Abstract: This blower apparatus includes an air blowing portion including a plurality of flat plates arranged with an axial gap defined between adjacent ones of the flat plates; a motor portion arranged to rotate the air blowing portion; a clamper portion fixed to the motor portion; and a housing arranged to house the air blowing portion and the motor portion. The housing includes an air inlet and an air outlet. The air blowing portion is held by the motor portion and the clamper portion from upper and lower sides in the axial direction. Once the air blowing portion starts rotating, an air flow traveling radially outward is generated between the flat plates by viscous drag of surfaces of the flat plates and a centrifugal force.

Abstract: This blower apparatus includes an air blowing portion including a plurality of flat plates; a motor portion; and a housing. The housing includes an air inlet and an air outlet. At least one of the flat plates includes an inner annular portion, an outer annular portion arranged radially outside of the inner annular portion, ribs each of which is arranged to join the inner and outer annular portions to each other, and air holes each of which is surrounded by the inner and outer annular portions and circumferentially adjacent ones of the ribs. With the inner annular portion and the outer annular portion being joined to each other through the ribs, an increase in the opening area of each air hole, which is defined between the inner and outer annular portions, can be achieved. This leads to improved air intake efficiency, resulting in improved air blowing efficiency.

Abstract: This blower apparatus includes an air blowing portion including a plurality of flat plates arranged with an axial gap defined between adjacent ones of the flat plates; a motor portion arranged to rotate the air blowing portion; and a housing arranged to house the air blowing portion and the motor portion. The housing includes an air inlet and an air outlet. At least one of the flat plates includes, in at least one of an upper surface and a lower surface thereof, a plurality of guide portions each of which is a protruding portion or recessed portion arranged to extend in a radial direction. An air flow traveling radially outward is generated between the flat plates by viscous drag of surfaces of the flat plates and a centrifugal force. Since the air flow is generated between the flat plates, the air flow does not easily leak upwardly or downwardly.

Abstract: This blower apparatus includes an air blowing portion, a motor portion, and a housing. The housing includes an air inlet and an air outlet. The air blowing portion includes a plurality of flat plates arranged with an axial gap defined between adjacent ones of the flat plates; and a spacer arranged between the flat plates. A rotating portion of the motor portion includes a hub including a flat plate holding portion arranged to hold at least one of the flat plates. An air flow is generated between the flat plates by viscous drag of surfaces of the flat plates and a centrifugal force. With the spacer being arranged between the flat plates, the axial gap can be adjusted. Since at least one of the flat plates is held by the flat plate holding portion, the air blowing portion is able to stably rotate.

Abstract: This blower apparatus includes an air blowing portion, a motor portion, and a housing. The housing includes an air inlet and an air outlet. At least one of the flat plates includes an air hole. Once the air blowing portion starts rotating, an air flow traveling radially outward is generated between the flat plates by viscous drag of surfaces of the flat plates and a centrifugal force. Since the air flow is generated between the flat plates, the air flow does not easily leak upwardly or downwardly, and thus, an improvement in air blowing efficiency is achieved. Since the air hole is defined in the flat plate(s), gas can be easily supplied to the axial gap, resulting in improved air blowing efficiency. In addition, with each spacer being arranged between the flat plates, the axial gap can be adjusted to have a desired axial dimension.

Abstract: This blower apparatus includes an air blowing portion including a plurality of flat plates; a motor portion; and a housing. The housing includes an air inlet and an air outlet. Each of a top flat plate and intermediate flat plates among the flat plates includes an air hole and an air blowing region radially outside of the air hole. Since the air flow is generated between the flat plates, the air flow does not easily leak upwardly or downwardly, and thus, an improvement in air blowing efficiency is achieved. A radial middle of the air blowing region of at least one of the intermediate flat plates is arranged radially outward of a radial middle of the air blowing region of an upwardly adjacent one of the flat plates.

Abstract: This blower apparatus includes an air blowing portion including a plurality of flat plates arranged with an axial gap defined between adjacent ones of the flat plates; a motor portion arranged to rotate the air blowing portion; and a housing arranged to house the air blowing portion and the motor portion. The housing includes an air inlet and an air outlet. A rotating portion includes a hub including a flat plate holding portion arranged to hold at least one of the flat plates. Once the air blowing portion starts rotating, an air flow traveling radially outward is generated between the flat plates by viscous drag of surfaces of the flat plates and a centrifugal force. Since the air flow is generated between the flat plates, the air flow does not easily leak upwardly or downwardly, and thus, an improvement in air blowing efficiency is achieved.

Abstract: This blower apparatus includes an air blowing portion, a motor portion, and a housing. The housing includes an air inlet and an air outlet. At least one of the flat plates includes an air hole. Once the air blowing portion starts rotating, an air flow traveling radially outward is generated between the flat plates by viscous drag of surfaces of the flat plates and a centrifugal force. Since the air flow is generated between the flat plates, the air flow does not easily leak upwardly or downwardly, and thus, an improvement in air blowing efficiency is achieved. Since the air hole is defined in the flat plate(s), gas can be easily supplied to the axial gap, resulting in improved air blowing efficiency. In addition, with each spacer being arranged between the flat plates, the axial gap can be adjusted to have a desired axial dimension.

Abstract: This blower apparatus includes an air blowing portion, a motor portion, and a housing. The housing includes an air inlet and an air outlet. The air blowing portion includes a plurality of flat plates arranged with an axial gap defined between adjacent ones of the flat plates; and a spacer arranged between the flat plates. A rotating portion of the motor portion includes a hub including a flat plate holding portion arranged to hold at least one of the flat plates. An air flow is generated between the flat plates by viscous drag of surfaces of the flat plates and a centrifugal force. With the spacer being arranged between the flat plates, the axial gap can be adjusted. Since at least one of the flat plates is held by the flat plate holding portion, the air blowing portion is able to stably rotate.

Abstract: This blower apparatus includes an air blowing portion including a plurality of flat plates arranged with an axial gap defined between adjacent ones of the flat plates; a motor portion arranged to rotate the air blowing portion; and a housing arranged to house the air blowing portion and the motor portion. The housing includes an air inlet and an air outlet. At least one of the flat plates includes, in at least one of an upper surface and a lower surface thereof, a plurality of guide portions each of which is a protruding portion or recessed portion arranged to extend in a radial direction. An air flow traveling radially outward is generated between the flat plates by viscous drag of surfaces of the flat plates and a centrifugal force. Since the air flow is generated between the flat plates, the air flow does not easily leak upwardly or downwardly.

Abstract: This blower apparatus includes an air blowing portion including a plurality of flat plates arranged with an axial gap defined between adjacent ones of the flat plates; a motor portion arranged to rotate the air blowing portion; and a housing arranged to house the air blowing portion and the motor portion. The housing includes an air inlet arranged to pass through a portion of the housing in an axial direction above the air blowing portion, and an air outlet arranged to face in a radial direction radially outside of the air blowing portion. One of the flat plates includes a projecting portion arranged to project upward and/or downward, and another one of the flat plates includes an opposing portion arranged to be circumferentially opposed to the projecting portion. Relative circumferential positions of the flat plates can be easily fixed by the opposing portion.

Abstract: This blower apparatus includes an air blowing portion including a plurality of flat plates arranged with an axial gap defined between adjacent ones of the flat plates; a motor portion arranged to rotate the air blowing portion; and a housing arranged to house the air blowing portion and the motor portion. The housing includes an air inlet and an air outlet. At least one of the flat plates is defined by a non-perfect circular flat plate having an outer edge configuration in which specific configurations repeatedly appear one after another in a circumferential direction in a plan view. Once the air blowing portion starts rotating, an air flow traveling radially outward is generated between the flat plates by viscous drag of surfaces of the flat plates and a centrifugal force.

Abstract: This blower apparatus includes an air blowing portion including a plurality of flat plates arranged with an axial gap defined between adjacent ones of the flat plates; a motor portion arranged to rotate the air blowing portion; and a housing arranged to house the air blowing portion and the motor portion. The housing includes an air inlet and an air outlet. At least one of the flat plates includes a plurality of through holes each of which is arranged to pass therethrough in the axial direction. An air flow traveling radially outward is generated between the flat plates by viscous drag of surfaces of the flat, plates and a centrifugal force. Since the air flow is generated between the flat plates, the air flow does not easily leak upwardly or downwardly.

Abstract: This blower apparatus includes an air blowing portion including a plurality of flat plates arranged with an axial gap defined between adjacent ones of the flat plates; a motor portion arranged to rotate the air blowing portion; a clamper portion fixed to the motor portion; and a housing arranged to house the air blowing portion and the motor portion. The housing includes an air inlet and an air outlet. The air blowing portion is held by the motor portion and the clamper portion from upper and lower sides in the axial direction. Once the air blowing portion starts rotating, an air flow traveling radially outward is generated between the flat plates by viscous drag of surfaces of the flat plates and a centrifugal force.

Abstract: This blower apparatus includes an air blowing portion including a plurality of flat plates; a motor portion; and a housing. The housing includes an air inlet and an air outlet. At least one of the flat plates includes an inner annular portion, an outer annular portion arranged radially outside of the inner annular portion, ribs each of which is arranged to join the inner and outer annular portions to each other, and air holes each of which is surrounded by the inner and outer annular portions and circumferentially adjacent ones of the ribs. With the inner annular portion and the outer annular portion being joined to each other through the ribs, an increase in the opening area of each air hole, which is defined between the inner and outer annular portions, can be achieved. This leads to improved air intake efficiency, resulting in improved air blowing efficiency.

Abstract: This blower apparatus includes an air blowing portion including a plurality of flat plates arranged with an axial gap defined between adjacent ones of the flat plates; a motor portion arranged to rotate the air blowing portion; and a housing arranged to house the air blowing portion and the motor portion. The flat plates include an air hole arranged to pass therethrough in an axial direction. Once the air blowing portion starts rotating, an air flow traveling radially outward is generated between the flat, plates by viscous drag of surfaces of the flat plates and a centrifugal force. Thus, gas supplied through the air inlet and the air hole travels radially outwardly of the air blowing portion. Accordingly, a reduced thickness of the blower apparatus does not result in a significant reduction in the air blowing efficiency.

Abstract: A centrifugal fan includes an impeller, a motor portion, and a housing. The housing includes an upper plate portion, a lower plate portion arranged to have the motor portion fixed thereto; and a side wall portion. A flow control member is arranged to extend in a line along a boundary between an inside surface of the side wall portion and one of a lower surface of the upper plate portion and an upper surface of the lower plate portion. The flow control member includes a flow control surface arranged to extend radially outward from the one of the lower surface of the upper plate portion and the upper surface of the lower plate portion to the inside surface of the side wall portion while becoming more distant from the one of the lower surface of the upper plate portion and the upper surface of the lower plate portion.

Abstract: An impeller includes a substantially cylindrical cup portion arranged to rotate about a center axis, a plurality of blades fixed to an outer circumferential surface of the cup portion for unitary rotation with the cup portion to draw air from one axial side and discharge the air to the other axial side, and an annular connector portion arranged to interconnect the blades. The connector portion has a substantially cylindrical shape in a position spaced apart about 70% to about 90% of the radial length of the blades from the base of each of the blades on the outer circumferential surface of the cup portion, and the ratio of a total axial height of the connector portion to a total radial gap between the outer circumferential surface of the cup portion and the inner circumferential surface of the connector portion is equal to or smaller than about 0.9.

Abstract: A centrifugal fan includes an impeller, a motor portion, and a housing. The housing includes an upper plate portion, a lower plate portion arranged to have the motor portion fixed thereto; and a side wall portion. A flow control member is arranged to extend in a line along a boundary between an inside surface of the side wall portion and one of a lower surface of the upper plate portion and an upper surface of the lower plate portion. The flow control member includes a flow control surface arranged to extend radially outward from the one of the lower surface of the upper plate portion and the upper surface of the lower plate portion to the inside surface of the side wall portion while becoming more distant from the one of the lower surface of the upper plate portion and the upper surface of the lower plate portion.

Abstract: An impeller, a fan apparatus, and a method of manufacturing the impeller are provided. The impeller includes a support portion, a plurality of rotor blades, and a joining member. The joining member is a substantially annular member provided to strengthen the rotor blades against influence of a centrifugal force, and extends in a circumferential direction along a circle centered on a central axis so as to join the rotor blades to one another. In each of the rotor blades, a point of intersection of a leading edge of the rotor blade with a radially outer end of the rotor blade is positioned forward, with respect to a rotation direction, relative to a point of intersection of the leading edge with an outside surface of the support portion. The joining member is positioned radially inwards of the radially outer end of each of the rotor blades.