Extraction blower

Abstract

An extraction blower having a housing having a main air chamber, a debris chamber and a particulate removal port connected to the debris chamber, an impeller configured to rotate within the housing about a central axis and having a base plate positioned in the debris chamber, a plurality of front-facing blades mounted on a front side of the base plate and a plurality of rear-facing blades mounted on a rear side of the base plate.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An extraction blower comprising:
 a housing having a main air chamber, a debris chamber and a particulate removal port connected to the debris chamber;   an impeller configured to rotate within the housing about a central axis and having a base plate positioned in the debris chamber;   a plurality of front-facing blades mounted on a front side of the base plate; and   a plurality of rear-facing blades mounted on a rear side of the base plate.   
     
     
         2 . The extraction blower of  claim 1 , wherein the particulate removal port is formed substantially toward a bottom end of the debris chamber. 
     
     
         3 . The extraction blower of  claim 1 , wherein the particulate removal port is formed substantially parallel to the direction of the central axis. 
     
     
         4 . The extraction blower of  claim 1 , wherein the particulate removal port is formed substantially perpendicular to the direction of the central axis. 
     
     
         5 . The extraction blower of  claim 1 , wherein the particulate removal port is formed substantially in alignment with an air flow generated by the impeller when in operation. 
     
     
         6 . The extraction blower of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the front-facing blades has a hole formed therein. 
     
     
         7 . The extraction blower of  claim 1 , wherein each of the rear-facing blades extends furthest from the rear side of the base plate at the radially outer most part of the base plate from the central axis. 
     
     
         8 . The extraction blower of  claim 1 , wherein each of the rear-facing blades is triangle shaped. 
     
     
         9 . The extraction blower of  claim 1 , wherein the housing further comprises a partition positioned between the main air chamber and the debris chamber, and wherein the front-facing blades extend from the front side of the base plate and into the main air chamber. 
     
     
         10 . The extraction blower of  claim 9 , wherein the front-facing blades have a stepped construction whereby at least a portion of each of the front-facing blades is recessed radially inward, wherein another portion of each of the front-facing blades that is not recessed is positioned in the main air chamber and at least the portion of each of the front-facing blades that is recessed is positioned in the debris chamber and wherein the other portion of each of the front-facing blades that is not recessed extends a larger radial distance from the central axis than the portion of each of the front facing blades that is recessed. 
     
     
         11 . The extraction blower of  claim 1 , further comprising a diverter disposed on one of the front-facing blades and extending substantially perpendicularly from a planar surface of the front facing blade. 
     
     
         12 . The extraction blower of  claim 11 , wherein the diverter is disposed on a leading surface of one of the front-facing blades with respect to a direction of rotation of the impeller. 
     
     
         13 . The extraction blower of  claim 1 , further comprising a hood attached to the housing, wherein the hood defines an extension opening and an air inlet and wherein the hood comprises an extension lip disposed around the extension opening. 
     
     
         14 . The extraction blower of  claim 13 , wherein the hood comprises an access opening and an access panel mounted to the hood, and wherein the access panel is sized and shaped to completely cover the access opening. 
     
     
         15 . The extraction blower of  claim 13 , wherein the hood is connected to the housing with at least one internal connection disposed inside an interior space of the hood. 
     
     
         16 . An extraction blower comprising:
 a housing having a main air chamber, a debris chamber and at least two particulate removal ports connected to the debris chamber;   an impeller configured to rotate within the housing about a central axis and having a base plate positioned in the debris chamber; and   a plurality of front-facing blades mounted on a front side of the base plate.   
     
     
         17 . The extraction blower of  claim 16 , wherein at least one of the at least two particulate removal ports is formed to align with an air flow generated by the impeller when in operation. 
     
     
         18 . The extraction blower of  claim 16 , wherein a first particulate removal port of the at least two particulate removal ports is formed parallel to the direction of the central axis and a second particulate removal port is formed perpendicular to the direction of the central axis. 
     
     
         19 . The extraction blower of  claim 18 , wherein the first particulate removal port and the second particulate removal port are formed substantially towards a bottom end of the debris chamber. 
     
     
         20 . An extraction blower comprising:
 a housing having a main air chamber, a debris chamber and a particulate removal port connected to the debris chamber;   a partition connected to the housing and positioned between the main air chamber and the debris chamber;   a hood attached to the housing, wherein the hood defines an air inlet, an extension opening and an access opening;   an extension lip disposed around the extension opening;   an access panel mounted to the hood and completely covering the access opening;   an impeller configured to rotate within the housing about a central axis and having a base plate positioned in the debris chamber;   a plurality of front-facing blades mounted on a front side of the base plate;   a plurality of rear-facing blades mounted on a rear side of the base plate; and   a diverter formed on one of the front-facing blades and extending substantially perpendicularly from a planar surface of the front facing blade;   wherein at least one of the front-facing blades has a hole formed therein,   wherein the front-facing blades extend from the front side of the base plate and into the main air chamber, and   wherein the front-facing blades have a stepped construction whereby a first portion of the plurality of front facing blades disposed in the main air chamber extend a larger radial distance from the central axis than a second portion of the plurality of front facing blades disposed in the debris chamber.