Draft inducer blower wheel having improved shaft connection

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10036397-B2
Application number	US-201514679838-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 6, 2015
Priority date	Apr 6, 2015
Publication date	Jul 31, 2018
Grant date	Jul 31, 2018

Abstract

A blower motor assembly includes a blower wheel and a motor. The blower wheel includes an integrally formed hub. The motor includes a shaft rotatable about an axis. The hub presents a radially inner hub surface that at least in part defines a hub opening. The inner hub surface defines an inner cross-sectional dimension. The shaft is axially received within the hub opening, such that the blower wheel is supported by the shaft for rotational movement. The shaft includes a toothed region defining a plurality of arcuately spaced apart teeth. Each of the teeth includes a cutting edge. The teeth present an outer cross-sectional dimension that is great than the inner cross-sectional dimension of the inner hub surface, such that the cutting edges of the teeth cut a plurality of grooves in the inner hub surface as the shaft is axially received in the hub opening.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A blower motor assembly for use in a machine, said motor assembly comprising:
a blower wheel including a hub,
said hub being an integral part of said blower wheel,
said hub presenting a radially inner hub surface that at least in part defines a hub opening,
said inner hub surface defining an inner cross-sectional dimension; and
a motor including a shaft rotatable about an axis,
said shaft being axially received within the hub opening, such that the blower wheel is supported by the shaft for rotational movement,
said shaft including a toothed region defining a plurality of arcuately spaced apart teeth,
each of said teeth including a cutting edge,
said teeth presenting an outer cross-sectional dimension that is greater than the inner cross-sectional dimension of the inner hub surface, such that the cutting edges of the teeth cut a plurality of grooves in the inner hub surface as the shaft is axially received in the hub opening,
said shaft including a pair of radially extending shoulders at least in part defining a circumferentially extending recess therebetween,
said hub including a flange extending radially inwardly into the recess,
said flange and said shoulders restricting relative axial movement between the hub and the shaft,
said hub including an axially extending, resiliently deflectable tab,
said flange extending from said tab,
said tab being configured to deflect radially outwardly upon engagement with the shaft, as the shaft is axially received in the hub opening.

2. The blower motor assembly as claimed in claim 1 ,
said toothed portion having a generally circular cross-sectional shape with an outer diameter that presents the outer cross-sectional dimension,
said inner hub surface being at least substantially circular in cross-section to present an inner diameter that defines the inner cross-sectional dimension.

3. The blower motor assembly as claimed in claim 2 ,
said teeth and grooves extending axially,
said inner and outer diameters each being axially constant.

4. The blower motor assembly as claimed in claim 3 ,
said inner diameter being about 0.009 inches smaller than the outer diameter.

5. The blower motor assembly as claimed in claim 1 ,
said shaft and said blower wheel comprising dissimilar materials.

6. The blower motor assembly as claimed in claim 5 ,
said shaft comprising metal,
said blower wheel comprising plastic.

7. The blower motor assembly as claimed in claim 1 ,
said shaft including a main body secured to the hub via a friction fit.

8. The blower motor assembly as claimed in claim 1 ,
said hub including a plurality of the flanges and tabs, with each flange and corresponding tab being arcuately spaced apart from at least one other flange and corresponding tab.

9. The blower motor as claimed in claim 1 ,
said hub including a collar extending about said flanges and tabs.

10. The blower motor assembly as claimed in claim 1 ,
said shaft having a leading end defining a first angled deflection face,
said flange defining a second angled deflection face,
said deflection faces being configured such that contact therebetween causes deflection of the tab, as the shaft is axially received in the hub opening.

11. The blower motor assembly as claimed in claim 10 ,
said first deflection face being oriented 30 degrees relative to the axis,
said second deflection face being oriented 45 degrees relative to the axis.

12. The blower motor assembly as claimed in claim 10 ,
said deflection facing being configured to deflect the tab radially outwardly, as the shaft is axially received in the hub opening.

13. The blower motor assembly as claimed in claim 1 ,
each of said teeth having an apex and a pair sides extending from the apex.

14. The blower motor assembly as claimed in claim 13 ,
said sides being straight.

15. The blower motor assembly as claimed in claim 14 ,
said sides being perpendicular to one another.

16. The blower motor assembly as claimed in claim 13 ,
said apex being radiused.

17. The blower motor assembly as claimed in claim 1 ,
said blower wheel including—
a generally radially extending plate extending from the hub, and
a plurality of arcuately spaced apart, generally radially extending vanes projecting axially from the plate.

18. The blower motor assembly as claimed in claim 17 ,
said blower wheel being a draft inducer blower wheel.

19. The blower motor assembly as claimed in claim 17 ,
said hub and said plate being integrally molded with one another.

Assignees

• Nidec Motor Corp

Inventors

• Lewis William R
• Dohogne L Ranney
• Corcoran Marc J
• Allen Matthew D
• Major Michael W

Classifications

• Y10T403/7033

  including a lock or retainer · CPC title

• F04D29/282

  the leading edge of each vane being substantially parallel to the rotation axis · CPC title

• F05D2300/10

  Metals, alloys or intermetallic compounds · CPC title

• F04D29/281

  for fans or blowers · CPC title

• F04D29/626

  Mounting or removal of fans · CPC title