Additively Manufactured Impeller Balancing by Curable Liquid Redistribution

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Solution Overview

Problem

Traditional methods for balancing fan impellers in mobile electronic devices are inefficient and costly, as they rely on subtractive processes that increase time and resources, and do not effectively address the thermal management challenges posed by reduced airflow in compact devices.

Innovation Solution

The use of additive manufacturing to create impellers with a partially cured rotor that is rotated to redistribute curable liquid and then fully cured, allowing for radial balancing without the need for solvent washing and subsequent material removal, thereby reducing processing time and cost.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If traditional subtractive methods (machining or laser ablation) are used to balance impellers, then balancing precision can be achieved, but manufacturing time and cost increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimpeller balancing precisionVSAvoidmanufacturing cycle time

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of removing material to achieve balance, the patent applies material (curable liquid coating) to the impeller surface. The coating is applied while the impeller rotates, allowing the coating material to redistribute and compensate for imbalances through centrifugal forces, then cured in place to create a balanced configuration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the physical state of the balancing material from solid (traditional weights or removed material) to liquid (curable coating material). This allows the material to flow and redistribute during rotation, automatically finding the optimal distribution to compensate for imbalances, which is then fixed through curing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Manufacturing precision

If traditional subtractive methods are used for impeller balancing, then balance can be achieved, but material waste and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimpeller balancing precisionVSAvoidmaterial waste

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent recovers and utilizes the curable liquid coating material that would otherwise be considered waste or excess. The coating material that remains on the impeller surface after application is not removed but instead serves the dual purpose of surface coating and balancing compensation, eliminating material waste.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #34Discarding and recovering

Solution Approach 2:

The patent converts what would be a harmful or wasteful excess of coating material into a beneficial balancing element. The excess curable liquid that typically needs to be removed is instead allowed to remain and redistribute, becoming the balancing mechanism itself.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

3Productivity

If additive manufacturing with curable liquid coating is used, then processing time is reduced, but the method complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanufacturing efficiencyVSAvoidprocess complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple operations into a single integrated process: the curable liquid coating application serves both as surface coating and as the balancing mechanism. The rotation, coating application, redistribution, and curing are combined into one continuous operation rather than separate steps.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The curable liquid coating material self-distributes and self-adjusts during impeller rotation through centrifugal forces, automatically finding the optimal distribution pattern to compensate for imbalances without requiring external intervention or complex control systems.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

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 method results in more efficiently balanced impellers that improve airflow and thermal management in compact electronic devices, enhancing their performance and reducing waste, while also simplifying the manufacturing process.

Implementation Method 1

The rotation causes the curable liquid to redistribute on the first stage impeller to compensate for rotational imbalances in the first stage impeller

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCentrifugal force: Centrifugal Force

Implementation Method 2

after the curable liquid has redistributed, it is cured in place to produce a second stage (fully cured) impeller that is rotationally balanced

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPhotopolymerization: Photopolymerisation

Data Source

PatentUS11712838B2Dynamic balancing of additively manufactured impellers

Publication Date: 2023.08.01 MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING LLC

AI summary

A method of manufacturing an impeller for a thermal management device includes partially curing a curable liquid in a curable liquid bath to form a first stage rotor, removing the first stage rotor from the curable liquid bath, the first stage rotor having excess curable liquid on a surface thereof, rotating the first stage rotor to displace the excess curable liquid radially outward from a rotational axis to compensate for imbalances in the first stage rotor, and fully curing the first stage rotor and at least a portion of the excess curable liquid to produce a second stage rotor that is more rotationally balanced than the first stage rotor.