Switch Cabinet Floor Pan with Adjustable Cooling Louvres

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing floor pans for connecting roof-mounted cooling devices to control cabinets do not effectively adapt to changing thermal conditions within the switch cabinet, limiting their ability to provide optimal air conditioning.

Innovation Solution

The floor pan incorporates pivoting and rotatable ventilation slats for air outlet openings, allowing for adjustable cold air direction and flow, which can be manually or motor-operated, to optimize air flow distribution based on temperature conditions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If fixed air outlet openings are used in the floor pan, then the structure is simple and manufacturing is easy, but the air flow cannot be adapted to changing thermal conditions in the switch cabinet

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadaptability to thermal conditionsVSAvoidstructure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The ventilation slats are made rotatable and pivotable, transforming the fixed air outlet openings into dynamic structures that can adjust their orientation and opening degree. This allows the air flow direction and volume to be adapted to different thermal conditions in the switch cabinet, resolving the contradiction between structural simplicity and adaptability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The air outlet openings are divided into multiple adjustable slats rather than being fixed as a single structure. Each slat can be independently rotated and pivoted, enabling fine-grained control over air flow distribution to different areas of the switch cabinet while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Ease of operation

If ventilation slats are added to air outlet openings, then air flow direction and volume can be controlled, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveair flow controlVSAvoidstructure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The ventilation slats incorporate rotatable and pivotable mechanisms that enable operators to dynamically adjust air flow direction and volume. The rotatable axis allows changing the orientation of air outlets, while the pivotable mechanism controls the opening degree, providing comprehensive air flow control without requiring complex automated systems.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The ventilation slats allow operators to change key parameters of air flow (direction and volume) through manual adjustment of the rotatable and pivotable mechanisms. This provides flexible control over air distribution to match varying thermal conditions, achieving ease of operation while avoiding the complexity of automated control systems.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

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 solution enables precise control over cold air distribution, allowing for improved temperature regulation within the switch cabinet by directing more air to thermally stressed areas and reducing airflow where needed, enhancing overall air conditioning efficiency.

Implementation Method 1

at least some of the air outlet openings are covered with ventilation slats, which can be pivoted about an axis running in the plane of the floor and rotated about an axis running perpendicular to the plane of the floor

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFluid flow:

Data Source

PatentEP2745664B1Floor pan for connecting a roof-mounted cooling device to the roof of a switch cabinet
Publication Date: 2015.08.12 RITTALWERK RUDOLF LOH GMBH & CO KG
  • EP2745664B1 patent drawingFigure 1~3
  • EP2745664B1 patent drawingFigure 4
  • EP2745664B1 patent drawingFigure 5

AI summary

The invention relates to a floor pan (100) for connecting a roof-mounted cooling device to the roof of a switch cabinet for coupling an inner chamber of the switch cabinet to the inner circuit of the refrigerant circulation of the roof-mounted cooling device, having at least one air inlet opening (106) aligned with the hot air outlet of the inner chamber of the switch cabinet and at least one air outlet opening communicating with the cold air inlet(s) of the inner chamber of the switch cabinet, wherein the air inlet opening(s) and the air outlet opening(s) are provided in the base (102) of the floor pan (100) and are covered by ventilation grilles (108) or ventilation louvres (22, 24, 26). The floor pan is characterised in that a plurality of air outlet openings are arranged surrounding the at least one air inlet opening (106) and at last some of the air outlet openings are covered by ventilation louvres (22, 24, 26) that are pivotable about an axis running in the plane of the floor (102) and are rotatable about an axis running perpendicular to the plane of the floor (102).