Blower assembly for an appliance

Abstract

A blower assembly for an appliance defines a radial direction, a circumferential direction, and an axial direction. The blower assembly includes a motor, a housing, and an impeller. The housing has a front wall and a rear wall defining a volute with the impeller positioned therein. The impeller is mechanically coupled to the motor for rotating to direct a primary airflow into a primary airflow inlet of the housing and throughout the appliance. Further, the impeller includes a hub wall and a shroud wall. The should wall is spaced apart from the front wall of the housing along the axial direction to define a gap through which a secondary airflow can pass. An inner edge of the shroud wall has a shroud feature that causes the secondary airflow to align with the primary airflow entering the primary airflow inlet so as to minimize turbulence.

1 . A blower assembly for an appliance, the blower assembly defining a radial direction, a circumferential direction, and an axial direction, the blower assembly comprising:
 a motor;   a housing comprising a front wall and a rear wall defining a volute therebetween, the front wall defining a primary airflow inlet; and   an impeller positioned within the volute, the impeller being mechanically coupled to the motor for rotating the impeller within the housing about an axis of rotation to direct a primary airflow into the primary airflow inlet and throughout the appliance along a primary airflow path, the impeller comprising:
 a hub wall arranged adjacent to the rear wall; and 
 a shroud wall spaced apart from the hub wall, the shroud wall arranged adjacent to and being spaced apart from the front wall of the housing along the axial direction to define an annular gap therebetween, wherein a secondary airflow is configured to flow from an outer-most radial edge of the impeller and through the annular gap, 
 wherein an inner edge of the shroud wall comprises a shroud feature configured to cause the secondary airflow from the gap to align with the primary airflow entering the primary airflow inlet so as to minimize turbulence, and 
 wherein the primary airflow inlet of the housing defines a housing feature aligned with the shroud feature to direct the secondary airflow from the annular gap to align with the primary airflow inlet, the shroud feature and the housing feature comprising corresponding arcuate shapes. 
   
     
     
         2 . (canceled) 
     
     
         3 . The blower assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the housing feature overlaps the shroud feature in the axial direction. 
     
     
         4 . The blower assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises an outer volute and an inner volute, the outer volute surrounding the inner volute in the radial direction. 
     
     
         5 . The blower assembly of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the front wall is arcuate in shape. 
     
     
         6 . (canceled) 
     
     
         7 . The blower assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the shroud wall and at least a portion of the front wall of the housing are substantially parallel. 
     
     
         8 . The blower assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the housing feature has a hook shape and the shroud feature fits within the hook shape. 
     
     
         9 . The blower assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the shroud feature has a J-shape. 
     
     
         10 . The blower assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the rear wall of the housing defines an annular receptacle for receiving the motor, the annular receptacle having a receptacle depth extending in the axial direction and a receptacle diameter concentrically aligned with the impeller, the motor being at least partially enclosed by the exterior surface of the rear wall when received by the annular receptacle. 
     
     
         11 . The blower assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the primary airflow path is a closed-loop path, the appliance comprising a heat exchanger disposed along the closed-loop path in thermal communication with the primary airflow path. 
     
     
         12 . A laundry appliance, comprising:
 a cabinet defining an interior volume having a cabinet inlet and a cabinet outlet;   a motor; and   a blower assembly mounted within the cabinet, the blower assembly defining a radial direction, a circumferential direction, and an axial direction, the blower assembly comprising:   a housing comprising a front wall and a rear wall defining a volute therebetween, the front wall defining a primary airflow inlet, the rear wall of the housing defining an annular receptacle for receiving the motor;   an impeller positioned within the volute, the impeller being mechanically coupled to the motor for rotating the impeller within the housing about an axis of rotation to direct a primary airflow into the primary airflow inlet and throughout the appliance along a primary airflow path, the impeller comprising:
 a hub wall arranged adjacent to the rear wall; and 
 a shroud wall spaced apart from the hub wall, the shroud wall arranged adjacent to and being spaced apart from the front wall of the housing along the axial direction to define an annular gap therebetween, wherein a secondary airflow is configured to flow from an outer-most radial edge of the impeller and through the annular gap, 
 wherein an inner edge of the shroud wall comprises a shroud feature configured to cause the secondary airflow from the gap to align with the primary airflow entering the primary airflow inlet so as to minimize turbulence, and 
 wherein the primary airflow inlet of the housing defines a housing feature aligned with the shroud feature to direct the secondary airflow from the annular gap to align with the primary airflow inlet, the shroud feature and the housing feature comprising corresponding arcuate shapes. 
   
     
     
         13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . The laundry appliance of  claim 12 , wherein the housing feature overlaps the shroud feature in the axial direction. 
     
     
         15 . The laundry appliance of  claim 12 , wherein the housing comprises an outer volute and an inner volute, the outer volute surrounding the inner volute in the radial direction. 
     
     
         16 . The laundry appliance of  claim 15 , wherein at least a portion of the front wall is arcuate in shape. 
     
     
         17 . The laundry appliance of  claim 15 , wherein the shroud wall is spaced apart from the outer volute of the housing along the radial direction, the inner edge of the shroud wall being spaced apart from the housing feature along the radial direction. 
     
     
         18 - 20 . (canceled)