Fan assembly and water heater

Abstract

The utility model discloses a fan assembly and a water heater, and relates to the technical field of water heaters, the fan assembly comprises a volute assembly and a connecting assembly, and the volute assembly is provided with an air outlet; the connecting assembly is arranged at the air outlet and comprises an insert and a connecting piece, the insert and the volute assembly are integrally formed, the connecting piece is connected with the insert, and the connecting piece is used for being connected with an installation carrier so that the volute assembly can be installed on the installation carrier. According to the technical scheme, the insert is arranged at the air outlet, the strength of the insert is larger than that of the volute assembly, the insert and the volute assembly are integrally formed, and the volute assembly and the water heater body are connected and installed at the air outlet of the volute assembly. According to the technical scheme, the structural strength of the air outlet of the volute assembly is improved, and therefore the stability and reliability of connection between the volute assembly and the water heater body are improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model relates to the technical field of water heaters, and particularly relates to a fan assembly and a water heater. Background Art

[0002] In the related prior art, plastic volutes have the advantages of low cost, light weight and strong corrosion resistance in some applications. However, when the plastic volute is applied to a water heater, due to the large temperature difference between the working state and the non-working state of the water heater, in a working environment with a large temperature change, the plastic volute is prone to thermal expansion and contraction, resulting in a decrease in the sealing performance at the connection between the plastic volute and the water heater main body or structural deformation, thereby affecting the stability and reliability of the connection between the plastic volute and the water heater main body. Summary of the Utility Model

[0003] The main object of the utility model is to propose a fan assembly and a water heater, aiming to improve the stability and reliability of the connection between the volute assembly and the water heater main body.

[0004] To achieve the above object, the fan assembly proposed by the utility model includes:

[0005] A volute assembly having an air outlet; and

[0006] A connection assembly provided at the air outlet, the connection assembly includes an insert and a connecting member, the insert is integrally formed with the volute assembly, the connecting member is connected to the insert, and the connecting member is used to connect to an installation carrier to mount the volute assembly on the installation carrier.

[0007] In one embodiment, the insert includes an insert body and an embedding portion provided on the insert body, the embedding portion is embedded in the volute assembly and is integrally formed with the volute assembly.

[0008] In one embodiment, the embedding portion is embedded in the volute assembly from the end face at the air outlet.

[0009] In one embodiment, the insert further includes a reinforcing portion provided on the embedding portion.

[0010] In one embodiment, the embedding portion is in a sheet shape, and the reinforcing portion is a through hole penetrating the embedding portion.

[0011] In one embodiment, the number of the embedding portions is multiple, and the multiple embedding portions are arranged at intervals along the circumferential direction of the insert body.

[0012] In one embodiment, the connecting member includes a connecting frame, a connecting portion and a clamping portion provided on the connecting frame;

[0013] The connection frame and the insert body are connected via a fastener, the connection portion is used to be connected to the installation carrier via the fastener, and the clamping portion is used to be clamped to the installation carrier.

[0014] In one embodiment, the connecting portion includes a connecting sub-portion and a folding sub-portion connected to each other, the connecting sub-portion is connected to the connecting frame, and the folding sub-portion is folded toward one side of the volute assembly.

[0015] In one embodiment, the connection frame is further provided with a flange.

[0016] In one embodiment, the fan assembly comprises:

[0017] a volute assembly having an air outlet; and

[0018] A connecting component, the connecting component includes an insert and a snap-in component, the insert and the snap-in component are both integrally formed with the volute component, the insert forms a mounting position, the mounting position is used to connect to a mounting carrier, and the snap-in component is used to snap-in with the mounting carrier.

[0019] In one embodiment, the volute assembly has an air inlet, the mounting position is provided on a side of the volute assembly provided with the air inlet, and the clamping member is provided on a side of the volute assembly away from the air inlet.

[0020] In one embodiment, the insert is a nut.

[0021] In one embodiment, the volute assembly includes a volute body and a cover plate, the volute body has a mounting opening, the cover plate is arranged on the mounting opening, the insert is embedded in the volute body, the volute body is a plastic part, and the insert is a metal part.

[0022] In one embodiment, the fan assembly comprises:

[0023] An impeller, disposed on the volute assembly;

[0024] The driving motor comprises a stator assembly and a rotor assembly arranged in the stator assembly, wherein the rotor assembly is drivingly connected to the impeller; the stator assembly is integrally formed with the cover plate, or the stator assembly is integrally formed with the volute body.

[0025] The utility model also provides a water heater, which comprises the fan assembly described in any one of the above embodiments.

[0026] The technical solution of the present utility model is to set an insert at the air outlet. The strength of the insert is greater than that of the volute assembly, and the insert and the volute assembly are integrally formed. The volute assembly is connected and installed with the water heater main body at its air outlet. Thus, the technical solution of the present utility model improves the structural strength at the air outlet of the volute assembly, thereby improving the stability and reliability of the connection between the volute assembly and the water heater main body. Description of the Drawings

[0027] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present utility model or the prior art, the following will briefly introduce the drawings required for use in the description of the embodiments or the prior art. Obviously, the drawings in the following description are only some embodiments of the present utility model. For those of ordinary skill in the art, without creative efforts, other drawings can be obtained based on the structures shown in these drawings.

[0028] Figure 1 Structural schematic diagram of an embodiment of the fan assembly provided by the present utility model;

[0029] Figure 2 For Figure 1 Side view of

[0030] Figure 3 For Figure 2 A - A cross - sectional view in

[0031] Figure 4 For Figure 1 Exploded view of

[0032] Figure 5 Structural schematic diagram of another embodiment of the fan assembly provided by the present utility model;

[0033] Figure 6 For Figure 5 Side view of

[0034] Figure 7 For Figure 6 B - B cross - sectional view in

[0035] Figure 8 For Figure 7 Enlarged view of part A in

[0036] Figure 9 For Figure 5 Exploded view of

[0037] Figure 10 Structural schematic diagram of another embodiment of the fan assembly provided by the present utility model;

[0038] Figure 11 Structural schematic diagram of an embodiment of the insert

[0039] Figure 12 is Figure 11 an enlarged view of part B in

[0040] Figure 13 a schematic structural view of an embodiment of an end cover;

[0041] Figure 14 a schematic structural view of an embodiment of a volute main body;

[0042] Figure 15 a schematic structural view of an embodiment of integrally formed cover plate and stator assembly;

[0043] Figure 16 is Figure 15 a sectional view taken along C-C in

[0044] Explanation of the reference numerals in the drawings:

[0045] 1. Fan assembly;

[0046] 10. Fan;

[0047] 100. Volute assembly; 101. Air inlet; 102. Air outlet; 103. Installation opening; 104. Opening; 110. Volute main body; 111. Welding part; 112. Flange; 120. Cover plate; 121. Plate body; 122. Protrusion; 122a. First protruding sub-part; 122b. Second protruding sub-part; 123. Fitting part; 124. Positioning part; 130. Insert; 131. Welding groove; 132. Fastening part;

[0048] 200. Impeller; 210. Hub; 220. Blade; 201. Accommodating groove;

[0049] 300. Connection assembly; 310. Insert; 311. Insert body; 312. Embedding part; 313. Reinforcement part; 320. Connector; 321. Connection frame; 322. Connection part; 322a. Connection sub-part; 322b. Folding sub-part; 323. Clamping part; 324. Flanging; 330. Clamping piece;

[0050] 20. Driving motor; 21. Stator assembly; 22. Rotor assembly; 22a. Rotating shaft; 22b. Rotor core; 22c. First bearing; 22d. Second bearing; 23. End cover; 23a. End part; 23b. Limiting part; 23c. Abutting part.

[0051] The realization, functional features and advantages of the purpose of the present utility model will be further described with reference to the embodiments and the accompanying drawings. Detailed embodiments

[0052] Next, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present utility model will be clearly and completely described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of the present utility model. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present utility model, rather than all embodiments. All other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art based on the embodiments of the present utility model without creative efforts belong to the scope of protection of the present utility model.

[0053] It should be noted that if there are directional indications (such as up, down, left, right, front, back...) involved in the embodiments of the present utility model, the directional indications are only used to explain the relative position relationship and movement conditions between components in a specific posture. If the specific posture changes, the directional indications will also change accordingly.

[0054] In addition, if there are descriptions such as "first", "second", etc. involved in the embodiments of the present utility model, the descriptions of "first", "second", etc. are only for descriptive purposes and cannot be understood as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly indicating the quantity of the indicated technical features. Thus, the features defined with "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one such feature. In addition, if "and / or" or "and / or" appears throughout the text, its meaning includes three parallel solutions. Taking "A and / or B" as an example, it includes solution A, solution B, or a solution where A and B are satisfied simultaneously. In addition, the technical solutions between the various embodiments can be combined with each other, but it must be based on the ability of those of ordinary skill in the art to implement. When the combination of technical solutions results in contradictions or cannot be implemented, it should be considered that such a combination of technical solutions does not exist and is not within the scope of protection required by the present utility model.

[0055] The present utility model provides a fan assembly, aiming to simplify the installation structure of the drive motor. For the convenience of understanding and description, in the specification of the present utility model Figures 1 to 16 In the figures, the solid arrow indicates a space, slot or hole.

[0056] The present utility model provides a fan assembly 1, which can be applied to water heaters (especially gas water heaters), range hoods, air treatment devices, etc., and will not be exemplified one by one here. Next, the specific structure of the fan assembly 1 will be described.

[0057] Please refer to Figure 3 and Figure 4, in an embodiment of the present utility model, the fan assembly 1 includes a fan 10 and a driving motor 20. The fan 10 includes a volute assembly 100 and an impeller 200 disposed within the volute assembly 100. The driving motor 20 includes a stator assembly 21 and a rotor assembly 22 disposed within the stator assembly 21. The volute assembly 100 and the stator assembly 21 are integrally formed, and the rotor assembly 22 is drivingly connected to the impeller 200.

[0058] Regarding the driving motor 20, the driving motor 20 generally includes a motor housing, a stator assembly 21, and a rotor assembly 22. The motor housing is used to protect internal components such as the stator assembly 21 and the rotor assembly 22 and provide mechanical support. In this embodiment, by integrally forming the stator assembly 21 with the volute assembly 100, the motor housing, the connection structure between the motor housing and the stator assembly 21, and the connection structure between the motor housing and the volute assembly 100 are reduced, thereby simplifying the installation structure of the driving motor 20 in the fan assembly 1.

[0059] Regarding the fan 10, the fan 10 is generally a centrifugal fan 10. The fan 10 mainly includes a volute assembly 100 and an impeller 200, and the impeller 200 is disposed within the volute assembly 100. Generally speaking, the volute assembly 100 includes a volute main body 110 and a cover plate 120. The volute main body 110 generally includes a bottom plate and a surrounding plate, and the bottom plate and the surrounding plate can be integrally formed or separately provided. Preferably, the bottom plate and the surrounding plate are integrally formed, and the shape of the volute assembly 100 is determined by the profile line of the surrounding plate. The volute main body 110 constructs an air inlet 101, an air outlet 102, and an installation opening 103. The cover plate 120 is used to cover the installation opening 103. The volute main body 110 and the cover plate 120 enclose to form a fan cavity, and both the air inlet 101 and the air outlet 102 communicate with the fan cavity. The main function of the air inlet 101 is to guide fluid (gas or liquid) into the impeller 200. It is usually designed to have a smooth shape to reduce flow resistance and pressure loss; the main function of the air outlet 102 is to guide fluid out of the volute assembly 100, usually after the fluid passes through the impeller 200 and converts kinetic energy into pressure energy within the volute assembly 100; the main function of the installation opening 103 is to install the impeller 200 into the fan cavity. Preferably, for the convenience of installing the impeller 200 and the volute main body 110, the above-mentioned installation opening 103 is usually an open setting. Of course, in other embodiments, the installation opening 103 can be a non-open setting.

[0060] Regarding the volute component 100 and the stator component 21 are integrally formed. The volute component 100 and the stator component 21 are integrally formed. The volute component 100 includes a volute main body 110 and a cover plate 120, and the volute main body 110 generally includes a bottom plate and a surrounding plate. Thus, for the volute component 100 and the stator component 21 being integrally formed, it can be that the stator component 21 and the cover plate 120 are integrally formed, or the stator component 21 and the bottom plate are integrally formed. Additionally, in some special embodiments, it can also be that the stator component 21 and the surrounding plate are integrally formed. Preferably, to facilitate a reasonable arrangement of the structural layout of the fan component 1, the stator component 21 is integrally formed with the cover plate 120.

[0061] It should be understood that in this embodiment, the integrally formed setting of the volute component 100 and the stator component 21 aims to achieve the manufacture of an integral structure through single processing or a combination of various processing methods, avoiding the defects brought by the traditional assembly or welding methods of the volute component 100 and the stator component 21. The ways of integrally forming the volute component 100 and the stator component 21 include but are not limited to injection molding, 3D printing, etc.

[0062] Among them, in this implementation, injection molding is preferably used. The principle of injection molding is: injecting the heated and melted plastic raw material into the mold, and taking out the finished product after cooling and shaping. Injection molding is widely used in manufacturing plastic products with complex shapes, such as automotive parts, electronic product casings, etc. Taking the stator component 21 and the cover plate 120 being integrally formed as an example, by pre-placing the stator component 21 in the mold of the cover plate 120 preset for injection molding, injecting the heated and melted plastic raw material into the mold, and taking out the finished product after cooling and shaping.

[0063] The technical solution of the present utility model integrally forms the stator component 21 of the drive motor 20 and the volute component 100 of the fan 10, so that the drive motor 20 does not require connecting components such as screws for its fixed installation, thereby simplifying the installation structure of the drive motor 20 in the fan component 1.

[0064] Furthermore, integrally forming the stator assembly 21 and the volute assembly 100 has significant advantages in many applications, including weight reduction, increased structural rigidity, simplified manufacturing and assembly processes, and system reliability. Specifically, integrally forming the stator assembly 21 and the volute assembly 100 can reduce the connecting components 322 and materials between the stator assembly 21 and the volute assembly 100, thereby reducing the overall weight. It can also more effectively utilize materials, reduce waste during the processing, which is beneficial to environmental protection and sustainable development; the integrally formed structure of the stator assembly 21 and the volute assembly 100 is generally more robust and stable than separate components, and can effectively reduce vibration and noise; integrally forming the stator assembly 21 and the volute assembly 100 can ensure that their relative positions are exactly consistent, reducing performance instability caused by assembly errors, which provides a guarantee for the optimization and consistency of the motor performance; integrally forming the stator assembly 21 and the volute assembly 100 also reduces the assembly steps and related processes of the drive motor 20, reduces manufacturing complexity and costs. Although the design and manufacturing of the integral forming mold may require a relatively high upfront investment, in large-scale production, due to the reduction of assembly time and the number of components, the overall cost may be significantly reduced. Reducing the number of components also means reducing the complexity of inventory management and quality control; the integrally formed structure of the stator assembly 21 and the volute assembly 100 can reduce the thermal resistance between the stator and the volute assembly 100, improve the overall heat dissipation efficiency, extend the service life and reliability of the motor, and at the same time reduce the connection points and potential failure points, reduce maintenance requirements, and improve the overall reliability of the system; the integrated setting of the stator assembly 21 and the volute assembly 100 can better utilize the internal space and reduce the overall size of the device; integrally forming the stator assembly 21 and the volute assembly 100 makes the appearance of the fan assembly 1 more concise and beautiful, helps to integrate the product and the consistency of the appearance design, and improves the market competitiveness of the product.

[0065] For example, referring to Figure 4 and Figure 9 , in an exemplary embodiment, the volute assembly 100 includes a volute main body 110 and a cover plate 120. The volute main body 110 and the cover plate 120 enclose a fan cavity for installing the impeller 200, and the cover plate 120 and the stator assembly 21 are integrally formed.

[0066] Further, the cover plate 120 includes a plate body 121 and a convex portion 122 provided on the plate body 121. The plate body 121 and the volute body 110 enclose to form the blower cavity; the convex portion 122 is arranged in a ring shape, the convex portion 122 covers the stator assembly 21 and is integrally formed with the stator assembly 21, and the convex portion 122 defines a motor cavity for installing the rotor assembly 22. Preferably, in order to further reduce the axial height of the blower assembly 1, at least part of the convex portion 122 is arranged in the blower cavity.

[0067] Among them, at least part of the convex portion 122 is arranged in the blower cavity. Since the convex portion 122 defines a motor cavity for installing the rotor assembly 22, that is to say, part of the drive motor 20 is located in the blower cavity, thereby reducing the axial height of the blower assembly 1. The axial height generally refers to the axial height of the blower assembly 1 in the axial direction of the rotating shaft 22a of the drive motor 20. At least part of the convex portion 122 being arranged in the blower cavity can be understood as that the convex portion 122 is entirely placed in the blower cavity, or part of the convex portion 122 is arranged in the blower cavity, and part of the convex portion 122 can be in the axial direction of the rotating shaft 22a of the drive motor 20. Specifically, it can be that half of the convex portion 122 is arranged in the blower cavity, or one-third of the convex portion 122 is arranged in the blower cavity, etc. Of course, it can also be other parts. For example, the motor cavity generally includes a first bearing cavity, a main cavity, and a second bearing cavity. Among them, it can be that the convex portion 122 corresponding to the first bearing cavity is accommodated in the blower cavity.

[0068] In an exemplary embodiment, please refer to Figure 15 and 16 , the convex portion 122 includes a first convex sub-portion 122a and a second convex sub-portion 122b. The first convex sub-portion 122a and the second convex sub-portion 122b are respectively arranged on both sides of the plate body 121. The first convex sub-portion 122a is close to the impeller 200, and the second convex sub-portion 122b faces away from the impeller 200. The first convex sub-portion 122a is received in the accommodation groove 201, and the second convex sub-portion 122b covers the stator assembly 21.

[0069] In another exemplary embodiment, please refer to Figure 7 and Figure 9, the rotor assembly 22 includes a rotating shaft 22a, a rotor core 22b sleeved on the rotating shaft 22a, a first bearing 22c and a second bearing 22d. The first bearing 22c, the rotor core 22b and the second bearing 22d are arranged in sequence along the axial direction of the rotating shaft 22a; the first convex sub - part 122a constructs a first bearing cavity for installing the first bearing 22c, the second convex sub - part 122b constructs a main cavity for installing the rotor core 22b, the end cover 23 constructs a second bearing cavity for installing the second bearing 22d, and the first bearing cavity, the main cavity and the second bearing cavity communicate to form the motor cavity.

[0070] Regarding the impeller 200, the main structure of the impeller 200 generally includes a disk, a hub 210 and blades 220. The hub 210 is in transmission connection with the rotor assembly 22. The disk is a component connecting the blades 220 and the shaft, usually made of stainless steel or aluminum alloy. Its function is to fix the blades 220 and the hub 210 so that they can rotate together; the blades 220 are the main structural components of the impeller 200, responsible for converting energy into fluid kinetic energy or static energy. According to the different structures of the blades 220 and fluid characteristics, they can be divided into straight blades 220, twisted blades 220 and blades 220 limited to the static pressure type, etc.; the hub 210 is the central part of the impeller 200, bearing the blades 220 and the disk, and responsible for transmitting the rotational force to the shaft. In order to improve the strength and stiffness of the hub 210, high - strength metal materials are generally used for manufacturing.

[0071] In one embodiment, please refer to Figure 3 and Figure 4 、 Figure 7 and Figure 9 , in order to shorten the length of the rotating shaft 22a in the rotor assembly 22, the impeller 200 has a first end and a second end arranged oppositely. The first end is close to the cover plate 120, and the hub 210 is arranged at the first end of the impeller 200.

[0072] In another embodiment, please continue to refer to Figure 3 and Figure 4 、 Figure 7 and Figure 9 , in order to further shorten the length of the rotating shaft 22a in the rotor assembly 22, a receiving groove 201 is provided on one side of the hub 210 close to the cover plate 120, and at least part of the convex portion 122 is arranged in the receiving groove 201.

[0073] In yet another embodiment, an opening 104 communicating with the motor cavity is provided at one end of the convex portion 122 facing away from the plate body 121. The drive motor 20 includes an end cover 23 for covering the opening 104. To facilitate the disassembly and assembly of the rotor assembly 22, the end cover 23 and the convex portion 122 are detachably connected.

[0074] Among them, in this embodiment, the detachable connection method refers to those connection methods that can be repeatedly assembled and disassembled without damaging the connecting member 320 or the connecting portion 322. Common detachable connection methods include threaded connection, snap connection, pin connection, hinge connection, magnetic connection, plug-in connection, and buckle connection, etc.

[0075] In another embodiment, to ensure good reliability and sealing performance of the connection between the end cover 23 and the convex portion 122, the end cover 23 and the convex portion 122 are riveted. In this embodiment, the riveting connection between the end cover 23 and the convex portion 122 can be understood as an interference fit connection between the end cover 23 and the convex portion 122. Among them, the riveting connection between the end cover 23 and the convex portion 122 enables the fan assembly 1 to be unaffected by environmental factors (such as temperature, humidity, vibration, etc.), has good fatigue resistance and seismic resistance, is suitable for structures for long-term use, and is suitable for use scenarios such as water heaters.

[0076] Furthermore, a limiting step is provided on the inner wall of the convex portion 122 near the opening 104. The limiting step includes a horizontal step surface and a vertical step surface connected to each other. The end cover 23 includes an end portion 23a, a limiting portion 23b, and an abutting portion 23c connected in sequence. The end portion 23a constructs the second bearing cavity. The limiting portion 23b is in limiting abutment with the limiting step on the horizontal step surface, and the abutting portion 23c is in abutment with the limiting step on the vertical step surface. In this way, the setting of the horizontal step surface limits the connection position between the end cover 23 and the convex portion 122, so that it will not be inserted too far into the motor cavity. The vertical step surface is used to abut against the abutting portion 23c. That is to say, the abutting portion 23c and the convex portion 122 are in interference fit on the vertical step surface.

[0077] It can be understood that the horizontal step surface refers to the surface of the convex portion 122 at the position of the opening 104 that is perpendicular to the axis of the rotating shaft 22a of the drive motor 20, and the vertical step surface refers to the surface of the convex portion 122 at the position of the opening 104 that is parallel to the axis of the rotating shaft 22a of the drive motor 20.

[0078] It is worth mentioning that there are many installation methods for the volute main body 110 and the cover plate 120. For example, welding, or adhesive bonding, or, pin and snap connection, etc.

[0079] However, since the strength of the welding part 111 is usually lower than that of the base material, and the cover plate 120 is usually also used to install components of the impeller 200 and the motor, if the welding quality at the connection between the cover plate 120 and the volute main body 110 is poor, it may become a weak link in the structure, thus affecting the stability of the structures of the cover plate 120 and the volute main body 110.

[0080] In one embodiment, the volute assembly 100 includes a volute main body 110, a cover plate 120, and an insert 130. The volute main body 110 has an installation opening 103; the cover plate 120 is used to cover the installation opening 103; the insert 130 is integrally formed with the cover plate 120, and the insert 130 is welded or adhesively bonded to the volute main body 110.

[0081] In this embodiment, in order to reduce the weight of the fan assembly 1 and reduce the manufacturing cost, the materials of the volute main body 110 and the cover plate 120 are usually plastics.

[0082] Since the cover plate 120 is integrally formed with the stator assembly 21, the material of the cover plate 120 needs to have good insulation performance and arc resistance. Therefore, the material of the cover plate 120 is usually BMC material. BMC (Bulk Molding Compound) is a composite material. The BMC material is mainly composed of unsaturated polyester resin or vinyl ester resin, chopped glass fiber, filler, catalyst, stabilizer, lubricant, pigment, etc. Of course, the materials of the plate body 121 and the protrusion 122 can also be other materials with properties similar to those of the BMC material, such as SMC (Sheet Molding Compound) material, SMC / BMC hybrid composite material, or DMC (Dough Molding Compound) material, etc., which will not be exemplified one by one here.

[0083] However, the cost of the BMC material is relatively high and it is not easy to demold, and the volute main body 110 does not require good insulation performance and arc resistance. Therefore, the material of the volute main body 110 is usually selected as ordinary plastic.

[0084] Since the volute main body 110 and the cover plate 120 need to use different materials. And different materials have melting point differences. During the welding process, one material may have melted while the other material has not reached the melting point, which will cause uneven welding and form an insecure joint, thus resulting in the problem of poor connection stability between the volute main body 110 and the cover plate 120. In this embodiment, by making the material of the insert 130 the same as that of the volute main body 110, the insert 130 is integrally formed with the cover plate 120. Thus, the problem of poor connection stability caused by different materials of the cover plate 120 and the volute main body 110 can be solved.

[0085] Regarding the insert 130 and the cover plate 120 being integrally formed, the ways of integrally forming the insert 130 and the cover plate 120 include but are not limited to injection molding, 3D printing, etc. Preferably, the insert 130 and the cover plate 120 are integrally injection molded.

[0086] Regarding the insert 130 being welded or adhesively bonded to the volute main body 110, the adhesive bonding of the insert 130 and the volute main body 110 usually refers to glue bonding. By using this method, the insert 130 and the volute main body 110 can distribute stress over a larger contact area, reducing local stress concentration and lowering the risk of material fatigue and fracture. Secondly, it can also provide excellent sealing performance to prevent fluid leakage. In addition, the glue bonding process is relatively simple and does not require complex equipment and processes, reducing processing costs and time. The insert 130 and the volute main body 110 are connected by welding. Among them, welding usually uses ultrasonic welding, laser welding, etc. By using this method, the welding of the insert 130 and the volute main body 110 can provide a high-strength permanent connection, and the welded joint can usually withstand high-temperature environments and is suitable for equipment under high-temperature operating conditions.

[0087] In the above, whether to choose glue bonding or welding for the connection method between the insert 130 and the volute main body 110 should be determined according to specific application requirements and conditions. If the power required by the scenario where the fan assembly 1 is applied is large and it is a high-temperature operation scenario, welding would be a better choice. If the scenario where the fan assembly 1 is applied requires good sealing performance, corrosion resistance, shock absorption and noise reduction effects, and the operating conditions do not allow high temperature, glue bonding may be more suitable.

[0088] In this way, in this embodiment, the volute main body 110 and the cover plate 120 are connected by the insert 130. The insert 130 and the cover plate 120 are integrally formed. The insert 130 is welded or adhesively bonded to the volute main body 110. When the insert 130 is welded to the volute main body 110, a material with better strength is selected for the insert 130 to ensure the structural stability of the cover plate 120 and the volute main body 110. When the insert 130 is adhesively bonded to the volute main body 110, a material more suitable for adhesive bonding can be selected for the insert 130 to ensure the tightness and stability of the structural connection between the cover plate 120 and the volute main body 110. The setting of the insert 130 also makes the application range of the volute assembly 100 wider.

[0089] In a preferred embodiment, please refer to Figure 7 and Figure 8, the volute main body 110 has a first fitting surface that fits with the insert 130 and the cover plate 120; the volute main body 110 is provided with a welding portion 111 on the first fitting surface, and the insert 130 is provided with a welding groove 131 adapted to be installed with the welding portion 111; or, the volute main body 110 is provided with a welding groove 131 on the first fitting surface, and the insert 130 is provided with a welding portion 111 adapted to be installed with the welding groove 131. Among them, the welding groove 131 is usually an annular groove surrounding the installation port 103. Preferably, the number of the welding grooves 131 is multiple, and the multiple welding grooves 131 are arranged side by side. Among them, the number of the welding grooves 131 can be two, three, four, five, six or more than six.

[0090] In one embodiment, please refer to Figure 9 and Figure 11 , in order to ensure the stability of the welding between the cover plate 120 and the volute main body 110, the insert 130 is arranged in a ring shape, and the insert 130 surrounds the cover plate 120. In other embodiments, the insert 130 can also be formed by arranging multiple insert segments along the outer circumference of the cover plate 120.

[0091] In one embodiment, please refer to Figure 5 and Figure 14 , the volute main body 110 has an air outlet 102, and the air outlet 102 is communicated with the installation port 103. In order to ensure the stability of the welding between the cover plate 120 and the volute main body 110, the end face of the insert 130 is flush with the end face of the air outlet 102.

[0092] In one embodiment, please refer to Figure 2 , Figure 4 and Figure 9 , in order to facilitate the installation and positioning of the cover plate 120 and the volute main body 110, a flange 112 is provided on the outer peripheral side of the volute main body 110 near the air outlet 102, and the insert 130 is provided with an avoidance groove corresponding to the position of the flange 112. Or, the cover plate 120 is provided with an avoidance groove corresponding to the position of the flange 112. Specifically, please refer to Figure 4 , through the arrangement of the flange 112, when installing the cover plate 120, the flange 112 can be used as a positioning point, so as to facilitate the installation and positioning of the cover plate 120 and the volute main body 110.

[0093] In a preferred embodiment, please refer to Figure 11 , the insert 130 is further provided with a fastening portion 132, and the fastening portion 132 is integrally formed with the cover plate 120. Through the arrangement of the fastening portion 132, after the insert 130 and the cover plate 120 are integrally formed, the connection area between the insert 130 and the cover plate 120 is increased, so that the connection between the insert 130 and the cover plate 120 is more stable.

[0094] Further, the fastening portion 132 is a groove provided on the insert 130, and / or the fastening portion 132 is a protrusion provided on the insert 130. The shapes of the groove and the protrusion can be regular shapes such as cylindrical or square-columnar shapes, or other irregular shapes, and no further examples will be given here.

[0095] Furthermore, the number of the fastening portions 132 is plural, and the plural fastening portions 132 are arranged at intervals along the circumferential direction of the insert 130. Preferably, the plural fastening portions 132 are evenly arranged at intervals along the circumferential direction of the insert 130.

[0096] In another preferred embodiment, in order to facilitate the welding of the insert 130 and the volute body 110, a step is formed on the circumferential side of the joint between the insert 130 and the volute body 110. That is to say, the circumferential sides of the joint between the insert 130 and the volute body 110 are not aligned, so that the welding head of the insert 130 and the volute body 110 can be better positioned.

[0097] In one embodiment, the distance between the circumferential side of the insert 130 and the circumferential side of the volute body 110 is not greater than 5 mm and not less than 3 mm. Specifically, the distance between the circumferential side of the insert 130 and the circumferential side of the volute body 110 includes, but is not limited to, 3.0 mm, 3.2 mm, 3.4 mm, 3.5 mm, 3.6 mm, 3.8 mm, 4.0 mm, 4.2 mm, 4.4 mm, 4.5 mm, 4.6 mm, 4.8 mm or 5.0 mm.

[0098] In yet another embodiment, please refer to Figure 7 and Figure 8 , in order to facilitate the positioning and installation of the cover plate 120 and the volute body 110, and improve the sealing performance between the cover plate 120 and the volute body 110. The cover plate 120 includes a plate body 121, a fitting portion 123 and a positioning portion 124. The fitting portion 123 is disposed around the plate body 121, and the fitting portion 123 is in contact with the end face of the volute body 110 at the installation opening 103; the positioning portion 124 is disposed at the connection between the plate body 121 and the fitting portion 123, and the positioning portion 124 is a protrusion facing the volute body 110. Among them, the setting of the positioning portion 124 enables the positioning and installation of the cover plate 120 and the volute body 110 to be faster. The fitting portion 123 is in contact with the volute body 110 on the first fitting surface. The settings of the fitting portion 123 and the positioning portion 124 form a radial seal between the cover plate 120 and the volute body 110, thereby improving the sealing performance at the connection between the cover plate 120 and the volute body 110.

[0099] In one embodiment, the fan assembly 1 further includes a connection assembly 300 for mounting the volute assembly 100 on a mounting carrier, where the mounting carrier refers to, for example, the support body of a water heater, the support body of a range hood, or the support body of an air handling device, etc. It mainly depends on the scenario where the fan 10 is applied. Here, the water heater will be taken as an example for introduction.

[0100] Please refer to Figure 4 or Figure 9 , the connection assembly 300 is provided at the air outlet 102 of the volute assembly 100. The connection assembly 300 includes an insert 310 and a connecting member 320. The insert 310 is integrally formed with the volute assembly 100, and the connecting member 320 is connected to the insert 310. The connecting member 320 is used to connect to the support carrier of the water heater to mount the volute assembly 100 on the support carrier of the water heater.

[0101] Wherein, in this embodiment, the volute assembly 100 generally includes a volute main body 110 and a cover plate 120. In this embodiment, the materials of the volute main body 110 and the cover plate 120 are plastics. To ensure the strength at the connection between the volute assembly 100 and the mounting carrier, an insert 310 is additionally provided in this embodiment. The insert 310 generally requires greater strength. Therefore, the material of the insert 310 is usually selected from materials with greater strength, such as metals with greater strength, such as carbon steel, stainless steel, and alloy steel, etc. Of course, the insert 310 can also be other non-metallic materials with greater strength.

[0102] In this embodiment, by providing the insert 310 at the air outlet, the strength of the insert 310 is greater than that of the volute assembly 100, and the insert 310 is integrally formed with the volute assembly 100. The volute assembly 100 is connected and mounted to the water heater main body at its air outlet 102. In this way, the technical solution of the present utility model improves the structural strength at the air outlet of the volute assembly 100, thereby improving the stability and reliability of the connection between the volute assembly 100 and the water heater main body.

[0103] It can be understood that the connection between plastic parts and metal parts is generally not as firm as the connection between metal parts and metal parts. Especially in this embodiment, the cover plate is also used to mount the drive motor 20. When the fan assembly 1 is working, the motor will generate vibration or mechanical shock.

[0104] In an exemplary embodiment, the volute assembly 100 includes a volute main body 110 and a cover plate 120. The volute main body 110 has a mounting opening 103, the cover plate 120 covers the mounting opening 103, the insert 310 is embedded in the volute main body 110, the volute main body 110 is a plastic part, and the insert 310 is a metal part.

[0105] Furthermore, in order to improve the connection stability between the insert 310 and the volute main body 110, the insert 310 includes an insert body 311 and an embedding portion 312 provided on the insert body 311. The embedding portion 312 is embedded into the volute assembly 100 and integrally formed with the volute assembly 100. By providing the embedding portion 312, the connection area between the insert 310 and the volute main body 110 is increased, thereby improving the connection stability between the insert 310 and the volute main body 110.

[0106] Wherein, the embedding portion 312 is embedded into the volute assembly 100 from the end face at the air outlet 102. Alternatively, the embedding portion 312 is embedded into the volute assembly 100 from the circumferential side at the air outlet 102. Preferably, the embedding portion 312 is embedded into the volute assembly 100 from the end face at the air outlet 102. At this time, for the embedding portion 312 with the same shape and size, the connection area between the embedding portion 312 and the volute assembly 100 is the largest when the embedding portion 312 is embedded into the volute assembly 100 from the end face at the air outlet 102.

[0107] Furthermore, in order to further improve the connection stability between the insert 310 and the volute main body 110, the insert 310 further includes a reinforcement portion 313, and the reinforcement portion 313 is provided on the embedding portion 312. By providing the reinforcement portion 313, the connection area between the insert 310 and the volute assembly 100 is further increased, thereby further improving the connection stability between the insert 310 and the volute main body 110. Wherein, the reinforcement portion 313 can be a protrusion provided on the embedding portion 312 or a hole provided on the embedding portion 312. Preferably, the embedding portion 312 is in a sheet shape, and the reinforcement portion 313 is a through hole penetrating the embedding portion 312.

[0108] In another preferred embodiment, the number of the embedding portions 312 is multiple, and the multiple embedding portions 312 are arranged at intervals along the circumferential direction of the insert body 311. Preferably, the multiple embedding portions 312 are evenly arranged at intervals along the circumferential direction of the insert body 311.

[0109] In an exemplary embodiment, please refer to Figure 9, the connecting member 320 includes a connecting frame 321, a connecting portion 322 and a clamping portion 323 provided on the connecting frame 321; the connecting frame 321 and the insert body 311 are connected by fasteners, the connecting portion 322 is used to connect with the mounting carrier by fasteners, and the clamping portion 323 is used to clamp with the mounting carrier. Thus, through the arrangement of the connecting portion 322 and the clamping portion 323, when installing the fan assembly 1, first use the clamping portion 323 to perform alignment clamping, and then the connecting portion 322 is fixed to the mounting carrier by fasteners. In this way, it is not only convenient for the installation and alignment of the fan assembly 1, but also can ensure the stability and tightness of the connection between the fan assembly 1 and the mounting carrier to a certain extent.

[0110] Based on the previous embodiment, please continue to refer to Figure 9 , the connecting portion 322 includes a connecting sub-portion 322a and a folding sub-portion 322b that are connected to each other. The connecting sub-portion 322a is connected to the connecting frame 321, and the folding sub-portion 322b is folded toward the side of the volute assembly 100. Preferably, in order to strengthen the connection strength of the connecting member 320, the connecting frame 321 is further provided with a flanging 324.

[0111] In one embodiment, the volute assembly 100 has an air inlet 101. In order to facilitate the installation of the volute assembly 100 and the mounting carrier, the mounting position is provided on the side of the volute assembly 100 where the air inlet 101 is provided, and the clamping member 330 is provided on the side of the volute assembly 100 away from the air inlet 101. In order to ensure the smoothness of the air inlet, there are usually fewer obstacles on one side of the air inlet 101. Setting the mounting position on the side of the volute assembly 100 where the air inlet 101 is provided can avoid other obstacles from hindering the installation of the volute assembly 100.

[0112] It should be understood that the mounting position can be a mounting groove, a mounting hole or a mounting post, etc. Preferably, the insert 310 is a nut. Of course, in other embodiments, the insert 310 can also be a threaded connector 320 such as a bolt or a stud.

[0113] The present utility model also proposes a water heater, which includes a water heater main body and a fan assembly 1. The specific structure of the fan assembly 1 refers to the above embodiment. Since the present fan 10 adopts all the technical solutions of the above all embodiments, it at least has all the beneficial effects brought by the technical solutions of the above embodiments, and will not be elaborated one by one here.

[0114] Among them, the water heater with the fan assembly 1 is usually a gas water heater and is a water heater with a forced exhaust function. Its main structure includes a burner, a heat exchanger, the fan assembly 1, a control system, and other auxiliary components. The burner is responsible for mixing gas with air and igniting to generate heat. The design of the burner directly affects the combustion efficiency and the thermal efficiency of the water heater. The heat exchanger transfers the heat generated by combustion to water. The heat exchanger is usually made of copper or stainless steel materials to improve the heat transfer efficiency and durability. The fan assembly 1 is used to forcibly exhaust the combustion waste gas and provide the air required for combustion. The fan assembly 1 usually includes a fan 10, a motor, and related control circuits. The control system is used to monitor and adjust parameters such as the combustion process, the operation of the fan 10, and the water temperature. The control system includes a thermostat, a gas valve, a safety device, and an electronic control board, etc. The ignition system includes an igniter and an electrode for igniting gas. Modern water heaters mostly adopt an electronic ignition system, which is safe and reliable. The exhaust system safely discharges the combustion waste gas outdoors. The exhaust system includes a flue, an exhaust pipe, and related sealing devices. The water circuit system is used to ensure a stable water flow during the use of the water heater. The water circuit system includes a water inlet, a water outlet, a water flow sensor, and a water pump, etc.

[0115] The fan assembly 1 is usually installed at the top, bottom, or side of the water heater and is connected to the combustion chamber and the exhaust system. The specific position design of the fan 10 is related to the structure and model of the water heater. The fan 10 is fixed to the outer shell or the internal frame of the water heater by means of screws, brackets, or buckles, etc., to ensure its stability. Gas path connection: The air inlet of the fan 10 is connected to the combustion chamber to provide the air required for combustion; the air outlet is connected to the exhaust pipe to discharge the combustion waste gas.

[0116] The above description is only an exemplary embodiment of the present invention and does not limit the patent scope of the present invention. Any equivalent structural transformation made under the technical concept of the present invention by using the content of the specification and drawings of the present invention, or any direct / indirect application in other related technical fields, is included in the patent protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A fan assembly, characterized in that: include: a volute assembly having an air outlet; and A connecting component is arranged at the air outlet, and the connecting component includes an insert and a connecting piece. The insert and the volute assembly are integrally formed, and the connecting piece is connected to the insert. The connecting piece is used to connect to a mounting carrier so as to mount the volute assembly on the mounting carrier.

2. The fan assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that: The insert comprises an insert body and an embedding portion arranged on the insert body. The embedding portion is embedded in the volute assembly and is integrally formed with the volute assembly.

3. The fan assembly according to claim 2, characterized in that: The embedding portion is embedded into the volute assembly from the end surface at the air outlet.

4. The fan assembly according to claim 3, characterized in that: The insert also includes a reinforcement portion, which is arranged on the embedding portion.

5. The fan assembly according to claim 4, characterized in that: The embedding portion is provided in a sheet shape, and the reinforcing portion is a through hole penetrating the embedding portion.

6. The fan assembly according to claim 2, characterized in that: There are multiple embedded parts, and the multiple embedded parts are arranged at intervals along the circumference of the insert body.

7. The fan assembly according to claim 2, characterized in that: The connecting member comprises a connecting frame, a connecting portion and a clamping portion provided on the connecting frame; The connection frame and the insert body are connected via a fastener, the connection portion is used to be connected to the installation carrier via the fastener, and the clamping portion is used to be clamped to the installation carrier.

8. The fan assembly according to claim 7, characterized in that: The connecting portion comprises a connecting sub-portion and a folding sub-portion which are connected to each other, the connecting sub-portion is connected to the connecting frame, and the folding sub-portion is folded toward one side of the volute assembly.

9. The fan assembly according to claim 7, characterized in that: The connecting frame is also provided with a flange.

10. A fan assembly, characterized in that: include: A volute assembly having an air outlet; as well as A connecting component, the connecting component includes an insert and a snap-in component, the insert and the snap-in component are both integrally formed with the volute component, the insert forms a mounting position, the mounting position is used to connect to a mounting carrier, and the snap-in component is used to snap-in with the mounting carrier.

11. The fan assembly according to claim 10, characterized in that: The volute assembly has an air inlet, the mounting position is arranged on a side of the volute assembly provided with the air inlet, and the clamping member is arranged on a side of the volute assembly away from the air inlet.

12. The fan assembly according to claim 11, characterized in that The insert is a nut.

13. The fan assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that: The volute assembly comprises a volute body and a cover plate, the volute body has a mounting opening, the cover plate is arranged to cover the mounting opening, the insert is embedded in the volute body, the volute body is a plastic part, and the insert is a metal part.

14. The fan assembly according to claim 13, characterized in that The fan assembly comprises: An impeller, disposed on the volute assembly; The driving motor comprises a stator assembly and a rotor assembly arranged in the stator assembly, wherein the rotor assembly is drivingly connected to the impeller; the stator assembly and the volute assembly are integrally formed.

15. A water heater, characterized in that: Comprising a fan assembly as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 14.

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