Heating Appliance Including a Backward-Incline Blower

Abstract

A heating appliance including a backward-incline blower is provided herein. a modified backward-incline blower design is described herein. This modified blower housing design inverts the motor side of the blower wheel and provides an inlet above the bottom of the furnace. That is, rather than the motor extruding from the top of the housing, the motor and shaft are provided below the bottom of the housing. This allows the backward-incline blower to be provided in a conventional heating appliance while still allowing the blower to have sufficient space below the blower to receive input air from the side vents of the heating appliance. The housing may be formed such that the backward-incline fan may be provided within existing rail systems within the heating appliance, allowing the backward-inline blower to be easily removed from the heating appliance for maintenance or motor replacement.

That which is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A gas furnace comprising:
 a burner chamber;   a blower chamber comprising:
 a backward-incline fan comprising:
 a housing that houses a blower wheel; and 
 a motor that is provided below a bottom end of the housing and is connected to the blower wheel by a shaft, 
 wherein the backward-incline fan is configured to pull air through an opening at the bottom end of the housing, and 
 wherein the air is received by the backward-incline fan via one or more air inlets of the blower chamber. 
 
   
     
     
         2 . The gas furnace of  claim 1 , wherein the housing further comprises a top plate, and wherein the top plate of the housing is removably mounted to a horizontal wall separating the burner chamber and the blower chamber. 
     
     
         3 . The gas furnace of  claim 1 , wherein the housing further comprises a top plate, wherein the blower chamber further comprises one or more rails, and wherein the one or more rails are configured to receive the top plate. 
     
     
         4 . The gas furnace of  claim 1 , wherein the backward-incline fan further comprises a hub that extends downward into an interior cavity of the backward-incline fan, wherein the hub is configured to receive the shaft of the motor. 
     
     
         5 . The gas furnace of  claim 1 , wherein a gap exists between sidewalls of the housing and blades of the blower wheel such that air travels within the gap and out of a top end of the housing. 
     
     
         6 . The gas furnace of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more air inlets are provided on a side panel of the blower chamber. 
     
     
         7 . The gas furnace of  claim 6 , wherein the one or more air inlets are positioned beneath the housing. 
     
     
         8 . The gas furnace of  claim 1 , wherein the blower wheel comprises a top ring and a bottom ring, and wherein the bottom ring of the blower wheel is affixed to the housing. 
     
     
         9 . A backward-incline fan for a heating appliance comprising:
 a housing that houses a blower wheel; and   a motor that is provided below a bottom end of the housing and is connected to the blower wheel by a shaft,   wherein the backward-incline fan is configured to pull air through an opening at the bottom end of the housing, and   wherein the air is received by the backward-incline fan via one or more air inlets of the heating appliance.   
     
     
         10 . The backward-incline fan of  claim 9 , wherein the housing further comprises a top plate, and wherein the top plate is configured to be removably mounted to a horizontal wall separating a first chamber and a second chamber of the heating appliance. 
     
     
         11 . The backward-incline fan of  claim 9 , wherein the housing further comprises a top plate, wherein the heating appliance further comprises one or more rails, and wherein the top plate is slidably received by the one or more rails. 
     
     
         12 . The backward-incline fan of  claim 9 , wherein the backward-incline fan further comprises a hub that extends downward into an interior portion of the backward-incline fan, wherein the hub is configured to receive the shaft of the motor. 
     
     
         13 . The backward-incline fan of  claim 9 , wherein a gap is provided between sidewalls of the housing and blades of the blower wheel such that air travels within the gap and out of a top end of the housing. 
     
     
         14 . A heating appliance comprising:
 a first chamber;   a second chamber comprising:   a backward-incline fan comprising:   a housing that houses a blower wheel; and   a motor that is provided below a bottom end of the housing and is connected to the blower wheel by a shaft,   wherein the backward-incline fan is configured to pull air through an opening at the bottom end of the housing, and   wherein the air is received by the backward-incline fan via one or more air inlets of the second chamber.   
     
     
         15 . The heating appliance of  claim 14 , wherein the housing further comprises a top plate, and wherein the top plate of the housing is removably mounted to a horizontal wall separating the first chamber and the second chamber. 
     
     
         16 . The heating appliance of  claim 14 , wherein the housing further comprises a top plate, wherein the second chamber further comprises one or more rails, and wherein the top plate is slidably received by the one or more rails. 
     
     
         17 . The heating appliance of  claim 14 , wherein the backward-incline fan further comprises a hub that extends downward into an interior cavity of the backward-incline fan, wherein the hub is configured to receive the shaft of the motor. 
     
     
         18 . The heating appliance of  claim 14 , wherein a gap exists between sidewalls of the housing and blades of the blower wheel such that air travels within the gap and out of a top end of the housing. 
     
     
         19 . The heating appliance of  claim 14 , wherein the one or more air inlets are provided on a side panel of the second chamber. 
     
     
         20 . The heating appliance of  claim 14 , wherein the blower wheel comprises a top ring and a bottom ring, and wherein the bottom ring of the blower wheel is affixed to the housing.