Fan motor and method of manufacturing the same

A fan motor comprising:

• a motor housing;
• a rotating shaft disposed in the motor housing;
• a rotor mounted on the rotating shaft;
• a stator that is disposed within the motor housing and that surrounds a circumference of the rotor;
• an impeller comprising a hub connected to the rotating shaft and at least one blade disposed at an outer surface of the hub;
• and
• an impeller cover that surrounds an outer circumference of the impeller and that defines an air suction port,
• wherein the impeller cover includes:
• a shroud having an inner diameter that increases as the shroud extends along an air flow direction in the impeller cover, and
• a non-metallic coating layer attached to an inner circumferential surface of the shroud, a strength of the non-metallic coating layer being less than a strength of the blade,
• wherein a maximum diameter of the impeller is greater than a diameter of the air suction port,
• wherein the non-metallic coating layer includes:
• a first area having a first thickness, and
• a second area having a second thickness thinner than the first thickness to thereby define a stepped portion with respect to the first area, and wherein the blade faces the second area in a radial direction of the impeller.

A method of manufacturing a fan motor, the fan motor including a rotating shaft, an impeller that includes a hub connected to the rotating shaft and a blade disposed at an outer surface of the hub, and an impeller cover that surrounds an outer circumference of the impeller and that includes a shroud having an inner diameter increasing as the shroud extends along an air flow direction in the impeller cover, the method comprising:

• attaching a non-metallic coating layer to an inner circumferential surface of the shroud, the non-metallic coating layer having a first thickness;
• rotating the impeller relative to the impeller cover while inserting the impeller into the impeller cover;
• and
• coupling the impeller cover to a motor housing,
• wherein the non-metallic coating layer is made of a material having a strength that is less than a strength of the blade, and
• wherein rotating the impeller relative to the impeller cover comprises grinding, by the blade during rotation of the impeller, a part of the non-metallic coating layer to thereby define an area having a second thickness thinner than the first thickness.