Blower Seal Member Shape Retention During Terminal Insertion

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Solution Overview

Problem

The assembly of blower devices is hindered by the elastic deformation of seal members during insertion, leading to degraded workability.

Innovation Solution

A rubber member with specific protruding portions is used to support and maintain the shape of the seal portions, preventing deformation and facilitating insertion, while ensuring waterproofness and vibration-proofness by compressing between the cover and housing components.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the seal member is inserted into the hole of the casing after being attached to the connecting terminal, then the seal member can provide waterproof sealing, but the seal member may be elastically deformed during insertion which degrades assembly workability

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewaterproof sealingVSAvoidassembly workability
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-attaching the seal member to the connecting terminal in a controlled manner before insertion. The seal member is preliminarily fixed to the terminal body with its sealed surface facing the hole, ensuring proper positioning and preventing deformation during the subsequent insertion process into the casing hole.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies local quality by providing protruding portions at specific locations on the seal member (at the sealed surface and at the opposite end). These localized structural features provide targeted support to maintain the seal member's shape where it is most needed during insertion, while allowing flexibility in other areas for proper sealing contact.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Reliability

If the seal member is made of elastic material to ensure sealing, then waterproofness is improved, but the elastic deformation during insertion increases assembly difficulty

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovewaterproofnessVSAvoidassembly process complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by providing protruding portions at specific locations on the seal member (at the sealed surface and at the opposite end). These localized structural features provide targeted support to maintain the seal member's shape where it is most needed during insertion, while allowing flexibility in other areas for proper sealing contact.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-attaching the seal member to the connecting terminal in a controlled manner before insertion. The seal member is preliminarily fixed to the terminal body with its sealed surface facing the hole, ensuring proper positioning and preventing deformation during the subsequent insertion process into the casing hole.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

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 enhances assembly workability by maintaining the seal member's shape and preventing deformation, thus improving the assembly process and ensuring effective sealing and vibration suppression.

Implementation Method 1

A rubber member with specific protruding portions is used to support and maintain the shape of the seal portions, preventing deformation

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

ensuring waterproofness and vibration-proofness by compressing between the cover and housing components

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCompression: Compression

Data Source

PatentEP3456977B1Blower device
Publication Date: 2021.06.02 SHINANO KENSHI CO LTD
  • EP3456977B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3456977B1 patent drawingFigure 2A~2B
  • EP3456977B1 patent drawingFigure 3A~3B

AI summary

A blower device includes: a fan (I); a motor (M) rotating the fan; a cover (90) covering a stator (50) and a coil (30) of the motor; a terminal (60) electrically connected to the coil and protruding from the cover; a printed circuit board (PB) electrically connected to the terminal; a housing (80) including a receiving hole (851) receiving the terminal and supporting the stator; and an elastic body (100) sandwiched between the cover and the housing and formed into an annular shape, wherein the elastic body includes a first seal portion (107) surrounding the terminal within the receiving hole, the cover includes a protruding portion (93a, 93b), a protruding height of the protruding portion from the cover is lower than a protruding height of the terminal from the cover, and the protruding portion supports the first seal portion.