FAN FOR A HEAT EXCHANGER OF A VEHICLE

Abstract

A fan for a heat exchanger of a vehicle includes a ventilator, and a frame surrounding the ventilator. Optionally, the fan for the heat exchanger further includes a protection grid upstream of the ventilator and a ring which is suitable for deflecting a backflow and which is integrated into the frame or the protection grid.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS

This patent application claims priority to German Patent Application No. 10 2023 204 019.0 filed on May 2, 2023 and German Patent Application No. 10 2022 210 760.8 filed on Oct. 12, 2022, the entire disclosures of each of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates to a fan for a heat exchanger of a vehicle.

BACKGROUND

In heat exchangers, in particular coolers or radiators of a vehicle, it is advantageous in terms of flow if a fan is provided upstream thereof which essentially creates the air flow in the direction of the heat exchanger, for example during standstill, or increases or supports the air flow when the vehicle is moving. However, it is to be ensured with regard to such a fan that the additional noise generation remains within acceptable limits.

An air condition with a fan provided upstream is known from KR20070081355A.

SUMMARY

Against the above-stated background, the invention is based on the object of creating a fan for a heat exchanger of a vehicle, which has a comparatively low noise generation.

This object is solved by means of the subject matter as shown and described herein.

According thereto, the fan according to the invention comprises a ventilator. A frame, for example a circular one, surrounding the ventilator and, optionally, a protection grid upstream of the ventilator are furthermore provided. According to the invention, the fan comprises a ring which is suitable for deflecting a backflow and which is integrated into the frame or the protection grid, if present.

In the fan according to the invention, the challenge with regard to noise generation lies in that, downstream of the ventilator, a part of the flow flows back. This results in noise generation in particular on the radially outer side of the ventilator, where the flow velocities are highest. According to the invention, this is minimized by the described ring which deflects the backflow in the direction of the flow direction generated by the ventilator. Said ring can comprise a radially extending, flat portion. In an advantageous manner, the configuration of the fan according to the invention can nevertheless be kept comparatively simple if the ring is integrated into the frame or the protection grid. In other words, the described ring is preferably formed integrally with the frame or the protection grid. In any case, the protection grid can also be formed integrally with the frame. In an advantageous manner, the reduction of noise generation is associated with a reduction of the vibrations, which is advantageous for the service life of the fan.

Although it is preferred that the described backflow is deflected completely, i.e. by 360°, the effects according to the invention are also achieved if there is a deflection by at least 300°.

If a protection grid is present, but the ring is integrated into the frame, it is advantageous if the ring is arranged downstream of the protection grid. This applies equally if the ring is integrated into the protection grid. In both cases, the protection grid can maximally provide protection from stones etc. upstream, and the ring is advantageously arranged comparatively close to where the backflow is created.

To simplify the mounting and assembly of the fan according to the invention, it is preferred that mounting struts for a ventilator motor are arranged upstream of the ventilator.

As regards the protective effect, it is preferred that the protection grid has a plurality of concentric and/or radial ribs. In view of minimizing the noise generation, these can be designed in an optimized manner, as will be described in more detail below.

In particular if the ring is integrated into the frame and mounting struts for the ventilator motor are arranged upstream of the ventilator, access for a cable through the protection grid is advantageous. Accordingly, an opening for the protection grid is preferred, which extends over a plurality of concentric ribs. It can be partially closable by a flap or the like in such a way that the cable runs through an opening which remains when the flap is closed.

To minimize the noise of the fan in general, it has moreover turned out to be advantageous to configure the radial ribs of the protection grid so as to be curved or inclined in a different direction than the curves of blades of the ventilator, in particular the front edge thereof with respect to the rotational direction.

As regards the design of the ring creating the deflection, it has turned out to be advantageous if said ring comprises, firstly, a portion extending radially in cross-section and, secondly, a portion extending axially at least at one angle. Thus, the latter portion can extend essentially axially. In this case, it is advantageous in terms of flow if a transition to the radial portion has a rounded shape. However, the axially extending portion can also extend at an angle, preferably an acute angle, to the axial direction.

In general, a rounded transition is preferred for the transition from the radial to the axial portion and/or from an axially extending portion of the frame to the radially extending portion of the ring. As already mentioned, this is associated with advantages in terms of flow.

Generally, it is to be pointed out that an application having the same title is filed by Applicant today, the content of which, in particular as regards the details of the protection grid, is made the subject matter of the present application. In other words, all details described therein are applicable to the subject matter of the present application and U.S. Pat. Appl. Ser. No. ______ is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, in particular, but not limited to the protection grid.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Preferred embodiment examples of the invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to the drawings. The drawings show the following:

FIG. 1 shows a sectional view of a first embodiment;

FIG. 2 shows a plan view of the first embodiment;

FIG. 3 shows a sectional view of a second embodiment; and

FIG. 4 shows a plan view of the second embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

As apparent from FIG. 1, the fan 10 according to the invention comprises a ventilator 12 surrounded by a frame 14. The flow direction created by the ventilator 12 extends from the left to the right in FIG. 1, and a protection grid 16 is provided upstream of the ventilator 12.

As apparent from the lower edge of FIG. 1, a ring 18 is integrated into the protection grid 16, which deflects a backflow extending from the right to the left in FIG. 1 and occurring in particular radially outside, i.e. at the lower edge in FIG. 1, in the direction of the flow direction created by the ventilator 12. For this purpose, the ring firstly has a portion 20 extending radially, i.e. from the top to the bottom in FIG. 1, and a portion 22 creating the described deflection and extending in an inclined manner in the axial direction in the shown case. In the shown embodiment, it is shorter than the radial portion 20, but ensures the advantageous deflection of the backflow.

In FIG. 2, the protection grid 16 is particularly apparent in the plan view, which comprises a plurality of concentric ribs 24 and a plurality of essentially radially extending ribs 26. In the shown embodiment, the radially extending ribs are curved. In particular, they extend essentially in the radial direction on the inside, while on the outside they are at an angle to the radial direction.

As further apparent from FIG. 2, in the shown case, all radial ribs are curved or crescent-shaped in the same direction, and said curved shape or crescent shape extends to the left at the top of FIG. 2. As regards the ventilator 12 located therebelow and in particular the front edges 28, it is apparent with respect to the flow direction of the blades 30 of the ventilator that they are curved or crescent-shaped in the other direction. It has turned out that the noise generation can be kept low with this design.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the ring 18 is designed similarly, but is integrated into the frame 14. The frame 14 in turn surrounds the ventilator 12, and a protection grid 16 is also provided in this embodiment upstream—in this case at a distinct distance upstream—of the ring 18. In other words, the frame 14 comprises two portions extending essentially in the axial direction in cross-section, namely a first one upstream of the ring 18, into which the protection grid 16 is essentially integrated, and a second one downstream of the ring 18, which surrounds the ventilator 12.

As apparent from FIG. 4, in the shown case, it comprises an opening 32 for a cable 34 leading to a ventilator motor, which extends over a plurality of concentric ribs 24 and between two radial ribs 26 in the shown case. In this embodiment, they are not curved, but inclined with respect to the axial direction. In particular, they are inclined in the opposite direction, in FIG. 4 at the top to the left towards the radial outer side and thus opposite to the curve of the front edge 28 of the blades 30 of the ventilator. This also results in an advantageous effect with regard to noise minimization.

FIG. 4 shows, in the center in the area of the closed circle of the protection grid, the—in the present case three—mounting struts 36 mounted thereon for the ventilator motor, which are thus mounted upstream of the ventilator 12.

Claims

1. A fan for a heat exchanger of a vehicle, comprising a ventilator, a frame surrounding the ventilator, a protection grid upstream of the ventilator, and a ring which is suitable for deflecting a backflow and which is integrated into the frame or the protection grid.

2. The fan according to claim 1, wherein the ring is suitable for deflecting the backflow by at least 300 degrees.

3. The fan according to claim 1, wherein the ring is arranged downstream of the protection grid with respect to a direction of flow.

4. The fan according to claim 1, wherein mounting struts for a ventilator motor are arranged upstream of the ventilator with respect to a direction of flow.

5. The fan according to claim 1, wherein the protection grid has a plurality of concentric and/or radial ribs.

6. The fan according to claim 5, wherein the protection grid has the concentric ribs and the protection grid has an opening which extends over the concentric ribs.

7. The fan according to claim 5, wherein the protection grid has the radial ribs and the radial ribs are inclined, curved, or crescent-shaped in a different direction than blades of the ventilator.

8. The fan according to claim 1, wherein the ring has a portion extending radially in cross-section and a portion extending axially at least at one angle.

9. The fan according to claim 1, wherein a transition from an axially extending portion of the frame to a radially extending portion of the ring and/or from the radially extending portion of the ring to a portion of the ring, which extends at least at one angle to an axial direction, has a rounded shape.