Adjustable Blower Motor Base for Belt Tension and Compact HVAC Cabinets
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Solution Overview
Problem
HVAC&R systems face challenges with blower units having a large footprint, increased cabinet height, and difficulty in accessing and adjusting motor position, which affects belt tension and balance.
Innovation Solution
An adjustable motor base is introduced, allowing the motor to be secured to a fan unit support frame with adjustable vertical height, enabling easy tension adjustment and balance correction through vertical height adjustment bolts, reducing the blower unit's space requirements and improving accessibility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the motor is mounted on top of the blower unit in a clam-shell or sliding motor base, then the motor positioning is flexible, but the cabinet height is significantly increased
Solution Approach 1:
The motor base incorporates adjustable height legs with threaded rods that allow the motor mounting height to be dynamically changed. This enables the motor to be positioned at different vertical levels to accommodate various cabinet height requirements while maintaining flexible motor positioning capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the vertical position parameter of the motor mounting surface by adjusting the height of the legs. This allows the motor to be mounted at different heights without increasing the overall cabinet height, resolving the contradiction between positioning flexibility and compact dimensions.
2Length of stationary object
If the motor is mounted on a side of the blower unit, then the cabinet height is reduced, but the work zone around the blower is impacted and belts are difficult to tighten
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of mounting the motor only on the side (one-dimensional constraint), the invention provides multi-dimensional mounting flexibility through adjustable height legs and multiple mounting positions. This allows the motor to be positioned in three-dimensional space, enabling both reduced cabinet height and improved accessibility for belt tightening operations.
3Length of stationary object
If the motor is mounted on a side of the blower unit, then the cabinet height is reduced, but excessive stress is placed on the fan bearings
Solution Approach 1:
The adjustable height legs allow the motor mounting position to be dynamically optimized to achieve proper belt tension and alignment. This prevents excessive stress on fan bearings by enabling the motor to be positioned at the correct vertical level, resolving the contradiction between reduced cabinet height and bearing stress reduction.
4Device complexity
If conventional motor mounting methods are used, then the structure is simple, but balance adjustment is not provided
Solution Approach 1:
The motor base incorporates adjustable height legs with threaded rods that enable dynamic adjustment of the motor's vertical position for balance correction. This adds minimal structural complexity while providing essential balance adjustability, resolving the contradiction between structural simplicity and adaptability.
Data Source
AI summary
An HVAC&R system including a blower system having a vertical motor adjustment is provided. The HVAC&R system includes a cooling unit, a heating unit, an air conditioning unit, and a blower unit. The blower unit includes a blower assembly having a fan unit within a fan unit support frame. A motor attached to a height adjustable motor base is attached to a top surface of the fan unit support frame.