Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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MOMTINO SYBTRM FOR SQPPORTINC~ A CEILING FAN ASSSKSLY
TBCHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to a mounting system for
supporting a ceiling fan assembly.
HACKaROtA+iD OF THS INVgNTION
Ceiling fans have become an increasingly popular
supplementary means of creating an airflow within both
commercial and residential buildings. Notwithstanding the
widespread use of ceiling fans, the installation and
subsequent stabilization of ceiling fans during use remains
problematic.
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With conventional mounting systems, the weight of the
ceiling fan assembly, which includes the ceiling fan motor,
motor housing, downrod, blades - and blade irons, is
supported by either a mounting bracket or a canopy. These
mounting brackets or canopies typically include slotted
openings extending from their outer edges to their centers,
which are adapted to accept and retain the top end of the
downrod which commonly ends in a ball joint.
When a bracket mounting system is used, the slotted
mounting bracket is mounted either directly or indirectly
to the ceiling at the mounting location of the anticipated
connection of the ceiling fan assembly to the electrical
current supply. The downrod is positioned within the
slotted opening with the ball joint positioned above the
slotted opening so that the downrod may be slid along the
slotted opening to the mounting bracket's center and then
lowered so that the ball nests upon the mounting bracket.
Thus, the weight of the ceiling fan assembly is supported
by the mounting bracket through the ball joint. The ceiling
fan assembly is then wired to the electrical power supply
wires within the ceiling. Throughout installation and
wiring of the ceiling fan assembly, the canopy rests on or
above the ceiling. fan motor housing with the downrod
extending through the center opening of the canopy. After
wiring is completed, the canopy is manually raised along
the downrod and is mounted to the mounting bracket to hide
the mounting bracket and electrical wires from view.
When a canopy mounting system is used, the canopy is
mounted either directly or indirectly to the ceiling at the
mounting location of the ceiling fan assembly to the
electrical current supply in much the,same manner. as
previously described in reference to the mounting bracket.
The downrod is then placed within the slotted opening of
the canopy and is slid to the center of the canopy which is
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adapted to accept and retain the downrod ball joint. Thus,
the weight of the ceiling fan assembly is supported by the
canopy through the ball joint. Working through the slotted
opening in the canopy, the installer wires the ceiling fan
assembly to the electrical wires within the ceiling. A
cover is then mounted to cover the opening and form a
complete canopy.
These conventional mounting systems, however, may
include a gap between the ball joint and mounting bracket
that may cause the ceiling fan to wobble. These gaps may
be created through slight differences between the shape or
size of the ball joint and the mounting bracket or canopy.
It thus is seen that a need remains for a mounting
system that enables the ball joint and mounting bracket or
canopy to fit together in a better manner. Accordingly, it
is to the provision of such that the present invention is
primarily directed.
SMOARY OF THB INVEIdTION
In a preferred form of =the invention a mounting system
for supporting a ceiling fan assembly of the type having a
motor, motor housing, a plurality of blades and a downrod
to a support surface. The mounting system comprises a
mounting plate configured to be mounted to a support
surface, a hanger coupled to the mounting plate and having
a receiving flange, and a ball joint coupled to an end of
the downrod. The ball joint is configured to be received
within the hanger receiving flange. The ball joint has an
exterior surface with a plurality of deformable ridges
configured to contact the hanger receiving flange. With
this construction, the deformation of the ridges creates a
greater fit between the ball joint and the hanger receiving
flange.
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BRIEF DICSCRIPTION OF T8B DRANIND
Fig. 1 is an exploded view of the ceiling fan mounting
system embodying principles of the invention in a preferred
form.
Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a ball portion of the
mounting system of Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a partial cross-sectional view of the
mounting system of Fig. 1.
Fig. 4 is a side view of a ball portion of the
mounting system shown in another preferred form.
Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a ball portion of the
mounting system shown in another preferred form.
Fig. 6 is a side view of a mounting system in another
preferred form of the invention.
PBTAILBD DRSCRIPTION
With reference next to the drawings, there is shown in
Fig. 1 a mounting system 10 and conventional ceiling fan
assembly 11 in a preferred form of the invention, shown
with the mounting system 10 in an enlarged scale for
clarity of explanation. The mounting system 10 includes an
pre-mounted upper assembly 12 and a lower hanging assembly
13. The upper pre-mounted assembly 12 includes a mounting
plate 14 with an annular array of mounting slots 15 therein
and a peripheral rim or flange 16 having threaded mounting
holes 17 therein. The upper assembly 12 also includes
mounting screws 18 which are sized and shaped to pass
through the mounting slots 15 and into the ceiling C.
The upper assembly 12 also includes a hanger or hanger
bracket 21 coupled to the mounting plate 14. The hanger 21
has two mounting arms 22 and a stepped ball holding flange,
cradle, or nest 23 spanning the bottom ends of the mounting
arms 22. The ball holding flange 23 has a beveled
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interior facing surface 24. The ball holding flange 23
also includes an opening 26 therein which allows the
passage of the downrod therethrough during mounting, as
described more hereinafter.
The lower hanging assembly 13 includes a downrod 29
coupled to a ball joint 31 and a canopy 32 journalled upon
the downrod 29. The term ball joint is intended to
represent the enlarged portion atop the end of the downrod
represented in the illustrations and is not intended to be
limited to a sphere, as the ball joint may also include
partial spheres, oblong or oval shapes, or symmetrical or
asymmetrical structures such as the trilobular ba1l
structure shown in U.S. Patent No. 6,872,054. The downrod
29 has the ball joint 31 fixed to its upper end and the
ceiling fan assembly 11 coupled to its lower end. The ball
joint 31 is configured to be received within the hanger
ball holding flange 23. The ball joint has a series of V-
shaped vertical ridges 33 that extend from the lower edge
to the upper edge of the ball joint,. In the preferred
embodiment, the ridge height is approximately 0.02 inches
with the apex or bight of the V-shaped ridge being directly
outwardly. The ball joint is made of nylon, such as
catalog no. 101L rated 94V-2 made by B.I. DuPont de Nemours
and Company, which enables a portion of the ridges 33 to be
worn or deformed easily.
The canopy 32 includes a central, stepped flange 35
adapted to receive and nest flushly against the exterior of
the hanger ball holding flange 23. The lower hanging
assembly 13 also includes mounting screws 37 adapted to
extend through corresponding slotted mounting holes 38 in
the canopy 32 and be threadably received within the
corresponding threaded mounting holes 17 in the mounting
plate flange 16. A canopy ring 39 is adapted to be coupled
to the top end of the canopy 32 to obscure the mounting
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screws 37 from view.
The ceiling fan assembly 11 has an unshown motor, a
motor housing 46, fan blades 47, and blade irons 48. The
ceiling fan motor extends through an opening at the lower
end of the motor housing 46. The ceiling fan blades 47 are
coupled to blade irons 48 which are in turn coupled to the
motor at predetermined locations depending on the desired
number of fan blades 47. Although the ceiling fan assembly
11 is shown in the preferred embodiment with five blades
47, any number of fan blades 47 may be used as dictated by
convention. Thus, rotational motion produced by the motor
will produce air circulation through rotational movement of
the fan blades 47. In order to control the speed of
rotation of the fan blades 47, the motor has an unshown
control switch which can be controlled conventionally
through actuation of a pull string or electrical
controller.
In use, the upper pre-mounted assembly 12 is installed
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by mounting the mounting plate 14 to the ceiling C. The
mounting plate is mounted to the ceiling by extending the
mounting screws 18 through the screw slots 15 in the
mounting plate 14 and threading the screws 18 into the
ceiling, ceiling joists or electrical box mounted to a
ceiling structure or the like.
As ahown in Fig. 3, the lower hanging assembly 13 is
then suspended from the upper pre-mounted assembly 12 by
positioning the ball joint 31 within the hanger ball
holding flange 23. The ceiling fan assembly 11,
specifically the unshown electric wires associated with the
electric motor, is then wired to the electrical wires in
the ceiling. It should be noted that the installer may
couple the wires without lifting the ceiling fan assembly
11 or maintaining the relative position of the ceiling fan
assembly 11.
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Next, the canopy 32 is raised along the downrod 29 to
a position generally below and adjacent the mounting plate
14. With the threaded screws 37 mounted within the
threaded screw holes 17 of the mounting plate flange 16 the
canopy is raised so that the heads of the screw 37 pass
through the large portion of the slotted mounting holes 38.
The canopy is then rotated clockwise so that the heads of
the screw 37 are positioned in the narrow portion of the
mounting holes 38 and tightened to prevent the canopy from
falling. The canopy and mounting plate may also include a
circular mounting hole 49 and corresponding screw 50 which
further prevents the canopy from rotating counterclockwise
and thereby releasing from the mounting plate.
During operation of the ceiling fan slight vibrations
and other movements cause the ball joint 31 to move
relative to the hanger ball holding flange 23. This
movement and the weight of the fan itself cause the V-
shaped ridges 33 of the ball joint to be worn down or
deformed. The term deformable used herein is intended to
mean the wearing away of, compression, or physical
deflection of the ridges. This deformation of the ridges
33 causes the ball joint 31 to fit tight within the holding
flange 23, even correcting some tolerance discrepancies
between such. The ridges of the preferred embodiment are
intended to be worn approximately 0.01 inches wherein the
ridge becomes wider resulting in a reduction of its
wearing. As such, the ball joint ridges 33 allows for a
better fit between the ball joint and the holding flange,
an improvement over the prior art wherein variations
therebetween may cause fit related problems between the
smooth surfaces of the ball joint and their receiving
member.
With reference next to Fig. 4, there is shown a
mounting system having a ball joint 60 in another preferred
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form of the invention. Here, the ball joint 60 has ridges
61 oriented in a generally horizontal direction, as opposed
to the vertical orientation previously described. The
horizontal ridges deform as previously described. The
terms vertical and horizontal are intended to refer to a
general direction of orientation.
With reference next to Fig. 5, there is shown a
mounting system having'a ball joint 70 in another preferred
form of the invention. Here, the ball joint 70 has ridges
that form a field of protrusions or pads 71, as opposed to
the vertically orientated elongated previously described.
The pads deform as previously described. The ridges here
are also truncated rather than having a sharp ridge line or
apex.
It should be understood that the hanger may be
configured to be mounted directly to a support surface
without the need for a separate mounting plate.
It should also be understood that the concept of
deformable ridges may also be incorporated into a mounting
system 80 wherein the ball joint 81 resides within the
beveled flange or ball receiver 82 of a canopy 83, i.e., a
system wherein the ball joint is coupled to the canopy
rather than the hanger, as shown in Fig. 6. As such, the
canopy may be referenced as the hanger.
It thus is seen that a mounting system for supporting
a ceiling fan assembly is now provided which compensates
for tolerance differences between the ball joint and the
ball joint holding flange. It should be understood that
many modifications may be made to the specific preferred
embodiment described herein without departure from the
spirit and scope of the invention as described by the
following claims.
