Patent Application
20210048030
The disclosure is directed generally to fans and, more particularly, to a method of using a fan adjacent to a counter or bathroom sink vanity, by placing the fan on the floor to blow cool air up towards the user standing at the counter, bathroom sink or vanity. The fan has an elongate housing structure with a low profile that fits adjacent the toe kick of the counter or bathroom sink vanity. In one application, the fan may be used by the user as he or she gets ready styling hair or make-up. In this way, the method and fan alleviates past problems with excessive heat while performing post bath or showering styling and make-up application.
For instance, one may apply makeup using a makeup mirror device in the bathroom immediately after showering. A problem frequently encountered with this is that the bathroom may be very hot and steamy. This can lead to one perspiring excessively after already showering. Further, hot air from hair dryers may also add to an already uncomfortable environment. Small fans sitting atop the counter or bathroom sink vanity often direct air directly into the face of the user and can lead to drying out of the user's eyes, eye irritation, and difficulty applying makeup. The fans may blow powdered makeup into the eyes of the user. Such fans generally cool only the face or the user and not the chest, neck, and upper core of the user, which can be ineffective. The floor fans are often solely pointed just at the legs and lower body, which can also be ineffective.
The disclosure that follows provides a method that addresses the need to cool down an individual as they are using hot tools to style their hair or applying their makeup in a bathroom or vanity area. In accordance with one aspect of the method, the fan is placed on the floor. Due to the elongate housing structure of the fan and its low profile, the fan may be partially tucked under the bathroom sink vanity or cabinet toe kick. The fan may be provided with a movable discharge. The discharge may be angled upwards to blow air upwards and in front of the user. The discharge of the fan may be rotated to an angle of the user's choice. This allows air flow towards the user in a manner that does not disrupt the hair or makeup application but cools the user. Alternatively, the discharge may be set to automatically oscillate. By placing the fan on the floor adjacent to the toe kick of the bathroom sink vanity or cabinet, the fan does not take up space on the bathroom counter or vanity and does not blow directly on the user's face or head. The elongate housing structure of the fan may include an elongate squirrel cage radial vane blower and a discharge extending along a majority of the longitudinal length of the housing structure, and more preferably, a substantial portion of the longitudinal length of the housing structure, and more preferably, an entirety of the longitudinal length of the housing structure. The elongate housing structure and blower may have a relatively small diameter compared to the longitudinal length of the housing structure and blower allowing the fan to maintain its slim profile. The fan may include operator switches to changes the speed of rotation of the blower. The motor of the fan may be variable or may be provided with switching for the user to select a number of discrete operational speeds (e.g., low, medium, high). The fan may be powered by household electrical power with a power cord. The power cord may contain a convenient on/off foot switch. The fan may receive power from both axial ends of the fan to accommodate outlets in different locations in the bathroom. The power cord may include a fan input plug allowing the power cord to be plugged into either axial end of the fan as maybe desired by the user. The fan may also be battery operated and rechargeable, for instance, through USB connections or removable power cords.
Within the hollow interior of the housing structure 22, a blower 44 may be rotatably disposed. The blower 44 may be a squirrel cage radial vane blower. A distal axial end of the blower 44 may be operatively rotatably connected with a support 28. For instance, the axial end of the squirrel cage radial vane blower may have an end plate with a stub shaft extending therefrom that is received in a bearing disposed in the support. The opposite, proximal end of the squirrel cage radial vane blower 44 may have an end plate with the shaft that is operatively coupled to a motor (not shown) that is disposed in the support. An oscillating mechanism (not shown) may also be disposed in the same axial end support so as to allow the motor to drive a four bar linkage commonly used with oscillating systems for fans. The housing structure may be operatively connected to the four bar linkage so as to allow the housing structure to pivot relative to the axial end supports when the oscillating mechanism is engaged. As shown best in
The motor for the fan unit may receive power from a power cord 50. The power cord 50 may have one end detachably connected to the fan unit and an opposite end detachably connected to a conventional household outlet. The fan end 52 of the power cord 50 may be a convention style such as C7, C7-P, C13, etc. The power end 54 of the power cord 50 may be a conventional style such as 5-15. The support 28 that houses the motor may have a port 56 to receive the fan end 52 of the power cord 50. In addition or alternative to, the opposite support 28 may also have a port 58 to receive the fan end 52 of the power cord 50. This allows the user to arrange the power cord 50 in a desired manner to accommodate the location of electrical outlets in the room in which the fan unit 20 is located. The power cord 50 may have an on/off switch 60. The switch 60 may be a push button adapted and configured to be operated by the user's foot. In the alternative, the motor for the fan unit 20 may receive power from an on-board power supply such as a battery or rechargeable battery. The rechargeable battery may be recharged through a power cord as described above or through a USB style charging connection. In the configuration with an onboard power supply, the fan unit 20 may be provided with a tether type control to power the fan unit on and off. A switch may be positioned on the tether control and the switch may comprise a push button adapted and configured to be operated by the user's foot.
The fan unit 20 may be equipped with a variable speed motor to allow the user the opportunity to control the rotational speed of the blower as desired. In the alternative, the fan unit may be provided with discrete fan speed selections (e.g., low, medium, high) that may be activated by the user as desired. The speed selections may be chosen by a switch. There may be a switch for each speed (e.g., a low speed button, a medium speed button and a high speed button). Alternatively, sequential activation of the same switch may change the speed to a desired level, and in this configuration, the speed selections may be integrated with the on/off switch 60 of the power cord 50 or the tether control. In addition or alternative to, the fan unit 20 may be provided with a remote control 64 that interfaces with the motor control and/or oscillation function. The remote control 64 may include an on/off switch, speed selections, and oscillation enable/disable functions. The remote control 64 may interface with the fan unit 20 via Bluetooth, IR remote control, RF remote control, etc.
In using the fan unit 20, a user may access the fan unit and place the fan unit on the support surface 30 in a manner such that the fan unit is supported by the supports 28 and the longitudinal axis 40 of the housing structure 22 is horizontal. A user may also access the fan unit 20 and place the fan unit on the support surface 30 in a manner such that the fan unit is supported by the supports 28 and the longitudinal axis 40 of the housing structure 22 is parallel to the support surface 30. The support surface 30 may be a floor, for instance, a bathroom floor as shown in in
In another aspect of the method of using the fan unit 20, the user may place the fan unit on the floor and point the discharge 26 of the housing horizontally toward the floor, for instance, as shown in
In another aspect of the method of using the fan unit 20, the user may place the fan unit on a support surface and enable the fan unit to oscillate the housing. Once the fan motor is energized, this mode provides general airflow in a oscillating pattern.
In another aspect of the method, the user may be provided with instructions with the fan unit 20 directing the user to perform any one or more of the aforementioned steps. The instructions may include text or indicia on the fan unit, packaging for the fan unit, or point of sale displays for the fan unit showing the user how to use the fan unit. In connection with the sale or distribution of the fan unit 20, the user (e.g., a purchaser of the fan unit) is instructed that the purpose of the fan unit is to use the fan unit in a manner as described previously. Thus, the user is induced to use the fan unit in a manner as described previously.
As various modifications could be made in the constructions and methods herein described without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the foregoing description and shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not as limiting. The breath and scope the present invention should not be limited by any of the above described exemplary embodiments.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 62/887,233, filed Aug. 15, 2019, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62887233 | Aug 2019 | US |
