Blower, air conditioner, and refrigeration cycle device

Abstract

A blower according to the present invention is provided with a plurality of axial flow fans that form an airflow by rotating, and a plurality of cylindrical bell mouths that regulate the airflow formed by the axial flow fans. Each of the plurality of axial flow fans includes: a hub that is rotationally driven and forms a rotary shaft; a plurality of blades formed around the hub and extending radially outward from the hub; and a cylindrical ring part that is formed annularly when viewed in the axial direction of the rotary shaft and is integrally formed with each blade tip on the radially outer side of the plurality of blades. When viewed in the direction along the rotary shaft, intermediate sections of the plurality of bell mouths between two adjacent axial flow fans among the plurality of axial flow fans are positioned on the outer circumferential surface side of the ring part in the radial direction perpendicular to the rotary shaft, and are formed such that the upstream portion on the upstream side in the direction of airflow formed by the axial flow fans in the axial direction of the rotary shaft encloses the ring part.

Description

Blowers, air conditioners, and refrigeration cycle devices

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a blower, an air conditioner, and a refrigeration cycle device that include a plurality of axial fans.

[0002] Conventionally, a blower has been proposed that includes an axial fan having a plurality of blades and a ring portion provided at the outer periphery of the fan to connect the blade tips of the plurality of blades, and a bell mouth (see, for example, Patent Document 1). In the blower of Patent Document 1, because a ring portion is connected to each blade tip of the axial fan, it is difficult for air to flow around the blade tips from the pressure side to the suction side of the blade, thereby suppressing the generation of blade tip vortices.

[0003] Patent No. 6930644

[0004] The blower of Patent Document 1 does not mention an appropriate structure for improving the blowing efficiency when multiple axial fans are installed.

[0005] The present disclosure is intended to solve the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a blower, an air conditioner, and a refrigeration cycle apparatus that can improve blowing efficiency when having multiple axial fans.

[0006] The blower according to the present disclosure comprises a plurality of axial fans that form an air flow by rotating, and a plurality of cylindrical bell mouths that regulate the air flow formed by the plurality of axial fans, each of the plurality of axial fans having a hub that is driven to rotate and forms a rotation axis, a plurality of blades formed around the hub and extending radially outward from the hub, and a cylindrical ring portion that is formed in an annular shape when viewed in the axial direction of the rotation axis and is formed integrally with each of the radially outer blade tips of the plurality of blades, and when viewed in the direction along the rotation axis, an intermediate portion of the plurality of bell mouths between two adjacent axial fans of the plurality of axial fans is located on the outer peripheral surface side of the ring portion in the radial direction perpendicular to the rotation axis, and the upstream portion of the bell mouths on the upstream side in the direction of air flow formed by the plurality of axial fans in the axial direction of the rotation axis is formed to encompass the ring portion.

[0007] An air conditioner according to the present disclosure includes a blower having the above-described configuration, and a heat exchanger that exchanges heat between air supplied by the blower and a refrigerant flowing inside.

[0008] The refrigeration cycle device of the present disclosure includes a blower having the above-described configuration, a condenser that condenses the refrigerant, and an evaporator that evaporates the refrigerant, and the blower blows air to at least one of the condenser and the evaporator.

[0009] According to the present disclosure, in a blower, air conditioner, and refrigeration cycle apparatus (hereinafter referred to as a blower, etc.), a middle portion between two adjacent axial fans among the plurality of axial fans among the plurality of bell mouths is located on the outer circumferential surface side of a ring portion in a radial direction perpendicular to the rotation axis. Furthermore, the middle portion between two adjacent axial fans among the plurality of bell mouths among the plurality of axial fans is formed such that the upstream portion of the middle portion between the two adjacent axial fans among the plurality of bell mouths, in the axial direction of the rotation axis, encompasses the ring portion. Therefore, in a blower, etc., the main stream of air blown out from the plurality of axial fans is blown out in front of the blower, etc., without passing through the outer circumferential surface side behind the bell mouth and being converted into a reverse flow. Because the main stream of air blown out from the plurality of axial fans does not pass through the outer circumferential surface side behind the bell mouth and being converted into a reverse flow, the blower, etc., can achieve improved air blowing efficiency compared to a blower not having this configuration.

[0010] FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram showing the configuration of a blower according to embodiment 1. FIG. 2 is a front view showing the schematic configuration of an axial fan according to embodiment 1. FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of a gap between two adjacent axial fans of a blower according to embodiment 1. FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of a gap between two axial fans of a blower according to a comparative example. FIG. 5 is a conceptual diagram showing the configuration of a blower according to embodiment 2. FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of a gap between two adjacent axial fans of a blower according to embodiment 2. FIG. 7 is a perspective view of an outdoor unit of an air conditioner according to embodiment 3, as seen from the air outlet side. FIG. 8 is a conceptual diagram illustrating the internal configuration of the outdoor unit of an air conditioner according to embodiment 3, viewed from the top side. FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram of a refrigeration cycle device according to embodiment 4.

[0011] Hereinafter, a blower, an air conditioner, and a refrigeration cycle apparatus according to embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that in the following drawings, including FIG. 1, the relative dimensional relationships and shapes of the components may differ from those in reality. In the following drawings, identical reference numerals denote identical or equivalent components, and this applies throughout the entire specification. To facilitate understanding, terms indicating directions (e.g., "up," "down," "right," "left," "front," and "rear") are used as appropriate. However, these notations are merely used for the convenience of explanation and do not limit the arrangement or orientation of the apparatus or components.

[0012] Embodiment 1 [Blower 150] Figure 1 is a conceptual diagram showing the configuration of a blower 150 according to Embodiment 1. In Figure 1, the outline arrow AR indicates the flow of air blown out from the axial fan 100. The solid arrow AR1 indicates the flow of air blown out from the axial fan 100, and the air flow along the bell mouth 110. The axis of rotation RA indicated by a dashed dotted line represents the imaginary axis of rotation RA of the axial fan 100.

[0013] The blower 150 is a machine that imparts energy to gas through the rotational motion of an impeller and blows wind or air. The blower 150 is a machine that is included in various devices, such as an air conditioner or a ventilation system. The blower 150 includes a plurality of axial fans 100 that form an air flow by rotating, and a plurality of cylindrical bell mouths 110 that regulate the air flow formed by the plurality of axial fans 100. The blower 150 also includes a plurality of motors 120 and a main body 130.

[0014] The axial flow fan 100 is an axial flow impeller and is a device that forms a fluid flow. In Fig. 1, the blower 150 has two axial flow fans 100, but the number of axial flow fans 100 is not limited to two and may be three or more. In other words, the blower 150 has a plurality of axial flow fans 100.

[0015] In FIG. 1 , two axial fans 100 are arranged one above the other, but the arrangement of the multiple axial fans 100 is not limited to being one above the other. The multiple axial fans 100 may be arranged horizontally or at an angle to the horizontal. The multiple axial fans 100 are arranged in a radial direction perpendicular to the rotation axis RA of adjacent axial fans 100. Furthermore, the multiple axial fans 100 do not have to be arranged in a single row, but may be arranged in multiple rows. The specific configuration of the axial fan 100 will be described later.

[0016] [Bellmouth 110] The bellmouth 110 straightens the airflow formed by the axial fan 100. The bellmouth 110 straightens the airflow formed by and blown out from the axial fan 100, and causes it to flow out of the main body 130. The bellmouth 110, for example, straightens the air blown out from the axial fan 100, converts dynamic pressure into static pressure, restores pressure, and slows the airflow. The bellmouth 110 according to the first embodiment is located downstream of the axial fan 100 in the direction of the airflow formed by the axial fan 100.

[0017] The bell mouths 110 are provided in correspondence with the axial fans 100, and the number of bell mouths 110 is the same as the number of axial fans 100. As shown in Fig. 1 , a part of the bell mouth 110 is present between two axial fans 100. In the blower 150, a gap is formed between the inner circumferential surface of the bell mouth 110 and the outer circumferential surface of a ring portion 30 (described later) of the axial fan 100 in the radial direction perpendicular to the rotation axis RA.

[0018] The bell mouth 110 is formed in a cylindrical shape. The bell mouth 110 is formed, for example, in a cylindrical shape. The bell mouth 110 is formed in an annular shape along the rotation direction of the axial flow fan 100. Each of the multiple bell mouths 110 has a portion formed in an arc shape that is convex toward the rotation axis RA in a cross section along the axial and radial directions of the rotation axis RA. The bell mouth 110 is formed so that the opening diameter gradually decreases from the outside to the inside of the main body 130.

[0019] In other words, the bellmouth 110 is formed so that the opening diameter gradually increases from the inside to the outside of the main body 130. That is, each of the multiple bellmouths 110 is formed so that the opening diameter increases downstream in the direction of air flow generated by the multiple axial fans 100. The bellmouth 110 is formed to extend in the axial direction of the rotation axis RA of the axial fan 100. An inner circumferential end 111 forming the inner edge of the bellmouth 110 is located inside the main body 130. The blower 150 is formed so that, in the direction of air flow generated by the axial fan 100, the inner circumferential end 111 forming the inner edge of the bellmouth 110 is located upstream of the most downstream end of the ring portion 30 of the axial fan 100.

[0020] The bellmouth 110 constitutes the air outlet 132 of the main body 130. One end of the bellmouth 110 is connected to the front wall 130a of the main body 130 in the axial direction of the rotation axis RA of the axial fan 100. The front wall 130a is a side wall surface of the main body 130 where the air outlet 132 through which air is blown out by the axial fan 100 is formed. Note that, although the bellmouth 110 is formed integrally with the front wall 130a, this configuration is not limiting and the bellmouth 110 may be formed separately from the front wall 130a.

[0021] In the main body 130, the bellmouth 110 configures an air flow path between the suction side and blowing side of the bellmouth 110 as an air passage near the air outlet 132. In other words, the air passage near the air outlet 132 is separated from other spaces within the main body 130 by the bellmouth 110. The air near the air outlet 132 flows smoothly along the inner wall surface of the bellmouth 110 and flows out of the main body 130.

[0022] The motor 120 is a power generator and a drive source for the blower 150. The motor 120 rotates when supplied with electric power, and provides driving force to the axial fan 100. The motor 120 has a rotating shaft 121. The axial fan 100 is connected to the rotating shaft 121 of the motor 120. The motor 120 rotates the axial fan 100 by rotating the rotating shaft 121.

[0023] The main body 130 is a case for the blower 150 and constitutes the outer shell of the blower 150. The main body 130 houses a plurality of axial fans 100 and a plurality of motors 120 inside. The main body 130 has a plurality of openings formed therein, including at least one air inlet 131 and two or more air outlets 132. As described above, the bellmouth 110 constitutes the air outlet 132 of the main body 130.

[0024] Axial fan 100 Figure 2 is a front view showing the schematic configuration of the axial fan 100 according to the first embodiment. The rotational direction DR indicated by the arrow in the figure indicates the direction in which the axial fan 100 rotates. The counter-rotational direction OR indicated by the arrow in the figure indicates the direction opposite to the rotational direction of the axial fan 100. Furthermore, the circumferential direction CD indicated by the double-headed arrow in the figure indicates the circumferential direction of the axial fan 100. The circumferential direction CD includes the rotational direction DR and the counter-rotational direction OR.

[0025] 2 is a direction perpendicular to the rotation axis RA of the axial fan 100 and represents the radial direction of the axial fan 100. In the radial direction, the Y2 side portion is located on the outer periphery side of the Y1 side portion, and the Y1 side portion is located on the inner periphery side of the Y2 side portion. In other words, the Y1 side of the axial fan 100 is the inner periphery side of the axial fan 100, and the Y2 side of the axial fan 100 is the outer periphery side of the axial fan 100.

[0026] An axial fan 100 according to a first embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 1 and 2. The axial fan 100 is used in a blower 150, for example, as a fan in an air conditioner, a ventilation device, or the like. The axial fan 100 creates a fluid flow by rotating in a rotation direction DR about a rotation axis RA. The fluid is, for example, a gas such as air, and the axial fan 100 creates an airflow, which is a flow of air, by rotating.

[0027] The front side of the paper in Fig. 2 is the upstream side of the axial fan 100 in the direction of fluid flow, and the back side of the paper in Fig. 2 is the downstream side of the axial fan 100 in the direction of fluid flow. Therefore, Fig. 2 is a view of the axial fan 100 as seen from the upstream side in the direction of fluid flow. The upstream side of the axial fan 100 is the air intake side of the axial fan 100, and the downstream side of the axial fan 100 is the air blowing side of the axial fan 100.

[0028] 2, the axial fan 100 includes a hub 10 connected to a rotating shaft 121 of a motor 120 and a plurality of blades 20 extending radially outward from the hub 10. The axial fan 100 is formed in an annular shape when viewed in the axial direction of the rotating shaft RA, and includes a cylindrical ring portion 30 formed integrally with the radially outer blade tips of the plurality of blades 20. The blade tips of the plurality of blades 20 are the ends of the blades 20 opposite the hub 10.

[0029] The axial flow fan 100 includes a so-called bossless fan in which the leading edge and trailing edge portions of adjacent blades 20 are connected to form a continuous surface without a boss. The axial flow fan 100 is molded from, for example, resin, but may also be made from metal.

[0030] (Hub 10) The hub 10 is connected to the rotating shaft 121 of the motor 120. The hub 10 may be configured, for example, in a cylindrical shape, or in a plate shape such as a disk shape. The shape of the hub 10 is not limited as long as it can be connected to the rotating shaft 121 of the motor 120 as described above.

[0031] The hub 10 is driven to rotate by the motor 120 and forms a virtual rotation axis RA. The hub 10 rotates around the rotation axis RA. The rotation direction DR of the axial fan 100 is counterclockwise, as indicated by the arrow in FIG. 2 . However, the rotation direction DR of the axial fan 100 is not limited to counterclockwise. The hub 10 may also rotate clockwise by changing the mounting angle of the blades 20, the orientation of the blades 20, or the like.

[0032] (Blades 20) The blades 20 are formed around the hub 10 and extend radially outward from the hub 10. The blades 20 are arranged radially outward from the hub 10. The blades 20 are spaced apart from one another in the circumferential direction CD. Although the axial fan 100 having three blades 20 is exemplified in the first embodiment, the number of blades 20 is not limited to three. The blades 20 are connected by a ring portion 30, which will be described later.

[0033] The blades 20 are formed in the same shape around the hub 10. The blades 20 are also arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction CD. However, the blades 20 are not limited to this configuration. The blades 20 may be formed in different shapes, or may be arranged at different intervals in the circumferential direction CD.

[0034] The blade 20 is formed in the shape of a forward-swept blade in which the outer peripheral portion protrudes further forward in the direction of rotation DR than the inner peripheral portion. Note that the blade 20 is not limited to a forward-swept blade and may be formed in other shapes. When viewed in the axial direction of the rotation axis RA, the blade 20 is formed in a substantially triangular shape in which the width in the circumferential direction CD of the outer peripheral portion is larger than the width in the circumferential direction CD of the inner peripheral portion. Note that the blade 20 is not limited to being formed in a substantially triangular shape when viewed in the axial direction of the rotation axis RA.

[0035] The blade 20 has a leading edge 21, a trailing edge 22, an inner edge 24 that is a portion that connects to the hub 10, and an outer edge 23 that forms the outer edge between the leading edge 21 and the trailing edge 22. The leading edge 21 is formed on the portion of the blade 20 that is on the forward side in the direction of rotation DR. In other words, the leading edge 21 is located forward of the trailing edge 22 in the direction of rotation DR. The leading edge 21 is located upstream of the trailing edge 22 in the flow direction of the fluid to be generated.

[0036] The axial fan 100 is formed so that the leading edge portions 21 of the blades 20 are integrally connected to the ring portion 30. In the axial fan 100, the leading edge portions 21 of the blades 20 and the ring portion 30 are not separated from each other. However, the axial fan 100 is not limited to this configuration, and the leading edge portions 21 of the blades 20 and the ring portion 30 may be separated from each other. The leading edge portions 21 are contained within the ring portion 30. In other words, the leading edge portions 21 of the blades 20 do not protrude from the ring portion 30 in the axial direction of the rotation axis RA. However, this structure of the blades 20 is one example, and the blades 20 are not limited to this structure, and the leading edge portions 21 may protrude from the ring portion 30.

[0037] The trailing edge 22 is formed on the blade 20 at a portion on the rearward side in the direction of rotation DR. That is, the trailing edge 22 is located rearward of the leading edge 21 in the direction of rotation DR. The trailing edge 22 is located downstream of the leading edge 21 in the direction of flow of the fluid to be generated. The axial fan 100 has the leading edge 21 as a blade tip facing the direction of rotation DR of the axial fan 100, and the trailing edge 22 as a blade tip on the opposite side of the leading edge 21 in the direction of rotation DR.

[0038] The outer edge portion 23 extends forward and backward in the direction of rotation DR so as to define the portion between the outermost periphery of the leading edge portion 21 and the outermost periphery of the trailing edge portion 22. The outer edge portion 23 defines the blade tip portion on the outer periphery in the radial direction (Y-axis direction) of the axial flow fan 100. The outer edge portion 23 forms the outer periphery of the blade 20.

[0039] The outer edge portion 23 is formed in an arc shape when viewed in the axial direction of the rotation axis RA. However, the outer edge portion 23 is not limited to a configuration in which it is formed in an arc shape when viewed in the axial direction of the rotation axis RA. Note that the outer edge portion 23 includes a portion that is formed in an arc shape when viewed in the axial direction of the rotation axis RA.

[0040] When viewed in the axial direction of the rotation axis RA, the blade 20 is formed so that the length of the outer edge portion 23 in the circumferential direction CD is longer than the length of the inner edge portion 24 in the circumferential direction CD. However, the relationship between the length of the outer edge portion 23 and the length of the inner edge portion 24 in the circumferential direction CD of the blade 20 is not limited to this configuration. For example, the length of the outer edge portion 23 and the length of the inner edge portion 24 in the circumferential direction CD of the blade 20 may be equal, or the length of the inner edge portion 24 may be longer than the length of the outer edge portion 23.

[0041] The inner edge portion 24 extends forward and backward in the direction of rotation DR to define the portion between the innermost periphery of the leading edge portion 21 and the innermost periphery of the trailing edge portion 22. The inner edge portion 24 defines the inner end portion in the radial direction (Y-axis direction) of the axial flow fan 100. The inner edge portion 24 forms the inner peripheral edge of the blade 20 and defines the root portion of the blade 20.

[0042] The inner edge portion 24 is formed in an arc shape when viewed in the axial direction of the rotation axis RA. However, the inner edge portion 24 is not limited to a configuration in which it is formed in an arc shape when viewed in the axial direction of the rotation axis RA. The inner edge portion 24 of the blade 20 is connected to the hub 10, for example, by being formed integrally with the hub 10. As an example, the inner edge portion 24 of the blade 20 is formed integrally with the outer peripheral wall of the hub 10, which is formed in a cylindrical shape.

[0043] The blades 20 are formed at an angle with respect to a plane perpendicular to the rotation axis RA. The blades 20 transport the fluid by pushing the fluid present between the blades 20 with blade surfaces 28 as the axial fan 100 rotates. In this case, the surface of the blade surfaces 28 of the blades 20 that pushes the fluid and increases pressure when the axial fan 100 rotates is called a positive pressure surface 25, and the surface behind the positive pressure surface 25 and on which pressure decreases is called a negative pressure surface 26.

[0044] As shown in FIG. 2 , each of the plurality of blades 20 includes a pressure surface 25 that constitutes the surface on the blade surface 28 of the blade 20 that pushes the fluid and causes the pressure to increase when the blade 20 rotates, and a suction surface 26 that constitutes the surface behind the pressure surface 25 and causes the pressure to decrease.

[0045] With respect to the blade surface 28, the surface facing the upstream side of the blade 20 in the direction of fluid flow is the suction surface 26, and the surface facing the downstream side is the pressure surface 25. The pressure surface 25 is the surface facing the direction of rotation DR, and the suction surface 26 is the surface facing the opposite side to the direction of rotation DR. With respect to the blade 20 in Figure 2, the surface on the far side of the blade 20 is the pressure surface 25, and the surface on the near side of the blade 20 is the suction surface 26.

[0046] (Ring portion 30) The ring portion 30 is formed in an annular shape when viewed in the axial direction of the rotation axis RA, and is formed integrally with each of the radially outer blade tips of the plurality of blades 20. The ring portion 30 is formed in a tubular shape so as to extend in the axial direction of the rotation axis RA. More specifically, the ring portion 30 is formed in a cylindrical shape so as to extend in the axial direction of the rotation axis RA. The ring portion 30 is formed in an annular shape when viewed in the axial direction of the rotation axis RA.

[0047] When viewed in the axial direction of the rotation axis RA, the ring portion 30 is formed to surround the plurality of blades 20. Three blades 20 are connected by the ring portion 30. In the axial flow fan 100, a space S through which air escapes in the axial direction of the rotation axis RA is formed by two blades 20 adjacent to each other in the circumferential direction CD and the inner peripheral portion of the ring portion 30.

[0048] The ring portion 30 is formed so that both end portions in the axial direction of the rotation axis RA are parallel to the axial direction of the rotation axis RA in a radial cross section of the blade 20. However, the end portions of the ring portion 30 are not limited to this configuration, and for example, one or both of the end portions in the axial direction of the rotation axis RA of the ring portion 30 may be formed so as to be bent outward.

[0049] By providing a ring portion 30 on the outer periphery of the axial flow fan 100, even if the load on the outer peripheral portion of the blades 20 increases, the ring shape acts as a wall, preventing airflow leakage at the outer peripheral end, and allowing the airflow to be concentrated without leakage at the outer peripheral portion of the blades 20 where the peripheral speed is high.

[0050] (Detailed configuration of blower 150) Each of the multiple bell mouths 110 is positioned with a gap on the outer circumferential surface side of the ring section 30 in the radial direction perpendicular to the rotation axis RA. Each of the multiple bell mouths 110 is formed such that, in the axial direction of the rotation axis RA, its upstream section 110a, which is on the upstream side in the direction of air flow formed by the axial flow fan 100, encompasses its downstream section 30a, which is on the downstream side of the ring section 30. In other words, in the blower 150, the downstream section 30a, which is on the downstream side of the ring section 30, is inserted into the upstream section 110a, which is on the upstream side of the bell mouth 110, in the axial direction of the rotation axis RA.

[0051] More specifically, the multiple bellmouths 110 have intermediate portions 112. When viewed in the direction along the rotation axis RA, the intermediate portions 112 are located between two adjacent axial fans 100 among the multiple axial fans 100. The intermediate portions 112 between the two adjacent axial fans 100 are located with a gap on the outer circumferential surface of the ring section 30 in the radial direction perpendicular to the rotation axis RA. The intermediate portions 112 between the two adjacent axial fans 100 are formed such that, in the axial direction of the rotation axis RA, the upstream portion 110a on the upstream side in the direction of airflow generated by the axial fans 100 encompasses the downstream portion 30a on the downstream side of the ring section 30. Note that two adjacent axial fans 100 are adjacent when viewed in the axial direction of the rotation axis RA, i.e., in the direction along the rotation axis RA. In other words, the intermediate portion 112 is sandwiched between two adjacent axial flow fans 100 when viewed in the direction along the rotation axis RA.

[0052] The blower 150 is formed so that an upstream portion 110a on the upstream side of the bell mouth 110 and a downstream portion 30a on the downstream side of the ring portion 30 face each other in the radial direction perpendicular to the rotation axis RA. The blower 150 is formed so that the upstream portion 110a on the upstream side of the bell mouth 110 has a range 140 that covers the downstream portion 30a on the downstream side of the ring portion 30 from the outer circumferential surface side. In other words, the blower 150 is formed so that the upstream portion 110a on the upstream side of the bell mouth 110 wraps around the downstream portion 30a on the downstream side of the ring portion 30 in the axial direction of the rotation axis RA.

[0053] In the blower 150 according to the first embodiment, as one example, the innermost diameter DI of the bellmouth 110 is larger than the outermost diameter DO of the ring portion 30 (the innermost diameter DI of the bellmouth 110 > the outermost diameter DO of the ring portion 30). Note that the configuration of the blower 150 is not limited to this, as long as a gap is formed between the ring portion 30 and the bellmouth 110. For example, the blower 150 may be formed so that the outer diameter of the portion of the ring portion 30 located upstream of the bellmouth 110 is the same as the inner diameter of the bellmouth 110. Alternatively, as long as a gap is formed between the ring portion 30 and the bellmouth 110, the blower 150 may be formed so that the outer diameter of the portion of the ring portion 30 located upstream of the bellmouth 110 is larger than the inner diameter of the bellmouth 110.

[0054] [Operation of blower 150] When the axial fan 100 rotates in the rotation direction DR shown in Fig. 2, each blade 20 pushes out the surrounding air with its positive pressure surface 25. This causes the fluid to flow in a direction perpendicular to the plane of Fig. 2. More specifically, when the axial fan 100 rotates in the rotation direction DR shown in Fig. 2, a flow of fluid is generated from the front side of the plane of Fig. 2 to the back side of the plane of Fig. 2.

[0055] When the axial fan 100 rotates, the pressure on the negative pressure surface 26 side becomes smaller than the pressure on the positive pressure surface 25 side, and a pressure difference occurs between the positive pressure surface 25 side and the negative pressure surface 26 side around each blade 20. The provision of the ring portion 30 in the axial fan 100 makes it difficult for air pushed out by the positive pressure surface 25 of the axial fan 100 to go around the blade tip from the positive pressure surface 25 side to the negative pressure surface 26 side of each blade 20.

[0056] In the blower 150, when the axial fan 100 rotates, airflow is sucked into the axial fan 100, passes through the spaces S between adjacent blades 20, passes between the ring portion 30 and the hub 10, and is discharged from the axial fan 100. The airflow discharged from the axial fan 100 passes through the inside of the bell mouth 110 and is discharged to the outside of the main body 130.

[0057] 3 is an enlarged view of the space between two adjacent axial fans 100 of the blower 150 according to embodiment 1. When viewed along the rotation axis RA, the blower 150 has a plurality of bellmouths 110, and an intermediate section 112 between two adjacent axial fans 100 of the plurality of axial fans 100 is located on the outer circumferential surface side of the ring section 30 in the radial direction perpendicular to the rotation axis RA. Furthermore, when viewed along the rotation axis RA, the intermediate section 112 between the two adjacent axial fans 100 is formed such that an upstream section 110a on the upstream side in the direction of airflow formed by the axial fans 100 encloses the ring section 30 in the axial direction of the rotation axis RA.

[0058] 3, the main flow of air blown out from the axial fan 100, as indicated by the arrow AR1, passes through the outer peripheral surface of the bell mouth 110 and is not converted into a reverse flow, but is blown out in front of the blower 150. Because the main flow of air blown out from the axial fan 100 does not pass through the outer peripheral surface behind the bell mouth 110 and is not converted into a reverse flow, the blower 150 can improve air blowing efficiency compared to a blower not having this configuration.

[0059] 3, even if there is an airflow indicated by arrow AR2 flowing from the outside of blower 150 to the inside, the above configuration ensures that the airflow indicated by arrow AR1 and the airflow indicated by arrow AR2 pass through separate positions and do not interfere with each other. Because the main flow of air blown out from axial fan 100 is not interfered with by the airflow heading toward the inside of blower 150, blower 150 can suppress a decrease in blowing efficiency and can improve blowing efficiency compared to a configuration that does not have this configuration.

[0060] 4 is an enlarged view of the gap between two axial fans 100 of a blower 150L according to a comparative example. In the blower 150L according to the comparative example, among the multiple bell mouths 110L, an intermediate section 112L located between two adjacent axial fans 100 is located at the same position as the ring section 30 or more inward than the ring section 30 in the radial direction perpendicular to the rotation axis RA. Furthermore, among the multiple bell mouths 110L, the intermediate section 112L located between two adjacent axial fans 100 does not include the ring section 30 in the axial direction of the rotation axis RA. In the blower 150L according to the comparative example, an inner peripheral end 111L forming the inner edge of the bell mouth 110L is located downstream of the most downstream end of the ring section 30 of the axial fan 100 in the direction of air flow generated by the axial fan 100.

[0061] As shown in FIG. 4 , in the blower 150L according to the comparative example, the main flow of air blown out from the axial fan 100, indicated by the arrow AR1, passes through the outer peripheral surface behind the bell mouth 110 and is converted into a reverse flow, indicated by the arrow AR3. The blower 150 according to the comparative example draws in the amount of air equivalent to two axial fans 100, and in the portion downstream of the ring section 30, the main flow passes through the gap between the bell mouth 110L and the ring section 30 and becomes a reverse flow. Because the main flow of air blown out from the axial fan 100 is converted into a reverse flow, the blower 150 cannot use the airflow and power as efficiently as when the main flow is not converted into a reverse flow, resulting in reduced blowing efficiency. Furthermore, the blower 150 has a risk of interference with the airflow converted from the main flow into a reverse flow, resulting in reduced blowing efficiency as compared to when the main flow does not have a reverse flow.

[0062] In contrast, in the blower 150 according to the first embodiment, as described above, the main stream of air blown out from the axial fan 100, as indicated by the arrow AR1, is blown out in front of the blower 150 without passing through the outer circumferential surface of the bell mouth 110 and being converted into a reverse flow. In the blower 150 according to the first embodiment, a radial gap is provided between the ring portion 30 and the bell mouth 110, so the main stream of air blown out from the axial fan 100 does not pass through the outer circumferential surface of the bell mouth 110 and be converted into a reverse flow. Because the main stream of air blown out from the axial fan 100 does not pass through the outer circumferential surface behind the bell mouth 110 and be converted into a reverse flow, the blower 150 can improve its blowing efficiency compared to a blower not having this configuration. Furthermore, in the blower 150 according to the first embodiment, the upstream portion of the ring portion 30 is not enclosed within the bell mouth 110 in the direction of the air flow formed by the axial fan 100. Therefore, in blower 150, the fan diameter of axial flow fan 100 can be designed to be larger in the upstream portion of ring section 30 compared to a blower in which the upstream portion of ring section 30 is enclosed within bellmouth 110. Because blower 150 can be designed to have a larger fan diameter in comparison to a blower in which the upstream portion of ring section 30 is enclosed within bellmouth 110, blower 150 can improve air blowing efficiency compared to a blower in which the upstream portion of ring section 30 is enclosed within bellmouth 110.

[0063] Furthermore, each of the multiple bell mouths 110 is formed so that the opening diameter increases toward the downstream side in the direction of air flow formed by the axial fan 100. Therefore, in the blower 150, the main stream of air blown out from the axial fan 100, as indicated by the arrow AR1, passes through the outer circumferential surface side of the bell mouth 110 and is not converted into a reverse flow, but is blown out in front of the blower 150. Because the main stream of air blown out from the axial fan 100 does not pass through the outer circumferential surface side behind the bell mouth 110 and is not converted into a reverse flow, the blower 150 can improve air blowing efficiency compared to a blower not having this configuration.

[0064] Furthermore, each of the multiple bell mouths 110 has a portion formed in an arc shape that convexly faces the rotation axis RA in a cross section taken along the axial and radial directions of the rotation axis RA. Therefore, in the blower 150, the main stream of air blown out from the axial fan 100, as indicated by the arrow AR1, is blown out to the front of the blower 150 without passing through the outer circumferential surface side of the bell mouth 110 and being converted into a reverse flow. Because the main stream of air blown out from the axial fan 100 does not pass through the outer circumferential surface side behind the bell mouth 110 and be converted into a reverse flow, the blower 150 can improve air blowing efficiency compared to a blower not having this configuration.

[0065] The axial fan 100 of the blower 150 also has a cylindrical ring portion 30 formed integrally with each of the radially outer blade tips of the multiple blades 20. The ring portion 30 prevents airflow leakage from the outer periphery of the blades 20, resulting in advantageous fan characteristics in environments with high external static pressure, enabling low input power and low noise. Note that using multiple axial fans in a single unit can result in a drop in static pressure. The blower 150 of the first embodiment has the axial fan 100 with the ring portion 30, providing high static pressure, and therefore maintaining high static pressure even when multiple axial fans 100 are installed.

[0066] Each of the plurality of blades 20 has a leading edge 21 that forms the leading edge of the blade 20, and the leading edge 21 is contained within the ring portion 30. Depending on the external static pressure, the axial fan 100 may take in more air from the side of the axial fan 100. In this case, by containing the leading edge 21 of the blade 20 within the ring portion 30, the axial fan 100 can concentrate the airflow intake near the leading edge 21 of the blade 20, making it easier for the airflow to follow the blade surface 28 and improving airflow efficiency.

[0067] Embodiment 2. Figure 5 is a conceptual diagram showing the configuration of a blower 150 according to embodiment 2. Note that parts having the same configuration as those in the blower 150 of Figures 1 to 4 are given the same reference numerals, and their description will be omitted. In the blower 150 according to embodiment 2, the shape of the upstream portion of the bell mouth 110 is further specified.

[0068] Each of the multiple bell mouths 110 is formed to extend upstream of the ring portion 30 in the direction of air flow created by the axial flow fan 100. Each of the multiple bell mouths 110 has a bell mouth upstream portion 114 that constitutes the upstream portion of the bell mouth 110 in the direction of air flow created by the axial flow fan 100, and a bell mouth downstream portion 116 that constitutes the downstream portion of the bell mouth 110.

[0069] More specifically, of the multiple bellmouths 110, an intermediate section 112 located between two adjacent axial fans 100 of the multiple axial fans 100 is formed to extend upstream of the ring section 30 in the direction of air flow formed by the axial fans 100. Of the multiple bellmouths 110, the intermediate section 112 located between two adjacent axial fans 100 has a bellmouth upstream section 114 that constitutes the upstream portion of the bellmouth 110, and a bellmouth downstream section 116 that constitutes the downstream portion of the bellmouth 110.

[0070] The bellmouth downstream section 116 is formed so that the opening diameter increases downstream in the direction of air flow created by the axial fan 100. The bellmouth upstream section 114 is formed so that its cross section along the axial and radial directions of the rotation axis RA is arc-shaped. The bellmouth upstream section 114 is located upstream of the ring section 30 in the direction of air flow created by the axial fan 100, and is formed so as to cover the upstream end 30b of the ring section 30 from the upstream side. The bellmouth upstream section 114 is also formed so as to cover the outer periphery of the upstream end 30b of the ring section 30.

[0071] When viewed from a radial direction perpendicular to the rotation axis RA, the blower 150 has a curved portion in the bell mouth 110 upstream of the ring portion 30 in the direction of air flow passing through the axial flow fan 100.

[0072] The blower 150 is formed so that the arc-shaped portion of the bellmouth upstream section 114 faces the upstream end 30b of the ring section 30 in the axial direction of the rotation axis RA. A gap is formed between the ring section 30 and the bellmouth 110. The blower 150 is formed so that a gap is formed between the arc-shaped portion of the bellmouth upstream section 114 and the upstream end 30b of the ring section 30 in the axial and radial directions of the rotation axis RA.

[0073] The bellmouth upstream section 114 has a tip 114a that forms the upstream edge in the direction of air flow created by the axial fan 100. The tip 114a of the bellmouth upstream section 114 is formed so as to be located more inward than the upstream end 30b of the ring section 30 in the radial direction perpendicular to the rotation axis RA. The tip 114a of the bellmouth 110 is formed in a position facing the multiple blades 20 in the axial direction of the rotation axis RA.

[0074] Of the multiple bellmouths 110, an intermediate section 112 located between two adjacent axial fans 100 has a bellmouth intermediate section 115 between a bellmouth upstream section 114 and a bellmouth downstream section 116 in the direction of air flow formed by the axial fan 100. The bellmouth intermediate section 115 is formed linearly in the radial direction of the rotation axis RA and in a cross section taken along the axial direction of the rotation axis RA. In the blower 150, a gap is formed between the bellmouth intermediate section 115 and the ring section 30 in the radial direction perpendicular to the rotation axis RA.

[0075] The blower 150 is formed so that the bellmouth 110 and the ring portion 30 face each other in the radial direction perpendicular to the rotation axis RA. The blower 150 is formed so that the bellmouth intermediate portion 115 of the bellmouth 110 has a range 145 (see FIG. 6 ) that covers the ring portion 30 from the outer circumferential surface side. In other words, the blower 150 is formed so that the bellmouth 110 wraps around the ring portion 30 in the axial direction of the rotation axis RA.

[0076] Effect of the Blower 150 Fig. 6 is an enlarged view of the gap between two adjacent axial fans 100 of the blower 150 according to the second embodiment. Of the multiple bell mouths 110, an intermediate section 112 between two adjacent axial fans 100 is formed to extend upstream of the ring section 30 in the direction of airflow generated by the axial fans 100. Of the multiple bell mouths 110, the intermediate section 112 between two adjacent axial fans 100 has a bell mouth upstream section 114 that constitutes the upstream portion of the bell mouth 110, and a bell mouth downstream section 116 that constitutes the downstream portion of the bell mouth 110. The bell mouth downstream section 116 is formed so that the opening diameter increases downstream in the direction of airflow generated by the axial fan 100. The bell mouth upstream section 114 has an arc-shaped cross section along the axial and radial directions of the rotation axis RA. The bellmouth upstream portion 114 is located upstream of the ring portion 30 in the direction of air flow created by the axial flow fan 100 , and is formed to cover the upstream end portion 30 b of the ring portion 30 .

[0077] 6, in the blower 150, the main flow of air blown out from the axial fan 100, as indicated by the arrow AR1, passes through the outer peripheral surface of the bell mouth 110 and is not converted into a reverse flow, but is blown out in front of the blower 150. Because the main flow of air blown out from the axial fan 100 does not pass through the outer peripheral surface behind the bell mouth 110 and is not converted into a reverse flow, the blower 150 can improve air blowing efficiency compared to a blower not having this configuration.

[0078] 6, even if there is an airflow indicated by arrow AR2 flowing from the outside of blower 150 to the inside, the above configuration ensures that the airflow indicated by arrow AR1 and the airflow indicated by arrow AR2 pass through separate positions and do not interfere with each other. Because the main flow of air blown out from axial fan 100 is not interfered with by the airflow heading toward the inside of blower 150, blower 150 can suppress a decrease in blowing efficiency and can improve blowing efficiency compared to a configuration that does not have this configuration.

[0079] Furthermore, by providing the blower 150 with a bell mouth 110 on the outer peripheral surface side of the ring portion 30, as in the airflow indicated by the dotted arrow in Figure 6, the bell mouth 110 acts as a partition, making it possible to avoid the influence of the airflow caused by the air intake of the adjacent axial flow fan 100.

[0080] Furthermore, when there is airflow indicated by arrow AR2 flowing from the outside of blower 150 to the inside, blower 150 can direct the airflow to the upstream side of ring portion 30 by bell mouth 110 and recover it again as airflow to be sucked into axial flow fan 100. Therefore, blower 150 can recover power loss due to the inflow of airflow and improve air blowing efficiency compared to a case without this configuration.

[0081] Furthermore, the tip 114a of the bellmouth upstream section 114 is formed so as to be located more inward than the upstream end 30b of the ring section 30 in the radial direction perpendicular to the rotation axis RA. Therefore, when there is airflow indicated by arrow AR2 flowing from the outside of the blower 150 into the inside, the blower 150 can direct the airflow to the upstream side of the ring section 30 via the bellmouth 110 and recover it again as airflow to be drawn into the axial flow fan 100. Because the blower 150 can utilize the drawn airflow that flows in the opposite direction to the main flow of air blown out by the axial flow fan 100, it is possible to recover power loss due to the inflow of airflow and improve air blowing efficiency compared to a configuration that does not have this feature.

[0082] Furthermore, the tip 114a of the bell mouth 110 is formed at a position facing the plurality of blades 20 in the axial direction of the rotation axis RA. Therefore, when there is airflow indicated by arrow AR2 flowing from the outside of the blower 150 into the inside, the blower 150 can direct the airflow to the upstream side of the ring portion 30 by the bell mouth 110 and direct it toward the axial fan 100 as an airflow to be sucked into the axial fan 100. Because the blower 150 can utilize the sucked airflow that flows in the opposite direction to the main flow of air blown out by the axial fan 100, it is possible to recover power loss due to the inflow of airflow and improve air blowing efficiency compared to a configuration that does not have this feature.

[0083] Furthermore, among the multiple bellmouths 110, an intermediate section 112 located between two adjacent axial fans 100 has a bellmouth intermediate section 115 between the bellmouth upstream section 114 and the bellmouth downstream section 116 in the direction of air flow formed by the axial fans 100. The bellmouth intermediate section 115 is formed linearly in a cross section taken along the radial direction of the rotation axis RA and the axial direction of the rotation axis RA. By providing the bellmouth intermediate section 115 on the outer peripheral surface side of the ring section 30, as in the airflow indicated by the dotted arrows in Figure 6, the blower 150 uses the bellmouth intermediate section 115 as a partition, making it possible to avoid the influence of the airflow caused by air suction by the adjacent axial fans 100.

[0084] Embodiment 3. [Air Conditioner 50] Fig. 7 is a perspective view of an outdoor unit 50a of an air conditioner 50 according to Embodiment 3, as viewed from the air outlet side. Fig. 8 is a conceptual diagram illustrating the internal configuration of the outdoor unit 50a of an air conditioner 50 according to Embodiment 3, viewed from the top side. Note that the ring portion 30 is not shown in Fig. 7. Also, arrows AR in Fig. 8 indicate the flow of air. While Fig. 8 illustrates the bell mouth 110 according to Embodiment 1, the bell mouth 110 according to Embodiment 2 may also be used. Components having the same configuration as the blower 150 in Figs. 1 to 6 are assigned the same reference numerals, and their description will be omitted. In Embodiment 3, a case will be described in which the blower 150 according to Embodiment 1 or 2 is applied to the outdoor unit 50a of an air conditioner 50.

[0085] The blower 150 according to the first or second embodiment is included in the outdoor unit 50a of the air conditioner 50. The air conditioner 50 includes the blower 150 according to either the first or second embodiment, and a heat exchanger 68 that exchanges heat between the air supplied by the blower 150 and the refrigerant flowing therethrough.

[0086] 7 and 8, the outdoor unit main body 51, which is a casing, is configured as a housing having a pair of left and right side surfaces 51a and 51c, a front surface 51b, a rear surface 51d, a top surface 51e, and a bottom surface 51f. Openings (not shown) for drawing air from the outside are formed in the side surface 51a and the rear surface 51d.

[0087] On the front surface 51b, the front panel 52 is formed with a plurality of air outlets 53 as openings for blowing air to the outside. Furthermore, the air outlets 53 are covered with a fan grill 54, thereby preventing contact between the axial flow fan 100 and objects outside the outdoor unit body 51, ensuring safety. While the air conditioner 50 shown in FIG. 7 has two air outlets 53, one above the other, the number of air outlets 53 may be multiple, and may be three or more. Furthermore, the air outlets 53 are not limited to being arranged vertically, but may also be arranged horizontally or diagonally relative to the horizontal. Furthermore, the air outlets 53 are not limited to being arranged in a single row, but may also be arranged in multiple rows.

[0088] As shown in Figure 8, the blower 150 constituting the outdoor unit 50a of the air conditioner 50 has an axial fan 100 and a bell mouth 110. A plurality of axial fans 100 are housed inside the outdoor unit body 51. The axial fans 100 are connected to a motor 120.

[0089] The axial flow fan 100 is connected to a rotary shaft 121 of a motor 120 located on the rear surface 51d side, and is driven to rotate by the motor 120. The motor 120 is attached to a motor support 69. The motor support 69 is disposed between the motor 120 and the heat exchanger 68, and supports the motor 120.

[0090] The interior of the outdoor unit body 51 is divided by a partition plate 51g, which serves as a wall, into an airflow chamber 56 in which an axial fan 100 is installed, and a machinery chamber 57 in which a compressor 64 and other components are installed. A heat exchanger 68 that extends in a generally L-shape in plan view is provided on the side surface 51a and the back surface 51d of the airflow chamber 56. The shape of the heat exchanger 68 is not limited to this shape, and may be formed, for example, in a straight line in plan view. The heat exchanger 68 functions as an evaporator 73 (see FIG. 9) during heating operation and as a condenser 72 (see FIG. 9) during cooling operation.

[0091] The bell mouth 110 is provided relatively downstream of the axial fan 100 in the direction of air flow created by the axial fan 100, and regulates the flow of gas created by the axial fan 100 etc. A partition plate 51g is located on one side of the bell mouth 110, and part of the heat exchanger 68 is located on the other side.

[0092] The front end of the bellmouth 110 is connected to the front panel 52 of the outdoor unit 50a so as to form the air outlet 53. The bellmouth 110 may be configured integrally with the front panel 52, or may be prepared as a separate unit that can be connected to the front panel 52. The bellmouth 110 configures a flow path between the suction side and the outlet side of the bellmouth 110 as an air passage near the air outlet 53. In other words, the air passage near the air outlet 53 is separated from other spaces in the air blower chamber 56 by the bellmouth 110.

[0093] The heat exchanger 68, located on the suction side of the axial flow fan 100, includes a plurality of fins arranged in parallel with their plate-like surfaces, and heat transfer tubes that penetrate the fins in the arranging direction. The heat exchanger 68 is not limited to this configuration, and may have corrugated fins or no fins, for example. Refrigerant circulating through the refrigerant circuit flows through the heat transfer tubes. In the heat exchanger 68 of this embodiment, the heat transfer tubes extend in an L-shape from the side surface 51 a to the back surface 51 d of the outdoor unit body 51, and multiple stages of the heat transfer tubes snake through the fins.

[0094] The heat exchanger 68 is connected to the compressor 64 via refrigerant piping and the like, and is further connected to an indoor heat exchanger and an expansion valve (not shown), forming a refrigerant circuit of the air conditioner 50. A circuit board box (not shown) is also disposed in the machine room 57, and the devices mounted in the outdoor unit 50a are controlled by a control board (not shown) provided in this circuit board box. The blower 150 shown in FIG. 8 blows air to the heat exchanger 68.

[0095] [Effects of Air Conditioner 50] Air conditioner 50 includes blower 150 according to either embodiment 1 or embodiment 2, and heat exchanger 68 that exchanges heat between the air supplied by blower 150 and the refrigerant flowing inside. Air conditioner 50 according to embodiment 3 includes blower 150 according to embodiment 1 or embodiment 2, and therefore provides the same effects as blower 150 according to embodiment 1 or embodiment 2.

[0096] Embodiment 4. [Refrigeration cycle device 70] Fig. 9 is a schematic diagram of a refrigeration cycle device 70 according to embodiment 4. In the following description, the refrigeration cycle device 70 will be described as being used for air conditioning purposes, but the refrigeration cycle device 70 is not limited to use for air conditioning purposes. The refrigeration cycle device 70 is used for refrigeration or air conditioning purposes, such as refrigerators or freezers, vending machines, air conditioners, refrigeration devices, and water heaters. When the refrigeration cycle device 70 is used for air conditioning purposes, the refrigeration cycle device 70 constitutes an air conditioner 50 according to embodiment 4.

[0097] 9, the refrigeration cycle device 70 includes the blower 150 of either embodiment 1 or embodiment 2, a condenser 72 that condenses the refrigerant, and an evaporator 73 that evaporates the refrigerant. When the refrigeration cycle device 70 constitutes the air conditioner 50, the condenser 72 and the evaporator 73 are constituted by a heat exchanger 68 (see FIG. 8).

[0098] The refrigeration cycle apparatus 70 includes a condenser fan 72a and an evaporator fan 73a that constitute a blower 150. The blower 150 blows air to at least one of the condenser 72 and the evaporator 73. The refrigeration cycle apparatus 70 also includes a compressor 64 that compresses and discharges refrigerant, and an expansion valve 74. The refrigeration cycle apparatus 70 configures a refrigerant circuit 71 in which the compressor 64, the condenser 72, the expansion valve 74, and the evaporator 73 are connected in this order by refrigerant piping.

[0099] The condenser 72 is provided with a condenser fan 72a that blows air for heat exchange to the condenser 72. The evaporator 73 is provided with an evaporator fan 73a that blows air for heat exchange to the evaporator 73. At least one of the condenser fan 72a and the evaporator fan 73a is the axial fan 100 of either the first or second embodiment, and constitutes the blower 150 of either the first or second embodiment. The refrigeration cycle apparatus 70 may be configured to switch between heating operation and cooling operation by providing a flow switching device such as a four-way valve that switches the flow of refrigerant in the refrigerant circuit 71. The refrigeration cycle apparatus 70 may also be provided with an accumulator.

[0100] [Effects of Refrigeration Cycle Apparatus 70] Refrigeration cycle apparatus 70 includes blower 150 according to either embodiment 1 or embodiment 2, condenser 72 for condensing a refrigerant, and evaporator 73 for evaporating the refrigerant. Blower 150 blows air to at least one of condenser 72 and evaporator 73. Refrigeration cycle apparatus 70 according to embodiment 4 includes blower 150 according to embodiment 1 or embodiment 2, and therefore provides the same effects as blower 150 according to embodiment 1 or embodiment 2.

[0101] The above-described first to fourth embodiments can be implemented in combination with one another. The configurations shown in the above-described embodiments are merely examples, and can be combined with other known technologies. Parts of the configurations can also be omitted or modified without departing from the spirit of the invention.

[0102] 10 Hub, 14 Bell mouth upstream portion, 20 Blade, 21 Leading edge portion, 22 Trailing edge portion, 23 Outer edge portion, 24 Inner edge portion, 25 Pressure surface, 26 Negative pressure surface, 28 Blade surface, 30 Ring portion, 30a Downstream portion, 30b End portion, 50 Air conditioner, 50a Outdoor unit, 51 Outdoor unit body, 51a Side, 51b Front, 51c Side, 51d Back, 51e Top, 51f Bottom, 51g Partition plate, 52 Front panel, 53 Air outlet, 54 Fan grill, 56 Air blower chamber, 57 Machine room, 64 Compressor, 68 Heat exchanger, 69 Motor support, 70 Refrigeration cycle device, 71 Refrigerant circuit, 72 Condenser, 72a Condenser fan, 73 Evaporator, 73a Evaporator fan, 74 Expansion valve, 100 Axial flow fan, 110 Bell mouth, 110L Bell mouth, 110a Upstream portion, 111 Inner peripheral end portion, 111L Inner peripheral end portion, 112 Middle portion, 112L Middle portion, 114 Upstream portion of bell mouth, 114a Tip portion, 115 Middle portion of bell mouth, 116 Downstream portion of bell mouth, 120 Motor, 121 Rotating shaft, 130 Main body portion, 130a Front wall portion, 131 Intake port, 132 Outlet port, 140 Range, 145 Range, 150 Blower, 150L Blower.

Claims

1. A blower comprising: a plurality of axial fans that form an air flow by rotating; and a plurality of cylindrical bell mouths that smooth the air flow formed by the plurality of axial fans, wherein each of the plurality of axial fans has a hub that is rotated and forms a rotation axis, a plurality of blades formed around the hub and extending radially outward from the hub, and a cylindrical ring portion that is formed in an annular shape when viewed in the axial direction of the rotation axis and is formed integrally with each of the radially outer blade tips of the plurality of blades, wherein when viewed in a direction along the rotation axis, an intermediate portion of one of the plurality of bell mouths between two adjacent axial fans of the plurality of axial fans is located on the outer circumferential surface side of the ring portion in a radial direction perpendicular to the rotation axis, and the upstream portion of the upstream side in the direction of air flow formed by the plurality of axial fans in the axial direction of the rotation axis is formed to include the ring portion.

2. A blower as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of bell mouths has a portion formed so that the opening diameter becomes larger the further downstream in the direction of air flow generated by said plurality of axial fans.

3. A blower as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein each of the plurality of bell mouths has a portion formed in an arc shape convex towards the rotation axis RA in a cross section taken along the axial and radial directions of the rotation shaft.

4. A blower according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein, when viewed in a direction along the rotation shaft, the intermediate section of the multiple bell mouths between two adjacent axial fans of the multiple axial fans is formed to extend more upstream than the ring section in the direction of air flow formed by the multiple axial fans, and has a bell mouth upstream section constituting the upstream part of the multiple bell mouths, and a bell mouth downstream section constituting the downstream part of the multiple bell mouths, and the bell mouth downstream section is formed so that an opening diameter increases the further downstream in the direction of air flow formed by the multiple axial fans, and the bell mouth upstream section has a cross section taken along the axial and radial directions of the rotation shaft formed in an arc shape, and is located upstream of the ring section in the direction of air flow formed by the multiple axial fans, and is formed so as to cover the upstream end of the ring section.

5. A blower as described in Claim 4, wherein the upstream portion of the bellmouth is formed so that a tip portion forming an upstream edge portion in the direction of air flow formed by the multiple axial fans is positioned more inwardly than the upstream end portion of the ring portion in a radial direction perpendicular to the rotation axis.

6. A blower according to claim 5, wherein the tip portions of the plurality of bell mouths are formed in positions facing the plurality of blades in the axial direction of the rotating shaft.

7. A blower as claimed in any one of claims 4 to 6, wherein the intermediate portion between two adjacent axial fans of the plurality of axial fans among the plurality of axial fans has a bellmouth intermediate portion between the upstream portion of the bellmouth and the downstream portion of the bellmouth in the direction of air flow formed by the plurality of axial fans, and the bellmouth intermediate portion is formed in a straight line in a cross section along a radial direction perpendicular to the rotation shaft and along the axial direction of the rotation shaft.

8. A blower as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein each of the plurality of blades has a leading edge portion constituting a leading edge of the blade, and the leading edge portion is contained within the ring portion.

9. An air conditioner comprising: a blower according to any one of claims 1 to 8; and a heat exchanger for exchanging heat between air supplied by the blower and a refrigerant flowing therethrough.

10. A refrigeration cycle device comprising: a blower according to any one of claims 1 to 8; a condenser for condensing a refrigerant; and an evaporator for evaporating the refrigerant, wherein the blower blows air to at least one of the condenser and the evaporator.

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