Ventilation and air conditioning equipment

Abstract

To provide an air blower which can suppress reduction of wind volume and reduce noise and vibration during rotation of a fan, and an air conditioner provided with the air blower.SOLUTION: A fan 110 includes a base 120, a plurality of blades 130 connected to the base 120 at one ends, and a ring-shaped shroud 140 connected to the other ends of the plurality of blades 130, where the base, the blades and the shroud are integrally formed. As a separate component from the fan 110, the fan 110 is provided with a circular wind receiving member 160 having a diameter larger than an outside diameter of the base 120. This causes air sucked from the shroud 140 to be blown out under a centrifugal force generated by the rotation of the fan 110. Thus, reduction in wind volume can be prevented while the fan 110 is integrally formed. Also, since the fan 110 and the wind receiving member 160 are separate components, it does not occur that the wind receiving member 160 is attached to the fan 110 in misalignment and the center of gravity of the fan 110 is biased. Noise and vibration during rotation of the fan 110 can be thus reduced.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a blower and an air conditioner equipped with the blower. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, there has been known a fan that is integrally formed with a rotating plate that is rotated by a drive motor, a plurality of blades that are connected at one end to the outer periphery of the front surface of the rotating plate, and a shroud that is formed in an annular shape and integrally connected to the other ends of the plurality of blades and has an inner diameter that is equal to or greater than the diameter of the rotating plate.

[0003] Such fans can be formed as a single unit using a simple mold, but the air sucked in through the shroud blows away in the direction of the fan's rotation axis, and the air blown out cannot receive the centrifugal force caused by the rotation of the fan, resulting in a reduced airflow.To address this issue, there is a blower device that prevents air from blowing away in the direction of the fan's rotation axis by fixing an auxiliary rotating plate, which is formed with a diameter larger than that of the rotating plate, to the rotating plate (Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2008-128232 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, when fixing the auxiliary rotating plate to the rotating plate, it is necessary to align the centers of gravity of the fan and the auxiliary rotating plate. If the center of gravity is misaligned, the balance of the entire fan will be lost, causing noise and vibration when the fan rotates.

[0006] The present invention is intended to solve the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a blower device that can suppress a decrease in air volume of an integrally formed fan and reduce noise and vibration when the fan rotates, and an air conditioner equipped with a blower device. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The present invention An intake port that draws indoor air into the main body, an air outlet for discharging air from the main body; an air flow path from the air inlet to the air outlet; a casing that forms an outer shell of at least a part of the air flow path; a blower provided inside the casing, The blower device includes: a base coupled to a rotary shaft of a drive motor; a plurality of blades arranged in a circumferential direction of the base and having one end connected to the base; a ring-shaped shroud coupled to the other end of the plurality of blades and having an inner diameter equal to or greater than the diameter of the base; a circular wind receiving member disposed at a predetermined distance from the base and to which the drive motor is attached; the base, the plurality of blades, and the shroud are integrally formed; The air receiving member has a diameter larger than the outer diameter of the base and is an air conditioner having a connecting portion that connects the casing and the air blower. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] The above-described configuration provides a blower device and an air conditioner equipped with a blower device that can suppress a decrease in the airflow rate of the integrally formed fan and reduce noise and vibrations when the fan rotates. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] 1 is an external perspective view of a blower device according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2] 1 is a cross-sectional view of a blower device according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 3] 1 is a perspective view showing the appearance of an air purifier, which is an example of an air conditioning device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] 1 is a cross-sectional view of an air purifier, which is an example of an air conditioning device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of an air purification unit of the present embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of the periphery of the blower in FIG. [Figure 7] 1 is a top view of an air purifier including a blower device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a connecting portion and a connected portion. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a top view of a connecting portion that also serves as a lead wire guide portion. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a top view of the cover portion that also serves as the fixing portion. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the positional relationship between the vertical wall and the extraction hole. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be briefly described below, showing the operation of the present invention.

[0013] The present invention also provides an air conditioning system including an inlet and an outlet provided in a main body, an airflow path extending from the inlet to the outlet, a casing forming the outer periphery of at least a portion of the airflow path, and a blower provided within the casing. The blower includes a base connected to a rotary shaft of a drive motor, a fan integrally formed with a plurality of blades arranged circumferentially around the base and one end of which is connected to the base, and a ring-shaped shroud connected to the other ends of the blades and having an inner diameter equal to or greater than the diameter of the base, and a circular air receiving member disposed at a predetermined distance from the base and to which the drive motor is attached. The air receiving member has a diameter larger than the outer diameter of the base and has a connecting portion connecting the casing to the blower. This prevents a decrease in air volume and static pressure because air drawn in through the shroud is blown out by centrifugal force generated by the rotation of the fan. Furthermore, because the air receiving member is disposed separately from the fan, there is no need to align the centers of gravity of the fan and the air receiving member. This prevents noise and vibration during fan rotation due to misalignment of the centers of gravity. Furthermore, by attaching the blower to the casing using a connecting portion provided on the wind receiving member, there is no need to provide any additional parts for attachment, which prevents an increase in the number of parts and costs.

[0014] The connecting parts are provided in multiple locations and extend outward beyond the outer periphery of the wind receiving member. The inner wall of the casing is provided with connected parts that protrude from the inner wall surface and to which the connecting parts are attached. This allows the connecting parts to abut against the connected parts, aligning the installation position of the blower.

[0015] The main body has an intake port at the bottom and an outlet port at the top, the blower is mounted inside the casing with the shroud facing downwards, and the connecting part is attached to the top surface of the connected part. This makes it easy to align the mounting position of the blower because the connecting part is placed on the connected part from above the main body, and there is no need to support the blower by hand when attaching it with screws, etc., making the installation work easier.

[0016] The air receiving member also has a guide surface that slopes upward toward the outer periphery. Air drawn in from the shroud by the rotation of the fan flows along the guide surface and is then blown out from the fan. The guide surface ensures that the air blown out from the fan follows the upward airflow within the main body, allowing the air to flow smoothly within the airflow path.

[0017] The shroud also has an inclined portion that slopes upward toward the outer periphery, and the inclined portion faces the guide surface, and is parallel to the guide surface or the distance between the inclined portion and the guide surface increases toward the downstream side. In other words, the distance between the inclined portion, which forms part of the air flow path, and the guide surface does not narrow, so pressure loss in this portion can be reduced.

[0018] The main body has an air outlet on its top surface, and the wind receiving member has a lead wire guide that guides the lead wires of the drive motor toward the inner wall of the casing. The blower has a cover that covers the lead wire guide, and the lead wires are arranged between the lead wire guide and the cover. In other words, the lead wires are attached so that they run along the lead wire guide, preventing them from hanging down toward the fan. Furthermore, because the cover is located above the lead wires, they are not visible from the air outlet, improving the design.

[0019] In addition, the connecting portion is a lead wire guide portion. By using the connecting portion for attaching the blower to the casing as a lead wire guide portion, there is no need to provide a separate lead wire guide portion, which prevents an increase in the number of parts and costs. [Example]

[0020] An embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings.

[0021] 1 is a perspective view of the exterior of the blower of this embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the blower of this embodiment. The blower 10 is made up of a fan 110, a drive motor 150, and a wind receiving member 160.

[0022] The fan 110 of this embodiment is a turbofan that draws in air in the direction of the fan's rotation axis and blows it out in the circumferential direction. The fan 110 comprises a truncated conical base 120 connected to a rotation shaft 151 of a drive motor 150, a plurality of blades 130 aligned in the circumferential direction of the base 120 and arranged at predetermined intervals radially from the rotation shaft 151 of the drive motor 150, one end of each blade connected to the base 120, and a ring-shaped shroud 140 connected to the other ends of each blade 130. The inner diameter of the shroud 140 is equal to or greater than the diameter of the base 120, which allows the base 120, the plurality of blades 130, and the shroud 140 to be integrally formed using a cavity / core mold. Therefore, unlike when fan 110 is formed by joining shroud 140 to multiple blades 130 and base 120, a joining process is not required, which eliminates the need for insufficient strength at the joints, and also prevents the center of gravity of the parts from shifting during joining, resulting in loss of balance in fan 110. Note that the shape of base 120 does not need to be a truncated cone, as long as it is circular.

[0023] Furthermore, a bearing 121 is provided in the center of the base 120, through which a rotating shaft 151 of the drive motor 150 is inserted. The rotating shaft 151 has an inserted pin (not shown), and the rotating shaft 151 is inserted into the bearing 121 so that the pin fits into a groove (not shown) provided in the bearing 121. A flat washer, a spring washer, and a hexagonal nut are attached to the inserted rotating shaft 151, in that order, to connect the fan 110 and the rotating shaft 151, and when electricity is applied to the drive motor 150, the fan 110 rotates.

[0024] A wind receiving member 160 is provided downstream (on the drive motor 150 side) of the base 120 in the air flow direction. The wind receiving member 160 is circular, and its diameter is larger than the outer diameter of the base 120. As a result, the air sucked in from the shroud 140 hits the wind receiving member 160 and does not blow back to the rear of the base 120, but instead changes direction in the circumferential direction of the fan 110 and is blown out by the centrifugal force caused by the rotation of the fan 110. In this way, centrifugal force is applied to the blown-out air, making it possible to prevent a decrease in air volume and static pressure even while the fan 110 is integrally formed.

[0025] The rotation shaft 151 of the drive motor 150 is inserted through the center of the wind receiving member 160, which is disposed between the base 120 and the drive motor 150 with a predetermined distance S between them. In other words, the fan 110 and the wind receiving member 160 are separate bodies. When the wind receiving member 160 is fixed to the fan 110, the center of gravity of the wind receiving member 160 must be aligned with the rotation shaft of the fan 110; otherwise, the center of gravity of the fan 110 will be offset, causing the fan 110 to shake during rotation and resulting in noise and vibration. In contrast, by disposing the fan 110 and the wind receiving member 160 as separate bodies, noise and vibration can be prevented. Note that the wind receiving member 160 only needs to be disposed downstream of the fan 110 in the airflow direction with a predetermined distance between it and the base 120. It is not limited to being disposed between the base 120 and the drive motor 150; for example, it can be disposed behind the drive motor 150.

[0026] Next, an air conditioner equipped with the blower of this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 3 to 6. Note that, although an air purifier will be taken as an example of the air conditioner, the air conditioner is not limited to an air purifier and may also be a humidifier, dehumidifier, heater, etc.

[0027] Fig. 3 is an external perspective view of an air purifier equipped with a blower device of this embodiment, and Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional configuration diagram of the air purifier equipped with a blower device of this embodiment. Main body 1 of air purifier 100 includes top panel 11, front panel 12, left and right side panels 13, a back panel (not shown), and bottom frame 15. Top panel 11 is also provided with air outlet 5 having a lattice-shaped grill 5a and operation panel 6 equipped with various buttons for instructing the operation of the air purifier.

[0028] The main body 1 of the air purifier 100 is supported by a bottom frame 15. A front opening 12a is formed between the bottom frame 15 and the front panel 12 on the front side of the main body 1, and a rear opening is similarly formed on the rear side. In addition, a side opening 13a is formed by an opening provided below the side panel 13. An intake port 2 for introducing air into the main body 1 is formed at the bottom of the air purifier 100, and air that flows in through the front opening 12a, the rear opening, and the side opening 13a is taken in by the intake port 2.

[0029] Inside the main body 1, there are provided, in order from upstream in the airflow direction, a mesh-like prefilter 3 that captures relatively large dust particles from the air taken in through the inlet 2, an air purification unit 4 that captures dust particles that have passed through the prefilter 3, and an air blower 10 that blows air along an air flow path from the inlet 2 to the outlet 5, resulting in a tower-type air purifier 100 in which air flows upward within the air flow path. In addition, a casing 14 that forms the outline of the air flow path is provided above the air purification unit 4, and the air blower 10 is arranged inside the casing 14, with a substrate 16 arranged between the casing 14 and the side panel 13 on the outside.

[0030] 5 is a diagram showing the configuration of the air purifier of this embodiment. The air purifier 4 of this embodiment includes an electrostatic precipitator 41, a dust collection filter 42, and a deodorizing filter 43. The electrostatic precipitator 41, which is provided at the most upstream of the air purifier 4, electrically charges and collects substances contained in the air. The dust collection filter 42, which is provided downstream of the electrostatic precipitator 41, collects particles that could not be collected by the electrostatic precipitator 41, as well as fine substances such as viruses. The deodorizing filter 43, which is provided further downstream of the electrostatic precipitator 41, adsorbs odors and purifies the air.

[0031] Fig. 6 is an enlarged view of the periphery of the blower in Fig. 4. The blower 10 is attached inside the casing 14 with the shroud 140 facing downward, and the space between the outer periphery of the fan 110 and the wind receiving member 160 and the inner wall of the casing 14 forms part of the air flow path.

[0032] The wind receiving member 160 has a truncated cone shape whose diameter decreases toward the bottom, and has a circular, flat bottom surface 162 in the center where the drive motor 150 is located. The outer diameter of the bottom surface 162 is smaller than that of the base 120, but it may be larger than that of the base 120. A guide surface 163 that slopes obliquely upward extends from the outer periphery of the bottom surface 162. The shroud 140 has a cylindrical portion 141 into which air is drawn and an inclined portion 142 that slopes obliquely upward from the upper end of the cylindrical portion 141, and the diameter of the cylindrical portion 141 is the inner diameter of the shroud 140. The inclined portion 142 faces the guide surface 163, and is parallel to the guide surface 163, or the distance between the inclined portion 142 and the guide surface 163 increases downstream.

[0033] In air purifier 100 of this embodiment, when an instruction to start operation is given and fan 110 is rotated by drive motor 150, air flowing in from shroud 140 strikes air receiving member 160, changes direction in the circumferential direction of fan 110, flows along guide surface 163, and is then discharged from fan 110. At this time, because guide surface 163 is inclined obliquely upward, the air discharged from fan 110 can flow smoothly without interfering with the upward airflow within the airflow path. Furthermore, by employing a structure in which the distance between inclined portion 142 and guide surface 163 does not narrow downstream in the airflow direction, pressure loss between inclined portion 142 and guide surface 163 is reduced, allowing air to flow more smoothly.

[0034] In this way, the air flow generated by the rotation of fan 110 blows air along the air path from intake port 2 to outlet port 5, and the indoor air taken in through intake port 2 has dust removed by air purification unit 4 and is released into the room through outlet port 5, thereby purifying the indoor air.

[0035] Next, the attachment of the blower device 10 to the casing 14 and the attachment of the lead wire 153 of the drive motor 150 will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0036] First, the attachment of the blower device 10 to the casing 14 will be described.

[0037] Fig. 7 is a top view of an air purifier equipped with the blower of this embodiment, and Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the connecting portion and the connected portion. In Fig. 7, the top panel 11 has been removed so that the blower 10 can be seen.

[0038] The blower device 10 further includes a motor retainer plate 170 that secures the drive motor 150 to the wind receiving member 160, and is attached to the casing 14 with the drive motor 150 secured to the wind receiving member 160 by the motor retainer plate 170.

[0039] The motor pressing plate 170 consists of a circular abutment portion 171 that abuts against the drive motor 150, and three fixing portions 172 that extend outward from the outer periphery of the abutment portion 171 and are fastened to the wind receiving member 160 with screws, and the drive motor 150 is fixed to the wind receiving member 160 by being sandwiched between the abutment portion 171 and the bottom surface 162 of the wind receiving member 160.

[0040] Three connecting portions 164 are formed on the wind receiving member 160, and the connecting portions 164 extend outward from the outer periphery of the wind receiving member 160, to the vicinity of the inner wall surface of the casing 14. Corresponding to these connecting portions 164, three connected portions 7 are formed on the casing 14, protruding from the inner wall surface. Each connected portion 7 has a horizontal surface 7a that protrudes horizontally from the inner wall surface of the casing 14, and a protruding portion 7b with a wall surface that extends upward from the end of the horizontal surface 7a. The connecting portion 164 is placed on the horizontal surface 7a, and the connecting portion 164 is brought into contact with the protruding portion 7b to align the screw holes. The connecting portion 164 is then fastened to the connected portion 7 with a screw, thereby attaching the blower device 10 to the casing 14.

[0041] In this way, because the connected portion 7 protrudes from the inner wall surface of the casing 14, the connecting portion 164 can be brought into contact with the connected portion 7 (horizontal surface 7a), making it easy to align the installation position of the blower device 10. Also, because the connecting portion 164 is placed on the connected portion 7 (horizontal surface 7a), there is no need to support the blower device 10 when fastening with screws, making the installation of the blower device 10 easier. Furthermore, because the main body 1 is a tower type, and the blower device 10 is installed with the shroud 140 at the bottom, that is, with the fan 110 positioned lower than the wind receiving member 160, as shown in FIG. 6, the fan 110 does not get in the way when fastening the blower device 10 with screws, making the installation easier.

[0042] Note that blower 10 may be disposed with shroud 140 facing sideways. Even in this case, by bringing connecting portion 164 into contact with connected portion 7, the installation position of blower 10 can be easily adjusted.

[0043] Next, the attachment of the lead wires 153 of the drive motor 150 will be described.

[0044] FIG. 9 is a top view of the connecting portion that also serves as a lead wire guide. Note that FIG. 9 shows an enlarged view of the area surrounded by the dashed line in FIG. 7, with the motor retainer plate 170 removed so that the lead wire 153 can be seen. The connecting portion 164 has a U-shaped cross section with an open top, and a rib 164a extending perpendicular to the length of the connecting portion 164 is provided inside the U-shaped portion. In this embodiment, one of the three connecting portions 164 serves as a lead wire guide 180, which guides the lead wire 153 of the drive motor 150 toward the inner wall of the casing 14. The lead wire guide 180 has a slit 181 in the rib 164a and in the side wall of the lead wire guide 180 through which the lead wire 153 passes. The lead wire 153 is housed inside the U-shaped portion and guided toward the inner wall of the casing 14. This prevents lead wire 153 from hanging down toward fan 110 and prevents lead wire 153 from being caught in the rotation of fan 110. Furthermore, lead wire 153 is led from the end of lead wire guide portion 180 to the outside of casing 14 through lead hole 14a provided in the inner wall of casing 14 near connected portion 7, and is attached to substrate 16.

[0045] Furthermore, the blower device 10 may include a cover portion 190 that covers the upper part of the lead wire guide portion 180. FIG. 10 is a top view of the cover portion that also serves as the fixing portion, and is an enlarged view of the portion surrounded by the dashed line in FIG. 7. In this embodiment, one of the fixing portions 172 serves as the cover portion 190. The cover portion 190 extends to the end of the lead wire guide portion 180, and the lead wire 153 is disposed between the lead wire guide portion 180 and the cover portion 190. In an air purifier 100 having an air outlet 5 on the top surface of the main body 1, there is a risk that an object may fall into the air purifier 100 through the air outlet 5 and damage the lead wire 153. However, the provision of the cover portion 190 can protect the lead wire 153. In addition, the cover portion 190 prevents the lead wire 153 from being seen from the air outlet 5, thereby improving the design. The cover portion 190 only needs to cover at least the upper part of the lead wire guide portion 180, but in this embodiment, the lead wire 153 passes outside the lead wire guide portion 180 (between the drive motor 150 and the slit 181 in the side wall of the lead wire guide portion 180), so the auxiliary cover portion 190a is shaped to cover the entire lead wire 153.

[0046] The cover portion 190 also has a generally L-shaped vertical wall 191 at its tip, including a portion facing the outlet hole 14a. FIG. 11 illustrates the relative positions of the vertical wall and the outlet hole, with the outlet hole 14a, located toward the back of the vertical wall 191, indicated by a dashed line. The vertical wall 191 is positioned on the inner wall surface of the casing 14 with a clearance, and a portion of the vertical wall 191 faces the outlet hole 14a, except for a space through which the lead wire 153 passes. This prevents the outlet hole 14a from being visible when viewing the inside of the main body 1 through the air outlet 5, improving the design. Furthermore, the vertical wall 191 includes a portion that extends vertically upward from the tip of the cover portion 190. When water is splashed onto the main body 1 from above, the water flows down the cover portion 190, but is blocked by the vertical wall 191, preventing it from reaching the lead wire 153 and reaching the circuit board 16.

[0047] In this embodiment, the lead wire guide portion 180 and the cover portion 190 also serve as the connecting portion 164 and the fixing portion 172, respectively, eliminating the need to provide new components and preventing an increase in the number of components and costs, but they may also be provided as separate components. [Explanation of symbols]

[0048] 1 Main unit 2 Intake port 5 Air outlet 10. Blower 14 Casing 120 base 130 Feather 140 Shroud 150 drive motor 160 Wind receiving member 164 Connecting part

Claims

1. An intake port that takes indoor air into the main body, an air outlet for discharging air from the main body; an air flow path from the air inlet to the air outlet; a casing that forms an outer shell of at least a part of the air flow path; a blower provided inside the casing, The blower device includes: a base coupled to a rotary shaft of a drive motor; a plurality of blades arranged in a circumferential direction of the base and having one end connected to the base; a ring-shaped shroud coupled to the other end of the plurality of blades and having an inner diameter equal to or greater than the diameter of the base; a circular wind receiving member disposed at a predetermined distance from the base and to which the drive motor is attached; the base, the plurality of blades, and the shroud are integrally formed; The air receiving member has a diameter larger than the outer diameter of the base and has a connecting portion that connects the casing and the air blower.

2. A plurality of the connecting portions are provided, and extend outward from the outer periphery of the wind receiving member, 2. The air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein the inner wall of the casing is provided with a connection receiving portion that protrudes from the inner wall surface and to which the connection portion is attached.

3. The main body has the intake port provided at a lower portion and the air outlet provided at an upper portion, the blower is mounted in the casing with the shroud facing downward; The air conditioner according to claim 2, wherein the connecting portion is attached to an upper surface of the connected portion.

4. 4. The air conditioner according to claim 3, wherein the wind receiving member has a guide surface that slopes upward toward the outer periphery.

5. The shroud includes an inclined portion that slopes upward toward the outer periphery, The air conditioner according to claim 4, wherein the inclined portion faces the guide surface and is parallel to the guide surface, or the distance between the inclined portion and the guide surface increases downstream.

6. The main body has the air outlet on an upper surface thereof, the wind receiving member includes a lead wire guide portion that guides the lead wire of the drive motor toward the inner wall of the casing, the blower has a cover portion that covers an upper portion of the lead wire guide portion, The air conditioner according to any one of claims 3 to 5, wherein the lead wires are arranged between the lead wire guide portion and the cover portion.

7. 7. The air conditioner according to claim 6, wherein the lead wire guide portion is the connecting portion.

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