Portable electrically powered blower apparatus

A portable leaf blower apparatus, comprising:

• an elongated support tube;
• a duct mounted concentrically to a lower end of the support tube, wherein the duct has an upper end that defines an inlet and a lower end that defines an outlet;
• an electric motor secured to a portion of the support tube located within the duct, the motor including a rotatable shaft;
• a fan assembly secured to a portion of the support tube located within the duct, wherein the fan assembly is connected to the shaft of the motor and includes a plurality of blades configured to direct air along a flow path through the duct, from the inlet to the outlet;
• a portable battery pack for supplying electrical power to the motor;
• and
• a handle secured to a portion of the support tube located away from the duct and configured to be gripped by an operator, such that during operation of the blower apparatus the duct, motor, and fan are located below the operator's hand, in proximity to the ground.

A blower apparatus, comprising:

• a duct having an inlet and an outlet and defining a longitudinal axis;
• an electric motor located within the duct, between the inlet and the outlet, the motor including a rotatable shaft;
• a fan coupled to the shaft of the motor and configured to direct air along a flow path through the duct, from the inlet to the outlet;
• a handle projecting above the inlet of the duct and configured to be gripped by an operator;
• and
• a trigger mounted on the handle and actuatable by the operator, for controlling the motor;
• wherein the handle incorporates a hand grip and a forearm support that together define a handle axis that is skewed relative to the duct axis.

A blower apparatus, comprising:

• a duct having an inlet and an outlet;
• an electric motor located within the duct, between the inlet and the outlet, the motor including a rotatable shaft;
• a fan coupled to the shaft of the motor and configured to direct air along a flow path through the duct, from the inlet to the outlet;
• a handle projecting above the inlet of the duct and configured to be gripped by an operator;
• and
• an elongated support tube extending coaxially through at least a portion of the duct and configured to carry the motor, the fan, and the handle.

A blower apparatus, comprising:

• a duct having an inlet and an outlet;
• an electric motor located within the duct, between the inlet and the outlet, the motor including a rotatable shaft;
• a fan coupled to the shaft of the motor and configured to direct air along a flow path through the duct, from the inlet to the outlet;
• a handle projecting above the inlet of the duct and configured to be gripped by an operator;
• wherein the duct has a substantially circular cross-section, and the blower apparatus further comprises a plurality of stator vanes mounted radially within the duct;
• wherein the plurality of stator vanes are mounted downstream of the fan, and the blower apparatus further comprises a plurality of preswirl vanes mounted radially within the duct, upstream of the fan;
• and
• wherein the plurality of preswirl vanes and the plurality of stator vanes impart a circumferential velocity to the air being directed along the flow path through the duct that is opposite to the circumferential velocity imparted to the air by the fan.

A blower apparatus, comprising:

• a duct having an inlet and an outlet;
• an electric motor located within the duct, between the inlet and the outlet, the motor including a rotatable shaft;
• a fan coupled to the shaft of the motor and configured to direct air along a flow path through the duct, from the inlet to the outlet;
• a handle projecting above the inlet of the duct and configured to be gripped by an operator;
• wherein the motor is mounted within the duct and includes a surface exposed directly to air being directed through the duct by the fan, to remove heat from the motor;
• wherein the blower apparatus further comprises an electronic controller mounted within the duct, adjacent to the motor, for supplying controlled amounts of electrical power to the motor;
• and
• wherein the electronic controller includes a surface exposed directly to air being directed through the duct by the fan, to remove heat from the electronic controller.

A blower apparatus, comprising:

• a duct having an inlet and an outlet;
• an electric motor located within the duct, between the inlet and the outlet, the motor including a rotatable shaft;
• a fan coupled to the shaft of the motor and configured to direct air along a flow path through the duct, from the inlet to the outlet;
• a handle projecting above the inlet of the duct and configured to be gripped by an operator;
• and
• a forearm support attached to the handle.

A blower apparatus, comprising:

• a duct having an inlet and an outlet;
• an electric motor located within the duct, between the inlet and the outlet, the motor including a rotatable shaft;
• a fan coupled to the shaft of the motor and configured to direct air along a flow path through the duct, from the inlet to the outlet;
• a handle configured to be gripped by an operator and having a grip portion not located between the inlet and the outlet of the duct and generally along a direction which forms an angle with an axis of the duct.