Air duct shell, air supply device and electric appliance

Abstract

This application relates to a duct housing, an air supply device, and electrical equipment. The duct housing has a transmission structure comprising multiple transmission columns arranged at intervals along the circumference of the duct housing. Compared to the transmission structures in the prior art, which are formed by toothed structures such as racks, the transmission structure in this application consists of multiple transmission columns arranged at intervals along the circumference of the duct housing. These transmission columns have higher structural strength than the teeth of gears or racks, thus possessing greater load-bearing capacity. This enhances the overall structural stability of the duct housing, ultimately improving the reliability of the air supply device equipped with this duct housing and extending its service life.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of cooling equipment technology, and in particular to a duct housing, an air supply device, and an electrical device. Background Technology

[0002] With the development of technology and the improvement of living standards, people's requirements for the comfort of their living environment are gradually increasing. Electric appliances such as fans, widely used in people's production and daily life, have effectively improved people's living and working environments.

[0003] A fan typically consists of a main body and a fan head mounted on the main body. Some fans have an air duct that can rotate around a central axis under the drive of a drive structure to achieve an oscillation function, thereby changing the direction of the fan's airflow, effectively expanding the fan's air delivery range, and improving the user experience.

[0004] However, the drive structure used to achieve the oscillation function in existing fans is prone to loosening after long-term use due to stress and wear, which can lead to increased noise and affect reliability and service life. Summary of the Invention

[0005] Therefore, it is necessary to provide a duct housing, an air supply device, and an electrical device to address the problem of wear and tear on the drive structure used to achieve the oscillation function after long-term use.

[0006] According to one aspect of this application, a duct housing is provided, the duct housing having a transmission structure, the transmission structure including a plurality of transmission columns, all of the transmission columns being arranged at circumferential intervals along the duct housing.

[0007] In one embodiment, the transmission column is a cylinder, and the central axis of the transmission column is parallel to the axial direction of the air duct housing.

[0008] In one embodiment, the central axis of the drive column is parallel to the axial direction of the duct housing.

[0009] In one embodiment, the transmission structure protrudes from the outer wall of the air duct housing.

[0010] In one embodiment, the transmission structure includes a mounting portion that protrudes from the duct housing and extends circumferentially along the duct housing, and all the transmission columns are disposed on the mounting portion.

[0011] In one embodiment, the transmission structure further includes multiple support ribs, each of which protrudes from the mounting portion and connects to a transmission column and the air duct housing.

[0012] According to another aspect of this application, an air supply device is provided, including the above-mentioned air duct housing. The air supply device further includes a drive component, which is in transmission cooperation with the transmission structure. The drive component drives the air duct housing to rotate through the transmission structure.

[0013] In one embodiment, the drive assembly includes a rotatable drive gear having a plurality of circumferentially spaced teeth, each of which cyclically extends between two adjacent drive columns during rotation of the drive gear.

[0014] In one embodiment, the air supply device further includes a support assembly, and the drive assembly is mounted on the support assembly.

[0015] According to another aspect of this application, an electrical device is provided, including the aforementioned air supply device.

[0016] In one embodiment, the electrical device is a circulating fan.

[0017] Compared to the transmission structure in the prior art, which is formed by a toothed structure such as a rack, the transmission structure in this application consists of multiple transmission columns arranged circumferentially along the duct shell. The transmission columns have higher structural strength than the teeth of gears or racks, and thus have greater load-bearing capacity, thereby enhancing the overall structural stability of the duct shell and ultimately improving the reliability of the air supply device equipped with the duct shell and extending the service life of the air supply device. Attached Figure Description

[0018] The accompanying drawings, which form part of this application, are used to provide a further understanding of the invention. The illustrative embodiments of the invention and their descriptions are used to explain the invention and do not constitute an improper limitation of the invention.

[0019] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0020] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of an electrical device according to an embodiment of this application.

[0021] Figure 2 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the air supply device of the electrical equipment shown.

[0022] Figure 3 for Figure 1 The diagram shows the assembly of the air duct housing and the impeller of the air supply device.

[0023] Figure 4 This is a partial structural schematic diagram of an air supply device according to an embodiment of this application.

[0024] Figure 5 for Figure 4 An exploded view of the drive assembly of the air supply device shown.

[0025] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a drive motor according to an embodiment of this application.

[0026] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a drive gear according to an embodiment of this application.

[0027] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0028] 1000 Electrical equipment; 100 Main body; 200 Air supply device; 210 Housing; 210a Air inlet; 210b Air outlet; 220 Support assembly; 221 Support bracket; 223 First support ring; 2232 Motor mounting part; 2232a Receiving cavity; 230 Duct housing; 230a Duct air inlet; 230b Duct air outlet; 232 First duct; 233 Transmission structure; 2332 Mounting part; 2334 Transmission column; 234 Second duct; 240 Fan wheel; 250 Drive assembly; 252 Drive motor; 2521 Motor body; 2521a Second fixing hole; 2523 Motor shaft; 254 Drive gear; 2541 Gear teeth; 254a Mounting hole. Detailed Implementation

[0029] To make the above-mentioned objectives, features, and advantages of this application more apparent and understandable, the specific embodiments of this application are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Many specific details are set forth in the following description to provide a thorough understanding of this application. However, this application can be implemented in many other ways different from those described herein, and those skilled in the art can make similar modifications without departing from the spirit of this application. Therefore, this application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0030] In the description of this application, it should be understood that if terms such as "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential" appear, these terms indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this application.

[0031] Furthermore, where the terms "first" and "second" appear, these terms are for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined with "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. In the description of this application, where the term "multiple" appears, "multiple" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0032] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "joining," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components, unless otherwise expressly limited. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.

[0033] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the use of descriptions such as "above" or "below" the second feature indicates that the first and second features are in direct contact or indirect contact via an intermediate medium. Furthermore, "above," "on top of," and "over" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. Similarly, "below," "below," and "under" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0034] It should be noted that if an element is referred to as being "fixed to" or "set on" another element, it can be directly on the other element or there may be an intervening element. If an element is considered to be "connected to" another element, it can be directly connected to the other element or there may be an intervening element. If so, the terms "vertical," "horizontal," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," and similar expressions used in this application are for illustrative purposes only and do not represent the only possible implementation.

[0035] See Figure 1 This application provides an electrical device 1000. The following description uses a circulating fan as an example to illustrate part of the structure of the electrical device 1000. This embodiment is only used as an example and does not limit the technical scope of this application. It is understood that in other embodiments, the electrical device 1000 may also be a cooling fan, electric heater, or other devices, which are not limited here.

[0036] The electrical equipment 1000 includes a main body 100 and an air supply device 200. The main body 100 is generally columnar in shape and mainly serves to support, connect, and house components. The air supply device 200 is installed at one end of the main body 100 to create a directional airflow. It is understood that the specific structure of the electrical equipment 100 is not limited to this and can be configured as needed to meet different requirements.

[0037] Please see Figures 2 to 5 The air supply device 200 includes a housing 210, a support assembly 220, an air duct housing 230, and a fan wheel 240.

[0038] The outer casing 210 is generally cylindrical, with its central axis extending along a first direction. Air inlets 210a are formed at opposite ends of the outer casing 210 in the first direction, and air outlets 210b extending around the first direction are provided on the outer periphery of the outer casing 210. In a preferred embodiment, a grille is provided at the air outlet 210b to provide blocking and protection.

[0039] The support assembly 220 is mounted on one side of the housing 210 in the radial direction and connected to the main body 100, serving to connect and fix the components. Specifically, in one embodiment, the support assembly 220 includes a support bracket 221, a first support ring 223, and a second support ring. The support bracket 220 has a shell-like structure with one open end and is mounted on the main body 100. Both the first support ring 223 and the second support ring are approximately annular structures, and are respectively mounted on opposite sides of the support bracket 221 in the first direction.

[0040] The duct housing 230 is generally a hollow cylindrical structure. The duct housing 230 is coaxially arranged with the outer shell 210 and rotatably mounted between the first support ring 223 and the second support ring around a first direction. The duct housing 230 has air inlets 230a at opposite ends in the first direction, and the air inlets 230a are correspondingly connected to the air inlets 210a of the outer shell 210. The outer periphery of the duct housing 230 has an air outlet 230b, and the air outlet 230b is correspondingly connected to the air outlet 210b of the outer shell 210.

[0041] The impeller 240 is coaxially arranged with the duct housing 230 and is rotatably mounted inside the duct housing 230 about a first direction. The rotation of the impeller 240 can create a negative pressure, so outside air flows into the duct housing 230 through the air inlet 210a of the outer shell 210 and the air inlet 230a of the duct housing 230, and then flows out through the air outlet 230b of the duct housing 230 and the air outlet 210b of the outer shell 210 under the negative pressure of the impeller 240.

[0042] As described in the background section, existing air supply devices typically employ an oscillation motor, a drive gear, and a driven gear to achieve the oscillation function. The drive gear and driven gear mesh with each other, so the oscillation motor housing drives the driven gear to rotate via the drive gear, ultimately causing the air duct housing to rotate. However, both the drive gear and driven gear are subjected to significant pressure during transmission, which can easily lead to wear over time. This can result in problems such as loosening or even failure of the oscillation structure, increased oscillation noise from the air supply device, and consequently, reduced reliability and lifespan of the electrical equipment.

[0043] To address the aforementioned technical issues, the air supply device 200 of this application further includes a drive assembly 250, which is located within the housing 210 and mounted on the support assembly 220. The duct housing 230 has a transmission structure 233 that engages with the drive assembly 250. The transmission structure 233 includes a plurality of transmission columns 2334, all of which are arranged at intervals along the circumference of the duct housing 230.

[0044] Thus, the drive component 250 can drive the air duct housing 230 to rotate relative to the outer shell 210 around its own axis through the transmission structure 233, thereby changing the air outlet angle of the air duct outlet 230b on the air duct housing 230, thereby realizing the oscillation function of the air supply device 200.

[0045] Compared to the transmission structure in the prior art, which is formed by toothed structures such as racks, the transmission structure 233 in this application is composed of multiple transmission columns 2334 arranged circumferentially along the air duct housing 230. The transmission columns 2334 have higher structural strength than the teeth of gears or racks, and thus have greater load-bearing capacity, thereby enhancing the overall structural stability of the air duct housing 230. Ultimately, this improves the reliability of the air supply device 200 equipped with the air duct housing 230 and extends the service life of the air supply device 200.

[0046] Please continue reading. Figures 2 to 5 The duct housing 230 includes a first duct 232 and a second duct 234 that are mutually connected along a first direction. The first duct 232 includes a first duct bottom wall and a first duct side wall extending in the same direction from the edge of the first duct bottom wall. The second duct 234 includes a second duct bottom wall and a second duct side wall extending in the same direction from the edge of the second duct bottom wall. The first duct side wall and the second duct side wall are connected to each other by a structure such as snap-fit ​​to form a whole. The first duct bottom wall and the second duct bottom wall each have an air inlet 230a, and the first duct side wall and the second duct side wall together form an air outlet 230b. It is understood that the structure of the duct housing 230 is not limited to this. In other embodiments, the duct housing 230 may also be a one-piece molded structure.

[0047] The transmission structure 233 includes a mounting part 2332 and multiple transmission columns 2334. The mounting part 2332 protrudes from one edge of the first air duct sidewall and connects to the second air duct sidewall, and extends in an arc shape along the circumference of the first air duct sidewall. The length of the mounting part 2332 can be set as needed to meet the requirements of different oscillation angles.

[0048] All drive columns 2334 are spaced apart on the side surface of the mounting portion 2332 facing the second air duct in the first direction. Each drive column 2334 is a cylinder with a circular or annular cross-section, and the central axis of each drive column 2334 extends along the axial direction (i.e., the first direction) of the air duct housing 230. One end of each drive column 2334 is connected to the mounting portion 2332. It is understood that the shape of the drive columns 2334 is not limited, and the number of drive columns 2334 and the spacing between two adjacent drive columns 2334 can be set as needed to meet different transmission requirements. The gap between two adjacent drive columns 2334 can be the same or different, and the shapes of different drive columns 2334 can be the same or different.

[0049] Thus, the transmission structure 233 protrudes from the outer wall of the air duct housing 230 and is located in the middle of the air duct housing 230 in the axial direction, facilitating its engagement with the drive assembly 250 without interfering with the airflow within the air duct housing 230 and ensuring more even force distribution within the air duct housing 230. Furthermore, each transmission column 2334 contacts the drive assembly 250 through its smooth, extended outer surface, resulting in smoother engagement and effectively reducing wear on itself and the drive assembly 250 after long-term operation, while also providing high structural strength and reliability. In addition, compared to the gear meshing method used in existing technologies, the direct contact between the transmission structure 233 and the drive assembly 250 is reduced, thus lowering noise during the oscillation process and effectively improving the user experience.

[0050] In a preferred embodiment, the transmission column 2334 is located on the edge of the mounting portion 2332 away from the air duct housing 230. The transmission structure 233 also includes multiple support ribs 2336, each of which protrudes from the mounting portion 2332 and extends along a first direction to connect a transmission column 2334 to the air duct housing 230. Thus, each transmission column 2334 is connected to the air duct housing 230 via a support rib 2336, thereby further improving the overall strength and structural stability of the transmission structure 233 and further preventing deformation of the transmission structure 233 after long-term operation.

[0051] Please combine Figures 4 to 7 As shown, in some embodiments, the drive assembly 250 includes a drive motor 252 and a drive gear 254. The drive motor 252 includes a motor body 2521 and a motor shaft 2523 extending from one end of the motor body 2521, and the central axis of the motor shaft 2523 extends along a first direction. A mounting hole 254a is provided at the center of the drive gear 254. The shape of the mounting hole 254a matches the shape of the motor shaft 2523. The motor shaft 2523 passes through the mounting hole 254a along the first direction so that the drive gear 254 and the shaft hole of the motor shaft 2523 are engaged. Therefore, the drive gear 254 can rotate synchronously with the motor shaft 2523, thereby driving the air duct housing 230 to rotate synchronously.

[0052] In one embodiment, the cross-section of the motor shaft 2523 is polygonal, and the cross-section of the mounting hole 254a is a polygon that matches the cross-section of the motor shaft 2523. In a preferred embodiment, the cross-section of the motor shaft 2523 is approximately rectangular, and the cross-section of the mounting hole 254a is rectangular, matching the shape of the motor shaft 2523. This fixes the motor shaft 2523 and the drive gear 254 relatively, effectively preventing loosening after assembly. It is understood that the mating method between the motor shaft 2523 and the drive gear 254 is not limited to this. In other embodiments, the motor shaft 2523 and the drive gear 254 may also be fixedly connected by key connection, interference fit, or other methods.

[0053] Furthermore, the drive gear 254 has multiple teeth 2541, all of which are arranged at intervals along the circumference of the drive gear 254. During the rotation of the drive gear 254, each tooth 2541 extends cyclically between the two transmission columns 2334 to engage with the transmission structure 233, thereby driving the air duct housing 230 to rotate cyclically.

[0054] In a preferred embodiment, the cross-section of the drive gear 254 perpendicular to the first direction is approximately sunflower-shaped. The width of each tooth 2541 in the circumferential direction of the drive gear 254 first increases and then decreases from the tooth base to the tooth tip. The bottom wall of the tooth groove between two adjacent teeth 2541 is arc-shaped. It is understood that the shape of the drive gear 254 is not limited to this and can be configured as needed to meet different requirements.

[0055] In some embodiments, the first support ring 223 is provided with a motor mounting member 2232 on the side facing the air duct housing 230. The motor mounting member 2232 has a receiving cavity 2232a with one end open and two first fixing holes. The two first fixing holes are located at the open end of the motor mounting member 2232 and are spaced apart in the circumferential direction of the receiving cavity 2232a. The motor body 2521 of the drive motor 252 has two protruding lugs at one end near the motor shaft 2523, and the two lugs are spaced apart in the circumferential direction of the motor body 2521. Each of the two lugs has a second fixing hole 2521a.

[0056] Thus, the motor body 2521 is entirely housed within the receiving cavity 2232a, with the first fixing hole and the second fixing hole 2521a correspondingly connected. Screws and other fasteners can pass through the second fixing hole 2521a and be inserted into the first fixing hole, thereby fixing the drive motor 252 onto the first support ring 223. This makes the overall structure of the air supply device 200 more compact, which is beneficial for the miniaturization of the air supply device 200. Moreover, the motor mounting component 2232 surrounds the motor body 2521 circumferentially, effectively absorbing the vibration of the drive motor 252 and reducing the operating noise of the drive motor 252. It is understood that the fixing position and method of the drive component are not limited to this and can be set as needed to meet different installation requirements.

[0057] The aforementioned duct housing 230, air supply device 200, and electrical equipment 1000 utilize multiple spaced transmission columns 2334 to replace traditional driven gears or racks, thereby achieving the oscillation function of the electrical equipment 1000. Since the transmission columns 2334 have higher reliability than driven gears or racks, the stable operation of the electrical equipment 1000 is ensured, and the oscillation noise of the electrical equipment 1000 is effectively reduced. It has broad application prospects, especially for occasions that require long-term continuous operation and high reliability, such as commercial venues and industrial workshops.

[0058] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0059] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative of several implementation methods of this application, and while the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the patent application. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of this application, and these all fall within the protection scope of this application. Therefore, the protection scope of this patent application should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A duct housing, characterized in that, The air duct housing has a transmission structure (233), which includes a plurality of transmission columns (2334), all of which are arranged at intervals along the circumference of the air duct housing.

2. The air duct housing according to claim 1, characterized in that, The transmission column (2334) is a cylinder, and the central axis of the transmission column (2334) is parallel to the axial direction of the air duct housing.

3. The air duct housing according to claim 1, characterized in that, The central axis of the transmission column (2334) is parallel to the axial direction of the air duct housing.

4. The air duct housing according to claim 1, characterized in that, The transmission structure (233) protrudes from the outer wall of the air duct housing.

5. The air duct housing according to claim 4, characterized in that, The transmission structure (233) includes a mounting part (2332), which protrudes from the air duct housing and extends circumferentially along the air duct housing. All the transmission columns (2334) are located in the mounting part (2332).

6. The air duct housing according to claim 5, characterized in that, The transmission structure (233) also includes multiple support ribs (2336), each of which protrudes from the mounting part (2332) and is connected between a transmission column (2334) and the air duct housing.

7. An air supply device, characterized in that, The air supply device includes the air duct housing as described in any one of claims 1 to 6, and further includes a drive assembly (250) that is in transmission cooperation with the transmission structure (233), and the drive assembly (250) drives the air duct housing to rotate through the transmission structure (233).

8. The air supply device according to claim 7, characterized in that, The drive assembly (250) includes a rotatable drive gear (254) having a plurality of teeth (2541) spaced apart in the circumferential direction. During the rotation of the drive gear (254), each tooth (2541) extends cyclically between two adjacent drive columns (2334).

9. The air supply device according to claim 7, characterized in that, The air supply device also includes a support assembly (220), and the drive assembly (250) is mounted on the support assembly (220).

10. An electrical appliance, characterized in that, Includes the air supply device as described in any one of claims 7 to 9.

11. The electrical equipment according to claim 10, characterized in that, The electrical device is a circulating fan.

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