U.S. patent application number 11/682785 was filed with the patent office on 2007-09-13 for cross flow fan apparatus, electronic apparatus and impeller.
This patent application is currently assigned to SONY CORPORATION. Invention is credited to Makoto Chiyoda, Takashi Mochida, Yuji Shishido.
Application Number | 20070212211 11/682785 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38479136 |
Filed Date | 2007-09-13 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070212211 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Chiyoda; Makoto ; et
al. |
September 13, 2007 |
CROSS FLOW FAN APPARATUS, ELECTRONIC APPARATUS AND IMPELLER
Abstract
A cross flow fan apparatus is provided. The cross flow fan
apparatus includes an impeller having a plurality of blades
extending in a predetermined direction, a motor, having a rotating
shaft provided along the predetermined direction, which drives to
rotate the impeller and a supporting body which supports the motor
such that the impeller is cantilevered by the rotating shaft.
Inventors: |
Chiyoda; Makoto; (Kanagawa,
JP) ; Shishido; Yuji; (Kanagawa, JP) ;
Mochida; Takashi; (Chiba, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BELL, BOYD & LLOYD, LLP
P. O. BOX 1135
CHICAGO
IL
60690
US
|
Assignee: |
SONY CORPORATION
1-7-1 Konan, Minato-ku
Tokyo
JP
|
Family ID: |
38479136 |
Appl. No.: |
11/682785 |
Filed: |
March 6, 2007 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
415/53.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F04D 25/0606 20130101;
F04D 29/283 20130101; F04D 29/626 20130101; F04D 17/04
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
415/053.1 |
International
Class: |
F04D 5/00 20060101
F04D005/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Mar 9, 2006 |
JP |
JP2006-064134 |
Claims
1. A cross flow fan apparatus comprising: an impeller having a
plurality of blades extending in a predetermined direction; a
motor, having a rotating shaft provided along the predetermined
direction, which drives to rotate the impeller; and a supporting
body which supports the motor such that the impeller is
cantilevered by the rotating shaft.
2. The cross flow fan apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the
impeller is made of a resin.
3. The cross flow fan apparatus as recited in claim 2, wherein the
impeller has a joint portion which joins the plurality of blades at
both ends thereof, the joint portion being integrally molded with
each of the plurality of blades.
4. The cross flow fan apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the
motor has a fluid bearing that supports the rotating shaft.
5. The cross flow fan apparatus as recited in claim 1, further
comprising: a supporting mechanism, disposed at a position opposite
to the position where the motor is disposed and that supports the
impeller in a noncontact manner.
6. The cross flow fan apparatus as recited in claim 5, wherein the
supporting mechanism includes: a shaft member made of a magnetic
material attached to the impeller coaxially with the rotating
shaft, and a magnet provided in the supporting body and placed near
the shaft member.
7. The cross flow fan apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the
blades are arranged in a ring shape, and wherein the impeller has a
ring-shaped joint plate disposed at a position opposite to the
position where the motor is disposed and joins each of the
plurality of blades together, the cross flow fan apparatus further
comprising: a projecting member, being disposed in the supporting
body and that penetrates into an area surrounded by the blades from
an outside of the impeller through an inside of the ring-shaped
joint plate.
8. The cross flow fan apparatus as recited in claim 3, wherein each
of the plurality of blades includes: a first main face, being a
flat surface and disposed parallel to the direction of the rotating
shaft; and a second main face, being a flat surface and disposed at
an angle to the first main face, parallel to the direction of the
rotating shaft and opposite to the first main face.
9. The cross flow fan apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the
impeller includes an engaging portion for joining a plurality of
the impellers together in the predetermined direction.
10. A cross flow fan apparatus comprising: an impeller having a
plurality of blades extending in a predetermined direction, a first
side in the predetermined direction, and a second side opposite to
the first side; a pivot shaft attached to the first side of the
impeller, and disposed along the predetermined direction; a motor,
having a rotating shaft being coaxial with the pivot shaft and
supporting the impeller at the second side, which drives to rotate
the impeller; and a supporting body which supports the motor,
having a seating surface for pivot, where a tip end of the pivot
shaft is in contact.
11. The cross flow fan apparatus as recited in claim 10, wherein
the seating surface for pivot is a flat surface.
12. The cross flow fan apparatus as recited in claim 10, wherein
the seating surface for pivot is a curved surface.
13. An electronic apparatus comprising: a heat generator; a cross
flow fan apparatus which includes an impeller having a plurality of
blades extending in a predetermined direction, a motor that drives
to rotate the impeller, and a supporting body that supports the
motor such that the impeller is cantilevered by the rotating shaft;
and a casing in which the heat generator and the cross flow fan
apparatus are disposed.
14. An electronic apparatus comprising: a heat generator; a cross
flow fan apparatus which includes an impeller having a plurality of
blades extending in a predetermined direction, a first side in the
predetermined direction, and a second side opposite to the first
side, a pivot shaft attached to the first side of the impeller, and
disposed along the predetermined direction, a motor, having a
rotating shaft being coaxial with the pivot shaft and supporting
the impeller at the second side, which drives to rotate the
impeller, and a supporting body which supports the motor, having a
seating surface for pivot, where a tip end of the pivot shaft is in
contact; and a casing in which the heat generator and the cross
flow fan apparatus are disposed.
15. An impeller comprising: a plurality of blades extending in a
predetermined direction, each of the blades includes a first main
face, being a flat surface and disposed in the predetermined
direction, and a second main face, being a flat surface and
disposed approximately parallel to the direction of the rotating
shaft and opposite to the first main face; and a joint member which
joins the blades together.
Description
CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present application claims priority to Japanese Patent
Application JP 2006-064134 filed in the Japanese Patent Office on
Mar. 9, 2006, the entire contents of which being incorporated
herein by reference.
BACKGROUND
[0002] The present disclosure relates to a cross flow fan which
sends air in a direction substantially orthogonal to a rotating
shaft of a motor. It also relates to an electronic apparatus in
which such cross flow fan is installed, and an impeller to which
the cross flow fan is mounted.
[0003] In related art, a type of fan called a cross flow fan which
blows air in a direction substantially orthogonal to a rotating
shaft of a motor is used mainly in an air conditioner. The cross
flow fan is also used in an air curtain device since it produces an
air current in a form of a plane substantially parallel to the
rotating shaft of the motor.
[0004] According to the cross flow fan of this kind, the rotating
shaft of the motor is attached to one end of the fan body
(impeller) and a rotating shaft, which is coaxial with the rotating
shaft of the motor, is rotatably supported by a bearing at the
other end of the fan body opposite to the rotating shaft of the
motor. Such a cross flow fan is generally assembled using sheet
metal, so that an unbalance of rotation tends to occur while the
fan body is rotating. For this reason, as recited in Japanese
Patent Application Laid-Open publication No. 2002-243193 (see FIG.
4) and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open publication No. Hei
11-141907 (see FIG. 2), stabilization of rotation is pursued by
supporting the fan body with bearings respectively at both sides of
the fan body.
[0005] However, the case where the bearings are provided at both
sides of the fan body requires an accurate centering of rotating
shafts which renders the manufacturing of the cross flow fan
difficult. Additionally, the manufacturing cost increases as the
both bearings are to be provided at both sides.
[0006] In view of the forgoing it would be desirable to provide a
cross flow fan apparatus and an electronic apparatus that is
manufactured more easily and at less cost.
SUMMARY
[0007] A cross flow fan apparatus according to an embodiment
includes an impeller having a plurality of blades extending in a
predetermined direction. The cross flow fan apparatus also includes
a motor, having a rotating shaft provided along the predetermined
direction, which drives to rotate the impeller. Furthermore, the
cross flow fan apparatus has a supporting body that supports the
motor such that the impeller is cantilevered by the rotating
shaft.
[0008] According to an embodiment, the rotating shaft of the motor
cantilevers the impeller. Thus, the number of component parts is
reduced in comparison to a cross flow fan of a related art type in
which the impeller is supported with bearings respectively at both
sides thereof. As a result, the manufacturing of the cross flow fan
apparatus is simplified, and the manufacturing cost is reduced.
[0009] In particular, because the impeller is made of a resin, the
impeller is reduced in weight. As a result, even though the
impeller is cantilevered, the rotation of the impeller is steady
with less unbalance. In such case, the impeller may have a joint
portion that joins the plurality of blades at both ends thereof and
the joint portion may be integrally molded with each of the
plurality of blades. In other words, the impeller of a related-art
is manufactured by attaching each one of the blades to joint plates
provided respectively at both sides of the plurality of blades.
However, because the impeller of the present embodiment is
integrally molded, the manufacturing process is made significantly
simpler than before. Also, as the accuracy in the dimensions and
form of the impeller improves, the unbalance of the rotation of the
impeller is reduced, which results in accomplishment of steady
rotation.
[0010] In an embodiment, the motor has a fluid bearing that
supports the rotating shaft. This configuration increases the
rigidity of the rotating shaft and the bearing, thus the wobbling
of the rotating shaft can be suppressed which enables even more
steady rotation.
[0011] In an embodiment, the cross flow fan apparatus further
includes a supporting mechanism, disposed at a position opposite to
the position where the motor is disposed and supports the impeller
in a non contact manner. With this configuration, load is
constantly applied in a radial direction of the bearing as the
impeller is being kept in the non-contact state. As a result,
wobbling and whirl phenomena that are caused due to unbalancing of
the impeller can be suppressed.
[0012] For example, the supporting mechanism may have both a shaft
member made of a magnetic material attached to the impeller
coaxially with the rotating shaft, and a magnet disposed on a
supporting body and placed near the shaft member. Alternatively,
the magnet may be attached to the impeller while the supporting
body is provided with a magnetic body.
[0013] In an embodiment, the blades are arranged in a ring shape.
The impeller has a ring-shaped joint plate disposed at a position
opposite to the position where the motor is disposed and joins each
of the plurality of blades together. The cross flow fan apparatus
further includes a projecting member, being disposed in the
supporting body such that to penetrate into an area surrounded by
the blades from an outside of the impeller through an inside of the
ring-shaped joint plate. Even if the rotating shaft wobbles, the
joint plate is brought into contact with the projecting member that
serves as a stopper. As a result, the impeller as a whole does not
wobble largely.
[0014] In an embodiment, each of the blades has a first main face,
being a flat surface and disposed parallel to the direction of the
rotating shaft. In addition, each of the blades has a second main
face, being a flat surface, parallel to the direction of the
rotating shaft and opposite to the first main face. Accordingly,
the impeller can be stripped off quite easily out of the molding
die used for manufacturing the impeller. Additionally, when the
second main face is disposed at angle to the first main face, the
amount of air blown by the impeller can be increased.
[0015] In an embodiment, impeller includes an engaging portion for
joining a plurality of the impellers together in the predetermined
direction. With this configuration, the plurality of impellers can
be joined together, and an impeller, or a blade, with a desired
length can be achieved.
[0016] A cross flow fan apparatus according to an embodiment
includes an impeller having a plurality of blades extending in a
predetermined direction, a first side in the predetermined
direction, and a second side opposite to the first side. The cross
flow fan apparatus also includes a pivot shaft attached to the
first side of the impeller, and disposed along the predetermined
direction. Moreover, the cross flow fan apparatus includes a motor
having a rotating shaft a motor, having a rotating shaft being
coaxial with the pivot shaft and supporting the impeller at the
second side, which drives to rotate the impeller. Furthermore, the
cross flow fan apparatus includes a supporting body that supports
the motor, having a seating surface for pivot where a tip end of
the pivot shaft is in contact.
[0017] The cross flow fan apparatus according to an embodiment has
a simple structure in which one side of the impeller is provided
with only the seating surface for pivot where the tip end of the
pivot shaft is in contact instead of a bearing. In contrast, the
cross flow fan apparatus of a related art is structured such that
to have two bearings provided respectively to both sides of the
impeller. With this configuration, not only the steady rotation of
the impeller is realized but also the impeller may be manufactured
more easily, leading to reduction in manufacturing cost.
[0018] According to an embodiment, the seating surface for pivot
may be a flat surface or a curved surface.
[0019] An electronic apparatus according to an embodiment includes
a heat generator and a cross flow fan apparatus. The cross flow fan
apparatus includes an impeller having a plurality of blades
extending in a predetermined direction, a motor that drives to
rotate the impeller and a supporting body that supports the motor
such that the impeller is cantilevered by the rotating shaft. The
electronic apparatus of the embodiment further includes a casing in
which the heat generator and the cross flow fan apparatus are
disposed.
[0020] An electronic apparatus according to an embodiment includes
a heat generator and a cross flow fan apparatus. The cross flow fan
apparatus includes an impeller having a plurality of blades
extending in a predetermined direction, a first side in the
predetermined direction, and a second side opposite to the first
side. The cross flow fan apparatus also includes a pivot shaft
attached to the first side of the impeller and disposed along the
predetermined direction. The cross flow fan apparatus also includes
a motor, having a rotating shaft being coaxial with the pivot shaft
and supporting the impeller at the second side which drives to
rotate the impeller, and a supporting body which supports the
motor, having a seating surface for pivot where a tip end of the
pivot shaft is in contact. The electronic apparatus includes a
casing in which the heat generator and the cross flow fan apparatus
are disposed.
[0021] An impeller according to an embodiment includes a plurality
of blades extending in a predetermined direction and a joint member
that joins the blades together. Each of the blades has a first main
face, being a flat surface, and disposed in the predetermined
direction and a second main face, being a flat surface, and
disposed approximately parallel to the direction of the rotating
shaft and opposite to the first main face.
[0022] As described above, according to embodiments, the
manufacturing of the cross flow fan apparatus is simplified, thus
lowering the manufacturing cost.
[0023] Additional features and advantages are described herein, and
will be apparent from, the following Detailed Description and the
figures.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
[0024] FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating an impeller to be
mounted on a cross flow fan apparatus according to an
embodiment.
[0025] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the cross flow
fan apparatus on which the impeller of FIG. 1 is mounted.
[0026] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an impeller
manufactured by integral molding.
[0027] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the impeller shown in
FIG. 3, taken along the line A-A.
[0028] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a cross flow
fan apparatus according to another embodiment.
[0029] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a part of a
cross flow fan apparatus according to yet another embodiment.
[0030] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the cross flow fan
apparatus shown in FIG. 6, taken along the line B-B.
[0031] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a part of a
cross flow fan apparatus according to another embodiment.
[0032] FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a modified
example of the cross flow fan apparatus shown in FIG. 8.
[0033] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an impeller
according to another embodiment.
[0034] FIG. 11 is a perspective view illustrating how the impellers
shown in FIG. 10 are connected to one another.
[0035] FIG. 12 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating a
flat panel display as an example of an electronic apparatus, in
which one of the cross flow fan apparatuses is installed, according
to the corresponding one of the embodiments.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0036] Embodiments are described below with reference to the
drawings.
[0037] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an impeller to be
mounted on a cross flow fan apparatus according to an embodiment.
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the cross flow fan
apparatus on which the impeller of FIG. 1 is mounted.
[0038] An impeller 5 has a plurality of blades 1 extending in a
predetermined direction. Joint members 2 and 3, being, for example,
disc-shaped, join the blades 1 together so that the plurality of
blades 1, are disposed side by side and equidistant to each other.
A boss portion 2a is provided to the center of the joint member 2.
A rotating shaft 7 of a motor 6 is attached to the boss portion 2a.
Each of the plurality of blade 1 extends in the axial direction of
the rotating shaft 7 (a Y-direction).
[0039] The motor 6 has a stator 11 and a rotor 12. The stator 11
has a bearing 9 rotatably supporting the rotating shaft 7 and a
coil 8 arranged around the bearing 9. The rotor 12 is attached to
the rotating shaft 7 and a magnet 4 is fixed to the rotor 12.
[0040] An example of the bearing 9 is a fluid journal bearing, or a
fluid dynamic bearing. Specifically, the bearing 9 is structured
such that a sleeve member 15 is being housed in a housing 14. A
dynamic pressure groove (not shown) is formed in an inner
circumference of the sleeve member 15. A fluid, such as oil, is
filled in an interstice between the sleeve member 15 and the
rotating shaft 7. Alternatively, the sleeve member 15 may be formed
of an oil-impregnated sintered metal. Use of such a fluid dynamic
bearing makes the rotating shaft 7 and the bearing 9 more rigid and
the wobbling of the rotating shaft 7 can be suppressed. As a
result, a steady rotation can be achieved. The bearing used here
should not necessarily be a fluid dynamic bearing and a ball
bearing may be used instead.
[0041] A supporting body 16 supports the motor 6 so that the motor
6 supports the impeller 5 cantilevered at one end thereof by the
rotating shaft 7. Specifically, motor 6 is fixed to the supporting
body 16 with screws 13 or the like.
[0042] A cross flow fan apparatus 10 with a configuration described
above blows air in the following way. Rotation of the impeller 5
driven by the motor 6 generates a difference in pressure around
each of the plurality of blades 1 that causes air to move from the
outside of the impeller 5 to the inside (i.e. the area surrounded
by the blades 1) and then to the outside of the impeller 5. For
example, the angle or the shape of the main face of the blade 1 is
designed so that the air came inside the impeller 5 can be blown to
the outside again.
[0043] As described above, according to the cross flow fan
apparatus 10 of this embodiment, the rotating shaft 7 of the motor
6 supports the impeller 5 cantilevered at one end. As a result, the
cross flow fan apparatus 10 can be produced more easily at lower
manufacturing costs than the cross flow fan of a related art in
which an impeller is supported by bearings provided at both ends of
the impeller, since it requires a lower number of component
parts.
[0044] Especially when the impeller 5 is made of resin, the cross
flow fan apparatus 10 becomes very advantageous to other cross flow
fans of related art. Such an impeller 5 is lighter in weight and is
less unbalanced thus can rotate more stably even it is
cantilevered. This embodiment is also effective in a case where the
impeller 5 is compact.
[0045] If the impeller 5 were to be made of resin, it is possible
to be manufactured by integral molding. An example of the
integrally molded impeller is shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. FIG. 3 is a
cross-sectional view showing the integrally molded impeller 25.
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the impeller 25, taken along
the line A-A in FIG. 3. In FIG. 4, the rotating direction is
indicated with an arrow R.
[0046] Each of the blades 25c of the impeller 25 has a first main
face 25d and a second main face 25e which is provided to an
opposite side of the first main face 25d. Both of the main faces
25d and 25e is a flat surface. Shaping the main faces 25d and 25e
to be flat surfaces has an advantage where, after the casting, the
flat surfaces allow an easier operation in stripping the molding
die off. The molding die which is divided into the numbers of the
blades 25c, can be removed by just pulling them out in a linear
motion along a direction indicated by arrows "a" in FIG. 4. In a
case of an impeller of a related-art with curved blades, such an
easy operation in stripping off the molding die is difficult.
Incidentally, joint plates 25a and 25b, which join the blades 25c
together, can be formed integrally with the blades 25c. A boss
portion 25f is formed in the center of the joint plate 25a, and
allows the rotating shaft 7 of the motor 6 to be inserted
thereinto.
[0047] As shown in FIG. 4, the second main face 25e is at angle to
the first main face 25d. The first and the second main face 25d and
25e are connected to an outer circumferential face 25g, and are
also connected to an inner circumferential face 25h. Each of the
outer and the inner circumferential faces 25g and 25h is shaped,
for example, in an arc (or in a curved surface), but may be formed
in flat faces. When the first main face 25d is at an angle .alpha.
(.alpha.>0.degree.) to the second main face 25e, the angular
aperture .beta. of the blade 25c, formed in a radial direction of
the adjacent to blade 25c, should necessarily be
.beta.<(360.degree./n) where "n" is the number of blades 25c.
For example, with n=12 and .alpha.=15.degree., .beta. becomes
15.degree.. It is confirmed in an experiment that the impeller 25
equipped with these blades generates an air flow 20% more in amount
than the air flow generated by an impeller with blades that the
first and the second main faces thereof are in parallel to each
other (i.e. n=12 and .alpha.=0.degree., .beta.=30.degree.).
[0048] In a related art, an impeller is manufactured by attaching
blades, one by one, to the joint plates located respectively on
both sides of each blade. As the impeller 25 being formed
integrally, the process of manufacturing the impeller 25 is
simplified significantly. Furthermore, since the accuracy in
dimension and form of the impeller 25 improves by integral molding,
it does not have to be processed manually after the molding, which
leads to reduction in unbalanced rotation of the impeller 25, thus
enables steady rotation. With the steady rotation, the advantage of
the cantilever structure described above can be achieved more fully
in particular. In other words, the impeller 25 can be rotated
steadily even with a cantilever structure.
[0049] Additionally, the integrally-molded impeller 25 can be
manufactured with ease, even if the diameter of the impeller 25
(the diameter of each of the joint plates 25a and 25b shown in FIG.
4) is not more than 25 mm.
[0050] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a cross flow
fan apparatus according to another embodiment. In the following
descriptions, descriptions concerning members and functions similar
to those of the cross flow fan apparatus 10 of the embodiment shown
in FIG. 2 will be given only briefly, or be omitted. Thus, the
descriptions focus on the difference thereof with the embodiment
shown in FIG. 2.
[0051] A cross flow fan apparatus 20 according to this embodiment
has a supporting mechanism 21 that supports an impeller 35 in a
non-contact manner. The supporting mechanism 21 is provided to a
side of the impeller 35 where a joint plate 35b is provided, which
is opposite to the side where a motor 6 is placed (i.e. where a
joint plate 35a is provided). Specifically, the supporting
mechanism 21 has a pivot shaft 22 attached to the impeller 35
coaxially with the rotating shaft 7 of the motor 6 and a magnet 23
fixed to a supporting body 26 and disposed near the pivot shaft 22.
The pivot shaft 22 is attached to a boss portion 35d of the joint
plate 35b. The shape of the magnet 23 is not limited to the form
shown in FIG. 5 but it may be, for example, a ring shape
surrounding the pivot shaft 22, or an arc-block shape that
constitutes a part of the ring. In addition, reference numeral 35c
is a blade.
[0052] If the pivot shaft 22 is made of a magnetic material, such
as iron or nickel, a magnetic attraction from the magnet 23 acts on
the pivot shaft 22. In this configuration, a load in a radial
direction of the pivot shaft 22 (i.e. a direction in a Y-Z plane)
is constantly applied to the pivot shaft 22 in a non-contact
manner. As a result, wobbling and whirl phenomena that would
otherwise be caused by the unbalance can be suppressed.
[0053] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a cross flow
fan apparatus according to another embodiment. FIG. 7 is a
cross-sectional view of the cross flow fan apparatus taken along
the line B-B in FIG. 7. The supporting body 36 has a side plate 36a
to which projecting members 37 are provided. The side plate 36a may
be a part of the supporting body 36 as shown in FIG. 6, or a
separate member fixed to the supporting body 36. The projecting
members 37 may be formed by flanging of sheet metal, or by molding.
An impeller 45 has a joint plate 45a on a side where a motor 6 is
placed, and has another joint plate 45b on a side opposite the
joint plate 45a. A hole 45d is formed in the joint plate 45b. A
projecting member 37 extends from the outside of the impeller 45
through the hole 45d in the joint plate 45b, and penetrates into an
area E surrounded by blades 45c (see FIG. 7).
[0054] In FIG. 6 and FIG. 7, a plurality of projecting members 37
are provided. However, it should be appreciated that the number of
the projecting members 37 may be just one. In a case where the
plurality of projecting members 37 are provided, the projecting
members 37 may be arranged with regular intervals in a ring shape
as shown in FIG. 7 but they may not always be arranged in the
regular intervals.
[0055] According to the cross flow fan apparatus 30 of an
embodiment, even if a posture thereof is changed and the change in
the posture causes wobbling of the rotating shaft 7, the inner
circumferential portion (hole) 45d is brought into contact with the
projecting member 37 that serves as a stopper. As a result, the
impeller 45 as a whole does not wobble greatly.
[0056] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a part of a
cross flow fan apparatus 40 according to another embodiment. The
cross flow fan apparatus 40 has a supporting body 46, and a
pressing member 41 is attached to the supporting body 46. The
pressing member 41 presses a pivot shaft 42 in an axial direction
with a force F. The pressing member 41 has a seating surface for a
pivot 41a. The tip end 42a of the pivot shaft 42 is in contact with
the seating surface 41a. This pressing member 41 is made of metal,
resin, rubber, or the like.
[0057] The cross flow fan apparatus 40 according to an embodiment
has a structure in which just the seating surface 41a for pivot,
with which the tip end 42a of the pivot shaft 42 is in contact, is
provided as described above. In other words, the structure of the
cross flow fan apparatus 40 according to an embodiment is simpler
than that of a cross flow fan of a related art with a configuration
in which bearings are provided respectively to both sides of an
impeller. As a result, besides the steady rotation of the impeller
35, manufacturing of the impeller becomes easier and the cost can
be reduced.
[0058] A modified example of the pressing member is a pressing
member 43 with a curved seating surface for a pivot 43a as in a
cross flow fan apparatus 50 illustrated in FIG. 9. In such a case,
the curved surface is a spherical surface, an ellipsoidal surface,
a hyperbolic surface, a parabolic surface, or the like. A
combination of these surfaces may serve for the purpose.
[0059] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an impeller
according to another embodiment. An engaging projection 55d and an
engaging groove 55e are provided to an impeller 55. For example, as
shown in FIG. 11, three of the engaging projections 55d are formed
with 120.degree. intervals on a ring-shaped joint plate 55b. The
engaging groove 55e is formed in size that the corresponding
engaging projection to be fitted thereinto. Three of the engaging
grooves 55e are formed, for example, with 120.degree. intervals on
the ring-shaped joint plate 55b. An angular interval between one of
the engaging projections 55d and the adjacent one of the engaging
grooves is set, for example, at 60.degree.. Additionally, engaging
projections 55d and engaging grooves 55e are formed on a joint
plate 55a placed on a side opposite to the joint plate 55b. With
this configuration, the impellers 55 can be joined to one another
in multiple rows in a direction of the rotational axis, as shown in
FIG. 11, and an impeller (or a blade) with a desired length can be
achieved.
[0060] Furthermore, the arrangement of the engaging projections 55d
and engaging grooves 55e formed on the joint plate 55b is deviated
from the arrangement of the engaging projections 55d and engaging
grooves 55e formed on the joint plate 55a by 60.degree..
Accordingly, the plurality of impellers 55 can be joined
together.
[0061] FIG. 12 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating an
electronic apparatus in which any one of the cross flow fan
apparatuses 10, 20 and the like is disposed. In FIG. 12, as an
electronic apparatus 100, for example, a flat panel display (FPD)
apparatus, such as a liquid crystal display, is illustrated. A fan
104, a cross flow fan apparatus 10, a display panel 102, and other
component parts 103 such as a power supply are placed in a casing
101 of the FPD apparatus 100. The display panel 102 has a circuit
board that generates heat. The heat generated by the display panel
102 is kept in the casing 101. Air from the outside is taken into
the casing 101 by the fan 104 and as the cross flow fan apparatus
10 operates, air containing the heat is exhausted through, for
example, an exhaust port 101a formed in the casing 101.
[0062] Further, the length of the cross flow fan apparatus 10 along
the direction X can be designed as appropriate, for example, in
FIG. 12, the length can be designed according to the length along
the lateral direction of the casing 101 of the display 100A. In
addition to the liquid crystal display, "display" here includes a
plasma display, a plasma address liquid crystal display, light
emitting diode (LED) display, a field emission display (FED), a
surface-conduction electron-emitter display (SED), an
electro-luminescence (EL) display (including both organic and
non-organic type thereof), and the like.
[0063] The embodiments are not limited to the examples described
above, and various modifications are possible.
[0064] For example, a possible embodiment is a combination of the
embodiment shown in FIG. 5 to which the non-contact supporting
mechanism 21 is provided and the embodiment shown in FIGS. 6 and 7
to which the projecting member 37 is provided. Another possible
embodiment is a combination of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 6 and
7 to which the projecting member 37 is provided and the embodiment
shown in FIG. 8 or FIG. 9 to which the pressing member 41 or the
like is provided.
[0065] The impellers 5 or the like described in each of the
embodiments described above may or may not be integrally-molded
unless otherwise specified.
[0066] The electronic apparatus 100 shown in FIG. 12 is not limited
to a display. Examples of the possible electronic apparatus 100
include an air conditioner, a computer (for example, a PC=personal
computer and the like), a projector, an audio/visual appliance, a
game console, a car navigation system, a robotics device, an air
curtain device, and other electric appliances.
[0067] It should be understood that various changes and
modifications to the presently preferred embodiments described
herein will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes
and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and
scope of the present subject matter and without diminishing its
intended advantages. It is therefore intended that such changes and
modifications be covered by the appended claims.
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