Fan Assembly Nozzle with Segmented Air Outlets
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional fan assemblies lack versatility in providing varying air treatment sensations, such as heating, cooling, humidification, and purification, often affecting environmental or climate control when adjusting airflow rates.
Innovation Solution
A fan assembly with a nozzle featuring first and second air outlets of different geometries, a valve mechanism to selectively direct airflow through these outlets, and optional air treatment units, allowing focused or diffused airflow delivery, or a combination thereof, controlled by a user interface.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the flow rate of the air treatment device is increased to provide a greater air treatment sensation, then the user experiences enhanced cooling/heating/humidification/purification effects, but environmental or climate control is detrimentally affected
Solution Approach 1:
The air outlet is divided into multiple independent outlet channels (first outlet channel, second outlet channel, third outlet channel) that can be selectively activated. This segmentation allows the system to provide targeted air treatment sensations to specific zones without increasing overall energy consumption, as only the necessary outlets are activated based on user needs.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs a control unit that dynamically activates or deactivates specific outlet channels based on detected user presence and position. This dynamic control allows the system to adapt air treatment delivery to actual user needs, providing enhanced sensations when users are present while conserving energy when outlets are not needed, thus resolving the contradiction between adaptability and energy loss.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a single air outlet geometry is used, then the device structure is simple, but the user experience lacks versatility in airflow patterns
Solution Approach 1:
The nozzle is segmented into multiple outlet channels (first, second, third outlet channels) with different geometries. Each channel has a specific cross-sectional shape (circular, rectangular, triangular) that produces distinct airflow patterns. This segmentation provides airflow pattern variety while keeping each individual channel structure relatively simple.
Solution Approach 2:
Different sections of the nozzle (different outlet channels) are given different local qualities in terms of geometry and airflow characteristics. The first outlet channel provides a focused circular jet, the second provides a distributed rectangular flow, and the third provides a triangular pattern. This local differentiation achieves airflow pattern variety without requiring complex overall nozzle design.
3Speed
If airflow is emitted through a small area outlet, then the airflow velocity is high providing rapid relief, but the coverage area is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments airflow delivery into multiple outlet channels with different characteristics. The first outlet channel (circular cross-section) is optimized for high velocity focused airflow to provide rapid relief, while the second outlet channel (rectangular cross-section) is optimized for broader coverage area. The control unit can activate both channels simultaneously or selectively, allowing the system to achieve both high speed and large coverage area by combining the outputs of multiple segmented channels.
Data Source
AI summary
A fan assembly, comprising an airflow generator arranged to generate an airflow and a nozzle comprising a nozzle body and first and second air outlets defined in a front side of the nozzle body, the first and second air outlets arranged to emit the airflow from the fan assembly in a substantially forward direction of the nozzle body. The fan assembly comprises a valve mechanism to selectively permit the airflow to pass through the first air outlet or the second air outlet, wherein the first and second air outlets have different geometries such that the first air outlet emits a first airflow delivered to a user as a focused airflow, and the second air outlet emits a second airflow delivered to a user as a diffused airflow.