Patent ID: 9695562
Date: 2017-07-04
CPC Classifications: E01H

Claim:
1. A snow vaporization assembly configured to remove snow from a surface and vaporize the snow, said assembly comprising: a vehicle has a cab and a box, said cab has a front side, said box has a top side; a collection unit attached to said vehicle, said collection unit being configured to collect snow while said vehicle is driven, said collection unit comprising a chute having a collection portion and a duct portion, said collection portion having a first lateral side, a second lateral side and a front end, said front end being open, said collection portion being attached to said front side of said cab, said front end of said collection portion being directed forwardly from said cab such that said front end is configured to collect the snow while said vehicle is driven, said duct portion extending under said cab between said collection portion and said box such that said collection portion is in fluid communication with said box; a vaporizing unit positioned within said box, said vaporizing unit being in fluid communication with said collection unit, said vaporizing unit being configured to convert the snow collected by said collection unit into steam, said vaporizing unit being configured to expel the steam from said vehicle; an auger coupled to said chute; said vaporizing unit comprising a first tank positioned within said box, said first tank being fluidly coupled to said duct portion of said chute such that said first tank is configured to receive the snow urged by said auger; a first heating element coupled to said first tank, said first heating element being electrically coupled to said vehicle, said first heating element heating said first tank to a temperature above a melting point of snow such that said first heating element is configured to melt the snow contained in said first tank into water; a first filter positioned within said box, said first filter being fluidly coupled to said first tank, said first filter being configured to receive the water from said first tank such that said first filter filters the water; a second tank positioned within said box, said second tank being fluidly coupled to said first filter such that second tank is configured to receive the water filtered by said first filter; a second heating element coupled to said second tank, said second heating element being electrically coupled to said vehicle, said second heating element heating said second tank to a temperature above a boiling point of water such that said second heating element is configured to convert the water contained in said second tank into steam; a second filter positioned within said box, said second filter being fluidly coupled to said second tank, said second filter being configured to receive the steam from said second tank whereby said second filter removes odor from the steam; and a pump positioned within said box, said pump being electrically coupled to said vehicle, said pump being fluidly coupled to said second filter whereby said pump communicates a suction pressure to said first tank, said pump being configured to urge the water from said first tank into said second tank and urge the steam from second tank into said pump.