Apparatus for minimizing noise in a fan unit

A fan unit comprising:

• a blower means to emit air in a plurality of directions in an air flow plane;
• at least two guide means on opposite sides of the blower means in the air flow plane to guide the air flow between the guide means with a minimum amount of turbulence;
• each of the guide means being shaped provide an accommodation region to accommodate the blower means;
• each guide means being symmetrical to enable the fan unit to use a blower unit that rotates in either direction;
• and
• converging baffle means at an outer end of the guide means to receive and diffuse the air from the guide means and direct air out of the fan unit, the baffle means being perpendicular to the air flow plane.

A fan unit comprising a fan blower configured to emit air in a plurality of directions in an air flow plane;

• a pair of guides disposed on opposite sides of said fan blower in the said air flow plane to guide the flow of air between the two guides, each guide having an indent opposite said fan to accommodate said fan;
• each guide being symmetric about a symmetry plane perpendicular to the air flow plane formed through the centre of the fan and at least one of the indents;
• upper baffles at each end of the guides to direct air out of the unit, the upper baffles being arranged perpendicular to the direction of the plane of air, the upper baffles being inclined;
• lower baffles at each end of the guides, the lower baffles being inclined such that the distance between the upper and lower baffles decreases in a direction away from the fan;
• each guide being formed such that there is a protrusion on either side of the indent on each guide, each protrusion extending towards the opposite guide so that each guide has a shape substantially similar to a “W”;
• the guides have a smoothly varying profile at the protrusions and a smoothly varying profile at the indents;
• the guides being arranged symmetrically with respect to one another on either side of the fan.