Method for manufacturing fan blade and fan using such fan blades

Abstract

A method for manufacturing a fan blade includes the steps of, firstly, providing a mold. Then a mixture of metal powder and adhesive material is injected into the mold to forming a green body of the blade. Next, the adhesive material is removed from the green body of the blade. Finally, the green body of the blade is sintered to form the fan blade. A fan with such blades is also provided.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for manufacturing a fan blade, comprising:
 providing a mold;   injecting a mixture of metal powder and adhesive material into the mold and forming a green body of the blade;   removing the adhesive material from the green body of the blade; and   sintering the green body of the blade to form a fan blade.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a material of the blade is selected from the group consisting of stainless steel, cooper, titanium and alloys thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the adhesive material is selected from the group consisting of olefin, polyethylene, and polypropylene. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a ratio of a weight of the adhesive material to a weight of the metal powder is in a range of from 0.07 to 0.1. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the green body of the blade is sintered at a temperature in the range of from 800 degrees Centigrade to 1500 degrees Centigrade. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the green body of the blade is sintered in one of a vacuum environment, an oxygen atmosphere, and a nitrogen atmosphere. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the blade after sintering has a thickness of less than 0.5 mm. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the blade after sintering has a thickness of less than 0.3 mm. 
     
     
         9 . A fan, comprising:
 a housing defining a receiving space therein; and   an impeller received in the housing, the impeller comprising a hub, a supporting element rotatably fixed around the hub, and a plurality of blades extending outwardly from the supporting element;   wherein each of the blades is a sintered metal powder blade.   
     
     
         10 . The fan of  claim 9 , wherein the housing comprises a base plate, a covering plate located above the base plate, and a sidewall extending downwardly from an outer periphery of the covering plate, a first air inlet is defined at a center of the covering plate, and a air outlet is defined by the base plate and the covering plate at a lateral side of the housing. 
     
     
         11 . The fan of  claim 10 , wherein a second air inlet is defined at a center of the base plate. 
     
     
         12 . The fan of  claim 10 , wherein a connecting flange is formed at one end of the covering plate and tightly attached to the base plate, and the covering plate, the sidewall and the connecting flange are integrally formed as a single monolithic piece of the one same material. 
     
     
         13 . The fan of  claim 10 , wherein the supporting element comprises a plurality of connecting arms extending outwardly from the hub, and a fixing ring formed at outer ends of the connecting arms, the fixing ring encircles the hub, and the blades are arranged on the fixing ring. 
     
     
         14 . The fan of  claim 13 , wherein each of the blades defines a groove at one end thereof to clamp with the fixing ring. 
     
     
         15 . The fan of  claim 10 , wherein a material of the blade is selected from a group consisting of stainless steel, cooper, titanium and alloys thereof. 
     
     
         16 . The fan of  claim 10 , wherein each of the blades has a thickness of no more than 0.5 mm. 
     
     
         17 . The fan of  claim 10 , wherein each of the blades has a thickness of no more than 0.3 mm.