Rotary blower

Abstract

A rotary blower includes a housing and a pair of meshed rotors. The meshed rotors are disposed in the housing. Each rotor has a plurality of lobes. Each lobe includes a lobe tip seal insert mounted thereon. The lobe tip seal insert is disposed at a tip of the each lobe. Each lobe tip seal insert is constructed to seal against the housing and to prevent or reduce leakage between each lobe and the housing.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A rotary blower, comprising:
 a housing;   a pair of meshed rotors disposed in the housing, each rotor having a plurality of lobes; and   each lobe including a lobe tip seal insert mounted thereon and disposed at a tip of the each lobe, each lobe tip seal insert being constructed to seal against the housing and to prevent or reduce leakage between each lobe and the housing.   
     
     
         2 . The rotary blower of  claim 1 , wherein each lobe tip seal insert is constructed to engage in sliding contact with the housing during rotation of the rotors. 
     
     
         3 . The rotary blower of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of pusher weights, each pusher weight being constructed to impart a radially outward load on a corresponding lobe tip seal insert. 
     
     
         4 . The rotary blower of  claim 1 , wherein each lobe includes a tip recess formed at the tip of the lobe; and wherein the lobe tip seal insert is mounted in the tip recess. 
     
     
         5 . The rotary blower of  claim 1 , wherein each lobe tip seal insert on one rotor is constructed to contact and seal against the other rotor at a location between the lobes and at a base of the lobes. 
     
     
         6 . The rotary blower of  claim 1 , each lobe further including a lobe side seal insert mounted thereon and disposed on a side of the each lobe, each lobe side seal insert on each lobe on one rotor being constructed to contact and seal against an adjacent lobe in mesh therewith of the other rotor and to prevent or reduce leakage between adjacent lobes in mesh with each other. 
     
     
         7 . The rotary blower of  claim 6 , wherein each lobe side seal insert is constructed to engage in sliding contact with the adjacent lobe during rotation of the rotors. 
     
     
         8 . The rotary blower of  claim 6 , wherein each lobe includes a side recess formed at the side of the lobe; and wherein the lobe side seal insert is mounted in the side recess. 
     
     
         9 . The rotary blower of  claim 6 , wherein each lobe side seal insert and each lobe tip seal insert is non-metallic. 
     
     
         10 . A rotary blower, comprising:
 a pair of meshed rotors, each rotor having a plurality of lobes; and   each lobe including a lobe side seal insert mounted thereon and disposed on a side of the each lobe, each lobe side seal insert on each lobe on one rotor being constructed to seal against an adjacent lobe in mesh therewith of the other rotor and to prevent or reduce leakage between adjacent lobes in mesh with each other.   
     
     
         11 . The rotary blower of  claim 10 , wherein each lobe side seal insert is constructed to engage in sliding contact with the adjacent lobe during rotation of the rotors. 
     
     
         12 . The rotary blower of  claim 10 , wherein each lobe includes a side recess formed at the side of the lobe; and wherein the lobe side seal insert is mounted in the side recess. 
     
     
         13 . The rotary blower of  claim 10 , further comprising a housing, wherein the pair of meshed rotors is disposed in the housing; and wherein each lobe further includes a lobe tip seal insert mounted thereon and disposed at a tip of the each lobe, each lobe tip seal insert being constructed to contact and seal against the housing and to prevent or reduce leakage between each lobe and the housing. 
     
     
         14 . The rotary blower of  claim 13 , wherein each lobe tip seal insert is constructed to engage in sliding contact with the housing during rotation of the rotors. 
     
     
         15 . The rotary blower of  claim 13 , wherein each lobe tip seal insert and each lobe side seal insert is non-metallic. 
     
     
         16 . The rotary blower of  claim 13 , wherein each lobe includes a tip recess formed at the tip of the lobe; and wherein the lobe tip seal insert is mounted in the tip recess. 
     
     
         17 . The rotary blower of  claim 13 , wherein each lobe tip seal insert on one rotor is constructed to contact and seal against the other rotor at a location between the lobes and at a base of the lobes. 
     
     
         18 . The rotary blower of  claim 13 , further comprising a plurality of pusher weights, each pusher weight being constructed to impart a radially outward load on a corresponding lobe tip seal insert. 
     
     
         19 . A rotary blower, comprising:
 a housing;   a pair of meshed rotors disposed in the housing, each rotor having a plurality of lobes; and   means for contacting and sealing against the housing and to prevent or reduce leakage between each lobe and the housing.   
     
     
         20 . The rotary blower of  claim 19 , further comprising means on each lobe for contacting and sealing against an adjacent lobe in mesh therewith and to prevent or reduce leakage between adjacent lobes in mesh with each other.