Fan with adjustable blade structures
AssigneeMicrosoft Technology Licensing, LLC
InventorsChien Lung YANG, Todd Alan CHILES, Bo DAN
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Examples are disclosed that relate to fans configured to automatically adjust for imbalances in mass. One example provides a self-balancing fan, comprising a hub comprising a plurality of blade interfaces, and a plurality of blade structures each attached to a corresponding blade interface of the hub, each blade interface comprising a tapered notch in the hub and being configured to increase a balancing force exerted by the hub against the blade structure as a function of increasing distance of the blade structure from the hub.
Claims20
A self-balancing fan, comprising:
- a hub comprising a plurality of blade interfaces, each blade interface comprising a tapered notch in the hub;
- and
- a plurality of blade structures, each blade structure comprising a hub interface, wherein each hub interface is received in a corresponding blade interface of the hub to attach the blade structure to the hub, wherein each blade interface and corresponding hub interface are configured to permit centrifugally driven outward motion of the corresponding blade structure relative to the hub, wherein a spring force exerted between the blade interface and the hub interface increases as a function of increasing distance of the blade structure from the hub to prevent the blade structure detaching from the hub.
A computing device, comprising:
- a self-balancing fan, comprising:
- a hub comprising a plurality of blade interfaces, each blade interface comprising a protrusion;
- and
- a plurality of blade structures, each blade structure comprising a hub interface, each hub interface comprising a tapered groove, wherein each blade interface is received in a corresponding hub interface to attach the blade structure to the hub, wherein each blade interface and hub interface are configured to permit centrifugally driven outward motion of the corresponding blade structure relative to the hub, wherein a spring force exerted between the blade interface and the hub interface increases as a function of increasing distance of the blade structure from the hub to prevent the blade structure detaching from the hub.
A method of operating a self-balancing fan comprising a plurality of blade structures attached to a hub via a plurality of hub interfaces and a plurality of blade interfaces, each blade structure comprising a hub interface received in a corresponding blade interface comprising a tapered notch in the hub, the method comprising:
- rotating the hub to cause the fan to displace air, thereby causing a first, lighter blade structure attached to the hub at a first blade interface by a first hub interface to move outwardly within the first blade interface a first distance, and causing a second, heavier blade structure attached to the hub at a second blade interface by a second hub interface to move outwardly a second distance that is less than the first distance.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.