Furnace distribution blower without a blower housing

Abstract

A furnace distribution blower for use in a conventional furnace that is configured without a blower housing. The furnace distribution blower includes a backward curved impeller mounted around a drive motor having a central drive shaft. The drive motor rotates the backward curved impeller to draw air into the inlet of the impeller. Preferably, the inlet of the impeller is closely mounted to an inlet bell of the furnace. The furnace distribution blower can be mounted to a support tray such that the furnace distribution blower can be moved from an operating position in which the impeller is positioned beneath the heat exchanger and a service position in which the impeller is removed from within the furnace housing. The elimination of the blower housing decreases the cost of the furnace distribution blower as compared to a blower having a housing.

1 . A furnace distribution blower comprising: 
 a drive motor having a drive shaft; and    an impeller having an inlet surrounding the drive motor, the drive motor being operable to rotate the impeller around the drive motor to draw a flow of air into the inlet of the impeller such that the impeller radially discharges the inlet air,    wherein the impeller is not surrounded by a housing.    
   
   
       2 . The furnace distribution blower of  claim 1  wherein the drive motor is mounted above an inlet opening of a furnace by a plurality of mounting arms.  
   
   
       3 . The furnace distribution blower of  claim 2  wherein the inlet of the impeller is closely spaced from an inlet bell of the furnace that defines the inlet opening of the furnace.  
   
   
       4 . The furnace distribution blower of  claim 1  wherein the impeller is a backward curved impeller having a plurality of backward curved impeller blades.  
   
   
       5 . The furnace distribution blower of  claim 4  wherein the inner blade tips of each impeller blade are spaced from the drive motor such that the impeller is rotatable about the drive motor.  
   
   
       6 . The furnace distribution blower of  claim 1  wherein the impeller is mounted to a sidewall of the furnace.  
   
   
       7 . The furnace distribution blower of  claim 1  wherein the impeller is mounted to a support wall spaced from the bottom wall of the furnace.  
   
   
       8 . A furnace distribution blower for use in a furnace having a furnace enclosure including a pair of spaced sidewalls and a bottom wall, the distribution blower comprising: 
 a drive motor having a drive shaft;    an impeller having an inlet surrounding the drive motor, the drive motor being operable to rotate the impeller around the drive motor to draw a flow of air into the inlet of the impeller such that the impeller radially discharges the inlet air, wherein the impeller is not surrounded by a housing; and    a scroll-shaped outer wall surrounding the impeller, wherein the scroll-shaped outer wall has an open upper end and directs the flow of air from the impeller into the furnace enclosure    
   
   
       9 . The furnace distribution blower of  claim 8  further comprising a support wall spaced above the bottom wall of the furnace enclosure, the support wall including an inlet bell aligned with the inlet of the impeller.  
   
   
       10 . A furnace distribution blower for use in a furnace having a heat exchanger and a support frame, the blower comprising: 
 a drive motor having a drive shaft;    an impeller having an inlet surrounding the drive motor, the drive motor being operable to rotate the impeller around the drive motor to draw a flow of air into the inlet of the impeller such that the impeller radially discharges the inlet air; and    a support tray positioned below the heat exchanger of the furnace and surrounding the impeller, the support tray including an inlet bell and a scroll-shaped outer wall to direct the flow of air from the impeller toward the heat exchanger.    
   
   
       11 . The furnace distribution blower of  claim 10  wherein the drive motor is mounted above the inlet bell formed in the support tray by a plurality of mounting arms.  
   
   
       12 . The furnace distribution blower of  claim 11  wherein the inlet of the impeller is closely spaced from the inlet bell of the support tray.  
   
   
       13 . The furnace distribution blower of  claim 10  wherein the impeller is a backward curved impeller having a plurality of backward curved impeller blades.  
   
   
       14 . The furnace distribution blower of  claim 13  wherein the inner blade tips of each impeller blade are spaced from the drive motor such that the impeller is rotatable about the drive motor.  
   
   
       15 . The furnace distribution blower of  claim 10  wherein the support tray is movable along the support frame of the furnace.  
   
   
       16 . The furnace distribution blower of  claim 15  wherein the support tray is movable between an operating position in which the impeller is positioned beneath the heat exchanger and a service position in which the impeller is removed from beneath the heat exchanger.  
   
   
       17 . The furnace distribution blower of  claim 15  wherein the support tray is formed from stamped metal.  
   
   
       18 . The furnace distribution blower of  claim 10  wherein the support tray includes an angled bottom wall, wherein the drive motor and impeller are mounted to the angled bottom wall such that the impeller is positioned at an angle relative to horizontal when the impeller is positioned beneath the heat exchanger.  
   
   
       19 . The furnace distribution blower of  claim 10  wherein the support tray includes a pair of spaced side edges that are slidably movable along the support frame of the furnace such that the support tray can be moved from an operating position in which the impeller is positioned beneath the heat exchanger and a service position in which the impeller is removed from the beneath the heat exchanger.  
   
   
       20 . The furnace distribution blower of  claim 10  wherein the support tray includes a scroll-shaped side wall that directs the flow of air from the impeller upward toward an outlet of the support tray.