Axial Fan Assembly Axial fan assemblies, when utilized in an automotive application, typically include a shroud,Nike Free Run Australia, a motor coupled to the shroud, and an axial fan driven by the motor. The axial fan typically includes a band connecting the respective tips of theaxial fan blades, thereby reinforcing the axial fan blades and allowing the tips of the blades to generate more pressure.Axial fan assemblies utilized in automotive applications must operate with high efficiency and low noise. However, various constraints often complicate this design goal. Such constraints may include, for example, limited spacing between theaxial fan and an upstream heat exchanger (i.e., "fan-to-core spacing"), aerodynamic blockage from engine components immediately downstream of the axial fan, a large ratio of the area of shroud coverage to the swept area of the axial fan blades (i.e.,"area ratio"), and recirculation between the band of the axial fan and the shroud.Several factors can contribute to decreasing the efficiency of the axial fan. A large area ratio combined with a small fan-to-core spacing usually results in relatively high inward radial inflow velocities near the tips of the axial fan blades. Airflow in this region also often mixes with a recirculating airflow around the band. Such a recirculating airflow around the band can have a relatively high degree of "pre-swirl," or a relatively high tangential velocity in the direction of rotation ofthe axial fan. These factors, considered individually or in combination, often decrease the ability of the tips of the axial fan blades to generate pressure efficiently.The present invention provides,Nike Free Run, in one aspect, an axial fan assembly including a motor having an output shaft rotatable about a central axis and a shroud coupled to the motor. The shroud includes a substantially annular outlet bell centered onthe central axis. The axial fan assembly also includes an axial fan having a hub coupled to the output shaft for rotation about the central axis,Cheap Nike Free Run, a plurality of blades extending radially outwardly from the hub and arranged about the central axis, asubstantially circular band coupled to the tips of the blades, and a plurality of leakage stators positioned radially outwardly from the band and adjacent the outlet bell. The leakage stators are arranged about the central axis. The outlet bellincludes a radially-innermost surface, a radially-outermost surface, and an end surface adjacent the radially-innermost surface. The leakage stators are positioned between the radially-innermost surface and the radially-outermost surface of the outletbell. The band includes an axially-extending, radially-innermost surface, an axially-extending, radially-outermost surface, and an end surface adjacent the axially-extending, radially-innermost surface and the axially-extending, radially-outermostsurface. The respective end surfaces of the band and the outlet bell are spaced by an axial gap. A ratio of the axial gap to a maximum blade diameter is about 0 to about 0.01. The axially-extending, radially-outermost surface of the band is spacedradially inwardly of the radially-innermost surface of the outlet bell by a radial gap. A ratio of the radial gap to the maximum blade diameter is about 0.01 to about 0.02.The axial fan assembly 10 incorporates a relatively constant static pressure rise over the span of the axial fan blades 58 with a large shroud area ratio and small fan-to-core spacing. This combination of features often yields relatively highinward-radial inflow velocities at the tips 70 of the fan blades 58. Additionally, a relatively high static pressure rise near the tips 70 of the blades 58 increases the recirculation of airflow between the band 62 and the outlet bell 46. This, inturn, increases the pre-swirl of the inflow to the tips 70 of the blades 58. Relatively high radially-inward inflow velocities can lead to separation of airflow from the band 62 and outlet bell 46. Increasing the pitch of the blades 58 within the outer20% of the blade radius R adapts the tips 70 of the blades 58 to the relatively high inflow velocities. The resulting increase in inflow velocities and static pressure rise is sustained by raking the blades 58 within the outer 20% of the blade radius Rto insure that pressure developed by the blades 58 is optimally aligned with the direction of airflow, radially spacing the band 62 and the outlet bell 46 within a particular range depending on the Blockage Factor to guard against wake-separation andunnecessary constriction, and axially spacing the band 62 and the outlet bell 46 within a particular range depending on the Blockage Factor to optimize the function of the leakage stators 50 to reduce pre-swirl and recirculation.