Furnace blower housing with integrally formed exhaust transition

• US 6,314,894 B1
• Filed: 08/30/2000
• Issued: 11/13/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Jakel Motors Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Jakel Incorporated (Regal-Beloit Corporation)
• Inventors: Gatley, William Stuart Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bennett, Henry
• Assistant Examiner(s): RINEHART, KENNETH
• Application Number:
  US09/651,645
• Time in Patent Office: 440 Days
• Field of Search: 110/205, 110/206, 110/214, 110/297, 110/147, 110/162, 110/341, 415/182.1, 415/203, 415/206, 415/224, 415/207
• US Class Current: 110/341
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 25/24 Casings modified for heating or cooling F01D25/14; Casing parts, e.g. diaphragms, casing fastenings casings for rotary machines or engines in general F16M ; special arrangements in stators dealing with breaking-off of part of rotor F01D21/045
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 25/265 Vertically split casings; Clamping arrangements therefor
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/441 especially adapted for elastic fluid pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2240/14 Casings or housings protecting or supporting assemblies within

Abstract

A furnace blower housing has a two-piece exhaust transition, one piece of which is an integral extension of the blower housing, that transitions a rectangular cross section outlet of the blower housing to a circular cross section outlet of the exhaust transition that is adapted to be attached to a circular exhaust pipe.

Claims

1. A method of transitioning a furnace blower housing outlet so that the housing can be directly attached to a circular exhaust pipe, the method comprising the steps of:

providing the blower housing with an exhaust transition having an inlet adjacent the housing, a circular outlet, and a length therebetween, the exhaust transition being comprised of first and second sections;

forming the first section as a unitary piece of the housing;

forming the second section complementary to the first section and adapted and configured to attach to the first section to form the exhaust transition and the circular outlet;

attaching the second section to the first section; and

,

the exhaust discharge is formed with a generally rectangular inlet and progressively changes from being generally rectangular at the inlet to being generally circular at the outlet.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of attaching the second section to the first pipe section is further comprised of the step of:

crimping the second section to the first section.

3. A furnace blower housing comprising:

a body having a tubular exhaust transition, the exhaust transition being comprised of first and second sections and having first and second ends and a length therebetween;

the first end being an inlet, the inlet being adjacent to the body;

the second end being an outlet the outlet being generally circular;

the first section being of single piece construction with the body and the second section being adapted and configured to attach to the first section to form the tubular exhaust transition and the circular outlet; and

the first end is generally rectangular and the exhaust transition changes from being generally rectangular at the first end to being generally circular at the second end as the exhaust transition extends from the first end to the second end.

4. The housing of claim 3, wherein:

the second section extends along the entire length of the exhaust transition from the inlet to the outlet and has an inlet end that is generally flat and forms a portion of the generally rectangular inlet.

5. The housing of claim 4, wherein:

the second section inlet end covers a back wall of the body and has an opening to allow air to flow into the housing.

15. The housing of claim 3, wherein:

the second section has a back plate that attaches to the body.

6. A furnace blower housing comprising:

a body having a front wall and a back wall separated by a volute side wall, the back wall having an opening that leads to a cavity in the body defined by the front and back wall and the side wall;

the cavity being configured and adapted to receive a fan that is rotated in the cavity to generate a flow of air through the housing;

a throat in the body leading to an exhaust transition comprised of first and second sections, the exhaust transition forming an outlet of the blower housing and having an inlet end with a rectangular cross sectional area and an outlet with a circular cross sectional area;

the first exhaust transition section being formed monolithically from the body and forming a first portion of the outlet;

the second exhaust transition section forming a second portion of the outlet, the second exhaust transition section being complementary to the first exhaust transition section and configured and adapted to attach to the first exhaust transition section to form the exhaust transition and the outlet; and

the flow of air exits the housing through the exhaust transition and the outlet.

7. The housing of claim 6, wherein:

the first and second transition sections form a generally circular outlet.

8. The housing of claim 7, wherein:

the first transition section is formed from the sidewall and the front wall of the body.

9. The housing of claim 6, wherein:

the second transition section has opposite outlet and inlet ends and opposite side edges, the second transition section is substantially flat and generally parallel to the back wall at the inlet end and progressively curves outwardly between the opposite side edges as the second transition section extends from the inlet end to the outlet end to form the second portion of the generally circular outlet.

10. The housing of claim 9, wherein:

the inlet end forms a back plate that attaches to the back wall and covers the opening in the back wall, the back plate having an opening to allow air to enter the cavity through the back plate opening.

11. The housing of claim 6, wherein:

the first transition section has opposite outlet and inlet ends and opposite side edges, the outlet end being the first portion of the outlet and the inlet end being part of the throat, the first transition section progressively curves outwardly between the opposite side edges as the first transition section extends from the inlet end to the outlet end to form the first portion of the generally circular outlet.

12. The housing of the claim 11, wherein:

a portion of the front wall forms a pretransition section adjacent the throat and the inlet end, the pretransition section progressively curves outwardly from the front wall as the pretransition section extends towards the throat and the inlet end, and a portion of the throat adjacent the pretransition section and a portion of the inlet end adjacent the throat are curved outwardly from the front wall and align with and are complementary to the pretransition section.

16. The housing of claim 6, wherein:

the second transition section has opposite outlet and inlet ends and opposite side edges, and the inlet end of the second transition section is formed with a back plate that attaches to the back wall and covers the opening in the back wall, the back plate having an opening to allow air to enter the cavity through the back plate opening.

13. A furnace blower housing comprising:

a body having a front wall and a back wall separated by a volute side wall, the back wall having an opening that leads to a cavity in the body defined by the front and back wall and the side wall;

the cavity being configured and adapted to receive a fan that is rotated in the cavity to generate a flow of air through the housing;

a throat in the body leading to an exhaust transition comprised of first and second sections, the exhaust transition forming an outlet;

the first exhaust transition section being formed monolithically from the body and forming a first portion of the outlet;

the second exhaust transition section forming a second portion of the outlet, the second exhaust transition section being complementary to the first exhaust transition section and configured and adapted to attach to the first exhaust transition section to form the exhaust transition and the outlet;

the flow of air exits the housing through the exhaust transition and the outlet;

the first and second transition sections form a generally circular outlet;

the first transition section is formed from the side wall and the front wall of the body;

the exhaust transition extends axially away from the back wall as the transition section extends outwardly from the body so that the outlet is spaced from the back wall; and

the first transition section has opposite outlet and inlet ends and opposite side edges, the first transition section side edges having attachment members;

the second transition section has opposite outlet and inlet ends and opposite side edges, the second transition section side edges having attachment members complementary to the first transition section attachment members; and

the second transition section attaches to the first transition section along the first and second transition section attachment members.

14. The housing of claim 13, wherein:

the second transition section attachment members are crimped to the first transition section attachment members.

17. The housing of claim 13, wherein:

the second transition section has opposite outlet and inlet ends and opposite side edges, and the inlet end of the second transition section is formed with a back plate that attaches to the back wall and covers the opening in the back wall, the back plate having an opening to allow air to enter the cavity through the back plate opening.

18. The housing of claim 13, wherein:

a portion of the front wall forms a pretransition section adjacent the throat and the inlet end, the pretransition section progressively curves outwardly from the front wall as the pretransition section extends toward the throat and the inlet end, and a portion of the throat adjacent the pretransition section and a portion of the inlet end adjacent the throat are curved outwardly from the front wall and align with and are complementary to the pretransition section.