Fan frame and fan module

Abstract

The present invention relates to a fan frame for a plurality of fan modules, particularly for a radiator of a motor vehicle, comprising a first fan holder having a first outflow region, at least one further fan holder having a further outflow region, and an intermediate region that connects adjoining edge regions of the first and the further fan holders to each other. The fan frame is characterised in that a shielding device, which separates the first and a further outflow region from each other, is provided in the intermediate region. The present invention further relates to a fan module, particularly having such a fan frame.

Claims

1. A fan frame for a plurality of fan modules, comprising a first fan bracket, which has a first outflow region, comprising at least one additional fan bracket, which has an additional outflow region, comprising an intermediate region, which continually interconnects adjacent edge regions of the first and the additional fan brackets, wherein a shielding device is provided in the intermediate region and separates the first outflow region and the additional outflow region from each other, wherein the shielding device is designed as a partition portion which is integrally formed with the fan frame and arranged between two attachment struts of the first or additional fan bracket, wherein the partition portion extends up to 70% to 100% of an axial height of the attachment struts, and wherein the partition portion extends around at least one of the first and additional fan brackets in the intermediate region over an angular segment from 10-135.

2. The fan frame of claim 1, wherein the partition portion has a profiled upper edge.

3. The fan frame of claim 1, wherein the partition portion extends around at least one of the fan brackets in the intermediate region over an angular segment of 30 to 60.

4. The fan frame of claim 1, wherein the partition portion extends over a circumference of at least one of the brackets over an arc segment in the range of from 5 cm to 20 cm or in the range of from 8 cm to 15 cm or in the range of from 10 cm to 12 cm.

5. The fan frame of claim 1, wherein the partition portion extends over at least 50% of an axial height of the attachment struts.

6. The fan frame of claim 1, wherein the fan frame is designed as a plastics injection-moulded part.

7. The fan frame of claim 1, wherein the fan frame is designed to be used for a radiator of a motor vehicle.

8. A fan module for a radiator of a motor vehicle, comprising a fan frame comprising a first fan bracket, at least one additional fan bracket, and an intermediate region of the fan frame, which continually separates the first fan bracket from the at least one additional fan bracket, comprising a first fan which is mounted in the fan frame and is designed to generate a first air flow, comprising at least one additional fan which is mounted in the fan frame, is designed to generate an additional air flow and is arranged and mounted in the fan frame beside the first fan, wherein a shielding device is provided in the intermediate region of the fan frame between the first and the additional fan in respective outflow regions of at least one of the first and the additional fan in order to separate the first air flow from the additional air flow, wherein the shielding device is designed as a partition portion which is integrally formed with the fan frame and arranged between two attachment struts of the first or additional fan bracket, wherein the partition portion extends up to 70% to 100% of an axial height of the attachment struts, and wherein the partition portion extends around at least one of the first and additional fan brackets in the intermediate region over an angular segment from 10-135.

9. The fan module of claim 8, wherein the first fan bracket has a first outflow region; the least one additional fan bracket having the respective additional outflow region; and the intermediate region interconnects adjacent edge regions of the first and the additional fan brackets, wherein the shielding device is provided in the intermediate region and separates the first outflow region and the respective additional outflow region from each other.

10. The fan module of claim 8, wherein the partition portion extends in the outflow direction of the first or the additional air flow.

11. The fan module of claim 8, wherein the first fan has a greater diameter than the additional fan.

12. The fan module of claim 8, wherein the first fan has at least one of a higher driving power and a higher air output than the additional fan.

13. The fan module of claim 8, wherein the fan module is designed as a double fan module.

Description

CONTENT OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The present invention is explained below in greater detail on the basis of the embodiments specified in the schematic figures of the drawings, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a fan frame according to the invention;

(3) FIG. 2 shows a detailed embodiment of a fan frame according to the invention;

(4) FIGS. 3A and 3B are perspective views of a detail of the fan frame from FIG. 2 having different partition portions;

(5) FIG. 4A-4F show examples of different shapes of the partition portions;

(6) FIG. 5 is a schematic view of a double-fan module according to the invention.

(7) The accompanying figures of the drawings are intended to convey further understanding of the embodiments of the invention. They show embodiments and, in conjunction with the description, clarify principles and concepts behind the invention. Other embodiments and many of the advantages mentioned become apparent with reference to the drawings. The elements of the drawings are not necessarily shown to scale in relation to each other.

(8) In the figures of the drawings, the same elements, features and components, and those serving the same function and having the same effect, are provided with the same reference signs in each case, unless specified otherwise.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

(9) FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a fan frame 1 according to the invention. Said frame comprises a first bracket 2 and an additional, preferably second, bracket 3, which are each designed to mount a fan in the fan frame 1. The brackets 2, 3 each have an edge region 6, 7 and attachment struts 10, 11. The attachment struts 10, 11 open into a retaining ring, which is designed for attaching a fan. An intermediate region 4 which interconnects the edge regions 6, 7 is provided in the frame 1 between the two brackets 2, 3.

(10) The fan frame 1 has two sides, namely an intake side and a discharge side, FIG. 1 showing the discharge side. Said frame is provided such that a fan which is installed in the brackets 2 and 3 discharges the air it takes in on this side. In the figure, the respective outflow regions of the brackets 2 and 3 can thus be seen. A shielding device 8 is provided in the intermediate region 4 between the two brackets 2 and 3. Said shielding device is arranged and designed such that the outflow region of the second bracket 3 is shielded from the outflow region of the first bracket 2.

(11) FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of a fan frame 1 according to the invention, the basic design corresponding to the description of the fan frame 1 shown in FIG. 1. In this embodiment, the partition portion 8 is arranged in the region between two struts 10 and 11 of the second bracket 3. The second bracket 3 is designed to receive a smaller fan, while the first bracket 2 is designed to receive a larger fan. This is explained in greater detail with reference to FIG. 5.

(12) The second bracket 3 has a central point M, through which a shaft of a fan (not shown) of a fan module which is installed in the bracket would extend into the drawing plane. Based on this shaft, the partition portion or a raised separating web extends over an angular segment 12, which in the embodiment shown has an angle of 45. The partition portion extends between the two struts 10 and 11 substantially over an arc segment of 10 cm, for example. Owing to the geometry of the attachment struts, in this case an ideal shape for the arc or for the cylindrical lateral-surface portion is not described by the partition portion. Instead, the actual shape is provided in portions with angular portions or recesses in order to adapt to the shape of the attachment struts 10, 11 and to attach thereto.

(13) FIGS. 3A and 3B are each perspective views of a detail of a fan frame 1 according to FIG. 2. FIGS. 3A and 3B show different embodiments of a partition portion 8.

(14) In FIG. 3A, the partition portion 8 extends between the two attachment struts 10 and 11, the partition portion 8 having a height 5 which corresponds to 70% of the height of the attachment struts 10 and 11. This height is sufficient to sufficiently shield the outflow region of the second bracket 3, which corresponds in the view in FIGS. 3A and 3B to the side of the brackets shown, from the outflow region of the first bracket 2. Therefore, flows emerging in the outflow regions cannot be negatively influenced before they reach a radiator or heat exchanger of a motor vehicle, for example.

(15) The region between two attachment struts is referred to as a pocket if a partition portion is not provided therein. Therefore, in the embodiment shown, the pocket between the attachment struts 10 and 11 is filled by the partition portion 8. In alternative embodiments, a plurality of pockets 13 between additional attachment struts of the bracket 3 may also be filled with a partition portion.

(16) Furthermore, alternatively to the embodiment shown, it would also be conceivable for the pockets of the first bracket 2 to be designed to have a partition portion 8. Similarly to the embodiment shown, said portion would preferably be provided in the intermediate region 4.

(17) FIG. 3B shows the same detail as FIG. 3A, but here an alternative partition portion 8 is provided. Said portion has a height 5 which corresponds to 100% of the height of the attachment struts 10 and 11. Therefore, the partition portion 8 extends over the entire height of the discharge side of the fan frame.

(18) In the embodiments shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, the partition portion 8 is in each case integrally formed with the fan frame. Here, the fan frame is preferably formed as a plastics injection-moulded part.

(19) In alternative embodiments, the partition portion may be provided as a separate part which can be inserted into the fan frame. In addition, it may for example be inserted into a recess in the fan frame using a suitable fit. Alternatively or additionally, the partition portion can also be clipped in or glued into place.

(20) FIG. 4 shows different examples of a partition portion 8. All of the partition portions 8 shown are provided as insertable partition portions. Said portions comprise an insertion extension 15, by means of which they can be inserted into a recess in the fan frame 1. Furthermore, lateral recesses 16 are provided, which are provided to fit and/or anchor the partition portion to the attachment struts 10, 11. FIGS. 4A, 4B and 4D to 4F each show a partition portion having a planar upper edge 9, which only has slight differences from a shape of an arc or a cylindrical lateral-surface portion according to the shape of the intermediate region 4 and of the attachment struts 10, 11. FIG. 4A to 4F are each plan views of the radial inner surface of the partition portion 8.

(21) The partition portion 8 according to FIG. 4A has a height 5 which corresponds to 100% of the height of the attachment struts 10, 11. This height is 2.8 cm, for example. This value may of course significantly differ therefrom, depending on the design and the available installation space in a fan module. For example, the height 5 of the attachment struts 10, 11 is between 2 cm and 5 cm.

(22) The partition portion 8 according to FIG. 4B has a slightly reduced height 5 of approximately 95% of the height of the attachment struts 10, 11.

(23) FIG. 4C shows an embodiment of a partition portion 8 having a profiled upper edge 9. In this embodiment, the upper edge 9 is corrugated. Alternatively, the upper edge may also be toothed or may have a contour having square recesses or another type of profiling.

(24) FIG. 4D again shows a partition portion 8 having a planar upper edge, a further reduced height 5 of 90% of the height of the attachment struts 10, 11 being provided. In FIG. 4E the height 5 is reduced to 80% and in FIG. 4F the height is reduced to 70% of the height of the attachment struts 10, 11.

(25) FIG. 5 is a schematic view of a double-fan module 20. Said module comprises a fan frame 1 according to FIG. 1. The structure of the fan module 20 is of course transferrable to the embodiment of a fan frame 1 which is shown in FIG. 2.

(26) In the first bracket 2, a first, large fan 21 is provided, the fan blades 23 of which are distributed over the entire circumference of the fan 21. In the view in FIG. 5, the fan blades 23 are shown schematically in just one portion of the fan circumference for the sake of greater clarity. In the additional, preferably second, bracket 3, an additional, preferably second, smaller fan 22 is mounted, of which the impeller blades 24 are also only shown schematically.

(27) The double-fan module 20 is provided for mounting on a rectangular radiator or heat exchanger, which in particular is of a rectangular shape which has a different length and width and preferably corresponds to the rectangular shape of the frame 1. Therefore, the radiator or heat exchanger can be supplied with cooling air in three different operating modes, with high utilisation of the radiator surface. In the operating mode using both fans 21, 22, the shielding device 8 which is provided in the outflow region of the fans 21, 22 in the intermediate region of the fan frame 1 separates an air flow generated by the first fan 21 in the outflow region thereof from an air flow generated by the second fan 22 in the outflow region thereof. Therefore, the two air flows do not negatively influence each other, because they do not get in the way of each other owing to the separation by means of the shielding device 8. Furthermore, the first fan 21 preferably has a greater diameter than the second fan 22, and also has a higher driving power and air output than the second fan 22.

(28) Although the present invention has been fully described above on the basis of preferred embodiments, it is not limited thereto, but rather may be modified in a number of ways.

(29) Therefore, the heights of the attachment struts and thus also the height of the partition portion should always be adapted to the installation space which is available for the double-fan module, that is to say that the heights of the attachment struts and of the partition portion can also be (considerably) lower or (considerably) higher.

(30) The length of the partition portion can of course be varied depending on the dimensions of the double-fan module and of the fan diameter, that is to say shorter and longer lengths of the partition portion, which are adapted to such dimensions, are also possible.

(31) The values given should also only be understood to be advantageous, and should not limit the invention to that effect.

(32) Although the invention has been explained with reference to a double-fan module, such a fan module and thus the associated frame may also contain or receive more than two fans. In this case, the invention is not limited to double-fan modules, but rather the term double-fan module should be understood in the sense of a multi-fan module.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

(33) 1 Fan frame

(34) 2, 3 Bracket

(35) 4 Intermediate region

(36) 5 Height of the partition portion

(37) 6, 7 Edge region

(38) 8 Shielding device, partition portion

(39) 9 Edge surface

(40) 10, 11 Attachment struts

(41) 12 Angular segment

(42) 13 Pocket

(43) 14 Arc segment

(44) 20 (Double-) fan module

(45) 21, 22 Fan

(46) 23, 24 Fan blades

(47) M Central point