Indoor Unit Fan Magnetic Stabilization to Prevent Drooping and Noise
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Solution Overview
Problem
Horizontal rotational center fans in indoor air conditioner units tend to incline or droop, leading to noise and breakdown issues due to contact with the unit's chassis.
Innovation Solution
A configuration using a plurality of magnets disposed at regular intervals at the fan base, with one side of each blade connected to the fan base, and a second magnet opposite the first magnet to apply a magnetic force preventing inclining or drooping, ensuring the fan remains stable.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the fan is arranged with the rotational center horizontal to reduce design constraints, then the ease of manufacture is improved, but the fan inclines or droops causing noise and breakdown
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the traditional mechanical support structure (bearings, shafts, and mechanical mounting) with a magnetic field-based support system. Magnets are embedded in the fan base and corresponding magnetic components are placed in the housing, creating a non-contact magnetic bearing system that eliminates mechanical wear and drooping while maintaining horizontal rotational center installation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces magnets as an intermediary between the fan and housing to provide support. The magnetic field acts as a mediator that holds the fan in position without direct physical contact, preventing inclining and drooping while allowing the fan to maintain its horizontal rotational center orientation for easier manufacturing.
2Reliability
If magnets are used to prevent fan inclining or drooping, then the reliability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the fan base with the first magnet, creating an integrated component that reduces the number of separate parts. The magnet is embedded directly into the fan base structure, eliminating the need for separate magnetic components and reducing assembly steps, thereby minimizing device complexity while maintaining reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The magnetic support system is self-aligning and self-regulating. The magnetic attraction automatically centers the fan and maintains proper positioning without requiring additional adjustment mechanisms, alignment procedures, or complex control systems, thus preventing reliability issues without significantly increasing device complexity.
3Force
If the fan base is made larger to accommodate magnets, then the magnetic force is improved, but the volume of the fan increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by concentrating the magnetic components only where needed - specifically at the fan base and corresponding housing location. Rather than increasing the overall fan volume, magnets are strategically positioned at critical support points, providing strong magnetic force locally without requiring a larger fan structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The magnetic support system is segmented into discrete, compact magnet components embedded in the fan base rather than requiring a large, distributed magnetic structure. This segmentation allows for strong localized magnetic forces while keeping the overall fan volume small and maintaining compact dimensions.
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
Prevents noise and breakdown by maintaining fan stability, allowing the fan to operate without inclining or drooping, and can be integrated into existing products with minimal changes using permanent magnets.
Implementation Method 1
a second magnet disposed at the base, opposite the first base, and having magnetism. The second magnet possibly prevents the fan from inclining or drooping by applying a magnetic force with the first magnet.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to an indoor unit with a non-inclining or non-drooping fan therein. An indoor unit according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes: a base fixed to an indoor wall; a fan disposed on the base and blowing air; an orifice disposed ahead of the fan and guiding air to the fan; a heat exchanger disposed ahead of the orifice and allowing air to exchange heat with a refrigerant; and a first magnet disposed at the fan and having magnetism.