U.S. patent application number 12/751555 was filed with the patent office on 2011-10-06 for reinforced fan frame structure.
Invention is credited to Ta-Cheng Lee, Chung-Shu Wang, Ching-Min Yang.
Application Number | 20110243718 12/751555 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 44709886 |
Filed Date | 2011-10-06 |
United States Patent
Application |
20110243718 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Lee; Ta-Cheng ; et
al. |
October 6, 2011 |
REINFORCED FAN FRAME STRUCTURE
Abstract
A reinforced fan frame structure includes a frame body and at
least one metal ring. The frame body has a seat portion with a
centered bearing cup axially forward extended from the seat
portion. The metal ring is integrally associated with the seat
portion and has an inner circumferential edge facing toward the
bearing cup. With the metal ring integrally associated with the
seat portion of the frame body, it is able to effectively control
the deformation and the flatness of the seat portion and
accordingly, effectively upgrade the overall structural strength of
the seat portion.
Inventors: |
Lee; Ta-Cheng; (Sinjhuang
City, TW) ; Yang; Ching-Min; (Sinjhuang City, TW)
; Wang; Chung-Shu; (Sinjhuang City, TW) |
Family ID: |
44709886 |
Appl. No.: |
12/751555 |
Filed: |
March 31, 2010 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
415/182.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F04D 29/4226 20130101;
F04D 25/0613 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
415/182.1 |
International
Class: |
F04D 29/40 20060101
F04D029/40 |
Claims
1. A reinforced fan frame structure, comprising: a frame body
having a seat portion with a centered bearing cup axially forward
extended from the seat portion; and at least one metal ring being
integrally associated with the seat portion and having an inner
circumferential edge facing toward the bearing cup.
2. The reinforced fan frame structure as claimed in claim 1,
wherein the inner circumferential edge of the metal ring defines a
round opening therein, and an annular space is defined between the
circumferential edge of the metal ring and the bearing cup.
3. The reinforced fan frame structure as claimed in claim 1,
wherein the seat portion is enclosed in an annular wall, so that an
open-topped recess is defined on the seat portion within the
annular wall.
4. The reinforced fan frame structure as claimed in claim 1,
wherein the frame body further has a bottom portion and a wall
portion; the wall portion being extended along an outer periphery
of the bottom portion to vertically rise from substantially three
sides of the bottom portion, such that a receiving space is defined
in the frame body by the wall portion and the bottom portion.
5. The reinforced fan frame structure as claimed in claim 4,
wherein an air outlet is defined on an open side of the bottom
portion without the wall portion, and the air outlet being
communicable with the receiving space in the frame body.
6. The reinforced fan frame structure as claimed in claim 4,
wherein the frame body further has a supporting base formed between
the seat portion and the bottom portion; a plurality of connecting
portions being formed between the supporting base and the seat
portion, and the connecting portions respectively having an end
fixedly connected to the supporting base and another end fixedly
connected to the seat portion.
7. The reinforced fan frame structure as claimed in claim 6,
wherein a hole is defined between any two adjacent ones of the
connecting portions; and the holes being extended through the
supporting base and the bottom portion and being communicable with
the receiving space in the frame body.
8. The reinforced fan frame structure as claimed in claim 1,
wherein the seat portion supports a stator thereon; the stator
being externally fitted around the bearing cup and including a
winding assembly and a silicon steel plate assembly, and the
winding assembly being wound around the silicon steel plate
assembly.
9. The reinforced fan frame structure as claimed in claim 8,
wherein the bearing cup has a rotor rotatably connected thereto,
and the stator is enclosed in and covered by the rotor; and the
rotor including a hub having a plurality of blades spaced on and
extended from an outer circumferential surface of the hub, a
magnetic member arranged inside the hub, and a rotary shaft having
a front end fixedly connected to the hub and a rear end extended
through a corresponding oil-impregnated bearing, such that the
bearing and the rotary shaft are together received in the bearing
cup.
10. The reinforced fan frame structure as claimed in claim 9,
wherein the magnetic member has a radially inward oriented magnetic
surface and an axially downward oriented magnetic surface; the
radially inward oriented magnetic surface facing toward the silicon
steel plate assembly and the axially downward oriented magnetic
surface facing toward the metal ring to provide an increased
magnetic adhesion effect.
11. The reinforced fan frame structure as claimed in claim 3,
wherein the metal ring is integrally associated with the seat
portion by insert-molding the metal ring in the recess of the seat
portion.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to a reinforced fan frame
structure, and more particularly to a reinforced fan frame
structure that has at least one metal ring integrally associated
with a seat portion of the frame structure, so that the seat
portion can have effectively increased overall structural strength
and the deformation and flatness of the seat portion can be well
controlled.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Following the progress in electronic information technology,
various kinds of electronic products, such as desktop computers and
notebook computers, have become highly popular and widely used in
different applications. Moreover, all electronic products are
designed to have gradually reduced sizes, particularly in their
thickness to show a low profile. Taking a notebook computer as an
example, since the current available notebook computer has largely
reduced overall thickness to have only very limited heat
dissipation therein, heat produced by the electronic elements
inside the notebook computer, such as the central processing unit
(CPU) thereof, is accumulated in the limited heat dissipation space
without being quickly removed therefrom. As a result, the heating
power of the CPI keeps increasing with the operating speed
thereof.
[0003] To prevent the notebook computer from temporary or permanent
failure due to an overheated CPU, the notebook computer requires
sufficient heat dissipation ability to remove the heat produced by
the CPU during the high-speed operation thereof, so that the CPU
can still maintain normal state when it operates at high speed.
Conventionally, a low-profile fan is directly arranged on the CPU,
so that heat produced by the CPU is forced out of the computer by
the low-profile fan to quickly dissipate into external
environment.
[0004] FIGS. 1A and 1B are exploded perspective view and assembled
sectional view, respectively, of a conventional fan frame
structure. As shown, the conventional fan frame structure includes
a frame body 1 having a bottom portion 10, a wall portion 11, and a
seat portion 12. The wall portion 11 is extended along
substantially three sides of the bottom portion 10 to vertically
rise therefrom, so that a receiving space 14 is defined in the
frame body 1 by the wall portion 11 and the bottom portion 10. An
air outlet 15 is defined on an open side of the bottom portion 10
without the wall portion 11. The air outlet 15 communicates with
the receiving space 14. The seat portion 12 is formed on the bottom
portion 10 to locate in the receiving space 14 and space from the
wall portion 11. The seat portion 12 has an open-topped recess 121
formed therein and a bearing cup 122 centered at and axially
forward projected from the recess 121. A stator 17 is supported in
the recess 121, and a rotor 18 is rotatably connected to the
bearing cup 122.
[0005] The stator 17 is externally fitted around the bearing cup
122, and includes a winding assembly 171 and a silicon steel plate
assembly 172. The winding assembly 171 is wound around the silicon
steel plate assembly 172. The rotor 18 includes a hub 181, a
magnetic member 182, and a rotary shaft 183. The hub 181 has a
plurality of blades 1811 spaced on and extended from an outer
circumferential surface of the hub 181. The magnetic member 182 is
fixedly arranged in the hub 181. The rotary shaft 183 has a front
end fixedly connected to an inner side of the hub 181 and a rear
end extended through an oil-impregnated bearing 19, so that the
rotary shaft 183 and the bearing 19 are together received in the
bearing cup 122.
[0006] The frame body 1 of the conventional fan frame structure is
made of a plastic material through injection molding using a mold
(not shown). As can be seen in FIG. 1B, one problem with the
conventional injection-molded frame body 1 is that the seat portion
12 therein would have depressions A or uneven pits formed on a
surface of the recess 121 due to release of internal stress and the
contraction property of the plastic material. This condition will
result in poor overall structural strength and accordingly,
deformation of the seat portion 12. With the deformed seat portion
12, the frame body 1 tends to vibrate while the fan operates to
thereby produce noise. In a worse condition, the whole stator 18
would become damaged. Fan manufacturers tried to solve the above
problems by modifying the mold and controlling different conditions
for injection molding but failed. Particularly, the flatness of the
seat portion 12 just could not be controlled to achieve the
required specifications and forms a difficult problem in the fan
industry up to date.
[0007] In brief, the conventional fan frame structure has the
following disadvantages: (1) having poor structural strength; (2)
unable to control the deformation and flatness of the seat portion;
and (3) being easy to deform.
[0008] It is therefore tried by the inventor to develop a
reinforced fan frame structure to overcome the problems in the
prior art.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] A primary object of the present invention is to provide a
reinforced fan frame structure, which has at least one metal ring
integrally associated with a seat portion of a frame body to
thereby effectively upgrade the overall structural strength of the
seat portion.
[0010] Another object of the present invention is to provide a
reinforced fan frame structure, with which the deformation and
flatness of a seat portion of a frame body can be effectively
controlled.
[0011] A further object of the present invention is to provide a
reinforced fan frame structure, which enables an increased adhesion
effect between a rotor and a stator of the fan.
[0012] To achieve the above and other objects, the reinforced fan
frame structure provided by the present invention includes a frame
body and at least one metal ring. The frame body has a seat portion
with a centered bearing cup axially forward extended from the seat
portion. The metal ring is integrally associated with the seat
portion and has an inner circumferential edge facing toward the
bearing cup. With the metal ring integrally associated with the
seat portion of the frame body, it is able to effectively control
the deformation and the flatness of the seat portion and
accordingly, effectively upgrade the overall structural strength of
the seat portion.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] The structure and the technical means adopted by the present
invention to achieve the above and other objects can be best
understood by referring to the following detailed description of
the preferred embodiments and the accompanying drawings,
wherein
[0014] FIG. 1A is an exploded perspective view of a conventional
fan frame structure;
[0015] FIG. 1B is an assembled sectional view of the conventional
fan frame structure of FIG. 1A;
[0016] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a reinforced fan
frame structure according to a preferred embodiment of the present
invention;
[0017] FIG. 3 is an assembled perspective view of FIG. 2; and
[0018] FIG. 4 is an assembled sectional view of the reinforced fan
frame structure of FIG. 2.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0019] Please refer to FIGS. 2, 3, and 4 at the same time. A
reinforced fan frame structure according to a preferred embodiment
of the present invention includes a frame body 2 and at least one
metal ring 3. The frame body 2 has a seat portion 20, a bottom
portion 21, and a wall portion 22. The wall portion 22 is extended
along an outer periphery of the bottom portion 21 to vertically
rise from substantially three sides of the bottom portion 21, such
that a receiving space 25 is defined in the frame body 2 by the
wall portion 22 and the bottom portion 21. The seat portion 20 is
located in the receiving space 25, and is provided with a centered
and axially protruded bearing cup 201. The seat portion 20 is
enclosed in an annular wall 202, so that an open-topped recess 204
is defined on the seat portion 20 within the annular wall 202. The
metal ring 3 is located in the recess 204 and is integrally
associated with the seat portion 20. More specifically, the metal
ring 3 is disposed in the recess 204 and integrally associated with
the seat portion 20 of the frame body 2 by way of insert
molding.
[0020] The metal ring 3 has an inner circumferential edge 31 facing
toward the bearing cup 201, and a round opening 33 defined within
the inner circumferential edge 31 to extend through the metal ring
3 in a thickness direction thereof. An annular space 35 is defined
between the inner circumferential edge 31 of the metal ring 3 and
the bearing cup 201 to communicate with the round opening 33 and
the recess 204. The metal ring 3 can be made of a metal material,
such as iron, aluminum, copper, or other metal alloys.
[0021] In the process of manufacturing the reinforced fan frame
structure of the present invention, the metal ring 3 is disposed in
a mold (not shown). When forming the frame body 2 in the mold by
injection molding, the metal ring 3 is integrally associated with
the seat portion 20 through insert molding. With the metal ring 3
being insert-molded in the seat portion 20, the metal ring 3 is
able to support the seat portion 20 and prevent the seat portion 20
from becoming deformed after the whole frame body 2 is
injection-molded. Thus, the deformation and the flatness of the
seat portion 20 can be effectively controlled, which in turn
enables the seat portion 20 to have upgraded or enhanced overall
structural strength.
[0022] As can be seen in FIG. 2, an air outlet 24 is defined on an
open side of the bottom portion 21 without the wall portion 22. The
air outlet 24 communicates with the receiving space 25. The frame
body 2 further has a supporting base 26 formed between the seat
portion 20 and the bottom portion 21. That is, the seat portion 20
is located on a top of the supporting base 26, and the supporting
base 26 has an outer diameter larger than that of the seat portion
20.
[0023] A plurality of connecting portions 27 is formed between the
supporting base 26 and the seat portion 20. The connecting portions
27 respectively have an end fixedly connected to the supporting
base 26 and another end fixedly connected to the seat portion 20. A
hole 271 is defined between any two adjacent connecting portions 27
to extend through the supporting base 26 and the bottom portion 21
and communicate with the receiving space 25.
[0024] The seat portion 20 supports a stator 4 thereon. The stator
4 is externally fitted around the bearing cup 201 with a bottom of
the stator 4 partially suspended above the annular space 35 between
the inner circumferential edge 31 of the metal ring 3 and the
bearing cup 201. The stator 4 includes a winding assembly 41 and a
silicon steel plate assembly 42. The winding assembly 41 is wound
around the silicon steel plate assembly 42. A rotor 5 is rotatably
connected to the bearing cup 201 to enclose the stator 4 therein.
The rotor 5 includes a hub 51, a magnetic member 52, and a rotary
shaft 53. A plurality of blades 511 is spaced on and extended from
an outer circumferential surface of the hub 51. The magnetic member
52 is arranged inside the hub 51. The rotary shaft 53 has a front
end fixedly connected to an inner side of the hub 51 and a rear end
extended through a corresponding oil-impregnated bearing 6, such
that the bearing 6 and the rotary shaft 53 are together received in
the bearing cup 201.
[0025] The magnetic member 52 has a radially inward oriented
magnetic surface 521 and an axially downward oriented magnetic
surface 522. The magnetic surface 521 faces toward the silicon
steel plate assembly 42. Due to a radial magnetic force at the
magnetic surface 521, an electromagnetic induction can be produced
between the magnetic member 52 and the silicon steel plate assembly
42. The magnetic surface 522 faces toward the metal ring 3 to
provide an increased magnetic adhesion effect. That is, with an
axial magnetic force at the magnetic surface 522, the metal ring 3
is magnetically attracted to the magnetic member 52 to reduce an
axial push of the rotor 5, which in turn effectively increases a
magnetic adhesion effect between the rotor 5 and the stator 4.
[0026] In the present invention, with the metal ring 3 integrally
associated with the seat portion 20 of the frame body 2, the
magnetic adhesion between the rotor 5 and the stator 4 is
increased, the deformation and flatness of the seat portion 20 can
be effectively controlled, and an overall structural strength of
the seat portion 20 is upgraded.
[0027] In brief, the reinforced fan frame structure according to
the present invention has the following advantages: (1) giving the
seat portion an increased overall structural strength; (2) being
able to effectively control the deformation and flatness of the
seat portion; and (3) increasing the adhesion force between the
rotor and the stator.
[0028] The present invention has been described with a preferred
embodiment thereof and it is understood that many changes and
modifications in the described embodiment can be carried out
without departing from the scope and the spirit of the invention
that is intended to be limited only by the appended claims.
* * * * *