Metal shovel blade

Abstract

A snow shovel blade is provided. The snow shovel blade is a stamped metal body with a generally planar portion, a curved portion, and two opposed lateral, depending sidewalls. The sidewalls are supporting sidewalls.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A snow shovel blade comprising:
 a stamped metal body including a generally planar portion, a curved portion, and two opposed lateral, depending sidewalls; and   said sidewalls are supporting sidewalls.   
     
     
         2 . The snow shovel blade of  claim 1  wherein said sidewalls are holding sidewalls. 
     
     
         3 . The snow shovel blade of  claim 1  wherein said sidewalls are retaining sidewalls. 
     
     
         4 . The snow shovel blade of  claim 3  wherein said metal body is an aluminum body. 
     
     
         5 . The snow shovel blade of  claim 1  wherein said metal body is an aluminum body. 
     
     
         6 . The snow shovel blade of  claim 1  wherein said curved portion extends over an arc of between about 110 degrees to about 130 degrees relative to said planar portion. 
     
     
         7 . The snow shovel blade of  claim 6  wherein said curved portion extends over an arc of about 117 relative to said planar portion. 
     
     
         8 . The snow shovel blade of  claim 1  wherein said curved portion is a pusher portion. 
     
     
         9 . The snow shovel blade of  claim 6  wherein said sidewalls are generally concave. 
     
     
         10 . The snow shovel blade of  claim 6  wherein:
 said planar portion includes a leading edge and a trailing edge; 
 said planar portion leading edge having a first width; 
 said planar portion trailing edge having a second width; 
 said curved portion includes a leading edge and a trailing edge; 
 said curved portion leading edge having a third width; 
 said curved portion trailing edge having a fourth width; 
 wherein said second width and said third width are substantially the same; 
 wherein said fourth width is greater than said third width; and 
 wherein said first width is greater than said fourth width. 
 
     
     
         11 . The snow shovel blade of  claim 10  wherein said sidewalls are generally concave. 
     
     
         12 . The snow shovel blade of  claim 1  wherein:
 at least one of said planar portion and said curved portion include a number of take-up protrusions; and 
 wherein said take-up protrusions are symmetrical about a centerline of said blade body. 
 
     
     
         13 . The snow shovel blade of  claim 12  wherein a first set of said number of take-up protrusions are irregular take-up protrusions. 
     
     
         14 . The snow shovel blade of  claim 12  wherein:
 said blade body including a longitudinal axis; 
 wherein each said take-up protrusion includes a longitudinal axis; and 
 wherein each said take-up protrusion longitudinal axis is not generally parallel to said blade body longitudinal axis. 
 
     
     
         15 . A method of making a snow shovel blade including:
 cutting generally planar blanks from a strip of metal;   stamping the blank to create a pusher portion; and   bending the lateral sides of the blank to create sidewalls.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein of cutting generally planar blanks from a strip of metal and stamping the blank to create a pusher portion includes:
 cutting generally trapezoidal blanks having a major base, a minor base, a first lateral side and a second lateral side; and 
 curving a portion of the blank adjacent the minor base so that the curved portion extends over an arc of between about 110 degrees to about 130 degrees relative to the plane of the blank. 
 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15  wherein bending the lateral sides of the blank to create sidewalls includes bending the lateral sides of the blank to create supporting sidewalls. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15  wherein bending the lateral sides of the blank to create sidewalls includes bending the lateral sides of the blank to create holding sidewalls. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15  wherein bending the lateral sides of the blank to create sidewalls includes bending the lateral sides of the blank to create retaining sidewalls.