EP1926916B1 - Removable impeller for fan - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a removable turbine intended to be integrated in a fan, in particular for controlled mechanical ventilation, and produced in the form of a wheel provided with a plurality of blades and equipped with locking means to allow its fixing. on a hub, as well as a hub and a locking bolt intended to cooperate with said turbine.

Many systems ( GB 2 017 261 A1 and US 2002/0090299 ), like for example the humidity-controlled vents used in the context of controlled mechanical ventilation, require the use of a fan providing a constant vacuum over time. This constant depression can be obtained at a reduced cost by speed regulation of a motor driving an action turbine. However, the disadvantage of such an action turbine is that it is sensitive to fouling by dust and grease contained in the extracted air.

A first known solution to overcome this problem consists in permanently fixing the turbine to the associated motor, and having a filter upstream of the fan. However, this filter creates a pressure drop unfavorable to the performance of the system, is bulky, is of considerable cost, and it is necessary to change or clean it regularly.

A second known solution consists in the use of a removable turbine, capable of being cleaned once, disassembled. Systems equipped with such a turbine provide that the latter is fixed by screwing on an axis. This step is nevertheless relatively delicate to implement, especially in the case of controlled mechanical ventilation since the occupant of the accommodation proceeds himself to disassembly and cleaning.

The invention aims to remedy these drawbacks and for this consists of a removable turbine according to claim 1.

Advantageously also, the first stop is provided in the upper part, and the second stop is produced in the form of a longitudinal boss, extending in the middle part, and extended by an inclined face at each of its upper and lower ends.

In such a configuration, it is then possible to carry out a sequential opening and closing.

In fact, when the manipulator exerts sufficient traction on the latch gripping member, the transmission clips having a radial rigidity greater than that of the hollow walls, each hollow wall undergoes elastic deformation so that the lower part of its outline is caused to slide successively along the lower inclined face, of the boss, and finally of the upper inclined face of the second stop. The hollow wall then returns to its rest position in the interval separating the first stop from the second stop, and the lower part of the contour finally comes into contact with the first stop. In doing so, the flat walls of the lock are no longer positioned opposite the locking clips, and the latter can be extracted from the notches presented by the hub if the manipulator continues to exert sufficient traction on the gripping member. The turbine and its lock are then detached from the hub, and it is possible to clean the blades of the turbine. This disassembly is therefore done in a single movement broken down into two stages, simply, quickly and without tools.

Once the turbine is properly cleaned, the manipulator grabs the latch gripper and correctly positions the turbine on its hub. It then suffices to exert a sufficient thrust on the gripping member to force the lower part of the outline of each hollow wall to slide successively along the upper inclined face, the boss, and finally the lower inclined face. In doing so, each flat wall of the bolt slides along the associated blocking clip, until the lower end of its outline abuts against the radial shoulder of the blocking clip. This then has the effect of elastically deforming the locking clip outwards so that its radial bead is suitably housed in the corresponding notch. This blocking is therefore also done in a simple, fast and tool-free manner.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the turbine comprises, at the periphery of the central neck, a central wall on which are formed longitudinal ribs regularly spaced and oriented inward. In addition, the side wall of the hub is advantageously fitted on its outer face with V-shaped indexing means. Thus, with such an arrangement, when the bolt and the turbine are attached to the associated hub, sufficient thrust exerted on the gripping member, which is reflected on the upper inclined face of each second stop by the lower part of the outline of the corresponding hollow wall of the lock, makes it possible to automatically center the turbine on the hub. Indeed, this follows from the fact that the upper inclined face is designed so that the minimum stresses to be exerted by the longitudinal ribs of the turbine on the V-shaped indexing means to force the hub to pivot up to that he either perfectly oriented are less than those necessary to cause the elastic deformation of each hollow wall due to the sliding of the lower part of its outline along said corresponding upper inclined face. However, once the turbine is correctly positioned in abutment against the hub, the continuation of the thrust exerted by the manipulator on the gripping member then has the effect of forcing the lock to slide through the central neck, until that it comes to block the locking clips in the associated notches via its flat walls.

Once blocking of the turbine is ensured, the rotation of the turbine by the hub is then carried out by means of the longitudinal ribs.

The turbine, the bolt and the hub are advantageously made using molded plastic parts.

According to a second preferred embodiment of the invention, the locking means are constituted by at least two magnets, and the transmission means are constituted by at least two rods each comprising a first substantially cylindrical end having a longitudinal edge forming a stop, and connected by a rod to a second projecting end parallel to the axis of the first end.

The present invention also relates to a closing lock designed so as to cooperate with a turbine according to the second preferred embodiment of the invention. This lock advantageously comprises a gripping member extended by a longitudinal rod in which is formed a circular groove.

The second protruding end of each link is housed in the circular groove of the lock so that the translation of the latter forces the first end of the link to rotate.

Consequently, both in the first and in the second preferred embodiment of the invention, it must therefore be clearly understood that the turbine and the lock can be removed and replaced by a single movement, in a simple, rapid manner. , without learning and without tools.

• les moyens de blocage sont ménagés dans le col central sous la forme d'une première série de clips de blocage régulièrement espacés les uns des autres et pourvus chacun en partie basse, d'une part, d'un bourrelet radial orienté vers l'extérieur, et d'autre part, d'un épaulement radial orienté vers l'intérieur,
• la turbine comprend des moyens de transmission ménagés dans le col central sous la forme d'une deuxième série de clips régulièrement espacés les uns des autres et intercalés avec les clips de blocage, chaque clip de transmission étant équipé d'une première butée et d'une deuxième butée positionnées l'une en dessous de l'autre et orientées vers l'intérieur, ladite première butée formant une saillie plus prononcée que la deuxième butée, ladite première butée étant ménagée en partie haute et ladite deuxième butée étant réalisée sous la forme d'un bossage longitudinal, s'étendant dans la partie médiane, prolongé respectivement par un pan fortement incliné à son extrémité supérieure et un pan faiblement incliné à son extrémité inférieure,
• le moyeu comprend une paroi latérale dans laquelle est ménagée une série d'encoches, chacune d'elles étant apte à loger l'un des clips de blocage de la turbine,
• un verrou de fermeture est rapporté sur la turbine, ce verrou comprenant un organe de préhension prolongé par une série de parois planes longitudinales intercalées avec une série de parois creuses longitudinales, lesdites parois planes et parois creuses étant régulièrement espacées les unes des autres et étant aptes à coulisser au travers du col central de façon à être chacune respectivement disposée en regard d'un clip de blocage et d'un clip de transmission.

The present invention also relates to a fan, in particular for controlled mechanical ventilation, comprising a body forming a volute in which a rotary motor is fixed, a hub being secured to said motor and supporting a removable turbine provided with a central neck, a plurality of blades and equipped with locking means to allow its fixing on the hub, characterized in that,

• the locking means are provided in the central neck in the form of a first series of locking clips regularly spaced from each other and each provided in the lower part, on the one hand, with a radial bead oriented towards the outside , and on the other hand, an inwardly oriented radial shoulder,
• the turbine comprises transmission means arranged in the central neck in the form of a second series of clips regularly spaced from each other and interposed with the locking clips, each transmission clip being equipped with a first stop and a second stop positioned one below the other and oriented inward, said first stop forming a more pronounced projection than the second stop, said first stop being formed in the upper part and said second stop being made in the form a longitudinal boss, extending in the middle part, extended respectively by a sharply inclined section at its upper end and a slightly inclined section at its lower end,
• the hub comprises a side wall in which a series of notches is formed, each of which being capable of housing one of the turbine locking clips,
• a closing bolt is attached to the turbine, this bolt comprising a gripping member extended by a series of longitudinal flat walls interspersed with a series of longitudinal hollow walls, said flat walls and hollow walls being regularly spaced from one another and being suitable to slide through the central neck so as to be each respectively arranged opposite a locking clip and a transmission clip.

• La figure 1 est une vue en perspective d'un ventilateur selon l'invention, avec omission du capot de fermeture ;
• La figure 2 est une vue en perspective de dessus d'une turbine selon le premier mode de réalisation préféré de l'invention ;
• La figure 3 est une vue en perspective de dessous de la turbine représentée à la figure 2 ;
• La figure 4 est une vue en perspective d'un verrou de fermeture selon l'invention apte à coopérer avec la turbine représentée à la figure 2 ;
• La figure 5 est une vue en perspective d'un moyeu selon l'invention apte à coopérer avec la turbine représentée à la figure 2 ;
• La figure 6 est une vue en perspective de la turbine représentée à la figure 2 avec son verrou, avant fixation sur son moyeu correspondant ;
• La figure 7 est une vue de dessus de la turbine représentée à la figure 6, une fois fixée sur son moyeu ;
• La figure 8 est une vue en coupe selon la ligne A-A de l'ensemble représenté à la figure 7, le verrou étant en position fermée ;
• La figure 9 est une vue en coupe selon la ligne B-B de l'ensemble représenté à la figure 7, le verrou étant en position fermée ;
• La figure 10 est une vue en coupe selon la ligne A-A de l'ensemble représenté à la figure 7, le verrou étant en position ouverte ;
• La figure 11 est une vue en coupe selon la ligne B-B de l'ensemble représenté à la figure 7, le verrou étant en position ouverte ;
• La figure 12 est une vue en perspective d'une turbine selon le deuxième mode de réalisation préféré, avec omission des biellettes ;
• La figure 13 est une vue en perspective d'une biellette ;
• La figure 14 est une vue en perspective d'un verrou selon l'invention apte à coopérer avec la turbine représentée à la figure 12 ;
• La figure 15 est une vue en perspective d'un moyeu selon l'invention apte à coopérer avec la turbine représentée à la figure 12 ;
• La figure 16 est une vue en perspective d'une moitié de turbine représentée à la figure 12, coupée longitudinalement au niveau des biellettes, avant fixation sur son moyeu correspondant ;
• La figure 17 est une vue en perspective d'une autre moitié de turbine représentée à la figure 12, coupée longitudinalement au niveau des aimants, avant fixation sur son moyeu correspondant.

The invention will be better understood using the detailed description which is set out below with reference to the appended drawing in which:

• The figure 1 is a perspective view of a fan according to the invention, with the omission of the closure cover;
• The figure 2 is a perspective view from above of a turbine according to the first preferred embodiment of the invention;
• The figure 3 is a perspective view from below of the turbine shown in figure 2 ;
• The figure 4 is a perspective view of a closure lock according to the invention able to cooperate with the turbine shown in the figure 2 ;
• The figure 5 is a perspective view of a hub according to the invention capable of cooperating with the turbine shown in the figure 2 ;
• The figure 6 is a perspective view of the turbine shown in figure 2 with its lock, before fixing to its corresponding hub;
• The figure 7 is a top view of the turbine shown in figure 6 , once fixed on its hub;
• The figure 8 is a sectional view along line AA of the assembly shown in figure 7 , the latch being in the closed position;
• The figure 9 is a sectional view along line BB of the assembly shown in figure 7 , the latch being in the closed position;
• The figure 10 is a sectional view along line AA of the assembly shown in figure 7 , the latch being in the open position;
• The figure 11 is a sectional view along line BB of the assembly shown in figure 7 , the latch being in the open position;
• The figure 12 is a perspective view of a turbine according to the second preferred embodiment, with omission of the links;
• The figure 13 is a perspective view of a link;
• The figure 14 is a perspective view of a lock according to the invention able to cooperate with the turbine shown in the figure 12 ;
• The figure 15 is a perspective view of a hub according to the invention capable of cooperating with the turbine shown in the figure 12 ;
• The figure 16 is a perspective view of half a turbine shown in the figure 12 , cut longitudinally at the rods, before attachment to its corresponding hub;
• The figure 17 is a perspective view of another half of the turbine shown in the figure 12 , cut longitudinally at the magnets, before fixing to its corresponding hub.

A fan 1 according to the invention, as shown in the figure 1 , is intended for controlled mechanical ventilation and includes a box 2, the closure cover of which has been omitted, and in which a volute 3 is fixed.

The box 2 has four air intake connections 4, and each of them is connected to a room in the housing to be ventilated by means of an air duct (not shown).

The volute 3 is made of plastic, and conventionally comprises an air inlet 5 and an air outlet 6, the air inlet 5 being bordered by a removable opening 60 fixed with clips ( not shown).

As shown more specifically in Figures 1 to 3 , the volute 3 contains a turbine 7, according to the first preferred embodiment of the invention, designed to create a vacuum in the box 1 so as to suck the stale air coming from the air intake fittings 4. This turbine 7 is molded in plastic in the form of a wheel fitted with a plurality of blades 8, and comprises a central cylindrical wall 9 of revolution surrounding a central neck 10 whose vertical axis of revolution merges with that of the wheel .

More precisely still, four vertical locking clips 11 regularly spaced from one another are provided in the central neck 10 of the turbine 7. Each locking clip 11 has in the lower part, on the one hand, a radial bead 12 oriented towards the 'outside, and secondly, a shoulder 13 facing inward radially.

In addition, four vertical transmission clips 14 regularly spaced from each other, interposed with the locking clips 11, the same length as the latter but of greater width so as to have increased resistance to radial deformation, are also provided in the central neck 10.

Each transmission clip 14 is equipped with a first stop 15 and a second stop 16 oriented inwards and arranged at a certain distance one below the other, said first stop 15 forming a more pronounced projection that the second stop 16. The first stop 15 is formed in the upper part of the central neck 10, and the second stop 16 is produced in the form of a vertical boss 17, extending in the middle part of the central neck 10, and extended by an inclined face 18, 19 at each of its upper and lower ends, the inclined end 18 being more inclined than the lower inclined face 19.

In addition, four vertical ribs 20 regularly spaced from one another and oriented inward are formed in the central wall 9 opposite the central neck 10.

As shown in the figure 4 , a locking latch 21 according to the invention able to cooperate with the turbine 7 is molded in plastic and is broken down into a gripping member 22 of discoid shape extended by four planar walls 24 longitudinal oriented outwards and interspersed with four walls longitudinal hollow 25, said flat walls 24 and hollow walls 25 being regularly spaced from each other and of the same length.

The flat walls 24 are in fact connected together by plastic material so as to constitute a rigid sub-assembly in the form of a cross in cross section, which makes it possible to avoid any radial deformation of the flat walls 24.

In addition, it should be understood that this lock 21 is designed so that, on the one hand, the distance separating two planar walls or two diametrically opposed hollow walls is very slightly less than that separating two diametrically opposite clips from the turbine 7, and on the other hand, the length of said flat walls 24 and hollow walls 25 is sufficient to act respectively on the beads 12 and the shoulders 13 presented by the locking clips 11 and the transmission clips 14 of the turbine 7 when inserting the lock 21.

As shown in the figure 5 , a hub 26 according to the invention able to cooperate with the turbine 7 is molded in plastic, and comprises a side wall in which were formed four notches 27 regularly spaced from each other and wide enough to each accommodate one of the clips blocking 11 of the turbine 7. In addition, this side wall is equipped on its outer face with four V-shaped indexing means 28, regularly spaced from one another.

As shown schematically in Figures 6 to 11 , the hub 26 is made integral with a rotary motor 29 fixed in the volute 3 (not shown).

When the fan 1 is installed in the end-user housing, the turbine 7 and its lock 21 have been previously fixed on the hub 26 at the factory. It should be noted that this lock 21 can then only translate between two extreme positions, namely, on the one hand, as shown in the figure 11 , an open position in which the lower part 30 of the outline of each hollow wall 25 is kept blocked between the first stop 15 and the upper inclined face 18 of the second stop 16 of the associated transmission clip 14, and on the other hand , as shown in figure 9 , a closed position in which the lower part 30 of the outline of each hollow wall 25 is kept blocked by the inclined pan 19 lower of the second stop 16 of the associated transmission clip 14.

When the user wishes to clean the turbine 7 after a certain period of time, he then acts as follows.

First, it begins by unclipping the removable hearing 60 by pulling on it.

Once this operation has been carried out, the user grasps the gripping member 22 of the lock 21 and pulls it. The latch 21 which was previously in the closed position, as shown in figures 8 and 9 , is then caused to slide upwards. Indeed, the radial rigidity of the hollow walls 25 being less than that of the transmission clips 14, the traction exerted has the consequence of forcing the lower part 30 of the contour of each hollow wall 25 to deform elastically during the successive sliding along the inclined lower panel 19, of the boss 17, and finally of the upper inclined panel 18 of the transmission clip 14 arranged opposite.

As shown in figures 10 and 11 , each hollow wall 25 returns to its rest position when the lower part 30 opens into the space separating the second stop 16 from the first stop 15. The lower part 30 then comes into contact with the latter which has been designed projecting enough to constitute a stopper.

The continuation of the pulling movement forces the bead 12 of each locking clip 11 to abut against the upper edge of the corresponding notch 27. However, the flat wall 25 associated with each locking clip 11 is no longer there to act as a radial stop, it follows that each locking clip 11 undergoes radial elastic deformation oriented inward. Each bead 12 is finally extracted from its corresponding notch 27 under the effect of the traction, and the sub-assembly formed by the turbine 7 and the latch 21 is detached from the fan 1. The user, who has carried out a quick, simple and tool-free disassembly of the turbine 7, can then clean the blades 8 of the latter.

Once the cleaning operation has been carried out, the user brings back the subassembly formed by the turbine 7 and the latch 21 on the associated hub 26, and exerts a sufficient vertical thrust on the gripping member 22. This vertical thrust is passed on to the upper inclined face 18 of each second stop 16 by the lower part 30 of the outline of the corresponding hollow wall 25 of the lock 21, and makes it possible to automatically center the turbine 7 on the hub 26.

Indeed, this follows from the fact that the upper inclined face 18 is designed so that the minimum stresses to be exerted by the vertical ribs 20 of the turbine 7 on the indexing means 28 in V shape to force the hub 26 to pivot about its axis until it is perfectly oriented are less than those necessary to cause the elastic deformation of each hollow wall 25 due to the sliding of the lower part 30 of its outline along said inclined face 18 corresponding superior.

However, once the turbine 7 is correctly positioned in abutment against the hub 26, the continuation of the vertical thrust exerted by the user then has the effect of forcing the lock 21 to slide through the central neck 10. More precisely, the lower part 30 of the outline of each hollow wall 25 is caused to slide successively along the upper inclined face 18, of the boss 17, and finally of the lower inclined face 19. In doing so, each flat wall 24 slides along the associated locking clip 11, until the lower end of its outline abuts against the radial shoulder 13 of said locking clip 11. This then has the effect of elastically deforming the locking clip 11 outwards so that its radial bead 12 is suitably housed in the corresponding notch 27 of the hub 26. This locking is therefore also done in a simple, quick and tool-free manner.

Once the turbine 7 has been locked, the latter is rotated by the hub 26 under the effect of the motor 29 is then carried out by means of the vertical ribs 20.

To the Figures 12 to 17 a turbine 107 has been shown without its blades and according to the second preferred embodiment, as well as the locking latch 121 and the associated hub 126.

The turbine 107 has a central neck 110 and differs mainly from the turbine 7 by the fact that it has two protrusions 130 in the lower part, arranged opposite one another on either side of the central neck 110 , each equipped with a magnet 111 constituting a locking means, and each provided with a longitudinal rib 120 oriented towards the outside.

Two rods 114 are fixed in each protrusion 130 as shown more specifically in figures 16 and 17 . More specifically, each link 114 has a first substantially cylindrical end 131, having a longitudinal edge 132 forming a stop, and is connected by a rod 133 to a second end 134 projecting parallel to the axis 135 of said first end 131. Each link 114 is then made integral with the turbine 107 by virtue of the axis 135 which is housed in two bores 137, formed in the protrusions 130 and located opposite one another.

The latch 121 includes a gripping member 122 of discoid shape extended by a rod 138 in which is formed a circular groove 139 near its lower end.

The hub 126 is made integral with a rotary motor 129, and is produced in the form of a metal disc 140 having a hollow circular central part 141 in which are formed two notches 142 each intended to accommodate one of the ribs 120.

Factory assembly of the turbine 107 and the lock 121 in the hub 126 is carried out as follows.

First of all, the second end 134 protruding from each link 114 is inserted into the groove 139 of the axis 140 of the lock 121 so that the lock 121 can only translate between two extreme positions, namely a closed position (not shown) and an open position shown in the figures 16 and 17 .

This sub-assembly thus formed is then attached to the hub 126. When the latch 121 is lowered to come into the closed position, each link 114 pivots about its axis 135 in a direction forcing the edge 132 to move away from the bottom of the disc 140. Each link 114 thus constitutes a transmission means allowing the magnets 111 to come into contact with the bottom of the disc 140.

When the user wishes to clean the turbine 107, he takes hold of the gripping member 122 and exerts traction on it. Each link 114 is then driven in a rotation movement in the opposite direction. The edge 132 therefore comes into abutment against the bottom of the disc 140, which has the effect of multiplying the action of the traction exerted on the gripping member 122, and greatly facilitates the detachment of the magnets 111 from the bottom of the disc 140. Each link 114 thus constitutes a transmission means allowing the extraction of the locking means connecting the turbine 107 to the hub 126.

Although the invention has been described in connection with particular embodiments, it is obvious that it is in no way limited thereto and that it includes all the technical equivalents of the means described as well as their combinations if these are within the scope of the invention.

Claims (12)

1. A removable turbine (7; 107) intended to be integrated in a fan (1), in particular for continuous mandatory ventilation, and made in the form of a wheel fitted with a plurality of blades (8) and equipped with blocking means (11; 111) to enable the fastening thereof on a hub (26; 126), characterized in that it comprises projecting transmission means (14; 114), positioned in the proximity of a central neck (10; 110) whose axis of revolution is parallel to that of the wheel, and designed so as to alternately enable the engagement or the extraction of the blocking means, and in that
   either the blocking means are formed in the central neck in the form of a first series of blocking clips (11) evenly spaced apart from one another and each provided at its lower portion with a radial bead (12) oriented outwardly, and the transmission means are formed in the central neck (10) in the form of a second series of transmission clips (14) evenly spaced apart from one another and interspaced with the blocking clips (11), each transmission clip being equipped with a first stop (15) and with a second stop (16) positioned one below each other and oriented inwardly, said first stop forming a steeper projection than the second stop,
   or the blocking means are constituted by at least two magnets (111), and the transmission means are constituted by at least two tie rods (114) each including a substantially cylindrical first end (131) having a longitudinal ridge (132) forming a stop, and connected by a rod (133) to a projecting second end (134) parallel to the axis of the first end.
2. The turbine (7) according to claim 1, characterized in that each blocking clip (11) has at the lower portion a radial shoulder (13) oriented inwardly.
3. The turbine (7) according to any one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the first stop (15) is formed at the upper portion, and in that the second stop (16) is made in the form of a longitudinal boss (17), extending in the middle portion, and extended by an inclined sidewall (18, 19) at each of its upper and lower ends.
4. The turbine (7) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that it comprises, at the periphery of the central neck (10), a central wall (9) on which are formed longitudinal ribs (20) evenly spaced apart and oriented inwardly.
5. An assembly including the turbine according to any one of claims 1 to 4 and a closure lock (21; 121) affixed on the turbine (7; 107) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that it comprises a gripping member (22; 122) and means (24, 25; 138) adapted to slide throughout the central neck (10; 110) of the turbine.
6. The assembly according to claim 5, characterized in that the gripping member (22) is extended by a series of longitudinal planar walls (24) interspaced with a series of longitudinal hollow walls (25), said planar walls and hollow walls being evenly spaced apart from one another.
7. The assembly according to claim 5, characterized in that the gripping member (122) is extended by a longitudinal rod (138) in which a circular groove (139) is formed.
8. An assembly including a hub (26) and a turbine (7) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the hub comprises a lateral wall in which a series of notches (27) is formed, each being adapted to house one of the blocking means (11) of the turbine.
9. The assembly including a hub (26) according to claim 8, characterized in that the lateral wall is equipped on its external face with V-shaped indexing means (28).
10. A fan (1), in particular for continuous mandatory ventilation, comprising a turbine according to any one of claims 1 to 4.
11. A fan (1), in particular for continuous mandatory ventilation, comprising an assembly according to any one of claims 5 to 7.
12. A fan (1) according to claim 11, further including an assembly according to any one of claims 8 to 9.

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