Single Motor Fan with Deployable Blades
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electric ceiling fan designs are overly complicated and heavy due to the need for multiple motors to rotate, deploy, and retract fan blades, which is inefficient and cumbersome.
Innovation Solution
An axial-flow rotating fan design that uses a single electric motor with a transmission mechanism and electromagnetic coil to deploy and retract fan blades, allowing the same motor to handle all functions, including rotation, deployment, and retraction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If multiple motors are used to rotate and deploy/retract fan blades, then the fan blades can be controlled to rotate and deploy/retract, but the fan design becomes overly complicated and heavy
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the functions of blade rotation and blade deployment/retraction into a single motor system. The motor shaft performs dual functions: rotating the fan blades during operation and deploying/retracting the blades when not in use. This merging of functions eliminates the need for separate motors, thereby reducing device complexity and weight while maintaining full operational capability
Solution Approach 2:
The motor shaft is designed as a multi-functional component that serves multiple purposes: it acts as both the rotation axis for fan blade operation and the deployment mechanism for blade extension/retraction. This universal component design allows a single motor to handle all blade control operations, resolving the contradiction between operational capability and system complexity
2Ease of operation
If multiple motors are used to rotate and deploy/retract fan blades, then the fan blades can be controlled to rotate and deploy/retract, but the fan becomes heavy
Solution Approach 1:
By merging the rotation function and deployment function into a single motor shaft, the patent eliminates redundant motors and their associated mounting structures, bearings, and control systems. This consolidation significantly reduces the overall weight of the fan while preserving full functionality for both blade rotation and deployment/retraction operations
3Device complexity
If a single motor is used for all functions, then the fan design is simplified and weight is reduced, but the motor must handle multiple operations
Solution Approach 1:
The motor shaft is engineered as a universal component capable of performing multiple distinct functions: rotating the fan blades during operation and deploying/retracting the blades when not in use. This multi-functionality is achieved through clever mechanical design where the same rotational motion serves dual purposes, allowing the motor to adapt to different operational modes without requiring separate dedicated motors for each function
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
The design simplifies the fan mechanism by using a single motor for all operations, reducing weight and complexity while maintaining efficient blade deployment and retraction, thus enhancing usability and efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
an electromagnetic coil positioned adjacent to the sun gear. In an energized state, the coil generates a magnetic force that moves the sun gear
Data Source
AI summary
A rotating fan with a transmission mechanism and a blade deployment mechanism. In an energized state, an electromagnetic coil generates a magnetic force that causes a clutch plate to be in contact with a contact surface, thereby engaging a planetary gear system. In a de-energized state, the clutch plate is not in contact with the contact surface, thereby disengaging the planetary gear system. In a deployed configuration, a drive link activated by the planetary gear system rotates a blade link to cause a fan blade to pivot. The result is that the fan blade tip is farther from the motor shaft than the fan blade root. In a retracted configuration, the drive link rotates the blade link to cause the fan blade to pivot and retract. The result is that the fan blade tip is equidistant from the motor shaft as the fan blade root.