U.S. patent application number 11/043418 was filed with the patent office on 2005-09-29 for portable hand-held battery-operated dust blower.
This patent application is currently assigned to InnoDesk Business Tools, Inc.. Invention is credited to Brown, Patrick W., Lammers, Anthony J., Nottingham, John R., Plantz, Jeffrey Scott, Spirk, John W..
Application Number | 20050210624 11/043418 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 31188545 |
Filed Date | 2005-09-29 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050210624 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Lammers, Anthony J. ; et
al. |
September 29, 2005 |
Portable hand-held battery-operated dust blower
Abstract
A hand-held, battery-operated air blower is disclosed having a
housing with a handle portion, a discharge end, an air inlet, and a
discharge aperture. A battery compartment is provided in the handle
portion of the housing to contain one or more batteries. The
battery compartment is electrically connected to a motor disposed
within the housing between the battery compartment and the
discharge aperture, transverse to the longitudinal axis of the
housing. A centrifugal fan is mounted on the motor and positioned
within the housing adjacent the air inlet in such a manner that
operation of the fan draws air in through the air inlet and forces
it out from the fan toward the discharge aperture then out through
the discharge aperture. An actuator is provided for switching the
flow of electricity from the batteries to turn the motor on and
off.
Inventors: |
Lammers, Anthony J.; (Gates
Mills, OH) ; Nottingham, John R.; (Bratenahl, OH)
; Spirk, John W.; (Gates Mills, OH) ; Plantz,
Jeffrey Scott; (Cleveland, OH) ; Brown, Patrick
W.; (Auburn, OH) |
Correspondence
Address: |
DKW LAW GROUP, P.C.
58TH FLOOR - USX TOWER
600 GRANT STREET
PITTSBURGH
PA
15219
US
|
Assignee: |
InnoDesk Business Tools,
Inc.
|
Family ID: |
31188545 |
Appl. No.: |
11/043418 |
Filed: |
January 25, 2005 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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11043418 |
Jan 25, 2005 |
|
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|
PCT/US03/23399 |
Jul 25, 2003 |
|
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60399099 |
Jul 26, 2002 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
15/344 ;
15/405 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47L 9/22 20130101; A47L
5/24 20130101; B08B 5/02 20130101; A47L 9/0009 20130101; A47L 25/00
20130101; A47L 5/14 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
015/344 ;
015/405 |
International
Class: |
A47L 005/14 |
Claims
1-24. (canceled)
25. A hand-held blower comprising: (a) a housing having a handle
portion and a discharge end, wherein the discharge end includes a
fan, an air inlet, and a discharge aperture; (b) a battery
compartment within the handle portion of said housing for holding
one or more batteries; (c) a motor disposed within said housing
between said battery compartment and the discharge aperture,
wherein said battery compartment is adjacent to and electrically
coupled to the motor in order to energize the motor when one or
more batteries are installed in said battery compartment; (d) a
centrifugal fan mounted on said motor within said housing and
adjacent the air inlet and driven by said motor for directing air
from the inlet through the discharge aperture; and (e) switching
means to turn said blower on and off.
26. The hand-held blower as set forth in claim 25, wherein said
motor is disposed transverse to the longitudinal axis of said
housing and said fan discharges pressurized air directly into said
discharge aperture when rotating.
27. The hand-held blower as set forth in claim 25, wherein said
discharge aperture includes a tapered nozzle for direction of
stream of pressurized air.
28. The hand-held blower as set forth in claim 25, wherein said
discharge aperture is elliptical.
29. The hand-held blower as set forth in claim 25, wherein said air
inlet has a grille covering the opening to allow passage of air and
for preventing interference with the rotation of the fan.
30. The hand-held blower as set forth in claim 25, wherein also
including a loop attachment, and said loop attachment being made
from a material selected from one of the following: string, rope,
cord, metal ring, and plastic ring.
31. The hand-held blower as set forth in claim 25, wherein said
switching means is a momentary contact, spring-maintained
switch.
32. The hand-held blower as set forth in claim 25, wherein said
blower is contained within a packaging shell, at least a portion of
said shell being comprised of pliable plastic, such that the blower
is operable by depressing the switching means visible through the
external packaging shell, and the switching means automatically
returning to a "normally off" position when released so as to
prevent drainage of the power source.
33. The hand-held blower as set forth in claim 25, also including
one or more air inlets to provide cooling air to the motor.
34. The hand-held blower as set forth in claim 25, also including a
second motor disposed opposite said first motor, said second motor
being coupled to a second centrifugal fan for driving said second
fan to increase the amount of air supplied to the discharge
aperture.
35. A hand-held blower comprising: a housing, said housing
including a handle portion and a discharge end, wherein the
discharge end includes a fan, an air inlet, and a discharge
aperture, said discharge aperture including a tapered nozzle for
direction of stream of pressurized air; a battery compartment
within the handle portion of said housing for holding one or more
batteries; a motor disposed within said housing between said
battery compartment and said discharge aperture, wherein said
battery compartment is adjacent to and electrically coupled to the
motor in order to energize the motor when one or more batteries are
installed in said battery compartment; a centrifugal fan mounted on
said motor within said housing and adjacent the air inlet and
driven by said motor for directing air from the inlet through the
discharge aperture, wherein said motor is disposed transverse to
the longitudinal axis of said housing and said fan discharges
pressurized air directly into said discharge aperture when
rotating; and a switch for electrically coupling the motor to the
battery compartment to turn said blower on and off.
36. The hand-held blower as set forth in claim 35, wherein said
discharge aperture is elliptical.
37. The hand-held blower as set forth in claim 35, wherein said air
inlet having a grille covering the opening to allow passage of air
and for preventing interference with the rotation of the fan.
38. The hand-held blower as set forth in claim 35, wherein also
including a loop attachment.
39. The hand-held blower as set forth in claim 38, wherein said
loop attachment being made from a material selected from one of the
following: string, rope, cord, metal ring, and plastic ring.
40. The hand-held blower as set forth in claim 35, also including
one or more air inlets to provide cooling air to the motor.
41. The hand-held blower as set forth in claim 35, also including a
second motor and fan arrangement to increase the amount of air
supplied to the discharge aperture.
42. The hand-held blower as set forth in claim 35, wherein said
switch while in a package may be operated without opening said
package, and returned to a "normally off" position when released so
as to prevent drainage of the power source.
43. The hand-held blower as set forth in claim 35, wherein said
switching means is a momentary-contact, spring-maintained
switch.
44. The hand-held blower as set forth in claim 35, wherein also
including a power supply selected from at least one of the
following: batteries, rechargeable battery, an optional power
connector, or an AC power adapter.
Description
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation of International
Application No. PCT/US03/023399, filed Jul. 25, 2003, entitled
"Portable Hand-Held Battery-Operated Dust Blower." That application
claimed the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No.
60/399,099, filed Jul. 26, 2002, under the same title.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] This invention relates to hand-held air blowers, and more
particularly, to a hand-held, battery-operated air blower that
achieves superior airflow through use of a centrifugal fan mounted
transversely toward the front of the blower.
[0004] 2. Description of the Prior Art
[0005] Air blowers in various forms are available for numerous
uses, such as drying hair or other objects, blowing fallen leaves,
and blowing air into a fireplace or charcoal grill to accelerate
combustion. Another application for air blowers is removal of dust
from hard-to-reach places, such as between the keys of typewriters
and computer keyboards and from fragile or irregularly-shaped
objects, such as dried flower arrangements and artificial plants.
For this application, the blower will be most useful if it is small
enough to be held in one hand and powered by one or more batteries
in order to avoid the need for a power cord and electrical
outlet.
[0006] In order to extend battery life in such an application and
avoid the need for an excessively large power supply, it is
important that the blower mechanism be as efficient as possible at
converting electrical energy to air flow. While several types of
hand-held, battery-operated blowers are presently available, they
typically employ either an axial-type fan or a centrifugal fan
mounted coaxially with the longitudinal axis of the blower
housing.
[0007] For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,734,017 discloses a blower
employing an axial-type fan, similar to a propeller, which draws
air into the fan inlet and expels it axially.
[0008] Greater air pressure can typically be achieved through use
of a centrifugal fan, such as that employed in the blower disclosed
by U.S. Pat. No. 6,092,260, which draws air into the inlet and
forces it out of the fan at a right angle radially. However, the
blower of U.S. Pat. No. 6,092,260 has the centrifugal fan mounted
coaxially in the blower housing, causing the air stream to be
directed against the inner walls of the blower housing rather than
directly toward the discharge aperture. This position may increase
turbulence within the housing, diminishing the efficiency of blower
operation. This problem may be exacerbated by placement of the fan
toward the rear of the blower housing in the device of U.S. Pat.
No. 6,092,260 because the fan must force air past the blower motor
and batteries before it reaches the discharge aperture.
[0009] Thus, there remains a need for a hand-held, battery-operated
blower that takes full advantage of the greater efficiency of a
centrifugal fan by having the centrifugal fan mounted toward the
front of the blower housing transverse to the longitudinal axis of
the blower housing so that air flow generated by the fan reaches
the discharge aperture with minimal obstruction.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0010] Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to
provide a hand-held, battery-operated blower that efficiently
produces a stream of air through a discharge aperture from a
transverse-mounted centrifugal fan. Specifically, the present
invention provides a hand-held, battery-operated blower comprising:
a housing having a handle portion and a discharge end with an air
inlet on one side of the discharge end and a discharge aperture at
the tip of the discharge end; a compartment within the handle
portion for containing batteries; a motor disposed within the
housing between the battery compartment and the discharge aperture
transverse to the longitudinal axis of the housing, said motor
being electrically connected to the battery compartment; a
centrifugal fan mounted on the motor within the housing and
adjacent to the air inlet; and means for controlling the supply of
electricity from the power source to the motor in order to turn the
blower on and off.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the dust blower;
[0012] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken through lines 2-2 in
FIG. 1;
[0013] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken through the lines 3-3
in FIG. 2;
[0014] FIG. 4 is a fragmentary plan view of the underside of the
dust blower showing the internal loop attachment;
[0015] FIG. 5 is an elevational view of the right side;
[0016] FIG. 6. is an elevational view of the left side;
[0017] FIG. 7 is a bottom plan view;
[0018] FIG. 8 is a top plan view;
[0019] FIG. 9 is a rear elevational view;
[0020] FIG. 10 is a front elevational view;
[0021] FIG. 11 is a sectional view taken along the lines 11-11 in
FIG. 4; and
[0022] FIG. 12 is a sectional view taken along the lines 12-12 in
FIG. 4.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0023] Using the above-identified figures, the invention will now
be described with respect to various preferred embodiments.
Although many specificities will be mentioned, it must be
emphasized that the scope of the invention is not to be taken to be
that of only the preferred embodiments, but should be construed in
accordance with the claims appended below.
[0024] Referring to FIGS. 1-5, FIG. 1 shows a hand-held blower 10
according to the present invention. The blower includes a housing
12 having a left side 14, a right side 16, a handle portion 20, and
a discharge end 22. The housing 12 may be manufactured of any
appropriate material, preferably a lightweight, durable material,
such as high-impact plastic. The discharge end 22 tapers to form a
discharge aperture 24. Aperture 24 is preferably elliptical or
oblong to prevent turbulence from building at the point of
discharge, while at the same time allowing for an increase of
discharge air pressure. The right side 16 of the housing 12
includes an air inlet 26 disposed on the discharge end 22. A grille
27 across the air inlet 26 provides a cage-style cover for a fan
blade 36 and prevents interference with the rotation of the blade
36, as well as infiltration of debris. A screen (not shown) may be
optionally attached behind the grille 27 for additional air
filtration. In the preferred embodiment, grille 27 is comprised of
a plurality of curved segments 27a separated by air gaps 25. A
second grille may be included on the opposing side for symmetry in
appearance. The second grille may also provide cooling air for the
motor, and optionally, a supplemental fan/air inlet, or there may
be a solid cover placed behind the second grille to prevent air
infiltration from that side of the blower.
[0025] A switch 40 is disposed on top of the housing 12 for turning
the blower 10 on and off. Switch 40 provides actuating means for
electrically coupling a miniature DC motor 28 with a DC power
source. In the preferred embodiment, switch 40 is a slidable,
spring-maintained momentary contact type of switch, although any
number of low-voltage switches may be suitable. Raised collar 46
surrounds the switch 40 to prevent accidental actuation of the
switch, such as may otherwise occur when the device is laid on a
surface with the switch 40 facing down. The handle portion 20 may
include a loop of string or rope 29 at the end for hanging the
blower 10 from a hook. In alternative embodiments, not shown, the
string could be replaced by an integral loop forming part of the
housing itself or by a metal or plastic ring or similar device
affixed to the housing.
[0026] A motor 28 is coupled to a centrifugal fan 34 by means of a
shaft 30. Motor 28 and fan 34 are disposed within the housing 12
adjacent to air inlet 26. Centrifugal fan has curved fan blades 36
extending radially from the center of the fan to the periphery of
the fan.
[0027] Referring to FIG. 2, fan blades 36 are mounted on a
generally-flat circular disc. Blades 36 are configured in such a
manner that when the motor 28 drives the centrifugal fan 34, air is
drawn in through the air inlet 26 and forced out through the
discharge aperture 24. The proximity of the fan 34 to the nozzle or
discharge aperture 24 ensures a direct flow of air and maximum
pressure at the point of discharge of air at the aperture 24. The
positioning also eliminates air turbulence due to obstruction
caused by parts in the flow path, since the component parts, such
as the motor 28 and batteries, are located outside of the airflow
path. Further, as discussed above, the elliptical geometry of the
aperture 24 reduces turbulence, allowing a greater flow rate and
pressure at the point of discharge.
[0028] While the motor 28 has shaft 30 projecting from one end, in
alternate embodiments, the motor may be positioned midway between
the left and right sides of the housing, with a shaft extending
from both ends. Centrifugal fans may thus be mounted on either end
or on both ends of the motor. Grille 27, having air inlets, may be
provided on both sides of the housing adjacent to the fans, and the
blades of the fans configured so that each centrifugal fan draws
air through its respective inlet and expels it toward the discharge
aperture. In yet another alternative embodiment, not shown, only
one centrifugal fan is provided, but the housing has a second
grille (not shown) on the side adjacent to the motor for
air-cooling the motor.
[0029] FIG. 3 shows a battery compartment 38 disposed within the
handle portion 20 of the housing 12. The battery compartment 38 is
electrically connected to the motor 28, which is disposed within
the housing 12 adjacent the battery compartment 38 and between the
battery compartment 38 and the discharge aperture 24 such that the
shaft 30 of the motor 28 is transverse to a longitudinal axis 32 of
the housing 12. The battery compartment 38 is configured to hold
batteries of an appropriate size and in an appropriate number to
power the motor 28. The electrical connection (not shown) between
the battery compartment 38 and the motor 28 includes switch 40 (see
FIG. 1) provided on the outside of the housing 12 for turning the
blower 10 on and off.
[0030] In the disclosed embodiment, the battery compartment is
configured to hold four AA batteries 42. In an alternative
embodiment, not shown, the battery compartment may be configured to
hold a rechargeable battery, and a connection provided in the
handle portion of the housing to connect a charging device for
recharging the battery from household current. Also, a power cord
connection may optionally be provided in the handle portion of the
housing in addition to the battery compartment so that an AC to DC
adaptor can be plugged into the blower for operation on a standard
110-volt outlet.
[0031] FIG. 4 shows a removable battery compartment door 44
provided in the housing 12 to provide access to the battery
compartment 38 for installing and changing batteries.
[0032] The momentary-contact switch 40 on the handle also provides
a means for test operation that may be used in the original
packaging. The momentary operation of the switch permits the user
to operate the device 10 while still wrapped in protective
packaging. A transparent thin plastic barrier (not shown) is molded
around a portion of the device 10 and adhesively or mechanically
attached to a backing sheet of cardboard (also not shown), with the
device secured between the plastic barrier and the cardboard. The
plastic is pliable so that the pushbutton on the switch may be
depressed to turn on the device while on the store shelf. The
switch is returned to the off position when released, thereby
avoiding unintended drainage of the batteries in the packages. This
advantageous feature invites people to test-operate the device.
[0033] Referring to FIG. 11, the arrangement of the motor 28 inside
housing 12 is shown. Hollow plastic motor mounting bosses 46a, 46b
are molded on the inside of housing 12, on the side 16 opposite the
inlet 26. A bracket 50 fits over motor 28 and is fastened to
mounting bosses 46a, 46b, preferably with self-tapping screws or
similar fastening means.
[0034] Referring to FIG. 12, a sectional view taken through the
center of the blower 10 shows batteries 52a, 52b inside the battery
compartment 38. Switch 40 is also shown in cross-section.
[0035] According to the provisions of the patent statutes, we have
explained the principle, preferred construction, and mode of
operation of the invention, and have illustrated and described what
we now consider to represent its best embodiments. However, it
should be understood that within the scope of the appended claims
and the foregoing description, the invention may be practiced
otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described.
* * * * *