Self-adjusting system, snow-removal vehicle including such a system, kit for assembling the same, and corresponding methods of manufacturing, assembling and operating associated thereto

Abstract

There is described a self-adjusting system (ex. a self-adjusting skid shoe, a self-adjusting chain tensioner, etc.), and a corresponding snow-removal equipment and/or vehicle including such a system, as well as a kit with corresponding components for assembling the same, and corresponding methods of manufacturing, assembling and/or operating associated thereto.

1 . A snowblower ( 101 ) used for blowing snow, the snowblower ( 101 ) comprising:
 a housing ( 103 ) for receiving snow to be blown by the snowblower ( 101 );   an auger ( 105 ) being pivotably mountable about the housing ( 103 ), for urging snow to be blown towards an outlet ( 107 ) of the snowblower ( 101 ), via a corresponding rotation of the auger ( 105 );   a driving system ( 109 ) and corresponding drive chain ( 111 ) being operatively connectable to the auger ( 105 ), for selectively driving said auger ( 105 ) in rotation with respect to the housing ( 103 );   a chain case ( 113 ) being operatively mountable about the housing ( 103 ), for containing and protecting the corresponding drive chain ( 111 ) of the driving system ( 109 ), the chain case ( 113 ) having an orifice ( 115 ) being positioned, shaped and sized for receiving a corresponding segment of a shaft element ( 117 ) of the auger ( 105 ) extending through said orifice ( 115 ); and   a self-adjusting system ( 119 ) contained exclusively inside the chain case ( 113 ) for automatically tensioning and self-adjusting the driving chain within said chain case ( 113 ).   
     
     
         2 . A snowblower ( 101 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the driving system ( 109 ) includes at least one drive gear ( 121   c ) being operatively and pivotably mountable about the housing ( 103 ), inside the chain case ( 113 ), the at least one drive gear ( 121   c ) being positioned, shaped and sized for receiving a segment of the drive chain ( 111 ). 
     
     
         3 . A snowblower ( 101 ) according to  claim 2 , wherein the at least one drive gear ( 121   c ) includes a pivot axis ( 1210 ) being relatively displaceable within the chain case ( 113 ) via at least at least one biasing device, for operating the at least one drive gear ( 121   c ) between at least first and second different operational modes, and for in turn operating the drive chain ( 111 ) between at least two different tensioned configurations, one of said different operational modes being biased automatically by default via the at least one biasing device. 
     
     
         4 . A snowblower ( 101 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one drive gear ( 121   c ) is provided about a pivot arm ( 123 ) being operatively and pivotably mountable about the housing ( 103 ), so that a biasing force of the at least one biasing device in turn urges the pivot arm ( 123 ) to pivot, and thus in turn urges the at least one drive gear ( 121   c ) to be operated towards a given operational mode by default. 
     
     
         5 . A snowblower ( 101 ) according to  claim 4 , wherein the at least one drive gear ( 121   c ) and corresponding pivot arm ( 123 ) are positioned, shaped and sized with respect to one another and within the chain case ( 113 ), and wherein the at least one drive gear ( 121   c ) and corresponding pivot arm ( 123 ) cooperate with the drive chain ( 111 ), so as to ensure a minimal given tension of the drive chain ( 111 ) being required to drive the auger ( 105 ) in rotation with respect to the housing ( 103 ). 
     
     
         6 . A snowblower ( 101 ) according to  claim 4 , wherein the at least one drive gear ( 121   c ) includes at least first and second drive gears ( 121   c ), each drive gear ( 121   c ) being provided about the same pivot arm ( 123 ). 
     
     
         7 . A snowblower ( 101 ) according to  claim 4 , wherein the first and second drive gears ( 121   c ) are pivotably mountable about opposite extremities ( 123   a , 123   b ) of the pivot arm ( 123 ). 
     
     
         8 . A snowblower ( 101 ) according to  claim 4 , wherein the drive gears ( 121   c ) and corresponding pivot arm ( 123 ) are positioned, shaped and sized with respect to one another and within the chain case ( 113 ), and wherein the drive gears ( 121   c ) and corresponding pivot arm ( 123 ) cooperate with the drive chain ( 111 ), so as to ensure that the drive chain ( 111 ) passes between the first and second drive gears ( 121   c ). 
     
     
         9 . A snowblower ( 101 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the snowblower ( 101 ) includes at least one of the following:
 wherein the driving system ( 109 ) includes a driving shaft ( 125   a ) cooperable with a corresponding driven shaft ( 125   b ) via the drive chain ( 111 ), and wherein the drive chain ( 111 ) is positioned, shaped and sized for cooperating with both shafts ( 125 );   wherein the drive chain ( 111 ) is further positioned, shaped and sized for forming a closed loop about the driving and driven shafts ( 125   a , 125   b );   wherein the driving and driven shafts ( 125   a , 125   b ) are provided with driving and driven gears ( 121   a , 121   b ) respectively, and wherein the drive chain ( 111 ) is further positioned, shaped and sized for forming a closed loop about said corresponding gears ( 121   a , 121   b ) of the driving and driven shafts ( 125   a , 125   b );   wherein each gear ( 121 , 121   a , 121   b , 121   c ) of the snowblower ( 101 ) is provided with corresponding teeth and recesses, the corresponding teeth of each gear ( 121 , 121   a , 121   b , 121   c ) being positioned, shaped and sized for engaging corresponding segments of the drive chain ( 111 ); and   wherein the driven shaft ( 125   b ) corresponds to the shaft element ( 117 ) of the auger ( 105 ).   
     
     
         10 . A snowblower ( 101 ) according to  claim 4 , wherein the pivot arm ( 123 ) is operatively and pivotably mountable about the housing ( 103 ) via at least one self-lubricating component ( 127 ). 
     
     
         11 . A snowblower ( 101 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the snowblower ( 101 ) includes at least one of the following:
 wherein the at least one self-lubricating component ( 127 ) is removably and selectively insertable about a corresponding bore ( 123   a ) of the pivot arm ( 123 );   wherein the at least one self-lubricating component ( 127 ) is substantially cylindrical;   wherein the at least one self-lubricating component ( 127 ) is made of a material capable of releasing a lubrication substance for lubricating a rotation of the pivot arm ( 123 );   wherein the lubrication substance is provided about at least one peripheral surface ( 129 ) of the at least one self-lubricating component ( 127 ); and   wherein the corresponding bore ( 123   a ) of the pivot arm ( 123 ) is further provided about a corresponding protruding portion ( 123   c ) of the pivot arm ( 123 ).   
     
     
         12 . A snowblower ( 101 ) according to  claim 11 , wherein the at least one drive gear ( 121   c ) is removably and selectively mountable onto the pivot arm ( 123 ) via at least one corresponding fastener ( 131 ). 
     
     
         13 . A snowblower ( 101 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one biasing device includes at least one spring ( 133 ) having a first extremity ( 133   a ) being positioned, shaped and sized for operatively engaging the housing ( 103 ), and a second extremity ( 133   b ) being positioned, shaped and sized for operatively engaging either one of at least one drive gear ( 121   c ) and a corresponding pivot arm ( 123 ). 
     
     
         14 . A snowblower ( 101 ) according to  claim 13 , wherein the first extremity ( 133   a ) of the at least one spring ( 133 ) is positioned, shaped and sized for operatively engaging a corresponding hole ( 135 ) of the housing ( 103 ), and wherein the second extremity ( 133   b ) of the at least one spring ( 133 ) is positioned, shaped and sized for operatively engaging a corresponding hole ( 135 ) of the pivot arm ( 123 ). 
     
     
         15 . A snowblower ( 101 ) according to  claim 13 , wherein the pivot arm ( 123 ) is provided with a pair of holes ( 135 ) for allowing two different possible set-ups for the at least one spring ( 133 ) about the pivot arm ( 123 ) and corresponding self-adjusting system ( 119 ). 
     
     
         16 . A snowblower ( 101 ) according to  claim 13 , wherein the snowblower ( 101 ) includes at least one of the following:
 wherein the second extremity ( 133   b ) of the at least one spring ( 133 ) is positioned, shaped and sized for operatively engaging the pivot arm ( 123 ) via at least one corresponding receiving component ( 137 ) of said pivot arm ( 123 );   wherein the at least one corresponding receiving component ( 137 ) of the pivot arm ( 123 ) is pivotably mountable about said pivot arm ( 123 );   wherein the at least one corresponding receiving component ( 137 ) includes a corresponding groove ( 1370 ) being complementary in shape to that of the second extremity ( 133   b ) of the at least one spring ( 133 );   wherein the corresponding groove ( 1370 ) of the at least one corresponding receiving component ( 137 ) is a peripheral groove ( 1370 ) being provided circumferentially about the least one corresponding receiving component ( 137 ).   
     
     
         17 . A snowblower ( 101 ) according to  claim 13 , wherein the first extremity ( 133   a ) of the at least one spring ( 133 ) is positioned, shaped and sized for operatively engaging a corresponding hole ( 135 ) of the housing ( 103 ), and wherein the second extremity ( 133   b ) of the at least one spring ( 133 ) is positioned, shaped and sized for operatively engaging a corresponding slit ( 123   d ) of the pivot arm ( 123 ). 
     
     
         18 . A kit with components for assembling a snowblower ( 101 ) according to any one of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         19 . A snowblower ( 101 ) used for blowing snow, the snowblower ( 101 ) comprising:
 a housing ( 103 ) for receiving snow to be blown by the snowblower ( 101 );   an auger ( 105 ) being pivotably mountable about the housing ( 103 ), for urging snow to be blown towards an outlet ( 107 ) of the snowblower ( 101 ), via a corresponding rotation of the auger ( 105 );   a driving system ( 109 ) and corresponding components thereof being operatively connectable to the auger ( 105 ), for selectively driving said auger ( 105 ) in rotation with respect to the housing ( 103 );   at least one guard ( 141 ) being operatively mountable about the housing ( 103 ), for protecting the driving system ( 109 ) and corresponding components thereof, the at least one guard ( 141 ) having an orifice ( 115 ) being positioned, shaped and sized for receiving a corresponding segment of a shaft element ( 117 ) of the auger ( 105 ) extending through said orifice ( 115 ); and   at least one self-adjusting skidding shoe ( 143 ) operatively mountable about at least one corresponding side of the housing ( 103 ), the at least one self-adjusting skidding shoe ( 143 ) including a deflection slot ( 147 ) being positioned, shaped and sized for receiving a corresponding guiding component ( 149 ) of the housing ( 103 ), and for allowing a given deflective movement of the at least one self-adjusting skidding shoe ( 143 ) about a given deflection range with respect to a ground surface.   
     
     
         20 . A snowblower ( 101 ) used for blowing snow, the snowblower ( 101 ) comprising:
 a housing ( 103 ) for receiving snow to be blown by the snowblower ( 101 );   an auger ( 105 ) being pivotably mountable about the housing ( 103 ), for urging snow to be blown towards an outlet ( 107 ) of the snowblower ( 101 ), via a corresponding rotation of the auger ( 105 );   a driving system ( 109 ) and corresponding components thereof being operatively connectable to the auger ( 105 ), for selectively driving said auger ( 105 ) in rotation with respect to the housing ( 103 );   at least one guard ( 141 ) being operatively mountable about the housing ( 103 ), for protecting the driving system ( 109 ) and corresponding components thereof, the at least one guard ( 141 ) having an orifice ( 115 ) being positioned, shaped and sized for receiving a corresponding segment of a shaft element ( 117 ) of the auger ( 105 ) extending through said orifice ( 115 ); and   at least one self-adjusting skidding shoe ( 143 ) operatively mountable about at least one corresponding side of the housing ( 103 ), the at least one self-adjusting skidding shoe ( 143 ) being positioned, shaped and sized to be operated about a given deflection range with respect to a ground surface, the at least one self-adjusting skidding shoe ( 143 ) being operatively provided with a self-adjusting system ( 119 ) for automatically urging the at least one self-adjusting skidding shoe ( 143 ) towards a default biased configuration against the ground surface, and the self-adjusting system ( 119 ) being operatively and exclusively mountable about the at least one corresponding side of the housing ( 103 ).