Pivotal direct drive motor for exhaust assembly

Abstract

An exhaust assembly is provided for expelling contaminated air from a building. The assembly includes a plenum, a fan assembly attached to the plenum, and a windband mounted on top of the fan assembly. The fan assembly is constructed of cylindrical outer and inner walls which define a drive chamber and surrounding annular space. A fan driven by a motor whose shaft extends downward from the drive chamber draws exhaust air from the plenum and blows it up through the annular space to a nozzle at the top of the fan assembly. The motor is pivotally mounted inside the assembly to provide access to the motor components when it is desired to perform inspection and maintenance.

1 . An exhaust assembly which comprises: 
 an outer wall that defines a cavity therein having an air inlet formed at its bottom end;    an inner wall fastened to the outer wall and positioned in the cavity to divide it into a centrally located chamber and a surrounding annular space;    a fan chamber disposed at the bottom of the cavity, the fan chamber retaining a fan coupled to a fan shaft to draw exhaust air in through the air inlet and blow it upward through the annular space;    a drive chamber disposed inside the outer wall and adjacent the fan chamber; and    a motor pivotally mounted in the drive chamber, the motor pivotable between a first engaged position in which a motor shaft is coupled to the fan shaft for driving the fan, and a second disengaged pivoted position.    
   
   
       2 . The exhaust assembly as recited in  claim 1  in which the motor is mounted to a plate supported in the drive chamber by a mounting bracket.  
   
   
       3 . The exhaust assembly as recited in  claim 2  in which the mounting bracket is fastened to the plate by a hinge that permits pivotal movement of the mounting bracket relative to the plate.  
   
   
       4 . The exhaust assembly as recited in  claim 3  in which the mounting bracket is further fastened to the plate by removable fasteners.  
   
   
       5 . The exhaust assembly as recited in  claim 3  in which a passageway is formed into the drive chamber from outside the assembly by a passage wall that extends through the annular space between the inner and outer walls to provide access to the motor for inspection or repair.  
   
   
       6 . The exhaust assembly as recited in  claim 5  in which a second passageway is formed into the drive chamber from outside the assembly by a second passage wall that extends through the annular space between the inner and outer walls.  
   
   
       7 . The exhaust assembly as recited in  claim 6  in which the motor is pivotable towards one of the passageways.  
   
   
       8 . The exhaust assembly as recited in  claim 6 , wherein the hinge extends in a direction substantially perpendicular to an axis extending between the passageways.  
   
   
       9 . The exhaust assembly as recited in  claim 1  in which a passageway is formed into the drive chamber from outside the assembly by a passage wall that extends through the annular space between the inner and outer walls to provide access to the motor for inspection or repair.  
   
   
       10 . The exhaust assembly as recited in  claim 9  in which a second passageway is formed into the drive chamber from outside the assembly by a second passage wall that extends through the annular space between the inner and outer walls, and ambient air is drawn into the passageways and flows out the top end of the inner wall to mix with the exhaust air.  
   
   
       11 . The exhaust assembly as recited in  claim 1  in which a roof is disposed in the drive chamber and above the motor to protect the same from substances entering the top end of the inner wall.  
   
   
       12 . The exhaust assembly as recited in  claim 11  in which the roof is sloped.  
   
   
       13 . The exhaust assembly as recited in  claim 1  in which the inner wall is spaced upward from the air inlet to form the fan chamber.  
   
   
       14 . The exhaust assembly as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the drive chamber is disposed above the fan chamber.  
   
   
       15 . An exhaust assembly as recited in  claim 1 , the annular space being constricted at the top of the outer wall to form a nozzle.  
   
   
       16 . The exhaust assembly as recited in  claim 1  which includes a plenum fastened to the outer wall and disposed beneath the air inlet, the plenum includes: 
 a housing having an upper housing wall with an exhaust outlet that aligns with the air inlet and a bottom housing wall with an exhaust inlet for receiving exhaust air from a building; and    a bypass air inlet formed in one wall of the housing for receiving ambient air.    
   
   
       17 . The exhaust assembly as recited in  claim 16  in which a damper is mounted in the plenum to control the amount of ambient air entering through the bypass air inlet.  
   
   
       18 . The exhaust assembly as recited in  claim 16  in which the outer wall is removably fastened to the plenum to enable removal thereof for repair or replacement.  
   
   
       19 . The exhaust assembly as recited in  claim 18  which includes a removable access panel formed in one side wall of the plenum housing.  
   
   
       20 . The exhaust assembly as recited in  claim 1  in which the upper end of the inner wall is flared radially outward to form said nozzle.  
   
   
       21 . The exhaust assembly as recited in  claim 1  which includes a windband mounted to the upper end of the outer wall, the windband having a frustum-shape with a circular opening at its lower end which is coaxial with said nozzle and the lower end is substantially coplanar with a nozzle formed by a constriction at the top of outer wall.  
   
   
       22 . The exhaust assembly as recited in  claim 21  in which the lower end of the windband is flared radially outward to form an inlet bell.  
   
   
       23 . The exhaust assembly as recited in  claim 21  in which a cylindrical ring is formed at the upper end of the windband.  
   
   
       24 . The exhaust assembly as recited in  claim 1  in which the inner wall extends upward above a nozzle formed from a constriction of the top of the outer wall, and which includes: 
 a second nozzle assembly mounted to the inner wall and having a frustum shape with a circular opening at its top end which is coaxial with the inner wall and coplanar with the top end of the inner wall; and    a windband mounted to the second nozzle assembly and having a frustum shape with a circular opening at its lower end which is coaxial with the inner wall and coplanar with the top end of the inner wall.    
   
   
       25 . The exhaust assembly as recited in  claim 23 , in which the second nozzle assembly has a circular opening at its lower end which is coaxial with the inner wall and coplanar with the nozzle.  
   
   
       26 . An exhaust assembly mounted onto a roof of a building for removing contaminated air from one or more building exhaust vents, the exhaust assembly comprising: 
 an air inlet receiving the contaminated air, at least one ambient air entrainment zone mixing ambient air with the contaminated air to produce diluted air, and an air outlet exhausting the diluted air;    a fan coupled to a fan shaft to draw the contaminated air through the air inlet and blow it towards the air outlet; and    a pivotally mounted motor driving a motor shaft removably coupled to the fan shaft.    
   
   
       27 . The exhaust assembly as recited in  claim 26  further comprising a housing is formed from an outer wall defining a cavity and an inner wall disposed in the cavity and spaced from the outer wall to divide the cavity into a central chamber and a surrounding annular space.  
   
   
       28 . The exhaust assembly as recited in  claim 27  in which the central chamber is divided into a fan chamber housing the fan, and a drive chamber housing the motor.  
   
   
       29 . The exhaust assembly as recited in  claim 28  in which the drive chamber is disposed above the fan chamber.  
   
   
       30 . The exhaust assembly as recited in  claim 27  in which a pair of opposing passageways extend through the inner and outer walls to enable access to the motor.  
   
   
       31 . The exhaust assembly as recited in  claim 30  in which the motor is pivotable towards and away from at least one of the passageways.  
   
   
       32 . The exhaust assembly as recited in  claim 31  in which ambient air is drawn into the passageways and flows out the top end of the inner wall to mix with the exhaust air.  
   
   
       33 . The exhaust assembly as recited in  claim 30  in which the motor is supported on a housing plate by a mounting bracket connected to the plate by a hinge.  
   
   
       34 . The exhaust assembly as recited in  claim 33  in which the hinge extends in a direction substantially perpendicular to an axis extending between the passageways.  
   
   
       35 . The exhaust assembly as recited in  claim 33  in which the mounting bracket is further fixed to the plate by at least one removable fastener.  
   
   
       36 . An exhaust assembly which comprises: 
 a housing separating a drive chamber from a fan chamber, the housing defining an inlet end and an outlet end;    a motor pivotally mounted in the drive chamber, the motor including a motor shaft;    a fan disposed in the fan chamber and coupled to a fan shaft that is, in turn, coupled to the motor shaft to draw air through the air inlet and blow it towards the outlet, and    at least one passageway extending through the housing, the passageway providing access to the motor.    
   
   
       37 . The exhaust assembly as recited in  claim 36  in which the motor is pivotal towards and away from the passageway.  
   
   
       38 . The exhaust assembly as recited in  claim 36  in which the motor is supported on a plate in the drive chamber.  
   
   
       39 . The exhaust assembly as recited in  claim 38  in which the motor is supported on the plate by a mounting bracket that is connected to the plate by a hinge.  
   
   
       40 . The exhaust assembly as recited in  claim 39  in which the hinge extends in a direction substantially perpendicular to an axis extending between the passageways.  
   
   
       41 . The exhaust assembly as recited in  claim 39  in which the mounting bracket is further fixed to the plate by at least one removable fastener.