U.S. patent application number 13/963400 was filed with the patent office on 2014-12-25 for method for manufacturing fan rotor.
This patent application is currently assigned to FOXCONN TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.. The applicant listed for this patent is Foxconn Technology Co., Ltd.. Invention is credited to RUNG-AN CHEN, MING-HSIU CHUNG, HENG-SHENG LIN.
Application Number | 20140373355 13/963400 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 52109744 |
Filed Date | 2014-12-25 |
United States Patent
Application |
20140373355 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
CHEN; RUNG-AN ; et
al. |
December 25, 2014 |
METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING FAN ROTOR
Abstract
An exemplary method for manufacturing a fan rotor includes the
following steps. First, a discoid-shaped metal sheet is provided.
Second, the metal sheet is stamped such that the stamped metal
sheet includes a hub at a middle thereof, a blade-portion spaced
from and surrounding the hub, and supporting bars interconnecting
the hub and the blade-portion. The blade-portion includes outer
peripheral blades adjacent to each other. Third, a free end of each
blade is curled up by force applied along a direction substantially
perpendicular to a plane of the blade-portion. Finally, each blade
is bent downward about an axis coinciding with a portion of one
side of the blade that connects with an inner periphery of the
blade-portion.
Inventors: |
CHEN; RUNG-AN; (New Taipei,
TW) ; LIN; HENG-SHENG; (New Taipei, TW) ;
CHUNG; MING-HSIU; (New Taipei, TW) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Foxconn Technology Co., Ltd. |
New Taipei |
|
TW |
|
|
Assignee: |
FOXCONN TECHNOLOGY CO.,
LTD.
New Taipei
TW
|
Family ID: |
52109744 |
Appl. No.: |
13/963400 |
Filed: |
August 9, 2013 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
29/889.7 |
Current CPC
Class: |
Y10T 29/49336 20150115;
F04D 29/023 20130101; F05D 2230/54 20130101; F04D 29/30 20130101;
F04D 29/281 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
29/889.7 |
International
Class: |
F04D 29/28 20060101
F04D029/28 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jun 20, 2013 |
TW |
102122017 |
Claims
1. A method for manufacturing a fan rotor, comprising: providing a
metal sheet; stamping the metal sheet, the stamped metal sheet
comprising a hub at a middle thereof, a blade-portion spaced from
and surrounding the hub, and a plurality of supporting bars
interconnecting the hub and the blade-portion, an outer periphery
of the blade-portion comprising a plurality of uniform blades
arranged adjacently, the blades being coplanar with each other,
each of the blades comprising a first long side, a second long side
opposite to the first long side, a first short side, and a second
short side opposite to the first short side, the first short side
of each blade located near the hub, the second short side of each
blade located remote from the hub, the first short side of a given
one of the blades dividing the second long side of an adjacent one
of the blades into a first portion and a second portion, the first
portion located near the hub, the second portion located remote
from the hub, and the first long side, the first short side, the
second short side and the second portion of the second long side of
each blade all having discrete edges; curling each blade upward by
applying upward force to a free end of the blade; and bending each
blade downward about an axis coinciding with the first portion of
the second long side.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the blade-portion is annular, an
inner diameter of the blade-portion is defined as r, a shortest
distance between the center of the hub and an extension line of the
first long side of each blade is constant, the shortest distance is
defined as d, and the values of d and r meet the following
relationship: 0<d<r.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein a total angle of bending each
blade relative to the first portion of the second long side is 90
degrees.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the metal sheet is malleable.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein upon stamping the metal sheet an
outer end of each blade is located more counterclockwise than an
inner end of the blade.
6. A method for manufacturing a fan rotor, comprising: providing a
metal sheet; stamping the metal sheet, the stamped metal sheet
comprising a hub at a middle thereof, a blade-portion spaced from
and surrounding the hub, and a plurality of supporting bars
interconnecting the hub and the blade-portion, an outer periphery
of the blade-portion comprising a plurality of uniform blades
arranged adjacently, the blades being coplanar with each other,
each of the blades comprising a first long side, a second long side
opposite to the first long side, and a short side interconnecting
the first long side and the second long side, the short side of
each blade located remote from the hub, the first long side, the
short side and the second long side of each blade all having
discrete edges; curling each blade upward by applying upward force
to a free end of the blade; and twisting and stretching each blade
at an inner end of the blade such that the short side of the blade
is substantially perpendicular to a plane of the blade-portion.
7. The method of claim 6, wherein the blade-portion is annular, an
inner diameter of the blade-portion is defined as r, a shortest
distance between the center of the hub and an extension line of the
first long side of each blade is constant, the shortest distance is
defined as d, and the values of d and r meet the following
relationship: 0<d<r.
8. The method of claim 6, wherein a total maximum angle of the
twisting of each blade is 90 degrees.
9. The method of claim 6, wherein the metal sheet is malleable.
10. The method of claim 6, wherein upon stamping the metal sheet an
outer end of each blade is located more counterclockwise than an
inner end of the blade.
11. A method for manufacturing a fan rotor, comprising: providing a
metal sheet; stamping the metal sheet, the stamped metal sheet
comprising a hub at a middle thereof, a blade-portion spaced from
and surrounding the hub, and a plurality of supporting bars
interconnecting the hub and the blade-portion, an outer periphery
of the blade-portion comprising a plurality of uniform blades
arranged adjacently, the blades being coplanar with each other,
each of the blades comprising a first long side, a second long side
opposite to the first long side, and a short side interconnecting
the first long side and the second long side, the short side of
each blade located remote from the hub, the first long side, the
short side and the second long side of each blade all having
discrete edges; curling each blade upward by applying upward force
to a free end of the blade; and twisting and stretching each blade
at an inner end of the blade such that the short side of the blade
is substantially perpendicular to a plane of the blade-portion and
crosses the plane of the blade-portion.
12. The method of claim 11, wherein the blade-portion is annular,
an inner diameter of the blade-portion is defined as r, a shortest
distance between the center of the hub and an extension line of the
first long side of each blade is constant, the shortest distance is
defined as d, and the values of d and r meet the following
relationship: 0<d<r.
13. The method of claim 11, wherein a total maximum angle of the
twisting of each blade is 90 degrees.
14. The method of claim 11, wherein the metal sheet is
malleable.
15. The method of claim 11, wherein upon stamping the metal sheet
an outer end of each blade is located more counterclockwise than an
inner end of the blade.
Description
BACKGROUND
[0001] 1. Technical Field
[0002] The present disclosure relates to a method for manufacturing
a fan rotor typically used in a fan of an electronic device.
[0003] 2. Description of Related Art
[0004] With the continuing development of electronics technology,
the operating speeds of processors, memory cards, etc. of
electronic devices such as notebook computers have become faster.
Therefore components such as processors generate much heat
requiring removal. Heat dissipation apparatuses equipped with a fan
are traditionally disposed in electronic devices to help transfer
the heat from the processor to the outside of the electronic
device. Thus a normal, stable operating temperature of the
processor is maintained.
[0005] However, with the miniaturization of many electronic
devices, in order to use space more effectively, a shape of the
rotor of a conventional fan is quite complex. In addition, the fan
rotor is normally manufactured by way of injection molding or a
metal die-casting molding process. Due to limitations inherent in
these manufacturing processes, a thickness of each blade of the fan
rotor is relatively large. This restricts the complexity with which
the fan rotor can be made, and restricts the degree to which the
fan rotor can be miniaturized. Furthermore, the mold used in these
manufacturing processes has a complex structure, and so the cost of
fabricating the mold is great.
[0006] Therefore, a method for manufacturing a fan rotor which is
capable of overcoming the above-described shortcomings is
desired.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] Many aspects of the present disclosure can be better
understood with reference to the following drawings. The components
in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, and certain one
or more of the views are schematic; the emphasis instead being
placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present
disclosure. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals
designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.
[0008] FIGS. 1-5 respectively show aspects of different sequential
stages in a process for manufacturing a fan rotor in accordance
with a first embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0009] FIGS. 6-10 respectively show aspects of different sequential
stages in a process for manufacturing a fan rotor in accordance
with a second embodiment of the present disclosure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0010] Referring to FIG. 5, a method for manufacturing a fan rotor
1 in accordance with a first embodiment of the present disclosure
includes multiple steps as described below.
[0011] As shown in FIG. 1, a metal sheet 10 is provided. A
thickness of the metal sheet 10 is uniform, and the metal sheet 10
has high malleability. For example, the metal sheet 10 can be made
of aluminum or copper. The metal sheet 10 is discoid.
[0012] As shown in FIG. 2, the metal sheet 10 is stamped into a
modified discoid form. The modified metal sheet 10 includes a hub
11 at a middle thereof, a blade-portion 12 spaced from and
surrounding the hub 11, and a plurality of supporting bars 13
interconnecting the hub 11 and the blade-portion 12. The
blade-portion 12 is annular, and the hub 11 is round. The hub 11 is
concentric with the blade-portion 12, and a center of the hub 11 is
defined as a point O.
[0013] An outer periphery of the blade-portion 12 is cut by the
stamping process to define a plurality of uniform blades 121, which
are coplanar with each other. Each of the blades 121 includes a
first long side 122, a second long side 123 opposite to the first
long side 122, a first short side 124, and a second short side 125
opposite to the first short side 124. The first short side 124 of
each blade 121 is positioned adjacent to the hub 11, and the second
short side 125 is positioned remote from the hub 11. An outer end
of each blade 121 is located more counterclockwise than an inner
end of the blade 121. The first short side 124 of one blade 121
divides the second long side 123 of the left adjacent blade 121
into a first portion 1231 and a second portion 1232, with the first
portion 1231 positioned generally adjacent to the hub 11, and the
second portion 1232 positioned remote from the hub 11. In
particular, the first long side 122, the first short side 124, the
second short side 125, and the second portion 1232 of the second
long side 123 of each blade 121 are cut by the stamping process
such that they all have discrete edges. The first portion 1231 of
the second long side 123 remains integrally connected with an inner
periphery of the blade-portion 12 (even though the first portion
1231 is shown with a line in FIG. 2).
[0014] In this embodiment, the shapes and sizes of the blades 121
are uniform. An inner diameter of the blade-portion 12 is defined
as r. A shortest distance between the point O and an extension line
L of the first long side 122 of each blade 121 is constant, and is
defined as d. The values of d and r meet the following
relationship: 0<d<r.
[0015] As shown in FIG. 3, each blade 121 is curled up by force
applied to a free end of the blade 121 (corresponding to the second
short side 125), with the force being applied substantially along a
direction perpendicular to a plane of the blade-portion 12.
[0016] As shown in FIG. 4, each blade 121 is then bent down along
the first portion 1231 of the second long side 123. That is, each
blade 121 is bent downward about an axis coinciding with the first
portion 1231 of the second long side 123. In this embodiment, the
total angle of the bending process is 90 degrees.
[0017] As shown in FIG. 5, when the above-described curling and
bending processes are applied to all the blades 121, the fan rotor
1 is obtained.
[0018] Referring to FIG. 10, a method for manufacturing a fan rotor
la in accordance with a second embodiment of the present disclosure
includes multiple steps as described below.
[0019] As shown in FIG. 6, a metal sheet 20 is provided. A
thickness of the metal sheet 20 is uniform, and the metal sheet 20
has high malleability. For example, the metal sheet 20 can be made
of aluminum or copper. The metal sheet 20 is discoid.
[0020] As shown in FIG. 7, the metal sheet 20 is stamped into a
modified discoid form. The modified metal sheet 20 includes a hub
21 at a middle thereof, a blade-portion 22 spaced from and
surrounding the hub 21, and a plurality of supporting bars 23
interconnecting the hub 21 and the blade-portion 22. The
blade-portion 22 is annular, and the hub 21 is round. The hub 21 is
concentric with the blade-portion 22, and a center of the hub 21 is
defined as a point O'. An outer periphery of the blade-portion 22
is cut by the stamping process to define a plurality of uniform
blades 221, which are coplanar with each other. Each of the blades
221 includes a first long side 222, a second long side 223 opposite
to the first long side 222, and a short side 224 interconnecting
the first long side 222 and the second long side 223. The short
side 224 of each blade 221 is positioned remote from the hub 21. An
outer end of each blade 221 is located more counterclockwise than
an inner end of the blade 221. The first long side 222, the short
side 224, and the second long side 223 of each blade 221 are cut by
the stamping process such that they all have discrete edges. In
this embodiment, the shapes and sizes of the blades 221 are
uniform. An inner diameter of the blade-portion 22 is defined as r.
A shortest distance between the point O' and an extension line L of
the first long side 222 of each blade 221 is constant, and is
defined as d. The values of d and r meet the following
relationship: 0<d<r.
[0021] As shown in FIG. 8, each blade 221 is curled up by force
applied to a free end of the blade 221 (corresponding to the short
side 224), with the force being applied substantially along a
direction perpendicular to a plane of the blade-portion 22.
[0022] As indicated in FIG. 9, each blade 221 is then twisted and
stretched at an inner end thereof, such that an outer end thereof
(corresponding to the short side 224) is substantially
perpendicular to the plane of the blade-portion 22 and crosses the
plane of the blade-portion 22. In other words, in this embodiment,
the total maximum angle of the twisting process is 90 degrees.
[0023] As shown in FIG. 10, when the above-described curling,
twisting and stretching processes are applied to all the blades
221, the fan rotor la is obtained.
[0024] In summary, for each of the above-described embodiments, the
metal sheet 10, 20 is stamped to obtain a certain modified discoid
shape. Then a curling process, and then a bending or a
twisting/stretching process, are applied to the blades 121, 221 to
form the final shape and position of the blades 121, 221. These
methods circumvent the conventional need for fabricating molds, and
thus can decrease the cost of mass producing fan rotors.
Additionally, the thickness of each blade 121, 221 can be
significantly less than that of blades of conventional fan rotors.
Thereby, for any given electronic device having a particular amount
of space available to accommodate a fan, the fan rotor 1, 1a with
the blades 121, 221 can provide more blades per unit volume. Thus,
the heat dissipating performance provided by a fan employing the
fan rotor 1, 1a can be improved.
[0025] Even though aspects of particular embodiments are shown in
the drawings and corresponding descriptions are provided herein,
the entire disclosure is by way of illustration only. The
principles and the features of the present disclosure may be
employed in various and numerous embodiments thereof without
departing from the scope of the disclosure. The above-described
embodiments illustrate the scope of the disclosure but do not
restrict the scope of the disclosure.
* * * * *