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 arranged to pass through a portion of the housing in an axial direction above the air blowing portion, and an air outlet arranged to face in a radial direction radially outside of the air blowing portion. One of the flat plates includes a projecting portion arranged to project upward and/or downward, and another one of the flat plates includes an opposing portion arranged to be circumferentially opposed to the projecting portion. Relative circumferential positions of the flat plates can be easily fixed by the opposing portion.

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 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;   one of the flat plates includes a projecting portion arranged to project upward or downward or both ways; and   another one of the flat plates includes an opposing portion arranged to be circumferentially opposed to the projecting portion.   
     
     
         2 . The blower apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the flat plates include:
 a first positioning flat plate including the projecting portion, the projecting portion being arranged to project upward; and   one or a plurality of second positioning flat plates arranged upwardly adjacent, to the first positioning flat plate, each second positioning flat plate including a cut in which the projecting portion is fitted.   
     
     
         3 . The blower apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the flat plates include:
 a first positioning flat plate including the projecting portion, the projecting portion being arranged to project upward; and   one or a plurality of second positioning flat plates arranged upwardly adjacent, to the first positioning flat plate, each second positioning flat plate including a positioning hole being a through hole in which the projecting portion is fitted.   
     
     
         4 . The blower apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein
 the flat plates include the plurality of second positioning flat plates;   the plurality of second positioning flat plates are arranged to have smaller diameters of the positioning holes as the plurality of second positioning flat plates are arranged at higher positions; and   the projecting portion is arranged to become smaller in a cross-sectional area at higher positions.   
     
     
         5 . The blower apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 at least one of the flat plates includes an air hole arranged to pass therethrough in the axial direction; and   the projecting portion is arranged radially outward of the air hole.   
     
     
         6 . The blower apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein
 each second positioning flat plate includes:
 an inner annular portion being annular, and centered on the central axis; 
 an outer annular portion being annular, centered on the central axis, and arranged radially outside of the inner annular portion; 
 a plurality of ribs each of which is arranged to radially join the inner annular portion and the outer annular portion to each other; and 
 a plurality of air holes each of which is surrounded by the inner annular portion, the outer annular portion, and two circumferentially adjacent ones of the ribs, and is arranged to pass through the second positioning flat plate in the axial direction; and 
   each positioning hole is defined in one of the ribs.   
     
     
         7 . The blower apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein
 each second positioning flat plate is annular and includes a central hole being a circular through hole; and   the second positioning flat plate includes an inner edge portion defining the central hole, and a radial gap between the inner edge portion and the motor portion defines an air hole.   
     
     
         8 . The blower apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein
 the air blowing portion further includes a spacer arranged between axially adjacent ones of the flat plates;   the spacer is arranged in an annular shape around the projecting portion; and   the axially adjacent ones of the flat plates are fixed to each other through the spacer.   
     
     
         9 . The blower apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the air blowing portion further includes a spacer arranged between axially adjacent ones of the flat plates; and   the axially adjacent ones of the flat plates are fixed to each other through the spacer.   
     
     
         10 . The blower apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the spacer is defined by a heat-welding sheet. 
     
     
         11 . The blower apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein a center of the air inlet is arranged to coincide with the central axis. 
     
     
         12 . The blower apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the motor portion includes:
 a stationary portion including an armature and a bearing housing; and 
 a rotating portion including a shaft, a bearing member, and a magnet arranged radially opposite to the armature; 
   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.   
     
     
         13 . The blower apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the motor portion includes:
 a stationary portion including an armature;   a rotating portion including a magnet arranged radially opposite to the armature; and   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.   
     
     
         14 . The blower apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the housing includes a plurality of the air outlets at a plurality of circumferential positions.