Blower apparatus and vacuum cleaner

• US 10,517,448 B2
• Filed: 10/30/2015
• Issued: 12/31/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nidec Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nidec Corporation
• Inventors: Shiozawa, Kazuhiko, Hayamitsu, Ryosuke, Sawada, Tomoyoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Dallo, Joseph J
• Assistant Examiner(s): Liethen, Kurt Philip
• Application Number:
  US15/527,049
• Publication Number:
  US 20170367550A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,523 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/22 with rotary fans
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 25/06 the pump being electrically driven F04D25/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/023 especially adapted for elastic fluid pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/281 for fans or blowers
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/44 Fluid-guiding means, e.g. diffusers
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/444 Bladed diffusers
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/5806 Cooling the drive system
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2250/52 Outlet
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2250/70 Shape

Abstract

A blower apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a motor including a shaft arranged to extend along a central axis extending in a vertical direction, and a bearing arranged to rotatably support the shaft; an impeller coupled to the shaft on an upper end side of the shaft; an impeller housing arranged to house the impeller, and including an air inlet on an upper side; a plurality of stationary vanes arranged on a lower side of the impeller housing; a cylindrical first ring arranged radially inside of the stationary vanes; and a cylindrical second ring arranged radially outside of the stationary vanes, and fixed to the impeller housing. The stationary vanes, the first ring, and the second ring are defined by a single monolithic member, and together define at least a portion of a stationary vane support portion.

Claims

1. A blower apparatus comprising:

a motor including a shaft that extends along a central axis extending in a vertical direction, and a bearing that rotatably supports the shaft;

an impeller coupled to the shaft on an upper end side of the shaft;

an impeller housing that houses the impeller, and includes an air inlet on an upper side;

a plurality of stationary vanes on a lower side of the impeller housing;

a cylindrical first ring radially inside of the stationary vanes; and

a cylindrical second ring radially outside of the stationary vanes, and fixed to the impeller housing;

wherein

the stationary vanes, the first ring, and the second ring are defined by a single monolithic member, and together define at least a portion of a stationary vane support portion;

the motor further includes a housing defined by an upper lid, a circumferential wall, and a lower lid; and

the stationary vane support portion is directly fixed to an upper surface of the upper lid.

2. The blower apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising

a third ring on a lower side of the stationary vanes, wherein

the stationary vane support portion includes a first fixing portion to which the third ring is fixed;

and

the third ring includes a third ring slanting portion having an outer circumference arranged to extend radially outward with decreasing height.

3. The blower apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the third ring further includes a lower stationary vane on the lower side of the stationary vanes.

4. The blower apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the stationary vane support portion includes a second fixing portion fixed to the housing at a position different from that of the first fixing portion.

5. The blower apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the impeller housing includes an impeller housing body portion that covers an upper side of the impeller, an exhaust air guide portion that extends radially outward and downward from an outer circumferential edge of the impeller housing body portion, and an outer circumferential fitting ring that extends upward from an outer circumferential edge of the exhaust air guide portion, and fixed to the second ring;

and

an upper surface of the impeller housing includes a recessed portion that extends in a circumferential direction on an upper side of the exhaust air guide portion, and is recessed downward.

6. The blower apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the impeller includes a plurality of rotor blades, and a base portion in a shape of a disk and arranged on a lower side of the rotor blades;

the stationary vane support portion includes an annular projecting portion that projects upward, and is radially outside of the impeller;

the projecting portion includes an outer circumferential surface that slants downward as the outer circumferential surface extends radially outward; and

an upper end of the projecting portion is at a level higher than that of a lower surface of the base portion and lower than that of an outer end of an upper surface of the base portion.

7. The blower apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the impeller includes a plurality of rotor blades, a base portion in a shape of a disk on a lower side of the rotor blades, and a shroud in a shape of a tapered cylinder that extends radially inward with increasing height on an upper side of the rotor blades;

the base portion includes an outer edge radially outward of an outer edge of the shroud; and

an upper surface of the base portion includes a base portion slanting portion that slants axially downward as the base portion slanting portion extends radially outward.

8. A vacuum cleaner comprising the blower apparatus of claim 1.

9. The blower apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the upper lid directly supports the bearing.

10. The blower apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the stationary vane support portion is directly fixed to the upper lid through a fastener extending through both of the stationary vane support portion and the upper lid.

11. A blower apparatus comprising:

a motor including a shaft that extends along a central axis extending in a vertical direction, and a bearing that rotatably supports the shaft;

an impeller coupled to the shaft on an upper end side of the shaft;

an impeller housing that houses the impeller, and includes an air inlet on an upper side;

a plurality of stationary vanes on a lower side of the impeller housing;

a cylindrical first ring radially inside of the stationary vanes; and

a cylindrical second ring radially outside of the stationary vanes, and fixed to the impeller housing;

wherein

the stationary vanes, the first ring, and the second ring are defined by a single monolithic member, and together define at least a portion of a stationary vane support portion;

the first ring and the second ring include a tubular space defined therebetween, the tubular space being cylindrical;

the tubular space includes an upper region and a lower region below the upper region; and

a radial distance between an outer circumferential surface of the first ring and an inner circumferential surface of the second ring continuously decreases with decreasing height in the upper region, and continuously increases with decreasing height in the lower region.

12. The blower apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising

a third ring on a lower side of the stationary vanes, wherein

the stationary vane support portion includes a first fixing portion to which the third ring is fixed;

and

the third ring includes a third ring slanting portion having an outer circumference arranged to extend radially outward with decreasing height.

13. The blower apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the third ring further includes a lower stationary vane on the lower side of the stationary vanes.

14. The blower apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the stationary vane support portion includes a second fixing portion fixed to the housing at a position different from that of the first fixing portion.

15. The blower apparatus according to claim 11, wherein

the impeller housing includes an impeller housing body portion that covers an upper side of the impeller, an exhaust air guide portion that extends radially outward and downward from an outer circumferential edge of the impeller housing body portion, and an outer circumferential fitting ring that extends upward from an outer circumferential edge of the exhaust air guide portion, and fixed to the second ring;

and

an upper surface of the impeller housing includes a recessed portion that extends in a circumferential direction on an upper side of the exhaust air guide portion, and is recessed downward.

16. The blower apparatus according to claim 11, wherein

the impeller includes a plurality of rotor blades, and a base portion in a shape of a disk and arranged on a lower side of the rotor blades;

the stationary vane support portion includes an annular projecting portion that projects upward, and is radially outside of the impeller;

the projecting portion includes an outer circumferential surface that slants downward as the outer circumferential surface extends radially outward; and

an upper end of the projecting portion is at a level higher than that of a lower surface of the base portion and lower than that of an outer end of an upper surface of the base portion.

17. The blower apparatus according to claim 11, wherein

the impeller includes a plurality of rotor blades, a base portion in a shape of a disk on a lower side of the rotor blades, and a shroud in a shape of a tapered cylinder that extends radially inward with increasing height on an upper side of the rotor blades;

the base portion includes an outer edge radially outward of an outer edge of the shroud; and

an upper surface of the base portion includes a base portion slanting portion that slants axially downward as the base portion slanting portion extends radially outward.

18. A vacuum cleaner comprising the blower apparatus of claim 11.