Mechanism for switching airflow mode of air blower/vacuum

• US 6,735,813 B2
• Filed: 02/04/2002
• Issued: 05/18/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ryobi Limited (Techtronic Industries Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Ryobi Limited (Techtronic Industries Company Limited)
• Inventors: Oohama, Shinji
• Primary Examiner(s): Snider, Theresa T.
• Application Number:
  US10/061,228
• Publication Number:
  US 20020108207A1
• Time in Patent Office: 834 Days
• Field of Search: 153/30, 153/275, 153/44, 154/08
• US Class Current: 15/330
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/14 cleaning by blowing-off, also combined with suction cleaning

Abstract

An air blower/vacuum includes a nozzle, a fan, and a main body. The main body is formed with a vacuum pathway and a blower pathway, located upstream and downstream, respectively, from the fan with respect to the flow of air. The main body is also formed with an attachment hole in fluid communication with both the vacuum pathway and the blower pathway. The attachment hole supports the nozzle rotatable between a vacuum mode orientation and a blower mode orientation. In the vacuum mode orientation, the pathway of the nozzle is in fluid communication with the vacuum pathway. In the blower mode orientation, the pathway of the nozzle is in fluid communication with the blower pathway.

Claims

1. A mechanism for switching mode of an air blower/vacuum that includes a fan for generating a flow of air, the mechanism comprising:

a nozzle formed with a pathway; and

a main body for housing the fan and provided with a vacuum pathway upstream from the fan with respect to the flow of air and a blower pathway downstream from the fan with respect to the flow of air, the main body supporting the nozzle movable with respect to the main body, the pathway formed in the nozzle being switched between fluid communication with the vacuum pathway and fluid communication with the blower pathway by moving the nozzle with respect to the main body.

2. The mechanism as claimed in claim 1, wherein the main body includes an attachment hole in fluid communication with both the vacuum pathway and the blower pathway, the attachment hole being adapted to support the nozzle rotatable about an imaginary axis that extends centrally through the nozzle in a lengthwise direction of the nozzle, the nozzle being formed with the pathway eccentric from the axis in a radial direction of the nozzle at least at a portion of the nozzle that attaches in the attachment hole.

3. The mechanism as claimed in claim 2, further comprising positioning means provided in the nozzle and in the attachment hole of the main body for stopping rotation of the nozzle at a predetermined position in the attachment hole of the main body.

4. The mechanism as claimed in claim 2, further comprising a rotation range restrictor provided in the nozzle in the attachment hole of the main body for preventing the nozzle from rotating beyond a predetermined rotation range.

5. An air blower/vacuum comprising:

a nozzle formed with a pathway;

a fan for generating a flow of air; and

a main body housing the fan and including;

a vacuum pathway located upstream from the fan with respect to the flow of air;

a blower pathway located downstream from the fan with respect to the flow of air; and

an attachment hole in fluid communication with both the vacuum pathway and the blower pathway, the attachment hole supporting the nozzle so that it rotates between a vacuum mode orientation wherein the pathway of the nozzle is in fluid communication with the vacuum pathway and a blower mode orientation wherein the pathway of the nozzle is in fluid communication with the blower pathway.

6. The air blower/vacuum as claimed in claim 5, wherein the attachment hole is adapted to support the nozzle rotatable about an imaginary axis that extends centrally through the nozzle in a lengthwise direction of the nozzle, the nozzle being formed with the pathway eccentric from the axis in a radial direction of the nozzle at least at a portion of the nozzle that attaches in the attachment hole.