Patent Grant
9279428
This invention relates to ceiling fans, in particular to devices, apparatus, systems, and methods for the quick installation of ceiling fan blades for ceiling fans.
Many ceiling fans primarily require the blades must be attached to the motor housing bracket arms by tightening multiple screws and the like. With most ceiling fans having up to five blades and each blade requiring three or more screws, the number of screw tightening operations can result in the installer having to separately screw approximately 15 screws or more per ceiling fan installation. Installing more than one fan in a home or building further compounds this installation problem.
Often these screws can become lost during the assembly operation. Rotating screws into the blades and blade arms of a ceiling mounted motor is not only difficult to accomplish, but results in most ceiling fans in the market place having visible screws that are unsightly. Furthermore, the underside location of these fastener screws detract from the appearance of the ceiling fan itself.
Installing more than one fan in a home or building further compounds this installation problem.
Another problem with using multiple loose screws occurs from the ceiling fans being run under continuous vibration conditions where the screws can loosen causing the blades to be accidentally released and result in damage to surrounding property and people in the vicinity.
An additional problem comes from ceiling fan blades needing to be cleaned to remove dirt and dust buildup. Current techniques have relied on manually holding brushes to the blades themselves which inherently tires the muscles in the cleaner's neck, shoulders, arms and hands. This messy cleaning with brushes causes the dirt to fall on both the cleaner and furniture and flooring below the fan. Having to remove blades by unscrewing multiple screws over one's head would also not be practical.
Attempts have been made at changing the attachment methods for the blades but still fail to overcome all the problems presented above. U.S. Pat. No. 4,884,947 to Rezek describes a cover for covering the blade to motor connections but still uses screw fasteners that have the problems described above. U.S. Pat. No. 5,180,284 to Monrose III et al. is entitled a “Detachable Blades for Ceiling Fans” and U.S. Pat. No. 5,433,585 to Yan has a removable pin connection for ceiling fan blades, but each of these patents still requires screw on brackets for both the motor housing and the blades.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,396,352 to Pearce and U.S. Pat. No. 5,520,515 to Bailey et al. describe pitch adjustment attachments for ceiling fans but also still require screw on brackets between both the motor housing and the attached blades. A still further problem of many of these detachable ceiling fan type blades is that natural centrifugal forces of the spinning fans increase the chances of dislodging the blades.
The assignee of this invention created the popular QUICK CONNECT® ceiling fan blade systems, where the installer used blades and blade arms, or blade arms and rotors where enlarged headed fasteners fit into wide portions of key hole type slots where the enlarged headed fasteners and keyhole slots were slid together so that the fasteners would be locked in place; and other types of fast assembly ceiling fan systems. See for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,010,306; 6,171,059; 6,336,792; 6,352,411; 6,666,652; 6,802,694; 6,872,053; 7,281,899; 7,396,210; 7,766,622; 7,857,592; and 7,927,076.
However, the subject inventors have now discovered other techniques for the quick installation of ceiling fans that also do not require multiple loose screws and the like, to attach the blades to the ceiling fan arms.
A primary objective of the present invention is to provide devices, apparatus, systems, and methods for the quick installation of detachable blades for ceiling fans that are easy and quick to install.
A secondary objective of the present invention is to provide devices, apparatus, systems, and methods for the quick installation of detachable blades for ceiling fans that allow each blade to be locked in place to a blade arm.
A third objective of the present invention is to provide devices, apparatus, systems, and methods for the quick installation of detachable blades for ceiling fans that allow each blade to be locked in place to a motor housing.
A fourth objective of the present invention is to provide devices, apparatus, systems, and methods for the quick installation of detachable blades for ceiling fans that are adaptable to standard ceiling fan blades.
A fifth objective of the present invention is to provide devices, apparatus, systems, and methods for the quick installation of detachable blades for ceiling fans wherein the centrifugal force of the fans actually locks the blades in place.
A sixth objective of the present invention is to provide devices, apparatus, systems, and methods for the quick installation of detachable blades for ceiling fans where the blade arm connection does not show screw heads from beneath the fan.
A seventh objective of the present invention is to provide devices, apparatus, systems, and methods for the quick installation of detachable blades for ceiling fans wherein no removable fasteners such as screws are used to hold the blade to the fan.
An eighth objective of the present invention is to provide devices, apparatus, systems, and methods for the quick installation of detachable blades for ceiling fans having spring fastener to snapably lock the blades in place.
A quick installation ceiling fan can include a plurality of blades each of the blades having a plurality of slots adjacent to one end, and a plurality of blade arms, each of the blade arms having at least one upwardly extending pre-fixed fastener and a movably bendable fastener, wherein the blades are mounted to the blade arms by overlaying the slots over the pre-fixed fastener and the movably bendable fastener until the at least one upwardly extending pre-fixed fastener hooks onto one of the slots, and the moveably bendable fastener snaps onto another one of the slots.
The plurality of slots in each of the blades can include three slots per blade. The at least one upwardly extending pre-fixed fastener can include a first pre-fixed fastener has an enlarged head for clipping about an edge of the one of the slots, and a second pre-fixed fastener is a mounting post.
The moveably bendable fastener can include an enlarged head with a sloped upper surface on top of shaft wherein pushing down on the sloped top allows the fastener to bend until the enlarged head passes through the another of the slots and snaps back in place locking the moveable fastener to the another of the slots. The moveably bendable fastener can include an inwardly directed overhanging clip edge protruding in the direction of the motor mount end of the blade arm. The first pre-fixed fastener with the enlarged head can include an outwardly protruding clip ledge which extends to an outer end of the blade. The enlarged head can include a gripable surface.
Each blade arm can include at least one grommet adjacent to the plurality of slots for reducing vibration and undesirable noise from the blades being attached to the blade arms.
The plurality of slots in the each of the blade can include four slots per blade. The at least one upwardly extending pre-fixed fastener can include a pre-fixed fastener has an enlarged head for clipping about an edge of the one of the slots, and two pre-fixed fasteners which function as a mounting posts for two of the four slots. The moveably bendable fastener can include an enlarged head with a sloped upper surface on top of shaft wherein pushing down on the sloped top allows the fastener to bend until the enlarged head passes through the another of the slots and snaps back in place locking the moveable fastener to the another of the slots. The moveably bendable fastener can include an inwardly directed overhanging clip edge. The enlarged head on the pre-fixed fastener can include an outwardly protruding clip ledge which extends to an outer end of the blade.
A method of installing ceiling fan blades on a ceiling fan can include the steps of providing a plurality of blades each having mounting ends with a plurality of slots, providing a plurality of ceiling fan blade arms each having motor mounting ends and blade mounting ends with a plurality of upwardly protruding fasteners, with one of the fasteners being bendable, angling the blades to the mounting ends of the blade arms so that at least one of the fasteners passes through one of the slots, laying down the mounting ends of the blades over fasteners while moving the mounting ends of the blades toward the motor mounting ends of the blade arms while bending the bendable fastener, and locking the blades to the blade arms when the bendable fastener is bent back to snap in place into one of the slots.
The plurality of slots on each blade can include three slots per blade, and the plurality of upwardly protruding fasteners on each blade arm can include three pre-attached fasteners for each blade arm.
The plurality of slots on each blade can include four slots per blade, and the plurality of upwardly protruding fasteners on each blade arm can include four pre-attached fasteners for each blade arm.
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.
A list of components will now be described.
The blade arm 40 can be any type of blade arm that can be used with a ceiling fan. This blade arm 40 can have an inner end 42 that attaches the blade arm 40 to a standard ceiling fan motor housing (not shown) and an outer end 44 on which a mounting end 4 of a blade 2 can attach thereto. The bottom 48 of the blade arm 40 can have a design that is visible from beneath a hung ceiling fan. The top 46 of the blade arm 40 has the pre-attached fasteners 50, 60, 70 thereon.
The first pre-attached fastener 50 can be a spring clip fastener 50 that can include an elongated base 51 with one end 52 pre-attached to a midportion of the blade arm 40 by fasteners 53 such as but not limited to screws, and the like, with an upwardly protruding bendable portion 54 having a generally sloped top 55 with gripable (roughened and/or patterned type surface that is not slippery) and an inwardly directed overhanging clip edge 56. The distal end 57 of base 51 can have a through-hole 58 that allows the distal end 57 to move up and down on the shaft 59.S of an enlarged headed fastener 59 that is pre-attached to the top of the blade mounting end 46 of the blade arm 40. The upwardly protruding portion 54 and/or tab base 51 and/or shaft 59.S of the fastener 59 can have grommet surface, such as but not limited to being formed of elastomeric, rubber, plastic, and the like, so as to minimize and/or isolate vibrations from the blade 2 being attached at that location to the blade arm 40.
The second pre-attached fastener 60 can have an enlarged headed fastener 62 such as but not limited to a screw and the like, that has one or more cylindrical washers 64 and a raised enlarged cylindrical base 66, where the cylindrical base 66 can have a larger diameter than the washer(s) 64. The washer(s) 64 and/or base 66 can also have a grommet surface such as but not limited to being formed of elastomeric, rubber, plastic, and the like, so as to minimize and/or isolate vibrations that can occur from the blade 2 being attached at that location to the blade arm 40.
The third pre-attached fastener 70 can have a fastener 72, such as but not limited to a screw, and the like, that holds an outwardly protruding clip ledge 74 over a shaft 76 having outwardly sloping lower sides 77 with an enlarged base 78 that has a larger diameter than the shaft 76. The clip ledge 74 and/or the shaft 76 and/or the enlarged base 78 can also have a grommet surface such as but not limited to being formed of elastomeric, rubber, plastic, and the like, so as to minimize and/or isolate vibrations that can occur from the blade 2 being attached at that location to the blade arm 40.
Next, the tilted blade 2 is moved in the direction of arrow Y toward the motor attached end 42 of the blade arm 40 as shown in
For a ceiling fan having multiple blades, each blade can be installed in a similar manner to that shown and described relative to
The blade 2 can be removed by having the installer push their finger or fingers on the gripping surface 55 of the upwardly protruding portion and pushing the first fastener backward in the direction of arrow R as shown in
Four Slot Attachment
The four slot embodiment can be similar to the first three slot embodiment, with the difference being there are two central slots 20A and 20B between the first slot 10 and the third slot 30. And there are two central posts 60A and 60B that are similar to the central pre-attached fastener 60 previously described.
The first central pre-attached fastener 60A can have an enlarged headed fastener 62A such as but not limited to a screw and the like, that has one or more cylindrical washers 64A and a raised enlarged cylindrical base 66A, where the cylindrical base 66A can have a larger diameter than the washer(s) 64A. The washer(s) 64A and/or base 66A can also have a grommet surface such as but not limited to being formed of elastomeric, rubber, plastic, and the like, so as to minimize and/or isolate vibrations that can occur from the blade 2 being attached at that location to the blade arm 40.
The second central pre-attached fastener 60B can have an enlarged headed fastener 62B such as but not limited to a screw and the like, that has one or more cylindrical washers 64B and a raised enlarged cylindrical base 66B, where the cylindrical base 66B can have a larger diameter than the washer(s) 64B. The washer(s) 64B and/or base 66B can also have a grommet surface such as but not limited to being formed of elastomeric, rubber, plastic, and the like, so as to minimize and/or isolate vibrations that can occur from the blade 2 being attached at that location to the blade arm 40.
The steps for installing the blade 2 of the second embodiment 100 onto the blade arm 40 of the second embodiment can be done similar to that described in the first embodiment 1. During installation, both central slots 20A and 20B are lined up to pass over the upwardly protruding pre-attached fasteners 60A and 60B.
While the springably bendable pre-attached fastener has clip edge facing inward toward the motor mounting end of the blade arm, the clip edge can be faced in a different direction such as but not limited to one side, both sides, toward the outer end of the blade, and the like. While the outer pre-attached fastener is shown with a outer lip edge rearwardly facing out to the outer end of the blade, the outer lip edge can be faced in a different direction such as but not limited to one side, both sides, toward the outer end of the blade, and the like.
Although the slots are shown with shapes such as rectangular, circular and oval, the slots can other types of geometrical shapes and other types of combinations of geometrical shapes that still allow for the quick installation of the blades to the fan.
While the three slot embodiment shows the slots in a generally straight line, the slots can be other shapes such as but not limited to triangular, and/or off-axis to one another. While the slots are shown generally in a straight line down the center of the blade, the slots can be arranged in other directions, such as but not limited to being across the blade from one side to another.
While the four slot embodiment shows the slots in a trapezoidal pattern, the slots can be arranged in other patterns such as but not limited to a straight line, a triangular shape, a rectangular shape, and the like.
Although the embodiments show the quick installation fasteners located on the distal (adjacent the motor) end of the blade arm, these fasteners can be located on the blade with their respective attachment slots located on the blade arm. Additionally, the quick installation fasteners can be located on the motor mount with the slots on the inner (motor mounting) end of the blade arm. Alternatively, the fasteners can be on the inner end of the blade arm, with the respective slots adjacent to the underside of the motor.
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 application is a Divisional Application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/204,310 filed Sep. 30, 2010, now allowed as U.S. Pat. No. 8,845,293 issued Sep. 30, 2014, which is incorporated by reference in its' entirety.
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|---|---|---|---|
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| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20150078903 A1 | Mar 2015 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 13204310 | Aug 2011 | US |
| Child | 14500945 | US |
