Blower assembly
AssigneeAuto Butler, Inc.
InventorKeith M. Schleeter
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A blower assembly for an automatic car wash is provided. The blower assembly includes a housing, an impeller, a fan motor, an oscillation motor and an oscillation linkage assembly. The impeller is rotatively disposed in the housing. The housing includes an egress spout. The fan motor is rigidly connected to the housing. The linkage assembly mechanically relates the oscillation motor to the fan motor and housing and oscillates both. In the preferred embodiment, the motor and housing are rotatably supported on both axial sides of the motor and the motor shaft and motor housing drive substantially the same axis of rotation.
Claims25
A vehicle cleaning facility, comprising:
- a vehicle washing assembly;
- and
- an apparatus for generating and directing a flow of air onto the vehicle, the apparatus in operative relation to the washing assembly and including a fan housing, an impeller, a motor including a motor body and a drive shaft, first and second supports, and a powered member, the fan housing defining a fixed spout for directing the generated air flow, the impeller disposed in the fan housing and coupled to the drive shaft, the motor body disposed generally between the first and second supports, substantially rigidly connected to the fan housing and including first and second ends, both the motor body and fan housing supported by the first and second supports, the powered member coupled to one of the motor body and fan housing for oscillating said first motor body and said fan housing.
A facility for generating and directing a flow of air, comprising:
- a fan housing defining a spout for air flow egress;
- an impeller disposed in the fan housing and configured to generate the flow of air when rotated;
- a fan motor substantially rigidly connected to the fan housing and including a drive shaft for rotating the impeller;
- a powered member coupled to one of the motor and fan housing for oscillating said fan housing;
- and
- first and second supports, the fan motor disposed generally between said first and second supports, said first and second supports supporting the fan motor and fan housing.
An apparatus for generating and directing a flow of air, comprising:
- a motor including a drive shaft and a motor body;
- an impeller configured to be rotated by the drive shaft;
- a fan housing substantially rigidly connected to the motor body, accommodating the impeller, and defining an opening for egress air flow;
- and
- means for oscillating the air flow generated by said impeller, said airflow oscillating means simultaneously oscillating the motor and the fan housing.
A method of making an apparatus for generating and directing a flow of air, comprising:
- disposing an impeller in a housing, the housing defining a spout for air flow egress;
- rigidly connecting a first motor to the housing, the first motor including a drive shaft;
- attaching the first motor drive shaft to the impeller such that the impeller will generate the flow of air when rotated within said housing;
- and
- securing an oscillation assembly to one of the first motor and housing for oscillating the housing and motor simultaneously.
An apparatus for generating and directing an oscillating air flow toward a vehicle in a vehicle washing facility, comprising:
- first and second supports;
- a fan housing comprising a spout for directing the air flow toward the vehicle;
- a fan motor substantially rigidly connected to the fan housing and including a drive shaft, the fan motor generally disposed between, and supported by, the first and second supports;
- an impeller accommodated in the fan housing and therein rotated by the drive shaft to generate the air flow;
- and
- an oscillating assembly configured to oscillate the fan motor and the fan housing simultaneously.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.