Patent Publication Number: US-6210101-B1

Title: Combined structure of cross-flow fan

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     Not Applicable 
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not Applicable 
     REFERENCE TO A MICROFICHE APPENDIX 
     Not Applicable 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The invention pertains generally to a cross-flow fan, and more particularly to a combined structure of cross-flow fan which is easily manufactured and assembled. 
     2. Description of the Background Art 
     A conventional cross-flow fan mainly comprises a stator mounting, a rotor mounting, a fan and a housing. The conventional rotor mounting comprises a magnet ring, wherein the magnet ring cannot be manufactured together with the fan, which is typically made of plastic, because of the differences in materials. Alternatively, after the fan is manufactured, the magnet ring is installed in the fan for engagment with the fan. The conventional way to combine them is to adhere the magnet ring and fan together. However, such an installation process easily results in the ruin of fan blades so that it is difficult to manufacture the fan, and the quality is difficult to control. Additionally, the conventional housing of the cross-flow fan comprises an upper housing and a lower housing which are difficult to be combined. 
     Accordingly, there exists a need for a cross-flow fan having components that are easily and readily assembled together, thereby maximizing the quality of the fan. The present invention satisfies these needs, as well as others, and generally overcomes the deficiencies found in the background art. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is a combined structure for a cross-flow fan which generally comprises a rotor mounting having a magnet ring and a coil enclosed therein, a fan mounted beneath the rotor mounting, means for attaching the fan to the rotor mounting that provides for easy assembly of the rotor mounting and the fan together, a stator mounting mounted above the rotor mounting, a housing, and a means for attaching the stator mounting to the housing. The housing includes an entry and an exit and contains the rotor mounting, the fan and the stator mounting. 
     An object of the invention is to provide a combined structure of a cross-flow fan such that the rotor mounting is easily engaged with the fan, and the outer housing is easily assembled together. 
     Another object of the invention is to provide a combined structure of a cross-flow fan wherein the elements can be respectively manufactured and assembled such that the cross-flow fan can be easily assembled and the quality of the cross-flow fan can be controlled. 
     Another object of the invention is to provide a means for easily attaching the fan to the rotor mounting such that rotation of the rotor mounting causes a corresponding rotation of the fan. 
     Still another object of the invention is to provide a means for easily attaching the stator mounting onto the housing so that the stator mounting and the housing can be easily assembled together. 
     Further objects and advantages of the invention will be brought out in the following portions of the specification, wherein the detailed description is for the purpose of fully disclosing preferred embodiments of the invention without placing limitations thereon. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTON OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention will be more fully understood by reference to the following drawings which are for illustrative purposes only: 
     FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a cross-flow fan assembly in accordance with the invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the cross-flow fan assembly shown in FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the cross-flow fan assembly shown in FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 4 is an exploded view of an alternative embodiment of a cross-flow fan assembly in accordance with the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring more specifically to the drawings, for illustrative purposes the present invention is embodied in the apparatus generally shown in FIG.  1  through FIG.  4 . It will be appreciated that the apparatus may vary as to configuration and as to details of the parts without departing from the basic concepts as disclosed herein. 
     Referring first to FIG. 1, a cross-flow fan assembly, in accordance with the present invention, is generally shown. The cross-flow fan assembly comprises a stator mounting  1 , a rotor mounting  2 , a fan  3  and a housing  4 . 
     Rotor mounting  2  comprises a magnet ring  22  disposed therein, a rotor shaft  24 , a bearing  26  and two protrusions  28 , which are circular, extending below rotor mounting  2 . Fan  3  comprises an upper cover  31 , a lower cover  33 . a plurality of fan blades disposed longitudinally therebetween. Fan  3  and is mounted beneath rotor mounting  2 . 
     Upper cover  31  of fan  3  includes two recesses  34 , which are circular, for receiving two circular protrusions  28  of rotor mounting. Fan  3  can be manufactured together with upper cover  31  and then engaged with lower cover  33 . Alternatively, fan blades  32  can also be manufactured together with lower cover  33  and then engaged with upper cover  31 . Moreover, fan blades  32  can also be first manufactured and then engaged with upper cover  31  and lower cover  33 . Protrusions  28  and recesses  34  serve as a means for attaching or coupling fan  3  to rotor mounting  2 , whereby rotation of rotor mounting  2  causes a like rotation of fan  3 . Recesses  34  are adapted to easily receive protrusions  28  as thereby, allowing rotor mounting  2  and fan  3  to be easily assembled together. 
     Stator mounting  1  comprises a coil  12 , a hub  11  extending downwardly and mounted on the center of stator mounting  1  and a plurality of hooks  14 . Stator mounting  1  is mounted on rotor mounting  2 . 
     Coil  12  is mounted within magnet ring  22  for induction with the magnet ring  22 . A shaft tube  13  can be mounted in coil  12 . An upper polar plate  15  and a lower polar plate  16  affixes coil  12  on shaft tube  13 , which is then mounted on hub  11  of stator mounting  1 . 
     Housing  4  contains stator mounting  1 , rotor mounting  2  and fan  3 . Housing  4  comprises an entry  42 , an exit  44 , a bearing  46  and a plurality of receptors  48 . Entry  42  of housing  4  is larger than exit  44  of housing  4 . When stator mounting  1  is positioned over housing  4 , receptors  48  are in the corresponding position of hooks  14  to allow for engagement of hooks  14  with receptors  48  as means for attaching stator mounting  1  and housing  4  together. 
     Referring also to FIG. 2, a perspective view of the cross-flow fan assembly is generally shown. Hooks  14  engage with recesses  48  for assembling stator mounting  1  and housing  4  as shown, thereby allowing housing  4  and stator mounting  1  to be easily assembled together. 
     Referring also to FIG. 3, it can be seen in the cross-sectional view of the cross-flow fan assembly that due to the design of the invention, the arrangement of the elements is relatively compact and efficient. The elements can be respectively manufactured and then assembled together. The stator structure can be mounted in magnet ring  22  for induction with magnet ring  22  and rotation of rotor mounting  2 . Bearing  26  is mounted around rotor shaft  24 . Bearing  46  is mounted below fan  3 . Both bearing  46  and bearing  26  allow rotor mounting  2  and fan  3  to rotate about a fixed axis. It can be seen readily seen, therefore, that rotor mounting  2  and fan  3  can be easily assembled together. 
     Referring also to FIG. 4, an exploded view of an alternative embodiment of a cross-flow fan assembly is generally shown. In the alternative embodiment, a protrusion  29 , having a cross shape, and a recess  35  adapted to receive cross-shaped protrusion  29  serves as a means for attaching or coupling rotor mounting  2  and fan  3  together. Since cross recess  35  is adapted to receive cross protrusion  29  therein, it can be readily seen that rotor mounting  2  and fan  3  to be easily assembled together. 
     Accordingly, it will be seen that this invention provides for a quick and reliable means for rotatably coupling the rotor mounting and the fan, along with the compact assembly of the cross-flow fan within a housing. Although the description above contains many specificities, these should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention but as merely providing illustrations of some of the presently preferred embodiments of this invention. Thus the scope of this invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents.