AU596884B2

AU596884B2 - Electric fan apparatus

Info

Publication number: AU596884B2
Application number: AU10642/88A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Soon-Suk Ahn
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1988-01-20
Filing date: 1988-01-20
Publication date: 1990-05-17
Anticipated expiration: 2008-01-20
Also published as: AU1064288A

Description

9

APPLICANT:

NUMBER:

F~ILING DATE: SEONG*DO MOON FORM COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA~.

The patents Act 19532 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR AN INVENTION ENTITLED: ELECTRIC FAN APPARATUS The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me: 0 1" h> la ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An improvement is made in electric fan apparatus having a rotatable hub member provided in the central portion thereof and surrounded with a bearing housing through a plurality of bearings; a vertical main shaft connected to a motor shaft via a coupling; a rotary member connected to the hub member; a plurality of fan spindles equally disposed on the rotary member and supported by bearing housings; a base member supporting the apparatus; a column vertically fixed n the central portion of the base; a stem member movably inserted into the column; a tilting device contected between the bottom plate of the housing and the top end portion of the stem member; cooperating means between the coupling fixedly inserted to the motor shaft and a worm wheel shaft arranged in the housing; a ulutch mechanism selectively engaging between the worm wheel shaft and a crank device for angularly moving the uc-tary member; and connecting means transmitting between the main shaft and a plurality of the fan spindles capable of being mounted with a plurality of fan impellers for sending the wind to all directins, e.g. 360 degrees.

i_ A- ELECTRIC FAN APPARATUS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Tke present invention relates to an electric fan apparatus, and more particularly, to an improved electric fan apparatus suitable for employing in a plurality of fan impellers, e.g. three impellers, thus sending the wind generated by the fan impe.llers to 360 degrees in all directions.

:'..ctric fans have been used for many years for wind cooling in residential, commercial and industrial buildings. At the same time, the typical desk-fan construction wherein one fan impeller forming a plurality of blades is only mounted coaxially with a drive motor permits its air flow to a narrow range even though the fan head may be angularly moved to the right and the left sides.

For that reason, when the fan impeller is angularly moved to direct to the right side, the left side can not be covered with the wind, thus remaining under hot state.

As the same manner, when the fan impeller is angularly moved to direct to the left side, the right side will be under hot state.

Accordingly, the aforementioned desk-fan presents a problem not being able to match with the users' satisfaction because of sending the wind to the narrow range.

In another conventional electric fan, a wind direction shifting plate has been used as means for shifting the direction of a wind generated by a fan impeller rotated by a motor, without shifting the air ;i S2 sending direction by the fan impeller.

In such arrangermnt, the wind direction shifting plate serves as a guide plate which the wind direction can be changed from one position to other position, however, the width of the wind flow can not be expanded but the wind direction can be only changed, and accordingly the aforesaid electric fan creates a problem the same as the above*described desk.fan.

Thus, none of the aforementioned electric fan apparatus discloses the desired features of the wide wind range in all directions, e.g. 360 degrees, and simple operation and adjustment of the fan itself for widening air flow width, especially in combination with fan apparatus of such manifold construction as to 0 generate warm air flow in case of necessity.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, a general primary objective of the present invention is to provide a novel and improved electric fan apparatus which is so constructed and o 20 designed as to overcome the various deficiencies in the aforesaid conventional art.

To this end, an electric fan apparatus comprising: a base member for supporting the apparatus, having a vertically extending column member mounted thereon; a stem member vertically adjustably supported by

C

S3 ft said column member and extending upwardly therefrom; housing means mounted at the upper end of said stem member by means enabling the housing means to be tilted relative to said stem member; motor means mounted within said housing means and having a vertically extending drive shaft; tubular hub means rotatably mounted in said housing means above the motor means, said hub means extending upwardly to form a rotary support member at its upper end; said drive shaft being coupled to rotate a main shaft which extends upwardly through said hub means and is mounted in said hub means to be rotatably relative thereto, said main shaft terminating above said rotary support member; a plurality of tan spindles circumferentially spaced about said rotary support member respectively supported by a plurality of bearing means mounted thereon; means coupling said main shaft to said plurality of fan spindles whereby to drive fan impellers mounted on said spindles; and means coupling said drive shaft to said hub means whereby rotation of said drive shaft causes said hub means and rotary support member to oscillate about a vertical axis.

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Additional objects and advantages of the present invention will become evident upon consideration of the following detailed description and accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. I is a front sectional view of a driving part of an embodiment of an electric fan apparatus according to the present invention; Fig. 2 is a front sectional view of a stand part of an embodiment of an electric tan apparatus according o. to the present invention; Fig. 3 is a tront elevational view showing the assembled state of an embodiment of an electric fan apparatus according to the present invention; Fig. 4 is a top plan view illustrating a half part, the part opposite being substantially a mirror image of a driving part in Fig. 1; o Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line VRV of Fig. 4; .r FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along the line VI-VI of FIG. 1; FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along the line VII-VII of FIG. 1; FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken along the line VIII-VIII of FIG. 2.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawings, wherein the same numerals indicate the same elements in the several drawings.

As shown in FIG. 1 to FIG. 3, an electric fan apparatus according to the present invention consists of two parts, a driving part and a stand part connected together to form the apparatus.

In PIG. 1, there is depicted the arrangement of the driving part to be connected to the stand part and reference numeral 1 designates a housing having an opening la on the bottom plate thereof.

A rotary member 2 provided with a extending portion to be connected to a rotatable hub member 2a is rotatably secured on the upper central portion of the housing 1 in which a drive motor 3 with a shaft 3a is incorporated in the lower portion.

A vertical main shaft 5 is vertically and rotatably provided in the central portion of the rotary member 2, the hub member 2a and the housing 1, and then the lower end portion of the main shaft 5 is connected to the motor shaft 3a through a pair of claw coupling 6 and 6' having claw teeth 6a and 6a' in correspondence with each other, and one claw teeth Ga made of elastic material for absorbing shock occurred during operation. On the upper portion of the main shall. 5, there is fixedly sec,,,red a conical friction wheel 4 having a rubber lining 4a thereon while the main shaft is fixedly inserted the hub member 2a through bearing 7, thereby to be rotated in no relationship with the rotary member 2.

A bearing housing 8a is downwardly provided under the surface of a top plate 8 attached to the top surface of the housing 1, and the hub member 2a is rotatably inserted into the bearing housing Ba through a pair of bearings 9.

on the other hand, a crank disc 10 is provided on one side of the top plate 8 so as to be eccentrically pivoted to a connecting rod 13 by a pin 12 which is *pivoted to one side of tire hub member 2a by a pin 11 for angularly moving the hub member 2a.

on the middle portion of the housing 1, there is an intermediate plate 14 provided, on which a supporting meiinber 15 is installed in response to the crank disc 10 and a holding member 16 is provided be~tween the lower shaft portion l~a of the crank disc 10 protruded from the top plate 8 and the supporting member 15, and a worm wheel shaft 17 having an internal serration on the top portion thereof is rotatably and vertically installed between the holding member 16 and the supporting member Between the lower shaft portion 10,i of the crank disc 10 aqd the uppor portion of the holding member 16, there is a clutch mechanismi provided, wherefrom the rotation of the clank disc 10 will1 be selectively received.

As shown in FIG 6, a worm gear 18 formed on the outer surface of afore--:tid coupling 6' Is meshed, with a worm wheel 19 fixedly inserted on a horizontal shaft and a worm gear 20 fixedly inserted on the 7 horizontal shaft is meshed with the worm wheel shaft 17. Since the aforesaid worm gear and wheel train are meshed with each other, the rotation of the motor shaft 3a will be transmitted to the worm wheel shaft 17.

The clutch mech sm includes a movable shaft 24, a yoke member 27a having a manipulating lever 27 and a stop pin 28, The movable shaft 24 is vertically moved up and down between the shaft portion l~a of thle crank disc 10 and the serration hole 17a formed on the upper portion of the worm wheel shaft 17 through the holding member 16. A plurality steel balls 22 resiliently urged by a spring 21 horizontally inserted into a lateral hole formed on the lower portion of the movable shaft 24 are selectively engaged with an annular groovel6h formed on the internal surface of a vertical hole 16a formed in the holding member 16 and on the outer surface of thle lower end portion of the movable shaft 24, there is formed a serration 17b which can be meshed with the internal serration 17a formed on the top portion of the worm wheel shaft 17 for connecting or disconnecting betwe<'n the movable shaft 24 and~ the worm whoel shaft 17, and the upper portion having a key 24a of the movable shaft 24 is slidably inserted into the hole formed in the shaft portion 10a of the crank disc on the middle portion of tltq movable shaft 24, there is a pair of flange portions 23 231 provided, whereby an annular groove is formed, and an annular portion of the yoke member 27a is movably inserted into the annular groove formed between the both flange portions 23 and 23'.

An angular portion of the yoke member 27a. is pivoted to a supporter protruded from one Outside wall of the housing 1 and a manipulating lever 27 is provided to the angular portion.

Further, a stop pin 28 is movably inserted with one end into a hole formed on the bottom surface of the top plate 8 and the other end in contact with an extensioi portion 27b of the yoke member 27a so that the stop pin 28 is resiliently urged downwardly by a spring inserted into the hole, On the bottom surface of the connecting rod 13, there are a plurality of holes 13a in order that the stop pin 28 can be engaged with one of the holes 13a by the operation of the manipulating lever 27.

As shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, on the rotary member 2, there are equally disposed a plurality of bearing housing 29 whetein a plurality fan spindles 30 3 spindles in this embodiment) are provided so as to be rotated in cooperation with the vertical main shaft 2.

Accordingly, a conical follower 31 is fixedly inserted on one end of each spindle 30 for being transmitted from the conical friction wheel 4 fixedly secured on the top portion of the main Solhft 5 and on the other end of each spindle 30, a fan impeller (not shown) can be mounted.

As shown in FIG. 5, the bearing housing 29 consists of two parts, an upper cover 29a and a lower base 29b which are rotatably associated with each other via a pin 35 and covered with a safty cover 58, A bearing 34 is provided in the central portion of the bearing housing 29 and therefore, the fan spindle 30 will be smoothly rotated.

The upper cover 29a includes adjusting bolts 32 and 33 on the both sides thereof so as to periwt the conical follower 31 to be abutted on the conical friction wheel 4.

That is to say, whilst the adjusting bolt 32 is threaded into one side of the upper cover 29a, the other adjusting bolt 33 is threaded into the other side of the cover 29a by being interposed a spri ng 36 between the bolt 31* and the lower base 29b so that the upper cover 29a will be resiliently urged to the counterclockwise direction, thereby being subjected to hold the spindle As shown in FIG. 2, the stand part according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a base member 40 having a plurality of legs 39 being able to adjust their length, a water reservoir 38 formed in the base member 40, a tubular type column 41, a st~em member 42 having a tilting device thereon and a height adjustable mechanism thereof.

A plurality of the legs 39 are movably inserted into -passage 40a formed in the lower portion of the base mnember 40 in cross type and have a plurality of engaging depressions 39a on the top surfaces of the le( 39 so that a steel bll 4rsletyugdb spring 43 is engaged with one of the depressions 44 for stabilizing the apparatus.

The water reservoir 38 formed in the base member 40 includes a heating device (not shown) a water levelling device (not shown) and water inlet and outlet pipes 45 and 46 which will be respectively connected to one end ot circulating pipe 47a of. a circular type radiator 47 having a plurality of. fins 47b and to be removably installed surrounding the appairatus for supplyiaq hot water.

A control plate 37 positioned on the oppostte side to the water reservoir 38 ha-S, a plurality of adjusting knobs thereon for operating the driving units and Water heating device.

The co3':nin 41 is vertically installed on the central portion of the base member 40 into which the stem member is movably inserted and moreover, the stem member 42 is threaded into the centrun of a worm wheel 48 which is meshed with a worm gear 50 fixedly secured on a shaft 51 rotatably supported by a pair of bracket members 48, and the shaft 51 has an adjusting lever 52 as shown in PIG. 8. *Reference numeral 59 designates a bellows type safty hose to be mounted around the stem member 42 and the column 41.

on the other hand, on the top portion of the stem member 42 there is provided a tilting device comprising a ball Seat 53 fixedly securod on the top end of the stemn member 42, a connecti~nc rod 54 having a ball 55 thereof to be rotatably inserted into the ball seat 53, an upper cover 56 to be fitted to the top surface of the ball secit 53 and a circular plaIte 54 fixed with one ond portion of the connecting rod 57 and to be fitted into the openininq la of the bottom plate of the housing I via bolts or the like, Described hereunder in delil is the electric fan apparatus operation according to the invontionr The drive motor 3 is actuated to drive the vertical main Shaft 5, and therefore tHep conical friction wheel 4 fixedly inserted oni the upper eid: portion of the vertical main shaft 5 is sirailtwnounsy rotated under contact with a plurality of the onic,lA followers 31. throe conical .Lollowenq in thir, preferred embodiment) fixedly ins"ortedon a plurality or: the fan spindles, 30 which, are supportod by a plarality of the bearing housing 29 equally dlsplood on tho rotary member 2.

Accordingly, a plvralty of the conilcl EolloweOrs 31 are rotated by friction Core piWOticed shaft which extends upwardly through said hub means and is mounted in said hub means to be rotatably relative between the conical friction wheel 4 and a plurality of the conical followers 31. At that time, the rubber lining 4a covered on the conical friction wheel 4 will enhance the contact effect and will be able to minimize the noise occurred from the friction motion, whereby the rotation of the conical friction wheel 4 can be smoothly and perfectly transmitted to the conical followers 31.

Consequantly, each fan spindle 30 is integrally rotated with each conical follower 31, whereby each fan impellers (no~t shown) to be mounted on ez ch fan spindles will generate the wind to send it to the directions in all around the electric fan apparatus.

on the other hand, the ,orm gear 18 formed on the outer surface of the coupling 6' fixedly inserted to the motor shaft 3a is simultaneously rotated, and accordingly the worm wheel 19 meshed with the worm gear 18 is rotated to drive the horizontal shaft, thereby rotating 4 the worm gear 20 fixedly inserted to the horizontal shaft, Since the worm wheel shaft 17 is meshed with the worm gear 20, the worm wheel shaft 17 will be rotated. The movable shaft 24 is rotated by meshing eogagement between the serrat~ion 17a formieO on the top end portion of the worm wheel. shaft 17 and the serration hole 17b formed on the lower end portion of the movable shaft 24, Consequently, the rotating motion will bo transmitted to the crank disc 10 in connection between the movable shaft 24 and thle lower shaft portion 10a of the crank disc 10, whereby the hub member 2a will be antgularly moved by the eccentric movement of the crank disc 10 through the connecting rod 13 pivoted with one end to the hub member 2,a and the other end eccentrically pivoted to the crank disc Thus, :otary member fixedly secured to the hub member 2a will be angularly and repeatedly moved to right and left sides and simultaneously the bearing housings 29 equally disposed on the rotary member 2 will be angularly moved, whereby the fan spindles 30 are angularly moved and also the conical followers 31 are angularly moved on the conical surface of the conical friction wheel 4.

When the fan impellers (not Phown) will be mounted on the fan spindles 30, the fan impellers can generate the wind to send it to all directions e.g.

360 degrees.

Further, the tilting device makes the wind direction up and down by means of rotating engagement between the ball seat 53 attached to the stem member 42 and the ball 55 formed to one end of the connecting rod 54 to be fixedly secured on the bottom surface of the housing 1 through the circular plate 27.

Moreover, if the rotary member 2 will not be angularly moved, the manipulating lever 27 is pushed toward one side of the housing 1, whereby the movable shaft 24 is moved upwardly in cooperation with the yoke member 27a and then, the steel balls 22 resiliently urged by the sprling 21 are engaged into the annular groove 16b formed on internal surface of the vertical hole 16a of the holding member 16. Consequently, the movable shaft 24 is maintained in the released position which the movable shaft 24 is disengaged with the worm wheel shaft 17 while the serration 17b is isolated from the serration hole 17a, and the rotating motion of the worm wheel shaft 17 is not transmitted to the movable shaft 24 and also the crank disc 10 will not be rotated.

At the same time, the extension portion 27b of the yoke member 27a is moved upwardly and )r r' simultaneously the stop pin 28 is ascended to the bottom surface of the connecting rod 13 so that the top end of the 'stop pin 28 will be engaged into one of the holes 13a formed on the bottom surface of the connecting rod 13, whereeby the nub member 2a and the rotary member 2 will not be moved.

Thus, each spindle 30 capable of mounting with a fan impeller will not be angularly moved and however each spindles 30 will be only rotated by the friction contact between the conical friction wheel 4 and the conical follower 31 as the aforementioned manner.

As the result, if a fan impeller will be mounted on each fan spindle 30, the wind generated by each fan impeller is respectively sent to the desired direction which can be easily selected by the user.

As shown in FIEG.. 5, each fan spindle 30 is resiliently urged by the spring 36 through the uipper cover 29a of the bearing housing 29, and therefore, by adjusting the adjusting bolt 32, the extension force of the spring 36 can be so easily adjusted that thle conical follower 31 may be strongly abutted on the conical friction wheel 4 Eor receiving more powerful transmitting power, or the conical follower 31 may be isolated from the conical friction wheel 4 to the released position.

Thus, vthe fan impellers can be conveniently and selectively driven by the user.

in the height adjustable device as shown in FIG. 2 and F'IG. 8, as the worm wheel 49 is meshed with the worm gear 50 fixedly inserted to the shaft having an adjusting lever 52 thereof and siMultaneoosly is threaded with the stem member 42, the stem member 42 woil be ascended or descended by means of the adjusting lever 52, and accordingly the height of the apparatus can be easily and smoothly adjusted by the user.

14 As shown in FIG. 2, the base member 40 has a plurality of the adjustable legs 39 therein, and thus the legs 39 will be puli ,d outside and retreated inside by the user and will be engaged between one of depressions 39a a'nd the steel ball resiliently urged by the spring 43 so as to place the apparatus in the best stabilizing position.

Furthermore, if reqjuiredl, the present invention will, be generated the warm air flow for heating a room during winter time.

That is to say, the heating device (not shown) installed on the water reservoir 38 formed in the base member 40 is connected to the electric power by operating one of knobs on the control plate 37 after the water is supplied into the water reservoir 38, and then the inlet pipe 45 and the Outlet pipe 46 are connected to the circular type radiator 47 installed surrounding a plurality of the fan im'peller fixedly inserted on the fan spindles As shown in FIG. 4, the hot water will be circulated into the radiator tubes 47a, and therefore thle warm air flow will be generated on the peripheral surface of the radiator 47.

Thus, by an ele(.tric fan apparatus according to the present invention, the warm air heating will be also carried out.

it is to be understood that the forms of the invention herewith shown and described are to be taken 4 as preferred examples of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit of thle invention or scope of the subjoined claims.

Claims

1. Electric fan apparatus comprising: a base member for supporting the apparatus, having a vertically extending column member mounted thereon; a steu member vertically adjustably supported by said column member and extending upwardly therefrom; housing meais mounted at the upper end of said stem member by mean. enabling the housing means to be tilted relative to said stem member; motor means mounted within said housing means and having a vertically extending drive shaft; tubular hub means rotatably mounted in said housing means above the motor means, said hub means extending upwardly to Lorm a rotary support member at its upper end; said drive shaft being coupled to rotate a main shaft which extends upwardly through said hub means and is mounted in said hub means to ,e rotatably relative thereto, said main shaft terminating above said rotary support member; a plurality of fan spindles circumferentially spaced about said rotary support member respectively supported by a plurality of bearing means mounted thereon; means coupling said main shaft to said plurality of fan spindles whereby to drive fan impellers mounted P 4 16 M on said spindles; and means coupling said drive shaft to said hub means whereby rotation of said drive shaft causes said hub means and rotary support member to oscillate about a vertical axis.

2. Electric fan apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said means coupling said main shaft to said plurality of fan spindles comprises a trustoiconical friction wheel having a rubber lining thereon mounted tixedly on the upper end portion of said main shaft, and a plurality of frustosconical followers, each follower mounted on a respective fan spindle; a pair of adjusting bolts threaded respectively into both sides of each said bearing means which includes an upper cover pivotted to a lower base by a pin so that one side of each upper cover is resiliently urged by a spring inserted into said bearing means against a respective follower whereby each follower can be moved into or out of abutment with said friction wheel by adjustment of respective said pairs of bolts.

3. Electric fan apparatus as defined in claim 1 or 2, wherein said means coupling the drive shaft to said hub means comprises a shaft vertically moveable up and down by a yoke member having a manipulating lever connected between a crank disc and a worm wheel shaft rotated in connection with worm wheel and gear trains S17 for transmitting the rotary movement of the drive shaft t~o said crank disc or to a released position; and a plurality of steel balls resiliently urged by a spring connected to said movable shaft for engaging with an annular groove formed on the internal surface of a vertical hole in a holding member adopted t~o hold said moveable siatt in the released position.

4. Electric fan apparatus as defined in any preceding claim wherein said stem member includes a height Mr QS hC adjustable device comprising a worm wheel-4-x-.It said stem membe rA meshed with a worm gear eixed on a shaft rotatably supported by a pair ot bracket members, and an adjusting lever extended from one end ort said shaft so that said stem member can be raised or lowered by operating said adjusting lever.

Electric tan apparatus as defined in any preceding claim wherein said base member includes a plurality ort adjustable legs, whereby said apparatus can be stabilized on uneven support surfaces.

6. Electric fan apparatus as defined in any preceding claim wherein said base member comprises a water reservoir therein including heating means, a water levelling device and a plurality of pipe fittings jr supplying hot water to a circular type radiator adapted to be removably positioned surrounding said apparatus so as to generate warm air flow from said plurality of ,74< 9 18 4 fan impellers.

7. Electric fan apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with respect to the accompanying drawings. SEONG*DO MOON DATED: 07 FEB