Abstract:
A tool for removing ice and residual moisture from a surface has a lower frame element having a forward facing edge with multiple teeth arrayed along a curvature, the attachment including a substantially straight scraper bar disposed laterally across the rear edge of the lower frame element, the teeth and the scraper bar defining a first plane, a handle guard including a handle grip joined to the lower frame element at a juncture above the first plane, the handle grip and the juncture defining a second plane placing the handle grip above the scraper bar, and a flexible squeegee panel mounted to the handle guard along a front peripheral edge, the panel disposed above the multi-tooth array.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED DOCUMENTS 
       [0001]    The present patent application is a Continuation of copending patent application Ser. No. 13/176,228 filed on Jul. 5, 2011 and issued as U.S. Pat. No. 9,066,641 on Jun. 30, 2015. The prior application is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention is in the field of aftermarket primarily automotive tools, and pertains particularly to methods and apparatus for removing ice and residue moisture from a surface. 
         [0004]    2. Discussion of the State of the Art 
         [0005]    In areas affected by harsh winters, ice buildup on glass and metal surfaces is commonplace. Car windshields and car windows often become coated with thick bulky ice during winter months, and therefore must be frequently cleaned of ice before driving is possible. Most consumers use ice scrappers to remove ice from vehicle. A problem with tools of this type is that they are ineffective for removing bulky amounts of ice and generally require a period of preheating of the windshield or window glass before the scrapper works efficiently. Moreover, the straight edge of a scrapper is not designed properly for heavier ice loads. 
         [0006]    Therefore, what is clearly needed is a tool for removing ice and residual moisture from a surface that breaks up and separates the ice sheet for more efficient cleaning. A tool such as this would require little or no preheating of the surface to remove the ice. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    In an embodiment of the invention a tool for removing ice and residual moisture from a surface is provided, comprising a lower frame element having a forward facing edge with multiple teeth arrayed along a curvature, the attachment including a substantially straight scraper bar disposed laterally across the rear edge of the lower frame element, the teeth and the scraper bar defining a first plane, a handle guard including a handle grip joined to the lower frame element at a juncture above the first plane, the handle grip and the juncture defining a second plane placing the handle grip above the scraper bar, and a flexible squeegee panel mounted to the handle guard along a front peripheral edge, the panel disposed above the multi-tooth array. 
         [0008]    In one embodiment the handle guard and the lower frame element are molded from a durable polymer. Also in one embodiment the handle guard has a curvature with a radius that is larger than a curvature radius of the lower frame element, and is mounted over the slower frame element. Also in one embodiment he teeth are aligned on an arcuate path centered on the forward direction, the bottom surfaces of the teeth lying in substantially the first plane. Still in one embodiment the squeegee panel includes a T-bar formed along an outside edge of the panel. 
         [0009]    In one embodiment the handle guard comprises a female threaded bore having an axis directed rearward and upward at an acute angle to the first plane. Also in one embodiment the tool further includes a pole handle having a male thread engaged in the female thread of the handle guard passing above the handle grip and below the squeegee panel. And in one embodiment individual ones of the multiple teeth are trapezoidal in profile. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES 
         [0010]      FIG. 1  is a front view of an ice removal tool according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the tool of  FIG. 1  viewed from the top. 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the tool of  FIG. 1  viewed from the side 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  is a process flow chart illustrating steps for removing ice using the tool of  FIG. 1  according to an aspect of the present invention. 
           [0014]      FIG. 5  is a block diagram illustrating use of the tool of  FIG. 1  on a windshield to remove ice. 
           [0015]      FIG. 6  is a block diagram illustrating use of the tool of  FIG. 1  on a windshield to remove residual moisture. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0016]    The inventors provide a unique tool for removing ice and residual moisture from a surface such as a windshield and like surfaces. The present invention will be described in enabling detail using the following examples, which may describe more than one relevant embodiment falling within the scope of the present invention. 
         [0017]      FIG. 1  is a face-on view of an ice removal tool  100  according to an embodiment of the present invention. Tool  100  is adapted as a multipurpose hand-held tool for removing ice and residual moisture from a windshield, window, or other surfaces that have ice buildup from exposure to harsh winter conditions. 
         [0018]    Tool  100  has a semi-annular attachment  101  that includes an array of multiple teeth  103  ( 1 - n ) that are formed at the forward periphery of the attachment. Teeth  103  ( 1 - n ) are generally trapezoidal in shape in this example with forward and slight downward-facing ice breaking and cutting edges. Teeth  103  ( 1 - n ) are strategically formed on attachment  101  and form a semi-annular interface designed to cut and lift bulky ice from a surface, and to push the broken ice away from the center of the tool toward the outer edges of the tool. Each tooth  103  ( 1 - n ) has a somewhat trapezoidal shape in this example including a common flat bottom surface. The front of each tooth  103  ( 1 - n ) has a cutting edge and a lifting surface or land that together function to break or cut and subsequently lift the broken ice off of the ice-coated surface. The sides of each tooth are sloped inwardly and culminate at a top ridge of the tooth running substantially orthogonal to the cutting edge. 
         [0019]    Each tooth  103  ( 1 - n ) is oriented substantially perpendicular to the radius of the semi-annular attachment so that the center-most tooth points straight ahead and adjacent teeth slant away from the center tooth on either side progressively. The multi-tooth array functions to break up thicker ice by cutting into and under the ice and lifting it from the surface. Likewise, forward urging of the tool displaced the broken ice to either side of the tool. Attachment  101  may be molded from a durable polymer in many embodiments. Attachment  101  is affixed to a semi-annular handle guard  102 . Handle guard  102  may also be molded from a durable polymer material. Handle guard  102  includes a handle grip (not illustrated in this view). 
         [0020]    A flexible squeegee panel  104  is provided and affixed to the topside of tool  100  directly above the multi-tooth array containing teeth  103  ( 1 - n ). Squeegee panel  104  may be molded from a resilient but flexible material such as a silicone-based material, for example. In this example, squeegee panel  104  is attached to the inside wall of handle guard  102  via rivets or screws  105 . There are several other ways this attachment may be made. A rigid back plate (not illustrated) is provided in some embodiments as an anchor for the screws. Squeegee panel  104  assumes a generally curved profile following the curve of the inside wall of handle guard  102 . Squeegee panel  104  is adapted to be used to wipe up moisture residue after ice has been removed from the ice-coated surface. In one embodiment squeegee panel  104  is used to clean the surface of water whether there was ice on the surface or not. In this regard, tool  100  is a multi-purpose tool. 
         [0021]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of tool  100  of Fig. Tool  100  is viewed from the top in this example, and illustrates the semi-annular shape of handle guard  102 . A handle grip  204  is provided as a contiguous feature of handle guard  102 , or as an attachment screwed on to the handle guard using inset screws  205 . The tool may be operated by the handle grip  204  in tooth-down or squeegee down positions. In one embodiment a pole handle  107  is provided to facilitate an extension handle for further reach on a surface being cleaned of ice and/or moisture. Pole handle  107  may, in one embodiment, be threaded on one end and can be inserted through an opening in handle grip  204  and screwed into an annular recess  108  formed when handle guard  102  is attached to semi-annular attachment  101 . 
         [0022]    Semi-annular attachment  101  includes a substantially straight-edged scraper bar  203  disposed substantially parallel and anterior to the array multiple teeth  103  ( 1 - n ). Scraper bar  203  has a scraping edge oriented toward the ice-breaking teeth on attachment  102 . In one embodiment, the scraper bar is contiguously formed with semi-annular attachment  101 . In one embodiment it is attached to handle guard  102  as a separated piece. In this embodiment the scraper bar may be angularly adjusted for bite. 
         [0023]    In use of tool  100 , the teeth and scraper bar are placed on the ice-coated surface and urged forward. The multi-tooth array cuts, breaks, and displaces bulky ice while the following scraper bar scrapes residual ice that may be left over from the tooth operation. Tool  100  may be inverted and used to squeegee flaked ice and water residue that might be left over from the ice-scraping operation. In this example, a back plate  201  is provided and adapted as a back plate to anchor squeegee panel  104 . In one embodiment, squeegee panel  104  includes a T-bar  106  formed about the free edge thereof for ensuring that every part of the surface including curvatures are contacted by the silicone-based material making up the panel. In this embodiment, screws  202  are provided to attach the multi-tooth attachment to the handle guard. 
         [0024]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of tool  100  of  FIG. 1  viewed from the side, to better illustrate the elements and association of elements. In this view multiple teeth  103  ( 1 - n ), scraper bar  203  and handle grip  204  are visible. The inventors term tool  100  “Ice Shark™” and a logo of the same is visible on the handle guard  102 . Multi-tooth attachment  101  has a shark tooth and shark fin-like profile when viewed from the side, lending to the name. Also in this view, squeegee panel T-bar  106  is clearly visible along the edge of panel  104 . In a preferred embodiment, the biting edges of multiple teeth  103  ( 1 - n ) and the biting edge of scraper bar  203  lie in substantially the same plane. An angle for relief is provided for multi-tooth attachment  101  so that in this example only the cutting edges of multiple teeth  103  ( 1 - n ) touch the ice coated surface being cleaned of ice. 
         [0025]      FIG. 4  is a process flow chart  400  illustrating steps for removing ice using the tool of  FIG. 1  according to an aspect of the present invention. Flow chart  400  includes step  401  whereupon a user determined to remove ice of a windshield, for example, grips the tool by the handle grip. At step  402 , the user places the tool against a surface to be cleaned, most likely an automobile windshield. 
         [0026]    At step  403 , the tool is urged forward using a downward pressure to break up thicker ice and displace that ice from the windshield. At the same time, the scraper bar scrapes off the thinner residual ice left over from the multi-tooth operation. Steps  402  and  403  are repeated over the ice-coated surface until all of the unwanted ice has been removed. In one embodiment, preheating is performed during ice removal to weaken the grip of the ice on the surface. Ice is effectively removed by breaking and cutting actions of the multi-tooth array. The ice moves or is displaced to the sides of the tool and up over the cutting edges of teeth  103  ( 1 - n ). Scraper bar  203  cleans up the remainder if any is left over from the cutting teeth. 
         [0027]    After ice is removed from a surface or surface area, the user may invert the tool and place it on the surface with the squeegee end down at step  404 . In this position, the user intends to remove any water and moisture residue from the surface in question. Also in this position downward pressure is not required past a very subtle point. Squeegee panel  104  is optimized by T-bar  106  to conform directly to a curved surface or a surface exhibiting curves, slopes, and other features. At step  405 , the user urges tool  100  in a rearward direction to squeegee the windshield of any leftover water or water residue. By combining three tools, multiple tooth array, scraper bar, and a squeegee on a same tool, much extra work and management of more than one tool is avoided. Tool  100  may be used on any ice-covered surface such as glass and metal surfaces of automobiles and other vehicular equipment. 
         [0028]      FIG. 5  is a block diagram illustrating use of tool  100  of  FIG. 1  on a windshield to remove ice. Tool  100  has an extension pole  501  attached to it in this example. Operation of tool  100  is the same whether the tool is hand-held or extended by use of an extension pole handle. Tool  100  is being used to clean ice from a windshield  500 . As a user urges the tool forward, teeth  103  ( 1 - n ) cut and break the thicker ice displacing it toward the sides of the tool as indicated by arrows and lifting it up and off of the ice as illustrated by arrows. 
         [0029]    Scraper bar  203  is illustrated behind multiple teeth  103  ( 1 - n ). As tool  100  moves further forward, residual ice is scraped up off of the surface by scraper bar  203 . As indicated by directional arrows, residual ice scraped from the windshield may be displaced over the scraper blade. 
         [0030]      FIG. 6  is a block diagram illustrating use of tool  100  of  FIG. 1  on a windshield to remove residual moisture. In this example, tool  100  is inverted to engage the squeegee panel  104  and more particularly squeegee panel T-bar  106  against windshield  500 . Tool  100  is urged in a rearward direction from the ice removal operation of  FIG. 5 . Residual ice particles and water moisture from melted ice is removed after breaking up the heavier ice and scraping residual ice. Squeegee panel  104  aided by T-bar  106  makes contact with windshield  500  and conforms to the curves built in to the windshield. 
         [0031]    It will be apparent to one with skill in the art that the ice removal system of the invention may be provided using some or all of the mentioned features and components without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. It will also be apparent to the skilled artisan that the embodiments described above are specific examples of a single broader invention that may have greater scope than any of the singular descriptions taught. There may be many alterations made in the descriptions without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.