Supports – Suspended supports – Fittings
Reexamination Certificate
2000-08-01
2002-08-27
King, Anita (Department: 3632)
Supports
Suspended supports
Fittings
C248S222520, C248S317000, C248S342000, C416S005000, C416S24400R
Reexamination Certificate
active
06439527
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a ceiling fan, more particularly to a fitting for holding an upright suspension rod, which extends from a fan motor casing, to a ceiling wall.
2. Description of the Related Art
Referring to
FIG. 1
, a conventional ceiling fan
1
is shown to include a mounting frame
21
which has right and left anchoring members
211
for mounting on a ceiling wall
10
by screw fasteners
22
, and right and left arm members
213
that extend downwardly for holding an upright suspension rod
23
connected to a motor casing (not shown). An outer edge portion of each of the right and left anchoring members
211
has a screw hole
212
. A protective cover member
24
has an upper annular secured portion
241
formed with through holes such that screw fasteners
25
can pass through the through holes and engage threadedly the screw holes
212
to tighten the protective cover member
24
on the mounting frame
21
. The protective cover member
24
has a skirt portion
243
which extends downwardly from the upper annular secured portion
241
to confine a central opening
242
for passage of the upright suspension rod
23
. In order to conceal the screw fasteners
25
, an annular metal member
261
and an annular plastic shield member
262
are provided to cover the upper annular secured portion
241
in such a manner that the screw fasteners
25
are inserted into engaging grooves
263
in the plastic shield member
262
from openings
264
.
However, the securing operation of the upper annular secured portion
241
of the protective cover member
24
on the mounting frame
21
is inconvenient to conduct after the mounting frame
21
has been secured to the ceiling wall
10
since the upper annular secured portion
241
is closed to the ceiling wall
10
. In addition, the annular metal member
261
and the plastic shield member
262
are needed to cover the entire upper annular secured portion
241
, thereby resulting in a relative large material requirement.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the present invention is to provide a fitting which can facilitate assembly of a protective cover member and an annular shield member to a mounting frame of a ceiling fan.
According to this invention, the fitting includes a mounting frame which has right and left anchoring members spaced apart from each other with a first width in a transverse direction, and adapted to be fixed on a ceiling wall. Each of the right and left anchoring members has first inner and outer edge portions opposite to each other in the transverse direction. The mounting frame further has right and left arm members which respectively extend from the first inner edge portions of the right and left anchoring members downwardly and in a longitudinal direction transverse to the transverse direction to form right and left jaw portions spaced apart from each other. The right and left jaw portions are provided respectively with right and left anchored walls, each of which extends in the transverse direction and includes second inner and outer edge portions opposite to each other in the transverse direction. The second inner edge portions of the right and left anchored walls define a second width shorter than the first width so as to be adapted to hold an upright suspension rod. Each of the right and left anchored walls defines a fastening bore therein which extends in the longitudinal direction. A protective cover member includes an annular abutment wall which confines a central opening adapted for passage of the upright suspension rod, and which is disposed beneath the right and left anchored walls. The annular abutment wall defines a pair of through holes which are registered with the fastening bores, respectively. The protective cover member further includes a skirt portion which extends circumferentially from the annular abutment wall and towards the ceiling wall, and outwardly so as to flank the first outer edge portions, thereby concealing the mounting frame. A pair of fastening members are oriented in an axial direction. Each fastening member includes an enlarged head with a thickness in the axial direction, a distal shank portion of a first dimension, and a proximate shank portion interposed therebetween and being of a second dimension which is larger than the first dimension so as to form an abutment shoulder between the proximate and distal shank portions. As such, when the fastening members are respectively brought to be inserted into the fastening bores to fasten the annular abutment wall onto the right and left anchored walls, the abutment shoulders of the fastening members abut against the annular abutment wall. An annular shield member includes upper and lower annular walls spaced apart from each other in the longitudinal direction. The upper annular wall has a pair of insert grooves diametrically opposed to each other, and each of such a dimension as to accommodate the enlarged head of a respective one of the fastening members in the longitudinal direction when the axial direction is oriented to conform to the longitudinal direction. The upper annular wall further has a pair of clamping grooves which are communicated with and which extend from the insert grooves in one of clockwise and counterclockwise directions. Once the insert grooves have been brought to receive the enlarged heads in the longitudinal direction respectively, a subsequent rotation of the upper annular wall of the annular shield member relative to the annular abutment wall of the protective cover member, which is guided by the proximate shank portions respectively along the clamping grooves, will bring the enlarged heads to be retained respectively in the clamping grooves.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4448388 (1984-05-01), Dennis et al.
patent: 5090654 (1992-02-01), Riddings et al.
patent: 5507619 (1996-04-01), Ryan
patent: 5568969 (1996-10-01), Yu
patent: 5725190 (1998-03-01), Cuthbertson et al.
patent: 5851107 (1998-12-01), Wang
patent: 5947438 (1999-09-01), Bucher et al.
patent: 6042072 (2000-03-01), Chi-Nan
patent: 6146191 (2000-11-01), Kerr, Jr. et al.
patent: 6250885 (2001-06-01), Gajewski
patent: 6280145 (2001-08-01), Liu
King Anita
Le Tan
Townsend and Townsend / and Crew LLP
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