Patent Application
20170229939
The present invention relates to a power supply and, more particularly, to a power supply including an electric fan with a wind power generating function.
With continuous improvement in development and applications of technologies, illuminating equipment, 3C products, and small household electrical appliances (such as electric lamps, televisions, electric fans, mobile phones, tablet computers, personal digital assistants, etc.) have become necessary electrical and electronic products in daily lives.
These electrical and electronic products mainly depend on internal cells or external power sources to maintain normal operation. Mobile chargers (or mobile power banks) and combustion generators have been available on the market. Most of the mobile chargers use batteries as the power sources to permit users to continuously use the electrical and electronic products and charge the electrical and electronic products at any time and place.
However, these combustion generators and mobile chargers still require fueling or charging in advance and cannot provide the power by themselves. Furthermore, these combustion generators and mobile chargers continuously consume the fuel or electricity when carried and used outside, such that the users cannot find any other power supplies when the power is run out. Thus, it is an important issue to persons in this field.
A power supply according to the present invention includes a housing having a first end wall, a second end wall, and a peripheral wall interconnected between the first and second end walls, defining a compartment therebetween. An electric motor includes a fixed seat fixed to the first end wall and located in the compartment. The electric motor further includes a shaft extending perpendicularly to and rotatably mounted to the fixed seat. The electric motor further includes a first stator fixed on the fixed seat and a first rotor fixed to the shaft. The first stator and the first rotor are concentrically mounted around the shaft. A first fan is fixed to the shaft. The first fan is located adjacent to the second end wall and faces the first end wall. A generator is concentrically mounted around the electric motor. The generator includes a second stator fixed to the fixed seat and a second rotor rotatably mounted to the shaft and concentric to the second stator. A second fan is fixed around the second rotor. The second fan is located adjacent to the first end wall and faces the second end wall. The first and second fans are coaxial, opposite to each other, and adjacent to each other. A power device is mounted to the housing and is electrically connected to the generator and the electric motor. The power device is adapted to supply electricity to an outside.
When the electric motor is supplied with electricity from the power device and operates, the first rotor and the shaft of the electric motor drive the first fan to rotate, generating wind power close to the second fan. The second fan is driven to rotate by the wind power in the compartment of the housing. The second fan drives the second rotor of the generator to rotate, making the generator continuously generate and supply electricity to the power device and the electric motor, thereby keeping the electric motor running. The power device is adapted to output electricity to an external electrical appliance.
In a first example, the first rotor of the electric motor is located around and spaced from the first stator. A first stator seat extends upwards from an intermediate portion of the fixed seat and has an axial hole. The shaft rotatably extends through the axial hole. The first stator is fixed around the first stator seat. A first rotor seat is fixed around the first rotor. The first rotor seat includes an end fixed to the shaft. The second rotor of the generator is located around and spaced from the second stator. A second stator seat extends upwards from the fixed seat and extends around and is spaced from the first rotor. The second stator is fixed around the second stator seat. A second rotor seat is fixed around the second rotor. The second rotor seat includes an end rotatably mounted to the shaft. The second fan is fixed around the second rotor seat.
In a second example, the first stator of the electric motor is located around and spaced from the first rotor. An axle extends upwards from an intermediate portion of the fixed seat. A first rotor seat is fixed to an inner periphery of the first rotor. The first rotor seat includes an end fixed to the shaft. The first rotor seat further includes an axial hole extending downwards and rotatably receiving the axle. A first stator seat extends upwards from the fixed seat. The first stator is fixed to an inner periphery of the first stator seat. The second rotor of the generator is located around and spaced from the second stator. The second stator is fixed around the first stator seat. A second rotor seat is fixed around the second rotor. The second rotor seat has an end rotatably mounted to the shaft. The second fan is fixed around the second rotor seat.
In a third example, the second stator of the generator is located around and spaced from the second rotor. A second stator seat extends upwards from the fixed seat. The second stator is fixed to an inner periphery of the second stator seat. A second rotor seat is fixed to an inner periphery of the second rotor. The second rotor seat includes an end rotatably connected to the shaft. A cylindrical portion extends outwards from the end of the second rotor seat and surrounds the second stator seat. The second fan is fixed around the cylindrical portion of the second rotor seat.
The housing can include an outer periphery providing a sealed member and can include at least one vent in the first end wall.
The power device can include a charging controller, a rechargeable battery, and a voltage boost circuit. The charging controller is electrically connected to the generator and the rechargeable battery. The rechargeable battery is electrically connected to the electric motor and the voltage boost circuit. The voltage boost circuit is adapted to be electrically connected to the external electrical appliance.
The housing can include a casing at a bottom side of the first end wall. The casing includes a vent. The power device is mounted in the casing.
The present invention will become clearer in light of the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments of this invention described in connection with the drawings.
The housing 1 includes a first end wall 11, a second end wall 12 opposite to the first end wall 11, and a peripheral wall 13 interconnected between the first and second end walls 11 and 12, defining a compartment 14 therebetween. At least one of the first end wall 11, the second end wall 12, and the peripheral wall 13 can be detached. In this example, the housing 1 includes an outer periphery providing a sealed member. The housing 1 includes at least one vent 15 in the first end wall 11 or the second end wall 12. The housing 1 can include a casing 16 at a bottom side of the first end wall 11. The casing 16 includes at least one vent 17.
The electric motor 2 includes a fixed seat 22 fixed to the first end wall 11 and located in the compartment 14. The electric motor 2 further includes a shaft 21 extending perpendicularly to and rotatably mounted to the fixed seat 22. The electric motor 2 further includes a first stator 23 fixed on the fixed seat 22 and a first rotor 24 fixed to the shaft 21. The first stator 23 and the first rotor 24 are concentrically mounted around the shaft 21. In this example, the first rotor 24 of the electric motor 2 is located around and spaced from the first stator 23. A first stator seat 25 extends upwards from an intermediate portion of the fixed seat 22 and has an axial hole 251. The shaft 21 rotatably extends through the axial hole 251. The first stator 23 is fixed around the first stator seat 25. A first rotor seat 26 is fixed around the first rotor 24. The first rotor seat 26 includes an end 261 fixed to the shaft 21.
The first fan 3 is fixed to the shaft 21 and includes a plurality of blades 31 spaced from each other. The first fan 3 is located adjacent to the second end wall 12 and faces the first end wall 11 for delivering wind power.
The generator 4 is concentrically mounted around the electric motor 2. The generator 4 includes a second stator 41 fixed to the fixed seat 22 and a second rotor 42 rotatably mounted to the shaft 21 and concentric to the second stator 41. In this example, the second rotor 42 of the generator 4 is located around and spaced from the second stator 41. A second stator seat 43 extends upwards from the fixed seat 22 and extends around and is spaced from the first rotor 24. The second stator 41 is fixed around the second stator seat 43. A second rotor seat 44 is fixed around the second rotor 42. The second rotor seat 44 includes an end 441 rotatably mounted to the shaft 21 by a bearing 45.
The second fan 5 is fixed around the second rotor seat 44 of the second rotor 42. The second fan 5 includes a plurality of blades 51 spaced from each other. The second fan 5 is located adjacent to the first end wall 11 and faces the second end wall 12. The first and second fans 3 and 5 can have an identical shape. The first and second fans 3 and 5 are coaxial, opposite to each other, and adjacent to each other.
The power device 6 is mounted in the casing 16 of the housing 1. The power device 6 is electrically connected to the generator 4 and the electric motor 2. The power device 6 is adapted to supply electricity to the external electrical appliance 7. In this example, the power device 6 includes a charging controller 61, a rechargeable battery 62, and a voltage boost circuit 63. The charging controller 61 is electrically connected to the generator 4 and the rechargeable battery 62. The rechargeable battery 62 is electrically connected to the electric motor 2 and the voltage boost circuit 63. The voltage boost circuit 63 is adapted to be electrically connected to the external electrical appliance 7.
When the electric motor 2 is supplied with electricity from the rechargeable battery 62 of the power device 6 and operates for the first time, the first rotor 24 and the shaft 21 of the electric motor 2 drive the first fan 3 to rotate, generating wind power close to the second fan 5. The second fan 5 is driven to rotate by the wind power in the compartment 14 of the housing 1. Furthermore, the second fan 5 drives the second rotor 42 of the generator 4 to rotate, making the generator 4 continuously generate and supply electricity to the power device 6 and the electric motor 2, thereby keeping the electric motor 2 running to generate the wind power while the first fan 3 continuously using the wind power to drive the second fan 5 and the generator 4 to generate electricity. Thus, the power device 6 can continuously and stably output electricity to the external electrical appliance 7. As a result, the power supply can rapidly generate electricity at any time and place to prolong the service time of the external electrical appliance 7, avoiding closing down of the external electrical appliance 7 due to running out of electricity. The concentric arrangement of the electric motor 2 and the generator 4 makes the power supply compact, which is easy to manufacture and which reduces the manufacturing costs.
When the electric motor 2′ is supplied with electricity from the power device 6 and operates for the first time, the first rotor 24′ and the shaft 21′ of the electric motor 2′ drive the first fan 3 to rotate, generating wind power close to the second fan 5. The second fan 5 is driven to rotate by the wind power in the compartment 14 of the housing 1. Furthermore, the second fan 5 drives the second rotor 42 of the generator 4 to rotate, making the generator 4 continuously generate and supply electricity to the power device 6 and the electric motor 2′, thereby keeping the electric motor 2′ running to generate the wind power while the first fan 3 continuously using the wind power to drive the second fan 5 and the generator 4 to generate electricity. Thus, the power device 6 can continuously and stably output electricity to the external electrical appliance 7.
When the electric motor 2′ is supplied with electricity from the power device 6 and operates for the first time, the first rotor 24′ and the shaft 21′ of the electric motor 2′ drive the first fan 3 to rotate, generating wind power close to the second fan 5. The second fan 5 is driven to rotate by the wind power in the compartment 14 of the housing 1. Furthermore, the second fan 5 drives the second rotor 42′ of the generator 4′ to rotate, making the generator 4′ continuously generate and supply electricity to the power device 6 and the electric motor 2′, thereby keeping the electric motor 2′ running to generate the wind power while the first fan 3 continuously using the wind power to drive the second fan 5 and the generator 4′ to generate electricity. Thus, the power device 6 can continuously and stably output electricity to the external electrical appliance 7.
Although specific embodiments have been illustrated and described, numerous modifications and variations are still possible without departing from the scope of the invention. The scope of the invention is limited by the accompanying claims.
