Black Decker Inc.

John Sadler

Craig D Webster

Clare Tate

Nigel Robson

The present invention provides a blower-vacuum device having means for collecting garden waste, the garden waste collecting means comprising: an attachment part () for receiving a garden waste receptacle; and a garden waste receptacle () for removable engagement with the attachment part; wherein the attachment part () comprises an arcuate groove (); and the garden waste receptacle () comprises a band () defining a mouth () of the receptacle for sliding engagement with the groove. Thus the receptacle may be easily removed from the attachment part of the blower-vacuum device merely by sliding the band () of the receptacle out of the groove (), whereupon the receptacle may then be emptied of garden waste by tipping it upside-down. In a preferred embodiment, the band () is made of a resilient material, whereby when the band is inserted into the groove (), the band is constrained by the groove and the mouth () of the receptacle defined by the band is made narrower than when the band is withdrawn from the groove. Thus when the band is withdrawn from the groove (), the mouth () of the receptacle opens out (arrows R and S), making it easier to empty.

Means for collecting garden waste

The present invention provides a blower-vacuum device with both a blowing mode of operation and a vacuuming mode of operation and having dirty fan operation in the vacuuming mode thereof, which comprises: a hand-holdable unit () comprising a motor having an output shaft extending outwardly of said hand-holdable unit; an impeller connected to said output shaft; a first attachment () for removable engagement with the hand-holdable unit () in the vacuuming mode of operation and comprising both a first volute () for enclosing said impeller and a vacuum tube () in fluid communication with an inlet of said first volute; a second attachment () for removable engagement with the hand-holdable unit () in the blowing mode of operation and comprising both a second volute () for enclosing said impeller and a blower tube () in fluid communication with an outlet of said second volute; wherein the first attachment further comprises a handle () on or proximal to said first volute; and the blower tube () of the second attachment is coplanar with the second volute (). Thus the impeller is always easily accessible for cleaning if it becomes clogged with garden waste, the blower-vacuum device may be operated with only one hand in blowing mode and two hands in vacuuming mode and air from the second volute () can pass freely down the blower tube () without encountering any sharp turns.

Blower-vacuum devices

The present invention provides an interlock mechanism suitable for use with a blower-vacuum device, which comprises: a user-operable switch () having a first condition for activating a motor of said blower-vacuum device and a second condition for deactivating said motor; a latch () for engagement with a removable attachment of said blower-vacuum device; and a user-operable release button () for disengaging said attachment from said latch (); wherein said switch () is operable to activate said motor only when an attachment is engaged with said latch (), and said release button () is operable to disengage an attachment from said latch () only when said motor is deactivated; and wherein the first condition of said switch () comprises a first position of said switch for activating said motor at a first speed of operation and a second position of said switch for activating said motor at a second speed of operation. Thus the fan of the blowervac can be driven by the motor at two different speeds of operation suitable for different usage conditions, even though the fan cannot be driven by the motor when the fan is exposed.

Interlock mechanisms

Combined blower and vacuum

A debris blowing apparatus with a motor, a fan driven by the motor, an inlet to the fan and an air outlet from the fan. A portion of the air which is emitted through the outlet is recycled through a metering aperture into the air inlet to maintain a constant load on fan whilst varying the air output.

Debris blowing apparatus

A debris blower and/or vacuum device is disclosed which comprises a motor unit which drives an impeller. When the device is to be used as a blower, a volute arrangement adopted for blowing in which the impeller is locatable is releasably attached to the motor unit. The blower volute includes an air inlet and an air outlet duct for expelling a stream of air created by the impeller. When the device is to be used as a vacuum, a volute arrangement adapted for vacuuming in which the impeller is locatable is releasably attached to the motor unit. The vacuum volute includes a suction duct for transporting debris to the impeller in an airstream created by the impeller and an air expelling duct for transporting debris away from the impeller in the stream of air to a collecting location.

Debris blower and/or vacuum devices

A blower vacuum device of the kind having a motor (2) which is located in a housing (4) and which drives an impeller (12) located in a the volute (16). The volute (16) has an air inlet (18) and an air outlet (20). When the device is used as a blower a blower attachment (28), formed in a single piece from a blower duct (28) and a grill (22), is releasably attached to the volute so that the grill (22) is attached over the air inlet of the volute and the blower duct (28) is attached over the air outlet. When the device is used as a vacuum, a vacuum attachment (36) which is formed in one piece from a suction duct (30) and a collecting bag duct (34) is releasably attached to the volute so that the suction duct (30) is attached over the air inlet and the collecting bag duct (34) is attached over the air outlet. This means that it is easy to change the device between a blowing mode and a vacuum mode by detaching a single piece blowing attachment from the device and replacing it with a single piece vacuum attachment.

Blower vacuum device of improved design

A blower vacuum comprising a motor (10) operated by a switch (16) and located in a housing (4), a fan (14) drivable by a motor, at least one attachment member (6,106) which covers the fan and which is releasably attachable to the housing, and a safety interlock located at the interface between the housing and the attachment member comprising an actuating means (53) for activating the switch only when the attachment member is attached to the housing and a locking means (54, 42) for locking the attachment member to the housing when the motor is switched on.

Growing community of inventors

Darlington, United Kingdom

John Sadler