BLOWER ASSEMBLY

• US 3,829,250 A
• Filed: 01/31/1973
• Issued: 08/13/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Fasco Industries, Inc. (Schneider Electric SE)
• Original Assignee: Wilfred Joseph Jr. Samson
• Inventors: Samson, Wilfred Joseph Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Husar, C. J.
• Application Number:
  US05/328,376
• Time in Patent Office: 559 Days
• Field of Search: 417/424,423R 415/219
• US Class Current: 417/423.1
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 17/16 for displacing without appreciable compression
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/281 for fans or blowers
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/4206 especially adapted for elastic fluid pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/4253 with axial entry and discharge
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/582 specially adapted for elastic fluid pumps

Abstract

A blower assembly comprising a housing with inlet and discharge openings in opposite sides. A backward curved blower wheel is mounted in the housing with a driving motor adjacent the circular inlet opening and provides a seal against reverse air flow with an annular ring on the wheel. The discharge opening is larger in area than the inlet and a resulting straight through flow occurs at a relatively low velocity and sound level but in an air stream of relatively broad cross section.

Claims

1. A blower assembly for providing a stream of air at a relatively low velocity and low sound level but of broad cross section, said assembly comprising a housing having spaced air inlet and discharge openings, said inlet opening being of substantially circular configuration and said discharge opening having a cross sectional area at least equal to one half the area of said inlet opening, a rotary blower wheel supported in said housing adjacent and in coaxial relationship with said inlet opening, said blower wheel having at least one radial blade supporting member and a plurality of axially extending and circumaxially spaced air moving blades disposed about an axially open central area for receiving air introduced through said inlet opening, said blower wheel and housing adjacent said inlet opening being disposed at least in one annular sealing zone in closely spaced relationship to prevent air flow in a reverse direction through said inlet opening, said air moving blades being inclined rearwardly with respect to the direction of blower wheel rotation and operable at low sound level to induce a flow of air therebetween and in a generally radial outward direction with respect to said wheel and inlet opening, and said housing extending continuously about and in spaced relationship with the circumference of said wheel to arrest said radial outward air flow, and to provide a substantially unobstructed annular plenum zone extending about said blades and to said discharge opening, and an electric motor connected in driving relationship with said blower wheel, said motor being operable to rotate said blower wheel whereby to induce interblade air flow as aforesaid and to pressurize said housing interior with resulting air flow through said discharge opening in a desired stream of relatively low velocity and sound level but broad and uniform cross section.

2. A blower assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said discharge opening has a cross sectional area at least equal to that of said inlet opening.

3. A blower assembly as set forth in claim 2 wherein said discharge opening is arranged opposite and in approximate axial alignment with said inlet opening and is substantially larger in cross sectional area than said opening.

4. A blower assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said blower wheel has an annular member interconnecting its said air moving blades adjacent said inlet opening and cooperatively forming said annular sealing zone with said housing adjacent said opening.

5. A blower assembly as set forth in claim 4 wherein said annular member is inclined outwardly from its radial inner edge between axial and radial planes and in a direction away from said inlet opening, and wherein said housing adjacent said inlet opening has a generally flat configuration blending into an annular arcuate section projecting away from said blower wheel and terminating at a free circular edge adjacent said annular member on said wheel.

6. A blower assembly as set forth in claim 4 wherein said blower wheel has its said radial blade supporting member arranged axially opposite said inlet opening, wherein said motor is disposed outwardly and axially adjacent said member, and wherein said member carries a plurality of radially extending cooling fins for circulating air over said motor.

7. A blower assembly as set forth in claim 4 wherein said housing extends beyond said inlet opening in a direction away from said blower wheel, and wherein a filter member is provided across said projecting housing portion for the passage of air therethrough prior to entry through said inlet opening.

8. A blower assEmbly as set forth in claim 4 wherein said housing is of generally rectangular configuration with a central partition and first and second blower wheel chambers on opposite sides thereof, each of said chambers having opposite inlet and discharge openings as aforesaid, and each of said chambers having a blower wheel and motor assembly mounted therein as aforesaid.

9. A blower assembly as set forth in claim 8 wherein each of said motors has an associated motor mount, said motor mounts comprising elongated members extending generally diagonally outwardly from inner connections with their respective motors and having outer connections with the housings at corners of their respective chambers.

10. A blower assembly as set forth in claim 8 wherein said blower wheel and motor assemblies have differing pressure and flow characteristics.