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US 2016/0101569 A1Published application
Method for forming an impeller housing for an appliance
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorJames Quentin Pollett
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for forming an impeller housing for an appliance is provided. The method includes establishing three-dimensional information of the impeller housing, converting the three-dimensional information of the impeller housing into a plurality of slices, and successively forming each cross-sectional layer of the impeller housing with an additive process. The additive process may permit formation of various features of the impeller housing.
Claims20
A method for forming a unitary housing for an impeller of a dryer appliance, comprising:
- establishing three-dimensional information of the unitary housing;
- converting the three-dimensional information of the unitary housing from said step of establishing into a plurality of slices, each slice of the plurality of slices defining a respective cross-sectional layer of the unitary housing;
- and
- successively forming each cross-sectional layer of the unitary housing with an additive process;
- wherein, after said step of successively forming:
- (1) the unitary housing has a transition duct extending between a volute of the unitary housing and an exhaust exit of the unitary housing;
- (2) the transition duct has an inlet cross-section immediately downstream of the volute of the unitary housing and an outlet cross-section at the exhaust exit of the unitary housing;
- (3) the inlet cross-section has a curvilinear trapezoidal shape;
- (4) the outlet cross-section has a circular shape;
- and (5) the transition duct continuously varies from the inlet cross-section to the outlet cross-section along a length of the transition duct.
7 more elements
A method for forming a unitary housing for an impeller of a dryer appliance, comprising:
- establishing three-dimensional information of the unitary housing;
- converting the three-dimensional information of the unitary housing from said step of establishing into a plurality of slices, each slice of the plurality of slices defining a respective cross-sectional layer of the unitary housing;
- and
- successively forming each cross-sectional layer of the unitary housing with an additive process;
- wherein, after said step of successively forming:
- (1) the unitary housing has a cylindrical portion configured for receiving the impeller;
- (2) the cylindrical portion has a volute;
- (3) the unitary housing has a transition duct extending between the volute of the cylindrical portion and an exhaust exit;
- (4) the transition duct has an inlet cross-section immediately downstream of the volute of the cylindrical portion and an outlet cross-section at the exhaust exit;
- (5) the inlet cross-section has a different shape than the outlet cross-section;
- and (6) cross-sections of the transition duct continuously vary from the inlet cross-section to the outlet cross-section along a length of the transition duct.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.