Fan assembly and its fabrication method

The invention relates to a fan assembly, and it relates to a process for the Producing such.

In many applications, for example in the ventilation of a vehicle seat or of Equipment units, the vibrations generated by a fan as disturbing are perceived. Such vibrations are caused by the normal drive of Fan wheel, as well as load and speed changes. The vibrations Registered by the fan on the entire device, in which the fan is, transfer.

From DE 196 43 760 C1 is known a fan assembly in which a fan above. elastic bands is suspended. This solution has the disadvantage that the preparation and threading the strips are complicated and costly.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a new fan assembly, and a method for producing such a to provide.

According to the invention this object is achieved in accordance with a fan assembly Patent claim 1. The membrane is a good decoupling of the by the Fan reaches vibrations generated by the attachment frame, and if the Fan assembly is closed on its pressure side, is a backflow of air possible from the pressure to the suction side.

Another advantageous embodiment of the invention is the subject of Claim 21. Such a method enables a membrane of a elastomeric material quickly, safely and inexpensively. This also applies to the method of claim 23rd

Further details and advantageous developments of the invention will be made those described in the following and shown in the drawings, in none Way to limit the invention to be understood embodiments, as well as from the subclaims. Show it:<dl tsize="6"><dt>Fig. 1</dt><dd>a plan view of a first embodiment of an inventive A fan arrangement, seen in direction of arrow I of Fig. 2,</dd><dt>FIG. 2</dt><dd>an enlarged sectional view taken along the line II -. 11 of FIG 1,</dd><dt>Fig. 3</dt><dd>a second embodiment of a fan arrangement according to the invention, in a sectional view analogous to FIG. 2,</dd><dt>Fig. 4</dt><dd>a section through a third embodiment of an inventive Fan assembly, with an undulating membrane, in a representation analogous to FIG. 2 and FIG. 3,</dd><dt>Fig. 5</dt><dd>a section through a fourth embodiment of an inventive Fan assembly, with a cohesively fixed membrane,</dd><dt>Fig. 6</dt><dd>a plan view of a fifth embodiment of an inventive Fan assembly with a diaphragm, which with oval slots is provided,</dd><dt>Fig. 7</dt><dd>a plan view of a sixth embodiment of a Fan assembly according to the invention with a diaphragm with square Elongated holes,</dd><dt>Fig. 8</dt><dd>schematically a top injection mold and a lower mold for injection Preparation of a fan housing and a mounting frame, and</dd><dt>Fig. 9</dt><dd>schematically a device having an upper mold member and a lower Molding for the production of a membrane.</dd></dl>

<b>Fig. 1</b> shows a plan view of a first embodiment of a Fan assembly 40 according to the invention with a fan 10, as seen from the Direction I of FIG. 2.

<b>FIG. 2</b> shows a side view of the fan assembly 40, seen in section along the Line II-II in FIG. 1.

The fan 10 has an electric motor 12 having a stator 14 and a Rotor 16 further fan blades 18, ridges 28, a motor retaining cup 29 (see. FIG. 3) and a fan housing 30 with a lateral projection 31. The axis of rotation The fan is designated by the 50th

The fan assembly 40 has a membrane 32 with a plurality of openings 33, and a mounting frame 34 with a projection 35, a Mounting frame holder 36 and a mounting aperture 38th

The stator 14 is connected via struts 28 to the fan housing 30 and drives the rotor at the sixteenth Thus, the fan blades 18 are set in motion, and it flowing a stream of air through the area 20 between the fan housing 30 and the Stator 14. Shown an axial fan 12, but the invention is suitable in the same Manner as for diagonal fan.

The fan housing 30 is on the circumferential annular membrane 32 with the Fixing frame 34, which in this embodiment, two has mounting frame holders 36th Mounting openings 38 in the Mounting frame holders 36 are used to fix the mounting frame 34 and thus the fan 10, for example by means of (not shown) screws.

The membrane 32 thus connecting the fan 10 to the mounting frame 34. surrounds - ensures safe connection - both a projection 31 on Fan housing 30 and a projection 35 on the mounting frame 34. The Projections 31, 35 can also be dovetailed. In this embodiment extend the projections 31, 35 for the full Circumference of the fan, ie 360 ​​°. The fan housing 30 and the Mounting frame 34 are thus both on the fan housing side as also on the side of the mounting frame over the whole or in the substantially resiliently over the entire circumference with each other connected.

The fan housing 30 and the attachment frame 34, and in this Embodiment with these integral projections 31, 35 are preferably made of plastic or metal, and the diaphragm 32 is preferably of an elastomer.

operation

The fan housing 30 and thus the fan 10 are by the diaphragm 32 both in the axial and in the radial direction in the desired position relative to the mounting frame is held 34 to form the fan assembly 40th

The connection is not rigid but elastic and capable of oscillating. While rigid connections vibrations of the fan 10 largely undamped to the Mounting frame would be transferred, the membrane 32 leads from an elastomer to a desired stronger attenuation at the transmission of vibrations the fan 10 on the mounting frame 34th

A membrane 32 is capable of vibrating, because it is relatively thin. As can be seen in Fig. 2, the membrane at the edge regions has 32 'in which it on the fan housing 30 and the fixing frame 34 is fixed, one for a secure connection suitable thickness. In the mid-32 "it is against thin, so that the fan 10, can move relative to the mounting frame 34th

The attenuation through the membrane 32 is to be transmitted depending on the Frequency and on the membrane properties, thus in particular of material and Shape of the diaphragm.

Each fan 10 generates vibrations in his characteristic Frequency ranges.

It is therefore advantageous to influence the properties of the membrane such that the membrane 32, particularly in the characteristic frequency ranges a good having damping and hence a good decoupling. From the following Modification options is empirically an optimum for the respective fan model determined:

As the material from which the membrane is made, is preferably an appropriate Plastic, in particular elastomer used, in which the hardness varies can. A measure of the hardness is the so-called Shore hardness. It is also an Combination of different materials possible.

Further, for influencing the membrane properties, the basic shape of the adapted membrane, openings in the membrane are formed, and the thickness of the membrane is varied. The following are additional embodiments shows which partial combinations of these variations represent.

<b>Fig. 3</b> shows a partially sectioned side view of a second Embodiment of a fan arrangement 40 according to the invention, in a section according to FIG. 1.

The membrane 32 is in this embodiment in cross-section U-shaped formed, and the fan can therefore vibrations with larger running oscillation amplitudes. This is in particular for damping low-frequency oscillations advantageous.

The membrane 32 has, at the bulge 32 '' 'one or more openings 33. Due to the absence of the material and thus of the mass at this point is the influenced vibration characteristic of the diaphragm 32nd

Moreover, the opening 33 has the advantage that in applications in which the Pressure side is closed - for example, when a driver on the Car seat on top and covers all outlet - a so-called air handling short circuit is avoided, as the air through the opening 33 on the can flow back suction. This allows the fan 10 continues in a preferred workspace work. The exact configuration of the openings 33 is preferably selected taking into account this aspect.

<b>Fig. 4</b> shows a partially sectioned side view of a third Embodiment of an inventive fan assembly 40, in a Section corresponding to FIG. 1.

The membrane 32 of the fan assembly 40 is in this embodiment wavy or approximately sine-shaped and has several Bulges 32 '' '. The greater length of the membrane 32, the fan 10 may in axial and perform stronger movements in the radial direction.

Also in this embodiment, it is possible, as in Fig. 3 in the membrane 32 attaching openings, in order to influence the damping characteristics.

<b>Fig. 5</b> shows a partially sectioned side view of a fourth Embodiment of an inventive fan assembly 40, in a Section corresponding to FIG. 1.

A membrane 32 is here cohesively to the fan housing 30 and the Mounting frame 34 is connected. So there are no projections 31, 35 present, with which the membrane 32 is positively connected. For such Compound must be suitable the material of the membrane 32, for example by using the Surface of the material of the fan housing 30 and the mounting frame 34 a chemical compound undergoes.

The edge portions 32 'of the diaphragm 32 are widened to a larger surface area for to obtain the compound.

<b>Fig. 6</b> shows a plan view of a fifth embodiment of a Fan assembly according to the invention 40th

The fan housing 30 and the attachment frame 34 via a diaphragm 32 connected which is provided over the entire circumference with slots 33 ', which round or rounded ends 37 'have. If the membrane 32 is a Metro or used undulating membrane, as are the holes 33 'preferably at an axially highest or lowest point, see. FIG. 3.

The projections 31 'and 35' are in this embodiment, at regular Intervals interrupted. If the form-fitting connection to the projections is not sufficient for a secure fit of the membrane 32, it is preferred at least at the locations without projections 31 ', 35' additionally cohesively connected.

<b>Fig. 7</b> shows a plan view of a sixth embodiment of a Fan assembly according to the invention 40th

The fan housing 30 and the attachment frame 34 via a diaphragm 32 connected, which is provided with angled slots 33 ", which essentially rectangular ends 37 "exhibit.

Naturally, in the context of the present invention, various modifications, Modifications, and in particular also combinations possible. recesses 33, in addition to round, oval, square shapes and triangular, polygonal, have a square or other shapes. By selecting the shape of the Recess 33 may for each type of engine a good vibration behavior of Membrane be achieved 32nd

The projections 31 on the fan housing 30 and the projections 35 on the Attachment frame 34 can be designed differently, the shape of the Projections may be varied, and the possible interruption of the projections 31 and 35 around the circumference can be varied.

The attachment of the mounting frame 34 on a component to be cooled can likewise be resilient to a vibration transmission in addition to minimize.

Alternatively, in addition to the a membrane 32, a first membrane 32 to the axially displaced second membrane are provided. This also at large forces occurring secure retention of fan 10 ensured.

manufacturing

<b>Fig. 8</b> schematically illustrates an upper mold member 60 and a lower Injection mold half 62, and <b>Fig. 9</b> shows schematically a holder device 70, a upper mold part 72 and a lower mold part 74. The upper mold parts 60 and 72 each have channels 80 and 82, respectively, through which the material to be processed is supplied.

For the manufacture of the holding device 40 according to the invention is a so-called 2-component technology used, are processed at the two plastics. Here, the fan housing 30 (possibly with the webs 28 and the Motor retaining cup 29) and the mounting frame 34, for example in Injection molding process, injected via the channels 80 from a hard plastic, and held in the correct relative position to each other. See Fig. 8.

About two from both axial sides in outstanding form complementary parts 72, 74 the shape of the membrane 32 defines, and the membrane 32 is by injecting a soft elastomer manufactured. Then, the fan 10 is in the bowl 29 pressed.

It no threading or other more complicated procedure is necessary and it is immediately formed a form-locking connection with the projections 31, 35th