PORTABLE BLOWER WITH WEAR RESISTANT DISCHARGE END

• US 20120099979A1
• Filed: 10/25/2010
• Published: 04/26/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Echo Incorporated (Yamabiko Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Echo Incorporated (Yamabiko Corporation)
• Inventors: Peterson, Brent
• Granted Patent: US 8,984,713 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 415/200
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 25/084 hand fans
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/023 especially adapted for elastic fluid pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/522 especially adapted for elastic fluid pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2300/171 Steel alloys
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2300/43 Synthetic polymers, e.g. plastics; Rubber
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2300/506 Hardness

Abstract

A portable blower having 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 is bounded by a rim, defined at least partially by a discrete component made from a first material. The conduit assembly has a first portion made from a second material to which the discrete component is operatively connected. The first material is 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.

Claims

1. 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.

2. The portable blower according to claim 1 wherein the discrete component is in the form of a ring.

3. The portable blower according to claim 2 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.

4. The portable blower according to claim 1 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 abuts to the first edge with the discrete component operatively connected.

5. The portable blower according to claim 4 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 between the second and third edges to thereby maintain the discrete component operatively connected.

6. The portable blower according to claim 5 wherein the ring comprises another edge that is substantially the same as the third edge and another part of the first portion of the conduit assembly is captively held between the second and another edges that in conjunction with the second and third edges maintain the discrete component operatively connected.

7. The portable blower according to claim 5 wherein the ring is configured so that the ring can be translated from a separated, preassembly position relative to the first portion of the conduit assembly into an assembled position as an incident of which the discrete component is placed in the operative state and the part of the first portion of the conduit assembly becomes captively held between the second and third edges.

8. The portable blower according to claim 1 wherein the third edge is defined by a first cantilevered tab.

9. The portable blower according to claim 8 wherein the third edge is configured to define spaced contact regions that each digs into the first portion of the conduit assembly.

10. The portable blower according to claim 9 wherein at least one of the contact regions is defined at the apex of a “

V”

shape on the first cantilevered tab.

11. The portable blower according to claim 10 wherein the first cantilevered tab has a perimeter edge that is in the shape of a “

W”

that defines spaced contact regions.

12. The portable blower according to claim 8 wherein the ring comprises an annular wall that extends around the first portion of the conduit assembly and the first cantilevered tab is formed by being struck from the annular wall.

13. The portable blower according to claim 1 wherein the first portion of the conduit assembly is made from a non-metal material and the ring is made from a metal material.

14. The portable blower according to claim 13 wherein the first portion of the conduit is made from high density polyethylene and the ring is made from steel.

15. The portable blower according to claim 8 wherein the ring comprises at least two cantilevered tabs in addition to the first cantilevered tab that are configured the same, and function the same, as the first cantilevered tab.

16. The portable blower according to claim 14 wherein the ring is made from material having a gauge on the order of 22.

17. The portable blower according to claim 2 wherein the ring has an outside diameter of 2.5 to 3.5 inches.

18. The portable blower according to claim 2 wherein air moving through the discharge opening moves in a first line, and the ring extends fully around the discharge opening and has transverse surface portions each extending continuously around the discharge opening.

19. The portable blower according to claim 17 wherein the first portion of the conduit assembly defines an annular corner on the rim extending fully around the discharge opening and the ring overlies the annular corner.

20. The portable blower according to claim 1 wherein the portable blower has a weight and size that allow the portable blower to be held and operated by a user in an elevated position and the conduit assembly one of:

a) is configured so that the discharge opening is substantially fixed relative to the fluid propulsion unit whereby a user is required to reorient the portable blower to reposition the discharge opening relative to a surface against which fluid is to be propelled; and

b) is configured so that a user can selectively reposition the discharge opening relative to the fluid propulsion unit to reposition the discharge opening relative to a surface against which fluid is to be propelled.