Fluid reaction surfaces (i.e. – impellers) – Protective screen or guard – Water or marine propellers
Reexamination Certificate
1998-12-21
2001-02-20
Look, Edward K. (Department: 3745)
Fluid reaction surfaces (i.e., impellers)
Protective screen or guard
Water or marine propellers
C415S213100, C415S214100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06190135
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention concerns a cover for a fan, which can be mounted on a base and which is intended to be used in particular for cooling electronic sub-assemblies or electronic elements which are located on the base.
With respect to the fan, it may, for example, consist of an axial fan or a radial fan, where the base may be, for example, a printed-circuit board, which is equipped with the electronic building blocks, the CPU or the mother board of a computer, or it could also be a heat sink, which is preferably contoured, and which, for its part, serves to conduct heat away from the electronic building blocks. Usually such a fan is attached by means of fastener elements directly to the base in such a manner, that it is easy to assemble it, e.g. it is snapped in place, and as a result it is easily accessible. For making the electrical connection, the fan has connecting pigtails, the ends of which can be equipped with plugs. In transit, these connecting pigtails are wound around the fan and attached by means of an adhesive tape. On the one hand, the fan, when it is in operation, must be protected—especially in its air intake region—against contact with such connecting pigtails, cables, ribbon conductors etc., which may also be extended from or to other sub-assemblies or elements, in order to ensure an unobstructed admission of air and a high level of functional safety of the fans. On the other hand, any contact of electrical connecting cables with the fan, especially with its rotating parts, must be avoided in order to prevent the destruction of the electrical connecting cables, a loosening of the plug-in connections and, related to this, the danger of a disruption of the current flow or the occurrence of short circuit currents.
The present invention is, therefore, based on the objective of constructing a cover of the type described at the beginning, which can be manufactured in an inexpensive manner, and which permits an easy accessibility of the fan and a simple, rapid and safe assembly, and which effectively prevents any contact of the fan with the pigtails, cables, ribbon conductors etc., which are installed in the proximity of the fan, especially in its air intake region.
According to the invention, this is accomplished by means of a cover of the initially described type, which includes a cover plate equipped with air passage openings, and which, on the one hand, includes fastener elements for the fan, and on the other hand, fastener elements for the base, which are connected to the cover plate, while the fastener elements are constructed in such a manner, that the cover plate is placed in a position which is spaced apart from the base, while the fan, which is attached to the cover plate, is mounted on the base plate in an intermediate position in such a manner that it is detachable.
Such a cover can be advantageously mounted without tools or auxiliary devices, while performing its function highly effectively, i.e. providing an effective protection of the fan against being contacted. The assembly process, according to the invention, is implemented in such a manner that the fan is attached only indirectly to the base, i.e. the fan is first attached to the cover, and then the cover with the fan on it is attached to the base. In this process, the first step toward its assembly can already be taken by the manufacturer of the fan within the framework of a pre-assembly process by means of which a fan sub-assembly is produced, which consists of a cover according to the invention which is attached to the fan. Such a sub-assembly permits a simple handling method and a transport free of problems, and it can thus be shipped advantageously as a unit.
In an advantageous further development, the cover according to the invention includes at least two side walls, which are positioned essentially at right angles to the cover plate and opposite to each other, and which have the function of increasing the stability of the cover and which can provide the opportunity for a multiplicity of technical design possibilities, with which further advantages are associated.
The cover according to the invention satisfies advantageously a dual function for the fan: On the one hand, it has the function of protecting the fan, and on the other hand, it provides a means for attaching the fan. In this case, a design is preferred, where the fastener elements of the fan are constructed in such a manner that the fan, which is attached to the bottom side of the cover plate and which, if need be, is located between the side walls, is positioned at a distance from the cover plate. By this means, in the first place, the safe distance from the rotating fan parts to the electrical conductors, which are installed above the cover plate, is advantageously increased, and in the second place, above the fan an unobstructed air intake space having a greater volume has been provided.
Further advantageous characteristics of the embodiments of the invention are contained in the following description:
On the basis of a preferred example of an embodiment shown in the drawing, the following is intended to explain the invention in greater detail. For this purpose, the figures show the following:
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IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin, vol. 36, No. 11 Nov. 1993, “Insert for High Performance Heat Transfer in a Vertical Cooling Channel”.
Harness & Dickey & Pierce P.L.C.
Look Edward K.
McAleenan James M.
Pabst-Motoren GmbH & Co. KG
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