Double inlet centrifugal blower with peripheral motor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9157441-B2
Application number	US-201113277269-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 20, 2011
Priority date	Oct 20, 2011
Publication date	Oct 13, 2015
Grant date	Oct 13, 2015

Abstract

A centrifugal blower apparatus includes a scroll-shaped housing with first and second air inlets which open to a blower chamber that is in fluid communication with an air outlet. The blower includes a motor to drive an impeller, wherein the motor is secured to a frame that is coupled with the housing in a manner to substantially enhance aerodynamic performance of the blower.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A centrifugal blower apparatus, comprising:
a housing having first and second scroll-shaped sides separated by a main body portion defining an air outlet, said first side having a first air inlet, and said second side having a second air inlet wherein said first and second air inlets open to a blower chamber that is in fluid communication with said air outlet, said main body portion further defining a mid-portion axially substantially mid-way between said first and second sides;
an operating system having:
(a) a frame arranged in said blower chamber between said first and second sides, said frame having a central portion including a bearing housing;
(b) a first impeller for motivating air out from said blower chamber through said air outlet, said first impeller having a first outer diameter and said impeller having a hub and a central shaft extending from said hub, said central shaft being rotatable about bearings contained in said bearing housing of said frame; and
(c) a motor for rotating said first impeller in a first circumaxial direction about a blower axis, said motor having a rotor with a second outer diameter that is substantially equal to said first outer diameter, said rotor being coupled to said first impeller circumaxially about said hub to rotate about said blower axis, and an annular stator arranged radially concentrically outwardly about said rotor, said annular stator having an inner diameter that is substantially equal to said first outer diameter, wherein said stator is secured to said frame within said blower chamber and said rotor is secured to said frame within said blower housing by way of said hub, central shaft and bearings; and

wherein said operating system is coupled with said housing only at a coupling location downstream from said first impeller.

2. A centrifugal blower apparatus as in claim 1 , wherein said first and second air inlets are substantially axially aligned along said blower axis.

3. A centrifugal blower apparatus as in claim 1 , wherein said frame is disposed at said mid portion of said housing.

4. A centrifugal blower apparatus as in claim 1 , including a second impeller for motivating air out from said blower chamber through said air outlet, said second impeller rotating in unison with said first impeller.

5. A centrifugal blower apparatus as in claim 4 wherein said second impeller is secured to said central shaft that is rotatably driven about said blower axis by said rotor.

6. A centrifugal blower apparatus as in claim 5 wherein said central shaft interconnects said first and second impellers.

7. A centrifugal blower apparatus as in claim 4 wherein said first and second impellers include forward-curved impeller blades.

8. A centrifugal blower apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said motor is a brushless, direct-current electromagnetic motor.

9. A centrifugal blower apparatus, comprising:
a housing having a first scroll-shaped side with a first air inlet, and a second scroll-shaped side with a second air inlet, said first and second air inlets open to a blower chamber that is in fluid communication with an air outlet of said housing;
an operating system having:
(a) a frame arranged in said blower chamber between said first and second sides; and
(b) a motor secured to said frame, said motor including a shaft defining a blower axis, a rotor that is rotatably driven about said blower axis, and a stator, said rotor including a rotor core with a rotor element annularly arranged about said blower axis, and a first impeller portion having a first outer diameter, and including impeller blades for motivating air out from said blower chamber through said air outlet, said first impeller coupled to said rotor core and said shaft by way of a hub; said stator being annularly arranged radially concentrically outwardly about said rotor element, said stator having an inner diameter that is greater than said first outer diameter, and said rotor having a second outer diameter that is substantially equal to said first outer diameter;

wherein said operating system is coupled with said housing only at a coupling location downstream from said impeller portion.

10. A centrifugal blower apparatus as in claim 9 wherein said coupling location is substantially axially midway between said first and second sides of said housing.

11. A centrifugal blower apparatus as in claim 9 wherein said impeller blades extend from said rotor core.

12. A centrifugal blower apparatus as in claim 9 , wherein said shaft is journaled in said hub for rotation about said blower axis.

13. A centrifugal blower apparatus as in claim 12 , including a second impeller coupled to said shaft for rotation in unison with said first impeller portion to motivate air out from said blower chamber through said air outlet.

14. A centrifugal blower apparatus as in claim 13 wherein said impeller blades are forward-curved.

15. A centrifugal blower apparatus as in claim 9 wherein said first and second air inlets are substantially axially aligned along said blower axis.

16. A centrifugal blower apparatus as in claim 9 wherein said motor is a brushless, direct-current electromagnetic motor.

17. A centrifugal blower, comprising:
a housing having first and second scroll-shaped sides separated by a main body portion defining an air outlet, said first side having a first air inlet, and said second side having a second air inlet wherein said first and second air inlets open to a blower chamber that is in fluid communication with said air outlet, said housing further having a mid-portion axially substantially mid-way between said first and second sides;
a frame positioned within the mid-portion of said housing to internally support said housing, wherein said frame further divides said blower chamber and isolates said first inlet from said second inlet; said frame including a bearing housing having bearings aligned along a blower axis of said blower chamber;
a first impeller aligned within said blower chamber adjacent said first inlet, said impeller including spaced apart concentric blades defining an outer diameter of said first impeller;
a second impeller aligned within said blower chamber adjacent said second inlet, said second impeller including spaced apart concentric blades defining an outer diameter of said second impeller;
a shaft having a first end fixed to said first impeller and a second end fixed to said second impeller, wherein said shaft extends through said bearing housing and said shaft is coupled to said bearings;
a rotor having a rotor core and an annular rotor element, wherein said rotor core extends from said first impeller and wherein said annular rotor element has an outer circumference having a diameter substantially equal to said outer diameter of said first impeller; and
an annular stator fixed to said frame wherein an inner circumference of said stator is arranged concentrically radially about said outer circumference of said rotor wherein an inner diameter of said annular stator is slightly larger than said outer diameter of said rotor.

18. A centrifugal blower apparatus as in claim 17 , wherein said blades of said first impeller and said blades of said second impeller are forward-curved.

19. A centrifugal blower apparatus as in claim 17 , wherein said rotor and stator, together, form portions of a brushless, direct-current electromagnetic motor.

20. A centrifugal blower apparatus as in claim 17 , said rotor core extending from said first impeller at a hub of said first impeller.

Assignees

• DICKINSON Roger
• Hoyt Robert A
• Henkel IP & Holding GmbH

Inventors

• DICKINSON Roger
• Hoyt Robert A

Classifications

• F04D25/0606

  the electric motor being specially adapted for integration in the pump · CPC title

• F04D17/162 Primary

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