Patent Application
20220106962
The present disclosure relates generally to a portable blower fan assembly, and more specifically a portable blower fan assembly for increasing airflow in an area.
Residential and commercial properties are susceptible to water damage from things like floods or broken pipes. When a flood occurs, a large amount of water can saturate different surfaces of a property. For example, water may soak into the floors, walls, or a ceiling of a property. Allowing wet surfaces to dry from only ambient air is not a viable option. The reason for this is because wet surfaces can take several hours or days to dry depending on the amount of water saturation. This long drying time may result in trapped moisture within surfaces that can lead to mold, mildew, and other types of potential health hazards.
The system disclosed in the present application provides a technical solution to the problems discussed above by using a portable blower fan assembly that is configured to increase the airflow within an area. The portable blower fan assembly is configurable in a variety of positions that allows the portable blower fan assembly to concentrate an increased airflow onto one or more wet surfaces. For example, the portable blower fan assembly may be configured to move air across a floor surface in a downward direction. As another example, the portable blower fan assembly may be configured to move air directly below the portable blower fan assembly onto a floor surface. As another example, the portable blower fan assembly may be configured to move air directly above the portable blower fan assembly onto a ceiling surface. As another example, the portable blower fan assembly may be configured to move air at an angle toward a vertical wall or stairs. By concentrating the increased airflow onto wet surfaces, the portable blower fan assembly is able to reduce the amount of time required to dry surfaces. Reducing the amount of time required to dry the surface reduces the likelihood of mold and mildew from forming on a surface.
In one embodiment, a portable blower fan assembly includes a housing that forms a pair of air tunnels that each contain a fan assembly. The pair of air tunnels are configured to provide a first airflow path across a surface in a downward direction when the fan assemblies are activated. Each fan assembly is positioned within one of the air tunnels with a downward angle. The portable blower fan assembly further includes a power supply that is configured to provide electrical power to the fan assemblies. In some embodiments, the portable blower fan assembly may further include focus corners and/or positioning legs. The focus corners are located on a lower portion of the exhaust side on the portable blower fan assembly. The focus corners are configured to reduce the pressure at the base of the portable blower fan assembly which helps to draw air in a downward direction. The positioning legs are configurable to change the direction of airflow provided by the portable blower fan assembly. For example, the positioning legs may be configured to lift the portable blower fan assembly about a ground surface to direct airflow in an upward or downward direction. As another example, the positioning legs may be configured to tilt the portable blower fan assembly to provide an angled airflow toward a vertical surface or stairs.
Certain embodiments of the present disclosure may include some, all, or none of these advantages. These advantages and other features will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and claims.
For a more complete understanding of this disclosure, reference is now made to the following brief description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings and detailed description, wherein like reference numerals represent like parts.
In one embodiment, the portable blower fan assembly 100 comprises a housing 102, a first fan assembly 104A, a second fan assembly 104B, curved stator vanes 106, an upper housing cover 108, a lower housing cover 110, an intake grill 112, an exhaust grill 114, and a power supply 116. The portable blower fan assembly 100 may be configured as shown or in any other suitable configuration.
The housing 102 may be formed of plastic or any other suitable type of material. The housing 102 comprises a first air tunnel 120 and a second air tunnel 126 that are each configured to house a pair of fan assemblies 104 and to provide an airflow path through the portable blower fan assembly 100. In one embodiment, the first air tunnel 120 and the second air tunnel 126 each have a cylindrical shape. In other embodiments, the first air tunnel 120 and the second air tunnel 126 may be configured to have any other suitable shape. The first air tunnel 120 comprises an intake portion 122 and an exhaust portion 124. The intake portion 122 is configured to provide an airflow path into the first air tunnel 120. The exhaust portion 124 is configured to provide an airflow path out of the first air tunnel 120. Similarly, the second air tunnel 126 comprises an intake portion 128 and an exhaust portion 130. The intake portion 128 is configured to provide an airflow path into the second air tunnel 126. The exhaust portion 130 is configured to provide an airflow path out of the second air tunnel 126. In one embodiment, the housing 102 is configured to position the pair fan assemblies 104 with a downward angle toward a surface that is below the portable blower fan assembly 100. An example of this configuration is described in more detail in
The first fan assembly 104A is disposed within the first air tunnel 120 between the intake portion 122 and the exhaust portion 124 of the first air tunnel 120. The first fan assembly 104A comprises a first fan blade 132 and a first motor 134. In one embodiment, the first fan blade 132 may be configured to have a blade angle between zero and three degrees. The first fan blade 132 may also be configured with a blade diameter between one hundred eighty and two hundred millimeters. In other examples, the first fan blade 132 may be configured with any other suitable blade angle and/or blade diameter. The first motor 134 is an electrical motor that is configured to apply a rotation force to the first fan blade 132 to draw in air from the intake portion 122 of the first air tunnel 120 and to push the drawn air out the exhaust portion 124 of the first air tunnel 120.
Similarly, the second fan assembly 104B is disposed within the second air tunnel 126 between the intake portion 128 and the exhaust portion 130 of the second air tunnel 126. The second fan assembly 104B comprises a second fan blade 136 and a second motor 138. The second fan blade 136 is configured similar to the first fan blade 132. The second motor 138 is an electrical motor that is configured to apply a rotation force to the second fan blade 136 to draw in air from the intake portion 128 of the second air tunnel 126 and to push the drawn in air out the exhaust portion 130 of the second air tunnel 126. The portable blower fan assembly 100 may be configured with the first fan assembly 104A and the second fan assembly 104B to be spaced between one to six inches from each other. For example, the first fan assembly 104A and the second fan assembly 104B may be configured to be about two inches from each other.
In one embodiment, the portable blower fan assembly 100 comprises a first curved stator vane 106A that is disposed at the exhaust portion 124 of the first air tunnel 120 and a second curved stator vane 106B that is disposed at the exhaust portion 130 of the second air tunnel 126. The first curved stator vane 106A is configured to apply a rotation to air that passes through the first air tunnel 120. Similarly, the second curved stator vane 106B is configured to apply a rotation to the air that passes through the second air tunnel 126. In this configuration, the first curved stator vane 106A and the second curved stator vane 106B are configured to increase the velocity of the air that passes through the portable blower fan assembly 100 by applying a rotation to the air the exits the portable blower fan assembly 100. In
The upper housing cover 108 and the lower housing cover 110 are generally configured to provide support or protection for the components (e.g. the power supply 116 and the fan assemblies 104) of the portable blower fan assembly 100. The upper housing cover 108 is coupled to an upper portion of the housing 102. The upper housing cover 108 may be attached to the housing 102 using a plurality of fasteners (e.g. screws, bolts, or clips). In embodiments, the upper housing cover 108 may be integrated with the housing 102 within a single structure. The lower housing cover 110 is coupled to a lower portion of the housing 102. The lower housing cover 110 may be attached to the housing 102 using a plurality of fasteners (e.g. screws, bolts, or clips). In embodiments, the lower housing cover 110 may be integrated with the housing 102 within a single structure.
The upper housing cover 108 comprises a first pair of channels 204. Each channel 204 comprises an opening that extends from the intake side of the portable blower fan assembly 100 to the exhaust side of the portable blower fan assembly 100. Each channel 204 comprises an opening that is configured to allow a positioning leg 702 to be disposed at least partially within the channel 204. Examples of this configuration are described in
The intake grill 112 and the exhaust grill 114 are generally configured to prevent objects from entering the portable blower fan assembly 100 which protects the fan assemblies 104 within the portable blower fan assembly 100. The intake grill 112 is configured to cover the intake portions of the first air tunnel 120 and the second air tunnel 126 of the housing 102. The intake grill 112 comprises a plurality of slots or openings that allows air to be drawn into the portable blower fan assembly 100. The slots or openings of the intake grill 112 are sized to prevent larger objects from entering the intake side of the portable blower fan assembly 100. The exhaust grill 114 is configured to cover the exhaust portions of the first air tunnel 120 and the second air tunnel 126 of the housing 102. The exhaust grill 114 comprises a plurality of slots or openings that allows air to exit the portable blower fan assembly 100. The slots or openings of the intake grill 112 are also sized to prevent larger objects from entering the exhaust side of the portable blower fan assembly 100. The intake grill 112 and the exhaust grill 114 may be coupled to the housing 102 using a plurality of fasteners (e.g. screws, bolts, or clips).
Power Supply The power supply 116 is electrically coupled to the first motor 134 and the second motor 138. The power supply 116 is configured to provide electrical power to the first motor 134 and the second motor 138. The power supply 116 may comprise motor driving electronics, an inverter, a microprocessor, a power cord, and any other suitable components for providing electrical power to the first motor 134 and the second motor 138. In some embodiments, the power supply 116 may also be configured to provide electrical power to any other electronic devices. In one embodiment, the power supply 116 may be installed between an upper portion of the housing 102 and the upper housing cover 108. In other embodiments, the power supply 116 may be installed in any other suitable location on the portable blower fan assembly 100. In some embodiments, the power supply 116 may comprise one or more electrical plug outlets that allows other electronic devices to be plugged into the power supply 116. For example, the one or more electrical plug outlets may allow multiple portable blower fan assemblies 100 to be daisy-chained together.
In some embodiments, the portable blower fan assembly 100 further comprises a plurality of vibration dampening feet 202. In
Portable Blower Fan Assembly with Positioning Legs
In some embodiments, the positioning legs 702 are configured to have an adjustable length 704. For example, the positioning legs 702 may be telescopic which allows their length 704 to be adjusted. In other examples, the positioning legs 702 may use any other suitable technique that allows their length 704 to be adjusted. The positioning legs 702 may be configured such that the length 704 of each positioning leg 702 is independently adjustable. In other words, the length 704 of a positioning leg 702 can be adjusted independently without adjusting the other positioning legs 702.
In some embodiments, the positioning legs 702 are removable from the portable blower fan assembly 100. For example, a positioning leg 702 may be installed into a channel 204 by sliding the positioning leg 702 into the channel 204. The positioning leg 702 can then be removed from the channel 204 by sliding the positioning leg 702 out of the channel 204. In other examples, a positioning leg 702 may be installed into channel 204 using friction, threaded connections, fasteners, or any other suitable coupling technique.
In
Portable Blower Fan Assembly with Cable Management
In one embodiment, the cable cleat 906 may comprise two parts that are formed by the joining of the housing 102 and the lower housing cover 110. For example, the housing 102 may comprise a first portion of the cable cleat 906 and the lower housing cover 110 may comprise a second portion of the cable cleat 906. In this configuration, the cable cleat 906 is formed when the housing 102 is coupled to the lower housing cover 110.
At step 1102, an operator positions a portable blower fan assembly 100 at a worksite adjacent to a wet surface. As an example, the operator may be at a worksite that has one or more wet surfaces. Examples of a worksite include, but are not limited to, a home, an apartment, an office, a building, or any other suitable type of location. For instance, the operator may be in a home that contains one or more wet surfaces from a flood. The operator will position a portable blower fan assembly 100 adjacent to one of the wet surfaces such that the portable blower fan assembly 100 can provide an airflow to the wet surface. As an example, the operator may position the portable blower fan assembly 100 in an orientation that is similar to the orientation shown in
In some embodiments, the portable blower fan assembly 100 may be rotated ninety degrees from the configuration shown in
As another example, the operator may position the portable blower fan assembly 100 in an orientation that is similar to the orientation shown in
As another example, the operator may position the portable blower fan assembly 100 in an orientation that is similar to the orientation shown in
At step 1104, the operator activates the portable blower fan assembly 100. The operator may activate the portable blower fan assembly 100 by trigger the power supply 116 to provide electrical power to the fan assemblies 104A and 104B. For example, the operator may toggle a switch to trigger the power supply 116 to activate the portable blower fan assembly 100.
At step 1106, the operator determines whether the wet surface has dried. Here, the operator may periodically check the wet surface to determine whether the wet surface has dried sufficiently. The operator may check the dampness of the wet surface using a physical touch or any suitable type of device for measuring moisture. The operator may remain at step 1106 in response to determining that the wet surface has not yet dried. In this case, the operator will continue to operate the portable blower fan assembly 100 to for a period of time before checking the wet surface again to determine whether the wet surface has dried sufficiently.
Otherwise, the operator may proceed to step 1108 in response to determining that the wet surface has dried. In this case, the operator determines that the wet surface has dried sufficiently and that the portable blower fan assembly 100 is no longer needed to provide airflow to the wet surface. The operator may deactivate the portable blower fan assembly 100 by triggering the power supply 116 to disconnect electrical power to the fan assemblies 104A and 104B. For example, the operator may toggle the switch to trigger the power supply 116 to deactivate the portable blower fan assembly 100. At step 1108, the operator may determine whether there are any other wet surfaces at the worksite. Here, the operator may check the worksite for any other wet surfaces that may require an airflow from the portable blower fan assembly 100 for drying. The operator returns to step 1102 in response to determining that there are additional wet surfaces at the worksite. In this case, the operator may reposition the portable blower fan assembly 100 adjacent to another wet surface at the worksite.
Otherwise, the operator may proceed to step 1110 in response to determining that there are no more wet surfaces at the worksite. In this case, the operator determines that all of the wet surfaces at the worksite have dried sufficiently and that the portable blower fan assembly 100 is no longer required. At step 1110, the operator removes the portable blower fan assembly 100 from the worksite. In this case, the operator may remove the portable blower fan assembly 100 from the worksite for storage or for transporting to another worksite.
While several embodiments have been provided in the present disclosure, it should be understood that the disclosed systems and methods might be embodied in many other specific forms without departing from the spirit or scope of the present disclosure. The present examples are to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive, and the intention is not to be limited to the details given herein. For example, the various elements or components may be combined or integrated into another system or certain features may be omitted, or not implemented.
In addition, techniques, systems, subsystems, and methods described and illustrated in the various embodiments as discrete or separate may be combined or integrated with other systems, modules, techniques, or methods without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Other items shown or discussed as coupled or directly coupled or communicating with each other may be indirectly coupled or communicating through some interface, device, or intermediate component whether electrically, mechanically, or otherwise. Other examples of changes, substitutions, and alterations are ascertainable by one skilled in the art and could be made without departing from the spirit and scope disclosed herein.
To aid the Patent Office, and any readers of any patent issued on this application in interpreting the claims appended hereto, applicants note that they do not intend any of the appended claims to invoke 35 U.S.C. § 112(f) as it exists on the date of filing hereof unless the words “means for” or “step for” are explicitly used in the particular claim.
