Blower

A blower includes a fan for generating an air flow, a motor for driving the fan to rotate about a central axis, a battery pack for supplying power to the motor, an air duct portion including an air duct, the air duct extending long the central axis, a coupling portion for coupling with the battery pack, and a connection portion for connecting the air duct portion with the coupling portion. The fan is received in the air duct. The air duct includes an air duct inlet and an air duct outlet which are respectively located at the two ends of the air duct. The air duct inlet is located between the air duct outlet and the coupling portion. The connection portion is provided with an air intake space located between the air duct inlet and the coupling portion. The air intake space is opened in a radial direction of the central axis.

RELATED APPLICATION INFORMATION

This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a) of Chinese Patent Application No. CN 201510238214.7, filed on May 11, 2015, Chinese Patent Application No. CN 201510237994.3, filed on May 11, 2015, Chinese Patent Application No. CN 201510235809.7, filed on May 11, 2015, Chinese Patent Application No. CN 201510235758.8, filed on May 11, 2015, and Chinese Patent Application No. CN 201510235719.8, filed on May 11, 2015, all of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

The present disclosure relates generally to power tools and, more particularly, to a blower.

BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE

Blowers are commonly used gardening tools, which are used to clean the fallen leaves in the garden through an air flow. Currently known blowers include centrifugal type blowers and axial type blowers. The axial type blowers can generate greater air quantity to better satisfy the requirements of the users.

The blower generates the air flow through an air duct and a fan disposed within the air duct. In order to realize better blowing effect, it would be better that the air duct is designed to have a linear structure.

In order to improve the power and lengthen usage time, currently known blowers generally use a bigger battery pack. In order to assemble the battery pack and a gripping portion, the blower may have an air duct with a curved shape. However, a curved portion of the air duct makes air which flows through the curved portion slow down.

If a blower has an axial type fan to generate air flow and a curved air duct to direct the air flow, the speed of the air flow which the blower outputs may suffer a loss.

SUMMARY

In one aspect of the disclosure, a blower includes a fan for generating an air flow, a motor for driving the fan to rotate about a central axis, a battery pack for supplying power to the motor, an air duct portion including an air duct, the air duct extending along the central axis, a coupling portion for coupling with the battery pack, and a connection portion for connecting the air duct portion with the coupling portion. The fan is received in the air duct. The air duct includes an air duct inlet and an air duct outlet which are respectively located at the two ends of the air duct. The air duct inlet is located between the air duct outlet and the coupling portion. The connection portion is provided with an air intake space located between the air duct inlet and the coupling portion. The air intake space is opened in a radial direction of the central axis.

In another aspect of the disclosure, a blower includes a fan for generating an air flow, a motor for driving the fan to rotate about a central axis, an air duct portion including an air duct, the air duct extending long the central axis, a coupling portion for coupling with a battery pack, the battery pack being capable of supplying power to the motor, a connection portion connected with the air duct portion and the coupling portion, and a gripping portion for a user to grip. The fan is received in the air duct. The air duct includes an air duct inlet and an air duct outlet which are respectively located at the two ends of the air duct. The air duct inlet is located between the air duct outlet and the coupling portion. The gripping portion includes a middle plane which is substantially parallel to the central axis. The connection portion is provided with an air intake space which is opened in a direction substantially perpendicular to the middle plane. The air intake space is disposed between the air duct portion and the coupling portion.

In yet another aspect of the disclosure, a blower includes a fan for generating an air flow, a prime mover for driving the fan to rotate about a central axis, a power source for supplying power to the motor, an air duct portion forming an air duct, the air duct extending long the central axis, and a connection portion for connecting the air duct portion with the power source. The fan is received in the air duct. The air duct includes an air duct inlet and an air duct outlet which are respectively located at the two ends of the air duct. The air duct inlet is located between the air duct outlet and the power source. The connection portion is provided with an air intake space located between the air duct inlet and the power source. The air intake space is opened in a radial direction of the central axis.

The drawings described herein are for illustrative purposes only of selected examples and not all possible implementations, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. Corresponding reference numerals indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following description of preferred embodiments is merely exemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the scope of the invention hereinafter claimed, its application, or uses.

Referring toFIGS. 1-4, a blower100includes a fan10, a motor20, a battery pack30and a housing40.

The fan10includes a plurality of fan blades, so that an air flow can be generated when the fan10is rotated.

The motor20is used to drive the fan10, and the fan20is capable of rotating about a central axis11.

The battery pack30is used to supply power to the motor20, and the motor20is capable of transforming electricity energy to mechanical energy so as to drive the fan10.

The blower100includes three portions: an air duct portion101, a coupling portion102and a connection portion103.

For convenience of the reader only, the coordinates inFIGS. 1-2define front, back, left, right, up and down directions. The front, back, left, right, up and down direction herein described will refer to these coordinates. These directional definitions are provided for convenience only and are not to be considered as being absolute locations. The front, back, left, right, up and down directions are relative to the blower100, which are not equal to the front, back, left, right, up and down directions of a user and not relative to the posture of the user.

Referring toFIGS. 1-4, the air duct portion101is disposed in the front of the connection portion103, and the coupling portion102is disposed in the back of the connection portion103. The central axis11can be parallel to a back and front direction.

The air duct portion101, the coupling portion102and the connection portion103are arranged along a direction substantially parallel to the central axis11.

The air duct portion101includes an air duct101aextended along the central axis11. The coupling portion102includes a structure for coupling with the battery pack30. The connection portion103is used to connect the air duct portion101with the coupling portion102.

The air duct101aincludes an air duct inlet101band an air duct outlet101cwhich are respectively disposed on the two opposite ends of the air duct101a.

The fan10is received in the air duct101aand disposed between the air duct inlet101band the air duct outlet101c. The air duct inlet101bis disposed between the air duct outlet101cand the coupling portion102.

The connection portion103is provided with an air intake space103abetween the air duct portion101and the coupling portion102in a direction of the central axis11. The air intake space103ais adjacent to the air duct inlet101b.

The connection portion103is at least extended in the direction of the central axis11to make the air duct portion101and the coupling portion102depart from each other so as to form the air intake space103atherebetween. In an axial direction of the central axis, the air intake space103aformed by the connection portion103is opened in a plurality of radial directions.

It is noted that, a radial direction here is a direction of a radius of a circle which is centered by the central axis11and which lies in a plane12that is substantially perpendicular to the central axis11. For the circle, each angle of the circle corresponds to a radial, that is to say each angle represents a radial direction. The air intake space103abeing opened in a plurality of radial directions means the air intake space103ais opened at least in a plurality of angles.

In order to ensure the air quantity, a sum of the plurality of angles that the air intake space103ais opened should be greater than or equal to 30 degrees.

The air intake space103ais opened at least in the radial directions of a continuous angle range. The minimum value of the continuous angle range is greater than or equal to 5 degrees and less than or equal to 355 degrees.

Referring toFIGS. 1-4, the housing40includes a gripping portion104for the user to grip. The gripping portion104includes a middle plane104aand is approximately symmetrical relative to the middle plane104a. The air intake space103ais opened in a direction substantially perpendicular to the middle plane104a.

The middle plane104ais substantially perpendicular to a left-right direction. That is to say, when the air duct portion101is arranged in the front of the connection portion103, the coupling portion102is arranged in the back of the connection portion103, and the central axis11is substantially parallel to the back and front direction, the air intake space103ais opened in the left-right direction. In order to increase the air quantity, the air intake space103acan be opened on its top and bottom and in the back. The air duct inlet101bis arranged in front of the air intake space103a.

For the central axis11, the air intake space103acan be opened on the upper left, upper right, bottom left and bottom right of the central axis11, and some locations on the bottom.

As shown inFIG. 1, when the battery pack30is coupled to the coupling portion102of the housing40, the gripping portion104and the battery pack30are respectively located on the upside and downside of the central axis11. The air intake space103ais opened on the upside and downside of the central axis11.

The gripping portion104is extended along a line direction which is intersected obliquely with the central axis11. The gripping portion104has a length direction in which a substantial portion of the gripping portion104is located.

The air intake space103acan be opened in a direction substantially perpendicular to a plane which is formed by the intersection of a line104bthat the length direction of the gripping portion104is located and the central axis11.

Referring toFIGS. 1-2, the gripping portion104is symmetrical relative to the middle plane104a, the line104bis located within the middle plane104a, and the central axis11can be arranged within the middle plane104a. With this arrangement, the plane which is formed by the line104bthat the length direction of the gripping portion104bdefines and the central axis11is the middle plane104a. As shown inFIG. 2, the air intake space103ais opened in the direction substantially perpendicular to the middle plane104a.

It is noted that, the air intake space103abeing opened in certain direction means the air flow can enter into the air intake space103aalong the certain direction, not that there is necessarily any physical structure in the certain direction. In other words, if there is no continuous physical structure formed by the connection portion103to totally cover the certain direction so that the air flow cannot be entered into the air intake space103aalong the certain direction, which needs to go round the physical structure along other directions, it is considered that the air intake space103ais opened in the certain direction.

Referring toFIGS. 1-4, the connection portion103includes a cantilever103b, a left arm103c, a right arm103d, a base103e, a front support103fand a rear support103g. The left and right arms103c,103dcan be arranged symmetrically.

The front support103fis generally annular shaped, which surrounds the air duct inlet101b. The rear support103gis located between the battery pack30and the air intake space103a.

The cantilever103bis extended from the rear to the front and toward the oblique upper direction. The left arm103cis extended from the rear to the front and toward the left side obliquely. The right arm103dis extended from the rear to the front and toward the right side obliquely. Thus, the cantilever103b, the left arm103cand the right arm103dform a space, and the space is increased gradually from the rear to the front, so that the air intake space103ais opened enough at the air duct inlet101bto assure the enough air quantity. The cantilever103b, the left arm103cand the right arm103dis respectively inclined at an angle less than or equal to 60 degrees relative to the central axis11.

The cantilever103bis disposed on the top of the air intake space103a. The left arm103cand the right arm103dare respectively disposed on the left and right side of the air intake space103a. The base103eis disposed on the bottom of the air intake space103a. The front and rear supports103f,103gare respectively disposed on the front side and rear side of the air intake space103a.

The air intake space103ais opened between the cantilever103band the base103eexcept a part blocked by the left and right arms103c,103d, and an object can go through between the cantilever103band the base103ealong the left-right direction.

The cantilever103b, the left arm103c, the right arm103dand the base103eare connected with the front and rear supports103f,103g, which are distributed discretely in a circumferential direction of the central axis11. The space between the cantilever103b, the left arm103c, the right arm103dand the base103ecan be considered as belonging to the air intake space103a. The front and rear supports103f,103gform the cantilever103b, the left arm103c, the right arm103dand the base103ewhich are distributed discretely connect as a whole in the front and rear sides, and make them connect with the air duct portion101and the coupling portion102. The front and rear supports103f,103gconstitute a boundary of the air intake space103ain the direction of the central axis11.

The air duct portion101and the coupling portion102can be connected through one structure along the central axis11, such as one of the cantilever103b, the left arm103c, the right arm103dand the base103e. The front and rear supports103f,103gcan be omitted, and the one structure is directly connected with the air duct portion101and the coupling portion102.

In view of the structural strength and the usage safe, two connection structures can be used to connect the air duct portion101and the coupling portion102. It is needed to arrange a front structure in the front side to connect the front ends of the two connection structures, and a rear structure in the back side to connect the rear ends of the two connection structures.

Two or three of the front support103f, the rear supports103g, the cantilever103b, the left arm103c, the right arm103dand the base103einFIGS. 1-3can constitute the connection structures.

In order to avoid foreign matter being absorbed into the air intake space103adue to the opening of the air intake space103a, as shown inFIG. 9, a further blower200includes a shield203. The shield203is provided with holes203a. The blower200has the same structure as the blower100inFIG. 1except the connection portion. The connection portion of blower200only includes a cantilever201and a base202.

The gripping portion104includes a first end and a second end. The first end is connected with the cantilever103b, and the second end is connected with the coupling portion102. The coupling portion102is located under the gripping portion104and in the back of the connection portion103.

Referring toFIGS. 1-4, the housing40includes a plurality of components. Specifically, the housing40includes a main housing41and an air duct housing42.

The main housing41is used to constitute the coupling portion102, the connection portion103and the gripping portion104. The air duct housing42is used to constitute the air duct portion101.

The connection portion103can be constituted totally by the main housing41. Also, the connection portion103can be constituted partially by the main housing41. For example, the cantilever103b, the left arm103c, the right arm103d, the front support103fand the rear support103gcan be constituted by the main housing41, and the base103ecan be constituted by a single component. Otherwise, the cantilever103bmay have a hollow structure for containing some elements.

Referring toFIGS. 3, 5 and 7, the cantilever103bformed by the main housing41includes a containing chamber411for containing electrical elements and circuits. The blower100includes a circuit board50for controlling the motor20. The circuit board50is received in the containing chamber411.

The circuit board50or the electrical elements mounted on the circuit board50typically generate heat during the control of the motor20.

As shown inFIG. 5, the circuit board50can be disposed at a position within the containing chamber411which corresponds to the air intake space103a. The main housing41is provided with a cooling air outlet412at the position.

The cooling air outlet412can be arranged to correspond to the air intake space103ain the direction substantially parallel to the central axis11.

The cooling air outlet412allows the containing chamber411to communicate with the air intake space103a. When the fan10is driven to rotate by the motor20, the air in the containing chamber411flows from the cooling air outlet412and into the air intake space103a, and then is absorbed into the air duct inlet101b. The flowing air passes through the circuit board50so as to cool the circuit board50.

Referring toFIGS. 3 and 7, the main housing41is provided with a cooling air inlet413allowing the air outside the containing chamber411to flow into the containing chamber411. The cooling air inlet413is disposed at the cantilever103b. The circuit board50or a part of the circuit board50can be disposed between the cooling air inlet413and the cooling air outlet412. The air enters in the containing chamber411from the cooling air inlet413, passes through the circuit board50and exits from the cooling air outlet412so as to cool the circuit board50.

As shown inFIG. 7, for better cooling effect, the main housing41is further provided with a cooling air inlet414that also allowing the air outside the containing chamber411to flow into the containing chamber411

The cooling air inlets413,414can be disposed above the cooling air outlet412and respectively on the left and right side of the cantilever103b.

The cooling air outlet412may be provided via use of holes, and the cooling air inlets413,414may be labyrinth for keep foreign matter from entering into the containing chamber411.

The gripping portion104formed by the main housing41is provided with a chamber for containing a trigger switch and wires. Due to the negative pressure generated at the cooling air outlet412, the air in the gripping portion104can flow out of the main housing41from the cooling air outlet412.

As shown inFIG. 3, the main housing41includes two symmetrical main housing halves41a,41bwhich can constitute a whole.

Referring toFIGS. 3-4, the air duct housing42includes an inner air duct421and an outer air duct422. The inner air duct421is partially contained in the outer air duct422. The inner air duct421and outer air duct422cooperatively form the air duct101aor a section of the air duct101a.

The outer air duct422can be connected detachably with the inner air duct421. So the user can change the outer air duct422.

Referring toFIGS. 1-4, the air duct housing42includes a guiding connector423. The guiding connector423is mounted detachably to a front end of the outer air duct422so as to guide the air in the air duct101ato flow out of the air duct101a.

As shown inFIG. 4, for the blower100with the guiding connector423, the air duct101ais constituted by the inner air duct421, the outer air duct422and the guiding connector423. A rear end of the inner air duct421acts as the air duct inlet101bof the air duct101a, and a front end of the guiding connector423acts as the air duct outlet101cof the air duct101a.

As shown inFIG. 3, when the guiding connector423is removed, the air duct101ais constituted by the inner air duct421and the outer air duct422. The rear end of the inner air duct421acts as the air duct inlet101bof the air duct101a, and a front end of the outer air duct422acts as the air duct outlet101cof the air duct101a.

Referring toFIGS. 4 and 7, the rear end of the inner air duct421has a bellmouth shape which opens gradually from the front to the back so as to allow more air to enter into the air duct inlet101b. In order to keep foreign matter from entering into the air duct inlet101bformed by the inner air duct421, a cover70is arranged at the air duct inlet101b. The cover70covers the air duct inlet101b, which is provided by a plurality of holes. In order to increase the area of the holes of the cover70, the cover70has a spherical surface.

As shown inFIG. 4, the inner air duct421includes a duct body421aand a cabin body421b. The duct body421aconstitutes a part of the air duct101a. The cabin body421bis received in the duct body421aand includes a chamber421cfor containing the motor20. The fan10is received in the duct body421aand located in the back of the cabin body421b. A front end of the cabin body421bhas a streamlined shape and is contracted gradually to form a tip.

As shown inFIG. 3, in order to facilitate the mounting of the motor20, the inner air duct421includes a first portion421dand a second portion421ewhich are connected detachably. The first and second portions421d,421ecan be connected and detached along the direction of the central axis11. A part of the cabin body421bis constituted by the first portion421d, and other part of the cabin body421bis constituted by the second portion421e. When the first and second portions421d,421eare separated from each other, the motor20can be mounted. After the mounting of the motor20, the first and second portions421d,421eare connected together so that the motor20is encapsulated within the cabin body421b.

During the operation of the blower100, the air duct portion101may accumulate static electricity. As shown inFIG. 5, the blower100includes a conducting element61and a contacting element62. The conducting element61is made of a conducting material. For example, the conducting element61may be a wire. The conducting element61is connected within the air duct portion101for transferring charge. When the contacting element62contacts with a human body, it is capable of transferring static electricity to the human body. The contacting element62can be made of a material with a resistance less than or equal to 1010Ω·m. The contacting element62should not be totally made of the conducting material, but a mixed material of the conducting material and an insulating material. So the contacting element62can both transfer static electricity but assure the user does not get an electric shock.

The contacting element62can be constituted to have a rubber material texture. The contacting element62can be exposed to the gripping portion104, so that the user can contact it when he grips the gripping portion104. With this arrangement, the static electricity conducted by the conducting element61from the air duct portion101is transferred to the ground through the contacting element62and the hand of the user. Thus, the static electricity at the air duct portion101is eliminated.

The conducting element61can make the contacting element62connect with the inner air duct421or connect with the motor20.

The contacting element62can be connected electrically and directly with the inner air duct421or the motor20through the conducting element61. That is to say, the conducting element61is directly connected with the contacting element62and the inner air duct421or the motor20. In other embodiment, the contacting element62can be connected electrically and indirectly with the inner air duct421or the motor20through the conducting element61. That is to say, the conducting element61is connected indirectly with the contacting element62and the inner air duct421or the motor20.

For example, the conducting element61is a first wire. An end of the wire is connected directly with the contacting element62, and another end of the wire is connected with the circuit board50. The circuit board50is connected with the inner air duct421or the motor20through a second wire. The circuit board50can make the first and second wires connect electrically. It should be also considered that the contacting element62and the inner air duct421or the motor20are connected by the conducting element61. As shown inFIG. 6, another embodiment of eliminating static electricity is shown. In this embodiment, a conducting element61′ and a consuming device62′ are used to eliminate static electricity.

The conducting element61′ is similar to the conducting element61. The difference is that the consuming device62′ disposed within a gripping portion104′ is capable of transforming electrical energy to optical energy or thermal energy. The consuming device62′ may include a resistance or a neon tube, which can eliminate static electricity by consuming electrical energy. Alternatively, the consuming device62′ may include both the resistance and the neon tube.

The conducting element61′ can make the consuming device62′ connect directly or indirectly with an inner air duct421′ or a motor within the inner air duct421′. Alternatively, a conducting ring63′ can be arranged to surround the inner air duct421′ and contact with the inner air duct421′. The conducting ring63′ is capable of collecting static electricity effectively. The conducting element61′ make the consuming device62′ connect with the conducting ring63′ so that the effect of eliminating static electricity is improved.

During the operation of the blower100, the fan10is rotated to generate air flow; however, a vibration is also generated at the same time. The vibration can be transferred to the inner air duct421through the motor20. If the inner air duct421is connected directly with the main housing41, the main housing41will vibrate. The user will feel uncomfortable when he grips the gripping portion104formed by the main housing41.

Referring toFIGS. 3 and 8, a plurality of damping elements71,72,73,74are arranged between the outside of the inner air duct421and the inside of the main housing41, which are made of a flexible material or an elastic material. When the vibration passes through the damping elements71,72,73,74, the vibration between the inner air duct421and the main housing41is decreased due to the material characteristics.

The damping elements71,72,73,74equally make the inner air duct421and the main housing41depart from each other at some positions so as not to contact directly with each other, so the vibration transmission at the damping elements71,72,73,74is blocked.

The damping elements71,72,73,74can be arranged symmetrically. For example, taking the middle plane104aas a symmetry plane, the damping elements71,72,73,74can be distributed on the two sides of the inner air duct421, and each side has two damping elements.

The damping element71may have an annular shape. The inner air duct421includes a locating pin421fon its outside for locating the damping element71. The damping element71can be engaged with the locating pin421f. Correspondingly, the main housing41includes a locating recess on its inside for receiving the damping element71. The locating recess is not shown, and another symmetrical locating recess415can be referred. In order to locate other damping elements72,73,74, the similar locating structure can be used.

It is contemplated that the positions of the locating pin and the locating recess can be exchanged.

As shown inFIG. 10, a further blower300includes an air duct portion301, a connection portion302, and a gripping portion303which are similar to those of the blower100inFIG. 1. The difference is that the blower300uses an engine (not shown) as a prime mover and a fuel tank304as a power source for supplying power to the engine. The connection portion302is disposed between the fuel tank304and the air duct portion301. The connection portion302is provided with an air intake space302awhich may have the same structure as the air intake space103ainFIG. 1.

As shown inFIG. 11, a still further blower400includes an air duct portion401, a connection portion402, and a gripping portion403which are similar to those of the blower100inFIG. 1. The difference is that the blower400uses an AC motor (not shown) as a prime mover and a supply unit404connected with an AC power as a power source for supplying power to the AC motor. The connection portion402is disposed between the supply unit404and the air duct portion401. The connection portion402is provided with an air intake space402awhich may have the same structure as the air intake space103ainFIG. 1.

The above illustrates and describes basic principles, main features and advantages of the claimed invention. Those skilled in the art should appreciate that the above embodiments are not intended to limit the claimed invention in any form. Technical solutions obtained by equivalent substitution or equivalent variations all fall within the scope of the claimed invention.