Convertible blower/vacuum

• US 7,870,640 B2
• Filed: 03/31/2008
• Issued: 01/18/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toro Company (Toro)
• Original Assignee: Toro Company (Toro)
• Inventors: Martin, David J., Hinklin, Darrell W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Muller; Bryan R
• Application Number:
  US12/059,190
• Publication Number:
  US 20090241285A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,023 Days
• Field of Search: 153/30
• US Class Current: 15/330
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 20/47 Vacuum or blower devices
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/14 cleaning by blowing-off, also combined with suction cleaning
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/225 Convertible suction cleaners, i.e. convertible between different types thereof, e.g. from upright suction cleaners to sledge-type suction cleaners
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/24 Hand-supported suction cleaners

Abstract

A convertible blower/vacuum for selectively blowing or vacuuming debris. The blower/vacuum may include a housing to which a blower/vacuum tube is coupled. The tube may be movable, relative to the housing, to allow a primary passageway of the tube to selectively communicate with either an air inlet of the housing or an air outlet. The blower/vacuum may further include a vacuum receptacle having an opening that selectively communicates with the air outlet when the passageway of the tube communicates with the air inlet.

Claims

1. A blower/vacuum comprising:

a housing defining an air inlet and an air outlet in fluid communication with one another, wherein the housing comprises an outer curved surface upon which are located both the air inlet and the air outlet;

a powered impeller contained within the housing;

a blower/vacuum tube attached to the housing and extending outwardly therefrom; and

a vacuum receptacle selectively attachable to the tube,

wherein the vacuum receptacle and the tube are, when the vacuum receptacle is attached to the tube, movable, relative to the housing, between at least;

a first position, wherein an elongate passageway of the tube is positioned in fluid communication with the air outlet; and

a second position, wherein the elongate passageway of the tube is positioned in fluid communication with the air inlet.

2. The blower/vacuum of claim 1, wherein the vacuum receptacle is positioned in fluid communication with the air outlet when the tube is in the second position.

3. The blower/vacuum of claim 1, further comprising an air inlet grate attached to the tube and positioned over the air inlet when the tube is in the first position.

4. The blower/vacuum of claim 1, wherein the tube is translatable along the curved surface of the housing between the first and second positions.

5. The blower/vacuum of claim 1, wherein the housing defines a channel to receive and retain a flange located at a proximal end of the tube.

6. The blower/vacuum of claim 1, further comprising an electric motor associated with the housing.

7. The blower/vacuum of claim 1, further comprising a battery associated with the housing.

8. A blower/vacuum comprising:

a housing defining an air inlet and an air outlet in fluid communication with one another, wherein the housing comprises an outer curved surface upon which are located both the air inlet and the air outlet;

a powered impeller contained within the housing to generate air flow between the air inlet and the air outlet;

a blower/vacuum tube comprising a proximal end attached to the housing and a distal end, the proximal end of the tube comprising a flange defining at least a first opening and a second opening, the first opening extending the length of the tube, wherein the tube is coupled to the housing; and

a vacuum receptacle attached to the tube,

wherein the tube and vacuum receptacle are movable relative to the housing between at least;

a first position, wherein the first opening is aligned with the air outlet and the second opening is aligned with the air inlet; and

a second position, wherein the first opening is aligned with the air inlet.

9. The blower/vacuum of claim 8, wherein the flange further defines a third opening defining an inlet to the vacuum receptacle, the third opening aligned with the air outlet when the tube and vacuum receptacle are in the second position.

10. The blower/vacuum of claim 8, wherein the vacuum receptacle is selectively detachable from the tube.

11. The blower/vacuum of claim 8, wherein the housing further defines channels in which the flange may translate.

12. A blower/vacuum comprising:

a housing comprising;

a ring-shaped body comprising an outer curved surface upon which are located both an air inlet and an air outlet; and

a powered impeller contained within the housing; and

a tube attached to the housing and extending outwardly therefrom, the tube movable along the outer surface of the ring-shaped body between at least;

a first position, wherein a first opening of the tube is in fluid communication with the air outlet and a second opening of the tube, offset from the first opening, is in fluid communication with the air inlet; and

a second position, wherein the first opening is in fluid communication with the air inlet and the second opening is closed or blocked by the housing.

13. The blower/vacuum of claim 12, wherein the tube further comprises a flange, the flange defining the second opening.

14. The blower/vacuum of claim 12, further comprising:

a structure located within an annular space defined by the ring-shaped body, the structure defining a plenum;

an air inlet duct extending from the plenum to the air inlet; and

an air outlet duct extending from the plenum to the air outlet.

15. The blower/vacuum of claim 12, further comprising a vacuum receptacle attached to the tube, the receptacle movable, together with the tube, along the outer surface of the ring-shaped body, wherein the receptacle is positioned in fluid communication with the air outlet when the tube is in the second position.

16. A blower/vacuum comprising:

a housing defining an air inlet and an air outlet;

a powered impeller to move air from the air inlet to the air outlet; and

a tube attached to the housing, the tube movable relative to the housing without detachment therefrom, between;

a first position, wherein a passageway of the tube is aligned with the air outlet; and

a second position, wherein the passageway of the tube is aligned with the air inlet, the tube comprising a flange located at a proximal end of the tube, the flange forming an air inlet grate aligned with the air inlet when the tube is in the first position, wherein the housing defines a channel to receive and retain the flange.

17. The blower/vacuum of claim 16, wherein the tube further comprises a vacuum receptacle aligned with the air outlet when the tube is in the second position.

18. The blower/vacuum of claim 16, wherein the air inlet grate is blocked by the housing when the tube is in the second position.