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US 4,884,314 AGranted
Portable blower
AssigneeBlack & Decker Inc.
InventorsJonathan L. Miner, Vernon R. Lacher, Gerald J. Rescigno, William B. Swim, Martin P. Gierke, David A. Hahn
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A portable rechargeable battery-operated slender tubular blower for removing relatively light debris from hard surfaces such as sidewalks, driveways, decks or workbench surfaces. The blower uses an axial flow blower fan arranged for noise minimization and energy efficient operation. Blower tube inlet and outlet portions are arranged for debris removal effectiveness by optimizing airflow volume and velocity parameters.
Claims79
Portable blower apparatus comprising:
- an elongate tubular housing having an inlet end and an outlet end;
- a drive motor having a drive shaft extending substantially coaxially with the longitudinal axis of the housing;
- fan means coupled to the drive shaft for rotation about said longitudinal axis for moving air from the housing inlet end to the housing outlet end;
- and
- airflow directing and smoothing means positioned with respect to the drive motor and fan means to smooth the airflow passing over the drive motor and to maintain the airflow substantially parallel to said longitudinal axis;
- the fans means being positioned relative to the housing inlet such that standing waves within the housing having predominant noise frequencies generated by the fan means are inhibited.
3 more elements
A hand-held, cordless, electrically driven blower comprising:
- an elongate tubular housing defining a longitudinal axis and having an inlet end aligned with said longitudinal axis and an outlet end;
- an electrical drive motor having a drive shaft extending substantially coaxially with the longitudinal axis of the housing;
- fan means coupled to the drive shaft for rotation about said longitudinal axis and having a plurality of fan blades arranged for moving air from the housing inlet end to the housing outlet end;
- a plurality of airflow directing vanes surrounding the drive motor for maintaining airflow substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis;
- substantially conical streamlining means for smoothing airflow exiting the fan means and passing over the drive motor and having a cone base abutting an end of the drive motor remote from the fan means and a cone apex facing toward the outlet end of the housing;
- at least one rechargeable DC energy cell coupled to the drive motor for furnishing electrical energy thereto;
- and
- receptacle means for coupling the at least one cell to a source of charging energy.
5 more elements
A hand-held, cordless, electrically driven blower comprising:
- an elongate tubular housing having an inlet end and an outlet end;
- guard means coupled to the inlet end for preventing access to the interior of the housing from the inlet end, the inlet end having an enlarged flared portion containing the guard means such that an open area at the inlet end is at least as large as the cross-sectional area of the housing remote from the inlet end;
- an electrical drive motor having a drive shaft extending substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the housing and including first and second apertures on opposite sides of an outside surface of the drive motor, each facing an interior wall of the tubular housing;
- a fan having three blades arranged for moving air from the housing inlet to the housing outlet end, the fan coupled to the drive shaft for rotation about the longitudinal axis;
- a substantially conical streamlining member for smoothing airflow exiting the fan and passing over the drive motor and having a cone base abutting an end of the motor remote from the fan and a cone apex facing toward the outlet end of the housing;
- first and second airflow detecting vanes coupled to and extending from the interior wall of the housing on opposite sides of the drive motor in the vicinity of the first and second apertures in the motor, the first and second vanes including a tab portion for respectively engaging the first and second apertures in the motor;
- third and fourth airflow directing vanes coupled to and extending from the streamlining member and positioned substantially 90 degrees rotationally offset from the first and second vanes, the first, second, third and fourth vanes at least partially surrounding the drive motor for providing the dual functions of supporting the drive motor in a preselected position within the blower housing and for maintaining airflow exiting the fan substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the housing;
- an exhaust portion of the housing coupled to a portion of the housing containing the drive otor and fan, the exhaust portion being angled with respect to the longitudinal axis such that, when the blower is held in a normal downwardly pointing operating position, the outlet nozzle is positioned so as to discharge air substantially parallel to a surface being cleaned by the blower;
- a plurality of recharageable batteries retained in the housing and coupled to the drive motor for furnishing electrical energy thereto;
- and
- means on the housing for coupling the plurality of batteries to a source of charging energy.
8 more elements
A portable, electrically driven blower comprising:
- an elongate tubular housing having an inlet end and an outlet end, the inlet end having an enlarged flared portion incorporating guard means for preventing manual access into the inlet end, the guard means presenting a total open area at the inlet end at least as large as the cross-sectional area of the tubular housing;
- an electrical drive motor mounted within the tubular housing and having a drive shaft substantially aligned with the longitudinal axis of the tubular housing;
- and
- fan means coupled to the drive shaft of the motor for rotation about said longitudinal axis and having a plurality of fan blades arranged for moving air from the housing inlet end to the housing outlet end.
1 more element
A portable electrically driven blower comprising:
- an elongate tubular housing having an inlet end and an outlet end;
- an electrical drive motor mounted within the tubular housing and having cooling slots formed in its outer surface and a drive shaft substantially aligned with the longitudinal axis of the tubular housing;
- fan means coupled to the drive shaft of the motor for rotation about said longitudinal axis and having a plurality of fan blades arranged for moving air from the housing inlet to the housing outlet;
- and
- support means radially located within the tubular housing for supporting the motor within the housing and being configured to direct airflow from the fan means substantially parallel to said longitudinal axis, the support means including means for engaging the cooling slots in the motor.
2 more elements
A hand-held portable, electrically driven blower adapted for blowing debris from sidewalks, driveways, decks, and other such surfaces, comprising:
- an elongated tubular housing defining a longitudinal axis and having sufficient length to extend proximate to the surface on which a user is standing when holding the blower;
- an inlet portion aligned with said longitudinal axis and connected to one end of said tubular housing and an outlet portion connected to the other end of said tubular housing;
- an electrical drive motor mounted entirely within the tubular housing and having a drive shaft substantially aligned with the longitudinal axis of the tubular housing;
- fan means coupled to the drive shaft of the motor for rotation about said longitudinal axis and having a plurality of fan blades for moving air from said inlet portion to said outlet portion;
- and
- a handle connected to the tubular housing and adapted to be grasped by the hand of the user so that in the normal operating position of the blower the tubular housing of the blower is suspended from the handle when in use.
3 more elements
A hand-held portable, electrically driven blower adapted for blowing debris from sidewalks, driveways, decks, and other such surfaces, comprising:
- an elongated tubular housing defining a longitudinal axis and having sufficient length to extend proximate to the surface on which a user is standing when holding the blower;
- an inlet portion connected to one end of said tubular housing and an outlet portion connected to the other end of said tubular housing;
- an electrical drive motor mounted within the tubular housing intermediate said inlet and outlet portions and having a drive shaft substantially aligned with the longitudinal axis of the tubular housing;
- fan means coupled to the drive shaft of the motor for rotation about said longitudinal axis and having a plurality of fan blades for moving air from said inlet portion to said outlet portion;
- and
- a handle connected to the tubular housing and adapted to be grasped by the hand of the user so that in the normal operating position of the blower the tubular housing of the blower is suspended from the handle when in use.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.