Fan Assembly Gap Tool for Precise Ring Shroud Mounting
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing manufacturing processes for heavy transportation machinery face challenges in precisely mounting the ring shroud to the fan subassembly, leading to variations that can result in performance issues and potential damage due to inadequate clearance, necessitating a simple and cost-effective assembly method.
Innovation Solution
A cooling fan and gap tool system comprising a fan motor, cooling fan, mounting brackets, and a gap tool with resilient arms that aligns the ring shroud to the fan assembly, ensuring precise radial and axial gaps and facilitating secure mounting with minimal parts and ease of assembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the ring shroud is mounted precisely around the fan to maximize performance, then fan efficiency is improved, but the complexity of the assembly process increases
Solution Approach 1:
The gap tool is designed with pre-configured features including a head that fits into the ring shroud, an elongated cylinder with beveled finish for precise positioning, and resilient arms that automatically engage with the fan outer ring. This preliminary design of the gap tool enables precise gap establishment without complex assembly procedures during manufacturing.
Solution Approach 2:
The gap tool serves as an intermediary device between the ring shroud and the fan outer ring. It includes a head inserted through the ring shroud, an elongated cylinder that defines the radial gap, and resilient arms that contact the fan outer ring to establish the axial gap. This intermediary tool simplifies the precision mounting process by mediating the gap establishment between the two components.
2Reliability
If tight tolerances are controlled to preserve performance and reliability, then fan performance is maintained, but manufacturing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The gap tool is designed as a simple, inexpensive assembly aid that can be easily manufactured and disposed of after use. It includes basic features like a head, elongated cylinder with beveled finish, and resilient arms, all of which can be produced cost-effectively and do not require complex manufacturing processes themselves, thereby reducing overall manufacturing costs while ensuring precise gap tolerances.
Solution Approach 2:
The gap tool utilizes the elastic deformation parameter of its resilient arms to establish precise gaps. The resilient arms gradually and continuously diverge outwardly from the elongated cylinder, allowing them to deform elastically during insertion and engagement, thereby maintaining consistent gap dimensions without requiring complex manufacturing tolerances on the tool itself.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the gap between ring shroud and fan outer ring is sufficient to avoid crash conditions, then safety is improved, but fan efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The gap tool is designed with a head, elongated cylinder with beveled finish, and resilient arms that automatically establish the optimal gap between the ring shroud and fan outer ring during assembly. This preliminary gap establishment ensures sufficient clearance to prevent crash conditions while maintaining fan efficiency, without requiring post-assembly adjustments.
Solution Approach 2:
The resilient arms of the gap tool gradually and continuously diverge outwardly from the elongated cylinder, utilizing elastic deformation to achieve the precise gap dimension. This parameter change mechanism allows the tool to accommodate slight variations in component dimensions while maintaining a consistent, safe gap that prevents crash conditions without significantly impacting fan efficiency.
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 system ensures accurate and efficient mounting of the ring shroud to the fan subassembly, maintaining performance and reliability by establishing consistent clearance, thus preventing damage and reducing assembly complexity and costs.
Implementation Method 1
at least one resilient arm is attached to the elongated cylinder and gradually and continuously diverges outwardly from the opposite end of the elongated cylinder
Data Source
AI summary
This is a system and apparatus for precisely mounting a ring shroud to a motor vehicle cooling system and engine. A cooling fan subassembly is mounted to an engine and ring shroud subassembly containing fan braces that are mounted to the engine via mounting brackets. A mounting gap tool is inserted through apertures in the ring shroud to prescribe the radial and axial clearance between the ring shroud and the cooling fan subassembly. Once the ring shroud and cooling fan assembly are aligned to predetermined specifications for clearance, the installer secures all the fasteners in the mounting brackets and retrieves any or all the mounting gap tools.