Patent ID: 8221082

Claim:
An impeller comprising: a first plate and a second plate; a plurality of blades being positioned between and connected to the first and second plates, individual blades in the plurality of blades having an inner surface and an outer surface; and at least one brace member having a first plane having a first edge and a second plane having a second edge, at least a portion of the first edge being connected to the inner surface of a first blade of the plurality of blades such that the first plane is generally perpendicular to both the inner surface of the first blade and the outer surface of the second blade, and at least a portion of the second edge being connected to the outer surface of a second blade of the plurality of blades such that the second plane is at a non-perpendicular angle with the outer of the second blade wherein the non-perpendicular angle is an angle within the range of 20 degrees to 40 degrees.