Blower/vacuum tube attachment

Abstract

A blower/vacuum device has removable blower tube configured to connect with a connector stub of the device. The connector stub has a guide path formed in its interior wall and the blower tube has a latch runner disposed on its outer surface. A flipper is positioned in the guide path near the end of the circumferential segment of the guide path and coacts with the latch runner. The flipper is biased such that its tongue extends into the guide path. When the blower tube is rotated a sufficient distance such that the latch runner is rotated past the tongue, the flipper is repositioned by spring force and the tongue locks the blower tube in place. The flipper is repositioned to move the tongue out of contact with the latch runner to permit the blower tube to be rotated in the disconnect direction and removed from the connecting stub.

1 . A blower/vacuum device having a removable blower tube connected so as to prevent unintentional removal of the blower tube from the device, said device comprising:
 a housing having a tubular connector stub at an air outlet of the housing, wherein at least one guide path is formed in an interior wall of said connector stub, the guide path having an insertion point at a proximal end of guide path located in an outward end of the connecting stub, an axial section leading from said insertion point, and a circumferential section leading from said axial section;   a removable blower tube configured to connect with the connector stub, the blower tube having a latch runner disposed on an outer surface thereof that is received in the guide path upon insertion of the blower tube onto the connector stub, the latch runner having a sloped leading edge and a trailing edge that extends substantially perpendicular from the outer surface of the blower tube, wherein said blower tube is compelled to rotate with respect to the connector stub as said latch runner travels along the circumferential section of the guide path;   a rotatable flipper located near a distal end of the guide path having a tongue configured to coact with the latch runner, the flipper having a locking position in which the tongue extends inward into the guide path and abuts the trailing edge of the latch runner when the blower tube is in an installed position, wherein said flipper is rotatably captured by the housing and is accessible through a window formed in said housing such that the an external force may be applied to said flipper; and   a spring acting upon the flipper, wherein said spring biases the flipper into its locking position;   wherein during installation of the blower tube, as the latch runner progresses along the circumferential section of the guide path, the sloped leading edge of the latch runner contacts the tongue and causes the flipper to rotate against the biasing force of the spring, thereby pushing the tongue out of the way of the latch runner, and when the blower tube is rotated into its installed position such that the latch runner moves past the tongue, the spring repositions the flipper into its locking position so that the tongue moves behind the trailing edge of the latch runner to lock the blower tube in place thereby preventing the blower tube from rotating in a disconnect direction and being removed from the connector stub, and during disconnect of the blower tube, the flipper is rotated by the user via application of an external force on the flipper against the biasing force of the spring to move the tongue out of contact with the trailing edge of the latch runner thereby permitting the blower tube to be rotated in the disconnect direction and removed from the connecting stub.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the housing is formed of two component shells, wherein the flipper is rotatably captured between the two component shells of the housing. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the flipper is located near the end of the circumferential segment of the guide path 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the flipper has a slot in one end thereof exposed by the window, wherein said slot is configured to receive a tool inserted though the window to rotate the flipper. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 1  wherein when the blower tube is rotated in a disconnect direction and an external force is not acting upon the flipper to rotate the flipper, the tongue catches the perpendicular rear edge of the latch runner and prevents rotation of the blower tube in the disconnect direction. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the axial segment of the guide path extends parallel with the longitudinal center axis of the connector stub and the circumferential segment is oriented substantially perpendicular to the axial segment. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the guide path formed in the interior wall of said connector stub has a substantially U-shaped cross section.