TWI889549B - Automated method for fan reinforced structure design and device thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

An automated method for fan reinforcement structure design includes generating a fan parameter dataset, selecting a parameter set from the fan parameter dataset, calculating a force-deflection set of a D cover and a fan cover according to the parameter set, performing an optimization operation according to the force- deflection set of the D cover and the fan cover to obtain design parameters of a fan rib, and calculating a current deflection of the D cover and a current deflection of the fan cover according to the design parameters of the fan rib.

Description

Fan reinforcement structure design automation method and device

The present invention relates to the design of a laptop fan structure, and further relates to an automated method and device for designing a laptop fan reinforcement structure.

In the design of laptop fans, the previous technical approach was that after the design requirements were determined, engineers would manually draw fan drawings, and then hand the drawings over to the Computer-aided Engineering (CAE) department to verify the structural strength using Finite Element Method (FEM). Between these two steps, the strength was repeatedly adjusted until the design requirements were met. This process required a lot of manpower and relied heavily on the experience of engineers.

A common problem in fan design is the structural strength balance between the laptop bottom case (D Cover) and the fan cover (Fan Cover). The previous method of structural reinforcement was to add fan support ribs (Rib) to the fan cover. However, this approach would cause the structural strength of the laptop bottom case and the fan cover to restrain each other. That is, if the laptop bottom case structure is strengthened, the strength of the fan cover structure may decrease and fail to meet the design requirements, and vice versa. This strength balance is difficult to achieve in the first design, so the process of drawing and analysis verification usually requires repeated communication and adjustment between the organization and the CAE department, which greatly increases the software and hardware costs and time costs required for analysis, and may even cause delays in mass production. Therefore, how to efficiently complete the fan design and achieve a balance in the structural strength of the laptop bottom case and the fan outer case is an important issue.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, a fan reinforcement structure design automation method includes generating a fan parameter data set, selecting a parameter combination in the fan parameter data set, optimizing the force displacement combination of the laptop bottom case and the fan outer case according to the parameter combination to obtain the fan support rib design parameters, and calculating the current force displacement of the laptop bottom case and the current force displacement of the fan outer case according to the fan support rib design parameters.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, a fan reinforcement structure design automation device includes a processor and a memory. The memory is used to store instructions. The instructions are executed by the processor to perform: generating a fan parameter data set, selecting a parameter combination in the fan parameter data set, calculating the force displacement combination of the laptop bottom case and the fan outer case according to the parameter combination, performing an optimization operation according to the force displacement combination of the laptop bottom case and the fan outer case to obtain the fan support rib design parameters, and calculating the current force displacement of the laptop bottom case and the current force displacement of the fan outer case according to the fan support rib design parameters.

1, 2: Laptop fan

D1, D1’, D2, D2’: Laptop bottom case

C1, C11, C12, C11’, C12’, C2, C21, C22, C21’, C22’: Fan casing

H1, H2: Fan shaft

B1, B2: fan blades

R11, R12, R21, R22: Fan support ribs

E1, E2: Impact position

F1, F2: External force

3: Automated design method for fan reinforcement structure

S301-S309, S401-S404: Steps

P1, P2, P3, P4: points

6: Fan reinforcement structure design automation device

61:Central Processing Unit

62: Graphical User Interface

63: Display device

64: Input device

65: Memory

Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing that the fan housing of a laptop fan according to an embodiment of the present invention is insufficiently strong.

Figure 2 is a schematic diagram showing that the laptop bottom case strength is insufficient for a laptop fan according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 3 is a flow chart of an automated method for designing a fan reinforcement structure according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 4 is a flow chart of step S303 in Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the optimization solution process according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of an automated device for designing a fan reinforcement structure according to an embodiment of the present invention.

In fan design, the structural strength balance between the laptop bottom case (D Cover) and the fan cover (Fan Cover) is an important issue. The common structural reinforcement method is to add fan support ribs (Rib) to the fan cover. However, this approach will cause the structural strength of the laptop bottom case and the fan cover to be mutually restrained, as shown in Figures 1 and 2.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing that the fan housing of a laptop fan 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention is not strong enough. As shown in FIG. 1 , the laptop fan 1 includes a laptop bottom housing D1, a fan housing C1, a fan shaft H1, and fan blades B1. The fan shaft H1 and the fan blades B1 are located in the fan housing C1, and the fan housing C1 includes upper fan housings C11 and C12. The fan support ribs R11 and R12 are respectively located between the fan housings C11 and C12 and the laptop bottom housing D1 to stabilize the structure of the laptop fan 1. FIG. 1 depicts a situation where the fan housings C11 and C12 are not strong enough, that is, after the structure of the laptop bottom case D1 is strengthened, the strength of the fan housing C1 structure decreases and cannot meet the design requirements. As shown in FIG. 1, when the laptop fan 1 is subjected to an external force F1 from above, the laptop bottom case D1 will deform as shown by the dotted line D1', and the external force F1 is applied to the fan housings C11 and C12 through the fan support ribs R11 and R12, causing the fan housings C11 and C12 to displace as shown by the dotted lines C11' and C12', respectively. Since the fan casings C11 and C12 are not strong enough in this embodiment, the fan casings C11 and C12 may be excessively displaced after being deformed and subjected to external force, resulting in a collision at the position of E1, thereby causing damage to the fan blades B1.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing that the laptop bottom case of the laptop fan 2 according to an embodiment of the present invention is not strong enough. As shown in FIG. 2, the laptop fan 2 includes a laptop bottom case D2, a fan housing C2, a fan shaft H2, and fan blades B2. The fan shaft H2 and the fan blades B2 are located in the fan housing C2. The fan housing C2 includes upper fan housings C21 and C22. The fan support ribs R21 and R22 are located between the fan housings C21 and C22 and the laptop bottom case D2, respectively, to stabilize the structure of the laptop fan 2. FIG. 2 depicts a situation where the laptop bottom case D2 is not strong enough. That is, after the structure of the fan housing C2 is strengthened, the strength of the laptop bottom case D2 structure decreases and cannot meet the design requirements. As shown in FIG. 2, when the laptop fan 2 is subjected to an external force F2 from above, the laptop bottom case D2 will deform as shown by the dotted line D2', and the external force F2 is applied to the fan housings C21 and C22 through the fan support ribs R21 and R22, causing the fan housings C21 and C22 to displace as shown by the dotted lines C21' and C22', respectively. Since the laptop bottom case D2 is not strong enough in this embodiment, the laptop bottom case D2 may be excessively displaced after being deformed and subjected to external force, causing a collision at the position of E2 and causing damage to the fan shaft H2.

Whether the fan housing is not strong enough in FIG. 1 or the laptop bottom case is not strong enough in FIG. 2, the fan may be damaged. Therefore, the fan support rib design needs to be adjusted to achieve a structural strength balance between the laptop bottom case and the fan housing. FIG. 3 is a flow chart of a fan reinforcement structure design automation method 3 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The fan reinforcement structure design automation method 3 includes steps S301 to S309, and any reasonable technical changes or step adjustments are within the scope of the present invention. Steps S301 to S309 are as follows: Step S301: Define fan parameters and range; Step S302: Select parameter combination; Step S303: Optimize design; Step S304: Calculate current force displacement; Step S305: Does it meet the design requirements? If yes, execute step S308; If no, execute step S306; Step S306: Have all parameters been tried? If yes, execute step S307; If no, execute step S302; Step S307: Adjust design; End method 3; Step S308: Calculate maximum force; Step S309: Output results; End method 3.

In step S301, fan parameters and their ranges are defined to generate a fan parameter data set. Fan parameters may include, but are not limited to, fan size, fan shape, mesh height, laptop bottom case thickness, fan outer case thickness and/or fan support rib length. The parameter range is an acceptable parameter range set by the user. In step S302, one or more parameter combinations are selected from the fan parameter data set generated in step S301, and each parameter combination may correspond to a fan design.

Then, in step S303, an optimization design is performed. The optimization design is to obtain the fan support rib design parameters by using optimization calculation. The details of step S303 can be referred to Figure 4. Figure 4 is a flow chart of step S303 in Figure 3. Step S303 includes steps S401 to S404. Any reasonable technical changes or step adjustments belong to the scope disclosed by the present invention. Steps S401 to S404 are as follows: Step S401: Calculate force displacement; Step S402: Set the target function; Step S403: Select the algorithm; Step S404: Iterate and solve.

In step S401, according to one or more parameter combinations selected in step S302, the force displacement of the laptop bottom case and the force displacement of the fan outer case of the fan design corresponding to each parameter combination in the parameter combination is calculated under a specific external force to obtain the force displacement combination of the laptop bottom case and the fan outer case. The specific external force can be set by the user. The calculation method can be calculated by a trained neural network model, but is not limited thereto. For example, if three parameter combinations are selected from the fan parameter data set in step S302, then in step S401, the force displacement of the laptop bottom case and the force displacement of the fan outer case of the fan design corresponding to each of the three parameter combinations under a specific external force can be calculated based on the three parameter combinations to obtain three force displacement combinations of the laptop bottom case and the fan outer case.

In step S402, the target function to be used in the optimization operation is set. In this embodiment, the target function can be as follows: F(u _d ,u _c ,t _d ,t _c )=1×(u _d ) ² +1×(u _c ) ² +P(u _d ,t _d )+P(u _c ,t _c )

Wherein, _ud is the displacement of the laptop bottom case after being compressed; _uc is the displacement of the fan housing after being compressed; P(u,t) is the penalty item when the laptop bottom case displacement or the fan housing displacement exceeds the design threshold; _fp is the penalty coefficient; _td is the laptop bottom case displacement threshold; _tc is the fan housing displacement threshold. In this embodiment, _fp is set to 100. For example, if in step S401, force-displacement combinations (u1 _d , u1 _c ), (u2 _d , u2 _c ), (u3 _d , u3 _c ) of three laptop bottom cases and fan outer cases are obtained, u1 _d , u2 _d , u3 _d are respectively the displacements of the laptop bottom cases under pressure corresponding to the three fan designs, and u1 _c , u2 _c , u3 _c are respectively the displacements of the fan outer cases under pressure corresponding to the three fan designs. For example, if the value of (u1 _d ,u1 _c ) is (10,3), and the laptop bottom case displacement threshold t _d is 5; the fan casing displacement threshold t _c is 5, since the value of the laptop bottom case displacement u1 _d after being compressed is greater than the laptop bottom case displacement threshold t _d (10>5), the penalty item must be calculated. The penalty item for the laptop bottom case displacement exceeding the design threshold is P(u,t)=f _p ×(ut)=100×(u1 _d -t _d )=100×(10-5)=500. Since the displacement _u1c of the fan housing after being compressed is less than the fan housing displacement threshold _tc (3<5), the penalty term for the fan housing displacement exceeding the design threshold is zero. Substituting _u1d , _u1c and their penalty terms back into the objective function, we can calculate F( _ud , _uc , _td , _tc ) = 1×(10) ² + 1×(3) ² + 500+0 = 609. Therefore, the objective function value of ( _u1d , _u1c ) is 609. In the same way, the objective function value of each combination of force displacement of the laptop bottom case and the fan housing can be calculated. The goal of this case is to find a solution that minimizes the objective function value. In some embodiments, the target function may be: F(u _d ,u _c ,t _d ,t _c )=a×(u _d ) ² +b×(u _c ) ² +P(u _d ,t _d )+P(u _c ,t _c ), where a and b are coefficients and can be adaptively adjusted to different values. In the above embodiment, a and b are both 1, but the present invention is not limited thereto. In other embodiments, different target functions and different penalty term calculation methods may be defined, but are not limited thereto.

In step S403, an algorithm for performing optimization operations is selected. The algorithm may be a differential evolution optimization algorithm (DE). The differential evolution optimization algorithm is a global optimization algorithm, which is commonly used for nonlinear and multidimensional function problems. Its principle is to use iterative improvement of candidate solution groups to search for the best solution. Its advantages are simple structure, stable calculation and high efficiency. In other embodiments, different algorithms may be selected, but are not limited to this.

After setting the objective function and determining the algorithm, iterative solution is started in step S404. Iterative solution is to improve the solution step by step through repeated calculations under the selected algorithm to move towards the optimal solution. Each iteration will generate a new solution until the solution meets the conditions set by the user or reaches the maximum number of iterations set by the user. In this way, a better force-displacement combination of the laptop bottom case and the fan housing can be found efficiently, and according to the force-displacement combination of the laptop bottom case and the fan housing, its parameter combination (i.e., the parameter combination used to generate the force-displacement combination of the laptop bottom case and the fan housing in step S401) can be obtained. The parameter combination includes the design parameters of the support rib (e.g., the support rib length). In other words, the best solution for supporting rib design can be obtained through this method, but it is not limited to this.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of the optimization solution process according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 5, the horizontal axis is the force displacement u _d of the laptop bottom case, and the vertical axis is the force displacement u _c of the fan housing, and the value of the point on the graph is the target function value obtained based on the force displacement combination of the laptop bottom case and the fan housing. In the figure, Gen 0-3 respectively represent different numbers of iterations. As shown in FIG. 5, each iteration will select a current best solution (i.e., the solution with the smallest target function value) from the three sets of force displacement combinations of the laptop bottom case and the fan housing and the solution obtained in the previous iteration, and gradually move towards the best solution through several iterations until the solution meets the conditions set by the user or stops after reaching the maximum number of iterations set by the user. Taking Figure 5 as an example, the user can set the condition to stop when the force displacement u _d of the laptop bottom case and the force displacement u _c of the fan housing are both less than 0.5. Point P1 in Figure 5 is the current best solution obtained after the first iteration Gen 0; point P2 is the current best solution obtained after the second iteration Gen 1; point P3 is the current best solution obtained after the third iteration Gen 2; point P4 is the current best solution obtained after the fourth iteration Gen 3. As shown in Figure 5, in the process of iteration after iteration, the results will gradually move towards a better solution and form the optimization path in Figure 5. In this way, a better force-displacement combination of the laptop bottom case and the fan outer case can be efficiently found, and based on the force-displacement combination of the laptop bottom case and the fan outer case, a parameter combination can be obtained, and the optimal solution of the parameters included can be obtained based on the parameter combination.

After the optimization design is completed, in step S304, the current parameter combination corresponding to the better force-displacement combination of the laptop bottom case and the fan outer case found in step S403 is obtained. The current parameter combination may include the design parameters of the support ribs. Then, the current force-displacement of the laptop bottom case and the current force-displacement of the fan outer case of the fan design corresponding to this parameter combination under a specific external force is calculated based on the current parameter combination. The calculation method can be calculated through a trained neural network model, but is not limited to this. Then, in step S305, it is determined whether the current force-displacement of the laptop bottom case and the current force-displacement of the fan outer case calculated in step S304 meet the design requirements. The design requirement may be, but is not limited to, a laptop bottom case displacement threshold t _d and a fan housing displacement threshold t _c .

If in step S305, it is determined that the calculated current force displacement of the laptop bottom case and the current force displacement of the fan housing do not meet the design requirements, then in step S306, it is confirmed whether all parameters in the fan parameter data set generated in step S301 have been tried. If all parameters have been tried, in step S307, the user adjusts the fan design or parameter setting, and method 3 ends. If there are still parameters that have not been used, step S302 is executed to re-select the parameter combination that has not been selected in the fan parameter data set, and the optimization design is performed again in the subsequent steps.

If in step S305, it is determined that the calculated current force displacement of the laptop bottom case and the current force displacement of the fan housing meet the design requirements, then in step S308, the maximum force of the laptop bottom case and the fan housing of the fan design corresponding to the current parameter combination is calculated, and the result is output in step S309, and method 3 ends. Through the fan reinforcement structure design automation method 3, the fan reinforcement structure is not limited by a single set of design parameters, and the most effective reinforcement solution can be obtained in a wider range, and the fan design parameter combination that meets the requirements can be quickly found to achieve a balance in the structural strength of the laptop bottom case and the fan housing, while effectively reducing the development time and manpower and energy consumption costs, and improving the reliability and stability of the fan design.

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of a fan reinforcement structure design automation device 6 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The fan reinforcement structure design automation device 6 may include a central processing unit (CPU) 61, a graphical user interface (GUI) 62, a display device 63, an input device 64, and a memory 65. The display device 63, the input device 64, and the memory 65 are coupled to the central processing unit (CPU) 61. The user can interact with the graphical user interface 62 on the display device 63 through the input device 64 and perform operations, such as defining fan parameters and ranges or setting target functions. The input device 64 can be a mouse, a touch pad, or a keyboard. The memory 65 can store instructions, and the CPU 61 can execute the instructions stored in the memory 65 to execute the fan reinforcement structure design automation method.

Through the fan reinforcement structure design automation method and device of the present invention, it is possible to quickly find a fan design parameter combination that meets the requirements. Compared with the traditional manual analysis method, it can significantly improve the efficiency and accuracy of fan design, reduce development time and manpower and energy costs, and improve the reliability and stability of fan design.

The above is only the preferred embodiment of the present invention. All equivalent changes and modifications made according to the scope of the patent application of the present invention shall fall within the scope of the present invention.

3: Automated design method for fan reinforcement structure

S301-S309: Steps

Claims (10)

A fan reinforcement structure design automation method includes: a processor generates a fan parameter data set; the processor selects a parameter combination from the fan parameter data set; the processor calculates a force displacement combination of a laptop bottom case and a fan outer case according to the parameter combination; the processor performs an optimization operation according to the force displacement combination of the laptop bottom case and the fan outer case to obtain a fan support rib design parameter; and the processor calculates a current force displacement of the laptop bottom case and a current force displacement of the fan outer case according to the fan support rib design parameter; wherein the optimization operation uses a target function and finds a solution that minimizes the target function, and the target function is as follows: in: The displacement of a laptop case after being compressed; is the displacement of the fan casing after being compressed; The penalty item is that the displacement of the laptop bottom casing under pressure or the displacement of the fan casing under pressure exceeds the design threshold; is a penalty factor; A displacement threshold of a laptop bottom casing; and The invention is a displacement threshold of a fan housing. A method as described in claim 1, wherein the fan parameter data set is generated based on a fan size, a fan shape, a mesh height, a laptop bottom case thickness, a fan outer case thickness and/or a fan support rib length. As described in claim 1, if the current force displacement of the laptop bottom case and the current force displacement of the fan housing meet a design requirement, the processor calculates the maximum force of the laptop bottom case and the fan housing. As described in claim 1, if the current force displacement of the laptop bottom case and the current force displacement of the fan housing do not meet a design requirement, the processor reselects a parameter combination that has not been selected from the fan parameter data set. The method as described in claim 1, wherein the processor performs the optimization calculation based on the force-displacement combination of the laptop bottom case and the fan outer case to obtain the fan support rib design parameters including a displacement of the laptop bottom case after being compressed, a displacement of the fan outer case after being compressed, a penalty coefficient, a laptop bottom case displacement threshold and a fan outer case displacement threshold. A fan reinforcement structure design automation device includes: a processor; and a memory for storing an instruction, wherein the instruction is executed by the processor to perform: generating a fan parameter data set; selecting a parameter combination in the fan parameter data set; calculating a force displacement combination of a laptop bottom case and a fan outer case according to the parameter combination; performing an optimization operation according to the force displacement combination of the laptop bottom case and the fan outer case to obtain a fan support rib design parameter; and calculating a current force displacement of the laptop bottom case and a current force displacement of the fan outer case according to the fan support rib design parameter; wherein the optimization operation uses a target function and finds a solution that minimizes the target function, and the target function is as follows: in: The displacement of a laptop case after being compressed; is the displacement of the fan casing after being compressed; The penalty item is that the displacement of the laptop bottom casing under pressure or the displacement of the fan casing under pressure exceeds the design threshold; is a penalty factor; A displacement threshold of a laptop bottom casing; and The invention is a displacement threshold of a fan housing. A device as described in claim 6, wherein the fan parameter data set is generated based on a fan size, a fan shape, a mesh height, a laptop bottom case thickness, a fan outer case thickness and/or a fan support rib length. As described in claim 6, if the current force displacement of the laptop bottom case and the current force displacement of the fan housing meet a design requirement, the processor calculates the maximum force of the laptop bottom case and the fan housing. As described in claim 6, if the current force displacement of the laptop bottom case and the current force displacement of the fan housing do not meet a design requirement, the processor reselects a parameter combination that has not been selected from the fan parameter data set. The device as described in claim 6, wherein the optimization operation is performed based on the force-displacement combination of the laptop bottom case and the fan outer case to obtain the fan support rib design parameters, including performing the optimization operation based on a displacement of the laptop bottom case after being compressed, a displacement of the fan outer case after being compressed, a penalty coefficient, a laptop bottom case displacement threshold, and a fan outer case displacement threshold.

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