100 may be attached to each other by welding, bolting, screwing, inserting, melting, hooking, gluing, or otherwise adhering. In one or more embodiments a plurality of screws or bolts may be used to attach one component to another, as desired.

The articulating mechanism 200 may include, generally, a pivot 202, a locking pin 204, a cord 206, and a slide 208. The pivot 202 may include an end cap attached to the proximal end of the shaft 106 and having/defining an opening through its cap end. The atlas 104 may further include/define a pivot cavity 210 into which the pivot 202 fits. The pivot cavity 210 may include a semi-lunar cavity and the pivot 202 may articulate through a range of degrees within the pivot cavity 210.

The locking pin 204 may include a pin contained within the pivot 202 and extending distally outwards through the opening in the pivot 202 cap end. The locking pin 204 may further include a spring-loaded design so that it is pressed distally through the pivot 202 while being able to be retracted by a force pulling against it. The pivot cavity 210 may further include a plurality of pin receivers 212, which may include slots into which the projecting portion of the locking pin 204 may insert. By this design the locking pin 204 may insert into one of the plurality of pin receivers 212, and may lock the relative angle of the shaft 106 to the atlas 104.

The slide 208 may include any appropriate slide mechanism. In one or more embodiments the slide 208 may include a handle wrapping around the shaft 106 and passing through the center of the shaft 106. The shaft 106 may include/define a pair of slit openings through which the slide 208 is installed, and the slide 208 may be moveable through a limited range within these slit openings. In other embodiments the slide 208 may include a bolt-action design, a lever-action design, or any other appropriate mechanism for pulling.

The cord 206 may include any appropriate cord for providing a mechanical connection between the slide 208 and the locking pin 204. The cord 206 may include, for example, synthetic rope, cabling, braided line, metal rod, or any other appropriate material. The mechanical connection of the cord 206 between the slide 208 and the locking pin 204 may cause the locking pin 204 to be retracted into the pivot 202 when the slide 208 is manipulated by a user.

This retracting of the locking pin 204 into the pivot 202 may then allow the pivot 202 to move freely within the pivot cavity 210. In this way the user may change the relative angle of the shaft 106 to the atlas 104. The spring-loaded design on the locking pin 204 may then allow the locking pin 204 to advance into a different one of the plurality of pin receivers 212 and again lock the shaft 106 to the atlas 104 at a chosen angle.

The various components of the articulating mechanism 200 may be attached to one another by any appropriate mechanism. By way of example, the various components of the articulating mechanism 200 may be attached to each other by welding, bolting, screwing, inserting, melting, hooking, gluing, or otherwise adhering. In one or more embodiments a plurality of screws or bolts may be used to attach one component to another, as desired.

In one or more embodiments the head 102 may further include one or more wear bars 112, which may include any appropriate blade reinforcement or extension. The wear bar(s) 112 may be designed to wear down with use while protecting the head 102 from wear, and may include a replaceable component so that they may be replaced as desired.

FIG. 13B is a schematic view of some features of an overflow resistant articulating pusher shovel having a twist mechanism, according to some examples.

In one or more embodiments the overflow resistant articulating pusher shovel may include a twist mechanism that allows the relative angle of the head 102 to be articulated through a range of degrees relative to the shaft 106. Referring to FIG. 13B, the device may include a rotating handle 108 connected to a distal end of a driveshaft 330 that passes through the shaft 106. The proximal end of the driveshaft 330 may interface with a plurality of gears 332 located within the atlas 104. The twist of the handle 108 relative to the shaft 106 may turn these gears 332 within the atlas 104, and the turning of these gears 332 within the atlas 104 may turn the head 102.

To begin using the device, a user may first grasp the overflow resistant articulating pusher shovel by the handle 108 and along the shaft 106. The user may then push the device along the ground, thus causing the head 102 to displace material away from, and to the side of, the user. The end plate 110 may close one side of the head 102 so that material is only displaced by the user to the desired side. The user may then pull the slide 208 causing the locking pin 204 to release and allowing the shaft 106 to be repositioned within the pivot cavity 210 of the atlas 104. By this design the user may then reorient the head 102 relative to the shaft 106, and the user may then displace material away and to the opposite side of the prior configuration.

FIG. 14 is a top-down view of another articulating pusher shovel 1000 having a twist mechanism, according to some examples. FIG. 15 is a perspective view of part of the articulating pusher shovel 1000 of FIG. 14. FIG. 16 is a side view of a lower part of the articulating pusher shovel 1000 of FIG. 14. FIG. 17 includes three top-down views of the articulating pusher shovel 1000 of FIG. 14 with the head 1002 respectively positioned at three different angular positions relative to the shaft 1006. FIG. 18 includes two overlapping side views of the articulating pusher shovel 1000 of FIG. 14 with the shaft 1006 respectively positioned at two angular positions relative to a ground plane. The articulating pusher shovel 1000 may include features similar to, or the same as, features of other shovels described herein, and redundant descriptions may be omitted.

The articulating pusher shovel 1000 may include a head 1002, an atlas 1004 attached to the head 1002 (e.g., to a rear side of the head 1002), a shaft 1006 coupled to the atlas 1004, and a handle 1008 coupled to the shaft 1006. The atlas 1004 may be fixedly attached to the head 1002 such that the atlas 1004 is not configured to move (e.g., rotate) relative to the head 1002. The shaft 1006 may extend along a shaft axis 1006A between a proximal end of the shaft 1006 and a distal end of the shaft 1006. In some examples, the shaft 1006 is rotatably coupled to the atlas 1004 at its proximal end such that the head 1002 and atlas 1004 are rotatable relative to the shaft 1006 via a twist mechanism. The twist mechanism will be described in more detail below. The handle 1008 may be a rotatable handle that is rotatably coupled to the shaft 1006 and configured to cause the head 1002 to rotate, via the twist mechanism, in response to rotating relative to the shaft 1006. The rotatable handle 1008 may be positioned at the distal end of the shaft 1006, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. For example, the rotatable handle 1008 may be positioned part way along the length of the shaft 1006 between the proximal and distal ends of the shaft 1006. In some other examples, the rotatable handle 1008 may even be indirectly coupled to, and spaced apart from, the distal end of the shaft 1006 via a driveshaft, as discussed in more detail below with respect to FIGS. 19-20.

The articulating pusher shovel 1000 may be a pusher shovel configured to be pushed along a ground plane 1090 to move material, such as snow, sand, or dirt. The head 1002 may have an elongated shape that extends along a head axis 1002A between a first side end 1016 and a second side end 1018 opposite thereto (e.g., left and right side ends). The head 1002 may also have a bottom edge 1012 and a top edge 1014 opposite thereto, which generally extend between the first side end 1016 and the second side end 1018. The bottom edge 1012 (and, in some examples, also the top edge 1014) may be a straight edge extending substantially parallel (e.g., within about 10 degrees, about 5 degrees, about 3 degrees, or about 1 degree from being parallel) to the head axis 1002A. The bottom edge 1012 may be an edge configured to contact, and be substantially parallel (e.g., within about 10 degrees, about 5 degrees, about 3 degrees, or about 1 degree from being parallel) to, the ground plane 1090 during use. The head 1002 may have a curved (e.g., semilunar, half-circle, circular segment, etc.) cross-section (e.g., in a plane perpendicular to the head axis 1002A) configured to allow material being pushed to build up in the head 1002. In some examples, the head 1002 may include an end plate at the first side end 1016 and/or at the second side end 1018.

The head 1002 may have a front surface that is configured to contact (e.g., collect) the material being pushed, and an opposite rear surface. The atlas 1004 may be attached to the rear surface of the head 1002 and may provide a structure or platform to which the shaft 1006 is coupled.

In some examples, the twist mechanism includes a driveshaft 1030 that is installed in the shaft 1006 and that is coupled between the rotatable handle 1008 and a rotation mechanism at (e.g., in, on, or adjacent to) the atlas 1004 and/or the proximal end of the shaft 1006. For example, the shaft 1006 may be hollow, and the driveshaft 1030 may extend through at least part of the interior of the shaft 1006 from the rotation mechanism to the rotatable handle 1008. The driveshaft 1030 may include an elongated rod or pole that extends parallel to a shaft axis 1006A. In some examples, the driveshaft 1030 is concentrically oriented with the shaft 1006.

The driveshaft 1030 may be rotatable relative to the shaft 1006 (e.g., about the shaft axis 1006A), and may be fixedly coupled to the rotatable handle 1008, such that the driveshaft 1030 is not configured to rotate relative to the rotatable handle 1008. Thus, rotation of the rotatable handle 1008 may cause the driveshaft 1030 to rotate relative to the shaft 1006.

The rotation mechanism may be coupled between the atlas 1004 and the driveshaft 1030 such that rotation of the driveshaft 1030 causes the head 1002 to rotate relative to the shaft 1006. In the depicted example, the rotation mechanism includes a plurality of gears 1040 that the driveshaft 1030 is configured to couple to and that are configured to turn in response to the driveshaft 1030 rotating. The plurality of gears 1040 may include a first gear 1041 that is rotatable about a first axis 1041A, and a second gear 1042 that is rotatable about a second axis 1042A, which is non-parallel to the first axis 1041A. For example, the second axis 1042A may be substantially perpendicular (e.g., within about 10 degrees, about 5 degrees, about 3 degrees, or about 1 degree from being exactly perpendicular) to the first axis 1041A. The second gear 1042 may be coupled to the first gear 1041, such that rotation of the second gear 1042 causes rotation in the first gear 1041. The second gear 1042 may also be coupled (e.g., directly or indirectly coupled) to the driveshaft 1030, such that rotation of the driveshaft 1030 causes rotation in the second gear 1042. In some examples, the driveshaft 1030 is coupled to the second gear 1042 via a universal joint 1045 (e.g., a u-joint) configured to translate rotation along one axis (e.g., the axis of the driveshaft 1030, such as the shaft axis 1006A) into rotation along another axis (e.g., the second axis 1042A). Other connection devices for coupling the driveshaft 1030 to the second gear 1042 are also within the scope of the present disclosure. In some examples, the universal joint 1045 forms part of the rotation mechanism.

The first gear 1041 may be fixedly coupled to the atlas 1004, such that the first gear 1041 is not configured to rotate relative to the atlas 1004 or head 1002. The first gear 1041 may be connected to the atlas 1004 via a pivot 1055 (e.g., a shaft or pole). The articulating pusher shovel 1000 may include a connection frame 1050 configured to rotatably couple the shaft 1006 to the pivot 1055 such that the connection frame 1050 and the shaft 1006 may rotate about the pivot 1055. For example, the connection frame 1050 may be fixedly attached to (e.g., form an integral part of) the proximal end of the shaft 1006, and may define an opening or hole that encircles the pivot 1055 to allow the connection frame 1050 to rotate about the pivot 1055 (e.g., about the first axis 1041A).

The first axis 1041A may be substantially perpendicular (e.g., within about 10 degrees, about 5 degrees, about 3 degrees, or about 1 degree from being exactly perpendicular) to the head axis 1002A. In some examples, the first axis 1041A is configured to be perpendicular to the ground plane 1090 when the articulating pusher shovel 1000 is oriented with the bottom edge 1012 contacting the ground plane 1090 and the shaft 1006 forming a certain shaft angle (e.g., an angle between 0 and 90 degrees) relative to the ground plane 1090.

As shown in FIG. 18, the articulating pusher shovel 1000 may be configured to be used in different orientations relative to the ground plane to accommodate persons of different height. The shaft 1006 may thus form different shaft angles relative to the ground plane 1090 depending on the shovel's orientation relative to the ground. For example, FIG. 18 shows the articulating pusher shovel 1000 in a first orientation, with a first shaft angle 1085_1 of 40 degrees, and in a second orientation with a second shaft angle 1085_2 of 20 degrees.

The twist mechanism may be configured to allow the head 1002 to rotate in a side-to-side manner, as shown in FIG. 17, which shows three top-down views of the articulating pusher shovel 1000 with the head 1002 in three different angular positions relative to the shaft 1006. The head axis 1002A may form a variable head angle 1080 relative to the shaft axis 1006A, which may be adjusted by rotating the head 1002 via the rotatable handle 1008. Because the shaft axis 1006A may not intersect with the head axis 1002A in some examples, the head angle 1080 may be defined as an angle between the shaft axis 1006A and a ray that is parallel to the head axis 1002A, and that extends from an origin point on the shaft axis 1006A.

In the middle illustration in FIG. 17, the head 1002 is in a neutral position with a head angle 1080 of 90 degrees. Starting from the neutral position, when the rotatable handle 1008 is rotated to the left, the head 1002 may rotate in one direction (e.g., counterclockwise) such that the head angle 1080 is reduced, as shown in the left illustration. If the rotatable handle 1008 is instead rotated to the right, the head 1002 may rotate in the opposite direction (e.g., clockwise) such that the head angle 1080 increases, as shown in the right illustration.

First and second distances may be respectively defined between the shaft 1006 (or a set position on the shaft 1006) and the first side end 1016 and the second side end 1018 of the head 1002. Because the head 1002 is configured to be rotated in a side-to-side manner, the first and second distances may be adjustable. For example, it may be seen in the left illustration of FIG. 17 that the first side end 1016 is closer to the shaft 1006 (and to the distal end of the shaft 1006) than the second side end 1018 is. It can also be seen in the right illustration of FIG. 17 that the first side end 1016 is farther from the shaft 1006 (and from the distal end of the shaft 1006) than the second side end 1018 is. As the head 1002 is rotated, the first and second distances may change in opposite directions. For example, in FIG. 17, as the head 1002 is rotated from the neutral position, shown in the middle illustration, to the position shown in the left illustration, the first distance between the first side end 1016 and the shaft 1006 (or the distal end of the shaft 1006) may decrease while the second distance between the second side end 1018 and the shaft 1006 (or the distal end of the shaft 1006) may increase.

When a pusher shovel is used to remove material, such as snow, a problem may arise where the material begins to overflow outwardly from both the left and right sides of the shovel head as the user pushes in a straight line. As the user pushes through a plurality of lines, this overflow may result in a plurality or ridges of material, which the user may then go back and remove. The articulating pusher shovel 1000 of examples of the present disclosure solves this problem by allowing the head 1002 to be rotated in a side-by-side manner. When the head 1002 is rotated to the left (e.g., as shown in the left illustration of FIG. 17), and the user pushes the shovel straight forward (e.g., along the push direction in FIG. 17), the head 1002 will force the material both forwardly and toward the left. This will cause the overflowing material to overflow only out of the left side of the head 1002 (as opposed to both out of the left and right sides). Similarly, when the head 1002 is rotated to the right (e.g., as shown in the right illustration of FIG. 17), and the user pushes the shovel straight forward (e.g., along the push direction in FIG. 17), the head 1002 will force the material both forwardly and toward the right so that the overflowing material only overflow out of the right side of the head 1002.

Accordingly, the articulating pusher shovel 1000 of examples of the present disclosure may reduce or prevent the occurrence of the above-described ridges of material that otherwise tend to be left after the user pushes through a plurality of adjacent and parallel lines. If the user pushes through all of the lines along the same direction (i.e., walking back to the same starting point after finishing one line and before starting the next line), the user may keep the head 1002 in a constant orientation. For example, if the user is steadily working leftward, line by line, and the head 1002 is always biased toward the left (e.g., as shown in the left illustration of FIG. 17), then the overflowing material will be consistently funneled leftward into the unremoved material, which is not a problem. If, instead, the user turns around after finishing each line, and pushes through the next line along the opposite direction, the user may rotate the head 1002 from side to side as the user pushes through the plurality of lines. This will also cause the overflowing material to be consistently funneled into unremoved material. As a result, the user can more efficiently finish his or her work without leaving the above-described ridges of remnant material. Moreover, by enabling the head 1002 to be rotated via rotation of the rotatable handle 1008, the user may easily, conveniently, and comfortably rotate the head 1002 via the described twist mechanism.

FIG. 19 is a perspective view of another articulating pusher shovel 2000 having a twist mechanism, according to some examples, and an enlarged view of an upper portion of the articulating pusher shovel 2000. FIG. 20 is a back view of a lower portion of the articulating pusher shovel 2000 of FIG. 19. The articulating pusher shovel 2000 may have some features similar to, or the same as, other shovels described herein, including the articulating pusher shovel 1000, and redundant descriptions may be omitted.

The articulating pusher shovel 2000 may include a shovel head 2002, an atlas 2004 attached to the shovel head 2002, a shaft 2006 rotatably coupled at a proximal end to the atlas 2004, a rotatable handle 2008 that is rotatably coupled to the shaft 2006, and a twist mechanism configured to rotate the shovel head 2002 side-to-side relative to the shaft 2006 in response to rotation of the rotatable handle 2008. The twist mechanism may include a driveshaft 2030 installed in the shaft 2006 and coupled between the rotatable handle 2008 and a rotation mechanism. The twist mechanism and the rotation mechanism may include features similar to, or the same as, the twist mechanism and rotation mechanism described with respect to the articulating pusher shovel 1000.

The shaft 2006 may include a base structure 2071 at (e.g., adjacent to) the proximal end of the shaft 2006. The base structure 2071 may include a housing that contains (e.g., surrounds) at least some components of the rotation mechanism, and that is configured to rotate about a pivot 2055 attached to the atlas 2004. The base structure 2071 may also include a first bumper 2061 and a second bumper 2062 that respectively protrude from opposite sides of the base structure 2071 and towards the shovel head 2002. The first bumper 2061 and the second bumper 2062 may be configured (e.g., shaped and sized) to abut the shovel head 2002 and/or the atlas 2004 when the shovel head 2002 rotates to first and second angular positions relative to the shaft 2006. The first bumper 2061 and the second bumper 2062 may therefore reduce or prevent the likelihood of the shovel head 2002 rotating beyond the first and second angular positions, and may restrict rotation of the shovel head 2002 to a set range (e.g., a range equal to or less than about 150 degrees, about 130 degrees, about 110 degrees, about 90 degrees, or about 70 degrees).

The shaft 2006 may be made of a first material (e.g., fiberglass), and may have a lower grip 2073 at a distal end of the shaft 2006. The driveshaft 2030 may extend out from the distal end of the shaft 2006 to the rotatable handle 2008. In some examples, an upper grip 2074 is on the portion of the driveshaft 2030 that extends out from the shaft 2006. The upper grip may be spaced apart from the lower grip 2073 and, in some examples, integrated with the rotatable handle 2008. The lower grip 2073 and the upper grip 2074 may be made of a soft material, such as rubber, and may have a textured (e.g., ribbed) surface configured to improve a user's grip. The lower and upper grips 2073 and 2074 may be positioned to allow a user to comfortably grip the articulating pusher shovel 2000 with two hands. This may allow the user to better control the articulating pusher shovel 2000 while pushing material and also to rotate the rotatable handle 2008 with respect to the shaft 2006 more easily.

FIG. 21 is a front view of a lower portion of another articulating pusher shovel 3000 having a twist mechanism, according to some examples, and with a light-emitting element 3064 removed from a base structure 3071. FIG. 22 is a front view of the lower portion of the articulating pusher shovel 3000 of FIG. 21 with the light-emitting element 3064 installed in the base structure 3071. FIG. 23 includes three overlapping top-down views of the articulating pusher shovel 3000 of FIG. 21 with the shovel head 3002 respectively positioned at three different angular positions relative to the shaft 3006. The articulating pusher shovel 3000 may include some features similar to, or the same as, features of other shovels described herein, including the articulating pusher shovels 1000 and 2000, and redundant descriptions may be omitted.

The articulating pusher shovel 3000 may include a shovel head 3002, an atlas 3004 attached to the shovel head 3002, a shaft 3006 rotatably coupled at a proximal end to the atlas 3004, a handle rotatably coupled to the shaft 3006, and a twist mechanism configured to rotate the shovel head 3002 relative to the shaft 3006 when the handle is rotated. The twist mechanism may include features similar to, or the same as, features of twist mechanisms described herein. For example, the twist mechanism may include a driveshaft installed in the shaft 3006 and coupled between the handle and a rotation mechanism.

The shaft 3006 may include a base structure 3071 that is configured to house (e.g., contain) at least part of the rotation mechanism and a light-emitting element 3064. The light-emitting element 3064 may be configured to generate light and to illuminate the region (e.g., the ground) in front of the shovel head 3002. This may improve the user's visibility of the along the direction that the user pushes the articulating pusher shovel 3000. In some examples, the light-emitting element 3064 includes a light-emitting diode (LED) configured to generate at least part of the light, but the present disclosure includes other examples of light-emitting elements. The light-emitting element 3064 may include a battery (e.g., a non-rechargeable or rechargeable battery) configured to provide the power to generate the light.

In some examples, the light-emitting element 3064 is detachably couplable to the base structure 3071. For example, the base structure 3071 may have a recess (e.g., an indent or pocket) shaped and sized to receive at least part of the light-emitting element 3064, and the light-emitting element 3064 may be configured to be secured to the base structure 3071 within the recess. In some examples, the light-emitting element 3064 is configured to be secured to the base structure 3071 via one or more first magnets 3065 in the base structure 3071 and one or more second magnets in the light-emitting element 3064. In some other examples, the light-emitting element 3064 may be secured to the base structure 3071 in another manner, such as by one or more fasteners, a snap-fit mechanism, etc. In some examples where the light-emitting element 3064 includes a rechargeable battery, the light-emitting element 3064 may be removed from the base structure 3071 and may be recharged while the articulating pusher shovel 3000 is not in use, and secured to the base structure 3071 when the light-emitting element 3064 is needed. The light-emitting element 3064 may be useful, for example, in circumstances where a user desires to remove material in a dark or dimly lit setting, such as when shoveling snow out of a driveway in the early morning hours before it is light outside.

The base structure 3071 may also include a first bumper 3061 and a second bumper 3062 configured to abut against the shovel head 3002 or atlas 3004 when the shovel head 3002 is rotated to first and second angular positions, respectively. Because the light-emitting element 3064 is secured to the base structure 3071, the light-emitting element 3064 will not rotate when the shovel head 3002 rotates relative to the shaft 3006. Thus, the light-emitting element 3064 may illuminate the ground in front of the user along the direction that the user is pushing, regardless of how the shovel head 3002 is rotated relative to the shaft 3006. This is illustrated in FIG. 23, where both the push direction and the direction of illumination of the light-emitting element 3064 remain constant and aligned in all three angular positions of the shovel head 3002. In some examples, the light-emitting element 3064 is configured to be coupled elsewhere to the shaft 3006 besides the base structure 3071, for example, at a position above the base structure 3071.

FIG. 24 is a top-down view of another articulating pusher shovel 4000 having a twist mechanism, according to some examples. FIG. 25 is a perspective view of an upper portion of the articulating pusher shovel