Patent ID: 7779563

Claim:
A snow deflector kit for combination with a snowplow having a blade comprising a left end, a right end, and a top edge, and a vehicle having at least one source of power, wherein said snow deflector kit comprises: a right snow deflector apparatus and a left snow deflector apparatus, wherein said right snow deflector apparatus is adapted for mounting to the right end of the blade of the snowplow and said left snow deflector apparatus is adapted for mounting to the left end of the blade of the snowplow, and wherein each of said right snow deflector apparatus and said left snow deflector apparatus comprises: a deflector plate comprising a bottom edge, a front edge, a rear edge, an inside surface and an outside surface, wherein said deflector plate is manufactured of a substantially rigid material, wherein a substantial portion of said inside surface and said outside surface is planar, and wherein said deflector plate is dimensioned to obstruct at least a substantial portion of the end of the blade of the snow plow such that an amount of snow that is sloughed off of the blade is minimized when said deflector plate is in a deployed position; a deflector plate rotator mechanism adapted to selectively rotate said deflector plate between said deployed position and an undeployed position, said deflector plate rotator mechanism comprising a shaft rotatably attached to said deflector plate and a housing attached to said shaft; and four springs in communication with said deflector plate, wherein: said springs are disposed so as to allow at least a portion of said deflector plate to move upward when said bottom edge of said deflector plate contacts an obstruction and to force said bottom edge of said deflector plate downward when said bottom edge of said deflector plate is no longer in contact with the obstruction; and said springs are in communication with said deflector plate and said housing such that both said deflector plate, said housing and said shaft move upward when said bottom edge of said deflector plate contacts an obstruction and downward when said bottom edge of said deflector plate is no longer in contact with the obstruction; attachment means for attaching said right snow deflector apparatus to a right end of the blade of the snowplow and said left snow deflector apparatus to a left end of the blade of the snowplow; and a control system for controlling each of said right and left deflector plate rotator mechanisms.