Fan Mounting Assembly with Snap Couplings to Reduce Screws and Noise

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Solution Overview

Problem

Refrigeration appliances face challenges in securely mounting fan assemblies and evaporator coil covers to the liner, which can lead to noise, reduced airflow, and increased reliance on screws, affecting efficiency and ease of maintenance.

Innovation Solution

A fan mounting assembly with snap locks and couplings that securely attach to the liner, an evaporator coil cover with overlapping openings for fan blades, and an air tower assembly that distributes cooled air, using snap couplings and flanges for secure attachment and improved airflow.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If snap locks and couplings are used to mount fan assemblies and evaporator coil covers, then ease of maintenance and assembly is improved, but mounting reliability may be reduced compared to screw fastening

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of maintenanceVSAvoidmounting reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The mounting system is divided into multiple snap locks and snap couplings distributed at different locations (flange with snap lock, base panel with snap couplings), allowing modular assembly and maintenance while maintaining overall structural reliability through distributed attachment points

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The traditional screw fastening system is replaced with snap locks and snap couplings that use elastic deformation and geometric interlocking (dovetail features, tabs, slots) to achieve mounting, eliminating the need for threaded fasteners and improving ease of maintenance while maintaining adequate reliability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Device complexity

If snap locks and couplings are used instead of screws, then the number of screws is reduced simplifying assembly, but secure mounting may be compromised

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenumber of screwsVSAvoidsecure mounting

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

Multiple snap locks and snap couplings are distributed across the mounting structure (flange, base panel) to replace multiple screws, reducing fastener complexity while maintaining secure mounting through distributed attachment points that collectively provide sufficient holding strength

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The snap lock incorporates a dovetail geometry with tapered surfaces that create a self-locking mechanical interlock, providing secure mounting through geometric constraint and elastic deformation rather than threaded fastening

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

3Object-affected harmful factors

If fan mounting assembly is securely attached to liner, then noise is reduced, but airflow may be restricted

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovenoiseVSAvoidairflow

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The mounting flange includes slots that segment the structure, allowing localized flexibility and air passage while maintaining overall rigid attachment to the liner, thus reducing noise from vibration while preserving airflow paths

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The flange structure has different properties in different regions: rigid snap lock engagement areas for noise reduction, and slot openings for airflow, creating local quality variations that simultaneously address both noise control and airflow requirements

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

4Loss of energy

If evaporator coil cover overlaps fan mounting assembly opening, then airflow is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveairflowVSAvoidalignment precision

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of energyVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of precisely aligning the evaporator coil cover opening with the fan mounting assembly opening, the design inverts the approach by having the evaporator coil cover overlap the opening, using the cover's larger area to ensure adequate airflow exposure without requiring precise alignment

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The design changes the geometric parameters of the evaporator coil cover, making it larger than the fan mounting assembly opening, which allows the cover to overlap and expose more of the opening area, improving airflow while reducing sensitivity to alignment variations

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS11035606B2Fan mounting assembly, evaporator coil cover and air tower of refrigerator

Publication Date: 2021.06.15 ELECTROLUX CONSUMER PROD INC

AI summary

A refrigeration appliance comprises a fan mounting assembly mountable to a liner of a cabinet. The fan mounting assembly comprises a bracket, a first member of a first snap coupling on the bracket for receiving a corresponding second member of the first snap coupling on an evaporator coil cover, and a mounting flange having a first member of a snap lock extending from the bracket for mounting the fan mounting assembly to the liner of the cabinet. An evaporator coil cover for mounting to the fan mounting assembly comprises a second member of the first snap coupling allowing the evaporator coil cover to be coupled to the fan mounting assembly, and a first slot. An air tower assembly mountable to the fan mounting assembly through the first slot comprises a second member of a second snap coupling and a second member of a third snap coupling.