Snow Removal Apparatus for Solar Panels

Abstract

A snow removal apparatus or snow sweeper generally having an elongated handle secured to a scraper and further including a slide suspended between the scraper and the handle is disclosed for use in removing snow and ice from outwardly facing surfaces of solar panels. The scraper preferably includes a top plate and a bottom plate secured to one another so as to engage the slide. The bottom plate is preferably made of HDPE. In preferred embodiments, the bottom plate will have a leading edge that extends beyond a first end of the slide and the top plate, the slide will be made at least partially of polyethylene material and a second or following end of the slide will include a stiffener and the polyethylene material is sewn at least partially around the stiffener.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A snow removal apparatus for removing snow and ice from an outwardly facing flat surface on an inclined solar panel that is at least partially covered by snow and ice; the snow removal apparatus comprising:
 a scraper having a leading edge;   an elongated handle for attachment to the scraper;   an elongated slide having an elongated top surface and first and second ends; and   a fastener that is substantially nonstretchable; wherein the handle can be attached to the scraper in a manner that permits the handle to be used to both push and pull the scraper in separate operations on the flat surface when the handle is attached to the scraper; wherein the first end of the slide can be secured to the scraper in a manner that permits snow and ice on the flat surface to be dislodged from the flat surface by the scraper to slip over the scraper and slide downward on the elongated top surface when the snow and ice is dislodged from the solar panel; and the second end of the slide can be secured to the handle by the fastener when the handle is attached to the scraper and the first end is secured to the scraper; wherein the distance between the second end and the handle when the handle is attached to the scraper, the first end is secured to the scraper and the second end is secured to the handle, will be no more than about three inches and the second end will be secured under tension to the handle so that the second end can be pulled by the handle, when the scraper is pulled by the handle, such that snow and ice can be dislodged from the flat surface by the second end.   
     
     
         2 . The snow removal apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the scraper has a top plate and a bottom plate that are secured to one another; wherein the bottom plate is made of high density polyethylene (HDPE). 
     
     
         3 . The snow removal apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the bottom plate has a leading edge that extends out beyond the first end of the slide. 
     
     
         4 . The snow removal apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the scraper has a top plate and a bottom plate that are secured to one another by a plurality of fasteners. 
     
     
         5 . The snow removal apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the bottom plate has a leading edge and a bottom surface, either of which may come into contact with the outwardly facing surface of the solar panel when the scraper is used to dislodge snow and ice from the outwardly facing surface; and wherein each of the plurality of fasteners is set into the bottom plate in such a manner such that each of the fasteners is recessed away from the leading edge and the bottom surface so that the fasteners do not come into contact with the outwardly facing surface when the scraper is used to dislodge snow and ice from the outwardly facing surface. 
     
     
         6 . The snow removal apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the slide is made at least partially out of a sheet of polyethylene material. 
     
     
         7 . The snow removal apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the slide includes a stiffener secured to the second end of the slide. 
     
     
         8 . The snow removal apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the stiffener is made of a rigid material and the polyethylene material is sewn at least partially around the stiffener. 
     
     
         9 . The snow removal apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the distance between the second end and the handle when the handle is attached to the scraper, the first end is secured to the scraper, and the second end is secured to the handle, will be no more than about 2.5 inches. 
     
     
         10 . A method of removing snow and ice from an inclined, outwardly facing surface on an inclined solar panel; the snow removal method comprising the steps of:
 1) providing a snow removal apparatus having: a) a scraper having a leading edge; b) an elongated handle for attachment to the scraper; c) a slide having an elongated top surface and first and second ends; and d) a fastener that is substantially nonstretchable; wherein the handle is attached to the scraper in a manner that permits the handle to be used to both push and pull the scraper, in separate operations over a flat surface; the first end of the slide is secured to the scraper in a manner that permits snow and ice dislodged by the scraper to slip downward on the elongated top surface when the snow and ice is dislodged from the solar panel; and the second end of the slide is secured to the handle by the fastener; wherein the distance between the second end and the handle will be no more than about three inches so that the second end can be secured under tension to the handle so that the second end can be pulled by the handle when the scraper is pulled by the handle;   2) grasping the handle of the snow removal apparatus and deploying the snow removal apparatus on the inclined solar panel so that the scraper is engaged with the inclined outwardly facing surface of the solar panel; and   3) pushing the scraper upward along the inclined outwardly facing surface of the solar panel so as to dislodge snow and ice located on the inclined outwardly facing surface, such that some of the snow and ice dislodged from the inclined outwardly facing surface, slips downward on the elongated top surface of the slide.   
     
     
         11 . The method of removing snow and ice from an inclined, outwardly facing surface on an inclined solar panel of  claim 10 , wherein the step of pushing the scraper upward along the inclined outwardly facing surface of the solar panel so as to dislodge snow and ice located on the inclined outwardly facing surface, includes permitting some of the snow and ice dislodged from the inclined outwardly facing surface to slip downward on the elongated top surface of the slide. 
     
     
         12 . The method of removing snow and ice from an inclined, outwardly facing surface on an inclined solar panel of  claim 10 , further comprising the step of pulling the handle downward along the inclined outwardly facing surface of the solar panel in order to pull the scraper and the second end of the slide downward along the inclined outwardly facing surfaces so as engage the scraper and the second end of the slide with the inclined, outwardly facing surface to dislodge any remaining snow and ice from the inclined, outwardly facing surface. 
     
     
         13 . The method of removing snow and ice from an inclined, outwardly facing surface on an inclined solar panel of  claim 10 , further comprising the step of pulling the handle downward along the inclined outwardly facing surface of the solar panel in order to pull the scraper and the second end of the slide downward along the inclined outwardly facing surfaces so as engage the scraper and the second end of the slide with the inclined, outwardly facing surface to dislodge any remaining snow and ice from the inclined, outwardly facing surface, wherein the slide includes a stiffener that is incorporated into the second end of the slide so as to stiffen the second end of the slide to enhance the rigidity of the second end thereby enabling the second end to engage and dislodge snow and ice on the inclined outwardly facing surface of the solar panel. 
     
     
         14 . The method of removing snow and ice from an inclined, outwardly facing surface on an inclined solar panel of  claim 12 , wherein the step of pulling the handle downward along the inclined outwardly facing surface of the solar panel so as to dislodge snow and ice located on the inclined outwardly facing surface, includes permitting some of the snow and ice dislodged from the inclined outwardly facing surface to slip downward on the elongated top surface of the slide.