Equipment fan
An improved fan useful for ventilating applications in motor vehicles features a modular structure, which facilitates quick replacement of any components likely to fail. A first module ( 110 ) is intended for permanent installation on the part that is to be cooled. A second module ( 110 ) is configured for quick engagement to and disengagement from the first module. The second module preferably comprises a hub ( 22; 362 ), an internal stator ( 60; 332 ) mounted on the hub, and one or more struts ( 74; 344 ) connecting the hub to a cylindrical casing part ( 76; 336 ) which surrounds but is spaced from the outside of the fan wheel ( 46; 348 ). The struts form a lattice ( 112 ) which can be easily grasped for swapping out the second module when repair or replacement becomes necessary. The fan has a Hall sensor ( 50 ) and a control circuit ( 156 ) which regulates fan speed according to PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) or DC voltage signals ( 164 ) supplied from outside and has means ( 186; 244 ) for generating a fault signal in the event of a fault state, and for sending the fault signal out on a control line ( 90 ).
1. An equipment fan, comprising
a fan wheel ( 46 ; 348 ) adapted to be driven by
an external-rotor motor ( 20 ) whose internal stator ( 60 ; 362 ) is mounted on a hub ( 22 ; 332 ) which in turn is connected via at least one strut ( 74 ; 334 ) to
an approximately cylindrical casing part ( 76 ; 336 ) that surrounds an outer side of the fan wheel ( 46 ; 348 ) at a distance; and
a housing ( 110 ; 322 ) that is configured for releasable reception of said casing part ( 76 ; 336 ) and in turn is configured for mounting on an object ( 136 , 138 ), and wherein
a protrusion ( 98 ; 340 ) is provided on the outer side of the casing part ( 76 ; 336 );
and there is provided in the housing ( 110 ; 322 ) a member ( 120 , 122 , 124 ; 342 , 344 ) for latching of said protrusion ( 98 ; 340 ), into which said protrusion ( 98 ; 340 ) snap-locks when the casing part ( 76 ; 336 ) and the housing ( 110 ; 322 ) are in a predefined position relative to each other.
2. The equipment fan according to claim 1 , wherein
there is provided, on the hub ( 22 ; 332 ), an electrical connecting line ( 86 , 88 , 90 ; 364 , 366 , 368 ) for the securing of which on the outer side ( 338 ) of the casing part ( 76 ; 336 ) therein is provided at least one holding element ( 92 , 94 ; 370 , 372 ),
said connecting line ( 86 , 88 , 90 ; 364 , 366 , 368 ) extending from the hub ( 22 ; 332 ) to the outer side of the casing part ( 76 ; 336 ) and to the at least one holding element ( 92 , 94 ; 370 , 372 ) provided there.
3. The equipment fan according to claim 2 , wherein
an opening ( 126 ; 380 ), for reception of the at least one holding element ( 92 , 94 ; 370 , 372 ) and of the connecting line ( 86 , 88 , 90 ; 364 , 366 , 368 ) held on it, is formed on an inner side of the housing ( 110 ; 322 ).
4. The equipment fan according to claim 1 , wherein
the member serving for latching is configured as a resilient latching member ( 120 , 122 , 124 ; 346 ) into which the protrusion ( 98 ; 340 ) can be introduced and snap-locked by a combination of axial motion and rotary motion of the casing part ( 76 ; 336 ) relative to the housing ( 110 ; 322 ).
5. The equipment fan according to claim 1 , wherein
the housing ( 110 ; 322 ) is equipped on one side with a housing protective lattice ( 112 ; 326 ) for the passage of air.
6. The equipment fan according to claim 5 , wherein
the hub ( 22 ; 332 ) and casing part ( 76 ; 336 ) are equipped, on a side facing away from the housing protective lattice ( 112 ; 326 ), with a protective lattice ( 74 , 80 ; 334 ), so that after the casing part ( 76 ; 336 ) and housing ( 110 ; 322 ) are joined, the equipment fan has a protective lattice on both sides.
7. The equipment fan according to claim 6 , wherein
the protective lattice ( 74 , 80 ) provided on the hub ( 22 ) and casing part ( 76 ) are formed with openings which enable a fingertip to be inserted so as to make possible, by manual grasping of said protective lattice ( 74 , 80 ), a motion of the casing part ( 76 ) relative to the housing ( 110 ).
8. The equipment fan according to claim 1 , wherein
for releasable reception of the casing part ( 76 ; 336 ), the housing ( 110 ; 322 ) at least locally comprises a substantially cylindrical opening ( 114 ; 328 ).
9. The equipment fan according to claim 1 , wherein
the housing ( 110 ), viewed in the axial direction of the fan, has an approximately rectangular outer contour.
10. The equipment fan according to claim 1 , wherein
a holding device ( 132 ) for a connector ( 96 ), which connector is provided on an electrical connecting line ( 86 , 88 , 90 ) of the external-rotor motor ( 20 ), is provided on the housing ( 110 ).
11. An equipment fan comprising:
a fan wheel ( 46 ; 348 ) adapted to be driven by
an external-rotor motor ( 20 ) whose internal stator ( 60 ; 362 ) is mounted on a hub ( 22 ; 332 ) which in turn is connected via at least one strut ( 74 ; 334 ) to
an approximately cylindrical casing part ( 76 ; 336 ) that surrounds an outer side of the fan wheel ( 46 ; 348 ) at a distance; and
a housing ( 110 ; 322 ) that is configured for releasable reception of said casing part ( 76 ; 336 ) and in turn is configured for mounting on an object ( 136 , 138 ), said housing being equipped on one side with a housing protective lattice ( 112 ; 326 ) for the passage of air; and wherein
the hub ( 22 ; 332 ) and casing part ( 76 ; 336 ) are equipped, on a side facing away from the housing protective lattice ( 112 ; 326 ), with a protective lattice ( 74 , 80 ; 334 ), so that, after the casing part ( 76 ; 336 ) and housing ( 110 ; 322 ) are joined, the equipment fan has a protective lattice on both sides;
the protective lattice ( 74 , 80 ) provided on the hub ( 22 ) and casing part ( 76 ) are provided with at least one mark ( 82 , 84 , 122 ) which indicates the opening and/or closing direction in which the casing part ( 76 ) must be rotated, relative to the housing ( 110 ), in order to initiate the relevant operation.
12. The equipment fan according to claim 11 , wherein
there is provided, on the hub ( 22 ; 332 ), an electrical connecting line ( 86 , 88 , 90 ; 364 , 366 , 368 ) for the securing of which on the outer side ( 338 ) of the casing part ( 76 ; 336 ) therein is provided at least one holding element ( 92 , 94 ; 370 , 372 ),
said connecting line ( 86 , 88 , 90 ; 364 , 366 , 368 ) extending from the hub ( 22 ; 332 ) to the outer side of the casing part ( 76 ; 336 ) and to the at least one holding element ( 92 , 94 ; 370 , 372 ) provided there.
13. The equipment fan according to claim 12 , wherein
an opening ( 126 ; 380 ), for reception of the at least one holding element ( 92 , 94 ; 370 , 372 ) and of the connecting line ( 86 , 88 , 90 ; 364 , 366 , 368 ) held on it, is formed on an inner side of the housing ( 110 ; 322 ).
14. The equipment fan according to claim 11 , wherein
a protrusion ( 98 ; 340 ) is provided on the outer side of the casing part ( 76 ; 336 );
and there is provided in the housing ( 110 ; 322 ) a member ( 120 , 122 , 124 ; 342 , 344 ) for latching of said protrusion ( 98 ; 340 ), into which said protrusion ( 98 ; 340 ) snap-locks when the casing part ( 76 ; 336 ) and the housing ( 110 ; 322 ) are in a predefined position relative to each other.
15. The equipment fan according to claim 14 , wherein
the member serving for latching is configured as a resilient latching member ( 120 , 122 , 124 ; 346 ) into which the protrusion ( 98 ; 340 ) can be introduced and snap-locked by a combination of axial motion and rotary motion of the casing part ( 76 ; 336 ) relative to the housing ( 110 ; 322 ).
16. The equipment fan according to claim 11 , wherein
the protective lattice ( 74 , 80 ) provided on the hub ( 22 ) and casing part ( 76 ) are formed with openings which enable a fingertip to be inserted so as to make possible, by manual grasping of said protective lattice ( 74 , 80 ), a motion of the casing part ( 76 ) relative to the housing ( 110 ).
17. The equipment fan according to claim 11 , wherein
for releasable reception of the casing part ( 76 ; 336 ), the housing ( 110 ; 322 ), at least locally, comprises a substantially cylindrical opening ( 114 ; 328 ).
18. The equipment fan according to claim 17 , wherein
the approximately cylindrical opening ( 114 ; 328 ) at least locally comprises an interruption ( 118 ; 342 ) in order to permit the introduction there of a protrusion ( 98 ; 340 ) provided on the outer side of the casing part ( 76 ; 336 ).
19. The equipment fan according to claim 18 , wherein
the interruption ( 118 ; 342 ) of the approximately cylindrical opening ( 114 ; 328 ) comprises a resilient latching member ( 122 , 124 ; 346 ) which enables snap-locking of the protrusion ( 98 ; 340 ) provided on the casing part ( 76 ; 336 ) by means of a relative rotation between the housing ( 110 ; 322 ) and casing part ( 76 ; 336 ).
20. The equipment fan according to claim 11 , wherein
the housing ( 110 ), viewed in the axial direction of the fan, has an approximately rectangular outer contour.
21. The equipment fan according to claim 20 , wherein
a portion ( 116 ) of the housing ( 110 ) forming an approximately cylindrical opening ( 114 ) projects, at least locally, beyond the rectangular outer contour.
22. The equipment fan according to claim 11 , wherein
a holding device ( 132 ) for a connector ( 96 ), which connector is provided on an electrical connecting line ( 86 , 88 , 90 ) of the external-rotor motor ( 20 ), is provided on the housing ( 110 ).
23. An equipment fan comprising:
a fan wheel ( 46 ; 348 ) adapted to be driven by
an external-rotor motor ( 20 ) whose internal stator ( 60 ; 362 ) is mounted on a hub ( 22 ; 332 ) which in turn is connected via at least one strut ( 74 ; 334 ) to
an approximately cylindrical casing part ( 76 ; 336 ) that surrounds an outer side of the fan wheel ( 46 ; 348 ) at a distance; and
a housing ( 110 ; 322 ) that is configured for releasable reception of said casing part ( 76 ; 336 ) and in turn is configured for mounting on an object ( 136 , 138 ), wherein
for releaseable reception of the casing part ( 76 ; 336 ), the housing ( 110 ; 322 ), at least locally, is formed with a substantially cylindrical opening ( 114 ; 328 ); and
the approximately cylindrical opening ( 114 ; 328 ), at least locally, has an interruption ( 118 ; 342 ) in order to permit the introduction there of a protrusion ( 98 ; 340 ) provided on the outer side of the casing part ( 76 ; 336 ).
24. The equipment fan according to claim 23 , wherein
the interruption ( 118 ; 342 ) of the approximately cylindrical opening ( 114 ; 328 ) comprises a resilient latching member ( 122 , 124 ; 346 ) which enables snap-locking of the protrusion ( 98 ; 340 ) provided on the casing part ( 76 ; 336 ) by means of a relative rotation between the housing ( 110 ; 322 ) and casing part ( 76 ; 336 ).
25. The equipment fan according to claim 23 , wherein
the interruption ( 118 ; 342 ) of the approximately cylindrical opening ( 114 ; 328 ) comprises a resilient latching member ( 122 , 124 ; 346 ) which enables snap-locking of the protrusion ( 98 ; 340 ) provided on the casing part ( 76 ; 336 ) by means of a relative rotation between the housing ( 110 ; 322 ) and casing part ( 76 ; 336 ).
26. The equipment fan according to claim 23 , wherein the housing ( 110 ), viewed in the axial direction of the fan, has an approximately rectangular outer contour.
27. The equipment fan according to claim 26 , wherein
a portion ( 116 ) of the housing ( 110 ) forming the approximately cylindrical opening ( 114 ) projects, at least locally, beyond the rectangular outer contour.
28. The equipment fan according to claim 23 , wherein
a holding device ( 132 ) for a connector ( 96 ), which connector is provided on an electrical connecting line ( 86 , 88 , 90 ) of the external-rotor motor ( 20 ), is provided on the housing ( 110 ).
29. An equipment fan comprising:
a fan wheel ( 46 ; 348 ) adapted to be driven by
an external-rotor motor ( 20 ) whose internal stator ( 60 ; 362 ) is mounted on a hub ( 22 ; 332 ) which in turn is connected via at least one strut ( 74 ; 334 ) to
an approximately cylindrical casing part ( 76 ; 336 ) that surrounds an outer side of the fan wheel ( 46 ; 348 ) at a distance; and
a housing ( 110 ; 322 ) that is configured for releasable reception of said casing part ( 76 ; 336 ) and in turn is configured for mounting on an object ( 136 , 138 ),
the housing ( 110 ), viewed in the axial direction of the fan, has an approximately rectangular contour; and wherein
a portion ( 116 ) of the housing ( 110 ) forming the approximately cylindrical opening ( 114 ) projects, at least locally, beyond the rectangular outer contour.
30. The equipment fan according to claim 29 , wherein
a holding device ( 132 ) for a connector ( 96 ), which connector is provided on an electrical connecting line ( 86 , 88 , 90 ) of the external-rotor motor ( 20 ), is provided on the housing ( 110 ).