US4671739A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
One piece molded fan
Assignee: FLEX-A-LITE CONSOLIDATED
•
Filing: 1980-07-11
•
Granted: 1987-06-09
•
Expires: 2000-07-11
Abstract
Abstract A one piece, fiber reinforced, plastic radiator cooling fan for a truck. The fan is reinforced by: a hub extension which extends from the hub into each blade a substantial distance; by directly interconnecting the leading and trailing edges of adjacent blades to form a juncture therebetween in the form of a spiral located radially outwardly from the hub; by having the leading and trailing edges of adjacent hub extensions interconnect in a smoothly curved line tangent to the hub; by strengthening locations of high stress in each blade; and by avoiding sudden changes in thickness and in direction of the various portions of the fan.
Inventors
- 👤 Robert W. Read
- 👤 Edmund A. Gress, deceased
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 20:27
CPC Classifications
F; F04; F04D; F04D29/00; F04D29/26; F04D29/32; F04D29/325; F04D29/02; F04D29/023; F05; F05D; F05D2300/00; F05D2300/40; F05D2300/43; F05D2300/60; F05D2300/603; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S416/00; Y10S416/03
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
134 words
A light weight, radiator cooling fan for vehicles, wherein the fan comprises: a circular hub means of substantially uniform thickness, wherein its thickness is dictated by pertinent strength considerations; a plurality of hub extension means; and one blade means for each hub extension means; wherein: said hub means, said hub extension means, and said blade means are integrally formed from fiber reinforced plastic to make a one piece fan; and each said hub extension means has: a thickness substantially equal to the thickness of said hub means; a length substantially about the range of fifteen percent to thirty-two percent of the diameter of the fan; and a width at said hub means substantially about the range of fifty percent to one hundred percent of the width of said blade means at said hub means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
134 words
A light weight, radiator cooling fan for vehicles, wherein the fan comprises: a circular hub means of substantially uniform thickness, wherein its thickness is dictated by pertinent strength considerations; a plurality of hub extension means; and one blade means for each hub extension means; wherein: said hub means, said hub extension means, and said blade means are integrally formed from fiber reinforced plastic to make a one piece fan; and each said hub extension means has: a thickness substantially equal to the thickness of said hub means; a length substantially about the range of fifteen percent to thirty-two percent of the diameter of the fan; and a width at said hub means substantially about the range of fifty percent to one hundred percent of the width of said blade means at said hub means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
35 words
The fan, according to claim 1, wherein the leading and trailing edges of each said hub extension means joins said hub means at substantially a tangent with respect thereto help to prevent undesireable stress concentrations.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
36 words
The fan, according to claim 1, wherein the leading and trailing edges of each pair of adjacent blade means merge directly into each other in a flowing, arcuate line to help to prevent undesireable stress concentrations.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
29 words
The fan according to claim 1, wherein the leading and trailing edges of each pair of adjacent blade means merge at a location radially outwardly from said hub means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
36 words
The fan according to claim 1, wherein at the juncture area between each pair of adjacent blade means, the edges of said blade means follow a generally spiral path to help to prevent undesireable stress concentrations.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
25 words
The fan according to claim 5, wherein the spiral has a diameter about five percent to twenty-five percent of the diameter of the hub means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
95 words
The fan according to claim 1, wherein the juncture area between each pair of adjacent blade means lies radially outwardly from said hub means, is substantially equal in thickness to said hub means, and is twisted out of the plane of said hub means, the portion of said juncture area formed by the trailing edge of a blade means being displaced toward one side of said hub means while the portion of said juncture area formed by the leading edge of the adjacent blade means is displaced toward the other side of said hub means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
86 words
The fan, according to claim l, wherein each blade means is substantially uniform in thickness radially outwardly from its extension means, and has an area located radially outwardly from said hub means and between its hub extension and its trailing edge which is substantially stronger than those portions of said blade means which are substantially uniform in thickness, in order to help the trailing portion of said blade sustain the additive twist loads caused by centrifugal force and the aerodynamic loading of its said trailing portion.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
41 words
The fan according to claim 1, wherein the pitch of each said blade means with respect to the plane of said hub means gradually increases from about zero degrees at its leading edge to about 60 degrees at its trailing edge.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
70 words
The fan according to claim 1, wherein each said blade means gradually tapers in thickness in a direction radially outwardly from said hub means and said hub extension means; gradually tapers in thickness from said hub extension means towards the leading and trailing edges of said blade means; and is slightly thickened in its central longitudinal portion in those portions located radially outwardly from said extension means for increased stiffness.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
38 words
The fan according to claim 1, wherein the portion of each blade means located radially outwardly from its extension means is of substantially uniform cross section, but is slightly thicker in its central longitudinal portion for increased stiffness.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
30 words
The fan according to claim 1, wherein the leading and trailing edges of each said blade means project substantially equal distances above and below the plane of said hub means.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
53 words
The fan according to claim 1, wherein each said hub extension means is substantially coplanar with said hub means and forms a generally smoothly contoured depression in the surface of one side of its blade means and a corresponding smoothly contoured protrusion in the surface of the opposite side of its blade means.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
42 words
The fan according to claim 1, wherein each said hub extension is coplanar with said hub means at its intersection therewith, and twists to become pitched substantially the same as its blade means a short distance radially outwardly from said hub means.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
77 words
The fan, according to claim 13, wherein each said hub extension and its respective blade means is generally symmetrical about a common centerline extending radially outwardly from the center of said hub means; and wherein each said hub extension forms a pair of generally smoothly contoured depressions in the surface of both sides of its blade means and a pair of corresponding smoothly contoured protrusions in the surface of the opposite both sides of its blade means.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
33 words
The fan according to claim 14, wherein each said hub extension and its respective blade means is generally symmetrical about a common centerline extending radially outwardly from the center of said hub means.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
28 words
The fan according to claims 13 or 15 wherein the trailing edge of each said extension means is substantially on the longitudinal centerline of its respective blade means.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
37 words
The fan according to claim 17, wherein the leading edge of each said extension means extends generally diagonally from its intersection with said hub means to its intersection with the trailing edge of said hub extension means.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
38 words
The fan according to claim 18, wherein said leading edge of each hub extension means curves in its radially outermost portion to become generally perpendicular to said trailing edge of the hub extension means at its intersection therewith.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
44 words
The fan according to claim 17, wherein substantially greater than 50 percent of the intersection of each said blade means and its associated hub extension means with said hub means lies on the leading edge side of the longitudinal centerline of said blade means.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
59 words
The fan according to claim 17, wherein those portions of each said depression/protuberance lying radially outwardly from said hub extension means have an arcuate configuration and are strengthened as compared to those portions of said blade means lying radially outwardly therefrom, to help the blade withstand stress concentrations located at the radially outwardly end of the hub extension means.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US1905891A
Cited
US3260312A
Cited
US3336010A
Cited
US3751181A
Cited
US3758231A
Cited
US3822103A
Cited
US3825369A
Cited
US3951611A
Cited
US4046489A
Cited
USD246725S
Cited
USD246795S
Cited
US4142844A
Cited
US4187055A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1990-06-08 | 1990-12-08 | 1991-06-09 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1994-06-08 | 1994-12-08 | 1995-06-09 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1998-06-08 | 1998-12-08 | 1999-06-09 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |