusively.
12. The snowplow of claim 10 wherein the entire mid-section has the extension amount E 3 .
13. The snowplow of claim 1 wherein the snowplow blade is substantially rigid.
14. The snowplow of claim 1 wherein the snowplow blade is one-piece.
15. A snowplow comprising:
a snowplow support frame that is suitable to be attached to an associated vehicle;
a snowplow blade that is suitable to be attached to the snowplow support frame and that has a snowplow surface for use in contacting and plowing associated snow as the associated vehicle moves;
wherein the snowplow surface has: a bottom portion with a width W 1 ; a top portion with a width W 2 that is significantly greater than width W 1 ; and, a C-shaped cross-section;
wherein the snowplow surface has: a first end with a height H 1 ; a second end with a height H 2 ; and, a mid-section with a height H 3 that is significantly less than height H 1 and height H 2 ;
wherein a horizontal line extending from the first end to the second end between the bottom portion and the top portion continuously contacts the snowplow surface; and,
wherein: the top portion of the first end has at least a first segment that extends forwardly a first amount E 1 ; the top portion of the second end has at least a first segment that extends forwardly a second amount E 2 ; and, the top portion of the mid-section extends forwardly a maximum third amount E 3 that is significantly less than the first and second amounts E 1 and E 2 .
16. The snowplow of claim 15 wherein:
the snowplow blade is substantially rigid; and,
the snowplow blade is one-piece.
17. The snowplow of claim 16 wherein:
the width of the snowplow surface gradually increases from the bottom portion with the width W 1 to the top portion with the width W 2 ;
the extension of the first end of the snowplow surface gradually increases outwardly from the third extension amount E 3 to the first extension amount E 1 ;
the extension of the second end of the snowplow surface gradually increases outwardly from the third extension amount E 3 to the second extension amount E 2 ;
the height of the first end of the snowplow surface gradually increases outwardly from the height H 3 to the height H 1 ; and,
the height of the second end of the snowplow surface gradually increases outwardly from the height H 3 to the height H 2 .
18. The snowplow of claim 17 wherein:
the first end has an upward width angle UWA of between 5 degrees and 15 degrees inclusively;
the second end has an upward width angle UWA of between 5 degrees and 15 degrees inclusively;
the first end has an upward height angle UHA of between 3 degrees and 15 degrees inclusively;
the second end has an upward height angle UHA of between 3 degrees and 15 degrees inclusively;
the first end has an outward extension angle OEA of between 5 degrees and 25 degrees inclusively; and,
the second end has an outward extension angle OEA of between 5 degrees and 25 degrees inclusively.
19. The snowplow of claim 18 wherein:
the entire mid-section has the height H 3 ;
the entire mid-section has the extension amount E 3 ; and,
the ratio of the width of the mid-section to the width W 2 is between 0.24 and 0.60 inclusively.
20. The snowplow of claim 19 wherein:
the snowplow blade has an attack angle between 55 degrees and 75 degrees inclusively; and,
the snowplow support frame is suitable to be attached an associated ATV.