Fan Frame Structure Integrating Metal Casing for Heat Resistance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional fan frames, particularly those made of plastic, suffer from inferior strength and heat resistance at high temperatures, leading to deformation and reduced cooling performance due to material limitations and design constraints.
Innovation Solution
A fan frame structure combining a plastic seat with a metal circular casing, where the metal casing is integrated during the injection molding process, providing enhanced strength and heat resistance while minimizing costly metal usage, allowing for a thinner wall thickness and improved air flow and heat dissipation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a plastic frame is used to reduce material cost, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but structure strength and heat resistance deteriorate at high temperature
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite materials by combining plastic and metal materials in a single fan frame structure. The frame includes both plastic portions and metal portions that are integrally formed, allowing the structure to benefit from both the cost-effectiveness of plastic and the high strength and heat resistance of metal at critical locations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by strategically placing metal portions only in specific areas of the fan frame where high strength and heat resistance are most needed, such as areas subject to high stress or high temperature exposure. This allows the frame to have enhanced performance at critical locations while maintaining cost-effectiveness in other areas through the use of plastic material.
2Strength
If wall thickness is increased to secure overall strength of plastic frame, then structure strength is improved, but design space and cooling fan performance are confined
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses composite materials to achieve high strength with thinner walls. The metal portions provide exceptional strength-to-weight ratio, allowing the frame to maintain high overall strength even with reduced wall thickness in certain areas, thereby creating more design space and improving cooling fan performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by concentrating metal reinforcement only in areas where structural strength is critical, while allowing thinner wall sections in areas where less strength is required. This selective reinforcement approach maximizes design freedom and cooling fan performance while maintaining necessary structural integrity.
3Strength
If metal material is used throughout the fan frame to improve strength and heat resistance, then structure strength and heat resistance are improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by using metal material only in specific portions of the fan frame where high strength and heat resistance are most beneficial, rather than throughout the entire frame. This selective application of expensive metal material significantly reduces manufacturing cost compared to a full-metal construction while still providing the necessary performance benefits in critical areas.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite materials combining plastic and metal in a cost-effective manner. The plastic portions are used in areas where high cost is not justified, while metal portions are strategically placed to provide the necessary strength and heat resistance. This composite approach achieves the desired performance improvement without the prohibitive cost of a complete metal frame.
4Manufacturing precision
If blade size is reduced to accommodate fixed wall thickness requirements, then manufacturing constraints are satisfied, but air flow and fan speed are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses composite materials to enable larger blade sizes by providing the necessary structural strength through metal portions. The metal reinforcement allows the frame to support larger blades that would be too weak in a purely plastic construction, thereby improving air flow and fan speed while still satisfying manufacturing constraints on wall thickness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by reinforcing the frame with metal in areas that need to support larger blade dimensions, allowing the blade size to be increased without compromising structural integrity. This selective reinforcement enables larger blades to be used, which directly improves air flow and fan speed performance.
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 design reduces manufacturing costs, prevents strength and deformation issues at high temperatures, and enhances cooling fan performance by increasing air flow and fan speed, enabling more efficient heat dissipation.
Implementation Method 1
The seat and the metal circular casing are optimally combined by burying the metal circular casing in the seat and simultaneously performing injection modeling of the seat and the metal circular casing
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a fan frame structure, which is composed of a plastic seat and a metal circular casing. At least two opposing guard fences disposed in a radial manner and extended upwards from a top edge of said seat. A fitting rim for inserting the metal circular casing is provided between an inner surface of the guard fence and a top surface of the seat. A side column is extended from a top side of the guard fence to cover and support the metal circular casing. Accordingly, the use of costly metal material can be reduced to lower the production cost, and the decrease of strength and deformation of the fan frame structure due to high temperature can be prevented. Meanwhile, the frame wall thickness can be reduced to enlarge the fan blade, thereby increasing air flow, fan speed and heat dissipation performance of a cooling fan.