US20110044799A1 - Fan apparatus - Google Patents
Fan apparatus Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US20110044799A1 US20110044799A1 US12/855,064 US85506410A US2011044799A1 US 20110044799 A1 US20110044799 A1 US 20110044799A1 US 85506410 A US85506410 A US 85506410A US 2011044799 A1 US2011044799 A1 US 2011044799A1
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- United States
- Prior art keywords
- axial fans
- case
- fan
- axial
- parallel
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
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Classifications
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- H—ELECTRICITY
- H05—ELECTRIC TECHNIQUES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- H05K—PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS
- H05K7/00—Constructional details common to different types of electric apparatus
- H05K7/20—Modifications to facilitate cooling, ventilating, or heating
- H05K7/20009—Modifications to facilitate cooling, ventilating, or heating using a gaseous coolant in electronic enclosures
- H05K7/20136—Forced ventilation, e.g. by fans
- H05K7/20172—Fan mounting or fan specifications
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F04—POSITIVE - DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS FOR LIQUIDS OR ELASTIC FLUIDS
- F04D—NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT PUMPS
- F04D19/00—Axial-flow pumps
- F04D19/007—Axial-flow pumps multistage fans
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F04—POSITIVE - DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS FOR LIQUIDS OR ELASTIC FLUIDS
- F04D—NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT PUMPS
- F04D25/00—Pumping installations or systems
- F04D25/02—Units comprising pumps and their driving means
- F04D25/06—Units comprising pumps and their driving means the pump being electrically driven
- F04D25/0606—Units comprising pumps and their driving means the pump being electrically driven the electric motor being specially adapted for integration in the pump
- F04D25/0613—Units comprising pumps and their driving means the pump being electrically driven the electric motor being specially adapted for integration in the pump the electric motor being of the inside-out type, i.e. the rotor is arranged radially outside a central stator
Definitions
- the present invention relates to a fan apparatus. More specifically, the present invention relates to a fan apparatus that is arranged to be attached to a case designed to contain an electronic device.
- JP-A 2008-140406 discloses a conventional rack-mounted system 10 including fan/LAN tray slots 23. Each fan/LAN tray slot 23 is provided with eight air blowers, as shown in FIG. 8 of JP-A 2008-140406.
- JP-A 2008-251067 discloses another conventional fan apparatus included in a power supply module 40 used for a disk array apparatus, as shown in FIG. 14 of JP-A 2008-251067.
- a fan portion 42 of the power supply module 40 two fans 43 having the same structure are arranged in tandem, one in front of the other, along an axial direction.
- preferred embodiments of the present invention provide a fan apparatus that enables air to be efficiently introduced into, sent inside, or discharged out of such a case.
- a fan apparatus includes a plurality of first axial fans arranged in a two-dimensional array in parallel or substantially in parallel to a mounting surface provided in a case designed to contain an electronic device, each of the first axial fans having a rotation axis perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the mounting surface; and a plurality of second axial fans arranged in a two-dimensional array in parallel or substantially in parallel to the mounting surface, each having a rotation axis coinciding with the rotation axis of a separate one of the first axial fans, and being arranged in contact or close proximity with the separate one of the first axial fans.
- the first axial fans are preferably arranged to rotate in a first rotation direction to introduce air into the case, discharge air out of the case, or send air inside the case, while the second axial fans are arranged to rotate in a second rotation direction opposite to the first rotation direction to cause a flow of air in a same direction in which the first axial fans cause a flow of air.
- the first axial fans preferably either share a common single-piece housing or have separate housings joined together, and the second axial fans either share a common single-piece housing or have separate housings joined together.
- the fan apparatus according to preferred embodiments of the present invention enables air to be efficiently introduced into, sent inside, or discharged out of the case designed to contain the electronic device.
- Fan apparatuses according to preferred embodiments of the present invention are usable as fan apparatuses to be attached to a variety of cases designed to contain electronic devices.
- FIG. 1 is a front view of a rack-type electronic system according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention.
- FIG. 2 is a right side view of the rack-type electronic system.
- FIG. 3 is a plan view of a first fan tray according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention.
- FIG. 4 is a plan view of a second fan tray according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention.
- FIG. 5 is a plan view of an example modification of the first fan tray.
- FIG. 6 is a front view of a rack-type electronic system according to a second preferred embodiment of the present invention.
- FIG. 7 is a right side view of the rack-type electronic system according to the second preferred embodiment of the present invention.
- FIG. 8 is a partial cross-sectional view of a contra-rotating fan according to the second preferred embodiment of the present invention.
- FIG. 1 is a front view of a rack-type electronic system 1 according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention.
- FIG. 2 is a right side view of the rack-type electronic system 1 .
- the rack-type electronic system 1 preferably includes a case 11 , electronic devices 12 , power supply units 13 , first fan trays 14 , and second fan trays 15 .
- the exterior of the case 11 is preferably rectangular parallelepiped shaped, but could be any other desirable shape is so desired.
- the case 11 contains the electronic devices 12 , the power supply units 13 , the first fan trays 14 , and the second fan trays 15 .
- the electronic devices 12 in this preferred embodiment are so-called blade servers, which are substantially plate-shaped, but any other type of electrical device could be included without departing from the present invention.
- the electronic devices 12 are preferably arranged horizontally and in an upright orientation. Preferably three arrays of the electronic devices 12 are provided at different vertical levels.
- the power supply units 13 are arranged behind the arrays of the electronic devices 12 .
- Other components such as a control device, a communication device, and the like, are arranged near the power supply units 13 as appropriate.
- each pair of the first and second fan trays 14 and 15 is arranged above or below the arrays of the electronic devices 12 , but any other number of the first and second fan trays 14 and 15 could be provided if so desired.
- Each second fan tray 15 is placed above the paired first fan tray 14 .
- each pair of the first and second fan trays 14 and 15 defines an individual fan apparatus 10 .
- Four of such fan apparatuses 10 are arranged at different locations in the rack-type electronic system 1 .
- each of the first and second fan trays 14 and 15 is capable of being horizontally inserted into and removed from the case 11 through a front of the case 11 .
- FIG. 3 is a plan view of the first fan tray 14 .
- a bottom side of FIG. 3 corresponds to the front of the case 11 .
- Each first axial fan 2 includes a motor, an impeller 21 , and a housing 22 .
- a rotation axis J 2 of the first axial fan 2 extends in a vertical direction.
- the motor is preferably a direct current brushless motor, but any other desirable type of motor could be used.
- the impeller 21 includes a central cup portion 211 and a plurality of blades 212 .
- the blades 212 are arranged to project radially outward from an outside surface of the cup portion 211 .
- the motor is placed inside the cup portion 211 .
- the housing 22 is arranged to surround an outer circumference of the impeller 21 .
- the impeller 21 is preferably arranged to rotate counterclockwise as indicated by arrow R 2 .
- FIG. 4 is a plan view of the second fan tray 15 .
- a bottom side of FIG. 4 corresponds to the front of the case 11 .
- a total of twelve second axial fans 3 are arranged on the second fan tray 15 .
- the second fan tray 15 is similar in structure to the first fan tray 14 except that the second axial fans 3 are arranged to rotate in an opposite direction. That is, each second axial fan 3 includes a motor, an impeller 31 , and a housing 32 .
- a rotation axis J 3 of the second axial fan 3 extends in the vertical direction.
- the impeller 31 is arranged to rotate clockwise as indicated by arrow R 3 .
- the impeller 31 includes a central cup portion 311 and a plurality of blades 312 .
- the first axial fans 2 are arranged in a two-dimensional array in parallel or substantially in parallel to the mounting surface, with the rotation axis J 2 of each of the first axial fans 2 extending perpendicularly or substantially perpendicularly to the mounting surface.
- the second axial fans 3 are arranged in a two-dimensional array in parallel or substantially in parallel to the mounting surface, with the rotation axis J 3 of each of the second axial fans 3 extending perpendicularly or substantially perpendicularly to the mounting surface.
- the first and second fan trays 14 and 15 are placed one above the other such that the rotation axes J 2 of the first axial fans 2 and the rotation axes J 3 of the second axial fans 3 coincide with each other.
- the array of the first axial fans 2 and the array of the second axial fans 3 are arranged in contact or close proximity with each other along an axial direction.
- a situation in which the array of the first axial fans and the array of the second axial fans 3 are arranged in contact or close proximity with each other means a situation in which a rotational velocity component of an air flow from each axial fan on an inlet side serves to increase efficiency of the associated axial fan on an outlet side in sending out the air, and encompasses a situation in which the fan trays placed one above the other have been fitted into the case 11 , with the result that the array of the first axial fans 2 and the array of the second axial fans 3 are spaced from each other.
- the array of the first axial fans 2 and the array of the second axial fans 3 may be spaced from each other by a greater distance so long as the aforementioned interaction therebetween can still be achieved.
- each first axial fan 2 is attached to the frame 141 of the first fan tray 14 , so that the first axial fans 2 are, in essence, joined together horizontally.
- the housing 32 of each second axial fan 3 is attached to the frame 151 , so that the second axial fans 3 are, in essence, joined together horizontally.
- the array of the first axial fans 2 is capable of being inserted into and removed from the case 11 in the direction parallel or substantially parallel to the mounting surface.
- the array of the second axial fans 3 is capable of being inserted into and removed from the case 11 in the direction parallel or substantially parallel to the mounting surface.
- Each first axial fan 2 is arranged to cause an upward flow of air through the counterclockwise rotation of the impeller 21 .
- Each second axial fan 3 is arranged to cause the same upward flow of air through the clockwise rotation of the impeller 31 .
- the case 11 has openings on top and bottom portions thereof.
- the lowermost fan apparatus 10 is arranged to introduce air into the case 11 through the bottom portion of the case 11 .
- the second and third fan apparatuses 10 from the bottom are arranged to send the air inside the case 11 so that the air travels further upward.
- the uppermost fan apparatus 10 is arranged to discharge the air out of the case 11 .
- the first axial fans 2 and the second axial fans 3 which are arranged to rotate in mutually opposite directions with respect to one another, are arranged along the axial direction to achieve an improvement in static pressure-air volume characteristics of the fan apparatuses 10 .
- This enables air to be efficiently introduced into, sent inside, and discharged out of the case 11 , which contains the electronic devices arranged in a densely packed manner.
- it is possible to reduce a production cost of the fan apparatuses 10 through the similarity between the frame 141 , which is a component used to join the first axial fans 2 together, and the frame 151 , which is a component used to join the second axial fans 3 together.
- FIG. 5 is a plan view of an example of a modification that can be made to the first fan tray 14 .
- a single-piece housing 22 a serves as a common housing of all the first axial fans 2 .
- this modification of the first fan tray 14 is similar to the first fan tray 14 illustrated in FIG. 3 .
- a single-piece housing may be arranged to serve as a common housing of all the second axial fans 3 .
- FIG. 6 is a front view of a rack-type electronic system la according to a second preferred embodiment of the present invention.
- FIG. 7 is a right side view of the rack-type electronic system 1 a.
- the rack-type electronic system la includes the case 11 , the electronic devices 12 , the power supply units 13 , and fan trays 16 .
- the rack-type electronic system la is similar to the rack-type electronic system 1 illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 except that each fan tray 16 replaces a separate pair of the first and second fan trays 14 . That is, each fan tray 16 in the rack-type electronic system 1 a corresponds to a separate one of the fan apparatuses 10 illustrated in FIG. 1 .
- the rack-type electronic system 1 a is similar to the rack-type electronic system 1 , and in the following description, components that have their counterparts in FIGS. 1 and 2 are assigned the same reference numerals as in FIGS. 1 and 2 .
- each fan tray 16 a plurality of first axial fans 2 are arranged to define a lower array, and a plurality of second axial fans 3 are arranged to define an upper array.
- the manners of the horizontal arrangement of the first axial fans 2 and of the second axial fans 3 are similar to those illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4 , respectively.
- the housing 22 of each first axial fan 2 and the housing 32 of the associated second axial fan 3 are joined together in the vertical direction to provide a so-called contra-rotating fan 4 .
- FIG. 8 is a partial cross-sectional view of the contra-rotating fan 4 .
- the first axial fan 2 includes a motor 23 , the impeller 21 , and the housing 22 . Note that the relative vertical positions of the impeller and the motor are reversed compared to those in the first axial fan 2 illustrated in FIG. 3 , and that the impeller 21 is arranged below the motor 23 .
- the second axial fan 3 includes a motor 33 , the impeller 31 , and the housing 32 .
- a mechanism to join the housings 23 and to each other is omitted from illustration.
- the contra-rotating fan 4 includes a rib 24 arranged to support the motor in relation to the housing 22 , and a rib 34 arranged to support the motor 33 in relation to the housing 32 .
- the ribs 24 and 34 are arranged one above the other and in contact or close proximity with each other.
- the rotation axes J 2 of the first axial fans 2 and the rotation axes J 3 of the second axial fans 3 are arranged to coincide with each other such that they are coaxial or substantially coaxial.
- Each of the first axial fans 2 and the associated one of the second axial fans 3 are arranged in contact or close proximity with each other along the axial direction.
- the impeller 21 of each first axial fan 2 is arranged to rotate counterclockwise in plan view to cause an upward flow of air.
- the impeller 31 of each second axial fan 3 is arranged to rotate clockwise in plan view to cause the same upward flow of air.
- the first axial fans 2 are arranged in a two-dimensional array in parallel or substantially parallel to the mounting surface, with the rotation axis J 2 of each of the first axial fans 2 extending perpendicularly or substantially perpendicularly to the mounting surface.
- the second axial fans 3 are also arranged in a two-dimensional array in parallel or substantially parallel to the mounting surface, with the rotation axis J 3 of each of the second axial fans 3 extending perpendicularly or substantially perpendicularly to the mounting surface.
- each of the first axial fans 2 and the associated one of the second axial fans 3 is attached to the frame 161 , so that the assemblies of the first axial fans 2 and their respective associated second axial fans 3 are, in essence, joined together horizontally, resulting in a unified collection of the first and second axial fans 2 and 3 as illustrated in FIG. 7 .
- the unified collection is capable of being inserted into and removed from the case 11 in the direction parallel or substantially parallel to the mounting surface.
- the lowermost fan tray 16 is arranged to introduce air into the case 11 through the bottom portion of the case 11 .
- the second and third fan trays 16 from the bottom are arranged to send the air inside the case 11 so that the air travels further upward.
- the uppermost fan tray 16 is arranged to discharge the air out of the case 11 .
- the rack-type electronic system la is also so constructed as to enable air to be efficiently introduced into, sent inside, and discharged out of the case 11 , which contains the electronic devices arranged densely. Moreover, because each contra-rotating fan 4 defines a unit in each fan tray 16 , it is possible to reduce a production cost of the fan trays 16 .
- a single-piece housing may be arranged to replace the two housings and 32 .
- the joining of the housings in directions perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the axial direction may be accomplished directly through the housings themselves, instead of through the frame of the fan tray.
- the relative vertical positions of the motor and the impeller in each of the first and second axial fans 2 and 3 may be varied as appropriate.
- the joining of the housings in the directions perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the axial direction may be accomplished through an additional joining member provided on sides of the housings, for example.
- the mounting surfaces to which the first or second axial fans 2 or 3 are attached may be provided not only inside the case 11 but also on an outer surface of the case 11 , in other preferred embodiments. Furthermore, the mounting surfaces may not necessarily be arranged horizontally, but may be arranged, for example, vertically in other preferred embodiments. Furthermore, the first and second axial fans 2 and 3 may be indirectly attached to the mounting surfaces therefor in the case 11 in other preferred embodiments. Furthermore, fan apparatuses according to other preferred embodiments may be used to perform only one of the steps of the introduction of air into the case, the discharge of air out of the case, and the sending of air inside the case.
- the case may contain any of a variety of electronic devices, and also a portion of any of the electronic devices may define a portion of the case.
- the electronic devices contained in the case may be personal computers, disk drive apparatuses, or the like in other preferred embodiments. That is, fan apparatuses according to other preferred embodiments of the present invention may not necessarily be of a tray type.
- the electronic devices contained in the case may include an electronic device, e.g., a power supply or a light source, which defines a portion of an electronic device system in other preferred embodiments of the present invention.
Abstract
A fan apparatus includes first axial fans each arranged with a rotation axis thereof extending perpendicularly or substantially perpendicularly to a mounting surface provided in a case designed to contain an electronic device; and second axial fans each having a rotation axis coinciding with the rotation axis of a separate one of the first axial fans. The first axial fans are arranged to rotate in a first rotation direction to introduce, send, or discharge air into, inside, or out of the case, while the second axial fans are arranged to rotate in a second rotation direction opposite to the first rotation direction to cause a flow of air in the same direction in which the first axial fans cause a flow of air. Both of the first axial fans and the second axial fans either share a common single-piece housing or have separate housings joined together.
Description
- 1. Field of the Invention
- The present invention relates to a fan apparatus. More specifically, the present invention relates to a fan apparatus that is arranged to be attached to a case designed to contain an electronic device.
- 2. Description of the Related Art
- A variety of conventional fan apparatuses including a plurality of fans have been provided to be attached to cases designed to contain electronic devices. JP-A 2008-140406, for example, discloses a conventional rack-mounted
system 10 including fan/LAN tray slots 23. Each fan/LAN tray slot 23 is provided with eight air blowers, as shown in FIG. 8 of JP-A 2008-140406. - JP-A 2008-251067 discloses another conventional fan apparatus included in a power supply module 40 used for a disk array apparatus, as shown in FIG. 14 of JP-A 2008-251067. In a fan portion 42 of the power supply module 40, two fans 43 having the same structure are arranged in tandem, one in front of the other, along an axial direction.
- With improved performance and increased density of electronic devices, cases designed to contain such electronic devices are required to have improved ventilation efficiency. Accordingly, preferred embodiments of the present invention provide a fan apparatus that enables air to be efficiently introduced into, sent inside, or discharged out of such a case.
- A fan apparatus according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a plurality of first axial fans arranged in a two-dimensional array in parallel or substantially in parallel to a mounting surface provided in a case designed to contain an electronic device, each of the first axial fans having a rotation axis perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the mounting surface; and a plurality of second axial fans arranged in a two-dimensional array in parallel or substantially in parallel to the mounting surface, each having a rotation axis coinciding with the rotation axis of a separate one of the first axial fans, and being arranged in contact or close proximity with the separate one of the first axial fans. The first axial fans are preferably arranged to rotate in a first rotation direction to introduce air into the case, discharge air out of the case, or send air inside the case, while the second axial fans are arranged to rotate in a second rotation direction opposite to the first rotation direction to cause a flow of air in a same direction in which the first axial fans cause a flow of air. The first axial fans preferably either share a common single-piece housing or have separate housings joined together, and the second axial fans either share a common single-piece housing or have separate housings joined together.
- The fan apparatus according to preferred embodiments of the present invention enables air to be efficiently introduced into, sent inside, or discharged out of the case designed to contain the electronic device.
- Fan apparatuses according to preferred embodiments of the present invention are usable as fan apparatuses to be attached to a variety of cases designed to contain electronic devices.
- The above and other elements, features, steps, characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments with reference to the attached drawings.
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FIG. 1 is a front view of a rack-type electronic system according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention. -
FIG. 2 is a right side view of the rack-type electronic system. -
FIG. 3 is a plan view of a first fan tray according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention. -
FIG. 4 is a plan view of a second fan tray according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention. -
FIG. 5 is a plan view of an example modification of the first fan tray. -
FIG. 6 is a front view of a rack-type electronic system according to a second preferred embodiment of the present invention. -
FIG. 7 is a right side view of the rack-type electronic system according to the second preferred embodiment of the present invention. -
FIG. 8 is a partial cross-sectional view of a contra-rotating fan according to the second preferred embodiment of the present invention. -
FIG. 1 is a front view of a rack-typeelectronic system 1 according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention.FIG. 2 is a right side view of the rack-typeelectronic system 1. The rack-typeelectronic system 1 preferably includes acase 11,electronic devices 12,power supply units 13,first fan trays 14, andsecond fan trays 15. - The exterior of the
case 11 is preferably rectangular parallelepiped shaped, but could be any other desirable shape is so desired. Thecase 11 contains theelectronic devices 12, thepower supply units 13, the first fan trays 14, and the second fan trays 15. Theelectronic devices 12 in this preferred embodiment are so-called blade servers, which are substantially plate-shaped, but any other type of electrical device could be included without departing from the present invention. Theelectronic devices 12 are preferably arranged horizontally and in an upright orientation. Preferably three arrays of theelectronic devices 12 are provided at different vertical levels. As illustrated inFIG. 2 , thepower supply units 13 are arranged behind the arrays of theelectronic devices 12. Other components, such as a control device, a communication device, and the like, are arranged near thepower supply units 13 as appropriate. - In this preferred embodiment, four pairs of the first and
second fan trays electronic devices 12, but any other number of the first andsecond fan trays second fan tray 15 is placed above the pairedfirst fan tray 14. In other words, each pair of the first andsecond fan trays individual fan apparatus 10. Four ofsuch fan apparatuses 10 are arranged at different locations in the rack-typeelectronic system 1. As illustrated inFIG. 2 , each of the first andsecond fan trays case 11 through a front of thecase 11. -
FIG. 3 is a plan view of thefirst fan tray 14. A bottom side ofFIG. 3 corresponds to the front of thecase 11. A total of twelve firstaxial fans 2, three in a width direction and four in a depth direction, are arranged on thefirst fan tray 14 is preferably provided. Each firstaxial fan 2 includes a motor, animpeller 21, and ahousing 22. A rotation axis J2 of the firstaxial fan 2 extends in a vertical direction. The motor is preferably a direct current brushless motor, but any other desirable type of motor could be used. Theimpeller 21 includes acentral cup portion 211 and a plurality ofblades 212. Theblades 212 are arranged to project radially outward from an outside surface of thecup portion 211. The motor is placed inside thecup portion 211. Thehousing 22 is arranged to surround an outer circumference of theimpeller 21. InFIG. 3 , theimpeller 21 is preferably arranged to rotate counterclockwise as indicated by arrow R2. -
FIG. 4 is a plan view of thesecond fan tray 15. A bottom side ofFIG. 4 corresponds to the front of thecase 11. A total of twelve secondaxial fans 3, three in the width direction and four in the depth direction, are arranged on thesecond fan tray 15. Thesecond fan tray 15 is similar in structure to thefirst fan tray 14 except that the secondaxial fans 3 are arranged to rotate in an opposite direction. That is, each secondaxial fan 3 includes a motor, animpeller 31, and ahousing 32. A rotation axis J3 of the secondaxial fan 3 extends in the vertical direction. InFIG. 4 , theimpeller 31 is arranged to rotate clockwise as indicated by arrow R3. Theimpeller 31 includes acentral cup portion 311 and a plurality ofblades 312. - In the case where a
frame 141 of thefirst fan tray 14 is regarded as a horizontal mounting surface for the firstaxial fans 2 provided in thecase 11, the firstaxial fans 2 are arranged in a two-dimensional array in parallel or substantially in parallel to the mounting surface, with the rotation axis J2 of each of the firstaxial fans 2 extending perpendicularly or substantially perpendicularly to the mounting surface. Similarly, in the case where aframe 151 of thesecond fan tray 15 is regarded as a horizontal mounting surface for the secondaxial fans 3 provided in thecase 11, the secondaxial fans 3 are arranged in a two-dimensional array in parallel or substantially in parallel to the mounting surface, with the rotation axis J3 of each of the secondaxial fans 3 extending perpendicularly or substantially perpendicularly to the mounting surface. The first andsecond fan trays axial fans 2 and the rotation axes J3 of the secondaxial fans 3 coincide with each other. In addition, the array of the firstaxial fans 2 and the array of the secondaxial fans 3 are arranged in contact or close proximity with each other along an axial direction. - A situation in which the array of the first axial fans and the array of the second
axial fans 3 are arranged in contact or close proximity with each other means a situation in which a rotational velocity component of an air flow from each axial fan on an inlet side serves to increase efficiency of the associated axial fan on an outlet side in sending out the air, and encompasses a situation in which the fan trays placed one above the other have been fitted into thecase 11, with the result that the array of the firstaxial fans 2 and the array of the secondaxial fans 3 are spaced from each other. The array of the firstaxial fans 2 and the array of the secondaxial fans 3 may be spaced from each other by a greater distance so long as the aforementioned interaction therebetween can still be achieved. - The
housing 22 of each firstaxial fan 2 is attached to theframe 141 of thefirst fan tray 14, so that the firstaxial fans 2 are, in essence, joined together horizontally. Similarly, thehousing 32 of each secondaxial fan 3 is attached to theframe 151, so that the secondaxial fans 3 are, in essence, joined together horizontally. As a result, as described above with reference toFIG. 2 , the array of the firstaxial fans 2 is capable of being inserted into and removed from thecase 11 in the direction parallel or substantially parallel to the mounting surface. Similarly, the array of the secondaxial fans 3 is capable of being inserted into and removed from thecase 11 in the direction parallel or substantially parallel to the mounting surface. - Each first
axial fan 2 is arranged to cause an upward flow of air through the counterclockwise rotation of theimpeller 21. Each secondaxial fan 3 is arranged to cause the same upward flow of air through the clockwise rotation of theimpeller 31. Thecase 11 has openings on top and bottom portions thereof. Thelowermost fan apparatus 10 is arranged to introduce air into thecase 11 through the bottom portion of thecase 11. The second andthird fan apparatuses 10 from the bottom are arranged to send the air inside thecase 11 so that the air travels further upward. Finally, theuppermost fan apparatus 10 is arranged to discharge the air out of thecase 11. - In the rack-type
electronic system 1, the firstaxial fans 2 and the secondaxial fans 3, which are arranged to rotate in mutually opposite directions with respect to one another, are arranged along the axial direction to achieve an improvement in static pressure-air volume characteristics of thefan apparatuses 10. This enables air to be efficiently introduced into, sent inside, and discharged out of thecase 11, which contains the electronic devices arranged in a densely packed manner. Moreover, it is possible to reduce a production cost of thefan apparatuses 10 through the similarity between theframe 141, which is a component used to join the firstaxial fans 2 together, and theframe 151, which is a component used to join the secondaxial fans 3 together. -
FIG. 5 is a plan view of an example of a modification that can be made to thefirst fan tray 14. In this modification of thefirst fan tray 14, a single-piece housing 22 a serves as a common housing of all the firstaxial fans 2. In the other respects, this modification of thefirst fan tray 14 is similar to thefirst fan tray 14 illustrated inFIG. 3 . Similarly, in a modification of thesecond fan tray 15, a single-piece housing may be arranged to serve as a common housing of all the secondaxial fans 3. -
FIG. 6 is a front view of a rack-type electronic system la according to a second preferred embodiment of the present invention.FIG. 7 is a right side view of the rack-type electronic system 1 a. The rack-type electronic system la includes thecase 11, theelectronic devices 12, thepower supply units 13, andfan trays 16. The rack-type electronic system la is similar to the rack-typeelectronic system 1 illustrated inFIGS. 1 and 2 except that eachfan tray 16 replaces a separate pair of the first andsecond fan trays 14. That is, eachfan tray 16 in the rack-type electronic system 1 a corresponds to a separate one of thefan apparatuses 10 illustrated inFIG. 1 . In the other respects, the rack-type electronic system 1 a is similar to the rack-typeelectronic system 1, and in the following description, components that have their counterparts inFIGS. 1 and 2 are assigned the same reference numerals as inFIGS. 1 and 2 . - In each
fan tray 16, a plurality of firstaxial fans 2 are arranged to define a lower array, and a plurality of secondaxial fans 3 are arranged to define an upper array. The manners of the horizontal arrangement of the firstaxial fans 2 and of the secondaxial fans 3 are similar to those illustrated inFIGS. 3 and 4 , respectively. In thefan tray 16, thehousing 22 of each firstaxial fan 2 and thehousing 32 of the associated secondaxial fan 3 are joined together in the vertical direction to provide a so-called contra-rotatingfan 4. -
FIG. 8 is a partial cross-sectional view of the contra-rotatingfan 4. The firstaxial fan 2 includes amotor 23, theimpeller 21, and thehousing 22. Note that the relative vertical positions of the impeller and the motor are reversed compared to those in the firstaxial fan 2 illustrated inFIG. 3 , and that theimpeller 21 is arranged below themotor 23. The secondaxial fan 3 includes amotor 33, theimpeller 31, and thehousing 32. InFIG. 8 , a mechanism to join thehousings 23 and to each other is omitted from illustration. The contra-rotatingfan 4 includes arib 24 arranged to support the motor in relation to thehousing 22, and arib 34 arranged to support themotor 33 in relation to thehousing 32. Theribs - Also in the
fan tray 16, the rotation axes J2 of the firstaxial fans 2 and the rotation axes J3 of the secondaxial fans 3 are arranged to coincide with each other such that they are coaxial or substantially coaxial. Each of the firstaxial fans 2 and the associated one of the secondaxial fans 3 are arranged in contact or close proximity with each other along the axial direction. Theimpeller 21 of each firstaxial fan 2 is arranged to rotate counterclockwise in plan view to cause an upward flow of air. Theimpeller 31 of each secondaxial fan 3 is arranged to rotate clockwise in plan view to cause the same upward flow of air. - In the case where a
frame 161 of eachfan tray 16 is regarded as a horizontal mounting surface for the firstaxial fans 2 provided in thecase 11, the firstaxial fans 2 are arranged in a two-dimensional array in parallel or substantially parallel to the mounting surface, with the rotation axis J2 of each of the firstaxial fans 2 extending perpendicularly or substantially perpendicularly to the mounting surface. The secondaxial fans 3 are also arranged in a two-dimensional array in parallel or substantially parallel to the mounting surface, with the rotation axis J3 of each of the secondaxial fans 3 extending perpendicularly or substantially perpendicularly to the mounting surface. - The assembly of each of the first
axial fans 2 and the associated one of the secondaxial fans 3 is attached to theframe 161, so that the assemblies of the firstaxial fans 2 and their respective associated secondaxial fans 3 are, in essence, joined together horizontally, resulting in a unified collection of the first and secondaxial fans FIG. 7 . The unified collection is capable of being inserted into and removed from thecase 11 in the direction parallel or substantially parallel to the mounting surface. - In the rack-type electronic system la, the
lowermost fan tray 16 is arranged to introduce air into thecase 11 through the bottom portion of thecase 11. The second andthird fan trays 16 from the bottom are arranged to send the air inside thecase 11 so that the air travels further upward. Finally, theuppermost fan tray 16 is arranged to discharge the air out of thecase 11. - The rack-type electronic system la is also so constructed as to enable air to be efficiently introduced into, sent inside, and discharged out of the
case 11, which contains the electronic devices arranged densely. Moreover, because each contra-rotatingfan 4 defines a unit in eachfan tray 16, it is possible to reduce a production cost of thefan trays 16. - Note that the present invention is not limited to the above-described preferred embodiments, and that variations and modifications are possible. For example, in a modification of the
fan tray 16 according to the second preferred embodiment, a single-piece housing may be arranged to replace the two housings and 32. Also, in modifications of the first and second preferred embodiments, the joining of the housings in directions perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the axial direction may be accomplished directly through the housings themselves, instead of through the frame of the fan tray. - In modifications of the first and second preferred embodiments, the relative vertical positions of the motor and the impeller in each of the first and second
axial fans - The mounting surfaces to which the first or second
axial fans case 11 but also on an outer surface of thecase 11, in other preferred embodiments. Furthermore, the mounting surfaces may not necessarily be arranged horizontally, but may be arranged, for example, vertically in other preferred embodiments. Furthermore, the first and secondaxial fans case 11 in other preferred embodiments. Furthermore, fan apparatuses according to other preferred embodiments may be used to perform only one of the steps of the introduction of air into the case, the discharge of air out of the case, and the sending of air inside the case. In other preferred embodiments, the case may contain any of a variety of electronic devices, and also a portion of any of the electronic devices may define a portion of the case. The electronic devices contained in the case may be personal computers, disk drive apparatuses, or the like in other preferred embodiments. That is, fan apparatuses according to other preferred embodiments of the present invention may not necessarily be of a tray type. Furthermore, the electronic devices contained in the case may include an electronic device, e.g., a power supply or a light source, which defines a portion of an electronic device system in other preferred embodiments of the present invention. - While preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, it is to be understood that variations and modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing the scope and spirit of the present invention. The scope of the present invention, therefore, is to be determined solely by the following claims.
Claims (3)
1. A fan apparatus comprising:
a plurality of first axial fans arranged in a two-dimensional array in parallel or substantially in parallel to a mounting surface provided in a case designed to contain an electronic device, each of the first axial fans having a rotation axis that is perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the mounting surface; and
a plurality of second axial fans arranged in a two-dimensional array in parallel or substantially in parallel to the mounting surface, each having a rotation axis coinciding with the rotation axis of a separate one of the first axial fans, and being arranged in contact or close proximity with the separate one of the first axial fans; wherein
the first axial fans are arranged to rotate in a first rotation direction to introduce air into the case, discharge air out of the case, or send air inside the case, while the second axial fans are arranged to rotate in a second rotation direction opposite to the first rotation direction to cause a flow of air in a same direction in which the first axial fans cause a flow of air; and
the first axial fans either share a common single-piece housing or have separate housings joined together, and the second axial fans either share a common single-piece housing or have separate housings joined together.
2. The fan apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the array of the first axial fans is arranged to be capable of being inserted into and removed from the case in a direction parallel or substantially parallel to the mounting surface, and the array of the second axial fans is also arranged to be capable of being inserted into and removed from the case in the same direction.
3. A fan apparatus comprising:
a plurality of first axial fans arranged in a two-dimensional array in parallel or substantially in parallel to a mounting surface provided in a case designed to contain an electronic device, each of the first axial fans having a rotation axis perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the mounting surface; and
a plurality of second axial fans arranged in a two-dimensional array in parallel or substantially in parallel to the mounting surface, each having a rotation axis coinciding with the rotation axis of a separate one of the first axial fans, and being arranged in contact or close proximity with the separate one of the first axial fans; wherein
the first axial fans are arranged to rotate in a first rotation direction to introduce air into the case, discharge air out of the case, or send air inside the case, while the second axial fans are arranged to rotate in a second rotation direction opposite to the first rotation direction to cause a flow of air in a same direction in which the first axial fans cause a flow of air;
each of the second axial fans and the separate one of the first axial fans arranged in contact or close proximity with the second axial fan either share a common single-piece housing or have separate housings joined together; and
a unified collection of the first and second axial fans is arranged to be capable of being inserted into and removed from the case in a direction parallel or substantially parallel to the mounting surface.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
JP2009-189523 | 2009-08-18 | ||
JP2009189523A JP2011040693A (en) | 2009-08-18 | 2009-08-18 | Fan device |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
US20110044799A1 true US20110044799A1 (en) | 2011-02-24 |
Family
ID=43605512
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US12/855,064 Abandoned US20110044799A1 (en) | 2009-08-18 | 2010-08-12 | Fan apparatus |
Country Status (4)
Country | Link |
---|---|
US (1) | US20110044799A1 (en) |
JP (1) | JP2011040693A (en) |
CN (1) | CN101994715A (en) |
TW (1) | TW201108926A (en) |
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US20110058334A1 (en) * | 2009-09-10 | 2011-03-10 | Nidec Corporation | Fan apparatus, electronic device, and fan-attached case |
US20140363272A1 (en) * | 2013-06-07 | 2014-12-11 | Nidec Corporation | Serial axial fan |
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US20230271730A1 (en) * | 2022-02-25 | 2023-08-31 | Nec Corporation | Ruggedizing apparatus and method for electronic equipment mounted on spacecraft |
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JP6281298B2 (en) * | 2014-01-28 | 2018-02-21 | 富士通株式会社 | Information processing apparatus and replacement parts |
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Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
TW201108926A (en) | 2011-03-01 |
CN101994715A (en) | 2011-03-30 |
JP2011040693A (en) | 2011-02-24 |
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Legal Events
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