Heated Fan Assembly With Split Airflow for Uniform Warm Air
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional fan heaters produce non-uniform and turbulent air flows due to variations in blade surfaces, leading to discomfort and a diminished heating effect with distance, and they often accumulate dust, causing unpleasant smells when the heat radiating coils get hot.
Innovation Solution
A fan assembly with a nozzle that houses a motor-driven impeller and an annular heater, emitting air flows at different temperatures through multiple outlets, allowing for selective temperature control and directing cooler air over external surfaces to maintain them at a lower temperature, thus preventing dust burning and enhancing airflow uniformity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If heating elements are located behind or in front of rotary blades to heat the air flow, then the user can heat the air flow generated by the rotating blades, but the air flow produced becomes non-uniform and turbulent due to variations across the blade surface
Solution Approach 1:
The heating function is segmented from the blade assembly. Instead of having heating elements integrated with the blades, the patent uses a separate annular heater positioned at the base, which heats air independently before it enters the impeller assembly. This separation eliminates the interference between blade variations and heating uniformity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary chamber between the heater and the air outlet. The heater warms air in this intermediate chamber, and the warmed air is then drawn into the impeller assembly. This intermediary space allows uniform heating without the turbulence caused by blade variations.
2Temperature
If heat radiating coils are used to heat the air flow, then the temperature of the air flow can be controlled, but the external surfaces of the coils can rise rapidly to excessive temperatures causing dust to burn and emit unpleasant smells
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses the impeller assembly and air flow paths as intermediaries between the heater and the external environment. The heater is positioned internally, and the impeller assembly directs heated air through controlled pathways, preventing direct contact between external dust and the hot heating elements.
Solution Approach 2:
The heater is nested within the housing structure, specifically positioned as an annular heater within the base assembly. This nested configuration allows the heater to be surrounded by structural elements that prevent external dust from contacting the hot surfaces while still enabling effective air heating.
3Temperature
If the heater is positioned to heat air effectively, then the heating performance is improved, but the external surfaces of the heater become too hot for user safety and comfort
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by directing heated air through specific pathways that do not necessarily pass over all external surfaces of the heater. The annular heater heats air internally, and the impeller assembly directs this heated air through selected outlets, allowing certain external surfaces to remain cooler while maintaining effective heating performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses air as an intermediary medium between the heater and the user environment. The heater warms the air internally, and this warmed air is then delivered to users through controlled air flow paths. This intermediary approach allows the heater to maintain high operating temperatures for effective heating while keeping external surfaces accessible to users at safe temperatures.
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 solution provides a uniform and comfortable air flow with adjustable temperature, reduces dust accumulation issues, and keeps the external surfaces cool, preventing unpleasant smells and maintaining efficient heating performance.
Implementation Method 1
a base which houses a motor-driven impeller for drawing a primary air flow into the base
Implementation Method 2
a heater located within the nozzle to heat the primary air flow before it is emitted from the mouth
Implementation Method 3
an annular nozzle connected to the base and comprising an annular mouth through which the primary air flow is emitted from the fan. The nozzle defines a central opening through which air in the local environment of the fan assembly is drawn by the primary air flow emitted from the mouth, amplifying the primary air flow
Data Source
AI summary
A fan assembly includes a motor-driven impeller for creating an air flow, at least one heater for heating a first portion of the air flow, a surface diverting a second portion of the air flow away from said at least one heater, and a casing comprising at least one first air outlet for emitting the first portion of the air flow and at least one second air outlet from emitting the second portion of the air flow. To cool an external surface of the casing, at least one second air outlet is arranged to direct at least part of the second portion of the air flow over the external surface.