Electric fan with sealing lid

• US 7,674,094 B2
• Filed: 09/12/2006
• Issued: 03/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Foxconn Technology Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Foxconn Technology Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Lee, Hsieh-Kun, Yeh, Chin-Wen, Ku, Chin-Long
• Primary Examiner(s): VERDIER, CHRISTOPHER M
• Application Number:
  US11/309,687
• Publication Number:
  US 20080063527A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,274 Days
• Field of Search: 415111-113, 415/175, 415/220, 415/222, 415/223, 415229-231, 416/174, 310/67.R, 310/90, 417/423.12, 417/423.13, 384/100, 384/107, 384/121, 384/249, 384/903
• US Class Current: 416/174
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 25/062 Details of the bearings
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 25/0626 Details of the lubrication
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/646 Mounting or removal of fans
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 384/903 Retaining ring

Abstract

An electric fan includes a fan base (10), a bearing (40) and a rotor assembly (20). The fan base forms a central tube (11) receiving the bearing therein. The rotor assembly includes a fan hub (22), and a pivot axle (23) joined to the fan hub. The pivot axle pivotably extends into the bearing. A sealing lid (60) is screwedly mounted on a bottom opening of the central tube to prevent lubricant oil contained in the central tube from leaking. The sealing lid abuts against a bottom of the bearing to prevent the bearing from deflection.

Claims

1. An electric fan comprising:

a fan base comprising a central tube;

a bearing received in the central tube;

a rotor assembly comprising a fan hub, and a pivot axle joined to the fan hub and pivotably extending through the bearing; and

a sealing lid screwedly mounted on a bottom opening of the central tube to prevent lubricant oil contained in a bottom of the central tube from leaking, the sealing lid abutting against a bottom of the bearing to support the bearing in position;

wherein the sealing lid comprises a plurality of protruding blocks extending upwardly from a top of the sealing lid, the protruding blocks abutting against the bottom of the bearing.

2. The electric fan of claim 1, wherein the sealing lid has a cylindrical configuration.

3. The electric fan of claim 2, wherein an inner surface of the bottom opening of the central tube corresponding to the sealing lid forms a plurality of internal threads.

4. The electric fan of claim 3, wherein a plurality of external threads are formed on an outer circumferential surface of the sealing lid for engaging the internal threads of the central tube of the fan base.

5. The electric fan of claim 1, wherein a bottom of the sealing lid defines two perpendicularly intersecting slots for receiving a screwdriver to facilitate assembly of the sealing lid to the central tube.

6. The electric fan of claim 1, wherein a step is formed at an inner side of each protruding block.

7. The electric fan of claim 6, wherein first and second locking rings are located at two opposing ends of the bearing for preventing the rotor assembly from escaping from the bearing when the fan is operated.

8. The electric fan of claim 7, wherein the first locking ring is located at an upper portion of the pivot axle and the second locking ring is located at a lower portion of the pivot axle.

9. The electric fan of claim 7, wherein the second locking ring is sandwiched between the bottom of the bearing and the steps of the protruding blocks.

10. The electric fan of claim 8, wherein the sealing lid defines an inner space at an upper portion thereof for accommodating a bottom end of the pivot axle in the sealing lid.

11. The electric fan of claim 7, wherein the central tube comprises a periphery wall and a baffle element bent from a top end of the periphery wall, and the baffle element engages with upper protrusions of the bearing.

12. The electric fan of claim 10, wherein the baffle element comprises a connecting portion extending perpendicularly and inwardly from the top of the periphery wall of the central tube and a leg extending downwardly from an inner end of the connecting portion.

13. The electric fan of claim 12, wherein the first locking ring is sandwiched between a top of the bearing and a bottom of the leg of the baffle element.

14. The electric fan of claim 13, wherein the upper protrusions of the bearing engage with a bottom of the connecting portion of the baffle element.

15. The electric fan of claim 1, wherein a plurality of evenly spaced bulwarks are circumferentially formed on an outer wall of the bearing for abutting against an inner surface of the central tube.

16. An electric fan comprising:

a fan base forming a central tube;

a stator assembly mounted around the central tube;

a rotor assembly having a hub, a plurality of blades extending radially outwardly from the hub, and a pivot axle extending downwardly from the hub;

a bearing received in the central tube wherein the pivot axle rotatably fitting through the bearing; and

a sealing lid secured to a bottom end of the central tube to seal a bottom opening of the central tube;

wherein the sealing lid comprises a plurality of protruding blocks extending upwardly from a top of the sealing lid, the protruding blocks abutting against a bottom of the bearing.

17. The electric fan of claim 16, wherein the sealing lid is screwed to the bottom end of the central tube.