Abstract

A fan assembly (10) for creating an air current comprises a nozzle (14) mounted on a base. The base comprises an outer casing(16), a silencing member housed within the outer casing (16), an impeller housing located (64) within the outer casing (16), the impeller housing (64) having an air inlet (70) and an air outlet, an impeller (52) located within the impeller housing and a motor (56) for driving the impeller about an axis to create an air flow through the impeller housing. The nozzle comprises an interior passage (86) for receiving the air flow from the air outlet of the impeller housing and a mouth (26) through which the air flow is emitted from the fan assembly, wherein the silencing member is located beneath the air inlet (70) of the impeller housing (64) and is spaced from the air inlet along said axis by a distance in the range from 5 mm to 60 mm.

IPC Classes  ?

• F04D 25/08 - Units comprising pumps and their driving means the working fluid being air, e.g. for ventilation
• F04D 29/62 - Mounting; Assembling; Disassembling of radial or helico-centrifugal pumps
• F04D 29/66 - Combating cavitation, whirls, noise, vibration, or the like; Balancing
• F04F 5/16 - Jet pumps, i.e. devices in which fluid flow is induced by pressure drop caused by velocity of another fluid flow the inducing fluid being elastic fluid displacing elastic fluids
• F04F 5/46 - Arrangements of nozzles

Abstract

A bladeless fan assembly for creating an air current comprises a nozzle mounted on a base housing means for creating an air flow. The nozzle comprises an interior passage for receiving the air flow and a mouth for emitting the air flow. The nozzle defines, and extends about, an opening through which air from outside the fan assembly is drawn by the air flow emitted from the mouth. The nozzle further comprises air heating means for heating the air flow upstream of the mouth.

IPC Classes  ?

• F04D 25/08 - Units comprising pumps and their driving means the working fluid being air, e.g. for ventilation
• F04D 29/58 - Cooling; Heating; Diminishing heat transfer
• F04F 5/16 - Jet pumps, i.e. devices in which fluid flow is induced by pressure drop caused by velocity of another fluid flow the inducing fluid being elastic fluid displacing elastic fluids
• F04F 5/46 - Arrangements of nozzles

Abstract

There is provided cyclonic separating apparatus (100) comprising a cyclonic separator (112) for separating dirt and dust from an airflow, an inlet (116) to the cyclonic separator (112) and a shroud (122) comprising a wall (124) having a multiplicity of through-holes (126) forming an outlet from the cyclonic separator (112). A plurality of separate passageways (134) are provided immediately downstream of the through-holes (126). By providing such an arrangement, the separate passageways (134) can be located around other parts of the cyclonic separating apparatus (100) inwardly of the shroud (122), allowing for better packaging of the components of the cyclonic separating apparatus (100). This allows the shroud (122) to be reduced in size because some of the space previously required for a single, large passageway can be used for other components of the cyclonic separating apparatus (100); for example, a collector or a cyclone. The reduction in size of the shroud (122) in turn allows for the cyclonic separating apparatus (100) to be more compact.

IPC Classes  ?

• A47L 9/16 - Arrangement or disposition of cyclones or other devices with centrifugal action

Abstract

The invention provides drying apparatus (10) having a casing (12), a cavity (30) formed in the casing (12) for receiving an object, a fan (40) located in the casing (12) and capable of creating an airflow, and at least one slot-like opening (60, 62) communicating with the fan (40) and arranged in the casing (12) so as to direct an airflow transversely across the cavity (30). According to the invention, the slot-like opening (60, 62) has a maximum width which is no greater than 0.8 mm. This produces a very narrow, high velocity, high pressure airflow which is capable of drying an object efficiently and quickly. The invention is suitable for use in a hand dryer.

IPC Classes  ?

• A47K 10/48 - Drying by means of hot air