Abstract:
A mobile leaf blower includes a main blower assembly driven by an engine or motor. The blower has a deflector box at the blower outlet with deflector plates which enable the air flow to be either directed laterally and forwardly of the blower unit or to a flexible blower tube attached to the unit. The operator may either cause the air flow to flow through the flexible blower tube or forwardly and laterally of the blower unit along the ground. When not in use, the flexible blower tube can be wound around a hose reel attached to the main handles of the ground blower unit.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application is based on and claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/201,859 filed on Dec. 16, 2008, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entity for all purposes. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The subject invention generally relates to a ground leaf blower for removing leaves and other debris from driveways and lawn surfaces. More specifically, it relates to an improved mobile ground leaf blower that includes a hose attachment connected to the blower through a deflector assembly which enables the air to be directed through the hose assembly. Alternatively, the deflector assembly can direct the air flow toward the ground in front of and to the side of the blower unit. 
     BACKGROUND 
     A prior art mobile blower unit for leaves and other debris is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,118,826 to Kaeser, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference for all purposes. Kaeser discloses an internal combustion engine mounted on a frame supported by a set of wheels with a shaft connected to the engine to drive a blower impeller. The blower housing is mounted so as to be capable of rotating on an axis of the engine shaft. The blower housing has a center inlet, a laterally projecting tangential outlet, and a movable air deflector mounted on the housing adjacent the outlet. The air deflector is actuated by an elongated control rod which extends from the handle assembly projecting rearwardly and upwardly from the frame, and a control rod permits the operator to actuate the air deflector when the blower outlet and deflector are located at either a high position on one side of the frame or a low position on the opposite side of the frame. In the Kaeser device, the mobile blower unit is provided with a formed tubular steel leg member which extends across the front of the screen of the centrifugal blower unit and has rearward end portions rigidly secured to the engine support frame. By this arrangement, when the Kaeser mobile blower unit is tilted forwardly, the support leg member engages the ground or other supporting surface. 
     Another form of mobile blower unit is of the type wherein the blower unit is carried on a frame which is supported on the back of the user, and the blower unit is connected to an elongated blower tube which is guided by the worker in order to remove grass and debris from generally inaccessible places, such as under hedges or in flower beds. Examples of leaf blower units which are mounted on a frame that is carried by the user are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,370,729 to Miyamoto, U.S. Pat. No. 7,300,484 to Scully et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 7,185,393 to Dahlberg et al. 
     Although the Kaeser mobile blower unit has operated satisfactorily and is an improvement over prior existing mobile blower units, the Kaeser mobile blower unit is difficult to operate in flower beds and beneath shrubs and the like in order to remove leaves thereunder. Similarly, although the mobile blower units that are carried on a frame on the back of the user operate satisfactorily for their intended purpose, they cause a strain on the user, and have limited blower capability whereby they are primarily used to remove leaves from under shrubs, and are inefficient when it comes to blowing leaves in a long driveway or across a large lawn. 
     Accordingly, there is a need for a ground leaf blower unit which is capable of clearing large grass areas and driveways, while at the same time having the capability of blowing leaves from confined locations under shrubs and the like. Such a blower should ideally be simple in construction, low cost to manufacture, of sturdy construction and smooth operation, and wheel mounted so that the user does not carry a heavy blower unit during a cleaning operation. These and other objects of the subject invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the accompanying drawings and the following detailed description. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A mobile leaf blower of the subject invention includes a main blower assembly similar to the blower unit disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,118,826 to Kaeser. The blower further includes a deflector box at the blower outlet including deflector plates which enable the air flow to be either directed laterally and forwardly of the blower unit or to a flexible blower tube attached to the unit. With this arrangement, the operator may either cause the air flow to flow through the blower tube in order to remove debris from under shrubs or actuate the deflector unit so that the main air flows forwardly and laterally of the blower unit along the ground. When not in use, the flexible blower tube can be wound around a hose reel attached to the main handles of the ground blower unit. 
     It will be understood by those skilled in the art that one or more aspects of this invention can meet certain objectives, while one or more other aspects can lead to certain other objectives. Other objects, features, benefits and advantages of the present invention will be apparent in this summary and descriptions of the preferred embodiments, and will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. Such objects, features, benefits and advantages will be apparent from the above as taken in conjunction with the accompanying figures and all reasonable inferences to be drawn therefrom. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of one embodiment of a mobile ground blower unit in accordance with the invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a front elevational view of the mobile ground leaf blower unit shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a side elevational view of the mobile ground leaf blower unit shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4A  is a detailed front perspective view of the air deflector box of the mobile ground leaf blower unit of  FIG. 1 , shown with the deflector plate handle in the down position; 
         FIG. 4B  is a detailed front perspective view of the air deflector box of  FIG. 4A , shown removed from the blower unit and with the deflector plate handle in the up position; 
         FIG. 4C  is a detailed rear perspective view of the air deflector box of  FIG. 4A , shown removed from the blower unit and with the deflector plate handle in the up position; 
         FIG. 4D  is a detailed rear perspective view of the air deflector box of  FIG. 4A , shown removed from the blower unit, with the deflector plate handle in the up position, and from an angle so that the interior of the air deflector box is visible; 
         FIG. 5A  is a back elevational view of the air deflector box of  FIG. 4B , with the deflector plate handle in the up position; 
         FIG. 5B  is side elevational view of the air deflector box of  FIG. 4B , with the deflector plate handle in the up position; 
         FIG. 5C  is a cross-section of the air deflector box of  FIG. 4B , taken generally along the line C-C in  FIG. 5B , with the deflector plate handle in the up position; 
         FIG. 5D  is a perspective cross-sectional view of the air deflector box of  FIG. 5C , with the deflector plate handle in the up position 
         FIG. 6A  is a back elevational view of the air deflector box of  FIG. 4B , with the deflector plate handle in the down position; 
         FIG. 6B  is side elevational view of the air deflector box of  FIG. 4B , with the deflector plate handle in the down position; 
         FIG. 6C  is a cross-section of the air deflector box of  FIG. 4B , taken generally along the line C-C in  FIG. 6B , with the deflector plate handle in the down position; 
         FIG. 7A  is a perspective view of one alternative embodiment of an air deflector box in accordance with the invention; 
         FIG. 7B  is a perspective exploded view of the flap door hose attachment of the deflector box shown in  FIG. 7A ; 
         FIG. 8A  is a front perspective view of one embodiment of a hose reel that may be used with the present invention; and 
         FIG. 8B  is a rear perspective view of the hose reel of  FIG. 8A . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1-3 , one embodiment of a mobile leaf blower unit in accordance with the invention is designated by the numeral  10 . Mobile leaf blower  10  includes a tubular frame  12  which supports engine  14  and blower unit  16 , and is mounted on wheels  18 . The handle  24  of the mobile leaf blower  10  may include a hose reel  26  (shown in  FIGS. 8A and 8B ) about which the flexible blower tube  22  can be wound when not in use. The hose reel  36  may be mounted to the handle  24  using screws, looped fasteners, or the like. 
     As shown in more detail in  FIG. 4A , mobile leaf blower  10  further includes an air deflector box  20  fixedly attached to the outlet of the blower unit  16 . Connected to the air deflector box  20  is a flexible blower tube  22 . 
       FIGS. 4A-D  are detailed views of the air deflector box  20  from several angles. The air deflector box  20  includes a positionable horizontal deflector plate  28  which guides air flow either to the flexible blower tube  22  or forward/sideways as directed by the vertical deflector plates  30 . The air deflector box  20  includes vertical deflector plates  30  that guide air flow forward and sideways of the mobile ground leaf blower  10  when large areas are to be cleared of leaves or other debris.  FIG. 4A  shows the air deflector box  20  with the horizontal deflector plate handle  36  in the down position.  FIGS. 4B-C  show the air deflector box  20  with the horizontal deflector plate handle  36  in the up position.  FIG. 4D  shows the interior of air deflector box  20  when the horizontal deflector plate handle  36  is in the up position. Although the horizontal deflector plate handle  36  itself is not visible in  FIG. 4D , this figure shows the positioning of the horizontal deflector plate  28  in the interior of the air deflector box  20  when the horizontal deflector plate handle  36  is in the up position. 
     Turning to  FIGS. 5A-D , the air deflector box  20  is illustrated with the horizontal deflector plate handle  36  in the up position such that the horizontal deflector plate  28  is in the down position, as best seen in  FIGS. 5C and 5D . In this position, as indicated by the arrows in  FIG. 5A , the air flow from the blower unit  16  is deflected by the horizontal deflector plate  28  so as to flow into the flexible blower tube  22 . At that time, no air (or only minimal air) is directed out of the blower unit  10  toward the ground, and the operator thus uses the air flow from the flexible blower tube  22  to clear leaves and debris from under shrubs and other hard-to-reach places. In this embodiment and as best seen in  FIG. 5A , control lever lock  38  extending through a slot in horizontal deflector plate handle  36  is screwed down so as to retain the handle in the up position. Of course, other means for securing the horizontal deflector plate handle  36  in position could be used. With the configuration of horizontal deflector plate  28  as shown in this embodiment, airflow through the air deflector box  20  would also tend to maintain the horizontal deflector plate handle  36  in the up position (with the horizontal deflector plate  28  in the down position). 
       FIGS. 6A-C  illustrate the position of the air deflector box  20  when the horizontal deflector plate handle  36  is in the down position, at which time the horizontal deflector plate  28  is in the up position. The position of the horizontal deflector plate  28  is particularly illustrated in  FIG. 6C  and, as best seen in  FIG. 6A , control lever lock  38  extending through a slot in horizontal deflector plate handle  36  is screwed down so as to retain the handle in the down position. In this position, as indicated by the arrows in  FIG. 6A , the air flow is directed past the vertical deflector plates  30  in order to provide a generally horizontal air flow both forward and sideways of the mobile ground leaf blower  10  in order to clear large areas such as lawns and driveways. If desired, vertical deflector plates  30  may also be positionable so as to direct the airflow either more sideways and out past flap door  32  (which helps prevent the air flow from going upward in the direction of the operator) or more forward. One embodiment for accomplishing this is the vertical deflector plate control level  34  as illustrated in the Figures but other means could be used. Additionally, flap door  32  may be fixed in position, adjustable using a locking mechanism similar to the control lever lock  38  mechanism or otherwise, or eliminated altogether if desired for particular designs of mobile leaf blower units  10 . 
     It should be understood that the positioning of the horizontal deflector plate  28  and the vertical deflector plates  30  direct the airflow out of the mobile leaf blower unit  10 . As such, if fully positionable deflector plates are used, the operator will be able to control where and how much airflow is directed out of each exit option. 
       FIGS. 7A and 7B  illustrate one alternative embodiment for the air deflector box  20  configuration although others could be designed by a person of skill in the art without departing from the invention. In this embodiment, a modified flap door flexible hose attachment unit  40 , has a modified flap door  42  to which a flexible blower tube  22  can be attached. In this configuration, the airflow out of air deflector box  20  is sideways as opposed to vertical when the flexible blower tube is being used. 
     The advantage achieved by mobile ground leaf blower  10  is that, in effect, two machines are provided in a single apparatus, and there is no need for the operator to carry on his back, as in the prior art, a supplemental blower unit with a flexible hose attachment in order to reach leaves and debris in hard-to-reach places. As a result, the cost of manufacturing of the subject apparatus is significantly reduced as compared to the two pieces of different apparatus required by the prior art, and the operator experiences less fatigue during a leaf blowing operation. 
     Thus, it has been shown and described an improved mobile leaf blower unit including an air deflector box to which is attached a flexible blower tube. Although the invention has been herein described in what is perceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not intended to be limited to the specific embodiments set forth above. Rather, it is recognized that modifications may be made by one of skill in the art of the invention without departing from the spirit or intent of the invention and, therefore, the invention is to be taken as including all reasonable equivalents to the subject matter of the appended claims and the description of the invention herein.