Abstract:
In ice scraper includes a scraper head that is pivotally mounted onto a handle has at least one, but preferably, four different scraping edges. When the scraper edge encounters accumulated ice, the scraper head pivots forward, transmitting more of the force applied to a downward force vector, causing the scraper head to pivot into a position that increase the angle of the scraper head and edge to the ice, thereby more readily removing ice.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     Not Applicable. 
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not applicable. 
     SEQUENCE LISTING 
     Not applicable 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is related to a device for scraping a smooth surface. More particularly the present invention is an ice scraper that can be used to scrape ice from vehicle windows, for example. 
     DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART INCLUDING INFORMATION DISCLOSED UNDER 37 C.F.R. 1.97 and 1.98 
     Ice scrapers have long been used for a variety of tasks, including clearing vehicle windows from ice. Ice scrapers for removing ice from vehicle windows are manufactured in wide variety. Some ice scrapers have long handles, allowing the user to reach across a windshield, although typically the resulting low angle of attack to the ice at a long reach is ineffective in dislodging the ice from the windshield. Some ice scrapers include a brush at one end for brushing snow and broken ice from windows. Some ice scrapers have an oversized mitten attached to the end of the handle. Most scrapers have a handle connected to a scraper head, which includes a blade, typically a hard strong plastic beveled at a blunt angle, about 45° or a thinner, typically a thin metal blade held in place in a plastic body. Ice scraper blades are manufactured in a variety of widths, typically ranging from about 7.5 cm (3 inches) to 15 cm (6 inches). 
     All ice scrapers appear to have in common, however, a handle rigidly connected to a scraper blade. For a user to change the angle at which the blade engages the substrate to be scraped, the user must change the angle of the handle to the substrate to be scraped. If a thin layer of ice has accumulated on a substrate, a shallow angle of engagement may prove adequate to removing the ice. A low angle of engagement allows the user to make longer scraping strokes. 
     When, however, the accumulated ice is thick, it seems to adhere more firmly to the substrate, typically glass, so removing the ice requires greater force. When a shallow angle of engagement is used and the ice is thick, the ice scraper typically only glides across the surface of the ice, or rises up over any ice deposits of a lower height, still gliding across the surface. To effectively engage and remove thick deposits of ice, the angle of engagement of the ice must be increased to a steep angle, for example, typically from about 45° to 90°. The thicker the ice and the more firmly it is adhered to the substrate, the steeper the angle of the scraper handle to the substrate typically is. 
     When a user increases the angle of the handle and blade of the ice scraper to the substrate, the user&#39;s elbow necessarily rises, often above the users&#39; shoulder, which may be uncomfortable and may reduce the force that can be applied to the ice scraper, as the user&#39;s chest is opened up beyond the optimum amount for exerting force through use of the chest muscles. The shorter a user is, or the higher the vehicle windows being scraped, the more pronounced these difficulties will be. 
     When a user drives an ice scraper into the edge of an accumulation of ice on a substrate, typically a motor vehicle windshield or other vehicle window, the scraper blades encounters more resistance, often a very substantial resistence, that can cause the user&#39;s arm to stop moving very quickly, an uncomfortable and perhaps, injurious, stopping. Further the amount of downward force, the portion of the force vector directed perpendicularly or nearly perpendicularly to the substrate can only change by the user&#39;s changing the angle of the scraper handle to increase the angle of attack of the scraper blade, which may produce an angle in the user&#39;s arm or the angle of the wrist to the user&#39;s arm, which may be uncomfortable or increase the risk of injury. Particularly when debris or ice is thick or its adhesion to the glass substrate is particularly firm, increasing the downward vector force component removes the ice more effectively 
     Therefore, there is a need for an ice scraper that channels more force in a downward angle into the ice or other obstacle on a windshield or other substrate. There is also a need for an ice scraper that reduces the shock of quick stopping when an accumulation of ice is encountered on a substrate. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide an ice scraper that directs more of the force applied to its scraper head and blade downward into the obstacle to be removed from a substrate. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide an ice scraper that absorbs some of the shock of encountering an obstacle on a substrate. 
     These and other objects of the present invention are achieved by providing an ice scraper having a handle connected to a scraper head, with the scraper head including a recess or bore into which the distal end of the cylindrical handle is fitted. The bore or recess in the scraper head is of a greater dimension than the handle, being essentially a cylinder with two parallel slightly flattened sides. The handle is secured into the elongated bore or recess by an axle bolt passing through aligned apertures in the two parts and is secured by a nut. Since the handle is loose inside the elongated bore, the scraper head can pivot about the axis of the axle bolt. In a first position ( FIG. 4 ), when the sharpened scraping edge of the scraper head contact the substrate without significant downward force, the upper portion of the ice scraper handle comes into contact with the upper portion of the scraper head handle cavity. In a second position ( FIG. 5 ), when the scraper head encounters accumulated ice on the substrate, the additional resistence that is encountered automatically causes the scraper head to rotate clockwise until the lower surface of the handle contacts the lower edge of the handle receiving cavity, stopping further rotation of the scraper head. The automatic rotation of the scraper head changes the angle of attack of the sharpened scraper edge, bringing it closer to the nearly ideal 90°. This forward and downward pivoting of the scraper head applies greater downward force to the scraper blade and more readily scraping ice or other obstacles from the substrate. The user topically makes back and forth strokes along the substrate. The back stroke of this scraping action returns the scraper head to position  1 . Each forward stroke rotates the scraper head into the second position when accumulated ice is struck by the scraping edge and the back stroke returns the scraper head to position  1 . The rotation of the scraper head as described occurs regardless of which of the two longer scraper edges is pressed against the substrate. 
     In another embodiment, the scraper head is mounted on a handle in a yoke that provides stops limiting the rotation of the scraper head relative to the axle bolt no matter which scraper edge is presented to the substrate. 
     Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein is set forth by way of illustration and example, the preferred embodiment of the present invention and the best mode currently known to the inventor for carrying out his invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING 
         FIG. 1  is an isometric view of an ice scraper according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a top view of the ice scraper of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a side view of the ice scraper of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is a cross section of the ice scraper of  FIG. 1  taken along lines  4 - 4  of  FIG. 1  showing the blade of the ice scraper engaging a substrate in, which is a first position. 
         FIG. 5  is a cross section of the ice scraper of  FIG. 1  taken along lines  5 - 5  of  FIG. 1  showing the blade of the ice scraper engaging an accumulation of ice on the substrate, which is a second position. 
         FIG. 6  is a side view of an alternative embodiment of the ice scraper of  FIG. 1  having a longer handle and a brush attached to the handle. 
         FIG. 7  is an isometric view of an alternative embodiment of the ice scraper of  FIG. 1  having an alternative adapter for fastening the handle on the scraper body. 
         FIG. 8  is a top view of the ice scraper of  FIG. 7 . 
         FIG. 9  is side view of the ice scraper of  FIG. 7 . 
         FIG. 10  is a side view of the ice scraper of  FIG. 7  showing the ice scraper of  FIG. 7  in use as it encounters a build up of ice or another obstacle on a substrate. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1-3 , an ice scraper  10  according to the present invention includes a handle  12 , which is preferably hollow and tubular, as shown, or solid, and is generally cylindrical, having a gripping sleeve  14  along a length of the handle  12  beginning at the proximal end  16  of the handle  12  and may be slipped over the proximal end  16  of the handle  12  and held in place by natural friction or an adhesive. The gripping sleeve  14  is long enough to accommodate the width of a user&#39;s hand, with some margin on either side of the user&#39;s hand. The gripping sleeve  14  is made from a relatively soft, relatively high friction material such as rubber or plastic. In an alternative embodiment, the gripping sleeve may be omitted. 
     A scraper head  18 , which is typically injection molded or machined from a single piece of hard plastic. The handle  12  is slid into a cylindrical handle receiving cavity  15  formed into the scraper head which is attached to the handle  12  adjacent to the distal end  20  of the handle  12  by the axle bolt  22 , which serves as an axle and is perpendicular to the handle  12 , allowing the scraper head  18  to pivot, and nut  24 , with the axle bolt  22  being passed through the aligned apertures  26  in the scraper head  18  and the aligned apertures  28  in the handle  12 , which is then secured by the nut  24 . The handle cavity  15  extends further into the scraper head  18  than the distal end of the handle  12 , allowing the scraper head  18  to toggle up and down on the scraper handle  12 , which the user will typically hold at basically the same angle to the substrate throughout a scraping stroke (See,  FIGS. 4, 5 ). The handle bore or cavity  15  is essentially cylindrical, but with slightly flattened parallel side walls, a left side flattened side wall  17  and a right side flattened side wall  19 , which form a narrower cavity than the curved cylindrical remaining portion of the handle bore  15 . The flattened side walls  17 ,  19  provide minimal clearance with the handle  12 , further limiting and preventing the handle  12  from wiggling from right to left during use, that is in directly nearly all scraping force forward as shown in  FIGS. 4, 5 . The scraper head  18  includes a left side recess  30  and a right side recess  32 , which are symmetrical and of identical shape and dimensions. These recesses  30 ,  32  are designed to reduce the weight and amount of material in the scraper head  18 , as well as to shield the ends of the axle bolt  22  from easy user contact. The front portion  34  of the scraper head  18  includes a recessed face  36  surrounded by four straight scraping edges or blade that project outwardly from the front of the recessed face  36  along its perimeter. Providing two parallel long scraping edges and two parallel scraping edges provides the user with multiple scraping edges, extending the service life of the ice scraper  10 , e.g., in case a scraping edge becomes dull or chips, and increasing the flexibility of use, as the shorter scraping edges may fit into spaces where the longer scraper edges will not fit. The recessed face  36  is preferably flat and rectilinear, but may be any polygonal shape. The entire scraper head  18  is substantially a rectilinear solid block with the described openings and bore or cavity. These characteristics also apply to the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 7-10  below, except there is no handle receiving bore or cavity and the openings are different. 
     The aligned apertures  26  in the scraper head  18 , which receive the axle bolt  22 , are located closer to the rear edge  27  of the scraper head  18  than to the front edge  29  of the scraper head  18 . This position of the axle bolt  22  behind the center of gravity of the scraper head  18 , that is there is more weight of the scraper head  18  in front of the axle bolt  22  than behind it. This placement of the aligned apertures  26  results in a greater portion of the weight of the scraper  18  lying in front of the aligned apertures  26  than behind them. Therefore, when the handle  12  of the ice scraper  10  is held horizontally in space, the scraper head  18  falls downwardly in a clockwise rotation relative to  FIG. 1 . When the scraper head  18  is put into contact with a substrate  58  ( FIG. 4 ) with the handle  12  at a shallow angle, the scraper head  18  rotates slightly counterclockwise, which causes the contact point  68  between the handle  12  and the scraper head  18  as shown in  FIG. 4 , that is, little force is required to rotate the scraper head  18  in either direction. It has been found that unless the axle bolt  22  is placed slightly behind the center of balance of along a line parallel to the scraping edge  52 , the required pivoting of the scraper head  18  as described in relation to  FIG. 5  does not occur. 
     The recessed flat face  36  of the scraper head  18  is rectangular, having a short left side  38 , a short right side short side  40 , a long upper side  42  and a long lower side  44 . Each side  38 ,  40 ,  42 ,  44  has outwardly projecting sharpened scraper edges  46 ,  48 ,  50 ,  52 , respectively, formed at about 40° to the outer surfaces of the scraper head  18  adjacent to, and forward of, the recessed flat face  36 . The scraper edge  52  includes three notches  54  cut into it to form channels that allow shattered ice debris to be channeled away from the scraper blade  52 , while the other three scraper edges  26 ,  48 ,  50  are straight and uniform throughout their lengths. Having four separate scraper edges  46 ,  48 ,  50 ,  52  increases the utility of the ice scraper  10  by providing fresh scraping surfaces should one become damaged and provides two different sizes of scraper blades, which can improve accessability to certain areas of a substrate. 
     Referring to  FIG. 4  showing the scraper head  18  in a first position, the scraper edge  52  is shown moving in the direction of the arrow  56  in contact with the substrate  58  with no obstacles under the scraper edge  52  along the long lower edge  44 . In this case, the upper side wall  60  of the handle  12  is stopped at the handle contact point  68  with the sidewall  62  of the handle cavity  15  and the forces directed down the handle  12  are directed essentially along a single vector line at an angle as shown in  FIG. 4 , to the long lower side  44  and the corresponding sharpened scraper edge  52 . This straight line vector force operates regardless of which sharpened scraper edge  46 ,  48 ,  50 ,  52  is in contact with the substrate  58  because both the handle  12  and the elongated handle cavity  15  in the scraper head  18  are cylindrical. 
     Referring to  FIG. 5  showing the scraper head  18  in a second position, when the scraper head  18  encounters an obstacle  64 , such as accumulated ice on a vehicle windshield or other glass, the sharpened scraper edge  52  of the scraper head  18  tends to be stopped, or its movement in the direction of the arrow  56  slowed, causing the scraper head  18  to pivot quickly, i.e., jerk, clockwise about the axle bolt  22 , as indicated by the directional arrow  57 , causing the lower side wall  60  of the handle  12  to contact the lower proximal edge  69  of the elongated handle cavity  15  and impacting the accumulated ice  64  with greater force. When the ice scraper  10  is flipped over 180° to present the long upper edge  42  and hence the scraping edge  50  to the substrate  58 , the stopping action of the scraper head  18  to the handle  12  is the same as described above. The toggle limits can be operate either in front of or behind the axle bolt  22 . The clockwise toggle of the scraper head  18  in relation to the handle  12  provides a quick effective angle changes and transfer of forces to a more effective angle of attack of the ice or other obstacle, as shown in  FIGS. 4, 5 . The altered vector forces increase the velocity of, and force on, the scraping edge  52  that is directed to the sharpened scraper edge  52 , or the edge  50 , by creating a much larger downward component and directing more of the user&#39;s force down into the obstacle  64 , causing the sharpened scraper edge  52  to bite into the obstacle  64 , thereby increasing the chipping or obstacle removable force without the user&#39;s having to change the angle of the hand or arm to the handle  12 . This allows the user to keep the user&#39;s wrist and arm straight, decreasing the strain on the wrist while increasing the effectiveness of removing the obstacle  64  from the substrate  58 . This toggle of the scraper head  18  up or down in the embodiment of  FIGS. 4, 5 , operates only when the sharpened scraping edges  50 ,  52  are presented to the substrate  58  because the placement of the off-centered axle bolt  22  allows for pivoting when these edges are presented to the substrate  58 . When either short side sharpened scraper edges  46 ,  48  are presented to the substrate  58 , the straight vector forces in effect in  FIG. 4  are directed to the short side sharpened scraper edge  46 ,  48 . The user&#39;s choice of whether to use the ice scraper  10  with the handle  12  substantially rigidly connected to the scraper head  18  or to use the ice scraper  10  in position where the scraper head  18  toggles relative to the handle  12  increases the utility of the ice scraper  10 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 6 , another embodiment of the ice scraper  10  includes an elongated cylindrical handle  70  of any desirable length having a brush  72  attached adjacent to the proximal end  74  of the elongated cylindrical handle  70 . The brush  72  can be used to brush debris from the substrate  58  after it has been loosened and broken up by the scraper head  18 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 7-10 , the handle  12  is connected to a modified scraper head  76  by a yoke  78  having a sleeve  80  that slips over the distal end of the handle  12  and is held in place by a staple or other fasteners, including, for example, screws, rivets, glue, friction and the like. The yoke  78  includes a backing portion  82  with a left ear  84  and a right ear  86 , both formed perpendicular to the backing portion  82  and connected to it and formed as part of it and projecting forward and lying parallel to one another. The spaced parallel left ear  84  and the right ear  84  both have the same shape, which is essentially rectangular with a segment of a circle defining the distal end of each. The left ear  84  fits into a left ear recess  88  and the right ear  86  fits into a right ear recess  90 . The ear receiving recesses  88 ,  90  are the same shape as the ears  84 ,  86 , but with slightly larger dimensions. The ears  84 ,  86  are seated in the ear receiving recesses  88 ,  90 , so the upper edge  92  of the left recess  88  and the upper edge  94  of the right recess  90  stop the movement of the modified scraper head  76  in a clockwise direction (with reference to  FIG. 7 ) as the ears  84 ,  86  bump into these edges  92 ,  94 . The lower edge  96  of the left recess  88  and the lower edge  98  of the right recess  90  stop the movement of the modified scraper head  76  in a counterclockwise direction (with reference to  FIG. 7 ) when the bottom edges of the ear  84 ,  86  bump into the lower edges  96 ,  98 . An axle bolt  22  fastens the ears  84 ,  86  to the modified scraper head  76 , passing through aligned aperture, with the ears  84 ,  86  serving as the arms of the yoke  78 . The positioning of the axle bolt  22  is the same as described above in the discussion of  FIG. 1 . 
     A further stop mechanism is found in a top tab  100  and a bottom tab  102  that are both likewise perpendicular to the backing member  82  and are connected to it or extend from it, and project forward and are parallel to one another. Each tab  100 ,  102  has the same shape, which is square. The top tab  100  stops the clockwise rotation, as seen in  FIG. 7 , of the modified scraper head  76  when the rear top edge  104  of the modified scraper head  76  bumps into it. The bottom tab  102  stops the counterclockwise rotations, as seen in  FIG. 7 , when the rear bottom edge  106  of the modified scraper head  76  bumps into it. Each of the forward projecting members  84 ,  86 ,  100 ,  102  serves as a stop to stop the rotation of the modified scraper head  76  is the direction of rotation described above. The two ears  84 ,  86  and associated recesses  88 ,  90  and the tabs  100 ,  102  stop the rotation of the modified scraper head  76  whenever either long side sharpened scraper edges  50  or  52  is that is presented to substrate  58  and the matter being scraped, changing the angle of attack of the accumulated ice  64  on the substrate  58  to closer to 90°, as shown in  FIG. 10  and as described in detail above in relation to  FIGS. 1, 4, 5 . 
     The stops described above may all be employed on the ice scraper  10  of  FIG. 7 . In a different version of the embodiment of  FIG. 7 , the top tab  100  and the bottom tab  102  may be omitted while the left ear  84  and right ear  86  and the left ear receiving recess  88  and the right ear receiving recess  90  are retained, providing sufficient stops. In another version, the left ear  84  and the right ear  88  may be omitted while the top tab  100  and the bottom tab  102  are retained, also providing adequate stops. In this later case, the yoke  78  may include arms that lie outside of the top view profile of the modified scraper head  76  ( FIG. 8 ), eliminating the need for the ear receiving recesses  88 ,  90 , thereby simplifying the manufacture of the modified scraper head  76  and reducing its cost. Naturally, the ears  84 ,  86 , may be formed in any desired shape and size and then be received in same or similar shaped receiving recesses  88 ,  90 . Likewise, the tabs  100 ,  102  may be of any desired shape and size and may be so constructed that their full bottom surface contacts the adjacent surface of the modified scraper body  76  or contacts only an adjacent edge of the modified scraper body  76 . 
     While the present invention has been described in accordance with the preferred embodiments thereof, the description is for illustration only and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention. Various changes and modifications may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.