Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02359448 2001-10-23
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TRI-POD PORTABLE FAN
This application is a division of Canadian Patent Application
Serial No. 2,071,729 filed on June 19, 1992.
This invention relates generally to a portable electrical
far. and, mere particulat-ly, to a versatile, easily manufactured,
and low cost portable electrical fan.
Portable electrical fans are utilized to create air flout
and thereby enhance environmental conditions. To optimize the rlo~~,
pa: terns produced thereby, many portable fans are provided with
supports that permit selective orientation of a fan member on a
supporting pedestal. Although various type: of fan suppcrts have
been proposed, prior support mechanisms suf_~er from a number of
1'~ individual and collective disadvantages such as high cost, cumbersome
adustment requirements, excessive size, ~.nsufficient orienta'-on
ad ;ustment capability, etc.
rile O~'1_.''~eCt Cf thlS lnventiCn, the?'2fCre, 1S t0 prCVld°
an imprc~Ted portable electrical fan that is inexpensive, easily
_J assembled, and can be easily transported to a position and adjusted
tC ~rrJV'_de : aeszred a.r flOW 0~~leTltatl0n.
The invention is an air blower inc:ludina a rear housing
defining a plurality of air inlet openings; a front housing having
an annular peripheral portion secured to the rear nos;sing, a central
-'~ support portion within the peripheral portion and including a rear
surface facing the rear housing and an oppositely directed front
'~ f , ' l n r i n v !- i ~~ '' ~ o t o ~ o r a ~~
su:. ace and a ari.~_w.._k port_.,n e«_end_na e'~a~en he p_ripm--~.~
portion and the support portion; and a fan assembl;% secured to the
rear surface and projecting toward the rear housing, the far.
assembly including an electrical motor and a fan blade rctatabl,.'
COUpI ed ti:ereWith, an eleCtrlCal SWltCh OpeY'a'_,_~.Jr.~l c; COnrleCteC ,!-O
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the motor, and an actuator operatively coupled to the electrical
switch and projecting outwardly from the front surface. !~~lountimg
of the f_an assembly on the central support portion simplifies
assembly and minimizes external size of the blower.
According to features of the invention, the rear housing
further defines a chamber, a substantially circular access opening
thereto, the fan assembly projects through the access opening into
the chamber, the peripheral portion includes a substantially
circular rim engaging the access opening which is covered by the
front housing. This arrangement further optimizes the external
configuration of the blower.
According to another feature of the invention, the
grillwork portion comprises a plurality of curved vanes extending
betcaeen the rim and the central support portion. The curved vanes
enhance the selection of a desired air discharge pattern.
According to other features of the invention, the front
housing and the rear housing are integrally molded units. These
features reduce cost and further simplify assembly of the blower.
According to another feature, the invention includes a
power cord connected to the electrical switch and the front housing
means further defines a channel opening toward the chamber and
retaining a portion of a power cord connected to the switch.
The channel provides a conveniently located protective housing for
the power cord.
?~ According to yet other features, the blower further
comprises a base including a downwardly projecting handle and
adapted to support the blower on a support surface. Combining a
base and downwardly projecting handle enhances the compact external
configuration of the blower.
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According to other features of the invention, the base
comorise.s only three legs, one of the legs is disposed in a plane
bisecting the other two legs, a cross member extending between the
other two legs fcrms the handle, and the blower includes an
orientation adjustment mechanism for the one leg. The adjustment
mechanism permits selective changes in the orientation of the blower
to establish desired air discharge patterns.
According to further features of the invention, the
adjustment mechanism is operable to change the length of the one leg,
and the spacing between the one leg and the other two legs. This
arrangement facilitates the selective orientation of the blower.
According to additional features of the invention, the
one leg comprises a pair of spaced apart brackets retaining a
pivot pin, and the adjustment mechanism comprises a rotary member
disposed between the brackets, having an eccentric hole rotatably
coupled to the pivot pin and adapted to engage the support surface,
and defining rotation limiting stop surfaces for engaging the
brackets to limit rotation of the rotary member on the pivot pin.
Selective orientation of the blower is provided by rotation of the
rotary member between the limits established by the stop surfaces.
According to one aspect of the invention, there is
provided an air blower comprising: rear housing means defining a
plurality of air inlet openings; front housing means comprising an
annular peripheral portion secured to said rear housing means, a
~5 central support portion within said peripheral portion and
including a rear surface facing said rear housing means and an
oppositely directed front surface,
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and a grillwork portion extending between said peripheral portion and
said support portion; a fan assembly secured to said rear surface and
projecting toward said rear housing means, said fan assembly comprising
an electrical motor and a fan blade rotatably coupled therewith, an
electrical switch operatively connected to s<~id motor, and an actuator
operatively coupled to said electrical switch; a base means adapted to
support said air blower on a support surface, said base means
comprising three legs, one of said legs comprising a stem portion
having a pair of spaced apart brackets and a pivot means comprising a
pivot pin extending between said brackets; and adjustment means
comprising a rotary member having an eccentric hole rotatably coupled
to said pivot means and adapted to engage the support surface, said
rotary member being disposed between said brackets and defining
rotation limiting stop surfaces adapted for engagement therewith for
1~ selectively altering the orientation of said blower and for changing
the spacing between said one leg and the other two of said three legs.
According to another aspect of the invention, there is
provided an air blower comprising: housing means defining a plurality
of air inlet openings and a grillwork; fan assembly means retained
within said housing means and energizable to induce air flow in through
said inlet openings and out through said grillwork; base means
projecting below said housing means and adapted to provide support
thereof on a support surface, said base means comprising only three
legs adapted to engage the support surface; and adjustment means for
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selectively changing both the length of one said leg and the spacing
thereof from the other said legs.
These and other objects and features of the invention will become
more apparent upon a perusal of the following description taken in
> conjunction with the accompanying drawings wYierein:
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a portable fan according to
the invention;
Fig. 2 is a front view of the fan shown in Fig. 1;
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Fig. 3 is ar_ exploded view, partially in section of
the portable fan shown in Figs. 1 and 2; and
Fig. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view showing an
adjustable leg on the fan shown in Figs. 1-3.
An air blower 11 according to the present invention
includes a front housing 12, a rear housing I3 and base I~. The
rear housing 13 defines a chamber 16 and a plurality of rearwardly
facing inlet openings 17. Also defined by the rear housing 13 is
a circular opening 18 providing access to the chamber 16.
l~ The base 14 includes a pair of front legs 21, 22 projecting
downwardly from a front portion. of the rear housing 13 and a rear
leg 23 projecting downwardly from a rear portion thereof. Extending
between the front legs 21, 22 is a cross member 25 that is spaced
from the front housing 12 and the rear housing 13 so as to form a
handle for the blower 11. The rear leg 23 is spaced rearwardly
from the front legs 21, 22 and disposed in a bisecting plane
therebetween. Thus, the front legs 21, 22 and the rear leg 23
form a tri-pod for supporting the blower 11 on a suitable support
surface (not shown). Preferably, the rear housing 13 and the base
14 are formed as an integrally molded unit.
The front housing 12 includes an annular peripheral rim
portion 27, conforming to the circular access opening 18 in the
rear housing 13, a centrally located support portion 28 and a
grillwork portion 29 extending therebetween. Forming the grillwork
portion 29 are a plurality of curved vanes 31 having opposite ends
attached, respectively, to the rim portion 27 and the central support
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portion 28. A plurality of internally threaded studs 32 project
rearwardly from a trough 33 formed by the rim portion 27 as shown
in Fig. 3. Also formed by the front housing 12 are a front wall
34 and side walls 35 that extend between the central support portion
28 and the trough 33 so as to form a rearwardly opening channel 40.
The central support portion 28 includes a re<sr surface 36 facing
the rear housing 13 and an oppositely directE=_d front surface 37.
Formed by the front surface 37 is a circular cavity 38. A plurality
of internally threaded studs 39 extend rearwardly from the rear
surface 36. Preferably, the front housing I2 also is formed as
an integrally molded unit.
A fan assembly 41 (Fig. 3) is supported by the central
support portion 28 of the front housing 12. Included in the fan
assembly 41 is ar_ actuator knob 42, a conventional electrical rotary
switch 43, an electrical motor 44, a transformer 45 and a fan
blade 46. The transformer 45 is attached to the electrical motor
44 and that unit is secured by screws 48 to t:he rearwardly projecting
studs 39 on the central support portion 28. .~ drive shaft 51
rotatably couples the motor 44 to the fan blade 46 which projects
into the chamber 16 formed by the rear housing 13. Securing the
rear housing 13 to the front housing 12 are a plurality of screws
52 which engage the internally threaded studs 32.
The electrical switch 43 is retained within the cavity 38
in the central support portion 28 and defines therewith an annular
>> recess 53. Projecting forwardly from the electrical switch 43 is
an actuator shaft 54. Keyed for rotation with the actuator shaft 54
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is the actuator knob 42 which projects forwardly from the central
support portion 28 of the front housing 12. A rearwardly extending
circular flange portion 56 of the actuator knob 42 is received
by the annular recess 53 formed between the central support portion
28 and the electrical switch 43. Connected to the electrical
switch 43 and extending through the channel 40 is a power cord
57. A plurality of electrical wires 58 connect the electrical
switch 43 to the motor 44 and the transformer. 45.
The rear leg 23 is formed by a pair of spaced apart
brackets 61, 62 that project downwardly from the rear portion of
the rear housing 13. Extending between the brackets 6I, 62 is an
elliptically shaped pivot pin 63. Retained by the pivot pin 63
between the brackets 61, 62 is a rotatable, circular disk member 66.
As shown in Fig. 4, the disk member 66 defines an eccentric hole
67 that accommodates the pivot pin 63. Projecting transversely
from opposite sides of the disk member are a first pair of ridges
71. Also projecting transversely from opposite sides of the disk
member 66 and intercepting the first ridges 7i are a second pair
of ridges 72. Rotation of the disk member 66 on the pivot pin 63
in one sense is limited by engagement between the stop surfaces
formed by the first ridges 71 and first stop surfaces formed by
bottom edges 75 of the brackets 61, 62. Similarly, rotation of
the disk member 66 in the opposite sense is Ii.mited by engagement
between the stop surfaces formed by the second. ridges 72 and second
'5 stop surfaces formed by the forwardly facing edges 76 of the
brackets 61, 62.
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During use, the air blower 11 easily transported to a
location in which air circulation is desired., Transportation is
accomplished by merely gripping the cross member handle 25 and
moving the air blower 11 to the desired location. Once a suitable
position is attained, the readily accessible actuator knob 42 can
be rotated to actuate the switch 43 and energize the electrical
motor 44, thereby producing rotation of the fan blade 46. That
rotation draws air inwardly through the inlet openings 17 in the
rear housing 13 for discharge through the grillwork 29 in the
~0 front housing 12. As air is discharged through the grillwork 29,
aerodynamic flow is enhanced by the conical shape of the actuator
knob 42 with its outwardly facing apex.
6~Jhen in an established position, ve.~tical orientation
of air flow produced by the blower I1 can be adjusted easily by
rotation of the disk member 65 on the pivot pin 63. As the disk
member 55 is rotated on the pin 63 between the position shown by
solid lines in Fig. 4 with the first ridges 71 engaging the bottom
edges 75 of the brackets 61, 62 to the position shown by dashed
lines with the second ridges 72 engaging the front edges 76 of the
o brackets 61, 62; the effective length of the rear leg 23 is changed
by a distance h and the spacing thereof from the front legs 21,
22 is changed by a distance 1. Consequently, the tilt of the air
blower Il is changed and the orientation of air flow produced
thereby is altered accordingly. Frictional engagement betcaeen the
eccentric hole 67 in the disk member 66 and the pivot pin 63 will
retain the disk member 66 in any desired angular position between
those illustrated in Fig. 4 to -'hereby establi:~h any of a variety
of desired orientations for the blower 11.
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Obviously, many modifications and variations of the
present invention are possible in light of the above teachings.
It is to be understood, therefore, that the s_nvention can be
practiced otherwise than as specifically described.
