Abstract:
A power blower has a body having a fan housing for accommodating a fan, the fan housing having an upper portion, a lower portion opposite to the upper portion, and a pair of support portions extending from the upper portion. A driving machine is mounted to the fan housing for driving the fan. A discharge duct is mounted to the fan housing for discharging a current of air produced by driving of the fan. A pair of legs is disposed at the lower portion of the fan housing to enable the body to stand alone on a surface. A main handle having a structure separate and independent from the fan housing is removably connected to the pair of support portions of the fan housing. An auxiliary handle is integrally formed with and disposed between the pair of legs. The auxiliary handle has a holding edge aligned with a central extension line of the main handle.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to power blowers which can be used in various work postures according to working conditions. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Power blowers which take in air from the rear of a housing containing a fan or from the side of the housing, and discharge air forward of the housing are in practical use. 
   As a power blower of this kind, a hand-held power blower is known as disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open Publication No. HEI-02-120511, for example. The configuration of this hand-held power blower will be described with reference to  FIG. 12  hereof. 
   Referring to  FIG. 12 , a hand-held blower, or a power blower  210  includes a fan housing  212  in which a fan  213  is contained. An upper grip (main handle)  214  is provided on top of the fan housing  212 , and a rear grip (auxiliary handle)  215  is provided at the rear. A discharge duct  216  for discharging air forward of the fan housing  212  is provided at the front of the fan housing  212 . A plurality of legs (stands)  217 ,  217  for keeping a body  211  in a freestanding position is provided at the bottom of the fan housing  212 . With the upper grip  214  gripped with one hand, and the rear grip  215  gripped with the other hand, the power blower  210  is operated for blowing fallen leaves together, for example. 
   This power blower  210  is a portable operating machine supported with both hands as described above. If the body  211  could be turned horizontally to be manually held, for example, as well as the body  211  being able to be manually held normally, various operations could be preferably performed according to working conditions. 
   The above-described power blower  210 , however, has the configuration in which the upper grip  214  and the rear grip  215  are attached to the fan housing  202 , and thus the power blower  210  cannot be manually held in a sideways position. That is, it has the problem that the work posture is limited. 
   Therefore, there is a desire for a power blower which can perform operations with a body in a normal position, or with the body in a horizontal position, according to working conditions. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   According to the present invention, there is provided a power blower, which comprises: a fan housing for containing a fan, constituting a part of a body; a driving machine mounted to the fan housing, for driving the fan; a discharge duct mounted to the fan housing, for sending out a current of air produced by driving of the fan; a pair of legs provided at the housing, for allowing the body an upper portion of the fan housing in a position opposite to a position in which the pair of legs is provided; and an auxiliary handle integrally formed with and between the pair of legs. 
   As described above, the power blower of this invention has the auxiliary handle formed between the pair of legs, thus being able to be held with both hands in such a manner that the auxiliary handle is held with one hand and the main handle is held with the other hand. Also, since the auxiliary handle is integrally formed with and between the pair of legs, the auxiliary handle can be provided easily. Further, since the main handle and the auxiliary handle are provided in opposite positions, operations can be done with the body turned horizontally depending on working conditions, resulting in an increased variety of operations. 
   The auxiliary handle is preferably formed in a position on a general extension line of the main handle. Consequently, when operations are done with the body turned sideways, the body can be supported horizontally, resulting in increased operating efficiency. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
       FIG. 1  is a left side view of a power blower according to the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a right side view of a body of the power blower shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 3  is an exploded perspective view of the power blower shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view taken along line  4 - 4  in  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 5  is a side view of a left fan housing shown in  FIG. 3 ; 
       FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view taken along line  6 - 6  in  FIG. 5 ; 
       FIGS. 7A to 7E  are diagrams illustrating power blowers in a comparative example and in an embodiment; 
       FIG. 8  is a perspective view of a right fan housing shown in  FIG. 3 ; 
       FIG. 9  is a view taken in the direction or arrow  9  in  FIG. 8 ; 
       FIGS. 10A to 10D  are diagrams illustrating supported positions of power blowers in a comparative example and in an embodiment; 
       FIG. 11  is a cross-sectional view of a modification of the power blower shown in  FIG. 4 ; and 
       FIG. 12  is a diagram illustrating a conventional hand-held blower. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a power blower  10  illustrated in this embodiment is of a portable type. This power blower  10  includes a fan housing  12  containing a fan  13 , and a motor  14  externally mounted to the fan housing  12  for driving the fan  13 . A discharge duct  16  for discharging air from the fan housing  12  is mounted to a discharge opening  15  formed in the fan housing  12 . A fan shroud  18  is mounted to a suction opening  17  formed in the fan housing  12 . A main handle  19  is mounted to an upper portion of the fan housing  12 . 
   A body  11  of the power blower  10  is comprised of the fan housing  12 , the fan shroud  18  and the main handle  19 . 
   As shown in  FIG. 2 , the motor  14  is a general-purpose engine including a recoil starter knob  23  used for starting the motor  14 , a fuel tank  24  storing fuel to be supplied to the motor  14 , a cap  26  put on a filler opening  25  of the fuel tank  24 , and a motor cover  27  covering the motor  14 . 
   The power blower  10  according to this embodiment will be described in more detail with reference to  FIG. 3  of an exploded perspective view. 
   Referring to  FIG. 3 , the fan housing  12  includes a first fan housing portion (hereinafter referred to as a left fan housing)  31  to which the fan shroud  18  is mounted and a second fan housing portion (hereinafter referred to as a right fan housing)  32  to which the motor  14  (see  FIG. 1 ) is mounted. 
   The left fan housing  31  has the suction opening  17  through which air is drawn from outside into the fan housing  12 . The fan shroud  18  is secured to a plurality of bosses  34  provided at the left fan housing  31 . The left fan housing  31  includes a plurality of stiffening ribs  35 ,  36 , and a left discharge opening portion  38  forming half of the discharge opening  15 . 
   The stiffening ribs  35  are formed at the left fan housing  31  in such a manner as to extend outside of the periphery of the fan shroud  18 . The stiffening ribs  36  are formed at their respective bosses  34  formed at the fan housing  31 , opposite to the periphery of the fan shroud  18 . 
   The right fan housing  32  includes an insertion opening  41  to which the motor  14  (see  FIG. 1 ) is opposed, a plurality of mounting portions  42  to which the motor  14  is mounted, front and rear supports  43 ,  44  for supporting the main handle  19 , legs (stands)  45 ,  46  for allowing the body  11  (see  FIG. 1 ) to stand alone, an auxiliary handle  47  integrally formed with and between the legs  45 ,  46 , and a right discharge opening portion  48  forming half of the discharge opening  15 . 
   The fan  13  consists of an axial portion  49  to be mounted to the motor  14  (see  FIG. 1 ), and a plurality of vanes  39  formed radially around the axial portion  49 . 
   The discharge opening  15  is formed by combining the left discharge opening portion  38  to the right discharge opening portion  48 . 
   The discharge duct  16  consists of a rear duct  51  attached to the discharge opening  15 , and a front duct  52  attached to the front end of the rear duct  51 . The front duct  52  has a blast opening  53  formed in a tapered front end portion. 
   The fan shroud  18  is in a tray-like shape. The fan shroud  18  consists of a body (base)  54  and a side portion  55  raised from the base  54  in a radially outwardly inclined manner. The side portion  55  includes a plurality of slits  56  formed in its periphery at equal intervals. The base  54  includes screw-fitting portions  58 . 
   Reference numeral  59  denotes a peripheral edge of the fan shroud  18 . The slits  56  are only formed in the side portion  55 , so as to prevent the fan shroud  18  from absorbing an operator&#39;s clothes during cleaning operation, for example. 
   The main handle  19  is comprised of a first handle portion (hereinafter referred to as left handle half)  61 , a second handle portion (hereinafter referred to as right handle half)  62  combined to the left handle half  61 , rubber vibration isolators  63 ,  64  interposed between the left and right handle halves  61 ,  62 , a throttle lever  65  swingably mounted to the left and right handle halves  61 ,  62 , a throttle wire  66  connected to the throttle lever  65 , a throttle holding lever  67  mounted to the left and right handle halves  61 ,  62  to hold the throttle lever  65  in a desired position, and a starting switch  68  mounted to the left and right handle halves  61 ,  62 , for turning the motor  14  (see  FIG. 1 ) into ready condition or halt condition. 
   The motor cover  27  includes a plurality of flanges  71 ,  72 ,  73  to be attached to the right fan housing  32 , and a plurality of vents  74 . 
   The motor  14  (see  FIG. 4 ) is mounted to the right fan housing  32  by mounting screws  75 . The main handle  19  is mounted to the front and rear supports  43 ,  44  formed on an upper surface of the right fan housing  32  by mounting screws  76 ,  76  with washers  77 ,  77  therebetween. The fan shroud  18  is mounted to the left fan housing  31  by mounting screws  78 . The throttle holding lever  67  is mounted to the left and right handle halves  61 ,  62  by a mounting screw  79 . 
   As shown in  FIG. 4 , the motor  14  is externally mounted to the right fan housing  32 , for example, to abut on one side of the fan housing  12 . The motor cover  27  covers the motor  14 . One end of a crankshaft  81  of the motor  14  is fitted to the fan  13  provided inside of the right fan housing  32 . The fan  13  is contained within the fan housing  12  by attaching the left fan housing  31  to the right fan housing  32 . 
   The fan shroud  18  is mounted to the suction opening  17  side of the left fan housing  31  by the mounting screws  78 . 
   The auxiliary handle  47  is provided on the general extension line of the main handle  19 , connecting the legs  45 ,  46  as shown in  FIG. 2 . 
   In  FIG. 4 , reference numeral  82  denotes a cylinder of the motor  14 ;  83 , a piston;  84 , a connecting rod;  85 , a fan support disc mounted on the one end of the crankshaft  81 ;  86 , a recoil starter mounted to the other end of the crankshaft  81 ;  87 , a nut for securing the fan  13  to the fan support disc  85 ; and  88 , a space for taking air into the fan housing  12  as will be described below. 
   The auxiliary handle  47  is formed in a position on the general extension line of the main handle  19  as described above, so that the body  11  can be laterally turned into a horizontal position for operation. 
   Since the right fan housing  32  is a housing supporting the motor  14 , the legs  45 ,  46  (see  FIG. 2 ) are provided at the right fan housing  32 , thereby allowing the body  11  (see  FIG. 1 ) to stably stand on its own. 
   The auxiliary handle  47  has an edge  89  (holding edge) that is rounded, thereby facilitating holding the auxiliary handle  47  and supporting the body  11 . 
     FIG. 5  illustrates the left fan housing  31  when viewed from the side. The stiffening ribs  35 ,  36  are formed radially around the peripheral edge of the suction opening  17 , for reinforcing the peripheral edge of the suction opening  17 . The stiffening ribs  35  extend in such a manner that their respective distal ends project slightly outside of the peripheral edge  59  of the fan shroud  18 . The stiffening ribs  36  are formed at the bosses  34  in such a manner that their respective distal ends substantially coincide with the peripheral edge  59  of the fan shroud  18 . 
   The stiffening ribs  35 ,  36  are radially formed around the suction opening  17 , for reinforcing the suction opening  17 , and the peripheral edge  59  of the fan shroud  18  is opposite to or abuts on the stiffening ribs  35 ,  36 . This arrangement is preferable because the fan shroud  18  can be easily prevented from deformation and breakage, and the weight increase of the power blower  10  (see  FIG. 1 ) can be kept to a minimum. 
   Also, by radially forming the stiffening ribs  35 ,  36  around the suction opening  17  for reinforcing the suction opening  17 , space can be provided between the adjacent stiffening ribs  35  and the adjacent stiffening ribs  36 , through which space air can be drawn into the suction opening  17 . As a result, the air suction amount can be effectively increased, resulting in improved blowing performance of the power blower  10  (see  FIG. 1 ). 
   As shown in  FIG. 6 , the stiffening ribs  35  are formed in such a manner that their respective distal ends project outside of the peripheral edge  59  of the fan shroud  18 , thereby being able to receive a deforming external force acting on the fan shroud  18 , preventing deformation and breakage of the fan shroud  18 . 
     FIGS. 7A to 7E  illustrate power blowers in a comparative example and in this embodiment;  FIGS. 7A and 7B  illustrate a fan housing  152  and a fan shroud  158  in the comparative example; and  FIGS. 7C to 7E  illustrate the fan housing  12  and the fan shroud  18  in this embodiment. 
   The fan housing  152  in the comparative example shown in  FIG. 7A  shows an example in which a stiffening rib  155  having a diameter larger than the diameter of a suction opening  157  is cylindrically formed around the suction opening  157 . Therefore, as shown in  FIG. 7B , air is drawn into the suction opening  157  through a gap between an edge  159  of the fan shroud  158  and the stiffening rib  155  as shown by arrow a 1 , and also through an opening  156  in the fan shroud  158  as shown by arrow a 2 . 
   The fan housing  12  in this embodiment shown in  FIG. 7C  has the stiffening ribs  35  and the stiffening ribs  36  formed radially around the suction opening  17  for reinforcing the suction opening  17 . Therefore, as shown in  FIG. 7D , air is drawn into the suction opening  17  through a gap between the edge  59  of the fan shroud  18  and the stiffening rib  35  as shown by arrow b 1 , and also through the opening  56  in the fan shroud  18  as shown by arrow b 2 . 
   As shown in  FIG. 7C , the adjacent stiffening ribs  35 ,  35  are placed at intervals to form space therebetween, so that, as shown in  FIG. 7E , air is drawn into the suction opening  17  through the space  88  as shown by arrow b 3 . Consequently, the air suction amount (the opening area) can be effectively increased, and the blowing performance of the power blower  10  (see  FIG. 1 ) is improved. 
     FIGS. 8 and 9  illustrate the right fan housing  32  of the power blower  10  according to this embodiment. 
   As described above, the right fan housing  32  includes the insertion opening  41  to be opposite to the motor  14  shown in  FIG. 1 , the mounting portions  42  to which the motor  14  is mounted, the front and rear supports  43 ,  44  for supporting the main handle  19  shown in  FIG. 1 , the legs  45 ,  46  for allowing the body  11  to stand alone, the auxiliary handle  47  integrally formed with and between the legs  45 ,  46 , and the right discharge opening portion  48  for forming half of the discharge opening  15  shown in  FIG. 1 . 
   The power blower  10  shown in  FIG. 1  is configured such that the main handle  19  (see  FIG. 1 ) is provided on top of the fan housing  12  for portability, and the auxiliary handle  47  is integrally formed with and between the pair of legs  45 ,  46 . Therefore, the fan housing  12  can be held with both hands, with one hand holding the auxiliary handle  47  and the other hand holding the main handle  19 . If operations can be done with the blower body turned into a horizontal position according to working conditions, the variety of operations can be preferably increased. 
   The conventional power blower  210  shown in  FIG. 12  is configured such that the upper handle  214 , the rear handle  215 , and the legs  217  are provided in different positions at the fan housing  212 . Thus, the form of the fan housing  202  is complicated, and the production of the fan housing  202  is disadvantageously difficult. 
   On the other hand, the power blower  10  in this embodiment is configured such that the auxiliary handle  47  is integrally formed with and between the pair of legs  45 ,  46 . Thus, the form of the fan housing  12  is simple, and the cost increase of the power blower  10  can be kept to a minimum. 
     FIGS. 10A to 10D  illustrate in comparison supported positions of a power blower  160  in a comparative example and the power blower  10  in this embodiment;  FIGS. 10A and 10B  illustrate the power blower  160  in the comparative example; and  FIGS. 10C and 10D  illustrate the power blower  10  in this embodiment. 
   The power blower  160  in the comparative example shown in  FIG. 10A  has the configuration in which a main handle  169  is provided on a body  161 , and a separate auxiliary handle  167  is mounted between legs  165 ,  165  (the back leg  165  not shown) of the body  161 . An additional part is required to provide the auxiliary handle  167  between the legs  165 ,  165 , resulting in a corresponding cost increase. The edge of the auxiliary handle  167  is not on the extension line of the main handle  169 , and is out of alignment with the position of the main handle  169 . Therefore, as shown in  FIG. 10B , when the auxiliary handle  167  is held with one hand and the main handle  169  is held with the other hand for using the body  161  in a sideways position, the body  161  is inevitably inclined. 
   On the other hand, the power blower  10  in this embodiment shown in  FIG. 10C  has the auxiliary handle  47  integrally formed with and between the pair of legs  45 ,  46  (the back leg  46  not shown), the edge  89  of the auxiliary handle  47  being substantially on the central extension line c of the main handle  19 . This arrangement allows a reduction in cost, and also, as shown in  FIG. 10D , allows operations with the body  11  turned sideways, to be performed with the body  11  in a horizontal position, facilitating the manipulation of the power blower  10  in a stable position. 
     FIG. 11  illustrates a modification of the power blower  10  shown in  FIG. 4 . 
   A power blower  100  in this modification is configured substantially the same as the power blower  10  shown in  FIG. 4 . A fan shroud  18  is mounted to a fan housing  112  in such a manner that a peripheral edge  59  of the fan shroud  18  abuts on stiffening ribs  136  of the fan housing  112 , which is a difference from the power blower  10  in the embodiment shown in  FIG. 4 . Even when a small force acts on the fan shroud  18 , the fan shroud  18  is complemented in rigidity by the stiffening ribs  136 . 
   The power blower  100  in this modification is also different from the power blower  10  in the embodiment shown in  FIG. 4  in another way. More specifically, an edge  148  of an auxiliary handle  147  is aligned with the right side  121  of the main handle  119 . Stated otherwise, the edge  148  of the auxiliary handle  147  is substantially on a line L extending along the right side  121  of the main handle  119 . When a body  111  is laterally turned over to be supported, the body  111  can be supported horizontally. 
   The power blower  10  in this embodiment shows that the distal ends of the stiffening ribs  36  are formed in coincidence with the periphery of the fan shroud  18  as shown in  FIG. 5 , but the present invention is not limited thereto. They may be extended to project outside of the periphery of the fan shroud  18 . 
   Obviously, various minor changes and modifications of the present invention are possible in the light of the above teaching. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.