Blower apparatus

Abstract

This blower apparatus includes an air blowing portion including a plurality of flat plates arranged with an axial gap defined between adjacent ones of the flat plates; a motor portion arranged to rotate the air blowing portion; and a housing arranged to house the air blowing portion and the motor portion. The housing includes an air inlet and an air outlet. A rotating portion includes a hub including a flat plate holding portion arranged to hold at least one of the flat plates. Once the air blowing portion starts rotating, an air flow traveling radially outward is generated between the flat plates by viscous drag of surfaces of the flat plates and a centrifugal force. Since the air flow is generated between the flat plates, the air flow does not easily leak upwardly or downwardly, and thus, an improvement in air blowing efficiency is achieved.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A blower apparatus comprising:
 an air blowing portion arranged to rotate about a central axis extending in a vertical direction;   a motor portion arranged to rotate the air blowing portion; and   a housing arranged to house the air blowing portion and the motor portion; wherein   the housing includes:
 an air inlet arranged above the air blowing portion, and arranged to pass through a portion of the housing in an axial direction; and 
 an air outlet arranged to face in a radial direction at at least one circumferential position radially outside of the air blowing portion; 
   the air blowing portion includes a plurality of flat plates arranged in the axial direction with an axial gap defined between adjacent ones of the flat plates;   the motor portion includes:
 a stationary portion including an armature; and 
 a rotating portion including a magnet arranged radially outside of the armature, and a hub arranged to hold the magnet; and 
   the hub includes:
 a top plate portion arranged to cover an upper side of the armature; 
 a magnet holding portion arranged to extend downward from the top plate portion to assume a cylindrical shape, and arranged to hold the magnet with an inner circumferential surface thereof; and 
 a flat plate holding portion arranged to extend radially on a radially outer side of the magnet holding portion, and hold at least one of the flat plates. 
   
     
     
         2 . The blower apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the hub includes:
 a hub body member including the fop plate portion and the magnet holding portion; and   a flange member including the flat plate holding portion.   
     
     
         3 . The blower apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the flat plates defines a portion of the flat plate holding portion. 
     
     
         4 . The blower apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the flat plates include a bottom flat plate arranged at a lowest position of ail the flat plates, the bottom flat plate defining a portion of the flat plate holding portion. 
     
     
         5 . The blower apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the flat plates include a top flat plate arranged at a highest position of all the flat plates, the top flat plate defining a portion of the flat plate holding portion. 
     
     
         6 . The blower apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein
 the flat plates included in the air blowing portion are three or more in number;   the flat plates include:
 a top flat plate arranged at a highest position of all the flat plates; 
 a bottom flat plate arranged at a lowest position of ail the flat plates; and 
 one or more intermediate flat, plates arranged between the top flat plate and the bottom flat plate; and 
   at least one of the intermediate flat plates defines a portion of the flat plate holding portion.   
     
     
         7 . The blower apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein a center of the air inlet is arranged to coincide with the central axis. 
     
     
         8 . The blower apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the stationary portion further includes a bearing housing;   the rotating portion further includes a shaft and a bearing member;   the bearing housing and a combination of the shaft and the bearing member are arranged to have a lubricating fluid therebetween;   the bearing housing and the rotating portion are arranged to together define a gap defining a seal portion therebetween, the seal portion having a surface of the lubricating fluid defined therein; and   in the seal portion, a distance between the bearing housing and the rotating portion is arranged to increase with increasing distance from the surface of the lubricating fluid.   
     
     
         9 . The blower apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the motor portion farther includes a ball bearing arranged to connect the rotating portion to the stationary portion such that the rotating portion is rotatable with respect to the stationary portion. 
     
     
         10 . The blower apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the housing includes a plurality of the air outlets at a plurality of circumferential positions.