Hitachi, Ltd.

Toshiaki Sumi

Masahiro Abe

Katsuo Motosaka

A vortex blower comprises a motor and an impeller directly connected to one end of a motor shaft and housed in an impeller housing. A part of the impeller housing is made of aluminium or aluminium-based alloy and includes an integral portion which serves as that end wall of the motor which is adjacent to the impeller. The end wall is provided with a radially extending first thrust surface for engagement with one end face of an outer race of a bearing which journals the motor shaft. A bearing retainer of a metal having a wear-resistant property higher than those of aluminium and the aluminium-based alloy is provided with an axially extending cylindrical surface for engagement with the outer peripheral surface of the outer bearing race and a radially extending second thrust surface for engagement with the other end face of the outer bearing race. The bearing retainer is mounted on the end wall so that the outer peripheral surface and end faces of the outer bearing race are engaged with the cylindrical surface of the bearing retainer and the first and second thrust surfaces, respectively. The use of the bearing retainer fabricated separately of the end wall and mounted thereon eliminates the use of an insert which was required in the prior art and thus simplifies the steps of manufacture and reduces the number of necessary machine parts.

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Narita, Japan

Toshiaki Sumi