Snowblower Attachment

Abstract

A snowblower attachment includes a protective guard plate and attached skids for keeping an impeller of a snowblower from contacting the ground below the snowblower.

1 . A snowblower attachment, the attachment comprising:
 a protective guard plate for keeping an impeller of a snowblower from contacting the ground below said snowblower, said protective guard plate having a top surface, a left side, a right side, and a front portion;   one or more left brackets attached to the left side of said protective guard plate;   one or more right brackets attached to the right side of said protective guard plate; and   said left and right brackets for mounting to left and right impeller housing sidewalls of said snowblower;   wherein said protective guard plate is positioned between said impeller and said ground beneath said snowblower when said snowblower attachment is mounted on said snowblower.   
     
     
         2 . The snowblower attachment of  claim 1 , wherein said protective guard plate is substantially planar. 
     
     
         3 . The snowblower attachment of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a bumper attached to the front portion of said protective guard plate, said bumper oriented at a non-zero angle relative to the plane of said protective guard plate and for urging snow on top of said protective guard plate when said snowblower moves forward.   
     
     
         4 . The snowblower attachment of  claim 1 , wherein said attachment is an integral component of said snowblower. 
     
     
         5 . A snowblower attachment, the attachment comprising:
 a substantially planar protective guard plate for keeping an impeller of a snowblower from contacting the ground below said snowblower, said protective guard plate having a top surface, a bottom surface, a left side, a right side, a front portion, and a front edge of said front portion; and   two or more skids attached to the bottom surface towards the front portion of said protective guard plate, said skids preventing said protective guard plate from contacting the ground below said snowblower;   wherein said protective guard plate is positioned between said impeller and said ground beneath said snowblower when said snowblower attachment is mounted on said snowblower.   
     
     
         6 . The snowblower attachment of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 a bumper attached to the front portion of said protective guard plate, said bumper oriented at a non-zero angle relative to the plane of said protective guard plate and for urging snow on top of said protective guard plate when said snowblower moves forward.   
     
     
         7 . The snowblower attachment of  claim 5 , said protective guard plate having a perimeter, wherein said protective guard plate comprises a frame formed along said perimeter. 
     
     
         8 . The snowblower attachment of  claim 7 , wherein said two or more skids are attached to said frame. 
     
     
         9 . The snowblower attachment of  claim 7 , wherein said frame comprises one or more front struts and one or more rear struts, each strut substantially parallel to the front edge of said protective guard plate, and two or more side rails, each side rail substantially perpendicular to said front edge. 
     
     
         10 . The snowblower attachment of  claim 5 , wherein said attachment is an integral component of said snowblower. 
     
     
         11 . A snowblower attachment, the attachment comprising:
 a substantially planar protective guard plate for keeping an impeller of a snowblower from contacting the ground below said snowblower, said protective guard plate having a top surface, a bottom surface, a left side, a right side, a front portion and a rear portion;   two or more skids attached to the bottom surface towards the front portion of said protective guard plate, said skids preventing said protective guard plate from contacting the ground below said snowblower;   one or more left brackets attached to the left side towards the rear portion of said protective guard plate; and   one or more right brackets attached to the right side towards the rear portion of said protective guard plate;   said left and right brackets for mounting to left and right impeller housing sidewalls of said snowblower;   wherein said protective guard plate is positioned between said impeller and said ground beneath said snowblower when said snowblower attachment is mounted on said snowblower.   
     
     
         12 . The snowblower attachment of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a bumper attached to the front portion of said protective guard plate, said bumper oriented at a non-zero angle relative to the plane of said protective guard plate and for urging snow on top of said protective guard plate when said snowblower moves forward.   
     
     
         13 . The snowblower attachment of  claim 11 , said protective guard plate having a perimeter, wherein said protective guard plate comprises a frame formed along said perimeter. 
     
     
         14 . The snowblower attachment of  claim 13 , wherein said two or more skids, said one or more left brackets, and said one or more right brackets are attached to said frame. 
     
     
         15 . The snowblower attachment of  claim 11 , wherein said attachment is an integral component of said snowblower.