Slim Fan Structure Lateral Airflow Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional centrifugal fans face challenges in achieving a slim design due to their thickness, suffer from operational performance issues, and produce noise due to air-in spaces and inlets on the top and bottom.
Innovation Solution
A slim fan structure design that eliminates the need for air-in spaces by integrating a top cover, fan frame, stator assembly, and hub with radially extended portions and annular connection blades, allowing air to flow through lateral sides, reducing overall thickness and noise.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If air-in spaces are provided above and below the hub for conventional centrifugal fan operation, then the fan can function properly, but the overall thickness of the fan increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the airflow direction from axial (top-to-bottom) to lateral (side-to-side). Air enters through air inlets on opposite lateral sides of the fan frame and exits through air outlets on the same lateral sides, eliminating the need for air-in spaces above and below the hub. This dimensional change in airflow path allows the fan to achieve a slim design while maintaining proper operation.
2Ease of operation
If air inlets are formed on the bottom of the fan frame and top of the top cover, then air can be supplied to the rotating hub, but increased noise is produced during fan operation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent relocates the air inlets from the top and bottom surfaces to lateral sides of the fan frame. This positional change in the air inlet configuration eliminates or reduces noise during fan operation while still ensuring proper air supply to the rotating hub and blades.
3Length of moving object
If the fan is designed with a slim profile by removing air-in spaces, then overall thickness is reduced, but operational performance is adversely affected
Solution Approach 1:
The patent achieves a slim profile by eliminating air-in spaces above and below the hub, then compensates for the potential operational performance loss by redirecting airflow through lateral inlets and outlets. The hub and blades still receive adequate air supply through this lateral flow path, maintaining operational effectiveness while achieving the desired thin design.
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 slim fan structure achieves a reduced thickness and enhanced operational performance while minimizing noise during operation by eliminating the need for air-in spaces and optimizing airflow through lateral inlets and outlets.
Implementation Method 1
When the hub 13 rotates, the blades 14 are caused to rotate synchronously. At this point, external air is caused to flow into the centrifugal fan 1 via the lower air inlet 111 and the upper air inlet 121 in a direction parallel to the hub 13. The air axially flowing into the fan frame 11 then flows in a radial direction relative to the hub 13 before it finally flows out of the fan frame 11 via the air outlet 112.
Data Source
AI summary
A slim fan structure includes a fan frame, a top cover closed to a top of the fan frame to define a receiving space in the fan frame, a stator assembly mounted in the receiving space, and a hub fitted around the stator assembly. The fan frame has opposite first and third sides forming an air inlet and an air outlet, respectively, and opposite second and fourth sides having a first and a second side wall formed thereon, respectively. The first side wall includes a protruded portion laterally extended toward the air inlet, and the second side wall includes a stop portion located adjacent to the air outlet. With the air inlet and the air outlet formed on two lateral sides of the fan frame, the slim fan structure has an effectively reduced overall thickness and does not produce noise during operation to largely upgrade the operational performance thereof.