Centrifugal-Fan Impeller, and Method of Its Manufacture
First Claim
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1. A centrifugal-fan impeller comprising:
- a plurality of vanes each parallel to a center axis and arrayed encompassing the center axis so that the vane outer radius 2r is no more than 25 mm and so as to be spaced apart at a predetermined pitch, said vanes being of less than 7.0 mm maximum thickness, and of length fL satisfying 2≦
fL/r≦
20 and exceeding 40 times said maximum thickness; and
an approximately round cylindrical reinforcing ring linking one end of said plurality of vanes, said reinforcing ring having a diametrical thickness of from ½
to 3 times said maximum thickness of each of said plurality of vanes, and as measured along the center axis, having a length at least 2 times the pitch of said plurality of vanes;
wherein said plurality of vanes and said reinforcing ring linking the vanes at one end are formed unitarily by injection molding.
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Abstract
A tiny-diameter, lengthwise extensive impeller utilized in an ultra-small centrifugal fan is molded by an injection molding operation. In order to avert difficulties attendant on injection-molding ultra-miniature parts, the thickness and length of a reinforcing ring on the tip of the impeller are set to within predetermined ranges. Further, the thickness of each of the vanes that constitute the impeller is made maximum where they join to the impeller ring section.
10 Citations
13 Claims
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1. A centrifugal-fan impeller comprising:
a plurality of vanes each parallel to a center axis and arrayed encompassing the center axis so that the vane outer radius 2r is no more than 25 mm and so as to be spaced apart at a predetermined pitch, said vanes being of less than 7.0 mm maximum thickness, and of length fL satisfying 2≦
fL/r≦
20 and exceeding 40 times said maximum thickness; and
an approximately round cylindrical reinforcing ring linking one end of said plurality of vanes, said reinforcing ring having a diametrical thickness of from ½
to 3 times said maximum thickness of each of said plurality of vanes, and as measured along the center axis, having a length at least 2 times the pitch of said plurality of vanes;
wherein said plurality of vanes and said reinforcing ring linking the vanes at one end are formed unitarily by injection molding.- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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4. A centrifugal-fan impeller comprising:
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a plurality of vanes each parallel to a center axis and arrayed encompassing the center axis so that the vane outer radius 2r is no more than 25 mm, said vanes being of less than 7.0 mm maximum thickness, and of length fL satisfying 2≦
fL/r≦
20 and exceeding 40 times said maximum thickness, and being formed by injecting into a mold and molding thermotropic liquid-crystal polymer in a fluid state; and
an approximately round cylindrical reinforcing ring linking one end of said plurality of vanes, said reinforcing ring being integrally cohered with said vanes by setting a ring element within the mold in advance of molding said plurality of vanes.
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Specification