Shrouded floor drying fan

• US 7,007,403 B1
• Filed: 09/27/2004
• Issued: 03/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Legend Brands, Inc. (RPM International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Studebaker Enterprises Incorporated
• Inventors: Studebaker, Roy
• Primary Examiner(s): Gravini, S.
• Application Number:
  US10/951,294
• Time in Patent Office: 526 Days
• Field of Search: 34/90, 341/07, 342/01, 415/121.2, 416/247.R
• US Class Current: 34/90
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 1/7092 Temporary mechanical ventilation of damp layers, e.g. insulation of a floating floor
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 19/002 Axial flow fans
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/325 for axial flow fans blade mountings F04D29/34, blades F04D29/38
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/541 Specially adapted for elastic fluid pumps F04D29/56 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/601 specially adapted for elastic fluid pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/703 specially for fans, e.g. fan guards
• CPC Class Codes: F26B 21/001 Drying-air generating units, e.g. movable, independent of drying enclosure

Abstract

A method and apparatus for drying floors and carpets using a fan for generating a pressurized air stream within a vertical cylindrical shroud that is spaced two to five inches away from the floor on a set of legs such that an opening is formed between the shroud and the floor. The air stream is directed along the cylindrical shroud vertically toward the floor. At least a peripheral portion of the air stream is exhausted from the shroud in a substantially laminar flow at an angle that is inclined from the vertical and is exhausted radially into ambient air as a substantially laminar air stream.

Claims

1. A fan, comprising:

a shroud forming a confined space having an inlet orifice and an output orifice;

a plurality of extensions arranged in distributed manner around the output orifice and extended in the range of two to five inches therefrom for substantially uniformly spacing the output orifice a distance of two to five inches from a substantially flat work surface that is external to the confined space and larger than the output orifice for forming a substantially circular opening between the confined space and the work surface adjacent to the output orifice;

a fan impeller positioned within the confined space for generating pressurized air within the confined space and directing the pressurized air in an air stream through the output orifice; and

a rotary power supply coupled for driving the fan impeller.

2. The fan of claim 1 wherein the distance of two to five inches between the input orifice and the work surface is fixed by the plurality of extensions.

3. The fan of claim 1 wherein the uniform spacing of the output orifice the distance of two to five inches from the work surface causes the fan to be further structured for exhausting a substantially laminar air stream through a space between the circular opening of the confined space and the work surface.

4. The fan of claim 3 wherein the uniform spacing of the output orifice from the work surface causes the fan to be further structured for exhausting the substantially laminar air stream through the space in a substantially radial pattern.

5. The fan of claim 1 wherein the plurality of extensions are extended in the range of three to four inches from the output orifice and uniformly space the output orifice a distance of three to four inches from the substantially flat work surface.

6. The fan of claim 1 further comprising a fan grille positioned adjacent to the output orifice, the grille being structured for deflecting the air stream away from the work surface.

7. The fan of claim 6 wherein the grille is further structured for imparting a laminar flow character to the air stream.

8. The fan of claim 7 wherein the grille further comprises a peripheral louvered baffle inclined relative to the outlet orifice.

9. The fan of claim 8 wherein the grille further comprises a center baffle that is central of the peripheral louvered baffle and angularly aligned with the outlet orifice.

10. The fan of claim 8 wherein the grille further comprises a radial center baffle that is central of the peripheral louvered baffle and formed of radially arranged plate members that are further angularly inclined relative to the outlet orifice.

11. The fan of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of fan impellers for generating the pressurized air within the confined space and directing the pressurized air in an air stream through the output orifice, and the rotary power supply being a single rotary power supply coupled for driving the plurality of fan impellers.

12. A fan, comprising:

a shroud forming a confined space having a substantially cylindrical interior surface with an inlet orifice at a first end and an outlet orifice at a second end opposite the inlet orifice;

a plurality of legs of two to five inches in length extending from the shroud adjacent to the outlet orifice for spacing the outlet orifice a substantially uniform distance in the range of two to five inches from a substantially flat work surface external to the shroud and larger than the outlet orifice; and

a rotary motor-driven fan impeller within the shroud, the motor-driven fan impeller being structured for generating a pressurized air stream and directing the air stream outwardly through the outlet office.

13. The fan of claim 12 wherein the motor-driven fan impeller cooperates with the shroud and the plurality of legs for generating a pressurized air stream that is exhausted outwardly from a space between the shroud outlet orifice and the work surface and travels in a radial pattern adjacent to the work surface.

14. The fan of claim 13 wherein the generated air stream further comprises a substantially laminar air stream.

15. The fan of claim 14 wherein the substantially laminar air steam is substantially confined within a envelope positioned adjacent to the work surface.

16. The fan of claim 15 wherein the envelope has a thickness substantially the same as the distance between the shroud outlet orifice and the work surface.

17. The fan of claim 12 wherein the plurality of legs are three to four inches in length and space the outlet orifice a substantially uniform distance in the range of three to four inches from the substantially flat work surface.

18. The fan of claim 12 wherein the first end of the shroud adjacent to the inlet orifice is further structured to mate with the legs and the second end of the shroud adjacent to the outlet orifice, whereby a first fan is stackable with a second fan with the inlet orifice of the first fan mated with the outlet office of the second fan.

19. The fan of claim 12, further comprising a grille fixed adjacent to the outlet orifice, the grille being structured for deflecting at least a portion of the pressurized air stream away from the work surface and outwardly from the space between the shroud outlet orifice and the work surface.

20. The fan of claim 19 wherein the grille includes a plurality of inclined louvers structured for deflecting at least a portion of the pressurized air stream away from the work surface and outwardly from the space between the shroud outlet orifice and the work surface.

21. The fan of claim 20 wherein the plurality of inclined louvers are inclined at an angle in the range of about thirty to sixty degrees.

22. The fan of claim 20 wherein the plurality of inclined louvers are positioned in a peripheral portion of the grille, and the grille further comprises a plurality of vertical tubular louvers central of the inclined louvers.

23. The fan of claim 20 wherein the plurality of inclined louvers further comprises a plurality of circularly inclined louvers positioned in a peripheral portion of the grille, and the grille further comprises a plurality of inclined radial louvers central of the circularly inclined louvers.

24. The fan of claim 12 further comprising a plurality of rotary motor-driven fan impellers, the plurality of fan impellers being driven by a same rotary motor.

25. The fan of claim 12 wherein the shroud further comprises a sharp lip portion formed around the outlet orifice.

26. A fan, comprising:

a shroud forming a confined space formed of a substantially cylindrical interior surface having a substantially round outlet orifice formed in one end thereof;

a plurality of extensions arranged around the outlet orifice, each of the extensions having a component extending substantially perpendicular to the outlet orifice in the range of two to five inches; and

a fan impeller positioned within the confined space and being driven by a rotary power supply for drawing air into the confined space, generating a pressurized air stream within the confined space, and forcing the pressurized air stream toward the outlet orifice.

27. The fan of claim 26, further comprising a grille positioned adjacent to the outlet orifice and being structured for imparting a laminar flow character to at least a portion of the air stream.

28. The fan of claim 27 wherein the grille further comprises one or more louvers structured for directing the portion of the air stream crosswise to a work surface.

29. The fan of claim 27 wherein the grille further comprises one or more louvers structured for deflecting the portion of the air stream from a perpendicular impact with the work surface.

30. The fan of claim 27 wherein the grille further comprises one or more louvers structured for directing at least a portion of the air stream substantially perpendicularly to the work surface.

31. The fan of claim 27 wherein the grille further comprises one or more louvers structured for imparting a circularly rotating motion at least a portion of the air stream.

32. The fan of claim 26 wherein the perpendicular component of each of the extensions is further adjustable in the range of two to five inches.

33. The fan of claim 32 wherein the perpendicular component of each of the extensions is further adjustable in the range of three to four inches.

34. The fan of claim 26, further comprising a caster coupled to each of one or more of the extensions distal from the output orifice.

35. The fan of claim 26, further comprising a grille positioned adjacent to the outlet orifice and being structured for directing the portion of the air stream crosswise to a work surface and for imparting a laminar flow character to at least a portion of the air stream directed crosswise to a work surface, the grille further comprising one or more first louvers structured for directing at least a portion of the air stream substantially perpendicularly to the work surface, and the grille further comprising one or more second louvers structured for deflecting a portion of the air stream from a perpendicular impact with the work surface.

36. A fan, comprising:

a shroud means for forming a confined space having an inlet orifice and an output orifice;

a plurality of extensions arranged in distributed manner around the output orifice and extended in the range of two to five inches therefrom as a means for substantially uniformly spacing the output orifice a distance of two to five inches from a substantially flat work surface that is external to the confined space and larger than the output orifice for forming a substantially circular opening between the confined space and the work surface adjacent to the output orifice;

a fan impeller positioned within the confined space as a means for generating pressurized air within the confined space and directing the pressurized air in an air stream through the output orifice; and

a rotary power supply coupled to the fan impeller as a means for driving the fan impeller.

37. The fan of claim 36 wherein the means for uniformly spacing the output orifice the distance of two to five inches from the work surface further comprises means for exhausting a substantially laminar air stream through a space between the circular opening of the confined space and the work surface.

38. The fan of claim 36 wherein the plurality of extensions are extended in the range of three to four inches from the output orifice as a means for substantially uniformly space the output orifice a distance of three to four inches from the substantially flat work surface.

39. The fan of claim 36, further comprising a fan grille positioned adjacent to the output orifice as a means for deflecting the air stream away from the work surface.

40. A fan, comprising:

a shroud forming a confined space having a substantially cylindrical interior surface with an inlet orifice at a first end and an outlet orifice at a second end opposite the inlet orifice;

a plurality of legs of two to five inches in length extending from the shroud adjacent to the outlet orifice, the plurality of legs comprising a means for spacing the outlet orifice a substantially uniform distance in the range of two to five inches from a substantially flat work surface external to the shroud and larger than the outlet orifice; and

a rotary motor-driven fan impeller within the shroud, the motor-driven fan impeller being structured for generating a pressurized air stream and directing the air stream outwardly through the outlet orifice.

41. The fan of claim 40 wherein the motor-driven fan impeller cooperates with the shroud and the plurality of legs for operating as a means for generating a pressurized air stream that is exhausted radially outwardly from a space between the shroud outlet orifice and the work surface and travels in a radial pattern adjacent to the work surface and substantially perpendicular to the shroud outlet orifice.

42. The fan of claim 41 wherein the means for generating a pressurized air stream further comprises a means for generating a substantially laminar air stream.

43. The fan of claim 42 wherein the means for generating a substantially laminar air stream further comprises a means for confining the substantially laminar air stream within a envelope positioned adjacent to the work surface.

44. The fan of claim 40 wherein the plurality of legs further comprises a means for spacing the outlet orifice a substantially uniform distance in the range of three to four inches from the substantially flat work surface.