Outdoor AC Fan Guard Fixing Plate to Prevent Deformation and Chatter
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing fan guards in outdoor air conditioner units are prone to deformation under load, leading to potential damage from contact with the blower and generation of chattering sounds due to direct screw fixation, which increases the number of screws and workload.
Innovation Solution
A fan guard with a cross-sectional crank-shaped fixing plate design that continuously fixes from the front to the rear of both ends of the lateral or longitudinal rail portions to the top panel, increasing mechanical strength and preventing direct contact with the top panel, thus reducing deformation and chattering sounds.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the fan guard is fixed using screw fastening portions at the four corners, then the fan guard can be attached to the top panel, but the fan guard is easily deformed under load
Solution Approach 1:
The fixing plate is divided into multiple fixing portions (first fixing portion, second fixing portion, third fixing portion, fourth fixing portion) distributed at different locations. This segmentation allows the fan guard to be firmly attached to the top panel at multiple points, distributing the load and preventing deformation while maintaining ease of assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The fixing plate integrates multiple functions: it serves as both the attachment mechanism (replacing multiple screws) and the structural reinforcement element. By combining the fixing function and strengthening function into a single component, the fan guard achieves both ease of manufacture and high mechanical strength.
2Device complexity
If the fan guard is directly screwed to the top panel, then the attachment is simple, but the vibration of the blower and compressor is propagated to the top panel causing chattering sounds
Solution Approach 1:
The fixing plate acts as an intermediary element between the fan guard and the top panel. It includes a first fixing portion that attaches to the top panel and a second fixing portion that attaches to the fan guard, with intermediate portions connecting them. This intermediary structure isolates the vibration from the top panel, preventing chattering sounds while maintaining simple attachment.
3Ease of manufacture
If the fan guard deforms greatly, then it can be stored inside the fan guard attachment portion, but the fan guard comes into contact with the blower causing damage
Solution Approach 1:
The fixing plate is designed with a predetermined crank shape that pre-establishes the correct spatial relationship between the fan guard and the blower. This preliminary design ensures that when the fan guard is stored in the attachment portion, it maintains proper positioning and does not come into contact with the blower, protecting the blower while enabling easy storage.
Solution Approach 2:
The fixing plate's crank shape parameters (lengths and angles of various portions) are specifically designed to control the fan guard's position and orientation. By adjusting these geometric parameters, the fan guard is positioned such that it can be stored compactly without deforming enough to contact the blower, thus protecting the blower while maintaining ease of storage.
4Object-generated harmful factors
If more screw fastening portions are used to prevent chattering sound, then the chattering sound is reduced, but the number of screws and workload are increased
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple fixing functions are merged into a single fixing plate component. The fixing plate includes multiple fixing portions (first, second, third, fourth) that collectively provide the attachment strength and vibration isolation that would otherwise require multiple separate screws, thus reducing chattering sounds while maintaining low assembly workload.
Solution Approach 2:
The fixing plate serves multiple functions simultaneously: it attaches the fan guard to the top panel, isolates vibrations to prevent chattering sounds, and maintains the fan guard's positional stability. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for multiple separate components, reducing assembly workload while effectively preventing chattering sounds.
Data Source
AI summary
An outdoor unit of an air conditioner which is capable of increasing mechanical strength of a fan guard to suppress deformation of the fan guard, and further, is capable of preventing generation of a chattering sound is provided. A diameter of wire rods which configure a lateral rail portion of the fan guard is greater than a diameter of wire rods which configure a longitudinal rail portion of the fan guard, cross-sectional crank shaped fixing plates are provided on both left and right end portions of the lateral rail portion, and the fan guard is screwed to the top panel via the fixing plates.