Blower Apparatus Vibration Isolation and Gas Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional blower apparatuses for gas laser oscillation systems experience inadequate vibration isolation and air-sealing due to high-speed rotation and increased diameter, leading to vibration and noise transmission, and gas leakage at mounting portions.
Innovation Solution
The blower apparatus features a motor with blades, a blower casing with elastic members and a flange portion, where the elastic members are adhered to both ends with adhesion surfaces orthogonal to the rotation shaft, and the flange portion opposes the blower support member through a gap less than the elastic member's thickness, enhancing vibration isolation and minimizing gas leakage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If high-speed rotation and increased fan diameter are used to improve gas circulation capability, then productivity is improved, but vibration increases and is transmitted to the casing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces elastic members as intermediary elements between the blower casing and the casing to absorb and isolate vibration. The elastic members act as a mediator that allows the blower to operate at high speeds for improved productivity while preventing vibration transmission to the casing, thus resolving the contradiction between productivity and vibration generation.
2Ease of manufacture
If mounting members pass through the center of elastic members to fix the fan, then ease of manufacture is improved, but vibration isolation effect is degraded because vibration is transmitted through the mounting member
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the harmful function of the mounting member by preventing it from passing through the elastic member. Instead of allowing the mounting member to penetrate the vibration-isolating elastic material (which would transmit vibration), the mounting member is positioned to engage only with the rigid portions of the structure, thereby maintaining ease of manufacture while eliminating the vibration transmission pathway.
3Reliability
If a large gap is formed in the mounting portion to prevent contact during vibration, then reliability is improved by preventing contact, but air-sealing property is degraded
Solution Approach 1:
The patent resolves this contradiction by transitioning from a single-dimensional gap approach to a multi-dimensional sealing solution. Instead of simply increasing the gap size in one dimension, the invention employs elastic members that provide sealing capability in multiple dimensions through their deformable nature, allowing the structure to accommodate vibration-induced movements while maintaining gas tightness.
4Strength
If bolts are used to fasten support seats onto support plates via isolators, then strength of connection is improved, but vibration isolation effect is degraded because bolts pass through the isolators
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the intermediary principle by introducing additional elastic elements as mediators between the bolts and the isolators. These intermediary elements allow the bolts to maintain their strength-providing function while the elastic mediators absorb the vibration, preventing it from being transmitted through the bolt-isolator connection path.
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 configuration effectively reduces vibration transmission, enhances vibration isolation, and minimizes gas leakage, ensuring smooth circulation of laser gas and reduced noise in gas laser oscillation apparatuses.
Implementation Method 1
an elastic member for mounting a mounting portion that projects on an outer circumferential portion of the blower casing, to a blower support member
Implementation Method 2
an elastic member for mounting a mounting portion that projects on an outer circumferential portion of the blower casing, to a blower support member
Implementation Method 3
Adhesion surfaces that are almost orthogonal to the rotation shaft, are provided on both ends, in the rotation shaft direction, of each elastic member, and the mounting portion is adhered and fixed to one of the adhesion surfaces, and the blower support member is adhered and fixed to the other of the adhesion surfaces
Implementation Method 4
a flange portion provided, on the whole outer circumferential portion of the blower casing, on the inlet side of the mounting portion... The flange portion is provided so as to oppose the blower support member through a gap having a thickness less than a thickness, in the rotation shaft direction, of the elastic member
Data Source
AI summary
A blower apparatus includes a blower casing; an elastic member for mounting a mounting portion that projects on an outer circumferential portion of the blower casing, to a blower support member disposed on the inlet side of the mounting portion; and a flange portion provided on the inlet side of the mounting portion. At least three elastic members are disposed in the same plane that is almost orthogonal to a rotation shaft, and adhesion surfaces are provided on both ends, in the rotation shaft direction, of each elastic member. The mounting portion is fixed to one of the adhesion surfaces, and the blower support member is fixed to the other of the adhesion surfaces. The flange portion is provided so as to oppose the blower support member through a gap having a thickness less than a thickness, in the rotation shaft direction, of the elastic member.