Detachable blower and garment with detachable blower

Abstract

To provide a detachable blower which is applicable to many kinds of garments, can easily be attached to and detached from the garment and is unlikely to fall off naturally.SOLUTION: A detachable blower X includes an impeller 1, and a housing 3 which rotatably holds the impeller 1 around one central axis A, and is attachable to and detachable from a garment Y. The housing 3 includes an annular main holding part 33 formed of an inner peripheral face 31 for surrounding the impeller 1 and an outer peripheral face 32 surrounding the inner peripheral face 31 when viewed from a central axis direction. The housing further includes: an auxiliary holding part 34 opposed to the main holding part 33 in the central axis direction; and a connection member 35 for connecting the main holding part 33 and the auxiliary holding part 34. The main holding part 33 is separated from the auxiliary holding part 34 at part or the whole of edges of the inner peripheral face 31 and the outer peripheral face 32.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a small, detachable air blower that can be attached to and detached from clothing with a simple operation. [Background technology]

[0002] As heatstroke prevention measures have become increasingly important in recent years, work clothes equipped with air conditioning have become widely used to protect workers. In this regard, not only have the air conditioning units become lighter, but detachable air blowers have also been developed to accommodate the need to remove electrically powered equipment when cleaning the clothing. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2023-184578 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The clothing fan described in Patent Document 1 includes a housing that can be inserted into a mounting hole in clothing, a flange that engages with the edge of the mounting hole, and a retaining ring that is screwed onto the housing. The retaining ring is movable toward the flange, and the flange and the retaining ring clamp the edge of the mounting hole, allowing the fan to be attached to clothing. However, this configuration has issues such as difficulty in applying to clothing with mounting holes of different sizes and shapes, and the retaining ring is prone to coming off due to loosening of the screws.

[0005] In view of the above problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a detachable air blower that can be applied to a wider range of clothing, can be easily attached to and detached from clothing, and is unlikely to fall off naturally. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The present invention, which solves the above-mentioned problems, is a detachable air blower that can be attached to or detached from clothing and includes an impeller and a housing that holds the impeller rotatably about a central axis, the housing having an annular main holder formed by an inner surface that surrounds the impeller and an outer surface that surrounds the inner surface when viewed from the central axis direction, and further having an auxiliary holder that faces the main holder in the central axis direction, and a connecting member that connects the main holder and the auxiliary holder, and the main holder is separated from the auxiliary holder along some or all of the edges of the inner and outer surfaces. With this configuration, the air blower device can be applied to a wider range of clothing, can be easily attached to and detached from clothing, and is less likely to fall off naturally.

[0007] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the connecting member is included in an effective area, which is one of the areas bisected by any one straight line passing through the main holding portion when viewed from the central axis direction, in which the area of ​​the main holding portion is smaller. With this configuration, the detachable air blower can be attached to the clothing more stably by using a wide area of ​​the housing.

[0008] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the effective area is a range that is farther from the central axis than the inner circumferential surface. With this configuration, interference with the airflow path can be minimized.

[0009] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the straight line that determines the effective area passes through the main holding portion only once when viewed from the direction of the central axis. With this configuration, the holding portion can be made into an engaging structure without interfering with the airflow path.

[0010] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the housing further includes a pressing portion that is movable in the direction of the central axis, and the pressing portion is capable of abutting against the sub-holding portion. With this configuration, the air blower can be more stably attached to the clothing.

[0011] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the pressing portion is annular and has an axis substantially concentric with the inner peripheral surface. This configuration allows the edge of the opening in the garment to be clamped over a wider area.

[0012] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the device further comprises an annular lighting device along the inner circumferential surface. This configuration makes it possible to improve both the visibility and the design of the detachable blower device.

[0013] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the inner peripheral surface, the outer peripheral surface, and the auxiliary retaining portion are generally circular when viewed from the central axis direction. Such a configuration can eliminate obstacles when attaching the housing to clothing and improve the strength of the housing.

[0014] A preferred embodiment of the present invention is clothing equipped with the detachable air blowing device. With this configuration, the air blower can be made into a garment that can be easily attached and detached. [Effects of the Invention]

[0015] The present invention, which solves the above-mentioned problems, provides a detachable air blower that is applicable to a wider range of clothing, can be easily attached to and detached from clothing, and is unlikely to fall off naturally. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0016] [Figure 1] 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration for attaching a detachable air blower to clothing according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] 1A and 1B are a perspective view and a perspective cross-sectional view showing a configuration of a detachable blower device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] 1A to 1C are a front view, a side view, and a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a detachable blower device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] 1A and 1B are a perspective view and a side view showing a configuration of a part of a housing included in a detachable blower according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5]1A and 1B are front and rear views showing the configuration of a part of a housing included in a detachable blower according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] 1A and 1B are a rear view and a cross-sectional side view showing the configuration of a detachable blower according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 7] 1A and 1B are a perspective view and a side view showing a state in which a detachable blower device according to an embodiment of the present invention is attached to an object. [Figure 8] 10A and 10B are front and rear views showing a modified example of the configuration of a part of the housing included in the detachable blower according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0017] Hereinafter, a detachable air blower X and a garment Y according to each embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The description will be made in detail in the order of the configuration of the embodiment, the method of implementation, and other examples. It should be noted that the following embodiments are merely examples of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments.

[0018] First Embodiment As shown in FIG. 1, the detachable air blower X according to this embodiment is attachable to and detachable from clothing Y having a mounting hole H and a support B, and as shown in FIGS. 2(a) and 2(b), includes an impeller 1, a power unit 2, and a housing 3, and, depending on the embodiment, may further include a lighting device 4 and a current collection port 5. As a result, the detachable air blower X can cool the body of a user (wearer) by blowing air into the interior of the clothing Y. In the following description, the direction of the central axis A shown in each drawing will be referred to as the central axis direction, and the direction of a plane perpendicular to the central axis A will be referred to as the cross-sectional direction.

[0019] The impeller 1 is a rotor for a typical axial flow pump, having streamlined blades surrounding an axis, and imparts kinetic energy to the gas in the axial direction to generate an airflow. The impeller 1 is connected to a power unit 2 and is rotatable about a central axis A.

[0020] The power unit 2 is a general actuator (electric motor) that converts input power from a power supply into rotational motion around one axis, and has a rotation shaft 21 as an output section. The rotation shaft 21 is a thin columnar member that extends axially from the power unit 2 and connects to the impeller 1, and transmits the rotational motion generated by the power unit 2 to the impeller 1. The rotation shaft 21 is also provided on a central axis A and is rotatable around the central axis A, causing the impeller 1 to rotate around the central axis A.

[0021] The housing 3 is a hollow structure that houses the impeller 1 and the power unit 2, and in particular holds the impeller 1 rotatably around a central axis A. In order to ensure a flow path for the airflow generated by the impeller 1, the cross section of the housing 3 at both ends in the axial direction is perforated, and the shape is maintained by a structure such as spokes.

[0022] 3(a), 5(a), and 5(b), when viewed from the central axis direction, the housing 3 has an inner circumferential surface 31 that surrounds the impeller 1 and ensures a flow path cross section, and an outer circumferential surface 32 that surrounds the inner circumferential surface 31, and further has a main holding portion 33 formed in an area sandwiched between the inner circumferential surface 31 and the outer circumferential surface 32, an auxiliary holding portion 34 that faces the main holding portion 33 in the central axis direction, and a connecting member 35 that connects the main holding portion 33 and the auxiliary holding portion 34. The housing 3 is configured to be separated into multiple parts, and in particular, FIGS. 4(a), 4(b), 5(a), and 5(b) show parts of the housing 3 related to the inner circumferential surface 31, the outer circumferential surface 32, the main holding portion 33, the auxiliary holding portion 34, and the connecting member 35.

[0023] The main holding portion 33 is an annular member formed in an area sandwiched between the inner circumferential surface 31 and the outer circumferential surface 32 when viewed from the central axis direction, and forms the end face of the housing 3 in the axial direction. Furthermore, it is preferable that the inner circumferential surface 31 has approximately the same size in the cross-sectional direction as the mounting hole H of the garment Y shown in FIG. 1 , and the outer circumferential surface 32 is approximately one size larger than the mounting hole H. This configuration ensures a sufficient airflow passage cross-section and allows the main holding portion 33 to abut against the periphery of the mounting hole H, thereby more stably attaching and holding the detachable blower X to the garment Y. Furthermore, the main holding portion 33 is separated from the auxiliary holding portion 34 along part or all of the edges of the inner circumferential surface 31 and the outer circumferential surface 32.

[0024] The auxiliary holding portion 34 is a flat member that faces the main holding portion 33 in the central axis direction and is spaced a predetermined distance from the main holding portion 33. This predetermined distance is approximately the same as or slightly larger than the thickness of the fabric that constitutes the garment Y. The cross-sectional shape of the auxiliary holding portion 34 is not limited as long as it can ensure the cross-section of the airflow passage, but a shape that is approximately the same as or slightly larger than the main holding portion 33 is preferable. With this configuration, the fabric of the garment Y can be stably sandwiched between the main holding portion 33 and the auxiliary holding portion 34.

[0025] It is preferable that the inner peripheral surface 31, the outer peripheral surface 32, and the auxiliary retaining portion 34 are configured to be approximately circular when viewed from the central axis direction. Here, "approximately circular" does not only refer to a perfect circle, which is a mathematical concept, but also includes a shape that is determined to be circular overall, allowing for distortion of a few millimeters or additional configurations that are functionally advantageous. This configuration allows for smooth handling when attaching or detaching the detachable air blower X to or from clothing Y, without the corners getting caught on the clothing Y. It also reduces stress concentration, making it easier to maintain overall strength. Furthermore, because the impeller 1 is a rotating body, the housing 3 can be easily designed to accommodate it.

[0026] The connecting member 35 is a member that connects the main holding portion 33 and the sub-holding portion 34, and forms a locking body together with the main holding portion 33 and the sub-holding portion 34, as shown in Figures 2(b), 3(b), 3(c), and 4(b). The position and / or range in which the connecting member 35 is provided is determined to be only within a specific region when viewed from the central axis direction, as shown in Figures 3(a), 5(a), and 5(b). Hereinafter, the region in which the connecting member 35 can exist is referred to as the effective region E.

[0027] 5(a) and 5(b), when viewed from the central axis direction (in the cross-sectional direction), the effective area E refers to one of the areas obtained by dividing the main holding portion 33 (i.e., the annular area sandwiched between the inner peripheral surface 31 and the outer peripheral surface 32) into two by any one straight line L passing through the main holding portion 33, the area being the one having the smaller area of ​​the main holding portion 33 (in other words, the one not including the central axis A). However, if the straight line L intersects with the central axis A, the effective area E shall be one of the areas divided by the straight line L.

[0028] The straight line L defining the effective area E is preferably farther from the central axis A than the inner circumferential surface 31, and more preferably passes through the area of ​​the main holding portion 33 only once (the straight line L2 in Figures 5(a) and 5(b) is an example). With this configuration, the effective area E does not include the area inside the inner circumferential surface 31, i.e., the airflow path, and the connecting member 35 prevents the cross section of the path from being narrowed by attachment to the clothing Y.

[0029] As shown in Figures 5(a) and 5(b), the range and shape of the connecting member 35 can be determined arbitrarily as long as it is included in the effective area E. For example, regardless of whether the straight line L is L1, L2, or L3 in Figures 5(a) and 5(b), the connecting member 35 can be provided in the portion indicated by the hatched area. As another example, as long as it is within the effective area E, the connecting member 35 may be configured to extend beyond the outer circumferential surface 32, to be provided in multiple separate locations, or to be cut into a recessed shape (such as a circular arc or an inverted V-shape) on the side of the central axis A when viewed from the side, such as in Figure 4(b).

[0030] With the above-described configuration of the housing 3, as shown in Figures 7(a) and 7(b), the detachable air blower X can be attached to clothing Y or other objects by engaging with the support member B. The support member B is a strip-, plate-, or sheet-like member that is thick enough to fit into the gap between the main holding portion 33 and the sub-holding portion 34, and abuts against the housing 3, particularly the connecting member 35, to support the detachable air blower X.

[0031] It is preferable that the housing 3 further includes a retainer 36 that is movable in the direction of the central axis. The retainer 36 is provided to surround the central axis A and is a member that can move in the direction of the central axis to come into contact with the auxiliary holder 34, and together with the auxiliary holder 34, it can clamp the fabric that makes up the garment Y. With this configuration, in addition to the engagement of the connecting member 35, the detachable air blower X can be attached to the garment Y from two directions, and can be held more stably.

[0032] As shown in Figures 2(a), 2(b), 3(b), 3(c), 7(a), 7(b), 7(c), and 7(d), the holding portion 36 is preferably configured as an annular member surrounding the central axis A and substantially concentric with the inner circumferential surface 31 or the outer circumferential surface 32. In this case, the holding portion 36 preferably has a female thread on the inner circumferential surface 31 that threadably engages with a male thread on the main holding portion 33, allowing it to be moved in the direction of the central axis by operating a screwdriver. This configuration allows the fabric of the garment Y to be clamped between the sub-holding portion 34 and the holding portion 36 at any location around the inner circumferential surface 31, i.e., around the periphery of the mounting hole H, improving the flexibility and stability when attaching the detachable air blower X to the garment Y.

[0033] As an example of the configuration of the retaining portion 36, each drawing shows a configuration in which the retaining portion 36 separates the area between the inner peripheral surface 31 and the outer peripheral surface 32, i.e., the main retaining portion 33, into an inner peripheral surface 31 side and an outer peripheral surface 32 side. This configuration makes it difficult for the retaining portion 36 to come off the main retaining portion 33, and also prevents loosening of the screw due to unintended contact from the outside.

[0034] The housing 3 preferably further includes a wire guide portion 37 capable of holding electrical wires, and a groove portion 38. As shown in Figures 2(b), 3(c), 6(a), and 6(b), the wire guide portion 37 is a tubular or grooved columnar member that extends from near the central axis A of the housing 3 to near the inner circumferential surface 31, and holds the wires that electrically connect electrical components provided near the central axis A to electrical components along the inner circumferential surface 31. With this configuration, the spokes maintain the shape of the housing 3, and the electrical system can be expanded without interfering with the impeller 1 and the wires.

[0035] As shown in FIGS. 2(b), 3(c), and 6(b), the groove 38 is provided along the entire circumference of the inner circumferential surface 31, and allows the attachment of the lighting device 4, as shown in FIGS. 6(a) and 6(b). The lighting device 4 is a light-emitting element that is fitted into the groove 38 and provided in a ring shape along the inner circumferential surface 31, and is activated or deactivated by operating a switch or the like. The lighting device 4 is electrically connected to a power supply unit provided near the central axis A by wiring that passes through the wiring guide 37. This configuration improves the visibility of the detachable blower X without being obstructed by the rotation of the impeller 1.

[0036] When the detachable fan device X is operated using externally supplied power, it is equipped with a current collection port 5. As shown in FIGS. 2(b), 3(c), and 6(b), the current collection port 5 is a connection terminal located on the rear side of the detachable fan device X near the central axis A, to which wiring from an external power source that supplies power to the power unit 2 and the lighting device 4 can be connected. The current collection port 5 also forms a circuit with a switch, the power unit 2, and the lighting device 4 via a circuit board, and the operation of the power unit 2 (i.e., rotation of the impeller 1) and the illumination of the lighting device 4 can be controlled by operating the switch. This configuration allows the detachable fan device X to be operated with simple operations without using an external input device (e.g., a remote control), and also allows the power source (e.g., a battery) to be installed in a location away from the detachable fan device X, thereby minimizing changes in the center of gravity when the detachable fan device X is attached to clothing Y.

[0037] The present invention may have the following configurations. However, the following configurations are merely examples, and the presence or absence of the configurations can be determined arbitrarily unless otherwise specified.

[0038] <Example of change> 8(a) and 8(b) respectively show an example of a configuration in which the connecting member 35 is provided so as to extend beyond the outer peripheral surface 32 as described above, and an example of a configuration in which the connecting member 35 is provided in multiple separate locations. In either configuration, the connecting member 35 is provided within the effective area E, and in addition to the shape shown, any shape can be determined, for example, to match the attachment structure of the garment Y. Furthermore, as described above, the connecting member 35 may be configured such that the central axis A side is recessed (such as an arc or an inverted V-shape) in side view, which makes the engagement between the support body B and the connecting member 35 more stable and facilitates attachment to the garment Y.

[0039] As shown in Figures 3(c), 4(b), and 6(b), the auxiliary holding portion 34 may have a protrusion 341 that protrudes toward the main holding portion 33. As shown in Figures 3(a) and 4(a), the protrusion 341 is a columnar member that protrudes slightly from the inner circumferential surface 31 toward the central axis A and then protrudes from there toward the main holding portion 33. With this configuration, the positions of the inner circumferential surface 31 and the attachment hole H of the garment Y can be maintained so as not to be misaligned.

[0040] The main holding portion 33 and / or the auxiliary holding portion 34 may be provided with a non-slip portion. This non-slip portion is an uneven portion or a flexible fabric attached later, provided in multiple locations (such as along the outer peripheral surface 32) where the user's fingers will come into contact when gripping the housing 3, and prevents the detachable blower device X from falling off when the user puts it on or takes it off the clothing Y. Furthermore, this non-slip portion is particularly suitable when the outer peripheral surface 32 and the auxiliary holding portion 34 are substantially circular, as described above.

[0041] In the descriptions and drawings of the present invention, the parts of the housing 3 and the mounting hole H are shown as being substantially circular, but the shapes of the parts as viewed from the central axis direction may be other shapes, and shapes that have rotational symmetry about the central axis A (e.g., ellipse, regular polygon, etc.) are particularly preferred. With this configuration, the detachable air blower X can be configured in a variety of shapes to match the configuration of the clothing Y.

[0042] Hereinafter, a method for carrying out the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The ...

[0043] <<Implementation Method>> When attaching the detachable blower X to clothing Y, the user fastens a fastening member, which is composed of a main holding portion 33, an auxiliary holding portion 34, and a connecting member 35, to a support B attached to the clothing Y, as shown in FIG. 1. At this time, the support B has a beam or strip shape with the edge that faces vertically upward when worn that is not connected to other fabrics, and the auxiliary holding portion 34 is inserted from the upper edge of the support B into the interior of the clothing Y, and as shown in FIGS. 7(a) and 7(b), it is inserted further until the connecting member 35 abuts against the support B. At this time, if the support B and the mounting hole H on the clothing Y are in an appropriate positional relationship, the flow path cross section of the detachable blower X will overlap with the mounting hole H, ensuring a sufficient flow path for the gas during airflow.

[0044] Next, the user operates the holding portion 36, moving it from the main holding portion 33 toward the auxiliary holding portion 34 in the central axis direction, and clamping the fabric around the mounting hole H between the holding portion 36 and the auxiliary holding portion 34. As a result, the detachable air blower X is held to the clothing Y by clamping in the central axis direction, and the detachable air blower X is held to the clothing Y in the cross-sectional direction by the abutment (lock) between the connecting member 35 and the support body B, so that the detachable air blower X can be stably attached from two directions. Alternatively, an attachment method in which either of these two directions is selected may be used.

[0045] The user then connects wiring from a power source to the current collection port 5 and operates the power device 2 or the lighting device 4 by operating a switch or the like. The power source in this case is preferably a portable battery, and it is preferable to carry the power source in a pocket or the like provided in the clothing Y during use. It is also preferable to use one power source for each detachable air blower X, so that electrical wiring inside or around the clothing Y is not complicated and does not interfere with the user's work.

[0046] When the user wants to remove the detachable air blower X from the garment Y, he or she performs the above steps in reverse. [Explanation of symbols]

[0047] X Air blower Y clothes 1 impeller 2 Power plant 21 Rotating shaft 3. Housing 31 Inner surface 32 Outer surface 33 Main holding part 34 Sub holding part 341 Protrusion 35 Connecting member 36 Presser foot 37 Wiring guide section 38 Groove 4. Lighting 5. Current collection port A center axis B Support E Effective Area H Mounting hole L straight line

Claims

1. A detachable air blower device that is detachable from clothing and includes an impeller and a housing that holds the impeller rotatably about a central axis, The housing has an annular main holding portion formed by an inner circumferential surface surrounding the impeller and an outer circumferential surface surrounding the inner circumferential surface when viewed from the central axis direction, and further has an auxiliary holding portion facing the main holding portion in the central axis direction, and a connecting member connecting the main holding portion and the auxiliary holding portion, The detachable blower device, wherein the main holding portion is separated from the auxiliary holding portion along part or all of the edges of the inner circumferential surface and the outer circumferential surface.

2. The connecting member is included in an effective area, The effective area is one area in which the area of ​​the main holding portion is smaller among areas divided in two by any one straight line passing through the main holding portion when viewed from the central axis direction, The detachable blower device according to claim 1 .

3. The effective area is a range in which the distance from the central axis is farther than the inner circumferential surface. The detachable blower device according to claim 2.

4. The straight line that determines the effective area passes through the main holding portion only once when viewed from the central axis direction. The detachable blower device according to claim 2.

5. the housing further includes a pressing portion that is movable in the direction of the central axis, The pressing portion is capable of contacting the sub-holding portion. The detachable blower device according to claim 1 .

6. The pressing portion is annular and substantially concentric with the inner circumferential surface. The detachable blower device according to claim 5.

7. Further comprising an annular lighting device along the inner circumferential surface. The detachable blower device according to claim 1 .

8. When viewed from the central axis direction, the inner peripheral surface, the outer peripheral surface, and the auxiliary retaining portion are substantially circular. The detachable blower device according to claim 1 .

9. A garment comprising the detachable air blower according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

Images