Blower, ventilation device, vehicle seat or battery system, manufacturing method and apparatus

Abstract

Disclosed is a blower (1) for a vehicle seat or a vehicle power battery system, comprising: a motor (11); a control device (12) electrically connected with the motor (11) to control the operation of the motor (11); a housing (13) in which the control device (12) is arranged; and an electric connector (14) having a plurality of pins (141), the pins (141) having inner end portions (1411) located in the housing (13) and outer end portions (1412) exposed outside the housing (13), the inner end portions (1411) being electrically connected with the control device (12); wherein at least a part of the electric connector (14) is integrally formed on a housing part (131) of the housing (13) in a molding process of the housing part (131). Also disclosed are a corresponding ventilation device, a corresponding vehicle seat or vehicle power battery system, a corresponding method for manufacturing a blower, and a corresponding processing equipment. The blower has simple structure, reliable performance and low cost.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a blower for a vehicle seat or a vehicle power battery system, a corresponding ventilation device for a vehicle seat or a vehicle power battery system, a corresponding vehicle seat or a vehicle power battery system, a corresponding method for manufacturing the blower, and a corresponding processing equipment for carrying out the method. Background Technology

[0002] With technological advancements and increasing demands for comfort, more and more vehicle seats are equipped with ventilation systems to improve airflow between the body and the seat surface, ensuring a dry and comfortable environment even during long journeys. Furthermore, the widespread adoption of hybrid and pure electric technologies places increasingly higher demands on the heat dissipation of vehicle batteries.

[0003] As a crucial component of ventilation systems, the performance and cost of blowers are paramount. Control devices used to operate the blower, such as printed circuit boards, are typically housed within the casing. These control devices need to be electrically connected to external devices via connectors to communicate with and receive power from them.

[0004] Currently, there are two main types of connection devices: 1) Individual connectors mounted on or otherwise fixedly connected to the printed circuit board. Since the connector is fixedly connected to the printed circuit board, the movement of the connector will cause the printed circuit board to move as well, which may damage the printed circuit board when plugging or unplugging the connector; 2) A wire harness led out from the housing. One end of the wire harness is electrically connected to the printed circuit board, and the other end is equipped with a connector. This method is complicated, has low reliability, and there are certain problems with the arrangement of the wire harness.

[0005] Moreover, regardless of the method, the cost is relatively high and the manufacturing is relatively complex.

[0006] Therefore, the existing connection device needs to be improved. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The object of the present invention is to provide an improved blower for a vehicle seat or vehicle power battery system, a corresponding ventilation device for a vehicle seat or vehicle power battery system, a corresponding vehicle seat or vehicle power battery system, a corresponding method for manufacturing the blower, and a corresponding processing equipment for implementing the method.

[0008] According to a first aspect of the present invention, a blower for a vehicle seat or a vehicle power battery system is provided, comprising: a motor; a control device electrically connected to the motor for controlling the operation of the motor; a housing, the control device disposed within the housing; and an electrical connector having a plurality of pins, the pins having an inner end portion located within the housing and an outer end portion exposed outside the housing, the inner end portion being electrically connected to the control device; wherein at least a portion of the electrical connector is integrally formed on the housing portion during the molding process of the housing portion of the housing.

[0009] According to an alternative embodiment of the invention, the electrical connector is configured as a plug-in connector; and / or the control device is configured as a printed circuit board; and / or the housing portion is injection molded.

[0010] According to an optional embodiment of the present invention, the stator of the motor is fixedly mounted on the control device; and / or the inner end is directly electrically connected to the control device.

[0011] According to an optional embodiment of the invention, the inner end portion is inserted into the electrical connection hole of the control device; and / or at least a portion of the intercalary portion of the pin located between the inner end portion and the outer end portion is exposed from the outside of the housing to provide a test electrical contact for testing the blower; and / or at least a portion of the intercalary portion of the pin located between the inner end portion and the outer end portion is exposed inside the housing.

[0012] According to an optional embodiment of the present invention, the control device is fixed to the inside of the housing portion, the electrical connector is integrally formed on the housing portion, and / or the plurality of pins are arranged side by side; and / or the inner ends of the plurality of pins are laterally bent outward to increase the spacing between the inner ends.

[0013] According to an optional embodiment of the invention, the electrical connector is formed at the outer periphery of the housing; and / or the inner end is electrically connected to the control device by welding; and / or at least a portion of the inner end extends axially; and / or at least a portion of the electrical connector extends radially.

[0014] According to a second aspect of the present invention, a ventilation device for a vehicle seat or a vehicle power battery system is provided, the ventilation device comprising the blower.

[0015] According to a third aspect of the present invention, a vehicle seat or vehicle power battery system is provided, the vehicle seat or vehicle power battery system including the ventilation device.

[0016] According to a fourth aspect of the invention, a method for manufacturing the blower is provided, the method comprising at least steps S1 and S2. In step S1, at least one of the plurality of pins is arranged in a mold for forming the housing portion. In step S2, the housing portion is formed by the mold such that at least a portion of the electrical connector is integrally formed on the housing portion.

[0017] According to an optional embodiment of the present invention, in step S1, the plurality of pins are arranged in the mold; and / or in step S2, the electrical connector is integrally formed on the housing portion.

[0018] According to an optional embodiment of the present invention, in step S1, the plurality of pins are assembled into an integral component by means of a bonding structure and then arranged in the mold; and / or in step S1, the plurality of pins are held in the mold by means of a holding structure in the mold, so as to stably hold the plurality of pins in position during the molding of the housing portion.

[0019] According to an alternative embodiment of the invention, the integral component is manufactured by stamping and / or injection molding, and the bonding structure includes a connection structure connecting adjacent pins.

[0020] According to an optional embodiment of the present invention, the method further includes step S3, in which, after step S2, the plurality of pins are disconnected to electrically isolate the plurality of pins from each other.

[0021] According to an optional embodiment of the present invention, in step S3, the bonding structure exposed from the inside of the housing is cut to separate the plurality of pins.

[0022] According to an optional embodiment of the present invention, the method further includes the following steps: step S4, directly electrically connecting the pin to the control device; and / or step S5, testing the blower through a test electrical contact formed by at least a portion of the intercalary portion of the pin located between the inner end and the outer end, exposed on the outside of the housing.

[0023] According to an optional embodiment of the present invention, the method further includes step S6, in which, after the test is completed, the test electrical contact is sealed with an insulating material.

[0024] According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, a processing apparatus for carrying out the method is provided, comprising: a conveyor table on which the mold is placed; a placement station for performing step S1; and a forming station for performing step S2.

[0025] According to an optional embodiment of the invention, the conveyor is configured as a rotary conveyor; and / or the processing equipment further includes a separation station to separate the plurality of pins so that the plurality of pins are electrically isolated from each other.

[0026] According to certain embodiments of the present invention, the blower has a simple structure, reliable performance, and low cost. Attached Figure Description

[0027] The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, which will provide a better understanding of its principles, features, and advantages. The drawings include:

[0028] Figure 1 An exploded perspective view of a portion of a blower for a vehicle seat or a vehicle power battery system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0029] Figure 2 It shows Figure 1 A three-dimensional view of the assembled blower, viewed from another angle.

[0030] Figure 3 A flowchart illustrating a method for manufacturing a blower according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0031] Figure 4 , Figure 5 and Figure 6 A schematic illustration of a method for manufacturing a blower according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0032] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of a processing apparatus for implementing a method for manufacturing a blower is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0033] To make the technical problems to be solved, the technical solutions, and the beneficial technical effects of this invention clearer, the invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and several exemplary embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of this invention.

[0034] Figure 1 An exploded perspective view of a portion of a blower for a vehicle seat or a vehicle power battery system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown. Figure 2 It shows Figure 1 A perspective view of the assembled blower, taken from another angle. The blower serves as an air source in the ventilation system of a vehicle seat, generating pressurized gas, or as a cooling device in a vehicle's power battery system. For clarity, Figure 1 and Figure 2 Only the parts closely related to the present invention are shown.

[0035] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the blower 1 includes: a motor 11 (only a portion of the motor is shown here); a control device 12 electrically connected to the motor 11 to control the operation of the motor 11; a housing 13 (also only a portion shown here), in which the control device 12 is disposed; and an electrical connector 14 having a plurality of pins 141 having inner ends 1411 located within the housing 13 and outer ends 1412 exposed outside the housing 13, the inner ends 1411 being electrically connected to the control device 12; wherein at least a portion of the electrical connector 14 is integrally formed on the housing portion 131 during the molding process of the housing portion 131 of the housing 13. The electrical connector 14 is used to electrically connect the control device 12 of the blower 1 to a corresponding external device.

[0036] The housing 13 of the blower 1 can be assembled from multiple parts, as described above. Figure 1 and Figure 2 Only a portion of the housing 13 is shown. The blower 1 can be configured as a centrifugal fan.

[0037] Preferably, the housing 13 of the blower 1 typically comprises two housing halves that can be assembled together (e.g., but not limited to, by snap-fit ​​connection). Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the shell portion 131 can be constructed as a shell half (lower shell half).

[0038] The housing 13 is typically injection molded from plastic, which is not only easy to process and mold, but also has a lower manufacturing cost.

[0039] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the electrical connector 14 may be configured as a plug-in connector. Plug-in connectors provide convenient and reliable electrical connections.

[0040] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the pins 141 of the plug-in connector can be configured as pins, which are surrounded by the housing of the electrical connector 14. This type of electrical connector is quite common and will not be described in detail here. The housing of the electrical connector 14 is also preferably made of plastic.

[0041] As described above, at least a portion, particularly the entire electrical connector 14, is integrally formed on the housing portion 131 of the housing 13 during the molding process, thus eliminating the need for separate configuration and assembly of the electrical connector. In this case, since the electrical connector 14 is fixed to the housing portion 131, it does not drive the control device 12 during insertion and removal, which is highly advantageous.

[0042] While it is preferable that the entire electrical connector 14 is integrally formed on the housing portion 131 during the molding process of the housing portion 131, theoretically, it is also advantageous to integrally form a portion of the electrical connector 14 on the housing portion 131 during the molding process, for example, by reducing the workload of electrical connector installation. Theoretically, one portion of the electrical connector 14 can be formed on one housing portion, and another portion on another housing portion, as long as the two housing portions can mate to form the electrical connector 14 in the assembled state.

[0043] In particular, pin 141 can be embedded in housing portion 131 of housing 13, which can be easily achieved, especially by injection molding.

[0044] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the control device 12 may be configured as a printed circuit board (PCBA).

[0045] like Figure 2 As shown, the stator 111 of the motor 11 can be fixedly mounted on the control device 12. Especially when the control device 12 is a printed circuit board, the stator 111 of the motor 11 can be fixed to the printed circuit board by inserting pins into the connection holes (preferably through holes) of the printed circuit board. Preferably, this insertion also provides an electrical connection between the stator 111 of the motor 11 and the printed circuit board.

[0046] To ensure the reliability of the connection, solder can be applied to the insertion point for welding or spot welding can be used.

[0047] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the inner end portion 1411 is directly electrically connected to the control device 12. This means that the inner end portion 1411 extends directly to the control device 12 and establishes an electrical connection with the control device 12 through the inner end portion 1411 itself, in which case no additional electrical connection element, such as a wire, is required between the inner end portion 1411 and the control device 12. Thus, connection is convenient and design is simplified.

[0048] Similarly, such as Figure 2As shown, the inner end 1411 is inserted into the electrical connection hole 121 of the control device 12. Alternatively or additionally, the inner end 1411 can also be electrically connected to the control device 12 by soldering. Preferably, the insertion is performed before soldering, which greatly improves reliability.

[0049] According to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, at least a portion of the intercalary portion 1413 of the pin 141 located between the inner end portion 1411 and the outer end portion 1412 is exposed from the outside of the housing 13 to provide test electrical contacts for testing the blower 1. Figure 1 and Figure 2 In the figure, the exposed portion is not visible because it is located on the lower (outer) side of the housing portion 131.

[0050] like Figure 2 As shown, according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, at least a portion of the intervening portion 1413 is exposed inside the housing 13. This exposure facilitates the separation of adjacent pins 141, thereby ensuring that no electrical short circuit occurs between the pins 141, especially when multiple pins 141 begin to be formed as a single unit in the housing portion 131. This will be more readily understood below in conjunction with the description of the manufacturing process of the blower 1.

[0051] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the control device 12 is disposed inside the housing portion 131. For example, it can be positioned by a guide structure 1311 disposed inside the housing portion 131 and then fixed or connected by other structures. The guide structure 1311 can also be integrally formed during the molding process of the housing portion 131.

[0052] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the plurality of pins 141 are arranged side by side.

[0053] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the inner ends 1411 of the plurality of pins 141 are laterally bent outward to increase the spacing between the inner ends 1411, which facilitates reliable connection of the pins to the control device 12. This can be clearly seen from the figures given below in the description of the manufacturing process of the blower 1.

[0054] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, an electrical connector 14 is formed at the outer periphery of the housing 13. Preferably, at least a portion of the electrical connector 14, particularly the portion located outside the housing 13, extends radially outward.

[0055] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, at least a portion of the inner end portion 1411 may extend axially (by bending) to facilitate insertion into the electrical connection hole 121 of the control device 12 for connection. Axial refers to the direction relative to the axis of rotation of the motor 11.

[0056] Below, we will discuss Figure 1 and Figure 2 The manufacturing process (including assembly process) of the blower 1 is described.

[0057] Figure 3 A flowchart of a method for manufacturing a blower 1 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0058] like Figure 3 As shown, the method includes at least steps S1 and S2. In step S1, at least one of a plurality of pins 141 is arranged in a mold for molding the housing portion 131. In step S2, the housing portion 131 is molded by the mold so that at least a portion of the electrical connector 14 is integrally formed on the housing portion 131.

[0059] Figure 4 , Figure 5 and Figure 6 A schematic illustration of a method for manufacturing a blower 1 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0060] Figure 4 Multiple pins 141 are shown. In this exemplary embodiment, the multiple pins 141 are combined into a single unit, which facilitates the arrangement of the multiple pins 141 together in the mold, and this combination allows the relative positions of the multiple pins 141 to be fixed, so that the pins 141 are not misaligned during the molding of the housing portion 131.

[0061] To keep the multiple pins 141 together, the multiple pins 141 can be combined into a single component by means of a bonding structure.

[0062] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the integral component is manufactured by stamping and / or molding, and the bonding structure includes a connection structure connecting adjacent pins 141. In this case, it can be formed by stamping conductive sheet material, such as copper plate. Figure 4 The integral component is shown. This method is simple and reliable, but requires subsequent separation operations. Alternatively, the stamped-separated leads can be molded into a single unit.

[0063] Those skilled in the art will also realize that the bonding structure can be achieved in other ways, such as by using an adhesive. In this case, the adhesive can be an insulating material, but it must be ensured that it is not damaged during the molding of the housing portion 131 and can bond well with the molding material.

[0064] As another possible implementation, the plurality of pins 141 can also be held in the mold by a retaining structure in the mold to stably hold the plurality of pins 141 in position during the molding of the housing portion 131. The retaining structure can be formed on the mold.

[0065] Figure 5 A top view, taken from the inside of the housing portion 131, shows the situation where the electrical connector 14 is integrally formed in the housing portion 131 after the housing portion 131 is molded.

[0066] like Figure 5 As shown, the electrical connector 14 is integrally formed on the housing portion 131, and preferably a portion of the intervening portion 1413 of the plurality of pins 141 is exposed on the inside of the housing portion 131. Preferably, the mating structure may also be exposed.

[0067] Figure 6 The diagram illustrates a situation where multiple pins 141 are separated and electrically isolated from each other. In this case, the electrical connections, such as bonding structures, between the multiple pins 141 are disrupted.

[0068] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the separation operation can be performed by cutting.

[0069] Those skilled in the art will understand that the method may further include: directly electrically connecting pin 141 to control device 12.

[0070] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the method may further include testing the blower 1 through test electrical contacts formed by at least a portion of the intervening portion 1413 exposed on the outside of the housing 13. This eliminates the need for plugging and unplugging the electrical connector 14 during testing, thereby reducing the number of times the electrical connector 14 is plugged and unplugged and extending its service life.

[0071] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, after the test is completed, the test electrical contacts can be sealed with an insulating material, such as insulating sealing tape. By sealing with tape, the tape can be removed for testing when needed.

[0072] Other assembly steps are easy to understand from the above description and will not be repeated here.

[0073] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of a processing apparatus for implementing a method for manufacturing a blower 1 is shown. Figure 7 As shown, the processing equipment 100 includes: a conveyor 101 on which the mold 102 is placed; a placement station 103 for performing step S1; and a forming station 104 for performing step S2. Figure 7 As shown, the conveyor 101 can preferably be configured as a rotary conveyor, for example in... Figure 7 It can rotate clockwise.

[0074] like Figure 7 As shown, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the processing equipment 100 further includes a separation station 105 to separate a plurality of pins 141 so that the plurality of pins 141 are electrically isolated from each other.

[0075] Although specific embodiments of the invention have been described in detail herein, they are given for illustrative purposes only and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention. Various substitutions, alterations, and modifications can be conceived without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A blower (1) for a vehicle seat or a vehicle power battery system, comprising: Motor (11); A control device (12) is electrically connected to the motor (11) to control the operation of the motor (11); The housing (13) contains the control device (12), which is disposed within the housing (13). as well as An electrical connector (14) having a plurality of pins (141) having an inner end (1411) located inside the housing (13) and an outer end (1412) exposed outside the housing (13), the inner end (1411) being electrically connected to the control device (12); Wherein, at least a portion of the electrical connector (14) is integrally formed on the housing portion (131) of the housing (13) during the molding process, and The pin (141) is embedded in the housing portion (131) during the molding process, and at least a portion of the intercalary portion (1413) of the pin (141) located between the inner end (1411) and the outer end (1412) is exposed from the outside of the housing (13) to provide test electrical contacts for testing the blower (1).

2. The blower (1) according to claim 1, wherein, The electrical connector (14) is configured as a plug-in connector; and / or The control device (12) is configured as a printed circuit board; and / or The shell portion (131) is injection molded.

3. The blower (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The stator (111) of the motor (11) is fixedly mounted on the control device (12); and / or The inner end (1411) is directly electrically connected to the control device (12).

4. The blower (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The inner end (1411) is inserted into the electrical connection hole (121) of the control device (12); and / or At least a portion of the intercalary portion (1413) of the pin (141) located between the inner end (1411) and the outer end (1412) is exposed inside the housing (13).

5. The blower (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The control device (12) is fixed to the inside of the housing portion (131), and the electrical connector (14) is integrally formed on the housing portion (131); and / or The plurality of pins (141) are arranged side by side; and / or The inner ends (1411) of the plurality of pins (141) are laterally bent outward to increase the spacing between the inner ends (1411) and each other.

6. The blower (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The electrical connector (14) is formed on the outer periphery of the housing (13); and / or The inner end (1411) is electrically connected to the control device (12) by welding; and / or At least a portion of the inner end portion (1411) extends axially; and / or At least a portion of the electrical connector (14) extends radially.

7. A ventilation device for a vehicle seat or a vehicle power battery system, wherein, The ventilation device includes a blower (1) according to any one of claims 1-6.

8. A vehicle seat or vehicle power battery system, wherein, The vehicle seat or vehicle power battery system includes the ventilation device according to claim 7.

9. A method for manufacturing a blower (1) according to any one of claims 1-6, the method comprising at least the following steps: Step S1: Arrange at least one of the plurality of pins (141) in a mold for forming the housing portion (131); as well as Step S2: The housing portion (131) is molded by means of a mold so that at least a portion of the electrical connector (14) is integrally formed on the housing portion (131).

10. The method of claim 9, wherein, In step S1, the plurality of pins (141) are arranged in the mold; and / or In step S2, the electrical connector (14) is integrally formed on the housing portion (131).

11. The method of claim 10, wherein, In step S1, the plurality of pins (141) are assembled into an integral component using a bonding structure and then arranged in the mold; and / or In step S1, the plurality of pins (141) are held in the mold by a retaining structure in the mold to stably hold the plurality of pins (141) in position during the molding of the housing portion (131).

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein, The integral component is manufactured by stamping and / or molding, and the bonding structure includes a connection structure connecting adjacent pins (141).

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein, The method further includes the following steps: Step S3: After step S2, the plurality of pins (141) are disconnected so that the plurality of pins (141) are electrically isolated from each other.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein, In step S3, the bonding structure exposed from the inside of the housing (13) is cut to separate the plurality of pins (141).

15. The method according to any one of claims 9-14, wherein, The method further includes the following steps: Step S4: Connect the pin (141) directly to the control device (12); and / or Step S5: The blower (1) is tested by a test electrical contact formed on the outside of the housing (13) through at least a portion of the intercalary portion (1413) of the pin (141) located between the inner end (1411) and the outer end (1412).

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein, The method further includes the following steps: Step S6: After the test is completed, seal the test electrical contacts with insulating material.

17. A processing apparatus for carrying out the method according to any one of claims 9-16, comprising: A conveyor platform, on which the mold is placed; A workstation is placed for performing step S1; as well as A forming station, which is used to perform step S2.

18. The processing equipment according to claim 17, wherein, The conveyor is configured as a rotary conveyor; and / or The processing equipment also includes a separation station to separate the plurality of pins (141) so that the plurality of pins (141) are electrically isolated from each other.

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