Rotor ventilator

Abstract

A rotor ventilator which includes a base to which a shaft is connected to extend upwardly therefrom and a rotor. The rotor is rotatable about the shaft and includes a plate and a plurality of vanes ( 19 ) extending therefrom. Also included is a bearing means ( 30 ) for supporting the rotor on the shaft. The bearing means can be a double race assembly and is located at the plate, above the centre of gravity of the rotor. A deflector ( 58 ) can be located between the base and the plate to deflect gas away from the bearing means.

The claims defining the invention are as follows:— 
     
         1 . A rotor ventilator including: 
 a base to which a shaft is connected to extend upwardly therefrom;    a rotor including a plate and a plurality of vanes extending downwardly therefrom, the rotor being rotatable about the shaft;    bearing means for rotatably supporting the rotor on the shaft; and    a deflector located with respect to the shaft and between the base and the plate to deflect gas passing through the rotor ventilator away from the bearing means.    
     
     
         2 . A rotor ventilator according to  claim 1  wherein the deflector is located on the shaft adjacent the plate.  
     
     
         3 . A rotor ventilator according to  claim 1  or  2  wherein the deflector is coupled about the shaft and includes a flared portion being flared outwardly from a longitudinal axis of the shaft and toward the plate.  
     
     
         4 . A rotor ventilator according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the flared portion is concave on a side of the deflector which faces the base.  
     
     
         5 . A rotor ventilator according to  claim 3  or  4  wherein the deflector is symmetrical about the longitudinal axis.  
     
     
         6 . A rotor ventilator according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the bearing means is located on an opposite side of the plate to the deflector.  
     
     
         7 . A rotor ventilator according to any one of the preceding claims including a heat sink about the bearing means.  
     
     
         8 . A rotor ventilator according to  claim 7  wherein the heat sink includes at least one heat diffusing fin extending radially with respect to the axis of the shaft.  
     
     
         9 . A rotor ventilator according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the bearing means includes a rotatable bearing assembly having: 
 a bearing including a central bore and two internal axially spaced bearing races;    a central shaft extending longitudinally through the bore, with a space being defined between the bearing and the shaft, the shaft including two external axially spaced bearing races, with the shaft races being aligned with the races on the bearing;    a plurality of ball bearings captively engaged between respective aligned races; and    a low friction seal located at one end of the bearing and projecting radially inwards towards the shaft.    
     
     
         10 . A rotor ventilator including: 
 a base to which a shaft is connected to extend upwardly therefrom;    a rotor including a plate and a plurality of vanes extending downwardly therefrom, the rotor being rotatable about the shaft; and    a double race-rotatable bearing assembly for supporting the rotor on the shaft and located at the plate.    
     
     
         11 . A rotor ventilator according to  claim 10  wherein the rotatable bearing assembly includes: 
 a bearing including a central bore and two internal axially spaced bearing races;  
 a central shaft extending longitudinally through the bore, with a space being defined between the bearing and the shaft, the shaft including two external axially spaced bearing races, with the shaft races being aligned with the races on the bearing;  
 a plurality of ball bearings captively engaged between respective aligned races; and  
 a low friction seal located at one end of the bearing and projecting radially inwards towards the shaft.  
 
     
     
         12 . A rotor ventilator according to  claim 10  or  11  wherein the bearing means is located above the plate.  
     
     
         13 . A rotor ventilator according to  claim 11  or  12  including a second radially inwardly projecting seal located at another end of the bearing.  
     
     
         14 . A rotor ventilator according to any one  claims 10  to  13  including a support means rotatably mounted at one end to the shaft and mounted at another end to the rotor.  
     
     
         15 . A rotor ventilator according to  claim 14  wherein the one end of the support means includes a bearing unit for rotatable mounting on the shaft.  
     
     
         16 . A rotor ventilator according to  claim 14  or  15  wherein the support means is intermediate the plate and base.  
     
     
         17 . A rotor ventilator according to any one of  claims 10  to  16  including a deflector located with respect to the shaft and between the base and the plate to deflect gas passing through the rotor ventilator away from the bearing assembly.  
     
     
         18 . A rotor ventilator according to any one of  claims 10  to  17  wherein an end of each vane is mounted to the plate by tab fastening means including at least one tab projection for receipt in a corresponding slot in the plate.