1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a fan motor assembly, and more particularly relates to a fan motor assembly including two or more fans arranged adjacent to each other.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, high-end electrical circuits are installed in electrical devices, and such electrical devices generate considerable heat. The electrical devices are generally equipped with a plurality of fans to actively dissipate the heat.
Also recently, it is preferable that the electrical devices have reduced dimensions, such that the electrical devices are likely to be designed to minimize their dimensions. As a result, the space to house a fan motor assembly is limited as well.
The fan includes a lead wire for supplying electricity thereto. When a plurality of fans are provided in the casing of the electrical device, a lead wire of the fan arranged farther from the power source is wired at the outer periphery of the fan arranged nearer the power source. However, in view of the efficient layout of other components within the electrical device casing, the size of a fan housing has to be reduced in order to secure the space for the lead wire. Generally, upon reducing the size of a housing dimension of the fan, a dimension of the wind channel is reduced as well. Consequently, a size of an impeller of the fan is reduced, which results in degrading the airflow and cooling characteristics of the fan.
In order to overcome the problems described above, preferred embodiments of the present invention provide a fan motor assembly including a primary fan and at least one additional fan. A lead wire connecting the at least one additional fan and an external power source is wired on a surface of an air inlet side or an air outlet side of the primary fan, and then, is led out of the primary fan.
According to another preferred embodiment of the present invention, each fan includes a flange portion at a position outside of a passage of air flow and is either on an air outlet side or an air inlet side of the fan.
According to another preferred embodiment of the present invention, a lead wire connecting the primary fan and the external power source is led out of the primary fan while being bundled together with the lead wire of the additional fan.
By virtue of the unique configuration described above, it is not necessary to secure a space for wiring the lead wire around the fan motor assembly. Therefore, it is not necessary to reduce the inner dimension of the housing or the outer dimension of the impeller. As a result, the fan motor assembly may be installed in a limited space while maintaining appropriate airflow and cooling characteristics.
In the description of the preferred embodiments of the present invention, words such as upper, lower, left, right, upward, downward, top, and bottom for explaining positional relationships between respective members and directions merely indicate positional relationships and directions in the drawings. Such words do not indicate positional relationships and directions of the members mounted in an actual device.
Other features, elements, processes, steps, characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments of the present invention with reference to the attached drawings.
A fan motor assembly 3 includes a primary fan 1 and at least one additional fan 2 which are adjacent to each other and arranged in line within a casing of an electrical device. A configuration of the primary fan 1 is described below, which is similar to that of the at least one additional fan 2. Therefore, a detailed explanation of the at least one additional fan 2 will be omitted in terms of the configuration which is similar to the primary fan 1.
The primary fan 1 preferably includes a motor portion 4 rotatably driven by an external power supply. The motor portion 4 includes a fixing portion which is fixed to a frame portion 6. In addition, a rotor portion of the motor portion 4 includes an impeller 5 having a plurality of blades. The primary fan 1 also includes a housing 7 having a circular inside wall defining a substantially cylindrical bore wherein a passage of airflow is generated by rotation of the impeller. The impeller is arranged within the cylindrical bore such that the impeller is surrounded by the circular inside wall of the housing. The frame portion 6 is supported and fixed to the housing 7 by a plurality of ribs 8. In addition, the primary fan 1 includes a lead wire 9 electrically connected to the motor portion 4 to supply electricity thereto.
The at least one additional fan 2 includes a motor portion 4a, an impeller 5a, housing 7a, a lead wire guide portion 10a provided on the housing 7a, frame portion 6a, and a plurality of ribs 8a. In addition, the primary fan 1 and the at least one additional fan 2 include flange portions 71, 71a, 72, and 72a provided at upper corners of the housings 7 and 7a. A lead wire guide groove 81a is provided on one of the ribs 8a which connects the frame 6a and the lead wire guide portion 10a, and the lead wire 9a of the at least one additional fan 2 is led from the lead wire guide portion 10a to the exterior of the at least one additional fan 2 via the lead wire guide groove 81a.
Subsequently, the lead wire 9a is wired along the bottom side of the flange portion 71a nearest to the lead wire guide portion 10a, as shown in
The lead wire 9 of the primary fan 1 is led to a lead wire guide portion 10 provided on the housing 7 through a lead wire guide groove 81 provided on one of the ribs 8 connecting the lead wire guide portion 10 and the frame portion 6. The lead wire 9 is bundled together with the lead wire 9a near the lead wire guide portion 10, and then is led to the exterior of the fan 1. The lead wires 9 and 9a led out of the fan 1 are bound together by a binding member 12 at the exterior of the housing 7, as shown in
Upon wiring the lead wire 9a of the at least one additional fan 2 to the end surface of the housing 7 of the primary fan 1 at the air outlet side, the lead wire 9a is arranged at the outer peripheral portion of the passage of airflow of the fan 1. This, however, does not substantially affect the static pressure and the air specifications of the fan. Therefore, predetermined air specifications and static pressure of the fan may be maintained. By using a lead wire which is slim and thin, it is possible to minimize the peripheral portion of the air passage where the lead wire is arranged, if this is desirable. The position where the lead wires 9 and 9a are led out of the fan motor assembly may be varied depending on the design of the electrical device.
In other words, lead wire 9 and 9a are arranged between imaginary tangential planes 100 and 101 (see
In the aforementioned preferred embodiments of the present invention, two fans are adjacent to each other and arranged in line. However, the number of the fans may be other than two. For example, three or four fans may be arranged in line and their lead wires may be wired in accordance with the preferred embodiments of the present invention.
Only the reference numerals necessary for explanatory purposes are shown in
A fan motor assembly 3 includes a primary fan 1 and at least one additional fan 2 which are adjacent to each other and arranged in line within a casing of an electrical device. A configuration of the primary fan 1 is described below, some of which is similar to that of the at least one additional fan 2. Therefore, detailed explanation of the at least one additional fan 2 will be omitted in terms of the configuration which is similar to the primary fan 1.
The primary fan 1 includes a motor portion 4 rotatably driven by the external power supply. The motor portion 4 includes a fixing portion which is fixed to a frame portion 6. In addition, a rotor portion of the motor portion 4 includes an impeller 5 having a plurality of blades. The primary fan 1 also includes a housing 7 having a circular inside wall defining a substantially cylindrical bore wherein a passage of airflow is generated by rotation of the impeller. The impeller is arranged within the cylindrical bore such that the impeller is surrounded by the circular inside wall of the housing. The frame portion 6 is supported and fixed to the housing 7 by a plurality of ribs 8. In addition, the primary fan 1 includes a lead wire 9 electrically connected to the motor portion 4 to supply electricity thereto.
The lead wire 9a is led out to the exterior of the frame 6a of the at least one additional fan 2 in a crosswise direction so that the lead wire 9a is led to the primary fan 1 adjoining the at least one additional fan 2 while passing the shortest path from the at least one additional fan 2 to the primary fan 1. The lead wire 9a across the passage of airflow of the at least one additional fan 2 is latched and held to a holding hook 11, defined by a portion of the housing 7 of the primary fan 1 and a portion of the housing 7a of the at least one additional fan 2, and provided at abounding portion thereof. Subsequently, the lead wire 9a crosses the passage of airflow of the primary fan 1 and is led to the frame 6 of the primary fan 1. Within the frame 6, the lead wire 9a is bundled together with the lead wire 9 of the primary fan 1 and led from the lead wire guide portion 10 to the exterior of the primary fan 1 through lead wire guide groove 81 of the primary fan 1.
Alternatively, the lead wires 9 and 9a bundled together in the frame 6 may cross the passage of airflow of the primary fan 1, and may be led from an additional lead wire guide portion 111 latching and holding the lead wires 9 and 9a to the exterior of the primary fan 1. The second lead wire guide portion 111 is provided on a side surface of the primary fan 1, opposed to an adjoining side with the at least one additional fan 2. The position where the lead wires 9 and 9a are led to the exterior of the fan motor assembly may be varied depending on the design of the electrical device. The lead wires 9 and 9a led out of the primary fan 1 are bound together by a binding member 12 as previously described in the first preferred embodiment, such that the lead wires 9 and 9a are not retractable into the housing 7.
A fan motor assembly 3 includes a primary fan 1 and at least one additional fan 2 which are adjacent to each other and arranged in line within a casing of an electrical device. A configuration of the primary fan 1 is described below, some of which is similar to that of the at least one additional fan 2. Therefore, detailed explanation of the at least one additional fan 2 will be omitted in terms of the configuration which is similar to the primary fan 1.
The primary fan 1 includes a motor portion 4 rotatably driven by the external power supply. The motor portion 4 includes a fixing portion which is fixed to a frame portion 6. In addition, a rotor portion of the motor portion 4 includes an impeller 5 having a plurality of blades. The primary fan 1 also includes a housing 7 having a circular inside wall defining a substantially cylindrical bore wherein a passage of airflow is generated by rotation of the impeller. The impeller is arranged within the cylindrical bore such that the impeller is surrounded by the circular inside wall of the housing. The frame portion 6 is supported and fixed to the housing 7 by a plurality of ribs 8. In addition, the primary fan 1 includes a lead wire 9 electrically connected to the motor portion 4 to supply electricity thereto.
In this preferred embodiment of the present invention, the primary fan 1 and the at least one additional fan 2 are adjacent to each other and arranged in line as previously described. The ribs 8 and 8a are arranged so as to be perpendicular to side surfaces of the housings 7 and 7a, respectively. In addition, the lead wire groove 81 is provided on one of the ribs 8 extending toward a bounding portion of the housing 7 and the housing 7a. Similarly, the lead wire groove 81a is provided on one of the ribs 8a extending toward the bounding portion.
The lead wire 9a of the at least one additional fan 2 is led out of the frame 6a of the housing 7a to the lead wire guide groove 81a, and then extends to the primary fan 1 without being led outside of the at least one additional fan 2. At the bounding portion of the primary fan 1 and the at least one additional fan 2, the lead wire 9a is latched and firmly held by the holding hook 11. Then, the lead wire 9a is led to the inside of the frame 6 of the primary fan 1 through the lead wire guide groove 81 of the primary fan 1 and is bundled together with the lead wire 9 of the primary fan 1. Then, the lead wires 9 and 9a are led to the exterior of the primary fan 1 through the lead wire guide groove 81 extending to the opposite side from the bounding portion. The lead wires 9 and 9a bundled together and led out of the primary fan 1 are bound together by a binding member 12 at the exterior of the primary fan 1. As a result, the lead wires 9 and 9a are fixed without being retractable into the housing 7.
In this alternative embodiment of the present invention, the lead wire 9a of the at least one additional fan 2 is led to the frame 6 of the primary fan 1 adjoining the at least one additional fan 2, and the lead wire 9a is bundled together with the lead wire 9 of the primary fan 1. Then the lead wires 9 and 9a are led out of the primary fan 1 as shown in
The lead wire 9a of the at least one additional fan 2 is led from the frame 6 of the housing 7a to the lead wire guide groove 81a. Through the lead wire guide groove 81a, the lead wire 9a is led to the lead wire guide groove 82a arranged on an inner circumferential portion of the flange portion and reaches to the primary fan 1 without being led out of the at least one additional fan 2. Subsequently, the lead wire 9a is led to the frame 6 through the lead wire guide groove 83. The lead wire 9a is bundled together with the lead wire 9 within the frame 6, and the lead wires 9 and 9a are led out of the frame 6 through the lead wire guide groove 81. The lead wires 9 and 9a are wired along the wind tunnel through lead wire groove 82 and are led out of the primary fan 1 from the lead wire guide portion 111.
It should be understood that the angles between ribs and housings are not limited to those shown in
The lead wires 9 and 9a may be wired in a manner other than those shown in the preferred embodiments of the present invention. The lead wires 9 and 9a may be wired by a method combining those shown in the preferred embodiments of the present invention. In addition, modifications may be made to the method of wiring the lead wires 9 and 9a depending on, such as, the design of the electrical device, required air specifications, and characteristics of the fan motor assembly.
While preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in the foregoing, the present invention is not limited to the preferred embodiments detailed above, in that various modifications are possible. Only selected preferred embodiments have been chosen to illustrate the present invention. To those skilled in the art, however, it will be apparent from the foregoing disclosure that various changes and modifications can be made herein without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. Furthermore, the foregoing description of the preferred embodiments according to the present invention is provided for illustration only, and not for limiting the invention as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2005-170243 | Jun 2005 | JP | national |