Patent Description:
The ventilation apparatus is used in factories, homes and restaurants where contaminants are generated in large amounts. Particularly, the ventilation apparatus may be usefully used when a partial pollution source is generated on the floor surface away from an exhaust port, when the exhaust port is difficult to be provided near a pollution source by another installation, or when a pollution source instantly occurs.

<CIT>), which is a prior art, discloses a vortex-type local ventilation apparatus.

The local ventilation apparatus suctions contaminants while allowing contaminants to flow using a rotating plate rotated by a driving unit and a swirler including a plurality of blades provided at the rim of the rotating plate.

The location ventilation apparatus disclosed in the prior art may be located above a cooking appliance in a kitchen and may be exhausted after the contaminated air is suctioned in the course of using the cooking appliance. In this case, the local ventilation apparatus may be installed on the wall of the kitchen or adjacent to the wall.

The local ventilation apparatus suctions contaminants while allowing contaminants to flow using a rotating plate rotated by a driving unit and a swirler including a plurality of blades arranged at the rim of the rotating plate.

In the prior art, although the contaminated air may be suctioned using vortex, it may be difficult to form the vortex depending on the installation positions of the ventilation apparatus and thus suction performance may be deteriorated. In other words, when there is a wall or an obstacle on one side of the swirler, it is difficult to form a vortex due to the wall or the obstacle, so suction performance may be deteriorated.

In addition, the driving unit is located inside an exhaust pipe and the swirler is provided on the rotation shaft of the driving unit, so the installation position of the ventilation apparatus may be restricted. Accordingly, when there are heating units at front and rear portions of a cooling apparatus used in the kitchen like a cooking appliance, the contaminated air may not be effectively suctioned when a cooking material is heated by the heating units.

In addition, as the swirler, which is rotated at a higher speed, is exposed to the outside, the safety of a user may be not ensured.

<CIT> discloses a range hood including a driving motor, a suction fan and a swirler. The driving motor is disposed above the suction fan. The swirler is disposed below the suction fan. The single driving motor drives both the suction fan and the swirler.

<CIT> discloses a ventilation device including a motor member, a suction fan disposed below the motor member and a swirler fan disposed below the suction fan. The single motor member drives both the suction fan and the swirler fan.

<CIT> Aldiscloses a ventilation device including a driving unit, and a swirler. The driving unit is provided in a ventilation pipe. The swirler is provided outside the ventilation pipe and below the driving unit.

The present disclosure provides a ventilation apparatus capable of improving the performance of suctioning contaminated air using a swirler forming vortex.

The present disclosure provides a ventilation apparatus in which contaminated air is prevented from being raised when the contaminated air is generated in the course that a cooling material is cooked by a cooking appliance positioned under the ventilation apparatus, thereby improving the performance of suctioning contaminated air.

The present disclosure provides a ventilation apparatus capable of facilitating the replacement or the repair of a vortex forming device.

The present disclosure provides a ventilation apparatus in compact size.

The objects of the present invention are solved by the features of the independent claim. Any "aspect", "example" and "embodiment" of the description not falling within the scope of the claims does not form part of the invention and is provided for illustrative purposes only. According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a ventilation apparatus includes a casing, a suction device received in the casing and including a suction fan to generate suction force for suctioning air, and a vortex forming device received in the casing and including a swirler rotated at a lower portion of the casing to generate the vortex and a driving motor to rotate the swirler. The swirler includes a rotating plate having an air passage hole and a plurality of blades arranged along a rim of the rotating plate and spaced apart from each other in a circumferential direction. The vortex forming device is positioned lower than a rotation center of the suction fan, in the casing. The suction device includes a suction motor to rotate the suction fan and a fan housing receiving the suction fan to allow air flow when the suction fan is rotated. The casing includes a first casing in which the suction device is received, and a second casing disposed under the first casing, having a horizontal sectional area wider than a horizontal sectional area of the first casing, and receiving the vortex forming device therein. An uppermost point of the driving motor is positioned higher than a lowermost point of the suction device.

According to the present embodiment, the casing may include a flow hole to introduce external air, and the swirler may be positioned closer to the flow hole than the suction fan.

The casing may include a flow hole to introduce external air, the suction fan may be disposed to overlap with the swirler in a vertical direction, and the swirler may be disposed to overlap with the flow hole in the vertical direction.

The first casing may extend upward from a top surface of the second casing, a rear surface of the first casing and a rear surface of the second casing may form the same plane, the rear surfaces of the first casing and the second casing may face a wall, and a front surface of the second casing may be positioned in front of a front surface of the first casing.

A rotation center of the swirler may be positioned in front of a vertical line passing through the rotation center of the suction fan, based on the wall.

The suction device further includes a fan housing to receive the suction fan, and the rotation center of the swirler may be positioned in front of the fan housing, based on the wall.

An extending line of a rotation center of the swirler may be positioned outside the first casing.

An extending line of a rotation center of the swirler may be interposed between the fan housing and the first casing.

A distance from a rotation center of the swirler to a front surface of the second casing may be shorter than a distance from a rotation center of the swirler to a rear surface of the second casing.

A flow hole may be formed in the second casing, and may have a diameter greater than a left-right width of the first casing.

The vortex forming device may further include a flow guide to guide air, which flows in a process that the swirler rotates, downward, and the driving motor may be positioned under a top surface of the second casing and positioned above the flow guide.

A portion of the fan housing may be received inside the second casing.

The fan housing may be positioned above a flow guide, and at least a portion of the driving motor may overlap with the fan housing in a horizontal direction.

According to the present disclosure, since the vortex forming device forms vortex under the ventilation apparatus, the suction performance of the suction device may be improved in the process that the suction device suctions the air by suction force thereof.

In addition, the contaminated air is prevented from being away from the wall in the process of heating the cooking material by the cooking appliance positioned under the ventilation apparatus. Accordingly, the contaminated air may be prevented from being spread throughout a kitchen having the cooking appliance.

In addition, the air for forming the vortex may be prevented from flowing along the wall.

In addition, as the suction grill is disposed under the swirler, the safety of the user may be improved by preventing the user from accessing the swirler in the process of the rotation of the swirler.

In addition, since the uppermost point of the driving motor is positioned higher than the lowermost point of the suction device, based on a bottom surface of the second casing, the arrangement of the parts provided in the ventilation apparatus is optimized, so the ventilation apparatus in compact size may be implemented.

<FIG> is a view illustrating the state that a ventilation apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is installed in a kitchen.

Referring to <FIG>, a ventilation apparatus <NUM> according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may be installed in a space where contaminated air needs to be smoothly exhausted. For example, <FIG> illustrates that the ventilation apparatus <NUM> is installed in a kitchen.

The kitchen may be provided therein with a cooking appliance <NUM> for cooking food, and air around the cooking appliance <NUM> may be contaminated during the cooking of the food by the cooking appliance <NUM>. The contaminated air rises above the cooking appliance <NUM> because the temperature of the air is higher than that of surrounding air.

When the contaminated air rises and stagnates in the kitchen in which the cooking appliance <NUM> is placed, there is a problem that the comfort of the kitchen is deteriorated, and smell contained in the contaminated air is absorbed into the kitchen, thereby requiring ventilation for a long time.

The ventilation apparatus <NUM> may be positioned above the cooking appliance <NUM> such that the contaminated air generated during cooking of the food by the cooking appliance <NUM> may be discharged to the outside of the kitchen.

Various cooking appliances <NUM> may be employed, but may be positioned adjacent to the wall of the kitchen. Therefore, to effectively exhaust contaminated air generated in the process of cooking food by the cooking appliance <NUM>, the ventilation apparatus <NUM> is installed on the wall W of the kitchen or may be installed at a position adjacent to the wall W of the kitchen.

A storage compartment may be present on one side or opposite sides of the ventilation apparatus <NUM> depending on the structure of the kitchen.

In the present specification, a wall "W" of the kitchen or a wall of a storage compartment collectively be referred to "wall".

<FIG> is an exploded perspective view of a ventilation apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, <FIG> is a perspective view taken along line A-A of <FIG>, and <FIG> is a sectional view taken along line B-B of <FIG>.

<FIG> is a bottom view of a ventilation apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. <FIG> is a sectional view illustrating the arrangement of a suction device and a vortex forming device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring to <FIG>, the ventilation apparatus <NUM> according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a casing that provides a flow passage for guiding the contaminated air, which is suctioned, to the outside.

In addition, the ventilation apparatus <NUM> further includes a suction device <NUM> to generate a suction force and a vortex forming device <NUM> to form a vortex.

The casing includes a first casing <NUM> in which the suction device <NUM> is received and a second casing <NUM> in which the vortex forming device <NUM> is received.

The first casing <NUM> extends upward from a top surface <NUM> of the second casing <NUM>.

In this case, a horizontal sectional area of the second casing <NUM> is formed to be wider than a horizontal sectional area of the first casing <NUM>.

For example, when viewed based on <FIG>, a front-rear length of the second casing <NUM> may be formed to be longer than a front-rear length of the first casing <NUM>.

In addition, when viewed based on <FIG>, the left-right width of the second casing <NUM> may be formed to be longer than a left-right width W1 of the first casing <NUM>.

In addition, a rear surface 110b of the first casing <NUM> and a rear surface 110a of the second casing <NUM> form the same plane, and a front surface 112a of the second casing <NUM> is positioned in front of a front surface 110a of the first casing <NUM>.

In the present disclosure, the rear surfaces 110b and 112b of the casings <NUM> and <NUM> face the wall and the front surfaces 110a and 112a of the casings <NUM> and <NUM> may be opposite surfaces to the rear surfaces 110b and 112b.

In addition, according to the present disclosure, the term "forward direction" refers to a direction to face a user from the wall when the user stands while facing the wall W.

The front face 112a of the second housing <NUM> is located closer to the user than the front face 110a of the first housing <NUM> when the user stands facing the wall W.

This means that when the front surface 112a of the second casing <NUM> is positioned farther away from the wall W than the front surface 110a of the first casing <NUM>.

The suction device <NUM> includes a suction fan <NUM>, a suction motor (not illustrated) to rotate the suction fan <NUM>, and a fan housing <NUM> receiving the suction fan <NUM> to allow air flow when the suction fan <NUM> is rotated.

The present disclosure is not limited thereto, but suction fans <NUM> may be coupled to opposite sides of one suction motor.

A portion of the suction device <NUM> may be received in the first casing <NUM> and another portion of the suction device <NUM> may be received in the second casing <NUM> For example, a portion of the fan housing <NUM> may be received in the second casing <NUM>.

In this case, the suction device <NUM> may be received in the first casing <NUM> in the state that the rotation center C1 of the suction fan <NUM> is horizontal.

Opposite sides of the fan housing <NUM> may be spaced apart from the left and right sides of the first casing <NUM>, when viewed based on <FIG>, in the state that the suction device <NUM> is received in the first casing <NUM>.

Accordingly, the contaminated air may be introduced into the fan housing <NUM> from opposite sides of the fan housing <NUM> and then discharged to the upper portion of the fan housing <NUM>.

Meanwhile, an entire portion of the vortex forming device <NUM> is positioned in the second casing <NUM>.

The vortex forming device <NUM> includes a driving motor <NUM>, a swirler <NUM> receiving power from the driving motor <NUM> to rotate, and a flow guide <NUM> to guide flowing air downward in the process of rotating the swirler <NUM>.

A flow hole <NUM> is formed in a bottom surface <NUM> of the second casing <NUM> and the swirler <NUM> may be positioned above the flow hole <NUM>.

The driving motor <NUM> may be positioned below the top surface <NUM> of the second casing <NUM> and may be positioned above the flow guide <NUM>.

As described above, according to the present disclosure, as the vortex forming device <NUM> is positioned in the second casing <NUM>, when a suction grill <NUM> to be described later is separated from the second casing <NUM>, a user may easily access the vortex forming device <NUM>, so the vortex forming device <NUM> may be easily serviced or replaced.

Lighting units <NUM> may be positioned at opposite sides of the flow hole <NUM> in the second casing <NUM>. The lighting units <NUM> may be turned on when the ventilation apparatus <NUM> is operated.

The swirler <NUM> includes a rotating plate <NUM> and a plurality of blades <NUM> arranged along the rim of the rotating plate <NUM> and spaced apart from each other in a circumferential direction.

An air passage hole <NUM> is formed in the rotating plate <NUM> such that the air rising toward the vortex forming device <NUM> passes through the rotating plate <NUM>. For example, the rotating plate <NUM> may be provided in the form of a ring.

Each of the plurality of blades <NUM> may extend downward from the bottom surface of the rotating plate <NUM> to push a portion of air in a radial direction of the rotating plate <NUM> before the air passes through the rotating plate <NUM>.

In addition, for example, each of the plurality of blades <NUM> may be formed by cutting out a portion of the rotating plate <NUM> and bending the cut-out portion of the rotating plate <NUM> at a substantially <NUM> degrees. In addition, each of the plurality of blades <NUM> may be coupled to the rotating plate <NUM>.

The flow guide <NUM> may form a space <NUM> for positioning the swirler <NUM>. The flow guide <NUM> may have a recessed surface <NUM> recessed upward to form the space <NUM>, when viewed based on <FIG>. In addition, the flow guide <NUM> may include a through hole <NUM> through which air may pass. The through hole <NUM> may be provided in the recessed surface <NUM>.

The swirler <NUM> may be positioned in the space <NUM> formed in the flow guide <NUM>. In addition, the swirler <NUM> may be positioned under the through hole <NUM>.

The flow guide <NUM> may include a guide surface <NUM>, which is inclined downward, toward the outer portion of the flow guide <NUM> from the center of the flow guide <NUM> such that the vortex is formed under the flow guide <NUM> by the swirler <NUM>. For example, the guide surface <NUM> may extend such that the recessed surface <NUM> is rounded toward the outer lower portion of the recessed surface <NUM>.

When the swirler <NUM> rotates in one direction, the blade <NUM> of the swirler <NUM> radially pushes a portion of the contaminated air, which flows toward the air passage hole <NUM> of the rotating plate <NUM>, outward from the rotating plate <NUM>.

In this case, the air radially pushed has to flow away from the center of the swirler while flowing downward to form the vortex under the flow guide <NUM>.

To allow the air pushed radially to flow downward, the outer portion of the guide surface <NUM> may be inclined downward to the outside.

As described above, since the flow guide <NUM> includes the guide surface <NUM>, the flowing direction of the air pushed radially outward from the rotating plate <NUM> by the blade <NUM> of the swirler <NUM> may be changed to be a downward direction by the guide surface <NUM>.

As the air pushed by the blade <NUM> of the swirler <NUM> flows along the guide surface <NUM> as described above, the air deviating from the guide surface <NUM> of the flow guide <NUM> may be inclined downward while flowing.

When the contaminated air passes through the flow hole <NUM> of the second casing <NUM>, air around the flow hole <NUM> intends to flow into the flow hole <NUM> of the second casing <NUM>, as well as the contaminated air passing through the flow hole <NUM>. The vortex may be formed under the swirler <NUM> by the flow of air.

In other words, as the flow guide <NUM> guides downward the air flowing in the radial direction of the swirler <NUM>, the vortex may be effectively formed under the swirler <NUM>.

When a portion of the suction device <NUM> is disposed in the second casing <NUM>, the distance between the suction device <NUM> and the flow hole <NUM> is reduced, so the flow loss of the air may be reduced. The suction performance (or the exhaust performance) may be improved.

When a portion of the suction device <NUM> is disposed in the second casing <NUM>, at least a portion of the driving motor <NUM> may overlap with the fan housing <NUM> in the horizontal direction.

The highest point of the driving motor <NUM> is positioned higher than the lowest point of the suction device <NUM> based on the bottom surface <NUM> of the second casing <NUM>. Therefore, the arrangement of parts in the ventilation apparatus <NUM> is optimized, and thus the ventilation apparatus <NUM> is realized in a compact size.

The flow guide <NUM> may be positioned at a lower portion of the fan housing <NUM> to prevent interference between the suction device <NUM> and the flow guide <NUM>, when a portion of the suction device <NUM> is disposed in the second casing <NUM>.

In other words, the height of the recessed surface <NUM> of the flow guide <NUM> may be lower than the minimum height of the fan housing <NUM> based on the bottom surface of the second casing <NUM>.

The swirler <NUM> may further include a shaft coupling part <NUM> to be connected with a shaft <NUM> of the driving motor <NUM> and at least one connection rib <NUM> to connect the shaft coupling part <NUM> to the rotating plate <NUM>.

The air passage hole <NUM> may be arranged to overlap with the through holes <NUM> of the flow guide <NUM> in the vertical direction such that the contaminated air smoothly flows. The shaft coupling part <NUM> may be positioned in the air passage hole <NUM> of the rotating plate <NUM>.

Accordingly, the air flowing in a shaft direction of the swirler <NUM> may pass through the air passage hole <NUM> and the through hole <NUM> without direction change and the distance between the air passage hole <NUM> and the through hole <NUM> may be reduced.

The driving motor <NUM> may be installed in a mounting part <NUM> and the mounting part <NUM> may be, for example, fixed to the flow guide <NUM>.

The mounting part <NUM> includes a fixed part <NUM> fixed to the flow guide <NUM> and formed in the shape of a circular ring and a support part <NUM> positioned in an area, in which the fixed part <NUM> is formed, to support the driving motor <NUM>.

The shaft <NUM> of the driving motor <NUM> may pass through the through hole <NUM> of the flow guide <NUM> such that the shaft <NUM> of the driving motor <NUM> is coupled to the swirler <NUM>.

The vortex forming device <NUM> may further include a suction grill <NUM> to filter the air suctioned through the flow hole <NUM>.

The suction grill <NUM> may have the form of a square grill, for example, and may be coupled to the bottom surface <NUM> of the second casing <NUM>. For example, the suction grill <NUM> may be coupled to the second casing <NUM> in a sliding manner.

According to the present disclosure, when the suction grill <NUM> is provided under the swirler <NUM>, the user is prevented from accessing the swirler <NUM> in the process of rotating the swirler <NUM>, so the safety of the user is improved.

Hereinafter, the arrangement of the suction device <NUM> and the vortex forming device <NUM> will be described in detail.

Referring to <FIG>, the maximum diameter D1 of the flow guide <NUM> or the diameter of the flow hole <NUM> in the second casing <NUM> may be formed to be greater than the width W1 of the first casing <NUM>.

Accordingly, when the suction device <NUM> is operated, an amount of air introduced along the flow hole <NUM> may be increased, and an amount of air dropping along the flow guide <NUM> by the vortex forming device <NUM> may be increased, so the vortex may be easily formed.

Referring to <FIG>, the vortex forming device <NUM> is positioned lower than the rotation center C1 of the suction fan <NUM>.

The vortex forming device <NUM> may be positioned close to the flow hole <NUM> inside the second casing <NUM>. Accordingly, the swirler <NUM> is positioned closer to the flow hole <NUM> than the suction fan <NUM>. The swirler <NUM> has to be positioned close to the flow hole <NUM> to reduce the height of the vortex forming device <NUM> and to smoothly form the vortex.

A first extension line L1 of the shaft <NUM> of the driving motor <NUM> (or may be called the rotation center of the swirler <NUM>) may be spaced apart from a second extension line L2, which is virtual and vertical to the rotation center C1 of the suction fan <NUM>).

The first extension line L1 (or the rotation center of the swirler <NUM>) may be positioned in front of the second extension line L2 based on the wall.

A third extension line to connect the first extension line L1 of the shaft <NUM> of the driving motor <NUM> (or may be called "rotation center of the swirler <NUM>") with the second extension line L2, which is virtual and vertical to the rotation center C1 of the suction fan <NUM>, and may be vertical to the wall W.

The rotation center of the swirler <NUM> extends in the vertical direction inside the second casing <NUM> and the rotation center C1 of the suction fan <NUM> may extend in the horizontal direction in the first casing <NUM>.

The first extension line L1 of the shaft <NUM> of the driving motor <NUM> (or the rotation center C1 of the swirler <NUM>) is positioned in front of the fan housing <NUM> with respect to the wall.

The present disclosure is not limited, but the first extension line L1 of the shaft <NUM> of the driving motor <NUM> may be positioned outside the first casing <NUM>. For example, the first extension line L1 of the shaft <NUM> of the driving motor <NUM> may be positioned in front of the front surface 110a of the first casing <NUM> based on the wall.

As another example, the first extension line L1 of the shaft <NUM> of the driving motor <NUM> may be positioned between the suction fan <NUM> and the front surface 110a of the first casing <NUM>.

A portion of the flow hole <NUM> of the second casing <NUM> overlaps with the fan housing <NUM> in a vertical direction, and another portion of the flow hole <NUM> of the second casing <NUM> does not overlap with the fan housing <NUM> in the vertical direction.

According to the above arrangement, a portion of the flow hole <NUM> of the second casing <NUM> overlaps with the fan housing <NUM> in the vertical direction and another portion of the flow hole <NUM> of the second casing <NUM> does not overlap with the fan housing <NUM> in the vertical direction.

At this time, the suction fan <NUM> overlaps with the swirler <NUM> in the vertical direction, and the swirler <NUM> overlaps with the flow hole <NUM>. Accordingly, the flowing length may be prevented from being increased until the air introduced through the flow hole <NUM> flows to the suction fan <NUM>.

<FIG> is a sectional view illustrating the flow of air, which occurs when the ventilation apparatus operates, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring to <FIG>, when an operation command of the ventilation apparatus <NUM> is input, the suction motor (not illustrated) and the driving motor <NUM> are turned on.

When the suction motor (not illustrated) is turned on, the suction fan <NUM> is rotated to generate a suction force for suctioning the contaminated air.

When the driving motor <NUM> is turned on, the swirler <NUM> is rotated so that the air forming the vortex may flow down the ventilation apparatus <NUM>.

Specifically, when the swirler <NUM> rotates in one direction, the blade <NUM> of the swirler <NUM> pushes the contaminated air, which flows toward the air passage hole <NUM> of the rotating plate <NUM>, radially outward from the rotating plate <NUM>.

Since the flow guide <NUM> includes the guide surface <NUM>, the flow direction of the air, which is pushed radially outward of the rotating plate <NUM> by the blade <NUM> of the swirler <NUM>, is changed downward by the guide surface <NUM>.

As the air pushed by the blade <NUM> as described above flows along the guide surface <NUM>, the air, which is to form the vortex, deviates from the guide surface <NUM>, is discharged through the flow hole <NUM>, is inclined downward while flowing.

When the contaminated air passes through the flow hole <NUM> of the second casing <NUM>, air around the flow hole <NUM> intends to flow through the flow hole <NUM>, as well as the contaminated air passing through the flow hole <NUM>. The vortex may be formed under the swirler <NUM> by such a flow of air.

According to the present disclosure, when the vortex is formed under the swirler <NUM> by the swirler <NUM> and the flow guide <NUM>, the contaminated air rising upward under the ventilation apparatus <NUM> may be smoothly suctioned to the ventilation apparatus <NUM>.

Meanwhile, the cooking appliance <NUM> may include a front heating unit 1b and a rear heating unit 1a spaced apart from each other in front and rear directions when viewed based on <FIG>.

In general, when the ventilation apparatus <NUM> is positioned above the cooking appliance <NUM> having the front heating unit 1a and the rear heating unit 1a, at least a portion of the rear heating unit 1a is disposed in overlap with the suction device <NUM> in the vertical direction.

Therefore, the contaminated air, which is generated when a cooking material <NUM> is heated using the rear heating unit 1a, is suctioned to the ventilation apparatus <NUM> flowing upward substantially vertically through the suction force of the suction device <NUM>.

Meanwhile, as described above, as the first extension line L1 of the shaft <NUM> of the driving motor <NUM> is positioned in front of the fan housing <NUM> as described above, the contaminated air generated in the process of heating the cooking material <NUM> using the front heating unit 1b is inclined toward the upper left portion of the drawing while flowing, by the suction force generated by the suction device <NUM> and the vortex formed by the swirler <NUM>, as illustrated in <FIG>.

In addition, the contaminated air, which is generated in the process of heating the cooling material <NUM> using the front heating unit 1b, is prevented from being away from the wall. Accordingly, the contaminated air may be prevented from being spread into the kitchen equipped with the cooking appliance <NUM>.

In addition, according to the present disclosure, the distance D3 from the first extension line L1 of the shaft <NUM> of the driving motor <NUM> to the rear surface 112b of the second casing <NUM> is formed to longer than the distance D2 from the first extension line L1 of the shaft <NUM> of the driving motor <NUM> to the front surface 112a of the second casing <NUM>, so the minimum distance between the flow hole <NUM> and the wall W may be sufficiently ensured.

The air discharged from the flow hole <NUM> while being inclined downward may be prevented from flowing along the wall W. If the air flows downward along the wall, the air exerts an influence on the flame produced by the cooking appliance <NUM> to prevent the heating efficiency of the cooling appliance <NUM> from being lowered. Accordingly, this phenomenon may be prevented.

Claim 1:
A ventilation apparatus comprising:
a casing (<NUM>, <NUM>);
a suction device (<NUM>) received in the casing (<NUM>, <NUM>) and including a suction fan (<NUM>) to generate suction force for suctioning air; and
a vortex forming device (<NUM>) received in the casing (<NUM>, <NUM>) and including a swirler (<NUM>) rotated at a lower portion of the casing (<NUM>, <NUM>) to generate the vortex and a driving motor (<NUM>) to rotate the swirler (<NUM>),
wherein the swirler (<NUM>) includes a rotating plate (<NUM>) having an air passage hole (<NUM>) and a plurality of blades (<NUM>) arranged along a rim of the rotating plate (<NUM>) and spaced apart from each other in a circumferential direction, and
wherein the vortex forming device (<NUM>) is positioned lower than a rotation center (C1) of the suction fan (<NUM>), in the casing (<NUM>, <NUM>),
characterized in that
the suction device (<NUM>) includes a suction motor to rotate the suction fan (<NUM>) and a fan housing (<NUM>) receiving the suction fan (<NUM>) to allow air flow when the suction fan (<NUM>) is rotated,
wherein the casing (<NUM>, <NUM>) includes:
a first casing (<NUM>) in which the suction device (<NUM>) is received; and
a second casing (<NUM>) disposed under the first casing (<NUM>), having a horizontal sectional area wider than a horizontal sectional area of the first casing (<NUM>), and receiving the vortex forming device (<NUM>) therein, and
an uppermost point of the driving motor (<NUM>) is positioned higher than a lowermost point of the suction device (<NUM>).