Ring cooling fan

Abstract

A ring cooling fan includes a fan hub including a top surface and a bottom surface disposed apart from the top surface along an axis of rotation of the ring cooling fan for connection with a drive shaft or a clutch body. A first fan blade including a first distal end and a first proximal end opposite the first distal end is connected with the fan hub. A second fan blade including a second distal end and a second proximal end opposite the second distal end is connected with the fan hub. A fan ring without an external stiffening portion is connected with the first distal end of the first fan blade and the second distal end of the second fan blade.

What we claim is:  
     
         1 . A ring cooling fan, comprising: 
 a fan hub comprising a top surface and a bottom surface disposed apart from the top surface along an axis of rotation of the ring cooling fan;    a first fan blade comprising a first distal end and a first proximal end opposite the first distal end and connected with the fan hub;    a second fan blade comprising a second distal end and a second proximal end opposite the second distal end and connected with the fan hub; and    a fan ring connected with the first distal end of the first fan blade and the second distal end of the second fan blade, wherein the fan ring does not have an external stiffening portion.    
     
     
         2 . The ring cooling fan according to  claim 1 , wherein the fan ring has a length that is about equal to a corresponding length of the first and second fan blades along the axis of rotation.  
     
     
         3 . The ring cooling fan according to  claim 2 , wherein the first fan blade comprises a first leading edge and a first trailing edge opposite the first leading edge and adjacent to the bottom surface of the fan hub, the second fan blade comprises a second leading edge and a second trailing edge opposite the second leading edge and adjacent to the bottom surface of the fan hub, the fan ring comprises a top edge and a bottom edge opposite the top edge and adjacent the bottom surface of the fan hub, and the top edge is disposed at an elevation different than that of the first and second leading edges and the bottom edge is disposed at an elevation different than that of the first and second trailing edges.  
     
     
         4 . The ring cooling fan according to  claim 2 , wherein the first fan blade comprises a first leading edge and a first trailing edge opposite the first leading edge and adjacent to the bottom surface of the fan hub, the second fan blade comprises a second leading edge and a second trailing edge opposite the second leading edge and adjacent to the bottom surface of the fan hub, the fan ring comprises a top edge and a bottom edge opposite the top edge and adjacent the bottom surface of the fan hub, and the top edge is disposed at an elevation about the same as that of the first and second leading edges and the bottom edge is disposed at an elevation about the same as that of the first and second trailing edges.  
     
     
         5 . The ring cooling fan according to  claim 1 , wherein the fan ring has a length that is less than a corresponding length of the first and second fan blades along the axis of rotation.  
     
     
         6 . The ring cooling fan according to  claim 5 , wherein the first fan blade comprises a first leading edge and a first trailing edge opposite the first leading edge and adjacent to the bottom surface of the fan hub, the second fan blade comprises a second leading edge and a second trailing edge opposite the second leading edge and adjacent to the bottom surface of the fan hub, the fan ring comprises a top edge and a bottom edge opposite the top edge and adjacent the bottom surface of the fan hub, and the top edge is disposed at an elevation about the same as that of the first and second leading edges such that the bottom edge is disposed at an elevation between (i) the first and second leading edges and (ii) the first and second trailing edges.  
     
     
         7 . The ring cooling fan according to  claim 1 , wherein the fan ring has a length that is greater than a corresponding length of the first and second fan blades along the axis of rotation.  
     
     
         8 . The ring cooling fan according to  claim 1 , wherein the fan ring has an about rectangular cross-section.  
     
     
         9 . The ring cooling fan according to  claim 8 , wherein the fan ring has an about trapezoidal cross-section.  
     
     
         10 . The ring cooling fan according to  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a winglet connected between one of the fan blades and the fan ring.    
     
     
         11 . The ring cooling fan according to  claim 2 , further comprising: 
 a winglet connected between one of the fan blades and the fan ring.    
     
     
         12 . The ring cooling fan according to  claim 3 , further comprising: 
 a winglet connected between one of the fan blades and the fan ring.    
     
     
         13 . The ring cooling fan according to  claim 4 , further comprising: 
 a winglet connected between one of the fan blades and the fan ring.    
     
     
         14 . The ring cooling fan according to  claim 5 , further comprising: 
 a winglet connected between one of the fan blades and the fan ring.    
     
     
         15 . The ring cooling fan according to  claim 6 , further comprising: 
 a winglet connected between one of the fan blades and the fan ring.    
     
     
         16 . The ring cooling fan according to  claim 10 , wherein the first fan blade comprises a first leading edge and a first trailing edge opposite the first leading edge and adjacent to the bottom surface of the fan hub, the second fan blade comprises a second leading edge and a second trailing edge opposite the second leading edge and adjacent to the bottom surface of the fan hub, the fan ring comprises a top edge and a bottom edge opposite the top edge and adjacent the bottom surface of the fan hub, and the winglet is connected between the first trailing edge and a first portion of the bottom edge of the fan ring.  
     
     
         17 . The ring cooling fan according to  claim 10 , wherein the number of winglets is equal to the number of fan blades.  
     
     
         18 . The ring cooling fan according to  claim 10 , wherein the fan ring, the fan blades, and the winglet are molded in an injection molding operation.  
     
     
         19 . A ring cooling fan, comprising: 
 a fan hub comprising a top surface and a bottom surface disposed apart from the top surface along an axis of rotation of the ring cooling fan;    a first fan blade comprising a first distal end and a first proximal end opposite the first distal end and connected with the fan hub;    a second fan blade comprising a second distal end and a second proximal end opposite the second distal end and connected with the fan hub; and    a fan ring connected with the first distal end and the second distal end, wherein the fan ring does not have an about L-shaped cross section.    
     
     
         20 . A ring cooling fan, comprising: 
 a fan hub comprising a top surface and a bottom surface disposed apart from the top surface along an axis of rotation of the ring cooling fan;    a first fan blade comprising a first distal end and a first proximal end opposite the first distal end and connected with the fan hub;    a second fan blade comprising a second distal end and a second proximal end opposite the second distal end and connected with the fan hub;    a fan ring connected with the first distal end and the second distal end; and    a winglet connected between the first fan blade and a first portion of the fan ring.    
     
     
         21 . The fan ring according to  claim 20 , wherein the fan ring comprises an about L-shaped cross-section.  
     
     
         22 . The fan ring according to  claim 20 , wherein the number of winglets is equal to the number of fan blades.