Split Fan Collar Orifice with Ribbed Structure for Stacking Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional fan collar orifices are prone to deformation and limited in stacking due to their smooth walled design, leading to space and resource inefficiencies during storage and transportation, and are not robust enough to withstand applied weights.
Innovation Solution
A split fan collar orifice design featuring a semi-annular member with a plurality of ribs on its outer surface, allowing for improved rigidity and structural support, enabling more efficient stacking and transportation without warpage, and including a conduit-knockout feature for wiring access.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If traditional smooth walled fan collar orifices are used, then manufacturing is simple, but rigidity and resistance to deformation are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by adding ribs only to specific regions of the fan collar orifice where structural support is needed, rather than making the entire structure uniformly complex. The ribs are strategically positioned to provide rigidity and prevent deformation while maintaining simplicity in other areas of the component.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite structural design by combining the base fan collar orifice structure with additional rib elements. This composite approach integrates multiple functional features (structural support, deformation prevention, stacking capability) into a single unified component that maintains manufacturing simplicity while achieving enhanced strength.
2Volume of stationary object
If traditional smooth walled fan collar orifices are used, then storage space requirements are larger, but stacking capability is limited due to warpage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the fan collar orifice into multiple stackable units with standardized interfaces. The ribbed structure creates rigid segments that can be stacked vertically without warping, allowing multiple units to be stored in a compact arrangement while maintaining structural integrity throughout the stack.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes vertical stacking in the third dimension to reduce footprint storage space. The ribbed structure enables stable vertical stacking of multiple fan collar orifices, transforming the storage approach from horizontal placement to vertical arrangement, thereby significantly reducing the space required for storage.
3Productivity
If traditional smooth walled fan collar orifices are used, then transportation is less efficient, but weight capacity during transport is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the fan collar orifices into rigid, ribbed units that can be efficiently stacked and secured during transportation. This segmentation allows multiple units to be transported together in a stable configuration, increasing the weight capacity and efficiency of transportation compared to individual traditional smooth-walled units.
4Volume of stationary object
If more fan collar orifices are stacked together, then space efficiency improves, but deformation and warpage increase with traditional designs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by reinforcing specific areas of the fan collar orifice with ribs, creating localized zones of high structural integrity. This allows multiple units to be stacked together at high density while the ribbed regions provide the necessary support to prevent deformation and warpage under the increased loading conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of trying to prevent deformation by making the entire structure uniformly thick and heavy, the patent inverts the approach by adding strategic rib elements that provide reinforcement only where needed. This inversion allows high stacking density while maintaining structural integrity through targeted reinforcement rather than universal thickening.
Data Source
AI summary
A split-collar fan orifice apparatus and method are disclosed. The split-collar fan orifice includes a generally semi-annular member having a first end and a second end, the member having an inner surface and an outer surface. The member has a first mating surface on the first end and a second mating surface on the second end. The first mating surface and the second mating surface are different. The split-collar fan orifice further includes a plurality of ribs disposed along the outer surface of the member. The plurality of ribs is configured to provide rigidity to the member. The plurality of ribs includes a first rib and a second rib, and the first rib extends in a first direction and the second rib extends in a second direction.