Battery-powered, low-noise backpack blower

Abstract

A backpack blower having a fan frame with an air inlet and an air outlet. A fan assembly is positioned within the fan frame. A motor rotates the fan assembly to move air out the air outlet. A controller is connected to the motor and to a battery pack, for using power from the battery pack to energize the motor and thus rotate the fan. A harness frame is connected to the fan frame and has an opening in air flow communication with the air inlet, so that, when the motor is rotating the fan assembly, air is drawn in through the harness frame opening. Since the harness frame is positioned in the area of an operator's back when the blower is in use, the air flow drawn in through the harness frame opening has the effect of cooling the operator.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A backpack blower, comprising:
 a fan frame, having an air inlet of a certain area, and having an air outlet of a lesser area;   a fan assembly positioned within the fan frame;   a motor having a stator, and a motor shaft rotatable with respect to the stator, the stator connected to the fan frame and the shaft connected to the fan assembly so as to rotate the fan assembly within the fan frame, and thus move air from the air inlet to the air outlet;   a battery pack; and   a controller connected to the motor and to the battery pack, for applying power from the battery pack to energize the motor and thus rotate the fan to move air from the air inlet to the air outlet.   
     
     
         2 . A backpack blower as recited in  claim 1  wherein the fan frame has a bottom plate and a motor plate, the motor plate having an opening of a certain area which functions as the air inlet, the bottom plate and motor plate being connected to and separated by a side wall, and both being generally ring shaped, except for the area of the air outlet. 
     
     
         3 . A backpack blower as recited in  claim 1  wherein the fan assembly has a bottom ring and a top ring, and vanes separating the top ring from the bottom ring by a predetermined spacing. 
     
     
         4 . A backpack blower as recited in  claim 3  wherein the bottom ring has a center, and wherein each vane is angled or curved with respect to the center of the bottom ring. 
     
     
         5 . A backpack blower as recited in  claim 4  wherein the angle or curve of all the vanes with respect to the center of the bottom ring is the same. 
     
     
         6 . A backpack blower as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising a harness frame connected to the fan frame and having an opening in air flow communication with the air inlet, so that, when the motor is rotating the fan assembly, air is drawn in through the harness frame opening, thereby cooling an operator. 
     
     
         7 . A backpack blower, comprising:
 a fan frame, having a bottom plate and a motor plate, the motor plate having an opening of a certain area which functions as an air inlet, the bottom plate and motor plate being connected to and separated by a side wall, and both being generally ring shaped, except having an air outlet area;   a fan assembly positioned within the fan frame, the fan assembly having a bottom ring and a top ring, and spaced apart from each other by a plurality of vanes, each vane angled and curved the same as all the other vanes with respect to the center of the bottom ring;   a motor having a stator, and a motor shaft rotatable with respect to the stator, the stator connected to the fan frame, and the shaft connected to the fan assembly, so as to rotate the fan assembly within the fan frame, and thus move air from the air inlet to the air outlet;   a removable battery pack having electrical connectors;   mating electrical connectors mounted to the fan frame; and   a controller electrically connected to the motor and to the battery pack, for using power from the battery pack to energize the motor and thus rotate the fan to move air from the air inlet to the air outlet.   
     
     
         8 . A backpack blower as recited in  claim 7 , further comprising a harness frame connected to the fan frame, positioned in the area of an operator's back when the blower is in use, and having a harness frame opening in air flow communication with the air inlet, so that, when the motor is rotating the fan assembly, air is drawn in through the harness frame opening, thereby cooling the operator. 
     
     
         9 . A backpack assembly as recited in  claim 8  further comprising a main cover connected to the motor plate and to the harness frame and positioned over the motor plate opening. 
     
     
         10 . A backpack assembly as recited in  claim 9  wherein the main cover has air intake openings. 
     
     
         11 . A backpack blower, comprising:
 a fan frame, having an air inlet of a certain area, and having an air outlet of a lesser area;   a fan assembly positioned within the fan frame;   a motor having a rotatable motor shaft connected to the fan assembly so as to rotate the fan assembly with respect to the fan frame, and thus move air from the air inlet to the air outlet;   a battery pack;   a controller connected to the motor and to the battery pack, for applying power from the battery pack to energize the motor and thus rotate the fan to move air from the air inlet to the air outlet; and   a harness frame connected to the fan frame, positioned in the area of an operator's back when the blower is in use, and having a harness frame opening in air flow communication with the air inlet, so that, when the motor is rotating the fan assembly, air is drawn in through the harness frame opening, thereby cooling the operator.   
     
     
         12 . A backpack blower as recited in  claim 11  wherein the fan frame has a bottom plate and a motor plate, the motor plate having an opening of a certain area which functions as the air inlet, the bottom plate and motor plate being connected to and separated by a side wall, and both being generally ring shaped, except for the area of the air outlet. 
     
     
         13 . A backpack blower as recited in  claim 11  wherein the fan assembly has a bottom ring and a top ring, and vanes separating the top ring from the bottom ring by a predetermined spacing. 
     
     
         14 . A backpack blower as recited in  claim 13  wherein the bottom ring has a center, and wherein each vane is angled or curved with respect to the center of the bottom ring. 
     
     
         15 . A backpack blower as recited in  claim 14  wherein the angle or curve of all the vanes with respect to the center of the bottom ring is the same.