Ventilation fan

Abstract

A ventilation fan is disclosed having a fan housing defining an interior space, an inlet and an outlet. A fan wheel is configured to be located in the interior space and the fan wheel has a hub and a fan blade extending from the hub to a fan blade distal end. A plate is configured to be located between the fan wheel and the fan housing inlet. The plate has a sump defining a plate inlet and a plate peripheral portion. The sump is configured to extend away from the plate peripheral portion toward the fan housing inlet such that the plate inlet is spaced from the plate peripheral portion to define a gap and the flan blade distal end is configured to be located in the gap.

1 . A ventilation fan comprising:
 a fan housing defining an interior space, an inlet and an outlet;   a fan wheel configured to be located in the interior space, the fan wheel comprising
 a hub, 
 a fan blade extending from the hub to a fan blade distal end, 
 a support ring connected to an outermost radial portion of the fan blade adjacent the fan blade distal end; and 
   a plate configured to be located between the fan wheel and the fan housing inlet, the plate having a sump defining a plate inlet and a plate peripheral portion, wherein the sump is configured to extend away from the plate peripheral portion toward the fan housing inlet such that the plate inlet is spaced from the plate peripheral portion to define a gap;   wherein the support ring is configured to be located in the gap.   
     
     
         2 . The ventilation fan of  claim 1 , wherein the support ring is configured to located entirely in the gap. 
     
     
         3 . The ventilation fan of  claim 1 , wherein the fan wheel comprises a plurality of fan blades extending from the hub and a support ring connects to each of the plurality of fan blades. 
     
     
         4 . The ventilation fan of  claim 1 , the sump comprises a shank extending from the plate peripheral portion to define the gap. 
     
     
         5 . The ventilation fan of  claim 1 , the sump comprises a shank extending from the plate peripheral portion and a bend extending from the shank. 
     
     
         6 . The ventilation fan of  claim 1 , the sump comprises a shank extending from the plate peripheral portion and a bend extending from the shank, wherein the shank and/or the bend defines a pocket. 
     
     
         7 . The ventilation fan of  claim 1 , the plate inlet is configured to be located adjacent to the fan blade distal end. 
     
     
         8 . A ventilation fan comprising:
 a fan housing defining an interior space, an inlet and an outlet;   a fan wheel configured to be located in the interior space, the fan wheel comprising
 a hub, 
 a fan blade extending from the hub to a fan blade distal end, 
 a support ring connected to the fan blade adjacent the fan blade distal end; and 
   a plate configured to be located in the fan housing between the fan wheel and the fan housing inlet, the plate comprising a sump defining a plate inlet and a plate peripheral portion,   wherein the sump is configured to extend away from the plate peripheral portion toward the fan housing inlet such that the plate inlet is spaced from the plate peripheral portion to define a gap and the support ring is configured to be located entirely in the gap.   
     
     
         9 . The ventilation fan of  claim 8 , the sump comprises a shank extending from the plate peripheral portion to define the gap. 
     
     
         10 . The ventilation fan of  claim 8 , the sump comprises a shank extending from the plate peripheral portion and a bend extending from the shank. 
     
     
         11 . The ventilation fan of  claim 8 , the sump comprises a shank extending from the plate peripheral portion and a bend extending from the shank, wherein the shank and/or the bend defines a pocket. 
     
     
         12 . The ventilation fan of  claim 8  further comprising a beam extending across the plate inlet. 
     
     
         13 . The ventilation fan of  claim 8  wherein the gap is configured to be located at distal end of at least one fan blade of the fan wheel. 
     
     
         14 . A ventilation fan comprising:
 a fan housing defining an interior space, an inlet and an outlet;   a fan wheel configured to be located in the interior space;   a plate configured to be located between the fan wheel and the fan housing inlet, the plate defining a plate inlet, a plate peripheral portion and an outlet wall,   wherein the outlet wall protrudes from the plate peripheral portion toward the fan housing inlet and terminates in an outlet wall distal end configured to be located adjacent to the fan housing outlet.   
     
     
         15 . The ventilation fan of  claim 14  wherein the outlet wall defines a hyperbola protruding from the plate peripheral portion. 
     
     
         16 . The ventilation fan of  claim 14  further comprising a duct connector located at the fan housing outlet, wherein the outer wall distal end contacts the duct connector. 
     
     
         17 . The ventilation fan of  claim 16  wherein the duct connector defines an inner perimeter and the plate outlet wall is configured to align with the duct connector inner perimeter. 
     
     
         18 . The ventilation fan of  claim 14  wherein the outlet wall protrudes from the plate toward the fan housing inlet to provide a smooth transition from the plate peripheral portion to the fan housing outlet. 
     
     
         19 . The ventilation fan of  claim 14  the plate segregating the fan housing inlet from the fan housing outlet in all areas except for the plate inlet. 
     
     
         20 . The ventilation fan of  claim 14  wherein the outlet wall protrudes from the plate toward the fan housing inlet at a constant angle. 
     
     
         21 . The ventilation fan of  claim 1 , the support ring does not extend across the fan blade distal end. 
     
     
         22 . The ventilation fan of  claim 8 , the support ring does not extend across the fan blade distal end.