US-20260125865-A1 - SNOWPLOW BLADE SYSTEM

US20260125865A1US 20260125865 A1US20260125865 A1US 20260125865A1US-20260125865-A1

Abstract

A snowplow blade section and system are disclosed. A snowplow blade section includes a snowplow blade implement having a base edge and at least one lateral edge defining an interconnect feature that comprises a protrusion and a recess. The protrusion is configured for positioning within a recess of an adjacent snowplow blade section, and the recess is configured to receive a protrusion of the adjacent snowplow blade section. Engagement between the interconnect features of adjoining sections facilitates positional retention, enabling one section to hang from another during installation and thereby improving alignment and reducing installation effort. The snowplow blade section may include a snowplow blade element with a cutting edge, mounting holes, and one or more carbide dowel segments that provide wear resistance and structural reinforcement. A snowplow blade system may include multiple interconnecting sections, including end and intermediate sections, to form a modular, easily serviceable snowplow blade assembly.

Inventors

Matthew Jake Knighton

Assignees

MHL Acquisition Corp.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260507
Application Date: 20251106

Claims (20)

1 . A snowplow blade section, comprising: a snowplow blade implement, comprising: a base edge; and at least a first lateral edge, wherein the first lateral edge defines an interconnect feature, the interconnect feature comprising a protrusion and a recess, wherein the protrusion is configured for positioning within a separate recess of a separate snowplow blade section, and wherein the recess is configured to receive a separate protrusion of the separate snowplow blade section.
2 . The snowplow blade section of claim 1 , wherein the snowplow blade implement comprises a snowplow blade element.
3 . The snowplow blade section of claim 2 , wherein the snowplow blade element comprises a cutting edge.
4 . The snowplow blade section of claim 3 , wherein the snowplow blade element comprises at least one carbide dowel segment.
5 . The snowplow blade section of claim 4 , wherein the at least one carbide dowel segment is connected to a rear surface of the snowplow blade element.
6 . The snowplow blade section of claim 2 , wherein the snowplow blade element defines a plurality of mounting holes configured to receive fasteners for securing the snowplow blade section to a mounting bracket of a vehicle.
7 . The snowplow blade section of claim 2 , further comprising an integrated end guard coupled to the snowplow blade element.
8 . The snowplow blade section of claim 7 , wherein the integrated end guard comprises a carbide dowel segment.
9 . The snowplow blade section of claim 8 , wherein the carbide dowel segment is planarly offset from the snowplow blade element.
10 . The snowplow blade section of claim 1 , further comprising a snowplow blade element, wherein the snowplow blade implement comprises a snowplow cover blade connected to the snowplow blade element.
11 . The snowplow blade section of claim 1 , wherein the protrusion and the recess are vertically offset relative to one another along the first lateral edge.
12 . The snowplow blade section of claim 1 , wherein the snowplow blade implement comprises a second lateral edge defining a second interconnect feature configured to interconnect with an additional snowplow blade section.
13 . A snowplow blade system, comprising: a first snowplow blade section, comprising: a first base edge; and at least a first lateral edge, wherein the first lateral edge defines a first interconnect feature, the first interconnect feature comprising a first protrusion and a first recess; and a second snowplow blade section, comprising: a second base edge; and at least a second lateral edge, wherein the second lateral edge defines a second interconnect feature, the second interconnect feature comprising a second protrusion and a second recess, wherein the first recess is configured to receive the second protrusion, and wherein the second recess is configured to receive the first protrusion.
14 . The snowplow blade system of claim 13 , wherein the first snowplow blade section comprises an end section, and wherein the second snowplow blade section comprises an intermediate section.
15 . The snowplow blade system of claim 14 , wherein the first base edge of the intermediate section comprises a longitudinal length of 2 feet or 3 feet.
16 . The snowplow blade system of claim 14 , further comprising one or more additional intermediate sections, wherein at least one of the one or more additional intermediate sections is configured to interconnect with the intermediate section.
17 . The snowplow blade system of claim 16 , further comprising an additional end section configured to interconnect with the one or more additional intermediate sections.
18 . The snowplow blade system of claim 14 , wherein the end section comprises an integrated end guard.
19 . The snowplow blade system of claim 18 , wherein the integrated end guard comprises a carbide dowel segment.
20 . A method for installing a snowplow blade, comprising: mounting a first snowplow blade section to a mounting bracket, the first snowplow blade section comprising: a first base edge; and at least a first lateral edge, wherein the first lateral edge defines a first interconnect feature, the first interconnect feature comprising a first protrusion and a first recess; obtaining a second snowplow blade section, the second snowplow blade section comprising: a second base edge; and at least a second lateral edge, wherein the second lateral edge defines a second interconnect feature, the second interconnect feature comprising a second protrusion and a second recess; positioning the second snowplow blade section such that (i) the first protrusion of the first snowplow blade section is within the second recess of the second snowplow blade section and (ii) the second protrusion of the second snowplow blade section is within the first recess of the first snowplow blade section; and mounting the second snowplow blade section to the mounting bracket, wherein engagement between the first interconnect feature of the first snowplow blade section and the second interconnect feature of the second snowplow blade section contributes to positional retention of the second snowplow blade section during mounting of the second snowplow blade section.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/716,949, filed on Nov. 6, 2024, and entitled “SNOWPLOW BLADE SYSTEM”, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference for all purposes. BACKGROUND Snowplow blades are designed to clear snow and ice from roads, driveways, and/or other surfaces. Snowplow blades are typically mounted on vehicles, allowing the snowplow blade to push or plow snow as the vehicle travels. Snowplow blades can be mounted on numerous types of vehicles, ranging from small trucks or all-terrain vehicles to heavy-duty machines. Snowplow blades come in a variety of materials, shapes, and sizes. Common materials used for snowplow blades are steel, rubber, and carbide. Straight snowplow blades are adapted to push snow directly ahead or to the side and are commonly used to plow straight roads, highways, or large open areas (e.g., parking lots). V-shaped blades are often used to cut through deep snowdrifts and/or heavy snowfall by splitting the snow in two directions, making them effective in extreme weather conditions. Some snowplow systems accommodate adjustment and/or articulation of the snowplow blade, allowing the angle and position of the snowplow blade to be adapted for different conditions/tasks. The subject matter described and/or claimed herein is not limited to embodiments that operate only in environments or contexts such as those described above. Rather, this background is only provided to illustrate one exemplary technology area where some embodiments described herein may be practiced. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS References will be made to embodiments of the disclosure, examples of which may be illustrated in the accompanying figures. These figures are intended to be illustrative, not limiting. Although the disclosure is generally described in the context of these embodiments, it should be understood that it is not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure to these particular embodiments. Items in the figures are not necessarily drawn to scale. FIG. 1 illustrates a front view of an example snowplow cover blade, in accordance with implementations of the disclosed subject matter. FIG. 2 illustrates a front view of two connected snowplow cover blades, in accordance with implementations of the disclosed subject matter. FIG. 3 illustrates an example snowplow blade section including a snowplow cover blade having interconnect features defined by lateral edges (each comprising one or more protrusions and recesses) and a snowplow blade element having mounting holes. FIG. 4 illustrates a bottom view of the snowplow blade section (with protrusions of the interconnect features omitted) showing a cutting edge of the snowplow blade element and a carbide dowel segment connected to a rear surface thereof. FIG. 5 illustrates an example snowplow blade section that functions as an end section and includes a cover blade, a snowplow blade element with mounting holes, and a single lateral edge forming an interconnect feature that includes a protrusion and a recess. FIG. 6 illustrates an intermediate snowplow blade section engaged with an end section via placement of protrusions within corresponding recesses, enabling the intermediate section to be positionally retained and facilitating alignment of mounting holes for fastening. FIG. 7 illustrates a mounting bracket of a vehicle with a snowplow blade system comprising end sections and intermediate sections mounted thereto, depicting the assembled, modular arrangement enabled by the interconnect features. FIG. 8 illustrates a perspective view of the end snowplow blade section showing an integrated end guard connected to the snowplow blade element, which may include a carbide dowel segment and a planar offset to buffer lateral impacts and enhance durability. DETAILED DESCRIPTION Disclosed embodiments are directed to snowplow blade systems and components thereof. As noted above, snowplow blades come in a variety of materials, shapes, and sizes. Carbide (often tungsten carbide) is a hard material that is resistant to wear, making it well-suited for use in snowplow cutting edges. Carbide snowplow blades can thus maintain a sharp cutting edge for long periods, even in harsh conditions, which can minimize replacement frequency, downtime, and/or maintenance costs. Because carbide is an expensive material, snowplow blades that include carbide (e.g., carbide inserts) are often coupled with a cover blade or plow guard, often made of steel. A cover blade can protect the carbide components of a snowplow blade, acting as a buffer that shields the carbide components from sudden impacts that could chip or crack the carbide. Cover guards can also absorb much of the wear and tear from the road surface and can be replaced or refurbished separately from the carbide components, which can prolong the life of the snowplow blade. Mounting conventional snowplow blades on vehicles can pres