Blower wheel with improved wheel hub to blade interface

Abstract

A blower wheel for use in a blower assembly includes a hub, a concentrically arranged outer ring, an array of spaced apart blades extending between the hub and the outer ring. The hub includes an outer first surface and an inner second surface. An interface between an outer edge of a first end of each of the blades and an outer peripheral edge of the outer first surface of the hub is minimized, increasing an effective blade exit height of the blower wheel. As such, an effective open area for airflow between the blades of the blower wheel is increased over that of the prior art blower wheels. Further, a substantially planar lower face of the hub provides additional structural integrity to the hub, and thereby the blades.

1 . A blower wheel comprising:
 a hub having a first surface and an outer peripheral edge;   an outer ring concentric with and spaced from the hub; and   at least one blade extending between the hub and the outer ring,
 wherein a thickness of the outer peripheral edge is less than about 2.5 mm. 
   
     
     
         2 . The blower wheel of clam  1 , wherein an effective blade exit height of the at least one blade is substantially equal to the total blade exit opening of the at least one blade. 
     
     
         3 . The blower wheel of  claim 1 , wherein the thickness of the outer peripheral edge is in a range of about 0.0 mm to about 1.5 mm. 
     
     
         4 . The blower wheel of  claim 1 , wherein the first surface of the hub is generally arcuate at the outer peripheral edge thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The blower wheel of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first surface of the hub terminates at a substantially planar first face and a second surface of the hub terminates at a substantially planar second face. 
     
     
         6 . The blower wheel of  claim 5 , wherein the first face is substantially parallel to the second face. 
     
     
         7 . The blower wheel of  claim 5 , wherein at least one of the first face and the second face is substantially parallel to an axis of rotation of the hub. 
     
     
         8 . The blower wheel of  claim 5 , wherein the hub includes a substantially planar third face extending between the first face and the second face. 
     
     
         9 . The blower wheel of  claim 8 , wherein the third face is substantially perpendicular to an axis of rotation of the hub. 
     
     
         10 . The blower wheel of  claim 8 , wherein a width of the third face of the hub is in a range of about 0.5 mm to about 2.5 mm. 
     
     
         11 . A blower wheel comprising:
 a hub having an outer surface and an outer peripheral edge;   an outer ring concentric with and spaced from the hub; and   at least one blade extending between the hub and the outer ring,
 wherein an effective blade exit height of the at least one blade is substantially equal to a total blade exit opening of the at least one blade. 
   
     
     
         12 . The blower wheel of  claim 11 , wherein the outer surface of the hub is generally arcuate at the outer peripheral edge thereof. 
     
     
         13 . The blower wheel of  claim 11 , wherein the hub includes a substantially planar face. 
     
     
         14 . The blower wheel of  claim 13 , wherein a width of the face of the hub is in a range of about 0.5 mm to about 2.5 mm. 
     
     
         15 . A blower wheel comprising:
 a hub having an inner surface, an outer surface, and an outer peripheral edge;   an outer ring concentric with and spaced from the hub; and   at least one blade extending between the hub and the outer ring,
 wherein at least one of the outer surface of the hub terminates at a substantially planar outer face and the inner surface of the hub terminates at a substantially planar inner face. 
   
     
     
         16 . The blower wheel of  claim 15 , wherein a thickness of the outer peripheral edge is in a range of about 0.5 mm to about 1.5 mm. 
     
     
         17 . The blower wheel of  claim 15 , wherein the outer face is substantially parallel to the inner face. 
     
     
         18 . The blower wheel of  claim 15 , wherein the hub includes a substantially planar lower face extending between the outer face and the inner face. 
     
     
         19 . The blower wheel of  claim 18 , wherein the lower face is substantially perpendicular to an axis of rotation of the hub. 
     
     
         20 . The blower wheel of  claim 18 , wherein a width of the lower face of the hub is in a range of about 0.5 mm to about 2.5 mm.