Debris blower and/or vacuum devices

Abstract: A debris blower and/or vacuum device (2) which comprises a motor unit (4) which drives an impeller (14). When the device is to be used as a blower, a volute arrangement (6) adapted for blowing in which the impeller (14) is locatable is releasably attached to the motor unit (4). The blower volute (6) includes an air inlet (22) and an air outlet duct (24) for expelling a stream of air created by the impeller (14). When the device is to be used as a vacuum, a volute arrangement (106) adapted for vacuuming in which the impeller (114) is locatable is releasably attached to the motor unit (4). The vacuum volute (106) includes a suction duct (124) for transporting debris to the impeller in an airstream created by the impeller (114) and an air expelling duct (122) for transporting debris away from the impeller (114) in the stream of air to a collecting location (126).

Description: The present invention relates to debris blower and/or vacuum devices in particular for use in the collection of garden debris. Debris blowers are known in which an impeller driven by a motor creates an air stream which is directed down a duct. The air stream discharged from the open end of the duct is used to blow debris into piles. Similarly debris vacuums are known of similar design in which the impeller creates a suction air flow through a duct. The suction at the open end of the duct sucks debris into the duct. The duct can be separated from the impeller by a filter and the debris collected before it reaches the impeller. Alternatively it is known for the debris to travel through the impeller to a collection point. It is also known to provide a debris collecting device in which debris is sucked up at a collecting mouth of a collecting duct by an entrained stream of air. One or more air outlets are located adjacent to the collecting mouth from which air is expelled. This expelled air is directed up into the collecting duct and generates an entrained stream of air which carries the debris up the collecting duct to a collection point. US 4,694,528 discloses a debris blower/vacuum device which comprises the pre-characterising features of claim 1 and which forms the closest piece of prior art. In many blower and/or vacuum devices it is difficult to clean the impeller and the impeller volute. The object of the present invention is to provide debris blower and/or vacuum devices which overcome at least some of the problems discussed above. According to the present invention there is provided a device capable of blowing or vacuuming debris which comprises: a motor unit, a volute, an impeller which, in use, is driven by the motor unit, and which is located within the volute, the volute forming an air inlet to and an air outlet from the impeller characterised in that the volute is releasably attachable to the motor unit. The detachable volute makes the device easier to clean and maintain, in particular the impeller and the impeller volute. For good blowing and suction results it is preferred that the volute is shaped so that the air stream generated by the impeller flows into the air inlet of the volute substantially along an axis on which the impeller is located and flows out of the air outlet of the volute radially from the impeller. The volute may be specially designed so that it is a blower volute formed with an air outlet duct for expelling a stream of air generated by the impeller. The air expelled from this air outlet duct being used to blow debris into piles. When a volute is tailor made for blowing, a higher blowing air speed can, for example, be achieved from a particular size of motor. In order to tune the air flow out of the outlet duct of the blower volute it is preferred that the area of the air inlet in the blower volute is variable. This air flow tuning enables a user to alter the blowing air speed of the device. To reduce the space required to store the blower volute preferably the outlet duct of the blower volute is of reduced length and the device additionally comprises an extension tube which is adapted at one end to be releasably attachable to the end of the outlet duct remote from the impeller. The volute may be designed as a vacuum volute and include; a suction duct, which may be releasably attachable over the air inlet, for transporting debris to the impeller in an air stream created by the impeller, and an air expelling duct for transporting debris away from the impeller in the air stream to a collecting point. When a volute is tailor made for vacuuming mode only, a larger inlet to the impeller can be used, for example, which reduces the likelihood of debris blocking up the inlet. Alternatively, the volute can be designed for both blowing and sucking, with the associated design compromises. When the device is used for blowing an air outlet duct for expelling a stream of air generated by the impeller can be releasably attached over the outlet duct. When the device. is used for sucking a suction duct can be releasably attached over the air inlet for transporting debris to the impeller in an air stream created by the impeller and an air expelling duct can be attached for transporting debris away from the impeller in the air stream to a collecting point. A porous collecting bag may be releasably locatable on the end of the expelling duct remote from the impeller in order to collect expelled debris. Additionally, to reduce the space required to store the vacuum volute the suction duct can be of reduced length and the device may additionally comprise an extension tube which is adapted at one end to be releasably attachable to the end of the suction duct remote from the impeller. For safety reasons the device may additionally comprise a safety mechanism which prevents the blower and/or vacuum volute from being detached from the motor unit when the device is in use. A further advantage of the blower vacuum according to the present invention is that the motor unit and impeller arrangement can be used for other purposes when an volute is not attached to it. For example, a clean fan volute attachment can be attached to the motor unit and impeller arrangement in place of the blower and/or vacuum volute to make the device into a so called "clean fan" blower vacuum. Alternatively, there is provided a device wherein the volute is a clean fan volute and which comprises a suction duct having a working end into which debris is sucked which suction duct communicates with the air outlet near to said working end to create an entrained air stream in said suction duct. Alternatively, the motor unit and impeller arrangement can be attached over a collection receptacle, such as, a dustbin. The impeller can be arranged to draw air into the collection receptacle via a flexible tube. This airflow will entrain debris so that debris can be deposited directly into the collection receptacle through the flexible tube when the end of the tube is located over piles of garden debris. It should be noted that the motor unit and impeller arrangement can be utilised to collect debris, to blow debris and to mulch debris (as debris passes through the impeller). Therefore, the motor unit and impeller arrangement could have additional uses to those discussed above. The invention will now be further described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a longitudinal cross section of a device according to the present invention with a blower volute attached to a motor unit, and Figure 2 is a longitudinal cross section of a device according to the present invention with a vacuum volute attached to a motor unit. Figure 3 is a partial cross section of a blower and/or vacuum device according to the present invention. Figure 4 is a longitudinal cross section of a blower and/or vacuum device having attached to it a clean fan volute according to the present invention. Figure 5 is a perspective view of the clean fan volute which is shown in Figure 4. As can be seen from Figure 1, the device shown generally at (2) comprises a motor unit (4), a blower volute (6) and an extension tube (8). The motor unit (4) comprises a motor (10) which drives a drive shaft (12) which drives an impeller (14). The motor (10) is located within a motor housing (16) which includes a handle arrangement (18,20). The blower volute (6) comprises an air inlet (22) and an air outlet duct (24). The blower volute (6) is shaped so that the impeller (14) is locatable within it and will in use expel air radially into the outlet duct (24). The outlet duct (24) bends through 90° so that the end of the outlet duct remote from the impeller (14) faces away from the motor unit (4). A cap (26) is rotatably mounted over the air inlet (22). By rotating the cap (26), holes in the cap (26) can be aligned with holes in an air inlet cover (28) in order to vary the surface area through which air can flow into the inlet (22). In this way the volume of air flow through the impeller can be varied in order to vary the power of the blower device (2). The blower volute (6) is releasably attachable to the motor unit (4). The blower volute has a hole defined by the rim (30) which fits over a co-operating portion (34) of the motor housing (16) through which the drive shaft 12 protrudes. The blower volute (6) is attachable to the motor unit (4) by means of a flange (38) in the co-operating portion in which the rim portion (30) is locatable and a releasable locking mechanism (40,42). The locking mechanism comprises a flanged extension (40) of the blower volute (6) and a catch (42). The catch (42) is resiliently biased in a locked position shown in Figure 1 in which it secures the flanged extension (40). When the catch (42) is depressed by a user applying a force in the direction shown by the arrow (44), a chamfered portion (46) of the catch (42) is released from the flanged extension (40) allowing the blower volute (6) to be detached from the motor unit (4). A safety mechanism prevents the blower volute (6) being detached from the motor unit (4) while the motor (10) is running. The motor (10) is switched on by a user moving the switch (50) into a "forward" position shown by the line (52) in Figure 1. The switch (50) has an extension (54) which engages with a lip (56) on the catch (42) when the switch is in the "forward" position. This engagement between the switch extension (54) and the lip (56) prevents depression of the catch (42) and thus prevents removal of the blower volute (6) while the motor (10) is rotating the impeller (14). When the motor (10) is switched off by moving the switch (50), the switch extension (54) is disengaged from the lip (56) and the catch (42) can be depressed to remove the blower volute (6) from the motor unit. An extension tube (8) is releasably attachable to the end of the outlet duct (24) remote from the impeller (14). In use of the device (2) shown in Figure 1 the switch (50) is moved into the "forward" position to start the motor (10). The switch extension (54) engages the lip (56) of the catch (42), thus preventing removal of the blower volute (6). The motor (10) powers the drive shaft (12) which rotates the impeller (14). The rotation of the impeller (14) sucks air into the blower volute (6) through the air inlet (22) and expels air radially into the outlet duct (24). The air expelled into the outlet duct (24) flows along the duct (24) and through the extension tube (8) and out of the nozzle (60). The air expelled from the nozzle (60) is used to blow debris. Referring now to Figure 2, the device shown generally at (102) comprises a motor unit (104), a vacuum volute (106) and an extension tube (108). The motor unit (104) comprises a motor (110) which drives a drive shaft (112) which drives an impeller (114). The motor (110) is located within a motor housing (116) which includes a handle arrangement (118,120). The vacuum volute (106) comprises a suction duct (124) and an expelling duct (122). The vacuum volute (106) is shaped so that the impeller (114) is locatable within it and will, in use, draw air axially into the impeller (114) through the suction duct (124) and expel air radially into the expelling duct (122). A porous collecting bag (126) is releasably attachable to the end of the expelling duct (122) distant from the impeller (114). The vacuum volute (106) is releasably attachable to the motor unit (104) by the locking mechanism described above in relation to Figure 1. The same mechanism as described above in relation to Figure 1 is also used to prevent the vacuum volute (106) being removed from the motor unit (104) while the motor (110) is rotating the impeller (114). An extension tube (108) is releasably attachable to the end of the suction duct (124) remote from the impeller (114). In use of the device (102) shown in Figure 2 the switch (150) is moved to the "forward" position to start the motor (110). The switch extension (154) engages the lip (156) of the catch (142), thus preventing removal of the vacuum volute (106). The motor (110) powers the drive shaft (112) which rotates the impeller (114). The rotation of the impeller (114) sucks air and debris into the vacuum volute (106), axially, through the suction mouth (160) of the extension tube (180) and then through the suction duct (124). The air and debris is sucked through the impeller (114) and is expelled through the expelling duct (122) into the collecting bag (126). The porous collecting bag (126) collects debris transported by the air flow but allows the air to escape. Figure 3 shows a device similar to that described above in relation to Figures 1 and 2. The volute (106') has an air inlet (22') and an air outlet duct (122') and is releasably attachable to the motor unit (104'). When the device of Figure 3 is to be used as a blower a cap (26') similar to the cap (26) of Figure 1 is releasably attached over the air inlet (22') and an air outlet extension (108') is releasably attached over the air outlet (122'). Then the device works the same as the device described in relation to Figure 1. When the device of Figure 3 is to be used as a vacuum, the cap (26') is replaced by a suction duct (124') which is releasably attached over the air inlet (22'). The air outlet extension (108') is replaced by a collecting bag (not shown) similar to the bag (126) shown in Figure 2 which is releasably attached over the air outlet (122'). Then the device works the same as the device described in relation to Figure 2. Referring now to Figure 4, this shows a motor unit (4) and impeller arrangement (14) as described above in relation to Figure 1. Attached to the motor unit and impeller arrangement is a clean fan volute (170) (also shown in perspective in Figure 5). The clean fan volute (170) is attached to the motor unit (4) in the same way as the blower volute (6) described above in relation to Figure 1 is attached to the motor unit (4). The clean fan volute (170) includes a suction duct (172) with a working end (174) into which debris is sucked in use. It also includes an air outlet (176) which communicates via a duct (178) with the suction duct (172) near to the working end (174) thereof. Additionally, it includes an air inlet (180) (see Figure 5) through which air is supplied to the impeller (14). In use, when the impeller rotates air is drawn through the inlets (180) and is expelled by the impeller through the air outlet (176) and down the duct (178) from which it is directed into the suction duct (172). The airstream which is directed into the suction duct creates an entrained air flow (182) which draws debris into the working end (174) of the suction duct and carries it to a porous collecting bag (184).

Claims: A device capable of blowing or vacuuming debris comprising: a motor unit (4), a volute (6; 106; 170), an impeller (14) which, in use, is driven by the motor unit (4), and which is located within the volute (6;106;170), the volute (6;106;170) forming an air inlet (22) to, and an air outlet (24) from the impeller (14) characterised in that the volute (6,106,170) is releasably attachable to the motor unit (4). A device according to claim 1 additionally including an air outlet duct (8), which is releasably attachable over the air outlet (24), for expelling a stream of air generated by the impeller (14). A device according to claim 1 characterised in that the volute is a blower volute (6) and is formed with an air outlet duct (8) for expelling a stream of air generated by the impeller (14) from the air outlet (24). A device according to any one of claims 1 to 3 characterised in that the area of the air inlet (22) into the volute (6;106;170) is variable. A device according to claim 1 wherein the volute (6;106;170) is a vacuum volute (106) and includes; a suction duct (124) for transporting debris to the impeller (14) in an air stream created by the impeller (14), and an air expelling duct (122) for transporting debris away from the impeller (14) in the air stream to a collecting point. A device according to claim 5 wherein the suction duct (124) is releasably attachable over the air inlet. A device according to either of claims 5 or 6 characterised in that a porous collecting bag (126) is releasably locatable at the end of the expelling duct (122) distant from the impeller (14). A device according to claim 1 wherein the volute is a clean fan volute (170) and which comprises a suction duct (172) having a working end into which debris is sucked and which suction duct communicates with the air outlet near to its working end to create an entrained air stream in said suction duct.

Inventors: SADLER JOHN, WEBSTER CRAIG, SADLER, JOHN, WEBSTER, CRAIG
Applicants: BLACK & DECKER INC, BLACK & DECKER INC.
Application year: 1996
Main classification: A47L5
IPC codes: E01H1, F16P3, H01H3, A47L5, A47L9