Air moving device

Abstract

An air moving device can include a housing and an impeller assembly positioned at least partially within the housing. The impeller assembly can be connected to the housing via one or more support ribs having sharp trailing edges. The impeller blades can be spaced from an inlet to the impeller housing to reduce risk of injury due to contact with the impeller blades during operation of the air moving device.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An air moving device comprising:
 a primary housing having an inlet end, an outlet end, and a center axis extending through the inlet end and the outlet end, the primary housing defining a primary housing interior;   an impeller assembly positioned within the primary housing interior between the inlet end and the outlet end;   one or more support ribs connected to the impeller assembly and to the primary housing, the one or more support ribs configured to hold the impeller assembly housing in position with respect to the primary housing.   
     
     
         2 . The air moving device of  claim 1 , wherein each of the one or more support ribs has a trailing edge on a side of the support rib facing the outlet end of the primary housing and a leading edge on an opposite side of the support rib, and wherein trailing edge has a smaller radius of curvature than the leading edge when measured through a cross-section of the support rib perpendicular to a length of the support rib. 
     
     
         3 . The air moving device of  claim 2 , wherein the trailing edge of each of the one or more support ribs is thinner than the leading edge of each of the one or more support ribs. 
     
     
         4 . The air moving device of  claim 1 , wherein each of the one or more support ribs comprises a first lateral surface and a second lateral surface, wherein the first lateral surface meets the second lateral surface at both a leading edge and a trailing edge of the one or more support ribs. 
     
     
         5 . The air moving device of  claim 4 , wherein an angle between the first lateral surface and the second lateral surface at the trailing edge is less than 20°. 
     
     
         6 . The air moving device of  claim 4 , wherein an angle between the first lateral surface and the second lateral surface at the trailing edge is less than an angle between the first lateral surface and the second lateral surface at the leading edge. 
     
     
         7 . The air moving device of  claim 1 , wherein the impeller comprises one or more impeller blades, each impeller blade having an inlet edge and an outlet edge positioned between the inlet edge of the impeller blade and the outlet of the primary housing. 
     
     
         8 . The air moving device of  claim 7 , wherein the inlet edge of each impeller blade is spaced from the inlet of the primary housing by a distance equal to or greater than 15% of a diameter of the impeller, as measured parallel to a rotational axis of impeller. 
     
     
         9 . The air moving device of  claim 7 , wherein each of the one or more support ribs has a first end connected to the impeller assembly and a second end connected to the primary housing, each support rib having a trailing edge extending between the first end and the second end on a side of the support rib facing the outlet end of the primary housing and a leading edge extending between the first end and the second end on an opposite side of the support rib, and wherein the inlet edge of each impeller blade is spaced from the trailing edge at the first end of each support rib by a distance equal to or greater than 35% of a diameter of the impeller, as measured parallel to the central axis of the primary housing. 
     
     
         10 . The air moving device of  claim 1 , comprising an outer housing having a substantially cylindrical shape, wherein the primary housing is positioned at least partially within the outer housing. 
     
     
         11 . The air moving device of  claim 1 , comprising one or more stator vanes positioned within the primary housing between the impeller and the outlet end. 
     
     
         12 . The air moving device of  claim 1 , comprising a motor housing positioned at an upstream end of the impeller assembly and which is supported from a side of the motor housing opposite an impeller hub of the impeller assembly. 
     
     
         13 . The air moving device of  claim 12 , wherein the inlet end is unobstructed except for the motor housing and support ribs. 
     
     
         14 . An air moving device comprising:
 a primary housing having an inlet end, an outlet end, and a center axis extending through the inlet end and the outlet end, the primary housing defining a primary housing interior;   an impeller positioned within the primary housing interior between the inlet end and the outlet end;   a motor housing connected to the impeller and positioned upstream of the impeller;   one or more support ribs connected to the motor housing and to the primary housing, the one or more support ribs configured to hold the motor housing in position with respect to the primary housing; and   one or more stator vanes positioned at least partially within the primary housing interior downstream of the impeller.   
     
     
         15 . The air moving device of  claim 14 , comprising four support ribs evenly circumferentially distributed between the motor housing and the primary housing. 
     
     
         16 . The air moving device of  claim 14 , comprising a motor in the motor housing. 
     
     
         17 . The air moving device of  claim 14 , wherein the motor housing is supported from a side of the motor housing opposite the impeller hub. 
     
     
         18 . The air moving device of  claim 14 , wherein the motor housing is supported by the support ribs only. 
     
     
         19 . The air moving device of  claim 14 , wherein the inlet is unobstructed except for the motor housing and support ribs.