GB2037418A - An improved heater fan - Google Patents

Abstract

An improved heater fan particularly suited for use in establishing circulating currents of heated room air for enhancing physical comfort. The device is characterized by an electrically energizable heating coil 58 and a rotatable impeller drum 14 disposed beneath the coil in coaxial alignment therewith having an array of elongated blades 50 of generally V-shaped cross-sectional configurations provided with air scoops 56 projected axially from the opposite ends thereof for drawing relatively cool room air downwardly through the coil and expelling relatively warm room air radially into the room, and a motor 28 disposed beneath the drum in coaxial alignment therewith for imparting thereto unidirectional rotation. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION An improved heater fan The present invention relates generally to heating devices adapted for heating room air and more particularly to an improved heater fan of a compact configuration having enhanced output capabilities.

The prior art is, of course, replete with devices adapted to elevate the temperatures of dwellings, offices and the like, in order to enhance personal comfort. Frequently, such devices include fans adapted to establish a unidirectional flow of air outwardly across a heating element and into a room to be heated. As can readily be appreciated by those familiar with the design and uses of the prior art heater fans employed in heating room air, difficulty frequently is experienced in achieving desired circulation of warm air.

In an effort to overcome the recognised inadequacies of the prior art devices aforementioned, larger units often are employed with an attendant loss of space and increased costs. Additionally, it is highly desirable that the efficiencies of electrically energised and driven heater fans be enhanced in an effort to reduce energy losses resulting from operational inefficiencies.

It is, therefore, the general purpose of the instant invention to provide an improved heater fan of a compact configuration particularly adapted for use in efficiently establishing heated currents of room air circulating throughout a room for enhancing the comfort of occupants.

The present invention provides an improved heater fan particularly suited for use in establishing currents of heated air circulating within a room comprising: A. a centrifugal impeller supported for rotation about a vertical axis and having a cylindrical array of vertically oriented blades defining a hollow core; B. a motor disposed beneath said impeller and connected therewith for imparting thereto unidirectional rotation; and C. an electrically energizable heating element supported in coaxial alignment with said impeller and having means defining an air passage therethrough.

in the drawings: Fig. 1 is a fragmented perspective view of an improved heater fan; Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken generally along line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an end elevational view of a centrifugal impeller included in the heating device as illustrated in Figs, 1 and 2; Figs. 4A and 4B are elevational views of opposite faces of one of the blades of the impeller; Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view of a circuit suitable for establishing operational control over the device shown in Figs. 1 and 2; and Fig. 6 is a top plan view of a heating element included in the device.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference characters designate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, there is shown in Fig. 1 an improved device comprising a heater fan, generally designated 10, which embodies the principles of the instant invention.

The device 10, as shown in Fig. 1, is of a compact configuration and includes an upright pedestal 12 upon which there is mounted an impeller drum 14 and an electrically energizable heating element 1 6 disposed above the impeller drum 14 in coaxial alignment therewith. The impeller 1 4 and the heating element 1 6 are, as a practical matter, enclosed in a cage 1 8 also seated on the pedestal 12.

Referring for a moment to Fig. 2, it is noted that the impeller drum 14 includes a drive shaft 20 supported by a suitable bearing 22. While the shaft is in practice supported in any suitable manner it is illustrated as being mounted in the pedestal 12 through the use of a support plate 24 affixed at its periphery to a housing, designated 26, provided for the pedestal 12.

Also disposed within the pedestal 1 2 there is an electrically energizable motor 28 having an output shaft 30 coupled with the drive shaft 20 through use of a coupling nipple 32. It will be appreciated, of course, that the particular manner in which the output shaft 30 is coupled with the drive shaft 20 also is varied as desired. However, the coupling 32, affixed to both of the shafts through use of suitable fasteners, such as set screws, function quite satisfactorily for this purpose.

The motor 28 is supported by a suitable bracket 34 seated on a base plate 36, also affixed at its periphery to the housing 26 for the pedestal 12.

The pedestal, in turn, is supported by feet 38 of any suitable design having a capability of lending vertical support to the device 10.

The impeller drum 14 preferably includes a pair of coaxially related end plates, designated 40 and 42, mounted on the drive shaft 20 in axially spaced registry. Suitable mounting means, not designated, such as collars and the like serve to affix the plates on the shaft It is to be understood that the plates 40 and 42 are of similar configuration and include a plurality of radially extended, angularly spaced arms 44, Fig. 3. Each arm is characterized by a trailing edge surface including contiguous linear segments which define therebetween an included angle greater than 900 but less than 1800. The arms radiate from the center portions of the plate and define therebetween radially extended slotted openings 46. Extended between the plates 40 and 42 there is a plurality of impeller blades so of uniform dimensions and configuration.The blades 50 are affixed to the arms 44 in a cylindrical array defining a cylindrical void 52 concentrically related to the drive shaft 20. Each of the impeller blades 50 is of a V-shaped configuration and includes at its leading surface an elongated, vertically oriented compression chamber 54, Fig.

4B, extended the length thereof. As a practical matter, each blade includes a pair of planar componenets which define therebetween an included angle greater than 900 but less than 1800. The impeller blades 50 are of a substantially uniform thickness and crosssectional configuration.

It is important to note that each of the arms 44 is so configured as to establish for each of the blades 50 an axially extended air scoop 56. These scoops serve to direct streams of air axially along the chambers 54, from each of the opposite ends of the blades toward the center portions thereof, not designated. Consequently, as the impeller drum 1 4 is driven in rotation the air scoops 56 collectively function for establishing opposed streams of air moving vertically along the chambers 54. These streams collide for establishing within the drum resulting high pressure regions, and are redirected or spilled outwardly into low pressure regions surrounding the heater 10 for thus establishing circulating currents of room air.

The heating element 16, as shown, comprises an electrical, resistance heating coil 58 of a substantially planar configuration. The coil has defined between the turns thereof air passages 60 through which streams of air are drawn in response to driven rotation of the impeller drum 14. It will, of course, be appreciated that as room air is drawn through the passges 60 it is heated by the turns of the heating coil 58, prior to being accepted by the impeller drum 14. The coil 58 is of any suitable design and details thereof form no part of the claimed invention. However, it is to be understood that the heating coil 58 preferably is of a compact configuration which accommodates a passage of room air vertically therethrough for purposes of heating the air prior to its being accepted and subsequently expelled from the device 10 by the impeller drum 14.Therefore, while a heating coil of a helically wound configuration is preferred, coils of other configurations may be employed equally as well.

In practice, the heater 10 is provided with a simple circuit which includes a pair of branches, not designated, best illustrated in Fig. 5. The circuit includes a terminal block 62 mounted on the pedestal 12 and adapted to be connected with a suitable source of a.c. voltage, not designated, through suitable leads, not designated. From the terminal block 62 there is extended a first pair of leads 64 within one of which there is connected a rheostat 66. This rheostat is disposed in series with the motor 28 whereby the current flowing through the winds of the motor can be varied as desired. Additionally, a lamp 68 is connected in series with the rheostat 66 to be illuminated in response to a flow of electrical current through the leads 64.

Similarly, extended from the terminal block 62 is another pair of leads 70 having connected therein a rheostat 72. This rheostat is arranged in series with the heating coil 58 for purposes of selectively varying the flow of current through the heating coil for selectively controlling the temperature thereof. Additionally, a lamp 74 is connected in series with the rheostat 72 for purposes of indicating the existence of a flow of current through the leads 70.

Finally, an on/off switch 76 is provided within the leads 64 and 70, where so desired, so that either branch of the circuit can be energized independently of the other. Of course, the use of the switches 76 is deemed to be a matter of convenience and is deleted where so desired.

Finally, it is noted that the cage 18 comprises a plurality of bars 78 suitably spaced and figured for serving as a protective housing for the heating element 16 and the impeller drum 14, in a manner well understood by those familiar with such devices.

Of course, the cage 1 8 is anchored to the pedestal 12 employing any suitable means including a first annulus 80 mounted on and mated with a second annul us 82 affixed to the pedestal 12. Th annuli 80 and 82 are interconnected through the use of suitable fasteners, not designated, including screws, rivets, welding and the like.

OPERATION It is believed that in view of the foregoing description, the operation of the invention herein disclosed is apparent. However, in the interest of completeness the operation of the disclosed invention, at this point, briefly will be reviewed.

With the heater fan 10 assembled in the manner hereinbefore described, it is prepared for operation simply by coupling the terminal block 62 with a suitable source of electrical energy.

Such is achieved through the use of a simple plug, not shown, inserted into a wall receptacle. The switches 76 are then closed for electrically energizing both branches of the circuit illustrated in Fig. 5. An energized state for the branches results in an illumination of the lamps 68 and 74 for thus indicating that the branches are energized.

The rheostats 66 and 72 are adjusted selectively for controlling the current flow through the motor 28 and the heating coil 58, respectively.

With the heater fan thus connected and the controls therefore suitably set, the impeller drum 1 4 is driven in rotation so that the air scoops 56, located at the upper most ends of the blades 50, establish streams of relatively cool room air to flow vertically downwardly through the passages 60 formed in the heating coil 58 for thus causing the room air to be heated prior to its being drawn axially into the impeller drum 14. Simultaneously, streams of relatively cool room air are drawn vertically upwardly into the impeller drums by the air scoops 56 located at the lowermost ends of the blades 50. As the streams of relatively cool room air are drawn vertically upwardly, they are caused to pass over the motor 28 and thus protectively cool the motor. Moreover, as the upwardly moving streams of air collide with the downwardly moving streams of air the stream of air are redirected downwardly radially outwardly into the room. Thus, circulation of air, as well as protective cooling of the motor 28 is achieved.

It should now be apparent that the heater fan 10 comprises an improved device which is particularly suited for use in establishing currents of heated air circulating within a room which overcomes many of the recognized disadvantages of the prior art devices employed for this and similar purposes.

Although the invention has been herein shown and described in what is conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is recognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the invention, which is not to be limited to the illustrative details disclosed.

Claims (8)

1. An improved heater fan particularly suited for use in establishing currents of heated air circulating within a room comprising: A. a centrifugal impeller supported for rotation about a vertical axis and having a cylindrical array of vertically oriented blades defining a hollow core; B. a motor disposed beneath said impeller and connected therewith for imparting thereto unidirectional rotation; and C. an electrically energizable heating element supported in coaxial alignment with said impeller and having means defining an air passage therethrough.

2. A heater fan as defined in claim 1 further comprising first means mounted on each of said 'blades for drawing a stream of air through said passage and second means mounted on each of said blades for drawing a cooling stream over said motor.

3. A heater fan as defined in claim 2 wherein said impeller is in direct communication with the room, and said first and second means includes air scoops extended axially from said blades.

4. A heater fan as defined in claim 1, 2, or 3 wherein said heating element comprises a helically wound coil of a substantially planar configuration having air passages defined between the turns thereof.

5. A heater fan as described in claim 1 , 2, 3 or 4 wherein said impeller has a pair of end plates arranged in axially spaced relation and supporting said blades therebetween.

6. A heater fan as defined in any one of the preceding claims wherein said motor includes a drive shaft extended axially through the impeller and means mounting said impeller on said shaft.

7. A heater fan as defined in claim 5 wherein each end plate of said pair has a center section having defined therein a uniform array of radially extended slots for accommodating passage of air vertically through the plate, a uniform array of arms, each arm being integrally related to the center section and radially extended from between a pair of adjacent slots, each arm of said array having a distal end having a trailing edge surface including contiguous linear segments defining therebetween n included angle greater than 90 but less than 1 800, and said impeller blades are extended between the distal end portions of said arms and defining a pressure chamber concentrically related to the array of blades communicating with the array of slots, each blade having a leading surface and a trailing surface and having planar panel segments defining along the leading surface thereof a compression chamber of a Vshaped cross-sectional configuration, the plates of the panel segments being coincident with planes extended between the registered contiguous surfaces of the arms of the pair of end plates, and an air scoop of a compound curved configuration projected from each of the blades for forcing a stream of air into the compression chamber defined along the leading surface thereof.

8. A heater fan as defined in claim 3 or any one of claims 4, 5 or 6 as appended to claim 3 wherein said scoops are provided at both ends of said impeller blades to establish opposed streams of air moving vertically along said impeller blades.