Patent Application
20190135072
The present invention relates to fan assemblies, and, more particularly, to fan assemblies for use in heaters and/or climate control systems for vehicles, such as those mounted under seats in busses and vans.
A wide variety of fan assemblies have been known. In general, a fan assembly includes a motor, a multi-bladed fan attached to a shaft extending from the motor, a bracket which engages the motor and connects it to a supporting structure. Often, the bracket includes a shield or guard for a portion of the fan, and that shield can serve to direct air flow into and/or out of contact with the fan blades. The bracket typically needs Wires typically lead from the motor to a control circuit, the components of which are often mounted onto some additional structure.
The bracket typically needs to provide sufficient structural integrity to maintain motor position and/or shield support without significantly obstructing the flow of air to or from the fan blades. Similarly, the support structure for the assembly typically needs to securely retain the bracket without significantly obstructing the flow of air to or from the fan blades, except that the support structure may be used to define the overall air flow path in the climate control system. Where these fan assemblies are used in vehicles, the components and the connections therebetween need to be able to withstand the additional vibrational stresses imposed by over-the-road usage.
Manufacturing and maintenance requirements can impose fan assembly optimization constraints on fan assemblies. For example, when the fan assemblies are constructed with human manipulation of components, it is important to keep in mind that a certain percentage of the components are likely to be dropped, from time to time. Thus, individual components are preferably designed to be lighter in weight, and/or smaller in size, and/or of rounded shape, so as to minimize, dissipate, and/or deflect destructive stress forces when that component is dropped, and thereby avoid component breakage. However, in order to decrease assembly time and cost, it can be preferable to form fan components into larger and necessarily heavier elements or sections of multiple elements. Further, in order to avoid misalignment of those fan components, it can be preferable to form those components into rectilinear shapes which can be readily aligned with one another. Unfortunately, such larger, rectilinear components tend to be subject to greater destructive stresses on the component, especially when dropped such that the primary impact is on a corner. As a result, the larger, rectilinear components have previously been made of diverse materials and/or of significantly heavier material for reinforcement against such destructive stresses. Doing so, however, can significantly increase the cost of making those components, and, on an accretive basis, even increase the weight of the vehicle in which it is used.
In addition, fan assemblies tend to be subject to the greatest wear and tear in a climate control system, and, thereby, become the first components needed replacement and/or repair. Accordingly, it can be important to design fan assemblies so as to be easily accessed and replaced, especially where less skilled, end user servicing is desired. Unfortunately, optimizing servicing by “modular” construction of fan assemblies can lead to a greater tendency for the modular unit to be damaged in shipping and/or installation, unless more expensive shipping packaging is used. Even then, if the modular unit is inadvertently dropped during servicing, it is more prone to destructive stress damage than would be optimal, unless the structure is significantly reinforced, as discussed above.
Further, many fan assemblies, such as those often used in vehicles, tend to circulate air from the localized environment, which may be dusty, gritty, and/or entrained with oil and/or moisture. Over time, the particulate and entrained matter in the airstream can build up on fan assembly components, covering or deteriorating any labels or component identification indicia. In applications where end user servicing or servicing by non-factory trained persons is expected, this can lead to difficulties in obtaining the correct replacement parts. Ideally, and especially where internet communications are readily available, the end user would not need to send the broken or worn out component back to the dealer or manufacturer in order to obtain a replacement component. Instead, the end user would indicate the part number of the component or send a photograph of the component for that identification purpose. In vehicular applications, the part number can be obscured, as described, or the part number label may have separated from the part, but the component configuration can usually still be photographed. However, in order to avoid confusion with other fan assemblies using similar but not identical components, each such component would, preferably, be created with a sufficiently distinct and readily ascertainable configuration.
Moreover, where end user servicing is anticipated, it can be important to maintain customer confidence in the value of the fan assembly product. The product has, by definition, failed in some respect at the time of the end user servicing, and end user can be expected to have the disfunctional component literally “in hand” for replacement. At that time, if the component has been formed with an aesthetically attractive configuration, from the standpoint of perceived robustness and/or durability, for example, even the incidental failure of the component can be discounted by the end user, as, for example, an unusual or one-time event. This would be in contrast, for example, to the end user disassembling the fan product and immediately discounting the failed component as a “flimsy piece of junk” in the first place merely because of its aesthetic appearance.
Accordingly, an objective of the present invention is to provide improved fan assemblies, particularly for use in vehicles. These improvements include providing fan assemblies which:
These and other objectives of the present invention are achieved by the provision of fan assemblies having an integrated motor bracket, blade shield, and support wall. These elements can be molded from plastic materials with keyed portions of the support wall facilitating installation into application structures, as well as receiving the electrical control circuit for the motor on the support wall. Alteration of bracket web elements in numerically and/or by elevation from the support wall in one or two dimensions allows for immediate visual recognition despite a utilization of a variety of functional of components. Aesthetic appeal to end users can be fostered by the same alterations of the bracket web, as well as other means.
Other objects, advantages, and novel features of the present invention will become readily apparent from the following drawings and detailed description of certain preferred and alternative embodiments.
In
The following features of the fan assembly 200 of the present invention are illustrated in the drawings:
In especially preferred embodiments, bracket 214 (including ring 218, struts 223, and shield 220) and support surface 230 are integrally molded from a thermoplastic material. In applications where support surface 220 is needed for definition of the air flow through the heater, support surface 220 can be a solid wall from its periphery inward to shield 220. In other embodiments, support surface 220 can itself be a web structure or have significant openings therethrough between keyed formation 232 and shield 220, so as to save on overall weight and/or material used in fan assembly 200.
A distinguishing feature of the present invention provides for the use of a unique aesthetic appearance for each embodiment of the fan assembly, minimizing the risk of incorrect components being installed when servicing the fan assembly or heater. For example, when the heater is disassembled for servicing, the bracket web is readily observed and recognizable. The robust nature of its appearance contributes to its aesthetic appeal and reinforces the perception of reliability of the fan assembly. At the same time, however, the bracket web serves as a readily photographable indicia of the specific fan assembly embodiment which can be forwarded by end users to order replacement parts. Other embodiments of fan assemblies using the teaching of the present invention can employ differentiated bracket webs. For example, instead of three strut sections using three strut elements each, another embodiment could employ three strut sections using fourth strut elements each, or three strut sections using four strut elements in one section and two strut elements in each of the other two strut sections.
Further, continuing the visual indicia of the strut elements down onto the outer periphery of shield 220 facilitates photographing and/or visual recognition of the specific bracket web appearance. Bracket web differentiation among fan assembly embodiments could utilize alteration of that continuity, as needed.
Although the present invention has been shown and described herein with respect to certain preferred embodiments and alternative configurations, those were by way of illustration and example only. The scope of the present invention is intended to be limited only by the terms of the appended claims.
