US Patent 7476079 Low-noise HVAC blower assembly

A blower assembly 10′ includes a housing 18′ having an inlet 19 and an outlet 20. The housing includes an inlet ring 22′ at the inlet. A blower wheel 12′ is mounted for rotation in the housing. An electric motor 16 includes a shaft 14 having an axis B. The shaft is coupled to the blower wheel so that rotation of the shaft causes rotation of the blower wheel that causes air to flow from the inlet to the outlet. The inlet ring has an annular extension 24 extending linearly in the same direction as the shaft axis B. An end 26 of the blower wheel 12′ is within bounds of the extension 24.