Supports – Suspended supports – Fittings
Reexamination Certificate
2000-01-05
2002-03-19
Ramirez, Ramon O. (Department: 3632)
Supports
Suspended supports
Fittings
C416S24400R
Reexamination Certificate
active
06357714
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to electric ceiling fans, and more specifically to a decorative support structure for a ceiling fan which includes multiple downrods.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As is well known in the art, ceiling fans may be attached to a ceiling using any of several different techniques. Perhaps the most common technique is to suspend the ceiling fan motor and housing from a single downrod. This prior art approach is illustrated in FIG.
1
.
Referring to
FIG. 1
, a prior art ceiling fan structure includes a decorative motor housing
12
which houses a ceiling fan motor (not shown) as known in the art. Brackets
14
, of which only two are shown in
FIG. 1
, are attached to the rotor of the ceiling fan motor. Blades
16
are attached to brackets
14
by bolts or other attachment means as known in the art.
In a typical ceiling fan, a switch housing
20
depends from motor housing
12
through an extension rod
22
. Typically, switch-housing
20
contains switches for turning the ceiling fan on, and controlling its speed and direction. Also, a decorative light fixture (not shown) is often connected to switch housing
20
.
Motor housing
12
is supported from ceiling
24
by a downrod
26
. Downrod
26
is connected to fan housing
12
by an attachment bracket
28
as well known in the art. Power for the fan motor and lights is carried via electric wires which pass through downrod
26
.
Downrod
26
is connected to ceiling
24
through a bracket
30
and a ball-joint member
32
. Ball-joint member
32
is free to move, in a limited range, with respect to bracket
30
. This allows the downrod
26
to hang vertically if bracket
30
is attached to a sloped ceiling and allows a certain freedom of movement of the fan housing
12
during operation. Bracket
30
is generally covered by a decorative canopy
34
, which has an opening in the bottom for passage of downrod
26
.
Variations on this general design have been manufactured. One example is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,951,253, by Mark Gajewski, which shows three small downrods used for decorative effect. However, these downrods are all connected together into a single unit, and have the same physical function as single downrod
26
.
It would be desirable to provide a ceiling fan down rod arrangement which gave a different aesthetic effect to the ceiling fan unit, and which provided proper support for the fan.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the present invention, a ceiling fan support system is provided which contains multiple, perimeter downrods connected between a ceiling fan housing and supporting structure attached to a ceiling. The perimeter rods may provide some or all of the supporting structure to suspend the ceiling fan housing. In order to accommodate sloped ceilings, the perimeter downrods may be made of adjustable length.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4448388 (1984-05-01), Dennis et al.
patent: 5090654 (1992-02-01), Ridings et al.
patent: 5725190 (1998-03-01), Cuthbertson et al.
patent: 5947436 (1999-09-01), Bucher et al.
patent: 5951253 (1999-09-01), Gajewski
patent: 6017190 (2000-01-01), Lackey
patent: 6116559 (2000-09-01), Lackey
Hill Kenneth C.
Hill & Hunn LLP
Quorum International, L.P.
Ramirez Ramon O.
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