Battery Charger Fan Support Integrating Cooling and Debris Guidance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing battery chargers with cooling fans face challenges in maintaining compactness and preventing water and debris from entering the housing, which can disrupt electronic components during battery charging.
Innovation Solution
A battery charger design featuring a fan positioned above the circuit board with a fan-supporting member that directs cooling air and guides water and debris away from the circuit board, using a guidepath and partition wall to discharge water outside the housing through a single opening, minimizing the number of components and maintaining compactness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the circuit board is mounted at a distance from the intake port to protect it from water and debris, then the reliability of the battery charger is improved, but the size of the housing increases
Solution Approach 1:
The fan-supporting member is merged with the circuit board mounting structure, allowing the circuit board to be mounted on the fan-supporting member itself. This integration eliminates the need for separate protective structures while maintaining protection against water and debris ingress through the intake port.
Solution Approach 2:
The fan-supporting member acts as an intermediary structure between the intake port and the circuit board. It provides a protective barrier that prevents direct exposure of the circuit board to water and debris while allowing the fan to function effectively for cooling.
2Reliability
If a separate protective structure is added to shield the circuit board from water ingress, then the reliability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The protective function is merged into the fan-supporting member structure. The circuit board is mounted directly on the fan-supporting member, which inherently provides protection without requiring additional separate protective components.
Solution Approach 2:
The fan-supporting member serves multiple functions: it supports the fan, provides a mounting surface for the circuit board, and acts as a protective barrier against water and debris. This multi-functionality reduces the overall number of components needed in the system.
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 cools batteries while preventing water and debris from reaching the circuit board, ensuring reliable operation and reducing the overall size of the charger, making it more portable and efficient.
Implementation Method 1
a fan positioned near an opening in a housing of the battery charger such that the fan may intake air from outside the charger and distribute the air to cool a battery attached to the charger
Implementation Method 2
a guidepath positioned in the fan-supporting member to guide water entering into the housing through the intake port to below the electric circuit board
Data Source
AI summary
A charger has a housing with a receptacle configured to receive a battery, an electrical circuit board, a fan to circulate air within the housing and to cool the battery, and a fan-supporting member to support the fan. The fan is located above the electrical circuit board. A part of the fan-supporting member is positioned between the fan and the electrical circuit board.