Sirocco fan manufacturing apparatus, sirocco fan manufacturing method, and sirocco fan

Abstract

To provide a sirocco fan manufacturing device which enables assembly of a sirocco fan with higher efficiency than in conventional sirocco fan manufacturing devices.SOLUTION: A sirocco fan manufacturing device 1 includes: a blade positioning jig 10 which positions a plurality of blades 130; a pressing base material 20; a side plate pressing plate 30 connected to the pressing base material 20 through a first spring material 61 and having a pressing surface 32 for pressing a side plate; a preliminary bending punch 40 connected to the pressing base material 20 through a second spring material 62 and having, at a tip, a folding surface 42 which inclines in a direction in which a claw part 134 is folded; and a final bending punch 50 integrally connected to the pressing base material 20 and having, at a tip, a pressure-welding surface 52 disposed at the side to which the claw part 134 is folded. From closest to the blade 130, the pressing surface 32, the folding surface 42, and the pressure-welding surface 52 are arranged with predetermined offsets.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0005] , ,

[0006]

[0001] The present invention relates to a sirocco fan manufacturing apparatus for assembling a sirocco fan, a sirocco fan manufacturing method, and a sirocco fan manufactured by the manufacturing method.

Background Art

[0002] As one of the centrifugal fans, a so-called "sirocco fan" is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2).

[0003] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a sirocco fan 100 for technical consideration in this specification. FIG. 10(a) is a perspective view of the sirocco fan 100, and FIG. 10(b) is a plan view when the sirocco fan 100 is viewed along the rotation axis AX.

[0004] As shown in FIG. 10, the sirocco fan 100 includes a pair of side plates 110 and 120 arranged to face each other, and a plurality of blades 130 arranged between the pair of side plates 110 and 120. The side plates 110 and 120 have a substantially annular shape. The sirocco fan 100 has long blades 130 (the direction parallel to the rotation axis AX is the long direction) arranged at intervals along the circumference centered on the rotation axis AX while contacting the opposing surfaces of the side plates 110 and 120.

[0005] As a method of fixing the blades 130 to the side plates 110 and 120, a method is known in which claw portions 134 provided at both ends of the blades 130 are inserted or fitted into the through holes 112 of the side plate 110 and the through holes 122 of the side plate 120, and then the claw portions 134 are bent and caulked (see Patent Document 1, etc.).

[0006] Figures 11 and 12 are diagrams provided to illustrate in detail the fixing of the blade 130 to the side plates 110 and 120. Figure 11(a) shows the blade 130 as viewed from a direction perpendicular to the main surface of the fin portion 132. Figure 11(b) is a cross-sectional view of the blade 130 and the side plates 110 and 120, representing the portion corresponding to the cross-section of the DD cutting line in Figure 10(b) (however, Figure 11(b) shows the state before assembly). Figure 12(a) shows the state in which the claw portion 134 is inserted into the through hole 112 (before bending), and Figure 12(b) shows the state in which the claw portion 134 is bent and crimped to the side plate 110 (after bending). The two figures in Figure 12 are enlarged perspective views showing the region corresponding to the dashed line B in Figure 10(a).

[0007] As shown in Figure 11, multiple through holes 112 are provided in the side plate 110 (see also Figure 10). Although not visible in Figure 10, multiple through holes 122 are also provided in the side plate 120 located at the bottom of the drawing. The number of through holes 112 and 122 corresponds to the number of blades 130. On the other hand, the blades 130 are provided with claw portions 134 at one end 130a and the other end 130b in the longitudinal direction.

[0008] As shown in Figure 12, with the claw portion 134 inserted into the through holes 112 and 122 respectively, the claw portion 134 is bent near the base end 134b and crimped so that it conforms to the side plate 110, thereby fixing the wing 130 to the side plates 110 and 120. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0009] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2004-225682 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2015-151862 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0010] However, since the blades 130 are arranged over a 360° radius around the rotation axis AX, the bending and crimping of the claw portion 134 described above must be performed over a 360° radius for each of the blades 130 and through holes 112 and 122 that are arranged on the circumference.

[0011] Since the angles (angles when viewed from a direction parallel to the axis of rotation AX) of the claw portions 134 of each blade 130 scattered on the circumference are not uniform, the force vectors applied to bend the claw portions 134 also vary (see Figure 10). To complete the manufacturing of the Sirocco fan 100, the direction of the force applied to each individual blade 130 must be changed each time according to the angle of the claw portion 134 over the entire 360° circumference, and bending and crimping processes must be performed on each blade 130. Therefore, the manufacturing process for assembling the Sirocco fan 100 is complicated.

[0012] For reference, Patent Document 1 describes bending the tongue (claw portion) and crimping it (paragraph

[0010] ). However, it is unclear how the crimping is actually performed. Patent Document 1 seems to assume that the crimping is done mainly by hand, one piece at a time, and does not particularly consider any specific techniques to improve assembly efficiency.

[0013] Furthermore, Patent Document 2 describes bending the protruding part (claw part) using a jig (first half of paragraph

[0066] ). However, it does not specify what kind of jig is used.

[0014] Furthermore, Patent Document 2 describes a process in which all of the protrusions (claws) are bent by a predetermined angle, and then the blade material is compressed in the Z-axis direction with a press machine to bend the protrusions (claws) along the upper surface of the first faceplate (side plate) and the lower surface of the second faceplate (side plate) (latter half of paragraph

[0066] ). However, it is unclear what specific tools are used and how the process of bending all the protruding parts (claw parts) to a predetermined angle is carried out. Patent Document 2 seems to assume that, for example, the bending process for each individual blade material (blade) is performed, which would require many steps. Furthermore, Patent Document 2 separates the bending process to a predetermined angle from the compression process using a press machine, requiring at least two setup steps, such as readjusting the workpiece (product material), to perform these processes. Patent Document 2 does not provide any specific consideration of technologies to solve these problems and improve assembly efficiency.

[0015] This invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and aims to provide a sirocco fan manufacturing apparatus and a sirocco fan manufacturing method that can assemble sirocco fans with higher efficiency than conventional methods. [Means for solving the problem]

[0016] [1] According to one aspect of the present invention, a sirocco fan manufacturing apparatus is provided for manufacturing a sirocco fan in which elongated blades are arranged at intervals along a circumference centered on a rotation axis. Here, the sirocco fan includes a pair of side plates, each having a plurality of through holes and arranged opposite to each other, and a plurality of blades arranged between the pair of side plates, each having claws inserted into the through holes at both ends in the longitudinal direction, and each claw being bent near the base end of the claw and fixed to the side plate.

[0017] The Sirocco fan manufacturing apparatus comprises a blade positioning jig for positioning multiple blades at predetermined positions along the circumference, a pressing base material that reciprocates along the press axis, a side plate retaining plate connected to the pressing base material via a first spring material, a pre-bending punch connected to the pressing base material via a second spring material, and a main bending punch integrally connected to the pressing base material. The side plate retaining plate has a pressing surface that presses against the side plate while in contact with it. The pre-bending punch has a bending surface at its tip that is inclined in the direction of bending the claw portion. The main bending punch has a pressure contact surface at its tip that is positioned on the side where the claw portion is bent relative to the position where the bending surface is located. When viewed from a direction perpendicular to the press axis, the pressing surface, bending surface, and pressure contact surface are arranged with a predetermined offset from each other in order of proximity to the positioned blades. As the pressing base material moves toward the blade, the pressing surface sequentially presses against the side plate, the bending surface bends the claw portion to a predetermined angle, and the contact surface presses against the claw portion that has been bent at the predetermined angle.

[0018] [2] According to another aspect of the present invention, a method for manufacturing a sirocco fan is provided for manufacturing the sirocco fan described above. The Sirocco fan manufacturing method includes: (1) a positioning and assembly step in which multiple blades are placed on a blade positioning jig and positioned at predetermined positions along the circumference, while side plates are assembled to the multiple blades so that the claws of the blades are fitted into the through holes in the side plates; (2) a side plate pressing step in which a pressing base material is moved toward the blades along the press axis, and the side plates are pressed by the "pressing surface" of a side plate pressing plate connected to the pressing base material via a first spring material; and (3) further moving the pressing base material toward the blades. The process includes, in this order: (4) moving the pressing base material further toward the blade, pressing the claw portion which has been bent to the predetermined angle with the "bending surface" of the main bending punch which is integrally connected to the pressing base material, and bending the claw portion to a predetermined angle by bringing the "bending surface" of the main bending punch which is integrally connected to the pressing base material, and bending it further so that the claw portion conforms to the surface of the side plate and the blade is fixed to the side plate.

[0019] In addition, in the above [1] and [2], the "position where the bent surface is arranged" shall refer to the position when viewed along the direction parallel to the press axis. Further, the "side plate pressing plate connected to the pressing base material via the first spring material" includes both the case where the side plate pressing plate is directly connected to the pressing base material only via the first spring material, and the case where the side plate pressing plate is indirectly connected to the pressing base material while mediating another member in addition to the first spring material. Similarly, the "preliminary bending punch connected to the pressing base material via the second spring material" includes both the case where the preliminary bending punch is directly connected to the pressing base material only via the second spring material, and the case where the preliminary bending punch is indirectly connected to the pressing base material while mediating another member in addition to the second spring material.

[0020] [3] According to still another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a sirocco fan manufactured by the sirocco fan manufacturing method described above. Such a sirocco fan has "ironing marks" formed from near the tip to near the base end of the claw portion on the outer surface of the claw portion.

Effects of the Invention

[0021] According to the sirocco fan manufacturing apparatus and the sirocco fan manufacturing method according to the present invention, the assembly of the sirocco fan can be performed with higher efficiency than before.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0022] [Figure 1] It is a diagram shown for explaining the sirocco fan manufacturing apparatus 1 according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 2] It is a flowchart showing the sirocco fan manufacturing method according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 3] It is a cross-sectional view shown for explaining the operation of the sirocco fan manufacturing apparatus 1 according to Embodiment 1 or / and the sirocco fan manufacturing method. [Figure 4] It is a diagram showing the state of bending of the claw portion 134 in the preliminary bending step S30. [Figure 5] This figure shows the claw portion 134 of a sirocco fan manufactured by the sirocco fan manufacturing method according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 6] This is a diagram illustrating the Sirocco fan manufacturing apparatus 2 according to Embodiment 2. [Figure 7] This is a flowchart showing a method for manufacturing a sirocco fan according to Embodiment 2. [Figure 8] This is a cross-sectional view illustrating the operation of the Sirocco fan manufacturing apparatus 2 and / or the Sirocco fan manufacturing method according to Embodiment 2. [Figure 9] This is a cross-sectional view shown to illustrate the variations in the bending surface of a pre-bending punch. [Figure 10] This figure shows an example of a sirocco fan 100 that is the subject of technical examination in this specification. [Figure 11] This diagram is shown to illustrate in detail how the blade 130 is fixed to the side plates 110 and 120. [Figure 12] This diagram is shown to illustrate in detail how the blade 130 is fixed to the side plates 110 and 120. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0023] The Sirocco fan manufacturing apparatus and Sirocco fan manufacturing method according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the figures. Note that for reference numerals common to all figures, the explanations already given for those reference numerals can be applied to the explanations of other figures, and therefore, explanations in other figures will be omitted. Furthermore, in later figures, reference numerals may be omitted for parts that have been indicated and explained using reference numerals in earlier figures. Each figure is a schematic diagram illustrating an example and does not necessarily strictly reflect actual dimensions, proportions, etc.

[0024] [Embodiment 1] 1. Configuration of the Sirocco Fan Manufacturing Apparatus 1 according to Embodiment 1 Figure 1 is a diagram illustrating the Sirocco fan manufacturing apparatus 1 according to Embodiment 1. Figure 1 shows the state after the positioning and assembly process S10 (described later) of the product materials, and represents the portion corresponding to the cross-section of the DD cutting line in Figure 10(b). Although Figure 1 is based on a cross-sectional view, the first spring material 61, the second spring material 62, and the pressing means 210 are represented by spring symbols and thick arrows. The same representation is used in Figures 3, 6, and 8 below.

[0025] As shown in Figure 1, the Sirocco fan manufacturing apparatus 1 according to Embodiment 1 comprises a blade positioning jig 10, a pressing base material 20, a side plate retaining plate 30, a pre-bending punch 40, and a main bending punch 50. In addition, it may also include a body-punching block 70.

[0026] (1) Blade positioning jig 10 The blade positioning jig 10 assists in positioning multiple blades 130 to their respective predetermined positions along the circumference (the positions where each blade 130 should be placed). The blade positioning jig 10 can also be described as some kind of fixing means for holding and fixing the blades 130. During the manufacturing process, when each blade 130 is positioned according to the guide of the blade positioning jig 10, the three-dimensional position and orientation of the claw portion 134 of each blade is set to a position and orientation that allows for proper bending and crimping.

[0027] Specifically, in the blade positioning jig 10 of Embodiment 1, a blade hole into which one end of the blade 130 can be inserted is provided as a "positioning section 12" (see Figure 1). The blade positioning jig 10 may be installed on a base 200. The blade hole as the positioning section 12 may be provided in a single location, but it may also be provided in multiple locations corresponding to the number of blades 130. In Embodiment 1, multiple positioning sections 12 (blade holes) are provided at predetermined intervals along the circumference centered on the rotation axis AX. According to the blade positioning jig 10 of Embodiment 1, by inserting the other end 130b of the blade 130 into the blade hole, the blade 130 is held in place and its overall position and orientation are determined. As a result, the claw portion 134 on one end 130a can also be positioned in an appropriate position and orientation that matches the arrangement of the spare bending punch 40, the main bending punch 50, etc., which will be described later.

[0028] In the configuration example shown in Figure 1, as described above, one end of the blade 130 was held and positioned, but the entire blade may be positioned by holding the fin portion 132 of the blade 130 (see Figure 6 of Embodiment 2 described later).

[0029] In the configuration example shown in Figure 1, the blade 130 was positioned directly as described above. However, the blade 130 may be positioned indirectly, as is not limited to this. That is, the blade positioning jig 10 may first hold the side plate 120, which is positioned on the other end 130b of the blade, to fix its position and orientation, and then indirectly position the blade 130 by fitting the claw portion 134 of the blade 130 into the through hole 122 of the fixed side plate 120 (not shown).

[0030] (2) Pressing base material 20 The pressing base material 20 is the base component for a series of pressing operations and receives external pressing pressure PR from the pressing means 210 (press machine, etc.) from the upper side (in the diagram). The pressing base material 20, upon receiving the pressing pressure PR, is configured to reciprocate along the pressing axis PX. The pressing axis PX is set to be approximately parallel to the rotation axis AX of the sirocco fan 100. In this context, "reciprocating motion" refers not only to cases where the absolute position of the pressing base material 20 moves, but also to relative motions where the absolute position of the pressing base material 20 is fixed while the product material (blades 130, side plates 110, etc.) moves.

[0031] For reference, the Sirocco fan manufacturing apparatus 1 according to Embodiment 1 is equipped with multiple sets of the pre-bending punch 40, main bending punch 50, second spring material 62, etc., which will be described later. In this case, it is preferable to provide a single pressing base material 20 that is common to these sets, rather than providing one for each of these sets.

[0032] (3) Side panel retaining plate 30 The side plate retaining plate 30 has a pressing surface 32 that presses against the side plates 110 and 120 while in contact with them. The side plate retaining plate 30 is connected to the pressing base material 20 via a first spring material 61. In this specification, "connected via the first spring member 61" includes cases where the side plate retaining plate 30 and the pressing base member 20 are directly connected only via the first spring member 61, as well as cases where they are indirectly connected with the first spring member 61 and other members acting as intermediaries (the same applies to the following side plate retaining process S20, the explanation of effects, etc.).

[0033] When pressing down on the side plate, the claw portion 134 on one end 130a of the blade 130, which has been positioned by the blade positioning jig 10 described above, is inserted into the through hole 112 of the side plate 110 up to its base (base end 134b). At this time, by pressing down on the side plate 110 with the pressing surface 32 of the side plate pressing plate 30, it is possible to prevent the side plate 110 from floating or becoming loose while performing preliminary bending and main bending (described later), and to maintain the state in which the claw portion 134 is fitted into the through hole 112 up to its base (base end 134b).

[0034] For reference, in Embodiment 1, the pressing surface 32 is a plane positioned perpendicular to the press axis PX (rotation axis AX) (see Figure 1). However, the entire main surface of the side plate pressing plate 30 does not need to be a so-called flush plane as shown in Figure 1; for example, only the portion that contacts the side plate may be a protruding mesa shape. In this case, the protruding tip portion becomes the pressing surface 32.

[0035] (4) Spare bending punch 40 The pre-bending punch 40 is a punch used to pre-bend the claw portion 134 of the blade 130. The pre-bending punch 40 can also be described as a punch that changes the angle of the claw portion 134 of the straight, upright blade 130 to a predetermined angle. The spare bending punch 40 has a bending surface 42 at its tip that is inclined in the direction of bending the claw portion 134 (the claw portion 134 of the blade positioned by the blade positioning jig 10). The spare bending punch 40 is connected to the pressing base material 20 via a second spring material 62. In this specification, "connected via the second spring member 62" includes cases where the pre-bending punch 40 and the pressing base member 20 are directly connected only via the second spring member 62, as well as cases where they are indirectly connected with another member acting as an intermediary in addition to the second spring member 62 (the same applies to the pre-bending process S30 and the explanation of the effects below).

[0036] For reference, the bent surface in Embodiment 1 is a plane formed at approximately a 45° angle to the protruding direction of the claw portion 134. Here, the "protruding direction of the claw portion 134" is the direction parallel to the press axis PX (rotation axis AX), and in the case of the blade 130 used in the description of Embodiment 1, it is the direction that coincides with the longitudinal direction of the blade 130. Also, "45° angle" can be said to mean that the angle of attack near the tip 134a of the claw portion is set to 45°. In this case, the claw portion 134 can be pre-bent to 45° by punching with the pre-bending punch 40.

[0037] (5) First spring material 61, second spring material 62 The first spring material 61 and the second spring material 62 may be any material that exhibits elastic force, such as a coil spring or an air-filled spring.

[0038] (6) Bending punch 50 This bending punch 50 is used to further bend the claw portion 134, which has been pre-bent to a predetermined angle, and press it against the side plate 110 in a manner that conforms to it. The main bending punch 50 has a pressure contact surface 52 at its tip. When viewed along the press axis PX, this pressure contact surface 52 is positioned on the side where the claw portion 134 is to be bent, relative to the position where the bending surface 42 of the pre-bending punch 40 described above is located. For example, in the example in Figure 1, when viewed along the press axis PX, the bending surface 42 and the pressure contact surface 52 are arranged in that order toward the side of the claw portion 134 to be bent (to the right in the figure).

[0039] The bending punch 50 is integrally connected to the pressing base material 20 without the use of a spring material. The bending punch 50 may be firmly fixed and connected to the pressing base material, or it may be integrally coupled with the pressing base material using the same material.

[0040] In Embodiment 1, the contact surface 52 is a flat surface positioned perpendicular to the press axis PX (rotation axis AX) (see Figure 1). However, it is not necessary for the entire surface to be flat as shown in Figure 1. The contact surface 52 can have any shape as long as it allows the claw portion 134, which is bent at a predetermined angle, to be further bent and crimped along the side plate 110. For example, it may have irregularities. In this case, the part that contacts the claw portion 134 is the contact surface 52.

[0041] (7) Positional relationship of each surface, etc. When viewed from a direction perpendicular to the press axis PX, the pressing surface 32 of the side plate pressing plate 30, the bending surface 42 of the pre-bending punch 40, and the pressure contact surface 52 of the main bending punch 50 are arranged with a predetermined offset from each other, in order of proximity to the positioned blade 130.

[0042] Specifically, as shown in Figure 1, there is an offset indicated by the symbol OFS1 between the level of the pressing surface 32 and the level of the bending surface 42 (the position where the tip 134a of the claw portion makes contact). OFS1 is set to be greater than the protrusion height of the claw portion 134 from the surface 110a of the side plate, so that when the pressing surface 32 begins to make contact with the surface 110a of the side plate, clearance can be secured between the tip 134a of the claw portion and the bending surface 42. Furthermore, there is an offset indicated by the symbol OFS2 between the level of the bending surface 42 and the level of the pressure contact surface 52. OFS2 is set to a necessary and sufficient size so that when the claw portion 134 is pre-bent to a predetermined angle, clearance can be secured between the tip 134a of the claw portion and the pressure contact surface 52 of the main bending punch.

[0043] The thickness of the side plate retaining plate 30, the length and spring constant of the first spring material 61, the height of the spare bending punch 40, the length and spring constant of the second spring material 62, and the height of the main bending punch 50 are set to satisfy the above-mentioned conditions.

[0044] The Sirocco fan manufacturing apparatus 1 is configured such that, as the pressing base material 20 moves toward the blades 130, the pressing surface 32 sequentially presses against the side plate 110, the bending surface 42 bends the claw portion 134 to a predetermined angle, and the pressure contact surface 52 presses against the claw portion 134 bent at the predetermined angle.

[0045] (8) Body thrust block 70 In the Sirocco fan manufacturing apparatus 1, it is preferable to further include a body block 70. The body block 70 restricts the movement of the pressing surface 32, which is linked to the movement of the pressing base material 20, at a predetermined position when the pressing base material 20 moves toward the positioned blade 130. Here, "restrict" means preventing the pressing surface 32 from continuing to move beyond a predetermined position (level).

[0046] In the first embodiment, as shown in Figure 1, the body-button block 70 is connected to the blade positioning jig 10. The tip of the body-button block is a body-button surface 70a, which receives the pressing surface 32 when it descends, thereby restricting its movement. Although the body-button block 70 shown in Figure 1 is assumed to be cylindrical, it is not limited to this and can be any shape as long as it satisfies the above-described function.

[0047] The "predetermined position" to be restricted is set appropriately near the position (level) of the surface 110a of the positioned side plate. For example, it may be set slightly below the position of the surface 110a of the side plate when the positioning of the blade 130 is complete and the assembly of the side plate 110 is finished.

[0048] 2. Method for manufacturing a sirocco fan according to Embodiment 1 Next, the method for manufacturing a sirocco fan according to Embodiment 1 will be described. This description also serves as an explanation of the operation of the sirocco fan manufacturing apparatus 1 described above.

[0049] Figure 2 is a flowchart illustrating the method for manufacturing a sirocco fan according to Embodiment 1. Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the operation of the sirocco fan manufacturing apparatus 1 and / or the method for manufacturing a sirocco fan according to Embodiment 1.

[0050] As shown in Figure 2, the Sirocco fan manufacturing method according to Embodiment 1 is a manufacturing method for manufacturing a Sirocco fan 100 having the structure described above, and includes a positioning and assembly step S10, a side plate pressing step S20, a preliminary bending step S30, and a main bending step S40 in this order.

[0051] (1) Positioning and assembly process S10 The positioning and assembly process S10 involves placing the multiple blades 130 on the blade positioning jig 10, positioning the multiple blades 130 at their respective predetermined positions along the circumference, and assembling the multiple blades 130 with the side plates 110 so that the claw portions 134 of the blades 130 are fitted into the through holes 112 of the side plates 110 (see Figures 1 and 12(a)).

[0052] In Embodiment 1, as described above, the blades 130 are positioned by inserting the other end 130b of each blade 130 into the blade hole, which is the positioning part 12 of the blade positioning jig 10. Then, the side plates 110 are combined with the multiple blades 130 by fitting the claw portions 134 of one end 130a of each blade 130 into the through holes 112. Alternatively, a side plate fixing jig (not shown) may be provided on the outside near the rotation axis AX, and the side plate 110 may be fixed by fitting the shaft mounting hole (not indicated by a reference numeral) provided in the center of the side plate 110 into this side plate fixing jig.

[0053] (2) Side panel pressing process S20 The side plate pressing process S20 is a process in which the pressing base material 20 is moved along the press axis PX toward the blade 130, and the side plate 110 is pressed with the "pressing surface 32" of the side plate pressing plate 30 which is connected to the pressing base material 20 via the first spring material 61 (see Figure 3(a)).

[0054] As the pressing base material 20 is lowered, and the side plate retaining plate 30 descends accordingly, the pressing surface 32 comes into contact with the surface 110a of the side plate. Subsequently, as the pressing base material 20 is lowered further, the elastic force generated by the compression of the first spring material 61 causes the pressing surface 32 to press the side plate 110 toward the side where the fin portion 132 is located.

[0055] Furthermore, it is preferable that the dovetail block 70 restricts the downward movement of the pressing surface 32 from a position slightly downward from the position where the surface 110a of the side plate 110 begins to contact the pressing surface 32.

[0056] (3) Preliminary bending process S30 The preliminary bending process S30 is a process in which the pressing base material 20 is moved further toward the blade 130, and the "bending surface 42" provided on the preliminary bending punch 40 is brought into contact with the claw portion 134, thereby bending the claw portion 134 to a predetermined angle (see Figures 3(b) to 3(c)). Here, the preliminary bending punch 40 is connected to the pressing base material 20 via the second spring material 62, and the "bending surface 42" is inclined in the direction of bending the claw portion 134.

[0057] Figure 3(b) shows the state when the bending surface 42 begins to contact the tip 134a of the claw portion. Figure 3(c) shows the state after the preliminary bending is completed. Figure 4 shows the bending of the claw portion 134 in the preliminary bending process S30. Figures 4(a) to 4(c) are enlarged cross-sectional views of the main parts of the preliminary bending punch 40 and claw portion 134 shown in Figures 3(b) to 3(c), illustrating the bending process in stages.

[0058] In the early stages of the preliminary bending process S30, when the pressing base material 20 is lowered, the preliminary bending punch 40 also lowers, and the bending surface 42 comes into contact with the tip 134a of the claw portion (see Figures 3(b) and 4(a)). Subsequently, when the pressing base material 20 is lowered further, the elastic force generated by the compression of the second spring material 62 causes the bent surface 42 to press against the tip 134a of the claw portion. As the inclined bending surface 42 descends further with an angle of deviation relative to the claw portion 134, the tip 134a of the claw portion 134 moves away in the bending direction (to the right in the drawing) (see Figure 4(b)), and is gradually bent from the tip 134a side to the base end 134b side until it comes into contact with the bending surface 42 (see Figures 3(c) and 4(c)). As a result, the claw portion 134 is bent to a predetermined angle.

[0059] Furthermore, the rigidity of the bent surface 42 is set higher than the rigidity of the claw portion 134. The bending process described above is similar to a cutting process, and cutting marks (or friction marks generated by friction with the bent surface 42) are formed on the outer surface 134c of the claw portion 134. Cutting marks will be described later.

[0060] (4) Bending process S40 The bending process S40 involves bending and pressing the claw portion 134 with the "pressure contact surface 52," thereby fixing the blade 130 to the side plate 110. Specifically, in the bending process S40, the pressing base material 20 is moved further toward the blade 130, and the claw portion 134, which has been bent at a predetermined angle, is pressed and further bent by the "pressure contact surface 52" of the bending punch 50, which is integrally connected to the pressing base material 20, so that the claw portion 134 conforms to the surface 110a of the side plate 110, thereby fixing the blade 130 to the side plate 110 (see Figures 3(d) to 3(e)). Figure 3(d) shows the state when the contact surface 52 begins to contact the tip 134a of the claw portion. Figure 3(e) shows the state when the bending is complete.

[0061] At the beginning of the bending process S40, as the pressing base material 20 is lowered and the bending punch 50 is lowered accordingly, the contact surface 52 comes into contact with the tip 134a of the claw portion (see Figure 3(d)). Subsequently, when the pressing base material 20 is lowered further, the contact surface 52 is lowered further, and the claw portion 134 is bent further, so that the claw portion 134 comes into contact with the side plate 110 and lies along the surface 110a of the side plate. When the pressing base material 20 is lowered slightly further, at least a part of the claw portion 134 is pressed against the surface 110a of the side plate and is ultimately crimped. At this point, in the example of Embodiment 1, the claw portion 134 becomes approximately parallel to the surface 110a of the side plate (see Figure 3(e)). As a result, the claw portion 134 is fully bent and the crimping process to the side plate 110 is completed, and the wing 130 can be fixed to the side plate 110.

[0062] The above steps (2) side plate pressing step S20, (3) preliminary bending step S30, and (4) main bending step S40 are performed sequentially and continuously in a single operation while the pressing base material 20 receives press pressure PR from the pressing means 210 and performs one stroke of pressing operation (while performing one downward movement).

[0063] By carrying out each of the steps described in (1) to (4) above, the side plate 110 can be fixed to one end 130a of each blade 130.

[0064] (5) Fixing the opposite side plate 120 Subsequently, the workpiece (intermediate material) with multiple blades 130 fixed to the side plate 110 is inverted (not shown in the diagram) to invert the workpiece so that the other end 130b of the blades 130 faces upward. Next, the inverted workpiece is positioned using another positioning jig, and then the claw portions 134 on the other end 130b are inserted into each through hole 122 of the other side plate 120, thereby combining the blade 130 and the side plate 120 (a process corresponding to the positioning and combination process S10). Next, the claw portion 134 on the other end 130b and the side plate 120 are subjected to the same manufacturing apparatus as described above, performing the side plate pressing process S20, the preliminary bending process S30, and the main bending process S40. This allows the other end 130b of the blade 130 and the side plate 120 to be fixed together.

[0065] By performing steps (1) to (5) above, a sirocco fan 100 can be obtained.

[0066] (6) Sirocco fan 100 manufactured by the sirocco fan manufacturing method according to Embodiment 1 Figure 5 shows the claw portion 134 of a sirocco fan manufactured by the sirocco fan manufacturing method according to Embodiment 1. The figure is a plan view of the main part as seen from a direction parallel to the rotation axis AX (not shown) of the sirocco fan.

[0067] As explained in (3) above, when the preliminary bending process S30 is performed, the tip 134a of the claw portion comes into contact with the bending surface 42, and as the press stroke progresses further, the tip 134a of the claw portion moves away along the bending surface 42, and gradually undergoes plastic deformation from the tip 134a side to the base end 134b side (similar to ironing), and the outer surface 134c of the claw portion 134 comes into contact with the bending surface 42. Therefore, as shown in Figure 5, when examining the sirocco fan 100 manufactured by the sirocco fan manufacturing method according to Embodiment 1, "squeezing marks 136 (or friction marks)" are formed on the outer surface 134c of the claw portion 134 from near the tip 134a to near the base end 134b. Note that "near the base end" does not necessarily refer to the exact position of the base end 134b (root) of the claw portion 134, but rather to a position that is somewhat closer to the base side relative to the tip 134a side.

[0068] 3. Effects of the Sirocco Fan Manufacturing Apparatus 1 and Sirocco Fan Manufacturing Method According to Embodiment 1 (1) In Embodiment 1, the side plate retaining plate 30 has a retaining surface 32, the pre-bending punch 40 has a bending surface 42 at its tip, and the main bending punch 50 has a pressure contact surface 52 at its tip. These retaining surface 32, bending surface 42, and pressure contact surface 52 are arranged in this order from closest to fender 130, with predetermined offsets OFS1 and OFS2 from each other.

[0069] Because of this configuration, when the pressing base material 20 descends, the pressing surface 32, the bending surface 42, and the pressure contact surface 52 can reach the position of the claw portion 134 in sequence with a time difference, according to the bending state of the claw portion 134.

[0070] Furthermore, the bending surface 42 of the pre-bending punch 40 is inclined in the direction of bending the claw portion 134. As the bending surface 42 descends, the claw portion 134 is gradually bent by the inclined bending surface 42, allowing for pre-bending to a predetermined angle.

[0071] Furthermore, the contact surface 52 of the main bending punch 50 is positioned on the side where the claw portion 134 is bent relative to the position where the bending surface 42 of the pre-bending punch 40 is located. Therefore, once the tip 134a of the claw portion, which has completed the pre-bending, protrudes from the side of the pre-bending punch 40, the contact surface 52 of the main bending punch 50, which arrives immediately afterward, can then grip the protruding tip 134a of the claw portion and begin the main bending. In this way, the main bending can be performed continuously from the completion of the pre-bending.

[0072] Furthermore, the side plate retaining plate 30 is connected to the pressing base material 20 via a first spring material 61. Therefore, the force pressing the side plate can be exerted by elastic force, and even when the pressing base material 20 descends further for the subsequent preliminary bending, the spring does not contract and obstruct the downward stroke. Similarly, the preliminary bending punch 40 is connected to the pressing base material 20 via a second spring material 62. Therefore, the force for preliminary bending can be exerted by elastic force, and even when the pressing base material 20 descends further for the subsequent main bending process, the spring does not contract and obstruct the downward stroke.

[0073] In this configuration, as the pressing base material 20 moves toward the blade 130, the pressing surface 32 sequentially presses against the side plate 110, the bending surface 42 bends the claw portion 134 to a predetermined angle, and the contact surface 52 presses against the claw portion 134 that has been bent to the predetermined angle. In other words, the bending and crimping of the claw portion 134 can be completed by the vertical movement of the components. Therefore, even if the angles of the main surfaces of the claw portions 134 of each blade 130 scattered around the circumference are different and the bending directions are not uniform, as in a sirocco fan, by arranging the components (pre-bending punch 40, main bending punch 50, etc.) at positions corresponding to each blade 130 on the circumference and lowering the commonly provided pressing base material 20 to the bottom dead center, the bending of the claw portions 134 of each blade 130 in different directions can be performed simultaneously and collectively.

[0074] From the above, according to the Sirocco fan manufacturing apparatus 1 and Sirocco fan manufacturing method of Embodiment 1, while the pressing base material 20 receives press pressure PR from the external pressing means 210 and performs a single-stroke pressing operation, the preliminary bending and final bending of the claw portions 134 of each blade 130 scattered on the circumference can be performed automatically, continuously, and collectively, and each blade 130 can be fixed automatically, continuously, and collectively to the side plate 110 (120 as well).

[0075] Therefore, according to Embodiment 1, the sirocco fan can be assembled with higher efficiency than in the conventional method.

[0076] (2) The Sirocco fan manufacturing apparatus 1 according to Embodiment 1 is further equipped with a backing block 70 that restricts the movement of the pressing surface 32 at a predetermined position when the pressing base material 20 moves toward the positioned blade 130. When there is a movement that moves the pressing surface 32 beyond the bottom dead center during the pressing operation by the external pressing means 210, the backing block 70 prevents further movement of the pressing surface 32. This prevents unnecessary stress from being applied to the blade 130.

[0077] (3) The bent surface 42 of Embodiment 1 is a plane formed at an angle of approximately 45° with respect to the protruding direction of the claw portion 134.

[0078] If the angle of deviation of the bending surface 42 is set close to 0°, the force contributing to the start of bending of the claw portion 134 will be weak, which can reduce the load on the claw portion 134, but the predetermined angle at the completion of the preliminary bending will be shallower. Conversely, if the angle of deviation is set close to 90°, the load on the base end 134b of the claw portion will be large at the start of bending, increasing the likelihood of bending defects. By setting the angle of deviation to approximately 45° as in Embodiment 1, it is possible to achieve a good balance between generating the force contributing to bending at the start of bending, reducing the load on the base end 134b of the claw portion, and ensuring the bending angle at the completion of the preliminary bending.

[0079] [Embodiment 2] Figure 6 is a diagram illustrating the Sirocco fan manufacturing apparatus 2 according to Embodiment 2. Figure 7 is a flowchart illustrating the Sirocco fan manufacturing method according to Embodiment 2. Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the operation of the Sirocco fan manufacturing apparatus 2 and / or the Sirocco fan manufacturing method according to Embodiment 2. Figure 8(a) shows the side plate pressing process S20A, S20B being performed, and Figure 8(b) shows the completed bending process S40A, S40B.

[0080] 1. Configuration of the Sirocco Fan Manufacturing Apparatus 2 according to Embodiment 2 The Sirocco fan manufacturing apparatus 2 according to Embodiment 2 has basically the same configuration as the Sirocco fan manufacturing apparatus 1 according to Embodiment 1, but differs from the Sirocco fan manufacturing apparatus 1 according to Embodiment 1 in that the Sirocco fan manufacturing apparatus is made of molds. In addition, it differs from the Sirocco fan manufacturing apparatus 1 according to Embodiment 1 in that crimping is performed simultaneously (at the same stage) at both ends of the blades 130.

[0081] (1) Realization by mold As shown in Figure 6, the Sirocco fan manufacturing apparatus 2 according to Embodiment 2 is composed of a pair of upper molds 90A and lower molds 90B, including an upper die set 92A and a lower die set 92B.

[0082] At this time, the blade positioning jig 10' is configured in the lower mold 90B. The blade positioning jig 10' may be configured, for example, as shown in Figure 6, by providing a positioning part 12' with a slit that can grasp the fin part 132 at the tip of an arm, and installing such an arm on the lower die set mold 92B.

[0083] The pressing base material 20A may be configured in the upper die set 92A as shown in the figure. The side plate retaining plate 30A may be made of a plate material 94A having a punch window 94a facing the claw portion 134 of the positioned blade 130. This plate material 94A is connected to the die set upper die 92A via the first spring material 61. Here, "connected via the first spring material 61" includes cases where the plate material 94A and the upper die set mold 92A are directly connected only via the first spring material 61, as well as cases where they are indirectly connected with the first spring material 61 and other components acting as intermediaries. The same applies to the configuration around the first spring material 62 between the plate material 94B and the lower die set mold 92B described in (2) below.

[0084] Also, punch windows 94aIn the internal space 94b, the bending surface 42 of the pre-bending punch 40A and the contact surface 52 of the main bending punch 50A are configured to move along the press axis PX. Punch window 94a At least enough space is provided in the internal space 94b to retract the claw portion 134, so that when the pressing surface 32 contacts the surface 110a of the side plate, the claw portion 134 protruding from the side plate 110 is retracted into this space and does not interfere with the bending surface 42. "The bending surface 42 of the spare bending punch 40A and the pressure contact surface 52 of the main bending punch 50A are punch windows 94a Because movement along the press axis PX is possible in the internal space 94b, such punch window 94a Preliminary bending and main bending are possible in the internal space 94b.

[0085] The spare bending punch 40A is connected to a plate material 93A for the spare bending punch, and the plate material 93A is connected to the upper die 92A of the die set via a second spring material 62. Here, "connected via the second spring member 62" includes cases where the plate member 93A and the upper die set mold 92A are directly connected only via the second spring member 62, as well as cases where they are indirectly connected with the second spring member 62 and other components acting as intermediaries. The same applies to the configuration around the second spring member 62 between the plate member 93B and the lower die set mold 92B described in (2) below.

[0086] This bending punch 50A is connected to the upper die set 92A.

[0087] In the Sirocco fan manufacturing apparatus 2, the positioning portion 12' of the blade positioning jig 10', the bending surface 42 of the pre-bending punch 40A, and the pressure contact surface 52 of the main bending punch 50A are each provided along the circumference centered on the rotation axis AX, according to the number of blades 130 to be fixed to the side plate 110.

[0088] Note that "down" refers to the direction in which gravitational acceleration acts on an object, and "up" refers to the opposite direction. However, the terms "up" and "down" used herein are for explanatory purposes only, and when implementing the present invention, the Sirocco fan manufacturing apparatus may be inverted or rotated 90° to be placed horizontally.

[0089] (2) Crimping process at both ends of the wing 130 In addition, the Sirocco fan manufacturing apparatus 2 according to Embodiment 2 is equipped with a pressing base material 20B, a side plate retaining plate 30B, a spare bending punch 40B, and a main bending punch 50B in the lower mold 90B, making it possible to perform crimping simultaneously at both ends of the blade 130.

[0090] The pressing base material 20B may be composed of the lower die set 92B. The side plate retaining plate 30B has the same configuration as the side plate retaining plate 30A of the upper die 90A, and is a plate material provided with a punch window 94a facing the claw portion 134. 94B Composed of punch windows 94a Within the internal space 94b, the bent surface 42 and the pressure contact surface 52 are configured to be movable.

[0091] The spare bending punch 40B is connected to the spare bending punch plate material 93B. The plate material 93B is connected to the lower die set 92B via the second spring material 62. This bending punch 50B is connected to the lower die set 92B.

[0092] The butt block 70 is installed connected to the side plate retaining plate 30B. The height W of the butt block 70 corresponds to the dimension between the surface 110a of the side plate 110 and the surface 120a of the side plate 120 (the figure shows an example where both are the same height W).

[0093] On the one hand, the pressing base material 20A, side plate retaining plate 30A, spare bending punch 40A, and main bending punch 50A of the upper die 90A operate to bend the claw portion 134 on one end 130a and fix it to the side plate. On the other hand, the pressing base material 20B, side plate retaining plate 30B, spare bending punch 40B, and main bending punch 50B of the lower die 90B operate to bend the claw portion 134 on the other end 130b and fix it to the side plate.

[0094] The pair of upper and lower dies 90A and 90B configured in this way move in a direction that closes them together when subjected to external pressure, so that during one stroke of pressing, the claws 134 at both ends of the blade 130 are bent and the blade 130 is fixed (fixed by crimping) to the pair of side plates 110 and 120.

[0095] Furthermore, it is preferable that the specifications (thickness, length, spring constant, etc.) of the components used here, such as plate material, die set material, and spring material, are the same for those placed in the upper mold 90A and those placed in the lower mold 90B. Since the manufacturing process proceeds simultaneously in both the upper and lower molds and similar processing is performed, making the specifications of the components in both the upper and lower molds the same ensures symmetry in the crimping quality between them.

[0096] 2. Configuration of the Sirocco Fan Manufacturing Method According to Embodiment 2 The Sirocco fan manufacturing method according to Embodiment 2 has basically the same configuration as the Sirocco fan manufacturing method according to Embodiment 1, but differs in that the side plate pressing process to the main bending process are performed at the same stage at both ends of the blade 130.

[0097] The Sirocco fan manufacturing method according to Embodiment 2 is a manufacturing method that uses an upper die 90A equipped with a pressing base material 20A, a side plate retaining plate 30A, a preliminary bending punch 40A and a main bending punch 50A, and a lower die 90B equipped with a pressing base material 20B, a side plate retaining plate 30B, a preliminary bending punch 40B and a main bending punch 50B. In the Sirocco fan manufacturing method according to Embodiment 2, the pair of upper dies 90A and lower dies 90B are moved in the closing direction by an external press, and during one stroke of the pressing operation, the side plate retaining process S20A, S20B, the preliminary bending process S30A, S30B and the main bending process S40A, S40B are performed at both ends of the blade 130, respectively.

[0098] In other words, as shown in Figure 7, after the positioning and assembly process S10 of the blade 130 and side plates 110 and 120 is performed, the pair of upper molds 90A and lower molds 90B are moved in the closing direction, thereby executing the side plate pressing process S20A by the upper mold 90A and the side plate pressing process S20B by the lower mold 90B at approximately the same timing and stage. At this time, the manufacturing apparatus and workpiece are in the state shown in Figure 8(a). Next, the preliminary bending process S30A by the upper mold 90A and the preliminary bending process S30B by the lower mold 90B are executed at approximately the same timing and stage. Next, the main bending process S40A by the upper mold 90A and the main bending process S40B by the lower mold 90B are executed at approximately the same timing and stage. At this time, the manufacturing apparatus and workpiece are in the state shown in Figure 8(b).

[0099] 3. Effects of the Sirocco Fan Manufacturing Apparatus 2 and Sirocco Fan Manufacturing Method According to Embodiment 2 (1) According to the Sirocco fan manufacturing apparatus 2 and Sirocco fan manufacturing method of Embodiment 2, since it is composed of a pair of upper molds 90A and lower molds 90B, by simply moving the molds in the closing direction by an external press, side plate pressing, pre-bending and main bending can be performed automatically, continuously, and simultaneously in one stroke of pressing. For this reason, Sirocco fans can be assembled with higher efficiency than conventional methods. In addition, since the Sirocco fan manufacturing apparatus 2 is composed of molds, the reproducibility of the crimping process is high, making it easier to maintain product quality.

[0100] (2) In addition to the above, the Sirocco fan manufacturing apparatus 2 also includes a pressing base material 20B in the lower die 90B, which consists of a side plate retaining plate 30B, a spare bending punch 40B, a main bending punch 50B, and a die set lower die 92B. Therefore, with just one stroke of pressing, the claw portions 134 at both ends of the blade 130 can be bent simultaneously and the blade 130 can be fixed to the respective side plates 110 and 120. In other words, the crimping process at both ends of the blade 130 can be completed without inverting the product material (blade 130, side plates 110 and 120), while the product material remains in the same position and orientation. Therefore, the assembly of sirocco fans can be performed with even greater efficiency compared to conventional methods.

[0101] The Sirocco fan manufacturing apparatus 2 and Sirocco fan manufacturing method according to Embodiment 2 have basically the same configuration as the Sirocco fan manufacturing apparatus 1 and Sirocco fan manufacturing method according to Embodiment 1, except that they are made of molds and that crimping is performed simultaneously at both ends of the blades 130. Therefore, they similarly possess the effects of the Sirocco fan manufacturing apparatus 1 and Sirocco fan manufacturing method according to Embodiment 1.

[0102] Although the present invention has been described above based on the embodiments described above, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above. It can be implemented in various forms without departing from the spirit of the invention, and for example, the following modifications are also possible.

[0103] (1) Pre-bending punch 40 of each embodiment , The bent surfaces 42 of 40A and 40B were flat surfaces formed at an angle of approximately 45° (see also Figure 9(a)). However, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the bent surface 42' can be a concave shape that is recessed inward, as shown in Figure 9(b) of the pre-bending punch 40'. ru (Modification 1). Alternatively, the bending surface 42'' can have a convex shape that bulges outward, as shown in Figure 9(c) with the pre-bending punch 40'' (Modification 2).

[0104] (2) The butt block 70 described in each embodiment is positioned below the upper side plate retaining plates 30, 30A (see Figures 1 and 6). However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the butt block 70 may be connected to the upper side plate retaining plates 30, 30A and integrated together.

[0105] (3) In the description of Embodiment 2, an example was described in which the blade positioning jig 10' is provided integrally with the pressing base material 20B of the lower mold 90B. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the blade positioning jig 10' may be provided integrally with the side plate retaining plate 30B of the lower mold 90B. In this case, when positioning the blades 130, first the side plate 120 to be placed on the lower side is first positioned and fixed so that the side plate 120 is in contact with the pressing surface 32 of the side plate retaining plate 30B of the lower mold 90B, and then each blade 130 is positioned while inserting the tip 134a of the claw portion into the through hole 122 of the side plate 120.

[0106] (4) In the figures illustrating each embodiment, the claw portion 134 provided on one end 130a and the other end 130b of the blade 130 is shown as a single projection. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. The present invention can also be applied to a blade 130 having multiple claw portions 134 at each end. For example, the present invention can be applied to a blade having multiple claw portions at each end, such as the blades shown in Patent Documents 1 and 2. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0107] 1,2…Sirocco fan manufacturing equipment, 10,10'…Blade positioning jig, 12,12'…(Blade) positioning section, 20,20A,20B…Pressing base material, 30,30A,30B…Side plate retaining plate, 32…Pressing surface, 40,40',40'',40A,40B…Spare bending punch, 42,42',42'' ...bending surface, 50, 50A, 50B...main bending punch, 52...pressure contact surface, 61...first spring material, 62...second spring material, 70...button block, 70a...button surface, 90A...upper die, 90B...lower die, 92A...die set upper die, 92B...die set lower die, 93A, 93B...plate material for spare bending punch, 94A...plate material for side plate retaining plate, 94a...punch window, 94b...internal space of punch window, 100...sirocco fan, 110... (First) side plate, 110a... Surface of (the first side plate), 112... Through hole (of the first side plate), 120... (Second) side plate, 120a... Surface of (the second side plate), 122... Through hole (of the second side plate), 130... Blade, 130a... One end of the blade, 130b... The other end of the blade, 132... Fin portion of the blade, 134... Claw portion, 134a... Tip of the claw portion, 134b... Base end of the claw portion, 134c... Outer surface of the claw portion, 136... Scratch marks, 200... Base, 210... Pressing means

Claims

1. A sirocco fan manufacturing apparatus for producing a sirocco fan in which elongated blades are arranged at intervals along a circumference centered on a rotating axis, The sirocco fan includes a pair of side plates, each having multiple through holes and arranged facing each other, and a plurality of blades, each positioned between the pair of side plates, having claws at both longitudinal ends that are inserted into the through holes, and each of the claws being bent near the base end of the claw and fixed to the side plate. The Sirocco fan manufacturing equipment is, A blade positioning jig for positioning multiple blades at predetermined positions along the circumference, A pressing base material that moves back and forth along the press shaft, A side plate retaining plate connected to the pressing base material via a first spring material, A pre-bending punch connected to the pressing base material via a second spring material, The system comprises a bending punch integrally connected to the aforementioned pressing base material, The side plate retaining plate has a retaining surface that presses against the side plate while in contact with it, The aforementioned pre-bending punch has a bending surface at its tip that is inclined in the direction of bending the claw portion, The aforementioned bending punch has a pressure contact surface at its tip that is positioned on the side where the claw portion is bent relative to the position where the bending surface is located, When viewed from a direction perpendicular to the press shaft, the pressing surface, the bending surface, and the contact surface are arranged with a predetermined offset from each other in order of proximity to the positioned blade. As the pressing base material moves toward the blade, the pressing surface sequentially presses against the side plate, the bending surface bends the claw portion to a predetermined angle, and the contact surface presses against the claw portion bent to the predetermined angle. Furthermore, the Sirocco fan manufacturing apparatus consists of a pair of upper and lower dies, including an upper die set and a lower die set. The blade positioning jig is configured in the lower mold, The pressing base material is composed of the upper die set, The side plate retaining plate is made of a plate material having a punch window that faces the claw portion of the positioned blade, Within the internal space of the punch window, the bending surface of the pre-bending punch and the contact surface of the main bending punch are movable along the press axis. The positioning portion of the blade positioning jig, the bending surface of the pre-bending punch, and the pressure contact surface of the main bending punch are each provided along a circumference centered on the rotation axis in accordance with the number of blades to be fixed to the side plate. A sirocco fan manufacturing apparatus characterized by the following features.

2. In the sirocco fan manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, A sirocco fan manufacturing apparatus further comprising a body block that restricts the movement of the pressing surface, which is linked to the movement of the pressing base material, at a predetermined position when the pressing base material moves toward the positioned blade.

3. In the sirocco fan manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, A sirocco fan manufacturing apparatus characterized in that the bent surface is a plane formed at an angle of approximately 45° with respect to the protruding direction of the claw portion.

4. In the sirocco fan manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, The lower die also comprises the pressing base material consisting of the side plate retaining plate, the pre-bending punch, the main bending punch, and the lower die set. The pair of upper and lower molds move in a closing direction due to external pressure, so that during one stroke of the pressing operation, the claws at both ends of the blade are bent and the blade is fixed to the pair of side plates. A sirocco fan manufacturing apparatus characterized by the following features.

5. In the sirocco fan manufacturing apparatus according to Claim 2, The lower die also comprises the pressing base material consisting of the side plate retaining plate, the pre-bending punch, the main bending punch, and the lower die set. The pair of upper and lower molds move in a closing direction due to external pressure, so that during one stroke of the pressing operation, the claws at both ends of the blade are bent and the blade is fixed to the pair of side plates. A sirocco fan manufacturing apparatus characterized by the following features.

6. In the sirocco fan manufacturing apparatus according to claim 3, The lower die also comprises the pressing base material consisting of the side plate retaining plate, the pre-bending punch, the main bending punch, and the lower die set. The pair of upper and lower molds move in a closing direction due to external pressure, so that during one stroke of the pressing operation, the claws at both ends of the blade are bent and the blade is fixed to the pair of side plates. A sirocco fan manufacturing apparatus characterized by the following features.

7. A method for manufacturing a sirocco fan, wherein the sirocco fan has elongated blades arranged at intervals along the circumference of a circle centered on a rotating axis, The sirocco fan includes a pair of side plates, each having multiple through holes and arranged facing each other, and a plurality of blades, each positioned between the pair of side plates, having claws at both longitudinal ends that are inserted into the through holes, and each of the claws being bent near the base end of the claw and fixed to the side plate. A positioning and assembly step in which the multiple blades are placed on a blade positioning jig, and the multiple blades are positioned at predetermined positions along the circumference, and the side plates are combined with the multiple blades so that the claws of the blades are fitted into the through holes of the side plates, A side plate pressing step is performed in which the pressing base material is moved along the press axis toward the blade, and the side plate is pressed with the "pressing surface" of the side plate pressing plate, which is connected to the pressing base material via a first spring material, While further moving the pressing base material toward the blade, a preliminary bending step is performed in which a "bending surface" provided on a preliminary bending punch connected to the pressing base material via a second spring material, which is inclined in the direction of bending the claw portion, is brought into contact with the claw portion, thereby bending the claw portion to a predetermined angle. The pressing base material is moved further toward the blade, and the claw portion, which has been bent at a predetermined angle, is pressed and further bent by the "pressure contact surface" of the bending punch which is integrally connected with the pressing base material, thereby fixing the blade to the side plate so that the claw portion conforms to the surface of the side plate. This includes in this order, Using an upper die comprising the pressing base material, the side plate retaining plate, the pre-bending punch and the main bending punch, and a lower die comprising the pressing base material, the side plate retaining plate, the pre-bending punch and the main bending punch, By pressing from an external source, the pair of upper and lower dies are moved in a closing direction, and during one stroke of the pressing operation, the side plate pressing process, the preliminary bending process, and the main bending process are performed at both ends of the blade, respectively. A method for manufacturing sirocco fans characterized by the following.

8. A sirocco fan manufactured by the sirocco fan manufacturing method described in claim 7, characterized in that "squeezing marks" are formed on the outer surface of the claw portion from near the tip of the claw portion to near the base of the claw portion.

Images