Shield system
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing shield systems for air coolers are mechanically unreliable and difficult to use, especially for larger sheets, and are affected by cross winds and temperature, which can lower fan performance by creating a Venturi effect that stalls the air column.
Innovation Solution
A shield system with flexible sheets and a fixing mechanism that includes elongate members and a driving device, such as an electrical motor, to adjust the sheet position, which can be controlled by a controller monitoring weather conditions to optimize fan performance by guiding external wind towards the fan.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a roller-blind type mechanism is used to adjust the shield position, then the sheet can be positioned, but the mechanism becomes mechanically unreliable and difficult to use for larger sheets
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the roller-blind mechanical mechanism with an electrical motor-driven system. The motor winds and unwinds the flexible sheet around an elongate member, eliminating the mechanical reliability issues of roller-blinds while maintaining ease of operation through electrical control.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an elongate member (such as a drum or roller) as an intermediary element. The flexible sheet is wound around this member, which serves as a mediator between the motor and the sheet, enabling reliable positioning without the mechanical complexity of roller-blinds.
2Reliability
If the sheet is positioned to block cross winds, then fan performance is protected, but the sheet movement control becomes complex
Solution Approach 1:
The system includes sensors that automatically detect wind conditions and trigger the motor to adjust the sheet position accordingly. This self-service approach eliminates complex manual control while ensuring fan performance is protected by automatically positioning the sheet to block harmful cross winds.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent incorporates wind sensors and controllers that provide feedback about environmental conditions. The controller automatically adjusts the sheet position based on real-time wind data, simplifying the control process while maintaining effective fan performance protection.
3Productivity
If the sheet is made larger to cover more area, then wind guidance is improved, but the fixing mechanism becomes more difficult to use
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual fixing mechanisms with an electrical motor that automatically winds and secures the large flexible sheet around the elongate member. This substitution makes it easy to secure large sheets that would be difficult to fix manually, while maintaining effective wind guidance across the entire sheet area.
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 system effectively limits sheet movement, enhances fan performance by directing external wind, and is robust and easy to use, reducing the need for mechanical reinforcement and improving air cooler efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
The jetting of air as it passes under the air cooler windwall creates a Venturi effect, often causing the air column in the fans to stall.
Data Source
Figure 1~2B
Figure 3~4
Figure 5
AI summary
A catch mechanism is disclosed. The catch mechanism includes: a first member pivotably connected to a second member, the first member including a first portion that, in a first configuration, extends into a path of a moveable device in use and is arranged such that when a lower part of the moveable device strikes the first portion when travelling in a first direction, the first member is pivoted to a second configuration where it is engageable with an upper part of the moveable device and prevents movement of the moveable device in an opposite direction until the catch mechanism is disengaged.