Fan with structural support ring

Abstract

A cooling fan with an integral structural support ring. The fan has a hub member and a plurality of blades extending therefrom. The fan is a one-piece plastic injection structure. The support ring is positioned between the root and tips of the blades.

1 . A fan assembly comprising:
 a central hub member;   a plurality of blades extending outwardly from said hub member, each of said blades having a blade root at the junction with said hub member and a blade tip at the distal end thereof; and   an annular supporting ring member, said ring member being positioned between said blade roots and said blade tips of said blades.   
     
     
         2 . The fan assembly as described in  claim 1  wherein said ring member is positioned substantially midway between said blade roots and said blade tips of said blades. 
     
     
         3 . The fan assembly as described in  claim 1  wherein said blades and said ring member are positioned to facilitate ease of manufacture of said fan assembly by an injection molding process without the use of moveable mold slides or insert members. 
     
     
         4 . The fan assembly as described in  claim 1  wherein said fan assembly is a one-piece plastic injection molded structure. 
     
     
         5 . The fan assembly as described  claim 1  wherein said fan assembly is made from a glass-filled nylon material. 
     
     
         6 . The fan assembly described in claim her comprising a metal mounting bolt ring positioned in said hub member. 
     
     
         7 . The fan assembly as described in  claim 6  wherein said metal mounting bolt ring is insert molded into said fan assembly.