EP2329188B1 - Combined ceiling fan and light fitting - Google Patents

Combined ceiling fan and light fitting Download PDF

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Publication number
EP2329188B1
EP2329188B1 EP08877118.3A EP08877118A EP2329188B1 EP 2329188 B1 EP2329188 B1 EP 2329188B1 EP 08877118 A EP08877118 A EP 08877118A EP 2329188 B1 EP2329188 B1 EP 2329188B1
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EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
blade
blades
fan
light fitting
air moving
Prior art date
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Active
Application number
EP08877118.3A
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German (de)
English (en)
French (fr)
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EP2329188A1 (en
EP2329188A4 (en
Inventor
Joe Villella
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Beacon Lighting International Ltd
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Beacon Lighting International Ltd
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Priority claimed from AU2008905097A external-priority patent/AU2008905097A0/en
Application filed by Beacon Lighting International Ltd filed Critical Beacon Lighting International Ltd
Publication of EP2329188A1 publication Critical patent/EP2329188A1/en
Publication of EP2329188A4 publication Critical patent/EP2329188A4/en
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Classifications

    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
    • F24F—AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING
    • F24F7/00—Ventilation
    • F24F7/007—Ventilation with forced flow
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F04—POSITIVE - DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS FOR LIQUIDS OR ELASTIC FLUIDS
    • F04D—NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT PUMPS
    • F04D25/00—Pumping installations or systems
    • F04D25/02—Units comprising pumps and their driving means
    • F04D25/08—Units comprising pumps and their driving means the working fluid being air, e.g. for ventilation
    • F04D25/088—Ceiling fans
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F21—LIGHTING
    • F21V—FUNCTIONAL FEATURES OR DETAILS OF LIGHTING DEVICES OR SYSTEMS THEREOF; STRUCTURAL COMBINATIONS OF LIGHTING DEVICES WITH OTHER ARTICLES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • F21V33/00—Structural combinations of lighting devices with other articles, not otherwise provided for
    • F21V33/0088—Ventilating systems
    • F21V33/0096—Fans, e.g. ceiling fans
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
    • F24F—AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING
    • F24F2221/00—Details or features not otherwise provided for
    • F24F2221/02—Details or features not otherwise provided for combined with lighting fixtures
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
    • F24F—AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING
    • F24F2221/00—Details or features not otherwise provided for
    • F24F2221/14—Details or features not otherwise provided for mounted on the ceiling
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
    • F24F—AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING
    • F24F2221/00—Details or features not otherwise provided for
    • F24F2221/26—Details or features not otherwise provided for improving the aesthetic appearance

Definitions

  • the invention described herein relates to a combined light fitting and ceiling fan having blades that are compactly folded when the fan is not in use and that move outwardly when the fan is started. More particularly the invention relates to improved fan blades for such an appliance.
  • Ceiling fans have long been recognized and used as an inexpensive way to provide movement of air within rooms of buildings. They can be simple to use and install, safe, and inexpensive to buy and run when compared to such alternatives as for example refrigerated and evaporative air conditioning units. They can often provide a surprisingly effective alternative to air conditioning as the air movement they generate can evaporate skin perspiration with a resulting cooling effect.
  • a problem in the design of a combined light fitting and ceiling fan is to provide blades that when in use can provide useful air moving performance without requiring excessive power and that when not in use can fold into a reasonably compact overall form.
  • the present invention addresses this problem.
  • a combined ceiling fan and light fitting will in this specification be referred to as a fan/light for convenience and brevity.
  • the invention relates to fan/lights having a plurality of fan blades that move outwardly to operating positions during fan operation and inwardly to stowed positions when fan operation ceases. Movement of the fan blades outwardly may be by action of centrifugal force when the blades are rotated about a fan axis by a motor. Retraction of the fan blades to their stowed positions may be by action of resilient means, for example one or more springs.
  • the blades are adapted and arranged when in their operating positions to move air downward as they rotate, and when in their stowed positions to lie within a defined radius from the fan axis, such as the radius of a translucent enclosure of circular form (when seen in plan view) for light emitting devices such as incandescent lamps.
  • Each blade when stowed may overlap at least one other blade.
  • blades Preferred forms and relative positionings of blades are disclosed that are believed to provide a useful balance between the requirements of reasonable air movement and compact stowage of the blades when not in use. These forms are particularly characterized by certain distributions of incidence, blade chord (distance measured from leading edge to trailing edge) and dihedral. They are preferably of aerofoil cross section with such camber that lower blade surfaces are concave and upper blade surfaces convex.
  • the invention provides a combined ceiling fan and light fitting having a plurality of fan blades, wherein:
  • neighbored blade here means a blade that is first found by moving peripherally forward (i.e. in the direction of fan rotation) from one blade.
  • the leading edge of the air moving portion of each blade may have a peak height above the datum height at a position between the pivot-axis end of the air moving portion and the tip end of the blade.
  • the height above the datum height of the leading edge of the air moving portion may decline from said peak height with increasing distance along the leading edge toward the tip end of the blade.
  • the "specified radius” may be approximately a radius of a light fitting portion that is comprised in the combined ceiling fan and light fitting and located below the blade and that is of circular shape when seen in plan view.
  • the "datum height” may, purely for example, be the height of an upper surface of a horizontal platelike member to which each of the blades is pivotably mounted as in the case of the construction described by Villella.
  • each blade may have a trailing edge that when seen in plan view is approximately a circular arc which when the blade is in its stowed position said is substantially centred on the fan rotation axis. This arrangement allows effectively use of the available space above a light fitting portion that is round when seen in plan view.
  • the radial distance between the leading and trailing edges of the air moving portion reduces progressively (i.e. the blade tapers as seen in plan view) from a maximum value partway along the length of the air moving portion towards the blade tip end.
  • each blade when all blades are in their stowed positions there is for each blade a first point on the leading edge of its air moving portion where the blade overlies its neighbouring blade which first point when seen in a notional radial plane including the fan rotation axis lies at a greater radius than a second point in the same notional plane that is on the leading edge of the overlain neighbouring blade.
  • the said first point may be at a height above the datum height not exceeding the height of the said second point.
  • each blade has in the deployed position of the blade a maximum angle of incidence to the horizontal at a position partway along the air moving portion the angle of incidence decreasing with increasing distance from that position of maximum incidence towards the tip end of the blade.
  • the air moving portion has a positive angle of incidence to the horizontal at its pivot-axis end.
  • the position partway along the air moving portion of each blade at which its incidence to the horizontal is a maximum when the blade is in its deployed position may be radially inboard of a position at which the blade chord measured along an arc centred on the fan rotation axis is at a maximum value. It is thought (but not asserted) that this feature may smooth the distribution of downward thrust on the air along the blade, so reducing induced drag on the blade.
  • the number of blades is preferably four with the blades' pivot axes being spaced 90 degrees apart from each other peripherally.
  • That section of each blade between its pivot axis and its tip end when the blade is in its stowed position may subtend an angle of about 160 to 170 degrees at the fan rotation axis. Values in this range allow reasonable blade areas within the available stowage space above the light fitting portion, but without at any point requiring the stacking of more than two blades. This assists in obtaining compact blade stowage.
  • each blade pivots through an angle of about 180 degrees to move from its stowed position to its deployed position. This gives a satisfactory blade-swept area for a given blade size.
  • the air moving section of each blade is upwardly cambered (i.e. concave downwards) between its leading and trailing edges when seen in cross-section on a cylindrical surface centred on the fan rotation axis and intersecting the air moving section at a radius between the specified radius and the blade tip end.
  • the air moving section of each blade has a rounded leading edge and a sharp trailing edge over at least part of its along-blade length when seen in cross-section on a cylindrical surface centred on the fan rotation axis and intersecting the air moving section at a radius between the specified radius and the blade tip end.
  • each blade and its neighbouring blade when the blades are in their stowed positions may advantageously occur approximately where the blade overlies its neighbouring blade. If an overlying blade sags slightly, as may be the case with blades moulded from certain plastics if left unused for some time, this arrangement has been found to support the outer part of the blade reasonably well once contact between a blade and its underlying neighbour has been made.
  • each blade when the blades are in their stowed positions each blade overlies a part of its neighbouring blade which part is received in a gap above the light fitting enclosure and below the underside of the overlying blade said gap existing by virtue of the cranked shape of the overlying blade.
  • Each blade may be pivotally mounted to a rotating platelike member with said gap lying above said platelike member.
  • the air moving portions of the blades may exhibit gullwing dihedral. It is thought that such a dihedral form may be advantageous in itself even apart from its ability to enable compact stowage of retracting blades.
  • "Gullwing dihedral" is to be taken as meaning that a lifting blade or wing rises between its root end and a point or region along its length toward its tip end and then either falls, remains level or rises more slowly.
  • the invention is preferably applied in fan/lights having certain features of the construction described in International Patent Publication WO 2007/006096 (based on International Patent Application No. PCT/AU2006/000981 by Joe Villella ).
  • each said blade has an elongate and generally arcuate air moving blade portion that when said blade is in the retracted position of said blade lies within a space bounded by:
  • said inner edge increases in height above said datum height with increasing theta until a maximum value of the inner edge height is first reached at a point thereon whose value of theta is less than the value of theta at the blade tip.
  • the height of said inner edge may decrease with increasing theta.
  • Fan/light 10 has a non-rotating bowl-like translucent enclosure 12 in which is mounted at least one electric lamp (not shown), and is supported from a ceiling by a tubular support 13 in known manner.
  • Fan/light 10 also has fan blades 1, 2, 3 and 4 that are rotatable by an electric motor (not shown) about an upright axis 15 coaxial with tubular support 13.
  • the electric motor and the lamp are operable separately or together from a source of electric power that is supplied through the tubular support 13.
  • the motor is of a known type, widely used in ceiling fans, that has a rotating external casing (not shown) with a central cavity in which is received the tubular support 13.
  • Enclosure 12 is circular in plan view, centered on axis 15.
  • Blades 1 - 4 each extend outwardly to the operating positions shown in Figures 1 , 2 , 5 and 7 when the motor is switched on, and retract (fold) into positions shown in Figures 3 , 4 , 6 and 8 when the motor is switched off.
  • the sense of rotation is as shown by arrow 7.
  • Each one of blades 1 - 4 is pivotally supported on a blade support plate 14 that supports and rotates with blades 1 - 4, is disc-shaped, is coaxial with the rotation axis 15 of the motor and is secured to the motor's casing.
  • a decorative dust cover 18 is secured on the support 4 above the blades 1 - 4 when they are in the folded positions shown in Figures 3 , 4 , 6 and 8 .
  • Pivoting of blades 1 - 4 on blade support plate 14 is respectively about axes 21, 22, 23 and 24 parallel to the axis 15 of rotation of the motor.
  • blades 1 - 4 pivot outwardly under the influence of centrifugal force, pivoting around their respective pivot axes 21 - 24, until the operating positions shown in Figures 1 , 2 , 5 and 7 are reached.
  • blades 1 - 4 are retracted to their stowed positions as shown in Figures 3 , 4 , 6 and 8 , again pivoting about their respective axes 21 - 24.
  • FIG. 9 shows a subassembly 30 of Villella's fan/light comprising a motor 34, blade support plate 36 and three blades 31, 32 and 33.
  • Blade support plate 36 is ring shaped and secured to motor 34 (of the rotating casing type previously mentioned) so as to rotate therewith in its own plane.
  • sun gear 38 Secured below blade support plate 36 is a sun gear 38.
  • Sun gear is here used as it is in the art of so-called planetary gearing systems, where it refers to a gear that meshes with a number of “planetary” gears arrayed around its periphery.
  • Sun gear 38 is coaxial with the motor 34 when support plate 36 is mounted to motor 34, and is able to rotate about its axis relative to support plate 36.
  • Meshing with sun gear 38 are planetary gears 41, 42 and 43, each of which rotates as its associated one of blades 31 - 33 pivots between its stowed and operating positions.
  • Each of gears 41 - 43 is secured to a short shaft (not visible) that passes downwardly from its associated one of blades 31 - 33 and can rotate within support plate 36.
  • the gears 41 - 43 are equispaced around the periphery of sun gear 38 and are themselves all at the same radius as each other from the rotation axis 35 of motor 34.
  • the effect of this arrangement is that provided blades 31 - 33 are identical and identically positioned in their working positions relative to support plate 36, they will be kept synchronized always when they pivot between their operating and retracted positions.
  • coil springs 44 are provided to retract blades 31 - 33 when motor 34 is switched off. One end of each spring is secured to a formation 46 depending from support plate 36 and the other end is secured to a formation 48 depending from sun gear 38. Coil springs 44 are arranged to be in tension when blades 31 - 33 are in their retracted position and are extended as centrifugal force urges blades 31 - 33 out when motor 34 is started. When motor 34 is stopped, springs 44 urge sun gear 38 to rotate relative to support plate 34 so as to retract the blades 31 - 33.
  • blades 1 - 4 are pivotally mounted to support plate 14 essentially similar to support plate 36 and synchronized and retracted in the same way as blades 31 - 33 of subassembly 30.
  • the aerodynamic design of blades 1 - 4 and the way that they "nest" together when retracted are by no means limited to this particular fan/light construction.
  • the configuration and arrangement of blades 1 - 4 could be applied to fan/lights of other constructions and to fans requiring retractable blades and without any lighting capability.
  • Blades 1 - 4 are intended to provide fan/light 10 with a useful balance between satisfactory air-moving performance, compactness when the blades are in their stowed (i.e. retracted or folded) position, together with a diameter of the translucent enclosure 12 that is large enough to provide a reasonably diffuse lighting effect.
  • the blades 1 - 4 are intended to lie substantially above the translucent enclosure 12 when retracted. In the embodiment shown and described herein, the enclosure 12 has a diameter that is about 39% of the overall diameter of fan/light 10 with its blades 1 - 4 extended for operation.
  • the diameter of the hub of a conventional ceiling fan or fan/light without retractable blades is typically smaller than 39% of the overall diameter over the blades.
  • a range of from about 36% to about 42% for the above ratio is believed to be possible by straightforward adaptation of the blade shapes as described herein, but a figure in the region of 38% to 40% is preferred.
  • blades 1 - 4 will be described below by reference to quantities and sections defined in Figures 10 and 11 .
  • enclosure 12 is represented simply by its circular outer peripheral edge 26.
  • Blades 1 - 4 are all shown in outline in their retracted positions, blade 1 in solid lines and the others in chain-dotted lines, and blade 1 is also shown in solid lines in its deployed position.
  • Blades 1 - 4 are substantially identical to each other and are generally scimitar-shaped, i.e. of arcuate form so as to lie, when retracted, within the enclosure peripheral edge 26 and around the motor (not shown but centred on axis 15).
  • the pivot axes 21 - 24 are adjacent to root ends 51 - 54 respectively ( Figure 11 ) of blades 1 - 4 and in their retracted position the blades 1 - 4 extend clockwise to tips (free ends) 61 - 64 respectively.
  • Item numbers with the postscript "a” are for blade 1 in its deployed position and item numbers with the postscript "b” are for blade 1 in its retracted position.
  • Blades 1 - 4 of fan/light 10 are shown (by arrow 7) as rotating clockwise when seen from above. It is to be understood however, that counter-clockwise rotation could equally well be chosen, in which case the term “counter-clockwise” would be applicable where in the present description "clockwise” now appears, including in the definitions given below of the terms “next blade” and “previous blade”. (Note that for counter-clockwise rotation, the blades would be made of opposite hand to blades 1 - 4, as it is preferred that each blade's leading edge be its concave one.)
  • the term “next blade” refers to the blade whose pivot axis is 90 degrees in the rotation direction (here clockwise) from the pivot axis of the given blade
  • the term “previous blade” refers to the blade whose pivot axis is 90 degrees in a counter-direction opposite to the rotation direction (i.e. counter-clockwise here) from the pivot axis of the given blade.
  • the next blade is blade 2 and the previous blade is blade 4.
  • the blade shape will be described mainly by reference to blade 1 for convenience, noting that blades 1 - 4 are substantially identical.
  • blades 1 - 4 are arranged relative to each other in nesting fashion when retracted, it will be convenient to use sectional views on radial planes, i.e. planes that include the fan axis 15.
  • a plane 42 is shown in Figure 10 and is shown to be at an angle ⁇ (theta) to a similar plane 44 that includes both axis 15 and axis 21 of blade 1.
  • representative blade 1 has two distinct portions, namely a root-end portion 80 and a blade portion 82 which in the operating position extends outwardly of peripheral edge 26 of enclosure 12 and is aerodynamically shaped to facilitate air movement Blade portion 82 is supported cantilever-fashion from blade portion 80 which is pivotably secured to blade support plate 14.
  • portions 80 and 82 are formed as a single part, for example by injection molding in a suitable plastics material.
  • Root end portion 80 comprises a plate 84 that lies above and, approximately parallel to support plate upper surface 46.
  • a hole 86 in plate 84 permits a stub shaft (not shown) to pass through it and through to the underside of support plate 14 to be secured there to a planet gear (not shown) of the blade synchronization mechanism as described previously.
  • Root end portion 80 further comprises a blade end plate formation 88 whose function is to provide a suitably strong connection between portions 80 and 82 with blade portion 82 inclined at an angle of incidence to plate 84 (see below).
  • Figure 12 shows a set of 12 radial sections (i.e. on planes 42) of representative blade 1 and its next and previous blades 2 and 4 in their retracted positions, each section being labeled with its correct value of theta for blade 1. Radii from fan axis 15 increase to the right in sections (a) to (I). In each section, blade support plate 14 is shown, with its outer edge 90 at the same lateral position on each page to facilitate comparison between the sections. Outer edge 90 lies radially just within but is close to the enclosure peripheral edge 26 (not shown in Figure 12 ).
  • Sections (a) to (c) of Figure 12 show how portion 80 of blade 1 transitions to the cantilevered air-moving portion 82.
  • outer edge 94 of portion 82 of representative blade 1 is very close to a circular arc except near the rounded tip 61, that arc being centred on fan axis 15 when blade 1 is retracted and having a radius very close to the radius of enclosure peripheral edge 26. Accordingly outer edge 94 of portion 82 of blade 1 lies at almost exactly the same radius as the outer edges of next and previous blades 2 and 4, except near tip 61, as shown in sections (d) to (I) of Figure 12 .
  • Figure 13 is a graph showing the heights of inner edge 92 and outer edge 94 of representative blade 1 above surface 46 of support plate 14 as a function of angle theta.
  • Inner edge 92 is higher than outer edge 94 for a given value of theta, consistently with blade 1 having an angle of incidence to the horizontal so as to move air downward when deployed (see below).
  • Absolute height figures are used in Figure 13 , for a fan/light 10 having an overall swept diameter with blades 1 - 4 deployed of 1200mm.
  • Figure 15 is a graph showing the same data as Figure 13 , but now for all of blades 1 - 4, in their respective peripheral angle (theta) positions.
  • the initials "LE” and “TE” are used for inner and outer edges 92 and 94 respectively in Figure 15 , because the inner edge of a blade is its leading edge and the outer edge is its trailing edge, when in the deployed position.
  • the blade pivot axes 21, 22, 23 and 24 are at angles theta of 0 degrees, 90 degrees, 180 degrees and 270 degrees, respectively.
  • FIG 12 - 15 together illustrate how blades 1 - 4 in their retracted positions "nest" compactly together without any two blades contacting each other. It has been found that the arrangement shown can also give satisfactory air moving performance.
  • Figure 13 can be interpreted as a partial picture of blade 1 as it would appear if projected on an imaginary cylindrical surface coaxial with fan axis, with that surface then being laid flat. It is apparent that blade 1 in such a picture resembles a gull wing, or an aircraft wing with a particular form of varying dihedral, firstly rising with increasing distance from its root end and from a certain point rising no further or at a lesser rate towards its tip end.
  • Figure 15 shows that the inner edge height 92 of representative blade 1 becomes lower than the leading edge height of its next blade 2 for values of theta greater than about 150 degrees. This can be seen in sections (k) and (I) of Figure 12 . It does not mean that there is contact between blades 1 and 2 because the reduction in radial width of blade 1 means that inner edge 92 of blade 1 is radially outward of the corresponding edge of blade 2.
  • the blades 1 - 4 In addition to folding neatly, the blades 1 - 4 must move air downwards reasonably efficiently when deployed and rotating about fan axis 15, so the shapes of blades 1 - 4 as they affect air movement will now be discussed.
  • the arcs in Figure 11 that are numbered 1 - 8 represent a set of spaced apart cylindrical surfaces coaxial with axis 15 and radially spaced apart. Although the downward air flow through fan/light 10 will not in general be precisely axial (i.e. parallel to axis 15) and therefore occur on such surfaces, a reasonable way to discuss blade shape is by reference to the intersections with the cylindrical surfaces 1 - 8 of representative blade 1 when in its deployed position.
  • Figure 16 shows cross sectional views of blade 1 taken on chords 100 (see Figure 10 ) that are tangent to the cylindrical surfaces of stations 1 to 8. These are close approximations to the shapes of the cylindrical surfaces of intersection between stations 1 to 8 and blade 1, as those surfaces would appear if laid flat.
  • blade 1 moves right to left, so the leading edge 92 and trailing edge 94 are positioned as shown.
  • trailing edge 94 is of course not straight in reality, the views in Figure 16 are so positioned that the trailing edge 94 in all sections is vertically aligned to facilitate comparisons among them.
  • Figure 17 is a graph showing alpha ( ⁇ ), the angle of incidence to the horizontal of representative blade 1 at stations 2 to 8, the meaning of alpha being illustrated in the section for station 7 in Figure 16 .
  • the values of alpha plotted in Figure 17 are not taken from the approximate sections of Figure 16 , but are estimates of the values that would be obtained in the manner shown if the sections of Figure 16 were laid-flat developments of the true surfaces of intersection between the cylindrical surfaces numbered 2 to 8 and blade 1.
  • Figure 18 is a graph showing values of the true chord (i.e. distance measured directly from leading edge 92 to trailing edge 94) of blade 1 at intersections with the cylindrical surfaces numbered 1 to 8.
  • the chord values are not taken from the approximate sections of Figure 16 , but are estimates of the values that would be obtained if the true surfaces of intersection between blade 1 and the cylindrical surfaces numbered 1 to 8 were obtained and laid flat.
  • fan/light 10 with blades 1 - 4 having the geometry shown does move air reasonably satisfactorily despite the comparatively large ratio of the diameter of enclosure 12 to the overall diameter swept by the deployed blades 1 - 4 and the scimitar-like shape (in plan view) of the blades.
  • the blades 1 - 4 thrust air downward (and themselves experience a corresponding reactive lifting force) as they rotate.
  • the effectiveness of a blade in this (for a given speed of rotation) is believed to be dependent on, at least, its aerofoil-type cross sectional shape, its incidence to the horizontal, its size (for example its chord as measured from leading edge to trailing edge), the distribution of these along the blade's length (span) and its shape as seen in plan view.
  • blades 1 - 4 have an aerofoil-type cross-sectional shape, being cambered so that their lower faces are concave and their upper faces are convex.
  • Their leading edges eg leading edge 92 of representative blade 1 are rounded and their trailing edges (eg edge 94 of representative blade 1) are sharp.
  • blades 1 - 4 are preferred to have cambered aerofoil sections.
  • Representative blade 1 has positive incidence to the horizontal (and is of cambered aerofoil cross-section) near its pivot end where, when deployed, it crosses the enclosure peripheral edge 26, and this is believed to be one factor in its air-moving performance. This positive incidence (alpha greater than zero) is apparent in the section numbered 1 in Figure 16 .
  • the lift distribution (and the consequent distribution of air moving effect) along the length of a blade should be generally smoothly varying and in particular that there should be no strong concentration of the effect close to the outer (tip) end.
  • a further way to influence the lift distribution along the blade is by control of its width (chord) distribution.
  • a scimitar shaped blade of constant width along its length for example for all values of the theta deployed in the way shown for blades 1 - 4 in Figure 11
  • an effect of the scimitar shape would be that the blade chord, as measured in the circumferential direction with the blade deployed, would be highest at the blade tip and root end and lower therebetween.
  • blades 1 - 4 are not of constant width.
  • Figure 18 shows the blade chord increasing from a minimum in the region of stations 2 and 3 before falling away at station 8 due to tip rounding. However, the rate of increase in chord with radius is less than it would be if the blade width did not vary with angle theta in the way described herein. See also Figure 16 , where the alignment of the sections numbered 1 to 8 on the page allows the distribution of chord with radius to be seen.
  • the blades may be made conveniently by injection molding in suitable plastics materials.
  • unobtrusiveness is a desired feature of fan/lights according to the invention, one way of enhancing this is to provide that the blades be formed from a transparent or at least translucent material. This feature is believed to be inventive in itself.
  • blade stowage arrangement and method described herein provides for stowage of the blades without contact between blades
  • the described stowage positions of the blades are such that slight sagging of one blade so as to contact another may not cause failure to deploy.
  • the particular shape of the translucent lower section 9 of enclosure 2 is by no means the only possible one. Even a shape that is not of the circular shape in plan, as shown in the Figures 1 to 7 could be used as an alternative aesthetic choice.
  • the "sun gear” may comprise a single member to which toothed segments are secured for engagement with the "planet gears", instead of a complete gear. This possibility, which it has been found can reduce manufacturing costs arises because suitable sun and planet gear proportions can be chosen which do not require the sun gear to rotate far enough during deployment and retraction for any one tooth thereof to encounter more than one planet gear.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
  • Structures Of Non-Positive Displacement Pumps (AREA)
  • Circuit Arrangement For Electric Light Sources In General (AREA)
  • Light Guides In General And Applications Therefor (AREA)
EP08877118.3A 2008-09-30 2008-12-19 Combined ceiling fan and light fitting Active EP2329188B1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
AU2008905097A AU2008905097A0 (en) 2008-09-30 Improved Fan Blades and Blade Arrangements for a Combined Light Fitting and Ceiling Fan
AU2008905201A AU2008905201A0 (en) 2008-10-05 Improved Fan Blades and Blade Arrangements for a Combined Light Fitting and Ceiling Fan
PCT/AU2008/001874 WO2010037155A1 (en) 2008-09-30 2008-12-19 Combined ceiling fan and light fitting

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP2329188A1 EP2329188A1 (en) 2011-06-08
EP2329188A4 EP2329188A4 (en) 2012-12-12
EP2329188B1 true EP2329188B1 (en) 2019-08-28

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ID=42072941

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Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP08877118.3A Active EP2329188B1 (en) 2008-09-30 2008-12-19 Combined ceiling fan and light fitting

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EP (1) EP2329188B1 (zh)
KR (1) KR20110059838A (zh)
CN (1) CN102165252B (zh)
AU (3) AU2008362348B2 (zh)
BR (1) BRPI0822988A2 (zh)
CA (1) CA2738269A1 (zh)
ES (1) ES2751914T4 (zh)
HK (1) HK1161340A1 (zh)
MY (1) MY145779A (zh)
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WO2010037155A1 (en) 2010-04-08
AU2008362348A1 (en) 2010-04-08
ES2751914T3 (es) 2020-04-02
CA2738269A1 (en) 2010-04-08
WO2010037155A8 (en) 2010-09-02
CN102165252B (zh) 2014-12-17
AU2008362348B2 (en) 2012-03-29
MY145779A (en) 2012-04-13
CN102165252A (zh) 2011-08-24
SG177949A1 (en) 2012-02-28
KR20110059838A (ko) 2011-06-07
AU2010101259A4 (en) 2010-12-16
WO2010037155A9 (en) 2010-07-15
ES2751914T4 (es) 2023-03-03
SG177950A1 (en) 2012-02-28
AU2010101039B4 (en) 2010-10-28
HK1161340A1 (zh) 2012-08-24
EP2329188A1 (en) 2011-06-08
AU2010101039A4 (en) 2010-10-21
BRPI0822988A2 (pt) 2015-08-18
AU2010101259B4 (en) 2011-04-07
EP2329188A4 (en) 2012-12-12

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