Snow Blower Impeller Hub Motor Nesting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional two-stage snow blower machines face inefficiencies due to low impeller flow rates, leading to clogging and longer machine lengths that hinder maneuverability and increase operational forces.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates an impeller chamber with a rotatable hub that houses the impeller motor, allowing the motor body to be at least partially disposed within the hub, which increases impeller flow rates and reduces the overall machine length by integrating the motor within the hub.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the impeller motor is arranged along the traveling axis behind the housing, then the motor is properly positioned and protected, but the machine length increases reducing maneuverability
Solution Approach 1:
The impeller motor is nested within the hub of the impeller, with the motor body disposed inside the hub cavity. This nesting arrangement allows the motor to be integrated into the existing impeller structure rather than being mounted separately along the traveling axis, thereby reducing the overall machine length while maintaining proper motor positioning and protection within the hub housing.
2Device complexity
If the impeller flow rate is low, then the machine structure is simpler, but snow removal efficiency decreases and clogging occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The hub is designed with differentiated local qualities: the outer portion maintains structural integrity for impeller support, while the inner cavity is optimized to house the motor body. This local quality differentiation allows the hub to serve dual functions - structural support and motor housing - enabling higher impeller flow rates without proportionally increasing overall device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The hub serves multiple functions: it provides structural support for the impeller blades, houses the impeller motor body, and maintains rotational balance. This multi-functionality allows the system to achieve higher snow removal efficiency through proper motor integration without requiring additional separate components, thus improving productivity without linearly increasing device complexity.
3Length of moving object
If the machine length is reduced by integrating the motor in the hub, then maneuverability improves, but the hub structural integrity may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The motor body is nested within the hub cavity, utilizing the internal space of the hub rather than adding external components. This nesting approach reduces machine length while maintaining hub structural integrity because the motor is integrated into the existing hub geometry rather than requiring external mounting structures that would extend the machine length.
Solution Approach 2:
The hub structure is designed with localized reinforcement and optimized wall thickness in critical areas to maintain structural integrity while accommodating the motor body. The local quality variations in the hub material distribution ensure sufficient strength and rotational balance while allowing the motor housing integration that reduces overall machine length.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration enhances snow flow rates by up to 300% and reduces the machine's length, improving maneuverability and reducing operational stresses on components, thereby increasing efficiency and reducing power consumption.
Implementation Method 1
an impeller including a hub having an inner diameter. The hub rotatable about an impeller axis to receive expelled snow from the first stage snow mover and deliver it to a second discharge opening. An impeller motor including a motor body configured to rotate the impeller
Implementation Method 2
An impeller motor including a motor body configured to rotate the impeller, and the motor body defines a lateral cross-sectional dimension of the motor, and the motor body may be at least partially housed within the hub of the impeller
Data Source
AI summary
An example snow blower machine includes a first stage snow mover and a second stage snow mover. Snow is received at an inlet opening of the first stage and expels snow to the discharge opening. In a second stage, an impeller chamber receives snow from the first stage. The impeller chamber extends from a snow receiving end proximate the discharge opening to a distal end rearward of the discharge opening. To receive expelled snow from the first stage and deliver the snow to a second discharge opening, an impeller rotatable around an impeller axis at a hub is disposed in the impeller chamber. The impeller may be rotated by an impeller motor having a motor body that is at least partially disposed within the hub.