Split blade radial fan
First Claim
1. A fan comprising:
- a center hub having a center axis and a peripheral surface, the center axis defining axial and radial directions; and
a plurality of blades configured and adapted to draw air radially outward from the center axis by revolving with the center hub about the center axis, the plurality of blades each having a radially opposite base end and trailing edge, the base end of each of the blades being attached to the hub and each of the blades having an infinite number of cross-sections that each lie in a plane tangential to and radially spaced from the center axis, each of the blades having a first section extending radially inward from its trailing edge and a second section extending radially outward from its base end, cross sections of the first section of each of the blades have chord-lines oriented parallel to the center axis, cross-sections of the second section of each of the blades have chord-lines oriented at an angle relative to the center axis, and the angle of the chord-lines of the second section cross-sections of each of the blades increases with increasing radial distance of the cross-section from the center axis.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A fan has a plurality of blades that are each configured to induce radial-flow adjacent the trailing edge of the blade while also being configured to induce both radial-flow and axial-flow near the base end of the blade. This is achieved by splitting each of the blades into two sections and orienting the chord-line of the blades near the hub of the fan at angle relative to the axis of the hub while maintaining the chord-line of the blades parallel to the axis near the trailing edges of the blades. This results in an increased ability of the fan to draw air in axially as compared to conventional radial-flow fans. The fan of the preferred embodiment also makes use of an annular ring joining the trailing edges of the blades. The ring has axially opposite sides that taper toward one another as the ring extends radially inward and acts as a diverter to channel air to axially opposite sides of an annular obstruction in the flow path of air being exhausted from the fan, thereby further increasing the fan'"'"'s efficiency.
9 Citations
35 Claims
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1. A fan comprising:
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a center hub having a center axis and a peripheral surface, the center axis defining axial and radial directions; and
a plurality of blades configured and adapted to draw air radially outward from the center axis by revolving with the center hub about the center axis, the plurality of blades each having a radially opposite base end and trailing edge, the base end of each of the blades being attached to the hub and each of the blades having an infinite number of cross-sections that each lie in a plane tangential to and radially spaced from the center axis, each of the blades having a first section extending radially inward from its trailing edge and a second section extending radially outward from its base end, cross sections of the first section of each of the blades have chord-lines oriented parallel to the center axis, cross-sections of the second section of each of the blades have chord-lines oriented at an angle relative to the center axis, and the angle of the chord-lines of the second section cross-sections of each of the blades increases with increasing radial distance of the cross-section from the center axis. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 26, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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13. A fan comprising:
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a center hub having a center axis and a peripheral surface, the center axis defining axial and radial directions;
a plurality of blades configured and adapted to draw air radially outward from the center axis by revolving with the center hub about the center axis, the plurality of blades each having a radially opposite base end and trailing edge, the base end of each of the blades being attached to the hub; and
a ring extending around the hub that interconnects the trailing edges of the blades.
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16. A fan comprising:
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a center hub having a center axis of rotation of the fan and a peripheral surface;
a plurality of blades radiating outwardly from the hub peripheral surface, each blade of the plurality of blades has a radial length with an opposite base end and trailing edge, the base ends of the blades are connected with the hub peripheral surface, at least some of the blades have radial-flow and axial-flow portions, the radial-flow portions of the blades are positioned in planes that contain the hub center axis and the axial-flow portions of the blades have at least portions that are positioned in planes that are oriented at an angle relative to the planes of the blade radial-flow portions, and the blade radial-flow portions extend from the base ends to the trailing edges of the blades.
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22. A fan having a center axis of rotation, the axis defining axial and radial directions, the fan comprising:
a plurality of blades configured and adapted to draw air radially outward from the axis by revolving about the center axis, the plurality of blades each having a radially opposite base end and trailing edge, the base end of each of the blades being radially closer to the center axis than the trailing edge of each of the blades and each of the blades having an infinite number of cross-sections that each lie in a plane tangential to and radially spaced from the center axis, each of the blades having a first section extending radially inward from its trailing edge and a second section extending radially outward from its base end, cross sections of the first section of each of the blades have chord-lines oriented parallel to the center axis, and at least some cross-sections of the second section of each of the blades have chord-lines oriented at an angle relative to the center axis. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 27, 28, 29, 30)
Specification