BLOWER

Abstract

 [Object]
To achieve a blower that can reduce noise, improve the blowing efficiency, reduce the size, and drain water favorably.
[Solution]
A blower is configured to include a housing 10, an impeller 20 including a cone 22 connecting one ends 21a of blades 21 disposed cylindrically, the cone 22 being formed in a convex shape inside the blades 21, the convex shape having a height lower than the blades 21, the impeller being positioned inside the housing 10, an impeller mounting hole 130 of the housing, the impeller mounting hole 130 being provided close to the one ends 21a of the blades 21, an air suction hole 120 provided close to the other ends 21b of the blades 21, a discharge flow passage 110 formed between the housing 10 and the impeller 20, a motor 30 provided close to the one ends 21a of the blades 21, the motor 30 having a rotary driving shaft connected to the center 222 of the cone 22, a motor flange 40 for fixing the motor 30 to the impeller mounting hole 130, and an internal space partitioning member 50 present between the motor flange 40 and the impeller 20.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a blower used in an air conditioning device (for example, in-vehicle air conditioning device) or the like.

Background Art

[0002] An in-vehicle air conditioning device performs air conditioning in a vehicle by cooling outside air or the like taken in by a blower using an evaporator or by heating outside air or the like using a heater to generate cold air or hot air having an appropriate temperature. An in-vehicle air conditioning device needs to have high blowing efficiency, a smaller size, and reduced noise to make the cabin of a vehicle comfortable, for example.

[0003] As illustrated in Fig. 9, the blower disclosed in PTL 1 has an impeller (centrifugal fan) 1 that blows air taken in along the direction of the rotary driving shaft radially outward, a motor 2 that rotates and drives the impeller 1, and a scroll casing 3 that houses the impeller 1 and forms a spiral discharge flow passage 4 around the impeller 1. The impeller 1 has a bottom wall (referred to below as a cone) 1a formed in a cone projecting to the suction side, a rotary driving shaft 2a of the motor 2 is connected to the tip of the cone 1a, and an internal space 5 is formed between the cone 1a and a fixation part 2b supporting the motor 2.

[0004] In the blower described above, the air sucked from the suction side of the impeller 1 flows into the discharge flow passage 4 as two conduction direction components including the rotation direction (dashed line arrows fh in Fig. 9) of the impeller 1 and the radial direction (dashed line arrows fr in Fig. 9) along the convex part of the cone 1a.

[0005] A part of air circulation having flowed to the discharge flow passage 4 flows to the internal space 5 (dashed line arrows ft in Fig. 9) through a clearance 6 between a bottom 1b (motor side) of the impeller and the fixation part 2b supporting the motor 2. The air having flowed to the internal space 5 becomes turbulent in the vicinity of the bottom 1b of the impeller and causes wind noise (noise). In addition, when the air flows to the internal space 5 having a volume larger than the vicinity of the clearance 6, the air flow becomes turbulent and causes wind noise again due to changes in the flow rate caused by changes in the volume or the like.

[0006] In order to suppress the occurrence of such wind noise, the blower disclosed in PTL 1 is provided with an annual rib 7 slightly projecting to the portion of the impeller 1 in the vicinity of the side of the motor in the discharge flow passage 4 so as to prevent air from flowing to the internal space 5 from the discharge flow passage 4 by increasing the air-flow resistance in the radial direction in the vicinity of the clearance 6.

[0007] However, the outside air sucked by the blower may include water resulting from rain or the like. Such water is blown to the discharge flow passage 4 by the impeller 1 together with air and a part thereof is attached to the inner peripheral side (peripheral surface close to the motor 2) of the annual rib 7, possibly entering the motor 2.

[0008] Accordingly, the blower has a notch 7a in the annual rib 7 located near, for example, an air outlet 4a of the discharge flow passage 4, passes the water attached to the inner peripheral side of the annual rib 7 to the notch 7a by the rotary component of air circulation, and blows the water to the air outlet 4a, thereby preventing water from flowing toward the motor 2.

Citation List

Patent Literature

[0009] PTL 1: JP-A-2004-068741

Summary of Invention

Technical Problem

[0010] However, the notch of the annular rib formed in the discharge flow passage makes air circulation in the discharge flow passage turbulent and may cause wind noise. In addition, since the cone reduces the internal space of the impeller, the cone increases the air-flow resistance in the impeller, possibly leading to reduction in the blowing efficiency.

[0011] To prevent the occurrence of wind noise and reduction in the blowing efficiency, it is only necessary to increase the amount of blown air by increasing the size of the impeller and reduce the number of revolutions. However, increase in the size of the impeller runs counter to reduction in the size of in-vehicle air conditioning device. Accordingly, an object of the invention is to provide a blower that can have a smaller size while reducing noise and improving the blowing efficiency and can favorably drain water without using an annular rib that may cause wind noise.

Solution to Problem

[0012] To solve the above problem, a blower (first aspect) according to the invention includes an impeller having a cone connecting one ends of a plurality of blades disposed cylindrically, the cone being formed in a convex shape inside the plurality of blades, the convex shape having a height lower than the plurality of blades, a housing in which the impeller is housed, and a motor having a rotary driving shaft connected to the center of the cone. The housing includes an impeller mounting hole in which the motor is mounted, an air suction hole through which the impeller sucks air, and a discharge flow passage through which air is blown to an air conditioning device.

[0013] The blower further includes a motor flange for fixing the motor to the impeller mounting hole and an internal space partitioning member present between the motor flange and the impeller. This internal space partitioning member divides the internal space between the motor flange and the impeller into a motor flange side internal space and an impeller lower space.

[0014] Since the internal space partitioning member having an area larger than the area defined by the diameter of the impeller is also present between the motor flange and the discharge flow passage, the internal space partitioning member also separates the discharge flow passage from the motor flange side internal space (second aspect).

[0015] An edge of the internal space partitioning member and an impeller mounting hole edge of the housing can be formed as a substantially continuous surface by disposing the edge of the internal space partitioning member close to the impeller mounting hole edge (third aspect). This can suppress the occurrence of wind noise by eliminating the step between the edge of the internal space partitioning member and the impeller mounting hole edge and can prevent water from entering the impeller lower space by smoothly introducing the water blown from the impeller to the discharge flow passage.

[0016] When the impeller mounting hole peripheral wall extends from the impeller mounting hole edge and the partitioning member peripheral wall extends from the edge of the internal space partitioning member, by appropriately setting the heights of the impeller mounting hole peripheral wall and the partitioning member peripheral wall, the internal space partitioning member and the impeller mounting hole edge can be positioned without a step to form a substantially continuous plane (fourth aspect).

[0017] The blowing efficiency can be improved by causing the cone to have a height equal to or less than half the height of the plurality of blades (fifth aspect).

[0018] One ends (one end of the impeller) of the blades are rotated to form an annular surface. The region (partitioning member blade facing region) of the internal space partitioning member facing this annular surface may be substantially parallel to the annular surface (sixth aspect) . When the part between the internal space partitioning member and the impeller is formed in this way, wind noise caused in the space between the internal space partitioning member and the impeller can be reduced. Of course, wind noise can be further reduced by narrowing the space between the internal space partitioning member and the impeller.

[0019] When the internal space partitioning member has, in a region inside the partitioning member blade facing region, a partitioning member convex portion projecting toward the cone and having a motor mounting hole in which the other end of the motor or the rotary driving shaft is disposed (sixth aspect), the impeller lower space can be narrowed, wind noise can be further reduced, and water can be prevented from entering the impeller lower space.

[0020] When the partitioning member convex portion of the internal space partitioning member further has, on a convex surface thereof, a water droplet trap formed in a convex shape, the water droplet trap surrounding the motor mounting hole continuously or discontinuously, even if water enters the impeller lower space, it is possible to prevent the water from reaching the motor mounting hole, that is, the water from reaching the motor (seventh aspect).

[0021] When the internal space partitioning member further includes a drain ditch through which water (water droplets attached to the part of the internal space partitioning member close to the impeller) having entered the impeller lower space is drained, it is possible to more favorably prevent the water from reaching the motor (eighth aspect) . When the drain ditch has one end positioned close to the motor and the other end more remote from the motor than the one end, the water can be drained more favorably (ninth aspect).

[0022] The motor flange may have a motor flange water drain hole closer to the motor than the partitioning member peripheral wall (tenth aspect). Although the water having entered the impeller lower space is drained to the outside of the blower via the drain path leading to the outside (the part away from the motor) of impeller mounting hole peripheral wall from the drain ditch, a part of water may enter the motor flange side internal space. Since the motor flange has a motor flange water drain hole, even if water enters the motor flange side internal space, the water can be drained to the outside of the blower immediately and favorably.

Advantageous Effects of Invention

[0023] Since the blower according to the invention having the above structure can reduce wind noise without increasing the size of the impeller and reducing the number of revolutions, it is possible to reduce the noise, improve the blowing efficiency, and reduce the size in the blower. In addition, since the blower according to the invention can favorably drain water without using ribs in the discharge flow passage, it is possible to reduce noise and favorably drain water in the blower.

Brief Description of Drawings

[0024] 

[Fig. 1] Fig. 1 is a cross sectional view illustrating the schematic structure of a blower according to the invention.

[Fig. 2] Fig. 2 (a) is a plan view illustrating the schematic structure of an impeller included in the blower in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2(b) is a cross sectional view illustrating the schematic structure of the impeller.

[Fig. 3] Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view illustrating the schematic structure of a housing, a discharge flow passage, and the like of the blower in Fig. 1.

[Fig. 4] Fig. 4 is a perspective view illustrating the schematic structure of a motor flange included in the blower in Fig. 1.

[Fig. 5] Fig. 5 is a perspective view illustrating the schematic structure of an internal space partitioning member included in the blower in Fig. 1.

[Fig. 6] Fig. 6 is a perspective view illustrating the schematic structure of a drain ditch and the like of the internal space partitioning member in Fig. 5.

[Fig. 7] Fig. 7 illustrates, for example, the procedure for mounting the housing, the impeller, the motor, and the motor flange in the blower in Fig. 1.

[Fig. 8] Fig. 8 is a cross sectional view illustrating the schematic structure for describing an air flow and the like in the blower in Fig. 1.

[Fig. 9] Fig. 9 is a perspective sectional view illustrating the schematic structure of a conventional blower.

Description of Embodiments

[0025] A blower according to an embodiment of the invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

<Schematic structure of the entire blower>

[0026] As illustrated in Fig. 1, a blower 1A according to the invention includes a housing 10, an impeller 20 housed in or mounted to the housing 10, a motor 30, a motor flange 40, and an internal space partitioning member 50. The impeller 20 rotated and driven by the motor 30 mounted to the motor flange 40 is positioned inside a peripheral wall 101 of the housing 10 and a discharge flow passage 110 is formed between the peripheral wall 101 of the housing 10 and the impeller 20. In addition, the internal space partitioning member 50 is present between the motor flange 40 and the impeller 20.

<Impeller>

[0027] As illustrated in Figs. 2(a) and 2(b), the impeller 20 is formed by disposing a plurality of blades 21 cylindrically, connecting one ends 21a (close to a bottom 201 of impeller 20) of the blades 21 via a cone 22 disposed inside the blades 21, and connecting the other ends 21b (close to an opening 202 of the impeller 20) of the blades 21 via an annular coupling plate 23. The cone 22 is substantially conical and a bottom peripheral edge 221 thereof is connected to the one ends 21a of the blades 21. A tip 222 of the cone 22 is positioned in the center axis of the impeller 20 and the tip 22 is provided with a coupling hole 223 into which a rotary driving shaft 310 of the motor 30 is inserted.

[0028] In the impeller 20 having the above structure, an in-impeller flow passage 24 defined by the opening 202, a plurality of the blades 21, and the cone 22 is formed. When the height of the cone 22 is substantially equal to or less than half the height of the blades 21 in the blower 1A, the air-flow resistance of the part of the in-impeller flow passage 24 close to the opening 202 can be reduced and changes in the volume of the part of the in-impeller flow passage 24 close to the opening 202 can be substantially zero. The substantially conical cone 22 that is positioned close to the bottom 201 of the impeller 20 changes the conduction direction of air sucked from the opening 202 to the direction toward the blades 21.

<Housing>

[0029] The housing 10, which houses the impeller 20 substantially at the center thereof, has an air suction hole 120 facing the opening 202 of the impeller 20 housed therein and an impeller mounting hole 130 in a position opposed to the air suction hole 120 (Fig. 1). The air suction hole 120 and the impeller mounting hole 130 are typically circular. The impeller mounting hole 130 is wide enough for the impeller 20 to pass through it and has an impeller mounting hole peripheral wall 131 extending away from the discharge flow passage 110. The end of the impeller mounting hole peripheral wall 131 is a mounting hole peripheral wall end 131a.

[0030] As illustrated in Fig. 3, the discharge flow passage 110 is a substantially one-circuit flow passage that is gradually widened from a discharge flow passage start part 101a to an air outlet 111 (the spacing between the impeller 20 and the peripheral wall 101 of the housing 10 is widened toward the air outlet 111).

<Motor flange>

[0031] Fig. 4 is a perspective view illustrating the schematic structure of the motor flange 40. The motor flange 40 includes a flange plate part 410 having substantially the same shape (but, slightly larger than the impeller mounting hole 130) as the impeller mounting hole 130 in plan view, a motor holding part 420 for holding the motor 30, and a motor cooling air path 430 through which cooling air from the motor 30 passes.

[0032] A flange mounting groove 411 is provided in the circumferential edge of the flange plate part 410. The flange mounting groove 411 is formed as a concave portion in an upper surface 410a and formed as a convex portion in a lower surface 410b of the flange plate part 410 (see also Fig. 7 for the flange mounting groove 411).

[0033] As illustrated in Figs. 1 and 7, the motor holding part 420 formed in a substantially cylindrical shape extends orthogonally to the flange plate part 410 at the center of the flange plate part 410. Since the part of the motor holding part 420 close to the lower surface 410b of the flange plate part 410 is longer, the height of the motor 30 with respect to the flange plate part 410 when the motor 30 is installed can be reduced (the motor 30 can be mounted to the impeller 20 having the cone 22 with a smaller height).

[0034] The lower end (the end of the flange plate part 410 close to the lower surface 410b) of the motor holding part 420 is provided with a holding bottom part 421 substantially parallel to the flange plate part 410 and the holding bottom part 421 defines the position of the motor 30 with respect to the motor holding part 420. It should be noted that a substantially circular hole is formed at the center of the holding bottom part 421.

<Internal space partitioning member>

[0035] Fig. 5 is a perspective view illustrating the schematic structure of the internal space partitioning member 50. The internal space partitioning member 50 includes a partitioning plate part 510 having a shape (for example, substantially discoid) slightly smaller than the impeller mounting hole 130, a partitioning member convex portion 520 covering a motor head 302, and a partitioning member peripheral wall 530.

[0036] The partitioning member peripheral wall 530 extends substantially annularly from an edge 510c (edge of the internal space partitioning member) of the partitioning plate part 510 in a direction opposite to the partitioning member convex portion 520. The edge of the partitioning member peripheral wall 530 is a partitioning member peripheral wall edge 530a (see Fig. 7).

[0037] The center of an upper surface 510a of the partitioning plate part 510 is provided with the partitioning member convex portion 520 formed in a substantially hemispherical shape having a diameter smaller than that of the cone 22 and the center of the partitioning member convex portion 520 is provided with a motor mounting hole 521. The partitioning member convex portion 520 has two water droplet traps 522 extending from an upper surface 520a thereof substantially in parallel to the partitioning plate part 510.

[0038] The water droplet traps 522 are formed in continuous circles on the upper surface 520a of the partitioning member convex portion 520 and are present between the upper surface 520a of the partitioning member convex portion 520 and the motor mounting hole 521. When the two or more water droplet traps 522 are present, even if the water droplet traps 522 are formed discontinuously, one of the water droplet traps 522 only needs to be present between the upper surface 520a of the partitioning member convex portion 520 and the motor mounting hole 521 in any radial direction from the center of the motor mounting hole 521.

[0039] In the blower 1A, the partitioning member peripheral wall 530 has a drain ditch 540 to drain the water flowing through the discharge flow passage 110 to the outside (Fig. 5 and Fig. 6). The drain ditch 540 is substantially U-shaped in plan view in the internal space partitioning member 50 and one end 540a thereof is formed in the part close to the partitioning member convex portion 520 and the other end 540b thereof is formed so as to partially cut the edge 510c of the partitioning plate part 510 and the partitioning member peripheral wall 530.

[0040] The drain ditch 540 excluding the other end 540b has a drain ditch wall 541 with the same height as the partitioning member peripheral wall 530. Accordingly, when the internal space partitioning member 50 is mounted to the motor flange 40, the drain ditch wall 541 of the drain ditch 540 makes contact with the motor flange 40 and the drain ditch 540 becomes a drain ditch with the partitioning plate part 510 and the other end 540b opened.

[0041] In addition, the drain ditch 540 may have a gutter 542 formed in a concave shape from the upper surface 510a of the partitioning plate part 510. As illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6, the gutter 542 is formed in an isosceles triangle in plan view, the bottom thereof is continuously connected to one end 540a of the drain ditch 540, and the tip thereof is positioned toward the center of the partitioning member convex portion 520, and the depth thereof increases from the partitioning member convex portion 520 toward the drain ditch 540.

<Mounting of the impeller and the motor to the housing>

[0042] Fig. 7 illustrates the procedure of mounting the housing 10, the impeller 20, the motor 30, and the motor flange 40. When the impeller 20, the motor 30, and the like are mounted to the housing 10, the motor 30 is first mounted to the motor flange 40, the internal space partitioning member 50 is next mounted to the motor flange 40, the impeller 20 is mounted to the rotary driving shaft 310 of the motor 30, and the impeller 20, the motor 30, the internal space partitioning member 50, and the motor flange 40 are mounted to the impeller mounting hole 130 of the housing 10.

[0043] When the motor 30 is mounted to the motor flange 40, a motor main unit 301 of the motor 30 is inserted into the motor holding part 420 and a bottom surface 301a of the motor 30 is brought into contact with the holding bottom part 421 of the motor holding part 420.

[0044] The internal space partitioning member 50 is mounted to the motor flange 40 so that a lower surface 510b of the partitioning plate part 510 of the internal space partitioning member 50 is opposite to the flange plate part 410 and the motor head 302 is covered with the partitioning member convex portion 520.

[0045] When mounting is performed as described above, the partitioning member convex portion 520 of the internal space partitioning member 50 makes substantially close contact with the motor head 302 and the partitioning member peripheral wall 530 of the internal space partitioning member 50 is positioned slightly closer to the motor 30 than the flange mounting groove 411 of the motor flange 40. As illustrated in Fig. 1, a motor flange side internal space 440 having been substantially closed is formed between the motor flange 40 and the internal space partitioning member 50.

[0046] In addition, the rotary driving shaft 310 of the motor 30 is inserted into the coupling hole 223 provided at the tip 222 of the cone 22 of the impeller 20 (see Fig. 7). An impeller positioning part (not illustrated) is formed on the rotary driving shaft 310 and this impeller positioning part defines the positional relationship between the rotary driving shaft 310 and the impeller 20, thereby defining the spacing between the one ends 21a of the blades 21 of the impeller 20 and the partitioning plate part 510 of the internal space partitioning member 50.

[0047] The one ends 21a of the blades 21 are rotated to form an annular surface 211 (see Fig. 7). The region of the upper surface 510a of the partitioning plate part 510 of the internal space partitioning member 50 facing this annular surface 211 is a partitioning member blade facing region 511.

[0048] When the impeller 20, the motor 30, the motor flange 40, and the internal space partitioning member 50 are mounted to the impeller mounting hole 130 of the housing 10, the impeller 20 is passed through the impeller mounting hole 130 and the mounting hole peripheral wall end 131a of the impeller mounting hole peripheral wall 131 of the housing 10 is inserted into a recessed section 411a of the flange mounting groove 411 of the motor flange 40.

[0049] At this time, the clearance between the partitioning member peripheral wall 530 of the internal space partitioning member 50 and the impeller mounting hole peripheral wall 131 is preferably minimized. In addition, the blower 1A can position the edge 510c of the partitioning plate part 510 of the internal space partitioning member 50 and a base 131c (impeller mounting hole edge) of the impeller mounting hole peripheral wall 131 with substantially no step as illustrated in Fig. 8 by appropriately setting the length of the partitioning member peripheral wall 530 with respect to the impeller mounting hole peripheral wall 131. A substantially continuous plane is preferably formed between the partitioning plate part 510 and the impeller mounting hole 130 of the housing 10 in this way.

[0050] Upon completion of the above mounting, the impeller 20 is positioned in the housing 10 as illustrated in Fig. 1 and the discharge flow passage 110 is formed around the impeller 20. At this time, the internal space partitioning member 50 divides the internal space of the housing 10 defined by the housing 10 and the motor flange 40 into the space close to the discharge flow passage 110 and the motor flange side internal space 440.

[0051] The spaces close to the discharge flow passage 110 are the discharge flow passage 110, the in-impeller flow passage 24, and an impeller lower space 210 formed between the internal space partitioning member 50 and the impeller 20. Accordingly, when the diameter of the internal space partitioning member 50 is larger than that of the impeller 20, the internal space partitioning member 50 is also present between the motor flange side internal space 440 and the discharge flow passage 110.

<Blowing by the impeller, reduction in noise, etc.>

[0052] As illustrated in Fig. 8, the blower 1A sucks outside air from the air suction hole 120 using a negative pressure generated in the part of the impeller 20 close to the opening 202 rotated and driven by the motor 30, passes the sucked air through the in-impeller flow passage 24 as an air flow Fa, changes the conduction direction toward the blades 21 via the cone 22, and blows the air as an air flow Fb to the flow passage 110.

[0053] In the blower 1A, the height of the cone 22 is substantially equal to or less than half the height of the blades 21. Accordingly, in the part (the region from the opening 202 of the impeller 20 to the tip 222 of the cone 22) of the in-impeller flow passage 24 close to the opening 202, changes in the volume in the shaft direction are substantially zero, the air-flow resistance is low (the blowing efficiency is high), and conduction of the air flow Fa does not become turbulent easily (noise generation is low).

[0054] The air flow Fb moves to a discharge flow passage 11 in the state in which the speed in the shaft direction of the impeller 20 is reduced since the height of the cone 22 is low and the speed in the radial direction is increased by the rotation of the impeller 20 and becomes an air flow Fc (Figs. 3 and 8) moving through the discharge flow passage 11. Since the water included in outside air at this time is blown to the discharge flow passage 110 together with the air flow Fc, the water turning back to the impeller lower space 210 (see Fig. 1) is reduced.

[0055] As described above, the blower 1A can contribute to reduction in size, reduction in noise, and improvement of blowing efficiency of the air conditioning device by improving blowing efficiency without increasing the number of revolutions of the impeller 20 (that is, without increasing wind noise and the like) and enlarging the size of the impeller 20, and can prevent water from reaching the motor 30.

<Reduction in noise etc. by the internal space partitioning member>

[0056] The blower 1A narrows the impeller lower space 210 formed between the internal space partitioning member 50 and the impeller 20 using the partitioning member convex portion 520 of the internal space partitioning member 50 (Figs. 1 and 8) . This internal space partitioning member 50 can reduce an air flow Fd (Fig. 8) turning back to the impeller lower space 210 from the discharge flow passage 110, prevent the air flow from becoming turbulent in the impeller lower space 210, and reduce noise by increasing the air-flow resistance of the impeller lower space 210. Of course, it is also possible to prevent water from turning back to the impeller lower space 210.

[0057] In addition, since the impeller lower space 210 has a low volume and high resonance frequency, even if the air flow Fd becomes turbulent in the impeller lower space 210, the attenuation of noise in the propagation path (such as a space) is promoted (the noise level becomes low) because the frequency of noise is high.

<Reduction in noise etc. due to the impeller and the internal space partitioning member>

[0058] In the blower 1A, the spacing between the annular surface 211 (see Fig. 7) formed by rotation of the one ends 21a of the plurality of blades 21 and the partitioning member blade facing region 511 (see Fig. 7) of the partitioning plate part 510 of the internal space partitioning member 50 can be narrowed by defining the spacing between the one ends 21a of the blades 21 of the impeller 20 and the partitioning plate part 510 of the internal space partitioning member 50. By narrowing the spacing between the impeller 20 and the partitioning plate part 510 in this way, the blower 1A can reduce the air flow Fd turning back to the impeller lower space 210 from the discharge flow passage 110, thereby enabling reduction in noise caused by turbulence of the air flow in the impeller lower space 210. Of course, it is also possible to prevent water from turning back to the impeller lower space 210.

<Reduction in noise etc. due to the internal space partitioning member and the impeller mounting hole>

[0059] In the blower 1A, as illustrated in Fig. 8, the proximity region of the edge 510c of the partitioning plate part 510 and the impeller mounting hole 130 can be formed in a substantially continuous plane. As a result, in the border area, the turbulence of the air flow Fc moving through the proximity region of the edge 510c of the partitioning plate part 510 and the impeller mounting hole 130 is reduced, thereby enabling reduction in noise such as wind noise.

[0060] In addition, when the spacing between the partitioning member peripheral wall 530 and the impeller mounting hole peripheral wall 131 is narrowed in the blower 1A, the turbulence of the air flow Fc moving through the proximity region of the border between the partitioning plate part 510 and the impeller mounting hole 130 is further reduced in the border area, thereby further reducing the occurrence of noise such as wind noise.

[0061] In the blower 1A, the air flow Fc moving through the proximity region of the edge 510c of the partitioning plate part 510 and the impeller mounting hole 130 becomes smooth, the air flow Fd turning back to the impeller lower space 210 is further reduced, and the water turning back to the impeller lower space 210 together with the air flow Fd is further reduced. Since energy to be converted to noise is of course reduced, the blowing efficiency can be further improved. The further improvement of the blowing efficiency enables further reduction of the size and noise of an air conditioning device.

<Measure against water immersion due to the partitioning member convex portion and the water droplet trap>

[0062] Since the air flow Fd turning back to the impeller lower space 210 is reduced in the blower 1A, the water turning back to the impeller lower space 210 together with the air flow Fd is also reduced. Even if water turns back to the impeller lower space 210, the partitioning member convex portion 520 of the partitioning plate part 510 that increases air-flow resistance in the impeller lower space 210 reduces the water that reaches the motor mounting hole 521.

[0063] In addition, the water droplet traps 522 formed on the upper surface 520a of the partitioning member convex portion 520 prevents the water from reaching the motor mounting hole 521 by blocking the water flowing on the surface of the partitioning member convex portion 520 toward the motor mounting hole 521. The water droplet traps 522 of course increases air-flow resistance in the vicinity of the partitioning member convex portion 520, thereby preventing the water from flowing to the motor mounting hole 521 in the vicinity of the partitioning member convex portion 520 together with the air flow Fd.

<Drainage by the drain ditch>

[0064] The blower 1A has the drain ditch 540 for draining the water flowing through the flow passage 110 to achieve better drainage.

[0065] Specifically, the blower 1A having the drain ditch 540 blows the water sucked together with outside air to the discharge flow passage 110. The water flowing, as water droplets, on the upper surface 510a of the partitioning plate part 510 constituting the inner surface of the discharge flow passage 110 reaches the drain ditch 540. The drain ditch 540 drops the reached water onto the flange plate part 410 of the motor flange 40 from the upper surface 510a of the partitioning plate part 510. When the drain ditch 540 has the gutter 542, the gutter 542 passes the reached water through the drain ditch 540 and drops the water onto the flange plate part 410.

[0066] The water having dropped onto the flange plate part 410 is drained to the outside of the blower 1A through a small drain path (not illustrated) provided between the recessed section 411a of the flange mounting groove 411 and the mounting hole peripheral wall end 131a of the impeller mounting hole peripheral wall 131. When the drain path is made larger, air in the blower 1A flows through it and noise may be caused. Accordingly, the drain path needs to be small enough to prevent the occurrence of noise due to an air flow in the blower 1A. Even if the drain path is small, since the pressure of the inner air is higher than in the outside, the water is pushed to the outside of the blower 1A and can be drained favorably.

[0067] The drain ditch 540 is disposed in a portion close to, for example, the discharge flow passage start part 101a to catch the water turning back to the impeller lower space 210. Alternatively, the drain ditch 540 is disposed in a portion close to, for example, the air outlet 111 to catch the water in air to be blown to an air conditioning device. Of course, the drain ditch 540 may be disposed in another portion of the discharge flow passage 110 or two or more drain ditches 540 may be disposed.

<Drainage by the motor flange water drain hole>

[0068] As illustrated in Fig. 4, the flange plate part 410 of the motor flange 40 may have one or more motor flange water drain holes 410h. Although the water having dropped onto the flange plate part 410 from the drain ditch 540 is drained to the outside of the blower 1A through the small drain path provided between the recessed section 411a of the flange mounting groove 411 and the mounting hole peripheral wall end 131a of the impeller mounting hole peripheral wall 131, a part of the water may pass between the flange plate part 410 and the partitioning member peripheral wall edge 530a of the internal space partitioning member 50 and enter the motor flange side internal space 440. However, since the flange plate part 410 has the water drain holes 410h closer to the motor 30 than the partitioning member peripheral wall 530, the water having entered the motor flange side internal space 440 can be drained to the outside of the blower 1A immediately.

[0069] Although the blower according to the invention has been described above based on examples, the invention is not limited to the examples and modifications may be made as appropriate without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, although the internal space partitioning member 50 includes the drain ditch 540, the internal space partitioning member 50 does not have to include the drain ditch 540 as long as water can be prevented from entering the blower 1A.

Industrial Applicability

[0070] Since the blower according to the invention can be industrially manufactured or used or commercially sold, the invention has economic value and can be industrially utilized.

Reference Signs List

[0071] 

1A: blower

10: housing

110: discharge flow passage

120: air suction hole

130: impeller mounting hole

131: impeller mounting hole peripheral wall

131c: impeller mounting hole edge (base of impeller mounting hole peripheral wall)

20: impeller

21: blade

21a: one end of blade

22: cone

30: motor

301a: bottom surface of motor

310: rotary driving shaft of motor

40: motor flange

410h: motor flange water drain hole

50: internal space partitioning member

510c: edge of internal space partitioning member (edge of partitioning plate part)

511: partitioning member blade facing region

520: partitioning member convex portion

521: motor mounting hole

522: water droplet trap

530: partitioning member peripheral wall

540: drain ditch

540a: one end of drain ditch

540b: the other end of drain ditch

Claims

1. A blower comprising:

a housing (10);

an impeller (20) including a plurality of blades (21) disposed cylindrically and a cone (22) connecting one ends (21a) of the plurality of blades, the cone being formed in a convex shape inside the plurality of blades, the convex shape having a height lower than the plurality of blades, the impeller being positioned inside the housing;

an impeller mounting hole (130) of the housing, the impeller mounting hole being provided close to the one ends (21a) of the plurality of blades;

an air suction hole (120) of the housing, the air suction hole being provided close to the other ends (21b) of the plurality of blades;

a discharge flow passage (110) of the housing, the discharge flow passage being formed between the housing and the impeller;

a motor (30) provided close to the one ends (21a) of the plurality of blades, the motor (30) having a rotary driving shaft (310) connected to the center of the cone; and

a motor flange (40) for fixing the motor to the impeller mounting hole,

characterized in that the blower further comprises:

an internal space partitioning member (50) present between the motor flange and the impeller.

2. The blower according to claim 1,
wherein the internal space partitioning member (50) is present between the motor flange (40) and the discharge flow passage (110).

3. The blower according to claim 1 or 2,
wherein an edge (510c) of the internal space partitioning member and an impeller mounting hole edge (131c) of the housing can be formed as a substantially continuous surface.

4. The blower according to claim 3,
wherein the impeller mounting hole edge (131c) has an impeller mounting hole peripheral wall (131) and the edge (510c) of the internal space partitioning member has a partitioning member peripheral wall (530) positioned inside the impeller mounting hole peripheral wall (131).

5.  The blower according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
wherein the cone (22) has a height equal to or less than half the height of the plurality of blades (21).

6. The blower according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
wherein the internal space partitioning member (50) has, in a region facing the one ends (21a) of the plurality of blades, a partitioning member blade facing region (511) substantially parallel to an annular surface formed by rotation of the one ends of the plurality of blades and
the internal space partitioning member has, in a region inside the partitioning member blade facing region (511), a partitioning member convex portion (520) projecting toward the cone and having a motor mounting hole (521) in which the other end of the motor or the rotary driving shaft (310) is disposed.

7. The blower according to claim 6,
wherein the partitioning member convex portion (520) of the internal space partitioning member further includes, on a convex surface thereof, a water droplet trap (522) formed in a convex shape, the water droplet trap surrounding the motor mounting hole (521) continuously or discontinuously.

8. The blower according to any one of claims 1 to 7,
wherein the internal space partitioning member (50) further includes a drain ditch (540) through which water droplets attached to a part of the internal space partitioning member flows, the part being close to the impeller.

9. The blower according to claim 8,
wherein the drain ditch (540) has one end (540a) positioned close to the motor and the other end (540b) more remote from the motor than the one end.

10. The blower according to any one of claims 1 to 9,
wherein the motor flange (40) has a motor flange water drain hole (410h) closer to the motor than the partitioning member peripheral wall (530).

Drawing