Blower mounting assembly

• US 7,617,823 B2
• Filed: 08/24/2005
• Issued: 11/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Philips RS North America LLC (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: RIC INVESTMENTS LLC (Respironics Incorporated)
• Inventors: Mort, Michael E., Kepler, Jeffrey, DiMatteo, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Yu; Justine R
• Assistant Examiner(s): DIXON, ANNETTE FREDRICKA
• Application Number:
  US11/210,976
• Publication Number:
  US 20070048159A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,546 Days
• Field of Search: 128/204.18, 128/200.24, 128/205.18, 128/205.25, 128/204.24, 181/212, 248/638, 248/634, 417/363, 417/423.15, 417/423.14, 415/119, 415/214.1
• US Class Current: 128/204.18
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0066 Blowers or centrifugal pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 53/003 by damping supports
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 25/08 the working fluid being air, e.g. for ventilation
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/626 Mounting or removal of fans
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/664 by means of sound absorbing material
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/668 damping or preventing mechanical vibrations

Abstract

A gas delivery system comprising an external housing, a flow generator, and a vibration damper body. The flow generator is disposed in the external housing, and has a flow generator housing with a peripheral surface and a lower surface. The vibration damper body is disposed within the external housing and is formed of one or more compliant materials that are shaped to be complementary to the peripheral surface of the flow generator housing so as to engage the peripheral surface of the flow generator housing. The vibration damper body has a lower surface attached to a bottom surface of the external housing, and also has a peripheral surface formed such that at least one air gap is created between at least a portion of the vibration damper body and the external housing.

Claims

1. A gas delivery system comprising:

an external housing;

a flow generator disposed in the external housing, wherein the flow generator includes a flow generator housing having a peripheral surface;

a vibration damper body disposed within the external housing and formed of one or more compliant materials shaped to be complementary to the peripheral surface of the flow generator housing so as to engage the peripheral surface of the flow generator housing, and wherein the vibration damper body and flow generator housing are configured to form, when engaged, an air gap between a lower housing portion of the flow generator housing and the vibration damper body.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one support structure disposed on the peripheral surface of the flow generator housing, and wherein the vibration damper body forms at least one support surface adapted to be complementary to, and engage with, the at least one support structure associated with the flow generator housing.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the at least one support surface is formed as at least one recess in the vibration damper body.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the vibration damper body is produced from a single piece of compliant material.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the vibration damper body is formed from a plurality of components produced from the one or more compliant materials, the plurality of components being fitted, adhered, or otherwise bonded to one another.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein spaced regions on a peripheral surface of the vibration damper body are in contact with the external housing while forming an air gap therebetween.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the spaced regions comprise at least one protruding rib.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising a cover assembly that is positioned over the flow generator housing to secure the engagement between the flow generator housing and the vibration damper body.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the cover assembly comprises a vibration damping material that contacts the flow generator housing.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the vibration damper body includes a cavity therein, and wherein the cover assembly is positioned over an opening of the cavity by fastening the cover assembly to the external housing.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the vibration damper body includes a lower surface mounted on a bottom surface of the external housing and a peripheral surface formed such that an air gap is formed between the peripheral surface of the vibration damper body and the external housing.

12. A gas delivery system comprising:

an external housing;

a flow generator disposed in the external housing, the flow generator having a flow generator housing forming a flow outlet;

a vibration damper body disposed within the external housing and formed of one or more compliant materials shaped to provide an upper surface having a portion thereof that is complementary to a peripheral surface of the flow generator housing so as to engage the peripheral surface of the flow generator housing, the upper surface providing a flow outlet seating portion that seats the flow outlet on top of the vibration damper body, wherein the vibration damper body is configured such that when engaged with the flow generator housing at least one air gap is formed between a lower housing portion of the flow generator housing and the vibration damper body.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the vibration damper body includes a lower surface mounted on a bottom surface of the external housing and a peripheral surface formed such that at least one air gap is formed between the peripheral surface of the vibration damper body and the external housing.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the at least one air gap is formed between a portion of the upper surface of the vibration damper body and the lower housing portion of the flow generator housing when the upper surface of the vibration damper body engages the peripheral surface of the flow housing generator.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein a flow of gas is directed from the flow outlet to an outlet formed in the external housing.

16. The system of claim 12, further comprising a cover assembly that is positioned over the flow generator housing, the flow outlet extending from the flow generator housing such that the flow outlet protrudes out from under the cover assembly.

17. A gas delivery system comprising:

an external housing;

a flow generator means including a flow generator means housing;

a vibration damper means formed of one or more compliant materials shaped to be complementary to and engage with a peripheral surface of the flow generator means housing,

wherein the flow generator means and the vibration damper means are disposed in the external housing, and wherein an air gap is formed between a lower portion of the flow generator means housing and the vibration damper means when the peripheral surface of the flow generator means housing and the vibration damper means are engaged.