Tower fan and shell thereof

Abstract

A tower fan has a shell, and the shell has a bottom plate, an outlet structure disposed on the bottom plate, and a top plate disposed on the outlet structure. The outlet structure has a shell plate module, an inlet module, and a guiding column each made by aluminum extrusion. The inlet module is detachably mounted on the bottom plate, and the top plate is configured to engage with the inlet module. The outlet structure is modular and is made by aluminum extrusion, which not only improves efficiency and convenience of detaching the shell but also decreases difficulties and costs of manufacturing the shell. The shell of the tower fan can further have multiple outlet structures disposed in mirror symmetry and multiple fan modules each corresponding to a respective outlet structure. Tower fans with double or more air volume can be provided without making extra molds.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A shell of a tower fan having an outlet side and comprising:
 a bottom plate;   at least one outlet structure disposed on the bottom plate and having
 a shell plate module, an inlet module, and a guiding column, each one of the shell plate module, the inlet module, and the guiding column made by aluminum extrusion, and the inlet module detachably mounted on the bottom plate and forming multiple inlet holes; 
 a vortex space enclosed by the shell plate module, the inlet module, and the guiding column arranged in order; and 
 an outlet opening formed between the shell plate module and the guiding column, facing the outlet side of the shell, and communicating with the vortex space; and 
   a top plate disposed on the shell plate module and the guiding column of the at least one outlet structure, configured to engage with the inlet module of the at least one outlet structure, and having
 at least one axial hole located on the top plate and aligned with a center of the vortex space of the at least one outlet structure. 
   
     
     
         2 . The shell of the tower fan as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the inlet module has
 multiple inlet plates, each one of the multiple inlet plates made by aluminum extrusion and having
 two limiting grooves, each one of the two limiting grooves formed on a respective one of two sides of the inlet plate; 
   a top positioning plate disposed on top sides of the multiple inlet plates and detachably engaged with the top plate;   a bottom positioning plate disposed on bottom sides of the multiple inlet plates and detachably engaged with the bottom plate; and   multiple limiting components, each one of the multiple limiting components mounted through a respective one of the top positioning plate and the bottom positioning plate and inserted into a respective one of the two limiting grooves of a corresponding one of the multiple inlet plates.   
     
     
         3 . The shell of the tower fan as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the at least one outlet structure has
 an outlet module disposed on the outlet side of the shell and comprising
 at least one outlet plate having
 multiple outlet holes formed on the at least one outlet plate and communicating with the vortex space; and 
 
 a blocking tab disposed on a top end of the at least one outlet plate and configured to engage with the top plate. 
   
     
     
         4 . The shell of the tower fan as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the at least one outlet structure has
 an outlet module disposed on the outlet side of the shell and comprising
 at least one outlet plate having 
 multiple outlet holes formed on the at least one outlet plate and communicating with the vortex space; and 
   a blocking tab disposed on a top end of the at least one outlet plate and configured to engage with the top plate.   
     
     
         5 . The shell of the tower fan as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein
 the shell has
 a cover covering the top plate and having
 at least one opening hole formed on the cover and aligned with the at least one axial hole of the top plate; 
 multiple magnets fixed on a bottom of the cover and being capable of magnetically attracting and being attached to the top plate; and 
 multiple engaging pins and at least one assembling pin both formed on the bottom of the cover; 
 
   the top plate of the shell has multiple top engaging holes and at least one top assembling hole, and the multiple top engaging holes and the at least one top assembling hole are formed on the top plate;   the top positioning plate of the inlet module forms multiple corresponding holes, and each one of the multiple corresponding holes is aligned with a respective one of the multiple top engaging holes of the top plate;   each one of the multiple engaging pins is mounted through a respective one of the multiple corresponding holes and a respective one of the multiple top engaging holes;   the blocking tab of the outlet module forms at least one positioning hole aligned with the at least one top assembling hole of the top plate; and   the at least one assembling pin is mounted through the at least one top assembling hole of the top plate and the at least one positioning hole of the blocking tab.   
     
     
         6 . The shell of the tower fan as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein
 the bottom plate forms multiple bottom engaging holes;   the bottom positioning plate has multiple engaging protrusions; and   each one of the multiple engaging protrusions of the bottom positioning plate is configured to be inserted into a respective one of the multiple bottom engaging holes.   
     
     
         7 . The shell of the tower fan as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein
 the bottom plate forms multiple bottom engaging holes;   the bottom positioning plate has multiple engaging protrusions; and   each one of the multiple engaging protrusions of the bottom positioning plate is configured to be inserted into a respective one of the multiple bottom engaging holes.   
     
     
         8 . The shell of the tower fan as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein
 the bottom plate forms multiple bottom assembling holes;   the at least one outlet plate of the outlet module has multiple assembling protrusions protruding from a bottom edge of the at least one outlet plate; and   each one of the multiple assembling protrusions is configured to be inserted into a respective one of the multiple bottom assembling holes of the bottom plate.   
     
     
         9 . The shell of the tower fan as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein
 the bottom plate forms multiple bottom assembling holes;   the at least one outlet plate of the outlet module has multiple assembling protrusions protruding from a bottom edge of the at least one outlet plate; and   each one of the multiple assembling protrusions is configured to be inserted into a respective one of the multiple bottom assembling holes of the bottom plate.   
     
     
         10 . The shell of the tower fan as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the shell plate module has
 multiple shell plates, each one of the multiple shell plates made by aluminum extrusion and having
 two positioning grooves, each one of the two positioning grooves formed on a respective one of two sides of the shell plate; and 
   multiple positioning units, each one of the multiple positioning units mounted through a respective one of the top plate and the bottom plate and screwed into a respective one of the two positioning grooves of a respective one of the multiple shell plates.   
     
     
         11 . The shell of the tower fan as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein the shell plate module has
 multiple shell plates, each one of the multiple shell plates made by aluminum extrusion and having
 two positioning grooves; each one of the two positioning grooves formed on a respective one of two sides of the shell plate; and 
   multiple positioning units; each one of the multiple positioning units mounted through a respective one of the top plate and the bottom plate and screwed into a respective one of the two positioning grooves of a respective one of the multiple shell plates.   
     
     
         12 . The shell of the tower fan as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein
 the shell has two said outlet structures disposed in mirror symmetry and on the bottom plate;   the two shell plate modules of the two outlet structures are disposed adjacently; and   the inlet module of each one of the two outlet structures is located on a respective one of two opposite sides of the two outlet structures.   
     
     
         13 . The shell of the tower fan as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the shell has four said outlet structures, two guiding plates, two connecting plates, and a communicating space;
 the four outlet structures are defined as two front outlet structures and two rear outlet structures;   the two front outlet structures are disposed at a spaced interval, in mirror symmetry, and near the outlet side of the shell;   the two rear outlet structures are adjacently disposed in mirror symmetry and are located on a side of the shell being opposite to the outlet side of the shell;   the communicating space is formed between the two front outlet structures and the two outlet openings of the two rear outlet structures;   each one of the two guiding plates is disposed on the guiding column of a respective one of the two rear outlet structures and extends toward the outlet side of the shell; and   each one of the two connecting plates is connected to the guiding column of a respective one of the two rear outlet structures and the shell plate module of a respective one of the two front outlet structures.   
     
     
         14 . A tower fan comprising:
 a base;   a controlling module disposed in the base;   the shell as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the shell is disposed on the base; and   at least one fan module disposed inside the shell and having
 a driving motor disposed on the bottom plate of the shell and electrically connected to the controlling module; and 
 a fan blade assembly having
 a blower connected to the driving motor and being capable of being driven by the driving motor to rotate and create a vortex; 
 a shaft protruding from an end of the blower and inserted into the at least one axial hole of the top plate; and 
 a sleeve sheathed on the shaft and disposed in the at least one axial hole. 
 
   
     
     
         15 . The tower fan as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein
 the shell has two said outlet structures disposed in mirror symmetry and on the bottom plate;   the two shell plate modules of the two outlet structures are disposed adjacently;   the inlet module of each one of the two outlet structures is located on a respective one of two opposite sides of the two outlet structures;   the tower fan has two said fan modules, and each one of the two said fan modules is disposed in the vortex space of a respective one of the two outlet structures;   the two fan blade assemblies of the two fan modules are disposed in mirror symmetry; and   the driving motor of each one of the two fan modules has a driving direction being opposite to that of the driving motor of the other one of the two fan modules.   
     
     
         16 . The tower fan as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein
 the shell has four said outlet structures, two guiding plates, two connecting plates, and a communicating space;   the four outlet structures are defined as two front outlet structures and two rear outlet structures;   the two front outlet structures are disposed at a spaced interval, in mirror symmetry, and near the outlet side of the shell;   the two rear outlet structures are adjacently disposed in mirror symmetry and are located on a side of the shell being opposite the outlet side of the shell;   the communicating space is formed between the two front outlet structures and the two outlet openings of the two rear outlet structures;   each one of the two guiding plates is disposed on the guiding column of a respective one of the two rear outlet structures and extends toward the outlet side of the shell;   each one of the two connecting plates is connected to the guiding column of a respective one of the two rear outlet structures and the shell plate module of a respective one of the two front outlet structures;   the tower fan has four fan modules defined as two front fan modules and two rear fan modules;   each one of the two front fan modules is disposed in the vortex space of a respective one of the two front outlet structures;   the two fan blade assemblies of the two front fan modules are disposed in mirror symmetry, and the driving motor of each one of the two front fan modules has a driving direction being opposite to that of the driving motor of the other one of the two front fan modules;   each one of the two rear fan modules is disposed in the vortex space of a respective one of the two rear outlet structures; and   the two fan blade assemblies of the two rear fan modules are disposed in mirror symmetry, and the driving motor of each one of the two rear fan modules has a driving direction being opposite to that of the driving motor of the other one of the two rear fan modules.   
     
     
         17 . The tower fan as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein the inlet module of the shell has
 multiple inlet plates, each one of the multiple inlet plates made by aluminum extrusion and having
 two limiting grooves, each one of the two limiting grooves formed on a respective one of two sides of the inlet plate; 
   a top positioning plate disposed on top sides of the multiple inlet plates and detachably engaged with the top plate;   a bottom positioning plate disposed on bottom sides of the multiple inlet plates and detachably engaged with the bottom plate; and   multiple limiting components; each one of the multiple limiting components mounted through a respective one of the top positioning plate and the bottom positioning plate and inserted into a respective one of the two limiting grooves of a corresponding one of the multiple inlet plates.   
     
     
         18 . The tower fan as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein the at least one outlet structure of the shell has
 an outlet module disposed on the outlet side of the shell and comprising
 at least one outlet plate having
 multiple outlet holes formed on the at least one outlet plate and communicating with the vortex space; and 
 
 a blocking tab disposed on a top end of the at least one outlet plate and configured to engage with the top plate. 
   
     
     
         19 . The tower fan as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein the at least one outlet structure of the shell has
 an outlet module disposed on the outlet side of the shell and comprising
 at least one outlet plate having
 multiple outlet holes formed on the at least one outlet plate and communicating with the vortex space; and 
 
 a blocking tab disposed on a top end of the at least one outlet plate and configured to engage with the top plate. 
   
     
     
         20 . The tower fan as claimed in  claim 19 , wherein
 the shell has
 a cover covering the top plate and having
 at least one opening hole formed on the cover and aligned with the at least one axial hole of the top plate; 
 multiple magnets fixed on a bottom of the cover and being capable of magnetically attracting and being attached to the top plate; and 
 multiple engaging pins and at least one assembling pin both formed on the bottom of the cover; 
 
   the top plate of the shell has multiple top engaging holes and at least one top assembling hole, and the multiple top engaging holes and the at least one top assembling hole are formed on the top plate;   the top positioning plate of the inlet module forms multiple corresponding holes; each one of the multiple corresponding holes is aligned with a respective one of the multiple top engaging holes of the top plate;   each one of the multiple engaging pins is mounted through a respective one of the multiple corresponding holes and a respective one of the multiple top engaging holes;   the blocking tab of the outlet module forms at least one positioning hole aligned with the at least one top assembling hole of the top plate; and   the at least one assembling pin is mounted through the at least one top assembling hole of the top plate and the at least one positioning hole of the blocking tab.