Patent Description:
It is known that various ventilation systems exist, which can be used in the above fields for example to suck or extract air from an indoor space and expel it to the outside. In particular, ventilation systems exist that are installed in line with the ventilation conduits, they therefore substantially comprise a housing casing for an electric motor with which an impeller is associated. The impeller is able to rotate according to an axis of rotation substantially parallel to the flow of air that passes through the ventilation system from an inlet conduit to an outlet conduit.

However, in practice these ventilation systems are rather noisy and access to the internal parts is difficult, for example for access to the electric motor or the impeller, due to inspection, maintenance or replacement of parts or other needs.

In order to reduce noise emissions, ventilation devices exist that comprise a completely perforated motor-carrying casing, to which air suction and delivery nozzles are connected, which are also completely perforated.

Above this assembly, formed by the motor-carrying casing and the suction and delivery nozzles, a shell made of soundproofing material is positioned, which is attached to said assembly, for example by means of adhesive tapes or suchlike and which is bound by one or more layers of film. A rigid covering casing is then positioned above this shell of soundproofing material, which represents the external casing of the ventilation device. In this way a structure is substantially generated, consisting of three separate and distinct components and an attachment material for two of these.

It is obvious that this system is quite disadvantageous if it becomes necessary to inspect the motor-carrying assembly and possibly, as mentioned above, to carry out inspection, maintenance and/or replacement of the electric motor or other parts. In such cases, in fact, it is necessary to remove all the elements that have been positioned in layers above the assembly comprising the motor-carrying element. Therefore, to disassemble the ventilation device it is necessary to remove the outer casing, the layers of film, any adhesive tapes, or other, and the shell of soundproofing material wrapped around said assembly.

Furthermore, following disassembly of the ventilation device, the soundproofing material could be damaged and therefore it could become necessary to replace it, as well as any adhesive tapes used to clamp it in place, wrapping films, or other.

Any possible internal inspection operations of known ventilation devices are therefore often time-consuming and laborious, and furthermore the soundproofing efficiency could be compromised following these laborious operations to disassemble and assemble the device.

One known ventilation system that has the above problems is described for example in document <CIT>. Another known ventilation system is described in <CIT>.

There is therefore a need to perfect a ventilation system, which can overcome at least one of the disadvantages of the state of the art.

In particular, one purpose of the present invention is to provide a ventilation system that guarantees effective soundproofing, maintained over time even after disassembly and reassembly operations.

Another purpose of the present invention is to provide a ventilation system in which the assembly and disassembly operations are carried out in a simple and rapid manner and in which substantially direct access at least to the motor-carrying element is guaranteed, so that if inspection, maintenance, replacement of parts or other operations become necessary, access to these parts is fast, immediate and does not compromise the soundproofing effectiveness of the ventilation system.

Another purpose of the present invention is to provide a ventilation system in which high aerodynamic and soundproofing efficiency is guaranteed, as well as adequate protection of the moving parts of the system, for example the impeller.

In accordance with the above purposes, a ventilation system according to the present invention comprises at least one impeller associated with at least one motor for driving the impeller, at least one motor-carrying element able to house the motor, at least one suction conduit and at least one delivery conduit both associated with the motor-carrying element, wherein the motor-carrying element is hollow and, by driving the impeller, allows the passage of a flow of air from the suction conduit to the delivery conduit.

According to the invention, the ventilation system comprises an external casing able to be positioned around the motor-carrying element, the suction conduit and the delivery conduit, and provided with at least one external layer made of a rigid protective material and with at least one internal layer made of soundproofing material and integrated in the external casing.

Therefore, the present ventilation system has at least one layer of soundproofing material integral with the external casing, which externally comprises a rigid protective material, therefore by means of a single operation in which the external casing is removed, it is possible to directly access the motor-carrying element and the air suction and delivery conduits. Therefore, it is no longer necessary to remove multiple layers of material and the functional integrity of the ventilation system is guaranteed, both from the aerodynamic point of view and also from the point of view of soundproofing the system.

Therefore, the operations of assembling and disassembling the present ventilation system can be advantageously carried out in a simple and rapid manner; furthermore, following the removal of the external casing, there is guaranteed a direct access to the motor-carrying element, so that in the event operations of inspection, maintenance, replacement of parts or other are necessary, access to these parts is fast, immediate and does not compromise the soundproofing effectiveness. Let us consider, for example, the case in which the motor has to be replaced or interventions have to be carried out on the latter and/or on the impeller.

According to further aspects of the invention, the soundproofing material of the internal layer is co-molded with the rigid protective material of the external layer.

In other embodiments, the soundproofing material of the internal layer can be constrained to the rigid protective material of the external layer by gluing or other suitable attachment mean.

In some embodiments, the motor-carrying element can have a substantially solid external surface, with the exception of a possible access aperture for the electrical connections.

As well as the motor, the impeller can also be housed completely inside the motor-carrying element. In this way, the impeller is adequately protected, and the aerodynamic effectiveness of the system is improved.

Furthermore, the impeller can be housed inside a feed element which is in turn housed in the motor-carrying element and is coaxial with the motor-carrying element.

The positioning of the impeller in the motor-carrying element and the ease with which the motor-carrying element can be separated from the other feed and transfer components allows to protect the impeller in the event it were necessary to completely remove and separate the motor support.

Another passage portion can be positioned upstream of the feed element, wherein the feed element and such passage portion can have an internal section with a substantially truncated cone shape, and wherein such passage portion can have a gradually decreasing internal section, while the feed element has a gradually increasing internal section, so as to achieve the so-called Venturi effect on the flow of air that passes through the ventilation system.

Alternatively, in order to achieve this Venturi effect, the suction conduits can comprise conduit segments having an internal section which is initially progressively decreasing and subsequently progressively increasing.

According to further aspects of the invention, upstream of the delivery conduit there can be positioned a nose cone provided with through holes on its external surface.

The function of such nose cone is to reduce vorticity, decrease noise and increase the aeraulic efficiency of the assembly. Such nose cone is provided with soundproofing material inside it, which substantially replicates its internal shape, again with the purpose of reducing noise.

In some embodiments, the external casing already provided with the at least one internal layer of soundproofing material is formed by at least two half-shells. This solution allows to remove the external casing in a particularly effective manner, for example in the event of system maintenance operations or other. Each of these half-shells will naturally be equipped with the external layer of rigid material and the internal layer of soundproofing material. These half-shells may also be equipped with a system for joining and assembling them in a univocal manner, so as to guarantee precision and integrity when reassembling the external casing.

Furthermore, in the present ventilation system the impeller can be rotated by the motor according to an axis of rotation substantially parallel to the direction of the flow of air in the ventilation system.

In some embodiments, the external casing can comprise one or more indicators able to allow its correct positioning.

The present ventilation system can also comprise one or more resonator devices positioned around the suction conduit and/or the delivery conduit. These resonator devices further contribute to the sound absorption on specific frequencies of the present ventilation system.

These one or more resonator devices can comprise one or more chambers fluidically communicating with the air delivery conduit and/or the air suction conduit by means of at least one through hole.

We will now refer in detail to the possible embodiments of the invention, of which one or more examples are shown in the attached drawings. Each example is supplied by way of illustration of the invention and shall not be understood as a limitation thereof. For example, one or more characteristics shown or described insomuch as they are part of one embodiment can be varied or adopted on, or in association with, other embodiments to produce further embodiments. It is understood that the present invention shall include all such modifications and variants.

The scope of the invention is solely defined by the appended claims.

With reference to the attached drawings, see for example <FIG>, a ventilation system <NUM> according to the present invention, and in particular of the in-line mixed flow type, comprises at least one impeller <NUM> associated with at least one motor <NUM> for driving the impeller <NUM>.

The impeller <NUM> is provided with a series of blades <NUM> suitably positioned around an axis of rotation R. Such axis of rotation R is substantially directed in the direction of the flow of air inside the ventilation system <NUM>.

The motor <NUM> can be, for example, an alternating current or brushless type electric motor.

The motor <NUM> is housed inside a motor-carrying element <NUM>, which is hollow, therefore substantially the motor-carrying element <NUM> is a tubular element with which an air suction conduit <NUM> and a delivery conduit <NUM> are associated. Therefore, the motor-carrying element <NUM> allows a flow of air to pass from the suction conduit <NUM> to the delivery conduit <NUM>.

In particular, the suction conduit <NUM> and the delivery conduit <NUM> can be connected on opposite ends of the motor-carrying element <NUM> by means of rotary couplings, for example bayonet type couplings or other.

The present ventilation system <NUM> comprises an external casing <NUM>, see also <FIG>, able to be positioned around the motor-carrying element <NUM> and the suction and delivery conduits <NUM> and <NUM>, and provided with at least one external layer <NUM> made of a rigid protective material and at least one internal layer <NUM>, see in particular <FIG>, made of soundproofing material and integral with the external casing <NUM>.

The soundproofing material that the internal layer <NUM> is made of is preferably co-molded with the rigid protective material of the external layer <NUM>, for example by means of a confined exothermic forming process, or suchlike.

Co-molding is therefore a way to integrate, or to make solid with each other, the material that the internal layer <NUM> is made of with the rigid protective material of the external layer <NUM>. The internal layer <NUM> and the external layer <NUM> are thus reciprocally constrained.

In other embodiments, the soundproofing material of the internal layer <NUM> can be constrained to the rigid protective material of the external layer <NUM> by means of gluing or other suitable attachment means.

In this way, the external casing <NUM> can be easily removed from the rest of the system, since the internal layer <NUM> of soundproofing material is in any case integral with, and constrained to, the external layer <NUM> of rigid material, both in the solution in which the internal layer is co-molded with the external layer, and also in the solution in which the internal layer is attached to the external layer.

The external casing <NUM> could also comprise a multilayer structure, and therefore be provided with several protective layers, even of different materials, and/or with a plurality of layers of soundproofing material, which are also made with the same material and/or with different materials. In the case of multilayer structures, the composition and/or thickness of the various layers of protective material and/or soundproofing material can be chosen, for example, as a function of the specific uses of the ventilation system.

In order to guarantee adequate protection for the motor <NUM> and increase the fluid-dynamic characteristics of the present ventilation system <NUM>, the motor-carrying element <NUM> has a substantially solid external surface <NUM>.

Possibly, an aperture <NUM> can be made on this external surface <NUM> for the electrical connections for the functioning of the motor <NUM> and the ventilation system <NUM> to pass.

On the other hand, the suction and delivery conduits <NUM> and <NUM> are substantially completely perforated and therefore have an external surface provided with through holes <NUM>, able to allow the passage of the sound waves produced by the functioning of the drive motor <NUM> and the impeller <NUM> toward the internal layer <NUM> of soundproofing material integrated with the external casing <NUM>.

As can be observed, these through holes <NUM> are preferably produced in a uniform manner, substantially on the entire external surface of the suction conduit <NUM> and of the delivery conduit <NUM>. Therefore, these through holes <NUM> are made substantially on the entire cylindrical or truncated cone shaped surface of the suction and delivery conduits <NUM> and <NUM>.

The impeller <NUM>, advantageously, see also the section of <FIG>, is completely housed inside the motor-carrying element <NUM>, thus guaranteeing its optimal protection and further increasing the fluid-dynamic efficiency of the present ventilation system <NUM>. Furthermore, the present ventilation system <NUM> proves to be compact and of a small size, in particular as regards its overall extension.

In order to further increase the fluid-dynamic efficiency, the impeller <NUM> can be housed inside a feed element <NUM>, which for example substantially has a truncated cone shape, which is housed inside the motor-carrying element <NUM>, see also the section of <FIG>.

This feed element <NUM> is coaxial with the motor-carrying element <NUM> and with the axis of rotation R of the impeller <NUM>, and is located downstream of the suction conduit <NUM>.

Between the feed element <NUM> and the suction conduit <NUM> it is also provided to position another passage portion <NUM> with a substantially truncated cone shape, see in particular the section of <FIG>.

The passage portion <NUM> substantially has a gradually decreasing internal section while the feed element <NUM> has a gradually increasing internal section, so as to achieve the so-called Venturi effect on the flow of air passing through the ventilation system <NUM>, see in particular the longitudinal section of <FIG>.

In proximity to the delivery conduit <NUM> there is housed a nose cone <NUM>, able to allow the adequate aerodynamics to the present ventilation system <NUM>. This nose cone <NUM> is advantageously provided, on its external surface, with a series of through holes <NUM>, able to allow a better passage of the sound waves toward the internal surface of the external casing <NUM> which is equipped with the at least one internal layer <NUM> of soundproofing material. The nose cone <NUM> is also internally equipped with soundproofing material, in particular at least one layer of soundproofing material that replicates its internal shape.

Inside the motor-carrying element <NUM> and upstream of the nose cone <NUM> there are positioned suitable blades <NUM>, see again the section of <FIG>.

The suction <NUM> and delivery <NUM> conduits can be positioned on supports <NUM> and <NUM> for connection with the air passage pipes of any ventilation system whatsoever.

These supports <NUM> and <NUM> can comprise means for connection with the suction and delivery conduits <NUM> and <NUM>, and can further comprise clamping bands <NUM> or suchlike. Such connection means can be rotary couplings or other.

The external casing <NUM> can be formed, for example, by two half-shells 16a and 16b which can be connected to each other by means of snap-in, interlocking or other systems. This solution allows to remove the external casing particularly effectively in the event, for example, of maintenance operations or other. These half-shells 16a and 16b will naturally each be provided with the external layer <NUM> of rigid material and with the internal layer <NUM> of soundproofing material. These half-shells 16a and 16b may also equipped with a system for joining and assembling them in a univocal manner, so as to guarantee precision and integrity when reassembling the external casing <NUM>.

The external casing <NUM> can also be positioned on a support plate <NUM>, for example by means of removable attachment elements, such as screws, bolts, pins or other. Therefore, once assembled, the present ventilation system presents itself as shown in <FIG>.

The external casing <NUM> can also comprise an aperture <NUM> topped by a box <NUM> for the electrical connections, which is closed by means of a cover <NUM>.

The external casing <NUM> can also comprise one or more correct positioning indicators <NUM> and <NUM>, for example a first positioning indicator <NUM> on the suction conduit <NUM> and a second positioning indicator <NUM> on the delivery conduit <NUM>. These indicators <NUM> and <NUM> show, for example , arrnwc inditicating the direction of the flow of air within the ventilation system <NUM>.

The present ventilation system <NUM> can also be equipped with one or more resonator devices <NUM>, for example one or more Helmholtz resonators positioned around the suction conduit <NUM> and/or around the delivery conduit <NUM>. These resonator devices <NUM> advantageously contribute to further increasing the soundproofing effectiveness of the present ventilation system <NUM>.

As can be seen in <FIG>, the resonator device <NUM> can be provided with one or more resonance chambers <NUM>, each of which is equipped with its own through hole <NUM> for sound waves, coming from the air passage conduits, for example the delivery conduit <NUM> and/or the suction conduit <NUM>, to enter. This chamber <NUM> is therefore fluidically communicating with the delivery conduit <NUM> and/or the suction conduit <NUM>.

On the basis of the volume defined in each of these chambers <NUM>, and as a function of the length and diameter of the through hole <NUM>, each of the chambers <NUM> of the resonator device will be able to dampen sounds with a determinate frequency range.

<FIG> and <FIG> show further variants of the present ventilation system 10a, 10b, 10c. In these variants, for example, the suction conduits 14a, 14b and 14c have a conduit segment 40a, 40b, 40c having an internal section which is initially gradually decreasing and then gradually increasing, so as to produce the so-called Venturi effect on the flow of air passing through the ventilation system.

The delivery conduits 15a, 15b and 15c are also made in such a way as to comprise a first conduit segment 41a, 41b, 41c with a progressively decreasing internal section. For example, such conduit segment 41a, 41b, 41c can be made with a shape similar to the shape of the nose cone <NUM> around which it is positioned.

This conduit segment 40a, 40b, 40c represents an alternative to the provision of the feed element <NUM> and of the passage portion <NUM>.

As can be observed, the suction conduits 14a, 14b and 14c and the delivery conduits 15a, 15b and 15c can have different lengths and different diameters, as a function of the variant of the ventilation system 10a, 10b, 10c adopted.

Furthermore, as can be observed, such suction conduits 14a, 14b and 14c and/or such delivery conduits 15a, 15b and 15c can also be provided with resonator devices <NUM>.

As can be ascertained from the previous description, the present ventilation system <NUM>, 10a, 10b, 10c guarantees an effective soundproofing, which can be maintained over time even after assembly and disassembly operations, for example operations in which the casing <NUM> is removed and reassembled.

The operations of assembling and disassembling the present ventilation system <NUM>, 10a, 10b, 10c can be advantageously carried out in a simple and rapid manner; furthermore, following the removal of the external casing <NUM>, direct access to the motor-carrying element <NUM> is guaranteed, so that if inspection, maintenance, replacement of parts or other operations were necessary, access to these parts is fast, immediate and does not damage the soundproofing layer, compromising its soundproofing effectiveness. Consider, for example, the case in which the motor <NUM> has to be replaced, or interventions have to be carried out on the latter and/or on the impeller <NUM>.

The present ventilation system <NUM>, 10a, 10b, 10c also has high aerodynamic and soundproofing effectiveness, as well as adequate protection of the moving parts of the system, such as for example the impeller <NUM> housed entirely in the motor-carrying element <NUM>.

Therefore, the present ventilation system <NUM>, 10a, 10b, 10c, in particular with mixed flow and for application on conduits, proves to have a low acoustic impact and can also be provided with an external casing <NUM> consisting of two rigid half-shells 16a, 16b inclusive of soundproofing material and assembled in a univocal manner.

The external casing <NUM> possibly provided with such half-shells 16a, 16b allows the internal components of the system to be maintained in an optimal and prompt manner, since it is only necessary to separate the half-shells 16a, 16b in order to access such components. The acoustic performance of the system remains advantageously unchanged, even after the reassembly of the system at the end of the maintenance step, that is, by once again joining the two half-shells 16a, 16b in a precise and univocal manner.

The external casing <NUM> possibly made by means of the two half-shells 16a, 16b remains advantageously intact for the entire length of its operating life; however, its components, that is, the internal layer <NUM> and external layer <NUM>, can also be separated once no longer used, promoting recycling.

It is clear that modifications and/or additions of parts may be made to the ventilation system as described heretofore, without departing from the scope of the present invention, as defined by the claims.

Claim 1:
Ventilation system, comprising at least one impeller (<NUM>) associated with at least one motor (<NUM>) for driving said impeller (<NUM>), at least one motor-carrying element (<NUM>) able to house said motor (<NUM>), at least one suction conduit (<NUM>, 14a, 14b, 14c) and at least one delivery conduit (<NUM>, 15a, 15b, 15c) associated with said motor-carrying element (<NUM>), wherein said motor-carrying element (<NUM>) is hollow and allows the passage of a flow of air from said suction conduit (<NUM>, 14a, 14b, 14c) to said delivery conduit (<NUM>, 15a, 15b, 15c) by driving the impeller (<NUM>), wherein said ventilation system further comprises an external casing (<NUM>) able to be positioned around said motor-carrying element (<NUM>), said suction conduit (<NUM>, 14a, 14b, 14c) and said delivery conduit (<NUM>, 15a, 15b, 15c), said ventilation system being characterised in that the external casing (<NUM>) is provided with at least one external layer (<NUM>) made of a rigid protective material, and with at least one internal layer (<NUM>) made of soundproofing material and integrated in said external casing (<NUM>).