Portable apparatus and method for displacing snow or similar material

Abstract

A portable apparatus for displacing material, such as snow and/or ice, includes a duct having an inlet and an outlet and a material moving member, a motor adapted to operate the material moving member to displace the material received at the inlet to the outlet. A handle of the portable apparatus may be adjustable to change an angle of the handle with the duct. The material moving member may be an auger. The portable apparatus may have a blow head in communication with an outlet of the duct. The blow head may be rotatable about the duct. In use, the portable apparatus contacts the surface of a pile of material and the material moving member is driven to displace material received the inlet of the duct.

1 . A portable apparatus for displacing snow or a similar material, the apparatus comprising:
 a duct having an inlet and an outlet;   a material moving member;   at least one motor adapted to operate the material moving member to displace the material received at the inlet to the outlet;   an adjustable handle defining an angle with the duct, a first adjustment of the handle causing a change to the angle.   
     
     
         2 . (canceled) 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the duct defines a cylindrical channel, the material moving member extending through the channel. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the length of the handle is variable according to a second adjustment of the handle. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the handle is a telescoping, handle. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the handle is adjustable according to its second adjustment between a length of about 35 cm and about 65 cm. 
     
     
         7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising at least one blow head in communication with the outlet of the duct the material being ejected from the duct via an outlet and the blow head. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein the blow head is rotatable about the duct. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein the blow head has an adjustable length. 
     
     
         11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the material moving member comprises an auger. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the auger comprises a double auger. 
     
     
         14 . An apparatus according to  claim 9 , further comprising a controller configured for controlling, based on a user input, at least one of either the direction of rotation of the material moving member or the speed of rotation of the material moving member. 
     
     
         15 . A portable apparatus for displacing snow or a similar material, the apparatus comprising:
 a duct having an inlet portion and an outlet portion;   an auger; and   at least one motor adapted to operate the auger to displace the material from the inlet portion to the outlet portion of the duct.   
     
     
         16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein the auger extends between the inlet portion and the outlet portion along a channel defined by the duct. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein the auger is a double auger. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus according to  claim 12 , further comprising a controller configured for controlling, based on a user input, at least one of either the direction of rotation of the material moving member or the speed of rotation of the material moving member. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus according to  claim 12 , further comprising a blow head in communication with the channel and adapted to rotate about the duct. 
     
     
         21 . A portable apparatus for displacing snow or a similar material, the apparatus comprising:
 a duct defining a channel;   a material moving member;   a blow head in communication with the channel and adapted to rotate about the duct; and   at least one motor adapted to operate the material moving member to displace the material from an inlet of the duct to the blow head.   
     
     
         22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the blow head has an adjustable length, and wherein rotation of the blow head about the duct changes an angular position of the blow head about the duct within a plane perpendicular to the duct. 
     
     
         24 . (canceled) 
     
     
         25 . The apparatus of any one of  claims 21  to  24 , wherein the blow head further comprises a guide plate positioned within the channel of the duct and adapted to guide material in the channel to an outlet of the blow head. 
     
     
         26 . (canceled) 
     
     
         27 . The apparatus according to  claim 17 , further comprising an adjustable handle coupled to the duct and defining an angle with the duct, a first adjustment of the handle causing, a change to the angle. 
     
     
         28 . (canceled)