Protective device, fan and method for producing a protective device

Abstract

The invention relates to a protective device (10) for protection against contacting with a grate structure (20) and with a fastening apparatus (30) for fastening the grate structure (20) to an air inlet and / or air outlet, wherein the grate structure (20) comprises a protective strut (21) and at least one retaining strut (22) which is connected at at least two points to the protective strut (21), wherein the protective strut (21) is helical in order to block the air inlet and / or air outlet.

Description

[0001] Protective device, fan and method for producing a protective device

[0002] Description

[0003] The invention relates to a protective device, a fan with such a protective device and a method for producing such a protective device.

[0004] Generally, guards are used to protect people or objects from the rotating impeller of a fan. For this purpose, the guards are typically mounted on an air inlet and / or air outlet of the fan, blocking the air inlet and / or air outlet and thus preventing access to the impeller located therein. Such guards can also be referred to as fan grilles, ventilation grilles, or protective grilles.

[0005] To block the air inlet and / or outlet, grid structures are used. These structures, on the one hand, offer the lowest possible resistance to the air flow into the air inlet and / or out of the air outlet, and on the other hand, must be sufficiently dense and stable to provide protection. To ensure this, such grid structures are typically formed from a multitude of individual grid elements, for example, circular and concentrically arranged or straight and grid-like. The manufacturing and material costs of such protective devices are complex.

[0006] It is therefore the object of the present invention to provide a protective device that requires reduced manufacturing and material costs. A further object of the present invention is to provide a fan with such a protective device.

[0007] This object is achieved according to the invention by a protective device according to

[0008] Claim 1 is solved. With regard to the fan, the problem is solved by the subject matter of claim 6 and with regard to the method by the subject matter of claim 7.

[0009] Specifically, the object is achieved according to the invention by a protective device, in particular for a fan, for protection against contact with a grid structure and a fastening device for fastening the grid structure to an air inlet and / or air outlet, in particular of a fan. The grid structure comprises a protective strut and at least one retaining strut connected to the protective strut at at least two points, wherein the protective strut is spiral-shaped to block the air inlet and / or air outlet.

[0010] The invention is therefore based on the idea of ​​specifying a protective device with a grid structure which is designed in such a way that a single grid element, namely the protective strut, is sufficient to block the air inlet and / or air outlet. For this purpose, the protective strut has the shape of a spiral, in particular a flat and / or round one. The spiral is designed in such a way that the protective strut blocks the air inlet and / or air outlet when installed. In other words, the protective strut extends over the air inlet and / or air outlet when installed in such a way that the grid structure, on the one hand, represents low resistance to the air flow into the air inlet and / or out of the air outlet and, on the other hand, has a sufficiently high density, i.e. sufficiently small openings, for the protective effect.

[0011] This significantly reduces the number of components in the protective device. This requires fewer manufacturing steps, such as connecting components, thus reducing production costs. The reduced number of components also eliminates the need for additional joining elements, such as weld points, thus reducing the material requirements and thus the weight of the protective device.

[0012] To ensure high stability, the grid structure has at least one support strut in addition to the protective strut. The support strut stabilizes the protective strut, and thus the protective device, by being connected to the protective strut at at least two points. The protective device according to the invention is designed to provide contact protection of all kinds. Specifically, the protective device is used to protect against the impeller of a fan, for example, a filter fan for ventilating electrical components. The protective device can also be used to protect against other components of the fan or to protect other components of the fan. It is also possible to use the inventive concept generally in connection with the covering of components.

[0013] Preferred embodiments of the invention are specified in the subclaims.

[0014] It is advantageous if the protective strut comprises at least three coils that are evenly spaced radially. This increases the density of the grid structure, further improving the protective effect of the protective device. Arranging the coils at even radial spacing also ensures that, during operation, the airflow through the grid structure is evenly distributed over the entire surface of the grid structure, thereby reducing airflow resistance.

[0015] The protective strut preferably has 3 to 12 turns, in particular 5 to 10 turns, particularly preferably 7.5 turns.

[0016] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the support strut has at least two radial legs, each of which is connected to all turns of the spiral-shaped protective strut. This ensures that each full turn of the protective strut is connected to the support strut at two points, further increasing the stability of the lattice structure.

[0017] In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the protective device has two retaining struts, with two adjacent legs forming a right angle. The protective device thus has four legs, so that each full turn of the protective strut is connected to the retaining strut at four points, thereby further increasing stability. Due to the equidistant arrangement of the legs from one another, the legs are evenly distributed over the circumference of each full turn of the protective strut, so that the stabilizing effect of the retaining strut is additionally increased. It is advantageous if the fastening device has at least two fastening means, each formed at one end of the retaining strut, in particular at one end of the legs. The at least two fastening means allow the grid structure to be securely fastened to the air inlet and / or air outlet.Furthermore, since the fastening elements are each located at one end of the support strut, additional fasteners for connecting the fastening elements to the lattice structure are eliminated. This reduces the number of components, and thus the manufacturing effort and material costs for the protective device.

[0018] Within the scope of the invention, a fan with at least one protective device as described above is also provided.

[0019] For the effect and advantages of the fan according to the invention, reference is made to the explanations in connection with the protective device. The protective device is therefore disclosed and claimed both as part of the fan and on its own, i.e., independently of the fan.

[0020] A further subordinate aspect of the invention relates to a method for producing a protective device as described above, wherein the protective strut is produced by punching and / or bending, in particular without joining.

[0021] Because the protective strut is spiral-shaped, punching and / or bending processes are essentially sufficient to produce the protective strut, eliminating the need for joining processes such as welding. This significantly reduces the manufacturing effort and material requirements for the protective device. Material requirements can be reduced by about one-third.

[0022] For production, for example, a wire or strip material can be formed into a spiral-shaped protective strut. Other starting materials are possible.

[0023] Punching and / or bending can be performed using a special punching and bending device, such as an automatic punching and bending machine. Punching and / or bending can also be performed by other means, such as manually. For appearance features of the protective device that are not exclusively determined by its technical function, design freedom according to aesthetic design considerations exists to the extent that the technical effect is realized.

[0024] The invention will be explained in more detail below using an exemplary embodiment with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings, in which:

[0025] Fig. 1 is a front view of a protective device according to an embodiment of the invention; and

[0026] Fig. 2 is a side view of the protective device from Fig. 1;

[0027] Fig. 1 shows a front view of a protective device 10 for protection against contact (not shown) according to an embodiment of the invention. The protective device 10 has a front side 11 and a rear side 12, with the front side 11 being shown in Fig. 1.

[0028] The protective device 10 has a grid structure 20 and a fastening device 30 for fastening the grid structure 20 to an air inlet and / or air outlet, in particular of a fan. In an assembled state, the rear side faces the air inlet and / or air outlet. Thus, in an assembled state, the air inlet and / or air outlet is located behind the protective device 10 shown in Fig. 1, specifically the grid structure 20.

[0029] The grid structure 20 comprises a spiral-shaped protective strut 21. The spiral shape is such that the protective strut 21 blocks the air inlet and / or air outlet when installed. The size of the protective device 10, in particular the protective strut 21, is thus adapted to the size of the air inlet and / or air outlet, in particular of the fan.

[0030] The protective strut 21 is formed from a single component, in particular a single wire. The lattice structure 20 comprises at least one support strut 22. Specifically, the lattice structure comprises two support struts 22. The support struts 22 are formed from a single component, in particular a single wire.

[0031] The support struts 22 are each connected to the protective strut 21 at at least two points. Specifically, the protective strut 21 and the support strut 22 are welded together at at least two points. The protective strut 21 and the support strut 22 can also be connected in other ways, for example, glued or screwed together.

[0032] The protective strut 21 comprises 7.5 turns 23. The protective strut 21 can also have more or fewer turns.

[0033] The turns 23 are evenly spaced radially. In other words, the radial distance between two adjacent turns is always essentially the same. The turns 23 are essentially round, i.e., free of corners, kinks, or edges, and arranged essentially in one plane. The protective strut 21 thus has the shape of a uniform, round, and flat spiral.

[0034] The protective strut 21 can also have other shapes. For example, the protective strut 21 can have the shape of an oval or square spiral. The protective strut 21 can also have the shape of a three-dimensional spiral, for example, a helix or screw. The radial distance between two adjacent coils can vary.

[0035] The support struts 22 each have two radial legs 24. The legs 24 essentially extend radially outward from the spiral center 25 along the protective strut 21. Two adjacent legs 24 form a right angle. The four legs 24 thus form an X or cross, which is centered with respect to the spiral-shaped protective strut 21. The legs 24 are each connected to all turns 23 of the protective strut 21.

[0036] The support struts 22 each comprise a circular arc-shaped section 28 formed between the legs 24 and thus connecting the legs 24. The circular arc-shaped sections 28 each merge substantially tangentially into the legs 24. The fastening device 30 has four fastening means 31. The fastening means 31 each form a loop through which a counter-fastening means, for example a screw, can be passed to fasten the protective device 10. The fastening means 31 can also form hooks for hooking into corresponding counter-fastening means. The fastening means 31 can be designed differently.

[0037] The fastening means 31 are each formed at one end of the support struts 22, specifically at an outer end of the legs 24. For this purpose, the legs 24 are each bent at their ends to form a loop, i.e., a fastening means 31. The fastening means 31 are essentially free of corners, kinks, or edges and each merge essentially tangentially into a leg 24. The fastening means 31 are each arranged radially outward with respect to the protective strut 21, specifically the outermost turn 23 of the protective strut 21.

[0038] Two fastening means 31 and one support strut 22 are each formed from a single component, in particular a single wire, and are essentially free of corners, kinks, or edges. The protective device 10 thus essentially comprises three components, namely the protective strut 21 and two support struts 22, at the ends of which two fastening means 31 are each formed. The protective device 10 can also comprise fewer or more components. In particular, the protective strut 21 and the support struts 22 can be formed from a single component, in particular a wire.

[0039] The protective strut 21 is arranged on the rear side 12. When installed, the protective strut 21 is located between the air inlet and / or air outlet and the support struts 22.

[0040] Fig. 2 shows a side view of the protective device 10 from Fig. 1. The fastening means 31, which are formed at the ends of the legs 24, are arranged on the rear side 12 at a distance from the protective strut 21. The fastening means 31 are therefore offset from the rear side 12 so that the grid structure 20 can be fastened at a certain distance from the air inlet and / or air outlet. The holding struts 22, specifically the legs 24, each have an inner section 26 arranged on the front side 11. At the end of the inner sections 26, a shoulder 27 is formed which connects the fastening means 31 arranged on the rear side 12 with the inner section 26 of the leg 24 arranged on the front side 11. The shoulders 27 are each arranged radially outwards with respect to the protective strut 21, specifically the outermost turn 23 of the protective strut 21.

[0041] It can be clearly seen that the support struts 22, which each comprise two legs 24 with an inner section 26 and shoulders 27, and the fastening means 31 are formed from a single component, in particular a single wire, and are essentially free of corners, kinks or edges.

[0042] It is also clear that the protective strut 21 and the support struts 22 with the fastening means 30 each have a substantially circular cross-section. Specifically, the protective strut 21 and the support struts 22 with the fastening means 30 are each formed from a single wire.

[0043] The protective device 10 may differ from the illustrations in Figs. 1 and 2, particularly for aesthetic design reasons, as long as the technical effect is achieved. For example, the opening in the center of the protective device 10, in particular the diameter of the innermost turn 23 of the protective strut 21, may be larger or smaller than in Fig. 1. The radial distance between two adjacent turns 23 of the protective strut 21 may, for example, be larger or smaller than in Fig. 1. The shoulders 27 of the support struts 22 may also be longer or shorter than in Fig. 2, so that the grid structure 20 can be attached at a smaller or larger distance from the air inlet and / or air outlet, in particular from the fan.

[0044] List of reference symbols

[0045] 10 Protective device

[0046] 11 Front

[0047] 12 Back

[0048] 20 Grid structure 21 Protective strut

[0049] 22 Support strut

[0050] 23 turns

[0051] 24 Legs 25 Spiral center

[0052] 26 inner section

[0053] 27 paragraph

[0054] 28 circular arc section

[0055] 30 Fastening device 31 Fastening means

Claims

Claims 1. A protective device (10) for protection against contact, comprising a grid structure (20) and a fastening device (30) for fastening the grid structure (20) to an air inlet and / or air outlet, wherein the grid structure (20) comprises a protective strut (21) and at least one holding strut (22) which is connected to the protective strut (21) at least two points, wherein the protective strut (21) is spirally formed in order to block the air inlet and / or air outlet.

2. Protective device (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that the protective strut (21) comprises at least three turns (23) which are radially evenly spaced.

3. Protective device (10) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the holding strut (22) has at least two radial legs (24) which are each connected to all the turns (23) of the protective strut (21).

4. Protective device (10) according to claim 3, characterized by two retaining struts (22), wherein two adjacent legs (24) form a right angle.

5. Protective device (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the fastening device (30) has at least two fastening means (31), each of which is formed at one end of the holding strut (22).

6. Fan with a protective device (10) according to one of the preceding claims.

7. A method for producing a protective device (10) according to one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the protective strut (21) is produced by punching and / or bending.

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