U.S. patent application number 12/585296 was filed with the patent office on 2010-04-15 for centrifugal fan and air conditioner having the same.
This patent application is currently assigned to SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.. Invention is credited to Jin Baek Kim, Young Jae Kim, Jin Yong Mo.
Application Number | 20100089090 12/585296 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 42097655 |
Filed Date | 2010-04-15 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100089090 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Kim; Young Jae ; et
al. |
April 15, 2010 |
Centrifugal fan and air conditioner having the same
Abstract
A centrifugal fan, which equally maintains air-blowing
capacities of both inlets regardless of different suction
resistances of both inlets due to a driving device, and an air
conditioner having the centrifugal fan. The centrifugal fan
includes a rotary plate; first blades disposed at the edge of one
surface of the rotary plate; and second blades disposed at the edge
of the other surface of the rotary plate, and having a larger outer
diameter than the outer diameter of the first blades. Thus,
although a large flow resistance is generated at one inlet of the
centrifugal fan due to the driving device, air-blowing capacities
of both inlets are maintained equally.
Inventors: |
Kim; Young Jae; (Yongin-si,
KR) ; Mo; Jin Yong; (Anyang-si, KR) ; Kim; Jin
Baek; (Suwon-si, KR) |
Correspondence
Address: |
STAAS & HALSEY LLP
SUITE 700, 1201 NEW YORK AVENUE, N.W.
WASHINGTON
DC
20005
US
|
Assignee: |
SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO.,
LTD.
Suwon
KR
|
Family ID: |
42097655 |
Appl. No.: |
12/585296 |
Filed: |
September 10, 2009 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
62/426 ; 165/122;
415/143; 415/206; 62/429 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F24F 1/005 20190201;
F24F 1/0007 20130101; F24F 1/0022 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
62/426 ; 415/206;
415/143; 62/429; 165/122 |
International
Class: |
F04D 17/14 20060101
F04D017/14; F04D 1/10 20060101 F04D001/10; F24F 3/06 20060101
F24F003/06; F24F 13/00 20060101 F24F013/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Oct 13, 2008 |
KR |
2008-100387 |
Claims
1. A centrifugal fan comprising: a rotary plate; first blades
disposed at the edge of one surface of the rotary plate; and second
blades disposed at the edge of the other surface of the rotary
plate, and having a larger outer diameter than the outer diameter
of the first blades.
2. The centrifugal fan according to claim 1, wherein the height of
the second blades is larger than the height of the first
blades.
3. The centrifugal fan according to claim 1, wherein the inner
diameter of the first blades is smaller than the inner diameter of
the second blades.
4. The centrifugal fan according to claim 1, wherein the outer
diameter of the first blades is smaller than the diameter of the
rotary plate.
5. The centrifugal fan according to claim 4, wherein the first
blades and the second blades are respectively disposed in a ring
shape at the edges of the surfaces of the rotary plate.
6. A centrifugal fan comprising: a rotary plate; and a pair of
first and second inlets disposed in opposite to each other in the
axial direction of the rotary plate such that air is sucked to the
centrifugal fan in both directions, wherein the suction region of
the second inlet is wider than the suction region of the first
inlet.
7. The centrifugal fan according to claim 6, further comprising a
pair of first and second outlets in the radial direction of the
rotary plate, wherein the discharge region of the second outlet is
wider than the discharge region of the first outlet.
8. The centrifugal fan according to claim 7, further comprising a
first shroud connected to the outer edges of the first blades and a
second shroud connected to the outer edges of the second blades,
wherein the outer diameter of the second shroud is larger than the
outer diameter of the first shroud.
9. An air conditioner, which has a centrifugal blowing unit to
forcibly blow air, the centrifugal blowing unit comprising: a
centrifugal fan including a rotary plate; first blades disposed at
the edge of one surface of the rotary plate; second blades disposed
at the edge of the other surface of the rotary plate, and having a
larger outer diameter than the outer diameter of the first blades;
and a driving device disposed at the second blades to provide
rotary force to the rotary plate.
10. The air conditioner according to claim 9, wherein the rotary
plate is connected directly to a rotary shaft of the driving
device.
11. The air conditioner according to claim 9, wherein the height of
the second blades is larger than the height of the first
blades.
12. The air conditioner according to claim 10, wherein the inner
diameter of the first blades is smaller than the inner diameter of
the second blades.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent
Application No. 2008-0100387, filed on Oct. 13, 2008, in the Korean
Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is
incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND
[0002] 1. Field
[0003] The present invention relates to a centrifugal fan and an
air conditioner having the same, and more particularly to a
bidirectional centrifugal fan, which sucks fluid in both
directions, and an air conditioner having the same.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] In general, a centrifugal fan forcibly blows fluid, which is
sucked in the axial direction, in the centrifugal direction by the
rotation of blades. Such a centrifugal fan is used in an air
conditioner requiring a large amount of air.
[0006] In order to increase the amount of air sucked and blown in
both directions, i.e., the right and left directions, a
bidirectional suction type centrifugal fan (hereinafter, referred
to as a bidirectional centrifugal fan), in which two centrifugal
fans are connected into a single fan type, has been proposed.
[0007] The bidirectional centrifugal fan includes a plurality of
blades at each of both sides of a rotary plate, to which a rotary
shaft of a driving motor is connected, to suck air in both
directions, i.e., the right and left directions, and thus is
capable of blowing a large amount of air, compared with a
unidirectional centrifugal fan, which sucks air in one
direction.
[0008] However, since the driving motor is installed at any one of
inlets at both sides of the bidirectional centrifugal fan, one
inlet with the driving motor generates larger flow resistance of
the fluid than the other inlet without the driving motor.
[0009] Due to a difference of channel structures between both
inlets, the conventional bidirectional centrifugal fan having the
equal outer diameter of outlets causes the deterioration of an
air-blowing capacity at the inlet with the driving motor.
[0010] Further, air flown into the inlet with the driving motor and
air flown into the inlet without the driving motor are exhausted
and mixed at the outlets of the bidirectional centrifugal fan. At
this time, the states of both the discharged fluids are different,
and thus, an air-blowing loss is generated and noise and vibration
are increased during the mixing process of the two fluids.
SUMMARY
[0011] Therefore, one aspect of the invention is to provide a
centrifugal fan, which equally maintains air-blowing capacities of
both inlets regardless of different suction resistances of both
inlets due to a driving device, and an air conditioner having the
centrifugal fan.
[0012] Another aspect of the invention is to provide a centrifugal
fan, which minimizes an air-blowing loss during mixing two air
flows discharged through outlets regardless of different suction
resistances of both inlets, and an air conditioner having the
centrifugal fan.
[0013] A further aspect of the invention is to provide a
centrifugal fan, which has a bidirectional suction structure to
reduce noise and vibration, and an air conditioner having the
centrifugal fan.
[0014] In accordance with one aspect, the present invention
provides an air conditioner including a rotary plate; first blades
disposed at the edge of one surface of the rotary plate; and second
blades disposed at the edge of the other surface of the rotary
plate, and having a larger outer diameter than the outer diameter
of the first blades.
[0015] The height of the second blades may be larger than the
height of the first blades.
[0016] The inner diameter of the first blades may be smaller than
the inner diameter of the second blades.
[0017] The outer diameter of the first blades may be smaller than
the diameter of the rotary plate.
[0018] The first blades and the second blades may be respectively
disposed in a ring shape at the edges of the surfaces of the rotary
plate.
[0019] In accordance with another aspect, the present invention
provides an air conditioner including a rotary plate; and a pair of
first and second inlets disposed in opposite to each other in the
axial direction of the rotary plate such that air is sucked to the
centrifugal fan in both directions, wherein the suction region of
the second inlet is wider than the suction region of the first
inlet.
[0020] The centrifugal fan may further include a pair of first and
second outlets in the radial direction of the rotary plate, and the
discharge region of the second outlet may be wider than the
discharge region of the first outlet.
[0021] The centrifugal fan may further include a first shroud
connected to the outer edges of the first blades and a second
shroud connected to the outer edges of the second blades, and the
outer diameter of the second shroud may be larger than the outer
diameter of the first shroud.
[0022] In accordance with a further aspect, the present invention
provides an air conditioner, which has a centrifugal blowing unit
to forcibly blow air, the centrifugal blowing unit including a
centrifugal fan including a rotary plate; first blades disposed at
the edge of one surface of the rotary plate; and second blades
disposed at the edge of the other surface of the rotary plate, and
having a larger outer diameter than the outer diameter of the first
blades; and a driving device disposed at the second blades to
provide rotary force to the rotary plate.
[0023] The rotary plate may be connected directly to a rotary shaft
of the driving device.
[0024] The height of the second blades may be larger than the
height of the first blades.
[0025] The inner diameter of the first blades may be smaller than
the inner diameter of the second blades.
[0026] Additional aspects and/or advantages will be set forth in
part in the description which follows and, in part, will be
apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the
invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0027] These and/or other aspects and advantages of the invention
will become apparent and more readily appreciated from the
following description of the embodiments, taken in conjunction with
the accompanying drawings in which:
[0028] FIG. 1 is a longitudinal-sectional view illustrating the
schematic appearance of an air conditioner in accordance with an
embodiment of the present invention;
[0029] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a centrifugal fan of the air
conditioner in accordance with an embodiment of the present
invention; and
[0030] FIG. 3 is a longitudinal-sectional view of the centrifugal
fan taken along line of FIG. 2.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
[0031] Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments of the
present invention, an example of which is illustrated in the
accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to
like elements throughout. The embodiments are described below to
explain the present invention by referring to the annexed
drawings.
[0032] FIG. 1 is a longitudinal-sectional view illustrating the
schematic appearance of an air conditioner in accordance with an
embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a perspective view
of a centrifugal fan of the air conditioner in accordance with an
embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a
longitudinal-sectional view of the centrifugal fan taken along line
III-III of FIG. 2.
[0033] The air conditioner in accordance with the embodiment, as
shown in FIG. 1, includes a heat exchanger 11 installed in the
upper portion of the inside of a main body 10, and a centrifugal
blowing unit 20 installed in the lower portion of the inside of the
main body 10.
[0034] The main body 10 is provided with side suction ports 12a
respectively formed through both the side surfaces thereof to suck
indoor air therethrough, a rear suction port 12b formed through the
rear surface thereof, side discharge ports 13 respectively formed
through both sides of the upper portion thereof, and a front
discharge port 14 formed through the center of the front surface
thereof. An upper door 15 to open and close the front discharge
port 14 is installed on the upper portion of the front surface of
the main body 10. The upper door 15 is installed such that the
upper door 15 ascends and descends along rails (not shown) formed
on the main body 10, and an ascent and descent device 16 to ascend
and descend the upper door 15 is installed on the rear surface of
the upper door 15.
[0035] The heat exchanger 11 in the main body 10 is formed as a
flat panel type such that air blowing upward from the centrifugal
blowing unit 20 can exchange heat with the heat exchanger 11, and
is inclined such that the upper surface of the inside of the main
body 10 is divided by the heat exchanger 11.
[0036] The centrifugal blowing unit 20, as shown in FIG. 1,
includes a fan casing 21, a centrifugal fan 30 installed in the fan
casing 21, and a driving device 40 to drive the centrifugal fan 30.
The driving device 40 is fixed to the inner surface of the rear
surface of the main body 10, and the centrifugal fan 30 is
connected to a rotary shaft 41 extended from the driving device 40
to the inside of the fan casing 21.
[0037] The fan casing 21 includes a first suction port 22 and a
second suction port 23 respectively formed through the front and
rear surfaces thereof to suck air, and a discharge port 24 formed
through the upper surface thereof to discharge air. The structure
allows air, sucked to the inside of the fan casing 21 through the
first and second suction ports 22 and 23, to be discharged to the
outside of the fan casing through the discharge port 24 by the
operation of the centrifugal fan 30.
[0038] The fan casing 21 may include a scroll type diffusion
pattern, in which an inner channel 25 is gradually diffused close
to the discharge port 24. This structure serves to gradually
increase an inner channel area in the flowing direction of air.
Further, the fan casing 21 is configured such that the uppermost
portion of the diffusion pattern of the fan casing 21 is divided
from the discharge port 24 to split an air flow, and this
configuration corresponds to the general structure of the fan
casing and thus a detailed description thereof will be omitted.
[0039] The centrifugal fan 30, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, is a
bidirectional centrifugal fan, which sucks air through first and
second suction ports 22 and 23 formed through the front and rear
surfaces of the fan casing 21, i.e., in both directions. The
centrifugal fan 30 includes a rotary plate 31 connected to the
rotary shaft 41, a plurality of first blades 32 fixed to the outer
circumference of one surface 31b of the rotary plate 31, a
plurality of second blades 33 fixed to the outer circumference of
the other surface 31c of the rotary plate 31, a ring-shaped first
shroud 34 connected to the outer edges of the first blades 32, and
a ring-shaped second shroud 35 connected to the outer edges of the
second blades 33.
[0040] The rotary plates 31 is provided with a rotary shaft
connection hole 31a, to which the rotary shaft 41 of the driving
device 40 is connected, formed through the center thereof, and is
formed in a disk shape to divide a flow of fluid, sucked into the
centrifugal fan 30 in both directions when the centrifugal fan 30
is driven.
[0041] Thus, the rotary plate 31 and the first blades 32 disposed
in a ring shape on the surface 31b of the rotary plate 31 form a
first inlet 36 along the axial direction of the centrifugal fan 30,
and form a first outlet 37 along the radial direction of the
centrifugal fan 30.
[0042] Further, the rotary plate 31 and the second blades 33
disposed in a ring shape on the surface 31c of the rotary plate 31
form a second inlet 38 along the axial direction of the centrifugal
fan 30, and form a second outlet 39 along the radial direction of
the centrifugal fan 30.
[0043] The driving device 40, for example, a motor, is disposed at
the second inlet 38 of the centrifugal fan 30, and the rotary shaft
41 of the driving device 40 is inserted into the rotary shaft
connection hole 31a of the rotary plate 31.
[0044] Since the driving device 40 is disposed at the second inlet
38, the second inlet 38 generates a larger suction resistance than
the first inlet 36, and thus the capacity of the surface 31c of the
rotary plate 31 with the second inlet 38 and the second outlet 39
may be lower than the capacity of the surface 31b of the rotary
plate 31.
[0045] Further, air sucked through the first inlet 36 and air
sucked through the second inlet 38 are not mixed in the centrifugal
fan 30, but are mixed after the air sucked through the first inlet
36 and the air sucked through the second inlet 38 are respectively
discharged through the first and second outlets 37 and 39. When the
flowing states of the air discharged through the first outlet 37
and the air discharged through the second outlet 39 are different,
a loss is generated during a process of mixing both the discharged
air flows.
[0046] Therefore, the embodiment proposes a structure, which
maintains flow resistances of the air sucked through the first
inlet 36 and the air sucked through the second inlet 38 equally or
similarly, although a unit generating a flow resistance is
installed at one side of the centrifugal fan 30, and thus improves
the performance of the centrifugal fan 30.
[0047] For this reason, in the centrifugal fan 30 of the
embodiment, the first blades 32 are disposed in a ring shape at the
edge of the surface 31b of the rotary plate 31 and the second
blades 33 are disposed in a ring shape having a larger outer
diameter (A) than the outer diameter (B) of the first blades 32 at
the edge of the surface 31c of the rotary plate 31.
[0048] That is, in consideration of the flow resistance generated
by the driving device 40 disposed at the second inlet 38, the outer
diameter (A) of the second blades 33 is larger than the outer
diameter (B) of the first blades 32 such that the suction region of
the second inlet 38 is larger than the suction region of the first
inlet 36.
[0049] The optimum values of the outer diameters of the first and
second blades 32 and 33 to allow the air sucked through the first
inlet 36 and the air sucked through the second inlet 38 to have the
substantially equal or similar flow resistance(s) are obtained from
experiments based on flow resistances according to the size and
position of the driving device 40 disposed at the second inlet
38.
[0050] Further, the optimum value of the relation between the
diameter of the rotary plate 31 and the outer diameters of the
first and second blades 32 and 33 is obtained also from
experiments. In this embodiment, for example, the outer diameter of
the second blades 33 corresponds to the diameter of the rotary
plate 31, and the outer diameter of the first blades 32 is smaller
than the diameter of the rotary plate 31.
[0051] Even in a case where the driving device 40 is mounted at a
position of the centrifugal fan 30 adjacent to the second inlet 38,
the outer diameter of the second blades 33 is larger than the outer
diameter of the first blades 32 and the suction region of the
second inlet 38 is larger than the suction region of the first
inlet 36, and thus the flow resistances of air flows respectively
sucked through both sides of the centrifugal fan 30 are maintained
substantially equally or similarly, in spite of the increase of the
flow resistance by the driving device 40.
[0052] Further, the height (D) of the second blades 33 is larger
than the height (C) of the first blades 32.
[0053] Through the above configuration, the discharge region of the
second outlet 39 is larger than the discharge region of the first
outlet 37, and thus the second outlet 39 is capable of discharging
air more efficiently than the first outlet 37.
[0054] The first blades 32 have an inner diameter (E) smaller than
the inner diameter (F) of the second blades 33. The inner diameter
(E) of the first blades 32 becomes smaller than the inner diameter
(F) of the second blades 33 by causing the first and second blades
32 and 33 to have the same width (G).
[0055] In this embodiment, exemplarily, the first blades 32 and the
second blades 33 have the same width (G). However, the first and
second blades 32 and 33 may have various widths, and the optimum
values of the widths of the first and second blades 32 and 33 may
be obtained from experiments.
[0056] The first shroud 34 is connected to the outer edges of the
first blades 32, and has an outer diameter, which is smaller than
the diameter of the rotary plate 31.
[0057] The second shroud 35 is connected to the outer edges of the
second blades 33, and has an outer diameter, which is larger than
the outer diameter of the first shroud 34.
[0058] In the above-described bidirectional centrifugal fan 30 of
the embodiment, the outer diameter (A) of the second blades 33 is
larger than the outer diameter (B) of the first blades 32, and thus
the flow resistances of the air flows sucked through the first and
second inlets 36 and 38 are maintained substantially equally or
similarly although the driving device 40 to drive the centrifugal
fan 30 is located at the second inlet 38 of the centrifugal fan 30.
Thereby, the bidirectional centrifugal fan 30 of the embodiment has
an improved air-blowing capacity, compared with a conventional
centrifugal fan.
[0059] Further, in the above structure, the height (D) of the
second blades 33 is larger than the height (C) of the first blades
32, and thus the blowing properties of the air flows discharged
through the first and second outlets 37 and 39 are maintained
substantially equally or similarly. Thereby, it is possible to
minimize an air-blowing loss generated during a process of mixing
the air flows respectively discharged through the first and second
outlets 37 and 39, and to reduce noise and vibration.
[0060] Although this embodiment describes that the outer diameter
of the first blades of the centrifugal fan is equal to that of the
blades of a conventional centrifugal fan and the outer diameter of
the second blades of the centrifugal fan is larger than that of the
blades of the conventional centrifugal fan, the outer diameter of
the second blades of the centrifugal fan may be equal to that of
the blades of the conventional centrifugal fan and the outer
diameter of the first blades of the centrifugal fan may be smaller
than that of the blades of the conventional centrifugal fan by a
designated degree.
[0061] Further, although this embodiment describes that the rotary
shaft of the driving device is connected directly to the rotary
shaft insertion hole of the rotary plate, pulleys may be
respectively installed at the rotary shaft of the motor and the
rotary shaft insertion hole of the rotary plate and a belt may be
connected to both the pulleys to transmit the rotary force of the
motor to the centrifugal fan. The centrifugal blowing unit having
the above configuration may have different flow resistances at the
first and second inlets due to the mounting of the pulleys and the
belt at one side of the centrifugal fan.
[0062] Moreover, although this embodiment describes that the
centrifugal fan is installed in an air conditioner, the centrifugal
fan may be applied to various apparatuses, which require a
bidirectional centrifugal fan, such as a ventilating apparatus as
well as the air conditioner.
[0063] As described above, the centrifugal fan in accordance with
the example embodiment includes a pair of blades having different
outer diameters such that the inlet with the driving device is
larger than the inlet without the driving device, and thus
maintains flow resistances of air sucked through the first and
second inlets substantially equally or similarly, thereby improving
an air-blowing capacity compared with a conventional centrifugal
fan.
[0064] Further, the centrifugal fan in accordance with the example
embodiment causes the second blades to have a height larger than
the height of the first blades in the above structure, thereby
minimizing an air-blowing loss generated during a process of mixing
air flows discharged through the first and second outlets and
reducing noise and vibration.
[0065] Although embodiments of the invention have been shown and
described, it would be appreciated by those skilled in the art that
changes may be made in these embodiments without departing from the
principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is
defined in the claims and their equivalents.
* * * * *