Patent ID: 11873832
Assignee: CATERPILLAR INC.
Field: Engines, pumps, turbines (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC F | IPC F

Claim 10:
11. A fan assembly configured to rotate about a fan axis, the fan assembly comprising:
a unitary hub member, the unitary hub member including:
a hub plate, the hub plate having a front face, a rear face, and an annular surface extending between the front face and the rear face, the hub plate having a bore extending through the front face and the rear face, the bore defining a hub member axis configured to coincide with the fan axis, wherein there is a thickened area adjacent the hub member axis on the hub plate,
a plurality of elongated root sections extending radially from and being circumferentially spaced apart on the annular surface of the hub plate, each elongated root section having a substantially circular cross-section, each cross-section having a pair of curved surfaces and a pair of spaced apart machined blade mounting surfaces connecting the pair of curved surfaces to define a machined root section, the blade mounting surfaces extending lengthwise of the root section, the pair of curved surfaces having an identical radii and extending about a common center point, and at least one of the machined blade mounting surfaces of each machined root section having a plurality of bores extending therethrough, and
wherein the hub plate and the plurality of elongated root sections are unitarily formed; and
a plurality of fan blades, each fan blade engaging one of the machined blade mounting surfaces, whereby one of the fan blades is mounted on each of the machined blade mounting surfaces.