DESC:FORM 2
The Patent Act 1970
(39 of 1970)
&
The Patent Rules, 2005

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
(SEE SECTION 10 AND RULE 13)

TITLE OF THE INVENTION

“SYSTEM FOR DETECTING COOLING FAN FAILURE”

APPLICANTS:

Name Nationality Address
Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd.
Indian Automotive & Farm Equipment Sector,
Mahindra Towers, Dr. G.M. Bhosale Marg, Worli, Mumbai – 400 018

The following specification particularly describes and ascertains the nature of this invention and the manner in which it is to be performed:-

TECHNICAL FIELD
[001] The embodiments herein generally relate to failure detection systems for cooling fans and more particularly but not exclusively, to failure detection systems for cooling fans based on the airflow produced by the cooling fan.

BACKGROUND
[002] Generally, a cooling fan is used to extract the heat generated in a medium by providing air flow around the medium. Cooling fan find applications in automobiles, electric devices, server rooms, power plants, computers etc. to remove the heat generated due to the operation of the systems. Failure of cooling fan is detrimental to the operations of the systems.
[003] Conventional cooling fan failure in electric devices is detected by measuring the temperature of the electric device using some temperature sensors. The temperature sensors measure the rise in the temperature of the electric device due to accumulation of heat and therefore cooling fan failure is identified. However, by the time the cooling fan failure is identified the electric device components would have been tripped. The other system that is used for detecting failure of cooling fan is manual/visual detection.
[004] Therefore, there exists a need for a system for immediate detection of cooling fan failure. Furthermore, there exists a need for a system that can eliminate the aforementioned drawbacks.

OBJECTS
[006] The principal object of an embodiment of this invention is to provide a system for immediate detection of cooling fan failure.
[007] The objects of the embodiments herein will be better appreciated and understood when considered in conjunction with the following description and the accompanying drawings. It should be understood, however, that the following descriptions, while indicating embodiments and numerous specific details thereof, are given by way of illustration and not of limitation. Many changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the embodiments herein without departing from the spirit thereof, and the embodiments herein include all such modifications.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES
[008] The embodiments are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, throughout which like reference letters indicate corresponding parts in the various figures. The embodiments herein will be better understood from the following description with reference to the drawings, in which:
[009] Fig. 1 depicts a schematic of a system, according to an embodiment of the invention as disclosed herein; and
[0010] Fig. 2 depicts a front view of a base, a movable member and a sensor for the system provided above a cooling fan, according to an embodiment of the invention as disclosed herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0011] The embodiments herein and the various features and advantageous details thereof are explained more fully with reference to the non-limiting embodiments that are illustrated in the accompanying drawings and detailed in the following description. Descriptions of well-known components and processing techniques are omitted so as to not unnecessarily obscure the embodiments herein. The examples used herein are intended merely to facilitate an understanding of ways in which the embodiments herein may be practiced and to further enable those of skill in the art to practice the embodiments herein. Accordingly, the examples should not be construed as limiting the scope of the embodiments herein.
[0012] The embodiments herein achieve a system for immediate detection of cooling fan failure. Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to FIGS. 1 through 2, where similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the figures, there are shown embodiments.
[0013] Fig. 1 depicts a schematic of a system 100, according to an embodiment of the invention as disclosed herein. Fig. 2 depicts a front view of the base 102, the movable member 106 and the sensor 104 for the system 100 provided above a cooling fan 200, according to an embodiment of the invention as disclosed herein. The system 100 includes a base 102, a sensor 104, a movable member 106, an indicator element 108 and a cooling fan 200.
[0014] The base 102 includes a body 102b, a holding element 102h and a front portion 102f. In an embodiment, the holding element 102h of the base 102 is configured to extend from the body 102b substantially transverse to a longitudinal plane of the body 102b of the base 102. However, it is also within the scope of the invention to provide the holding element 102h to be connected to the body 102b of the base 102 by welding, riveting, adhesive bonding or any other means without otherwise deterring the intended function of the holding element 102h of the base 102 as can be deduced from the description. The holding element 102h of the base 102 is used for holding the sensor 104. It is also within the scope of the invention to provide the holding element 102h to be connected to any other external element for holding the sensor 104. In an embodiment, the holding element 102h of the base 102 has rectangular cross section. However, it is also within the scope of the invention to provide the holding element 102h in circular cross section or any other cross section without otherwise deterring the intended function of the holding element 102h of the base 102 as can be deduced from the description. The front portion 102f of the base 102 is freely suspended on a grill/casing/cover (not shown) of the cooling fan 200. However, it is also within the scope of the invention to provide the front portion 102f of the base 102 to be fixed to the grill/casing/cover (not shown) of the cooling fan 200 by welding, riveting, adhesive bonding or any other means without otherwise deterring the intended function of the front portion 102f of the base 102 as can be deduced from the description. The body 102b of the base 102 is secured to a grill/casing/cover (not shown) of a variable frequency drive 300 by using fasteners (not shown). However, it is also within the scope of the invention to provide the body 102b of the base 102 to be connected to the grill/casing/cover (not shown) of the variable frequency drive 300 by welding, riveting, adhesive bonding or any other means without otherwise deterring the intended function of the body 102b of the base 102 as can be deduced from the description. In an embodiment, the base 102 is made from sheet metal. However, it is also within the scope of the invention to provide the base 102 to be made from any other material without otherwise deterring the intended function of the base 102 as can be deduced from the description.
[0015] The sensor 104 is used to provide output signal to the indicator element 108. In an embodiment, the sensor 104 is a proximity sensor. However, it is also within the scope of the invention to provide the system 100 with a presence sensor or any other type of sensor without otherwise deterring the intended function of the sensor 104 as can be deduced from the description. The sensor 104 is mounted to the holding element 102h of the base 102. However, it is also within the scope of the invention to mount the sensor 104 to any other external element without otherwise deterring the intended function of the sensor 104 and the holding element 102h of the base 102 as can be deduced from the description.
[0016] In an embodiment, the movable member 106 is movably connected to the body 102b of the base 102 i.e. the movable member 106 is in contact with the sensor 104 while the cooling fan 200 is working. However, it is also within the scope of the invention to fix the movable member 106 to any other external element to have operably connected with the sensor 104 without otherwise deterring the intended function of the movable member 106 as can be deduced from the description. In an embodiment, the movable member 106 is operably connected with the sensor 104. In an embodiment, the movable member 106 has rectangular cross section. However, it is also within the scope of the invention to provide the movable member 106 in circular cross section or any other cross section without otherwise deterring the intended function of the movable member 106 as can be deduced from the description. The movable member 106 can also be pivotably connected to the base 102. The movable member 106 can be configured to be float ably connected to the base 102. However, it is also within the scope of the invention to provide any other movement and orientation for the movable member 106 without otherwise deterring the intended function of the movable member 106 as can be deduced from the description. Further, in an embodiment, the movable member 106 is made from aluminium. However, it is also within the scope of the invention to provide the movable member 106 to be made from any other material without otherwise deterring the intended function of the movable member 106 as can be deduced from the description.
[0017] The indicator element 108 is used to indicate the failure of the cooling fan 200 based on the output signal received from the sensor 104. In an embodiment, the indication element 108 is a buzzer. However, it is also within the scope of the invention to provide the system 100 with a light bulb or any other type device/elements for indicating the failure of the cooling fan 200 without otherwise deterring the intended function of the indicator element 108 as can be deduced from the description.
[0018] In an embodiment, the cooling fan 200 discharges air towards the movable member 106.
[0019] In an embodiment, the system 100 is used for detecting the failure of cooling fan 200 of a variable frequency drive 300. However, it is also within the scope of the invention to implement/use the system 100 in applications having cooling fans such as automobiles, electric devices, server rooms, power plants, computers or any other kind of system, devices, components, etc. having cooling fans to detect the failure of cooling fan without otherwise deterring the intended function of the system 100 as can be deduced from the description.
[0020] The working of the system 100 is as follows. When the cooling fan 200 rotates during the operation of the variable frequency drive 300, the air from the cooling fan 200 reaches the movable member 106 to make contact with the sensor 104 due to the force of the air. Now, whenever the cooling fan 200 fails or ceases to rotate, air stops flowing from the cooling fan 200 towards the movable member 106. Hence, the movable member 106 lowers/ moves toward the base 102 and thereby breaking the contact with the sensor 104 to provide an output signal to the indicator element 108. The indicator element 108 produces alarm/flashes light to alert the user regarding the failure of the cooling fan 200 of the variable frequency drive 300.
[0022] The foregoing description of the specific embodiments will so fully reveal the general nature of the embodiments herein that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily modify and/or adapt for various applications such specific embodiments without departing from the generic concept, and, therefore, such adaptations and modifications should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalents of the disclosed embodiments. It is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation. Therefore, while the embodiments herein have been described in terms of preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the embodiments herein can be practiced with modification within the spirit and scope of the embodiments as described herein.

CLAIMS
We claim,
1. A system for detecting failure of a cooling fan, said system comprising:
a base having a body and a holding element;
a sensor adapted for detecting failure of said cooling fan, said sensor mounted to said holding element of said base;
a movable member pivotably connected to said body of said base, said movable member is operably connected with said sensor; and
an indicator element adapted to indicate failure of said cooling fan, said indicator element provided in communication with said sensor,
wherein
said sensor detects failure of said cooling fan on break of contact between said sensor and said movable member, due to absence of an airflow from said cooling fan; and said sensor accordingly provides an output signal to said indicator element to indicate failure of said cooling fan.
2. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said indicator element is at least one of a light bulb and a buzzer.
3. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said system is adapted to detect failure of said cooling fan of a variable frequency drive.
4. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said sensor is a proximity sensor.
5. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said holding element of said base is substantially transverse to said body of said base.

Dated this 28th January 2016
Signature:
Name of the Signatory : Kalyan Chakravarthy

ABSTRACT
System for detecting cooling fan failure includes a base, a sensor, a movable member and an indicator element. The movable member makes contact with the sensor due to the air flow produced by the cooling fan and when the cooling fan fails, the movable member breaks contact with the sensor. As the movable member breaks contact with the sensor, the sensor provides an output signal to the indicator element to produce alarm indicating the failure of the cooling fan.

Fig. 1

,CLAIMS:CLAIMS
We claim,
1. A system for detecting failure of a cooling fan, said system comprising:
a base having a body and a holding element;
a sensor adapted for detecting failure of said cooling fan, said sensor mounted to said holding element of said base;
a movable member pivotably connected to said body of said base, said movable member is operably connected with said sensor; and
an indicator element adapted to indicate failure of said cooling fan, said indicator element provided in communication with said sensor,
wherein
said sensor detects failure of said cooling fan on break of contact between said sensor and said movable member, due to absence of an airflow from said cooling fan; and said sensor accordingly provides an output signal to said indicator element to indicate failure of said cooling fan.
2. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said indicator element is at least one of a light bulb and a buzzer.
3. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said system is adapted to detect failure of said cooling fan of a variable frequency drive.
4. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said sensor is a proximity sensor.
5. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said holding element of said base is substantially transverse to said body of said base.