FAN MOUNT

Abstract: A mount (10) for an air mover in an air manager system includes a central portion (20) and suspendable elements (30) connected to the central portion (20) for suspending the air mover (110) above the surface of the air manager system (150). The suspendable element can be a plurality of arms (60) spaced about the periphery of the central portion (20) and extending radially from the central portion (20).

Description: FAN MOUNT The invention generally relates to a mount for an air mover in an air manager system. An air manager system is typically used in a device that requires controlled flow of air into and out of the device. For example, as its source of electrical energy, a cellular telephone can use metal air batteries, which require air to produce energy. To enhance the activated storage life and to ensure good performance of the batteries, an air manager system is used to provide the flow of air. The air manager system typically includes an air mover, such as a blower or a fan, for circulating air. When the air mover operates in, e.g., a cellular telephone, it can produce noise that interferes with the clarity of the telephone. The invention generally relates to a mount for an air mover in an air manager system, such as those used in cellular telephones. The mount dampens vibrations produced by the air mover so that they are not transmitted to the telephone, thereby providing less noise interference. In one aspect, the invention features a mount for an air mover in an air manager system. The mount includes a central portion and a suspendable element connected to the central portion for suspending the air mover above a surface of the air manager system. The mount can be substantially planar. The central portion can be annular. The central portion can define an opening, which can be circular. The opening can have a diameter greater than or equal to the diameter of a bushing on the air mover. With such features, an air mover can be conveniently centered on and/or connected to the mount. The mount can further include a plurality of suspendable elements equally spaced about a periphery of the central portion. The suspendable element can be an arm spaced about a periphery of the central portion and extending radially from the central portion. Preferably, all of the arms are the same length. This allows the central portion of the mount to be centered when it is disposed in a housing, and thereby ensures that an air mover placed on the mount will be centered in the housing. The suspendable element can include a flange extending around a longitudinal axis of the arm. The mount can have three or four suspendable elements. The mount can include a polymeric material, such as a thermoplastic rubber. Preferably, the suspendable element has a durameter between about 35 and 50, and more preferably, between about 40 and 45. With such features, the mount and the air mover can be easily installed to an air manager system to provide noise and vibration dampening. In another aspect, the invention features an air mover assembly including a housing, a mount disposed in the housing, and an air mover disposed in the housing such that it is in contact with the mount. The housing has a wall, which has a plurality of holes. The mount includes a central portion and a suspendable element connected to the central portion for suspending the air mover above a surface of the air manager system. The housing can act like a speaker, amplifying the noise from the air mover. The mount limits the noise transmitted to the device by absorbing the vibrations and noise within the housing. The suspendable element can be an arm spaced about a periphery of the central portion and extending radially from the central portion. Preferably, the suspendable element has a flange which fits through a hole in the housing and engages the outside of the housing. This provides for easy assembly of the mount in the housing. The arms can be the same length. This allows the central portion of the mount to be centered when it is disposed in the housing, and thereby ensures that an air mover placed on the mount will be centered in the housing. Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an air mover mount of the invention. Fig. 2 is a top view of an air mover mount of the invention. Fig. 3 is a side view of an air mover mount of the invention. Fig. 4 is a simplified exploded view of an air mover assembly having the air mover mount of the invention. Fig. 5 is a simplified top view of an air mover assembly having the air mover mount of the invention. The air mover mount can be used with an air mover in an air manager system of a device, such as a cellular telephone. The air mover mount adsorbs vibrations from the air mover so that less noise is transmitted to the device. Referring to Figs. 1-3, mount 10 includes a central portion 20 and at least one suspendable element 30 connected to the central portion 20. Mount 10 is preferably made of a polymeric material, such as thermoplastic rubbers (e.g., Santoprene) or two-component rubbers (e.g., cast urethanes), although any material having appropriate vibration-absorbing properties may be used. For example, a material too hard will still transmit noise and vibrations to the device. A material too soft, while possibly providing good noise dampening, can cause the device to vibrate in a user's hand. Preferably, each suspendable element 30 has a durameter between about 35 and 50, more preferably, between about 40 and 45, and even more preferably about 42. Specific durameters, however, are a function of the air manager system being used. As shown in Fig. 3, mount 10 is substantially planar, having a thickness of about 0.7 to 1.1 mm. Specific thicknesses, however, are a function of the material used for the mount 10 and the application for the mount. The distance from the center of the central portion 20 to the end 40 of the suspendable element 30 is typically 15 to 17 mm long, although this distance can vary since excess portions of cylindrical portion 80 can be snipped after assembling mount 10 to housing 120, as described below. As shown in Figs. 2-4, central portion 20 is preferably substantially planar. Central portion 20 can be annular and can define an opening 50, which is preferably circular. However, central portion 20 can be configured in any form, e.g., non-circular opening or non-annular central portion, configured to connect the mount 10 to an air mover 110. As described below, opening 50 acts as a centering device for connecting mount 10 to an air mover 110. Preferably, opening 50 has a diameter greater than or equal to the diameter of a bushing (not shown) on the motor of the air mover 110. Central portion 20 preferably has a diameter of about 5 mm, although specific diameters depend on the size of the bushing or alternative attachment mechanisms described below. Connected to the central portion 20, suspendable element 30 suspends the air mover 110 above a surface of the air manager system 150 when mount 10 is connected to the air mover 110. Suspendable element 30 is preferably a plurality of arms 60 spaced about a periphery of the central portion 20 and extending radially from the central portion 20. Preferably, the arms 60 are equally spaced about the periphery of the central portion 20 to uniformly absorb vibrations from the air mover 110, although unequally-spaced arms may be used. In preferred embodiments of the invention, three or four arms 60 are connected to the central portion 20, although any number of arms 60 sufficient to suspend the air mover and to absorb vibrations may be used. For example, mount 10 can include more than four arms 60, which will increase the time needed to assemble mount 10 into housing 120. Referring to Figs. 2 and 3, each arm 60 includes a substantially planar portion 70, a cylindrical portion 80, and a flange 90. Planar portion 70 is located at a proximal end of arm 60 relative to central portion 20. The planar portion 70 provides good surface area for contact with the air mover 110 so that the mount 10 can dampen vibrations effectively. Cylindrical portion 80 is located at a distal end of arm 60 relative to central portion 20. As described below, cylindrical portion 80 facilitates placing mount 10 in a housing of the air manager system 150. Flange 90 extends around a longitudinal axis of the arm 60 and is located intermediate planar portion 70 and cylindrical portion 80. Preferably, the flanges 90 are equally distant from the center of the central portion 20 to help center the mount 10 in the housing 120, as described below. As applied, referring to Fig. 4, mount 10 is connected to air mover 110, here a blower, preferably by mating opening 50 with a central bushing (not shown) on the air mover 110. Air moVer 110 contacts mount 10 on planar portion 70. Mount 10 can be attached to air mover 110, for example, by using an adhesive such as non-blooming cyanoacrylate if opening 50 is larger than the diameter of the bushing or if air mover 110 has no bushing. Alternatively, other attachment mechanisms may be used. For example, mount 10 can be heat staked to air mover 110, or air mover 110 may include a circuit board having a clip to connect to mount 10. Mount 10 and air mover 110 are then inserted into housing 120 of air mover assembly 100. Housing 120 has a wall 130 having a plurality of holes 140. Preferably, the number of holes 140 in the wall 130 equals the number of suspendable elements 30 on mount 10. Each suspendable element 30 or arm 60 is connected to the housing 120 by threading the cylindrical portion 80 through the hole 140, e.g., by threading end 40 through hole 140 and pulling suspendable element 30 with a pair of needle-nose pliers. Each suspendable element 30 is pulled through the hole 140 until the flange 90 is pulled through the hole 140 and engages the hole 140. Each suspendable element 30 is preferably assembled under slight tension. Preferably, the flange 90 has a diameter greater than the diameter of the hole 140 to ensure a tight fit. By engaging each flange 90 with each hole 140, mount 10 and air mover 110 are installed concentrically with housing 120, thereby allowing the mount 10 to dampen vibrations uniformly and preventing the air mover 110 from rattling in the housing 120. Additional adhesive can be applied to the flange 90 to secure the mount 10 to the housing 120. Alternatively, no additional adhesive may be needed if housing 120 is manufactured, e.g., by injection molding, with pre-formed, appropriately-sized holes 140 adapted to engage flange 90. Excess cylindrical portions 80 protruding from the housing 120 can be snipped. Fig. 5 shows the mount 10 secured in the housing 120.

Claims: C L A I M S 1. A mount for an air mover in an air manager system, the mount comprising: a central portion; and a suspendable element connected to the central portion for suspending the air mover above a surface of the air manager system. 2. The mount of claim 1, wherein the suspendable element is an arm spaced about a periphery of the central portion and extending radially from the central portion. 3. The mount of claim 1, wherein the air mover is a blower. 4. The mount of claim 1, wherein the central portion defines an opening. 5. The mount of claim 4, wherein the opening is circular. 6. The mount of claim 5, wherein the opening has a diameter greater than or equal to the diameter of a bushing on the air mover. 7. The mount of claim 1, wherein the central portion is annular. 8. The mount of claim 1, wherein the suspendable element includes a flange extending around a longitudinal axis of the arm. 9. The mount of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of suspendable elements equally spaced about a periphery of the central portion. 10. The mount of claim 9, wherein the mount comprises three suspendable elements. 11. The mount of claim 9, wherein the mount comprises four suspendable elements. 12. The mount of claim 1, wherein the suspendable element has a durameter between about 35 and 50. 13. The mount of claim 12, wherein the suspendable element has a durameter between about 40 and 45. 14. The mount of claim 1, wherein the mount is substantially planar. 15. The mount of claim 1, wherein the mount comprises a polymeric material. 16. The mount of claim 15, wherein the polymeric material is a thermoplastic rubber. 17. A mount for an air blower in an air management system, the mount comprising: an annular portion; and three arms equally spaced about the circumference of the annular portion and extending radially from the annular portion. 18. The mount of claim 17, wherein each arm has a flange extending around a longitudinal axis of the arm. 19. The mount of claim 17, wherein each of the arms has a durameter between about 35 and 50. 20. The mount of claim 19, wherein each of the arms has a durameter between about 40 and 45. 21. An air mover assembly, comprising: a housing having a wall, the wall having a plurality of holes; a mount disposed in the housing, the mount having a central portion; and a suspendable element connected to the central portion for suspending the air mover above a surface of the air manager system; and an air mover disposed in the housing such that it is in contact with the mount. 22. The assembly of claim 21, wherein the air mover is a blower. 23. The assembly of claim 22, wherein the central portion has an opening. 24. The assembly of claim 23, wherein the blower has a bushing and the opening is configured to mate with the bushing. 25. The assembly of claim 21, wherein the suspendable element includes a flange for engaging the hole in the wall. 26. The assembly of claim 21, wherein the air mover and the mount are connected together with an adhesive. 27. The mount of claim 21, wherein the suspendable element has a durameter between about 35 and 50. 28. The mount of claim 27, wherein the suspendable element has a durameter between about 40 and 45.

Inventors: THOMPSON JOHN A, THOMPSON, JOHN, A.
Applicants: GILLETTE CO, THOMPSON JOHN A, THE GILLETTE COMPANY, THOMPSON, JOHN, A.
Application year: 2001
Main classification: F04D29
IPC codes: F04D29