Columnar air moving devices, systems and method

• US 8,616,842 B2
• Filed: 03/16/2010
• Issued: 12/31/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Airius Ip Holdings LLC
• Original Assignee: Airius Ip Holdings LLC
• Inventors: Avedon, Raymond B.
• Primary Examiner(s): VERDIER, CHRISTOPHER M
• Application Number:
  US12/724,799
• Publication Number:
  US 20100266400A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,386 Days
• Field of Search: 415/189, 415/190, 415/191, 415/192, 415/208.2, 415/209.2, 415/209.3, 415/209.4, 415/210.1, 415/211.2, 415/220, 415/222, 416/214.R, 416/219.A, 416/220.A, 416/207, 416/208, 416/212.R, 416/194, 416/196.R, 416/196.A, 298/880.25, 298/880.2, 298/893, 298/892.1, 298/892.2, 454/230, 454/231, 454/233, 454/310
• US Class Current: 415/209.2
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 25/088 Ceiling fans
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/542 Bladed diffusers fixing blades to stators F01D9/042
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/544 Blade shapes
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/646 Mounting or removal of fans
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 7/065 fan combined with single duct; mounting arrangements of a fan in a duct
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49245 Vane type or other rotary, e.g., fan
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49327 Axial blower or fan

Abstract

A columnar air moving device can comprise separately formed modular stator vanes in a stator vane assembly. The stator vanes can be arranged in a radial pattern, and can direct air in an axial direction. The modular stator vanes, as well as other components of the stator vane assembly, can be replaced, adjusted, and/or removed from the columnar air moving device.

Claims

1. A vane assembly comprising:

a top or bottom member having a cup-like shape; and

a plurality of vane members;

each vane member having a top edge, a bottom edge, an outer lateral edge, an inner lateral edge, and an elongated flange extending along the inner lateral edge, the elongated flange having a top end and a bottom end,

wherein the plurality of vane members are arranged in a circular pattern around a longitudinally extending axis such that the vane members point in a generally radial direction away from the longitudinal axis with the top or bottom ends of the elongated flanges positioned within the top or bottom member respectively, and wherein the inner lateral edge and the top end form a top groove.

2. The vane assembly of claim 1, comprising both a top and bottom member.

3. The vane assembly of claim 2, wherein the top and bottom members comprise a flat circular bottom portion and a circumferential wall.

4. The vane assembly of claim 1, wherein the plurality of vane members comprise elongate bodies having a downstream end and an upstream end, the downstream end having a straight axial profile, and the upstream end having a curved profile.

5. The vane assembly of claim 1, wherein each elongate flange is generally perpendicular to an elongate body of the vane.

6. The vane assembly of claim 1, wherein a circumferential wall of the top member sits within the top groove.

7. The vane assembly of claim 1, wherein the inner lateral edge and bottom end of the elongated flange form a bottom groove.

8. The vane assembly of claim 7, wherein a circumferential wall of the bottom member sits within the bottom groove.

9. The vane assembly of claim 1, wherein the elongated flange comprises a lip on one side of the flange, and a groove on another side of the flange.

10. The vane assembly of claim 1, further comprising a securing device in engagement with the plurality of vane members.

11. The vane assembly of claim 10, wherein the securing device is a tie strap.

12. The vane assembly of claim 11, wherein the plurality of vane members comprise openings, the tie strap being secured through the openings.

13. The vane assembly of claim 1, wherein the plurality of vane members comprise a lip configured to matingly engage a corresponding groove in the top member.

14. The vane assembly of claim 1, wherein the plurality of vane members comprise a lip configured to matingly engage a corresponding groove in the bottom member.

15. An air moving device comprising:

a housing having an air inlet at a first end and an air outlet at a second end spaced from the first end with an air flow passage between the first and second ends;

a rotary fan mounted in the housing near the air inlet and having an impeller with a diameter and a plurality of blades that produce an air flow with rotary and axial air flow components; and

a modular stator vane assembly mounted in the housing, the stator vane assembly comprising a plurality of individual modular stator vanes coupled together and arranged about a longitudinal axis of the housing and extending between the impeller and air outlet for converting the rotary component of the airflow into laminar and axial air flow in the housing, wherein the air flow exits the air outlet in an axial stream extending beyond the air outlet in a columnar pattern with minimal lateral dispersion;

wherein each modular stator vane has a top edge, a bottom edge, an outer lateral edge, an inner lateral edge, and an elongated flange extending along the inner lateral edge, the elongated flange having a top end and a bottom end.

16. The air moving device of claim 15, further comprising top and bottom members have cup-like shapes that are positioned above and below the individual modular stator vanes.

17. The air moving device of claim 16, wherein the plurality of modular stator vanes are arranged in a circular pattern at least partially within the top and bottom members.

18. The air moving device of claim 17, wherein a circumferential wall of the bottom member sits within a bottom groove of each of the modular stator vanes.

19. The air moving device of claim 16, wherein a circumferential wall of the top member sits within a top groove of each of the modular stator vanes.

20. The air moving device of claim 15, further comprising a securing device in engagement with the plurality of modular stator vanes.

21. The air moving device of claim 20, wherein the securing device is a tie strap.

22. The air moving device of claim 15, wherein the plurality of modular stator vanes comprise elongate bodies having a downstream end and an upstream end, the downstream end having a straight profile, and the upstream end having a curved profile.

23. A method of assembling an air moving device comprising:

assembling a plurality of modular stator vanes within a holding member, each modular stator vane having a top edge, a bottom edge, an outer lateral edge, an inner lateral edge, and an elongated flange extending along the inner lateral edge, the elongated flange having a top end and a bottom end;

arranging the plurality of modular stator vanes in a circular pattern around a longitudinally extending axis such that the modular stator vanes point in a generally radial direction away from the longitudinal axis with either the top ends of the elongated flanges or the bottom ends of elongated flanges being positioned within the holding member;

mounting the modular stator vanes and holding member within a housing of the air moving device; and

mounting a rotary fan in the housing above the modular stator vanes and holding member, and near an air inlet of the housing, the rotary fan having an impeller with a diameter and a plurality of blades that produce an air flow with rotary and axial air flow components.

24. A vane assembly comprising:

a top or bottom member having a cup-like shape; and

a plurality of vane members;

each vane member having a top edge, a bottom edge, an outer lateral edge, an inner lateral edge, and an elongated flange extending along the inner lateral edge, the elongated flange having a top end and a bottom end,

wherein the plurality of vane members are arranged in a circular pattern around a longitudinally extending axis such that the vane members point in a generally radial direction away from the longitudinal axis with the top or bottom ends of the elongated flanges positioned within the top or bottom member respectively, and wherein the inner lateral edge and the bottom end form a bottom groove.