This invention relates to hanging ceiling fans, and in particular to devices, apparatus, systems and methods of installing a ceiling fan mounting bracket to a ceiling electrical box, and hanging an end of the motor to the bracket and connecting the wiring from the motor to bracket with male and female electrical connector(s).
When hanging a ceiling fan, it is necessary to hardwire the ceiling fan to the home wiring. This installation has generally involved supporting the heaviest part of the fan by hand or by a hanger until the wiring is completed before the fan can be installed, which can be physically dangerous to the installer since the work involves the installer standing on a ladder with their hands holding heavy weights above their head. The wiring often requires the installer to take bare ends of opposite wires which are then twisted together, followed by a wire nut being screwed onto the twisted portions.
Other types of ceiling fan installation has required the ceiling fan motor to be supported by the installer or hung out of the way while the wiring is being done. This type of installation has the heaviest part of the ceiling fan (the motor) by hand “in the way” while the wiring is being completed between the home wiring and the fan. Similarly, wiring is often done by the installer twisting bare ends of wires together followed by twisting a wire nut thereon. Having to connect the wiring on top of a ladder with one hands stretched over one's head can be quite difficult as well as dangerous if the installer should fall.
Additional problems with the prior art is that excess, loose wiring must often be shoved into the canopy/shroud to be moved out of sight that is not easy to do with wiring located above the head of the installer.
Thus, the need exists for solutions to the above problems with the prior art.
A primary objective of the present invention is to provide devices, apparatus, systems and methods of installing a ceiling fan mounting bracket to a ceiling electrical box, and hanging an end of the motor to the bracket and connecting the wiring from the motor to bracket with male and female electrical connector(s).
A secondary objective of the present invention is to provide devices, apparatus, systems and methods of hanging ceiling fans, which allows for the wiring connections to easily, occur while the ceiling fan mounting bracket is installed.
A third objective of the present invention is to provide devices, apparatus, systems and methods of allowing the ceiling fan installer to perform all of the wiring for installation before the heavy part of the ceiling fan has to be lifted into place, which makes the installation easier, faster and safer for the installer.
A fourth objective of the present invention is to provide devices, apparatus, systems and methods of allowing the ceiling fan installer to perform all of the wiring for installation without having to perform the wiring when the ceiling motor is in the way of the installation, which makes the installation easier, faster and safer for the installer.
A fifth objective of the present invention is to provide devices, apparatus, systems and methods of allowing wiring connections between the ceiling fan mount bracket and ceiling mount to occur while the ceiling fan mounting bracket is installed, which allows for the bulky, heavy ceiling fan motor to be left safely at ground level, while wiring is occurring. When the ceiling fan motor is securely in the mounting bracket, the male connector from the motor can be mateably interlocked with the female connector from the mounting bracket.
A sixth objective of the present invention is to provide devices, apparatus, systems and methods of wiring connections between the ceiling fan mount bracket and ceiling fan to occur while the ceiling fan mounting bracket is installed, with interlocking wire connectors mateably attachable to one another between the fan motor and the mounting bracket, and excess loose wiring is looped about brackets on the mounting bracket.
The invention allows for the ceiling fan installer to attach the hanger bracket with a female connector attached to a home wiring. The ceiling fan can then be installed into the mounting bracket, followed by a mateable male connector from the motor mateably interlocking with the female connector. No other interim step is needed such as holding or hanging the fan motor out of way to wire the fan motor to the hanger bracket.
The invention allows for the ceiling fan installer to perform all of the wiring before the heavy part of the ceiling fan has to be lifted into place, which makes the installation easier, faster and safer for the installer.
Further objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of the presently preferred embodiments which are illustrated schematically in the accompanying drawings.
Before explaining the disclosed embodiments of the present invention in detail it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its applications to the details of the particular arrangements shown since the invention is capable of other embodiments. Also, the terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.
In the Summary above and in the Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments and in the accompanying drawings, reference is made to particular features (including method steps) of the invention. It is to be understood that the disclosure of the invention in this specification includes all possible combinations of such particular features. For example, where a particular feature is disclosed in the context of a particular aspect or embodiment of the invention, that feature can also be used, to the extent possible, in combination with and/or in the context of other particular aspects and embodiments of the invention, and in the invention generally.
In this section, some embodiments of the invention will be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which preferred embodiments of the invention are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout, and prime notation is used to indicate similar elements in alternative embodiments.
A list of components will now be described.
Although the embodiment shows the female connector is shown on the mounting bracket and the male connector is on the motor, the invention can be practiced with the male connector on the mounting bracket and the female connector on the motor.
While the embodiment shows using male and female connectors to attach the motor wiring to the bracket wiring, the invention can be practiced with other types of easy to attach wiring coupling, such as but not limited to wiring fasteners that snap with one another, and the like.
Although the embodiment shows only attaching the mounting bracket wiring to the motor wiring with male and female attachment fasteners, the invention can allow for attaching the ceiling mount wiring to the motor mount bracket wiring using male and female wire coupler fasteners.
While the invention has been described, disclosed, illustrated and shown in various terms of certain embodiments or modifications which it has presumed in practice, the scope of the invention is not intended to be, nor should it be deemed to be, limited thereby and such other modifications or embodiments as may be suggested by the teachings herein are particularly reserved especially as they fall within the breadth and scope of the claims here appended.
This which claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/731,349 filed Nov. 29, 2012, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by specific reference thereto.
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Number | Date | Country |
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WO 2012097453 | Jul 2012 | WO |
Number | Date | Country | |
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61731349 | Nov 2012 | US |