Clearance control tool

Abstract

The utility model provides a clearance control tool, the clearance control tool is used for a fan, the fan comprises a fan impeller and a wind scooper, the wind scooper is provided with an opening formed by a wall part to accommodate the fan impeller, the clearance is located between the fan impeller and the wind scooper, and the clearance control tool comprises a connecting piece and a connecting piece, the connecting piece is configured to be used for detachably connecting the gap control tool with the wind scooper through the connecting part of the connecting piece; the limiting piece is fixedly connected with the connecting piece, the limiting piece is provided with a first side and a second side which are opposite to each other, and the first side of the limiting piece is configured to be away from the connecting part of the connecting piece by a predefined distance. By means of the gap control tool, the size of the gap between the wind scooper and the fan impeller can be conveniently controlled in the fan assembling process, the gap does not need to be measured in the manufacturing process and after the manufacturing process, the production efficiency is improved, and meanwhile the larger degree of freedom of assembling the fan is obtained.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model relates to the field of fans, in particular to a gap control tool used for controlling the gap between a fan impeller and an air guide cover of the fan. Background Art

[0002] In new energy vehicles, the battery system of the vehicle is one of the most core components of the vehicle. Since the fuel cell stack of the battery system generates a lot of heat in the process of generating electricity, in order to ensure the normal operation of the battery system, a high-voltage cooling fan with an air guide is provided in the new energy vehicle to enhance the heat dissipation efficiency of the fuel cell stack.

[0003] For such a high-pressure cooling fan, one of the important factors affecting its cooling efficiency is the size of the gap between the fan impeller and the air shroud. The smaller the gap, the higher the efficiency of the fan cooling. However, when the gap is too small, there is a risk of scratching and jamming between the fan impeller and the air shroud, causing the entire high-pressure cooling fan to fail to operate normally and lose its cooling function. In the existing fans, the waist-shaped holes designed on the bracket to ensure the assembly fit between the fan bracket and the air shroud lead to a reduction in the concentricity of the fan impeller and the air shroud (that is, the gap between the fan impeller and the air shroud is larger in some areas and smaller in some areas). At the same time, the high temperature environment and vibration conditions during use further reduce the position with a small gap, resulting in contact and collision between the fan impeller and the air shroud in extreme cases, causing the fan to fail to function. Therefore, it is very important to control the size of the gap between the fan impeller and the air shroud during design, manufacturing and use.

[0004] The existing method of controlling the gap size is to measure the gap at several locations on the edge of the fan impeller before and after assembly, so as to find out the fan with unsatisfactory gap. However, this is not only time-consuming and laborious, but also difficult to implement after the fan is assembled and manufactured.

[0005] In addition to the above-mentioned high-pressure cooling fan for new energy vehicles, similar problems also exist in other fans with air guide covers.

[0006] Therefore, a new tool is needed to measure and confirm the gap conveniently and quickly. Utility Model Content

[0007] The purpose of the present application is to provide a gap control tool to solve at least one problem existing in the prior art.

[0008] According to one aspect of the present application, a gap control tool is provided, which is used for a fan, wherein the fan comprises a fan impeller and an air guide cover, wherein the air guide cover is provided with an opening formed by a wall portion to accommodate the fan impeller, and the gap is located between the fan impeller and the air guide cover, wherein the gap control tool comprises: a connecting member, which is configured to detachably connect the gap control tool to the air guide cover via a connecting portion of the connecting member; and a limiting member, which is fixedly connected to the connecting member, wherein the limiting member has a first side and a second side in opposite directions, and the first side of the limiting member is configured to be at a predetermined distance from the connecting portion of the connecting member.

[0009] According to an embodiment of the present application, the gap includes a radial gap between the wall portion and the fan impeller, and when the connecting member is fixedly connected to the air guide cover, the second side of the limiting member located in the radial gap is configured to fit the inner side of the wall portion.

[0010] According to an embodiment of the present application, the shape of the limiting member matches at least a portion of the inner side of the wall portion.

[0011] According to an embodiment of the present application, the limiting member has a first end and a second end that are opposite to each other, and when the connecting member is connected to the air guide cover, the first end and the second end are configured to be located outside the radial gap.

[0012] According to one embodiment of the present application, the gap also includes an axial gap between the top of the air guide cover and the extension of the fan impeller, and the length between the first end and the second end of the limit member is configured to have a predetermined length, so that when the connecting member is connected to the air guide cover, the first end of the limit member protrudes from the radial gap, and the protruding length is greater than the minimum axial width.

[0013] According to an embodiment of the present application, the limiting member has a uniform thickness between the first end and the second end, and at the first end, the limiting member has a thickness that gradually decreases and is inclined toward the first side.

[0014] According to an embodiment of the present application, the connecting member includes a first connecting member and a second connecting member that can be connected to each other, and the connecting portion is located on the first connecting member.

[0015] According to one embodiment of the present application, the second connecting member includes a connecting plate on which a deformable hose is arranged, the connecting plate is fixedly connected to the second end of the limiting member, and the first connecting member is configured to insert the hose so that the deformed hose and the limiting member are suitable for clamping the wall portion.

[0016] According to an embodiment of the present application, the connecting plate has a waist hole, the limiting member has a threaded hole, and the screw is inserted into the waist hole and the threaded hole to connect the connecting plate and the limiting member.

[0017] According to an embodiment of the present application, the second connecting member is disposed in the limiting member, the first connecting member includes a material capable of magnetic attraction to the second connecting member, and is configured to be suitable for clamping the wall portion with the second connecting member or the limiting member.

[0018] By using the gap control tool of the present application, the size of the gap between the air guide cover and the fan impeller can be conveniently controlled during the process of assembling the fan without measuring the gap during and after manufacturing, thereby improving production efficiency and obtaining greater freedom in assembling the fan. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] The exemplary embodiments of the present application will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the embodiments described below are only used to explain the present application, rather than to limit the scope of the present application. In the accompanying drawings:

[0020] Figure 1 shows a front view of a fan equipped with a gap control tool according to an exemplary embodiment of the present application;

[0021] Figure 2 Shows Figure 1 A portion of a cross-sectional view of the fan along the AB direction;

[0022] Figure 3 A perspective view of a gap control tool according to an exemplary embodiment of the present application is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0023] The preferred embodiments of the present application are described in detail below with reference to examples. In the embodiments of the present application, the present application is described by taking a cooling fan for a fuel cell stack as an example. However, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that these exemplary embodiments do not mean any limitation to the present application. In addition, the features in the embodiments of the present application may be combined with each other unless there is a conflict. In different drawings, the same components are represented by the same reference numerals, and other components are omitted for the sake of brevity, but this does not mean that the gap control tool of the present application may not include other components. It should be understood that the size, proportional relationship and number of components of the components in the drawings are not intended to limit the present application.

[0024] It will be understood that although the terms "first", "second", etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, these elements should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element from another element. For example, a first element may be referred to as a second element, and similarly, a second element may be referred to as a first element without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

[0025] Figure 1 A front view of a fan 200 assembled using the gap control tool 100 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present application is shown.

[0026] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present application, a gap control tool 100 for a fan 200 is provided. The fan 200 may be, for example, a high-pressure fan for a heat dissipation system of a fuel cell. Figure 1 As shown, the fan 200 generally includes a fan impeller 210, an air scoop 220, a motor 230 and a support member 240. The motor 230 is fixedly connected to the fan impeller 210 through a power output shaft (not shown) extending from a motor body 231 of the motor 230, thereby driving the rotation of the fan impeller 210. The support member 240 provided on the air scoop 220 is fixedly connected to the motor body 231 to support the motor 230 and the fan impeller 210. Generally, in order to maximize efficiency, the fan impeller 210 is disposed in the opening 221 of the air scoop 220, so that a gap 300 that needs to be controlled using the gap control tool 100 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present application is formed between the fan impeller 210 and the air scoop 220. The width of the gap 300 is determined to be greater than the distance between the first side 121 of the stopper 120 of the gap control tool 100 located in the gap 300 and the inner side 222a of the wall portion 222 of the air guide cover 220 forming the opening 221 (see Figure 2 ), so that the actual width of the gap 300 (the width when the fan is running) is greater than the minimum radial width (which will be described in detail below), thereby avoiding collision between the fan impeller 210 and the wind guide cover 220 during operation.

[0027] The following will refer to Figure 2 and Figure 3 The gap control tool 100 according to the present application is described in detail. Figure 2 Shows Figure 1 A portion of a cross-sectional view of the fan 200 along the AB direction. Figure 3 A perspective view of a gap control tool 100 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present application is shown.

[0028] like Figure 2 and Figure 3As shown, the gap control tool 100 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present application includes a connector 110 and a stopper 120 fixedly connected to the connector 110. The connector 110 is configured to be detachably connected to the air guide cover 220 of the fan 200, so that the gap control tool 100 can be detachably connected to the air guide cover 220. Generally, the air guide cover 220 forms a wall portion 222 at the opening 221 to enhance the guidance of air flow, and therefore, the connector 110 is preferably detachably connected to the wall portion 222 (for example, the connector 110 clamps the wall portion 222). The wall portion 222 has an inner side 222a facing the opening and an outer side 222b opposite to the inner side 222a. When the fan 200 is assembled, a radial gap of one of the gaps 300 to be controlled (i.e., a gap having a width in the radial direction of the fan 200 and extending in the axial and circumferential directions of the fan 200) is formed between the inner side 222a of the wall portion 222 and the fan impeller 210.

[0029] As mentioned above, if the gap is too small, it will cause scratches between the fan impeller 210 and the wind guide cover 220. Therefore, there will be a minimum radial width, that is, when the width of the radial gap is less than the minimum radial width, the fan impeller 210 will interfere with the wind guide cover 220. For fans 200 of different specifications, the minimum radial width will also be different, which depends on the size of the fan impeller 210, the size of the opening 221 and other dimensional conditions of the fan 200 itself, and also depends on the fan speed, operating temperature, vibration and other usage or environmental conditions. Preferably, the minimum radial width can be calculated by simulation (for example, finite element analysis). Alternatively, the minimum radial width can be an empirical parameter.

[0030] like Figure 3As shown, the stopper 120 has a first side 121 and a second side 122 opposite to each other. In order to achieve that the actual width of the radial gap of the fan 200 is greater than the minimum radial width, the distance between the first side 121 of the stopper 120 and the connecting portion 110' of the connecting member 110 (the connecting portion 110' is used to connect the connecting member 110 to the air guide cover 220) should be set so that when the stopper 120 is correctly set, the distance between the first side 121 and the inner side 222a of the wall portion 222 is greater than the minimum radial width. In this way, the actual width of the radial gap will be greater than the distance between the first side 121 and the inner side 222a of the wall portion 222, and also greater than the minimum radial width, thereby ensuring the operation of the fan 200. In general, by using the gap control tool provided in the present application, by being able to simply detachably connect the connecting parts to the air guide cover, a means of easily measuring and controlling the gap of the fan before and after assembling the fan is achieved, thereby avoiding the time-consuming and laborious measurement of the gap width at each position, improving production efficiency while gaining greater freedom in assembling the fan (for example, the dimensional tolerance requirements between the fan impeller and the air guide cover can be relatively reduced).

[0031] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present application, when the connecting member 110 is fixedly connected to the air guide cover 220, the second side 122 of the stopper 120 located in the radial gap is configured to fit the inner side 222a of the wall portion 222. In this way, the stability of the control of the gap 300 after the gap control tool 100 of the present application is installed can be minimized, because the width of the radial gap is necessarily greater than the sum of the thickness of the stopper 120 and the distance between the second side 122 of the stopper 120 and the inner side 222a of the wall portion 222. In this way, when the second side 122 fits the inner side 222a, the distance between the second side 122 and the inner side 222a is zero, so that the distance between the first side 121 of the stopper 120 and the inner side 222a of the wall portion 222 will not change (i.e., the actual gap distance change) due to, for example, the change in the distance between the second side 122 and the inner side 222a caused by the deformation of some parts of the connecting member 110. However, in some other embodiments, the case where the distance between the second side 122 and the inner side 222a is not zero is also considered. In this case, the distance can be designed as an additional redundant width to cope with extreme situations to increase the reliability of the fan.

[0032] Preferably, in order to further enhance the control of the radial gap by the stopper 120, the stopper 120 is configured to have a shape matching a portion of the inner side 222a of the wall portion 222, so that the inner side 222a of the wall portion 222 can be completely fitted within the radial gap corresponding to the portion. That is, the stopper 120 is configured to have an arc shape to adapt to the circular wall portion 222.

[0033] Also Figure 3As shown, the stopper 120 also has a first end 123 and a second end 124 opposite to each other. Preferably, the length between the first end 123 and the second end 124 of the stopper 120 should be greater than the axial length of the radial gap (e.g. Figure 2 As shown, the axial length of the radial gap is the length in the axial direction of the portion where the fan impeller 210 and the wall portion 222 overlap in the radial direction), so that the stopper 120 can control the radial gap over the entire axial length. That is, preferably, after the gap control tool 100 according to the exemplary embodiment of the present application is installed, the first end 123 and the second end 124 of the stopper 120 should be located outside the radial gap, and the stopper 120 between the first end 123 and the second end 124 extends within the radial gap.

[0034] Back to Figure 2 , the fan impeller 210 of the fan 200 to be assembled using the gap control tool 100 according to the exemplary embodiment of the present application may also include an extension 211. In some cases, the extension 211 will overlap with the top 223 of the wind guide 220 in the axial direction, thereby forming an axial gap having a width in the axial direction of the fan 200 and extending in the radial direction and circumferential direction of the fan 200. Similar to the radial gap, a too small axial gap will also cause the fan impeller 210 to collide with the wind guide 220 during use (that is, similarly, the width of the axial gap should also be greater than the minimum axial width), thereby causing the fan 200 to fail. Therefore, the gap control tool 100 according to the exemplary embodiment of the present application is preferably also capable of controlling the axial gap. To this end, the length between the first end 123 and the second end 124 of the stopper 120 is configured to have a predefined length, so that when the connector 110 is connected to the wind guide 220, the length of the first end 123 of the stopper 120 protruding from the radial gap is greater than the minimum axial width. In this way, when assembling the fan 200, the first end 123 of the limit member 120 will abut against the extension portion 211, thereby ensuring that the distance between the extension portion 211 and the top 223 of the air guide cover 220 is greater than the minimum axial width, so that when the extension portion 211 exists on the fan impeller 210, it can still be ensured that the gap between the fan impeller 210 and the air guide cover 220 will not cause the fan impeller 210 to contact the air guide cover 220 during operation.

[0035] It should be noted that, preferably, when designing the stopper 120, consideration should be given to increasing the redundant width to cope with extreme situations. The redundant width can be designed, for example, as a certain percentage of the diameter of the fan impeller 210, or as a fixed value. In the present application, the redundant width is included in the minimum radial width and the minimum axial width.

[0036] Preferably, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present application, the stopper 120 has a uniform thickness between the first end 123 and the second end 124. Providing a uniform thickness not only facilitates the manufacture of the stopper 120, but also enables it to fit more closely with the inner side 222a of the wall portion 222, thereby improving the ability of the gap control tool 100 to resist deformation and increasing the accuracy of the tool gap control 100. More preferably, the stopper 120 has a gradually decreasing thickness inclined toward the first side at the first end 123, thereby facilitating the setting of the gap control tool 100 according to the exemplary embodiment of the present application in the gap.

[0037] Another method of increasing the accuracy and life of the gap control tool 100 is to provide a symmetrical stopper 120 having a certain length in the circumferential direction. Therefore, the stopper 120 is configured to extend symmetrically along the circumferential direction with the second connecting member 112 (see below) as the symmetry center. Generally, the length of the extension can be selected based on the size of the arc of the extension, for example, extending 15° on each side, or extending 20° as shown in the figure. In addition, it is preferred that the first end 123 and the second end 124 of the stopper 120 extend in parallel, so that the stopper 120 is formed into an arc plate as shown in the figure.

[0038] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present application, the connector 110 may include a first connector 111 and a second connector 112 for fixedly connecting to the stopper 120, wherein the first connector 111 and the second connector 112 are configured to interact with each other to achieve a detachable connection with the air guide 220 of the fan 200. Alternatively, the first connector 111 and the second connector 112 may be two parts of the same connector, thereby achieving connection with the air guide 220 and the stopper 120 at the same time.

[0039] Refer again Figure 3 .exist Figure 3 In the embodiment, the second connecting member 112 includes a connecting plate on which a deformable hose is disposed, and the connecting plate is fixedly connected to the second end 124 of the stopper 120. In the process of installing the gap control tool 100 to the wall portion 222, the first connecting member 111 is configured to insert the hose to deform the hose (e.g., expand) so that the hose can work together with the stopper 120 to clamp the wall portion 222 of the opening 221 of the air guide cover 220 to install the gap control tool 100 on the air guide cover 220. When the fan 200 is assembled, the gap control tool 100 can be removed by removing the first connecting member 111. The first connecting member 111 can be, for example, a screw or a metal rod.

[0040] In order to increase the use flexibility of the gap control tool 100 according to the exemplary embodiment of the present application, the connection plate of the gap control tool 100 has a waist hole, and the stopper 120 has a threaded hole, and the screw is inserted into the waist hole and the threaded hole to connect the connection plate with the stopper 120. In this way, when, for example, the wall portion 222 has different thicknesses, the position of the screw inserted into the waist hole can be adjusted, so that the gap control tool 100 is suitable for use in different fans.

[0041] In another exemplary embodiment according to the present application, the first connector 111 and the second connector 112 may not be directly connected. In this embodiment, the first connector 111 and the second connector 112 may be magnetically attracted to each other. For example, the second connector 112 is a magnet and the first connector 111 is iron, or vice versa. In this way, the second connector 112 can be arranged in the stopper 120 (for example, the second connector 112 is a part of the stopper 120), so that the first connector 111 and the second connector 112 or the stopper 120 can be magnetically attracted. When installing the gap control tool 100, the first connector 111 is arranged on the outer side 222b of the wall portion 222 and the second connector 112 (stopper 120) is arranged on the inner side 222a (i.e., in the radial gap), and through magnetic attraction, the first connector 111 and the second connector 112 (stopper 120) will clamp the wall portion 222 to install the gap control tool 100 on the air guide cover 220.

[0042] The above embodiment of the present application provides a gap control tool. According to the technical solution of the present application, by using the gap control tool when assembling the fan, a means of simply measuring and controlling the gap of the fan before and after assembling the fan is provided, avoiding the time-consuming and laborious measurement of the gap width at each position, improving production efficiency and obtaining greater freedom in assembling the fan.

[0043] The present application has been described in detail above in conjunction with specific embodiments. Obviously, the above description and the embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings should be understood as exemplary and do not constitute a limitation to the present application. For those skilled in the art, various modifications or changes can be made to the present application without departing from the spirit of the present application, and these modifications or changes do not depart from the scope of the present application.

Claims

1. A gap control tool (100), used for a fan (200), the fan (200) comprising a fan impeller (210) and an air guide cover (220), the air guide cover (220) being provided with an opening (221) formed by a wall portion (222) for accommodating the fan impeller (210), the gap (300) being located between the fan impeller (210) and the air guide cover (220), characterized in that: The gap control tool (100) comprises: A connecting member (110), wherein the connecting member (110) is configured to detachably connect the gap control tool (100) to the air guide cover (220) via a connecting portion (110') of the connecting member (110); and a limiting member (120), wherein the limiting member (120) is fixedly connected to the connecting member (110), The limiting member (120) has a first side (121) and a second side (122) that are opposite to each other, and the first side (121) of the limiting member (120) is configured to be at a predefined distance from the connecting portion (110') of the connecting member (110).

2. The gap control tool (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that: The gap (300) includes a radial gap between the wall portion (222) and the fan impeller (210), and when the connecting member (110) is fixedly connected to the wind guide cover (220), the second side (122) of the limiting member (120) located in the radial gap is configured to fit the inner side (222a) of the wall portion (222).

3. The gap control tool (100) according to claim 2, characterized in that: The shape of the limiting member (120) matches at least a portion of the inner side (222a) of the wall portion (222).

4. The gap control tool (100) according to claim 3, characterized in that: The limiting member (120) has a first end (123) and a second end (124) that are opposite to each other. When the connecting member (110) is connected to the air guide cover (220), the first end (123) and the second end (124) are configured to be located outside the radial gap.

5. According to the gap control tool (100) according to claim 4, the gap (300) also includes an axial gap between the top (223) of the wind guide cover (220) and the extension (211) of the fan impeller (210), and the length between the first end (123) and the second end (124) of the limit member (120) is configured to have a predetermined length, so that when the connecting member (110) is connected to the wind guide cover (220), the first end (123) of the limit member (120) protrudes from the radial gap, and the protruding length is greater than the minimum axial width.

6. The gap control tool (100) according to claim 4, characterized in that: The stopper (120) has a uniform thickness between the first end (123) and the second end (124), and at the first end (123) the stopper (120) has a thickness that gradually decreases and is inclined toward the first side (121).

7. The gap control tool (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that: The connecting member (110) comprises a first connecting member (111) and a second connecting member (112) which can be connected to each other, and the connecting portion (110') is located on the first connecting member (111).

8. The gap control tool (100) according to claim 7, characterized in that: The second connecting member (112) comprises a connecting plate on which a deformable hose is arranged, the connecting plate is fixedly connected to the second end (124) of the limiting member (120), and the first connecting member (111) is configured to be inserted into the hose so that the deformed hose and the limiting member (120) are suitable for clamping the wall portion (222).

9. The gap control tool (100) according to claim 8, characterized in that: The connecting plate has a waist hole, the limiting member (120) has a threaded hole, and a screw is inserted into the waist hole and the threaded hole so that the connecting plate is connected to the limiting member (120).

10. The gap control tool (100) according to claim 7, characterized in that: The second connecting member (112) is arranged in the limiting member (120), and the first connecting member (111) includes a material that can be magnetically attracted to the second connecting member (112), and is configured to be suitable for clamping the wall portion (222) with the second connecting member (112) or the limiting member (120).

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