Blower device

Abstract

[Problem] To provide a blower device with which it is possible to reduce machining cost and man-hours by reducing the number of parts, and to reduce manufacturing costs. [Solution] A hot air fan 1 comprises: first and second fans 240, 260; a cover 400; a housing 100 covered with the cover 400; and a connector 500 provided to the cover 400. The cover 400 and the housing 100 form a ventilation passage, into which wind blown out from blowout ports of the first and second fans 240, 260 flows, and a connector mounting part 460, to which the connector 500 is detachably mounted, is integrally formed on the cover 400.

Description

air blower

[0001] The present invention relates to a blower device such as a hot air fan or a blower fan.

[0002] A known example of a hot air fan is that described in Patent Document 1. This technology applies a hot air fan to a cup holder, and includes a cup-shaped container storage section 14 for storing a beverage container, an insulator 16 that is a heat insulating material for storing the container storage section 14, a Peltier element 18 that abuts against the bottom surface of the container storage section 14 and heats or cools the container storage section 14, a heat sink 20 that is disposed on the bottom side of the Peltier element 18, and a fan 22 that promotes heat exchange in the heat sink 20.

[0003] JP 2015-058837 A

[0004] Generally, a connector for connecting to an external power source is attached to a connector clip attached to the housing of the fan. As such, conventional fan devices have a problem of having a large number of parts.

[0005] In light of the above-mentioned background, an object of the present invention is to provide a blower device that can reduce the number of parts, thereby reducing part costs and man-hours, and thereby reducing manufacturing costs.

[0006] The present invention is a blower device comprising a fan, a cover, a housing covered by the cover, and a connector provided on the cover, wherein the cover and the housing form an air passage for the air blown out from the fan's outlet, and the cover is integrally formed with a connector attachment portion to which the connector can be attached in a detachable manner.

[0007] According to the present invention, the connector mounting portion is formed integrally with the cover, so that the number of parts can be reduced.

[0008] 1 is an exploded perspective view of a warm air fan according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a perspective view of the warm air fan according to the embodiment, viewed obliquely from the front. It is a perspective view of the warm air fan according to the embodiment, viewed obliquely from the rear. (A) is a plan view of the warm air fan according to the embodiment, (B) is a cross-sectional view of line A-A in (A), and (C) is a cross-sectional view of line B-B in (A). It is a side view of the warm air fan according to the embodiment. It is a perspective view showing the warm air fan according to the embodiment without the control board and cover attached. (A) is a perspective view showing the warm air fan according to the embodiment without the cover attached, and (B) is an enlarged view of the portion indicated by arrow B in (A). It is a cross-sectional view (A) taken along line E-E in FIG. 4(A) and a partially enlarged view (B) thereof. It is a cross-sectional view of line F-F in FIG. 5. It is a perspective view of the housing according to the embodiment. It is a perspective view of the cover according to the embodiment. It is a cross-sectional view taken along line G-G in FIG. 3. (A) is a perspective view of the cover cut at the front portion to show the positional relationship between the housing and the cover according to the embodiment, and (B) is an enlarged view of the portion indicated by arrow B in (A). 1A is a perspective view of a connector mounting portion in an embodiment as viewed obliquely from the front, and FIG. 1B is a perspective view of the connector in an embodiment as viewed obliquely from the rear.

[0009] 1. Overall Configuration of the Warm Air Fan The overall configuration of a warm air fan (air blower) according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 9. Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of the warm air fan 1 according to the embodiment, and Figures 2 and 3 are perspective views of the warm air fan 1 shown in Figure 1 when assembled. In the following description, the terms "upper" and "lower" refer to the up-down direction in Figure 1. Furthermore, the terms "front, rear" and "left, right" refer to directions relative to the front direction in Figure 1, and the term "width direction" refers to the left-right direction.

[0010] In Fig. 1, reference numeral 100 denotes a housing. A hot air generating unit 200 including a heater 220, a first fan 240, and a second fan 260 is attached to the housing 100, and a control board 350 is attached to the hot air generating unit 200 via a board base (plate) 300. The board base 300 is fixed to the housing 100, and a cover 400 is fixed to the housing 100. By fixing the cover 400 to the housing 100, the housing 100 is covered by the cover 400, and a structure is obtained in which the board base (plate) 300, the control board 350, and the heater 220 are accommodated inside the space defined by the cover 400 and the housing 100. In addition, a connector 500 is detachably attached to the cover 400.

[0011] In the warm air fan 1 configured as described above, the first and second fans 240, 260 are centrifugal fans that draw air through intake ports 241, 261 of the first and second fans 240, 260 and blow it out through outlet ports 242, 262 (see FIG. 3) toward the heater 220, and blow air heated by the heater 220 out in front of the heater 220. Each part will be described in detail below.

[0012] 2. Housing Figure 10 shows the housing 100. The housing 100 is injection molded from resin and has a bottom wall 110, which is made up of a front bottom wall 111 and a rear bottom wall 112. The front bottom wall 111 is generally rectangular in plan view. The rear bottom wall 112 is generally trapezoidal in plan view, and has a bottom surface that is one step higher than the front bottom wall 111 via a step 112a.

[0013] Side walls 120 extend upward from both sides of the bottom wall 110. A portion 120a (hereinafter referred to as the "land portion") is formed in the center of the side wall 120 in the front-to-rear direction, with the thickness increased to the right or left. A flange 121 protruding to the right or left is formed at the lower end of the land portion 120a, and a through-hole 121a is formed in the flange 121. A bolt is inserted into the through-hole 121a and threaded into a female thread formed in a mount of a device to which the hot air fan 1 is attached, thereby attaching the hot air fan 1 to the device. Furthermore, claws 122 are formed at the front and rear ends of the upper end of the side wall 120, with their horizontal surfaces facing downward.

[0014] Rear walls 130, which are continuous with the side walls 120, extend upward from both sides of the rear end of the bottom wall 110. Sloped walls 140 extend forward from the left and right edges of the rear wall 130 so as to diverge from each other, and the front edges of the sloped walls 140 are connected to the side walls 120. Pillars 150 extend upward from both sides of the front end of the bottom wall 110. The pillars 150 have a generally L-shaped cross section, and rectangular cross-sectional notches 151 are formed at the corners.

[0015] 9, the air outlets 242, 262 of the first and second fans 240, 260 are arranged side by side in the rear end opening between the rear walls 130. The air blown out from the air outlets 242, 262 is spread laterally by the inclined wall 140 and flows into the heater 220. The inclined wall 140, the rear bottom wall 112, and the aforementioned base plate 300 form an air passage 201 (see FIG. 4C).

[0016] A base 160 is connected to the rear bottom wall 112. The base 160 is generally pentagonal in plan view, with a width approximately equal to the width between the flanges 121. A pair of horizontal protrusions 161, a vertical protrusion 162, and a second horizontal protrusion 163 are formed on the rear bottom wall 112 side of the base 160. The horizontal protrusion 161 is generally U-shaped and extends in the left-right direction. The vertical protrusion 162 is generally I-shaped and extends in the front-rear direction. The second horizontal protrusion 163 is rectangular and extends leftward or rightward from the lower edge of the rear wall 130.

[0017] A pair of hooks 164 are formed at the tip of the pentagonal shape of the base 160. The hooks 164 are hook-shaped and include arms 164a extending toward the center in the width direction. A claw 164b extending forward is formed at the tip of the arms 164a. The claw 164b is pointed forward, and a gap is provided between the claw 164b and the front portion. A pair of through holes 165 are formed in front of the hooks 164. In addition, through holes 165 are formed at both ends of the base 160 on the rear bottom wall 112 side.

[0018] 3. Heater As shown in Fig. 1, the heater 220 is configured by disposing a partition plate 222 that separates the interior of a casing 221 that is open at the front and rear, and disposing a heating wire 223 in the space above and below the partition plate 222. Plate-shaped terminals 224 that extend upward are attached to both side surfaces of the casing 221. The terminals 224 are connected to the heating wire 223 of the heater 220. The heating wire 223 can be any of a variety of products that generate heat when an electric current is passed through it. The heating wire 223 may also be plate-shaped.

[0019] The heater 220 is placed on the front bottom wall 111 of the housing 100. At this time, both side edges of the front end of the casing 221 abut against the notches 151 of the pillars 150, and the lower edge of the rear end of the casing 221 abuts against the step 112a of the rear bottom wall 112, thereby positioning the heater 220.

[0020] 4. Fans The first fan 240 includes a casing 250. The second fan 260 also includes a casing 270 that is equivalent to the casing 250. Therefore, in the following description, for components of the second fan 260 that are equivalent to components of the first fan 240, the reference numerals will be written in parentheses after the newly written reference numerals of the first fan 240. These reference numerals have the tens digit changed from 5 to 7. Note that reference numerals that have already been written are also written as reference numerals for the first fan 240 (reference numerals for the second fan 260).

[0021] As shown in FIGS. 8A and 4C , the casing 250 (270) comprises a bottom wall 251 (271), side walls 252 (272), and a top wall 253 (273). Note that FIG. 8A omits the illustration of the portion above the top plate 410 of the cover 400. A downwardly protruding flange 251 a (271 a) is formed on the edge of the bottom wall 251 (271) along the air outlet 242 (262). The flange 251 a (271 a) abuts against the horizontal protrusion 161 and the second horizontal protrusion 163 of the base 160. The side wall 252 (272) abuts against the vertical protrusion 162 of the base 160. This positions the first fan 240 and the second fan 260 relative to the housing 100.

[0022] As shown in Fig. 4(A), the casing 250 (270) accommodates an impeller 254 (274). The impeller 254 (274) has a plurality of blades 255 (275) arranged in an annular portion around the inner space on the axial center side, and by rotating, exhausts air from the inner space in a centrifugal direction through the plurality of blades 255 (275).

[0023] As shown in Figure 9, a spiral flow path 250a (270a) is formed inside the casing 250 (270). The flow path 250a (270a) has a structure in which the cross-sectional area gradually increases from the start point where the gap between the impeller 254 (274) and the casing 250 (270) is smallest, proceeding in the clockwise or counterclockwise circumferential direction in Figure 9. A rectangular outlet 242 (262) is formed at the end of the flow path 250a (270a).

[0024] As shown in FIG. 4A , a motor 256 (276) is disposed in the casing 250 (270), and an impeller 254 (274) is fixed to a shaft 256 a (276 a) of the motor 256 (276). When the motor 256 (276) rotates, the impeller 254 (274) rotates. When the impeller 254 (274) rotates, air is sucked in through the suction port 241 (261) and guided inside the impeller 254 (274). This air is blown out in a centrifugal direction from the inside of the impeller 254 (274) by the action of the blades 255 (275). The air blown out from the impeller 254 (274) flows through a spiral flow path toward the outlet 242 (262), is blown out from the outlet 242 (262), and is sent to the heater 220.

[0025] As shown in FIG. 1 , protrusions 257 (277) that protrude outward and extend in the vertical direction are formed on the side wall 252 (272) of the casing 250 (270) at positions that are approximately symmetrical with respect to the axis. The protrusions 257 (277) are parts that secure the first and second fans 240, 260 to the base 160, and are provided with through-holes 257a (277a) that penetrate in the vertical direction. A pin 258 (278) is inserted into the through-hole 257a (277a). The pin 258 (278) is made of a soft, elastic resin material. The pin 258 (278) comprises a shaft 258a (278a), a head 258b (278b) formed at the upper end of the shaft 258a (278a) and having a larger diameter than the shaft 258a (278a), a small diameter portion 258c (278c) formed at the lower end of the shaft 258a (278a) and having a smaller diameter than the shaft 258a (278a), and a tapered portion 258d (278d) formed at the lower end of the small diameter portion 258c (278c) and having a diameter that decreases downward from the portion larger in diameter than the small diameter portion 258c (278c).

[0026] 8(B), tapered portion 258d has a first inclined surface 51 that continues from small diameter portion 258c and gradually increases in diameter toward the tip, an apex 52 that continues from the end portion of first inclined surface 51 toward the tip and has a maximum diameter, and a second inclined surface 53 that gradually decreases in diameter from apex 52 to the tip. Here, the outer diameter of apex 52 is set to be larger than the inner diameter of through hole 165. Tapered portion 258d has the same structure as tapered portion 278d.

[0027] During assembly, the small diameter portion 258c (278c) of the pin 258 (278) is caused to protrude from the through-hole 257a (277a), the tapered portion 258d (278d) is press-fitted into the through-hole 165 of the base 160, and the tapered portion 258d (278d) is caused to protrude from the through-hole 165 to the back surface side of the base 160. This causes the tapered portion 258d (278d) to engage with the back surface of the base 160, and the first fan 240 and the second fan 260 are fixed to the base 160.

[0028] In this engaged state, the first inclined surface (e.g., the portion indicated by the reference symbol 51) of the tapered portion 258d (278d) faces the base 160 in the axial direction, and the first inclined surface (e.g., the portion indicated by the reference symbol 51) of the tapered portion 258d (178d) contacts the edge of the through-hole 165 (see FIG. 1) on the rear surface of the base 160. Because the pin 258 (278) is made of an elastic resin material, the above contact occurs elastically. Due to this elastic contact, the tapered portion 258d biases the base 160 toward the casing 250, and the tapered portion 278d biases the base 160 toward the casing 270. The axial direction is defined as the direction of the rotation axes of the impellers 254, 274 (the rotation axes of the first fan 240 and the second fan 260).

[0029] 5. Board Base and Control Board As shown in FIG. 1 , the board base 300 is a rectangular plate in plan view and is in contact with the top surface 221a of the heater 220. The board base 300, the front bottom wall 111 of the housing 100, and the pillars 150 form an air outlet for the heater 220. Bosses 310 protruding upward are formed near the four corners of the board base 300. Seats 311 with a larger diameter than the bosses 310 are formed at the base of the bosses 310. Arms 320 protruding downward are formed at the four corners of the board base 300, and claws 321 protruding forward or backward are formed at the lower ends of the arms 320 with their horizontal surfaces facing upward. Meanwhile, recesses (not shown) into which the claws 321 engage are formed on the rear surfaces of the pillars 150 of the housing 100. A recess (not shown) into which the claws 321 engage is also formed on the front surface of the rear wall 130 of the housing 100. The claws 321 are caught and engaged in the recesses (not shown), thereby fixing the board base 300 to the housing 100 .

[0030] As shown in FIG. 6 , slits 300a are formed near the front of both left and right ends of the base plate 300, and the terminals 224 of the heater 220 pass through the slits 300a. An upwardly protruding arm 330 is formed behind the slit 300a, and a claw (engagement portion) 331 is formed at the upper end of the arm 330, protruding left or right with its horizontal surface facing downward. An inclined plate 390 is formed at the rear end of the base plate 300, with an upward slope toward the rear. The rear edge of the inclined plate 390 faces the upper edges of the air outlets 242 and 262 of the first and second fans 240 and 260. The right front edge of the side wall 252 of the air outlet 242 and the front edge of the side wall 272 of the air outlet 262 face the rear wall 130 of the housing 100 (see FIG. 9 ). In this way, the edges of the air outlets 242, 262 face (contact) the inclined plate 390 and the rear wall 130, so that leakage and backflow of air are suppressed and the PQ characteristics of the fans 240, 260 are improved.

[0031] As shown in Figure 7(B), a sensor support portion (flange) 340 is formed in the center of the front end surface of the substrate base 300. The sensor support portion 340 consists of a pair of arms 341 protruding forward from the front end surface of the substrate base 300 and a support portion 342 protruding upward from the upper surfaces of the arms 341. The support portion 342 consists of a rectangular plate base 342a protruding upward from the front end of the upper surface of the substrate base 300 and an inclined portion 342b extending between the upper end of the base 342a and the front end of the arms 341. The inclined portion 342b is inclined downward toward the front. A groove 342c is formed in the center of the inclined portion 342b.

[0032] As shown in FIG. 7A , a control board (board) 350 is attached to the board base 300. The control board 350 is made of a resin plate that is rectangular in plan view. Through holes 351 are formed in the four corners of the control board 350, and bosses 310 of the board base 300 pass through the through holes 351 to position the control board 350, and the control board 350 is placed on a pedestal 311. Slits 350a are formed in the left and right ends of the control board 350 near the front, and terminals 224 of the heater 220 pass through the slits 350a. The terminals 224 are connected to an electronic circuit formed on the control board 350. Behind the slits 350a, a rectangular through hole (engaged portion) 350b is formed. An arm 330 of the board base 300 passes through the through hole 350b, and a claw 331 engages with the edge of the through hole 350b.

[0033] Wiring 361, which connects the temperature sensor 360 to an end thereof, is drawn out from the top surface of the control board 350, and extends along the groove 342c of the sensor support part 340, causing the temperature sensor 360 to hang down in the gap between the arms 341. In other words, the temperature sensor 360 and the heater 220 face each other in the direction in which the air blows out. The temperature sensor 360 measures the temperature of the air blown out from the heater 220.

[0034] A plurality of wires 370 (six in this example) that supply drive current to the first and second fans 240 and 260 extend from the control board 350. As shown in FIG. 3 , the protrusions 257 and 277 on one side of the casings 250 and 270 are close to each other, forming a gap 371 between them. The gap 371 is set slightly wider than the diameter of the wires 370. In other words, the width of the gap 371 is the same as or slightly larger than the width of each wire 370. The wires 370 are aligned vertically and passed through the gap 371. After exiting the gap 371, the upper three wires and the lower three wires are separated into left and right. Three wires 370 are then hooked onto left and right hooks 164 and routed to the first and second fans 240 and 260, where they are connected to terminals 280 and 290 provided on the first and second fans 240 and 260. In other words, three wires 370 are hooked on each of the left and right hooks 164, and are fixed so as to be able to move slightly relative to the hooks 164. The multiple wires 370 do not have to supply drive current to the first and second fans 240, 260. For example, wires for other devices may be passed between the first and second fans 240, 260.

[0035] 1, the cover 400 is generally composed of a top plate 410, a front plate 420 and a rear plate 430 (see FIG. 3) extending downward from the front and rear edges of the top plate 410, and a right plate 440 and a left plate 450 extending downward from the left and right edges of the top plate 410. The front plate 420 and the rear plate 430 are in contact with the front and rear end surfaces of the base 300, respectively. This positions the cover 400 relative to the housing 100 in the front-to-rear direction.

[0036] A generally U-shaped notch 421 that opens downward is formed in the center of the front side plate 420, and a sensor cover 422 is formed around the opening of the notch 421. The notch 421 avoids the wiring 361 of the temperature sensor 360, and the sensor cover 422 covers the sensor support part 340 of the substrate base 300 and the temperature sensor 360 from above, preventing damage to the temperature sensor 360 due to external forces.

[0037] As shown in FIG. 11 , the rear side plate 430 has a pair of rectangular openings 430a, and an intermediate plate 431 extending downward between the openings 430a. A rib 432 protruding rearward is formed in the center of the intermediate plate 431. The rib 432 is inserted into the gap between the first and second fans 240, 260 between the multiple wirings 370, and its lower end abuts the base 160. The intermediate plate 431 and the rib 432 prevent the air blown by the first and second fans 240, 260 from flowing backward, i.e., toward the first and second fans 240, 260. This structure improves the performance of the warm air fan (blower) 1. Instead of the rib 432, a wall may be formed on the base 160 to be inserted into the gap between the first and second fans 240, 260. Alternatively, the gap between the first and second fans 240 and 260 may be filled with resin.

[0038] Rectangular frame-shaped locking portions 451 extending downward are formed at the front and rear ends of the left side plate 450. The locking portions 451 have openings 451a, and the claws 122 of the housing 100 engage with the openings 451a to secure the cover 400 to the housing 100. Securing the cover 400 to the housing 100 results in a structure in which the cover 400 covers the housing 100. The right side plate 440 also has the same locking portions 441 and openings 441a (see FIG. 11). A rectangular notch 452 that opens downward is formed in the center of the left side plate 450. The wiring 380 that is drawn from the control board 350 and connected to the connector 500 is inserted into the notch 452 (see FIG. 1).

[0039] As shown in Figure 13, the lower end surface of the left side plate 450 abuts against the upper end surface of the land portion 120a of the side wall 120 of the housing 100. The inward-facing surface of the left side plate 450 abuts against the side wall 120. In this manner, in this embodiment, the left side plate 450 extends downward below the upper end surface of the side wall 120. This configuration is also applied to the right side plate 440. This allows the cover 400 to be positioned in the left-right direction relative to the housing 100.

[0040] As shown in Figure 14, a connector mounting portion 460 is formed integrally with the top plate 410 of the cover 400. The connector mounting portion 460 has a pair of legs 461 connected to the top plate 410. A rib 461a is provided between the legs 461. A flange (second flange) 462 protruding in the front-rear direction is formed on the upper side of the leg 461, and a connecting portion 462a is provided between the flanges 462. A recess 463 is also formed between the flanges 462.

[0041] 15 shows the connector 500. The connector 500 has a plug connection portion 510 and a cover attachment portion 520. A plug connected to an external power supply is inserted into the plug connection portion 510 and connected to an internal plug contact, and wiring 380 is connected to a portion of the cover attachment portion 520 that is electrically connected to the plug contact. The cover attachment portion 520 has a configuration for attaching the connector 500 to the connector attachment portion 460.

[0042] A groove 521 that opens to the end face of the cover mounting portion 520 is formed in the center of the back surface of the cover mounting portion 520, and a tongue (support member) 522 is formed on the wall surface at the end of the groove 521 so as to protrude into the groove 521. The surface of the tongue 522 facing the groove 521 is formed as an inclined surface 522a. This allows the tongue 522 to elastically deform so as to rotate toward the groove 521. In addition, a claw 523 is formed on the surface of the tongue 522 opposite the groove 521, with the vertical plane facing rightward (leftward in FIG. 15 ).

[0043] Walls 524 are formed on both sides of groove 521 in the front-to-rear direction (vertical direction in FIG. 15 ), extending downward. A pair of flanges (first flanges) 525 protruding toward each other are formed on the edges of wall 524. These flanges 525, wall 524, and the back surface of cover mounting portion 520 form an engaging portion 525a having a U-shaped cross section. When flange 462 of connector mounting portion 460 is inserted into engaging portion 525a and connector 500 is slid relative to connector mounting portion 460, claw 523 is pressed by connecting portion 462a, causing tongue 522 to elastically deform toward groove 521. When claw 523 passes connecting portion 462a, tongue 522 elastically returns to its original position, and claw 523 engages with the edge of connecting portion 462a. This secures connector 500 to connector mounting portion 460.

[0044] In the warm air fan 1 having the above-described configuration, the connector mounting portion 460 to which the connector 500 is detachably attached is integrally formed with the cover 400, thereby reducing the number of parts, processing costs and labor, and manufacturing costs.

[0045] In particular, in the above embodiment, the cover 400 is long in the left-right direction, and the connector 500 is easy to operate because it can be attached to and detached from the connector attachment portion 460 in the left-right direction. In the above embodiment, the cover 400 is protected from forces applied to the cover 400 when the connector 500 is attached to the connector attachment portion 460 as follows.

[0046] That is, the lower end surfaces of the right side plate 440 and the left side plate 450 abut against the upper end surfaces of the land portions 120a of the side wall 120 of the housing 100, and the inward-facing surfaces of the right side plate 440 and the left side plate 450 abut against the side wall 120, so that when a force in the left-right direction is applied to the cover 400, the force is transmitted from the right side plate 440 and the left side plate 450 to the housing 100 and is supported. Therefore, no load is applied to the locking portion 451, and deformation or damage to the locking portion 451 can be prevented in advance.

[0047] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the substrate stand 300 is positioned between the heater 220 and the control board 350, thereby preventing damage to the control board 350 or the electronic components mounted on the control board 350 due to heat generated by the heater 220 as an electronic component.

[0048] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the terminals 224 of the heater 220 are passed through the slits 350a of the control board 350 and connected to the electronic circuit formed on the control board 350, thereby preventing poor bonding with the control board 350 due to misalignment of the terminals 224.

[0049] In addition, in the above embodiment, the temperature sensor 360 is supported by the sensor support portion 340 and hangs down in front of the heater 220, so that the temperature sensor 360 is prevented from shifting position and the temperature of the air being blown out can be accurately detected.

[0050] In the above embodiment, the arm 330 formed on the base 300 is inserted into the through hole 350b formed in the control board 350, and the claw 331 is engaged with the edge of the through hole 350b, so that the control board 350 can be attached to the base 300 with a single touch, improving workability.

[0051] 7. Modifications The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications are possible as follows: i) The orientation of the connector mounting portion 460 can be changed by 90°, and the connector 500 can be configured to be mounted from the front or rear of the connector mounting portion 460.

[0052] ii) The present invention may be configured as a blower fan without a heater 220. Alternatively, an air purifier, a sound generator, a noise canceling device, a light generator, a vibration generator, etc. may be provided. These may be mounted together with the heater 220. iii) The number of fans may be one or three or more.

[0053] 8. Other The pins 258, 278 enable the base 160 and the casings 250, 270 to be assembled in a single step. In other words, the base 160 and the casings 250, 270 can be assembled simply by inserting the pin 258 into the through-hole 257a and the through-hole 165, and the pin 278 into the through-hole 277a and the through-hole 165. This shortens the manufacturing process and reduces costs. Furthermore, the pins 258, 278 are made of a soft resin material and are elastic. Therefore, the pins 258, 278 have the effect of damping vibrations transmitted from the casings 250, 270 and the base 160.

[0054] 8(B), the pin 258 is disposed so that the first inclined surface 51 of the tapered portion 258d faces the base 160 and is constantly in contact with the rear surface of the base 160. This results in a structure in which the tapered portion 258d constantly urges the base 160 in a direction approaching the casing 250, suppressing vibration of the base 160 relative to the casing 250 or of the casing 250 relative to the base 160, thereby suppressing the generation of abnormal sounds and noise. This effect is similarly obtained in the portion related to the pin 278.

[0055] Furthermore, the pins 258, 278 have heads 258b, 278b with diameters larger than the radial dimensions of the through holes 257a, 277a, and are arranged so that the heads 258b, 278b are always in contact with the casings 250, 270. This results in a structure in which the casings 250, 270 are always biased in a direction approaching the base 160, and the generation of abnormal sounds or noise caused by vibration of the base 160 relative to the casings 250, 270, or the casings 250, 270 relative to the base 160, is suppressed.

[0056] That is, the axial movement of the casing 250 and the base 160 is restricted by the head 258b and the tapered portion 258d of the pin 258. The axial movement of the casing 270 and the base 160 is also restricted by the head 278b and the tapered portion 278d of the pin 278. This suppresses the generation of abnormal sounds and noise caused by continuous contact between the casing and the base due to vibration.

[0057] The present invention can be used in a blower fan, a warm air fan, or a blower device for an air conditioner.

[0058] 1...hot air fan (blower device), 51...first inclined surface, 52...top portion, 53...third inclined surface, 100...housing, 110...bottom wall, 111...front bottom wall, 112...rear bottom wall, 112a...step, 120...side wall, 120a...land portion, 121...flange, 121a...through hole, 122...claw, 130...rear wall, 140...inclined wall, 150...pillar, 151...notch, 160...base, 161...lateral protrusion, 162...vertical protrusion, 163...second Lateral protrusion, 164a... arm, 164b... claw, 164... hook, 165... through hole, 200... hot air generating part, 201... ventilation path, 220... heater, 221... casing, 222... partition plate, 223... heating wire, 224... terminal, 240... first fan, 241, 261... intake port, 242, 262... outlet port, 250, 270... casing, 250a, 270a... flow path, 251, 271... bottom wall, 252, 272... side wall, 253, 273...Top wall, 251a, 271a...Flange, 254, 274...Impeller, 255, 275...Blade, 256, 276...Motor, 256a, 276a...Shaft, 257, 277...Protrusion, 257a, 277a...Through hole, 258, 278...Pin, 258a, 278a...Axis, 258b, 278b...Head, 258c, 258c...Small diameter portion, 258d, 278d...Tapered portion, 260...Second fan, 270...Case ing, 300... board base (plate), 310... boss, 320 arm, 321... claw, 300a... slit, 330... arm, 331... claw (engagement portion), 340... sensor support portion (flange), 341... arm, 342... support portion, 342a... base, 342b... inclined portion, 342c... groove, 350... control board (board), 350a... slit, 350b... through hole (engaged portion), 360... temperature sensor, 361... wiring, 342c... groove, 370,380...wiring, 390...inclined plate, 400...cover, 410...top plate, 420...front plate, 421...notch, 422...sensor cover, 430...rear plate, 431...intermediate plate, 432...rib, 440...right side plate, 441...locking portion, 441a...opening, 450...left side plate, 451...locking portion, 451a...opening, 452...notch, 460...connector mounting portion, 461...leg, 461a...rib, 462...flange (second flange), 462a...connection portion, 463...recess, 500...connector, 510...plug connection portion, 520...cover mounting portion, 521...groove, 522...tongue (support member), 522a...inclined surface, 523...claw, 524...wall, 525...flange (first flange), 525a...engagement portion.

Claims

1. A blower comprising: a fan; a cover; a housing covered by said cover; and a connector provided on said cover, wherein said cover and said housing form an air passage for air blown out from an outlet of said fan, and a connector attachment portion to which said connector is detachably attached is integrally formed on said cover.

2. The air blower according to claim 1, wherein the connector is attachable to and detachable from the connector attachment portion in a direction intersecting the direction in which the air passage opens.

3. The blower device according to claim 2, wherein the cover has an end portion that faces the housing in a direction that intersects with the direction in which the air passage opens.

4. A blower device as described in claim 2, wherein the cover has opposite ends facing the housing in a direction intersecting the direction in which the air passage opens, and the housing is positioned inside the opposite ends of the cover.

5. The blower device according to claim 3 or 4, wherein an end of the cover is a stopper for the housing.

6. A blower device as described in claim 1 or 2, wherein the housing comprises a base to which the fan is fixed, a heater, a substrate, and an air outlet provided in the housing, and a plate is arranged between the heater and the substrate.

7. The air blower according to claim 5, wherein the plate has an engaging portion facing the substrate, and the engaging portion engages with an engaged portion of the substrate.

8. The air blower according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the heater has a terminal extending toward the substrate, and the terminal passes through the plate and is electrically connected to the substrate.

9. The blower device according to claim 5, wherein the plate has a flange that protrudes in the direction of the air outlet, and the base plate is connected to a temperature sensor that faces the air outlet, and the temperature sensor faces the air outlet along the flange.

10. A blower device as described in claim 6 or 7, wherein the plate has a slope that slopes in a direction away from the air outlet, and the slope faces the air outlets of the multiple fans in a direction intersecting the air outlet.

11. A blower device as described in claim 1 or 2, wherein the connector comprises a plug connection portion to which a plug connected to an external power source is removably connected, and a cover attachment portion that is removably attached to the connector attachment portion, the cover attachment portion having first flanges that protrude in directions perpendicular to the insertion / removal direction of the plug, and the connector attachment portion having second flanges that protrude on both sides of the first flange perpendicular to the insertion / removal direction, and the second flanges engage with the first flange in a direction other than the insertion / removal direction.

12. A blower device as described in claim 11, wherein a connection portion is installed between the first flanges, and the cover mounting portion has a claw that protrudes toward the connection portion and is elastically deformable in a direction away from the connection portion, and when the connector is moved in the insertion / removal direction, the claw engages with the edge of the connection portion.

13. A blower device as described in claim 11 or 12, wherein the cover mounting portion has a groove, and the claw extends from the wall surface at the end of the groove so as to protrude into the groove, and is supported by a support member that is elastically deformable in a direction toward and away from the groove.

14. A blower device as described in claim 6, comprising: a casing for the fan; the casing having a first through hole extending in the axial direction of the rotation shaft of the fan; and the base having a second through hole corresponding to the first through hole; and pins inserted into the first through hole and the second through hole to fix the casing to the base, the pin having an inclined surface facing the base in the direction of the rotation shaft, the inclined surface urging the base towards the casing in the direction of the rotation shaft.

Images