Hybrid flow fan apparatus

Abstract

A fan assembly for directing fluid flow in a hybrid radial and axial direction includes a backplate having an inner diameter portion and a substantially frusto-conical outer diameter portion positioned about a center axis (CL), a plurality of blades extending from the backplate, and an annular fan shroud positioned adjacent to the plurality of blades and configured for co-rotation therewith. The backplate, the plurality of fan blades and the fan shroud form a fan subassembly, and an overall depth of the fan subassembly is approximately 20-35% of an overall fan subassembly diameter (øD 1 ).

1 . A fan assembly for directing fluid flow in a hybrid radial and axial direction, the assembly comprising:
 a backplate having an inner diameter portion and a substantially frusto-conical outer diameter portion positioned about a center axis, wherein the frusto-conical outer diameter portion extends to a circumference of the backplate;   a plurality of blades extending from the backplate; and   an annular fan shroud positioned adjacent to the plurality of blades and configured for co-rotation therewith, wherein the backplate, the plurality of fan blades and the fan shroud form a fan subassembly,   wherein an overall depth of the fan subassembly is approximately 20-35% of an overall fan subassembly diameter.   
     
     
         2 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the overall depth of the fan subassembly is approximately 25-33% of the overall fan subassembly diameter. 
     
     
         3 . The assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the overall depth of the fan subassembly is greater than or equal to approximately 26% and less than 30% of the overall fan subassembly diameter. 
     
     
         4 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein a discharge angle defined by the outer diameter portion of the backplate is oriented at approximately 65-80° with respect to the axis. 
     
     
         5 - 6 . (canceled) 
     
     
         7 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein an inside diameter of the fan inlet is approximately 80-90% of an overall diameter of the fan subassembly. 
     
     
         8 - 10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein an inlet angle of the each of the plurality of blades is approximately 15-30°, and wherein an exit angle of each of the plurality of blades is approximately 40-90°. 
     
     
         12 - 13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein a total blade length is approximately 450-550% of an overall diameter of the fan subassembly. 
     
     
         15 . The assembly of  claim 14 , wherein the total blade length is approximately 480-520% of the overall diameter of the fan subassembly. 
     
     
         16 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein an inside diameter of the plurality of blades is approximately 50-75% of an overall diameter of the fan subassembly. 
     
     
         17 - 18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of blades are equally spaced and attached to the outer diameter portion of the backplate. 
     
     
         20 - 23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the inner diameter portion of the backplate is substantially planar. 
     
     
         25 - 26 . (canceled) 
     
     
         27 . The assembly of claim  26 , wherein the inner diameter portion of the backplate comprises a metallic material, and wherein the outer diameter portion of the backplate comprises a polymer material overmolded on the inner diameter portion. 
     
     
         28 - 29 . (canceled) 
     
     
         30 . The assembly of  claim 1  and further comprising:
 an annular inlet shroud positioned adjacent to the fan shroud, wherein the inlet shroud is rotationally fixed, wherein the inlet shroud comprises a wall that defines an inlet opening and an outlet opening, wherein the inlet opening has a smaller diameter than the outlet opening, and wherein the wall has an arcuate cross-sectional shape. 
 
     
     
         31 - 32 . (canceled) 
     
     
         33 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the inner diameter portion of the backplate is axially positioned at approximately a center of mass of the fan subassembly. 
     
     
         34 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of blades have a configuration selected from the group consisting of: a forward curved configuration, a backward curved configuration, and a backward inclined configuration. 
     
     
         35 - 36 . (canceled) 
     
     
         37 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein a discharge angle defined by the outer diameter portion of the backplate is oriented at approximately 65-80° with respect to the axis, wherein an inside diameter of the fan inlet is approximately 80-90% of an overall diameter of the fan subassembly, wherein an inlet angle of the each of the plurality of blades is approximately 15-30°, wherein an exit angle of each of the plurality of blades is approximately 40-90°, wherein a total blade length is approximately 450-550% of the overall diameter of the fan subassembly, and wherein an inside diameter of the plurality of blades is approximately 50-75% of the overall diameter of the fan subassembly. 
     
     
         38 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein a tilt angle of the plurality of blades is within a range of approximately 0-15°. 
     
     
         39 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein a tilt angle of the plurality of blades is within a range of approximately 3-10°. 
     
     
         40 - 41 . (canceled) 
     
     
         42 . The assembly of  claim 1  and further comprising:
 an at least partially axially extending annular rib positioned at the substantially frusto-conical outer diameter portion of the backplate, wherein the annular rib extends opposite the plurality of blades and is radially aligned with the plurality of blades. 
 
     
     
         43 . A fan assembly for directing fluid flow in a hybrid radial and axial direction, the assembly comprising:
 a backplate having an inner diameter portion and a substantially frusto-conical outer diameter portion positioned about a center axis;   a plurality of blades extending from the backplate; and   an annular fan shroud positioned adjacent to the plurality of blades and configured for co-rotation therewith, wherein the backplate, the plurality of fan blades and the fan shroud form a fan subassembly,   wherein the total blade length is approximately 480-520% of the overall diameter of the fan subassembly.   
     
     
         44 . The assembly of  claim 43 , wherein an inside diameter of the plurality of blades is approximately 50-75% of an overall diameter of the fan subassembly. 
     
     
         45 . (canceled) 
     
     
         46 . A fan assembly for directing fluid flow in a hybrid radial and axial direction, the assembly comprising:
 a backplate having an inner diameter portion and a substantially frusto-conical outer diameter portion positioned relative to an axis;   a plurality of blades extending from the substantially frusto-conical outer diameter portion of the backplate; and   an annular fan shroud positioned adjacent to the plurality of blades and configured for co-rotation therewith, wherein the backplate, the plurality of fan blades and the fan shroud form a fan subassembly,   wherein an inside diameter of the plurality of blades is approximately 50-75% of an overall diameter of the fan subassembly, and wherein the inside diameter of the plurality of blades is located radially outward from the inner diameter portion of the backplate.   
     
     
         47 . The assembly of  claim 46 , wherein the total blade length is approximately 480-520% of the overall diameter of the fan subassembly. 
     
     
         48 . The assembly of  claim 46 , wherein the overall depth of the fan subassembly is approximately 20-35% of the overall fan subassembly diameter. 
     
     
         49 . A fan assembly for directing fluid flow in a hybrid radial and axial direction, the assembly comprising:
 a backplate having an inner diameter portion and a substantially frusto-conical outer diameter portion positioned about a center axis;   an annular fan shroud; and   a plurality of blades extending between the backplate and the fan shroud,   wherein the backplate, the plurality of fan blades and the fan shroud form a fan subassembly,   wherein an overall depth of the fan subassembly is approximately 20-35% of an overall fan subassembly diameter,   wherein a discharge angle defined by the outer diameter portion of the backplate is oriented at approximately 65-80° with respect to the axis,   wherein an inside diameter of the fan inlet is approximately 80-90% of an overall diameter of the fan subassembly,   wherein an inlet angle of the each of the plurality of blades is approximately 15-30°,   wherein an exit angle of each of the plurality of blades is approximately 40-90°, wherein a total blade length is approximately 450-550% of the overall diameter of the fan subassembly, and   wherein an inside diameter of the plurality of blades is approximately 50-75% of the overall diameter of the fan subassembly.