Patent Application
20150285267
The invention relates to a fan assembly for a refrigeration appliance with a fan wheel and a bracket connected to said fan wheel.
Refrigeration appliances, particularly refrigeration appliances embodied as household appliances, are known and are used for household management applications in domestic environments or in the catering sphere, in order to store perishable foodstuffs and/or drinks at specific temperatures.
For the circulation of air, refrigeration appliances of this kind have a motor-driven fan, which has a fan wheel and a flange, wherein for assembly purposes the flange is connected to a bracket by means of screws. This assembly is then built in to a chilled goods container of the refrigeration appliance. The creation of a screw connection is however laborious, and can result in damage to the fan axle and/or the fan bearing. In addition, the creation of a screw connection may be subject to significant fluctuations in quality, because individual screws may be forgotten, or tightened insufficiently firmly.
It is thus the object underlying the invention to provide a fan assembly which is simpler to assemble.
This object is achieved by the subject matter with the features according to the independent claim. Advantageous developments are the subject of the dependent claims, the description and the drawings.
The present invention is based on the finding that the assembly can be simplified and fluctuations in quality reduced at the same time through the creation of a latching connection instead of a screw connection.
According to a first aspect, the inventive object is achieved in that the fan wheel has a fan wheel latching element and the bracket has a bracket latching element, wherein the fan wheel latching element and the bracket latching element being in contact with each other form a latching connection. The technical advantage is thereby achieved that the manufacture is simplified and at the same time the logistics effort for the manufacture reduced, as neither attachment means, such as screws, nor tools have to be held or provided for the creation of a screw connection. The quality is at the same time improved in that manufacture is less fault-prone due to the simplified assembly.
In one advantageous embodiment the fan wheel latching element has a recess, and the bracket latching element has a lug, wherein the lug engages in the recess. In a further embodiment the fan wheel latching element has a lug and the bracket latching element has a recess, wherein the lug engages in the recess. The technical advantage is thereby achieved that through engagement of the lug in the recess the connection of the fan wheel to the bracket is secured against undesired loosening.
In one advantageous embodiment the fan wheel has a flange, wherein the flange has a lateral surface, and the fan wheel latching element is arranged on the lateral surface. The technical advantage is thereby achieved that the flange is particularly simple to assemble.
In one advantageous embodiment the flange has an assembly torque support surface for fixing of the flange while assembling the fan assembly. The technical advantage is thereby achieved that with the assembly torque support surface the flange connected to the fan in a rotatable manner can be fixed about the axis of rotation of the fan. Damage to the fan during assembly can thus be avoided.
In one advantageous embodiment the assembly torque support surface is formed by a flat portion. The technical advantage is thereby achieved that the assembly torque support surface is particularly simple to assemble.
In one advantageous embodiment the flange has a multiplicity of fan wheel latching elements, which are arranged in the peripheral direction on the cylindrical lateral surface. The fan wheel latching elements can be arranged evenly or unevenly in the peripheral direction on the cylindrical lateral surface.
The technical advantage is thereby achieved that the forces to be absorbed are evenly distributed across all fan latching elements, and upon failure of one of the fan latching elements a secure connection between fan wheel and bracket is nevertheless maintained.
In one advantageous embodiment the multiplicity of fan wheel latching elements form a first fan wheel latching element group and a second fan wheel latching element group, wherein the fan wheel latching elements of the first fan wheel latching element group are arranged in the axial direction of an axis of rotation of the fan wheel offset relative to the fan wheel latching elements of the second fan wheel latching element group. The technical advantage is thereby achieved that the fan latching elements in interaction with the bracket latching elements effect fixing not just in a first direction of extension of the axis of rotation, but also in a second direction of extension, opposite to the first direction of extension. The position of the fan wheel in relation to the bracket is thus defined in both axial directions.
In one advantageous embodiment the bracket has a ring, wherein the ring is assigned to the bracket latching element. The technical advantage is thereby achieved that the bracket is particularly simple to manufacture.
In one advantageous embodiment the ring has an inner surface, on which the bracket latching element is arranged. The technical advantage is thereby achieved that the bracket is particularly simple to connect to a cylindrical flange.
In one advantageous embodiment the ring has a multiplicity of bracket latching elements, which are arranged in an evenly spaced manner in the peripheral direction on the inner surface. The technical advantage is thereby achieved that the forces to be absorbed are evenly distributed across all fan latching elements, and upon failure of one of the fan latching elements a secure connection between fan wheel and bracket is nevertheless maintained.
In one advantageous embodiment the multiplicity of bracket latching elements form a first bracket latching element group and a second bracket latching element group, wherein the fan wheel latching elements of the first bracket latching element group are arranged in the axial direction of the axis of rotation of the fan offset relative to the fan wheel latching elements of the second bracket latching element group. The bracket latching elements can be arranged evenly or unevenly in the axial direction of the axis of rotation of the fan.
The technical advantage is thereby achieved that the bracket latching elements in interaction with the fan latching elements effect fixing not just in a first direction of extension of an axis of rotation, but also in a second direction of extension opposite to the first direction of extension. The position of the fan wheel in relation to the bracket is thus defined in both axial directions.
In one advantageous embodiment the fan wheel latching element extends radially outward and the bracket latching element extends radially inward. The technical advantage is thereby achieved that the fan wheel and the bracket can be connected to each other by means of a rotational movement about the axis of rotation of the fan wheel. This simplifies assembly.
Further belonging to the invention are a fan wheel and a bracket for a fan assembly of this kind and an auxiliary device for assembling a fan assembly with a fan wheel and a bracket, wherein the auxiliary device has a reaction torque support surface, which in contact with an assembly torque support surface of a flange of the fan wheel fixes the flange in position during assembling of the fan assembly.
Further exemplary embodiments are explained with reference to the attached drawings, which:
For the cooling of frozen or chilled goods the refrigeration appliance 100 has a refrigerant circuit with an evaporator 102, a compressor (not shown), a condenser (not shown) and a throttle valve (not shown).
The evaporator 102 is embodied as a heat exchanger, in which after an expansion the liquid refrigerant is evaporated by means of the absorption of heat from the medium to be cooled, that is to say air, in the interior of the refrigerator.
The compressor is a mechanically driven component, which sucks in refrigerant vapor from the evaporator and expels it at higher pressure to the condenser.
The condenser is embodied as a heat exchanger, in which after compression the evaporated refrigerant is liquefied through the transfer of heat to an external cooling medium, that is to say the ambient air.
The throttle valve is a device for the continuous reduction of the pressure by means of cross-sectional reduction.
The refrigerant is a fluid, which is used for the transfer of heat in the cold-generating system, which in the case of low temperatures and low pressure of the fluid absorbs heat and in the case of higher temperature and higher pressure of the fluid gives off heat, wherein this generally incorporates changes in the state of the fluid.
The refrigeration appliance 100 further has an interior compartment 104 to accommodate frozen or chilled goods, which in the present exemplary embodiment is surrounded by a heat-insulating layer of hardened foam 106.
In addition to the evaporator 102 a fan unit 130 with a fan assembly 108 and an air duct 110 are provided in the interior compartment 104.
In the present exemplary embodiment the air duct 110 has an air inlet aperture 112 and an air outlet aperture 114. During operation, air is sucked out of the interior compartment 104 by the fan assembly 108, introduced to the evaporator, and then conveyed back into the interior compartment 104 through the air outlet aperture 114 by the fan assembly 108.
In the present exemplary embodiment the fan assembly 108 is accommodated in a housing 116, which has an inlet, nozzle 118, through which air can enter the housing 116 from the air duct 110. In the present exemplary embodiment the air outlet aperture 114 is further assigned to the housing 116, so that in the present exemplary embodiment air can be conveyed from housing 116 directly into the interior compartment 104.
In the present exemplary embodiment the housing 116 has a housing front 120 and a housing rear 122. In the present exemplary embodiment both the housing front 120 and the housing rear 122 are made of plastic, for example by means of injection molding.
In the present exemplary embodiment the fan assembly 108 has a motor-driven fan wheel 124 and a bracket 126. In the present exemplary embodiment the fan wheel 124 is embodied as a radial fan. In the present exemplary embodiment the fan wheel 124 is connected to the bracket 126 by a latching connection 128, and the bracket 126 is connected to the housing 116.
It should be noted that in the present exemplary embodiment the fan assembly 108 is attached to the housing front 120.
In the present exemplary embodiment the fan wheel 124 has a motor-driven fan 200 and a flange 202. In the present exemplary embodiment the fan 200 is mounted on the flange 202, being rotatable about an axis of rotation I. In the present exemplary embodiment the fan 200 has a multiplicity of guide surfaces 204 for the conveyance of air.
In the present exemplary embodiment the flange 202 has a first cylindrical section 206 and a second cylindrical section 208 in the direction of extension of the axis of rotation I.
In the present exemplary embodiment the first cylindrical section 206 has two assembly torque support surfaces 210, of which only one may be seen in
In the present exemplary embodiment the second cylindrical section 208 has a cylindrical lateral surface 214. In the present exemplary embodiment a multiplicity of fan wheel latching elements 216 are provided on the cylindrical lateral surface 214, which are arranged on the cylindrical lateral surface 214 evenly spaced in the peripheral direction. Further, the fan wheel latching elements 216 extend radially outward in the present exemplary embodiment.
In the present exemplary embodiment the fan latching elements 216 form a first fan wheel latching element group 218 and a second fan wheel latching element group 220, wherein the fan wheel latching elements 216 of the first fan wheel latching element group 218 are arranged in the direction of extension of the axis of rotation I of the fan 200 offset relative to the fan wheel latching elements 216 of the second fan wheel latching element group 220.
In the present exemplary embodiment each fan wheel latching element 216 further has a recess 222. In the present exemplary embodiment the fan wheel latching elements 216 of the first fan wheel latching element group 218 are oriented toward the bracket 126, while the fan wheel latching elements 216 of the second fan wheel latching element group 220 display an opposite orientation, that is away from the bracket 126.
In the present exemplary embodiment the bracket 126 has a ring 224, to which are connected three arms 226. Each of the three arms 226 has in each case a decoupling element 230 on its distal end 228, which is intended to reduce the transmission of mechanical vibrations from the fan assembly 108 to the refrigeration appliance 100. To this end the decoupling elements 230 in the present exemplary embodiment are manufactured from an elastic material, for example rubber.
In the present exemplary embodiment the ring 224 has an inner surface 232, on which are provided a multiplicity of bracket latching elements 234, which are arranged on the inner surface 232 evenly spaced in the peripheral direction. The bracket latching elements 234 further extend radially inward in the present exemplary embodiment.
In the present exemplary embodiment the bracket latching elements 234 form a first bracket latching element group 236 and a second bracket latching element group 238, wherein the bracket latching elements 234 of the first bracket latching element group 236 are arranged in the direction of extension of the axis of rotation I of the fan 200 offset relative to the bracket latching elements 234 of the second bracket latching element group 238.
In the present exemplary embodiment each bracket latching element 234 further has a lug 240. In the present exemplary embodiment the bracket latching elements 234 of the first bracket latching element group 236 are here oriented toward the flange 202, while the bracket latching elements 234 of the second bracket latching element group 238 display an opposite orientation, that is away from the flange 202. The lugs 240 can thus engage in the respective recesses 222, and form the latching connection 128.
The assembly of the fan assembly 108 will now be explained on the basis of
In a first step the flange 202 of the fan wheel 124 is introduced in such a way that the two reaction torque support surfaces 702 come into contact with the assembly torque support surfaces 210 (see
In a further step the bracket 126 is lowered onto the flange 202, until it lies on the flange 202 (see
In a further step the bracket 126 is rotated about the axis of rotation I, in the present exemplary embodiment by 30°. The fan wheel latching elements 216 are hereby brought into contact with the bracket latching element 234 and twisted relative to each other, until the lugs 240 engage in the recesses 222 and thus secure the connection between the fan wheel 124 and the bracket 126 against undesired loosening.
In a step completing the assembly the ready-assembled fan assembly 108, consisting of the fan wheel 124 and the bracket 126, is removed from the auxiliary device 700.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 2012 218 706.5 | Oct 2012 | DE | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/EP2013/071294 | 10/11/2013 | WO | 00 |
