Patent Publication Number: US-11041508-B2

Title: Air mover

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority of China Patent Application No. 201810190509.5, filed on Mar. 8, 2018, the entirety of which is incorporated by reference herein. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to an air mover, and in particular to an air mover with two inlets. 
     Description of the Related Art 
     A conventional air mover (for example, a carpet drier) has a motor, a fan, two inlets, and an outlet. Conventionally, the motor is disposed on one side of the air mover. This can cause the weight distribution of the conventional air mover to be uneven, and the air mover can be difficult to carry. Additionally, the motor and the fan are adjacent to one side of the air mover, and the intake flow rates at the two inlets are different. The great difference between the intake flow rates at the two inlets causes noise, and decreases the output flow rate of the air mover. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In one embodiment, an air mover is provided. The air mover includes a housing, a spacer, a co-axial motor, a first fan, and a second fan. The housing includes a first housing member and a second housing member, wherein a first inlet, a second inlet and an outlet are formed on the housing, the first inlet is formed on the first housing member and the second inlet is formed on the second housing member. The spacer is disposed between the first housing member and the second housing member. The co-axial motor includes a shaft, wherein the co-axial motor is disposed on the spacer, the shaft comprises a first free end and a second free end, the first free end extends in a first direction, and the second free end extends in a second direction. The first fan is connected to the first free end, wherein the first fan is located in a first chamber formed by the first housing member and the spacer, and the first fan corresponds to the first inlet. The second fan is connected to the second free end, wherein the second fan is located in a second chamber formed by the second housing member and the spacer, and the second fan corresponds to the second inlet. 
     In one embodiment, a first distance between the first free end and the spacer is equal to a second distance between the second free end and the spacer. 
     In one embodiment, the air mover further comprises a mounting base, wherein the spacer comprises a first surface and a second surface, the co-axial motor comprises a motor body, the mounting base is disposed on the second surface, the motor body passes through the spacer, and the mounting base affixes the motor body to the spacer. 
     In one embodiment, the co-axial motor comprises a cable, the cable is connected to the motor body, and the cable travels from the motor body, extends over the first surface, passes through a cable notch of the first housing member, and leaves the first chamber. 
     In one embodiment, the air mover further comprises at least one positioner, wherein the positioner is disposed on the first surface and restricts the cable. 
     In one embodiment, the air mover further comprises a controller, wherein the housing comprises a recess, the recess is formed above a seam line between the first housing member and the second housing member, the controller is embedded in the recess, the cable notch is located on the bottom of the recess, and the cable is coupled to the controller. 
     In one embodiment, the air mover further comprises a plurality of first bolts, the first housing member comprises a plurality of fastening bases, the second housing member and the spacer have a plurality of through holes, each first bolt passes through the corresponding through hole and is affixed to the corresponding fastening base, and the first bolts connect the second housing member, the spacer and the first housing member. 
     In one embodiment, the housing comprises a first rib, the first rib is formed on a seam line between the first housing member and the second housing member, and the first rib corresponds to the recess. 
     In one embodiment, the housing comprises a bottom surface, a plurality of supporting portions and a second rib, the supporting portions and the second rib are formed on the bottom surface, and the second rib is formed on a seam line between the first housing member and the second housing member. 
     In one embodiment, the spacer separates the first chamber and the second chamber, a first flow enters the first chamber through the first inlet and is impelled by the first fan to leave the first chamber via the outlet, and a second flow enters the second chamber through the second inlet and is impelled by the second fan to leave the second chamber via the outlet. 
     In one embodiment, on a projection plane, a reverse point is formed between a chamber profile of the first chamber and an outlet profile of the outlet, a tangent line of the chamber profile on the reverse point overlaps an edge of the spacer. 
     In one embodiment, the radius of the first fan is equal to the radius of the second fan. 
     In one embodiment, the size of the first inlet is equal to the size of the second inlet. 
     Utilizing the air mover of the embodiment of the invention, the co-axial motor is disposed on the spacer located in the center of the air mover, the weight distribution of the air mover is uniform, and the air mover can be easily carried. Additionally, the co-axial motor rotates the first fan and the second fan simultaneously, the flow rate of a first flow through the first inlet approximates to the flow rate of a second flow through the second inlet. The noise of the air mover is decreased, and the output flow rate of the air mover is increased. In one embodiment, the first distance is equal to the second distance, and the uniformity of the weight distribution and the intake flow rates are further improved. 
     A detailed description is given in the following embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present invention can be more fully understood by reading the subsequent detailed description and examples with references made to the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1A  is an exploded view of an air mover of an embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 1B  is an assembled view of the air mover of the embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a front view of a portion of the spacer and the co-axial motor of the embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 3A  is an exploded view of the details of the spacer and the co-axial motor of the embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 3B  is an assembled view of the details of the spacer and the co-axial motor of the embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 4  shows the details of the recess of the embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 5  shows the first rib of the embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 6  shows the second rib of the embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 7  shows the tangent line overlaps the edge of the spacer of the embodiment of the invention; and 
         FIG. 8  shows the second bolts of the embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The following description is of the best-contemplated mode of carrying out the invention. This description is made for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention and should not be taken in a limiting sense. The scope of the invention is best determined by reference to the appended claims. 
       FIG. 1A  is an exploded view of an air mover of an embodiment of the invention.  FIG. 1B  is an assembled view of the air mover of the embodiment of the invention. With reference to  FIGS. 1A and 1B , the air mover D of the embodiment of the invention includes a housing  1 , a spacer  2 , a co-axial motor  3 , a first fan  41  and a second fan  42 . The housing  1  includes a first housing member  11  and a second housing member  12 . A first inlet  101 , a second inlet  102  and an outlet  103  are formed on the housing  1 . The first inlet  101  is formed on the first housing member  11 . The second inlet  102  is formed on the second housing member  12 . The spacer  2  is disposed between the first housing member  11  and the second housing member  12 . In one embodiment of the invention, the radius of the first fan is equal to the radius of the second fan, or the chord length of the first fan is equal to the chord length of the second fan. In one embodiment, the size of the first inlet is equal to the size of the second inlet. 
       FIG. 2  is a front view of a portion of the spacer and the co-axial motor of the embodiment of the invention. The co-axial motor  3  includes a shaft  31 . The co-axial motor  3  is disposed on the spacer  2 . The shaft  31  comprises a first free  311  end and a second free end  312 . The first free end  311  extends in a first direction X 1 . The second free end  312  extends in a second direction X 2 . With reference to  FIGS. 1A, 1B and 2 , the first fan  41  is connected to the first free end  311 , wherein the first fan  41  is located in a first chamber C 1  formed by the first housing member  11  and the spacer  2 . The first fan  41  corresponds to the first inlet  101 . The second fan  42  is connected to the second free end  312 , wherein the second fan  42  is located in a second chamber C 2  formed by the second housing member  12  and the spacer  2 , and the second fan  42  corresponds to the second inlet  102 . 
     With reference to  FIG. 2 , in one embodiment, a first distance d 1  between the first free end  311  and the spacer  2  is equal to a second distance d 2  between the second free end  312  and the spacer  2 . 
     Utilizing the air mover of the embodiment of the invention, the co-axial motor is disposed on the spacer located in the center of the air mover, the weight distribution of the air mover is uniform, and the air mover can be easily carried. Additionally, the co-axial motor rotates the first fan and the second fan simultaneously, the flow rate of a first flow through the first inlet approximates to the flow rate of a second flow through the second inlet. The noise of the air mover is decreased, and the output flow rate of the air mover is increased. In one embodiment, the first distance is equal to the second distance, and the uniformity of the weight distribution and the intake flow rates are further improved. 
       FIG. 3A  is an exploded view of the details of the spacer and the co-axial motor of the embodiment of the invention.  FIG. 3B  is an assembled view of the details of the spacer and the co-axial motor of the embodiment of the invention. With reference to  FIGS. 2, 3A and 3B , in one embodiment, the air mover D further comprises a mounting base  51 . The spacer  2  comprises a first surface  21  and a second surface  22 . The co-axial motor  3  comprises a motor body  32 . The mounting base  51  is disposed on the second surface  22 . The motor body  32  passes through the spacer  2 . The mounting base  51  affixes the motor body  32  to the spacer  2 . 
     With reference to  FIGS. 3B and 4 , in one embodiment, the co-axial motor  3  comprises a cable  33 . The cable  33  is connected to the motor body  32 . The cable  33  travels from the motor body  32 , extends over the first surface  21 , passes through a cable notch  111  of the first housing member  11 , and leaves the first chamber C 1 . 
     With reference to  FIG. 3B , in one embodiment, the air mover further comprises at least one positioner  61 , wherein the positioner  61  is disposed on the first surface  21  and restricts the cable  33 . 
     In the embodiment of the invention, the cable  33  extends over the first surface  21 , and is restricted by the positioner  61 . Therefore, the cable  33  is prevented from being interference with the neighboring elements during the assembling process of the air mover. 
     With reference to  FIG. 4 , in one embodiment, the air mover D further comprises a controller  62 . The housing  1  comprises a recess  104 . The controller  62  is embedded in the recess  104 . The cable notch  111  is located on the bottom of the recess  104 , and the cable  33  is coupled to the controller  62 . 
     With reference to  FIG. 1A , in one embodiment, the air mover D further comprises a plurality of first bolts  63 . The first housing member  1  comprises a plurality of fastening bases  14 . The second housing member  12  has a plurality of through holes  124 . The spacer  2  has a plurality of through holes  24 . Each first bolt  63  passes through the corresponding through hole  124  and through holes  24 , and is affixed to the corresponding fastening base  14 . The first bolts  63  sequentially connect the second housing member  12 , the spacer  2  and the first housing member  11 . 
     With reference to  FIG. 4 , in one embodiment, the recess  104  is formed above the seam line between the first housing member  11  and the second housing member  12 . One of the first bolts  63  is affixed to one of the fastening base  14  at the recess  104 . 
     With reference to  FIG. 5 , in one embodiment, the housing  1  comprises a first rib  134 . The first rib  134  is formed on the seam line between the first housing member  11  and the second housing member  12 , and the first rib  134  corresponds to the recess  104 . One of the first bolts  63  is affixed to one of the fastening base  14  at the first rib  134 . 
     With reference to  FIGS. 1A, 1B and 6 , in one embodiment, the housing  1  comprises a bottom surface  131 , a plurality of supporting portions  132  and a second rib  133 . The supporting portions  132  and the second rib  133  are formed on the bottom surface  131 . The second rib  133  is formed on the seam line between the first housing member  11  and the second housing member  12 . One of the first bolts  63  is affixed to one of the fastening base  14  at the second rib  133 . 
     With reference to  FIGS. 1A and 1B , in one embodiment, the spacer  2  separates the first chamber C 1  and the second chamber C 2 . The first flow A 1  enters the first chamber C 1  through the first inlet  101  and is impelled by the first fan  41  to leave the first chamber C 1  via the outlet  103 . The second flow A 2  enters the second chamber C 2  through the second inlet  102  and is impelled by the second fan  42  to leave the second chamber C 2  via the outlet  103 . The first flow A 1  and the second flow A 2  are combined into a third flow A 3  in the outlet  103 . 
     In the embodiment above, the first bolts  63  fastens the second housing member  12 , the spacer  2  and the first housing member  11  simultaneously. The spacer  2 , the first fan  41 , the second fan  42  and the co-axial motor  3  can be firmly affixed. Additionally, the spacer  2  sufficiently separates the first chamber C 1  from the second chamber C 2 , the flow field inside the first chamber C 1  is separated from the flow field inside the second chamber C 2 , and the operation efficiency of the air mover is improved. 
     With reference to  FIGS. 1A and 7 , in one embodiment, on a projection plane, a reverse point P is formed between a chamber profile of the first chamber C 1  and an outlet profile of the outlet  103 . A tangent line L of the chamber profile on the reverse point P overlaps an edge  23  of the spacer  2 . In one embodiment, the tangent line L that overlaps the edge  23  impedes the generation of a vortex. 
     With reference to  FIG. 8 , in one embodiment, the air mover D further comprises a plurality of second bolts  64 . The second bolts  64  connect the first housing member  11  and the second housing member  12 . The second bolts  64  are disposed on a handle  105 , the second rib  133  and the neighboring structure of the outlet  103 . 
     With reference to  FIG. 1A , in one embodiment, a first filter  71  is disposed in the first inlet  101 , a second filter  72  is disposed in the second inlet  102 , and a third filter  73  is disposed in the outlet  103 . The first filter  71  and the second filter  72  prevent foreign objects from entering the first inlet  101  and the second inlet  102 . The third filter  73  prevents foreign objects from entering the outlet  103 . 
     Use of ordinal terms such as “first”, “second”, “third”, etc., in the claims to modify a claim element does not by itself connote any priority, precedence, or order of one claim element over another or the temporal order in which acts of a method are performed, but are used merely as labels to distinguish one claim element having a certain name from another element having the same name (but for use of the ordinal term). 
     While the invention has been described by way of example and in terms of the preferred embodiments, it should be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. On the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements (as would be apparent to those skilled in the art). Therefore, the scope of the appended claims should be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar arrangements.