U.S. patent application number 15/087273 was filed with the patent office on 2016-10-20 for fluid apparatus.
This patent application is currently assigned to MAKITA CORPORATION. The applicant listed for this patent is MAKITA CORPORATION. Invention is credited to Yuki KAWAI, Makoto TAKAHASHI, Hirokatsu YAMAMOTO.
Application Number | 20160305438 15/087273 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 57043774 |
Filed Date | 2016-10-20 |
United States Patent
Application |
20160305438 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
YAMAMOTO; Hirokatsu ; et
al. |
October 20, 2016 |
FLUID APPARATUS
Abstract
A fluid aparatus includes an apparatus main body that includes a
motor and a fan driven by the motor, a frame on which the apparatus
main body is mounted, a pipe that is detachably attached to the
apparatus main body to discharge and introduce a fluid by rotation
of the fan, an operation unit that is provided to the pipe to input
an operation command for the apparatus main body by operation from
outside, a cable that transmits a signal between the operation unit
and the apparatus main body, and a connecting portion that is
provided to the cable to separably couple the operation unit and
the apparatus main body to each other.
Inventors: |
YAMAMOTO; Hirokatsu;
(Anjo-shi, JP) ; KAWAI; Yuki; (Anjo-shi, JP)
; TAKAHASHI; Makoto; (Anjo-shi, JP) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
MAKITA CORPORATION |
Anjo-shi |
|
JP |
|
|
Assignee: |
MAKITA CORPORATION
Anjo-shi
JP
|
Family ID: |
57043774 |
Appl. No.: |
15/087273 |
Filed: |
March 31, 2016 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A01G 20/47 20180201;
F04D 27/004 20130101; F04D 25/0673 20130101; F04D 25/0693 20130101;
F04D 25/0613 20130101; F04D 29/4226 20130101; F04D 25/166
20130101 |
International
Class: |
F04D 27/00 20060101
F04D027/00; F04D 29/28 20060101 F04D029/28; F04D 29/32 20060101
F04D029/32; A47L 5/14 20060101 A47L005/14; F04D 29/52 20060101
F04D029/52; F04D 29/44 20060101 F04D029/44; F04D 29/54 20060101
F04D029/54; F04D 25/06 20060101 F04D025/06; F04D 29/42 20060101
F04D029/42 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Apr 20, 2015 |
JP |
2015-085921 |
Claims
1. A fluid apparatus comprising: an apparatus main body that
comprises a motor and a fan driven by the motor; a frame on which
the apparatus main body is mounted; a pipe that is detachably
attached to the apparatus main body to discharge and introduce a
fluid by rotation of the fan; an operation unit that is provided to
the pipe to input an operation command for the apparatus main body
by operation from outside; a cable that transmits a signal between
the operation unit and the apparatus main body; and a connecting
portion that is provided to the cable to separably couple the
operation unit and the apparatus main body to each other.
2. The fluid apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the connecting
portion is provided to at least one of a connection between the
cable and the operation unit or a connection between the cable and
the apparatus main body.
3. The fluid apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the connecting
portion is provided to an intermediate portion of the cable.
4. The fluid apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the operation
unit comprises a plurality of input elements that inputs a
plurality of commands.
5. The fluid apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the operation
unit comprises a dial switch that sets a maximum rotational speed
of the motor, a trigger switch that inputs a speed command for the
motor according to an amount the trigger switch is operated, and a
lock button that locks an operational position of the trigger
switch as the plurality of input elements.
6. The fluid apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the operation
unit comprises a main power switch for the apparatus main body as
one of the plurality of input elements. 7, The fluid apparatus
according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus main body comprises a
plurality of motors, and wherein the operation unit is configured
to input a command value common to each of the plurality of motors
as an operation command for the plurality of motors.
8. The fluid apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the operation
unit comprises a display that displays conditions of the apparatus
main body.
9. The fluid apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the display is
configured to display at least one of a run/stop state of the
apparatus main body, remaining energy of a battery supplying
electric power to the motor, or an abnormality in the apparatus
main body.
10. The fluid apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the operation
unit is provided to the pipe position-adjustably along a central
axis of the pipe.
11. The fluid apparatus according to claim I, wherein the operation
unit is detachably attachable to the pipe.
12. The fluid apparatus according to claim 1, comprising a backpack
fluid apparatus.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit of Japanese Patent
Application No. 2015-85921 filed Apr. 20, 2015 in the Japan Patent
Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by
reference.
BACKGROUND
[0002] The present disclosure relates to a fluid apparatus
including a motor as a power source for a fan.
[0003] A backpack blower as an example of the fluid apparatus has
been known that is configured to include a fan rotationally driven
by a motor and a battery supplying electric power to the fan, both
mounted on a backpack frame, and to be carried by a user on the
user's back by means of the backpack frame for use (see, for
example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,006,400).
[0004] A backpack blower including an engine as a power source for
a fan has also been known that includes a pipe for discharging air,
attached to a blower main body mounted on a backpack frame, and a
trigger for controlling the rotational speed of the engine,
provided to a grip of the pipe (see, for example,
JP2014-234610).
SUMMARY
[0005] The backpack blower disclosed in JP2014-234610 mentioned
above is easy to use because a user can hold the grip to direct a
leading end (an air discharge outlet) of the pipe in a desired
discharge direction and, moreover, can control the air discharge
rate by manipulating the trigger with a hand holding the grip.
[0006] According to the backpack blower disclosed in JP2014-234610,
a cable for coupling the trigger and the blower main body to each
other is directly secured to them, since the structure of a
discharge rate control mechanism for controlling the air discharge
rate does not allow for detachment of the cable.
[0007] This causes a problem of reduced portability because the
undetachable cable gets in the way when, for example, the pipe is
detached from the blower main body and divided to carry the blower
along.
[0008] According to an aspect of the present disclosure, it is
desired, in a motor-driven fluid apparatus including a pipe for
introducing and discharging a fluid, the pipe being attached to an
apparatus main body and provided with an operation unit, to help
preventing a cable coupling the apparatus main body and the
operation unit to each other from getting in the way.
[0009] In a fluid apparatus according to an aspect of the present
disclosure, an apparatus main body including a motor and a fan
driven by the motor is mounted on a frame, and a pipe for
discharging and introducing a fluid by rotation of the fan is
detachably attached to the apparatus main body.
[0010] The pipe is provided with an operation unit for inputting an
operation command for the apparatus main body by operation from
outside, the operation unit and the apparatus main body being
coupled to each other by a cable for transmitting a signal.
[0011] The cable is provided with a connecting portion for
separably coupling the operation unit and the apparatus main body
to each other.
[0012] Thus, in the fluid apparatus according to the present
disclosure, the operation unit and the apparatus main body can be
separated from each other by decoupling a cable connection
therebetween by means of the connecting portion. This helps
preventing the cable from getting in the way to thereby provide
improved portability when, for example, the pipe is detached from
the apparatus main body and divided to carry the fluid apparatus
along.
[0013] The operation unit and the apparatus main body thus being
separable from each other, it is possible to coupe a second
operation unit that is different from the operation unit provided
to the pipe to a cable or a cable connecting portion on the
separated apparatus main body side, so as to run the fluid
apparatus.
[0014] The connecting portion may be provided to at least one of a
connection between the cable and the operation unit or a connection
between the cable and the apparatus main body, or may be provided
to an intermediate portion of the cable.
[0015] Providing the connecting portion to the connection between
the cable and the operation unit or to the connection between the
cable and the apparatus main body allows the connecting portion to
be provided to an end of the cable, thereby allowing for provision
of one cable.
[0016] In such a case, a user can couple the cable to the operation
unit or to the apparatus main body easily with one hand, since a
connecting portion on the operation unit side or on the apparatus
main body side, to be coupled to the cable, is secured to the
operation unit or to the apparatus main body.
[0017] Providing the connecting portion to an intermediate portion
of the cable requires provision of two cables. It is, however,
possible to set a cable extending from the apparatus main body and
a cable extending from the operation unit each at any length. Thus,
it is possible to set each cable to a length that does not cause
the cable to get in the way when the pipe is detached from the
apparatus main body.
[0018] The operation unit may comprise a plurality of input
elements for inputting a plurality of commands.
[0019] The plurality of input elements includes, for example, a
dial switch for setting a maximum rotational speed of the motor, a
trigger switch for inputting a speed command for the motor
according to an amount the trigger switch is operated, and a lock
button for locking an operational position of the trigger
switch.
[0020] The operation unit may further comprise a main power switch
for the apparatus main body as one of the plurality of input
elements.
[0021] Setting the main power switch thus provided to the operation
unit to the OFF state, for example, can help preventing the motor
from being driven to rotate the fan when an input element inputting
a drive command for the motor (such as a trigger switch) is
unintentionally operated. This leads to improved safety.
[0022] The apparatus main body may be provided with a plurality of
fans to increase fluid discharging and introducing capacity. In
this case, it is conceivable to include a plurality of motors in
the apparatus main body to drive each fan separately.
[0023] In such a case as this where a plurality of motors are
included in the apparatus main body, it is desired that the
operation unit be configured to input a command value common to
each motor as an operation command for the plurality of motors.
[0024] Such a configuration eliminates the need for a user to input
an operation command separately for each motor, thereby providing
facilitated operation and improved usability. It also eliminates
the need to provide an input element to each motor, resulting in an
operation unit with a simpler configuration.
[0025] The operation unit may be provided with a display for
displaying conditions of the fluid apparatus. It is desired that
the display be configured to display at least one of a run/stop
state of the apparatus main body, remaining energy of a battery
supplying electric power to the motor, or an abnormality in the
apparatus main body, for example.
[0026] The operation unit may be provided to the pipe
position-adjustably along a central axis of the pipe. This allows
the operation unit to be located in such a position easy for a user
to operate it, thereby providing improved usability.
[0027] The operation unit may be detachably attachable to the pipe.
This allows the operation unit to be detached from the pipe for
separate use, also thereby providing improved usability.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0028] The present disclosure will now be described in detail with
reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
[0029] FIG. 1 shows an explanatory diagram illustrating an
appearance of a backpack blower according to an embodiment;
[0030] FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional view of a blower main body
seen from the same direction as in FIG, 1; and
[0031] FIG. 3 shows a block diagram illustrating a circuit
configuration of the backpack blower.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0032] As illustrated in FIG. 1, a backpack blower (hereinafter
also referred to simply as a blower) 2 according to an embodiment
as an example of a fluid apparatus comprises a blower main body 6
mounted on a backpack frame 4 and a pipe 8 guiding air discharged
from the blower main body 6 to a discharge outlet 9 located at a
leading end of the pipe 8 to discharge the air from the discharge
outlet 9.
[0033] As illustrated in FIG. 2, the blower main body 6
accommodates fans 10A and 10B rotating around a common central axis
A to thereby introduce external air from around both ends of the
central axis A and send the air out in the same direction.
[0034] The blower main body 6 is provided with a pipe mount 7 for
discharging air collected from, the fans 10A and 10B to the pipe
8.
[0035] The fans 10A and 10B respectively comprise outer rotor
brushless motors (hereinafter referred to simply as motors) 12A and
12B, and corresponding blades of the fans are secured to
corresponding rotors of the motors 12A and 12B.
[0036] The blower main body 6 is secured, via a spring 5 for
absorbing vibration, to the backpack frame 4, which is provided
with a pad 4a and a belt 4b to be used by a user to shoulder the
backpack frame 4.
[0037] The pipe mount 7 is provided to the blower main body 6 so as
to be located on the user's right when the blower main body 6 is
carried on the user's back by means of the backpack frame 4.
[0038] The pipe 8 is made of pipes 8a to 8e, which are segments of
the pipe 8 divided along its central axis into five.
[0039] Among these, the pipe 8a is detachably attachable to the
pipe mount 7 and has an L shape such that the direction of air
discharged from the blower main body 6 can be changed from
laterally to forwardly relative to the user.
[0040] The pipe 8b to be coupled to the pipe 8a is shaped like an
accordion such that the discharge outlet 9 can be directed to any
direction.
[0041] The pipe 8c to be coupled to the pipe Sb is a straight pipe
provided, on its outer periphery, with a handle 20 to be gripped by
a user to change the direction of the discharge outlet 9. The
handle 20 is slidable along a central axis of the pipe 8c and can
be secured in any position for use.
[0042] The pipe 8c is configured to be coupled either to the
straight pipe 8d or to the pipe 8e including the discharge outlet 9
with a reduced diameter at its leading end. When the pipe 8d is
coupled to the pipe 8c, the pipe 8e can be coupled to a leading end
of the pipe 8d.
[0043] The handle 20 is provided with a trigger switch
(hereinafter, a switch is indicated as a SW) 22, a dial SW 24, and
a lock button 26, as an operation unit operable by a finger of a
user when the handle 20 is gripped by the user.
[0044] Among these, the trigger SW 22 controls the air discharge
rate from the blower 2 (more specifically, the rotational speed of
the motors 12A and 12B), and the dial SW 24 sets the maximum
discharge rate (more specifically, the maximum rotational speed of
the motors 12A and 12B), which is adjustable by operation of the
trigger SW 22.
[0045] The lock button 26 is an operation button allowing a locking
mechanism to function that holds the trigger SW 22 at its maximum
operational position or at any operational position.
[0046] As illustrated in FIG. 3, the handle 20 is further provided
with a main power SW 28 and a display 30 for displaying operating
conditions.
[0047] The trigger SW 22, the dial SW 24, the main power SW 28, and
the display 30 are coupled, via a cable 32 and a connector 34, to a
central controller 40 secured, together with the blower main body
6, to the backpack frame 4.
[0048] In this context, the connector 34 corresponds to an example
of a connecting portion according to the present disclosure, which
is a multicore connector for coupling a plurality of signal lines
inside the cable (more specifically, the multicore cable) 32
extending from the blower main body 6 to the above-described
elements in the handle 20.
[0049] As illustrated in an enlarged view X in FIG. 1, the
connector 34 comprises a first connector 34a secured to an end of
the cable 32 and a second connector 34b secured to the handle 20
and detachably couplable to the first connector 34a.
[0050] As illustrated in FIG. 3, the trigger SW 22 comprises a main
switch 22a that is turned into the ON state by operation by a user
and a variable resistor 22b that varies its resistance according to
the amount of operation by the user.
[0051] The central controller 40 applies a power voltage Vd to the
variable resistor 22b and takes in a voltage divided using a
sliding contact of the variable resistor 22b as a trigger
command.
[0052] The dial SW 24 comprises a variable resistor that varies its
resistance according to the rotational position of the dial. The
central controller 40 applies a power voltage Vd to the variable
resistor and takes in a voltage divided using a sliding contact of
the variable resistor as a dial command.
[0053] When the main SW 22a of the trigger SW 22 is turned into the
ON state, the central controller 40 sets the rotational speed of
the fans 10A and 10B (i.e., of the motors 12A and 12B) at a ratio
corresponding to the trigger command (i.e., the divided voltage)
taken in from the variable resistor 22b of the trigger SW 22, with
the maximum rotational speed being a rotational speed corresponding
to the dial command taken in from the dial SW 24.
[0054] The main power SW 28 is a momentary (normally off) SW
switching the ON/OFF state of an internal power circuit (i.e., the
run/stop state of the central controller 40) by operation by a user
depressing and releasing the SW. If the SWs 22, 24, and 28 are not
operated for a given period of time, the central controller 40 will
automatically turn the internal power circuit into the OFF
state.
[0055] The display 30 comprises light-emitting diodes DA1 and DB1,
each lit up by electric power from the central controller 40 when
the central controller 40 can drive the corresponding fans 10A and
10B.
[0056] The display 30 further comprises light-emitting diodes DA2
and DB2, each lit up by electric power from the central controller
40 when corresponding DC power sources (batteries) 50A and 50B used
to drive the corresponding motors 12A and 12B of the fans 10A and
10B have low remaining energy.
[0057] These light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are made of those with
different emission colors, for example, green for the
light-emitting diodes DA1 and DB1 and red for the light-emitting
diodes DA2 and DB2.
[0058] The DC power sources 50A and 50B used to drive the motors
12A and 12B comprise two battery packs 50A1, 50A2 and two battery
packs 50B1, 50B2, respectively.
[0059] The two battery packs 50A1, 50A2 and the two battery packs
50B1, 50B2 are respectively coupled to controllers 60A and 60B for
driving the motors 12A and 12B and are individually coupled in
series in the corresponding drive controllers 60A and 60B.
[0060] When the blower main body 6 is seen from behind the backpack
frame 4, the battery packs 50A1, 50A2, 50B1, and 50B2 are arranged,
in sequence from left to right, along a lower portion of the blower
main body 6.
[0061] As shown in FIG. 2, the drive controllers 60A and 60B (only
the drive controller 60A is shown in FIG. 2) are provided in
positions anterior, relative to the backpack frame 4, to mounts for
the battery packs 50A1 to 50B2 (only the battery pack 50A2 is shown
in FIG. 2) and corresponding to the battery packs 50A1, 50A2, 50B1,
and 50B2.
[0062] The central controller 40 is provided to be located further
right to the drive controllers 60A and 60B when the blower main
body 6 is seen from behind the backpack frame 4, since the central
controller 40 is required to be coupled, via the cable 32, to the
SWs 22, 24, 28 and the display 30 in the handle 20 provided to the
pipe 8.
[0063] The central controller 40 is coupled to the drive
controllers 60A and 60B via cables 42A and 42B and connectors 44A
and 44B.
[0064] The central controller 40 outputs, via the cables 42A and
42B to the drive controllers 60A and 60B, a main SW signal, a speed
command for the motors 12A and 12B, and an F/R signal indicating
the rotational direction of the motors 12A and 12B, taken in from
the trigger SW 22 and the dial SW 24.
[0065] The drive controllers 60A and 60B respectively comprise
driving circuits 62A and 62B driving the corresponding motors 12A
and 12B at a speed corresponding to the speed command according to
the above-described signals inputted from the central controller 40
and monitoring circuits 64A and 64B for condition monitoring.
[0066] The monitoring circuits 64A and 64B monitor conditions (such
as currents, voltages, temperatures) of the DC power sources 50A
and 50B, the motors 12A and 12B, and the drive controllers 60A and
60B themselves.
[0067] When the monitoring results are normal, the monitoring
circuits 64A and 64B output a drive permission signal to the
central controller 40 via the cables 42A and 42B. When the
monitoring results are abnormal, the monitoring circuits 64A and
64B stop outputting a drive permission signal.
[0068] The monitoring circuits 64A and 64B detect the remaining
energy of the battery packs 50A1, 50A2 and 50B1, 50B2,
respectively, and display the remaining energy of the individual
battery packs 50A1, 50A2, 50B1, and 50B2 on remaining energy
displays 52A and 52B provided to the blower main body 6.
[0069] The monitoring circuits 64A and 64B output a low remaining
energy signal to the central controller 40 via the cables 42A and
42B when the remaining energy of the corresponding battery packs
50A1, 50A2 and 50B1, 50B2 is lowered to thereby lower the output of
the motors 12A and 12B to a given level.
[0070] The central controller 40 drives the motors 12A and 12B by
outputting, to the drive controllers 60A and 60B outputting the
drive permission signal, a rotational speed set based on the
signals from the trigger SW 22 and the dial SW 24 as a speed
command.
[0071] When the central controller 40 receives an input of the
drive permission signal from the drive controllers 60A and 60B, the
central controller 40 illuminates the corresponding light-emitting
diodes DA1 and DB1 to thereby notify that the central controller 40
is in the ON state and can drive the fans 10A and 10B.
[0072] When the central controller 40 receives an input of the low
remaining energy signal from the drive controllers 60A and 60B, the
central controller 40 flashes the corresponding light-emitting
diodes DA2 and DB2 to thereby notify that the output of the motors
12A and 12B has been lowered to the given level.
[0073] When the central controller 40 receives an input of the low
remaining energy signal while it does not receive an input of the
drive permission signal from the drive controllers 60A and 60B, the
central controller 40 does not illuminate the corresponding
light-emitting diodes DA1 and DB1 while it illuminates DA2 and DB2,
to thereby notify that the corresponding battery packs 50A1, 50A2
and 50B1, 50B2 need to be charged.
[0074] The cables 42A and 42B include corresponding power lines for
inputting corresponding power voltages (voltage between both ends
of two batteries coupled in series) VbatA and VbatB of the DC power
sources 50A and 50B from the corresponding drive controllers 60A
and 60B to the central controller 40.
[0075] The power lines each comprise a pair of a positive signal
line and a negative signal line respectively coupled to the
positive side and the negative side of the corresponding DC power
sources 50A and 50B, in which the signal line on the negative side
is coupled to ground lines of the central controller 40 and the
corresponding drive controllers 60A and 60B.
[0076] This allows the central controller 40 to be supplied with
operating power from the DC power sources 50A and 50B and moreover
allows the negative sides of the DC power sources 50A and 50B and
the ground lines of the controllers 40, 60A, and 60B to have an
identical potential.
[0077] In other words, this can provide the control, system with a
uniform reference potential when the central controller 40 drives
the motors 12A and 12B by means of the drive controllers 60A and
60B, so as to facilitate the design work to build the control
system.
[0078] As described above, the blower 2 according to the present
embodiment has the handle 20 to be gripped by a user, the handle 20
being provided to the pipe 8 detachably attached to the blower main
body 6.
[0079] The handle 20 is provided with the trigger SW 22, the dial
SW 24, the lock button 26, and the main power SW 28 as an operation
unit, as well as the display 30 including the light-emitting diodes
DA1, DB1, DA2, and DB2.
[0080] The trigger SW 22, the dial SW 24, the main power SW 28, and
the light-emitting diodes DA1, DB1, DA2, and DB2 are each coupled,
via the single cable (more specifically, the multicore cable) 32,
to the blower main body 6 (more specifically, to the central
controller 40).
[0081] If the cable 32 is secured to the handle 20 and the blower
main body 6, it gets in the way, for example, when the entire pipe
8 is detached from the blower main body 6 or when the pipe 8c,
together with a pipe leading end portion attached thereto, is
detached from the blower main body 6.
[0082] However, the cable 32 according to the present embodiment is
coupled, via the connector 34, to the handle 20, and it is thus
possible to separate the handle 20 (and eventually the pipe 8) and
the blower main body 6 from each other by decoupling the connection
at the connector 34.
[0083] This helps preventing the cable 32 from getting in the way
to thereby provide improved usability when the pipe 8 or part
thereof is detached from the blower main body 6 and subdivided.
[0084] According to the blower 2 of the present embodiment, the
first connector 34a is secured to an end of the cable 32, and thus
it is also possible to attach another operation unit, other than
the handle 20, to the end of the cable 32 via the first connector
34a.
[0085] This enables the usage where a user hangs the another
operation unit from the waist by means of the cable 32 in carrying
the blower main body 6 on the user's back and manually operates the
another operation unit when necessary. In such a case, another
handle involving no switch operation may be attached to the
attaching position of the handle 20 to replace the handle 20.
[0086] The handle 20 is provided to the pipe 8c movably along its
central axis and is separable from the pipe 8c. Thus, it is also
possible for a user to hang the handle 20 itself from the waist for
use.
[0087] The handle 20 is provided with the main power SW 28 in
addition to the trigger SW 22 for inputting a drive command for the
motors 12A and 12B and the lock button 26.
[0088] When the blower 2 is not intended for operation, setting the
main power SW 28 in the handle 20 to the OFF state helps preventing
the motors 12A and 12B from being driven by accidental operation of
the trigger SW 22 and the lock button 26, thereby providing
improved safety.
[0089] Despite the fact that the blower 2 according to the present
embodiment has the plurality of motors, i.e., the motors 12A and
12B, provided in the blower main body 6, it has only one trigger SW
22 and one dial SW 24 for inputting a drive command for the motors
and setting the rotational speed therefor.
[0090] The central controller 40 takes in inputs from the trigger
SW 22 and the dial SW 24 as a common command value for driving the
motors 12A and 12B and sets the rotational speed of the motors 12A
and 12B.
[0091] Thus, according to the blower 2 of the present embodiment,
the user does not have to input a separate operation command for
each of the motors 12A and 12B and can use the blower 2 easily.
Because there is no need to provide the trigger SW 22 and the dial
SW 24 to each of the motors 12A and 12B, it is also possible to
provide an apparatus with a simpler configuration,
[0092] The. handle 20 is provided with the display 30 capable of
displaying conditions of the blower 2 (more specifically, the
run/stop state of the central controller 40, abnormal driving of
the motors 12A and 12B, and low remaining battery energy), as well
as with the operation unit.
[0093] This allows the user to perceive the conditions of the
blower 2 by gripping the handle 20 and checking the conditions of
the display 30 (lighting state of the light-emitting diodes DA1 to
DB2).
[0094] An embodiment of the present disclosure has been described
above, but the present invention should not be limited to the
above-described embodiment and can take various forms within the
scope of the gist of the present disclosure.
[0095] For example, in the above embodiment, the connector 34 as a
connecting portion has been described as one used to couple the
cable 32 and the handle 20 (more specifically, the operation unit
and the display in the handle 20) to each other. However, it may be
used to couple the cable 32 and the blower main body 6 (more
specifically, the central controller 40) to each other.
[0096] In this case, the connector 34 may be provided to each of
the ends of the cable 32 to allow the cable 32 to be detached both
from the handle 20 and from the blower main body 6.
[0097] As illustrated in an enlarged view Y in FIG. 1, the cable 32
may be divided into two and provided, at cable ends on a dividing
point in the cable 32, with the first connector 34a and the second
connector 34b for mutual connection to thereby form a connecting
portion.
[0098] In such a case, it is possible, by aligning the dividing
point in the cable 32 with a dividing point in the pipe 8, to help
preventing the ends of the cable 32 from protruding from the pipe
and thus getting in the way when the pipe 8 and the cable 32 are
divided at their respective dividing points.
[0099] The above embodiment has described, as a backpack fluid
apparatus, a blower that discharges air from a leading end of a
pipe by rotation of a fan. However, the present disclosure may be a
fluid apparatus that introduces air by rotation of a fan, or may be
a fluid apparatus that introduces and discharges air by switching
the rotational direction of a fan.
[0100] The above embodiment has described the switches as an
operation unit and the display, as being provided to the handle 20
secured to the pipe 8. However, they may be provided directly to
the pipe 8.
[0101] The blower main body 6 according to the above embodiment has
been described as accommodating two sets of a motor and a fan.
However, a set or three or more sets of a motor and a fan may be
provided instead. The configuration may be such that a single motor
drives a plurality of fans.
[0102] The above embodiment has described a backpack fluid
apparatus, but the present disclosure may be a portable fluid
apparatus.
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