BACKPACK-TYPE BLOWER

Abstract

A backpack-type blower disclosed herein may include: a backpack unit including a backpack frame and a shoulder belt attached to the backpack frame; a housing supported by the backpack frame; a prime mover supported by the housing; a blower fan disposed within the housing and configured to be driven by the prime mover; a flexible pipe extending from the housing; a blower pipe extending from a front end of the flexible pipe; a grip unit disposed on the blower pipe; and a suspension band. One end of the suspension band may be connected to the flexible pipe, the blower pipe, or the grip unit, at a position frontward of at least a part of the flexible pipe. Another end of the suspension band may be connected to the backpack unit.

Description

REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2023-222755 filed on Dec. 28, 2023. The entire content of the priority application is incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The art disclosed herein relates to a back-pack type blower.

BACKGROUND ART

A backpack-type blower disclosed in JP 2017-150373 A includes a backpack unit that includes a backpack frame and a shoulder belt attached to the backpack frame, a housing supported by the backpack frame, a prime mover supported by the housing, a blower fan disposed in the housing and driven by the prime mover, a flexible pipe extending from the housing, a blower pipe extending from a front end of the flexible pipe, and a grip unit disposed on the blower pipe.

SUMMARY

In the backpack-type blower described above, when a user releases his/her hand from the grip unit, the weight of the blower pipe and the grip unit causes the flexible pipe to bend significantly, and a front portion of the blower pipe thereby hangs down to a very low level. Due to this, when the user walks, the user must grasp the grip unit and keep the flexible pipe lifted up to prevent the front portion of the blower pipe from rubbing against the ground. The burden on the user to do so is large. The description herein provides an art configured to reduce such burden on a user.

The back-pack type blower may comprise: a backpack unit including a backpack frame and a shoulder belt attached to the backpack frame; a housing supported by the backpack frame; a prime mover supported by the housing; a blower fan disposed within the housing and configured to be driven by the prime mover; a flexible pipe extending from the housing; a blower pipe extending from a front end of the flexible pipe; a grip unit disposed on the blower pipe; and a suspension band. One end of the suspension band may be connected to the flexible pipe, the blower pipe, or the grip unit, at a position frontward of at least a part of the flexible pipe. Another end of the suspension band may be connected to the backpack unit.

According to the above configuration, the suspension band supports the weight of the blower pipe and/or the grip unit so that at least a part of the flexible pipe does not bend even when the user releases his/her hand from the grip unit. Due to this, the front portion of the blower pipe can be suppressed from hanging down to a very low level. Thus, even if the user has his/her hands off the grip unit while walking, the front portion of the blower pipe can be suppressed from rubbing against the ground. This can reduce the burden on the user. The flexible pipe described herein refers to a pipe with a flexible feature, such as a bellows pipe or a rubber pipe, for example.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an overall outer appearance of a backpack-type blower 10 according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a blower unit 16 according to the embodiment from front upper left side.

FIG. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a housing 28 of the blower unit 16 and its surroundings according to the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a grip unit 38 of the blower unit 16 according to the embodiment as viewed from rear upper left side.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a suspension band 66 according to the embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the backpack-type blower 10 according to the embodiment as viewed from the front upper left side.

FIG. 7 is a side view of a backpack-type blower 10 according to a comparative example as viewed from right side, with a user's hand released from a grip portion 38b.

FIG. 8 is a side view of the backpack-type blower 10 according to the embodiment as viewed from the right side, with the user's hand released from a grip portion 38b.

DESCRIPTION

Representative, non-limiting examples of the present disclosure will now be described in further detail with reference to the attached drawings. This detailed description is merely intended to teach a person of skill in the art further details for practicing aspects of the present teachings and is not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. Furthermore, each of the additional features and teachings disclosed below may be utilized separately or in conjunction with other features and teachings to provide improved back-pack type blowers.

Moreover, combinations of features and steps disclosed in the following detailed description may not be necessary to practice the present disclosure in the broadest sense, and are instead taught merely to particularly describe representative examples of the present disclosure. Furthermore, various features of below-described representative examples, as well as the various independent and dependent claims, may be combined in ways that are not specifically and explicitly enumerated in order to provide additional useful embodiments of the present teachings.

All features disclosed in the description and/or the claims are intended to be disclosed separately and independently from each other for the purpose of original written disclosure, as well as for the purpose of restricting the claimed subject matter, independent of the compositions of the features in the embodiments and/or the claims. In addition, all value ranges or indications of groups of entities are intended to disclose every possible intermediate value or intermediate entity for the purpose of original written disclosure, as well as for the purpose of restricting the claimed subject matter.

In one or more embodiments, a backpack-type blower may comprise: a backpack unit including a backpack frame and a shoulder belt attached to the backpack frame; a housing supported by the backpack frame; a prime mover supported by the housing; a blower fan disposed within the housing and configured to be driven by the prime mover; a flexible pipe extending from the housing; a blower pipe extending from a front end of the flexible pipe; a grip unit disposed on the blower pipe; and a suspension band. One end of the suspension band may be connected to the flexible pipe, the blower pipe, or the grip unit, at a position frontward of at least a part of the flexible pipe. Another end of the suspension band may be connected to the backpack unit.

In one or more embodiments, the suspension band may include a stretchable portion.

If the suspension band is not equipped with the stretchable portion, when the user swings the blower pipe left and right while grasping the grip unit during use of the backpack-type blower, the blower pipe can only be moved within the length of the suspension band. This may impair the user's workability. Contrary to this, according to the above configuration, the suspension band comprises the stretchable portion. Due to this, when the user swings the blower pipe left and right while grasping the grip unit during the use of the backpack-type blower, the blower pipe can be moved in a wider range because the stretchable portion extends. This enables the user to achieve good workability.

In one or more embodiments, the stretchable portion may be an elastic band portion constituted of an elastic material.

According to the above configuration, the stretchable portion of the suspension band can be realized by a simple configuration.

In one or more embodiments, the suspension band may further include a non-elastic band portion connected in series with the elastic band portion and constituted of a non-elastic material.

If the suspension band does not have the non-elastic band portion and the entire suspension band is constituted of the elastic band portion, elastic properties of the suspension band will change due to a change in the length of the elastic band portion that occurs when the length of the suspension band is adjusted according to the user's physique. Contrary to this, according to the above configuration, the suspension band comprises not only the elastic band portion but also the non-elastic band portion. Due to this, when adjusting the length of the suspension band according to the user's physique, the length of the suspension band can be adjusted without changing the elastic properties of the suspension band, by changing the length of the non-elastic band portion without changing the length of the elastic band portion.

In one or more embodiments, the suspension band further includes: a loop portion disposed at the one end of the suspension band and constituted of the non-elastic band portion; and an adjuster configured to adjust a length of the loop portion.

According to the above configuration, the length of the loop portion may be adjusted according to an outer circumferential shape of the flexible pipe, the blower pipe, or the grip unit. The one end of the suspension band can be attached without loosening.

In one or more embodiments, the other end of the suspension band may be connected to the shoulder belt.

According to the above configuration, it is possible to suppress the suspension band from interfering with work.

In one or more embodiments, the backpack unit may further include a waist belt attached to the backpack frame. The other end of the suspension band may be connected to the waist belt.

According to the above configuration, it is possible to suppress the suspension band from interfering with the work.

In one or more embodiments, the one end of the suspension band may be connected to the blower pipe or the grip unit at a position frontward of the flexible pipe.

When one end of the suspension band is attached to the flexible pipe, the portion of the flexible pipe located frontward of the one end of the suspension band may bend due to the weight of the blower pipe and/or the grip unit. According to the above configuration, since the one end of the suspension band is connected to the blower pipe or the grip unit at the position frontward of the flexible pipe, bending of the flexible pipe can be suppressed.

In one or more embodiments, the one end of the suspension band may be connected to the blower pipe at a position frontward of the flexible pipe and behind the grip unit.

According to the above configuration, it is possible to suppress the suspension band from interfering with the work. It is possible to realize good workability for the user.

(Embodiment) As shown in FIG. 1, a backpack-type blower 10 comprises a backpack unit 12, a battery unit 14, and a blower unit 16. The backpack unit 12 comprises a backpack frame 18, a pair of shoulder belts 20a, 20b and a waist belt 22 respectively attached to the backpack frame 18. A user can carry the backpack unit 12 on his/her back by wearing the pair of shoulder belts 20a, 20b over both shoulders and the waist belt 22 around his/her waist.

The battery unit 14 is removably attached to the backpack frame 18. The battery unit 14 houses a plurality of battery cells (not shown). The battery unit 14 comprises a power button 24, a charging connector (not shown), and a discharge cable 26. The plurality of battery cells can be charged using an external power source by connecting a charging cable (not shown) extending from the external power source (not shown) to the charging connector. The power button 24 switches a power on/off status of the battery unit 14. The plurality of battery cells can be discharged via the discharge cable 26 when the power of the battery unit 14 is on.

As shown in FIG. 2, the blower unit 16 comprises a housing 28 and a power cable 30. The housing 28 comprises a cylindrical portion 28a formed in a substantially cylindrical shape, a diameter-expanding portion 28b connected to one end of the cylindrical portion 28a in a central axial direction and having a shape that expands in diameter at its portions farther away from the cylindrical portion 28a, a frame attachment portion 28c protruding outward from an outer surface of the cylindrical portion 28a, a cable holding portion 28d protruding outward from the outer surface of the cylindrical portion 28a and an outer surface of the diameter-expanding portion 28b, and a control unit housing portion 28e protruding outward from the outer surface of the cylindrical portion 28a. The housing 28 can be attached to and detached from the backpack frame 18 (see FIG. 1) via the frame attachment portion 28c. The power cable 30 extends from the cable holding portion 28d and is connected to the discharge cable 26 (see FIG. 1). The blower unit 16 is operated by electric power supplied from the battery unit 14 (see FIG. 1) via the discharge cable 26 and the power cable 30. In the following description, a direction in which a central axis of the cylindrical portion 28a of the housing 28 extends is referred to as a front-rear direction, a direction of the diameter-expanding portion 28b viewed from the cylindrical portion 28a is referred to as a rearward direction, and an opposite direction of the rearward direction is referred to as a frontward direction. Further, a direction orthogonal to the front-rear direction and being a direction of the cable holding portion 28d as viewed from the central axis of the cylindrical portion 28a is referred to as an upward direction, and an opposite direction of the upward direction is referred to as a downward direction. Further, a direction orthogonal to the front-rear and up-down directions is referred to as a left-right direction. The frame attachment portion 28c is located on a left outer surface of the cylindrical portion 28a, the cable holding portion 28d is disposed on upper outer surfaces of the cylindrical portion 28a and the diameter-expanding portion 28b, and the control unit housing portion 28e is disposed on a lower outer surface of the cylindrical portion 28a. Further, the power cable 30 extends rearward from the rear surface of the cable holding portion 28d.

The blower unit 16 further comprises a flexible pipe 32, a straight tube 34, a tip nozzle 36, a grip unit 38, and a signal cable 40. The flexible pipe 32 is a bellows pipe made of, for example, rubber (e.g. EVA) and resin (e.g. PE). Alternatively, the flexible pipe 32 may be a cylindrical pipe made of an elastic material (e.g., rubber), for example. The straight tube 34 is made of resin (e.g., PP), for example. The tip nozzle 36 is made of resin (e.g., PP), for example. The flexible pipe 32 connects a front part of the cylindrical portion 28a of the housing 28 to a rear part of the straight tube 34. The tip nozzle 36 is attached to a front part of the straight tube 34 and has a jet outlet 36a at its tip. In the following description, the straight tube 34 and the tip nozzle 36 may collectively be termed a blower pipe 35. The grip unit 38 comprises a mounting portion 38a, a grip portion 38b, and a tip portion 38c. The mounting portion 38a is attached to the straight tube 34 so as to surround a circumference of the straight tube 34. The grip portion 38b extends up and frontward from a top of the mounting portion 38a. The tip portion 38c extends frontward from an upper end of the grip portion 38b. The signal cable 40 extends frontward from a front surface of the cable holding portion 28d of the housing 28 and is connected to a rear surface at the top of the mounting portion 38a of the grip unit 38. The user can adjust a direction in which the jet outlet 36a of the tip nozzle 36 is directed by adjusting a posture of the straight tube 34 while grasping the grip portion 38b.

As shown in FIG. 3, the blower unit 16 further comprises an intake cover 42, a soundproofing member 44, a motor case 46, an exhaust pipe 48, a blower fan 50, an electric motor 52, a diffuser cone 54, and a control unit 56. The intake cover 42, the motor case 46, the exhaust pipe 48, the blower fan 50, and the diffuser cone 54 are made of insulating material (e.g., plastic). An intake passage 28f is defined inside the diameter-expanding portion 28b of the housing 28. The intake passage 28f has a shape that expands in diameter from its front side toward its rear side. An intake port 28g is defined at a rear end of the intake passage 28f. The intake cover 42 is formed in a grid shape with walls extending radially and circumferentially. The intake cover 42 is mounted to cover the intake port 28g of the housing 28. The soundproofing member 44 is adhered to an inner surface of the intake passage 28f.

The motor case 46 is housed inside the cylindrical portion 28a of the housing 28. The exhaust pipe 48 is held by the housing 28 such that it protrudes frontward from a front end of the cylindrical portion 28a at a position frontward of the motor case 46. The portion of the exhaust pipe 48 protruding from the housing 28 is surrounded by the flexible pipe 32.

The motor case 46 comprises an outer case 46a having a substantially cylindrical shape, an inner case 46b having a substantially cylindrical shape and disposed inside the outer case 46a, and stationary vanes 46c connecting the outer case 46a and the inner case 46b. A central axis of the outer case 46a and a central axis of the inner case 46b are both coaxial with the central axis of the cylindrical portion 28a. The inner case 46b has a smaller diameter than the outer case 46a and a shorter length in the central axis direction than the outer case 46a. The diffuser cone 54 is attached to the front end of the inner case 46b and protrudes frontward from the front end of the outer case 46a. A front portion of the diffuser cone 54 is located inside the exhaust pipe 48.

The blower fan 50 is located inside the outer case 46a and behind the inner case 46b. The electric motor 52 is housed inside the inner case 46b. In the present embodiment, the electric motor 52 is, for example, a brushless motor. The electric motor 52 comprises a stator 52b around which coils 52a are wound, a rotor 52d disposed inside the stator 52b and having permanent magnets 52c, a sensor board 52f on which Hall sensors 52e that detect magnetism of the permanent magnets 52c are mounted, and an output shaft 52g fixed to the rotor 52d and extending in the front-rear direction. The blower fan 50 is fixed to a rear end of the output shaft 52g. Due to this, the blower fan 50 rotates when the output shaft 52g is rotated by being driven by the electric motor 52.

When the blower fan 50 rotates, air from outside the blower unit 16 is suctioned through the intake cover 42 and into the intake port 28g. The air suctioned from the intake port 28g passes through the intake passage 28f and flows into the motor case 46. The air then passes through the blower fan 50, flows through the space between outer case 46a and inner case 46b, is rectified by the stationary vanes 46c, and then flows out of the motor case 46 and into the exhaust pipe 48. The air then passes through the inside of the flexible pipe 32 and the straight tube 34 shown in FIG. 2, and then is ejected from the jet outlet 36a at a tip of the tip nozzle 36.

As shown in FIG. 3, the control unit 56 is housed inside the control unit housing portion 28e of the housing 28. The control unit 56 comprises a control circuit board 56a and a circuit board case 56b that houses the control circuit board 56a. The control circuit board 56a comprises a CPU, ROM, RAM, and other components, including a microcontroller (not shown) that controls the overall operation of the blower unit 16 and an inverter circuit (not shown) that controls the operation of the electric motor 52 by controlling the power supplied to the electric motor 52. A cooling opening 46e is defined in a lower part of the outer case 46a, and a part of the circuit board case 56b is exposed inside the outer case 46a through the cooling opening 46e. As such, when the blower fan 50 rotates, the control unit 56 is cooled by the air flowing through the space between the outer case 46a and the inner case 46b.

As shown in FIG. 4, the grip portion 38b comprises a trigger lever 58 disposed on a front surface at an upper portion of the grip portion 38b. Further, the tip portion 38c comprises a control lever 60 disposed on a left surface of the tip portion 38c, a first display operation panel 62 disposed on a rear surface of the tip portion 38c, and a second display operation panel 64 disposed on a top surface of the tip portion 38c. The first display operation panel 62 includes a power button 62a, a status indicator lamp 62b, a circuit board (not shown), and a panel case 62c. The power button 62a switches power on/off status of the blower unit 16. The status indicator lamp 62b informs the user of the power on/off status of the blower unit 16, and other information. The panel case 62c houses the power button 62a, the status indicator lamp 62b, and the circuit board. The circuit board of the first display operation panel 62 is electrically connected to the control circuit board 56a (see FIG. 3) of the control unit 56. The second display operation panel 64 comprises a remaining battery level indicator button 64a, a remaining battery level indicator lamp 64b, a circuit board (not shown), and a panel case 64c. The remaining battery level indicator button 64a switches the remaining battery level indicator lamp 64b on/off. The remaining battery level indicator lamp 64b informs the user of a remaining battery charge in the battery unit 14. The panel case 64c houses the remaining battery level indicator button 64a, the remaining battery level indicator lamp 64b, and the circuit board. The circuit board of the second display operation panel 64 is electrically connected to the control circuit board 56a (see FIG. 3) of the control unit 56.

The trigger lever 58 is supported by the grip portion 38b so as to be movable in the front-rear direction. The trigger lever 58 is biased frontward by a spring (not shown). A first trigger switch (not shown) is housed inside the grip portion 38b. The first trigger switch outputs an ON signal when the trigger lever 58 is pushed in and outputs an OFF signal when the trigger lever 58 is not pushed in. A second trigger switch (not shown) is housed inside the tip portion 38c. The second trigger switch outputs, when the trigger lever 58 is pushed in, a signal indicating an amount the trigger lever 58 is pushed in. The first trigger switch and the second trigger switch are electrically connected to the control circuit board 56a (see FIG. 3) of the control unit 56, respectively.

The control lever 60 accepts a turning operation performed by the user and holds a rotational angle operated by the user. When the control lever 60 is rotated, the trigger lever 58 moves backward. Since the rotational angle of the control lever 60 is retained even after the user releases his/her hand, by rotating the control lever 60, the user can retain the trigger lever 58 in the same state as if the trigger lever 58 is being pushed in with a predetermined amount of pressure.

As shown in FIG. 1, when the backpack-type blower 10 is in use, the housing 28 is attached to the backpack frame 18 via the frame attachment portion 28c (see FIG. 2). Due to this, the weight of a portion of the blower unit 16 that is located behind the flexible pipe 32 is primarily supported by the backpack frame 18 (i.e., by the user's shoulders with the shoulder belts 20a, 20b and the user's waist with the waist belt 22). The weight of a portion located frontward of the flexible pipe 32 is primarily supported by the user's hand grasping the grip portion 38b.

The backpack-type blower 10 further comprises a suspension band 66. As shown in FIG. 5, the suspension band 66 comprises an elastic band portion 68 and a non-elastic band portion 70. The elastic band portion 68 is made of elastic material (e.g., rubber band). The non-elastic band portion 70 is made of non-elastic material (e.g., PP band). A hook 72 is attached to one end of the elastic band portion 68. Another end of the elastic band portion 68 and one end of the non-elastic band portion 70 are connected via a ladder lock 74. The non-elastic band portion 70 extends through an adjuster 76 from one side to the other, folds back at an inserting buckle 78, and then extends through the adjuster 76 from the other side to the one side. A receiving buckle 80 corresponding to the inserting buckle 78 is attached to the other end of the non-elastic band portion 70. The inserting buckle 78 and the receiving buckle 80 constitute a side-release type connecting buckle 82. In the following description, a portion from the hook 72 to the adjuster 76 may be referred to as a suspension portion 84, and portions from the adjuster 76 to the inserting buckle 78 and from the adjuster 76 to the receiving buckle 80 may be referred to as a loop portion 86. In the suspension band 66, a length of the suspension portion 84 can be adjusted by adjusting where the non-elastic band portion 70 passes through the adjuster 76. Further, a length of the loop portion 86 can be adjusted by the same configuration.

As shown in FIG. 6, rings 88a and 90a are attached to the right-side shoulder belt 20a. The ring 88a is disposed on a lower part of a front surface of the shoulder belt 20a, and the ring 90a is disposed on an upper part of the front surface of the shoulder belt 20a. Rings 88b and 90b are attached to the left-side shoulder belt 20b. The ring 88b is disposed on a lower part of a front surface of the shoulder belt 20b, and the ring 90b is disposed on an upper part of the front surface of the shoulder belt 20b. The hook 72 of the suspension band 66 can selectively be attached to any of the rings 88a, 88b, 90a, 90b. Since the blower unit 16 is disposed on the right side of the backpack frame 18, when the hook 72 is attached to the rings 88a, 90a of the shoulder belt 20a on the right side, compared to when the hook 72 is attached to the rings 88b, 90b of the shoulder belt 20b on the left side, the suspension band 66 is less likely to interfere with the work. Since the blower unit 16 is positioned lower than the rings 88a and 90a, the suspension band 66 is less likely to interfere with the work when the hook 72 is attached to the lower ring 88a than when the hook 72 is attached to the upper ring 90a.

The loop portion 86 of the suspension band 66 can be attached to the blower unit 16. For example, the loop portion 86 of the suspension band 66 can be attached to the straight tube 34. In this case, the loop portion 86 of the suspension band 66 may be attached to the straight tube 34 at a position frontward of the flexible pipe 32 and behind the grip unit 38, or it may be attached to the straight tube 34 at a position frontward of the flexible pipe 32 and the grip unit 38. Alternatively, the loop portion 86 of the suspension band 66 may be attached in a middle of the flexible pipe 32. Alternatively, the loop portion 86 of the suspension band 66 may be attached to the grip unit 38, for example to the mounting portion 38a or the grip portion 38b of the grip unit 38. Alternatively, the loop portion 86 of the suspension band 66 may be attached to the tip nozzle 36. When the loop portion 86 is attached to the flexible pipe 32a, or the straight tube 34 at a position behind the grip unit 38, the suspension band 66 is less likely to interfere with the work than when the loop portion 86 is attached to the tip nozzle 36, the grip unit 38, or the straight tube 34a at a position frontward of the grip unit 38.

FIG. 7 shows a backpack-type blower 10 without the suspension band 66 as a comparative example. In this configuration, when the user releases his/her hand from the grip portion 38b, the weight of the straight tube 34, the tip nozzle 36, and the grip unit 38 causes the flexible pipe 32 to bend greatly and the tip nozzle 36 to hang down to a very low level. Therefore, when the user walks, the user needs to grasp the grip portion 38b and lift up the blower unit 16 while walking to prevent the tip nozzle 36 from rubbing against the ground, which places a heavy burden on the user.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 8, the backpack-type blower 10 comprises the suspension band 66. In this configuration, the suspension band 66 supports the weight of the straight tube 34, the tip nozzle 36, and the grip unit 38, even when the user releases his/her hand from the grip portion 38b. This prevents the flexible pipe 32 from bending significantly and the tip nozzle 36 from hanging down to a very low level. Thus, even if the user releases his/her hand from the grip portion 38b while walking, the tip nozzle 36 can be suppressed from rubbing against the ground.

In the backpack-type blower 10 according to the present embodiment, a weight of the straight tube 34 is in a range of 220 [g] to 330 [g], for example, 270 [g]. A weight of the tip nozzle 36 is in a range of 70 [g] to 130 [g], e.g., 90 [g]. A weight of the grip unit 38 is in a range of 350 [g] to 550 [g], e.g., 450 [g]. With respect to the elastic band portion 68 of the suspension band 66, a length from an end of the hook 72 to an end of the adjuster 76 can be adjusted in a range of 250 [mm] to 500 [mm] to suit the user's physique. With respect to the elastic band portion 68, a length thereof is stretchable from its equilibrium length to twice the equilibrium length, for example, the equilibrium length is 80 [mm], a width thereof is in a range of 15 [mm] to 30 [mm], e.g., 25 [mm], and a thickness thereof is in a range of 2 [mm] to 4 [mm], e.g., 3.5 [mm]. With respect to the non-elastic band portion 70, for example, a length thereof is greater than or equal to 800 [mm], e.g., 800 [mm], a width thereof is in a range of 15 [mm] to 30 [mm], e.g., 25 [mm], and a thickness thereof is in a range of 1.0 [mm] to 1.5 [mm], e.g., 1.2 [mm], so that the non-elastic band portion 70 can be attached to the blower pipe 35 and also can cover the largest physique.

(Variants) The above embodiment explained the configuration in which the hook 72 of the suspension band 66 is attached to any of the rings 88a, 88b, 90a, 90b of the shoulder belts 20a, 20b. Unlike this, the hook 72 of the suspension band 66 may be configured to be attached to other locations on the shoulder belts 20a, 20b. Alternatively, the hook 72 of the suspension band 66 may be configured to be attached to the waist belt 22 or the backpack frame 18.

The above embodiment explained the configuration in which the loop portion 86 is arranged at the one end of the suspension band 66 and the hook 72 is arranged at the other end of the suspension band 66. Unlike this, the hook 72 may be arranged at each of the two ends of the suspension band 66. In this case, a ring (not shown) may be disposed on the flexible pipe 32, the straight tube 34, the tip nozzle 36, the grip unit 38, etc. to attach the hook 72.

The above embodiment explained the configuration in which the suspension band 66 comprises the elastic band portion 68 made of elastic material (e.g., rubber band) as a stretchable portion. Unlike this, the suspension band 66 may comprise other stretchable portion(s) other than the elastic band portion 68. For example, the suspension band 66 may comprise a cord reel (not shown) as the stretchable portion, in which a cord (not shown) made of non-elastic material is wound around a reel (not shown) and the amount of cord withdrawal from the reel changes in response to external force.

The above embodiment explained the configuration in which the housing 28 of the blower unit 16 is removably attached to a lower right portion of the backpack frame 18. Unlike this, the housing 28 of the blower unit 16 may be configured to be non-removably attached to the backpack frame 18 directly below the battery unit 14. In this configuration, the housing 28 of the blower unit 16, the intake cover 42, the soundproofing member 44, the motor case 46, the exhaust pipe 48, the blower fan 50, the electric motor 52, the diffuser cone 54, and the control unit 56 are all located below the battery unit 14. In this configuration, the exhaust pipe 48 and flexible pipe 32 may be connected via an L-shaped bent elbow pipe (not shown).

The above embodiment explained the configuration in which the power source of the backpack-type blower 10 is the battery unit 14 and power is supplied to the blower unit 16 from the battery unit 14. Unlike this, the power source of the backpack-type blower 10 may be an external power source (not shown) that is not worn by the user, and the power may be supplied to the blower unit 16 from the external power source. Alternatively, the power source of the backpack-type blower 10 may be a battery pack (not shown) configured to be detachably attached to the blower unit 16, and the power may be supplied to the blower unit 16 from the battery pack.

The above embodiment explained the case in which the electric motor 52 is a brushless motor. Unlike this, the electric motor 52 may be a brush motor or any other type of motor.

The above embodiment explained the configuration in which the prime mover of the backpack-type blower 10 is the electric motor 52, and the blower fan 50 rotates on the power from the electric motor 52. Unlike this, the prime mover of the backpack-type blower 10 may be an internal combustion engine (not shown), and the blower fan 50 may rotate on the power from the internal combustion engine.

(Correspondence Relationships) As above, in one or more embodiments, the

backpack-type blower 10 comprises: the backpack unit 12 including the backpack frame 18 and the shoulder belts 20a, 20b attached to the backpack frame 18; the housing 28 supported by the backpack frame 18; the electric motor 52 (example for a prime mover) supported by the housing 28; the blower fan 50 disposed within the housing 28 and configured to be driven by the electric motor 52; the flexible pipe 32 extending from the housing 28; the blower pipe 35 extending from the front end of the flexible pipe 32; the grip unit 38 disposed on the blower pipe 35; and the suspension band 66. The one end of the suspension band 66 is connected to the flexible pipe 32, the blower pipe 35, or the grip unit 38, at a position frontward of at least a part of the flexible pipe 32. The other end of the suspension band 66 is connected to the backpack unit 12.

According to the above configuration, the suspension band 66 supports the weight of the blower pipe 35 and/or the grip unit 38 so that at least a part of the flexible pipe 32 does not bend even when the user releases his/her hand from the grip unit 38. Due to this, the front portion of the blower pipe 35 can be suppressed from hanging down to a very low level. Thus, even if the user has his/her hands off the grip unit 38 while walking, the front portion of the blower pipe 35 can be suppressed from rubbing against the ground. This can reduce the burden on the user.

In one or more embodiments, the suspension band 66 includes the stretchable, elastic band portion 68 (example for stretchable portion).

If the suspension band 66 is not equipped with the elastic band portion 68, when the user swings the blower pipe 35 left and right while grasping the grip unit 38 during use of the backpack-type blower 10, the blower pipe 35 can only be moved within the length of the suspension band 66. This may impair the user's workability. Contrary to this, according to the above configuration, the suspension band 66 comprises the elastic band portion 68. Due to this, when the user swings the blower pipe 35 left and right while grasping the grip unit 38 during the use of the backpack-type blower 10, the blower pipe 35 can be moved in a wider range because the elastic band portion 68 extends. This enables the user to achieve good workability.

In one or more embodiments, the elastic band portion 68 is constituted of an elastic material.

According to the above configuration, the stretchable portion (i.e., elastic band portion 68) of the suspension band 66 can be realized by a simple configuration.

In one or more embodiments, the suspension band 66 may further include the non-elastic band portion 70 connected in series with the elastic band portion 68 and constituted of a non-elastic material.

If the suspension band 66 does not have the non-elastic band portion 70 and the entire suspension band 66 is constituted of the elastic band portion 68, elastic properties of the suspension band 66 will change due to a change in the length of the elastic band portion 68 that occurs when the length of the suspension band 66 is adjusted according to the user's physique. Contrary to this, according to the above configuration, the suspension band 66 comprises not only the elastic band portion 68 but also the non-elastic band portion 70. Due to this, when adjusting the length of the suspension band 66 according to the user's physique, the length of the suspension band 66 can be adjusted without changing the elastic properties of the suspension band 66, by changing the length of the non-elastic band portion 70 without changing the length of the elastic band portion 68.

In one or more embodiments, the suspension band 66 further includes: the loop portion 86 disposed at the one end of the suspension band 66 and constituted of the non-elastic band portion 70; and the adjuster 76 configured to adjust the length of the loop portion 86.

According to the above configuration, the length of the loop portion 86 can be adjusted according to an outer circumferential shape of the flexible pipe 32, the blower pipe 35, or the grip unit 38. The one end of the suspension band 66 can be attached without loosening.

In one or more embodiments, the other end of the suspension band 66 is connected to the shoulder belt 20a, 20b.

According to the above configuration, it is possible to suppress the suspension band 66 from interfering with work.

In one or more embodiments, the backpack unit 12 further includes the waist belt 22 attached to the backpack frame 18. The other end of the suspension band 66 is connected to the waist belt 22.

According to the above configuration, it is possible to suppress the suspension band 66 from interfering with the work.

In one or more embodiments, the one end of the suspension band 66 is connected to the blower pipe 35 or the grip unit 38 at a position frontward of the flexible pipe 32.

When one end of the suspension band 66 is attached to the flexible pipe 32, the portion of the flexible pipe 32 located frontward of the one end of the suspension band 66 may bend due to the weight of the blower pipe 35 and/or the grip unit 38. According to the above configuration, since the one end of the suspension band 66 is connected to the blower pipe 35 or the grip unit 38 at the position frontward of the flexible pipe 32, bending of the flexible pipe 32 can be suppressed.

In one or more embodiments, the one end of the suspension band 66 is connected to the blower pipe 35 at a position frontward of the flexible pipe 32 and behind the grip unit 38.

According to the above configuration, it is possible to suppress the suspension band 66 from interfering with the work. It is possible to realize good workability for the user.

Claims

1. A backpack-type blower, comprising: a backpack unit including a backpack frame and a shoulder belt attached to the backpack frame;a housing supported by the backpack frame;a prime mover supported by the housing;a blower fan disposed within the housing and configured to be driven by the prime mover;a flexible pipe extending from the housing;a blower pipe extending from a front end of the flexible pipe;a grip unit disposed on the blower pipe; anda suspension band,wherein one end of the suspension band is connected to the flexible pipe, the blower pipe, or the grip unit, at a position frontward of at least a part of the flexible pipe, andanother end of the suspension band is connected to the backpack unit.

2. The backpack-type blower according to claim 1, wherein the suspension band includes a stretchable portion.

3. The backpack-type blower according to claim 2, wherein the stretchable portion is an elastic band portion constituted of an elastic material.

4. The backpack-type blower according to claim 3, wherein the suspension band further includes a non-elastic band portion connected in series with the elastic band portion and constituted of a non-elastic material.

5. The backpack-type blower according to claim 4, wherein the suspension band further includes: a loop portion disposed at the one end of the suspension band and constituted of the non-elastic band portion; andan adjuster configured to adjust a length of the loop portion.

6. The backpack-type blower according to claim 1, wherein the other end of the suspension band is connected to the shoulder belt.

7. The backpack-type blower according to claim 1, wherein the backpack unit further includes a waist belt attached to the backpack frame, and the other end of the suspension band is connected to the waist belt.

8. The backpack-type blower according to claim 1, wherein the one end of the suspension band is connected to the blower pipe or the grip unit at a position frontward of the flexible pipe.

9. The backpack-type blower according to claim 8, wherein the one end of the suspension band is connected to the blower pipe at a position frontward of the flexible pipe and behind the grip unit.

10. The backpack-type blower according to claim 5, wherein the backpack unit further includes a waist belt attached to the backpack frame, the other end of the suspension band is connected to the shoulder belt or the waist belt,the one end of the suspension band is connected to the grip unit at a position frontward of the flexible pipe, or is connected to the blower pipe at a position frontward of the flexible pipe and behind the grip unit.