Mixed-Flow Portable Fan With Shielded Inlet for Higher Air Pressure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing portable fans face issues with low air pressure, limited air supply distance, safety concerns due to visible blades, excessive noise, and high cost, making them unsuitable for diverse user needs and scenarios.
Innovation Solution
A portable fan design featuring a mixed-flow fan, pressurizing member, and a housing that integrates a pressurizing seat with radially enlarged surfaces to enhance air pressure and reduce noise, while ensuring compact size and safety through a shielded air inlet.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If axial fan blades are used to reduce air volume loss, then air volume efficiency is improved, but air pressure and air supply distance deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The fan blade structure is divided into multiple segments including a pressure surface, suction surface, and trailing edge, with specific geometric parameters optimized for each segment to simultaneously achieve low air volume loss and high air pressure
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes specific geometric parameters of the fan blade including the angle of attack, blade curvature, and aspect ratio to achieve a balance between air volume efficiency and air pressure generation
2Loss of energy
If axial fan blades are used to reduce air volume loss, then air volume efficiency is improved, but air supply distance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The fan blade structure is divided into multiple segments including a pressure surface, suction surface, and trailing edge, with specific geometric parameters optimized for each segment to simultaneously achieve low air volume loss and high air pressure
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes specific geometric parameters of the fan blade including the angle of attack, blade curvature, and aspect ratio to achieve a balance between air volume efficiency and air pressure generation
3Ease of manufacture
If fan blades are made visible to maintain structural integrity, then manufacturing simplicity is improved, but safety deteriorates due to finger cutting risk
Solution Approach 1:
A protective cover is introduced as an intermediary component that shields the fan blades from contact with users, particularly protecting fingers and preventing foreign objects from reaching the rotating blades
Solution Approach 2:
The protective cover is designed as a thin, transparent or translucent shell that maintains aesthetic appearance while providing safety protection, allowing the fan blades to remain visible but inaccessible
4Stress or pressure
If centrifugal fan blades are used to increase air pressure, then air pressure is improved, but air volume loss deteriorates due to wind direction change
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using traditional centrifugal fan design where wind enters axially and leaves radially causing large direction changes, the patent inverts the approach by using axial flow blades with optimized geometry to achieve both air pressure and air volume efficiency
5Quantity of substance
If ultra-high-speed fans are used to achieve air volume in blade-shrouded fans, then air volume is improved, but device size deteriorates occupying large area
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the rotational speed, blade geometry, and housing dimensions to achieve high air volume output from a compact device, avoiding the need for ultra-high-speed operation that would require large device size
6Quantity of substance
If ultra-high-speed fans are used to achieve air volume in blade-shrouded fans, then air volume is improved, but device portability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the rotational speed, blade geometry, and housing dimensions to achieve high air volume output from a compact device, avoiding the need for ultra-high-speed operation that would require large device size
7Quantity of substance
If Dyson fan design is used to achieve air volume, then air volume is improved, but cost deteriorates becoming luxury product
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses cost-effective materials and simplified manufacturing processes to produce a fan that achieves Dyson-level air volume performance at a fraction of the cost, making it accessible to ordinary consumers rather than being a luxury product
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 design achieves increased air pressure and distance, reduced noise, and improved safety with a compact, aesthetically pleasing form factor, addressing user needs and enhancing usability.
Implementation Method 1
the mixed-flow fan is configured to rotate around a rotation shaft to generate an airflow
Implementation Method 2
the pressurizing seat comprises a pressurizing surface, and a radial size of at least part of the pressurizing surface gradually increases from the rear side to the front side
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4
AI summary
A portable fan includes: a housing; a mixed-flow fan; and a pressurizing member. The housing is arranged with an air inlet portion and an air outlet portion. The mixed-flow fan is arranged inside the housing; the mixed-flow fan is configured to rotate around a rotation shaft to generate an airflow. The pressurizing member is disposed at a front of the mixed-flow fan and includes a pressurizing seat. The pressurizing seat comprises a pressurizing surface, and a radial size of at least part of the pressurizing surface gradually increases from the rear side to the front side. A cross-sectional area, in a radial direction of the housing, of a front end of the pressurizing seat is defined to enable the air inlet portion to be invisible by being shielded by the pressurizing seat, when viewing from the front side to the rear side.