Clothes fan and clothes equipped with the same

Abstract

To provide a garment fan that allows good wear comfort without becoming an obstacle when being worn while effectively fulfilling an air blowing function.SOLUTION: In a garment fan 10, a propeller fan 20 is housed in an annular part 36 of a casing 30, and eight blades 20A-20H are arranged at regular intervals along a circumferential direction of a side surface 21S of a hub 21 in the propeller fan 20. A hub width direction width I of the eight blades 20A-20H corresponds to an axial direction length L of the side surface 21S of the hub 21. When a cascade is developed, spacing of the adjacent blades is larger than a chord length.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a fan for clothing that is worn on clothing such as work clothes and sends outside air into the clothing.

Background Art

[0002] A fan for clothing is a blower that is used by being attached to the back or the like of clothing. By sending outside air into the clothing by the rotation of the fan, sweating of the clothing wearer is suppressed. The fan for clothing includes an axial-flow motor fan coaxially arranged with a motor, houses the motor fan in a cylindrical main body (casing), and is attached to the clothing by sandwiching the edge portion of the mounting hole formed in the clothing between the main bodies (for example, see Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] A fan for clothing is usually attached to the back side near the lateral abdomen of the clothing, and it is not possible to sufficiently secure the distance interval between the body and the fan for clothing. Therefore, while the clothing wearer is working, it is likely to come into contact with the body depending on the posture. Also, when sitting on a chair or in a narrow working space, the fan for clothing may come into contact with instruments or the like, which may cause malfunctions.

[0005] Therefore, there is a demand for a fan for clothing that does not cause an obstacle when worn while effectively exhibiting a blowing function.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The clothes fan of the present invention is a fan that can be attached to clothes, and includes a cylindrical casing provided with a suction port and a discharge port, and a propeller fan housed in the casing. In a propeller fan in which a plurality of blades are attached to a cylindrical hub, eight blades are attached to the side surface of the cylindrical hub at equal or unequal intervals along the circumferential direction. For example, it is possible to attach eight blades to the side surface of the hub at equal intervals. For example, in the case of a rib structure in which a plurality of concentric annular ribs and a plurality of radial ribs intersecting the annular ribs are provided at the suction port and the discharge port of the casing, and the annular part (ring) is screwed to attach to the clothes, the axial length of the side surface of the hub can be made equal to or less than the axial length of the annular part intervening between the suction port and the discharge port.

[0007] Each blade is attached with an axial width corresponding to the axial length of the side surface of the hub. Here, "with an axial width corresponding to the axial length of the side surface of the hub" means that the blade has a chord length that extends to both ends or near both ends of the side surface of the hub. The "axial width corresponding to the axial length of the side surface of the hub" includes not only the case where the lengths are exactly the same, but also the case where the axial width corresponds to the width from near the leading edge of the side surface of the hub to near the lower end. In other words, it means that the leading and trailing ends of each blade have a chord length that extends to both ends or near both ends in the width direction of the hub.

[0008] In the present invention, when a plurality (eight) of blades are arranged on the development surface as a blade row, the spacing between adjacent blades is larger than the chord length of the blades. The propeller fan composed of eight blades realizes the thinning of the fan, and enables weight reduction, reduction of load during rotation, low rotation speed, and effective air blowing at both high and low rotation speeds.

[0009] The three-dimensional shape of each blade can be various curved surface shapes. Each blade can be formed such that the leading edge and the trailing edge of each blade as a three-dimensional wing are along a plane perpendicular to the axial direction of the hub. Further, each blade can be attached at an attachment angle of 45 degrees or less with respect to the tip surface perpendicular to the axis of the hub. For example, it is attached in the range of 35 degrees to 45 degrees. It is also possible to adjust the chord pitch ratio and the clogging condition of the eight blades. For example, the shape, attachment angle, etc. of the blades can be configured such that the projected size of the gap between adjacent blades onto the plane perpendicular to the axis of the hub is smaller than half of the projected size of the blade onto the plane perpendicular to the axis of the hub.

Advantages of the Invention

[0010] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a fan for clothing that does not become an obstacle when worn while effectively exerting a blowing function.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0011]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Figure 9

Figure 10

Figure 11

Figure 12

Figure 13

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0012] Hereinafter, the fan for clothing according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the fan for clothing according to the first embodiment, seen from the suction port side. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the fan for clothing, seen from the discharge port side. FIG. 3 is a side view of the fan for clothing. The overall configuration of the fan for clothing will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3.

[0013] The fan for clothing 10 is a small blower that can be attached to a dedicated piece of clothing 100 (see FIG. 2), and is detachably attached to a mounting hole 100R formed on the back side of the clothing 100. The fan for clothing 10 includes a propeller-shaped axial flow fan (hereinafter referred to as a propeller fan) 20 and a cylindrical casing 30 that houses the propeller fan 20, and is mounted such that the suction port 10I side is on the outside of the clothing and the discharge port 10F (see FIG. 2) side is on the inside of the clothing.

[0014] The casing 30 is composed of a main body portion 32 and a motor mounting portion 34. As shown in FIG. 2, the motor mounting portion 34 is detachably mounted to the main body portion 32 by an engaging portion 34T. The main body portion 32 includes an annular portion 36 that forms a flange 32F at the end on the suction port 10I side, and the annular portion 36 houses the propeller fan 20. In FIG. 2, for convenience of explanation, the motor is not shown.

[0015] The suction port 10I of the main body portion 32 is an opening with a rib structure having the flange 32F as an outer frame. A plurality of radial ribs 32R1 extend radially from a cylindrical central portion 31, and two annular ribs 32R2 are arranged concentrically while intersecting the radial ribs 32R1.

[0016] The motor mounting portion 34 includes a bottomed cylindrical motor housing 50 at its center, and forms a dish-shaped frame by a rib structure, functioning as a discharge port 10F (see FIG. 3). The motor housing 50 houses a motor such as a brushless motor (not shown here) in its internal space 54B. Further, the rib structure of the motor mounting portion 34 has a structure in which a plurality of radial ribs 34R1 intersect an annular rib 34R2 concentrically and are connected to an annular frame 35. The lid 60 has an engaging piece 60T that can be inserted into the engaging hole 54K of the motor housing 50, and closes the motor housing 50.

[0017] Near the opening of the motor housing 50, a connecting portion 55 protruding in the radial direction is formed. A power cable (both not shown) connected to the battery is connected to an input terminal 54M provided at the connection port 55 of the motor housing 50. The propeller fan 20 is attached to the output shaft of a motor coaxially arranged in the casing 30 and rotates by the drive of the motor. The clothes fan 10 can be connected to a battery capable of changing the output voltage, and for example, the output voltage can be adjusted stepwise in four steps. The propeller fan 20 sends an air volume corresponding to the output voltage toward the discharge port 10F side.

[0018] The ring 40 is a holding member that sandwiches the clothes 100 (the peripheral portion of the mounting hole 100R) between itself and the flange 32F of the main body portion 32, and is screwed to the annular portion 36 of the main body portion 32 (see FIG. 2). The ring 40 rotates along the male screw 36M formed on the outer peripheral surface of the annular portion 36 and can rotate until the flange 40F formed at the discharge port side end of the ring 40 contacts the flange 32F of the main body portion 32. Here, unevenness is formed on the side surface of the ring 40, but it may be configured in a cylindrical shape without providing the unevenness.

[0019] The user inserts the casing 30 from the motor mounting portion 34 side into the mounting hole 100R of the clothing 100 with the ring 40 removed. Then, the ring 40 is rotated around the casing 30 from the inside of the clothing and tightened. As a result, the clothing fan 10 is mounted and fixed to the clothing 100. The side surface 32S of the flange 32F of the main body portion 32 has a smooth corrugated shape that is easy to grasp with one hand at a time, and no convex portions or edges that can catch a finger are formed. Note that the flange 32F can be formed in a shape other than the corrugated shape, for example, it may be formed in a circular shape.

[0020] The clothing fan 10 of the present embodiment is a thin fan with a narrow width along the fan axis E direction (see FIG. 3), and is realized by the configuration of the propeller fan 20. Also, even when the output voltage of the battery is increased, the configuration of the motor housing 50 prevents the motor from overheating. Further, when the ring 40 is tightened around the casing 30, the configuration restricts the rotation of the ring 40 in the loosening direction. Hereinafter, these will be described in detail.

[0021] First, the configuration of the propeller fan 20 will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5. FIG. 4 is a plan view of the propeller fan 20 as viewed from the suction port 10I side (front side). FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the propeller fan 20 as viewed from the discharge port 10F side. The axial-flow propeller fan 20 is an impeller in which eight blades (hereinafter also referred to as wings as necessary) 20A to 20H are attached to a cylindrical hub 21, and a cylindrical protrusion 21T1 is formed at the center of the tip surface 21T2 of the hub 21. The central axis of the hub 21 coincides with the axis of the casing 30 (the axis of the motor) E (hereinafter, the axis of the hub is also represented by E).

[0022] The clothing fan 10 is a single-stage axial-flow fan with the suction port 10I side as the front, and when the hub 21 attached to the output shaft of the motor rotates, air is sent from the suction port 10I to the discharge port 10F (rear side). The blade profiles such as the shapes and mounting angles of the blades 20A to 20H are determined to create this flow. The propeller fan 20 rotates clockwise as viewed from the discharge port 10F (rear side).

[0023] The three-dimensional blade shapes of the eight blades 20A to 20H and the mounting angle θ are all the same here. The mounting angle θ is defined as the inclination angle with respect to the tip surface 21T2 (see FIG. 4) perpendicular to the axis E of the hub 21. For example, in the case of the blade 20B, it is expressed as the inclination angle with respect to the tip surface 21T2 of the straight line connecting the leading edge K2 and the trailing edge K1 of the root portion with respect to the side surface 21S of the hub 21. The mounting angle θ here is defined as an angle of 45° or less. For example, the mounting angle θ is defined in the range of 35° to 45°.

[0024] In the present embodiment, the eight blades 20A to 20H are attached to the side surface 21S of the hub 21 at equal intervals along the circumferential direction. That is, adjacent blades are defined at angular positions separated by an angle α = 45° from the center. The angle α is an angle defined by a plane perpendicular to the axis E of the hub 21. For example, the angle α between the leading edge portions K3, K5 and the trailing edge portions K4, K6 corresponding to the outermost (farthest) blade edges of the blades 20A, 20B is 45° with respect to the plane perpendicular to the axis E of the hub 21.

[0025] The eight blades 20A to 20H are attached with a length (chord length) extending over the entire axial direction of the side surface of the hub 21 (hereinafter also referred to as the hub side surface) 21S. That is, the axial width I of the blades 20A to 20H on the hub side surface 21S corresponds to the axial length L of the hub side surface 21S. For example, in the case of the blade 20B, the trailing edge K1 of the attachment portion (root) is located near the lower end 21P of the hub 21, and the leading edge K2 is located near the edge 21N of the tip surface 21T2 of the hub 21.

[0026] Also, in the eight blades 20A to 20H, the leading edge of the blade (the blade edge along the leading edge K2 to the trailing edge K4 in the case of blade 20B) from the attachment portion (root) along the side surface of the hub 21 to the radially outermost end is along a plane perpendicular to the axis E of the hub 21. The same applies to the trailing edge (the blade edge from K1 of the leading edge to K3 of the trailing edge in the case of blade 20B). Therefore, each blade as a three-dimensional blade is formed such that its leading edge and trailing edge are along planes parallel to each other. Further, each blade has a blade shape with edges at the leading edge and the trailing edge (refer to K3 and K4 in the case of blade 20B).

[0027] On the other hand, when looking at the three-dimensional blade shape of the blades 20A to 20H along the radial direction, the degree of curvature of the blade edge near the tip surface edge 21N of the hub 21 (the blade edge of K4 to K3 in the case of blade 20B) is larger than that of the blade edge near the lower end 21P of the hub 21 (the blade edge of K2 to K1 in the case of blade 20B), and it becomes a more twisted curved surface shape as it gets closer to the tip surface edge 21N of the hub 21. Therefore, the chord length of the blade edge at the radially outermost end (corresponding to the length of the straight line connecting K3 and K4 in the case of blade 20B) is longer than the chord length of the blade near the attachment portion (root) to the hub 21 (corresponding to the length of the straight line connecting K1 and K2 in the case of blade 20B).

[0028] Furthermore, the inclination angle of the straight line connecting the leading edge and the trailing edge of the blade edge at the radially outermost end with respect to the tip surface 21T2 perpendicular to the hub axis E (the inclination angle of the straight line connecting K3 and K4 in the case of blade 20B) of the blades 20A to 20H is smaller than the inclination angle of the attachment portion (the inclination angle of the straight line connecting K2 and K1 with respect to the tip surface 21T2 perpendicular to the hub axis E in the case of blade 20B) so that the blades have a twisted blade shape on the tip surface 21T2 side of the hub 21.

[0029] According to the blade curved surface shape of the blades 20A to 20H like this, a space is secured between adjacent blades (refer to Fig. 4). For example, when defining a straight line extending along the axis E from the leading edge K4 of the blade 20B, the straight line does not overlap with the adjacent blade 20A.

[0030] Here, when the blades 20A to 20H are deployed on a plane as a blade row, the spacing s representing the distance between adjacent blades is larger than the chord length l. Also, the stagger angle ξ representing the blade inclination when the blade row is deployed, that is, the blade inclination angle with respect to the axis E, has an absolute value larger than 45 degrees because the attachment angle θ is 45 degrees or less as described above. However, when the inclination angle from the blade row direction is expressed as the stagger angle, the attachment angle is the same. Note that since the spacing and the chord length are common technical knowledge for those skilled in the art, the development diagram of the blade row is omitted here.

[0031] For example, in the case of adjacent blades 20A and 20B, the spacing s which is the distance between the rear ends of the outermost distal blade edges (corresponding to the distance between K5 and K3 in the circumferential direction in the case of blades 20A and 20B) is larger than the chord length l (the straight line connecting K6 and K5 of blade 20A or the straight line connecting K4 and K3 of blade 20B) (s > l).

[0032] On the other hand, the ratio of the spacing s to the chord length l, that is, the solidity σ (= l / s), is determined so that adjacent blades do not get too close to each other. As shown in FIG. 4, the gap between adjacent blades, that is, the projected size when viewed from the direction of the axis E, that is, the size of the area projected onto the plane perpendicular to the axis E of the hub 21, is determined to be smaller than the projected size of each blade but larger than 1 / 2.

[0033] In this way, by adopting a blade shape that appropriately secures the space between adjacent blades when viewed from the hub axis direction while having as many as eight blades, as described below, it is possible to achieve thinning of the clothing fan 10, quietness, and stability of the air blowing function during fan operation.

[0034] Conventionally, when the number of blades is even, resonance is likely to occur, resulting in adverse effects such as noise. Therefore, in the case of a blower, a radiator cooling fan for an automobile, a small cooling fan for a computer, etc., the number of blades is usually set to an odd number (in the case of a blower, 3, 5, or 7). That is, the blades are attached at positions offset from the opposing positions of each blade.

[0035] However, in the work site or event venue where the clothing fan 10 is used, a certain degree of noise generation is an inevitable usage environment, and the influence of the number of blades on noise is relatively small. Moreover, in the case of the clothing fan 10, the wind cut noise caused by the rib structure formed at the suction port 10I and the discharge port 10F of the casing 30 has a great influence on the noise. This rib structure is a necessary structure for reasons such as maintaining the strength of the casing 30 and preventing contact between the propeller fan 20 and external devices.

[0036] On the other hand, unlike a cooling fan for a computer or a cooling fan for an automobile, the clothing fan 10 does not stay in the same position during operation, and its position and posture change greatly depending on the movement of the clothing wearer. In this case, the even-numbered propeller fan 20 with blades provided at opposing positions is not only rotationally symmetric but also linearly symmetric, so the center of gravity balance is better, and the resistance of the blades is excellent when the posture changes or when force is applied. Furthermore, when the output voltage is adjusted stepwise by a battery, since there are blades at opposing positions, it is easy to instantaneously increase the rotational speed of the propeller fan 20.

[0037] On the other hand, when the number of blades is even, if the number of blades is reduced to obtain the required air volume, it is necessary to attach the blades to the hub 21 in a state where the blades are laid down as much as possible (a state along the hub tip surface 21T2) and increase the blade width. However, if the mounting angle θ is made as small as possible and the blades with a wide blade width are used, the force applied to the root portion of the blades increases, and it is necessary to ensure a sufficient axial length of the side surface of the hub from the viewpoint of hub strength. By increasing the axial length of the hub, it is impossible to achieve a thinner fan.

[0038] In the case of the single - type propeller fan 20 composed of relatively many blades 20A to 20H, which is eight in number, the force received by each of the blades 20A to 20H becomes smaller compared to the case where the number of blades is made smaller. Also, regarding the relationship between the spacing s and the chord length l when the blade rows are developed among the eight blades 20A to 20H, while securing the spacing s by sufficiently suppressing the axial length L of the side surface 21S of the hub 21, the pitch ratio σ is larger than 1 / 2. By ensuring the blade area while preventing each blade from lying too much, excessive force is not applied to the blade root portion.

[0039] Therefore, even if the blades 20A to 20H having an axial width I corresponding to the axial length L of the side surface 21S of the hub 21 are configured, sufficient strength of the hub 21 is ensured. As a result, the axial length L of the side surface 21S of the hub 21 can be made shorter than the axial length W of the annular portion 36 of the casing 30 (see FIG. 3), that is, the rotation area of the blades 20A to 20H can be accommodated in the annular portion 36. This leads to shortening (thinning) the axial width of the fan for clothing 10.

[0040] Note that even in a configuration where the spacing of the eight blades 20A to 20H is relatively large and the mounting angle θ is relatively large (the blades are not lying so much), since the fan for clothing 10 attached to the clothing 100 is located near the body, it is not necessary to blow air far along the fan axis direction like a fan, and conversely, it is preferable to blow air in the direction flowing around.

[0041] Since the height of the propeller fan 20 is accommodated in the annular portion 36 of the casing 30, the air flowing near the outermost radial blade edge (in the case of the blade 20B, the blade edges K3 to K4) is affected by the blade portion with the highest rotational speed and is discharged from near the frame 35 of the motor mounting portion 34 which is a rib structure. As a result, an effective flow can be created inside the clothing.

[0042] In particular, since each blade as a three-dimensional blade is formed such that its leading edge and trailing edge are along planes parallel to each other, when air passes through the gaps between the blades, the increase in three-dimensional turbulence is suppressed. Also, since the entire trailing-edge side of the blade forms a blade portion with a high rotational speed, a more effective flow can be created. On the other hand, since the mounting angles θ of the eight blades 20A to 20H are relatively large and the blade width is suppressed, the noise of each blade can be suppressed.

[0043] Furthermore, when the propeller fan 20 is configured with eight blades 20A to 20H, when the rotational speed at which the output voltage is set low becomes low, the negative pressure on the suction port 10I side is maintained compared to the discharge port 10F side. Therefore, at the same rotational speed, it is possible to blow air more efficiently compared to a propeller fan with a smaller number of blades.

[0044] When configuring the blades with more than eight blades, it is possible to configure them with 10 or 12 blades from the perspective of the specific speed (form number). However, it becomes difficult to ensure the spacing s in the blade row expansion, and the force applied to the blades increases, making them unsuitable for high-speed rotation. Therefore, it is appropriate to configure them with eight blades 20A to 20H. If there is line symmetry with respect to the blades within an acceptable range, even-numbered blades at unequal intervals may be attached to the hub. Considering the ensuring of the spacing, it is possible to attach eight blades at unequal intervals with line symmetry. As a fan for clothes, not only a mounting structure by screwing using the ring 40 but also a configuration for attachment by locking and fitting is possible.

[0045] Next, with reference to FIGS. 2 and 6, the structure of the motor housing 50 for preventing overheating of the motor will be described. The motor housing 50 is composed of a cylindrical portion 52 having a front end surface 52K and a skirt portion 54 extending from the lower end of the cylindrical portion 52. A hole through which the output shaft of the motor 70 passes is formed in the front end surface 52K, and the motor 70 is fixed inside the motor housing 50 at a position where it contacts the back surface 52B (see FIG. 2) of the front end surface 52K.

[0046] The hub 21 of the propeller fan 20 has a size capable of accommodating the cylindrical portion 52 of the motor housing 50, and the cylindrical portion 52 is covered (surrounded) by the hub 21. At this time, the position of the lower end 21P of the hub 21 exceeds the position of the opening 52M along the housing axis direction (see the dashed line L' in FIG. 6). A gap is formed between the inner peripheral surface 21M (see FIG. 5) of the hub 21 and the side surface 52S of the cylindrical portion 52.

[0047] A plurality of openings 52M are formed in the cylindrical portion 52 along the axial direction from the edge of the front end surface 52K. Here, six rectangular openings 52M are formed at equal intervals along the housing circumferential direction. Further, four of the six openings 52M are formed at positions axially separated from the engagement hole 54K with the lid 60.

[0048] By forming such openings 52M, overheating of the motor 70 can be suppressed. That is, during the rotation of the motor 70, the temperature of the motor 70 rises, and in particular, the temperature of the tip side of the motor 70 close to the hub 21 rises. This becomes prominent when the output voltage of the battery is increased. However, the heat of the motor 70 is released into the gap between the motor housing 50 and the hub 21 through the openings 52M, thereby suppressing the temperature rise of the motor 70.

[0049] That is, the air heated near the tip of the motor 70 in the motor housing 50 has a high temperature, so it easily flows out from the openings 52M and out of the gap between the motor housing 50 and the hub 21 to the outside. This flow creates an air current in which relatively cooler air flows into the motor housing 50. Further, since the engagement hole 54K is provided at a position axially separated from the openings 52M along the housing axis direction, it becomes easier to create an air current in which the hot air flows out from the gap between the motor housing 50 and the hub 21.

[0050] Incidentally, the original function of the clothing fan 10 is to suppress sweating by blowing air, and it is not preferable that the air heated by the heat dissipation of the motor 70 is blown into the clothing 100. However, since the opening 52M is covered by the hub 21, the air flowing out from the gap between the hub 21 and the motor housing 50 flows along the vicinity of the surface of the skirt portion 54 toward the discharge port 10F side.

[0051] The blades 20A to 20H of the propeller fan 20 have a higher rotational speed toward the blade tips, and the air volume of the clothing fan 10 is greatly affected by the air flowing near the blade tips. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the heat released along the motor housing 50 from affecting the air that is directly sent into the clothing 100.

[0052] The configuration such as the shape and position of the opening 52M is not limited to the above-described configuration, and it is also possible to form an opening extending along the housing radial direction or to form openings with unequal pitches. Further, an opening may be formed from the side surface 52S to the front end surface 52K of the cylindrical portion 52 of the motor housing 50, or an independent opening may be formed only on the front end surface 52K. On the other hand, a configuration in which the hub 21 partially covers the opening (the reference sign L' in FIG. 6 is located in the middle of the opening 52M) may be used, or an opening may be formed on the discharge port 10F side along the housing axial direction away from the edge of the front end surface 52K.

[0053] Next, with reference to FIGS. 2, 7, and 8, the attachment of the clothing fan 10 by screwing the ring 40 will be described. A female screw 40M is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the ring 40 (see FIG. 7), and the ring 40 can be screwed until it contacts the flange 32F of the main body portion 32. Then, on the surface where the ring 40 and the flange 32F contact, complementary profiles for restricting rotation of the ring 40 in the loosening direction are formed along the circumferential direction.

[0054] Figures 2, 7, and 8 show, as an example of the profile, a configuration in which convex portions are formed on each other's surfaces. As shown in Figure 7, on the bottom surface (hereinafter referred to as the flange facing surface) 42P of the ring 40, a plurality of convex portions 42 are formed at a predetermined interval (here, 30 at equal intervals) over the entire circumferential direction. On the other hand, on the upper surface (hereinafter referred to as the ring facing surface) 32P of the flange 32F of the main body portion 32, a plurality of convex portions are also formed at a predetermined interval along the circumferential direction. Here, four convex portions 33 are formed at equal intervals (two are shown in Figure 2 and one is shown in Figure 8).

[0055] The convex portion 42 formed on the flange facing surface 42P of the ring 40 has a cross-sectional shape that is smoothly curved along the circumferential direction here, and no edge is formed on its surface portion. On the other hand, the convex portion 33 formed on the ring facing surface 32P of the main body portion 32 has a trapezoidal cross-section and an edge is formed here. The height of the convex portion 42 from the flange facing surface 42P is substantially equal to the height of the convex portion 33 from the ring facing surface 32P.

[0056] Figure 8 shows the contact state between the convex portion 42 and the convex portion 33 when the ring 40 is at the position where it is most tightened (the position where the ring 40 cannot rotate any further in relation to the female thread 40M and the male thread 36, hereinafter referred to as the maximum tightening position) with the clothing 100 not sandwiched. The circumferential distance interval between the convex portions 42 formed on the flange facing surface 42P of the ring 40 is longer than the circumferential width of the convex portion 33 formed on the main body portion 32 (flange 32F). When the ring 40 is at the maximum tightening position, each convex portion 33 is interposed between the adjacent convex portions 42 on both sides thereof.

[0057] When the ring 40 is rotated to the maximum tightening position, the flange facing surface 42P of the ring 40 gradually approaches the ring facing surface 32P of the main body portion 32. Before reaching the maximum tightening position, some of the convex portions 33 on the ring facing surface 32P of the main body portion 32 come into contact with the convex portions 42 on the flange facing surface 42P of the ring 40, and the ring 40 rotates to the final maximum tightening position while receiving resistance.

[0058] Incidentally, the ring 40 will actually be tightened while sandwiching the garment 100 between the ring 40 and the flange 32F. When the fabric of the garment 100 is very thin, the ring 40 can be rotated to the maximum tightening position with almost no influence from the fabric. Therefore, once the ring 40 is rotated to the maximum tightening position, when the convex portion 42 tries to overcome the convex portion 33, it encounters resistance, thus restricting the rotation of the ring 40 in the loosening direction.

[0059] Also, even when the fabric of the garment 100 is relatively thick, since the convex portion 42 and the convex portion 33 have complementary shapes that sandwich the garment 100 and resist each other until the ring 40 reaches the maximum tightening position, the rotation of the ring 40 in the loosening direction can be suppressed even near the maximum tightening position.

[0060] Furthermore, the waviness of the garment sandwiched between the convex portion 42 and the convex portion 33 increases the frictional resistance, and it is possible to suppress the rotation of the ring 40 in the loosening direction even before the convex portion 42 and the convex portion 33 sandwich the garment 100 and resist each other.

[0061] On the other hand, when the convex portion 33 of the flange 32F is interposed between adjacent convex portions 42 of the ring 40, there is a slight gap between the convex portion 33 and the adjacent convex portions 42 on both sides thereof. This gap becomes a gap that allows a slight minute rotation of the ring 40, and the user can accelerate when rotating the ring 40 in the loosening direction, enabling the convex portion 33 to overcome the convex portion 42 and loosen the ring 40. Note that the shapes of the convex portion 33 and the convex portion 42 can be other shapes than those described above, and as long as they have a height and a cross-sectional shape that can sandwich the garment 100 and exert forces on each other when the ring 40 is turned like a screw, and can rotate the ring 40 to the maximum tightening position or a position near it.

[0062] As explained above, by forming complementary profiles in which contact between the protrusions 42 and 33 acts as a means for restricting rotation in the loosening direction of the ring 40, the clothing fan 10 can be securely attached to the clothing 100. Furthermore, by forming a large number of protrusions 42 at relatively short intervals on the flange-facing surface 42P and making the circumferential width of the protrusions 33 shorter than this interval, the gap between the flange-facing surface 42P and the ring-facing surface 32P becomes approximately equal over the entire circumferential direction, making it easier to clamp the fabric of the clothing 100 with an even force over the entire circumferential direction.

[0063] The number of protrusions 42 and protrusions 33 can be set to numbers other than those mentioned above (for example, the number of protrusions 33 can be in the range of 20 to 40, and the number of protrusions 42 can be in the range of 2 to 10). Furthermore, protrusions 33 can be formed on the ring-facing surface 32P, and protrusions 42 can be formed on the flange-facing surface 32P, as long as the number of protrusions on one side is greater than the number of protrusions on the other side. Furthermore, the complementary profiles are not limited to a configuration in which protrusions are formed on each other, and may be a configuration of recesses and protrusions.

[0064] Next, a clothes fan according to a second embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 9 to 11. In the second embodiment, the area of each blade is larger than in the first embodiment, and the blades are configured to be more densely packed.

[0065] 9 is a front view of the clothes fan of the second embodiment. As with the first embodiment, the clothes fan 10' has a ribbed structure on the front side consisting of radially extending ribs 32'R1 and annular ribs 32'R2, but the spacing between adjacent ribs 32'R1 is wider than in the first embodiment.

[0066] Fig. 10 is a front view of the propeller fan according to the second embodiment, and Fig. 11 is a perspective view of the propeller fan according to the second embodiment as seen from the rear side.

[0067] The propeller fan 20' is provided with eight blades 20'A to 20'H. Similar to the first embodiment, each blade is attached at a predetermined attachment angle θ so as to have a length (chord length) that spans the entire widthwise length L of the side surface 21'S of the hub 21'. Here, the attachment angle θ is smaller than that of the first embodiment.

[0068] Also, the length of the radially outermost blade edge with respect to the length in the vicinity of the attachment portion (root) to the hub 21' (corresponding to the length of the straight line connecting K1 and K2 in the case of blade 20'B) has a blade surface shape that is longer compared to the first embodiment. Therefore, the blade area of each blade is larger than that of the first embodiment.

[0069] When the eight blades 20'A to 20'H are developed as a blade row, similar to the first embodiment, the spacing s is larger than the chord length l (s > l). On the other hand, the stagger angle ξ is larger compared to the first embodiment because the attachment angle θ is smaller as described above.

[0070] As a result, while ensuring a certain amount of spacing s, the configuration is such that the spacing between adjacent blades is made closer compared to the first embodiment. As is clear from comparing FIG. 4 and FIG. 10, the projected size when the gap between adjacent blades is projected onto a plane perpendicular to the axis E of the hub 21 is smaller than the projected size of each blade, and here it is smaller than 1 / 2.

[0071] With such a configuration of the propeller fan 20', it is possible to increase the air volume while maintaining the thinness along the axial direction of the propeller fan 20'. On the other hand, by being composed of eight blades, even though each blade is attached in a relatively laid-back state, the surface area of one blade does not become overly large. Therefore, even when increasing the air volume by high-speed rotation, it is easy to maintain the strength of the propeller fan 20'.

[0072] Also, similar to the first embodiment, each blade as a three-dimensional blade is formed such that its leading edge and trailing edge are along a plane parallel to each other. Therefore, even though the gap between adjacent blades is small when the rotational speed is increased, the turbulence of the air passing through the gap is suppressed, and it becomes possible to increase the air volume as the rotational speed increases.

[0073] Next, the clothing fan which is the third embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 12. In the third embodiment, the rotation of the cable in the connected state of the power cable is restricted.

[0074] FIG. 12 is a partial perspective view seen from the back side of the clothing fan which is the third embodiment.

[0075] In the clothing fan 10”, similar to the first embodiment, the motor mounting portion 34” of the casing 30” has a rib structure in which a plurality of radial ribs 34”R1 and a concentric annular rib 34”R2 intersect. Also, the lid 60” closes a motor housing (not shown). The ring 40” is formed in a cylindrical shape without irregularities on the side surface here. Also, the flange (not shown) of the casing 30” is formed in a circular shape instead of a corrugated shape.

[0076] A connecting portion 55” protruding radially is formed near the opening of the motor housing. The input terminal 54”M provided at the connecting portion 55” of the motor housing is provided inside the lid 60”, and the connecting terminal of a power cable (not shown) is inserted into the input terminal 54”M.

[0077] In the third embodiment, the front space S” of the input terminal 54”M is configured as a space region for restricting the rotation of the connected power cable, and the power cable cannot be rotated to a state parallel to the ring 40” with the power cable inserted into the input terminal 54”M. Therefore, the power cable cannot be rotated 180°.

[0078] The radial ribs 39”A and 39”B that are connected near the input terminal 54”M of the housing have a rib shape with a stepped difference, are symmetrically positioned with respect to the input terminal 54”M here, and have the same shape. The radial ribs 39”A and 39”B that form this front-side space S” are at a height where they contact and support the connection terminal of the power cable in a state where the connection terminal of the power cable is inserted into the input terminal 54”M.

[0079] In the rib structure of the motor mounting portion 34”, the arc-shaped rib 37”R2 along the circumferential direction is formed along the vicinity of the ring 40” below the other annular rib 34”R2. The arc-shaped rib 37”R2 is connected to the annular rib 34”R2 via the inclined ribs 38”A and 38”B. The inclined ribs 38”A and 38”B contact when the inserted power cable is rotated and limit the amount of rotational movement thereof.

[0080] In the third embodiment, the stepped radial ribs 39”A and 39”B having two steps are shaped to contact the connection terminal of the power cable at the step portion. Therefore, the power cable is stably held by the radial ribs 39”A and 39”, and is positioned by contact with the inclined ribs 38”A and 38”. Therefore, the connection terminal of the power cable is less likely to come off from the input terminal 54”M.

[0081] And, since a space for moving and rotating the connection terminal of the power cable by 180° is not provided, and a configuration of providing a receiving portion for preventing the connection terminal of the connection terminal of the power cable from coming off near the ring side surface outside the space is not adopted, a rib structure that supports the motor housing over the entire circumference can be formed. In particular, a rib structure that is connected to the input terminal 54”M and maintains strength is realized. Also, it is not necessary to increase the diameter of the motor mounting portion 34”, that is, the diameter of the casing 30” more than necessary.

[0082] This rib structure can also be applied to clothing fans that do not employ the structures described in the first and second embodiments. Specifically, a clothing fan can be provided in which a casing housing a propeller fan has a rib structure in which concentric annular ribs intersect with radial ribs, and a stepped (e.g., two-step) radial rib descends from the top of the casing toward the bottom (the outer periphery of the casing) near the input terminal into which the power cable connection terminal is inserted. The clothing fan can be attached not only by a screwdriver using a ring, but also by a locking or fitting mechanism. For example, in the case of a radial rib with two steps, the height of the middle portion can be determined so that the middle portion of the radial rib comes into contact with the middle portion of the radial rib when the power cable connection terminal is inserted into the input terminal.

[0083] In the past, in order to prevent the power cable from coming loose from the clothing fan, it was necessary to provide a large space near the input terminal, which resulted in a lack of strength in the rib structure supporting the motor housing.However, by forming stepped radial ribs, it is possible to stably hold the power cable while preventing a decrease in the strength of the rib structure.

[0084] Next, a clothing fan according to a fourth embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 13. In the fourth embodiment, the connection portion with the power cable extends radially from near the top (rear side) of the fan casing.

[0085] FIG. 13 is a partial perspective view of the clothing fan according to the fourth embodiment, seen from the rear side.

[0086] In the clothes fan 1000, similar to the third embodiment, the motor mounting portion 1034 of the casing 1030 has a rib structure in which a plurality of radial ribs 1034R1 and a concentric annular rib 1034R2 intersect. At the connection portion 55 of the motor housing blocked by the lid 1060, a flexible connection portion 1100 is provided which is connected to the connection terminal of the power cable. The connection portion 1100 includes an input terminal portion 1110 and a straight cable portion 1120 here, and the motor driving power is supplied through the connection portion 1100. The cable portion 1120 is composed of a flexible material here.

[0087] The connection portion 1100 extends radially from the lid 1060 to the casing 1030 and has a length T. The connection terminal of the power cable can be inserted into the input terminal portion 1110 of the connection portion 1100. By providing such a protruding connection portion 1100 on the casing 1030 of the clothes fan 1000, even when there is no margin in the length of the power cable, the power cable can be easily connected to the clothes fan 1000.

[0088] The length T of the connection portion 1100 extends radially beyond the casing 1030 and protrudes here, but it is also possible to set the length T not to exceed the casing 1030. The length T may be determined according to standards and the like. Also, the shape, size, etc. of the input terminal portion 1110 can also be determined according to standards and the like. Further, a plurality of input terminal portions 1100 of the connection portion 1100 having different shapes and sizes according to standards and the like may be prepared, and they may be configured to be removable and selectively mounted with respect to the motor housing. On the other hand, the cable portion 1120 may be configured to change the extending direction from the middle.

[0089] This type of power cable structure can also be applied to clothing fans that do not employ the structures described in the first, second, and third embodiments. That is, the casing housing the propeller fan can be configured so that at least a portion of the connection portion for the power cable connecting terminal that supplies power to the motor that drives the propeller fan extends radially from near the center of the casing. Clothing fans can be mounted not only by a screwdriver using a ring, but also by a locking or fitting mechanism. For example, the connection portion can have an input terminal at its tip into which the power cable's connecting terminal can be inserted, and at least a portion of the cable extends linearly.

[0090] Conventionally, when inserting the connection terminal (pin) of the power cable, there are cases where the position (angle) of the clothing fan 1000 when installed makes it difficult to insert due to the length of the power cable and its relationship to the installation positions of the two clothing fans. However, by providing the above-mentioned connection part, it becomes easy to connect the power cable regardless of the installation position of the clothing fan.

[0091] Furthermore, when the power cable is pulled from its plugged-in state, a load is placed on the input terminal as in the conventional case, which may result in cable deterioration and a decrease in the strength of the motor housing. However, with the connection part 1100 of this embodiment, there is a margin in the length of the power cable, which makes it less likely that a load will be placed on the motor housing.

[0092] Note that the configuration of the propeller fan with eight multi - blades described in the first embodiment can also be applied to a clothing fan that does not have a complementary profile on the opposing surfaces of the ring and the flange and does not have a heat - dissipation structure for the motor housing. Similarly, the heat - dissipation structure of the motor housing can be applied to a clothing fan that does not have a configuration of a propeller fan with an even number of multi - blades and does not have a complementary profile on the opposing surfaces between the ring and the flange. The configuration with a complementary profile on the opposing surfaces of the ring and the flange can be applied to a clothing fan that does not have a configuration of a propeller fan with an even number of multi - blades and does not have a heat - dissipation structure for the motor housing.

Example

[0093] Hereinafter, the results of an air volume comparison experiment between a clothing fan of an example equipped with a propeller fan with eight blades and a clothing fan of a comparative example equipped with a six - blade propeller fan will be described.

[0094] The clothing fan of the example is configured as a clothing fan having an eight - blade propeller fan corresponding to the second embodiment, with a fan diameter of 85 mm and a casing diameter of 105 mm. The mounting angle of each blade is within the range of 35 degrees to 45 degrees. On the other hand, the clothing fan of the comparative example has the same fan diameter and casing diameter as the example, and also has substantially the same rib structures on the front side and the back side, and the mounting angles of each blade are also substantially equal. When deployed in a blade row, the spacing in both cases is larger than the chord length, and the pitch ratio is configured to be substantially the same between the example and the comparative example.

[0095] For such clothing fans of the example and the comparative example, the following air volume tests were conducted.

[0096] A vane-type anemometer (manufactured by Testo SE & Co. KGaA, Germany) was used to measure airflow using a flow strainer (rectifier). To avoid being affected by the floor or other factors during measurements, the clothing fan was placed on a special base with a casing-sized hole, and measurements were taken with the fan and flow strainer in close contact to prevent air leakage. A voltage of 15V was also supplied to the clothing fan to measure airflow.

[0097] The air volume measurement results showed that the clothing fan of the example had an air volume of 83 (L / s), while the clothing fan of the comparative example had an air volume of 73.2 (L / s). As a result, it was confirmed that the clothing fan with eight blades has the effect of increasing air volume compared to the clothing fan with six blades. [Explanation of symbols]

[0098] 10 Clothing Fan 20 Propeller Fan 20A~20H Feather 21 Hub 30 Casing 32 Main body 32F flange 32P Ring facing surface 33 Convex part 34 Motor mounting part 40 Rings 42 Convex part 42P flange facing surface 50 Motor housing 52M opening 70 Motor

Claims

1. A cylindrical casing provided with a suction port facing the outside of the clothing in the worn state on the clothing and a discharge port facing the body side in the worn state on the clothing, An axial flow propeller fan having a tip surface of a cylindrical hub accommodated with the suction port facing it in an annular portion formed between the suction port and the discharge port of the casing along the casing axis, In the propeller fan, eight blades are attached to the side surface of the hub at equal or unequal intervals along the circumferential direction, When the propeller fan is viewed along the casing axis from the tip surface side of the hub, the leading edge and the trailing edge of each blade are curved in the rotational direction corresponding to the counterclockwise direction of the propeller fan, Each blade is attached with an axial width corresponding to the axial length of the side surface of the hub, A fan for clothing, characterized in that the spacing between adjacent blades when deployed as a blade row is larger than the chord length of the blade.

2. The fan for clothing according to claim 1, characterized in that the radially outermost ends of the leading edges and the radially outermost ends of the trailing edges of each blade as a three-dimensional blade are along a plane perpendicular to the axial direction of the hub.

3. The fan for clothing according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that each blade is attached at an attachment angle of 45 degrees or less with respect to the tip surface perpendicular to the axis of the hub.

4. The fan for clothing according to claim 3, characterized in that each blade is attached at an attachment angle in the range of 35 degrees to 45 degrees with respect to the tip surface perpendicular to the axis of the hub.

5. The fan for clothing according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the projected size of the gap between adjacent blades on a plane perpendicular to the axis of the hub is smaller than half of the projected size of the blade on a plane perpendicular to the axis of the hub.

6. A plurality of concentric annular ribs and a plurality of radial ribs intersecting with the annular ribs are provided at the suction port and the discharge port of the casing, The fan for clothing according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the axial length of the side surface of the hub is equal to or less than the axial length of the annular portion intervening between the suction port and the discharge port.

7. A clothing, characterized by comprising the fan for clothing according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

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