Beltless high velocity air blower

Abstract

A direct drive, high velocity, high power centrifugal air blower. The blower employs a high-speed electric motor (>15,000 rpm) having an output drive shaft that is directly coupled to an impeller rotatably housed within a volute. The assembly enables the impeller to rotate at speeds up to 100,000 rpm without the need for either step-up gears or belts and pulleys interposed between the motor output drive shaft and the impeller. The elimination of an indirect coupling assembly between the motor ouput shaft and the impeller provides a high power, high velocity blower/vacuum with greater reliability than indirectly coupled assemblies.

What we claim is:  
     
         1 . A centrifugal fan consisting essentially of: (a) an electric motor operable for rotating a drive shaft at rotational velocities greater than 15,000 rotations per minute; (b) an impeller affixed to said drive shaft; and (c) a volute substantially enclosing said impeller, said volute having an axially disposed air intake port and a tangentially disposed air output port.  
     
     
         2 . The centrifugal fan of  claim 1  wherein said impeller comprises a plurality of blades symmetrically mounted on a circular plate and radiating outwardly from an axially disposed rotation axis, each of said blades having an arcuately contoured blade surface, the plurality of the blades being operable for receiving air in a direction of the rotation axis through said air intake port and for discharging the air tangentially through said air outlet port in said volute.