Segmented Fan Hub Structure for Compact Low-Noise Motor Assemblies
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electric motor assemblies for refrigeration equipment are large, inefficient, and noisy, limiting space and air flow efficiency, and generating unwanted noise due to high operating speeds.
Innovation Solution
The electric motor assembly features a fan hub with a core ring, inner rings, and circumferentially-spaced ribs, along with a shroud design that includes curved and tapered arms to direct airflow and reduce turbulence, combined with structural ribs for support and noise reduction, allowing for improved airflow and reduced noise.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the motor assembly size is reduced, then space utilization improves, but structural support and airflow channeling become more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The hub is segmented into multiple functional components: core ring, inner rings, ribs, and blades. Each segment performs a specific function - the core ring provides central support, ribs provide structural reinforcement, and blades perform airflow channeling. This segmentation allows the compact hub to maintain structural integrity while achieving reduced overall size.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges multiple functions into the single hub structure: structural support (core ring and ribs), airflow channeling (blades and passages), and rotational mounting (connection to motor shaft). This functional integration eliminates the need for separate components, reducing overall assembly volume while maintaining all necessary capabilities.
2Volume of moving object
If the motor assembly size is reduced, then space utilization improves, but airflow channeling efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The hub incorporates curved and tapered surfaces on the blades and airflow passages. These curved geometries optimize airflow patterns, reducing turbulence and improving channeling efficiency within the compact volume. The tapered blades create efficient pressure gradients that move air through the restricted space effectively.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes three-dimensional airflow passages and radially arranged blades to maximize airflow capacity within the limited radial and axial space. By optimizing the spatial arrangement in multiple dimensions rather than simply scaling down a two-dimensional design, the compact hub achieves efficient airflow channeling.
3Volume of moving object
If the motor assembly size is reduced, then space utilization improves, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple functional elements (structural ribs, airflow blades, mounting features) are merged into a single integrated hub component. This consolidation reduces the total number of parts that need to be manufactured and assembled, offsetting the increased geometric complexity with simplified assembly processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The hub is designed as a multi-functional component that simultaneously provides structural support, airflow channeling, and rotational mounting capabilities. This universality eliminates the need for multiple specialized components, simplifying the overall manufacturing process despite the sophisticated geometry required to achieve multiple functions in one part.
Data Source
AI summary
A electric motor assembly includes an electric motor and a fan assembly coupled to the electric motor and configured to rotate therewith about an axis. The fan assembly includes a hub including a core ring, a first inner ring circumscribing the core ring, and a first plurality of circumferentially-spaced ribs extending between the core ring and the first inner ring. The hub also includes a second inner ring circumscribing the first inner ring and a second plurality of circumferentially-spaced ribs extending between the first inner ring and the second inner ring, and a plurality of circumferentially-spaced blades coupled to an outer periphery of the hub.