The invention relates generally to blowers for cooling of electrical component enclosures.
Metal, box-like enclosures are commonly used to contain certain electrical equipment such as voltage controllers. For example, medium-voltage controllers may operate at voltages from about 5 kV to 38 kV. Other sized controllers are in use. These enclosures may in some cases be ventilated, in that one or more blowers may act to cool an interior of the enclosure. Such equipment enclosures may include a blower assembly that is mounted on a top surface of the enclosure. To service such blower assemblies during maintenance intervals, such as when a motor or fan fails or are being inspected, the entire blower assembly must be removed and torn down. This may be very time and labor intensive operation.
Accordingly, improved methods of servicing such blower assemblies are desired.
According to a first aspect, a blower assembly is provided. The blower assembly includes a blower enclosure, a blower slider assembly mounted to the blower enclosure, the blower slider assembly includes slider rails each including a moveable rail and a stationary rail, a blower mounting plate coupled to each moveable rail of the slider rails, and a blower motor and fan assembly mounted to the blower mounting plate wherein the blower motor and fan assembly is adapted to slide out of the blower enclosure.
According to another aspect, a blower slider assembly is provided. The blower slider assembly includes a rail anchor plate adapted to mount to a blower enclosure, a blower anchor plate, a blower mounting plate removably fastened to the blower anchor plate, slider rails each including a moveable rail and a stationary rail, each stationary rail fastened to the anchor plate, and each moveable rail fastened to the blower anchor plate, and a blower motor and fan assembly mounted to the blower mounting plate wherein the blower motor and fan assembly is adapted to slide relative to the rail anchor plate.
According to still another aspect, a method of servicing a blower motor and fan assembly is provided. The method includes providing a blower assembly, comprising a blower enclosure, a blower slider assembly mounted to the blower enclosure, the blower slider assembly including slider rails each having a moveable rail and a stationary rail, a blower mounting plate coupled to each moveable rail; and a blower motor and fan assembly mounted to the blower mounting plate, and sliding the blower motor and fan assembly on the slider rails to move the blower motor and fan assembly out of the blower enclosure.
Still other aspects, features, and advantages of the invention may be readily apparent from the following detailed description wherein a number of exemplary embodiments and implementations are described and illustrated, including the best mode contemplated for carrying out the invention. The invention may also be capable of other and different embodiments, and its several details may be modified in various respects, all without departing from the scope of the invention. Accordingly, the drawings and descriptions are to be regarded as illustrative in nature, and not as restrictive. The drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. The invention covers all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the invention.
Reference will now be made in detail to the example embodiments of this disclosure, which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts.
The aforementioned difficulties associated with servicing (e.g., checking and repairing) is addressed by one or more embodiments of the invention described herein. Accordingly, embodiments provide improved service access to the blower motor and fan assembly, such that can be rapidly checked or changed out. Embodiments of the present invention provide a blower assembly that allows front access for a blower motor and fan assembly (otherwise referred to as a “blower unit”) and that features a “slide out” design. This “slide out” feature makes maintenance operations on the internal wear parts of the blower unit quicker and easier.
A conventional blower unit is an air pump that either injects or ejects air from a device (e.g., an electrical equipment enclosure or the like) for cooling. The blower unit consists of a frame and enclosure that houses one or more fans and electric motors. The structure of the blower unit does not usually contain any regular maintenance or wear parts; however, the blower motor, fan and/or mechanical dampers may require maintenance. Embodiments of the invention eliminate full removal and disassembly of the structure for maintenance as was undertaken in the prior art.
Further details of example embodiments of various aspects of the invention are described with reference to
As shown in
Each of the stationary rails 110A, 110B may be mounted to a rail anchor plate 118. Rail anchor plate 118 is mounted or coupled to the blower enclosure 102, such as by suitable fasteners (e.g., bolts or screws). For example, the rail anchor plate 118 may be mounted to one or more frame members 119M of a frame 119. Mounting may be by tabs and fasteners, for example. Other fastening means may be employed.
In more detail, the blower motor and fan assembly 114 is mounted on slider rails 106A, 106B. When in operation, the blower motor and fan assembly 114 are kept secured in place by one or more security tabs 116A, 116B that bolt to the main structure, such as to the front of the rail anchor plate 118, or optionally to the frame 119. Security tabs 116A, 116B may be tabs formed on the blower mounting plate 112 or intermediate member, such as a blower anchor plate 117. To service the internal components, the front panel (not shown) of the blower enclosure 102 may first be removed. With the front panel removed, the user can immediately remove the damper 120 by sliding the damper 120 out of the damper channel 122. Accordingly, the damper 120 may be readily serviced.
To access the blower motor and fan assembly 114, the user may remove securing bolts (not shown) passing through security tabs 116A, 1166 and secured in captive nuts on securing tabs 123 which may be formed on the rail anchor plate 118. Rail anchor plate 118, slider rails 106A, 1066, and at least the blower mounting plate 112 make up a slider subassembly 105. The slider subassembly 105 may also include a blower anchor plate 117 in some embodiments. Once the securing bolts are removed, the blower motor and fan assembly 114 may slide out on the slider subassembly 105. The moveable slides 108A, 1086 of the slider subassembly 105 are allowed to slide (e.g., extend) to a certain point, and then some point, contact location, or feature on the slider subassembly 105 may be caught by a safety catch 126, not allowing further movement without user input. Safety catch 126 may be operational to limit an extent of sliding of the blower motor and fan assembly 114 out of the blower enclosure 102. Safety catch 126 may also lock the sliding of the blower motor and fan assembly 114 in a closed condition.
To completely remove the motor and blower fan assembly 114, the motor power cord 128 is disconnected by using the quick disconnect 130. The quick disconnect 130 is adapted to allow rapid disconnection of an electrical connection to the blower motor and fan assembly 114. The blower mounting plate 112 holding the blower fan assembly 114 is unbolted from a blower anchor plate 117. The blower fan assembly 114 can then be removed by lifting off from the blower anchor plate 117, such as with a crane or overhead hoist. The lifting may be accomplished by lifting provisions 134, such as bolt holes built in the blower mounting plate 112. Bolt holes may accept a lift adapter or eye bolts. Other types of lifting provisions 134 may be provided on the blower mounting plate 112. Optionally, the blower mounting plate 112 can be slid off onto a fork truck or other lifting jack. Offering front accessibility and sliding ability eliminates the need for complete removal/disassembly of the complete unit as in the prior art, and substantial time savings are afforded. Moreover, the slider subassembly 105 gives the user more options for positioning the blower mounting plate 112. Accordingly, one or more embodiments of the invention make maintenance operations easier.
Now referring to
Also depicted in
Blower mounting plate may be a sheet of plate steel or the like and a motor housing of the blower motor and fan assembly 114 may be received through an aperture 112A formed in the blower mounting plate 112. The blower mounting plate 112 is removably bolted to the blower anchor plate 117 such that the blower mounting plate 112 may be unbolted and the assembly of the blower mounting plate 112 and the motor and blower fan assembly 114 may be separated from the blower anchor plate 117. Separation may be by lifting or sliding the blower mounting plate 112 forward on the blower anchor plate 117.
The blower anchor plate 117 may further comprise a catch 126, such as a safety catch 126. Catch may comprise any suitable construction enabled to limit the extent of sliding of the blower mounting plate 112 out of the rail anchor plate 118. For example, a spring loaded catch pin 126P may be used. The catch pin 126P may be received in one or more appropriately positioned apertures, such as formed in on catch member 118C. The apertures may be positioned along the catch member 118C at various appropriate locations, such as to define the position of the motor and blower fan assembly 114 relative to the blower enclosure 102 when in an open (e.g., extended condition) or a closed (e.g., retracted, ready to operate condition) or in between. Thus, the blower fan assembly 114 may be locked out of the blower enclosure 102 in the opened condition, for example.
The blower anchor plate 117 may comprise one or more securing tabs 116A, 116B adapted to secure the slider assembly 104 in a closed and secured condition within the blower enclosure 102. Optionally, the securing tabs may be provided on the blower mounting plate 112, such as shown in
As shown in
In particular, a second a slider assembly 304B may be mounted next to a first slider assembly 304A and also mounted to the blower enclosure 302. The second slider assembly 304B may include slider rails 306A, 306B wherein each includes a moveable rail and a stationary rail, a blower mounting plate 312 coupled to each moveable rail of the slider rails 306A, 306B, and a second blower motor and fan assembly 114B mounted to the blower mounting plate 312 wherein the second blower motor and fan assembly 304B is adapted to slide out of the blower enclosure 302, like the first slider assembly 304A. A third slider assembly 304C may be mounted to the enclosure 302 adjacent to the second slider assembly 304B. Thus, each of the motor and fan assemblies 114A-114C may be easily serviced, as desired, by using the slider assemblies 304A-304C.
As shown in
As shown in
Persons skilled in the art should readily appreciate that the invention described herein is susceptible of broad utility and application. Many embodiments and adaptations of the invention other than those described herein, as well as many variations, modifications, and equivalent arrangements, will be apparent from, or reasonably suggested by, the invention and the foregoing description thereof, without departing from the substance or scope of the invention. For example, although described in connection with electrical enclosures, the invention may be applicable to other suitable types of enclosures where cooling is desired, and especially top mounted blower assemblies. Accordingly, while the invention has been described herein in detail in relation to specific embodiments, it is to be understood that this disclosure is only illustrative and presents examples of the invention and is made merely for purposes of providing a full and enabling disclosure of the invention. This disclosure is not intended to limit the invention to the particular assemblies, systems or methods disclosed, but, to the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the invention.
This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/693,511 filed on Aug. 27, 2012, entitled “Front Access Blower,” the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety herein.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
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4130376 | Dietsche | Dec 1978 | A |
6027406 | Yazici | Feb 2000 | A |
Number | Date | Country |
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101315084 | Dec 2008 | CN |
2864209 | Jun 2005 | FR |
2003214394 | Jul 2003 | JP |
2006054250 | Feb 2006 | JP |
Entry |
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Rollon Telescopic Rail catalog from Dec. 2009. |
PCT International Search Report mailed Dec. 10, 2013 corresponding to PCT International Application No. PCT/US2013/054662 filed Aug. 13, 2013 (9 pages). |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20140056695 A1 | Feb 2014 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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61693511 | Aug 2012 | US |