Blower housing for climate controlled systems

Abstract

A blower for use in a climate controlled system includes an outer housing, a plurality of protruding members extending from the outer housing, an inlet opening in the outer housing, an impeller positioned with an internal cavity or space defined by the outer housing and a filter configured for placement against at least some of the protruding members. In some embodiments, the space created by the protruding members between the filter and outer housing facilitates the transfer of air or other fluids into the internal cavity of the blower.

1 . A blower for use in a climate controlled system, the blower comprising:
 an impeller rotatable about an axis that generally extends in an axial direction and including at least one blade that generally extends in a radial direction;   an impeller housing defining at least in part an impeller cavity in which the impeller is positioned, the impeller housing comprising a first portion that generally extends in the radial direction and includes an exterior surface that generally faces the axial direction, the impeller housing further comprising a second portion that generally extends in the axial direction and includes an exterior surface that generally extends in the radial direction, the first portion at least partially defining an opening that extends generally in the axial direction such that a volume of fluid can be drawn by the impeller into the impeller cavity through the opening;   a blower housing that at least partially defines an intake passage positioned between the first portion of the impeller housing and the blower housing, the intake passage generally extending in the radial direction from the opening in the exterior surface of the impeller housing; and   a filter comprising an inner surface and an outer surface, the filter configured to at least partially extend around the impeller housing in an annular configuration such that an intermediate space is generally defined, at least in part, between the filter and the second portion of the housing, the intermediate space being in fluid communication with the intake passage.   
   
   
       2 . The blower of  claim 1 , wherein a plurality of ribs are positioned within the intermediate space and generally extend between the inner surface of the filter and the second portion of the impeller housing. 
   
   
       3 . The blower of  claim 2 , wherein the ribs extend generally parallel to one another. 
   
   
       4 . The blower of  claim 2 , wherein the ribs are integrally molded with the impeller housing. 
   
   
       5 . The blower of  claim 1 , wherein the filter comprises a generally circular outer shape. 
   
   
       6 . The blower of  claim 5 , wherein the filter comprises a generally rectangular cross-sectional shape. 
   
   
       7 . The blower of  claim 1 , wherein the blower housing comprises a first plate that generally extends in the radial direction and forms in part the intake passage, the blower housing further comprising a second plate that generally extends in the radial direction and defines in part the impeller cavity. 
   
   
       8 . The blower of  claim 7 , wherein the filter is at least partially positioned between the first plate and the second plate. 
   
   
       9 . The blower of  claim 1 , wherein the impeller comprises a radial impeller. 
   
   
       10 . The blower of  claim 1 , wherein the filter is configured to filter substantially 100% of the fluid entering the opening in the impeller housing. 
   
   
       11 . The blower of  claim 1 , wherein the filter is substantially rigid. 
   
   
       12 . The blower of  claim 1 , further comprising a support structure configured to support the filter at a desired distance from the second portion of the housing. 
   
   
       13 . A blower for use in a climate controlled system, the blower comprising:
 an impeller rotatable about an axis that generally extends in an axial direction, the impeller comprising at least one blade that generally extends in a radial direction;   an impeller housing defining at least in part an impeller cavity in which the impeller is positioned, the housing including a first portion that generally extends in the radial direction and comprises an exterior surface that generally faces the axial direction, the impeller further comprising a second portion that generally extends in the axial direction and comprises an exterior surface that generally extends in the radial direction, the first portion defining at least in part an opening that extends generally in the axial direction such that a volume of fluid can be drawn by the impeller into the impeller cavity through the opening;   a blower housing that defines at least in part an intake passage positioned between the first portion of the impeller housing and the blower housing, the intake passage generally extending in the radial direction from the opening in the exterior surface of the impeller housing;   a filter comprising an inner surface and an outer surface, the filter configured to extend at least partially around the impeller housing in an annular configuration; and   means for supporting the filter a distance away from the second portion of the impeller housing such that an intermediate space is defined at least partially between the filter and the second portion of the housing, the intermediate space being in fluid communication with the intake passage.   
   
   
       14 . The blower of  claim 13 , wherein the filter comprises a generally circular outer shape. 
   
   
       15 . The blower of  claim 14 , wherein the filter comprises a generally rectangular cross-sectional shape. 
   
   
       16 . The blower of  claim 13 , wherein the blower housing comprises a first plate that generally extends in the radial direction and forms in part the intake passage, the blower further comprising a second plate that generally extends in the radial direction and defines in part the impeller cavity. 
   
   
       17 . The blower of  claim 16 , wherein the filter is positioned at least partially between the first plate and the second plate. 
   
   
       18 . The blower of  claim 13 , wherein the impeller comprises a radial impeller. 
   
   
       19 . The blower of  claim 13 , wherein the filter is configured to filter substantially 100% of the fluid entering into the impeller housing through the opening. 
   
   
       20 . A blower for use in a climate controlled system, the blower comprising:
 an impeller rotatable about an axis that generally extends in an axial direction, the impeller comprising at least one blade that extends in a radial direction;   an impeller housing comprising an axially facing forward portion, an axially facing rearward portion and a radially facing portion, an opening positioned in the axially facing forward portion of the impeller housing; and   a filter comprising an inner surface and an outer surface, the filter being configured to extend at least partially around the radially facing portion of the impeller housing in an annular configuration such that an intermediate space is defined at least partially between the filter and the radially facing portion of the impeller housing.