US 4,191,241 A · Energy exchange wheel and method of fabrication

Abstract

An energy exchange wheel having a wrapping hub which surrounds, and is concentric with but spaced from a central hub; an axially perforate matrix of energy exchange material around the wrapping hub; and a rim around the matrix. The axial dimensions of the central hub and the matrix correspond to the wheel depth, the axial dimension of the wrapping hub is between one-quarter and one-half of the wheel depth, and the axial dimension of the rim is at least equal to the axial dimension of the wrapping hub but less than the wheel depth. Tilted bar-like spokes secured to the central and wrapping hubs and to the rim prevent axial movement of the matrix. Also, a method for fabricating such wheel which includes wrapping the matrix material around the wrapping hub and a second, temporary wrapping hub, removal of the second hub, cutting of tilted slots in the matrix, surrounding the slotted matrix with a rim, inserting the spokes in the tilted slots, and securing the spokes to the central hub, the retained wrapping hub and the rim.

Claims18

Dependent claims

An energy exchange wheel having a central axis and comprising:

an inner hub concentric with said axis;
an outer rim concentric with said axis and having its inner periphery spaced from the outer periphery of said hub;
an axially perforate matrix of energy absorbing material filling the space between said rim and said hub, said matrix having a plurality of slots therein extending radially from said hub to said rim;
a plurality of bar-like spokes equal in number to the number of said slots disposed in said slots and extending at least from said hub to said rim, said spokes being secured to said rim at their radially outer ends and each spoke having a face in contact with a wall of the slot in which it is disposed, said face and said wall having a pitch angle with respect to said axis which will prevent movement of said matrix in a direction axially and away from said spokes;
and
means maintaining the radially inner ends of said spokes in fixed relation to said hub.

3 more elements

A method of fabricating an energy exchange wheel having at least an inner hub, an outer rim around but spaced from the inner hub, a matrix of energy absorbing material between said inner hub and said rim, said matrix having a predetermined axial length, said method comprising:

mounting a said inner hub having an axial length less than the axial length of said matrix co-axially with a wrapping hub having the same diameter as said inner hub and having an axial length substantially equal to the matrix length minus the axial length of the inner hub;
wrapping matrix material in strip form and having a width greater than the axial length of said inner hub around said inner and wrapping hubs until the diameter thereof has the desired diameter and securing the strip end in place;
removing said wrapping hub from within the wrapped matrix material;
cutting a plurality of circumferentially spaced slots in the wrapped matrix material in the axial end face thereof remote from said inner hub, said slots extending radially from the axis of said inner hub and
having a depth, at least adjacent said inner hub, substantially equal to the axial length of said matrix minus the axial length of said inner hub and said slots having a significant pitch angle with respect to the axis of said inner hub with pairs of adjacent slots having opposite pitch;
enclosing the wrapped matrix material with a said rim having an axial length less than the axial length of said matrix and with said rim in contact with said material;
inserting bar-like spokes in said slots with their faces at the pitch angles of said slots, said spokes having radially inner portions at said inner hub and their radially outer ends at said rim;
and
securing said spokes to said inner hub and to said rim.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Energy exchange wheel and method of fabrication

Life of this patent

Energy exchange wheel and method of fabrication

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims18