This invention relates to remote controls, and in particular to devices, apparatus, brackets and methods for mounting a remote control receiver off-axis and below the motor mount bracket inside a ceiling mounted hugger fan housing.
Remote controls are often used in ceiling fans hanging from down rods with canopies attached to ceilings, wherein a handheld remote control activates a remote receiver in side of the fan which turns the fan on and off. The open cavity of the canopy can have enough room for the receiver to be inside. See for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,430,277 to Whitaker and U.S. Pat. No. 5,613,832 to Su.
However, hugger type low-profile fans have motor housings generally attached directly to a ceiling without a down rod, and have little room to mount a remote receiver inside the housing. In view of the limited space it is difficult to install remote control receivers inside of the hugger type low-profile fan housings. Additionally, there is a danger of the remote receiver and/or the loose wires attached to the receivers can fall into the moving motor which can damage the motor and be dangerous to those underneath the ceiling mounted fan.
Additionally, if the wires and remote receivers are not firmly secured, the receiver and wires can rattle causing undesirable noise and vibration.
Attempts have been made over the years to try and mount remote receivers in the housings, but are difficult to use. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,015,274 to Bias et al. describes a low profile ceiling fan having a remote control receiver. However, the remote receivers are generally required to have apertures (holes) through upper and/or lower portions of the receiver housings in order to be mounted. Forming holes into an existing receiver would not be desirable since it can damage the receiver.
Another embodiment in this reference shows the remote receiver mounted on top of the motor mount bracket which would not be desirable since the motor bracket is intended to be substantially flush mounted. As such, there is little or no room on the top of the bracket.
Another embodiment shows the remote receiver directly mounted underneath the bracket. Similarly, this would also not be desirable since it would be difficult to attach when the top of the receiver is not accessible.
Another embodiment generally requires the receiver to be slid into a pocket type opening under the end of the bracket, which may be difficult to insert into. Also, the pocket may not be a secure fit and could result in the remote receiver moving about causing undesirable noise and vibration.
Thus, the need exists for solutions to the above problems in the prior art.
A primary objective of the invention is to provide devices, apparatus, brackets, systems and methods for mounting a remote receiver off-axis and to the side of a motor mount bracket inside a ceiling mounted hugger fan housing.
A secondary objective of the invention is to provide devices, apparatus, brackets, systems and methods for mounting a remote receiver inside a ceiling mounted hugger fan housing without forming apertures in the remote receiver.
A third objective of the invention is to provide devices, apparatus, brackets, systems and methods for mounting a remote receiver inside a ceiling mounted hugger fan housing without mounting the receiver on top of a motor mount bracket.
A fourth objective of the invention is to provide devices, apparatus, brackets, systems and methods for mounting a remote receiver inside a ceiling mounted hugger fan housing without mounting the receiver to the bottom of a motor mount bracket.
A fifth objective of the invention is to provide devices, apparatus, brackets, systems and methods for mounting after market remote receivers inside existing ceiling mounted hugger fan housings.
A sixth objective of the invention is to provide devices, apparatus, brackets, systems and methods for mounting a remote control receiver inside a ceiling mounted hugger fan housing on a ledge off a motor mounting bracket, wherein the ledge has openings for allowing heat ventilation therethrough.
A seventh objective of the invention is to provide devices, apparatus, brackets, systems and methods for mounting a remote receiver inside a ceiling mounted hugger fan housing on a ledge off a motor mounting bracket, and openings for safely passing wires, eliminating the wires falling into the motor.
A mounting system for mounting remote control receivers in low profile ceiling fan housings, comprising a ceiling fan housing having an upper open end and a lower open end having a diameter smaller than the diameter of the upper open end, an elongated generally rectangular mounting bracket having a left side and a right side, and a first end and a second end, the first end attached to a first upper rim portion of the upper open end of the housing, and the second end attached to a second upper rim portion of the upper open end of the housing opposite to the first upper rim portion of the housing, a motor mounted to a mid portion of the elongated bracket between the first end and the second end hanging underneath the mounting bracket; a side shelf extending sideways from one of the left side or the right side of the elongated bracket; and a remote control receiver mounted on the side shelf.
The side shelf can have an L shape with a vertical leg attached to one of the left side and the right side of the elongated bracket, with a horizontal leg spaced below and extending sideways from the elongated bracket.
The system can include a strap having one end hingedly attached to one of the sides of the elongated bracket, and having an opposite end that attaches to the shelf, the strap for mounting the remote receiver to the shelf. The strap can be a metal strap. The strap can be a zip tie.
The shelf can have side holes for allowing wires to safely pass therethrough. The shelf can include holes in the support surface for heat ventilation adjacent to the remote receiver.
The shelf can be attached to one side of the elongated bracket by weld. The shelf can be attached to one side of the elongated bracket by a fastener. The elongated bracket and the shelf can be formed from one piece.
An embodiment of a ceiling fan, can include a ceiling fan housing having an upper open end and a lower open end having a diameter smaller than the diameter of the upper open end, an elongated generally rectangular mounting bracket having a left side and a right side, and a first end and a second end, the first end attached to a first upper rim portion of the upper open end of the housing, and the second end attached to a second upper rim portion of the upper open end of the housing opposite to the first upper rim portion of the housing, a motor mounted to a mid portion of the elongated bracket between the first end and the second end hanging underneath the mounting bracket substantially inside of the housing, a side shelf extending sideways from one of the left side or the right side of the elongated bracket, a remote control receiver mounted on the side shelf, and a plurality of ceiling fan blades mounted to a lower portion of the motor below the lower open end of the housing.
The side shelf can have an L shape with a vertical leg attached to one of the left side and the right side of the elongated bracket, with a horizontal leg spaced below and extending sideways from the elongated bracket.
The fan can include a strap having one end hingedly attached to one of the sides of the elongated bracket, and having an opposite end that attaches to the shelf, the strap for mounting the remote receiver to the shelf. The strap can be a metal strap. The strap can be a zip tie.
The shelf can include side holes for allowing wires to safely pass therethrough. The shelf can include holes in the support surface for heat ventilation adjacent to the remote receiver.
The shelf can be attached to one side of the elongated bracket by weld. The shelf can be attached to one side of the elongated bracket by a fastener.
The elongated bracket and the shelf can be formed from one piece.
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.
Referring to
Referring to
Wiring 120 on the side of the receiver 100 can be oriented to pass directly through wire egress hole(s) 90 helping secure the wires 120 so that they do not flap or are in danger of falling into motor 18 below. If the receiver 100 is mounted with wires on opposite side, the wires 120 can be easily wrapped over and/or under the receiver 100 and horizontal leg 36 and still be manipulated to pass into egress holes 90. Large holes 135 and/or slots 130 in horizontal leg 36 can be useful for allowing heat ventilation from the receiver 100 to pass there through so as to reduce and eliminate heating up of the receiver 100
The shelf can have a generally L shaped configuration with a vertical leg 32 attached to a left side or a right side of the bracket 20 so that the horizontal leg 36 extends sideways from the main longitudinal axis of the bracket 20. The horizontal leg 36 is preferably below the bracket 20 so that the top of the mounted receiver is either flush with or below the top surface of the bracket 20. The shelf 30 is preferably being positioned into dead space to one side of the bracket. The novel shelf allows for using the existing dead space inside of a fan housing, and does not raise the top of the remote receiver to be above the existing bracket inside of the housing. The location of the shelf makes it easy for attaching the remote receiver to the shelf.
The vertical leg 32 can include a generally flat plate surface with flat side edges 31 and inwardly angled side edges 34 which meet with an outwardly extending flat side edge 35.
The horizontal leg 36 can include a generally flat rectangular plate surface with an outwardly extending convex curved edge 38. The horizontal leg 36 can have a larger plate surface than the vertical leg 32.
The bracket 20 and shelf 30 can be formed from metal, such as but limited to galvanized metal, aluminum, and the like.
While the shelf and the bracket are shown as two parts which can use fasteners, such as but not limited to screws and bolts for attaching each part to one another, the shelf and bracket can be formed from one piece of material.
The invention can use an existing remote receiver that exists in the marketplace, where the remote receiver does not need to be modified by putting holes or separate cases about the receiver.
The invention can be manufactured with the remote receiver already installed on the shelf before the ceiling fan is shipped from the manufacturer.
Alternatively, the remote receiver can be installed separately by the ceiling fan installer as an after-market installation, where the remote receiver and the transmitter can be sold in a package to be installed by the end user installer. In this version, the shelf can be pre-installed during manufacture.
Also, the remote receiver and the transmitter and the shelf can be sold separately in a package for installation by the ceiling fan installer.
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.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
4465956 | Fowler | Aug 1984 | A |
4548554 | Angott | Oct 1985 | A |
5147234 | Brug | Sep 1992 | A |
5242269 | Chang | Sep 1993 | A |
5340277 | Whitaker | Aug 1994 | A |
5613832 | Su | Mar 1997 | A |
6015274 | Bias | Jan 2000 | A |
6200099 | Liao | Mar 2001 | B1 |
20050006549 | Liu | Jan 2005 | A1 |
Entry |
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Harbor Breeze Merrimack 52-in White Outdoor Flush Mount Ceiling Fan with Light Kit and Remote Control, 2015, http://www.lowes.com/pd—593744-1811-RLC52WW5C1R—0—?productId=50179275&Ntt=, 2 pages. |
Harbor Breeze, Merrimack Ceiling Fan, Model #RLC52WW5C1R, Item #0593744, Manual, Date???, 36 pages. |