The present invention relates to a housing for a fan or blower, especially an axial fan, comprising an annular housing all that surrounds a flow channel with an inflow opening and an outflow opening as well as with a central longitudinal axis, whereby the flow channel has a circular cross section in a plane that is perpendicular to its central longitudinal axis, and it also relates to a motor mount for an electric motor of the fan inside the flow channel.
With such prior-art housings, see U.S. Pat. No. 2,144,035, the housing, the wall ring and an external diffuser form a uniform molded part made of sheet metal, resulting in relatively high production costs, in addition to which, the individual parts are not suitable to be combined with other components.
The present invention is based on the objective of improving a housing of the type described above in such a way as to attain a wide array of application possibilities.
This is achieved according to the invention in that the flow channel has a first cylindrical section that adjoins the inflow opening as well as a second truncated conical section which, with its smaller truncated conical surface, adjoins the first section and widens towards the outflow opening, whereby the mount consists of several struts that are attached at one end to the second section, that run from an inner circumferential surface of the second section in the direction of the longitudinal axis, and that have mounting sections for the electric motor at their other, inner end, as well as fastening means on an outer surface of the ring wall in the area of the inflow opening for joining to a connecting part, especially a wall ring, as well as fastening means in the edge area of the outflow opening for a protective grill and/or fastening means for attaching an external diffuser to the housing wall in the area of the outflow opening, in this manner, the housing according to the invention forms a base part that, since it is configured to comply with solutions tailored for individual clients, can be expanded by using different wall rings and/or by augmenting it by adding an external diffuser or an internal diffuser. Here, the housing according to the invention permits an application for a support ring with a short nozzle. Moreover, the housing according to the invention ensures a centered arrangement of the fan. The additional components that are to be attached to the housing according to the invention such as, for example, a wall ring, an external diffuser and an internal diffuser, can be assembled with the housing according to the invention and especially can be joined to each other in a simple manner using screwed connections.
Advantageous embodiments of the invention are contained in the subordinate claims and are explained in greater detail with reference to the embodiments depicted in the accompanying drawings. The following is shown:
FIGS. 1
a, b respectively, a perspective view from above and perspective view from below of a housing according to the invention,
FIGS. 2
a, b partial sections through a housing according to the invention along section line II-II in FIG. 1a, but with different nozzle configurations of a wall ring in the assembled state,
FIG. 3 a perspective view from above of a housing according to the invention as shown in FIG. 1a, with an attached protective grill and a wall ring,
FIG. 4 a partial section through a housing according to the invention along section line IV-IV in FIG. 3, but with an alternative wall ring,
FIG. 5 a section along section line IV-IV in FIG. 3, but with a different configuration of an attached wall ring.
FIG. 6 a perspective view from above of a housing according to the invention as shown in FIG. 5,
FIG. 7 a partial section through a housing according tot he invention along section line VII-VII in FIG. 8, with an alternative embodiment of a wall ring as well as with a connected external diffuser and internal diffuser,
FIG. 8 a perspective view from above of a housing according to the invention as shown in FIG. 7,
FIG. 9 a section along section line IV-IV in FIG. 3, but with a variant of a wall ring made of plastic.
In FIGS. 1 to 9, the same parts or functionally equivalent parts are always designated with the same reference numerals. Even if certain features of the housing according to the invention or of its components that have been described and/or that can be derived from the drawings are only described in conjuction with one embodiment, the features are nevertheless also essential according to the invention, irrespective of said embodiment, either as an individual feature or else in combination with other features of the embodiment, and are construed as belonging to the invention.
In FIGS. 1a to 3, it can be seen that a housing according to the invention for a fan 1 or blower, especially an axial fan, consists of an annular housing wall 2. This housing wall 2 is advantageously made of plastic. The annular housing wall 2 surrounds a flow channel 3 that has an inflow opening 4 and an outflow opening 6. Moreover, the flow channel 3 has a central longitudinal axis X-X. The flow channel 3 has a circular cross section in a plane that is perpendicular to its central longitudinal axis X-X, and it also has a motor mount 7 for an electric motor 8 of the fan 1. The flow channel 3 has a first cylindrical section 9 that adjoins the inflow opening 4 as well as a second truncated conical section 11 which, with its smaller truncated conical surface, adjoins the first cylindrical section and widens towards the outflow opening 6. The length of the second truncated conical section 11, as measured in the direction of or relative to the longitudinal axis X-X, is preferably equal to or larger than the corresponding length of the first cylindrical section 9. The motor mount 7 consists of several struts 12 that are arranged at one end on the inside of the second truncated conical section 11, that is to say, on its inner circumferential surface, said struts 12 running from the inner circumferential surface of the truncated conical section 11 in the direction of the longitudinal axis X-X and having mounting sections for the electric motor 8 at the other inner ends, and preferably being joined to form a closed holding ring 13 that runs concentrically to the longitudinal axis X-X. The struts 12 are configured and arranged in such a way that, starting from the inner circumferential surface of the truncated conical section 11, they have a strut section 14 running parallel to the opening plane of the outflow opening 6, and this strut section 14 adjoins a section 16 that runs in the direction of the first cylindrical section 9 at an acute angle to the opening plane, that is to say, an angled section 16. Here, the configuration of the angled section 16 is such that the holding ring 13, whose opening plane runs perpendicular to the longitudinal axis X-X, runs in the transition area from the cylindrical section 9 to the truncated conical section 11. The inner diameter of the holding ring 13 is adapted to the outer diameter of the electric motor 8. The end face of the holding ring 13 facing the outflow opening 6 has recesses 17 that are situated between the struts 12, thus saving on material, and the end face of the holding ring 13 facing the inflow opening 4 has recesses 18 that serve to establish a connection tot he electric motor 8. In the embodiment shown, eight equally spaced struts 12 are arranged on the inner circumference of the housing wall 2. However, it also falls within the scope of the invention to provide, for example, four or six such struts 12. Advantageously, at least three struts 12 are present. As can be seen especially in FIGS. 1a and 1b, ribs 19 are formed on the inner circumferential surface of the truncated conical section 11 in the contact area of the struts 12. Four of the ribs 19, that is to say, every other rib 19, has a screw hole 21 on its end faces that are situated in the opening plane of the outflow opening 6. These screw holes 21 serve for screwing in screws 22, see FIG. 3, in order to attach a protective grill 23 to the housing wall 2 in the area of the outflow opening 6; in this context, see especially FIG. 3. Moreover, it can be seen in FIGS. 1a and 1b that, in the area of the inflow opening 4, the outside of the housing wall 2 has fastening means 24 consisting of radially protruding, sleeve-like projections 26 that have a passage opening through which, for example, a screw can be inserted. The sleeve-like projections 26 are shaped onto the ends of outer axially oriented reinforcement ribs 27. These fastening means 24 are provided in the contact area of every other strut 12, and fastening means 28 are situated between the fastening means 24 in the edge area of the outflow opening 6, namely, in the end area of axially oriented reinforcement ribs 31 that are shaped onto the outside of the housing wall 2. These fastening means 28 consist of screw holes that serve for screwing in fastening screws that are configured in a slanted surface 29 rising from the edge of the outflow opening 6 to the top of the rib.
As can be seen in FIGS. 7 and 8, an external diffuser 34 can be attached to the housing wall 2 according to the invention in the area of the outflow opening 6. This external diffuser 34 widens from its inlet opening 36 to its outlet opening 37. Advantageously, this external diffuser 34 is made of plastic. The annular external diffuser 34, with its edge area that encompasses the inlet opening 36, rests on the opposite edge area of the truncated conical section 11, for which purpose the end of said external diffuser 34 has a circumferential centering edge 39 on its end face that is in contact with the truncated conical section 11. As can especially be seen in FIG. 8, the outer wall of the external diffuser 34 has projections 41 that are situated in the area of the inlet opening 36, that run in the axial direction, that is to say, in the direction of the longitudinal axis X-X, and that encloses a hollow space in such a way that these projections cooperate with the ribs 31 in the area of the slanted surface 29 in such a way as to form a plug-in connection between the ribs 31 and the projections 41, and a screwed attachment can be established by means of screws inserted through holes that are located in the projections 41 and that correspond with the fastening means 28. On the edge of the external diffuser 34 encompassing the outlet opening 37, a protective grill 23 can be attached in a known manner, for which purpose the outside of the external diffuser 34 has screw lugs 38 in the area of the outlet openings 37 into which the fastening screws for the protective grill 23 can be screwed.
Moreover, it can be seen in FIGS. 7 and 8 that it is likewise possible according to the invention that, inside the external diffuser 34, there is an internal diffuser 42 extending from the inlet opening 36 to the outlet opening 37 of the external diffuser 34, having a continuous circumferential wall, and being connectable to the holding ring 13 in the area of the inlet opening 36. As far as the fundamental configuration of the external diffuser 34 and of the internal diffuser 42 is concerned, reference can hereby be made to international patent application WO 2012 084725 A1 to which reference is being made in its entire scope. In order to attach the internal diffuser 42, there is a covering lid 43 whose side facing the outflow direction is resting on the protective grill 23 and which is joined to the internal diffuser 42 in such a way that the protective grill 23 is enclosed between the covering lid 43 and the internal diffuser 42.
As can especially be seen in FIGS. 2a and 2b, the first cylindrical section 9, starting from the inflow opening 4, has a front channel section 44 that has a larger inner diameter than a rear channel section 46 that adjoins it via an especially slanted step, whereby said rear channel section 46 makes a transition to a channel section 48 via a stop step 47 configured to decrease the diameter in a transition area between the cylindrical section and the truncated conical section 11. Moreover, it can be seen that the housing wall 2 according tot he invention can be placed onto a wall ring 49, namely, onto a nozzle-like projection 51 of the wall ring 49. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2a, this is a wall ring 49 with a so-called long version of the nozzle-like projection 51 that has such an outer diameter that it fits together with the rear channel section 46, thus creating a non-positive connection, for example, a sliding-fit connection, between the housing wall 2 and the nozzle-like projection 51 in the area of the rear channel section 46. The stop step 47 serves as a depth stop here. FIG. 2b shows an embodiment in which a wall ring 49a is configured with a nozzle-like projection 51a as a short version, and it has such an outer diameter that it cooperates with the front channel section 44 and forms a sliding-fit connection here. The wall rings 49, 49a shown in FIGS. 2a and 2b are, for example, wall rings 49, 49a made of sheet metal. FIG. 4 shows that, for example, a wall ring 49b can likewise be used, in which its nozzle-like projection 51b has such an outer diameter that it protrudes with radial play inside the flow channel 3 relative to the cylindrical section 9. FIGS. 5 and 7 show an embodiment of a wall ring 49c that is joined to the housing wall 2 in such a way that its nozzle-like projection 51c is joined in the area of the rear channel section 46 via a screwed connection 52. here, too, this is a sheet metal version.
FIGS. 3 and 9 show an embodiment in which the nozzle-like projection 51d of the wall ring 49d made in the form of a plastic part extends with radial play to the front channel section 44 and to the rear channel section 46, and its end section, which is situated inside the flow channel 3, is in contact with the channel section 48 in the transition area between the cylindrical section 9 and the truncated conical section 11. This wall ring 49d made of plastic is joined by a screwed connection to the housing wall 2 according to the invention via the sleeve-like projections 26.
The housing according to the invention thus forms a universal module part that can be combined in a variety of ways with customer-specific wall rings 49a, b, c, d and with an external diffuser 34 and an internal diffuser 42 as well as with the protective grill 23. The housing according to the invention, including the struts 12 as well as the holding ring 13 and the fastening means, forms a one-piece plastic part that can already be used without additional accessory parts.
The invention is not limited to the embodiments shown and described, but rather, it encompasses all embodiments that have the same effect as set forth in the invention. Moreover, the invention is not yet limited to the feature combinations defined in the claims, but rather, it can also be defined by any other desired combination of certain features from among all of the individual features altogether disclosed. This means that fundamentally speaking, practically any individual feature of the independent claims can be left out or replaced by at least one individual feature disclosed in another place in the application. Consequently, the claims are only to be understood as an initial attempt at formulating an invention.
LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS
1 fan
2 housing wall
3 flow channel
4 inflow opening
6 outflow opening
7 motor mount
8 electric motor
9 first cylindrical section
11 truncated conical section
12 struts
13 mount
14 strut section, parallel
16 angled section
17 recesses
18 recesses
19 ribs
21 screw holes
22 screws
23 protective grill
24 fastening means
26 sleeve-like projections
27 reinforcement ribs
28 fastening means
29 slanted surface
31 ribs
32
33
34 external diffuser
36 inlet opening
37 outlet opening
38 screw lug
39 centering edge
41 projections
42 internal diffuser
43 covering lid
44 front channel section
46 rear channel section
47 stop step
48 channel section in the transition area
49
a wall ring
49
b wall ring
49
c wall ring
49
d wall ring
51
a nozzle-like projection
51
b nozzle-like projection
51
c nozzle-like projection
51
d nozzle-like projection
52 screwed connection
- X-X longitudinal axis
Patent Application
20150252812
