Axial-flow fan and projector provided with the same

• US 7,008,180 B2
• Filed: 06/26/2003
• Issued: 03/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Hashizume, Toshiaki, Fujimori, Motoyuki, Kitamura, Masakazu
• Primary Examiner(s): VERDIER, CHRISTOPHER M
• Application Number:
  US10/603,741
• Publication Number:
  US 20050019165A1
• Time in Patent Office: 985 Days
• Field of Search: 416/175, 416/183, 416/203, 416/179, 416/182, 416/185, 416/238, 416/243, 416/223.R, 416/DIG.2, 416/198.R, 416/200.R, 415/119, 415/121.2, 415/211.2, 415/222, 415/208.1, 415/220, 417/354, 417/353, 417/423.15, 417/312, 417/423.9, 353/57, 353/58, 353/60, 353/61, 362/294
• US Class Current: 415/121.2
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/327 with non identical blades
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/544 Blade shapes
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/666 by means of rotor construction or layout, e.g. unequal distribution of blades or vanes
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/703 specially for fans, e.g. fan guards
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/16 Cooling; Preventing overheating

Abstract

An axial-flow fan has a plurality of main fins (702), and auxiliary fins (703) provided between the main fins (702), where the position of a front end of the auxiliary fin (703) relative to X axis and the position of a front end of the main fin (702) adjoining the auxiliary fin in reverse-rotary direction are aligned, the height of the auxiliary fin (703) is approximately three fourths of the height of the main fin (702), and the cross sections of the main fin (702) and the auxiliary fin (703) taken along the axial direction of the main shaft are streamlined.

Claims

1. An axial-flow fan, comprising:

a main shaft;

a plurality of main fins provided on the outer circumference of the main shaft, the main fins being inclined relative to an axial direction of the main shaft, where a front end in a rotary direction of the main fins is located on an intake side and a rear end in the rotary direction of the main fins is located on an exhaust side when the axial-flow fan transfers air; and

an auxiliary fin provided between mutually adjoining main fins,

wherein the height of the auxiliary fin from the front end to the rear end in the rotary direction of the auxiliary fin along the axial direction of the main shaft is not less than half and not more than four fifths of the height of the main fins from the front end to the rear end of the main fins in the rotary direction along the axial direction of the main shaft, and

wherein, when the main fins are arranged by a pitch W, the front end in the rotary direction of the auxiliary fin is located within −

⅛

×

W to +⅛

×

W along the rotary direction from the front end in the rotary direction of the main fins adjoining in a reverse rotary direction.

2. The axial-flow fan according to claim 1, wherein the rear end in the rotary direction of the auxiliary fin is spaced apart from the rear end in the rotary direction of the main fins adjoining in the reverse rotary direction by ½

×

W in the rotary direction.

3. The axial-flow fan according to claim 1, wherein, when an attachment angle of the auxiliary fin relative to the main shaft is θ

₂ and an attachment angle of the main fins relative to the main shaft is θ

₁, the maximum of θ

₂ is represented as θ

₂=θ

₁+5°

.

4. The axial-flow fan according to claim 1,

wherein the cross section of the main fins along the axial direction of the main shaft is one of streamlined and approximately streamlined, and

wherein the cross section of the auxiliary fin is one of similar and approximately similar to the main fins.

5. The axial-flow fan according to claim 1, wherein the thickness of the cross section of the auxiliary fin taken along the axial direction of the main shaft is not more than the thickness of the cross section of the main fins taken along the axial direction of the main shaft.

6. The axial-flow fan according to claim 1, wherein one of the main fins is arranged to be superposed on the adjoining main fin when being seen from the exhaust side.

7. The axial-flow fan according to claim 1, wherein a mirrored surface is formed on a positive pressure side and a negative pressure side of the main fins.

8. The axial-flow fan according to claim 1, further comprising:

a motor that drives the main shaft;

a cylindrical frame that accommodates the main shaft, the main fins, the auxiliary fin and the motor, the frame having openings on the intake side and the exhaust side; and

a spoke extending from an edge of the opening on the exhaust side of the frame approximately to a center of the opening to hold the motor,

wherein the spoke works as a guide fin in discharging air transferred by the main fins toward the outside of the frame.

9. The axial-flow fan according to claim 8, wherein the spoke is curved in a direction opposite to the rotary direction of the main fins, and has a curved surface adapted to scoop up the air transferred by the main fins.

10. The axial-flow fan according to claim 8, wherein the frame is made of one of a metal and a resin having high thermal conductivity.

11. The axial-flow fan according to claim 1, further comprising:

a frame that accommodates the main shaft, the main fins, the auxiliary fin and a motor for driving the main shaft, the frame having openings on the intake side and an exhaust side; and

a straightening plate having a tapered configuration of which a diameter of the plate becomes greater toward a direction opposite to a direction for transferring the air.

12. The axial-flow fan according to claim 1, further comprising:

a frame that accommodates the main shaft, the main fins, the auxiliary fin and a motor for driving the main shaft, the frame having openings on the intake side and an exhaust side; and

a filter attached on the frame to cover the opening on the intake side.

13. The axial-flow fan according to claim 12, wherein the opening of the filter has one of a polygonal and a circular profile, and

wherein the thickness of the filter is not less than 0.1 mm and not more than 5 mm.

14. The axial-flow fan according to claim 13, wherein a diameter of the opening of the filter is not less than 0.3 mm and not more than 3 mm, and

wherein an opening ratio of the filter is not less than 70% and not more than 90%.

15. The axial-flow fan according to claim 12, wherein a predetermined gap is secured between the filter and the opening of the frame.

16. The axial-flow fan according to claim 1, further comprising:

a frame that accommodates the main shaft, the main fins, the auxiliary fin and a motor for driving the main shaft, the frame having openings on the intake side and an exhaust side; and

a cylindrical cover having a louver attached thereto, the cover being provided on the exhaust side of the frame,

wherein the louver includes a plurality of louver components extending from the center of the cover to the periphery thereof, the louver components working as a guide fin in discharging air transferred by the main fins toward the outside of the frame.

17. The axial-flow fan according to claim 16, wherein the louver component is inclined in a direction opposite to the inclination of the main fins.

18. The axial-flow fan according to claim 1, further comprising:

a frame that accommodates the main shaft, the main fins, the auxiliary fin and a motor for driving the main fins, the frame having openings on the intake side and an exhaust side; and

a cylindrical cover having a louver attached thereinside, the cover being provided on the exhaust side of the frame,

wherein the louver includes a plurality of louver components disposed approximately in parallel, and

wherein the space between the adjoining louver components where light-shielding surfaces of the louver components are approximately orthogonal to the inclination of the main fins is broader than the space between the louver components where the light-shielding surfaces are approximately parallel to the inclination of the main fins.

19. The axial-flow fan according to claim 16, wherein a predetermined gap is secured between the louver and the opening of the frame on the exhaust side.

20. A projector, comprising:

an optical system including an optical modulator that modulates a light beam irradiated by a light source in accordance with image information to project the light beam in an enlarged manner to form a projection image, and a fan for circulating an air,

wherein the fan is the axial-flow fan according to claim 1.

21. The projector according to claim 20, wherein the rear end in the rotary direction of the auxiliary fin is spaced apart from the rear end in the rotary direction of the main fins adjoining in the reverse rotary direction by 1/2×

W in the rotary direction.

22. The projector according to claim 20, wherein, when an attachment angle of the auxiliary fin relative to the main shaft is θ

₂ and an attachment angle of the main fins relative to the main shaft is θ

₁ , the maximum of θ

₂ is represented as θ

₂=θ

₁+5°

.

23. The projector according to claim 20,

wherein the cross section of the main shaft is one of streamlined and approximately streamlined, and

wherein the cross section of the auxiliary fin is one of similar and approximately similar to the main fins.

24. The projector according to claim 20, wherein the thickness of the cross section of the auxiliary fin taken along the axial direction of the main shaft is not more than the thickness of the cross section of the main fins taken along the axial direction of the main shaft.

25. The projector according to claim 20, wherein one of the main fins is arranged to be superposed on the adjoining main fins when being seen from the exhaust side.

26. The projector according to claim 20, wherein a mirrored surface is formed on a positive pressure side and a negative pressure side of the main fins.

27. The projector according to claim 20, further comprising:

a motor that drives the main shaft;

a cylindrical frame that accommodates the main shaft, the main fins, the auxiliary fin and the motor, the frame having openings on the intake side and the exhaust side; and

a spoke extending from an edge of the opening on the exhaust side of the frame approximately to a center of the opening to hold the motor,

wherein the spoke works as a guide fin in discharging air transferred by the main fins toward the outside of the frame.

28. The projector according to claim 27, wherein the spoke is curved in a direction opposite to the rotary direction of the main fins, and has a curved surface adapted to surface adapted to scoop up the air transferred by the main fins.

29. The projector to claim 27, wherein the frame is made of one of a metal and a resin having high thermal conductivity.

30. The projector to claim 20, further comprising:

a frame that accommodates the main shaft, the main fins, the auxiliary fin and a motor for driving the main shaft, the frame having openings on the intake side and an exhaust side; and

a straightening plate having a tapered configuration of which a diameter of the plate becomes greater toward a direction opposite to a direction for transferring the air.

31. The projector according to claim 20, further comprising:

a frame that accommodates the main shaft, the main fins, the auxiliary fin and a motor for driving the main shaft, the frame having openings on the intake side and an exhaust side; and

a filter attached on the frame to cover the opening on the intake side.

32. The projector according to claim 31, wherein the opening of the filter has one of a polygonal and a circular profile, and

wherein the thickness of the filter is not less than 0.1 mm and not more than 5 mm.

33. The projector according to claim 32, wherein a diameter of the opening of the filter is not less than 0.3 mm and not more than 3 mm, and

wherein an opening ratio of the filter is not less than 70% and not more than 90%.

34. The projector according to claim 31, wherein a predetermined gap is secured between the filter and the opening of the frame.

35. The projector according to claim 20, further comprising:

a frame that accommodates the main shaft, the main fins, the auxiliary fin and a motor for driving the main shaft, the frame having openings on the intake side and an exhaust side; and

a cylindrical cover having a louver attached thereto, the cover being provided on the exhaust side of the frame,

wherein the louver includes a plurality of louver components extending from the center of the cover to the periphery thereof, the louver components working as a guide fin in discharging air transferred by the main fins toward the outside of the frame.

36. The projector according to claim 35, wherein the louver component is inclined in a direction opposite to the inclination of the main fins.

37. The projector according to claim 20, further comprising:

a frame that accommodates the main shaft, the main fins the auxiliary fin and a motor for driving the main fins, the frame having openings on the intake side and an exhaust side; and

a cylindrical cover having a louver attached thereinside, the cover being provided on the exhaust side of the frame,

wherein the louvr includes a plurality of louver components disposed approximately in parallel, and

wherein the space between the adjoining louver components where light-shielding surfaces of the louver components are approximately orthogonal to the inclination of the main fins is broader than the space between the louver components where the light-shielding surfaces are approximately parallel to the inclination of the main fins.

38. The projector according to claim 35, wherein a predetermined gap is secured between the louver and the opening of the frame on the exhaust side.