Portable blower with wear resistant discharge end

A portable blower comprising:

• a propulsion unit for continuously generating a supply of pressurized fluid;
• and
• a conduit assembly for controllably directing fluid from the propulsion unit to and through a discharge opening on the conduit assembly,
• the discharge opening having a central axis and a diameter,
• the discharge opening bounded by a rim,
• the rim defined at least partially by a discrete component made from a first material,
• the discrete component extending axially relative to the central axis a distance less than the diameter of the discharge opening,
• the conduit assembly comprising a first portion made from a second material to which the discrete component is operatively connected,
• the first material being at least one of:
• a) more resistant to abrasive wear than the second material;
• b) more resistant to impact than the second material;
• and c) harder than the second material,
• wherein the discrete component is in the form of a ring,
• wherein air moving through the discharge opening moves in a first line, the first portion of the conduit assembly defines a first edge on the rim facing in one direction generally parallel to the first line and the discrete component defines a second edge that extends transversely to the first line and abuts to the first edge with the discrete component operatively connected,
• wherein the ring comprises a third edge facing generally in the one direction and engages the first portion of the conduit assembly so that a part of the first portion of the conduit assembly is captively held in a fixed relationship between the second and third edges to thereby maintain the discrete component operatively connected,
• wherein the third edge is defined by a first cantilevered tab,
• wherein the third edge is configured to define spaced contact regions that each digs into the first portion of the conduit assembly.

A portable blower comprising:

• a propulsion unit for continuously generating a supply of pressurized fluid;
• and
• a conduit assembly for controllably directing fluid from the propulsion unit to and through a discharge opening on the conduit assembly,
• the discharge opening bounded by a rim,
• the rim defined at least partially by a discrete component made from a first material,
• the conduit assembly comprising a first portion made from a second material to which the discrete component is operatively connected,
• the first material being at least one of:
• a) more resistant to abrasive wear than the second material;
• b) more resistant to impact than the second material;
• and c) harder than the second material,
• wherein the discrete component is in the form of a ring,
• wherein the ring has a central axis, a diameter, and an axial length and the diameter is greater than the axial length of the ring,
• wherein the air moving through the discharge opening moves in a first line,
• the first portion of the conduit assembly defining a first edge on the rim facing in one direction generally parallel to the first line,
• wherein the discrete component defines a second edge that extends transversely to the first line and extends across the first edge with the discrete component operatively connected.