Engine blower scroll

• US 8,720,392 B2
• Filed: 02/21/2013
• Issued: 05/13/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Briggs & Stratton LLC (Briggs & Stratton Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Briggs & Stratton Corporation
• Inventors: Tiefenthaler, Carl T., Miller, Benjamin R., Gartzke, Chad J., Schneiker, John R., Hupfer, Greg, Branski, David W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kamen, Noah
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tran, Long T
• Application Number:
  US13/773,368
• Publication Number:
  US 20130160748A1
• Time in Patent Office: 446 Days
• Field of Search: 123/41.56, 123/41.7, 123/41.63, 123/41.44, 123/41.01, 123/41.11, 123/41.47, 123/41.48, 123/41.49, 123/41.6
• US Class Current: 123/41.56
• CPC Class Codes: E01H 1/0809 Loosening or dislodging by blowing combined with suction E01H1/0863; with steam E01H1/10; removing snow by blowing E01H5/106; cleaning rails by blowing E01H8/105, E01H8/125; removing fog by blowing E01H13/00; cleaning joints in road construction by blowing E01C23/0906; Drying by means of gas streams by heat only E01H1/08; combined with snow or ice melting E01H5/10, E01H5/106, E01H5/108
• CPC Class Codes: E01H 2001/0881 Details for pneumatically dislodging or removing not related to the mouth-piece
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 5/04 Pump-driving arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 63/02 for hand-held tools

Abstract

A blower system for an engine includes a base of a blower scroll coupled to an engine crankcase. The base has a bottom wall with an opening sized to accommodate an end of a crankshaft. The base also has a sidewall extending away from the crankcase. The blower system further includes a blower housing fastened to the base, without the use of threaded fasteners. Together the blower housing and the base form a chamber having an inlet and an outlet. Also, the blower system includes a fan within the chamber. The fan is driven by the crankshaft and is designed to direct a flow of air through the outlet of the chamber.

Claims

1. A blower system for an engine, comprising:

a base of a blower scroll, the base coupled to an engine crankcase, the base positioned adjacent the crankcase, the base having a bottom wall with an opening formed therein to accommodate an end of a crankshaft, and the base further having a sidewall extending away from the crankcase;

a blower housing fastened to the base without the use of threaded fasteners, wherein the blower housing and the base form a chamber having an inlet and an outlet; and

a fan within the chamber and driven by the crankshaft, the fan configured to blow air through the outlet.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the blower housing is fastened to the base with a catch.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the catch includes a hook extending from the blower housing.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the sidewall includes a flange that supports the blower housing, the hook extending through the flange.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the flange includes an opening and the blower housing includes a boss sized to slide into the opening.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the blower housing is fastened to the base with more than one catch coupled to the sidewall.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the base further comprises grooves in the sidewall, wherein the grooves are configured to support hooking extensions of a fuel tank.

8. An engine, comprising:

a base of a blower scroll, the base coupled to an engine crankcase, the base positioned adjacent the crankcase, and the base having a bottom with an opening formed therein and a sidewall extending away from the crankcase;

a blower housing coupled to the base, wherein the blower housing and the base together form a chamber of the blower scroll;

a fan extending within the chamber, the fan driven by a crankshaft extending through the opening in the base, wherein the chamber has an outlet oriented to direct a flow of air over a cylinder block; and

a fuel tank coupled to the sidewall of the base.

9. The engine of claim 8, wherein the fuel tank includes an extension having a flange, the flange hooking to the sidewall.

10. The engine of claim 9, wherein the sidewall includes a groove, wherein the extension of the fuel tank slides into the groove to attach the fuel tank.

11. The engine of claim 10, wherein the blower housing attaches to the base such that an edge of the blower housing locks the extension within the groove.

12. The engine of claim 11, wherein the blower housing fastens to the base via a catch, and without threaded fasteners.

13. The engine of claim 12, wherein the base forms a wall sealing a collection area behind a crankcase breather.

14. The engine of claim 8, wherein the fuel tank fastens to the sidewall without threaded fasteners.

15. An engine, comprising:

a crankcase;

a crankshaft extending from the crankcase;

a cylinder block;

a blower scroll fastened to the crankcase, the blower scroll positioned adjacent the crankcase, wherein the blower scroll includes a bottom and a sidewall, wherein the bottom has an opening through which the crankshaft extends, and wherein the sidewall extends from the bottom away from the crankcase and includes an outlet opening adjacent the cylinder block;

a blower housing fastened to the blower scroll without threaded fasteners, wherein the blower housing, the bottom, and the sidewall define a blower scroll chamber; and

a fan coupled to the crankshaft and located in the blower scroll chamber such that substantially all of the air moved by the fan exits the blower scroll chamber through the outlet opening.

16. The engine of claim 15, wherein the blower housing is fastened to the blower scroll with a catch.

17. The engine of claim 16, wherein the catch includes a hook extending from the blower housing.

18. The engine of claim 17, wherein the sidewall includes a flange that supports the blower housing, the hook extending through the flange.

19. The engine of claim 18, wherein the flange includes an opening and the blower housing includes a boss sized to slide into the opening.

20. The engine of claim 15, further comprising:

a fuel tank fastened to the sidewall without threaded fasteners.