Backpack Blower Intake Design to Reduce Leaf Clogging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Backpack power tools often experience clogged air intakes due to aspirated leaves, leading to insufficient air supply for the blower, which can impair performance and efficiency.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a bottom plate with a large intake surface area, featuring ribs and strategically positioned intake openings that are connected to the air passage, ensuring that even if some openings become clogged, the remaining ones can maintain airflow due to their extensive coverage and minimal impact on suction power.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If a passage is provided at the bottom side of the bottom plate for air intake, then air supply to the blower is enabled, but the passage becomes clogged by aspirated leaves
Solution Approach 1:
The bottom plate is divided into multiple ribs that create several separate intake openings, transforming a single large passage into multiple smaller pathways. This segmentation prevents leaves from blocking the entire air intake, as clogging of one opening does not affect the others
Solution Approach 2:
Ribs are introduced as intermediary structures between the air intake and the blower. These ribs create a protective barrier that allows air to pass through while intercepting and stopping leaves before they can enter the passage and clog it
2Reliability
If ribs are added to prevent leaf clogging, then passage reliability improves, but the intake surface area is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The ribs are designed with specific dimensions (width less than 10mm) and strategic positioning to provide local protection against leaf clogging while minimizing their impact on the overall intake surface area. The local intervention of ribs preserves the global air intake capability
3Reliability
If multiple intake openings are provided, then clogging resistance improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple intake openings and ribs are integrated into a single bottom plate structure, combining several functions (air intake, leaf prevention, structural support) into one unified component. This merging approach increases clogging resistance without proportionally increasing overall device complexity
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design significantly reduces the likelihood of clogging and ensures a consistent air supply to the blower, preventing performance degradation and maintaining efficiency even when partially obstructed.
Implementation Method 1
the blower sucks in the working air flow from the environment through the at least one passage
Data Source
AI summary
A backpack power tool has drive motor and blower mounted on a backpack frame. The bottom plate of the backpack frame has a passage for working air sucked in by the blower. Ribs on the bottom side of the bottom plate have end faces forming a contact surface for leaves aspirated in blower operation against the bottom plate. The bottom plate has intake openings positioned between the end faces of the ribs in the contact surface and fluidically connected to the passage. Working air is sucked in through the intake openings and the passage. The bottom plate has an intake surface that is the sum of surfaces of all intake openings and of all end faces of ribs with a width of less than 10 mm positioned between the intake openings. The intake surface amounts to at least 50% of the surface of the bottom side of the bottom plate.