Fan Wheel Profile Blade Rigidity via Sheet Metal Embossing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing profile blades for fan wheels lack sufficient rigidity while maintaining cost-effective production methods, leading to potential aerodynamic disadvantages and thermal distortion during connection processes.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating embossings in the end regions of the sheet metal strips to create a larger contact surface for material bonding, which increases rigidity and supports welding or adhesive processes, while maintaining aerodynamic efficiency by aligning embossings parallel to the end region edges or forming beads that stabilize the profile without causing transverse flows.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If the sheet metal strip is bent to form a profile blade with connected end regions, then the profile blade structure is formed, but the rigidity of the profile blade is insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproverigidityVSAvoidproduction method
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

Embossings are formed in the end regions of the sheet metal strip before the bending process. This preliminary action creates raised structures that will later provide enhanced rigidity and larger contact surfaces for connection, without interfering with the subsequent bending operation to form the profile blade geometry

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The embossings are localized specifically to the end regions of the sheet metal strip where connection and rigidity are needed, while leaving the main body of the profile blade with its aerodynamic geometry unchanged. This ensures local reinforcement without compromising overall aerodynamic performance

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Reliability

If the end region edges are connected by welding or gluing, then the profile blade structure is stabilized, but thermal distortion occurs during welding

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconnection reliabilityVSAvoidthermal distortion
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The embossings are formed in advance before the connection process, creating a structural framework that distributes thermal stresses during welding. The raised embossed structures act as stress distributors that mitigate thermal distortion propagation throughout the profile blade

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The embossing process changes the physical parameters of the end regions by creating raised structures with increased surface area and altered geometry. This parameter change enables larger contact surfaces for welding and gluing, improving connection reliability while the distributed structure reduces thermal concentration and distortion

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If the contact surface for end region connection is enlarged, then connection reliability is improved, but aerodynamic performance may be compromised

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconnection reliabilityVSAvoidaerodynamic disadvantages
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The embossings are confined to the end regions of the profile blade where they serve connection purposes, while the main aerodynamic surfaces remain smooth and unchanged. This localized modification ensures that aerodynamic performance is not compromised by the presence of embossed structures

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The embossings extend the contact surface area in the thickness dimension of the profile blade, creating raised structures that increase welding and gluing surface area without expanding the planar dimensions that would interfere with aerodynamic flow. This dimensional approach allows connection surface enlargement perpendicular to the aerodynamic surface

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentEP3211243B1Profile blade, ventilator wheel and method for producing a profile blade
Publication Date: 2020.08.05 PUNKER GMBH
  • EP3211243B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3211243B1 patent drawingFigure 3~3a
  • EP3211243B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

The invention relates to a profile blade for a fan wheel (90), comprising a profile body (27; 47; 47a; 67; 107; 127; 142) made from at least one bent sheet metal strip (22; 42; 42a; 62; 102; 122; 142), wherein adjacent end regions (30, 31; 50, 51; 50a, 51a; 70, 71; 110, 111; 130, 131; 150, 151) of the at least one sheet metal strip (22; 42; 42a; 62; 102; 122; 142) are connected to each other by material bonding and/or form-fitting. According to the invention, a second end region (31; 51; 51a; 71; 111; 131; 151) is spaced apart from a second end region edge (26; 46; 46a; 66; 106; 126; 146) and is provided with at least one indentation (52; 52a; 72; 112; 132; 152) for forming a contact surface (56; 56a; 76; 116; 136; 156) for at least partial contact of a first end region (30; 50; 50a; 70; 110; 130; 150).