ROTATION DIRECTION CONTROL METHOD FOR A COOLING FAN AND ROTATION DIRECTION CONTROL CIRCUIT THEREOF

• US 20120086379A1
• Filed: 12/10/2010
• Published: 04/12/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sunonwealth Electric Machine, Ind. Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Sunonwealth Electric Machine, Ind. Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Horng, Alex, Hung, Ching-Sheng
• Granted Patent: US 8,502,491 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 318/472
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1919 characterised by the type of controller
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/206 comprising thermal management

Abstract

A rotation direction control method of a cooling fan is disclosed. The rotation direction control method includes a detection step, a determination step and a driving step. The detection step receives a temperature control signal from a temperature detection unit by a rotation direction control unit when a predetermined dust-expelling time period begins. The determination step determines whether a detected temperature is higher than a predetermined value based on the temperature control signal by the rotation direction control unit. The driving step controls the rotation direction control unit to keep outputting a cooling signal so as to drive a motor of the cooling fan for a cooling operation when the determination of the determination step is positive.

Claims

1. A rotation direction control method of a cooling fan, comprising:

a detection step receiving a temperature control signal from a temperature detection unit by a rotation direction control unit when a predetermined dust-expelling time period begins;

a determination step determining whether a detected temperature is higher than a predetermined value based on the temperature control signal by the rotation direction control unit; and

a driving step controlling the rotation direction control unit to keep outputting a cooling signal to drive a motor of the cooling fan for a cooling operation when the determination of the determination step is positive.

2. The rotation direction control method of the cooling fan as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cooling signal outputted by the rotation direction control unit is maintained for an extra cooling time period when the determination of the determination step is positive.

3. The rotation direction control method of the cooling fan as claimed in claim 2, further comprising a re-detect and re-determine step which, when the extra cooling time period expires, receives an instantly-detected temperature control signal from the temperature detection unit by the rotation direction control unit, and determines whether a latest detected temperature is higher than the predetermined value based on the instantly-detected temperature control signal, wherein the extra cooling time period is shorter than the predetermined dust-expelling time period.

4. A rotation direction control circuit of a cooling fan, comprising:

a driving unit electrically coupled to a motor of the cooling fan;

a temperature detection unit generating a temperature control signal according to a detected temperature thereof; and

a rotation direction control unit electrically coupled to the driving unit and the temperature detection unit, receiving the temperature control signal of the temperature detection unit, and outputting a cooling signal to the driving unit for a cooling operation or outputting a dust-expelling signal to the driving unit for a dust exhaustion operation, wherein the rotation direction control unit outputs the cooling signal when the detected temperature is higher than a predetermined value.

5. The rotation direction control circuit of the cooling fan as claimed in claim 4, wherein the rotation direction control unit is a micro-controller.

6. The rotation direction control circuit of the cooling fan as claimed in claim 4, wherein the rotation direction control unit includes a rotation direction switching device and an adjusting switch, the rotation direction switching device is electrically coupled to the driving unit via the adjusting switch, and the adjusting switch is electrically coupled to the temperature detection unit.

7. The rotation direction control circuit of the cooling fan as claimed in claim 6, wherein the adjusting switch has an input end, an output end, a control end, a first electronic switch and a second electronic switch, the input end is electrically coupled to the rotation direction switching device, the output end is electrically coupled to the driving unit, the control end is electrically coupled to the temperature detection unit, the first and second electronic switches are electrically coupled in series between the input end and a power supply, the output end is where the first and second electronic switches are electrically coupled together, and controlled ends of the first and second electronic switches jointly form the control end.

8. The rotation direction control circuit of the cooling fan as claimed in claim 6, wherein the adjusting switch has an input end, an Output end, a control end, a first electronic switch and a second electronic switch, the input end is electrically coupled to the rotation direction switching device, the output end is electrically coupled to the driving unit, the control end is electrically coupled to the temperature detection unit, the first and second electronic switches are electrically coupled in series between the input end and the ground, the output end is where the first and second electronic switches are electrically coupled together, and controlled ends of the first and second electronic switches jointly form the control end.