Engine arrangement for blowers and blower/vacuums

Details Engine arrangement for blowers and blower/vacuums Engine arrangement for blowers and blower/vacuums

2000-02-25

2001-10-23

Freay, Charles G. (Department: 3746)

Pumps

Ambulant, body supported, or with carrying handle

C417S364000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06305909

ABSTRACT:

TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to hand-held operated carried blowers for lawn garden use and blowers which can be alternatively used in a vacuum mode for collecting debris.
BACKGROUND ART
Blowers for lawn and garden use which are portable and hand-held by an operator when in use are well known and are made by a number of different companies. Blowers can be powered by electric motors as illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 5,222,275 or by small spark ignition internal combustion engines as illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,674,146. These two patents describe blowers which can be converted between a blower mode for blowing leaves or the like and a vacuum mode where debris is collected via a vacuum tube and contained within an operator carried bag. The problems associated with blower/vacuums, particularly those powered by internal combustion engines are that the overall height of the apparatus becomes cumbersome and the engine cooling air and/or the engine exhaust is frequently directed into the operator in at least one of the two modes of operation.
The problems sought to be remedied by the present invention is to provide a compact blower vacuum unit which directs engine exhaust and engine cooling air comfortably away from the operator in both the vacuum and blower operation mode.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
Accordingly, the present invention provides a portable hand-held operator carried blowers and preferably to blower/vacuums that can be alternatively used in the blower and vacuum mode. The blower vacuum is made up of a housing which aligned along a generally vertical central axis defining a generally axially aligned engine compartment, cooling air pump compartment, and volute chamber therein. The engine compartment is provided with a cooling air discharge port formed in an upper forward region thereof. The cooling compartment is located below the engine compartment and is provided with a circumaxial wall extending about the central axis and a separator wall between the engine compartment and the cooling air pump compartment. The volute chamber is located below the cooling air pump compartment and is provided with an axially aligned central air inlet and a blower air discharge port oriented in the forward direction generally normal to the central axis. An internal combustion engine falls within the engine compartment has an input shaft extending downwardly and a finned cylinder extending outward from the central axis in a forward direction within the engine compartment. A rotary impeller is connected to the internal combustion engine input shaft, the impeller is provided with a plurality of cooling air pump blades which project upwardly from a central disc which acts as a boundary between the cooling air pump compartment and the volute chamber. A plurality of blower fan blades project downwardly from the circular disc into the volute chamber. As the engine rotates the rotary impeller, the cooling air pump blades draw air into the cooling air pump compartment and discharge pressurized air through the cooling air outlet into the engine compartment where the air flows across the fin cylinder is ultimately exhausted through the cooling air discharge port in a direction away from the operator.
The present invention associating the cooling air pump compartment immediately adjacent the volute chamber enables a single rotary impeller assembly to be utilized providing efficient use of axial space by interposing a fly wheel and associated engine starter mechanism on the engine output shaft between the rotary impeller and the engine block enables a cantilevered crank type design engine to be utilized further facilitating an axially compact squatty shaped blower vacuum resulting in an excellent feel and ergonomic performance.
These and other advantages of the present invention become apparent upon review of the attached drawings.


REFERENCES:
patent: Re. 33050 (1989-09-01), Tuggle et al.
patent: 1583528 (1926-05-01), Clements
patent: 4288886 (1981-09-01), Siegler
patent: 4325163 (1982-04-01), Mattson et al.
patent: 4723893 (1988-02-01), Kiyooka et al.
patent: 4870714 (1989-10-01), Miner
patent: 5222275 (1993-06-01), Baker et al.
patent: 5233946 (1993-08-01), Yamami
patent: 6007304 (1999-12-01), Veser
McCulloch Catalog, 1996.

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