Ventilator with rotor shaft mounted on two sides

Abstract

The invention relates to a ventilator (1) having a rotor unit which is rotatable about an axis of rotation (X) and which has a rotor shaft (12) extending along the axis of rotation (X), wherein the ventilator (1) has, on a first side (A) of the rotor unit along the axis of rotation (X), a first support structure, and, on a second side (B) of the rotor unit lying opposite along the axis of rotation (X), a second support structure, wherein the rotor shaft (12), on the first side (A), is mounted with a first bearing (21) on the first support structure and, on the second side (B), is mounted with a second bearing (22) on the second support structure.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a ventilator characterized, in particular, in that its rotor shaft is mounted both on a first side and on a second side lying opposite along an axis of rotation by a respective bearing against a respective support structure, with a rotor unit of the ventilator arranged therebetween.

[0002] A plurality of ventilators and corresponding ventilator arrangements are known from the prior art. In particular, axial ventilators, but also diagonal ventilators, usually provide for a rotatable rotor unit of the ventilator to be mounted in a floating manner by means of a rotor shaft via two bearings which are arranged in a common bearing tube. In this case, the bearing tube surrounds the rotor shaft and is fixed in the longitudinal direction only on one side and is free on the opposite side.

[0003] Oscillations arising during the rotation of the rotor unit must be transmitted via the rotor shaft to the bearing tube and must be dissipated from the bearing tube, which must withstand the oscillations and vibrations accordingly.

[0004] In the high-performance range of ventilators, a higher-grade material must then often be employed both for the bearing tube and for a casing on which the bearing tube is fixed on one side, in order not to be damaged.

[0005] Therefore, instead of inexpensive and easy-to-process plastics, metal or a different high-strength material must often be used in order to be able to ensure reliable employment at corresponding rotational speeds in a rotationally dynamic manner, which is, however, correspondingly complicated and expensive.

[0006] It is therefore an object of the invention to overcome the aforementioned disadvantages and to provide a ventilator with an alternative design in which the vibrations arising in the high-performance range can be dissipated in a simple and inexpensive manner.

[0007] This object is achieved by the combination of features according to claim 1.

[0008] According to the invention, a ventilator is therefore proposed having a rotor unit which is rotatable about an axis of rotation and which has a rotor shaft extending along the axis of rotation. Further, the ventilator has, on a first side of the rotor unit along the axis of rotation, a first support structure, and, on a second side of the rotor unit lying opposite along the axis of rotation and hence being spaced apart along the axis of rotation, a second support structure. The rotor shaft, on the first side, is mounted with a first bearing on the first support structure and, on the second side, is mounted with a second bearing on the second support structure. The ventilator is preferably an axial ventilator, wherein it may also be a diagonal ventilator.

[0009] The ventilator may be formed in particular to suck in air on the first or second side and to exhaust it on the respectively opposite side or orthogonally to the axis of rotation. If air is sucked in or exhausted on the first or second side, the respective support structure is formed to be air-permeable.

[0010] In an advantageous development, the rotor unit has a ventilator wheel connected to the rotor shaft in a rotationally fixed manner, which may also be referred to as an impeller and preferably has a plurality of vanes and blades, respectively, extending in a radial direction and uniformly distributed in a peripheral direction, which may extend radially outwards starting from an inner ring of the impeller.

[0011] Deviating from ventilators provided in the prior art, the bearings for mounting the rotor unit and the ventilator wheel, respectively, are, as a result, not arranged in a common bearing tube and not arranged within the ventilator wheel, respectively, but rather, in each case, on separate support structures offset along the axis of rotation.

[0012] The bearings may in this case lie along the axis of rotation outside a rotor unit which is formed, in particular, by the ventilator wheel and a rotor of an electric motor driving the ventilator wheel. The rotor of the electric motor may, in particular, have magnets and optionally also a yoke ring.

[0013] In addition, a connecting element extending in the radial direction from the yoke ring to the rotor shaft may also be provided as part of the rotor or the rotor unit, which may also be formed integrally with the yoke ring, so that the latter may be formed in a pot shape.

[0014] The yoke ring or also the preferably plate-shaped connecting element may be connected to the rotor shaft via a shaft-hub connection. In particular, if a connecting element is provided, it may also be overmolded directly onto the rotating shaft.

[0015] This results in the ventilator wheel and / or the entire rotor unit, which may be formed by the ventilator wheel and the rotor, and their centers of gravity lying along the axis of rotation between the bearings and the bearing locations resulting from the bearings.

[0016] The arrangement of the bearings according to the invention and a resulting support on both sides and support mounting on both sides, respectively, make it possible to provide high rigidities with low-priced materials and simple structures.

[0017] The first and second bearings are each preferably a radial bearing. One of the bearings may in this case be provided as a fixed bearing, and the other, as a loose bearing.

[0018] Furthermore, the ventilator preferably has a motor with the rotor which is formed, in particular, by means of magnets for rotary drive of the rotor unit. In this case, the rotor is itself a part of the rotor unit and is connected to the rotor shaft in a rotationally fixed manner. The connection of the rotor to the rotor shaft may in this case be established by means of the previously discussed connecting element or by means of the pot-like formation of the yoke ring.

[0019] Furthermore, the rotor is arranged completely between the first bearing and the second bearing, in particular along the axis of rotation.

[0020] The motor is, in particular, an electric motor, the stator of which may be arranged radially inside the rotor, wherein the stator may further be arranged in the peripheral direction about a rotating shaft discussed below.

[0021] According to an advantageous development, it is provided that the first support structure is formed by at least one inlet web and preferably a plurality of inlet webs. In this case, the at least one inlet web extends outwards from the axis of rotation in the radial direction. If several inlet webs are provided, they preferably extend from radially inside in a star shape radially outwards.

[0022] It may also preferably be provided that the second support structure is formed by at least one outlet web and preferably a plurality of outlet webs. In this case, the at least one outlet web extends outwards from the axis of rotation in the radial direction. If several outlet webs are provided, they preferably likewise extend from radially inside in a star shape radially outwards.

[0023] Correspondingly, it may be provided for the first bearing to be supported by the inlet webs, and the second bearing to be fixed to the outlet webs, respectively, so that, as a result, the inlet and outlet webs form the respective support structure for the respective bearing and for the rotor shaft supported thereby and the rotor unit, respectively. The support by means of the inlet and outlet webs, respectively, enables forces from the bearings and, in particular, the forces in the radial direction to be dissipated.

[0024] A respective bearing, which typically consists of an inner ring and an outer ring, may also be fixed to the respective webs at its outer ring.

[0025] Further, the ventilator may have a casing ring which is completely circumferential about the rotor unit in a peripheral direction about the axis of rotation. If air is to be exhausted laterally and orthogonally to the axis of rotation, respectively, it may also be formed to be air-permeable in sections.

[0026] If such a casing ring is provided, a further advantageous variant provides that the first support structure and the inlet webs, respectively, and / or the second support structure and the outlet webs, respectively, are each fixed to the casing ring and extend from the casing ring and, in particular, in a plane orthogonal to the axis of rotation towards the axis of rotation.

[0027] Furthermore, the first support structure may be fixed or integrally connected to an end section spaced apart from the axis of rotation in the radial direction by a first assembly ring which is circumferential about the axis of rotation in the circumferential direction, with the casing ring fixed thereto. In addition, or in the alternative, the second support structure is fixed or integrally connected to an end section spaced apart from the axis of rotation in the radial direction by a second assembly ring which is circumferential about the axis of rotation in the circumferential direction, with the casing ring fixed thereto.

[0028] In this case, the first assembly ring and / or the second assembly ring may each have a circumferential groove or surface for housing the casing ring, in and on which, respectively, the casing ring may respectively be fixable.

[0029] For housing the bearings on the respective webs and on the respective support structure, respectively, the first support structure may form a first bearing housing which is circumferential about the axis of rotation for housing the first bearing, and / or the second support structure may form a second bearing housing which is circumferential about the axis of rotation for housing the second bearing. The bearing housing may, in particular, be formed in a pot shape. In particular, an outer ring of the respective bearing may also be fixed in the respective bearing housing.

[0030] A first pot-like bearing housing may also face the ventilator wheel and may be opened towards the ventilator wheel, respectively. A second pot-like bearing housing may face away from the ventilator wheel.

[0031] Assembly elements extending in the radial direction may also be provided on the first side and / or on the second side, by means of which the ventilator is fixable to a ventilator housing. In this case, the assembly elements are preferably arranged uniformly distributed in the peripheral direction about the axis of rotation. Furthermore, the assembly elements may be formed, in particular, by tabs extending radially outwards.

[0032] In this case, the assembly elements may be formed integrally by the inlet or outlet webs. For example, a part of a plurality of inlet or outlet webs may project beyond the casing ring in the radial direction and may have or form a tab or opening as assembly elements radially outside the casing ring.

[0033] Alternatively, the assembly elements may also be formed integrally with the casing ring or the first assembly ring or the second assembly ring or may be fixed thereto.

[0034] For example, variously formed assembly elements may be provided for various installation situations or intended purposes, which are selectable depending on the respective situation and are providable on one of the assembly rings or the casing ring.

[0035] Furthermore, the casing ring and / or the ventilator wheel and / or the inlet webs and / or the outlet webs and / or the first assembly ring and / or the second assembly ring may be formed from plastics and preferably completely from plastics.

[0036] Also, the casing ring and / or the ventilator wheel and / or the inlet webs and / or the outlet webs and / or the first assembly ring and / or the second assembly ring may be manufactured in a plastic injection molding method. In this case, in particular, the inlet webs, the first bearing housing, and the second assembly ring may be formed integrally, i.e., firmly bonded, with one another. In particular, the outlet webs, the second bearing housing, and the second assembly ring may likewise be formed integrally with one another.

[0037] Depending on the load, however, individual components may also be formed from other materials, such as metal. In particular, the inlet webs or the outlet webs and, in general, the first or second support structure, respectively, may be manufactured from metal on a more heavily loaded side of the rotor shaft.

[0038] The features disclosed above can be used in any combination, as far as this is technically feasible and they do not contradict each other.

[0039] Other advantageous developments of the invention are characterized in the dependent claims or are presented in further detail below along with the description of the preferred embodiment of the invention with reference to the figures. In the drawings:

[0040] FIG. 1 shows a sectional view through a ventilator;

[0041] FIG. 2 shows a top view of a ventilator.

[0042] The figures are schematic by way of example. Like reference numbers in the figures indicate like functional and / or structural features.

[0043] FIG. 1 shows a ventilator 1 formed as an axial ventilator in a cross section, wherein the ventilator 1 shown from a top view in FIG. 2 may correspond to that of FIG. 1.

[0044] The ventilator 1 has an impeller 10 with a plurality of ventilator blades 11 arranged spaced apart from one another in the peripheral direction U and extending outwards in the radial direction R. The impeller 10 is drivable by a motor in a rotary manner about the axis of rotation X. For this purpose, the motor has a rotor formed by magnets 31 and a stator 33 as well as motor electronics provided on a printed circuit board 34, wherein the magnets 31 are connected to the ventilator wheel 10 via a yoke ring 32 formed in a pot shape, which itself may be considered a part of the rotor. The ventilator wheel 10 and the magnets 31 together with the pot-shaped yoke ring 32 form a rotor unit which is connected to a rotor shaft 12 via the pot-shaped yoke ring 32 and a shaft-hub connection 34.

[0045] By means of the rotary drive of the ventilator wheel 10 about the axis of rotation X via the motor, air is conveyable from the first side A in a direction of flow S to the second side B. Correspondingly, the first side A may presently also be referred to as a suction side, and the second side B, as an exhaust side.

[0046] Presently, the rotor shaft 12 is not mounted in a bearing tube, but via two bearing points spaced apart from one another, which are each spaced apart along the axis of rotation X from the ventilator wheel 10 and the rotor unit, respectively. To accomplish this, a first bearing 21 and a second bearing 22 are provided, having the rotor shaft 12 mounted thereon. In this case, the bearings 21, 22 are each supported by their own radially outwardly extending support structure.

[0047] On the first side A, a plurality of inlet webs 41 are provided, which form the first support structure and extend from radially outside in the radial direction R towards the axis of rotation X and support the first bearing 21. Furthermore, a plurality of outlet webs 42 are provided on the second side B which form the second support structure and likewise extend from radially outside in the radial direction R towards the axis of rotation X and support the second bearing 22.

[0048] In this case, the inlet webs 41, in a region about the axis of rotation X, transition into a first bearing housing 46 formed in a pot-like manner, in which the first bearing 21 is housed.

[0049] Likewise, on the second side B, the outlet webs 42, in a region about the axis of rotation X, transition into a second bearing housing 47 formed in a pot-like manner, in which the second bearing 22 is housed.

[0050] The first inlet webs 41 and the second outlet webs 42 each transition into an assembly ring 44, 45 which is completely circumferential about the axis of rotation X in the peripheral direction U.

[0051] The rotor unit and the ventilator wheel 10, respectively, are completely surrounded in the peripheral direction U by a casing ring 43 which is fixed, on the first side A, to the first assembly ring 44 and on the second side B, to the second assembly ring 45.

[0052] Correspondingly, the first bearing 21 and the second bearing 22 are connected to one another via the respective webs 41, 42, the respective assembly ring 44, 45, as well as the casing ring 43, so that the rotor shaft 12 and the rotor unit fixed thereto are supported on both sides along the axis of rotation X and spaced apart from the rotor unit along the axis of rotation X.

[0053] High rigidity is achieved by the support on both sides, wherein the webs 41, 42, the bearing housings 46, 47, and the assembly rings 44, 45, in particular, may be formed from low-priced materials and, in particular, plastics.

[0054] The ventilator 1 shown in FIG. 2 from a top view from the first side A is presented in a simplified manner and, in particular, without the rotor unit. At the edge region formed by the outer periphery of the assembly rings 44, 45, presently, four assembly elements 48 are presented for fastening the ventilator 1, which are distributed uniformly about the periphery of the first assembly ring 44 in the peripheral direction U and are, presently, integrally formed with the first assembly ring 44 by way of example.

[0055] By means of the assembly elements 48 presented, the ventilator 48 is fixable to a ventilator housing in a simple manner.

[0056] The implementation of the invention is not limited to the preferred exemplary embodiments indicated above. Instead, a number of variants are conceivable which make use of the presented solution even in case of fundamentally distinct embodiments.

Claims

1-8. (canceled)9. A ventilator comprising,a rotor unit which is rotatable about an axis of rotation and which has a rotor shaft extending along the axis of rotation;a ventilator wheel connected to the rotor shaft in a rotationally fixed manner;a first support structure is on a first side of the rotor unit along the axis of rotation, and a second support structure is on a second side of the rotor unit lying opposite along the axis of rotation;the rotor shaft, on the first side, is mounted with a first bearing on the first support structure and, on the second side, is mounted with a second bearing on the second support structure,the first support structure forms a first bearing housing which is circumferential about the axis of rotation for housing the first bearing, andthe second support structure forms a second bearing housing which is circumferential about the axis of rotation for housing the second bearing,the bearing housings are each formed in a pot shape, the first bearing housing is opened towards the ventilator wheel, and the second bearing housing is opened on the side facing away from the ventilator wheel.

10. The ventilator of claim 9 further comprising:a motor with a rotor that is formed by magnets for rotary drive of the rotor unit;the rotor is a part of the rotor unit and is connected to the rotor shaft in a rotationally fixed manner; andthe rotor is arranged completely between the first bearing and the second bearing.

11. The ventilator according to claim 9, wherein:the first support structure is formed by at least one inlet web extending outwards from the axis of rotation in a radial direction.

12. The ventilator according to claim 9, wherein:the second support structure is formed by at least one outlet web extending outwards from the axis of rotation in a radial direction.

13. The ventilator according to claim 9, further comprising:a casing ring that is completely circumferential about the rotor unit in a peripheral direction about the axis of rotation.

14. The ventilator according to claim 13, wherein:the first support structure is fixed to the casing ring and extends from the casing ring, encompassing the first bearing, to the axis of rotation; andthe second support structure is fixed to the casing ring and extends from the casing ring, encompassing the second bearing, to the axis of rotation.

15. The ventilator according to claim 13, wherein:the first support structure is fixed or integrally connected to an end section spaced apart from the axis of rotation in the radial direction by a first assembly ring which is circumferential about the axis of rotation in the peripheral direction, with the casing ring fixed thereto, andthe second support structure is fixed or integrally connected to an end section spaced apart from the axis of rotation in the radial direction by a second assembly ring which is circumferential about the axis of rotation in the peripheral direction, with the casing ring fixed thereto.

16. The ventilator according to claim 9, further comprising:assembly elements, extending in the radial direction, on the first side and on the second side, by which the ventilator is fixable to a ventilator housing.

17. The ventilator according to claim 13, wherein:the first support structure is fixed to the casing ring and extends from the casing ring, encompassing the first bearing, to the axis of rotation; orthe second support structure is fixed to the casing ring and extends from the casing ring, encompassing the second bearing, to the axis of rotation.

18. The ventilator according to claim 13, wherein:the first support structure is fixed or integrally connected to an end section spaced apart from the axis of rotation in the radial direction by a first assembly ring which is circumferential about the axis of rotation in the peripheral direction, with the casing ring fixed thereto, orthe second support structure is fixed or integrally connected to an end section spaced apart from the axis of rotation in the radial direction by a second assembly ring which is circumferential about the axis of rotation in the peripheral direction, with the casing ring fixed thereto.

19. The ventilator according to claim 9, further comprising:assembly elements, extending in the radial direction, on the first side or on the second side, by which the ventilator is fixable to a ventilator housing.

Images