Blower for Floor Sander Drum

Abstract

A floor sander comprising a drive motor, a horizontal rotating drum having a top and a bottom driven by the drive motor and a housing covering the top of the rotating drum, wherein the rotating drum supports and drives sandpaper continuously, and the bottom of the rotating drum is exposed to sand a floor; wherein the floor sander has a blower impeller driven by the shaft of the drive motor to create an air flow that is fluidly conducted by a channel mounted on the outside of the housing and the air flow is directed toward the rotating drum to cool the drum.

1 . A floor sander comprising a drive motor, a horizontal rotating drum, a sander housing, a drum blower impeller, a vented impeller housing, and a fluid channel,
 wherein the horizontal rotating drum is driven by the drive motor;   wherein the drive motor has a drive motor shaft;   wherein the horizontal rotating drum has a top and a bottom;   wherein the sander housing covers the top of the rotating drum;   wherein the sander housing has an inside proximate the rotating drum and an outside;   wherein the rotating drum supports and drives a sandpaper;   wherein the bottom of the rotating drum is exposed for the sandpaper to sand a floor;   wherein the drum blower impeller is mounted on and driven by the drive motor shaft to create an air flow;   wherein the drum blower impeller is covered by the vented impeller housing;   wherein the fluid channel has a first end and a second end;   wherein the first end is fluidly connected to the vented impeller housing;   wherein the second end is fluidly connected to the inside of the sander housing proximate the rotating drum;   wherein the fluid channel is mounted on the outside of the sander housing; and   wherein the air flow is directed from the drum blower impeller through the fluid channel to proximate the rotating drum to cool the drum.   
     
     
         2 . The floor sander of  claim 1 , wherein the drum blower impeller is a centrifugal blower impeller. 
     
     
         3 . The floor sander of  claim 1 , wherein the drum blower impeller is a bidirectional impeller that has a rotating drum impeller that directs an air flow through the fluid channel to the rotating drum and has a drive motor impeller that directs an air flow to the drive motor. 
     
     
         4 . The floor sander of  claim 3 , wherein the bidirectional impeller is an essentially flat round disc having fins radiating from the center of the disc to the circumference edge. 
     
     
         5 . The floor sander of  claim 4 , wherein the fins are two sizes, one size on each side of the disc, with larger fins being used to drive the air to the rotating drum, and smaller fins driving the air to the drive motor. 
     
     
         6 . The floor sander of  claim 5 , wherein the disc has a center, and at the center is an opening suitable to mount the drum blower impeller on the drive motor shaft. 
     
     
         7 . The floor sander of  claim 2 , wherein a motor blower impeller is mount on the drive motor shaft proximate the drive motor and a impeller wall is mounted between the motor blower impeller and the centrifugal blower motor. 
     
     
         8 . The floor sander of  claim 7 , wherein the impeller wall is not vented. 
     
     
         9 . The floor sander of  claim 8 , wherein the motor blower impeller creates air flow around the drive motor and the centrifugal blower motor creates air flow to the rotating drum. 
     
     
         10 . A floor sander comprising a drive motor, a horizontal rotating drum, a sander housing, a drum blower impeller, a vented impeller housing, and a fluid channel,
 wherein the horizontal rotating drum is driven by the drive motor;   wherein the drive motor has a drive motor shaft;   wherein the horizontal rotating drum has a top and a bottom;   wherein the sander housing covers the top of the rotating drum;   wherein the sander housing has an inside proximate the rotating drum and an outside;   wherein the rotating drum supports and drives a sandpaper;   wherein the bottom of the rotating drum is exposed for the sandpaper to sand a floor;   wherein the drum blower impeller is mounted on and driven by the drive motor shaft to create an air flow;   wherein the drum blower impeller is covered by the vented impeller housing;   wherein the fluid channel has a first end and a second end;   wherein the first end is fluidly connected to the vented impeller housing;   wherein the second end is fluidly connected to the inside of the sander housing proximate the rotating drum;   wherein the fluid channel is mounted on the outside of the sander housing;   wherein the air flow is directed from the drum blower impeller through the fluid channel to proximate the rotating drum to cool the drum; and   wherein the drum blower impeller is a bidirectional impeller that has a rotating drum impeller that directs an air flow through the fluid channel to the rotating drum and has a drive motor impeller that directs an air flow to the drive motor.   
     
     
         11 . The floor sander of  claim 10 , wherein the bidirectional impeller is an essentially flat round disc having fins radiating from the center of the disc to the circumference edge on both sides of the disc. 
     
     
         12 . The floor sander of  claim 11 , wherein the fins are two sizes, one size on each side of the disc, with larger fins being used to drive the air to the rotating drum, and smaller fins driving the air to the drive motor. 
     
     
         13 . The floor sander of  claim 12 , wherein the disc has a center, and at the center is an opening suitable to mount the drum blower impeller on the drive motor shaft. 
     
     
         14 - 20 . (canceled)