Shutter and air blower

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional shutters in ventilation fans experience pulsating sounds and increased power consumption due to repeated opening and closing caused by low wind velocity, leading to inefficient airflow control and noise generation.

Innovation Solution

A shutter design with a main body shaped as a circular plate and a shaft bearing system that maintains an open position even at low wind velocities, featuring a bent portion and a parallel cross-section with a circular arc shape, which reduces ventilation resistance and stabilizes the shutter in the open state, minimizing pulsating sounds and contact noise.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a conventional shutter design is used, then the shutter closes under its own weight when wind velocity is low, but this causes repeated opening and closing leading to pulsating sounds and increased power consumption

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveshutter position stabilityVSAvoidpulsating sounds

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The shutter main body is designed with a circular arc cross-section that is bowed toward the back face side from the front face side. This curved geometry allows the shutter to maintain structural rigidity while reducing the effective area exposed to wind pressure, enabling it to resist even low wind velocities and remain stably open without flapping or pulsating.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the geometric parameters of the shutter main body by introducing a bent portion at the main-passage-side end and a circular arc cross-sectional shape. These parameter changes modify the aerodynamic characteristics and structural properties, allowing the shutter to maintain stability at low wind velocities where conventional flat shutters would flap and close repeatedly.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If the shutter closes under low wind velocity, then the passage is blocked, but this causes repeated opening and closing cycles increasing power consumption

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveshutter position stabilityVSAvoidpower consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The circular arc cross-section design provides structural strength that enables the shutter to remain open against even minimal wind pressure, preventing the repeated closing cycles that would increase power consumption. The curved shape maintains rigidity without requiring additional support structures.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

Solution Approach 2:

The shutter design ensures continuous open position maintenance during air current flow, eliminating the intermittent closing and reopening cycles. This continuous operation reduces the energy consumption associated with repeated actuation and control operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

3Ease of operation

If the shutter main body is positioned with front face upstream, then the shutter can open with wind pressure, but the shutter flaps at low wind velocity causing pulsating sounds

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveshutter openingVSAvoidpulsating sounds

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The circular arc cross-section bowed toward the back face reduces the effective frontal area exposed to wind pressure while maintaining structural integrity. This allows the shutter to open easily with normal wind pressure but resist flapping at low velocities, eliminating pulsating sounds.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

Solution Approach 2:

The bent portion and circular arc geometry change the structural parameters to provide both ease of opening and stability. The curved shape creates a more favorable pressure distribution that prevents flapping while maintaining responsive opening capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

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 shutter effectively maintains the open position at low wind velocities, reducing pulsating sounds and power consumption, and preventing repeated closure, thus enhancing airflow control and noise reduction.

Implementation Method 1

a parallel cross-section of the main body, the cross-section being taken along a parting plane parallel to the shaft, has the shape of a circular arc bowed toward the back face side from the front face side

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectVentilation resistance reduction through aerodynamic shaping: Drag

Data Source

PatentUS11353236B2Shutter and air blower

Publication Date: 2022.06.07 PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO LTD

AI summary

Provided is a shutter comprising a main body and a shaft bearing. The main body has a substantially circular plate shape, and, in a closed state to close a passage, a front face of the main body is located upstream of a back face thereof in the passage. The shaft bearing is rotatably engaged with a shaft configured to divide the passage into a main passage and a sub-passage in an open state to open the passage, the sub-passage having a cross-sectional area smaller than that of the main passage. The main body includes: a main-passage-side end located in the main passage in the closed state; and a bent portion bent at the main-passage-side end in a direction from the back face side to the front face side. A parallel cross-section of the main body, the cross-section being taken along a parting plane parallel to the shaft, has a circular arc shape bowed toward the back face side from the front face side.