Abstract: A fan assembly comprising a fan, a stationary airflow directing device and a support inner ring. The fan has a hub portion and a plurality of fan blades. Each of the fan blades has a root region and a tip region. The root regions of each fan blade are secured to the hub portion wherein the fan blades extend substantially radially of a fan rotational axis. The airflow directing device has a plurality of stator blades extending radially about the support inner ring. The stator blades receive air flow from the fan and divert the airflow. The surface area of the stator blades is substantially less than the surface area of the fan blades. Each stator blade has a planar surface and a curved surface opposing the planar surface. The planar surface is disposed such that rotational components of air flow from the fan are incident on the planar surface.

Abstract: A fan assembly (10) includes first and second housing sections (70, 72) which, when mated by a first set of fasteners, define a plurality of circumferentially spaced openings (162) that lead to an internal housing chamber (82). The fan assembly (10) also includes a plurality of blade units (140), each of which includes an integral support stem (142) having a journal portion (148) rotatably mounted within a respective one of the openings (162), an enlarged flange portion (144) and a radial post portion (138) rotatably supported by a hub member (106) within the internal chamber (82). Each blade unit (140) preferably has a thrust bearing (156), bushing sleeve (158) and fan blade (152) integrated with the support stem (142), with the fan blade (152) being preferably molded to the support stem (142) following positioning of the thrust bearing (156) and bushing sleeve (158) to form an integral component.

Abstract: An air door assembly for a fan shroud assembly includes a door having an upper portion, a lower portion and a hinge portion located between the upper portion and the lower portion, a frame defining an opening in the fan shroud assembly, and a hinge defining a pivotal axis pivotally coupling the hinge portion of the door to the frame. The door is adapted to pivot relative to the frame about the pivotal axis between a fully closed position and a fully open position. The upper portion of the door and the lower portion of the door may be in a substantially horizontal orientation when the door is in a fully open position. The hinge may include a pair of pivot pins extending along the pivotal axis at least partially into the opening from opposite lateral sides of the frame and a corresponding pair of at least partial sleeves at opposite lateral sides of the hinge portion of the door, the pair of pivot pins being received within the pair of at least partial sleeves to couple the door to the frame.

Abstract: A fan shroud for an internal combustion engine has a greater clearance from the cooling fan on the exhaust side of the engine than on the suction side. The greater clearance on the exhaust side aggressively increases the flow of cooling air on the exhaust side in the engine compartment. This equalizes the temperature throughout the engine, thereby reducing engine damage due to overheating.

Abstract: A quiet compact radiator cooling fan having a hub portion, which extends radially outwardly and axially from its inlet to its outlet end, a shroud portion, which extends radially inwardly and axially adjacent the inlet end and radially outwardly and axially adjacent its outlet end forming a converging annular opening and a plurality of airfoil shaped, forward sweep blades disposed between the hub and shroud which cooperate with the hub and shroud to produce a mixed flow radiator fan which has improved blade loading and aeroacoustic performance producing a quiet and efficient cooling fan for off the road vehicles.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine coolant fan assembly including a self contained thermally controlled clutch or externally controlled clutch having a housing and a fan blade assembly which is attached to the housing by a circular hub utilizing an interference fit or threaded connection. Preferably, the housing includes cooling fins, and the blade assembly circular hub is mounted on the outer edges of the cooling fins.

Abstract: A high efficiency axial flow fan includes a hub, fan blades and a circular band. The hub rotates about a rotational axis when torque is applied from a shaft rotatably driven by a power source. The circular band is concentric with the hub, connected to the tip of each blade, and is spaced radially outward from the hub. The blades are configured to produce an airflow when rotated about the rotational axis. Each blade has a chord length distribution, stagger angle and dihedral (axial) distance which varies along the length of the blade. The dihedral distance of each blade varies as a function of blade radius from the rotational axis.

Abstract: A fan includes a hub coupled to a driving shaft of a motor, a plurality of blades installed on the outer circumferential surface of the hub to be spaced from each other at a predetermined interval, and a band connecting free ends of the blades. An axial direction width (W1) between a leading edge and a trailing edge at the free end of each of the blades is greater than a width (W2) of the band.

Abstract: The object of the invention is to prevent the quantity of airflow by a fan from decreasing in dependence on the distance between the fan and obstacles such as an engine in a device for introducing and discharging cooling air having a shroud with a high covering rate. In the device for introducing and discharging cooling air having the shroud with the high covering rate, an airflow direction changing member is provided downstream of the fan, and each fixed blade of the member has a shift angle in the radial direction and an attack angle in a rotation direction of the fan, so that the air tends to be discharged outward in the radial direction.

Abstract: A fan module with an axial flow fan and a shroud member. The axial flow fan has a hub and a plurality of fan blades, each blade extending radially from the hub. At the tips of the blades are air guide members secured to respective fan blades and concentric with the hub. Each air guide member has an axially-extending arcuate portion, and a respective lip portion extending radially outwardly from each said arcuate portion. The axially-extending portion has an axial length substantially equal to or less than the axial length of said hub. The shroud member has a surface cooperating with the air guide members in an arrangement to reduce tip vortices.

Abstract: An axial-flow fan comprises a hub having an axial dimension T.sub.N, and including a planar portion extending in a radial direction. Axial blades connected to the hub, and each axial blade has an axial dimension T.sub.Sch in a vicinity of a radially outermost portion of the hub. The axial dimension T.sub.Sch of each axial blade is greater than the axial dimension T.sub.N of the hub. Each axial blade has a projection U beyond the planar portion of the hub. The projection U extends axially from a leading edge of each axial blade to the planar portion of the hub.

Abstract: An axial flow fan has a hub with a longitudinal axis of rotation and an outer periphery for the hub. Several blades are secured at their root regions to the hub's outer periphery. Each of the blades has a medial line that is tangential to a respective hub radius at the hub's outer periphery.

Abstract: A radiator fan of an internal combustion engine in a motor vehicle is provided in the form of a one piece injection molded combination of radial fan blades and axial fan blades supported on a conical annulus for increasing air pressure flow across the radiator. The conical annulus has the same axis as that of the hub of the fan. The radial blades connect the interior face of the conical annulus to the hub of the fan. The axial blades are connected to the exterior surface of the conical annulus and extend radially outward. The fan is coupled to the engine through a fluid friction clutch. An air guide ring is positioned upstream of the fan for deflecting axial incoming air flow to help improving efficiency of the fan.

Abstract: A fan and electric motor combination (or a fan adapted to be used in such a combination) which provides improved cooling for the motor, using a centrifugal impeller including rotating impeller blades. The impeller blades span between an impeller inlet and an impeller outlet, and they rotate to assist cooling airflow for the motor. Cooling airflow is also assisted by the position of the impeller in that the impeller outlet is positioned upstream of an intersection of the fan blade trailing edge and the hub. Therefore, cooling airflow is assisted by at least some (preferably all) of the pressure drop across the axial fan. If the impeller outlet is positioned still further upstream, e.g., upstream of an intersection of the fan blade leading edge and the hub, then the motor cooling airflow is assisted by all or nearly all of the pressure drop across the axial fan.

Abstract: A high efficiency axial flow fan includes a hub, fan blades and a circular band. The hub rotates about a rotational axis when torque is applied from a shaft rotatably driven by a power source. The circular band is concentric with the hub, connected to the tip of each blade, and is spaced radially outward from the hub. The blades are configured to produce an airflow when rotated about the rotational axis. Each blade has a chord length distribution, stagger angle and dihedral distribution which varies along the length of the blade. The dihedral distance of each blade varies as a function of blade radius from the rotational axis.

Abstract: A spacing apparatus for use in mounting an engine cooling fan of a racing vehicle to a drive structure, typically the water pump drive shaft, is made from a spacer body to which a fan hub quick-releasably attaches. The spacer body has a base with a shaft extending therefrom having a reduced perimeter section over which the fan hub mounts. When the fan hub is in place, engagement rods may be inserted in the fan hub to retain the fan hub on the shaft. The engagement rods may be easily and quickly removed without risk of burn to the mechanic to allow quick release of the fan hub on which the fan blades are mounted.

Abstract: A counter-rotating fan which comprises a forward-skewed upstream rotor and a backskewed downstream rotor. The counter-rotating fan may be used in a cooling module with a heat exchanger, for example as an engine cooling fan in a vehicle.

Abstract: A high efficiency, low solidity, low weight, axial flow fan (100, 200, 300) includes a hub (102, 202, 302), fan blades (104, 204, 304) and a circular band (106, 206, 306). The hub (102, 202, 302) rotates about a rotational axis (110, 210, 310) when torque is applied from a shaft (not shown) rotatably driven by a power source (not shown). The circular band (106, 206, 306) is concentric with the hub (102, 202, 302) and is spaced radially outward from the hub. The blades (104, 204, 304) are distributed circumferentially around the hub (102, 202, 302) and extend radially from the hub to the circular band (106, 206, 306). The blades (104, 204, 304) are configured to produce an airflow when rotated about the rotational axis (110, 210, 310). Each blade (104, 204, 304) has a chord length distribution which varies along the length of the blade, such that the chord length has a local minimum value at a predetermined location between the ends of the blade.

Abstract: A cooling fan assembly (13) is attached to a motor (11) by a mating, "twist-lock" adaptor plate (30) having radial lugs (33), which engage a shouldered recess (23) in a corresponding hub (22A).

Abstract: An assembly (12) for moving air through a heat exchanger (10) comprising a shroud (14) for mating with a heat exchanger (10) and a fan (20) disposed in the rear opening (18) of the shroud (14). The fan (20) comprises a hub (22) having an axis (A) and blades (24) extending radially from the hub (22) to distal ends for moving air through the shroud (14). The assembly is characterized by a floating drive assembly (52, 54, 56) including an inner drive member (64), an outer drive member (68, 70), and a flexible transmission (74, 75) interconnecting the members for rotating the drive members together while allowing relative radial movement between the drive members as the drive members rotate the fan (20). A bearing ring mechanism (28, 30) interconnects the distal ends of the blades (24) and the shroud (14) for rotatably supporting the fan (20) solely by the shroud (14).

Abstract: A blade for a vehicle engine-cooling fan assembly. The blade combines a particular distribution of four, key, blade-design parameters--planform sweep, airfoil chord, maximum airfoil camber, and airfoil pitch angle--to achieve a fan assembly having high pumping, high efficiency, and low noise. Specifically, the blade has a planform with a forward sweep angle continuously increasing in absolute value along the span from the root to a maximum absolute value not exceeding about 15 degrees at the tip. The airfoil of the blade has a chord that continuously increases from the root to the tip, a maximum camber that continuously decreases from a value not greater than about 12% of chord at the root to a value not less than about 5% of chord at the tip, and a solidity not greater than about 1.1 at the root and not less than about 0.5 at the tip.

Abstract: An axially compact axial flow fan with improved air-moving properties has a first array of fan blades that extend radially from a fan hub to a circumferential blade support member, a second array of fan blades extend from the first support member to a radially outward second circumferential blade support member. The fan blades in the second array each enjoy pitch angles that decrease from the second circumferential blade support radially along only a portion of each blade length. Thereafter, the pitch angles for the blades in the second array remains constant to the second circumferentially extending blade support member.

Abstract: A fan has a hub and a plurality of blades each having a medial line, a root region secured to the hub and extending radially outwardly to a tip region, with a leading edge and a trailing edge of each blade having a respective surface portion which is tangential to a respective radius of the fan, the leading edge and the trailing edge of each blade at the tip region being circumferentially behind, with respect to a first direction of rotation, the leading edge and trailing edge at the root region whereby the fan is rearwardly skewed wherein each blade has a dihedral angle formed between a plane perpendicular to a center axis of the fan and a line tangent to the medial line, each blade having a surface which is curved so that the dihedral angle decreases along the span of the blade moving from the root to the tip over a portion of the span equal to about 50% of the total span and wherein the dihedral angle increases over the remaining portion of the span.

Abstract: An axial fan is known whose fan hub is fastened by means of a fan flange on a clutch housing of a fluid friction clutch while leaving an annular gap for a partial flow assigned to the cooling fins of the clutch housing. In the case of such axial fans, swirls occur in the hub area which reduce the efficiency of the fan. According to the invention, for achieving an improved efficiency, an air guiding ring is provided on the fan hub on an inlet side relating to a flow direction of the venting flow, which air guiding ring has a curved profile which is directed axially opposite to the flow direction and is curved radially to the inside.

Abstract: An axial flow fan has a hub with a back plane that is perpendicular to the axis of hub rotation. The leading and trailing edges of the fan blades that bound the inner region of the respective blades are in general radial alignment with the hub. The leading portion of the tip region is swept forward relative to the back plane and the trailing portion of the tip region is swept in the opposite direction. The forward swept tip region forms an acute angle with the back plane.

Abstract: A fan for a cooling system of a motor vehicle has a radial impeller with multiple vanes which are arranged between an impeller bottom and a cover disk. A stationary intake nozzle extends axially into a cover disk intake, forming an annular gap between the cover disk intake and the intake nozzle. The impeller bottom, the vanes and the cover disk of the radial impeller are made in one piece of a plastic material. A separate air guide ring is arranged on the cover disk at the cover disk intake.

Abstract: A fan (31) and fan drive (11) assembly in which the fan includes a spider (33), typically a metal stamping, defining fastener openings (41), each including larger opening (43) and a smaller opening (45). Adjacent the smaller opening, the spider defines a raised ramp portion (47). The fan drive includes an output (13) defining fan mounting portions (21), each of which includes a head portion (25), and a shank portion (27). Upon assembly, the head portions (25) align with, then pass axially through the larger openings (43), then the fan is rotated relative to the fan drive, resulting in the shank portions (27) moving into the smaller openings (45) and the head portions (25) passing over and deforming the ramp portions (47), thus tightly engaging the fan spider (33) to the fan drive output member (13).

Abstract: A fan shroud 4 is positioned upstream of a heat exchanger 5. An intake portion 9 of the fan shroud 4 has the shape that the axial length a thereof is smaller than a radial length b thereof, so that the intake portion expands quickly and the air flowing inwardly toward the fan blade is well guided by the intake portion.

Abstract: A coolant pump system features a pump impeller supported on a pump shaft without bearings, and an axially in-line drive shaft with bearings coupled to the pump drive shaft. The system minimally includes a pump body having a bore therein, a coolant pump impeller, a pump shaft passing through the bore and having the impeller mounted on one end thereof, and a bearingless seal shaft assembly disposed in the bore which prevents coolant from leaking out of the body around the rotating pump shaft. The outer end of the pump shaft and the drive shaft are designed to be quickly disconnected to allow simpler, easier, less expensive interconnection of or replacement of the coolant pump, should that ever be necessary.

Abstract: A blower having an axial fan driven by a rotating drive source and enclosed by a shroud assembly including a substantially cylindrical fan shroud enclosing an outer circumference of the axial fan, and a protective unit provided with a plurality of support beams extending from the fan shroud toward an air intake side of the blower and cooperating with a plurality of ring-like members so as to form a protective net member for preventing entrance of any unfavorable substances such as foreign matter or a human finger into the shroud assembly, and a plurality of support ribs operating as a physical rib members and as protective members preventing entrance of the unfavorable substances from a radially outer region of the blower into the interior of the shroud assembly.

Abstract: A high output fan assembly for cooling the radiator of a motor vehicle. The fan assembly comprises a shaft, first and second fans, and a motor. The first fan includes a plurality of first blades, each of which has an inner portion attached to the shaft, while an outer hub is attached to an outer portion of at least one of the first blades. The second fan includes a plurality of second blades, each of which has an inner portion attached to the outer hub. The motor is drivingly connected to the shaft to drive the first and second fans at the same number of revolutions per minute. The fan assembly is situated either for pulling or for pushing air across the radiator and an air conditioning condenser of the motor vehicle.

Abstract: A blade for use in an axial fan includes a plurality of vanes which each have a winglet formed on their front face to increase the air flow of the fan at a given blade velocity.

Abstract: A variable geometry fan duct for an automotive engine cooling system having a fan-cooled, liquid-to-air radiator includes a support structure for securing the fan duct to the radiator and fixed and movable barrel segments which are arranged such that the movable barrel segment may be moved from a first position in which the movable segment is nested with the fixed segment to a second position in which the segments completely encircle and shroud the fan blade.

Abstract: A fan comprises a hub rotatable about a central axis and a plurality of blades each having a root region secured to the hub and extending radially outwardly to a tip region. Each blade is designed with particular characteristics to reduce noise without affecting the performance of the fan.

Abstract: A fan and fan drive assembly (11) is disclosed of the type including a fan drive (13) and a fan assembly (15). The fan drive (13) includes a body member (21) and a cover member (23), one of the members comprising a die-cast member and including a connecting portion (65; 165; 201) having a terminal portion (67, 69; 102; 267, 269). The fan (15) comprises a one-piece molded plastic member, and during the molding step, whichever of the body and cover defines the connecting portion is disposed within the molding die (M). The terminal portion of the connecting portion is disposed within a hub cavity (H), so that, when the moldable plastic material is injected into the hub cavity, it forms the fan hub (61) about, and rigidly connected to the terminal portion of the connecting portion.

Abstract: A cowl comprising, inter alia, a stationary part formed by a diffuser (10) which exhibits a fastening base (11), a nozzle-funnel (12), a connection zone (13), a cylindrical skirt (14), and a moving part (20) able to rotate about an axis (200), which moving part (21) exhibits a peripheral profiled annular hoop (20) which is intended to be rigidly connected to the blade (22) tips (221) of a helix and which is mounted coaxially in this skirt (14) so as to be able to rotate therein, is characterised in that, taking as references the direction of flow and the axis (200), this hoop (21) is delimited by an inner wall (2101), an outer wall (2102) and a rear section (2103), this connection zone (13) is delimited in particular by an inner surface (131) with an upstream limit (1310), and in that this rear section (2103) of the hoop (21) is situated in a plane (P) which is perpendicular to the axis (200) and which passes practically through the upstream limit (1310) of the inner surface (131) of the connection zone (13).

Abstract: A viscous fluid clutch includes a cover having an airflow ring. The airflow ring can be formed integrally with or separately from the cover. Concentric inner and outer walls are attached to each other by radially spaced fins. A cooling passage for airflow is provided between each pair of adjacent fins. During rotation, a cooling airflow passes freely between the fins, improving the rate of heat transfer from the clutch. Such construction of the walls and fins and a method for forming the cover are well suited for casting and eliminate the need for costly prior art machining. A labyrinth seal can be formed between the cover and housing by an annular flange on the housing received into a complementary groove in the cover.

Abstract: The fan blades have a particular geometry that combines high efficiency, low axial profile, and low noise in an axial flow fan. The fan also comprises a circular outer band that coacts with a surrounding shroud structure to form a labyrinth air seal. The shroud structure comprises two parts that cooperatively define a radially inwardly open groove within which a flange of the fan band is received to form the labyrinth seal.

Abstract: An axial flow fan device capable of reducing the stagnant flow at the root area of blades. These blades 18 are arranged so that they extend radially from a boss portion 14 so that they are circumferentially spaced along the circumference of the boss portion 14. Each of the blades 18 has an arc shaped cross section having a bending ratio value .alpha., that is a ratio of the bending height h of the arc shape to the length l of the chord of the arc shape. The value of the bending ratio rapidly increases from the middle portion of the blade to the root portion. The value of the bending ratio at the root portion is about 12%.

Abstract: A coolant pump system driven initially by an electric motor in-line with the pump shaft to the pump housing incorporates a ram air-assisted cooling system. The ram air-assisted cooling system includes an electric motor whose rotating shaft drives the primary fan member. A second fan member is located about and connected to the periphery of the primary fan member and is rotated by high velocity air streams purposefully directed at the secondary fan blades. The air which drives the secondary fan member is preferably gathered by one or more air inlet funnels. Typically, two air inlet funnels are equiangularly disposed adjacent the periphery of the secondary fan blade members so that a balanced current of air is swept across the secondary fan blades. A shroud extends over the secondary fan blade members to force the inlet air over the fan blade members.

Abstract: A low noise axial flow fan (10/110) having a plurality of identical blades (13/113) extending from a central hub (11/111). In a preferred embodiment, each blade is highly skewed, having a backward (with respect to fan rotation direction) skew in the root portion (15/115) of the blade nearest the hub, changing to a highly forward skew in the portion (16/116) of the blade near the tip. The fan may be shrouded or unshrouded. In the shrouded embodiment, the fan (110) is used in conjuncton with an inlet orifice structure (131). Each blade of the fan has a chord length (Ch) that increases from root (17/117) to tip (18/118), a pitch angle (.GAMMA.) that decreases from roto to tip and a camber angle (Ca) that decreases from root to tip. In the shrouded embodiment (110), both the contour of the inlet portion (126) of the shroud and the contour of the inlet portion (132) of the orifice structure are quarter sections of ellipses.

Abstract: The fan has an outer circular band that is spaced axially rearwardly of the hub. Forwardly skewed blades extend between the band and hub. Each blade has a radially intermediate portion that has reverse curvatures, namely a radially inner section curving about a location that is axially rearwardly of the blade and a radially outer section curving about a location that is axially forwardly of the blade. The fan is disposed within an aperture of a shroud having a central mount for an electric motor that drives the fan. The shroud has radial members that extend from the edge of the shroud aperture to the hub and that contain an axial offset.

Abstract: An air guide housing, for a fan impeller of a radiator of internal combustion engines, includes a cowl ring arranged downstream on the radiator and having at least one radial outflow opening. The fan impeller is overlapped at least partially, in the axial direction, by the cowl ring. In order to achieve an improvement in the guiding away of the air and thereby reduce pressure losses in the outflow from the fan, even in the case of restricted installation spaces, guide vanes are provided in the region of the outflow openings.

Abstract: A fan wheel has a cup shaped hub having an outer cup wall with a plurality of vanes and a cup bottom connectable with a shaft of a drive and provided at its inner side with a plurality of ribs defining a plurality of fields therebetween. The cup bottom in the region of the fields has a plurality of depressions extending from its inner side and having a width approximately 70% of a thickness of the cup bottom.

Abstract: A radiator with a fan is arranged at a forward tilt under the footrest floor part of a cab floor of a cab-over-engine vehicle. The fan confronts the front of the engine. The fan is connected with the radiator through an air duct, a central axis of the air duct rises rearwardly. The fan has at its center a boss shaped into a truncated cone, the extremity of each of the blades in its longitudinal direction being parallel to the axis of the boss. The air duct has one opening end shaped into a cylinder which partially covers the blades of the fan.

Abstract: The present rotating fan and shroud assembly reduces noise emitted therefrom and increases cooling system efficiency. The rotating fan and shroud assembly when combined with the labyrinth-type seal also improves serviceability and reduces maintenance time and cost. The positioning a the first end of an inlet bell-mouth portion of the shroud assembly between a pair of flexible members allows the assembly to be easily removed for servicing while preventing recirculation of the cooling air. A radially outward extension of the inlet bell-mouth portion, and the positioning of a second end of the inlet bell-mouth portion and its juncture with an intermediate portion in line with a leading edge of each of a plurality of blades provides a uniform contour for the flow of the cooling air as it enters into the plurality of blades.

Abstract: A recirculation shield and engine fan shroud assembly. The apparatus includes a shroud assembly mounted to the radiator. The shroud is configured so as to conform with and seal the interior of the engine compartment around the radiator such that substantially all the air entering the engine compartment is of ambient temperature free from recirculation of hot fan discharge airflow.

Abstract: A water pump including a pump housing having a central axial through-hole; a pump shaft inserted in the through-hole; a pulley fixed on the pump shaft at one end thereof; an impeller fixed on the pump shaft at the other end thereof; a bearing fitted with the through-hole for rotatably supporting the pump shaft in the vicinity of the pulley; a water seal provided between the impeller and the bearing for sealing water in a pump chamber where the impeller is installed, wherein an intermediate chamber is defined among the pump housing, the bearing and the water seal. A first ventilation passage is formed in a wall of the pump housing so as to induce an atomspheric air into the intermediate chamber. A second ventilation passage is formed in the wall of the pump housing so as to discharge a water vapor in the intermediate chamber to an outside of the pump housing.

Abstract: A blade for a fan or blower which has an abrupt transition region between an inner blade region which has a negative leading edge sweep angle, and an outer blade region which is highly forwardly swept. The outer blade region is further characterized by a blade chord that increases with increasing radius. The fan provides a low pitch width and superior noise and efficiency trade-offs.

Abstract: The invention features an axial fan for passing air through a heat exchanger, the fan comprising a hub rotatable on an axis and a plurality of blades, each of which extend radially outward from a root portion attached to the hub to a tip portion, the blades characterized by a trailing edge angle that varies by approximately 40.degree. or more over the radial extent of each blade. The blade trailing edge angle is preferably greater than 60.degree. at the root region.