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Serial axial fan unit

Serial axial fan unit description/claims

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a serial axial fan unit in which a plurality of axial fans are connected in series.

2. Description of the Related Art

Many electronic devices use fans for cooling electronic components therein. Those fans have been required to have an improved static pressure versus flow curve, for example, with increases in the heat associated with improvement of the performance of electronic components and increases in the density of the arrangement of the electronic components associated with size reduction of casing of the electronic devices. Serial axial fan units including a plurality of fans connected in series have been used in recent years in order to ensure a sufficiently high static pressure and a sufficiently large volume of air.

However, the serial axial fan units tend to produce a lot of noise because of the interference of exhaust air of one fan with intake air of an adjacent fan.

To overcome the problems described above, a preferred embodiment of the present invention provides a serial axial fan unit that includes a first axial fan and a second axial fan coaxial with each other and arranged in an axial direction parallel or substantially parallel to a center axis thereof, and a spacer arranged between the first axial fan and the second axial fan. Each of the first axial fan and the second axial fan includes an impeller having a plurality of blades which are arranged around the center axis to extend away from the center axis, a motor portion arranged to rotate the impeller, and a housing surrounding the impeller from outside in a radial direction perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the center axis. The spacer includes a wall portion attached to the housing of each of the first axial fan and the second axial fan. The wall portion defines a space therein in which air flows. A radius of the impeller of each of the first axial fan and the second axial fan is preferably in a range of about 12.5 mm and about 100 mm, for example. An axial height of the spacer is preferably in a range of about 1.5 mm to about 8 mm, for example.

Other features, elements, advantages and characteristics of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments thereof with reference to the attached drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a serial axial fan unit according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the serial axial fan unit according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention, taken along a plane containing a center axis thereof.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a first axial fan of the serial axial fan unit according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a bottom view of a second axial fan of the serial axial fan unit according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of a spacer of the serial axial fan unit according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a portion around boundaries between a first housing and a spacer and between the spacer and a second housing in the serial axial fan unit according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of the serial axial fan unit according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the first axial fan according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the spacer according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is another perspective view of the spacer according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention.

• Provisional Patent
• Utility Patent

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