U.S. patent number 3,885,888 [Application Number 05/344,976] was granted by the patent office on 1975-05-27 for cooling fan for radiators and the like.
Invention is credited to John G. Warhol.
United States Patent |
3,885,888 |
Warhol |
May 27, 1975 |
Cooling fan for radiators and the like
Abstract
A cooling fan for radiators and the like in which the hub of the
fan has a plurality of radially extending hub blades extending
across the face of the hub and forwardly of said face, the hub
blades serving to distribute and take up the flow of air which
impinges against the hub and throw or deflect the air into the path
of air flow that is created by the main blades.
Inventors: |
Warhol; John G. (Oak Park,
MI) |
Family
ID: |
23352921 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/344,976 |
Filed: |
March 26, 1973 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
416/175; 416/203;
416/201R; 416/245R |
Current CPC
Class: |
F04D
29/329 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
F04D
29/32 (20060101); F04d 029/28 () |
Field of
Search: |
;416/175,241A,245,203,21A,93,94,198,200 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
617,318 |
|
Mar 1961 |
|
CA |
|
843,211 |
|
Mar 1939 |
|
FR |
|
1,149,937 |
|
Jul 1957 |
|
FR |
|
335,430 |
|
Sep 1930 |
|
GB |
|
297,215 |
|
Jun 1932 |
|
IT |
|
153,078 |
|
May 1932 |
|
CH |
|
Primary Examiner: Powell, Jr.; Everette A.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Kraus; Max R.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A cooling fan for cooling radiators and the like comprising, a
central hub and a plurality of radially extending main blades
extending radially outward of said hub, said hub having a flat
front face and a plurality of radially extending hub blades
extending across the face of the hub and forwardly of said face,
said front face and hub blades being integrally formed of plastic
material, said hub blades radiating from a common axis, each said
hub blade having a generally triangular shape in side elevation
with the widest part of the blade adjacent the outer peripheral or
top edge of the blade and reducing in width toward the center of
the flat front face so that the lead edge of the blade is inclined
inwardly from the outer peripheral or top edge toward the center
and with the opposite sides of the blade being planar and parallel
to each other and of a uniform thickness, with the outer peripheral
edge of the blade extending substantially to the outer peripheral
edge of the flat front face of the hub and the inner end of the
blade being adjacent the axis or center of the flat front face,
said hub blades forming a hub turbine and serving to distribute or
break up the flow of air hitting the hub portion of the fan and
directing said air outwardly into the path of environment of the
flow of air created by the main fan blades.
2. A fan as set forth in claim 1 in which the hub, main fan blades
and hub blades are injection molded and integrally formed of a
thermoplastic material.
3. A fan as set forth in claim 1 in which the hub turbine is formed
separately from that of the fan hub and is adapted to be secured to
the front of the fan hub.
4. A structure as set forth in claim 3 in which the hub turbine is
integrally formed by injecting molding of a thermoplastic material
and is formed separately from the fan hub.
5. A cooling fan for cooling radiators and the like formed of a
plastic material and all integrally molded and comprising, a
central hub having a shell-like body which includes an annular side
wall and a flat front end wall and an open rear end with the front
end wall forming the front face of the hub, a plurality of radially
extending main blades extending radially outward of the annular
side wall of the hub and formed integrally with said hub, a
plurality of spaced radially extending hub blades formed integrally
with the front end wall and extending forwardly thereof, said hub
blades radiating from a common axis, each said hub blade having a
generally triangular shape in side elevation with the widest part
of the blade adjacent the outer peripheral or top edge of the blade
and reducing in width toward the center of the front end wall so
that the lead edge of the hub blade is inclined inwardly from the
outer peripheral or top edge toward the center and with the
opposite sides of the hub blade being planar and parallel to each
other and providing a blade of uniform thickness and with the outer
peripheral edge of the blade being substantially on the same plane
as the annular side wall of the hub and the inner end of the blade
being short of the axis or center of the front end wall, said hub
blades forming a hub turbine and serving to distribute or break up
the flow of air hitting the hub portion of the fan and directing
said air outwardly into the path of environment of the flow of air
created by the main fan blades, said main blades extending at an
inclined angle with the lead edge of said main blade adjacent the
plane of the front face of the hub and the rear edge of said main
blade adjacent the rear of said hub.
6. A fan as set forth in claim 5 in which the interior of the shell
is provided with inwardly extending ribs.
7. A fan as set forth in claim 5 in which a spider is positioned to
extend into the interior of the shell of the hub, with the hub
secured to the spider and in which the spider is secured to
rotatable means.
Description
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Heretofore, fans for cooling automobile radiators and the like were
made of steel which added greatly to the weight, particularly when
the size of the fan had to be increased to accommodate air
conditioners and other accessories that were loaded on the car.
More recently the radiator fans have been made of a plastic
material injection molded as, for example, the radiator fan in use
on the Chevrolet Vega. The front of the hub portion of said plastic
fan has a generally flat or planar surface and this type of hub
produces a dead spot and causes the air coming through the radiator
to swirl in a circular pattern and then slowly dissipate into the
outer area of the fan as it is drawn off. The slow dissipation of
the air into the outer area is due principally to the fact that the
outside edges of the main fan blades are pulling in air from the
circumference or surrounding area and thus cuts the efficiency of
the fan in pulling air through the fan. This has resulted in an
inefficiently operating fan.
One of the objects of this invention is to provide a fan which will
overcome and obviate the objections inherent in prior plastic
automobile radiator fans by providing the hub portion of the fan
with radial blades which as the fan rotates serves as a turbine and
breaks up and distributes the flow of air hitting or impinging
against the hub and throws the air out into the path of the
environment created by the flow of air of the main blades and thus
discourages air coming in from the outer sides and increases the
equal flow across the face of the fan. This particular air movement
has its most important advantages when the engine is idling, such
as when the vehicle is not in motion, as at this stage the fan is
drawing air through the radiator at a more equal rate across the
face of the hub. With this invention the entire length of each of
the main blades of the fan is utilized, including the hub, whereas
heretofore with other types of main blades, without radial hub
blades, the entire length of the main blades were not utilized and
as a consequence when a portion of the main blades were not
utilized it resulted in decreased efficiency. The present invention
obviates this objectionable characteristic as the radial hub blades
on the hub of the fan form a turbine which cooperates with the main
blades to effect the improved result.
Another object of this invention is to provide the hub of a fan
with a plurality of radially extending blades extending across the
face of the hub and forwardly of said face, the hub blades serving
to distribute and take up the flow of air which impinges against
the hub and throw or deflect the air into the path of air flow that
is created by the main blades. The radial hub blades may be formed
as part of the hub or may be a separate unit which is attachable to
the hub of a fan which lacks such hub radial blades.
While this invention has a particular application for automobile
radiator fans, its use is broader in scope in that it may be
utilized in connection with any cooling fan used for cooling
radiators and the like.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In the drawings:
FIG. 1 is a front view of the fan forming this invention with the
main fan blades broken away.
FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view showing the hub portion of the
fan without the main blades for the purpose of clarity.
FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of FIG. 1.
FIG. 4 is a rear elevational view thereof.
FIG. 5 is a side elevational view showing the fan mounted on the
spider and showing the pulley with a portion in section.
FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the spider to which the hub of the
fan is attached.
FIG. 7 is a front perspective view of a modification or simulated
adapter hub which is attachable to the hub of a fan which lacks the
hub radial blades.
FIG. 8 is a rear plan view of FIG. 7; and
FIG. 9 is a side elevational view of the FIG. 7 embodiment.
FIGS. 1 - 6 EMBODIMENT
The structure shown in FIGS. 1-6 will be first described. In this
embodiment the fan unit generally indicated at 10 is injection
molded of a suitable thermoplastic material and integrally formed
and same comprises the hub generally indicated at 12 with spaced
main radially extending blades 14 radiating from the hub, with the
front face 16 of the hub provided with spaced radially extending
hub blades 18 which form a turbine generally indicated at 20 at the
front of said hub. The aforedescribed unit is integrally molded of
plastic in an injection molding machine so that it may be
economically produced.
More specifically, the central hub 12 comprises a shell-like body
generally indicated at 21, having an annular side wall 22 with a
front end wall 24 and an open rear end. The front end wall 24 forms
the front face 16 of the hub. The front end wall 24 is formed with
a plurality of spaced radially extending blades 18 and said blades
18 have a generally triangular shape in side elevation, with the
widest part of the blade adjacent the outer peripheral edge 26 and
narrowing towards the center so that the lead edge 28 of said hub
blade is inclined inwardly from the outer peripheral edge towards
the center. The side profile of the blade is best seen in FIGS. 1
and 5. The outer peripheral edge 26 of the blade 18 is on the same
plane as the annular side wall 22 of the hub and the inner end 30
of each of the blades is short of the axis of the hub.
The front end wall 24 is provided with a plurality of spaced
openings 32 which are adapted to receive fastening bolts 34 for
securing the fan unit 10 to the spider generally indicated at 36.
The front end wall 24 is also provided with a central opening 38
for receiving the dome-shaped centering pin 40 of the spider
36.
The interior of the shell-like body 21 is provided with a plurality
of spaced reinforcing ribs 42 which extend from the rear of the
front end wall 24 rearwardly to the rear edge 44 of the annular
side wall 22. The edge 46 of each of said reinforcing ribs 42
tapers or inclines toward the outer end, as best seen in FIG.
2.
The main blades 14 which are formed integrally with the fan unit
extend radially of the hub and each of said blades is positioned so
that the lead edge 48 of the blade is adjacent the front end wall
24, with the rear edge 50 of the blade being adjacent the rear of
the hub. The said main blades while each substantially flat extend
at an inclined angle from the front towards the rear. The fan is
adapted to rotate in a clockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 1. If
the fan is to rotate counterclockwise, the main blades 14 would be
positioned so that the lead edge 48 would be positioned to the left
side adjacent the front end wall 24, instead of to the right side
as illustrated in the drawings.
The shaft for supporting the fan unit is generally indicated at 52
and said shaft is stationary. The fan pulley generally indicated at
54 is supported on the shaft 52, and the spider 36 is secured to
the pulley 54, best seen in FIGS. 5 and 6. The spaced fingers 37 of
the spider are provided with internally threaded bores 56 which are
alined with the openings 32 in the front end wall 24 of the hub and
the fastening bolts 34 are connected thereto for securing the hub
to the spider. The dome-shaped central registering pin 40 extends
through the central opening 38 of the hub.
In mounting the hub of the fan unit on the spider, it will be seen
that the spaces between the reinforcing ribs 42 will accommodate
the spider fingers 37. When the fan unit is mounted on the spider
the rotation of the pulley 54 by the fan belt will simultaneously
rotate the spider and the fan unit. The fan unit may be readily
attached to the spider in a minimum of time. In the manufacture,
the integral forming of said plastic fan unit results in economy in
production as it eliminates assembly of various components.
With this invention the area formed by the face of the hub is
provided with radiating blades forming a turbine which, as pointed
out in the objects, produces a result not obtainable without such a
turbine. It should also be noted that the hub blades 18 extend
forwardly of the front vertical plane of the main blades 14.
FIGS. 7 - 9 EMBODIMENT
FIGS. 7-9 show a modification which is adapted for attachment to
existing fans in which the hub does not have the turbine. In this
modification the turbine portion generally indicated at 60
comprises an annular plate 62 formed with spaced radiating blades
64, all integrally formed of a thermoplastic material, which blades
are identical to the hub blades 18 previously described. The
annular plate 62 is provided with spaced openings 66 and with a
central opening 68. The turbine plate 62 is adapted to be attached
to the front of a fan unit which lacks a hub turbine and thus
provides for said type of fan unit a turbine which achieves the
advantage heretofore described. Attachment methods may vary and the
turbine plate 62 may have a molded back projection to fit a
particular fan which it is to be mounted on or attached to.
While the fan herein described has a great application for cooling
automobile radiators, it is understood that its broadest
application is as a cooling fan for any radiators and the like.
* * * * *