Fan Impeller Cup Through Hole for Water Drainage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Fans used in high humidity environments, such as refrigerators, often experience unbalanced rotation and impeller lock due to water and frost accumulation, leading to disturbances in rotation.
Innovation Solution
The fan design includes a cup portion with through holes to discharge water and a recessed portion in the housing to facilitate water drainage, preventing accumulation and ensuring smooth rotation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the fan operates in a high humidity environment, then it can provide cooling function, but water accumulates in the space between impeller and rotating portion leading to unbalanced rotation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts water from the closed space between the impeller and rotating portion by providing drainage holes in the impeller. This allows accumulated water to be discharged to the exterior, preventing unbalanced rotation while maintaining the cooling function in high humidity environments.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary anti-action by providing drainage holes in advance to prevent water accumulation before it causes unbalanced rotation. The drainage holes are positioned to enable water to escape before it can freeze or accumulate to problematic levels.
2Reliability
If the fan operates in a high humidity environment, then it can provide cooling function, but frost accumulates inside the impeller leading to impeller lock
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts water that would otherwise freeze inside the impeller by providing drainage holes. This prevents frost accumulation that would cause impeller lock, ensuring continuous smooth operation while maintaining cooling function.
Solution Approach 2:
The drainage holes are designed to remove water before it can freeze and cause impeller lock. This preliminary action of water removal prevents the harmful effect of frost accumulation on the impeller blades.
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 effectively discharges water and reduces the likelihood of unbalanced rotation and impeller lock, maintaining efficient operation in high humidity environments.
Implementation Method 1
a cup through hole arranged to extend through the cup portion at a position overlapping with a portion or boundary between the cup cover portion and the cup cylindrical portion
Implementation Method 2
an impeller arranged to rotate about a central axis together with the rotating portion to produce an axial air current
Data Source
AI summary
A fan includes a stationary portion, a rotating portion, and an impeller arranged to rotate about a central axis together with the rotating portion to produce an axial air current. The rotating portion includes a rotor holder. The impeller includes a cup portion arranged to cover the rotor holder and a plurality of blades arranged on an outer circumference of the cup portion. The cup portion includes a cup cover portion arranged to extend radially outward from the central axis; a cup cylindrical portion being substantially cylindrical in shape, and arranged to extend in an axial direction from an outer edge portion of the cup cover portion; and a cup through hole arranged to extend through the cup portion at a position overlapping with a portion or boundary between the cup cover portion and the cup cylindrical portion.