{Description}
{Title of Invention}
AIR BLOWING DEVICE
{Technical Field}
{0001}
The present invention relates to air blowing devices
capable of supplying a uniform flow of air, and more
particularly, relates to such air blowing devices adapted
to be used in such a manner that at least two of such
devices are horizontally or vertically aligned with each
other.
{Background Art}
{0002}
Conventionally, clean benches are known to improve air
cleanliness of local working spaces, and push-pull
ventilators are known to collect toxic substances occurring
in local working spaces without diffusing the toxic
substances throughout the working space and over the
surrounding space. Air blowing devices are also known to
be used in these clean benches and ventilators-
{0003}
For example, JP 2003-4287 A (PTL 1) discloses a
uniform flow blowing device that includes an air blowing

surface on the front surface side of a hollow box
structure. On the rear side of the air blowing surface, a
plurality of distribution plates are disposed. When air
flows into the device, the air passes between the
distribution plates and then is blown out in a uniform flow
through the air blowing surface.
{0004}
JP 2008-75945 A (PTL 2) discloses a local air cleaner
that is used to locally clean the interior of a clean room.
The local air cleaner includes a blowing device equipped
with an air blowing unit, an inlet device equipped with an
air inlet unit. These two devices are disposed to be
opposed to each other so that a local part of the interior
of the clean room to be cleaned is located therebetween.
{0005}
JP 2008-275266 A (PTL 3) discloses a local air
cleaner that includes a pair of push hoods capable of
blowing out a uniform flow of clean air. The pair of push
hoods have mutually opposing air-flow opening surfaces
through which to blow out the clean air. That is, the pair
of push hoods are used in the state where the flows of air
from the respective air-flow opening surfaces collide with
one another.

{Citation List}
{Patent Literature}{0006}
{PTL 1} JP 2003-4287 A
{PTL 2} JP 2008-75945 A
{PTL 3} JP 2008-275266 A
{Summary of Invention}
{Technical Problem}
{0007}
Conventional blowing devices create, in a large room, a
local working space for a uniform flow of air or a uniform
flow of clean air. Considering easy handling or movability
of the devices, they are provided to consumers oftentimes
in comparatively reduced sizes. Additionally, depending on
the kind of work and/or procedure of work, enough working
space may not be created by one blowing device or a pair of
blowing devices. However, the conventional blowing devices
are, even when two or more of them are horizontally aligned
with each other, i.e., arranged to be side by side, likely
to create spaces lacking supply of a uniform flow of air or
clean air especially between the adjacent devices and at
the downstream side in the vicinity thereof. These spaces
are inappropriate for serving the purpose of working space
even if these are only small part of the working space.

{0008}
An object of the present invention is to provide an
improvement over the conventional blowing devices in that,
when the blowing devices are horizontally and/or vertically
aligned with each other, a uniform flow of air or a uniform
flow of clean air is supplied to between the respective
devices and toward the downstream side.
{Solution to Problem}
{0009}
The present invention includes a first aspect and a
second aspect. The first aspect is directed to an air
blowing device including a rectifier mechanism disposed at
a flow path through which air flows from an upstream side
toward a downstream side of the flow path, whereby the air
past the rectifier mechanism is rendered a uniform air flow
to be supplied to a downstream side of the rectifier
mechanism.
{0010}
In this air blowing device, the first aspect includes
the following features:
the device includes a front-rear direction corresponding
to a flow direction of the uniform air flow with a forward
side of the front-rear direction corresponding to the

downstream side, a width direction orthogonal to the front-
rear direction, and a vertical direction orthogonal to the
front-rear direction and the width direction;
the device further includes an air-permeable front
surface formed at the downstream side of the rectifier
mechanism and including a plurality of first ventilation
holes distributed in the width direction and the vertical
direction, and side surface portions extending toward the
upstream side from lateral edges of the air-permeable front
surface that are disposed at respective side portions of
the air-permeable front surface in the width direction and
extend in the vertical direction; and
a plurality of second ventilation holes are distributed
at at least one of the side surface portions opposite to
each other in the width direction, wherein the second
ventilation holes are configured to blow out part of the
air past the rectifier mechanism outward in the width
direction.
{0011}
In one embodiment of the first aspect, the air-
permeable front surface extends in the width direction
beyond at least one of side portions of the rectifier
mechanism.

{0012}
In another embodiment of the first aspect, each segment
of the side surface portions at which the second
ventilation holes are distributed is formed of a plate
material constituting the air-permeable front surface and
being bent at the lateral edges toward the upstream side.
{0013}
In even another embodiment of the first aspect, the
first and second ventilation holes each include a hole
diameter in a range of 0.5 to 4 mm, and a ratio of an area
of the first ventilation holes to 10 cm2 area of the a'ir-
permeable front surface and a ratio of an area of the
second ventilation holes to 10 cm2 area of the side surface
portion each are 20 to 50%.
{0014}
In yet another embodiment of the first aspect, a
distance between respective centers of adjacent first
ventilation holes and a distance between respective centers
of adjacent second ventilation holes are in a range of 1 to
6 mm.
{0015}
In still another embodiment of the first aspect, the
air-permeable front surface includes at least one of an

upper vertical edge and a lower vertical edge disposed in
the vertical direction and extending in the width
direction. The at least one of the vertical edges includes
an end surface portion crossing the air-permeable front
surface and extending toward the upstream side. The end
surface portion includes a plurality of third ventilation
holes distributed at the end surface portion. The third
ventilation holes are configured to blow out part of the
air past the rectifier mechanism outward in the vertical
direction.
{0016}
In a further embodiment of the first aspect, the air-
permeable front surface includes at least one of an upper
vertical edge and a lower vertical edge disposed in the
vertical direction and extending in the width direction.
The at least one of the vertical edges includes an end
surface portion crossing the air-permeable front surface
and extending toward the upstream side. A spacer is
interposed between the rectifier mechanism and the air-
permeable front surface. The spacer includes side wall
portions extending in the vertical direction, and a top
surface portion and a bottom surface portion coupled to
respective end portions of the side wall portions in the

vertical direction and extending in the width direction. A
size in the width direction defined between the side wall
portions gradually increases toward the downstream side to
exceed a size of the rectifier mechanism in the width
direction. The side wall portions constitute at least a
part of the respective side surface portions, and the top
surface portion and the bottom surface portion constitute
at least a part of the end surface portion of the device.
The air-permeable front surface is coupled to the side wall
portions of the spacer and to the top surface portion and
the bottom surface portion of the spacer at the corner
edges and the upper and lower vertical edges. At least one
side wall portion among the side wall portions includes the
plurality of second ventilation holes.
{0017}
In an even further embodiment of the first aspect, the
spacer is removable relative to the device.
{0018}
In a yet further embodiment of the first aspect, the
spacer and the air-permeable front surface are mutually
removable.
{0019}
In a still further embodiment of the first aspect, the

air-permeable front surface includes at least one of an
upper vertical edge and a lower vertical edge disposed in
the vertical direction and extending in the width
direction. The at least one of the vertical edges includes
an end surface portion crossing the air-permeable front
surface and extending toward the upstream side. A spacer
is interposed between the rectifier mechanism and the air-
permeable front surface. The spacer includes side wall
portions extending in the vertical direction, and a top
surface portion and a bottom surface portion coupled to
respective end portions of the side wall portions in the
vertical direction and extending in the width direction.
At least one of the top surface portion and the bottom
surface portion includes the plurality of third ventilation
holes.
{0020}
In further another embodiment of the first aspect, the
device includes a plurality of devices aligned in the width
direction. The second ventilation holes are configured to
blow out part of the air past the rectifier mechanism
toward the side surface portions of an adjacent device .
{0021}
In even further another embodiment of the first aspect,

the device includes a plurality of devices wherein in each
of . the plurality of devices, the air-permeable front
surface includes at least one of an upper vertical edge and
a lower vertical edge disposed in the vertical direction
and extending in the width direction. The at least one of
the vertical edges includes an end surface portion crossing
the air-permeable front surface and extending toward the
upstream side. The end surface portion includes a
plurality of third ventilation holes distributed at the end
surface portion. The second ventilation holes and the
third ventilation holes are configured to blow out part of
the air past the rectifier mechanism toward the side
surface portions of an adjacent device in the width
direction and toward the end surface portion of an adjacent
device in the vertical direction.
{0022}
The second aspect of the present invention is directed
to an air blowing device including a rectifier mechanism
disposed at a flow path through which air flows from an
upstream side toward a downstream side of the flow path,
whereby the air past the rectifier mechanism is rendered a
uniform air flow to be supplied to a downstream side of the
rectifier mechanism.

{0023}
In this blowing device, the second aspect includes the
flowing features:
the device includes a front-rear direction corresponding
to a flow direction of the uniform air flow with a forward
side of the front-rear direction corresponding to the
downstream side, a width direction orthogonal to the front-
rear direction, and a vertical direction orthogonal to the
front-rear direction and the width direction;
the device further includes an air-permeable front
surface formed at the downstream side of the rectifier
mechanism and including a plurality of first ventilation
holes distributed in the width direction and the vertical
direction, and an end surface portion extending toward the
upstream side and crossing the air-permeable front surface
from at least one of an upper vertical edge and a lower
vertical edge each disposed in the vertical direction of
the air-permeable front surface and extending in the width
direction;
the end surface portion includes a plurality of third
ventilation holes distributed at the end surface portion
and coupled to the flow path. The third ventilation holes
are configured to blow out part of the air past the

rectifier mechanism outward in the vertical direction.
{0024}
In one embodiment of the second aspect, the first and
third ventilation holes each include a hole diameter in a
range of 0.5 to 4 mm, and a ratio of an area of the first
ventilation holes to 10 cm2 area of the air-permeable front
surface and a ratio of an area of the third ventilation
holes to 10 cm2 area of the end surface portion is in a
range of 20 to 50%.
{0025}
In another embodiment of the second aspect, a distance
between respective centers of adjacent first ventilation
holes and a distance between respective centers of
adjacent third ventilation holes are in a range of 1 to 6
mm.
{0026}
In even another embodiment of the second aspect, the
device includes side surface portions extending toward the
upstream side from lateral edges of the air-permeable front
surface that are disposed at respective side portions of
the air-permeable front surface in the width direction and
extend in the vertical direction. A plurality of second
ventilation holes are distributed at at least one of

opposite side surface portions in the width direction. The
second ventilation holes are configured to blow out part of
the air past the rectifier mechanism outward in the width
direction.
{0027}
In yet another embodiment of the second aspect, the
device is one of a plurality of devices aligned in the
vertical direction. The third ventilation holes are
configured to blow out part of the air past the rectifier
mechanism toward the end surface portion of an adjacent
device.
{0028}
In at least one embodiment of the first and second
aspects, the air-permeable front surface is mountable and
removable relative to the device.
{Advantageous Effects of the Invention}
{0029}
In the air blowing device according to the first aspect
among the present invention, an air-permeable front surface
is disposed at the downstream side of the rectifier
mechanism, which is disposed at the flow path through which
air flows from an upstream side toward a downstream side of
the flow path. The air-permeable front surface is spaced

apart from the rectifier mechanism by a desired distance
and includes a plurality of first ventilation holes
distributed at the air-permeable front surface. To lateral
edges of the air-permeable front surface, side surface
portions of the device are coupled. At the side surface
portions, a plurality of second ventilation holes are
distributed. The air past the rectifier mechanism passes
through the first ventilation holes of the air-permeable
front surface and turns into a uniform air flow to be
supplied to the forward side of the blowing device.
Additionally, part of the air collides with the air-
permeable front surface and expands in the width direction
to be blown out through the second ventilation holes
outward in the width direction. The use of two blowing
devices aligned horizontally with a gap therebetween causes
collision of air blown out from the second ventilation
holes of the respective two devices. This prevents air
existing at the rear side of the two devices from flowing
between the two devices to the forward side of the two
devices. In these two blowing devices, the entire width
direction area of the horizontally aligned blowing devices
can be rendered a working space filled with a uniform flow
of air or a working space filled with a uniform flow of

clean air.
{0030}
In the air blowing device according to the second
aspect of the present invention, the entire vertical
direction area of vertically aligned blowing devices can be
rendered a working space filled with a uniform flow of air
or a working space filled with a uniform flow of clean air.
{Brief Description of Drawings}
{0031}
{FIG. 1} FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an air blowing
device.
{FIG. 2} FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line
II-II shown in FIG. 1.
{FIG. 3} FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line
III-III shown in FIG. 1.
{FIG. 4} FIG. 4 is a partially enlarged view of FIG. 2.
{FIG. 5} FIG. 5 is a partially enlarged view of FIG. 2.
{FIG. 6} FIG. 6 is a partially enlarged view of FIG. 3.
{FIG.. 7} FIG. 7 schematically illustrates a flow of air at
a clearance.
{FIG. 8} FIG. 8 illustrates measurement points of wind
speed and cleanliness.
{FIG. 9} FIG. 9 is a similar view to FIG. 1, illustrating

one embodiment.
{FIG. 10} FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along
line X-X shown in FIG. 9.
{FIG. 11} FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view taken along
line XI-XI shown in FIG. 9.
{FIG. 12} FIG. 12 is a partially enlarged view of FIG. 11.
{FIG. 13} FIG. 13 is a similar view to FIG. 1, illustrating
one embodiment.
{FIG. 14} FIG. 14 is a plan view of an exemplary device
combination.
{FIG. 15} FIG. 15 illustrates an exemplary device
combination serving as a push-push blowing device.
{Description of Embodiments}
{0032}
Referring to the accompanying drawings, an air blowing
device according to the present invention will be described
in detail below.
{0033}
Referring to FIGs. 1, 2, and 3, FIG. 1 is a perspective
view of an air blowing device 1, FIG. 2 is a cross-
sectional view taken along line II-II shown in FIG. 1, and
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line III-III
shown in FIG. 1. In the device 1 shown in these drawings,

the double-headed arrow X denotes the width direction, the
double-headed arrow Y denotes the vertical direction, and
the double-headed arrow Z denotes the front-rear direction.
The term "forward side" associated with the device 1 is
intended to . mean a direction from a rear portion 3 to a
front portion 2, described later.
{0034}
The air blowing device 1 exemplified in FIG. 1 includes
the front portion 2, the rear portion 3, a top portion 4, a
bottom portion 6, and side portions 7. As viewed in the
vertical direction Y, the device 1 also includes an air
blowing portion 22, an operation portion 12 positioned
above the air blowing portion 22, and an external-air
intake portion 21 positioned below the air blowing portion
22. To the bottom portion 6, casters 13 are mounted to
move the device 1.
{0035}
In the device 1, air is taken in from the external-air
intake portion 21 at the rear portion 3 side and blown out
through a blowing plate. 11 of the air blowing portion 22.
The blowing plate 11 includes an air-permeable front
surface llf at which a plurality of first ventilation holes
70a are distributed, and bent portions 11a at which a

plurality of second ventilation holes 70b are distributed.
The first ventilation holes 70a blow out air to the forward
side, while the second ventilation holes 70b blow out air
outward in the width direction X. In a preferable
embodiment of the device 1, the air from the first
ventilation holes 70a is blown out in the form of a uniform
flow of air. In a more preferable embodiment of the device
1, the air from the first ventilation holes 70a is blown
out in the form of a uniform flow of air made of clean air.
In the present invention, a uniform air flow will be
occasionally referred to as a uniform flow of air. As used
herein, the terms "uniform air flow" and "uniform flow" are
synonymous with "uniform flow" recited in "Industrial
Ventilation", Taro Hayashi (the Society of Heating, Air-
Conditioning and Sanitary Engineers of Japan, 1982). It is
noted, however, that the present invention is not intended
to provide the air blowing device while specifying the air
flow speed and the speed distribution. The arrows A and B
shown in the drawings denote flow directions of air
proceeding from the upstream side to the downstream side,
and the arrow C denotes a flow direction of air proceeding
from the upstream side outward in the width direction X.
The front portion 2 at the operation portion 12 includes,

for example, an on-off switch 12a that starts and stops the
air blowing device 1, and an indicator portion 12b that
monitors a clogging state of filters 24 and 29 of the
device 1, described later (see FIG. 2).
{0036}
FIG. 1 also shows a second air blowing device 1, which
is similar to the air blowing device 1. The second air
blowing device 1 is used in a state of being horizontally
adjacent to the device 1 in the width direction X. It is
noted, however, that in this specification, the second
blowing device will occasionally be designated by reference
numeral 101 for the purpose of avoiding confusion. That
is, in FIG. 1, a clearance CL is defined between the side
portions 7 of the air blowing device 1 and the second air
blowing device 101. The devices 1 and 101 constitute a
device combination 201 that is capable of/ when the devices
1 and 101 are operated simultaneously, forming a large
working space (not shown) at the downstream side of the
devices 1 and 101 in which to form a uniform flow of air or
a uniform flow of clean air.
{0037}
FIG. 2 shows an internal structure of the device 1 in
the vertical direction Y and a flow path of air in the

device 1. The operation portion 12 accommodates therein
electric wirings, circuit boards, and other elements, not
shown, necessary for operating the device 1.
{0038}
In FIG. 2, the external-air intake portion 21, which
constitutes a lower portion of the device 1, includes an
air permeable first rear-surface panel 23 at the rear
portion 3 of the device 1. A removable pre-processing
filter 24 is set inside the first rear-surface panel 23,
that is, at the downstream side of the first rear-surface
panel 23. At the downstream side of the pre-processing
filter 24, a fan 26 such as a sirocco fan is set to take in
external air. The fan 26 can undergo checking and
replacement work by removing a front surface panel 27,
which constitutes a part of the front portion 2. When the
fan 26 rotates, external air passes through the first rear-
surface panel 23 and the pre-processing filter 24, and
forms a flow indicated by the arrow F1. The air then
passes through the fan 26 to form a flow indicated by the
arrow F2, and proceeds to the air blowing portion 22 of the
device 1.
{0039}
At the air blowing portion 22, the rear portion 3 is

made up of a non-permeable, second rear-surface panel 25.
At the upstream side of the air blowing portion 22, a first
space 28 is formed to accept a flow F2 of air from the
external-air intake portion 21. In the downstream side of
the first space 28, a removable high-end filter 29 such as
a HEPA filter is set. At the downstream side of the high-
end filter 29, a second space 32 is formed. The second
space 32 accepts only an inflow of air past the high-end
filter 29 and expands the air in the vertical direction Y
and the width direction X of the device 1. At the
downstream side of the second space 32, a removable
rectifier unit 33 is set inboard of the air blowing portion
22. The rectifier unit 33 constitutes the rectifier
mechanism of the device 1. At a position spaced apart from
the rectifier unit 33 toward the downstream side by a
desired distance, an air-permeable- front surface 11a of the
blowing plate 11 is disposed. The air-permeable front
surface 11a is the last air permeable portion through which
air taken into' the device 1 passes, in other words, the
foremost air permeable portion of the device 1. The flow
F2 of air turns into a flow F3 at the air. blowing portion
22, and the most part of the flow F3 turns into a uniform
air flow F4 and flows out to the outside through the air-

permeable front surface 11f. The flows F2, F3, and F4
indicate the most flow paths of air in the device 1.
{0040}
In FIG. 3, the size of the air blowing portion 22 in
the width direction X increases in ascending order: the
high-end filter 29, the second space 32, the rectifier unit
33, and the blowing plate 11. A size W1 of the first space
28 in the width direction X is larger than the size of the
high-end filter 29 in the width direction X. The size W1
also indicates the size of an opening 20 coupled to the
external-air intake portion 21. It is noted, however, that
in the present invention, the above-described order in the
size in the width direction X is not an essential
requirement. The order may be conveniently changed. In
FIG. 3, the air sent by the fan 26 of the external-air
intake portion 21 turns into the flow F2 and enters the
first space 28 through the opening 20 (see FIG. 2) . The
blowing plate 11 is bent at right angles toward the rear
portion 3 of the device 1 at lateral edges 15, which are
positioned at both sides of the blowing plate 11 in the
width direction X. Thus, the bent portions 11a are formed
to extend from the lateral edges 15 toward the upstream
side. The bent portions 11a each constitute a part of the

corresponding side portion 7 of the device -1. The bent
portions 11a extend in the vertical direction Y (see FIG.
1) to be perpendicular to a horizontal floor surface 100
(see FIG. 13), on which the device 1 is placed. Removable
stops 29a are in pressure contact with the surface of the
high-end filter 29 at the upstream side.
{0041}
FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of the portion indicated by
IV in FIG. 2. The operation portion 12 includes a bottom
plate portion 12c extending horizontally in the front-rear
direction Z. In the air blowing portion 22, a top surface
portion 11b extends horizontally and is coupled to the
blowing plate 11, which extends perpendicularly. Thus, the
top surface portion 11b defines an upper end surface
portion of the air blowing portion 22. To the top surface
portion 11b, the bottom plate portion 12c is secured by a
bolt 36. Inboard of the air blowing portion 22, the
rectifier unit 33 is fitted with and secured by a securing-
purpose frame member 37. The frame member 37 includes a
circumferential wall portion 38 and a forward side opening
39. The circumferential wall portion 38 has its thick
portion 38a secured to the top surface portion 11b.
Between the air-permeable front surface llf of the blowing

plate 11 and the frame member 37, a third space 41 is
formed. Between the top surface portion 11b and the
circumferential wall portion 38, a fourth space 42 is
formed. A size D1 of the third space 41 in the front-rear
direction Z corresponds to a distance that accommodates a
clearance of a desirable size between the air-permeable
front surface llf and the rectifier unit 33, specifically,
between the air-permeable front surface llf and a second
honeycomb plate 57, described later, of the rectifier unit
33. A size D2 of the fourth space 42 in the vertical
direction Y corresponds to the distance between the top
surface portion 11b and the rectifier unit 33. In a
preferable embodiment of the device 1, the size D1 is in
the range of 5 to 100 mm, and the size D2 is in the range
of 0.5 to 40 mm. A possible case of the size D2 being
equal. or close to 0.5 mm is where the top surface portion
11b and the securing-purpose frame member 37 can be brought
into contact with one another without the need for the bolt
36. FIG. 4 also shows an inner surface of the bent portion
11a of the blowing plate 11, and the second ventilation
holes 70b formed at the bent portions 11a.
{0042}
FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of the portion indicated by

V in FIG. 2. In the air blowing portion 22, a non-
permeable bottom surface portion 11c extends horizontally
and is coupled to the air-permeable front surface 11f,
which extends perpendicularly. Thus, the bottom surface
portion 11c defines a lower end surface portion of the air
blowing portion 22. Between the bottom surface portion 11c
and the circumferential wall portion 38 of the securing-
purpose frame member 3 7, a fifth space 43 is formed. The
fifth space 43 is coupled to the third space 41. To the
inner surface of the bottom surface portion lie, the thick
portion 38a of the securing-purpose frame member 37 is
secured. On the inner surface of the bent portion 11a
exposed to the third space 41, the second ventilation holes
70b are formed. The external-air intake portion 21, which
is positioned below the air blowing portion 22, includes
the front surface panel 27 and a top plate portion 47. A
pin 48 extends upward on the top plate portion 47 and
enters a hole 49 of the bottom surface portion 11c at the
air blowing portion 22. Thus, the pin 48 serves as means
for positioning the air blowing portion 22 relative to the
external-air intake portion 21. The external-air intake
portion 21 accommodates therein a rib structure portion 21a
for mounting the fan 26 (see FIG. 2) . The structure

portion 21a will not be elaborated here.
{0043}
Also as shown in FIG. 5, the rectifier unit 33 includes
a first honeycomb plate 51, a first spacer 52, a first
punching metal 53, a second spacer 54, a second punching
metal 55, a third spacer 56, and the second honeycomb plate
5 7, which are arranged in this order from the upstream side
toward the downstream side. These members 51 to 57 are
integrally held by the securing-purpose frame member 37.
The securing-purpose frame member 3 7 is in close contact
with a frame member 59 through a packing 58. The frame
member 59 defines the second space 32. It is noted,
however, that in the present invention, the structure of
the rectifier unit 33 will not be limited to the
illustrated example. The number of the honeycomb plates,
the spacers, and the punching metals may be conveniently
increased or decreased.
{0044}
The first and second honeycomb plates 51 and 57 each
have a rectifying effect relative to air flow. All of the
ventilation holes (not shown) in the honeycomb structure
extend in the direction from the upstream side toward the
downstream side. Air past the ventilation holes proceeds

straight toward the downstream side.
{0045}
The first, second, and third spacers 52, 54, and 56 are
frame members respectively used to form a sixth space 61
between the first honeycomb plate 51 and the first punching
metal 53, a seventh space 62 between the first punching
metal 53 and the second punching metal 55, and an eighth
space 63 between the second punching metal 55 and the
second honeycomb plate 57. The sixth, seventh, and eighth
spaces 61, 62, and 63 provide spaces in which air flowing
toward the downstream side is capable of expanding in the
width direction X and the vertical direction Y of the
device 1 at the upstream sides of the first punching metal
53, the second punching metal 55, and the second honeycomb
plate 57.
{0046}
The first punching metal 53 and the second punching
metal 55 enable air expanding in the width direction X and
the vertical direction Y to flow toward the second
honeycomb plate 57.
{0047}
Through the high-end filter 29, air turns into the flow
F3 (see FIG. 2) and enters the rectifier unit 33. The air

is then blown out through the second honeycomb plate 5 7 to
enter the third space 41, which is formed at the downstream
side of the second honeycomb plate 57. In the third space
41, the air expands in the width direction X and the
vertical direction Y, and the most part of the air turns
into the flow F4 (see FIG. 2), which is a uniform flow of
clean air, and is blown out in a downstream direction B
through the entire air-permeable front surface llf of the
blowing plate 11. Part of the air passes through the
second ventilation holes 70b at the bent portions 11a and
turns into a flow F5 (see FIG. 6) to be blown out outward
in the width direction X, that is, in the direction
indicated by the arrow C in FIG. 1. Even though the air in
the third space 41 also flows into the fourth and fifth
spaces 42 and 43, since the top surface portion 11b and the
bottom surface portion 11c coupled to the blowing plate 11
are non-permeable, the air at the air blowing portion 22 is
blown out only through the air-permeable front surface llf
and the bent portions 11a of the blowing plate 11. A size
D3 of the fifth space 43 corresponds to the distance
between the bottom surface portion 11c and the rectifier
unit 33. In a preferable embodiment of the device 1, the
size D3 is in the range of 0.5 to 40 mm. A possible case

of the size D3 being equal or close to 0.5 mm is where the
pin 48 does not enter the fifth space 43, and the bottom
surface portion 11c and the rectifier unit 33 can be
brought into contact with one another.
{0048}
FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of the portion indicated by
VI. in FIG. 3, and illustrates a structure in the vicinity
of the lateral edge 15 at the air-permeable front surface
11f. In FIG. 6, the air-permeable front surface 11f, which
is positioned at the downstream side of the rectifier unit
33, extends in the width direction X beyond the second
honeycomb plate 57 of the rectifier unit 33 by a size D4.
The air past the second honeycomb plate 57 expands at least
in the width direction X among the width direction X and
the vertical direction Y in the third space 41, and is
blown out through the entire air-permeable front surface
llf in the width direction X. A ninth space 64 is formed
between the bent portion 11a, which is coupled to the air-
permeable front surface llf, and the rectifier unit 33.
The ninth space 64 is coupled to the third space 41, the
fourth space 42 (see FIG. 4), and the fifth space 43 (see
FIG. 5) . At the bent portion 11a, which is a part of the
side portion 7, the second ventilation holes 70b (see FIGs.

4 and 5) are formed within the range of a size D5. The air
flowing into the ninth space 64 turns into the flow F5.
The flow F5 goes out of the device 1 and proceeds to the
side portion 7 of the adjacent second device 101. The
upstream side of the rectifier unit 33 is in close contact
with the frame member 59 through the packing 58. The size
D4 also indicates the distance between the bent portion 11a
and the rectifier unit 33 at the ninth space 64. In a
preferable embodiment of the device 1, the size D4 is in
the range of 0.5 to 40 mm. The size D5 is preferably in
the range of 1 to 40 mm, more preferably in the range of 3
to 40 mm, and further more preferably in the range of 5 to
40 mm. When the size D5 is equal to or more than 3 mm, the
second ventilation holes 70b are more easily formed at the
bent portions 11a.
{0049}
In the rectifier unit 33 of the device 1 thus formed,
examples of the first and second honeycomb plates 51 and 57
each have ventilation holes in the honeycomb structure with
a hole diameter in the range of 1 to 10 mm and with a
ventilation hole length, in other words, a honeycomb plate
thickness in the range of 3 to 30 mm. Examples of the
first and second punching metals 53 and 55 include

stainless steel plates and aluminum plates of 0.5 to 2.5 mm
thick with uniform ventilation holes having a hole diameter
of 0.5 to 4 mm and an area ratio in the range of 20 to 50%.
{0050}
An example of the plate material to be formed into the
blowing plate 11, which is positioned at the downstream
side of the rectifier unit 33, is a 0.5 to 2.5 mm-thick
metal plate such as a stainless steel plate. Another
example of the metal plate is a metal perforated plate,
which is generally referred to as a punching metal. The
bent portions 11a, the top surface portion 11b, and the
bottom surface portion 11c of the blowing plate 11 can be
obtained by bending the circumference edges of the metal
plate that is to be formed into the blowing plate 11. It
is also possible to obtain these elements by mounting a
metal plate separate from the blowing plate 11 to the
circumference edges of the air-permeable front surface 11f
by welding or other means. The blowing plate 11 may
include only the air-permeable front surface llf,
eliminating the bent portions 11a, the top surface portion
11b, and the bottom surface portion 11c. In this case, the
portions corresponding to the bent portions 11a, the top
surface portion 11b, and the bottom surface portion 11c may

be compensated for by conveniently changing the shapes of
the side portions 7 and other portions of the air blowing
portion 22 shown in FIG. 1.
{0051}
The air-permeable front surface 11f of the device 1
used as a single entity or of the device 1 in the device
combination 201 may be sized at, for example, 400 x 400 mm
to 2000 x 2000 mm. At the air-permeable front surface llf,
the first ventilation holes 70a, which are circular, are
formed. Preferably, the hole diameter of each of the first
ventilation holes 70a is kept within the range of 0.5 to 4
mm. The distance between the centers of adjacent first
ventilation holes 70a is kept within the range of 1 to 6
mm. The ratio of the area of the first ventilation holes
70a to 10 cm2 area of the air-permeable front surface llf
is in the range of 20 to 50%. The first ventilation holes
70a may be in a staggered arrangement or a lattice
arrangement to be distributed uniformly over the air-
permeable front surface llf. It is also possible to change
the hole diameter or the distance between the centers
depending on which portion of the air-permeable front
surface llf the first ventilation holes 70a are to be
distributed. An example of the shape of each of the first

ventilation holes 70a is a circular shape. Other shapes
than a circular shape are also possible insofar as a
uniform flow of air is ensured in the device 1. From the
air-permeable front surface 11f provided with such first
ventilation holes 70a, air flows as the flows F4 and F4'
preferably at a wind speed of approximately 0.3 to 0.8
m/sec.
{0052}
To describe the side portion 7, which blows out air in
the width direction X, or to describe the bent portion 11a
constituting a part of the side portion 7 by referring to
the device 1 shown in FIG. 1, the size in the vertical
direction Y of the range over which the second ventilation
holes 70b are formed is preferably the same as the size of
the range over which the first ventilation holes 70a are
formed at the air-permeable front surface llf. The size in
the front-rear direction Z of the range over which the
second ventilation holes 70b are formed, that is, the size
D5 shown in FIG. 6 is as described above. In a preferable
embodiment of the second ventilation holes 70b, the hole
diameter is in the range of 0.5 to 4 mm, the distance
between the centers of adjacent second ventilation holes
70b is in the range of 1 to 6 mm, and the ratio of the area

of the second ventilation holes 70b to 10 cm2 area of the
bent portion 11a is in the range of 20 to 50%. Insofar as
a uniform flow of air is ensured in the device combination
201, the shape of each of the second ventilation holes 70b
may be a circular shape or other than a circular shape.
Such second ventilation holes 70b are preferably
distributed uniformly over the bent portion 11a, or may be
distributed locally at desirable portions. In the device
combination 201, the clearance CL between the opposing bent
portions 11a in the width direction X is preferably sized
at 0.5 to 50 mm. As the size gradually increases to exceed
50 mm, the cleanliness of the downstream side of the
clearance CL, described later, degrades gradually notably.
{0053}
The device 1 according to the present invention may be
used not only as a blowing device, but also as a blowing
device made up of two opposing blowing devices to provide
an open clean zone, or as a single blowing device of a
push-pull ventilator where the blowing device is opposed to
a single suction device. The device 1 may also be used in
the device combination 201, where the device 1 and the
second device 101 similar to the device 1 are arranged
horizontally as shown in FIGs. 1 and 6, that is, aligned in

the width direction X with a certain gap between the
devices. In the device combination 201, the bent portion
11a of the device 1 and the bent portion 11a of the device
101 adjacent to the device 1 are opposed to each other with
the clearance CL of desirable size between the bent
portions 11a. , Between the device 1 and the device 101
aligned and spaced apart from each other in the width
direction X, the bent portions 11a opposed to each other in
the width direction X may blow out air from a part of each
of the bent portions 11a, specifically, from the portion
with the size D5.
{0054}
When the device 1 and the device 101 of such device
combination 201 are operated simultaneously, the air-
permeable front surface llf of the device 1 and the air-
permeable front surface llf of the device 101 respectively
generate the uniform air flows F4 and F4' (see FIG. 6) in
the downstream direction B. The bent portion 11a and the
bent portion 11a opposed to each other in the width
direction X respectively generate air flows F5 and F5' (see
FIG. 6), each of which is directed to the opposing bent
portion 11a. The flows F5 and F5' collide with each other
at the clearance CL.

{0055}
FIG. 7 schematically illustrates collision of the air
flows F5 and F5' . In FIG. 7, when the flows F5 and F5'
collide with each other, the air constituting the flows F5
and F5' divides the clearance CL into its upstream side and
downstream side. Also in the clearance CL, the air forms
air flows f1, f2, f3, f4, and so forth, extending radially
toward the upstream side, toward the downstream side,,
upward, downward, and other directions. If the device 1
and the device 101 only generate the flows F4 and F4',
suspended particles' in the space of the working chamber
where the device 1 and the device 101 are installed or in
other space can turn into dust and enter the clearance CL
from the upstream side along with the air in the chamber.
The dust can then flow to the downstream side of the device
1 and the device 101, and contaminate the working space
through which clean air is to flow at the forward side of
the device 1 and the device 101. However, with the flows
f1, f2, f3, and f4 in the clearance CL, the flows f1, f3, and
f4 among them block entrance of the air containing the
suspended particles into the clearance CL, thereby solving
the Gontamination problem caused by the suspended particles
in the working space at the forward side of the clearance

CL. The flow f2 is made of clean air past the high-end
filter 29 and proceeds to the downstream side from the
clearance CL. Thus, the flow f2 enables the formation of
the working space through which clean air flows at the
forward side of the clearance CL. At the same time, the
existence of the flows F4 and F4' makes the working space
through which clean air flows occupy the entire area of the
device combination 201 in the width direction X, including
the forward side of the clearance CL. Additionally, a
uniform flow of clean air is ensured in the working space.
{0056}
In the device combination 201, a spacer (not shown) is
preferably interposed between the device 1 and the device
101 and used to.fix the device 1 and the device 101. This
is for the purpose of keeping the size of the clearance CL
stable during use of the device combination 201. It is
also possible to use fixtures common to the device 1 and
the device 101 so as to keep the size of the clearance CL
stable.
{0057}
FIG. 8 is a plan view of a part of the device
combination 201 installed in a laboratory (not shown) where
the device combination 201 is evaluated for its

performance. FIG. 8 illustrates some measurement points,
namely P1 and P4 (also refer to FIG. 1), of a plurality of
measurement points at which the concentration of the
suspended particles in air at the downstream side of the
clearance CL is measured. FIG. 8 also illustrates, some
wind speed measurement points, namely P1, P7, and P10, of a
plurality of wind speed measurement points at which wind
speed distribution is observed at the downstream side of
the device 1 and the device 101 constituting the device
combination 201. In the exemplary device combination 201,
all of the measurement points P1 to P12 employed to measure
the suspended particle concentration and the wind speed are
shown in FIG. 1.
{0058}
In the two devices 1 and 101 of the device combination
201 shown in FIG. 8, the air-permeable front surface llf is
sized at 900-mm width x 700-mm height, the fan 26 is
capable of providing a blowing wind speed of approximately
0.5 m/sec through the air-permeable front surface llf, and
the high-end filter 29 (see FIG. 2) is a HEPA filter of
99.97% collection efficiency with respect to particles of
0.3 urn. The two devices 1 and 101 are aligned with their
respective air-permeable front surfaces llf positioned on

the same vertical plane. The clearance CL between the
device 1 and the device 101 is set at 10 mm. As shown in
FIG. 1, the measurement points P1 to P3 positioned at the
forward side of the clearance CL are . points at which to
measure the wind speed. The measurement points P1 to P6
are points at which to measure the suspended particle
concentration. All of these points are on a line that
divides the width of the clearance CL. The measurement
points P1 to P3 are at a position that is spaced apart from
the air-permeable front surface llf to the downstream side
by a distance L1 of 100 mm L10 The measurement points P4 to
P6 are at a position that is spaced apart from the air-
permeable front surface llf to the downstream side by a
distance L2 of 200 mm. The measurement points P1 and P4 are
at a position that is spaced apart from a top edge 16 (see
FIG. 1) of the air-permeable front surface llf by a
distance L3 of 118 mm. The measurement points P3 and P6 are
at a position that is spaced apart from a bottom edge 17
(see FIG. 1) of the air-permeable front surface llf by a
distance L4 of 118 mm. An intermediate distance L5 of the
measurement points P1, P2, and P3, and an intermediate
distance L6 of the measurement points P4, P5, and P6 are
each set at 232 mm.

{0059}
The measurement points P7, P8, and P9 and the
measurement points P10, P11, and P12 shown in FIG. 1 are
points at which to measure the wind speed. The measurement
points P7, P8, and P9 respectively correspond to the
measurement points P1, P2, and P3 moved horizontally to the
center of the air-permeable front surface 11f of the device
1 in the width direction X. The measurement points P10,
P11, and P12 respectively correspond to the measurement
points P1, P2, and P3 moved horizontally to the center of
the air-permeable front surface llf of the device 101 in
the width direction X. The wind speed was measured using
Model 1560, available from KANOMAX, and the suspended
particle concentration was measured using Particle Counter
KC-18, available from RION.
{0060}
The results of measurement of the wind speed are as
shown in Table 1, and the results of measurement of the
suspended particle concentration are as shown in Tables 2
and 3. Table 2 shows the results of measurement for
particles having a particle diameter of equal to or more
than 0.3 µm. Table 3 shows the results of measurement for
particles having a particle diameter of equal to or more

than 0.1 urn. As used in Tables 2 and 3, "Suspended
particle concentration Co at the upstream side of the
device combination" means a concentration (particle/m3)
obtained by sampling 1 L of air in the chamber at the
upstream side of the pre-processing filter 24 (see FIG. 2)
of one of the two devices 1 and 101, followed by converting
the number of the suspended particles in the air into a
number per 1 m3. The term "cleanliness Q" refers to a
value obtained by Formula 1 provided below.
Cleanliness Q (%) = (C0 - CP) /C0 x 100 (Formula 1)
where C0 : suspended particle concentration at the upstream
side of the device combination (particle/m3) ,
CP : suspended particle concentration at measurement
point P (particle/m3)
{0061}
As an object to be compared with the measurement
results of the device combination 201, a comparative device
combination was prepared. In the comparative device
combination, the device 1 and the device 101 were mutually
similar, two blowing devices (not shown) with no second
ventilation holes 70b formed at the respective bent
portions 11a. The two blowing devices were installed in
the comparative device combination in a manner similar to

42
the device 1 and the device 101 of the device combination
201. The comparative device combination was subjected to
measurement of the suspended particle concentration in the
air under the same conditions as in the device combination
201. The results of measurement of the comparative device
combination are shown in the comparative example category
of Tables 2 and 3.
{0062}
{Table 1}

FIG. 9 is a similar view to FIG. 1, illustrating one
embodiment. In this embodiment, the device combination 201
is made up of a device 301 and a device 401. The device
301 and the device 401 are similar to each other. In the
device 301 and the device 401, the blowing plate 11 shown
in FIG. 1 is replaced with an extended blowing unit 301a at
the downstream side of the rectifier unit 33 (see FIG. 10).
The extended blowing unit 301a is in a removable state or a
non-removable state relative to the air blowing portion 22.
It is noted, however, that in the illustrated example, the
unit 301a is removably secured to the side portions 7 of
the air blowing portion 22 through arms 102 extending
rearward. The unit 301a includes an air-permeable front
surface 311f and a spacer 115 positioned between the air-
'permeable front surface 311f and the air blowing portion
22. The air-permeable front surface 311f and the spacer
115 are integral with each other in a mutually removable
state or a mutually non-removable state. The spacer 115
includes side wall portions 311a that are air permeable at
least partially, a non-permeable top surface portion 311b,
and a non-permeable bottom surface portion 311c. In the
device 301 and the device 401, the side wall portions 311a
extend from the lateral edges of the air-permeable front

surface 311f toward the upstream side and are assumed as
parts of the side portions of the devices 301 and 401.
{0066}
FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along line X-X
shown in FIG. 9. The air blowing portion 22 is formed
under the operation portion 12, whose internal structure is
not shown. At the downstream side of the air blowing
portion 22, the extended blowing unit 301a is set. The
spacer 115 of the unit 301a includes an opening 120 facing
the air blowing portion 22. A non-permeable packing 117 is
interposed between a circumferential edge portion 116 of
the opening 120 and the air blowing portion 22. The unit
301a is hollow in its interior, and the top surface portion
311b, which is a part of the spacer 115, is positioned
above the rectifier unit 33. Between the top surface
portion 311b and the rectifier unit 33, there is a distance
equivalent to a size D5. In a preferable embodiment of the
unit 301a, the size D6 is in the range of 0 to 40 mm. The
case of the size D6 being equal or close to 0 mm is where a
top plate portion 113 and the securing-purpose frame member
37 are approximately at the same level. It is noted,
however, that the present invention can also be implemented
in such an embodiment that the top surface portion 311b is

disposed below the top portion of the rectifier unit 33
when seen in the drawings. The side wall portions 311a of
the spacer 115 will be described later based on FIGs. 11
and 12. In FIG. 10, the securing-purpose frame member 37
used in the rectifier unit 33 is different from the one
shown in FIG. 4 in that the securing-purpose frame member
3 7 does not extend to contact the downstream side surface
of the second honeycomb plate 57, that is, its front
surface. On the downstream side surface, a plurality of
metal line materials 37a each of 0.5 to 3 mm in diameter
are disposed in lattice arrangement, thereby supporting the
second honeycomb plate 5 7 from the downstream side. It is
noted, however, that the securing-purpose frame member 3 7
according to the embodiment of FIG. 10 may be replaced with
the securing-purpose frame member 3 7 according to the
embodiment of FIG. 4.
{0067}
FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view taken along line
XI-XI shown in FIG. 9. The side wall portions 311a of the
spacer 115 each include: a first portion 321 that is
positioned at the forward side of the rectifier unit 33 and
that gradually increases an inner size W3 in the width
direction; and a second portion 322 that extends from the

front end of the first portion 321 toward the downstream
direction B and that is orthogonal to the air-permeable
front surface 311f. The first portion 321 is non-permeable
and has the circumferential edge portion 116 at the
upstream side. The circumferential edge portion 116 at
least defines the opening 120, which has the same width as
the width of the front surface of the rectifier unit 33.
The second portion 322 is air permeable in the range of a
size D7 (see FIGs. 10 and 12), and includes a plurality of
the second ventilation holes 70b (see FIG. 10b). The
second ventilation holes 70b are capable of blowing out air
outward in the width direction X from inside the unit 301,
thereby forming the air flow F5. The second ventilation
holes 70b of the second portion 322 are similar to the
second ventilation holes 70b shown in FIG. 1 in respect of
the hole diameter, the distance between the centers, and
operation. The size D7 (see FIGs. 10 and 12) of the second
portion 322 are similar to the size D5 shown in FIG. 6.
{0068}
FIG. 12 is an enlarged view of the portion indicated by
XII in FIG. 11. In the unit 301a of the device 301, the
first portions 321 of the side wall portions 311a extend
obliquely to the downstream direction B beyond the side

portions 7 of the blowing portion 22 in the width direction
X. Thus, the inner size W3 at the second portions 322 is
larger than the size between the side portions 7 of the air
blowing portion 22. The unit 301a provided with the spacer
115 wide in the width direction X as described above is
capable of expanding air from the rectifier unit 33 at
least in the width direction X of the rectifier unit 33
among the width direction X and the vertical direction Y.
In the two devices 301 and 401 shown in FIG. 9, where the
units 301a having the inner size W3 in the illustrated
example are used, the second portions 322 of the'opposing
side wall portions 311a define a clearance CL. The device
301 according to the present invention may be- replaced with
such an embodiment that the first portions 321 do not
exceed the side portions 7 of the air blowing portion 22 in
the width direction X.
{0069}
At the second portion 322 of the spacer 115 of the
device 301, air is blown out outward in the width direction
X through the plurality of second ventilation holes 70b
formed in the range of the size D7 to form the air flow F5.
At the second portion 322 (see FIG. 12) of the spacer 115
of the device 401, air is blown out outward in the width

direction X through two ventilation holes (not shown) to
form an air flow F5' . The air flows F5 and F5' collide with
each other as exemplified in FIG. 7. This prevents
entrance of air containing a large number of suspended
particles into the clearance CL from the upstream side of
the device 301 and the device 401, while at the same time
supplying to the downstream side of the clearance CL clean
air filtered through the high-end filter 29.
{0070}
In the unit 301a thus used, when the unit 301a is sized
at approximately 400 to 2000 mm in the width direction X
and the vertical direction Z, the inner size W3 between the
second portions 322 of the spacer 115 is preferably greater
than the width of the rectifier unit 33 by 20 to 100 mm at
both sides of the rectifier unit 33. A size D8 in the
front-rear direction Z of the unit 301a is preferably 20 to
150 mm.
{0071}
FIG. 13 is also a similar view to FIG. 1, illustrating
one embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 13, the
device combination 201 of blowing devices are made up of
four devices 1 installed on the floor surface 100 and
aligned in the width direction X and the vertical direction

Y. A device 1 among the devices 1 is shown in its
partially cut-away view. It is noted, however, that the
internal structure of the cut-away device 1 is not shown to
facilitate the understanding of the shapes of the bent
portion 11a, the top surface portion 11b, and other
elements.
{0072}
Each of the devices 1 has the external-air intake
portion 21 formed at the upstream side of the air blowing
portion 22, and air-intake holes 21b of the external-air
intake portion 21 are shown. The air blowing portion 22
includes: an air-permeable front surface 11f of the blowing
plate 11 at which first ventilation holes 70a are formed;
and bent portions 11a, a top surface portion 11b, and a
bottom surface portion 11c respectively coupled to lateral
edges 15, a top edge 16, and a bottom edge 17 of the air-
permeable front surface 11f. The bent portions 11a, the
top surface portion 11b, and the bottom surface portion 11c
respectively have a plurality of second ventilation holes
70b, a plurality of third ventilation holes 70c, and a
plurality of fourth ventilation hole 70d. The hole
diameter of each of the second to fourth ventilation holes
70b to 70d and the distance between the centers of the

respective ventilation holes are respectively similar to
the hole diameter and the distance between the centers of
the second ventilation holes 70b shown in FIG. 1. It is
noted, however, that in the device combination 201 shown in
FIG. 13, the devices 1 can be implemented to ensure that
air is blown out through all of the bent portions 11a, all
of the top surface portions 11b, and all of the bottom
surface portions 11c of the four devices 1. Alternatively,
the devices 1 can be implemented to ensure that air is
blown out only through a desired portion among the bent
portions 11a, the top surface portions 11b, and the bottom
surface portions 11c. For example, when the device
combination 201 uses only two devices 1 aligned in the
vertical direction Y, one device 1 among the devices 1 may
be implemented to blow air through the top surface portion
11b, while the other device 1 may be implemented to blow
air through the bottom surface portion 11c. Thus, the air
from the top surface portion 11b and the air from the
bottom surface portion 11c collide with each other.
{0073}
Also in the four devices 1 shown in FIG. 13, a
clearance CL is formed between the bent portions 11a
opposed to each other in the width direction X, and a

clearance CL is formed between the top surface portion 11b
and the bottom surface portion 11c opposed to each other in
the vertical direction Y. The size of each of the
clearances CL is in- a similar range to the range of the
size of the clearance CL shown in FIG. 1. In the
combination 201 thus formed, a working space for a uniform
flow of air or a uniform flow of clean air is formed at the
forward side of each of the clearances CL. A spacer to
form the clearance CL is used between the devices 1 aligned
in the width direction X, and a spacer to form the
clearance CL is used between the devices 1 aligned in the
vertical direction Y. These spacers are not shown. Each
spacer may be prepared as a separate entity from the device
1. It is also possible to prepare each spacer by
protruding a part of the device 1 outward in the width
direction X or outward in the vertical direction Z.
{0074}
The blowing devices 1, 101, 301, and 401 according to
the above-exemplified embodiments have been illustrated as
including the high-end filter 29 such as a HEPA filter.
Thus, these blowing devices form a working space for a
uniform flow of clean air at the downstream side of the
plurality of blowing devices aligned in the width direction

X and/or the vertical direction Y. These blowing devices,
therefore, are suitable as blowing devices of push-push
blowing, devices to form a clean zone. It is noted,
however, that in the present invention, the use of the
high-end filter 29 is not an essential condition. The
present invention will also find applications in blowing
devices without the high-end filter 29. In this case, the
plurality of blowing devices will form a working space for
a uniform flow of air at the downstream side of the blowing
devices aligned in the width direction X and/or the
vertical direction Y. In this case, the blowing devices
are suitable as blowing devices of push-pull ventilators to
supply a uniform flow of air over a large space.
{0075}
FIG. 14 is a plan view of an exemplary device
combination 201 used for performance evaluation. While the
device combination 201 of the illustrated example includes
a device 1 and a device 101 similar to those shown in FIG.
8, the air-permeable front surfaces 11f of the respective
device 1 and device 101 are sized at 1050 mm width x 850 mm
height. The clearance CL can be set at any size necessary
in the relationship with the working space by the device
combination 201. Still, in the performance evaluation, the

size was set in five stages, namely 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50
mm. The other conditions of the configuration are similar
to those of the devices 1 and 101 shown in FIG. 8, such as
the blowing wind speed (0.5 m/sec) at the center portion of
the air-permeable front surface 11f, and the collection
efficiency (99.97%) of the high-end filter 29 (see FIG. 2)
with respect to particles of 0.3 urn. The blowing wind
speed at the side surface portion having the size D5 was
0.8 m/sec. The blowing wind speed at the center portion of
the air-permeable front surface 11f was 0.5 m/sec in the
range from 25 mm to at least 1500 mm at the forward side of
the air-permeable front surface 11f.
{0076}
FIG. 14 also shows a line F that divides the size of
the clearance CL and that extends in the front-rear
direction Z at the center the air-permeable front surface
11f in the height direction of the device combination 201.
Line F shows distances from the air-permeable front surface
11f in terms of mm. The 0-mm distance denotes a point
corresponding to the front surface portion 11f. When the
distance is positive, the distance shown is toward the
downstream side from the air-permeable front surface 11f,
while when the distance is negative, the distance shown is

toward the upstream side from the air-permeable front
surface 11f. In the performance evaluation of the device
combination 201, wind speeds on line F were measured with
the clearance CL between the device 1 and the device 101
set at 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50 mm. The results of
measurement of the wind speeds (unit : m/sec) are as shown
in Table 4.
{0077}
Table 4 clearly shows that in the clearance CL between
the device 1 and the device 101, an air flow toward the
upstream side and an air flow toward the downstream side
exist. It is also seen that at a distance of approximately
100 mm downstream from the air-permeable front surface 11f,
setting the clearance CL at 20 to 50 mm, more preferably 30
to 50 mm, ensures that the wind speed obtained on line F is
approximately equal to the wind speed at the forward side
of the air-permeable front surface 11f. It is also seen
that to obtain a working space for a uniform flow of air at
the device 1 and the device 101 of the illustrated example,
it is preferable to set the clearance CL at a suitable size
based on the data on Table 4. The measuring instrument
used to measure the wind speeds was Model 1560, available
from KANOMAX.

{0078}
{Table 4}

{0079}
FIG. 15 illustrates an embodiment of the device
combination 201 serving as a push-push blowing device.
FIG. 15(a) shows a conventional push-push blowing device
where the single blowing devices 1 shown in FIG. 13 are
disposed in opposing arrangement. FIGs. 15(b) and 15(c)
each show a push-push blowing device where a pair of device
combinations 201 are disposed. The blowing devices 1 of
the device combination 201 are the same as the blowing
devices 1 shown in FIG. 13, in which the high-end filter
(see FIG. 2) is used and the wind speed at the air-
permeable front surface 11f is 0.5 m/sec. It is noted,
however, that the air-permeable front surface 11f is set at
1050 mm width x 850 mm height, the clearance CL between
adjacent blowing devices 1 is set at 10 mm, and the size D5
exemplified in FIG. 6 is set at 10 mm. The double-headed
arrows G1 to G3 shown in FIG. 15 each denote a size over
which the pair of blowing devices 1 or the pair of the
device combinations 201 are spaced apart from one another.
The space sizes G1 to G3 respectively have mid-points S1 to
S3, which are measurement points of the suspended particle
concentration using Particle Counter KC-18, available from
RION.

{0080}
In FIG. 15(a), the pair of blowing devices 1 are set to
make the spaced-apart size G1 2000 mm. An imaginary
working space of 1.8 m3 volume is defined by imaginary
lines H extending between corner portions of the pair of
blowing devices 1 and by the air-permeable front surfaces
11f.
{0081}
In FIG. 15(b), the device combinations 201 are each
made up of four blowing devices 1. . The pair of device
combinations 201 are set to make the spaced-apart size G2
4000 mm. An imaginary working space of 14.3 m3 volume is
defined by the pair of blowing devices 201 and the
imaginary lines H.
{0082}
In FIG. 15(c), the device combinations 201 are each
made up of nine blowing devices 1. The pair of device
combinations 201 are set to make the spaced-apart size G3
6000 mm. An imaginary working space of 48.2 m3 volume is
defined by the pair of device combinations 201 and the
imaginary lines H. The blowing flow rate at each of the
device combinations 201 was 482 m3/minute.
{0083}

Table 5 shows an elapse of time from the start of
operating the push-push blowing devices shown in FIGs.
15(a) to 15(c), and the results of measurement of the
suspended particle concentration at the mid-points S1 to S3
after the start of operating. The suspended particle
concentration is measured as a ratio to the suspended
particle concentration of air in the chamber at the
upstream side of any single blowing devices 1 selected from
(a) to (c) . For example, in the device of (b) , the
measured value at 1-second elapse of time is:
1.00E + 00 = 1 x 10° = 1
This value means that the suspended particle
concentration at the mid-point S1 is the same as the
suspended particle concentration the air in the chamber.
At 30-second elapse of time, the measured concentration is:
7.56E - 0.5 = 7.56 x 10-5
This value means that through the 30-second operation,
the suspended particle concentration at the mid-point S2
has become equal to or less than 1/10000 the suspended
particle concentration of the air in the chamber. As used
in the measured value, "E -0.5" means a 10-exponent.
Specifically, E -0.5 means 10-5. Also in Table 5, when the
measured value is 0, this means that no suspended particles

were detected.
{0084}
According to Table 5, the elapse of time from the start
of operation before the suspended particle concentration
becomes equal to or less than 1/10000 the suspended
particle concentration of the air in the chamber is 19
seconds in FIG. 15(a), 30 seconds in FIG. 15(b), and 43
seconds in FIG. 15(c). Thus, with the use of the push-push
blowing device using the device combination 201 based on
the present invention, a large volume of working space can
be turned into a clean zone in a significantly short time.
{0085}
{Table 5}

{Reference Signs List}
{0086}.
1 Blowing device
7 Side surface portion
11f Air-permeable front surface
11a Side surface portion (bent portion)
15 Lateral edge
70a First ventilation hole
70b Second ventilation hole
70c Third ventilation hole
112 Side plate
113 Top plate
114 Bottom plate
115 Spacer
W3 Inner size
X Width direction
Y Vertical direction
Z Front-rear direction

{Claims}
{Claim 1}
An air blowing device comprising a rectifier mechanism
disposed at a flow path through which air flows from an
upstream side toward a downstream side of the flow path,
whereby the air past the rectifier mechanism is rendered a
uniform air flow to be supplied to a downstream side of the
rectifier mechanism,
wherein the device comprises a front-rear direction
corresponding to a flow direction of the uniform air flow
with a forward side of the front-rear direction
corresponding to the downstream side, a width direction
orthogonal to the front-rear direction, and a vertical
direction orthogonal to the front-rear direction and the
width direction,
wherein the device further comprises an air-permeable
front surface formed at the downstream side of the
rectifier mechanism and comprising a plurality of first
ventilation holes distributed in the width direction and
the vertical direction, and side surface portions extending
toward the upstream side from lateral edges of the air-
permeable front surface that are disposed at respective
side portions of the air-permeable front surface in the

width direction and extend in the vertical direction, and
wherein a plurality of second ventilation holes are
distributed at at least one of the side surface portions
opposite to each other in the width direction, wherein the
second ventilation holes being configured to blow out part
of the air past the rectifier mechanism outward in the
width direction.
{Claim 2}
The device according to claim 1, wherein the air-
permeable front surface extends in the width direction
beyond at least one of side portions of the rectifier
mechanism.
{Claim 3}
The device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein each
segment of the side surface portions at which the second
ventilati.on holes are distributed is formed of a plate
material constituting the air-permeable front surface and
being bent at the lateral edges toward the upstream side.
{Claim 4}
The device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the first

and second ventilation holes each comprise a hole diameter
in a range of 0.5 to 4 mm, and a ratio of an area of the
first ventilation holes to 10 cm2 area of the air-permeable
front surface and a ratio of an area of the second
ventilation holes to 10 cm2 area of the side surface
portion each are 20 to 50%.
{Claim 5}
The device according to claim 4, wherein a distance
between respective centers of adjacent first ventilation
holes and a distance between respective centers of
adjacent second ventilation holes are in a range of 1 to 6
mm.
{Claim 6}
The device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the air-
permeable front surface comprises at least one of an upper
vertical edge and a lower vertical edge disposed in the
vertical direction and extending in the width direction,
the at least one of the vertical edges comprising an end
surface portion crossing the air-permeable front surface
and extending toward the upstream side, the end surface
portion comprising a plurality of third ventilation holes

distributed at the end surface portion, the third
ventilation holes being configured to blow out part of the
air past the rectifier mechanism outward in the vertical
direction.
{Claim 7}
The device according to claim 1 or 2,
wherein the end surface portion according to claim 6 is
formed,
wherein a spacer is interposed between the rectifier
mechanism and the air-permeable front surface, the spacer
comprising side wall portions extending in the vertical
direction, and a top surface portion and a bottom surface
portion coupled to respective end portions of the side wall
portions in the vertical direction and extending in the
width direction,
wherein a size in the width direction defined between
the side wall portions gradually increases toward the
downstream' side to exceed a size of the rectifier mechanism
in the width direction,
wherein the side wall portions constitute at least a
part of the respective side surface portions, and the top
surface portion and the bottom surface portion constitute

at least a part of the end surface portion of the device,
wherein the air-permeable front surface is coupled to
the side wall portions of the spacer and to the top surface
portion and the bottom surface portion of the spacer at the
corner edges and the upper and lower vertical edges, and
wherein at least one side wall portion among the side
wall portions comprises the plurality of second ventilation
holes.
{Claim 8}
The device according to claim 7, wherein the spacer is
removable relative to the device.
{Claim 9}
The device according to claim 7, wherein the spacer and
the air-permeable front surface are mutually removable.
{Claim 10}
The device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein at least
one of the top surface portion and the bottom surface
portion according to claim 7 comprises the plurality of
third ventilation holes.

{Claim 11}
The device according to claim 1 or 2,
wherein the device comprises a plurality of devices
aligned in the width direction, and
wherein the second ventilation holes are configured to
blow out part of the air past the rectifier mechanism
toward the side surface portions of an adjacent device
among the devices.
{Claim 12}
The device according to claim 1 or 2,
wherein the device comprises a plurality of devices
wherein in each of the plurality of devices, the air-
permeable front surface comprises at least one of an upper
vertical edge and a lower vertical edge disposed in the
vertical direction and extending in the width direction,
the at least one of the vertical edges comprising an end
surface portion crossing the air-permeable front surface
and extending toward the upstream side, the end surface
portion comprising a plurality of third ventilation holes
distributed at the end surface portion, and
wherein the second ventilation holes and the third
ventilation holes are configured to blow out part of the

air past the rectifier mechanism toward the side surface
portions of an adjacent device in the width direction and
toward the end surface portion of an adjacent device in the
vertical direction.
{Claim 13}
An air blowing device comprising a rectifier mechanism
disposed at a flow path through which air flows from an
upstream side toward a downstream side of the flow path,
whereby the air past the rectifier mechanism is rendered a
uniform air flow to be supplied to a downstream side of the
rectifier mechanism,
wherein the device comprises a front-rear direction
corresponding to a flow direction of the uniform air flow
with a forward side of the front-rear direction
corresponding to the downstream side, a width direction
orthogonal to the front-rear direction, and a vertical
direction orthogonal to the front-rear direction and the
width direction,
wherein the device comprises an air-permeable front
surface formed at the downstream side of the rectifier
mechanism and comprising a plurality of first ventilation
holes distributed in the width direction and the vertical

direction, and an end surface portion extending toward the
upstream side and crossing the air-permeable front surface
from at least one vertical edge among an upper vertical
edge and a lower vertical edge disposed in the vertical
direction of the air-permeable front surface and extending
in the width direction, and
wherein the end surface portion comprises a plurality
of third ventilation holes distributed at the end surface
portion and coupled to the flow path, the third ventilation
holes being configured to blow out part of the air past the
rectifier mechanism outward in the vertical direction.
{Claim 14}
The device according to claim 13, wherein the first and
third ventilation holes each comprise a hole diameter in a
range of 0.5 to 4 mm, and a ratio of an area of the first
ventilation holes to 10 cm2 area of the air-permeable front
surface and a ratio of an area of the third ventilation
holes to 10 cm2 area of the end surface portion is in a
range of 20 to 50%.
{Claim 15}
The device according to claim 14, wherein a distance

between respective centers of adjacent first ventilation
holes and a distance between respective centers of
adjacent third ventilation holes are in a range of 1 to 6
mm.
{Claim 16}
The device according to claim 13 or 14,
wherein the device comprises side surface portions
extending toward the upstream side from lateral edges of
the air-permeable front surface that are disposed at
respective side portions of the air-permeable front surface
in the width direction and extend in the vertical
direction, and
wherein a plurality of second ventilation holes are
distributed at at least one of opposite side surface
portion in the width direction, the second ventilation
holes being configured to blow out part of the air past the
rectifier mechanism outward in the width direction.
{Claim 17}
The device according to claim 13 or 14,
wherein the device comprises a plurality of devices
aligned in the vertical direction, and

wherein the third ventilation holes are configured to
blow out part of the air past the rectifier mechanism
toward the end surface portion of an adjacent device among
the devices.
{Claim 18}
The device according to claim 1 or 13, wherein the air-
permeable front surface is mountable and removable relative
to the device.