Patent Abstract:
An apparatus and method for producing air flow in a vehicle that uses a cooling fan for an engine of the vehicle. The cooling fan has plurality of blades, which define an outer perimeter of the fan. The apparatus also includes a housing surrounding at least a portion of the outer perimeter of the fan and a plurality of vanes between the housing and the fan. The vanes are revolved around the outer perimeter of the fan to direct air into the housing.

Full Description:
FIELD 
       [0001]    The present disclosure relates to an apparatus and method of reducing undesirable emissions from a vehicle, and more particularly to an apparatus and method of producing airflow for use during a cold start to reduce undesirable emissions. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Vehicles today employ various methods to reduce undesirable components of emissions. A catalytic converter is one component found in most vehicles that assists in reducing undesirable components found in vehicle emissions. One of the biggest shortcomings of the catalytic converter, however, is that it generally provides its highest efficiency at fairly high temperatures. This does not present a problem during normal operation of a vehicle because the heat generated by the vehicle&#39;s engine heats the catalytic converter. During a cold start of a vehicle, however, the engine is not able to heat the catalytic converter for a short period. During this short period, the catalytic converter does not operate at a desirable efficiency to reduce undesirable components in the vehicle&#39;s exhaust. 
         [0003]    In one configuration to reduce emissions during a cold start, the temperature of the catalytic converter can be quickly raised without using heat generated by the engine. To raise the temperature of the catalytic converter in these situations, many vehicles are equipped with a secondary air system. The secondary air system typically includes a compact air pump that compresses and forces air into an exhaust manifold that contains the catalytic converter. As emissions from the engine enter the exhaust manifold, they encounter the compressed air and oxidize. The oxidation of the emissions quickly raises the temperature of the catalytic converter. This allows the catalytic converter to operate efficiently and reduce the toxicity of emissions even during a cold start. This efficiency comes at a price, however, since the required air pump tends to be expensive and at times unreliable. What is needed is a better way to supply compressed air to the exhaust manifold during a cold start to enable efficient operation of the catalytic converter. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0004]    The present disclosure provides an apparatus for moving air in a vehicle. The apparatus includes a cooling fan for the vehicle&#39;s engine that has a plurality of blades. The plurality of blades defines an outer perimeter of the fan. The apparatus also includes a housing surrounding at least a portion of the outer perimeter of the fan and a plurality of vanes between the housing and the fan. The vanes revolve around the outer perimeter of the fan to direct air into the housing. 
         [0005]    The housing may have an outlet, wherein the air directed into the housing is directed out the outlet. The air in the housing may be compressed before being directed out the outlet. The housing may include a varying cross sectional area for compressing the air. Further, the outlet may be directed to a secondary air system of the vehicle. 
         [0006]    The apparatus may also include a motor for revolving the vanes and revolving the fan. The vanes may also be hinged to allow rotation between an open position and a closed position. Revolving the vanes in a first direction rotates the vanes to the open position. Revolving the vanes in a second direction rotates the vanes to the closed position. Additionally, revolving the fan in the second direction directs air to assist in cooling the engine. 
         [0007]    The present disclosure also provides a method of moving air in a vehicle. The method includes revolving a plurality of vanes around a perimeter of a cooling fan for the vehicle&#39;s engine. The revolving vanes direct air into a housing surrounding the vanes. The method may further include compressing the air that enters the housing and outputting the compressed air through an outlet in the housing. The compressed air may be directed to a secondary air system of the vehicle. Further, the housing may compress the air entering the housing by having a varying cross sectional area. 
         [0008]    The method may also include revolving the vanes and the fan using a single motor. The vanes used in the method may be hinged to allow rotation between an open position and a closed position. Revolving the vanes in a first direction rotates the vanes to the open position. Revolving the vanes in a second direction rotates the vanes to the closed position. Additionally, revolving the fan in the second direction directs air to assist in cooling the engine. 
         [0009]    Further areas of applicability of the present disclosure will become apparent from the detailed description, drawings and claims provided hereinafter. It should be understood that the detailed description, including disclosed embodiments and drawings, are merely exemplary in nature and intended for purposes of illustration only, and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention, its application, or use. Thus, variations that do not depart from the gist of the invention are intended to be within the scope of the invention. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]      FIG. 1  is a front view of a exemplary fan with a surrounding vane system; 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is a side view of an exemplary air flow production system that incorporates the fan and vane support of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  is a front view of the fan of  FIG. 1  with a front vane support removed to show the vanes; 
           [0013]      FIG. 4   a  is an exemplary rotatable hinged vane; 
           [0014]      FIG. 4   b  is an exemplary fixed vane; 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  is an exemplary cavity in a vane support that houses part of the vane of  FIG. 4   a;    
           [0016]      FIG. 6  is a front view of the air production system of  FIG. 2  along the line  6 , with the vanes in the open position; 
           [0017]      FIG. 7  is a side view of  FIG. 1  with the vanes in the open position; 
           [0018]      FIG. 8  is a front view of the air production system of  FIG. 2  along the line  6 , with the vanes in the closed position; 
           [0019]      FIG. 9  is a side view of  FIG. 1  with the vanes in the closed position; and 
           [0020]      FIG. 10  is the air production system of  FIG. 2  within a vehicle. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0021]      FIGS. 1 and 2  illustrate various components of an exemplary airflow production system  100  used in a vehicle. The system  100  includes a fan  110  with a plurality of fan blades  112  coupled to a motor  114 . The motor  114  is in the center of the fan  110  and produces a force that revolves the blades  112 . The fan  110  may be a radiator fan used in a vehicle&#39;s cooling systems. Alternatively, the fan  110  may have other configurations. The system  100  also includes a vane system  130  that is circular and surrounds the outer periphery of the fan  110 . The vane system  130  has an open area and does not cover the face of the fan  110 . The vane system  130  includes a front vane support  132 , a back vane support  134 , and a plurality of vanes  140  as illustrated in  FIG. 7 . The front vane support  132  and the back vane support  134  are both circular with open areas. Individual vanes  140  are coupled between the front and back vane supports  132 ,  134 . The front and back vane supports  132 ,  134  support and retain the vanes  140  in place. The vanes  140  are described below in more detail with respect to  FIGS. 4 ,  5 , and  6 . 
         [0022]    The vane system  130  is coupled to the motor  114 . As the motor  114  spins to revolve the fan blades  112 , the motor  114  revolves the vane system  130 . Alternatively, the vane system  130  may be coupled to and revolved by another motor that is not part of the fan  110 . The vane system  130  may be coupled to the motor  114  by way of the fan blades  112 . Each fan blade  112 , at a point furthest from the fan motor  114 , may be coupled to the vane system  130 . Alternatively, supports may couple the vane system  130  to the motor  114  to allow the motor  114  to revolve the vane system  130 . It should be understood that the disclosure should not be limited to how the vane system  130  is revolved around its center axis. 
         [0023]      FIG. 2  illustrates a side view of system  100  with the periphery of the fan blades  112  and the vane system  130  surrounded by a housing  120 . The motor  114  is shown in the middle of the housing  120 . The housing  120  has an open area to allow airflow produced by the fan  110  to pass through. Arrows  116  show one direction of airflow produced by the fan  110  passing through the area of the housing  120 . 
         [0024]      FIG. 3  illustrates a view of the fan  110  surrounded by the vane system  130  with the front vane support  132  removed to expose the vanes  140  supported in the vane system  130 .  FIG. 4   a  illustrates an example of a rotatable vane  140 . The vane  140  includes a first arm  142 , a second arm  144 , a hinge  146 , and a flat  148 . The first and second arms  142 ,  144  extend away from the circular hinge  146 , with the first arm  142  being longer than the second arm  144 . Each vane  140  has an axis of rotation around the hinge  146 . The axis of rotation is offset from the center of the each vane  140  because the first and second arms  142 ,  144  are not the same length in this example. The flat  148  is coupled to the hinge  146  and has a rectangle shape. 
         [0025]    The flat  148  and the hinge  146  of each vane  140  interact with a vane connector  136  ( FIG. 5 ) on both the front and back vane supports  132 ,  134 . In an illustrated embodiment, the vane connector  136  is a cavity within the front and back vane supports  132 ,  134  that has a bowtie shape with a circular middle  137  as illustrated in  FIG. 5 . The hinge  146  of each vane  140  rests in the middle  137  of the vane connector  136 . This connection allows the vane  140  to rotate. The flat  148  also resides within the cavity of the vane connector  136 . The flat  148  limits the rotation of the vane  140 . As the vane  140  rotates around the hinge  146 , the flat  148  rotates and meets a flat section of the vane connector  136 , stopping the rotation of the vane  140 . The shape of the vane connector  136  and the flat  148  may be modified to control the amount of rotation of each vane  140 . It should be understood that the ability to control the rotation of a vane  140  is not limited to the vane  140  having a flat  148 . Alternatively, the rotation of a vane  140  may be controlled by the vane  140  coming into contact with another vane  140  or by other means. 
         [0026]    Alternatively, the vane system  130  may include fixed vanes  240  illustrated in  FIG. 4   b . Each fixed vane  240  has a shape similar to vanes  140 , but does not include a hinge or a flat. The fixed vane  240  is instead rigidly coupled to the front and back vane support  132 ,  134  and does not rotate. The fixed vanes  240  are fixed in a position similar to the vanes  140  shown in  FIG. 7 . 
         [0027]      FIG. 6  illustrates a cross-sectional view of the front of the system  100  taken along the line  6  of  FIG. 2  and illustrates the internal part of the housing  120 . The housing  120  is open next to the vane system  130  to receive airflow  160  directed, here pushed, by the vane system  130  into the housing  120 . The housing  120  has a varying internal height  122  and first and second outlets  124 ,  126 . The outlets  124 ,  126  are evenly spaced around the periphery of the housing  120  and are located in corresponding compression chambers  125 ,  127 . The compression chambers  125 ,  127  equally divide the housing  120  in half. The height  122  within each compression chamber  125 ,  127  is at its peak at an end farthest from its respective outlet  124 ,  126 . The height  122  of each compression chamber  125 ,  127  gradually decreases until it reaches a minimum height  123  near its respectively outlet  124 ,  126 . 
         [0028]    The varying height  122  of each compression chamber  125 ,  127  allow the compression chambers  125 ,  127  to compress air that is directed into the chambers  125 ,  127  by the vane system  130 . The varying height  122  also allows the compression chamber  125 ,  127  to force the compressed air out the respective outlets  124 ,  126 . It should be understood that system  100  is not limited to having two outlets  124 ,  126  and two compression chambers  125 ,  127 . Nor is the system  100  limited to having the chambers  125 ,  127  and outlets  124 ,  126  equally spaced around the housing  120 . Alternatively, the system  100  may have a single outlet and compression chamber. The system  100  may also have multiple outlets and chambers. Further, the chambers  125 ,  127  and outlets  124 ,  126  may be unevenly spaced around the housing  120 . 
         [0029]    In operation, system  100  moves air and then compresses it. To begin, the vane system  130  is revolved by the motor  114  in a counter-clockwise direction. The vane system  130  draws air from the area, e.g. center area, of the system  100  and directs the air into the housing  120  as shown by the airflow  160 . Once inside the housing  120 , the airflow  160  within compression chamber  125  is directed toward the outlet  124 . As the airflow  160  flows along the compression chamber  125 , the volume of the compression chamber  125  decreases as the height  122  decreases, thereby compressing the airflow  160 . The compressed airflow  160  is then directed out of outlet  124 . The airflow  160  within the compression chamber  127  is compressed and directed out the outlet  126  in a similar manner. 
         [0030]      FIG. 10  illustrates the system  100  used in a vehicle  220  to compress air and to cool an engine  222  of the vehicle  220 . The system  100  would be used on a cold start to provide compressed air to a secondary air system  224 . For example, as shown in  FIG. 6  and described above, when the fan  110  and the vane system  130  are rotated in a counter-clockwise direction, air is pushed into the housing  120 , compressed and piped to the secondary air system  224 . Either the hinged vanes  140  or the fixed vanes  240  may be used to direct air into the housing  120  where the air is compressed. The compressed air is used by the secondary air system  224  to quickly raise the temperature of the catalytic converter to reduce emissions on a cold start. Air is also directed by the fan  110  away from the engine  222  of the vehicle  220 . After the catalytic converter&#39;s temperature is raised, the rotations of the fan  110  and vane system  130  are stopped. 
         [0031]    After the engine  222  has been running, it may need to be cooled. The fan  110  of the system  100  is revolved in a clockwise direction to direct air to cool the engine  222 . As a result, the vane system  130  is also rotated in a clockwise direction. If the fixed vanes  240  are part of the system  100 , when the fan  110  rotates in a clockwise direction to direct air to cool the engine  222 , the fixed vanes  240  direct some air into the housing  120 . As a result, pressure builds and the pressure applies a force counter to the rotation of the fan motor  114 . The fan motor  114  must subsequently draw additional power from the engine  222  to overcome this force. 
         [0032]    To eliminate the extra draw on the engine  222 , the hinged vanes  140  should be used. As discussed above, each vane  140  is able to rotate around their respective hinge  146  and the hinge  146  is offset from the center of each vane  140  so that each vane  140  has an offset center of inertia. As a result, as shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 , when the vane system  130  is rotated in the counter clockwise direction the centripetal force on each vane  140  rotates that vane  140 . The vane  140  is rotated until the flat  148  contacts a portion of the vane connector  136 . After being rotated, the vane  140  has its first arm  142  extending toward the motor  114  of the fan  110  and is in an open position. With the vanes  140  in the open position, the vane system  130  is able to direct air into the housing  120  where the air is compressed to aid in a cold start. 
         [0033]    When the fan  110  is rotated in a clockwise direction to cool the engine  222 , the vanes  140  also rotate. When the vanes  140  are rotated in a clockwise direction, the centripetal force rotates the vanes  140  in a direction opposite from when the vanes  140  are rotated in the counter-clockwise direction. Again, each vane  140  is rotated until the flat  148  contacts a portion of the vane connector  136 . After being rotated, the first arm  142  of each vane  140  is folded up and in contact with another one of the vanes  140 , closing the housing  120 .  FIGS. 8 and 9  illustrate the vanes  140  in the closed position. As a result, the vane system  130  does not direct air into the housing  120  and no additional force is placed on the motor  114  when the fan  110  is used to cool the engine  222 . It should be understood that system  100  may be designed to produce compressed air when the vanes  140  are rotated in either the clockwise or counter-clockwise direction. 
         [0034]    The system  100  offers various advantageous because little additional space is required to generate the compressed air for a cold start because the system  100  utilizes many components from the vehicle&#39;s  220  existing cooling system, namely a fan  110  and a housing  120 . Further, the additional component costs are reduced compared to known systems. Moreover, the system  100  has higher reliability and requires less energy draw than existing systems.

Technology Classification (CPC): 5