Fan cover assembly and control device with the same

Abstract

Fan cover assembly comprising: a fan having a plurality of blades adapted to rotate about a central shaft; and a hood comprising a body having a ventilation opening configured to face the fan and a contact part supported by radial supports configured to extend from an inner peripheral surface of the ventilation opening in a centripetal direction, wherein the contact part has a convex back and a thickest point of the contact part is aligned with the central shaft of the fan.

Description

Background area

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a fan shroud assembly and a control device comprising the same, and more particularly to a fan shroud assembly having enhanced rigidity by utilizing the internal arrangement of a control device and a plastic shroud, and to a control device comprising the same. Discussion of the state of the art

[0002] Vehicles are equipped with various control devices that perform various functions related to vehicle operation. With the recent improvement in the performance and functions of these control devices, power consumption has increased, resulting in a problem of heat generation. To solve these problems, control devices typically use a fan for heat dissipation and a fan cover to protect the fan.

[0003] The fan dissipates heat in the control device to the outside to prevent the device from overheating, and the fan shroud protects the fan and controls the airflow to maintain effective cooling performance.

[0004] Conventional fan shrouds are predominantly made of metal, offering high rigidity and durability, but resulting in increased weight and higher manufacturing costs. Furthermore, metal materials can impair the radiation performance of an antenna integrated into the control device, thus negatively impacting communication quality.

[0005] Especially with conventional fan shroud structures, deformation and damage to the shroud are often caused by external influences. This can be caused by vibration or impact during driving depending on road conditions, or by accidental impact during parking. If the fan is deformed, cooling performance can deteriorate rapidly, and heat in the control device cannot be effectively dissipated, which can lead to overheating of the device.

[0006] The conventional fan shroud structure has a problem in that when the shroud opening is enlarged to improve cooling performance, the rigidity of the entire structure decreases due to a trade-off between cooling performance and rigidity. On the other hand, when the shroud material is reinforced or the thickness of the structure is increased to increase rigidity, the flow of cooling air is restricted, thus reducing cooling performance.

[0007] To solve these problems, there is a growing need for a fan shroud structure that is resistant to external influences while meeting both rigidity and cooling performance. Summary

[0008] To solve the above problems, embodiments of the present disclosure provide a fan shroud assembly that is resistant to external influences and has little deformation.

[0009] Furthermore, embodiments of the present disclosure provide a control device including a fan shroud assembly capable of maintaining rigidity without compromising antenna performance.

[0010] The technical problems achievable from the present disclosure are not limited to the technical problems mentioned above. Other technical problems not mentioned can be clearly understood by those skilled in the art to which the present disclosure relates from the following description.

[0011] Further advantages, objects, and features of the disclosure are set forth in the present disclosure and the accompanying drawings. These aspects will also be apparent to those skilled in the art from the present disclosure.

[0012] A fan shroud assembly according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a fan having a plurality of blades configured to rotate around a central shaft, and a shroud including a body having a vent opening configured to face the fan and a contact part supported by radial supports configured to extend from an inner peripheral surface of the vent opening in a centripetal direction, wherein the contact part has a convex back surface and a thickest part of the contact part is on a straight line with the central shaft of the fan.

[0013] The fan may further include an outer frame configured to support the central shaft and surround the plurality of blades, and a rubber cover configured to cover the outer frame.

[0014] The hood may be made of a plastic material.

[0015] A control device according to another embodiment of the present disclosure includes a fan shroud assembly including a fan having a plurality of blades configured to rotate around a central shaft, and a shroud including a body having a vent configured to face the fan and a plurality of brackets configured to extend from an inner peripheral surface of the vent, a housing configured to mount the fan shroud assembly on a surface thereof, and a printed circuit board (PCB) mounted in the housing in a direction perpendicular to the fan shroud assembly, the PCB being arranged such that a side portion thereof is adjacent to a rear portion of the fan to prevent the fan from being driven by an external force.

[0016] The hood may further comprise a contact part supported by radial supports configured to extend in a centripetal direction from the inner peripheral surface of the vent opening, wherein the contact part may have a convex back surface and a thickest part of the contact part may be on a straight line with the central shaft of the fan.

[0017] The PCB may have a shape including a buffer groove formed in the side portion thereof to accommodate a part of the fan.

[0018] The fan may further include an outer frame configured to support the central shaft and surround the plurality of blades, and a rubber cover configured to cover the outer frame.

[0019] The housing may include an anti-slip part configured to support the rubber cover to restrict movement of the fan due to the external force.

[0020] The control device may further comprise an antenna arranged in the housing, wherein the hood may be formed from a plastic material configured not to interfere with a signal from the antenna.

[0021] The antenna may comprise a pattern antenna contained in the circuit board. Short description of the drawings

[0022] The accompanying drawings are intended to provide a better understanding of the disclosure and are incorporated in this application. They illustrate embodiments of the disclosure and, together with the description, serve to explain the principle of the disclosure. In the drawings: is Fig. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a fan shroud assembly according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; is Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing a control device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; is Fig. 3 a cross-sectional view along a line AA' of Fig. 2; are Fig. 4(a) and Fig. 4(b) are views for explaining the arrangement of components of the control device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, and is Fig. 5 is a schematic enlarged view of a portion of the control device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Detailed description

[0023] The description will now be given in detail based on the exemplary embodiments disclosed herein with reference to the accompanying drawings. The same or equivalent components may be designated by the same reference numerals, so their description will not be repeated. The suffixes "module" and "part" used herein are for the convenience of this description and are not intended to imply different meanings or functions. In describing the embodiments disclosed in this specification, relevant, known technologies may not be discussed in detail so as not to obscure the subject matter of the embodiments disclosed in this specification.Furthermore, it should be noted that the accompanying drawings are provided merely to facilitate understanding of the embodiments disclosed in this specification and should not be construed as limiting the technical spirit disclosed in this specification. Therefore, this disclosure should be understood to extend to all modifications, equivalents, and substitutions beyond those specifically illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

[0024] Although the terms "first," "second," etc., are used here to describe various elements, these elements should not be limited by these terms. These terms generally serve only to distinguish one element from another.

[0025] When an element is described as "connected" to another element, it is understood that the element may be directly connected to the other element or that intervening elements may be present. Conversely, when an element is described as "directly connected" to another element, it is understood that no intervening elements are present.

[0026] A singular representation may include a plural representation unless it has a clearly different meaning than in the context.

[0027] The terms "comprising" or "having" used herein are intended to indicate the presence of the features, numbers, steps, operations, elements, components, or combinations thereof used in the following description. Therefore, it should be understood that the possibility of the presence or addition of one or more other features, numbers, steps, operations, elements, components, or combinations thereof is not excluded.

[0028] Fig. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a fan shroud assembly according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The fan shroud assembly will be described below with reference to Fig. 1 described in detail.

[0029] A fan shroud assembly 1000 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include a fan assembly (hereinafter referred to as a “fan”) 1100 and a shroud 1200.

[0030] The fan 1100 may include a plurality of blades 1111 rotating around a central shaft 1112. The blades 1111 may rotate to blow air into a control device, thereby dissipating heat to the outside. The fan 1100 may be configured as a general axial fan and provide airflow.

[0031] Furthermore, the fan 1100 may include an outer frame 1120 that supports the central shaft 1112 and surrounds the plurality of blades 1111. The outer frame 1120 serves to maintain the structural integrity of the fan 1100 and protect the blades 1111.

[0032] In addition, the outer frame 1120 may be covered with a rubber cover 1130, and the rubber cover 1130 absorbs external shocks applied to the fan 1100 and thus prevents damage to the fan 1100. This configuration will be described later with reference to Fig. 5 described.

[0033] The hood 1200 is coupled to the fan 1100 to increase the blowing performance of the fan 1100 and to protect the fan 1100. The hood 1200 may include a body 1210 and a ventilation opening formed in the body 1210. The ventilation opening may be formed at a position opposite the position of the fan 1100.

[0034] The vent opening may have radial supports 1220 extending in the centripetal direction from the inner peripheral surface of the vent opening, and the radial supports 1220 support a contact part 1230 within the hood 1200.

[0035] With joint reference to Fig. 4(a) and Fig. 4(b), the contact part 1230 has a convex back surface and is arranged such that a thickest point 1231 lies on a straight line with the central shaft 1112 of the fan 1100. The shape of the contact part 1230 will be described later with reference to the Fig. 4(a) and Fig. 4(b).

[0036] The hood 1200 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may be formed from a plastic material, which can prevent electromagnetic interference that may occur when the hood is formed from a metal material and can help prevent degradation of antenna performance. Furthermore, the plastic material is advantageous in terms of weight reduction and has the advantage of reducing manufacturing costs.

[0037] Hereinafter, a control device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 described in detail. Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the control device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, and Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view along the line AA' of Fig. 2.

[0038] A control device 100 made of Fig. 2 has the above in Fig. 1. The control device 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include the fan shroud assembly 1000, a housing 2000, and circuit boards 3000.

[0039] The fan shroud assembly 1000 includes the fan 1100 and the shroud 1200 and serves to dissipate heat within the control device 100. The fan 1100 circulates air to prevent the control device 100 from overheating, and the shroud 1200 is a component that protects the fan 1100 and regulates airflow.

[0040] The cover 1200 includes the contact part 1230 at a location facing the central portion of the fan 1100 and may be configured to prevent damage to the cover 1200 and the fan 1100 that may occur due to an external force applied by the contact part 1230. The contact part 1230 is aligned with a rotation axis of the fan 1100 and serves to stably support the cover 1200 when an external force is applied.

[0041] The contact part 1230 can be designed with a convex back to be supported by the fan 1100 even when subjected to an external force (see Fig. 4(a) and Fig. 4(b)). The hood 1200 may also be referred to as a front cover and is preferably manufactured as a molded part.

[0042] A metal shell is typically used to enhance rigidity, but in the present disclosure, a plastic material is used and can therefore provide excellent elasticity compared to metal. Therefore, the plastic material can have a lower risk of damage due to impact and, due to the properties of the material, exhibits flexibility while maintaining rigidity.

[0043] By using plastic, the thickness of the 1200 hood can be increased to ensure rigidity. The thickness of the 1200 hood is preferably 3 mm or more. By using the plastic material, the opening of the 1200 hood can be enlarged to improve cooling performance while maintaining rigidity.

[0044] The housing 2000 is an outer casing of the control device 100 and serves to protect the main components within the control device 100 and maintain the overall structure of the control device 100. The fan shroud assembly 1000 may be mounted on a side surface of the housing 2000, and heat within the control device 100 is dissipated through the fan shroud assembly 1000.

[0045] The housing 2000 may be designed to house electronic components, such as the circuit boards 3000, and to protect internal components from shock and environmental influences. The housing 2000 may be manufactured using an aluminum die-casting process.

[0046] In addition, the housing 2000 may include additional structural elements, such as an anti-slip part 2100, which serves to limit movement of the fan shroud assembly 1000 due to external shocks (see Fig. 5).

[0047] The PCB 3000 is a printed circuit board that is a core component of the control device 100, and various electronic components are mounted on the PCB 3000 to perform the functions of the control device 100. The PCB 3000 is a substrate commonly used in electronic devices, and a detailed description thereof is omitted in the present disclosure.

[0048] With reference to Fig. 3, the PCB 3000 is mounted in the housing 2000 and is arranged in a direction perpendicular to the fan shroud assembly 1000. Because the PCB 3000 is arranged perpendicular to the fan shroud assembly 1000, the rear portion of the fan 1100 and a side portion of the PCB 3000 are arranged adjacent to each other. This arrangement effectively restricts the movement of the fan 1100 when it is forced rearward by an external impact. A plurality of PCBs 3000 may be provided.

[0049] In particular, the rear side of the fan 1100 can be in line contact with the side part of the circuit board 3000. This allows the position of the fan 1100 to be fixed without it being pushed further backward by the side part of the circuit board 3000 when external forces are applied. The line contact thus prevents the fan 1100 from moving backward. The arrangement of the circuit boards 3000 provides structural support within the housing 2000 to prevent the fan 1100 from being pushed backward by external forces and to enable components in the control device 100 to be held in their fixed position.

[0050] An antenna (not shown) may be disposed within the housing 2000 and is preferably provided as a pattern antenna contained within the circuit boards 3000. The antenna is used to transmit and receive electromagnetic signals within the housing 2000 and is responsible for the communication function of the control device 100.

[0051] The hood 1200 may be formed of a plastic material to minimize electromagnetic interference, even when the hood 1200 is arranged in a position close to the antenna (not shown). Unlike metal, the hood 1200 made of the plastic material does not absorb or reflect electromagnetic waves and thus does not interfere with signal propagation of the antenna. This allows the antenna to enable smooth signal transmission and reception in the housing 2000.

[0052] Furthermore, the cover 1200 formed of the plastic material can be elastically deformed by an external force to protect the fan 1100 and the circuit boards 3000. Furthermore, the cover 1200 can securely hold the internal components of the control device 100 without affecting the performance of the antenna.

[0053] The Fig. 4(a) and Fig. 4(b) are views for explaining the arrangement of the components of the control device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, ie, enlarged views of part B of Fig. 3. That is, these views are schematic enlarged views of a longitudinal section of the control device 100 around the center of the fan 1100 of the control device 100.

[0054] Fig. Figure 4(a) shows the state of the fan and hood assembly immediately before applying the external force F, and Fig. Figure 4(b) shows the configuration relationship between the fan shroud assembly and the circuit boards in a situation where the external force E is applied.

[0055] With reference to Fig. 4(a), a user can apply an external force F to the center of the fan 1100 using an external object, such as a finger, and the external force acts in the direction indicated by an arrow. This external force may occur, in particular, during the assembly of the hood 1200 or during a distribution process.

[0056] As above in Fig. 1, the contact part 1230 supporting the center part of the fan 1100 may have a convex back surface and be configured such that the thickest point 1231 of the contact part 1230 is aligned with the center shaft 1112 of the fan 1100. That is, an apex of the back surface of the contact part 1230 may be aligned with the center shaft 1112 of the fan 1100, so that when an external force is applied and the contact part 1230 is pushed backward, the contact part 1230 comes into point contact with the center of the fan 1100.

[0057] Furthermore, the circuit boards 3000 can be mounted vertically on the back of the fan 1100. The circuit boards 3000 can be installed so that the back of the fan 1100 and a side panel of each of the circuit boards 3000 are adjacent to each other. The distance between the fan 1100 and the circuit boards 3000 is preferably 1 to 2 mm.

[0058] With reference to Fig. 4(b), when an external force is applied to the center part of the fan 1100, the contact part 1230 contacts the central shaft 1112 of the housing 1100. Since the back of the contact part 1230 is formed in a slightly convex shape, a point contact P1 is formed, and even if an external force is applied, the contact part 1230 is pushed and driven backward so that the back thereof contacts the central shaft 1112 of the fan 1100.

[0059] In other words, the thickest portion of the convex back surface of the contact part 1230 can touch the central shaft 1112 of the fan 1100, thus forming the point contact P1. That is, this point contact P1 is located at a point where displacement is zero even when the blades 1111 of the fan 1100 are rotating, and thus, when an external force is applied, the fan 1100 can remain stable without moving or deforming the shaft 1112 of the fan 1100.

[0060] The contact part 1230 is supported by the fan 1100 and is no longer pushed backward, which can prevent damage to the hood 1200.

[0061] In addition, if a strong external force is applied, the fan 1100 may move backward. If the fan 1100 continues to move backward in this case, there is a risk of structural damage. However, since the circuit boards 3000 are arranged vertically next to the rear part of the outer frame 1120, further backward movement of the fan 1100 can be prevented.

[0062] The circuit boards 3000 are located adjacent to the rear of the fan 1100 to form a line contact P2 with the fan 1100. The reverse movement of the fan 1100 caused by an external force can be restricted by the contact P2. The circuit boards 3000 are firmly mounted in the control device 100 and can thus provide a stable support force against external influences. The fan 1100 can no longer move backward due to the line contact P2 with the circuit boards 3000, and this contact P2 restricts the movement of the fan 1100.

[0063] The line contact P2 formed between the outer frame 1120 of the fan 1100 and the circuit boards 3000 generates a normal force F' acting in the opposite direction to the external force F when the fan 1100 is pushed backward by the external force F. The normal force F' suppresses the position change of the fan 1100 and prevents the fan from moving unnecessarily. This can limit the displacement of the fan 1100 and prevent structural damage to the fan 1100 caused by external forces.

[0064] Fig. 5 is a schematic enlarged view of a part of the control device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure and illustrates a detailed configuration with respect to the rear side of the fan.

[0065] With reference to Fig. 5, the circuit board 3000 is disposed adjacent to the rear of the fan 1100, and a buffer groove 3100 is formed in the circuit board 3000 to accommodate a portion of the fan 1100. The buffer groove 3100 is configured to accommodate the outer frame 1120 of the fan 1100 and limit its movement when the fan 1100 moves rearward due to an external force.

[0066] The buffer groove 3100 is formed so that the outer frame 1120 of the fan 1100 is in close contact with the circuit board 3000, reducing the possibility of backward movement of the fan 1100. The buffer groove 3100 can be machined to have a specific depth and shape on a side surface of the circuit board 3000, thereby effectively preventing the backward movement of the fan 1100 when an external force is applied to the cover 1200.

[0067] With reference to Fig.5, the fan 1100 may be covered with a rubber cover 1130. The rubber cover 1130 serves to protect the outer surface of the fan 1100 and absorb shocks. Furthermore, the rubber cover 1130 may be formed of an elastic material so that the rubber cover 1130 contacts the circuit board 3000 to be supported when an external force is applied and the fan 1100 moves backward.

[0068] Furthermore, the housing 2000 may include the anti-slip part 2100 that supports the rubber cover 1130 to prevent excessive movement of the fan 1100 due to an external force F. The anti-slip part 2100 may be implemented as a part integrated into the housing 2000 or additionally installed as a separate part if necessary.

[0069] Thus, according to the above-described configuration, the present invention can effectively absorb and support external forces exerted on the fan and maintain the fan's position stable, preventing external influences from damaging the components in the control device. Furthermore, by using the plastic cover, it is possible to maintain stable communication performance without affecting signal transmission and reception of the antenna.

[0070] As apparent from the above description, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, by using a plastic material, the communication quality of a control device can be maintained without degrading an antenna performance.

[0071] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the structure of a fan shroud may be optimized to maintain the rigidity of the fan shroud even under external impacts.

[0072] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the existing components can be rearranged to increase rigidity, thereby improving space utilization and preserving installation space.

[0073] Effects that can be achieved by the present disclosure are not limited to the effects described above, and other effects not mentioned here will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the above description.

[0074] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present disclosure may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit and essential characteristics of the present disclosure.

[0075] The above detailed description is to be considered in all respects as exemplary and not restrictive. The scope of the present disclosure should be determined by a fair interpretation of the appended claims, and all changes that come within the range of equivalence of the present disclosure are intended to be embraced within the scope of the present disclosure.

Claims

[1] Fan cover assembly comprising: a fan having a plurality of blades adapted to rotate about a central shaft; and a hood comprising a body having a ventilation opening configured to face the fan and a contact part supported by radial supports configured to extend from an inner peripheral surface of the ventilation opening in a centripetal direction, wherein the contact part has a convex back and a thickest point of the contact part is aligned with the central shaft of the fan. [2] The fan shroud assembly of claim 1, wherein the fan further comprises: an outer frame adapted to support the central shaft and surround the plurality of blades; and a rubber cover designed to cover the outer frame. [3] Fan shroud assembly according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the shroud is formed from a plastic material. [4] Control device comprising: a fan shroud assembly comprising a fan having a plurality of blades configured to rotate about a central shaft, and a shroud comprising a body having a vent opening configured to face the fan and a plurality of brackets configured to extend from an inner peripheral surface of the vent opening; a housing adapted to have the fan shroud assembly mounted on a surface thereof; and a printed circuit board, PCB, mounted in the housing in a direction perpendicular to the fan cover arrangement, wherein the PCB is arranged such that a side portion thereof is adjacent to a rear portion of the fan to prevent the fan from being driven by an external force. [5] The control device according to claim 4, wherein the hood further comprises a contact part supported by radial supports configured to extend in a centripetal direction from the inner peripheral surface of the vent opening, the contact part having a convex back surface, and a thickest part of the contact part being aligned with the central shaft of the fan. [6] The control device according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the PCB has a shape including a buffer groove formed in the side portion thereof for receiving a part of the fan. [7] Control device according to one of claims 4 to 6, wherein the fan further comprises: an outer frame adapted to support the central shaft and surround the plurality of blades; and a rubber cover designed to cover the outer frame. [8] The control device according to claim 7, wherein the housing comprises an anti-slip part configured to support the rubber cover to restrict movement of the fan due to the external force. [9] Control device according to one of claims 4 to 8, further comprising: an antenna arranged in the housing, wherein the hood is formed of a plastic material configured not to interfere with a signal from the antenna. [10] The control device according to claim 9, wherein the antenna comprises a pattern antenna included in the PCB.

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