Patent Application
20250027509
The invention relates to a fan, and particularly, a portable fan that pivots about a support arm and that incorporates an oscillation function, allowing for flexible and efficient air circulation in various settings.
Traditional portable fans have been widely used to provide cooling relief and improved air circulation in various indoor and outdoor spaces. These conventional fans typically consist of a fan head fixedly mounted to a base, which may offer limited adjustability and directional control.
To address some of the limitations of traditional fans, certain designs have introduced pivoting mechanisms, allowing the fan head to vertically tilt or swivel to different angles relative to the ground. While these designs offered improved directional airflow, they are often constrained by being fixed to the base, limiting their ability to cover a broader area effectively.
Furthermore, oscillation mechanisms were introduced in some fans, particularly tower fans, to achieve a sweeping motion, enabling the fan head to move horizontally back and forth relative to the ground, thereby circulating air over a more extensive area horizontally. However, these oscillation mechanisms were generally limited to the oscillating movement and are incapable of pivoting vertically up and down.
Further, such traditional fans utilizing either pivoting or oscillating mechanism often include more materials, thereby adding overall weight to the fan, which diminishes the ease of portability of the fan and increases the risk of more noise being generated from the additional materials.
Given the above, such traditional fans do not provide a fan having the combined benefits of vertical pivoting and horizontal oscillation functions while minimizing the material usage. As such, there exists a need for an innovative portable fan design that allows for enhanced directional control through pivoting oscillation functionality without compromising the weight and portability of the fan.
A fan is provided that includes a base, a plate operatively attached to the base, a fan head housing, and a support arm that attaches the fan head housing to the plate. The plate oscillates relative to the base by an oscillating mechanism. The fan head housing comprises a blower assembly having a motor for rotating at least one blade for producing an air stream. The fan head housing pivotally attaches to the support arm on one end and the plate fixedly attaches to the support arm on the other end. The fan head housing pivots relative to the support arm along a vertical y-axis of the fan and oscillates relative to the base along a horizontal x-axis of the fan.
In another example, the fan of the present invention comprises a base, a fan head housing comprising a blower assembly having a motor for rotating a blade for producing an air stream, and a support arm having a first end and a second end. The first end of the support arm is pivotally attached to the fan head housing and the second end of the support arm is attached to the base. In this example, the fan head housing is cantilevered by the support arm. In other words, only one point of attachment attaches the fan head housing to the base. Such construction reduces material usage, which in turn limits the weight of the fan, enhancing its portability and limiting the noise.
In yet another example, the fan of the present invention includes a base, a plate operatively attached to the base, a fan head housing, and a support arm that attaches the fan head housing to the plate. The plate oscillates relative to the base by an oscillating mechanism. The fan head housing comprises a blower assembly having a motor for rotating a blade for producing an air stream. The fan head housing pivotally attaches to the support arm on one end of the support arm and is cantilevered by the support arm. The plate fixedly attaches to the support arm on the other end of the support arm. The oscillating mechanism comprises of a second motor, a drive gear driven by the second motor, and a curved rack gear that engages with the drive gear. The second motor and drive gear are attached to the plate and the curved rack gear is attached to the base. In operation, the second motor moves the drive gear in a curvilinear translation back and forth along an arc of the curved rack gear to create an oscillating motion.
Other devices, apparatus, systems, methods, features and advantages of the invention are or will become apparent to one with skill in the art upon examination of the following figures and detailed description. It is intended that all such additional systems, methods, features and advantages be included within this description, be within the scope of the invention, and be protected by the accompanying claims.
The invention can be better understood by referring to the following figures. The components in the figures are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principles of the invention. In the figures, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the different views.
In this application, all “aspects,” “examples,” “embodiments,” and “implementations” described are considered to be non-limiting and non-exclusive. Accordingly, the fact that a specific “aspect,” “example,” “embodiment,” or “implementation” is explicitly described herein does not exclude other “aspects,” “examples,” “embodiments,” and “implementations” from the scope of the present disclosure even if not explicitly described. In this disclosure, the terms “aspect,” “example,” “embodiment,” and “implementation” are used interchangeably, i.e., are considered to have interchangeable meanings.
Further, in this application, the terms “substantially,” “approximately,” or “about,” when modifying a specified numerical value, may be taken to encompass a range of values that include +/−10% of such numerical value. Further, terms such as “communicate,” and “in communication with,” or “interfaces” or “interfaces with” (for example, a first component “communicates with” or “is in communication with” a second component) are used herein to indicate a structural, functional, mechanical, electrical, signal, optical, magnetic, electromagnetic, ionic or fluidic relationship between two or more components or elements. As such, the fact that one component is said to communicate or interface with a second component is not intended to exclude the possibility that additional components may be present between, and/or operatively associated or engaged with, the first and second components.
For purposes of reference and description, the fan 100 of the present invention is considered to have a horizontal x-axis (x), vertical y-axis (y) and a width z-axis (2), as shown in
Further, the fan of the present invention is also considered to have a height (h), length (1) and width (w), as also shown most notably in
As illustrated and discussed in the following, examples of a fan that pivots and oscillates is provided. In the example, the fan is a portable, free-standing fan. “Portable” being defined as having the ability to be carried or moved with ease. “Free standing” being defined as having the ability to remain stable and upright without external restraints. It should further be understood that the term “fan” may interchangeably used with the terms “air blower, “air circulator” or any other term that refers to an apparatus that creates a current of air for cooling and/or heating.
As will be illustrated and discussed in detail below, the fan of the present invention incorporates the combination of a pivoting mechanism and oscillating mechanism. The pivoting mechanism allows the fan head to pivot along the vertical axis or y-axis of the fan relative to a support arm, and the oscillating mechanism allows the fan head to oscillate horizontally along the horizontal axis or x-axis relative to the fan base. Such combination allows for versatile adjustability and directional control.
As shown in
A side of the head housing 102, namely the back housing 112, is pivotally or rotatably attached or connected to support arm 106 at pivot joint 110. By positioning support arm 102 such that it attaches to a side of the fan head housing 102 (as opposed to the front or rear of the fan head housing), the range of pivoting movement of the fan head housing 102 can be extended such that it may pivot relative to support arm 106 between the ranges of 0 degrees and 180 degrees or 0 degrees and 360 degrees. It should be understood that while the figures show support arm 106 only attaching or connecting to the right side of head housing 102, other examples of the present invention may have support arm 106 only attaching or connecting to the left side of head housing 102.
The incorporation of only one support arm 106 for supporting the fan head housing 102 is an important feature of the portable fan 100 of the present invention. As shown in the figures, the support arm 106 supports fan head housing 102 on one of its sides while the opposite side of the fan head is free or not attached or connected to any support structure. In other words, the fan head housing 102 of the present invention is cantilevered by support arm 106. A cantilever, which is a term well known in the art, is a rigid structural element that is supported at only one end. Traditional fans typically incorporate at least two arms or at least two points of attachment for supporting a fan head or fan head housing. By using only one support arm 106 or only one point of attachment and cantilevering the fan head housing 102 on support arm 106, material usage is greatly minimized, which in turn limits the weight, which is particularly pivotal for a fan that has added weight from the incorporation of pivoting and oscillating mechanism components (which will be discussed in greater detail below). For at least the following reasons, the integration of only one support arm 106 in fan 100 offers several significant advantages, resulting in a lightweight and less noisy cooling or air blowing appliance.
First, support arm 106 optimizes the use of materials, resulting in a more efficient utilization of resources. By employing a single support arm 106 attached to fan head housing 102, the need for additional materials is minimized, leading to a reduction in the overall weight of fan 100. This not only enhances the portability of fan 100 but also makes it easier for users to transport and position fan 100 as needed.
Second, support arm 106 serves as a robust and stable structural component, effectively supporting fan head housing 102 during operation. This design reduces undesirable vibrations that could otherwise occur in traditional fan structures that incorporate more materials (particularly in those fans that utilize dual or multiple support arms or points of connection), resulting in a quieter fan operation. The decreased noise level is a significant advantage, especially in environments where low noise emission is crucial, such as offices, bedrooms, and/or libraries.
Third, the lightweight nature of portable fan 100, made possible by support arm 106, makes it effortless for users to adjust the fan's position and airflow direction. Whether in a home, workspace, or outdoor setting, users can conveniently reposition fan 100 to suit their preferences without straining or exerting excessive effort. power.
Fourth, support arm's 106 streamlined, minimalist design results in a compact and visually appealing structure. The fan's 100 sleek appearance and reduced footprint make it an ideal cooling solution for spaces where floor area is limited.
While one end of support arm 106 is pivotally attached to the fan head housing 102 via pivoting joint, the other end 124 of support arm 106 may be fixedly attached to base 104 via a plate 108 that oscillates or rotates relative to base 104 via an oscillating or rotating mechanism. As shown in the figures, the plate 108 may be concentrically positioned in relation to base 104. In other words, plate 108 and base 104 may share the same center or center axis. As further shown, the perimeter or circumference of plate 108 is smaller or less than the perimeter or circumference of base 104. In other words, the circumference of base 104 extends further than the circumference of oscillating plate 108. Such construction allows base 104 to cover greater surface area, thereby providing greater stability and balance to fan 100.
A further shown in at least
In other examples, fan 100 may be controlled by a remote controller device 118. Remote controller 118 may have a securing mechanism for removably attaching anywhere on fan 100, including but not limited to support arm 106 as shown in
As stated above, head housing 102 further defines an interior space in which a blower assembly comprising of at least a blade 902 and motor 904 is located. Blower assembly is used to draw air through air intakes 202 (shown in at least
Pivot joint 110 allows fan head 102 to pivot relative to support arm 106. Pivot joint 110 may allow a user to manually adjust the pivoting angle of fan head housing 102 and may include a securing mechanism, including but not limited to, friction fit, magnets (or any ferromagnetic material), clips, or any combination thereof, to position fan head 102 relative to support arm 106 about pivot joint 110. As stated above, fan head housing 102 may pivot along the y-axis or height of fan 100. In other words, the axis of rotation of pivot joint 110 intersects the y-axis of fan 100 and does not intersect the x-axis or z-axis of fan 100. Such pivoting mechanism of fan head housing 102 relative to support arm 106 allows adjustable vertical directional airflow along the height of fan 100 or along a vertical y-axis of the fan. In other words, the angle of the fan head housing 102 can be pivotally adjusted relative to the support arm 106 for adjusting the vertical directional airflow of the air stream. While the present example shows pivot joint 110 requiring manual engagement, in other examples, pivot joint 110 may include a motor for electrically pivoting fan head housing 102 relative to support arm 106, which can be controlled by controls 120 and/or remote controller 118.
Referring now to
Head housing 102 is pivotally connected to support arm 106. Support arm 106 may include left side 908 and right side 910 housings. While one end of support arm 106 is connected to head housing 102 via a pivot joint 110, an opposing end of support arm 106 is fixedly attached or connected to plate 108. A bearing 912 is positioned below plate 108 to allow plate 108 to rotate or move relative to base 104. Plate 108 may be connected to a drive gear 916 that is driven by motor 914. As will be discussed in further detail below, the drive gear 916 may engage with a rack gear 918 that is connected to base 104 for allowing plate 108 to rotate or oscillate relative to base 104. A base floor 922 is positioned below base 104 to provide additional grip to a support surface.
Further, a printed circuit board (PCB) 120 may be in communication with controls 120. The PCB 120 may further be in communication with remote controller 118 for controlling the fan settings remotely. The PCB 120 may include an integrated circuit(s), a processor and/or controller that is in communication with a power source (not shown). The PCB may also be in communication with motor 904 and/or motor 914 to control the operation of the motor 206 and/or motor 914.
Motor 914 and drive gear 916 are attached to plate 108 such that plate 108 moves with the movement of motor 914 and drive gear 916. Motor 914 is in communication with drive gear 916 such that motor 914 mechanically moves or rotates drive gear 916 via a motor shaft. The teeth of drive gear 916 meshes or engages with the teeth of rack gear 918 such that drive gear 916 translates along the teeth of rack gear 918. Rack gear 918 is attached to base 104. Rack gear 918 may be a curved rack gear.
In operation, motor 914 rotates drive gear 916 such that it moves along the curvature of rack gear 918, which in turn moves, rotates or oscillates plate 108 relative to the base 104. In other words, the rack drive gear 916 and rack gear 918 form a gear set that converts rotational movement of drive gear 916 to a curvilinear translation along the arc of rack gear 918. Motor 914 may move the drive gear 916 in a curvilinear translation back and forth (i.e., oscillation) along an arc of the curved rack gear 918.
It should also be understood that while the arc of rack gear 918 is shown to limit the degree of oscillation up to 90 degrees, the arc length of rack gear 918 can extend to 180 degrees or to any length between 0 and 360 degrees without departing from the scope of the invention. Therefore, the oscillating mechanism of the present invention may allow plate 108 and fan head housing 102 to oscillate between the ranges of 0 degrees and 90 degrees, 0 degrees and 180 degrees, or any degree range between 0 degrees and 360 degrees relative to base 104.
The oscillating mechanism of the present invention allows fan head housing 102 to move, swivel, or oscillate along the x-axis of fan 100 or along the width/length of fan 100. In other words, the axis of rotation of plate 108 intersects the x-axis or z-axis of fan 100 and does not intersect the y-axis of fan 100. Such oscillating mechanism of fan head housing 102 relative to base 104 allows for airflow to be directed across a greater area horizontally or along the width/length of fan 100.
A sensor 920, such as an optical sensor, may also be in communication or in signal communication with motor 914 to control the direction of rotation of drive gear 916 such that drive gear 916 rotates clockwise and counterclockwise for moving back and forth on rack gear 918 to create a swivel or oscillating motion. In other words, sensor 920 may provide a signal to motor 914 when drive gear 916 has reached an end of rack gear 918 so that it may rotate in the opposite direction. In this manner, drive gear 916, and thus plate 108 and fan head housing 102, may continuously oscillate or move between the two ends of the arc of rack gear 918.
The controller for the fan disclosed herein may be one or more modules, control units, components, or the like configured for controlling, monitoring, analyzing and/or timing the operations of various devices or components of the fan, as well as controlling or executing one or more steps of any of the methods disclosed herein In addition to the components of fan described above, the fan may include alternative electrical power (voltage) sources, timing controllers, fuses, clocks, processors, integrated circuits, logic circuits, memories, databases, etc. One or more modules of the controller may be, or be embodied in, one or more devices located outside or separate from the fan, for example, a computer workstation, desktop computer, laptop computer, portable computer, tablet computer, handheld computer, mobile computing device, personal digital assistant (PDA), smartphone, remote control, etc. One or more modules of the controller may communicate with one or more other modules via one or more busses or other types of communication lines or wireless links, as appreciated by persons skilled in the art.
In the illustrated implementation, the controller may include one or more electronics-based processors, which may be representative of a main electronic processor providing overall control, and one or more electronic processors configured for dedicated control operations or specific signal processing tasks (e.g., a graphics processing unit or GPU, a digital signal processor or DSP, an application-specific integrated circuit or ASIC, a field-programmable gate array or FPGA, etc.). The controller also includes one or more memories (volatile and/or non-volatile types, e.g. RAM and/or ROM) for storing data and/or software. Stored data may be organized, for example, in one or more databases or look-up tables. The controller may also include one or more device drivers for controlling one or more types of user interface devices and providing an interface between the user interface devices and components of the controller communicating with the user interface devices. Such user interface devices may include user input devices (e.g., buttons, switches, keyboard, keypad, touch screen, mouse, joystick, trackball, and the like) and user output devices (e.g., display screen, printer, visual indicators or alerts, audible indicators or alerts, and the like). In various implementations, the controller may be considered as including one or more of the user input devices and/or user output devices, or at least as communicating with them.
In some implementations, the controller may also include one or more types of computer programs or software contained in memory and/or on one or more types of non-transitory (or tangible) computer-readable media. One or more devices of the controller may be configured to receive and read (and optionally write to) the computer-readable media. The computer programs or software may contain non-transitory instructions (e.g., logic instructions) for controlling or performing various operations of the fan. The computer programs or software may include system software and application software. System software may include an operating system for controlling and managing various functions of the controller, including interaction between hardware and application software. In particular, the operating system may provide a graphical user interface (GUI) displayable via a user output device, and with which a user may interact with the use of a user input device. Application software may include software configured to control or execute various operations of the fan, and/or some or all of the steps of any of the methods disclosed herein.
It will be understood that one or more of the processes, sub-processes, and process steps described herein may be performed by hardware, firmware, software, or a combination of two or more of the foregoing, on one or more electronic or digitally-controlled devices. The software may reside in a software memory (not shown) in a suitable electronic processing component or system such as, for example, the system controller. The software memory may include an ordered listing of executable instructions for implementing logical functions (that is, “logic” that may be implemented in digital form such as digital circuitry or source code, or in analog form such as an analog source such as an analog electrical, sound, or video signal). The instructions may be executed within a processing module, which includes, for example, one or more microprocessors, general purpose processors, combinations of processors, digital signal processors (DSPs), application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field-programmable gate array (FPGAs), etc. Further, the schematic diagrams describe a logical division of functions having physical (hardware and/or software) implementations that are not limited by architecture or the physical layout of the functions. The examples of systems described herein may be implemented in a variety of configurations and operate as hardware/software components in a single hardware/software unit, or in separate hardware/software units.
The executable instructions may be implemented as a computer program product having instructions stored therein which, when executed by a processing module of an electronic system (e.g., the system controller), direct the electronic system to carry out the instructions. The computer program product may be selectively embodied in any non-transitory computer-readable storage medium for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device, such as an electronic computer-based system, processor-containing system, or other system that may selectively fetch the instructions from the instruction execution system, apparatus, or device and execute the instructions. In the context of this disclosure, a computer-readable storage medium is any non-transitory means that may store the program for use by or in connection with the instruction execution system, apparatus, or device. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium may selectively be, for example, an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system, apparatus, or device. A non-exhaustive list of more specific examples of non-transitory computer readable media include: an electrical connection having one or more wires (electronic); a portable computer diskette (magnetic); a random access memory (electronic); a read-only memory (electronic); an erasable programmable read only memory such as, for example, flash memory (electronic); a compact disc memory such as, for example, CD-ROM, CD-R, CD-RW (optical); and digital versatile disc memory, i.e., DVD (optical). Note that the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium may even be paper or another suitable medium upon which the program is printed, as the program may be electronically captured via, for instance, optical scanning of the paper or other medium, then compiled, interpreted, or otherwise processed in a suitable manner if necessary, and then stored in a computer memory or machine memory.
It will also be understood that the term “in signal communication” or “in electrical communication” as used herein means that two or more systems, devices, components, modules, or sub-modules are capable of communicating with each other via signals that travel over some type of signal path. The signals may be communication, power, data, or energy signals, which may communicate information, power, or energy from a first system, device, component, module, or sub-module to a second system, device, component, module, or sub-module along a signal path between the first and second system, device, component, module, or sub-module. The signal paths may include physical, electrical, magnetic, electromagnetic, electrochemical, optical, wired, or wireless connections. The signal paths may also include additional systems, devices, components, modules, or sub-modules between the first and second system, device, component, module, or sub-module.
Further, it will be understood that terms such as “communicate” and “in . . . communication with” (for example, a first component “communicates with” or “is in communication with” a second component) are used herein to indicate a structural, functional, mechanical, electrical, signal, optical, magnetic, electromagnetic, ionic or fluidic relationship between two or more components or elements. As such, the fact that one component is said to communicate with a second component is not intended to exclude the possibility that additional components may be present between, and/or operatively associated or engaged with, the first and second components.
It will be understood that various aspects or details of the invention may be changed without departing from the scope of the invention. Furthermore, the foregoing description is for the purpose of illustration only, and not for the purpose of limitation-the invention being defined by the claims.
This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. § 119 (e) of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 63/527,767, filed on Jul. 19, 2023, titled “FAN,” the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference herein.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63527767 | Jul 2023 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 29901397 | Aug 2023 | US |
| Child | 18778419 | US |
