Snow shovel with brush assembly

Abstract

A snow shovel which includes a brush assembly provided on a rear surface of the shovel's scoop adjacent a ground-contacting edge thereof. The scoop is used to remove accumulated snow from a surface and bristles on the brush assembly are used to remove snow left behind by the scoop; where that remaining snow is located in cracks in the surface and adjacent surface protrusions. The brush assembly may be molded as part of the scoop or may be a separate component that is selectively detachably engaged to the scoop.

1 . A hand-held snow shovel comprising:
 a handle having a first end adapted to be held in the hands of a user; and a second end remote therefrom;   a scoop having a front surface, a rear surface, a first edge and an opposed second edge; wherein the first end of the handle is engaged with the scoop; and wherein the front surface of the scoop is adapted to gather a quantity of snow from a snow-covered surface when the second edge is moved across the snow-covered surface; and   a brush assembly provided on the rear surface adjacent the second edge, said brush assembly including a plurality of bristles extending at least partially beyond the second edge; and wherein the bristles are adapted to retain the second edge a distance off the snow-covered surface when the handle is oriented to angle the scoop to push snow off the snow-covered surface.   
     
     
         2 . The hand-held snow shovel as defined in  claim 1 ; wherein the shovel is movable between a first position where the second edge is adapted to contact the snow-covered surface while substantially all of the bristles are lifted off the snow-covered surface; and a second position where the second edge of the scoop is lifted off the snow-covered surface and substantially all of the bristles contact the surface. 
     
     
         3 . The hand-held snow shovel as defined in  claim 2 , wherein the shovel is adapted to scoop snow from the snow-covered surface when the shovel is in the first position; and the shovel is adapted to sweep snow from the snow-covered surface when the shovel is in the second position. 
     
     
         4 . The hand-held snow shovel as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the brush assembly is provided on the rear surface of the scoop at a location from about ½ inch up to about 2 inches inwardly from the second edge. 
     
     
         5 . The hand-held snow shovel as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the scoop includes a first region and a second region when viewed from one side; wherein the first region is generally concave in shape and extends from the first edge of the scoop downwardly toward the second edge thereof; and the second region originates along a lower portion of the first region and terminates at the second edge; and wherein the second region is generally convex in shape. 
     
     
         6 . The hand-held snow shovel as defined in  claim 5 , wherein the brush assembly is provided on the rear surface of the scoop rearwardly of the convex second region. 
     
     
         7 . The hand-held snow shovel as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the brush assembly is integrally molded with the scoop. 
     
     
         8 . The hand-held snow shovel as defined in  claim 7 , wherein the brush assembly includes a plurality of bristle assemblies; and each bristle assembly includes a bristle tube which is integrally molded with the scoop. 
     
     
         9 . The hand-held snow shovel as defined in  claim 8 , further comprising a recess defined in each bristle tube; and one or more bristles engaged in the recess of the bristle tube. 
     
     
         10 . The hand-held snow shovel as defined in  claim 9 , wherein the bristles are secured to an inner surface of the bristle tube which defines the recess. 
     
     
         11 . The hand-held snow shovel as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the brush assembly includes a base with an upper surface and a lower surface; and a plurality of bristles extend outwardly from the lower surface thereof; and wherein the base is selectively detachably engaged with the scoop. 
     
     
         12 . The hand-held snow shovel as defined in  claim 11 , wherein the base snap-fittingly engages with the scoop. 
     
     
         13 . The hand-held snow shovel as defined in  claim 12 , wherein the base includes a plurality of snaps which snap fit into holes defined in the scoop. 
     
     
         14 . The hand-held snow shovel as defined in  claim 11 , further comprising an arm extending outwardly from one end of the base and at an angle relative to the upper surface thereof; and wherein the second edge of the scoop is positioned between the arm and the upper surface of the base; and at least a portion of the arm extends for a distance below the second edge of the scoop. 
     
     
         15 . The hand-held snow shovel as defined in  claim 14 , wherein at least the portion of the arm has a lowermost end and the lowermost end is adapted to contact the snow-covered surface when the scoop is angled to remove accumulated snow from the snow-covered surface. 
     
     
         16 . The hand-held snow shovel as defined in  claim 15 , wherein the scoop has a height measured from the upper edge to a portion of the scoop which is adapted to contact the snow-covered surface; and when the base is engaged with the scoop the height of the arm is increased. 
     
     
         17 . The hand-held snow shovel as defined in  claim 16 , wherein the arm is concave in shape. 
     
     
         18 . The hand-held snow shovel as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the brush assembly includes:
 a frame member that is selectively detachably engageable with the scoop; and   an insert that is selectively engageable with the frame member; and wherein the insert has an interior surface and an exterior surface, and the exterior surface thereof includes a plurality of bristle assemblies thereon.   
     
     
         19 . The hand-held snow shovel as defined in  claim 18 , wherein the exterior surface of the frame member defines at least one channel therein; and the insert is received in the at least one channel. 
     
     
         20 . The hand-held snow shovel as defined in  claim 19 , wherein the insert slides laterally into and out of the at least one channel on the frame member. 
     
     
         21 . The hand-held snow shovel as defined in  claim 1 , further comprising a handle mounting bracket extending outwardly from the rear surface of the scoop; and wherein the handle mounting bracket is located a distance away from brush assembly and is spaced both vertically and horizontally a distance away from brush assembly along the rear surface of the scoop. 
     
     
         22 . The hand-held snow shovel as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the bristles are sufficiently stiff enough to brush snow off a surface but are insufficiently stiff enough to cut through ice on said surface.