Extractor Hood Fan Housing With External Sensor PCB Mounting

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing extractor hood systems face challenges in accurately detecting vapors and impurities in the air flow due to the precise alignment requirements of sensors, which can negatively impact performance and complicate maintenance.

Innovation Solution

The sensor unit is positioned on the outside of the fan housing with a circuit board extending partially through the fan housing, secured by a cover with a spring element, allowing for precise alignment and easy maintenance, while protecting the sensor from contamination.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If the sensor is positioned inside the fan housing to detect air impurities, then the detection capability is improved, but the sensor alignment precision requirement increases and maintenance difficulty increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedetection capabilityVSAvoidmaintenance difficulty
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The sensor unit is segmented from the fan housing by positioning the circuit board outside the fan housing while allowing the sensor to protrude through the wall into the air flow path. This segmentation allows the sensor to maintain detection capability while the circuit board remains accessible for maintenance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The fan housing wall acts as an intermediary structure that allows the sensor to protrude through it. This enables the sensor to be positioned in the air flow path for detection while the circuit board remains outside the housing for easy access and maintenance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Measurement precision

If the sensor is positioned inside the fan housing to detect air impurities, then the detection capability is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedetection capabilityVSAvoidstructural complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The circuit board is extracted from inside the fan housing and positioned outside. Only the necessary sensor component protrudes through the housing wall into the air flow path, while the complex circuit board remains outside, reducing internal complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The circuit board is positioned in a different spatial dimension (outside the fan housing) while the sensor maintains its functional position (inside the air flow path). This dimensional separation simplifies the internal structure while preserving detection capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Measurement precision

If the circuit board is positioned inside the fan housing, then the sensor can detect air impurities, but the sensor alignment precision requirement increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesensor alignmentVSAvoidalignment precision requirement
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The fan housing wall serves as an intermediary that allows the sensor to protrude through it. This provides a stable mounting structure that facilitates precise alignment of the sensor with the air flow path while keeping the circuit board outside where alignment is easier to achieve.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The sensor is pre-positioned on the circuit board outside the housing, allowing for preliminary alignment adjustments. When the circuit board is mounted outside the housing, the sensor's position relative to the air flow path can be optimized before final installation.

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 configuration enables reliable detection of air impurities without affecting the extractor hood's performance and simplifies the structure and maintenance of the fan device, ensuring precise sensor alignment and easy access for maintenance.

Implementation Method 1

the cover has at least one spring element for applying the compressive force to the circuit board of the sensor unit

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP3008393B1Extractor hood with a fan device
Publication Date: 2019.04.17 BSH HAUSGERATE GMBH
  • EP3008393B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3008393B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3008393B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to a fan device for an extractor hood, said fan device having a fan housing (10) and at least one sensor unit (2) with at least one sensor (21) and at least one printed circuit board (20). The fan device (1) is characterized in that the printed circuit board (20) of the sensor unit (2) is held on the outer face of the fan housing (10); the sensor (21) is provided on the printed circuit board (20) and extends at least partly through the wall (100) of the fan housing (10); and the fan device (1) has at least one cover (13) which is removably secured to the outer face of the fan housing (10) and by means of which at least the printed circuit board (20) of the sensor unit (2) is held in a preloaded manner in the direction towards the outer face of the fan housing (10). The invention additionally relates to an extractor hood with such a fan device (1).