Fluid reaction surfaces (i.e. – impellers) – Specific working member mount – Distally supported on radial arm
Reexamination Certificate
2001-05-15
2004-02-10
Look, Edward K. (Department: 3745)
Fluid reaction surfaces (i.e., impellers)
Specific working member mount
Distally supported on radial arm
C416S22000A
Reexamination Certificate
active
06688850
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND AND PRIOR ART
Conventional ceiling fans that are shipped in cartons have separate packing materials such as foam inserts for the many components that must be assembled by the installer to hang the ceiling fan. For example, ceiling fan blades are generally shipped in detached positions and are fastened onto the motors and ceiling fan arms by screw type fasteners during the assembly process, a practice having many inherent problems.
A single conventional ceiling fan blade has often required some five screw type fasteners to attach the blade to the motor/arm of the ceiling fan. Thus, a five blade ceiling fan can have some twenty five screw type fasteners just for attaching the fan blades to the motor and arm assembly. Clearly, problems occur when any of this small screw type fasteners become lost and/or missing during the assembly process.
In addition to having multiple loose parts, a typical installer must follow a tedious process in order to assemble and hang the ceiling fan. In
FIG. 1
, a conventional ceiling fan motor housing
10
has a rotor component
20
that rotates about a central axis within a motor housing
10
, which in turn is connected to a hanger assembly
5
that is attached beneath a ceiling
2
. A plurality of fan blades
30
can be connected to the rotor
20
by mounting arms
40
. Each mounting arm
40
has one end
42
connected to an end
32
of each fan blade
30
, and an opposite second end
44
having at least two through-holes
45
therethrough, so that conventional screw type fasteners
50
can pass through the through-holes
45
to mateably thread into threaded holes
25
in the bottom of rotor
20
.
It is usual in many ceiling fan installation directions to have the installer first connect and hang the motor housing
10
, rotor
20
and hanger assembly
5
to a ceiling by having the installer standing on a raised platform such as a ladder or stool. Next, the installation directions have the installer attach the blades
30
to their respective mounting arms/motor connectors
40
. Finally, a last step is to connect the blade
30
and respective mounting arm
40
to the rotor
20
on the motor housing
10
.
This final assembly step takes great dexterity, patience, balance and time for the installer. In order for a single person
60
to be able to complete this final step, the installer
60
needs to hold in one hand
62
the fan blade
30
and already attached mounting arm
40
, and to position a screwdriver
70
to the heads of the screws
50
with the other hand
64
. The installer must be able to balance the mounting screws
50
on the tip of the screw driver
70
, insert the screws upwardly through the holes
44
in the mounting arm, making sure not to accidentally drop the screws
50
and then screw the screws
50
into the mating holes
25
on the rotor
20
all while still holding the blade
30
and arm
40
. This assembly requires the installer to have to constantly hold both hands
62
and
64
raised high above their head, while again standing on the ladder or stool.
This tedious traditional process of assembly and installation causes many potential problems. First, the screw type fasteners can and do accidentally fall and become lost causing more time and expense to finish the installation. The installer
60
often has to constantly reposition the blade
30
and arm
40
in order to be able to properly line up the through-holes
45
in the mounting arms
40
with their respective mating holes
25
in the bottom of rotor
20
. Also, the blade
30
and mounting arm
40
have been known to fall on and cause injury to the installer
60
during assembly. Furthermore, the installers can lose their balance and injure themselves by falling off the ladder or stool.
The use of screws has other inherent problems as to their appearance. The screw type fasteners are often visible from those looking up at the running ceiling fans. Visible screws are unsightly and further detract from the appearance of the ceiling fan itself.
Still additional problems have been known to occur after installation of the screw type fasteners. For example, uneven tightening of each of the plural screw type fasteners that connect the blades to the mounting arms has resulted in wobble effects when the ceiling fan is running.
Another problem occurs as a result of the need to clean blades over time in order to remove dirt and dust buildup. Current techniques have relied on manually holding brushes to the ceiling fan attached blades themselves which inherently tires the muscles in the cleaner's back, neck, shoulders, arms and hands. Furthermore, this messy cleaning operation with brushes while the blades are attached to the ceiling fan mounted motor often results in dirt and debris falling on both the cleaner and furniture and flooring below the ceiling fan.
Another problem occurs when the ceiling fan is taken down to be reboxed. In order to be repackaged, each and every component must be disassembled, a time consuming endeavor, which also can result in many loose parts becoming misplaced and lost over time.
Various solutions to changing some of the traditional attachment methods have been proposed that have additional problems. U.S. Pat. No. 5,944,486 to Hodgkins, Jr. describes an “Interchangeable Fan Blade System”, title. However, generally all of the embodiments shown require some screw type fasteners be used that still would have many of the problems described above. Furthermore, the slots shown in
FIGS. 2
,
3
and
9
, and adapter plates shown in
FIGS. 5A-5G
would have problems in fixably securing the blades to the adapters so that the blades would not wobble nor rattle when being run during a ceiling fan use. For example, the hook arm in
FIG. 5D
would not by itself adequately secure the fan blades in position by solely relying on a “centrifugal force.” Besides the wobble and rattle problems, each time the ceiling fan stops the hooked on blades can potentially fall off and become damaged as well as injure those beneath the ceiling fan. Similarly the “pin” supported blades of
FIG. 5F
would also wobble and rattle for not being properly secured to the mounting arms. In addition, these “pins” can inherently become loose and cause the blades to possibly fall off, become damaged and possibly injure those beneath the ceiling fan. Thus, the need exists for solutions to the above problems.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A first objective of the subject invention is to provide ceiling fan blades that can be easily and quickly attached onto a ceiling fan mounted motor without using removable fasteners such as screws and the like.
The second objective of the subject invention is to provide mountable ceiling fan blades that become instantly aligned when being mounted.
The third objective of the subject invention is to provide ceiling fan blades that do not rattle nor wobble when being run on a ceiling fan.
The fourth objective of the subject invention is to provide ceiling fan blades that can be reversibly hung without using removable fasteners such as screws and the like.
Two embodiments of hook and fold blades are included. Both embodiments include a ceiling fan motor having a rotating member, a first mount attached to the rotating member, a first fan blade having a first interior end portion and a first exterior end portion, a first hook portion which hooks the first mount to the first interior end portion, and a lock portion for restricting lateral movement between the first mount and the first interior end portion, wherein gravity and centrifugal force further locks the first fan blade to the first mount. The first mount can be on the first fan blade arm, or on a portion of a rotor on the motor. The locking portion can include edges having a cavity therebetween, wherein a portion of the first hook portion becomes positioned and locked within the cavity. One embodiment has the first hook portion attached to and extending outward away from the first interior portion of the first blade. Another embodiment has the first hook portion attached to and extending outward away
Bucher Charles E.
Bucher John C.
Kershteyn Igor
King of Fans Inc.
Law Offices of Brian S. Steinberger , P.A.
Look Edward K.
Steinberger Brian S.
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