Apparatus for forming a blower wheel having longitudinally inclined blades

摘要

An apparatus for forming an inclined-blade blower wheel is provided. A plurality of blades are initially positioned between first and second end caps, and a first engagement member mates with the first end cap, while a second engagement member mates with the second end cap. First and second end motors are configured to independently rotate the first and second engagement members. A crimping roller coupled to a crimping motor contacts and compresses a circumference of the first and second end caps to a plurality of blades. A controller is configured to rotate the first engagement member a predetermined amount with respect to the second engagement member, a then circumferential speed of the first and second end caps and the crimping roller is synchronized, therein fixing a desired longitudinal pitch of the plurality of blades between the first and second end caps.

主权项

1. An apparatus for forming a blower wheel, the blower wheel having a first end cap, a second end cap, and a plurality of blades arranged about a circumference of the first and second end caps and extending longitudinally between the first and second end caps, the apparatus comprising:
a first engagement member rotatably coupled to a first end motor, wherein the first engagement member is configured to mate with the first end cap; a second engagement member rotatably coupled to a second end motor, wherein the second engagement member is configured to mate with the second end cap; a crimping roller assembly rotatably coupled to a crimping roller motor and configured to selectively crimp the first and second end caps to the plurality of blades; and a controller configured to control a rotational speed of each of the first end motor, second end motor, and crimping roller motor, wherein, based on a desired longitudinal pitch of the plurality of blades from the first end cap to the second end cap, the controller is configured to rotate the first engagement member a predetermined amount with respect to the second engagement member via the control of the first end motor and the second end motor, and wherein once the predetermined amount of rotation is achieved, the controller is further configured to synchronize a circumferential speed of the first and second end caps and the crimping roller assembly via a control of the respective first and second end motors and crimping motor, therein securing the plurality of blades to the first and second end caps and fixing the desired longitudinal pitch of the plurality of blades from the first end cap to the second end cap.