Patent Grant
11692554
Typical ceiling fans are electrically powered, being electrically coupled to a building electrical supply. The ceiling fans include an electric motor that is suspended beneath a ceiling by a hollow downrod through which electrical wires extend from the building electrical supply to the motor. An annular array of fan blades are coupled to the motor such that the blades can rotate about the motor, pushing a flow of air.
A technical issue with ceiling fans is that an imbalance between the blades can contribute to the amount of wobble a fan exhibits during use. Consumers often perceive wobble as an indicator of the quality and safety of a ceiling fan. During installation, balancing the fan blades can be difficult and take a significant amount of time for an installer. The larger the blade span, the greater chance of imbalance due to the natural variance in materials. Further, higher rotational speeds also can contribute to the amount of wobble a fan will exhibit due to imbalances of the blades.
In one aspect, the disclosure relates to a ceiling fan assembly comprising: a motor having a rotor; a set of blades coupled to the rotor, with each blade of the set of blades including a removable blade tip; and a balancing weight provided within at least one removable blade tip from the set of blades.
In another aspect, the disclosure relates to a ceiling fan kit comprising: a motor having a rotor with a set of blade mounts; a set of blades configured to mount to the motor at the set of blade mounts, with each blade including a removable blade tip; and a set of balancing weights configured to mount to the set of blades at the removable blade tip.
In another aspect, the disclosure relates to a method of balancing a ceiling fan comprising: mounting a balancing weight to a blade on the ceiling fan by securing the balancing weight to the blade within a removable blade tip.
In the drawings:
The present disclosure is directed to a ceiling fan assembly having a blade balancing assembly carried by the fan blades for pre-balancing the fan and each of the blades during initial assembly in order to eliminate the need for visible balance weights on the outer surface of the blade post-installation. For purposes of illustration, the present disclosure will be described with respect to an exemplary ceiling fan motor housed in an exemplary ceiling fan housing. It will be understood, however, that the disclosure is not so limited and can have general applicability in all ceiling fan or mounting applications, such lighting or suspension for industrial, commercial, and residential applications, as well as a plurality of different ceiling fan designs. It can also have application to ceiling fans comprising multiple motors or angularly oriented motors. Furthermore, the blade balancing assembly as described herein will be compatible with all ceiling fan assemblies.
The disclosure is related to a ceiling fan assembly which can be used, for example, in residential and commercial applications. Such applications can be indoors, outdoors, or both. While this description is primarily directed toward a commercial ceiling fan, it is also applicable to any environment utilizing fans or for cooling areas utilizing air movement.
As used herein, the term “set” or a “set” of elements can be any number of elements, including only one. All directional references (e.g., radial, axial, proximal, distal, upper, lower, upward, downward, left, right, lateral, front, back, top, bottom, above, below, vertical, horizontal, clockwise, counterclockwise, upstream, downstream, forward, aft, etc.) are only used for identification purposes to aid the reader's understanding of the present disclosure, and do not create limitations, particularly as to the position, orientation, or use of aspects of the disclosure described herein. Connection references (e.g., attached, coupled, connected, and joined) are to be construed broadly and can include intermediate members between a collection of elements and relative movement between elements unless otherwise indicated. As such, connection references do not necessarily infer that two elements are directly connected and in fixed relation to one another. The exemplary drawings are for purposes of illustration only and the dimensions, positions, order and relative sizes reflected in the drawings attached hereto can vary.
Referring now to
A set of blade irons 44 can couple a set of complementary blades 46 to the motor 38. The motor 38 can be electrically powered to rotatably drive the blades 46 to push a volume of air. Optionally, a light kit 47 or switch housing can be provided on the motor housing 30, and is shown positioned at the bottom of the lower housing 36.
A controller 48 can be mounted above the motor 38, and encased in the upper housing 34, with a mounting plate 53 therebetween to support the controller 48. The controller 48 can be electrically coupled to an electrical supply 50 to control operation of the ceiling fan 10 and supply power to the motor 38. Alternatively, the controller 48 can be wirelessly or communicatively coupled to the ceiling fan 10, configured to control operation of the ceiling fan 10 remotely, without a dedicated connection. Non-limiting examples of controls for the ceiling fan 10 can include fan speed, fan direction, or light operation. Furthermore, a separate wireless controller 52, alone or in addition to the wired controller 48, can be communicatively coupled to a controller or a wireless receiver in the ceiling fan 10 to control operation of the ceiling fan 10. It is further contemplated in one alternative example that the ceiling fan be operated by the wireless controller 52 alone, and is not operably coupled with the wired controller 48.
Turning to
The blade balancing assembly 80 can include a balancing weight mount 88 and one or more balancing weights 90. The balancing weight mount 88 can be carried by the blade tip 68, or alternatively, by the blade body 64. The balancing weights 90 can be of any shape suitable for mounting to the balancing weight mount 88 and can include one or more apertures 92 configured to receive a fastener 94. For example, the balancing weight mount 88 can be a mounting boss 96 provided on the blade tip 68 on an interior 98 of the cap 76. Each balancing weight 90 includes one aperture 92 and the fastener 94 removably secures the balancing weight 90 through the aperture 92 and into the mounting boss 96. By way of non-limiting example, fasteners 94 can include bolts, screws, pins, or any other fastener capable of securing corresponding elements together.
Alternatively, the balancing weights 90 can be integrally formed with the balancing weight mount 88, and configured to be removable such that the balancing weights 90 ‘break away’, for example, as a tabbed feature, where weight can only be removed from the blade balancing assembly 80. Further, the blade balancing assembly 80 can alternatively be provided to the proximal end 66 of the blade 46, or to the blade iron 44.
During assembly of the ceiling fan 10 at a factory, electronic balance equipment can detect and identify the location and amount of imbalance on the ceiling fan 10. As imbalances are detected, mounting weights 90 can be added or removed from each mounting boss 96 until the blades 46 are balanced. Prior to disassembly for packaging, each blade iron 44 and blade 46 pair can be marked with the unique indicia 60 such that an installer can later match each balanced blade 46 with the corresponding blade iron 44 in order to maintain the balance of the ceiling fan 10. Alternatively, a trained installer could add or remove mounting weights 90 if needed during installation.
Weight variances in a ceiling fan can create wobble during operation. Consumers often perceive a ceiling fan that wobbles as low quality and unsafe. Often, when a consumer experiences wobble post-installation, a balance kit is sent to the consumer to add weight to the exterior of a blade body in order to combat wobble. For large commercial space fan designs, users and installers are often not equipped to balance these large ceiling fans. Therefore, pre-balancing the blades at the factory, prior to installation by utilizing a blade balancing assembly together with an identification system to match the pre-balanced blade to the correct blade iron location can help eliminate wobble and improve the ease of installation of the ceiling fan. Balanced blades provide a smoother, quieter, and more efficient ceiling fan, improving consumer satisfaction.
To the extent not already described, the different features and structures of the various embodiments can be used in combination, or in substitution with each other as desired. That one feature is not illustrated in all of the embodiments is not meant to be construed that it cannot be so illustrated, but is done for brevity of description. Thus, the various features of the different embodiments can be mixed and matched as desired to form new embodiments, whether or not the new embodiments are expressly described. All combinations or permutations of features described herein are covered by this disclosure.
This written description uses examples to explain the disclosure, including the best mode, and to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the disclosure, including making and using any devices or systems and performing any incorporated methods. The patentable scope of the disclosure is defined by the claims, and can include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they have structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal languages of the claims.
This application is a continuation application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/732,984, filed Jan. 2, 2020, presently allowed, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
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| Number | Date | Country | |
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| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 16732984 | Jan 2020 | US |
| Child | 17394846 | US |
