| US 7,571,945 B2 | ||
| Collapsible shovel | ||
| Ben Walker, Draper, Utah (US); David Narajowski, Park City, Utah (US); Thomas Laakso, Park City, Utah (US); David Mellon, Park City, Utah (US); and Chad John Whittaker, Springville, Utah (US) | ||
| Assigned to Black Diamond Equipment, Ltd., Salt Lake City, Utah (US) | ||
| Filed on Nov. 12, 2005, as Appl. No. 11/271,066. | ||
| Prior Publication US 2007/0108782 A1, May 17, 2007 | ||
| Int. Cl. A01B 1/22 (2006.01); B25G 1/04 (2006.01) | ||
| U.S. Cl. 294—51 [294/54.5] | 14 Claims |

| 1. A collapsible shovel comprising:
a blade member which includes a front end, a rear end, and two sides, wherein the rear end includes a recess which extends
through the blade member, wherein the blade member and recess include a blade curvature between the front end and the rear
end defining a partially enclosed scoop;
an elongated shaft member which includes a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is coupled to a handle, and wherein
the second end is slidably engaged to the blade member by extending through the recess so as to facilitate two independent
operational states including an extended state and a collapsed state, wherein the elongated shaft member is coupled to the
blade member in both the extended and collapsed states, wherein the elongated shaft member further includes at least two locking
mechanisms, wherein the at least two locking mechanisms releasably couple the elongated shaft member to the blade member at
a position corresponding to the extended and collapsed states respectively, and wherein the elongated shaft member includes
a shaft curvature between the first end and second end
wherein the elongated shaft member extends through the recess at substantially the same angle with respect to the blade member
in both the extended and collapsed state, and wherein the blade curvature corresponds to the shaft curvature such that the
elongated shaft member is substantially disposed within the partially enclosed scoop of the blade member in the collapsed
state;
wherein the collapsed state includes the second end of the elongated shaft member disposed substantially over the front end
of the blade member within the partially enclosed scoop; and
wherein the recess includes a cross-sectionally shaped cavity with substantially the same shape as the cross-sectional shape
of the elongated shaft member.
|