Patent Publication Number: US-8540494-B2

Title: Fan structure and stator module therefor

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is generally relating to a fan structure, more particularly to a fan structure without adhesive or screws. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a conventional fan structure  10  typically comprises a base  11 , a shaft tube  12  disposed on the base  11 , a bearing  13  disposed within the shaft tube  12  and a rotor  14 . The rotor  14  at least comprises a pivot  14   a  disposed into the bearing  13  and a fan wheel  14   b . When the fan structure  10  is assembled via above procedure, it needs an adhesive or screws to fix all components thereby resulting consumptions of manpower and time because of the assembled procedure is too complicated. 
     SUMMARY 
     A primary object of the present invention is to provide a fan structure comprising a stator module and a fan frame having a base. The stator module comprises a fixing plate having at least one fixing member, an insulating holder having at least one catching member and a stator core coupled to the insulating holder. The fixing member has a first engaging portion. The catching member has a second engaging member. The base is located between the fixing plate and the insulating holder, wherein the first engaging portion of the fixing member is engaged with the second engaging portion of the catching member. The base is set between the fixing member and the catching member so as to enable the insulating holder and the stator core to be fixed on the base. Because of the first engaging portion of the fixing member is directly engaged with the second engaging portion of the catching member, it enables the insulating holder to be fixed on the fan frame. It doesn&#39;t need the adhesive or screws to assemble the fan structure so as to effectively save the manpower and time thereby enhancing the reliability and reducing the fabrication procedure. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a sectional view illustrating conventional fan structure. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective exploded view illustrating a fan structure in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is another perspective exploded view illustrating a fan structure in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective assembly view illustrating the fan structure in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a sectional exploded view illustrating the fan structure in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a sectional view illustrating the fan structure in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to  FIGS. 2 ,  3  and  4 , a fan structure  100  in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention comprises a stator module  110  and a fan frame  120 , wherein the stator module  110  comprises a fixing plate  111 , an insulating holder  112 , a stator core  113 , a sleeve  114  and a circuit board  115 . The fixing plate  111  has at least one fixing member  111   c , the fixing member  111   c  could be an aperture penetrated the fixing plate  111  or a recession recessed from the fixing plate  111  or a cylinder protruded to the fixing plate  111 . In this embodiment, the fixing plate  111  further has a first surface  111   a  and an opposite second surface  111   b , and the fixing member  111   c  is the cylinder formed on the second surface  111   b . The fixing member  111   c  further has a third surface  111   d  and a first engaging portion  111   e , in this embodiment, the first engaging portion  111   e  protruded from the third surface  111   d  of the fixing member  111   c . The insulating holder  112  has at least one catching member  112   c , the catching member  112   c  could be an aperture penetrated the insulating holder  112  or a recession recessed from the insulating holder  112  or a cylinder protruded from the insulating holder  112 . In this embodiment, the insulating holder  112  has a first side  112   a  and an opposite second side  112   b , and the catching member  112   c  is the cylinder formed on the first side  112   a . The catching member  112   c  has a fourth surface  112   d  and a second engaging portion  112   e , in this embodiment, the second engaging portion  112   e  protruded from the fourth surface  112   d  of the catching member  112   c . The first side  112   a  is faced toward the second surface  111   b  of the fixing plate  111 . The stator core  113  is engaged with the insulating holder  112 . 
     Referring again to  FIGS. 2 ,  3  and  4 , in this embodiment, the insulating holder  112  has a sleeve tube  112   f  protruded from the first side  112   a , the catching member  112   c  is formed on the sleeve tube  112   f  so as to increase strength of the catching member  112   c  thereby preventing fracture caused by over-length of the catching member  112   c . The sleeve  114  is disposed into the sleeve tube  112   f  of the insulating holder  112 . The circuit board  115  has a through hole  115   a  and at least one opening  115   b , in this embodiment, the opening  115   b  disposed on the edge of the through hole  115   a  and communicated with the through hole  115   a . The sleeve  114  penetrates the through hole  115   a , and the catching member  112   c  of the insulating holder  112  penetrates the opening  115   b.    
     Next, referring to  FIGS. 2 ,  5  and  6 , the fan frame  120  has a base  121  located between the fixing plate  111  and the insulating holder  112 , wherein the first engaging portion  111   e  of the fixing member  111   c  is engaged with the second engaging portion  112   e  of the catching member  112   c . In this embodiment, the base  121  has a top surface  121   a , an opposite bottom surface  121   b  and at least one slot  121   c  in communication with the top surface  121   a  and the bottom surface  121   b , wherein the top surface  121   a  further has a catching slot  121   d  recessed from the top surface  121   a  and the slot  121   c  is located in the catching slot  121   d . The second surface  111   b  of the fixing plate  111  of the stator module  110  is faced toward the top surface  121   a  of the base  121  and the fixing plate  111  is disposed on the catching slot  121   d , wherein the first surface  111   a  and the top surface  121   a  are coplanar. The fixing member  111   c  of the fixing plate  111  penetrates the slot  121   c  so as to enable the first engaging portion  111   e  of the fixing member  111   c  to engage with the second engaging portion  112   e  of the catching member  112   c  to complete the assembly of the fan structure  100 . Because of the first engaging portion  111   e  of the fixing member  111   c  is directly engaged with the second engaging portion  112   e  of the catching member  112   c , it enables the insulating holder  112  to be fixed on the fan frame  120 . It doesn&#39;t need the adhesive or screws to assemble the fan structure  100  so as to effectively save the manpower and time thereby enhancing the reliability and reducing the fabrication procedure. 
     While this invention has been particularly illustrated and described in detail with respect to the preferred embodiments thereof, it will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art that is not limited to the specific features shown and described and various modified and changed in form and details may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention.