Impeller and method for driving fluids using the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9512726-B2
Application number	US-201313949123-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 23, 2013
Priority date	Jul 24, 2012
Publication date	Dec 6, 2016
Grant date	Dec 6, 2016

Abstract

Disclosed are mechanisms for an impeller ( 10, 20, 40 ) and method of reducing noise levels while driving fluids with impellers. Exemplary implementations include a hub ( 21, 41 ) and multiple blades ( 22 ) separably attached to or inseparably formed on the hub. The hub may be used to effectively reduce noise levels during operations of the impeller by having a first cylindrical feature ( 261 ), a first number of first ribs ( 27, 47, 706 ), and a second number of second ribs ( 281, 48, 708 ), while maintaining substantially similar mechanical properties or operational characteristics. The hub may further optionally include a second substantially cylindrical feature ( 704 ) that is separably attached to or is inseparably formed on the hub to further enhance one or more properties or characteristics of the hub while serving to reduce the noise level of the impeller.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An impeller, comprising:
a hub that includes a top structural member and a first cylindrical feature;
a number of blades attached to the first cylindrical feature;
a first rib attached to the top structural member; and
a second rib attached to at least a bottom portion of the first cylindrical feature and at least a portion of the top structural member, wherein the entire second rib is located on the outside of the first rib in a radial direction of the first cylindrical feature, and there is a void between the first rib and the second rib.

2. The impeller of claim 1 , wherein the first rib is not connected to the second rib and the void is a space formed between the first rib and the second rib.

3. The impeller of claim 2 , wherein: the hub further comprises a second cylindrical feature substantially concentric with the first cylindrical feature, and both the first cylindrical feature and the second cylindrical feature are substantially cylindrical.

4. The impeller of claim 3 , wherein the first rib is separately attached to or is inseparably formed as an integral part of the second cylindrical feature, and the number of blades are separably or inseparably attached to the first cylindrical feature.

5. The impeller of claim 3 , wherein
the first cylindrical feature is separably attached to or is inseparably formed as a part of the top structural member, and
the first rib extends outward from a center of the hub and protrudes beyond an outer diameter of the second cylindrical feature and is separably or inseparably attached to the top structural member.

6. The impeller of claim 3 , wherein the first cylindrical feature and the second cylindrical feature are configured to exhibit a height ratio ranging from 1:1 to 3:1 to reduce a noise level during a stage of operation of the impeller.

7. The impeller of claim 2 , wherein the first rib extends away from a center of the hub and comprises a straight shape or a curved shape with a constant cross-sectional profile or a variable cross-sectional profile.

8. The impeller of claim 2 , wherein the second rib corresponds to the first rib in that the second rib resides substantially along an imaginary line extending along a lengthwise direction of the first rib and is disjoint from the first rib.

9. The impeller of claim 2 , wherein the first rib comprises a first straight segment having a first orientation that is at a first angle from a first imaginary radial line extending from a center of the hub and connecting to a first point on the first rib.

10. The impeller of claim 9 , wherein:
the impeller comprises a plurality of first ribs, and the plurality of first ribs correspond to one or more first orientations relative to respective imaginary radial lines,
the hub comprises a straight segment that is separately attached to or is inseparably formed as an integral part of the second rib and includes a different cross-sectional profile, and
the straight segment extends along a first direction along the first cylindrical feature.

11. The impeller of claim 1 , wherein the first rib is connected to the second rib and the void is a groove formed between the first rib and the second rib.

12. An apparatus for driving fluids, comprising:
a hub comprising a first cylindrical feature and a top structural member, wherein the hub comprises:
a first rib attached to the top structural member, and
a second rib attached to at least a bottom portion of the first cylindrical feature and at least a portion of the top structural member;
a number of blades separably attached to the hub; and
a power source whose output is directly coupled to the hub or indirectly coupled to the hub through at least a transmission mechanism to drive the number of blades, wherein the entire second rib is located on the outside of the first rib in a radial direction of the first cylindrical feature, and there is a void between the first rib and the second rib.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the first rib is not connected to the second rib and the void is a space formed between the first rib and the second rib.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , the hub further comprising: a second cylindrical feature substantially concentric with the first cylindrical feature, wherein both the first cylindrical feature and the second cylindrical feature are substantially cylindrical.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein:
the first rib is separately attached to or is inseparably formed as an integral part of the second cylindrical feature,
the first cylindrical feature is separably attached to or is inseparably formed as an integral part of the top structural member, and
the first rib extends outward from a center of the hub.

16. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the first cylindrical feature and the second cylindrical feature are configured to exhibit a height ration ranging from 1:1 to 3:1 to reduce a noise level during a stage of operation of the impeller.

17. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein:
the first rib resides on a first surface of the top structural member and is disjoint from the second rib, and
the first rib extends away from a center of the hub and comprises a straight shape or a curved shape with a constant cross-sectional profile or variable cross-sectional profile.

18. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the second rib corresponds to the first rib in that the second rib resides substantially along an imaginary line extending along a lengthwise direction of the first rib and is disjoint from the first rib.

19. A method for reducing noise levels in driving fluids, comprising:
identifying an impeller that comprises a hub and a number of blades that is separably attached to or is inseparably formed as an integral feature of the hub, wherein the hub comprises a top structural member and a first cylindrical feature;
reinforcing the hub by using at least a first rib and a second rib, wherein the first rib is attached to the top structural member, the second rib is attached to at least a bottom portion of the first cylindrical feature and at least a portion of the top structural member,
the entire second rib is located on the outside of the first rib in a radial direction of the first cylindrical feature, and there is a void between the first rib and the second rib; and
using at least the hub to reduce a noise level at a stage of operation of driving one or more fluids using the impeller.

20. The method of reducing noise levels in driving fluids of claim 19 , wherein the first rib is not connected to the second rib and the void is a space formed between the first rib and the second rib.

21. The method of reducing noise levels in driving fluids of claim 20 , the act of using at least the hub to reduce the noise level further comprising:
identifying a second cylindrical feature on the hub, wherein
the second cylindrical feature is substantially concentric with the first cylindrical feature, and
both the first cylindrical feature and the second cylindrical feature are substantially cylindrical.

22. The method of claim 21 , wherein:
the first rib extends outward from a center of the hub,
the first rib is separately attached to or is inseparably formed as an integral part of the second cylindrical feature, and
the first rib resides on a first surface of the top structural member and is disjoint from the second rib.

23. The method of claim 21 , wherein the first cylindrical feature and the second

Assignees

• Johnson Electric Sa

Inventors

• Ren Guodong
• Chen Anbang
• Wang Di
• Qin Rui Feng

Classifications

• F04D29/388

  characterised by construction · CPC title

• F04D29/32

  for axial flow pumps · CPC title

• F04D19/002

  Axial flow fans · CPC title

• F01D5/10 Primary

  Anti- vibration means {(specially adapted for radial flow machines or engines F01D5/04)} · CPC title

• F04D29/666

  by means of rotor construction or layout, e.g. unequal distribution of blades or vanes · CPC title