The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 21, 2004
Filed:
May. 08, 2002
Chris M. Paterson, Long Beach, MS (US);
Jeffrey A. Millard, Long Beach, MS (US);
Oreck Holdings, LLC, Cheyenne, WY (US);
Abstract
Contoured intakes and fan housing assemblies for floor care machines are disclosed. In one embodiment, a contoured intake includes a contoured duct having a passage therethrough. The passage has a cross-sectional area progression that smoothly varies between a first cross-sectional area and a second cross-sectional area. Turbulence within the intake passage may be reduced or inhibited, and noise generated by the airstream within the intake passage may be reduced. In another embodiment, the contoured duct may include a bellmouth substantially surrounding the first open end that may inhibit the separation of the airstream within the intake passage. In a further embodiment, an airflow propulsion device for a floor care machine may include a motor having a drive shaft, a fan operatively coupled to the drive shaft, and a fan housing disposed about the fan and having a transition passage proximate the radially-outward ends of the vanes of the fan. The fan housing includes an internal cowling surface closely conforming to and closely spaced from the distal edges of the vanes of the fan. In another embodiment, the transition passage has a cross-sectional area progression that smoothly varies between a first cross-sectional area proximate one of the vanes and a second cross-sectional area proximate an exhaust opening. Turbulence within the fan housing may be reduced or inhibited, and noise generated by the airstream within the fan housing may be reduced.