Electronically controlled electric fan cooled by pressurized ambient air

• US 7,295,434 B2
• Filed: 06/15/2005
• Issued: 11/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Brose Fahrzeugteile GmbH & Co. Kommanditgesellschaft Wuerzburg
• Original Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Foulonneau, Stephane
• Primary Examiner(s): HYEON, HAE M
• Application Number:
  US11/152,096
• Publication Number:
  US 20060024170A1
• Time in Patent Office: 881 Days
• Field of Search: 361/695, 361/690, 361/691, 361/692, 417/47
• US Class Current: 361/695
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 25/06 the pump being electrically driven F04D25/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 25/082 the unit having provision for cooling the motor
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/5806 Cooling the drive system
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/5813 Cooling the control unit

Abstract

An electronically controlled electric fan (10) cooled by pressurized ambient air, includes:

• • a motor (11) furnished with a cover (12), a mechanical assembly rotating a wheel (15) and a casing (13), the motor housing at least its electronic control circuit (14) and includes at least one inlet orifice (I) and one outlet orifice (S) for the pressurized ambient air,
  • a fan wheel (15) and a mechanical assembly rotating this wheel,
  • a motor support (16),
    the ambient air being suitable for passing through the motor, and its mechanical assembly and the support, the electric fan including:
  • a confinement element (20) placed inside the motor so as to confine the pressurized ambient air between:
    • a heat sink (18) integral with the electronic control circuit (14),
    • and a portion of the motor including no sensitive electronic components.

Claims

1. An electronically controlled electric fan (10) cooled by pressurized ambient air, said electric fan comprising:

a motor (11) furnished with a cover (12), a mechanical assembly rotating a fan wheel (15) and a casing (13), said motor housing at least its electronic control circuit (14) and comprising at least one inlet orifice (I) and one outlet orifice (S) for the pressurized ambient air,

the fan wheel (15),

a motor support (16),

said ambient air being suitable for passing through the motor, and its mechanical assembly and the support, said electric fan being characterized in that it also comprises;

a confinement means (20) placed inside the motor so as to confine the pressurized ambient air between;

a heat sink (18) integral with the electronic control circuit (14),

and a portion of the motor comprising no sensitive electronic components,

wherein the confinement means is a seal, placed between the electronic control circuit (14) and the casing (13) of the motor, said seal channeling the pressurized ambient air at least onto said heat sink (18) situated on a surface of the electronic control circuit without electronic components.

2. The electric fan as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the seal is made by overmolding the casing or by adding the seal or by depositing flexible material.

3. The electric fan as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the seal creates a plurality of sealed cooling cavities (24) in contact with the heat sink (18) of the electronic control circuit (14).

4. The electric fan as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the electronic control circuit (14) is placed in the cover (12) and in that the seal (20) is interposed between the electronic circuit (14) and the rest of the elements housed in the motor casing (13).

5. The electric fan as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the seal (20) is detachable and removable in order to allow access to the electronic components.

6. The electric fan as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the seal (20) is overmolded and allows the detachment of the electric fan and access to the electronic components.

7. The electric fan as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said fan has at least one confinement chamber (24) allowing the pressurized ambient air to contact the heat sink (18).

8. The electric fan as claimed in claim 7, characterized in that said fan also comprises water discharge orifices (25).

9. The electric fan as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that the seal creates a plurality of sealed cooling cavities (24) in contact with the heat sink (18) of the electronic control circuit (14).