Patent Application
20250027505
The present disclosure relates to a fan, and particularly to a ventilation fan. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to an exhaust fan.
Additional features of the present disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of illustrative embodiments exemplifying certain modes of carrying out the disclosure as presently perceived.
A ventilation unit comprising a scroll defining an interior space, a blower wheel within the scroll interior space and configured to be coupled to a motor to rotate the blower wheel about an axis to draw air into the interior space, the blower wheel comprising a wheel hub comprising a central motor mount, a peripheral blade mount ring and a plurality of spokes interconnecting the central motor mount and the peripheral blade mount ring, a plurality of fan blades extending from an upper end of the wheel hub and spaced circumferentially about the axis, and a support ring coupled to a radially-outer edge of the plurality of fan blades, wherein each of the plurality of spokes defines an airfoil-shaped cross section. Each of the plurality of spokes can have a leading end facing toward a rotation direction of the blower wheel and a trailing end facing away from the rotation direction to define a chord line extending between the leading end and the trailing end, and the chord line is angled relative to the rotation direction so that the plurality of spokes direct air toward an upper end of each of the plurality of fan blades. Each of the plurality of spokes can b curved so that the airfoil-shaped cross section has a pressure side facing toward the upper end of each of the plurality of fan blades and a suction side facing toward a lower end of the plurality of fan blades. The pressure side can be substantially planar and the suction side is convex. The pressure side can be concave and the suction side is convex. The pressure side can include a concave portion and a convex portion and the suction side includes a concave portion and a convex portion. Each of the plurality of spokes can have a leading end facing toward a rotation direction of the blower wheel and a trailing end facing away from the rotation direction to define a chord line extending between the leading end and the trailing end, and the chord line is angled relative to the rotation direction so that the plurality of spokes direct air toward the motor. Each of the spokes can be curved so that the airfoil-shaped cross section has a pressure side facing toward the motor and a suction side facing toward a lower end of the plurality of fan blades. The pressure side can substantially planar and the suction side is convex. The pressure side can be concave and the suction side is convex. The pressure side can include a concave portion and a convex portion and the suction side includes a concave portion and a convex portion. The peripheral blade mount ring can be coupled to an upper end of each of the fan blades. The peripheral blade mount ring can be coupled to a middle region of each of the fan blades about halfway between an upper end and a lower end of each of the fan blades.
A ventilation unit comprising a scroll defining an interior space, a blower wheel within the scroll interior space for rotation about a rotational axis, the blower wheel comprising a wheel hub comprising a plurality of spokes, at least one of which defines an airfoil-shaped cross section, and a plurality of fan blades extending from the wheel hub and spaced circumferentially about the rotational axis. Each of the plurality of spokes defining an airfoil-shaped cross section can have a leading end facing toward a rotation direction of the blower wheel and a trailing end facing away from the rotation direction to define a chord line extending between the leading end and the trailing end, and the chord line is angled relative to the rotation direction so that the plurality of spokes direct air toward an upper end of each of the plurality of fan blades. Each of the plurality of spokes defining an airfoil-shaped cross section can have a leading end facing toward a rotation direction of the blower wheel and a trailing end facing away from the rotation direction to define a chord line extending between the leading end and the trailing end, and the chord line is angled relative to the rotation direction so that the plurality of spokes direct air toward the motor.
A blower comprising a blower wheel for rotation about a rotational axis, the blower wheel comprising a wheel hub comprising a plurality of spokes, at least one of which defines an airfoil-shaped cross section, and a plurality of fan blades extending from the wheel hub and spaced circumferentially about the rotational axis. Each of the plurality of spokes defining an airfoil-shaped cross section can have a leading end facing toward a rotation direction of the blower wheel and a trailing end facing away from the rotation direction to define a chord line extending between the leading end and the trailing end, and the chord line is angled relative to the rotation direction so that the plurality of spokes direct air toward an upper end of the blower wheel. Each of the plurality of spokes defining an airfoil-shaped cross section can have a leading end facing toward a rotation direction of the blower wheel and a trailing end facing away from the rotation direction to define a chord line extending between the leading end and the trailing end, and the chord line is angled relative to the rotation direction so that the plurality of spokes direct air toward a lower end of the blower wheel. The plurality of spokes can be six spokes.
The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide further understanding and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate disclosed embodiments and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the disclosed embodiments. In the drawings:
A ventilation unit 10 is configured to be mounted to a building and is configured to ventilate at least one room of the building. The ventilation unit 10 includes a scroll 12, a blower wheel 14 arranged to lie within an interior space 16 defined by the scroll 12, and a motor 15 configured to drive the blower wheel 14 as shown in
The blower wheel 14 is located within the interior space 16 defined by the scroll 12 and is configured to move air through the inlet 18 as suggested in
The motor 15 is optionally mounted to the top wall 12T of the scroll 12 and is configured to drive rotation of the blower wheel 14 about a rotation axis 14A relative to the scroll 12 as shown in
The wheel hub 30 includes a central motor mount 36, a peripheral blade mount ring 38 coupled to each of the plurality of fan blades 34, and a plurality of spokes 40 interconnecting the central motor mount 36 and the peripheral blade mount ring 38 as shown in
The plurality of spoke openings 42 also allow the plurality of spokes 40 to be used for improved fan performance. For example, each of the spokes 40 have an airfoil-shaped cross section 44, as shown in
In some embodiments, the leading end 48 may face directly toward a rotation direction R so that drag from air F impacting the leading end 48 opposite the rotation direction R is minimized as shown in
The plurality of fan blades 34 are shaped and oriented relative to the rotation axis 14A in a squirrel cage type arrangement as shown in
Each of the blades 34 is curved to have a concave side 70 and a convex side 72 as shown in
In some embodiments, the angle 56 or structure of the spokes 40 can be set to direct air F to specific locations and/or other part of the ventilation unit 10 that can be hard for air F to reach in other squirrel cage type wheels. For example, the spokes 40 can be angled to direct air F toward the proximal end 60 of each of the plurality of blades 34. It was found that the blades in some squirrel cage type blowers move over 50% of their rated airflow using only about ⅓ of their length at the distal end of the blades. Angling the spokes 40 to move air upward (as depicted in
In one example, each of the spokes 40 depicted in
The airfoil shaped cross section 44 can vary to change the movement of the air F caused by the spokes 40. An alternative spoke 240 with an airfoil-shaped cross section 244 that can be used in the ventilation unit 10 is shown in
Another example of a spoke 340 with an airfoil-shaped cross section 344 and that can be used in the ventilation unit 10 is shown in
Other cross sectional shapes may also be used for spokes. Another example of a spoke 440 with a curved cross-sectional shape 444 and that can be used in the ventilation unit 10 is shown in
Another example of a spoke 540 with a curved cross-sectional shape 544 and that can be used in the ventilation unit 10 is shown in
Another embodiment of a blower wheel 614 that can be used with ventilation unit 10 is shown in
The wheel hub 630 includes a central motor mount 636, a peripheral blade mount ring 638 coupled to each of the plurality of fan blades 634, and a plurality of spokes 640 interconnecting the central motor mount 636 and the peripheral blade mount ring 638 as shown in
As can be seen by comparing the configuration of the blower wheel 14 depicted in
In some embodiments, blower wheels feature cutouts 42 between the motor shaft hub 36 and the blades 34, rather than connecting them with solid material. These cutouts 42 provide spokes 40. The geometry of the spokes 40 can be used to boost fan performance by shaping them into airfoil profiles 44, 244, 344, 444, 544. This can reduce drag on the wheel, and can generate less turbulence. Performance benefits to the fan can include lower motor torque requirements, and potentially less noise. A secondary benefit of this may be that an airfoil profile can be manipulated to direct airflow wherever desired. For example, the shape of the spokes can direct more air underneath the wheel to cool the motor 15. More air can also be forced into the blades to move more air.
The cutouts 42 that create the spokes 40 also reduce surface friction drag, save material in the wheel 14, 614, improve volumetric efficiency (CFM/Watt), and improve sound performance. Overall, the spokes 40 provide more control of the air inside the fan, especially on higher RPM fan platforms. The airfoil profile can be structured to direct airflow to predetermined areas of the ventilation unit. For example, more air could be directed towards the blades for more CFM, or towards the motor for better cooling. The number of airfoils and their shapes should be optimized based on each fan platform.
It should be noted that the various components and features described above can be combined in a variety of ways, so as to provide other non-illustrated embodiments within the scope of the disclosure. As such, it is to be understood that the disclosure is not limited in its application to the details of construction and parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described hereinabove. The disclosure is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced in various ways. It is also to be understood that the phraseology or terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and not limitation.
Although the present disclosure has been described in the foregoing description by way of illustrative embodiments thereof, these embodiments can be modified at will, without departing from the spirit, scope, and nature of the subject disclosed.
Headings and subheadings, if any, are used for convenience only and do not limit the invention. The word exemplary is used to mean serving as an example or illustration. To the extent that the term include, have, or the like is used, such term is intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term comprise as comprise is interpreted when employed as a transitional word in a claim. Relational terms such as first and second and the like may be used to distinguish one entity or action from another without necessarily requiring or implying any actual such relationship or order between such entities or actions.
Phrases such as an aspect, the aspect, another aspect, some aspects, one or more aspects, an implementation, the implementation, another implementation, some implementations, one or more implementations, an embodiment, the embodiment, another embodiment, some embodiments, one or more embodiments, a configuration, the configuration, another configuration, some configurations, one or more configurations, the subject technology, the disclosure, the present disclosure, other variations thereof and alike are for convenience and do not imply that a disclosure relating to such phrase(s) is essential to the subject technology or that such disclosure applies to all configurations of the subject technology. A disclosure relating to such phrase(s) may apply to all configurations, or one or more configurations. A disclosure relating to such phrase(s) may provide one or more examples. A phrase such as an aspect or some aspects may refer to one or more aspects and vice versa, and this applies similarly to other foregoing phrases.
All numbers and ranges disclosed above may vary by some amount. Whenever a numerical range with a lower limit and an upper limit is disclosed, any number and any included range falling within the range are specifically disclosed. In particular, every range of values (of the form, “from about a to about b,” or, equivalently, “from approximately a to b,” or, equivalently, “from approximately a-b”) disclosed herein is to be understood to set forth every number and range encompassed within the broader range of values. In addition, the terms in the claims have their plain, ordinary meaning unless otherwise explicitly and clearly defined by the patentee. Moreover, the indefinite articles “a” or “an,” as used in the claims, are defined herein to mean one or more than one of the element that it introduces. If there is any conflict in the usages of a word or term in this specification and one or more patent or other documents that may be incorporated herein by reference, the definitions that are consistent with this specification should be adopted.
A phrase “at least one of” preceding a series of items, with the terms “and” or “or” to separate any of the items, modifies the list as a whole, rather than each member of the list. The phrase “at least one of” does not require selection of at least one item; rather, the phrase allows a meaning that includes at least one of any one of the items, and/or at least one of any combination of the items, and/or at least one of each of the items. By way of example, each of the phrases “at least one of A, B, and C” or “at least one of A, B, or C” refers to only A, only B, or only C; any combination of A, B, and C; and/or at least one of each of A, B, and C.
In one aspect, a term coupled or the like may refer to being directly coupled. In another aspect, a term coupled or the like may refer to being indirectly coupled. Terms such as top, bottom, front, rear, side, horizontal, vertical, and the like refer to an arbitrary frame of reference, rather than to the ordinary gravitational frame of reference. Thus, such a term may extend upwardly, downwardly, diagonally, or horizontally in a gravitational frame of reference.
The title, background, brief description of the drawings, abstract, and drawings are hereby incorporated into the disclosure and are provided as illustrative examples of the disclosure, not as restrictive descriptions. It is submitted with the understanding that they will not be used to limit the scope or meaning of the claims. In addition, in the detailed description, it can be seen that the description provides illustrative examples and the various features are grouped together in various implementations for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure. The method of disclosure is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed subject matter requires more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the claims reflect, inventive subject matter lies in less than all features of a single disclosed configuration or operation. The claims are hereby incorporated into the detailed description, with each claim standing on its own as a separately claimed subject matter.
The use of the terms “a” and “an” and “the” and “said” and similar references in the context of describing the invention (especially in the context of the following claims) are to be construed to cover both the singular and the plural, unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by context. An element proceeded by “a,” “an,” “the,” or “said” does not, without further constraints, preclude the existence of additional same elements. Recitation of ranges of values herein are merely intended to serve as a shorthand method of referring individually to each separate value falling within the range, unless otherwise indicated herein, and each separate value is incorporated into the specification as if it were individually recited herein. All methods described herein can be performed in any suitable order unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context. The use of any and all examples, or exemplary language (e.g., “such as”) provided herein, is intended merely to better illuminate the disclosure and does not pose a limitation on the scope of the disclosure unless otherwise claimed. No language in the specification should be construed as indicating any non-claimed element as essential to the practice of the disclosure.
Numerous modifications to the present disclosure will be apparent to those skilled in the art in view of the foregoing description. Preferred embodiments of this disclosure are described herein, including the best mode known to the inventors for carrying out the disclosure. It should be understood that the illustrated embodiments are exemplary only, and should not be taken as limiting the scope of the disclosure.
This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 (e) to U.S. provisional application 63/514,595 filed Jul. 20, 2023, which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63514595 | Jul 2023 | US |
