End seal design for blower

Abstract

An improved blower of the squirrel cage type having an end seal ring that substantially encloses the inlet ends of the blower blades so to prevent air accelerated by the impeller from recirculating into the air inlet and onto the blower blades. The invention also includes the following: a cylinder that extends from the end seal ring and beyond the air inlet to prevent escaping air from recirculating into the air inlet; an axial ring disposed between the housing and the end seal to impede the flow of air that recirculates into the air inlet; and an end seal blade disposed between the end seal ring and the housing that creates a counter pressure to force leakage air away from the air inlet and toward the air outlet. The aforementioned are practiced in combination with good blade angle design where the entry angle of the blade is such that air flows smoothly onto the blade at a specific design flow rate.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.