Fan Assembly Airflow Redirection for Blocked Outlet Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
In thin laptop computers, the dense arrangement of components leads to adjacent components blocking the fan outlet, reducing the cooling efficiency of the fan assembly.
Innovation Solution
The fan assembly incorporates an air collecting component with an air collecting surface that guides airflow from one outlet to another via a widened gap along the rotating direction of the impeller, ensuring airflow is redirected around blocked outlets.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of stationary object
If components are disposed in a dense manner to achieve thinning of laptop computer, then the laptop computer can be made thinner, but the cooling efficiency of the fan is reduced due to blockage of fan outlet
Solution Approach 1:
The fan assembly is segmented into multiple functional components: a casing with multiple outlets, an impeller for generating airflow, and an air collecting component with a specifically shaped air collecting surface. This segmentation allows the airflow to be divided and redirected through different paths, enabling the system to maintain cooling efficiency even when one outlet is blocked by densely arranged components.
Solution Approach 2:
The air collecting component acts as an intermediary element between the impeller and the outlets. Its air collecting surface is configured to intercept airflow from the impeller and guide it through a gap to another outlet. This intermediary structure enables airflow redirection around blocked outlets, resolving the contradiction between dense component arrangement and effective cooling.
2Device complexity
If a single outlet is blocked by adjacent components, then the component arrangement is simplified, but the airflow from the fan is obstructed
Solution Approach 1:
The casing is designed with multiple outlets instead of a single outlet, segmenting the airflow paths. This allows the system to maintain overall airflow productivity even when one outlet is blocked, as airflow can be redirected through other outlets via the air collecting component.
Solution Approach 2:
The air collecting surface is configured to redirect airflow in a different direction, utilizing the spatial dimension created by the gap between the air collecting surface and the inner surface of the casing. This dimensional approach allows airflow to bypass blocked outlets and exit through alternative paths, maintaining productivity without increasing overall device complexity.
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 maintains the cooling efficiency of the fan assembly at its original level by redirecting airflow around blocked outlets, even when adjacent components obstruct the primary outlet.
Implementation Method 1
The impeller is rotatably disposed on the casing. The inner surface faces the impeller.
Data Source
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AI summary
A fan assembly (600, 600a, 700), a heat dissipation assembly (300, 300a) and an electronic device (10). The fan assembly including a casing (610, 710), an impeller (620, 720) and an air collecting component (630, 630a, 730). The casing has an inner surface (614, 714), an inlet (615, 715) and at least two outlets (616, 617, 716, 717). The air collecting component is disposed in one outlet and having an air collecting surface (631, 731). The air collecting surface faces the impeller and is connected to the inner surface. The air collecting surface and the inner surface form a gap (G1, G2) together with the impeller. The gap is widened along a rotating direction (R1, R2) of the impeller. The air collecting component is configured to guide an airflow (A1, A21, A22, A31, A32, A4) blown by the impeller to another outlet via the gap.