Air heater
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing hot-air devices for shaping spectacle frames are noisy and produce uneven temperature profiles, leading to inefficient heating and potential safety hazards due to 'hot spots', resulting in rejects and operator injuries.
Innovation Solution
A hot-air device with a variable-speed electric motor, a conically widening air duct, and an air-guiding system that minimizes turbulence and ensures a laminar air flow, allowing for precise temperature control and reduced noise, featuring an electronically commutating DC motor and an air-permeable separating device for safe operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a constant-speed fan is used to generate air flow, then the device structure is simple, but the air flow becomes turbulent and noisy with non-uniform temperature distribution
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies a variable-speed electric motor instead of a constant-speed fan to dynamically adjust the air flow characteristics. The motor speed can be varied to optimize air flow velocity, reducing turbulence and noise while maintaining uniform temperature distribution across the heated air stream.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical parameters of air flow by controlling the fan speed and using a conical air duct to modify flow velocity and pressure distribution. These parameter changes transform the air flow from turbulent to laminar, eliminating hot spots and reducing noise.
2Productivity
If the air flow velocity is increased to improve heating efficiency, then the heating speed increases, but the temperature distribution becomes more uneven and noise increases
Solution Approach 1:
The variable-speed motor allows the system to dynamically adjust air flow velocity to the optimal range for laminar flow, maintaining both high heating efficiency and uniform temperature distribution. The speed can be optimized based on operational requirements without creating turbulence or hot spots.
3Volume of moving object
If the distance between blower device and heating device is reduced to compact the structure, then the device size decreases, but air flow turbulence increases
Solution Approach 1:
The conical air duct serves as a preliminary flow conditioning element that prepares the air stream before it reaches the heating device. The conical geometry gradually accelerates and straightens the air flow, eliminating turbulence even at reduced distances between components.
4Device complexity
If conventional heating devices are used without air guidance, then the device structure is simple, but hot spots form causing safety hazards and rejects
Solution Approach 1:
The conical air duct acts as an intermediary element between the blower and heating device, conditioning the air flow to ensure uniform distribution across the heating elements. This intermediary structure prevents direct contact between turbulent air and heating elements, eliminating hot spots and associated safety hazards.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution provides a quieter, more efficient heating process with uniform temperature distribution, preventing overheating and injuries, ensuring consistent mold temperature and reducing production costs through the use of cost-effective axial fans and modular design.
Implementation Method 1
an electric motor (15) which can be operated with a variable speed and which drives a fan wheel (17)
Implementation Method 2
heats this air flow by means of a heating device (5)
Implementation Method 3
the heating device is accommodated in an air duct (51) which widens conically from a point (67) of the smallest diameter both in the direction of the air discharge device (7) and in the direction of the blower device (3)
Data Source
Figure 1~2
AI summary
The invention relates to a hot air device (1), in particular for heating eyeglass frames for the purpose of shaping the eyeglass frames, consisting of a fan apparatus (3) having a fan impeller (17) which can be driven by an electric motor (15); an electrical heating apparatus (7); and an air output apparatus (7), which hot air device is characterized in that the electric motor (15) is speed-variable and that an obstacle-free clearance (AHF) between the fan apparatus (3) and the heating apparatus (5) is chosen such that a homogenized air stream (49) produced by the fan impeller (17) is set at least on one inlet (68) of the heating apparatus (5).