Fan and fan housing with airflow-guiding stationary blades

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a fan and a fan housing, and in particular relates to a fan and a fan housing provided with wing-shaped stationary blades and airflow-guiding elements.

2. Description of the Related Art

Referring to FIG. 1 , a conventional axial fan housing 1 includes a frame 10 , a base 11 disposed in the frame 10 , and a plurality of stationary blades 12 disposed between the frame 10 and the base 11 . During rotation of the fan blades (not shown, mounted in the fan housing 1 ), turbulent flow is generated at the airflow outlet of the fan housing 1 . Thus, the airflow produced by the fan blades fails to effectively dissipate heat from a heat source. Such a situation is more serious particularly when the fan blades operate under high back pressure, wherein turbulent flow is generated along the curved surface of the stationary blade 12 as shown in FIG. 2 . In this situation, the fan blades may lose speed, the airflow may fail to effectively do work, and excessive noise is generated.

An object of the invention is to provide a fan and a fan housing having airflow-guiding stationary blades, wherein, between each two stationary blades, there is a wing-shaped airflow-guiding element extending inward from the fan housing. The airflow-guiding elements cooperate with the stationary blades so that the airflow passing through the stationary blades can do work again. Thus, the turbulent flow is restrained. The airflow smoothly passes through the curved surfaces of the stationary blades. The efficiency of heat-dissipation is improved. Furthermore, the airflow-guiding elements can prevent foreign matter from entering the fan housing so as to protect the inside elements thereof.

To achieve the above-mentioned object, the fan in accordance with an embodiment of the invention includes a fan housing and an impeller disposed in the fan housing. The fan housing includes a frame, a base disposed in the frame, a plurality of stationary blades disposed between the frame and the base, and a plurality of airflow-guiding elements extending inward from the frame and toward the base. The airflow-guiding elements are wing-shaped and spaced apart from the base. Alternatively, the airflow-guiding elements can extend outward from the base and toward the frame, and are spaced apart from the frame. Furthermore, the airflow-guiding elements are shaped to cooperate with the stationary blades so that the airflow passing through the stationary blades can do work again, thus restraining the turbulent flow. Furthermore, the airflow-guiding elements can prevent foreign matter from entering the fan housing so as to protect the inside elements thereof.

The invention can be more fully understood by reading the subsequent detailed description and examples with references made to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective diagram of a conventional axial fan housing with a part removed;

FIG. 2 depicts a stationary blade of the conventional axial fan housing in a flow field;

FIG. 3 is a perspective diagram of a fan in accordance with an embodiment of the invention, wherein the airflow-guiding elements extend inward from the upper part of the frame;

FIG. 4 depicts the stationary blades and airflow-guiding elements of FIG. 3 in a flow field;

FIG. 5 is a perspective diagram of a fan in accordance with another embodiment of the invention, wherein the airflow-guiding elements extend inward from the lower part of the frame;

FIG. 6 depicts the stationary blades and airflow-guiding elements of FIG. 5 in a flow field.

The following description is of the best-contemplated mode of carrying out the invention. This description is made for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention and should not be taken in a limiting sense. The scope of the invention is best determined by reference to the appended claims.

Referring to FIG. 3 , a fan in accordance with an embodiment of the invention includes a fan housing 3 and an impeller 2 disposed in the fan housing 3 . The impeller 2 includes a plurality of inclinedly upward-extending blades. The fan housing 3 includes a substantially square frame 30 , a round base 31 disposed in the frame 30 , a plurality of stationary blades 32 disposed between the frame 30 and the base 31 , and a plurality of airflow-guiding elements 33 extending inward from the upper part of the frame 30 and toward the base 31 . The stationary blades 32 and the airflow-guiding elements 33 are alternately arranged.

The stationary blades 32 and airflow-guiding elements 33 are wing-shaped. The airflow-guiding elements 33 are spaced apart from the base 31 to avoid a significant influence on the amount of airflow. Furthermore, the height of the airflow-guiding elements 33 ranges from a quarter to three quarters of that of the stationary blades 32 .

Referring to FIG. 4 , during rotation of the impeller 2 , the airflow passes through the stationary blades 32 and the airflow-guiding elements 33 disposed beside the upper parts of the stationary blades 32 . The airflow-guiding elements 33 have wing-shaped surfaces directing the airflow to the lower parts of the stationary blades 32 , thereby restraining the turbulent flow at the airflow outlet of the fan housing 3 and on the curved surfaces of the stationary blades 32 . Thus, noise arising from the turbulent flow is reduced. Moreover, the airflow-guiding elements 33 can prevent foreign matter from entering the fan housing 3 so as to protect the inside elements thereof.

FIG. 5 depicts a fan in accordance with another embodiment of the invention, wherein all the elements and the structural connection therebetween are identical to those of the previous embodiment except that the airflow-guiding elements 33 extend inward from the lower part of the frame 3 and toward the base 31 . Alternatively, the airflow-guiding elements 33 can extend outward from the upper or lower part of the base 31 and toward the frame 30 , and are spaced apart from the frame 30 .

Referring to FIG. 6 , in this embodiment, the airflow passes through the stationary blades 32 and the airflow-guiding elements 33 disposed beside the lower parts of the stationary blades 32 . Both the airflow-guiding elements 33 and the stationary blades 32 have wing-shaped surfaces restraining the turbulent flow and thus reducing the noise arising from the turbulent flow. Moreover, the airflow-guiding elements 33 can prevent foreign matter from entering the fan housing 3 so as to protect the inside elements thereof.

While the invention has been described by way of example and in terms of the preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. To the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements (as would be apparent to those skilled in the art). Therefore, the scope of the appended claims should be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar arrangements.