Fan element for the interior of a motor vehicle

Abstract

Fan element (1) for the interior of a motor vehicle comprising a fan frame (2) and a fan (3) mounted in the fan frame (2), characterized in that the fan frame (2) is held vibrationally decoupled on a cover (6) via a rubber grommet (4), wherein the rubber grommet (4) is attached to the cover (6) with screws, and wherein the cover (6) is screwed (7) to the motor vehicle, in particular the motor vehicle center console, or is held on it via a snap connection.

Description

The present invention relates to a fan element for the interior of a motor vehicle, comprising, inter alia, a fan frame and a fan mounted in the fan frame. Due to heat generation in the center console area, caused by components such as control electronics, mobile phone charging stations, etc., cooling elements are installed in the center console. These elements draw in fresh air, for example via built-in fans, and direct it into the interior of the center console to cool the heat sources located there. The cooling elements essentially consist of a fan frame and a fan, with the fan frame being screwed to the side of the center console and thus rigidly connected to it. This type of mounting requires significant assembly effort and, due to the limited mounting clearance, demands high manufacturing precision. Furthermore, the rigid mounting of the fan element means it is not vibration-isolated from the other vehicle components, which can lead to unnecessary noise. DE 10 2004 033 215 A1 discloses a fan assembly comprising a fan and a fan housing, within which a fan wheel is arranged. A mounting frame is arranged radially outside the fan housing and serves to secure the fan assembly. A membrane made of an elastic material elastically connects the fan housing and the mounting frame and is provided with recesses that allow backflow from the pressure side to the suction side when the pressure side of the fan assembly is blocked. DE 100 02 231 A1 discloses a blower motor housed in a casing with a mounting flange, wherein damping elements are arranged between the blower motor and a mounting area. It is proposed that at least one annular damping element be arranged between the casing and the mounting area. Further researched state of the art is shown in CN 2 625 958 Y . Based on this state of the art, the object of the present invention is to create a fan element for the interior of a motor vehicle that is lightweight and easy to install and that is also vibrationally decoupled from the other vehicle components. This problem is solved according to the invention in a fan element for the interior of a motor vehicle, consisting, among other things, of a fan frame and a fan mounted in the fan frame, by holding the fan frame on a panel via a rubber grommet. As a result of the inventive design, the fan frame is no longer directly screwed to a vehicle component, in particular the center console, but is mounted in a rubber grommet. This not only decouples the fan frame from the other vehicle components but also allows for simple and cost-effective installation. The rubber grommet forms a receptacle adapted to the fan frame and simultaneously ensures its centering. Furthermore, the inventive design also enables quick and easy replacement of the fan element. The rubber grommet is attached to the cover plate with screws. This allows for quick and easy attachment and assembly of the rubber grommet to the cover plate. This eliminates the need for expensive and time-consuming joining processes and reduces the overall size of the product to a minimum. The cover is screwed to the vehicle, in particular the vehicle center console, or held to it via a snap connection, which allows for easy and cost-effective installation as well as quick replacement of the entire fan element. The dependent claim includes advantageous further developments and embodiments of the invention. Further details, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description with reference to the drawings. The drawings show: Fig. 1 a schematic view of an exemplary fan element, Fig. 2 another schematic view of the exemplary fan element, and Fig. 3 another schematic view of the exemplary fan element. Figures 1, 2 to 3 show different views of the fan element 1. The fan element 1 essentially comprises a fan frame 2 in which a motor-driven fan 3 is mounted. Fan frame 2 and fan 3 together form, for example, an axial fan. The fan frame 2 with the fan 3 is positively mounted in a rubber grommet 4, which in turn is attached to a cover 6 via clips 5. It is required that the rubber grommet 4 is attached to the cover 6 with screws. The cover 6 with mounting bracket 8 can be screwed to a vehicle center console (not shown) via a screw connection 7 or held in place by a snap-fit ​​connection. This decouples the cover 6 from the axial fan, preventing mechanical vibration coupling between these components. The fan element 1 thus offers a simple and cost-effective mounting option due to the fan system's design, which eliminates the need for fasteners and utilizes a clip-on assembly. Mechanical vibration decoupling and protection of the attached components from the fan are achieved through the separation provided by the rubber parts. This results in a clean installation and simultaneous locking and centering of the fan by the rubber grommet. Furthermore, quick and easy replacement is possible in the event of material wear or the need to replace electronic components within the center console. The preceding description of the present invention serves only for illustrative purposes and not to limit the invention. Various changes and modifications are possible within the scope of the invention without departing from the scope of the invention and its equivalents. Reference symbol list 1 Fan element 2 Fan frame 3 Fan 4 Rubber grommet 5 Clips 6 Cover 7 Screw connection 8 Mounting bracket

Claims

Fan element (1) for the interior of a motor vehicle with a fan frame (2) and a fan (3) mounted in the fan frame (2), characterized in that the fan frame (2) is held vibrationally decoupled on a cover (6) via a rubber grommet (4), wherein the rubber grommet (4) is attached to the cover (6) with screws, and wherein the cover (6) is screwed (7) to the motor vehicle, in particular the motor vehicle center console, or is held on it via a snap connection. Fan element according to claim 1, characterized in that the fan frame (2) is held in a form-fitting manner in the rubber grommet (4).

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