WO2009089857A1

WO2009089857A1 - Fan having a sensor

Info

Publication number: WO2009089857A1
Application number: PCT/EP2008/009232
Authority: WO
Inventors: Rodica Peia
Original assignee: Ebm-Papst St. Georgen Gmbh & Co Kg
Priority date: 2008-01-18
Filing date: 2008-10-31
Publication date: 2009-07-23
Also published as: DE502008001586D1; EP2118493B1; EP2118493A1; DE202008015459U1; ATE485452T1

Abstract

A radial fan comprises a fan housing (2) with an air outlet opening (22', 24', 26', 28') and a carrier (12) provided in the fan housing (2), a fan wheel (11) having fan blades (21) being rotatably arranged on said carrier for creating an air flow (99). A plurality of connecting pins (16) is arranged on the carrier (12) for electrically connecting a drive motor (10). The fan further comprises a circuit board (70) arranged in the fan housing (2), said circuit board having an opening (75) for the passage of the air flow (99). Said circuit board is provided with openings (77) for the connecting pins (16). The fan comprises a first and a second carrier element (73) with a first and second electrical connection (73'). The carrier elements extend with the free ends (72', 73') thereof into the air passage opening (75) such that the free ends (72', 73') thereof are spaced from each other. The fan also has a sensor (71) for detecting a parameter of the air flow (99) generated during operation. The sensor (71) comprises a first and a second sensor connection (71'), with a first and a second electrical connection (73'), so that the air flow (99) flows around the sensor (71).

Description

Fan with a sensor

The invention relates to a fan with a sensor, and in particular a fan with a sensor for detecting a parameter of the air moved by the fan.

Such fans, which are also referred to as sensor fan, usually contain an electronically mutated engine kom, whose rotor drives a fan. The latter sucks in air via an air passage opening, in the region of which one or more sensors are arranged, e.g. an NTC resistor at which a current air temperature is measured, or sensors for humidity, quality, radioactivity, etc. of the air. Based on appropriate sensor data, e.g. the air conditioning of a motor vehicle are controlled.

Since sensor fans are usually designed as mini fans, they are usually very small, so that it is difficult and associated with considerable costs to mount the sensors. In addition, an electrical connection to a connector of the fan must be made from the mounting location of the sensor, which causes additional costs.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a new fan with a sensor.

This object is achieved according to the invention by a fan according to claim 1. By using the spaced apart support elements to achieve a simple and straightforward installation of the sensor in the fan, whereby the sensor of the fan Moving air is flowed around and thus an improved detection of a corresponding air parameter is made possible.

Preferred developments of the fan according to the invention are the subject of the dependent claims.

Further details and advantageous developments of the invention will become apparent from the hereinafter described and illustrated in the drawings, in no way as a limitation of the invention to be understood embodiments. It shows:

1 is a perspective view of a fan with a fan housing according to a first embodiment,

Fig. 2 is a side view of a first side of the fan of Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is a side view of a second side of the fan of Fig. 1, Fig. 4 is a side view of a third side of the fan of Fig. 1, Fig. 5 is a side view FIG. 7 is a sectional view of the fan of FIG. 1 without fan housing, FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the fan of FIG FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the printed circuit board of the fan of FIG. 8, FIG. 10 is a plan view of the back side of the printed circuit board of FIG. 8, FIG. 11 is a plan view of the front side of the printed circuit board of FIG Fig. 12 is a top view of the fan of Fig. 1 with fan housing, Fig. 13 is a perspective view of the fan of Fig. 1 with a fan housing according to a second embodiment, Fig. 14 is a perspective view of the fan 1 with a fan housing according to a third embodiment, FIG. 15 is a perspective view of the fan of Fig. 1 with a fan housing according to a fourth embodiment, Fig. 16 is a perspective view of the fan of Fig. 1 with a fan housing according to a 5 shows a perspective view of the fan of FIG. 1 with a fan housing according to a sixth embodiment, FIG. 18 is a line drawing of the illustration of FIG. 8,

19 is a line drawing of the illustration of FIG. 9,

Fig. 20 is a stitch drawing of the illustration of Fig. 11, and

21 is a line drawing of the illustration of FIG .. 12 ..

In the following description, the terms left, right, front, back, top, and bottom refer to the respective drawing figure and may vary from one drawing figure to another depending on a particular orientation (portrait or landscape). Identical or equivalent parts are denoted by the same reference numerals in the various figures and usually described only once.

Fig. 1 shows a fan 1 with a fan housing 2 in a perspective view. The fan housing 2 is box-shaped and has a bottom wall 197 shown in Fig. 1 above with attached side walls 22, 24, 26, 28. The wall 197 and the side walls 22, 24, 26, 28 are formed for example as a one-piece plastic molding in which the side walls 22, 24, 26, 28 are molded onto the wall 197.

In the wall 197 openings 172, 174, 176, 178 are provided, which form latching elements. At this latching members 182, 184, 186, 188 are held, which are provided on fastening means 15. In Fig. 1, the fastening means 15 are exemplified as slotted snap pins 15 ', 15 ", 15'" and 15 ^IV . Their function is described below in FIGS. 6 and 7.

The wall 197 has a dome-shaped attachment 197 'with an opening 196 (FIG. 1), by means of which a connection plug (not shown) for electrically contacting the fan 1 to contact connection pins 78 can be connected. In Fig. 1, four pins 78 ', 78 ", 78'" and 78 ^{IV are} shown, wherein the fan 1, for example, the pins 78 "and 78 '" for supplying an operating voltage and the pins 78' and 78 ^IV for picking up a tacho signal having. The connector can be held by means of a holder, such as a clip 39, the fan housing 2. The associated with the wall 197 side walls 22, 24, 26, 28 have at their free, lower ends in each case at least one recess 29, in which latching tongues 30 engage a cover plate 195 in order to secure it to the fan housing 2. In Fig. 1 are exemplified two recesses 29 'and 29 "at the lower end 2' of the front side wall 22 and two recesses 29 '" and 29 ^IV at the lower end 2 "of the right side wall 24 visible, in which the locking tongues 30', 30th ", 30 '" or 3O ^IV intervene.

The cover plate 195 has a recess 199 serving as an axial air inlet opening. One or more recesses serving as air outlet openings are provided in the side walls 22, 24, 26, 28. These have according to a first embodiment, an oval shape, but may also have other shapes, as described in FIGS. 13 to 17. In Fig. 1, the front side wall 22, for example, an oval air outlet opening 22 'and the right side wall 24 has an oval air outlet opening 24'.

During operation of the fan 1, it transports air with fan blades 21, which are provided on a fan wheel 11 (FIG. 7). This is sucked through the air inlet opening 199 in the fan housing 2 and moved with the fan blades 21 to flow through the air outlet openings 22 'and 24' out of the housing 2 again. The fan 1 is thus preferably a radial fan, as described below in detail in FIGS. 7 and 8. It should be understood, however, that the invention is not limited to the use of certain types of fans, such as e.g. Radial fan, is limited. Rather, other types of fans, such as diagonal fan or axial fan can be used.

Fig. 2 shows a plan view of the right side wall 24 of the fan housing 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 2 illustrates the provided on the wall 197 essay 197 'and shows another, formed at the lower end 2 "of the right side wall 24 recess 29 ^IX in which engages a provided on the cover plate 195 latching tongue 3O ^IX .

Fig. 3 shows a plan view of the left side wall 28 of the fan housing 2. Fig. 3 shows at the lower end 2 ^{IV of} the left side wall 28 formed recesses 29 ^V "and 29 ^VI ", in which provided on the cover plate 195 latching tongues 30 ^v "and 3O ^VI " intervene. In addition, Fig. 3 shows an example in the left side wall 28 provided, oval air outlet opening 28 '.

Fig. 4 shows a plan view of the front side wall 22. Fig. 4 illustrates the held on the locking elements 172 and 174 locking members 182 and 184 and the contacting pins 78 ', 78 ", 78'" and 78 ^IV , which on a Printed circuit board 70 are attached, which is described below in FIGS. 5, 7 and 9 to 11 in detail.

Fig. 5 shows a plan view of the rear side wall 26 of the fan housing 2. Fig. 5 shows at the lower end 2 '"of the rear side wall 26 formed recesses 29 ^V and 29 ^VI , in which provided on the cover plate 195 latching tongues 30 ^v and 3O engage ^VI. in addition, Fig. 5 shows an opening provided in the rear side wall 26, oval air outlet opening 26 '.

As can be seen in FIG. 5, the printed circuit board 70 of the fan 1 is arranged in the region between the side wall 26 and the fan wheel 11, as described below in FIGS. 7 and 8. The printed circuit board 70 has an air passage opening 75, the dimensions of which essentially correspond to the dimensions of the air outlet opening 26 ', so that an air flow generated by the fan blades 21 of the fan wheel 11 can first emerge from the fan housing 2 through the air passage opening 75 and then through the air outlet opening 26'.

Provided on the printed circuit board 70 are a first carrier element 72 with a first electrical connection 72 '(conductor track) and a second carrier element 73 with a second electrical connection 73' (conductor track), which preferably extend in a straight line into the air passage opening 75 and are spaced from one another. The support member 72 has a free end 72 "and the support member 73 has a free end 73" which face each other. The electrical connection 72 'of the carrier element 72 is connected to a first sensor connection 71' of a sensor 71 for detecting a parameter of the air flowing through the air passage opening 75. A second sensor connection 71 "of the sensor 71 is connected to the electrical connection 73 'of the carrier element 73 electrical connections 72 'and 73' are preferably so mechanically and electrically connected to the sensor terminals 7V and 71 "that the sensor 71 extends in a straight line between the electrical terminals 72 'and 73' and the air flowing through the air passage opening 75 air flow around the sensor 71 In particular, the sensor 71 may be an SMD sensor, which is fastened to the carrier elements 72, 73 in SM D construction (SMD = Surface Mounted Device).

According to a preferred embodiment, the air moved by the fan 1 is free to the sensor 71, i. on all sides, flow around. This improves the detection of the parameter of the air flowing through the opening 75. This parameter characterizes, for example, speed, temperature, moisture content or quality of the air moved through the air passage opening 75.

FIG. 6 shows the fan 1 of FIG. 1 without the fan housing 2 and the circuit board 70 of FIG. 5 in a view from below. This view shows a carrier 12, which is designed as a plastic molding. Guide extensions 12 ', 12 ", electrical connections 16, for example formed as connection pins, and guide pins 51, 52 are arranged, preferably injected, in the fitting 12. The guide extensions 12', 12" serve, as described in FIG 12 on the circuit board 70th

The injected or inserted pins 16 are made of metal. The one end 161 of the pins 16 is conductively connected to one end of winding wires 9, respectively, and the other end 162 of the pins 16 projects out of the carrier 12. The connecting pins 16 are preferably formed at right angles, wherein the one end 161 is arranged in the plane of the carrier 12 designed as a substantially planar part and the end 162 protrudes from the carrier 12 substantially at right angles. Likewise, the guide pins 51, 52 are preferably also formed as rectangular pins of an electrically conductive material having one ends 151, 152 lie in the plane of the carrier 12 and the other ends 153, 154 substantially the same length and parallel to the other ends 162 of the pins 16 protrude from the carrier 12. A return element 17 for a rotor magnet (45 in FIG. 7), in the exemplary embodiment a ferromagnetic sheet-metal disk in the form of a circular ring, is likewise injected in the molded piece 12. The fastening means 15 of FIG. 1, which are designed, for example, as slotted snap bolts, are injection-molded on the underside of the shaped piece 12. The fastening means 15 serve as an assembly aid or for fastening the carrier 12 in the fan housing 2 of Fig. 1. On the underside of the fitting 12 spacer bolts 25 are mounted, preferably molded, to maintain a distance between the bottom of the fitting 12 and the fan housing Serve 2 of Fig. 1 or can be used as a passport or guide pins. The above-described embodiment of the stator, in particular of the stator carrier 12, allows a largely automated production, ie the winding, striking and applying the coil ends to the pins 16, soldering and testing can be done on a machine.

Fig. 7 shows in section along the line VII-VII of Fig. 6 details of the embodiment of the fan 1 of Fig. 1 to 6. This has a motor 10 for driving the fan wheel 11, which here is an electronically commutated flat motor with a rotor 45th is, on which the fan 11 is fixed. The motor 10 has a bobbin 121, which is a part of the carrier 12 in this embodiment. On this bobbin 121, a stator winding 13 is applied, which has a drive and a sensor winding.

The fan 11, which in this case is designed as a so-called capped radial fan, contains a shaft 5, which serves as a rotor shaft. The shaft 5 is radially mounted in a bearing assembly 34 fastened in a bearing support tube 14, for example a sintered double bearing. Depending on the use, the bearing arrangement 34 can also be designed as a roller bearing. The upper bearing support tube 14 is preferably also part of the injection-molded fitting 12. An upper edge 8 of the bearing support tube 14 which is elongated in the axial direction and reduced in its outer diameter serves in conjunction with an area of the sintered bearing 34 reduced in its outer diameter for axial securing of the bearing 34. The sintered bearing 34 can also be fixed by gluing, caulking etc. In the region of the upper edge 8, a magnetic auxiliary arrangement 18 (ferromagnetic or permanent magnetic arrangement) is attached. This can be designed to further reduce costs as a stamped from rubber-magnetic material disc. The arrangement of the bearing shell 6 determines the size of the substantially planar air gap 7 between the rotor magnet 45 and the stator winding 13. The motor 10 has only one stator winding which has a drive winding and a sensor winding and preferably bifilar wound. To avoid length, reference is made to the content of DE 87 02 271 U1 with respect to the shape of the winding and the circuit.

The fan 11 includes substantially radially extending blades 21 which are disposed between a first guide member 41 and a second guide member 42. The first guide member 41 has a central, essentially planar air inlet opening 43, which lies approximately in the region of the air inlet opening 199 in FIG. 1. The first and the second air guide member 41, 42 form in the axial cross-section seen in this embodiment, a radially outwardly expanding air outlet cross-section. For other applications, a narrowing cross-section and also different cross-sectional shapes can be designed.

In the area of the air inlet opening 43 there is a section 58 in which the shaft 5 of the fan wheel 11 is fastened. In the second air guide member 42, a ferromagnetic return plate 44 is fixed, on which the rotor magnet 45 is arranged for the motor drive of the fan wheel 11. It can also be used a pole-oriented magnet without a back plate.

As can be seen from FIG. 7, the ends 161 of the connection pins 16 formed on the carrier 12 project through openings or holes 77 provided for this purpose in the printed circuit board 70 (FIG. 80) and are soldered there. Thus, the terminal pins 16 are contacted with components 79 ', 79 "of the motor electronics 79 (transistors, resistors, etc.) for the motor 10, which are disposed on the circuit board 70. The ends 162 may be electrically connected, for example Connecting one or more components of the engine electronics 79, which are not arranged on the circuit board 70 to save space or can be arranged. When using the circuit board 70 described in FIGS. 9 to 11, the ends 162 remain unused, so that they can be dispensed with.

Fig. 7 illustrates the air passage opening 75 of the circuit board 70, through which flows through the generated by the fan blades 21 of the fan 11 air flow 99. As can be clearly seen from FIG. 7, the air flow 99 in this case flows around the sensor 71, which is arranged between the free ends 72 ", 73" of the carrier elements 72 and 73, on its sensor terminals 71 ', 71 "in the SM D construction on the support members 72, 73 provided electrical terminals 72 'and 73' are electrically and mechanically connected.

FIGS. 8 and 18 show the fan 1 of FIGS. 1 to 7 without the fan housing 2 in a perspective view. FIG. 8 illustrates the components 79 ', 79 "arranged on a front side of the printed circuit board 70 and an exemplary further component 79'" of the motor electronics 79 and the guide extensions 12 'or 12 "protruding through holes 74', 74" in the printed circuit board 70. , In addition, Figs. 8 and 18 illustrate the openings projecting through the openings 77 in the circuit board 70 and there, e.g. soldered ends 161 of the pins 16.

It should be noted, however, that soldering the ends 161 of the pins 16 to the openings 77 is not mandatory. Rather, alternative, also known fastening techniques can be used. For example, the ends 161 may be formed in the form of press-fits, so that pressing the pins 16 into the openings 77 for mechanical and electrical connection of the pins 16 with the circuit board 70 is sufficient.

The printed circuit board 70 is thus held on the one hand by the connecting pins 16 and on the other hand by the guide extensions 12 ', 12 "at a predetermined angle to the carrier 12. In this case, the air passage opening 75 is arranged relative to the fan 11, that of its fan blades 21st In the operation of the fan 1, moving air flows through the air passage opening 75. In the example shown, the carrier 12 and the circuit board 70 are in such relation to one another arranged that the circuit board 70 extends approximately parallel to the axis of rotation 5 of the fan 11.

9, 19 and 10 show the rear side of the printed circuit board 70 of FIG. 8. FIGS. 9 and 10 illustrate the contacting pins 78 ', 78 ", 78", protruding perpendicularly from the printed circuit board 70 by way of example. 78 ^IV , provided for the terminal pins 16 openings 77 and arranged in the air passage opening 75 sensor 71, here an NTC sensor.

As described above, the sensor 71 is fastened to the carrier elements 72, 73, which, by way of example, extend rectilinearly from different sides of the air passage opening 75 into these. It should be understood, however, that other configurations of the circuit board 70 and the support members 72, 73 are possible within the scope of the invention. For example, the printed circuit board 70 may be shortened such that a lower region 180 (in FIG. 10) is omitted. In the illustrated embodiment, this region 180 extends by way of example to a dashed line 185, so that the air passage opening 75 is approximately halved when omitting the region 180 and thus only one recess would be present in the form of an oval halved in the longitudinal direction. In this recess, the support elements 72, 73 could extend from both sides, ie in Fig. 10 coming from the right or left. Alternatively, they could also run parallel to one another, for example, downwards from the openings 77 "and 77 '" in FIG. 10, or at a predetermined angle, for example from the openings 77' and 77 ^IV in the direction of a fictitious crossing point in FIG . 10, so that even a complete air passage opening or -ausparung can be omitted.

FIGS. 11 and 20 show the front side of the printed circuit board 70 of FIG. 8 for illustrating the electrical connections 72 'and 73' of the carrier elements 72 and 73 according to one embodiment. In addition, the sensor terminals 71 'and 71 "of the sensor 71 mounted in SM D construction on the carrier elements 72, 73, which extend above the surface of the printed circuit board 70, are illustrated. In Fig. 20, the sensor 71 is not shown, and there are the flat, rectangular pads 72 ', 73' for the sensor terminals 71 ', 72' can be seen.

Fig. 12 and Fig. 21 show a plan view of the underside of the fan 1 of Fig. 1 without the cover plate 195. In particular, Fig. 12 shows an inner space 250 of the fan housing 2, in which the fan 11 on the (non-visible) carrier 12th is arranged.

The fan housing 2 has a guide 200 for the circuit board 70 in order to simplify their mounting in the housing 2. The fan housing 2 has air guide members 210 ', 210 "for guiding the air flow generated by the fan 11 during operation of the fan 1 in the direction of the air passage opening 75 of the circuit board 70th

FIGS. 13 to 17 show the fan 1 of FIG. 1 with the fan housing 2, in which in each case at least one of the air outlet openings 22 ', 24', 26 ', 28' has a modified configuration. In FIG. 13, the air outlet openings 22 'and 24' are shown by way of example in the form of an elongated oval. In Fig. 14, the air outlet openings 22 'and 24' are circular, in Fig. 15 rectangular with rounded corners, in Fig. 16 diamond-shaped with rounded corners and in Fig. 17 square with rounded corners.

Naturally, many modifications and modifications are possible within the scope of the present invention.

Thus, instead of the two support elements 72, 73, only one in the manner of a springboard in the air passage opening 75 of the circuit board 70 protruding first support member 72 may be provided with two preferably parallel conductor tracks, wherein the sensor 71 is disposed either on the support member 72 or only on the Connections 71 ', 71 ", which are preferably arranged on the same side of the sensor 71, with the support member 72 and the conductor tracks 72', 73 'are connected and unobscured by the support member 72 in the air passage opening 75 can be flowed around by air.

Claims

claims

Radial fan, which has:

A fan housing (2) with at least one air outlet opening (22 ', 24 ", 26', 28 '); a support (12) provided in the fan housing (2), on which a fan wheel (1 1) with fan blades (21) for generating a plurality of connection pins (16) for the electrical connection of a drive motor (10) associated with the fan, which pins connect to an at least 12ens an air outlet opening (22 ', 24', 26 ', 28') rotatably disposed; a printed circuit board (70) arranged in the fan housing (2) with an air passage opening (75) for the passage of the air flow (99) generated by the fan blades (21) during operation, which circuit board (70) has openings (77) for the connection pins (16), a first carrier element (72) having a first electrical connection (72 "), and a second carrier element (73) having a second electrical connection (73 '), which carrier elements (72, 73 ) with your fr extending ends (72 ", 73") into the air passage opening (75) so that their free ends (72 ", 73") are spaced apart from each other; a sensor (71) for detecting a parameter of the airflow (99) generated by the fan blades (21) during operation, said sensor (71) having a first sensor port (71 ') and a second sensor port (71' '), the first sensor port (71 ') with the first electrical connection (72') and the second sensor connection (71 ") with the second electrical connection (73 ') mechanically and electrically connected in such a way that the airflow (99) generated by the fan blades during operation its exit from the at least one air outlet opening (22 ', 24', 26 ', 28') flows around the sensor (71).

The fan according to claim 1, wherein the first sensor terminal (71 ') and the second sensor terminal (71'') are connected to the first electrical terminal (72'') and the second electrical terminal (73') such that the one of Fan blades (21) in operation generated air flow (99) can flow around the sensor (71) on all sides.

3. The fan of claim 1 or 2, wherein the first sensor terminal (71 ') and the second sensor terminal (71') to the first electrical terminal (72 ¹ ) and the second electrical connection (73 '') in SM D construction are.

4. Fan according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the free ends (72 ", 73") of the carrier elements (72, 73) assign each other.

5. Fan according to claim 4, wherein the first carrier element (72) and the second carrier element (73) assign each other in a straight line.

6. Fan according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the sensor (71) extends in a straight line from the first electrical connection (72 ') to the second electrical connection (73').

7. Fan according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the circuit board (70) has at least one recess (74 ', 74 ") through which a support (12) provided on the guide extension (12', 12") protrudes, which for attachment the circuit board (70) on the carrier (12) is used.

8. Fan according to claim 7, wherein the circuit board (70) and the carrier (12) are arranged approximately perpendicular to each other.

9. Fan according to one of the preceding claims, wherein on the circuit board (70) components (79 ', 79 ") of the engine electronics (79) are arranged.

10. Fan according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the connecting pins (16) are arranged approximately perpendicular to the axis of rotation (5) of the fan wheel (1 1) on the carrier (12).

1 1. Fan according to one of the preceding claims, the fan housing (2) is box-shaped.

12. Fan according to claim 1 1, wherein the box-shaped fan housing (2) a axial air inlet opening (199),

13. Fan according to claim 1 1 or 12, the fan housing (2) side walls (22, 24, 26, 28), of which at least one with an air outlet opening (22 ', 24', 26 ", 28 ') is provided.

14. Fan according to one of the preceding claims, the fan housing (2) has at least one latching element (172, 174, 176, 178), and wherein the carrier (12) has at least one latching member (182, 184, 186, 188), which is connected to the latching element (172, 174, 176, 178).

15. Fan according to one of the preceding claims, the fan housing (2) has a guide (200) for the printed circuit board (70) and at least one air guide member (210 ', 210 "), for guiding the of the fan wheel (1 1) in Operation generated air flow (99) to the air passage opening (75) of the printed circuit board (70) is formed.