Airflow flapper valve

• US 20030091433A1
• Filed: 11/15/2001
• Published: 05/15/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP (Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Company)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Barrows, Paul W., Theodossy, Chadi, Nelson, Richard B., Tam, Victoria Tsang, Tang, Kenneth K.
• Granted Patent: US 6,705,833 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 415/146
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 25/14 and having shutters, e.g. automatically closed when not in use
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49243 Centrifugal type
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49245 Vane type or other rotary, e.g., fan

Abstract

A blower apparatus includes a blower housing having at least one airflow channel. A flexible sheet having at least one flap is coupled to the blower housing such that the flap overlaps the channel to form a one-way valve. A plurality of flaps may be positioned over a plurality of channels to form a blower apparatus with a plurality of one-way valves. The flexible sheet may include mounting features such as holes to facilitate assembly. For example, in one embodiment, the flexible sheet is pressed onto a plurality of pegs residing on the blower housing such that the holes receive the pegs. In another embodiment, the flexible sheet is pressed onto a plurality of pegs residing on an exhaust cover that is subsequently attached to the blower housing.

Claims

1. A method of assembling a blower, comprising the steps of:

a) providing a blower housing having at least one channel;

b) providing a flexible sheet having at least one flap; and

c) attaching the flexible sheet to the blower housing, wherein the flap is disposed over the channel to form a one-way valve.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein step c) further comprises the step of:

i) pressing the flexible sheet onto a plurality of pegs residing on the blower housing.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein step c) further comprises the steps of:

i) pressing the flexible sheet onto a plurality of pegs residing on an exhaust cover; and

ii) attaching the exhaust cover to the blower housing.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the blower housing has a plurality of channels, wherein the flexible sheet has a plurality of flaps, wherein the plurality of flaps is disposed over the plurality of channels to form a plurality of one-way valves.

5. A method of assembling a blower, comprising the steps of:

a) providing a blower housing having a plurality of channels;

b) providing a flexible sheet have a plurality of flaps; and

c) attaching the flexible sheet to the blower housing, wherein each flap overlaps at least one channel to form a one-way valve.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein step c) further comprises the step of:

i) pressing the flexible sheet onto a plurality of pegs residing on the blower housing.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein step c) further comprises the steps of:

i) pressing the flexible sheet onto a plurality of pegs residing on an exhaust cover; and

ii) attaching the exhaust cover to the blower housing.

8. A blower apparatus comprising:

a blower housing having at least one airflow channel; and

a flexible sheet having a flap, wherein the flexible sheet is coupled to the blower housing such that the flap overlaps the channel to form a one-way valve.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 further comprising:

an exhaust cover, wherein the flexible sheet is attached to the exhaust cover, wherein the exhaust cover is attached to the blower housing.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the exhaust cover further comprises a plurality of pegs located, wherein the flexible sheet has a plurality of holes for receiving the pegs.

11. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the blower housing comprises a plurality of pegs located adjacent the exhaust port wherein the flexible sheet has a plurality of holes for receiving the pegs.

12. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the blower apparatus further comprises:

an impeller located within the blower housing.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the impeller has a plurality of blades configures as a selected one of an airfoil, backward inclined, backward curved, radial, paddle and forward curved configuration.

14. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the blower housing has a plurality of airflow channel, where the flexible sheet has a plurality of flaps, wherein the flexible sheet is coupled to the blower housing such that each flap overlaps at least one of the plurality of channels to form a plurality of one-way valves.