Fluid reaction surfaces (i.e. – impellers) – Support mounting – carrier or fairing structure
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-20
2001-01-09
Verdier, Christopher (Department: 3745)
Fluid reaction surfaces (i.e., impellers)
Support mounting, carrier or fairing structure
C416S005000, C416S1700HM, C416S246000, C417S360000, C417S423150, C248S222510, C248S222520, C248S225210, C248S345000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06171062
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to ceiling fans. More particularly, this invention relates to a fitting adapted for holding an upright coupling member disposed in an upper wall of a motor casing onto a flat ceiling wall.
2. Description of the Background Art
Referring to
FIG. 1
, a conventional ceiling fan
10
is shown to include a mounting bracket
11
which has an upper major wall for mounting on a ceiling wall, and lateral mounting walls with screw holes
111
. A protective canopy covering member
12
has an upper annular secured portion with through holes
121
such that screw fasteners
122
can pass through the through holes
121
and engage threadedly the screw holes
111
to tighten the protective covering member in the form of a canopy
12
on the mounting bracket
11
. A motor casing
13
has a motor therein, and an upper wall which is disposed with a coupling member
131
that is secured on the protective covering member
12
.
During assembly, since the protective covering member
12
is connected with the motor casing
13
before being secured on the mounting bracket
11
by the screw fasteners
122
, the user needs to hold the protective covering member
12
using one hand to align the through holes
121
and the screw holes
111
, and to position the screw fasteners
122
and to rotate the same using the other hand. The assembly as such is relatively inconvenient to conduct. More recent improvements have comprised J-shaped holes
121
that allow the weight of the canopy member
12
to be hung onto the screws
122
while the screws are then tightened.
Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide an improvement which overcomes the aforementioned inadequacies of the prior art devices and provides an improvement which is a significant contribution to the advancement of the ceiling fan art.
Another object of this invention is to provide a fitting which facilitates assembly of a protective covering member in the form of a canopy to a mounting bracket of a ceiling fan.
The foregoing has outlined some of the pertinent objects of the invention. These objects should be construed to be merely illustrative of some of the more prominent features and applications of the intended invention. Many other beneficial results can be attained by applying the disclosed invention in a different manner or modifying the invention within the scope of the disclosure. Accordingly, other objects and a fuller understanding of the invention may be had by referring to the summary of the invention and the detailed description of the preferred embodiment in addition to the scope of the invention defined by the claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
For the purpose of summarizing this invention, this invention comprises a fitting which includes a mounting bracket and a protective covering member in the form of a canopy. The mounting bracket includes an upper major wall which is adapted to be fixed on and to abut against a ceiling wall, and which has two side edge portions opposite to each other to define an uppermost abutment plane in a radial direction relative to a first axis of an upright coupling member of a ceiling fan. Rightmost and leftmost mounting walls respectively extend downwards from the two side edge portions, and have positioning walls spaced apart from the uppermost abutment plane in an axial direction parallel to the first axis. The positioning walls extend parallel to the uppermost abutment plane and about the first axis so as to be angularly spaced from each other. In addition, one of the rightmost and leftmost mounting walls includes an anchoring seat which is disposed immediately upstream of the corresponding positioning wall in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction, and which is disposed to be spaced apart from the uppermost abutment plane with a width in the first axial direction that is larger than a width between the positioning wall and the uppermost abutment plane. A pair of arms are disposed to be spaced apart from each other in the radial direction for receiving and holding the upright coupling member.
The protective covering member in the form of a canopy includes an upper annular secured portion with an uppermost peripheral edge, a skirt portion which circumferentially extends from the annular secured portion about a second axis and downwardly for insertion of the upright coupling member, an anchored portion in the form of a hook which extends from the uppermost peripheral edge radially, inwardly and downwardly such that when the anchored portion is brought to engage the anchoring seat, the protective covering member will be suspended from the mounting bracket in a non-fastened state, and a supported portion in the form of a tab which extends from the uppermost peripheral edge radially and inwardly, and which is spaced from the anchored portion angularly. As such, when the uppermost peripheral edge is brought towards the uppermost abutment plane from the non-fastened state so as to bring the second axis to coincide with the first axis, a subsequent adjustment of the position of the upper annular secured portion relative to the rightmost and leftmost mounting walls in the clockwise or counterclockwise direction will shift the anchored portion to the corresponding positioning wall, thereby bringing the supported portion to sit on the other positioning wall so as to place the protective covering member in a ready state for fastening. In this state, a pair of fastening members can be disposed to tighten the upper annular secured portion on the rightmost and leftmost mounting walls.
The foregoing has outlined rather broadly the more pertinent and important features of the present invention in order that the detailed description of the invention that follows may be better understood so that the present contribution to the art can be more fully appreciated. Additional features of the invention will be described hereinafter which form the subject of the claims of the invention. It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the conception and the specific embodiment disclosed may be readily utilized as a basis for modifying or designing other structures for carrying out the same purposes of the present invention. It should also be realized by those skilled in the art that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.
REFERENCES:
patent: 1270296 (1918-06-01), Jeune
patent: 1511914 (1924-10-01), Savory
patent: 4222093 (1980-09-01), Garcia et al.
patent: 4729725 (1988-03-01), Markwardt
patent: 5613832 (1997-03-01), Su
patent: 6036154 (2000-03-01), Pearce
Bucher Charles E.
Bucher John C.
Holland & Knight LLP
King of Fans Inc.
Verdier Christopher
LandOfFree
Fitting adapted for holding an upright coupling member... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Fitting adapted for holding an upright coupling member..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Fitting adapted for holding an upright coupling member... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2549283