Air Shutter With Elastic Blades for Multi-Directional Heat Dissipation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing air shutters have a single airflow direction and cannot support multi-directional installation due to gravity, limiting their effectiveness in heat dissipation for large-scale networking devices like routers and servers.

Innovation Solution

The air shutter design includes a holder with radially distributed connecting pieces, compressible elastic members, and blades that rotate with wind force to expand and close the gap between connecting pieces, allowing for adjustable airflow direction and multi-directional installation, facilitated by elastic members storing and releasing energy.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If blades are rotated and closed by gravity force, then the air shutter can close the gap, but the air shutter cannot support multi-directional installation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemulti-directional installationVSAvoidclosure mechanism complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces gravity-based closure with elastic members that provide restoring force independent of gravitational direction. The elastic members are configured to push the blades toward the closed position regardless of the air shutter's orientation, enabling multi-directional installation while maintaining simple closure mechanism.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #8Anti-weight (Counterweight)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces spring-loaded elastic members that dynamically adjust blade position based on wind pressure. The elastic members provide a resilient closure mechanism that adapts to varying wind forces while maintaining contact between blades and connecting pieces, enabling reliable operation in any installation orientation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Productivity

If blades are rotated and opened by wind force, then heat dissipation is improved, but the airflow direction is single and limited

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheat dissipation efficiencyVSAvoidairflow direction flexibility

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent designs the air shutter with radially distributed connecting pieces and corresponding blades that can function effectively in multiple airflow directions. Each blade-connector pair operates independently, allowing the structure to handle wind from any direction while maintaining effective heat dissipation performance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The elastic members enable dynamic blade response to wind pressure from any direction. When wind blows, the elastic members allow blades to rotate outward to open gaps for heat dissipation; when wind stops, the elastic members restore blades to closed position, providing adaptive operation for variable airflow directions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Object-affected harmful factors

If an air shutter is added in front of the fan, then debris protection is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedebris protectionVSAvoidoverall device structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The air shutter employs self-actuating blades that automatically open and close in response to wind pressure without external control systems. The elastic members provide automatic restoration to closed position, creating a self-regulating debris protection mechanism that adds minimal complexity while effectively preventing debris entry during low-wind conditions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

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

This design enables the air shutter to adjust its airflow area based on wind strength, ensuring effective heat dissipation for large-scale networking devices without being limited by gravity, enhancing the flexibility and efficiency of heat management systems.

Implementation Method 1

compressible elastic members, and a plurality of blades (30)... blades that rotate with wind force to expand and close the gap between connecting pieces, allowing for adjustable airflow direction and multi-directional installation, facilitated by elastic members storing and releasing energy

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElastic potential energy storage and release: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentUS11346355B2Air shutter and radiating fan including the same

Publication Date: 2022.05.31 NANNING FUGUI PRECISION IND CO LTD

AI summary

An air shutter comprises a holder, two compressible elastic members, a plurality of blades, and two cover plates. The holder comprises a central hub, an outer frame and a plurality of connecting pieces, and the outer frame has two annular grooves for receiving the two compressible elastic members. Each of the plurality of blades locates between two adjacent connecting pieces and one end is pivotally connected to the central hub and the other end is pivotally connected to the two compressible elastic members. In a windless state, a gap between two adjacent connecting pieces is closed by one of the blades, and when the windless state changes to a windy state, each blade is rotated by a wind force and area of the gap expands with the increase of the wind force. A radiating fan comprising the air shutter is also provided.