Solenoid actuated safety compliant fan finger guard structures and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10385878-B2
Application number	US-201715611905-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 2, 2017
Priority date	Jun 2, 2017
Publication date	Aug 20, 2019
Grant date	Aug 20, 2019

Abstract

A fan guard and method of use thereof. The fan guard includes a first lattice, a second lattice, a first solenoid operably connected to the second lattice, wherein the first solenoid is configured to move the second lattice relative to the first lattice from a first position to an alternate position and a second solenoid, the second solenoid configured to extend through a portion of the first lattice when the second lattice is in the alternate position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fan guard comprising:
a first lattice;
a second lattice;
a first solenoid operably connected to the second lattice, wherein the first solenoid is configured to move the second lattice relative to the first lattice from a first position to an alternate position; and
a second solenoid, the second solenoid configured to extend through a portion of the first lattice when the second lattice is in the alternate position.

2. The fan guard of claim 1 , wherein the first solenoid is configured to move the second lattice in one of a horizontal distance and a vertical distance between the first position to the alternate position.

3. The fan guard of claim 1 , wherein the second solenoid prevents the second lattice from moving from the alternate position to the first position.

4. The fan guard of claim 1 , wherein the second solenoid contacts a side of the second lattice in the alternate position.

5. The fan guard of claim 1 , wherein the second solenoid is substantially perpendicular to both first lattice and second lattice.

6. The fan guard of claim 1 , wherein the first solenoid is substantially parallel to both first lattice and second lattice.

7. The fan guard of claim 1 , wherein crosspieces of the first lattice substantially align with crosspieces of the second lattice when the second lattice is in the first position.

8. The fan guard of claim 1 , wherein when the second lattice is in the first position, openings between crosspieces of the first lattice and openings between crosspieces of the second lattice are larger than the area proscribed in IEC 60950.

9. The fan guard of claim 1 , wherein when the second lattice is in the alternate position, openings between crosspieces of the first lattice and openings between crosspieces of the second lattice are smaller than or equal to the area proscribed in IEC 60950.

10. The fan guard of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first solenoid and the second solenoid is electrically connected to at least one delayed relay.

11. The fan guard of claim 1 , further comprising a switch, the switch electrically connected to the first solenoid and the second solenoid.

12. The fan guard of claim 11 , further comprising one or more additional solenoids electrically connected to the switch.

13. A method of operating a fan guard, the method comprising: moving a second lattice relative to a first lattice, wherein a first solenoid is operably connected to the second lattice, wherein the first solenoid is configured to move the second lattice relative to the first lattice from a first position to an alternate position; and extending a portion of a second solenoid through a portion of the first lattice.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the second solenoid extends a predetermined amount of time after the first solenoid moves the second lattice to the alternate position.

15. The method of claim 13 , further comprising the step of withdrawing the portion of the second solenoid from the portion of the first lattice.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising the step of the first solenoid moving the second lattice from the alternate position to the first position.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the first solenoid moves the second lattice a predetermined amount of time after the portion of the second solenoid is withdrawn from the portion of the first lattice.

18. The method of claim 13 , wherein the first solenoid moves the second lattice to the alternate position upon detection of the stopping of rotation of a shaft of the fan.

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Arenella Kenneth
• Campbell Levi A
• Ciraulo Christopher R
• Mullady Robert K
• Notohardjono Budy D
• Tsfasman Arkadiy O
• Werner John S

Classifications

• F04D27/00

  Control, e.g. regulation, of pumps, pumping installations or pumping systems specially adapted for elastic fluids · CPC title

• F04D29/703 Primary

  specially for fans, e.g. fan guards · CPC title

• F04D29/464

  adjusting flow cross-section, otherwise than by using adjustable stator blades · CPC title