Clip-On Protective Screen for Simpler Ventilation Housing Assembly

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing fan designs for motor vehicles require two different types of screws for attaching a thermal and/or anti-splash protection screen, complicating the assembly process.

Innovation Solution

A ventilation box design where the protective screen is clipped onto the ventilation nozzle using a spring element, eliminating the need for screws and allowing for secure attachment without additional hardware.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a protective screen is attached to the ventilation nozzle using screws, then the protective screen provides thermal and splash protection, but two different types of screws are required (one for motor attachment to ventilation nozzle, another for shield attachment to ventilation nozzle), complicating the assembly process

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprotective screen attachment reliabilityVSAvoidassembly complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the protective screen attachment function with the existing ventilation nozzle structure by integrating a clip directly into the nozzle. This eliminates the need for separate screw fasteners and reduces the number of different fastening types from two to one, thereby simplifying assembly while maintaining reliable protective screen attachment

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a clip as an intermediary element that mediates between the ventilation nozzle and the protective screen. This clip serves as a dedicated attachment mechanism that simplifies the fastening process by providing a single, standardized interface for securing the protective screen, replacing the need for multiple screw types

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If a protective screen is attached using screws, then the protective screen remains securely fixed, but the assembly process becomes more time-consuming due to the need for multiple screw types

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprotective screen fixationVSAvoidassembly speed
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the protective screen attachment function into the ventilation nozzle structure itself through an integrated clip mechanism. This eliminates the need for separate screw fastening operations and reduces assembly steps, thereby increasing productivity while maintaining secure protective screen fixation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts the fastening function from the general screw-based system and creates a dedicated clip mechanism specifically for protective screen attachment. This specialized extraction allows for faster, more efficient assembly by eliminating the need to select and install multiple different screw types

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

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

Simplifies the assembly process by eliminating the need for multiple screw types while providing effective thermal and anti-splash protection for the fan motor.

Implementation Method 1

the fixing of the protective screen on the ventilation nozzle being carried out by a spring element

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP3768978B1Ventilation housing comprising a clip-on protective screen
Publication Date: 2024.10.30 VALEO SYST THERMIQUES SAS
  • EP3768978B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3768978B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3768978B1 patent drawingFigure 5

AI summary

The invention relates to a ventilation housing comprising: a ventilation nozzle (3) for receiving a ventilation propeller, the ventilation nozzle (3) having a motor-receiving cavity for receiving a fan motor; and a protective screen (4) that can be attached to the ventilation nozzle (3) in such a way as to cover the motor-receiving cavity on the outer side of the ventilation nozzle (3), the ventilation nozzle (3) and the protective screen (4) to be stacked in a stacking direction, characterised in that the attachment of the protective screen (4) to the ventilation nozzle (3) is carried out by means of a spring element (31) and in that the protective screen (4) covers, at the most, the motor-receiving cavity. The invention also relates to a fan (1) for a motor vehicle, comprising such a ventilation housing.