Alternator Fan Segmented Blade Design for Weight Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing alternator fans made from stamped sheet metal are costly and heavy due to the need for multiple stampings to increase fan blade count, which compromises weight and structural integrity.
Innovation Solution
An alternator fan design featuring a base member with a central hub and web having openings for fan blade elements, allowing for increased blade count without the need for multiple stampings, using extruded or stamped fan blade elements that can be securely attached to the base member, thereby reducing weight and cost.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If multiple stampings are used to increase fan blade count, then the cooling efficiency is improved, but the weight and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The fan is divided into a base member and multiple separate fan blade elements. The base member contains openings that receive and secure the fan blade elements, allowing the blades to be added without requiring multiple complex stampings of the entire fan structure. This segmentation enables increased blade count while maintaining lighter weight.
Solution Approach 2:
The fan combines the base member (formed by stamping) with separate fan blade elements (extruded or formed), creating a composite structure. This allows optimization of each component's manufacturing process and material properties, achieving higher blade count with reduced overall weight and cost compared to traditional multi-stamped construction.
2Productivity
If multiple stampings are used to increase fan blade count, then the cooling efficiency is improved, but the manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
By separating the fan into a base member and independent fan blade elements, the manufacturing process is simplified. The base member can be stamped once, and the fan blade elements can be produced separately using extrusion or other simpler forming processes, then assembled together. This avoids the complexity of multiple precise stampings required in traditional designs.
Solution Approach 2:
The base member is prepared in advance with openings positioned and sized to receive the fan blade elements. This preliminary preparation of the base member simplifies the subsequent assembly process and allows for standardized production of both components, reducing overall manufacturing complexity and cost.
3Ease of manufacture
If traditional stamped construction is used, then the manufacturing process is simple, but the fan blade count is limited which reduces cooling efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The fan design segments the blade structure from the base, allowing multiple fan blade elements to be attached to a single base member. This maintains the simplicity of stamping the base member while enabling increased blade count through additive assembly, thereby improving cooling efficiency without sacrificing manufacturing simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of increasing blade count by adding layers in the planar dimension (which requires multiple stampings), the invention adds blades in the vertical/third dimension by attaching fan blade elements that extend from the base member. This dimensional transition allows increased blade count while maintaining manufacturing simplicity.
Data Source
AI summary
An alternator fan includes a base member having a central hub, an outer peripheral edge, and a web that extends between the central hub and the outer peripheral edge, and a plurality of openings extending through web. A plurality of fan blade elements is arranged in corresponding ones of each of the plurality of openings.