Stacked redundant blowers

• US 20040018105A1
• Filed: 07/24/2002
• Published: 01/29/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Saico Information Technology Company Limited
• Original Assignee: MaXXan Systems, Inc. (Ciphermax Incorporated)
• Inventors: Hansen, Michael, Stoddard, Donald Joseph
• Granted Patent: US 6,739,846 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 417/423.5
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 17/16 for displacing without appreciable compression
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 25/166 using fans
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 27/008 Stop safety or alarm devices, e.g. stop-and-go control; Disposition of check-valves

Abstract

A fluid moving system is disclosed wherein a plurality of stacked blowers may provide for the redundant supply of cooling fluid such as air. This system may be advantageously utilized to cool electronic equipment or other uses. One or more of the blowers may utilize an impellor design that allows for the axial flow of fluid through the blower in addition to a transverse fluid outlet. In addition, the blowers may incorporate a flow gate operative to reduce back flow should a particular blower have a reduced fluid flow.

Claims

1. A fluid moving system comprising:

a first fluid mover utilizing an impellor and having a fluid input and a fluid output in a generally side outlet;

the first fluid mover also having a second fluid outlet generally opposite the fluid input;

a second fluid mover utilizing an impellor and having an input generally axially coupled to the first fluid mover second fluid output, the second fluid mover also having a generally side fluid output; and

the first and second fluid movers also each having a flow gate coupled to the generally side output and each flow gate being operative to open, based, in part, on a fluid flow from an associated fluid mover.

2. The fluid moving system of claim 1 wherein the first fluid mover is a centrifugal blower.

3. The fluid moving system of claim 1 wherein the second fluid mover is a centrifugal blower.

4. The fluid moving system of claim 1 wherein the flow gate associated with the first fluid mover is operative to close based, in part, on a fluid flow from the second fluid mover.

5. The fluid moving system of claim 1 wherein the flow gate associated with the second fluid mover is operative to close based, in part, on a fluid flow from the first fluid mover.

6. The fluid moving system of claim 1 wherein the first fluid mover impellor includes a base section with impellor blades generally on the periphery of the base section and the base section includes flow through apertures generally constructed to allow fluid flow to pass from a first surface of the base section through the base section.

7. The fluid moving system of claim 1 wherein the second fluid mover impellor includes a base section with impellor blades generally on the periphery of the base section and the base section includes flow through apertures generally constructed to allow fluid flow to pass from a first surface of the base section through the base section.

8. The fluid moving system of claim 1 wherein the flow gate associated with the first fluid mover is coupled to the first flow mover with a hinge.

9. The fluid moving system of claim 1 wherein the flow gate associated with the second fluid mover is coupled to the second flow mover with a hinge.

10. A fluid mover comprising:

an impeller having a generally circular base section and a first and second side surfaces wherein the second side is an opposite side of the first surface;

the impeller having fluid moving blades coupled generally on the periphery of the base section first side surface; and

the base section including fluid flow apertures from the first side surface to the second side surface.

11. The fluid mover as in claim 10 wherein the fluid mover is a centrifugal blower.

12. The fluid mover as in claim 11 wherein the impeller fluid moving blades are operative to move fluid generally from the center of the base section to the periphery of the base section and the fluid mover includes a flow gate operative to allow fluid flow through the fluid mover based, in part, on the fluid flow of the fluid mover.

13. The fluid mover as in claim 11 wherein the impeller fluid moving blades are operative to move fluid generally from the center of the base section to the periphery of the base section and the fluid mover includes a flow gate operative to restrict fluid flow from the periphery of the fluid mover generally toward the center of the base section based, in part, on the fluid flow of the fluid mover.

14. The fluid mover as in claim 13 wherein the flow gate is coupled to the fluid mover with a hinge.

15. The fluid mover as in claim 12 wherein the flow gate is coupled to the fluid mover with a hinge.

16. The fluid mover as in claim 15 wherein the hinge is an integral plastic hinge.

17. The fluid mover as in claim 11 wherein the impeller is coupled to a motor and the motor is coupled to a frame by a plurality of spokes.