Fan motor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9366262-B2
Application number	US-201213676290-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 14, 2012
Priority date	Dec 28, 2011
Publication date	Jun 14, 2016
Grant date	Jun 14, 2016

Abstract

A fan motor includes a motor; an impeller; a motor control board; an AC/DC converter board; electronic components mounted on the AC/DC converter board; and a housing arranged to contain the motor, the impeller, the motor control board, and the AC/DC converter board. The housing includes a base portion arranged to hold a stationary portion of the motor on an axially upper side thereof; and a case portion arranged to extend to assume a tubular shape on an axially lower side of the base portion. The AC/DC converter board is arranged in an interior space of the case portion. At least a portion of the interior space is filled with a resin material. Surfaces of the AC/DC converter board and the electronic components are covered with the resin material. The fan motor further includes a projecting portion arranged to project into the interior space.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fan motor comprising:
a motor that rotates a rotating portion thereof about a central axis extending in a vertical direction;
an impeller that rotates together with the rotating portion to produce an axial air current;
a motor control board that supplies drive currents to coils of the motor;
an AC/DC converter board that converts an alternating current supplied from an external power supply into a direct current, and supplies the direct current to the motor control board;
electronic components mounted on the AC/DC converter board;
a housing that contains the motor, the impeller, the motor control board, and the AC/DC converter board; and
a cover portion including a bottom plate portion; wherein
the housing includes:
a base portion that holds a stationary portion of the motor on an axially upper side thereof; and
a case portion that extends to assume a tubular shape on an axially lower side of the base portion;

the AC/DC converter board is located in an interior space of the case portion;
at least a portion of the interior space of the case portion is filled with a resin material;
surfaces of the AC/DC converter board and the electronic components are covered with the resin material;
the bottom plate portion closes a lower opening defined in the case portion;
the fan motor further comprises a projecting portion that is defined together with the bottom plate portion as a single monolithic member, the projecting portion extending into the interior space of the case portion; and
a lower surface of the AC/DC converter board and an upper surface of the projecting portion are arranged axially opposite each other.

2. The fan motor according to claim 1 , wherein the case portion has a cylindrical or substantially cylindrical outside shape.

3. The fan motor according to claim 1 , wherein a portion of an outer circumferential surface of the case portion that is farthest from the central axis is arranged at substantially a same radial position as, or radially inward of, a portion of an outer circumferential surface of the base portion which is farthest from the central axis.

4. The fan motor according to claim 1 , wherein the housing is a single monolithic resin-molded article including the base portion and the case portion.

5. The fan motor according to claim 1 , wherein the bottom plate portion includes a first through hole that extends in an axial direction therethrough.

6. The fan motor according to claim 5 , wherein the first through hole is arranged at a position spaced away from the projecting portion.

7. The fan motor according to claim 6 , wherein the bottom plate portion further includes a second through hole that extends in the axial direction therethrough.

8. The fan motor according to claim 7 , wherein the second through hole is arranged at a position spaced away from the projecting portion.

9. The fan motor according to claim 1 , wherein
the projecting portion includes an engagement surface that extends to axially overlap with the resin material; and
the engagement surface is in contact with the resin material.

10. The fan motor according to claim 9 , wherein
the bottom plate portion includes a third through hole that extends in an axial direction therethrough; and
the third through hole axially overlaps the engagement surface.

11. The fan motor according to claim 1 , wherein the cover member is a resin-molded article, and includes a recessed portion that contacts the projecting portion from a lower surface of the bottom plate portion.

12. The fan motor according to claim 1 , wherein
an outer circumferential surface of the case portion includes an axially extending groove defined therein; and
a lead wire extending from the AC/DC converter board is drawn out through a gap between the case portion and the cover member, and extends along the groove.

13. The fan motor according to claim 12 , wherein
the cover member includes a plate-shaped hold-down portion that projects along the groove from an edge portion of the bottom plate portion; and
a radially inner surface of plate-shaped hold-down portion is in contact with the lead wire.

14. The fan motor according to claim 13 , wherein
plate-shaped hold-down portion includes a claw portion that projects in a circumferential direction; and
the case portion further includes a lock receiving portion that engages with the claw portion.

15. The fan motor according to claim 13 , wherein
the housing further includes:
an annular outer frame portion arranged on a radially outer side of the impeller, and including a lead wire holding portion that holds the lead wire; and
a plurality of ribs that join the outer frame portion to the base portion or the case portion; and

the lead wire extends from the groove toward the lead wire holding portion through a lower side of one of the ribs.

16. The fan motor according to claim 15 , wherein
at least one of the ribs extends from an area of an upper end portion of the groove; and
the lead wire extends along the at least one of the ribs.

17. The fan motor according to claim 1 , wherein the projecting portion extends radially inward from an inner circumferential surface of the case portion.

18. The fan motor according to claim 1 , wherein the base portion includes a base hole that extends in an axial direction therethrough.

19. The fan motor according to claim 1 , wherein
the housing further includes a mount portion that projects downward from the base portion;
a projection height of the mount portion with reference to a lower surface of the base portion is greater than a height of a highest one of the electronic components mounted on an upper surface of the AC/DC converter board with reference to the upper surface of the AC/DC converter board; and
a lower surface of the mount portion and the upper surface of the AC/DC converter board are in contact with each other.

Assignees

• Nidec Corp

Inventors

• Oguma Yoshiaki
• Hiraki Masamune
• Hayashida Ryota
• Kobayashi Makoto
• Hamano Shinsuke

Classifications

• H02K9/04

  having means for generating a flow of cooling medium · CPC title

• H02K9/06

  with fans or impellers driven by the machine shaft · CPC title

• F04D25/06 Primary

  the pump being electrically driven (F04D25/08 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F04D25/0646

  Details of the stator · CPC title

• F04D25/068 Primary

  Mechanical details of the pump control unit (pump control details F04D27/00) · CPC title