Ceiling fan having an up-light using pivoting light sockets

Illumination – With fluid distributer

Reexamination Certificate

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Details

C362S234000, C362S238000, C362S239000, C362S350000, C362S408000, C416S005000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06309083

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to light sockets, and more particularly, to light sockets for ceiling fans having an up light.
2. Description of Related Art
Electric ceiling fans are commonly used to provide improved circulation in a room and assist heating and air conditioning systems. Known ceiling fans generally consist of an electric motor suspended by a shaft or down rod from a ceiling. Other ceiling fan styles are mounted such that there is little or no clearance between the top of the motor and the ceiling. These ceiling fans are known as “snugger” or “zero-clearance” fans, and are used where floor to ceiling clearance is too small for suspending the fan motor with a down rod. The motor includes a stationary portion (the stator) and a rotating portion (the rotor). A decorative housing surrounds the motor, with an opening provided in the lower portion of the housing to allow a plurality of blades to be mounted to the rotating portion. Conventional ceiling fans typically incorporate one or more electrical switches encased within a switch housing beneath the motor for controlling the speed and rotational direction of the blades.
Known ceiling fans often have light fixtures attached to the bottom portion of motor, below the blades. In many applications, the light fixture is mounted to the switch housing below the fan blades, with the light fixture lamps casting illumination in a downward fashion. In many applications, however, it is desirable to provide indirect lighting, such as casting light upward toward the ceiling above the fan.
With ceiling fans adapted to receive existing up-light fixtures, typically there is not sufficient clearance between the top of the motor and the ceiling from which the ceiling fan is suspended. This lack of clearance becomes problematic when it is time to replace the light bulbs in the up-light fixtures. Furthermore, when the up-light fixtures are located above the ceiling fans, the bulbs inside the up-light fixtures are hidden from view. The light sockets may also be placed in a narrow light pan, which leaves insufficient room for grasping and turning the bulb in a conventional light socket. Thus, to change a light bulb inserted in a conventional light socket, one would have to reach inside the light pan and grope for the bulb. This method is awkward and time consuming. Further, with the conventional light sockets, the light pan which contains the socket and bulb must necessarily be made large enough to accommodate sufficient room for threading or unthreading the bulb. Such a predicament results in design limitations on the size and shape of the light pan.
Hence, a need exists for an improved light socket for ceiling fans with an up-light feature. The present invention addresses these shortcomings associated with the prior art.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In a first aspect of the invention, the invention relates to pivoting light sockets to be placed in a light housing, which in one embodiment comprises a light socket and a pivoting arm. The arm includes a lower and an upper member. The upper member is pivotably attached to the lower member. The upper member is connected to the light socket, whereas the lower member is coupled to the light housing. In another embodiment, the arm is directly attached to the socket at one end and pivotably attached to the light housing at the other end. On the other hand, the arm may also be pivotably attached to the light socket.
In a second aspect of the invention, the light socket is pivotable from a first position to a second position. The first position refers to the light socket being parallel with the light housing. The second position refers to the light socket being perpendicular with the light housing. Alternatively, the second position refers to any position that is not parallel with the light housing.
In a third aspect of the invention, a ceiling fan that includes at least one pivoting light socket. The fan further includes a motor having a stator which has an upper portion and a rotor which has a lower portion that is rotatable with respect to the stator, and a plurality of fan blades. Each fan blade has a first end coupled to the lower portion of the rotor. The ceiling fan further includes at least one pivoting light socket coupled to the upper portion of the stator. The light socket is configured such that the illumination from the light bulb engaged therein projects above the fan blades.
In a fourth aspect of the invention, the fan further includes a light pan coupled to the upper portion of the motor. The motor defines a top surface and the light pan defines a circumferential trough, in which the light socket is situated. The trough is situated relative to the motor such that at least a portion of the light socket is located below the plane defined by the top surface of the motor.
In a fifth aspect of the invention, the trough is situated relative to the motor such that at least a portion of the light socket is located below the horizontal plane defined by the fan blade outer ends.
In a sixth aspect of the invention, the fan further includes a light housing around the motor, in which the pivoting light socket is situated such that at least a portion of the light socket is within the housing.


REFERENCES:
patent: 636871 (1899-11-01), Wait
patent: 905089 (1908-11-01), McBerty
patent: 4796166 (1989-01-01), Greenburg
patent: 5151011 (1992-09-01), Rezek
patent: 5404284 (1995-04-01), Davis, Jr.
patent: 5658129 (1997-08-01), Pearce

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