Fan design and method of operating

• US 7,640,897 B2
• Filed: 11/09/2007
• Issued: 01/05/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sauer-Danfoss Incorporated (Danfoss A/S)
• Original Assignee: Sauer-Danfoss Incorporated (Danfoss A/S)
• Inventors: Nielsen, Simon L., Gandrud, Michael D., Daniel, Chad J., Herrin, Jeff L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kamen; Noah
• Application Number:
  US11/937,712
• Publication Number:
  US 20090038564A1
• Time in Patent Office: 788 Days
• Field of Search: 123/41.49, 123/41.12, 622/44, 180/68.1, 165/41, 415/228, 415/60, 415/61, 415/66, 415/68
• US Class Current: 123/41.49
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2005/025 using two or more air pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 5/02 Pumping cooling-air; Arrangements of cooling-air pumps, e.g. fans or blowers
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 25/06 the pump being electrically driven F04D25/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 25/166 using fans
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/601 specially adapted for elastic fluid pumps

Abstract

A method of cooling a radiator in an internal combustion engine wherein a plurality of fan assemblies is provided. Specifically, each fan assembly has a housing with an interior containing a fan blade and an exterior having six sides to form a hexagonal perimeter. The fan assemblies are then arranged side by side to form a cluster of fan assemblies in order to maximize the amount of fan assemblies that may be provided on an enclosure. The cluster of fan assemblies is then placed adjacent to a radiator to control the air flow over the radiator in order to cool the engine.

Claims

1. A method of cooling a radiator of an internal combustion engine steps comprising:

providing a plurality of fan assemblies wherein each fan assembly has a housing with an interior containing a fan blade rotatably connected within the housing and an exterior having six sides to form a hexagonal perimeter;

providing aerodynamic arcuate surface to transition from a hexagonal inner diameter on the back of the fan assembly to a circular inner diameter on the front of the fan assembly;

placing a first side of a first fan assembly adjacent a first side of a second fan assembly and a first side of a third fan assembly adjacent to a second side of the first fan assembly and a second side of the third fan assembly adjacent to a second side of the second fan assembly to form a cluster of fan assemblies; and

placing the cluster of fan assemblies adjacent a radiator to control the air flow over the radiator and cool the radiator.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the first side of the first fan assembly interconnects with the first side of the second fan assembly.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the first side of the third fan assembly interconnects with the second side of the first fan assembly.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the cluster of fan assemblies is affixed to an enclosure that ducts air flow from the fan assemblies to the radiator.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the enclosure is five sided.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the cluster of fan assemblies is placed adjacent to a plurality of radiators.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising actuating the first and second fan assemblies simultaneously and then deactuating the first fan assembly only to provide less air flow to the radiator than when the first and second fan assemblies are actuated simultaneously.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein a wedge is disposed between the first and second fan assemblies.