This Application is a Continuation-In-Part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/459,568 filed Apr. 30, 2012, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,985,959, which claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional Application 61/603,072 filed Feb. 24, 2012. The entire disclosure of each application listed in this paragraph are incorporated herein by specific reference thereto.
This invention relates blade connecting devices, and in particular to devices, systems and methods of using blade arm brackets/irons using only a single screw fastener with two or three mounted posts to align and lock ceiling fan blades to a ceiling fan blade brackets/irons.
It is common to attach ceiling fan blades to blade brackets and holders of ceiling fans by screwing fasteners, such as screws, to attach the blades to ceiling fan brackets, where the brackets are attached to motors. Ceiling fan blades are difficult and tedious to assemble. Several small screws and washers need to be screwed through the blade and into the blade holder using a screw driver while holding the blade and blade holder in place.
Most ceiling fans require time and effort to assemble a blade with a blade holder. Many extra parts are needed and a tool is usually required for assembly. The hardware can be easily dropped, misplaced or lost.
Various types of alternatives have been proposed.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,758,626 to Tseng uses twistable knobs to attach blades in a ceiling fan. However, this device requires three twistable knobs, and that each of the knobs and their support posts must be oval shaped, and also requires keeping an air space between the blade and the arm in the locked position, which ends of with multiple parts and assembly time.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,932,576 to Bird shows and describes a connecting mechanism which uses one twisting knob. However, this device requires the installer to catch upwardly protruding inverted L shaped fasteners on a blade bracket to catch into holes in the blade. Next, a separated knob must be then inserted into another hole in the blade to be twisted. Having separated parts, such as the separate knob, can be easily lost and misplaced, similar to loose screws that are used to traditionally attach ceiling blades to ceiling fans. In addition, the catches can make it difficult for someone to angle the blade to assemble.
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, systems and methods of using blade arm brackets/irons with a single screw fastener with two or three mounted posts to align and lock ceiling fan blades to a ceiling fan blade arm brackets/irons.
A secondary objective of the present invention is to provide devices, systems and methods of soundly connecting a blade to a blade holder without using more than one screw type fastener.
The novel invention device, system and method requires no tools, loose parts, or hardware. The blade is simply aligned and placed over the locating pins in the blade holder and locked into place by rotating the fastener.
The claimed invention differs from what currently exists. Our invention requires only one screw type fastener. The entire assembly process takes seconds compared to several minutes for other systems.
A ceiling fan blade arm, can consist essential of a blade attachment end having only one single rotatable fastener and at least two alignment posts, wherein the single screw and at least two alignment posts are adapted to pass into at least three through-holes on a root end of a blade in order to attach the blade to the arm.
The single rotatable fastener can be positioned in the middle of three posts, and the blade includes four through-holes. The rotatable fastener can be a screw.
Two posts can be positioned outward facing from the middle rotatable fastener on the blade attachment end of the blade arm and one post is positioned inward facing from the middle rotatable fastener.
Two posts can be positioned inward facing from the middle rotatable fastener on the blade attachment end of the blade arm and one post is positioned outward facing from the middle rotatable fastener.
Two posts can be positioned inward facing from the blade attachment end and the rotatable fastener is positioned outward facing, wherein the two posts and rotatable fastener form a triangular arrangement.
Two posts can be positioned outward facing from the blade attachment end and the rotatable fastener is positioned inward facing, wherein the two posts and rotatable fastener form a triangular arrangement.
A ceiling fan blade attachment system can include a plurality of blade arm, each blade arm consisting essentially of a blade attachment end having only one single rotatable fastener and at least two alignment posts, wherein the single screw and at least two alignment posts, and a plurality of fan blades, each blade having at least three through-holes on a root end of the blade, wherein the single rotatable fastener and the at least two alignment posts are adapted to pass into at least three through-holes on the root ends of a blades.
The single rotatable fastener on each arm can be positioned in the middle of three posts on each arm, and each blade includes four through-holes.
Two posts can be positioned outward facing from the middle rotatable fastener on each blade attachment end of the blade arm and one post is positioned inward facing from the middle rotatable fastener on each blade attachment end of each blade arm.
Two posts can be positioned inward facing from the middle rotatable fastener on each blade attachment end of the blade arm and one post is positioned outward facing from the middle rotatable fastener on each blade attachment end of each blade arm.
Two posts can be positioned inward facing from each blade attachment end and the rotatable fastener is positioned outward facing, wherein the two posts and rotatable fastener form a triangular arrangement on each blade attachment end of each blade arm, and each blade has only three through-holes on the root end of the blade.
Two posts can be positioned outward facing from each blade attachment end and the rotatable fastener is positioned inward facing, wherein the two posts and rotatable fastener form a triangular arrangement on each blade attachment end of each blade arm, and each blade has only three through-holes on the root end of the blade.
A method of attaching a ceiling fan blade to a motor arm with a single rotatable fastener, can include the steps of providing a blade having a root end with at least three through holes arranged in a triangular pattern, providing a blade arm having a blade attachment end with a single rotatable fastener and at least two posts, removing the rotatable fastener from the blade arm, aligning the at least three through-holes on the root end of the blade over the at least three through-holes on the blade attachment end of the arm, rotating the single rotatable fastener through a single through-hole in the blade attachment end of the arm to attach the blade to the blade arm, and repeating the above steps for attaching additional blades to the blade attachment arms on a ceiling fan.
The method can include the step of providing a single screw as the rotatable fastener to attach each blade to 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 listing of components will now be described.
Referring to
During installation, the user can remove the rotatable fastener 155 from the raised base 150. The blade attachment end 5 of the ceiling fan blade 1 can be laid over the blade attachment end 105 of the blade arm 105 and lined up so that the top of each of the three posts 110, 120, 130 pass through the holes 10, 20, 30 of the blade 1. The bottom of the arm attachment end 5 of the blade can generally rest on the upper edge portion of the base of each of the posts 110, 120, 130, so that the tip ends of each post 110,120, 130 protrude upward from the top of the arm attachment end 5 of the blade 1. The rotatable fastener can be screwed into the central opening 40 in the arm attachment end 5 of the blade 1 so that outer edges of the enlarged head portion of the rotatable fastener 150 abut against upper surface portion of the top of arm attachment end 5 of the blade 1 to hold the blade to the arm. Each other blade can be attached to respective blade arms in a similar manner until all the blades are attached to all of the arms of the ceiling fan. Each blade can be attached to each arm by only a single rotatable fastener for each blade.
Referring to
The blade arm 200 can be attached to a blade in a similar manner to the previous embodiment. Here, the blade 1 of the previous embodiment can have a different hole pattern having two inwardly facing through holes and one outwardly facing through hole and central hole for the rotatable fastener 250.
During installation, the user can remove the rotatable fastener 255 from the raised base 250. Similar to the previous embodiment, the blade attachment end of the ceiling fan blade can be laid over the blade attachment end 205 of the blade arm 205 and lined up so that the top of each of the three posts 210, 220, 230 pass through respective holes of the blade. The bottom of the arm attachment end of the blade can generally rest on the upper edge portion of the base of each of the posts 210, 220, 230, so that the tip ends of each post 210, 220, 230 protrude upward from the top of the arm attachment end of the blade.
The rotatable fastener 250 can be screwed into the central opening in the arm attachment end of the blade so that outer edges of the enlarged head portion of the rotatable fastener 250 abut against upper surface portion of the top of arm attachment end of the blade to hold the blade to the arm. Each other blade can be attached to respective blade arms in a similar manner until all the blades are attached to all of the arms of the ceiling fan. Each blade can be attached to each arm by only a single rotatable fastener for each blade.
Referring to
The blade arm 300 can be attached to a blade in a similar manner to the previous embodiment. Here, the blade 1 of the previous embodiment can have a different hole pattern having two outward through holes and one inwardly facing through hole (a total of only three holes).
During installation, the user can remove the rotatable fastener 355 from the raised base 350. Similar to the previous embodiment, the blade attachment end of the ceiling fan blade can be laid over the blade attachment end 305 of the blade arm and lined up so that the top of each of the posts 310, 320 pass through respective holes of the blade. The bottom of the arm attachment end of the blade can generally rest on the upper edge portion of the base of each of the posts 310, 320, so that the tip ends of each post 310, 320 protrude upward from the top of the arm attachment end of the blade.
The rotatable fastener 350 can be screwed into the central opening in the arm attachment end of the blade so that outer edges of the enlarged head portion of the rotatable fastener 350 can abut against upper surface portion of the top of arm attachment end of the blade. Each other blade can be attached to respective blade arms in a similar manner until all the blades are attached to all of the arms of the ceiling fan. Each blade can be attached to each arm by only a single rotatable fastener for each blade.
Referring to
The blade arm 400 can be attached to a blade in a similar manner to the previous embodiment. Here, the blade of the previous embodiment can have a different hole pattern having two inward through holes and one outward facing through hole (a total of only three holes).
During installation, the user can remove the rotatable fastener 455 from the raised base 450. Similar to the previous embodiment, the blade attachment end of the ceiling fan blade can be laid over the blade attachment end 405 of the blade arm and lined up so that the top of each of the posts 410, 420 pass through respective holes of the blade. The bottom of the arm attachment end of the blade can generally rest on the upper edge portion of the base of each of the posts 410, 420, so that the tip ends of each post 410, 420 protrude upward from the top of the arm attachment end of the blade.
The rotatable fastener 450 can be screwed into the central opening in the arm attachment end of the blade so that outer edges of the enlarged head portion of the rotatable fastener 450 can abut against upper surface portion of the top of arm attachment end of the blade. Each other blade can be attached to respective blade arms in a similar manner until all the blades are attached to all of the arms of the ceiling fan. Each blade can be attached to each arm by only a single rotatable fastener for each blade.
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.
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