Abstract: A mini-fan has a drive motor having an external rotor (222) and an internal stator (244). The external rotor (222) is equipped with a rotor shaft (234) that has a necked down portion (258) in the region of its free end (235). The mini-fan (216) has a bearing tube (238) on whose outer side the internal stator (244) is mounted and in whose interior is arranged a bearing arrangement (236) in which the rotor shaft (234) is rotatably supported. A closure arrangement (262) serves to close off the bearing tube (238) in liquid-tight fashion at one end, and is equipped, in the region of the necked down portion (258) of the rotor shaft (234), with at least one resilient securing member (260) that engages into that necked down portion (258) and secures the rotor shaft (234) against being pulled out of the bearing arrangement (236).

Abstract: A fan arrangement has an electric motor (18) that serves to drive a fan wheel (26; 170) and that has an internal stator (44) and an external rotor (22), with which latter the fan wheel is drivingly connected. Arranged on a circuit board (17) are components (11) that are coolable, at least in part, by an air flow (13) generated during operation by that fan wheel (26; 170). Associated with the fan wheel is an air-directing element (100) that is mounted on the circuit board (17) separately from the electric motor (18) so that, in operation, a cooling air flow (13) is generated which emerges from the fan arrangement (16) between the circuit board (17) and air-directing element (100).

Abstract: A miniature fan arrangement has a fan (10) including an electronically commutated drive motor (21), a first circuit board (52) associated with said motor, and a fan housing (30). The fan also has a mounting part arranged radially outside the fan housing (30), and has a membrane (32), made of an elastic material, that elastically connects the fan housing (30) and the mounting part (34) to one another. A second circuit board (54) is arranged between the mounting part (34) and the fan housing (30) and is electrically connected to the first circuit board (52). The structure provides space for additional motor control components, particularly in small-sized motors.

Abstract: A miniature fan, particularly an axial fan, has a space-conserving structure which permits sophisticated electronic control circuits within a limited amount of space. It features an electronically commutated motor (ECM) including an internal stator 68, an external rotor 27 on a shaft 62, and a fan wheel 28 mounted on the rotor and bearing fan blades 26. The motor flange 40? supports a bearing tube 60 which rotatably journals the rotor shaft 62 and is formed with a cavity 84 which receives a first circuit board 86 devoted to control of motor speed and/or voltage, and a second circuit board 96 which supports a galvanometric sensor 100 which senses the rotational position of the rotor, for purposes of triggering commutation of the motor stator windings 68 at appropriate times.

Abstract: Due to variations arising during manufacturing, axial fans often are slightly imbalanced, resulting in noise during operation, which is undesirable in many contexts, for example when the fan is used for ventilation purposes in a motor vehicle. A fan with improved vibration and noise damping can be achieved by elastically suspending the fan wheel within a first ring formed of a hard plastic, the first ring having a tubular extension formed of a softer plastic, and serving to mechanically connect the first ring to a surrounding annular carrier part. Optionally, the first ring and extension unit can include a spring element. Preferably, the first ring and tubular extension are produced by a multi-component forming technology such as two-plastic technology. The fan is preferably driven by an electronically commutated motor (ECM).

Abstract: A fan for cooling a circuit board (26) has a fan wheel (10; 10?) that is adapted for rotation about a rotation axis (11) and in a predetermined rotation direction (14), and an outer wall (18) that is rigidly joined to an inner wall (16). Defined between the two walls (16, 18) are curved air-directing conduits (39) that extend from an axial air entrance opening (40) to a radial air exit opening (42). The axial air entrance opening (40) is at a lesser distance from the rotation axis than the radial air exit opening (42), and the air-directing conduits (39) are separated from one another by air-directing blades (30, 32, 34, 36, 38) that each extend, oppositely to the predetermined rotation direction (14), from a point between two adjacent air entrance openings (40) to a point between two adjacent air exit openings (42).

Abstract: A miniature fan arrangement has a fan (10) including an electronically commutated drive motor (21), a first circuit board (52) associated with said motor, and a fan housing (30). The fan also has a mounting part arranged radially outside the fan housing (30), and has a membrane (32), made of an elastic material, that elastically connects the fan housing (30) and the mounting part (34) to one another. A second circuit board (54) is arranged between the mounting part (34) and the fan housing (30) and is electrically connected to the first circuit board (52). The structure provides space for additional motor control components, particularly in small-sized motors.

Abstract: Due to variations arising during manufacturing, axial fans often are slightly imbalanced, resulting in noise during operation, which is undesirable in many contexts, for example when the fan is used for ventilation purposes in a motor vehicle. A fan with improved vibration and noise damping can be achieved by elastically suspending the fan wheel within a first ring formed of a hard plastic, the first ring having a tubular extension formed of a softer plastic, and serving to mechanically connect the first ring to a surrounding annular carrier part. Optionally, the first ring and extension unit can include a spring element. Preferably, the first ring and tubular extension are produced by a multi-component forming technology such as two-plastic technology. The fan is preferably driven by an electronically commutated motor (ECM).

Abstract: A miniature fan, particularly an axial fan, has a space-conserving structure which permits sophisticated electronic control circuits within a limited amount of space. It features an electronically commutated motor (ECM) including an internal stator 68, an external rotor 27 on a shaft 62, and a fan wheel 28 mounted on the rotor and bearing fan blades 26. The motor flange 40? supports a bearing tube 60 which rotatably journals the rotor shaft 62 and is formed with a cavity 84 which receives a first circuit board 86 devoted to control of motor speed and/or voltage, and a second circuit board 96 which supports a galvanometric sensor 100 which senses the rotational position of the rotor, for purposes of triggering commutation of the motor stator windings 68 at appropriate times.

Abstract: A fan for cooling a circuit board (26) has a fan wheel (10; 10?) that is adapted for rotation about a rotation axis (11) and in a predetermined rotation direction (14), and an outer wall (18) that is rigidly joined to an inner wall (16). Defined between the two walls (16, 18) are curved air-directing conduits (39) that extend from an axial air entrance opening (40) to a radial air exit opening (42). The axial air entrance opening (40) is at a lesser distance from the rotation axis than the radial air exit opening (42), and the air-directing conduits (39) are separated from one another by air-directing blades (30, 32, 34, 36, 38) that each extend, oppositely to the predetermined rotation direction (14), from a point between two adjacent air entrance openings (40) to a point between two adjacent air exit openings (42).

Abstract: A carrier frame (104), for installation on a circuit board (2), is implemented in the manner of an oil-drilling rig and comprises a platform (117) that is equipped with supporting legs (105, 106, 107, 108) for mounting on the circuit board (2). The carrier frame has, at the center of its platform (117), a depression (121, 123) that is implemented for installation of a fan (3) at a distance from the circuit board (2), the outer wall (123) of the depression (121, 123) forming part of the fan.

Abstract: A fan arrangement has an electric motor (18) that serves to drive a fan wheel (26; 170) and that has an internal stator (44) and an external rotor (22), with which latter the fan wheel is drivingly connected. Arranged on a circuit board (17) are components (11) that are coolable, at least in part, by an air flow (13) generated during operation by that fan wheel (26; 170). Associated with the fan wheel is an air-directing element (100) that is mounted on the circuit board (17) separately from the electric motor (18) so that, in operation, a cooling air flow (13) is generated which emerges from the fan arrangement (16) between the circuit board (17) and air-directing element (100).

Abstract: A heating unit for a vehicle features a radial fan (100) having a housing (110), which housing has an air inlet (116) and an air exit opening (118). The heating unit has an air-directing device (140) that guides an air flow in a pressure chamber (115) of the housing (110) to the exit opening (118). Arranged in the housing (110) is a radial fan wheel (130) that serves to generate a flow from the air inlet (116) via the pressure chamber (115) to the air exit opening (118). Also provided is an electrical heating element, e.g. a PTC (Positive Temperature Coefficient) heating element (125), that serves to transfer heat to the air flow generated by the fan. Air-directing elements (632, 634, 636, 638) are provided between the exit opening (118) and the heating element (125), in order to generate an air flow having a more uniform (680) velocity distribution.

Abstract: An improved fan useful for ventilating applications in motor vehicles features a modular structure, which facilitates quick replacement of any components likely to fail. A first module (110) is intended for permanent installation on the part that is to be cooled. A second module (110) is configured for quick engagement to and disengagement from the first module. The second module preferably comprises a hub (22; 362), an internal stator (60; 332) mounted on the hub, and one or more struts (74; 344) connecting the hub to a cylindrical casing part (76; 336) which surrounds but is spaced from the outside of the fan wheel (46; 348). The struts form a lattice (112) which can be easily grasped for swapping out the second module when repair or replacement becomes necessary.

Abstract: A fan arrangement comprises a fan (10) having a fan housing (30) within which is arranged a blower wheel (18) which, in operation, moves air from an intake side of the fan (10) to a delivery side. Arranged radially outside the fan housing (30) is a surrounding mounting frame (34) that serves to support the fan housing (30). A membrane (32), made of an elastic material, elastically connects the fan housing (30) and mounting frame (34) to one another and is formed with through holes or apertures (33) that, in the event of a closure of the output or delivery side of the fan arrangement (40), enable a return flow, from the delivery side to the intake side of the fan arrangement (40), of air moved by the blower wheel (18).

Abstract: A mini-fan (126) is implemented for installation in a recess (124) of a wall (122), which wall is equipped on the periphery of the recess (124) with a plurality of retaining members (128, 129). The fan has, for air guidance, a housing (136) that, in its installed position, projects with a housing portion (127) approximately complementary to the recess (124) of the wall (122) into that recess. Arranged on the periphery of that housing portion is at least one part (138) made of an elastomeric material, with which part the fan (126) is introducible, upon its installation with the part (138) made of elastomeric material with displacement along the wall (122), into the retaining members (128, 129), in order to bring that part (138), in the installed position, at least locally into sealing contact against the wall (122).

Abstract: An improved structure and method for mounting a fan, particularly a miniature fan (3), in a supporting wall (4), both facilitates a mounting operation and minimizes noise conduction after the mounting operation. An elastomeric overcoat (1) at least partially surrounds the fan (3) and is preferably integrally formed with a plurality of mushroom-shaped mounting elements (7) adapted to engage in a corresponding plurality of mounting holes (41) formed in the supporting wall (4). Each mounting element has a shaft portion (71) and a head portion (72) with an internal channel (74) starting in the shaft portion (71) and ending in the head portion (72).

Abstract: An improved fan useful for ventilating applications in motor vehicles features a modular structure, which facilitates quick replacement of any components likely to fail. A first module (110) is intended for permanent installation on the part that is to be cooled. A second module (110) is configured for quick engagement to and disengagement from the first module. The second module preferably comprises a hub (22; 362), an internal stator (60; 332) mounted on the hub, and one or more struts (74; 344) connecting the hub to a cylindrical casing part (76; 336) which surrounds but is spaced from the outside of the fan wheel (46; 348). The struts form a lattice (112) which can be easily grasped for swapping out the second module when repair or replacement becomes necessary.