Centrifugal fan

Abstract

A centrifugal fan includes a motor having an impeller and a housing for accommodating the motor. The housing has a sidewall surrounding an outer circumference of the impeller. An air inlet is formed in the housing and opposed to a center portion of the impeller. An air outlet is formed in the sidewall of the housing and opposed to an outer surface of the impeller. The housing includes a housing body and a housing cover. The housing body has a bottom with the motor secured thereon. The housing cover, formed by a pressed metal member, has an upper part and a cover sidewall extending from the upper part toward the bottom of the housing body and forming at least a part of the sidewall of the housing.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and further features will be more clearly appreciated from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, like reference numerals indicate like structures. All of these conventions, however, are intended to be typical or illustrative, rather than limiting.

FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a centrifugal fan according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the centrifugal fan of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the centrifugal fan of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a housing cover in the centrifugal fan of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the centrifugal fan of FIG. 1, taken from a different direction from that of FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a centrifugal fan according to a second preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a centrifugal fan according to a third preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of an exemplary modification of the centrifugal fan of the third preferred embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of another exemplary modification of the centrifugal fan of the third preferred embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of still another exemplary modification of the centrifugal fan of the third preferred embodiment.

FIG. 11 shows a perspective view of a centrifugal fan according to a fourth preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of an exemplary modification of the centrifugal fan of the fourth preferred embodiment.

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of another exemplary modification of the centrifugal fan of the fourth preferred embodiment.

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a centrifugal fan according to a fifth preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of a centrifugal fan according to a sixth preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 16 is a perspective view of an exemplary modification of the centrifugal fan of the sixth preferred embodiment.

FIG. 17 illustrates an exemplary holding portion.

FIG. 18 illustrates an exemplary cover sidewall of the housing cover.

FIG. 19 is a perspective view of a centrifugal fan according to a seventh preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Claims

1. A centrifugal fan comprising: a motor having an impeller;a housing accommodating the motor and having a sidewall at least partially surrounding an outer circumference of the impeller, the housing including an air inlet opposed to a central portion of the impeller and an air outlet opposed to the outer circumference of the impeller, whereinthe housing includes a housing body having a bottom on which the motor is secured and a housing cover in which the air inlet is formed, the housing cover including an upper part and a cover sidewall that extends from the upper part toward the bottom of the housing body and forms at least a part of the sidewall of the housing, andthe housing cover is a pressed metal member.

2. The centrifugal fan according to claim 1, wherein the sidewall of the housing is substantially continuously arranged along the outer circumference of the impeller except for a region in which the air outlet is formed.

3. The centrifugal fan according to claim 1, wherein the cover sidewall of the housing cover forms the entire sidewall of the housing.

4. The centrifugal fan according to claim 1, wherein a lead wire connected to the motor is arranged between the cover sidewall of the housing cover and the bottom of the housing body.

5. The centrifugal fan according to claim 4, wherein the housing cover includes a wire guide portion extending radially outward from a bottom-side portion of the cover sidewall and being bent away from the bottom of the housing body.

6. The centrifugal fan according to claim 3, wherein the housing cover further includes a holding portion extending from a bottom-side portion of the cover sidewall, the holding portion is adjacent to a corner of the bottom of the housing body, andthe lead wire is arranged between the holding portion and the bottom of the housing body.

7. The centrifugal fan according to claim 6, wherein one of the cover sidewall of the housing cover and the bottom of the housing body has a groove-like concave portion in which the wire is arranged.

8. The centrifugal fan according to claim 6, wherein an end part of the holding portion is bent away from the bottom of the housing body to form a wire guide portion.

9. The centrifugal fan according to claim 6, wherein the housing body includes a wall arranged on a side of the bottom of the housing body along the side, the wall arranged along an edge of the holding portion, and engagement of the edge of the holding portion with the wall restricts movement of the holding portion away from the bottom.

10. The centrifugal fan according to claim 9, wherein an engagement feature is formed on the wall, the engagement feature being concave or convex, and an end part of the holding portion including the edge is bent away from the bottom of the housing body to form an engagement portion capable of coming into contact with the engagement feature of the wall at its top end.

11. The centrifugal fan according to claim 4, wherein the housing cover further includes a holding portion extending from a bottom-side portion of the cover sidewall, the holding portion is adjacent to a corner of the bottom of the housing body, andthe lead wire is arranged between the holding portion and the bottom of the housing body.

12. The centrifugal fan according to claim 11, wherein one of the cover sidewall of the housing cover and the bottom of the housing body has a groove-like concave portion in which the lead wire is arranged.

13. The centrifugal fan according to claim 11, wherein an end part of the holding portion is bent away from the bottom of the housing body to form a wire guide portion.

14. The centrifugal fan according to claim 11, wherein the housing body includes a wall arranged on a side of the bottom of the housing body along the side, the wall arranged along an edge of the holding portion, and engagement of the edge of the holding portion with the wall restricts movement of the holding portion away from the bottom.

15. The centrifugal fan according to claim 14, wherein an engagement feature is formed on the wall, the engagement feature being concave or convex, and an end part of the holding portion including the edge is bent away from the bottom of the housing body to form an engagement portion capable of coming into contact with the engagement feature of the wall at its top end.

16. The centrifugal fan according to claim 1, wherein the housing body includes a fitting portion, and an edge of the upper part of the housing cover is to be fitted with the fitting portion of the housing body.

17. The centrifugal fan according to claim 1, wherein a bottom-side portion of the cover sidewall is just opposite to a portion of an outer peripheral edge of the bottom of the housing body closest to an inner circumferential surface of the sidewall of the housing in a direction parallel to the rotation axis.

18. The centrifugal fan according to claim 1, wherein a portion of an outer peripheral edge of the bottom of the housing body, which is closest to an inner circumferential surface of the sidewall of the housing, is located at substantially the same portion in a radial direction perpendicular to the rotation axis as a bottom-side portion of the cover sidewall.

19. The centrifugal fan according to claim 1, wherein a thickness of the housing cover is 0.1 mm or more and 0.6 mm or less.

20. The centrifugal fan according to claim 1, wherein the bottom of the housing body has a size within a square having a side of 20 mm.