A fan cleaning device and a range hood

Abstract

This invention discloses a fan cleaning device and a range hood. The fan cleaning device includes: a fan, which includes a volute housing with an air inlet formed thereon, and a mesh cover with mesh openings at the air inlet; and a cleaning mechanism for cleaning the mesh cover. The cleaning mechanism includes a cleaning head array. When the fan is in operation, the cleaning head array is located outside the fan and opposite the mesh cover. When the fan is in cleaning mode, the cleaning head array can pass through the mesh openings to scrape away grease from the walls of the mesh cover that define the mesh openings. Compared with the prior art, the advantages of this invention are: by setting the cleaning head array so that it is located outside the fan when the fan is working normally, the impact on the airflow of grease is reduced. When the fan needs cleaning, the cleaning head array contacts the mesh cover by scraping, which can directly act on the mesh cover's openings, restore the original flow area, maintain airflow, reduce noise, and has low energy consumption without heating, and also avoids the side effects associated with high-temperature cleaning.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to power devices, and more particularly to a fan cleaning device, and a range hood using the fan cleaning device. Background Technology

[0002] A range hood is a kitchen appliance that purifies the kitchen environment. It can quickly remove waste from the stove and fumes produced during cooking and exhaust them outdoors, reducing pollution and purifying the air.

[0003] The fan is a key power component of a range hood. Installing a mesh structure (such as a honeycomb mesh) on the fan's collector is a common noise reduction method, achieving noise reduction by rectifying the oil fumes. This is disclosed in Chinese Patent Application No. 202310786670.X.

[0004] Range hoods, due to their function of adsorbing dirt, easily accumulate dirt on their mesh covers, leading to clogged mesh holes. Currently, there are two main solutions for cleaning mesh covers (especially those of rear-intake models): 1) Detachable mesh covers, fixed by clips or screws, requiring manual disassembly and cleaning by the user; however, due to the limited operating space of rear-intake models, disassembly is inconvenient, and frequent disassembly and assembly can easily damage the connecting structure; 2) Fixed mesh covers with automatic cleaning, cleaning the surface through external water rinsing or high-temperature baking, as disclosed in the applicant's Chinese patent application number 201811275371.5. However, external water rinsing has a limited coverage area and does not thoroughly clean the oil stains inside the mesh cover channels, resulting in a reduced flow area, increased wind resistance, decreased air volume, and increased noise. High-temperature baking may cause oil stains to carbonize and clog micropores, accelerating the aging of plastic parts or the peeling of coatings, and has limited effect on deep oil stains and high energy consumption.

[0005] Further improvements are needed in this regard. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The first technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a fan cleaning device that has good cleaning effect and low energy consumption, in order to address the shortcomings of the prior art.

[0007] The second technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a range hood that uses the above-mentioned fan cleaning device.

[0008] The technical solution adopted by the present invention to solve the first technical problem mentioned above is: a fan cleaning device, comprising:

[0009] A fan, comprising a volute casing with an air inlet formed thereon, and a mesh cover with mesh openings at the air inlet; and

[0010] Cleaning facilities are used to clean the mesh covers;

[0011] Its features are:

[0012] The cleaning mechanism includes a cleaning head array. When the fan is in operation, the cleaning head array is located outside the fan and opposite the mesh cover. When the fan is in cleaning mode, the cleaning head array can pass through the mesh holes to scrape off oil stains on the wall surface of the mesh cover that defines the mesh holes.

[0013] By setting up an array of cleaning heads, which are positioned outside the fan when it is operating normally, the impact on the airflow of oil fumes is reduced. When the fan needs cleaning, the cleaning heads come into contact with the mesh cover by scraping, which can directly act on the channels through which the cleaning heads pass in the mesh cover. This can restore the original flow area, maintain airflow, reduce noise, and has low energy consumption without the need for heating, and there are no side effects associated with high-temperature cleaning.

[0014] Furthermore, the cleaning head array includes multiple cleaning heads, each comprising a head and a support leg. The support leg extends from the head toward a side away from the mesh cover, and its cross-section is rhomboid. This results in a smaller angle between the support leg and the main direction of the oil fume airflow, reducing disturbance.

[0015] Preferably, the head is hexagonal, the height of the long side of the rhombus of the support leg is A, where A ranges from 0.4 to 0.8d, and the width of the short side of the rhombus of the support leg is B, where B ranges from 0.3 to 0.6A, where d is the diameter of the inscribed circle of the hexagonal head. This ensures better removal of oil stains by the head and reduces the impact of the support leg on airflow.

[0016] Furthermore, when the fan is in a cleaning state, the cleaning head array can reciprocate linearly through the mesh. The reciprocating movement of the cleaning heads in the array effectively removes oil stains from the channel walls.

[0017] Furthermore, to reduce frictional resistance and prevent jamming, the cleaning head array includes multiple cleaning heads, each of which includes a head and a foot. The foot extends from the head toward the side away from the mesh cover, and the gap between the cleaning head and the wall of the mesh is equal when the cleaning head enters the mesh.

[0018] Preferably, both the mesh and the head are hexagonal, with the diameter of the inscribed circle of the hexagon of the mesh being D, the diameter of the inscribed circle of the hexagon of the head being d, and the gap between the cleaning head and the wall of the mesh when the head passes through the mesh being c, where c = Dd. The mesh cover is a honeycomb mesh cover, which can effectively rectify and reduce noise.

[0019] Furthermore, the cleaning mechanism also includes a drive mechanism for driving the cleaning head array, wherein the cleaning heads are made of a flexible material and the gap c satisfies the following relationship:

[0020] ;

[0021] in, This is the maximum driving force of the drive mechanism. For the radial stiffness of the cleaning head, This refers to the number of cleaning heads that simultaneously come into contact with the mesh cover. The equivalent coefficient of friction between the walls of the mesh formed by the cleaning head and the mesh cover , To determine the adhesion of oil stains to the mesh cover, For coefficients, The value range is 2 to 4.

[0022] This ensures effective scraping of oil stains while controlling the frictional resistance between the cleaning head and the mesh cover, protecting the drive mechanism, and preventing jamming.

[0023] Furthermore, the surfaces of the cleaning head array facing the mesh cover are on the same plane, and this plane gradually slopes away from the fan from top to bottom. Therefore, the cleaning head array can guide the oil fumes, directing them more effectively towards the air inlet.

[0024] Furthermore, the fan's axis is horizontal, and the angle between the plane and the vertical direction is θ, with θ ranging from 5 to 20°, to enhance the guiding effect of directing oil fumes into the air inlet.

[0025] Furthermore, to ensure contact between the cleaning head array and the mesh cover, the maximum distance between the cleaning head array and the mesh cover is Y, and the minimum distance between the cleaning head array and the mesh cover is X, and satisfies: Y≤0.9*X.

[0026] The technical solution adopted by the present invention to solve the second technical problem mentioned above is: a range hood, including a fan frame, characterized in that: the fan cleaning device as described above is installed inside the fan frame.

[0027] Furthermore, the air inlet of the fan faces the rear of the range hood, making the cleaning mechanism particularly suitable for this scenario. It allows for the fixed installation of the mesh cover, completely solving the disassembly problem of rear-inlet models, while also ensuring thorough cleaning.

[0028] Compared with the prior art, the advantages of the present invention are as follows: By setting up a cleaning head array, which is located outside the fan when the fan is working normally, the impact on the oil fume airflow is reduced. When the fan needs cleaning, the cleaning head contacts the mesh cover by scraping, which can directly act on the channels through which the cleaning head passes, restore the original flow area, maintain air volume, reduce noise, and has low energy consumption without heating and without the side effects of high-temperature cleaning. The reciprocating movement of the cleaning head array can better scrape off the oil stains on the channel wall. By calculating the gap between the cleaning head and the mesh through parameters such as driving force and oil stain adhesion force, it can not only ensure effective scraping of oil stains, but also control the frictional resistance between the cleaning head and the mesh cover, protect the drive mechanism, and avoid jamming. Attached Figure Description

[0029] Figure 1 This is a partial structural schematic diagram of a range hood according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the structure of a range hood according to an embodiment of the present invention (fan in working state);

[0031] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the mesh cover and cleaning head array of the range hood according to an embodiment of the present invention (fan working state);

[0032] Figure 4 for Figure 3 A magnified schematic diagram of part I;

[0033] Figure 5 This is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the structure of a range hood according to an embodiment of the present invention (fan clean state);

[0034] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the cleaning state coordination of the cleaning head array and the mesh cover in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0035] Figure 7 for Figure 6 A magnified schematic diagram of part II;

[0036] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the cleaning mechanism of the fan cleaning device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0037] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the cleaning head of the cleaning mechanism of the fan cleaning device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0038] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of a fan according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0039] The following is supplementary explanation of the attached figures:

[0040] 1-Fan; 11-Voltage; 111-Air Inlet; 112-Collector; 113-Screen Cover; 1131-Mesh; 12-Impeller; 13-Motor;

[0041] 21-Carriage; 22-Cleaning head array; 221-Cleaning head; 2211-Head; 2212-Leg; 23-Drive mechanism; 24-Slide rail;

[0042] 3-Wind turbine frame. Detailed Implementation

[0043] The present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0044] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "clockwise," "counterclockwise," "axial," "radial," and "circumferential," etc., indicating orientation or positional relationships, are based on the orientation or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings and are only for the convenience of describing the invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Since the embodiments disclosed in this invention can be arranged in different directions, these terms indicating direction are only for illustration and should not be regarded as limitations. For example, "upper" and "lower" are not necessarily limited to directions opposite to or consistent with the direction of gravity. In addition, features defined with "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of such features.

[0045] See Figures 1-10 A type of range hood. Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 5 Only the fan cleaning device and the fan frame 3 are shown. The fan cleaning device includes a fan 1 and a cleaning mechanism. The fan cleaning device is installed inside the fan frame 3.

[0046] The fan 1 is a centrifugal fan, including a volute 11, an impeller 12 disposed within the volute 11, and a motor 13 for driving the impeller 12 to rotate. An air inlet 111 is formed on the volute 11. In the normal installation state of the range hood, the air inlet 111 faces the rear of the range hood, i.e., towards the wall where the range hood is installed. A collector 112 is provided at the edge of the air inlet 111, and a mesh cover 113 is provided on the collector 112. The mesh cover 113 has mesh holes 1131, which can filter and rectify the oil fumes entering the fan 1. Preferably, the mesh cover 113 is a honeycomb mesh cover. The mesh cover 113 can be fixedly installed with the collector 112 or the volute 11 without disassembly, thus solving the problem of difficult disassembly in rear-inlet fan models.

[0047] The cleaning mechanism includes a carriage 21, a cleaning head array 22 mounted on the carriage 21, a drive mechanism 23 for moving the carriage 21, and a guide rail 24 for guiding the movement of the carriage 21. The cleaning head array 22 has multiple cleaning heads 221 arranged in an array on the carriage 21. The number of cleaning heads 221 is the same as the number of mesh openings 1131 of the mesh cover 113, and the positions of the cleaning heads 221 correspond to the positions of the mesh openings 1131 of the mesh cover 113. The carriage 21 is located at the rear of the fan 1. Preferably, the cleaning heads 221 are made of a flexible material. When the range hood is not designed for rear air intake, the positions of the carriage 21 and the cleaning head array 22 can be changed simply by aligning the cleaning head array 22 with the mesh cover 113. The overall shape of the cleaning head array 22 can also be adapted to the overall shape of the mesh cover 113.

[0048] The slide 21 is roughly square, matching the longitudinal section of the fan frame 3. Therefore, there are four slide rails 24, corresponding to the four corners of the slide 21, meaning one slide rail 24 corresponds to each corner of the slide 21. The slide rails 24 extend along the front-to-back direction of the range hood, allowing for positioning to avoid the fan 1. The drive mechanism 23 drives the slide 21 to move linearly along the front-to-back direction of the range hood. The drive mechanism 23 can employ commonly used linear drive modules, such as electric push rods, motor rack and pinion combinations, or motor screw and nut combinations.

[0049] See Figure 2 When the fan 1 is in normal working condition, the carriage 21 and the cleaning head array 22 are both located at the rear of the fan 1, and the oil fumes can normally enter the fan 1 through the mesh cover 113.

[0050] See Figures 3-5 When the fan 1 needs cleaning, the drive mechanism 23 is activated. The drive mechanism 23 drives the carriage 21 (together with the cleaning head array 22) to move toward the fan 1 until the cleaning head 221 passes through the mesh hole 1131 of the mesh cover 113. After that, the carriage 21 can reciprocate linearly, so that the cleaning head 221 repeatedly scrapes the wall surface of the defined mesh hole 1131 of the mesh cover 113, thereby removing the oil stains on the inner wall of the mesh hole 1131 channel.

[0051] Since the cleaning head array 22 is located in the airflow path, it may increase local resistance and turbulence, affecting aerodynamic performance. In addition, long-term scraping causes the cleaning head 221 to wear down, reducing cleaning efficiency. If there are hard particles in the oil, it will accelerate the wear of the cleaning head 221.

[0052] Therefore, each cleaning head 221 includes a head 2211 and a foot 2212. The shape of the head 2211 is the same as that of the mesh 1131. As in this embodiment, the mesh cover 113 is a honeycomb mesh cover, so both the head 2211 and the mesh 1131 are hexagonal. The head 2211 is located on the side closer to the mesh cover 113, and the foot 2212 extends from the head 2211 toward the side away from the mesh cover 113. The extending direction of the foot 2212 can be parallel to or coincide with the axial direction of the impeller 12. The cross-section of the foot 2212 (the cross-section perpendicular to the axial direction of the impeller 12 in the normal installation state) is rhomboid, thereby making the angle between the foot 2212 and the main oil fume airflow direction smaller to reduce turbulence. The height of the long side of the rhombus is A, preferably, the value of A is in the range of 0.4~0.8d, and the width of the short side of the rhombus is B, preferably, the value of B is in the range of 0.3~0.6A, where d is the diameter of the inscribed circle of the hexagon of the head 2211.

[0053] The surfaces of the heads 2211 of each cleaning head 221 facing the mesh cover 113 are on the same plane. In the normal installation state, this plane is inclined with respect to the vertical direction, gradually tilting away from the fan 1 from top to bottom, and the angle with the vertical direction is θ, so as to enhance the guiding effect of guiding the oil fumes into the air inlet 111. Preferably, the value of θ is in the range of 5~20°. When θ is larger, the guiding effect is better. However, in order to ensure that the cleaning head 221 can contact the mesh cover, Y≤0.9*X is required. This dimension will limit the size of θ, where Y is the maximum distance between the cleaning head array 22 and the mesh cover 113. Figure 2 As shown in the diagram, in this embodiment, the horizontal distance between the lower end of the cleaning head array 22 and the mesh cover 113 is X, where X is the minimum distance between the cleaning head array 22 and the mesh cover 113. Since the mesh cover 113 is crown-shaped and protrudes away from the impeller 12, in this embodiment, as shown... Figure 2 As shown, the minimum distance is the horizontal distance between the center position of the cleaning head array 22 in the height direction and the mesh cover 113.

[0054] The diameter of the inscribed circle of the hexagon of the mesh 1131 is D, where Dd = c, and c is the gap between the cleaning head 221 and the inner wall of the mesh 1131 when the cleaning head 221 enters the mesh 1131. Preferably, the gap is equal throughout the entire circumference. There is a trade-off between "cleaning effect" and "motion resistance and wear," which requires quantitative optimization. Specifically, c needs to be small enough to ensure effective scraping, but too small a c will increase the frictional resistance between the cleaning head 221 and the mesh cover 113. The large size increases the motor load and accelerates wear, and also makes it prone to jamming. Therefore, it is necessary to set c appropriately to simultaneously meet the requirements of cleaning effect and mechanism operation reliability. Determine c according to the following steps:

[0055] First, the motion of a single cleaning head 221 within the mesh 1131 is simplified to the following mechanical model: the head 2211 of the cleaning head 221 is considered as a flexible cylinder with diameter d, moving axially within the mesh 1131 of diameter D. It is driven by the force of the driving mechanism 23. The radial clamping force applied by the mesh cover 113 (derived from elastic deformation) sliding friction between the mesh cover 113 and oil adhesion shear force effect.

[0056] Secondly, determine the following key parameters:

[0057] 1. Radial clearance c = D – d (mm).

[0058] 2. Radial stiffness of cleaning head 221 The radial stiffness depends on the material of the cleaning head 221. For example, the radial stiffness of a 40A silicone head is approximately 0.5~1.2 (N / mm).

[0059] 3. The equivalent coefficient of friction between the walls of the mesh 1131 formed by the cleaning head 221 and the mesh cover 113. Taking silicone and galvanized steel sheets as examples, It is 0.3-0.6.

[0060] 4. Radial clamping force , and c And related to the initial shape of the cleaning head 221.

[0061] 5. Maximum driving force (N) depends on the selected drive mechanism 23. For example, a small linear motor (volume ≤ 10cm × 10cm × 5cm, i.e. ≤ 500cm³) has a continuous thrust of 20 N ~ 40 N, the lowest unit thrust cost (yuan / N), and is easy to integrate drive control, making it suitable for mass applications.

[0062] 6. Oil stain adhesion The adhesion of oil stains to the metal mesh cover 113 can be estimated by the shear adhesion strength (0.005MPa ~ 0.03MPa) * the circumferential surface area of ​​the mesh openings 1131 of the mesh cover 113 (depending on the mesh cover structure). The following is a schematic diagram of the circumferential area, which in this embodiment is the area of ​​the circle enclosed by the walls of the mesh openings 1131.

[0063] Finally, by deriving a reasonable range of parameters, c is determined:

[0064] 1. Cleaning power requirement: Effective scraping force Must meet :set up , The correlation coefficient is typically set to 2-4 to ensure thorough weakening, thus yielding the lower limit condition 1:

[0065]

[0066] 2. Motion resistance constraint: Total resistance ,in The number of cleaning heads 221 that simultaneously come into contact with the mesh cover 113 (contact refers to the head 2211 contacting the mesh cover 113) must meet the following requirements: Condition 2 for obtaining the upper limit:

[0067]

[0068] Since the cleaning head 221 is tilted in this invention, the cleaning head 221 contacts the mesh cover 113 in batches. There are about 3 rows of cleaning heads 221 in contact at the same time. The value of N can be determined by counting based on this.

[0069] 3.c and Relationship: For the flexible cleaning head 221, it is simplified to believe that... The relationship is established as being directly proportional to the interference fit or deformation: .

[0070] 4. Comprehensive Derivation: [The following is a partial translation of the original text, which is not possible without further context.] = - Substituting c into lower bound condition 1 and upper bound condition 2, we obtain the constraint inequality about c, and solve for its reasonable range.

[0071]

[0072] This interval holds true only if its lower bound is less than its upper bound, that is:

[0073]

[0074] A preferred approach is to take an intermediate value to balance cleaning effectiveness and system load.

[0075] Here is an example: In a certain range hood, take... , , , , Shear adhesion strength = 0.02 MPa = 20000 Pa, circumferential area of ​​mesh 1131 is...

[0076]

[0077]

[0078]

[0079] A negative value indicates that the diameter of the inscribed circle of the flexible cleaning head 221 is larger than the diameter of the inscribed circle of the mesh 1131 of the mesh cover 113.

[0080] Both the aforementioned fan 1 and cleaning mechanism can be controlled by a voice module. A controller, a voice receiving module, and a voice parsing module can be installed on the range hood. The voice receiving module receives user commands, and the voice parsing module parses the commands. Based on the parsed commands, the controller controls the corresponding drive mechanisms of the fan 1 and the cleaning mechanism to perform corresponding operations, thereby realizing intelligent control of the range hood and improving the user experience.

Claims

1. A fan cleaning device, comprising: A fan (1), the fan (1) including a volute (11), an air inlet (111) formed on the volute (11), a mesh cover (113) provided at the air inlet (111), the mesh cover (113) including mesh holes (1131); and A cleaning unit for cleaning the mesh cover (113); Its features are: The cleaning mechanism includes a cleaning head array (22). When the fan (1) is in operation, the cleaning head array (22) is located outside the fan (1) and opposite the mesh cover (113). When the fan (1) is in cleaning mode, the cleaning head array (22) can pass through the mesh (1131) to scrape off the oil stains on the wall surface of the mesh cover (113) that defines the mesh (1131).

2. The fan cleaning device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The cleaning head array (22) includes a plurality of cleaning heads (221), each cleaning head (221) including a head (2211) and a foot (2212), the foot (2212) extending from the head (2211) toward the side away from the mesh cover (113), and the cross-section of the foot (2212) is rhomboid.

3. The fan cleaning device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The head (2211) is hexagonal, and the height of the long side of the rhombus of the leg (2212) is A, with the value of A ranging from 0.4 to 0.8d. The width of the short side of the rhombus of the leg (2212) is B, with the value of B ranging from 0.3 to 0.6A. Wherein, d is the diameter of the inscribed circle of the hexagon of the head (2211).

4. The fan cleaning device according to claim 1, characterized in that: When the fan (1) is in a cleaning state, the cleaning head array (22) can reciprocate linearly through the mesh (1131).

5. The fan cleaning device according to claim 4, characterized in that: The cleaning head array (22) includes a plurality of cleaning heads (221), each cleaning head (221) including a head (2211) and a foot (2212), the foot (2212) extending from the head (2211) toward the side away from the mesh cover (113), and the gap between the cleaning head (221) and the wall of the mesh (1131) is equal when the cleaning head (221) enters the mesh (1131).

6. The fan cleaning device according to claim 5, characterized in that: Both the mesh (1131) and the head (2211) are hexagonal. The diameter of the inscribed circle of the hexagon of the mesh (1131) is D, and the diameter of the inscribed circle of the hexagon of the head (2211) is d. The gap between the cleaning head (221) and the wall of the mesh (1131) when the cleaning head (221) is inserted is c, where c=Dd.

7. The fan cleaning device according to claim 6, characterized in that: The cleaning mechanism also includes a drive mechanism (23) for driving the cleaning head array (22), wherein the cleaning heads (221) are made of a flexible material and the gap c satisfies the following relationship: ; in, The maximum driving force of the drive mechanism (23) is For the radial stiffness of the cleaning head (221), The number of cleaning heads (221) that simultaneously come into contact with the mesh cover (113), The equivalent coefficient of friction between the walls of the mesh (1131) formed by the cleaning head (221) and the mesh cover (113) is... , To reduce the adhesion of oil stains to the mesh cover (113), For coefficients, The value range is 2 to 4.

8. The fan cleaning device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The cleaning head array (22) has its side surface facing the mesh cover (113) on the same plane, which gradually tilts from top to bottom away from the fan (1).

9. The fan cleaning device according to claim 8, characterized in that: The axial direction of the fan (1) is horizontal, and the angle between the plane and the vertical direction is θ, with the value of θ ranging from 5 to 20°.

10. The fan cleaning device according to claim 9, characterized in that: The maximum distance between the cleaning head array (22) and the mesh cover (113) is Y, and the minimum distance between the cleaning head array (22) and the mesh cover (113) is X, and satisfies: Y≤0.9*X.

11. A range hood, comprising a fan frame (3), characterized in that: The fan cleaning device as described in any one of claims 1 to 10 is installed inside the fan frame (3).

12. The range hood according to claim 11, characterized in that: The air inlet (111) of the fan (1) faces the rear side of the range hood.

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