Oscillating airstream nozzle for debris blower

• US 9,420,924 B2
• Filed: 02/11/2015
• Issued: 08/23/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toro Company (Toro)
• Original Assignee: Toro Company (Toro)
• Inventors: Svoboda, Steven J., Shaffer, Chadwick A., Lonn, Dana R.
• Primary Examiner(s): REDDING, DAVID A
• Application Number:
  US14/619,270
• Publication Number:
  US 20150233378A1
• Time in Patent Office: 559 Days
• Field of Search: 153/275, 153/44, 154/05
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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: 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

Abstract

A debris blower incorporating a nozzle (e.g., removably attachable nozzle) formed from first and second mating halves, wherein the nozzle provides an airstream that oscillates as a result of dynamic fluid effects of airflow passing through the nozzle. As a result, an oscillating airstream may be produced without the use of complicated moving airflow control elements such as louvers and vanes, and without requiring manual manipulation of the blower by the operator.

Claims

1. A debris blower comprising:

a housing defining an air exit opening;

a motor-driven impeller adapted to accelerate air and expel the air through the air exit opening;

a blower tube having a first end and a second end, the first end adapted to attach to the housing at the air exit opening; and

a nozzle adapted to attach to the second end of the blower tube, the nozzle comprising first and second mating halves secured to one another, wherein the assembled first and second mating halves form;

a first end defining an air inlet of complementary shape to the second end of the blower tube; and

a second end defining a primary air outlet and a secondary air outlet proximate the primary air outlet, the nozzle adapted to produce an airstream at the primary air outlet that oscillates back-and-forth along an axis of the primary air outlet, wherein movement of the air through fixed passageways of the nozzle alone produces the oscillating airstream.

2. The blower of claim 1, wherein the second end of the blower tube and the air inlet are obround in shape.

3. The blower of claim 1, wherein either the nozzle or the blower tube comprises a deflectable tab adapted to engage a protrusion on the other of the nozzle or the blower tube to secure the nozzle to the blower tube.

4. The blower of claim 3, wherein the tab is formed on the nozzle.

5. The blower of claim 1, wherein the air inlet of the nozzle is adapted to receive therein the second end of the blower tube with an interference fit.

6. The blower of claim 1, wherein the first mating half comprises a tongue adapted to engage a groove formed in the second mating half when the two mating halves are assembled.

7. The blower of claim 1, further comprising a kit that includes a secondary concentrator nozzle adapted to replace the nozzle at the second end of the blower tube.

8. The blower of claim 1, wherein the first and second mating halves each form portions of both the air inlet and the primary air outlet.

9. The blower of claim 1, wherein the nozzle is adapted to produce a non-oscillating airstream at the secondary air outlet.

10. The blower of claim 1, wherein the nozzle is adapted to produce a second oscillating airstream at the secondary air outlet.

11. A nozzle adapted to removably attach to an outlet of a debris blower, the nozzle comprising first and second mating halves secured to one another, wherein the assembled first and second mating halves together form:

a first end defining an air inlet; and

a second end defining a primary air outlet and a secondary air outlet proximate the primary air outlet, the nozzle adapted to produce an airstream at the primary air outlet that oscillates back-and-forth along an axis of the primary air outlet, wherein movement of air through fixed passageways of the nozzle alone produces the oscillating airstream.

12. The nozzle of claim 11, wherein the nozzle is adapted to removably attach to the outlet of the debris blower via an interference fit.

13. The nozzle of claim 11, further comprising a blower tube forming the outlet of the debris blower, wherein the nozzle comprises a deflectable tab adapted to engage a protrusion formed on the blower tube.

14. The nozzle of claim 11, wherein the first mating half comprises a tongue adapted to engage a groove formed in the second mating half when the first and second mating halves are assembled.

15. The nozzle of claim 11, wherein the air inlet of the nozzle and the outlet of the debris blower are obround in shape.

16. A nozzle adapted to removably attach to a distal end of a blower tube extending outwardly from a debris blower, wherein the nozzle comprises:

first and second mating halves secured to one another, wherein the assembled first and second mating halves together form;

a first end defining an air inlet; and

a second end defining a rectangular air outlet, the nozzle adapted to produce an airstream at the air outlet that oscillates back-and-forth along a long axis of the air outlet, wherein movement of air through fixed passageways of the nozzle alone produces the oscillating airstream, and wherein the first and second mating halves further define a secondary air outlet at the second end proximate the rectangular air outlet; and

wherein the first mating half comprises a latching tab adapted to selectively engage a protrusion formed on an exterior surface of the blower tube when the distal end of the blower tube is partially received within the air inlet of the nozzle.

17. The nozzle of claim 16, wherein the nozzle is adapted to produce a second oscillating airstream exiting the secondary air outlet.

18. The nozzle of claim 16, wherein the nozzle is adapted to produce a second non-oscillating airstream exiting the secondary air outlet.

19. The nozzle of claim 16, wherein the first mating half defines a first mating edge comprising a tongue adapted to engage a groove formed in a second mating edge of the second mating half when the first and second mating halves are assembled.

20. The nozzle of claim 16, wherein the first and second mating halves contact one another along a plane containing the long axis of the air outlet.

21. The nozzle of claim 16, wherein the air inlet is obround in shape.