GB2129493A

GB2129493A - Fans with rotatable air deflectors

Info

Publication number: GB2129493A
Application number: GB08322921A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Arthur Scotto
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1982-08-26
Filing date: 1983-08-25
Publication date: 1984-05-16
Also published as: GB8322921D0

Abstract

The fan has a rotatable air deflecting grill 18 downstream of the fan blades 20 for deflecting air such that the deflected air generally describes a cone. The fan is driven by a motor 24 and the rotatable air deflecting grill is driven by a separate motor 26. The base 14 and attached support arms 14' allow the fan to be mounted on a ceiling or wall or allow the fan to be placed on a floor or table. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Fan This invention relates generally to air moving devices and specifically to a bladed fan which, by positioning and operation of a separate vaned grill mounted for rotation downstream of the fan blade, causes broad air movement from a single fan and location.

Prior art discloses bladed fans which are mounted for side-to-side articulation about an axis generally parallel to the plane of the fan blade. Although these devices produce air flow over a broader area than do conventional bladed fans, the air flow lies generally only in a given plane.

Devices which include stationary diffusion type grills mounted downstream of the fan blade also provide a broader air flow coverage than does a simple bladed fan, but accomplish said broader coverage at the expense of a more diffuse air flow at any given point.

Afan having a rotatable vaned grill has previously been marketed but that device incorporated only a single motorwhich by gearing rotated the grill art a rotational speed proportional to that of the fan blade.

Further, the unit was only usable while resting on a floor or table.

According to the present invention there is provided a fan comprising a fan blade for producing air movement, a fan motor for rotating the fan blade, a vaned grill mounted for rotational movement adjacent to and downstream from the fan blade, the vaned grill being arranged for redirecting the airstream discharged from the fan blade at an acute angle to the axis of rotation of the fan blade, and a grill motorfor independent rotation of said vaned grill.

The present invention provides a fan which can deliver a concentrated stream of air over the broader usable range or area in any given room and may accomplish such air movement by being mounted on a ceiling or a wall or by being placed on a table or floor. A rotatable vaned grill, whose rotation is separately driven and controlled, serves to redirect airflow in a stream away from the normal airflow discharge of a conventional bladed fan. In a prefer red form, the housing for the fan blade and vaned grill being pivotable about an axis parallel to the plane of the fan blade serves to further increase the range of air flow direction of this invention.

Thus there may be provided an improved fan for moving air having a separately driven and controlled rotatable vaned grill mounted adjacent to and down stream of the fan blade. The invention may also provide the additional function of manual pivoting of the fan blade and grill housing about an axis parallel to the plane of the fan blade. The base which supports the housing provides a multifunctional mounting and support means such that the fan may be mounted on a ceiling, a wall or be supported on a floor or table.

The vaned grill, which is rotatable about an axis perpendicular to the plane of the grill, serves to redirect airflow away from an axis perpendicular to the grill plane, the grill plane being generally parallel to the plane of the fan blade. This vaned grill in combination with the multi-use base allows this fan to be safely installed on lower height ceilings than a conventional ceiling fan which has exposed blades.

A separate motor and control is provided such that the grill may be rotated or held stationary to provide airflow in a particular direction. The vanes, widthwise, may be parallel or, preferably, non-parallel to condense the airstream discharged from the grill.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an improved multi-functional fan for moving air over a broader area in a controlled fashion separately regulated from the speed of the fan blade.

It is another aspect of this invention to provide the above improved fan which is optionally mountable on a ceiling or wall, or placeable onto a floor or table.

It is yet another object of this invention to provide a multi-use fan which may safely be mounted on low ceilings where conventional ceiling fans could not be safely used.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example with particular reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 is a front elevation view of the preferred embodiment of the invention; Figure 3 is a side elevation view of the preferred embodiment of the invention; Figure 4 is a partial sectional view through the axis of the main motor and grill through A-A in Figure 2; and Figure 5 is a further section of the embodiment.

Referring now to the drawings and particularly to Figures 1,2, and 3, an embodiment of the invention is shown generally at 10 and includes a base 14 having support arms 14', a housing 12 connectable to the support arms 14' by thumb screws 16, a fan blade 18 for air movement, a fan guard 22 connected to the housing 12 upstream of the fan blade 18, and a vaned grill 18 having a plurality of vanes 18' preferably longitudinally parallel to one another. The fan blade is supported for rotational input by a fan motor 24 in Figures 4 and 5, which is in turn supportably mounted into the hub 12' of housing 12.

The vaned grill 18 is supported for rotational input in direction R by a grill motor 26, which is in turn also supportably mounted into the hub 12'.

Base 14 is designed such that the fan 10 is mountable onto a ceiling or wall or placeable onto a floor or table. Housing 12 is preferably pivotably mounted in the support arms 14 about axis Bin figure 3 so as to increase the range of air flow discharge from the grill.

Referring now to figures 4 and 5, fan motor 24 and grill motor 26 are separately controllable by a hand control (not shown) such that the relative speed between fan blade and grill is controllable. Further, grill rotation may be stopped in a particular position independent of fan blade rotation. Grill motor 26 is preferably a geared motor having reduction gears 28 and 30 to provide a sityw grill rotation, and therefore this grill motor 26 is mounted having its main motor axis spaced apart and parallel to the common axis of rotation of the fan blade, fan motor and grill.

Although the grill vanes 18' are preferably longitudinally parallel as shown in figures 1,2 and 3, they are also preferably non-parallel width-wise as shown in figure 5 such that airflow from the grill 18 is somewhat converging. Airflow portion Cexiting from one side of the grill 18 converges with airflow portion D exiting from the opposite side of the grill 18. However, by varying the alignment of these vane sections 18' the airflow portions may also be made generally parallel or divergent (not shown).

Thus to summarise the embodiment shown in the drawings, a fan for moving air has a multi-functional mount and a rotatable grill downstream of the fan blade for redirecting air outward at an acute angle to the axis of the coaxial fan blade and fan motor in a 360" circle such that the air movement generally describes a cone emanating from the grill rather than a generally cylindrical airstream from a conventional fan blade. The fan blade and the rotatable grill each have separate controllable motors. The grill, which rotates concentrically with the fan blade, includes vanes which are generally longitudinally parallel and aligned widthwise at an acute angle to the axis of the fan blade so that the general flow of air at any point in time is away from the axis of rotation of the fan blade.Preferably, the grill vanes are not sectionally widthwise co-parallel but are aligned in such a mannerthat airflow discharge therefrom is a slightly compressed stream of air.

However, this widthwise vane alignment may also be such that the airstream is diffused or broadened.

The base and attached fan housing support allow the fan to be mounted on a ceiling or wall or serves as a floor ortable stand forthefan. When mounted own a ceiling, this fan will safely accommodate lower ceilings than will a conventional ceiling fan which has exposed and dangerous fan blades. The housing into which the fan blade and vaned grill are held for rotation may also be pivotally positionable in the base about an axis parallel to the plane of the fan blade. Conventional electric motor controls are provided.

The instant invention has been shown and described herein what is considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiment. It is recognized, however, that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the invention and that obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.

Claims

1. Afancomprising a fan blade for producing air movement, a fan motor for rotating the fan blade, a vaned grill mounted for rotational movement adjacent to and downstream from the fan blade, the vaned grill being arranged for redirecting the air stream discharged from the fan blade at an acute angle to the axis of rotation of the fan blade, and a grill motor for independent rotation of said vaned grill.

2. A multi-functional fan comprising a fan blade for producing air movement, a fan motor mounted in a housing for supportably rotating the fan blade, a vaned grill mounted for rotational movement adjacent to and downstream from the fan blade, said vaned grill be arranged for redirecting the airstream discharged from the fan blade at an acute angle to the axis of rotation of the fan blade, a grill motor mounted in the housing for supporting and for independent controllable rotation of said vaned grill, said grill rotation be arranged for revolving said redirected airstream through 360" during each revolution of said vaned grill, a multi-positionable base for supporting the housing, the base being mountable on a ceiling or a wall, or placeable on a floor or table, and means for pivoting the housing being arranged for redirecting the airstream in relation to said base, said means for pivoting the housing having a pivotal axis generally perpendicular to the axis of the fan blade.

3. Afan as set forth in claim 1 or 2 wherein said vaned grill includes a plurality of longitudinally parallel vanes, said plurality of vanes having widthwise vane sections aligned parallel to one another and at a particular acute angle to the axis of the fan blade.

4. Afan as setforth in claim 1 or 2 wherein said vaned grill includes a plurality of longitudinally parallel vanes, said plurality of vanes having widthwise vane sections non-parallel to one another such that said redirected airstream is convergingly compressed as said redirected airstream flows from said vaned grill.

5. A fan as set forth in claim 1 or 2 wherein said vaned grill includes a plurality of longitudinally parallel vanes, said plurality of vanes having widthwise vane sections non-parallel to one another such that the redirected airstream is divergent as said redirected airstream flows from said vaned grill.

6. A fan substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.