Abstract: The present invention provides compositions and methods for detecting mutations associated with polycystic kidney disease in the cat.

Abstract: A draft inducer blower for high efficiency furnaces, including a blower housing having a housing body and housing cover. The housing body includes a plurality of mounting lugs spaced around its outer periphery, through which fasteners are inserted to secure the blower housing to corresponding mounting holes in a furnace wall. The mounting lugs each include a slot-like opening having a web of material therein and, in each mounting lug, a fastener is threaded through an opening in the web to temporarily retain the fastener in position within its associated mounting lug. In this manner, a blower housing may be shipped to a furnace manufacturer or other point of installation with the fasteners temporarily retained within their associated mounting lugs.

Abstract: A draft inducer blower for high efficiency furnaces, including a blower housing which facilitates maximum air flow efficiency through the blower housing while reducing air flow noises. The blower housing generally includes a housing body and housing cover which define an exhaust transition therebetween, which transitions the air flow from the circular main cavity of the blower housing to the blower housing outlet. The housing body and housing cover are attached to one another via a lobed joint along the exhaust transition, and each include complementary, smoothly contoured inner surfaces to facilitate smooth air flow through the exhaust transition toward the outlet. Additionally, the housing body and housing cover include cooperating cutoff surfaces which form a broadly radiused cutoff within the blower housing to reduce or eliminate the blade pass noise associated with contact of the air flow from the impeller with the cutoff.

Abstract: A draft inducer blower housing for high efficiency furnaces, including a housing body and housing cover which define an exhaust transition therebetween, which transitions the air flow from the circular main cavity of the blower housing to the blower housing outlet. A cutoff portion of the blower housing is formed as an insert member or third housing component, which is located within a recess defined within the housing body proximate the outlet. The cutoff insert member may be attached to the housing body and captured between the housing body and housing cover, and includes a broadly radiused cutoff portion defining the exhaust cutoff of the blower housing. The housing body includes reduced-height mounting lugs, and indentations provided in the outer wall of the housing body above each mounting lug. The reduced height mounting lugs reduce the amount of material needed to form the housing body, and allow the use of shorter fasteners to secure the blower housing to the wall of a furnace.

Abstract: The present invention provides compositions and methods for detecting mutations associated with albinism in the cat.

Abstract: A blower housing for a furnace blower assembly of the type including a blower motor coupled to an impeller for use in expelling exhaust gases from a furnace. The blower housing generally includes an inlet, an impeller cavity, and an extension portion extending from the impeller cavity, the extension portion terminating in a circular outlet to which a round flue pipe may be attached. The blower housing is formed by three housing members joined to one another, wherein the housing members may be formed from metal using conventional stamping, drawing, and forming processes, for example. To form a variety of different types of blower housings having different outlet offset distances, only the dimensions of cooperating portions of two of the housing members need be varied, with one of the housing members used in common among the different types of blower housings.