GB2186629A - Depression and elevation angle adjustment device for electric fan - Google Patents

Abstract

A depression and elevation control device for an electric fan has a twisted spring 51 which during elevation or depression is arranged such that forces in the spring always cause it to be moved towards the contracting direction of its diameter and thus provide a counter balance for the weight to the fan. The spring has end portions 51a, 51b one of which acts on the edge 47a of a cutaway in plate 47 surrounding the pivot and the other is either acted on by the spring stopping plate 48 or the neckpiece 9 respectively depending on the direction of movement. In the neutral position the spring ends are acted on by both edges 47a. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Depression and elevation angle adjustment device for electric fan This invention relates to a device to let a head part of an electric fan operate in a de pression or elevation angle.

Fig 17-Fig 19 are the samples of the drawings showing depression and elevation angle adjustment devices of conventional electric fans published on the Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 49-43634. Fig 17 is a side view of an electric fan and Fig 18 is a section view of major portion and Fig 19 is an exploded perspective view of major portion.

In the drawing, (61) indicates a head part of an electric fan and comprises blades (62), an electric motor for blades (not shown), guards (63) etc. and is held in a state capable in depression and elevation and oscillating movements by a neck support (66) and a neck piece (67) explained later and mounted on a support (65) erected on a base (64).The neck support (66) is formed on the upper part of the support (65), having the protruding plate (66a), (66b) in parallel and a groove (66c) on the inside of the protruding plate (66a). (67) indicates a neckpiece having a hole (67a) to support a head part (61) and able to oscillate, having a side body (67b) to be pressed between the protruding plates (66a) and (66b), and having an axle tube (67c) at the central part of the side body. (67d) indicates an annular concaved space housing the twisted spring, which will be explained later, formed around the periphery of said axle tube (67c), and (67e) indicates a concaved space formed at the margin of the opening of the annular concaved space (67d). (67f) indicates a groove formed on the upper part of the annular concaved space (67d) and (68) indicates a twisted spring to absorb torc created by imbalanced load weight of the head part (61), having the one end (68a) of the spring housed inside the annular concaved space (67d) is bent toward the direction of the axis and protrude out through the annular concaved space (67d), having the other end bent to the direction of the diameter of the spring and inserted to the groove (67f). (69) indicates an adjusting plate formed in the shape of a disk to be placed at the opening of the annular concaved space (67d), having a hole (69a) at the central part, with a round boss (69b) formed at the lower part, and with an arc shaped elongated hole (69c) in the upper part of the hole (69a), formed with the holding parts (69d) each fitting to the concaved spaces (67e) of the neck piece (67) in the peripheral part, and having through the elongated hole (69c) one end (68a) of the twisted spring is protruding. (70) indicates a position setting plate immovably interposed between the side body (67b) of the neckpiece (67) and the protruding plate (66a) of the neckpiece (66) having a hole (70a) at the center, formed with a plurality of holes (70b) being fitted to the protruding boss (69b) arranged on the moving orbit of the boss (69b) of the adjusting plate (69) in its lower part, and formed in the upper part with a cutaway (70c) to which one end (68a) of the twisted spring (68) is inserted. Further, the tip of one end (68a) of the twisted spring (68) is to be inserted into the concaved space (66c) of the protruding plate (66a) of the neckpiece (66). (71) indicates a neck pin inserted into the axle tube (67c) of the neck piece (67) through the holes (70a) and (69a).

(72) indicates a screw to be screwed to the end of the neckpin (71), and by having the neckpin (71) and screw (72) fastened, the neckpiece (67) is to be fixed to the neck support (66).

As constructed above, in the device for depresssion and elevation angle operation of a conventional electric fan, the neckpiece (67) moves around the center of the neckpin (71) together with the adjustment plate (69) when said head part (61) is moved to a depression or elevation position against the force of twisted spring (68). In this operation, the neckpiece (67), namely, head part (61) is held in the designated position by the protruding boss (69b) of the adjustment plate (69) matching to the hole (70b) of the position setting plate (70) and the range of the depression or elevation movement of the neckpiece (67) is limited by the length of arc-shaped long hole (69b).

In the depression and elevation angle adjustment device of the above conventional electric fan, one end (68a) of the twisted spring (68) is fixed and the other end (68b) moves to the direction to shorten the diameter of the twisted spring (68) in its elevation angle position and moves to the direction to enlarge the diameter in its depression angle position. For this reason, there has been a problem that it is difficult to have an equal movement both for depression and elevation positions due to different forces working to the twisted spring (68) between for the depression and elevation positions.

This invention is made to solve said problem and to provide a depression and elevation angle adjustment device for an electric fan to obtain a depression and elevation angle movement by having the twisted spring work to one and same direction both in cases of depression and elevation movements.

In the depression and elevation angle adjustment device for an electric fan of this invention, the neckpiece is held with an adjustment plate formed with an arc-shaped cutaway in the upper margin, and this neckpiece having a cavity and an arc-shaped elongated hole to correspond to said cutaway, housing a twisted spring in the interior of said cavity, extending the both end portions through said elongated holes, the both end portions pressing the edges of said cutaway in the neutral position of the neckpiece, and one of the edges pressing one of the ends of the elongated hole in the case of the neckpiece in a moved position.

In this invention, one of the ends of twisted spring is supported and the other end moves and works to the direction to contract the diameter of the spring in the case of a neckpiece moved to one direction, the other end of the spring being supported and the one end moves to the direction to contract the diameter in the same way in the case of the neckpiece moved to the direction opposite to the previous direction, and hence the twisted spring is set so as to bend always to one and same direction.

Fig 1-Fig 16 are the drawings showing one example of embodiments of this invention. Fig 1 is a vertical section view of the neckpiece portion. Fig 2 is a front view of the electric fan. Fig 3 is a right side view. Fig 4 is an exploded perspective view of the head portion oscillating device. Fig 5 is a side view of the support body (partially sectional). Fig 6 is a partially enlarged view of Fig 1. Fig 7 is an enlarged section view of the line VII of Fig 5.

Fig 8 is a left side drawing of the neckpiece.

Fig 9 is a front view of the spring holding plate. Fig 10 is a drawing explaining working theory. Fig 11 Fig 16 are the drawings illustrating operations.

To begin with, referring to Fig 2-Fig 4, an overali structure of an electric fan will be explained as follows : In the drawings, (1) is a front guard, (2) a guard ring formed along the periphery of the front guard (1), (3) a rear guard to hold the front guard (1), (4) blades housed in the interior of the front guard (1) and the rear guard (3), (5) an electric motor for blades which drive the blades, and the head portion (6) of the electric fan is constructed as shown in said (1)-(5). (7) is a Lshaped support structure which holds the electric motor for blades on its upper part, (8) a handle fixed to the upper part of the support body (7), (9) a neckpiece connected to the lower part of the support body (7), (10) a holding piece equipped on the neckpiece (9) movable in a depression and elevation direction and preventing the lower part of the guarding (2) from getting forward, (11) a neckpiece cover to house the neckpiece (9), (12) a spindle protruding downward and fixed to a depression and elevation angle adjustment device (explained later) housed in the neckpiece cover (11), (13) a control box arranged in the lower part of the neckpiece cover (11), (14) its case, (15) a cover to cover the case (14), and (16) an ornamental panel placed in the front part of the control box (13) and arranged with a push button switch (17). (18) is an axle tube provided in the case (14) to hold a spindle (12), (19) an E-shaped ring checking an upward movement of the spindle and being placed to the end of the spindle (12), (20) an arm inserted and connected to the spindle (12) by a friction effect through a clutch bed (21), (22) an electric motor for head oscillating fixed in the interior of the case (14) by a screw (24) via a support plate (23), (25) a crank fixed by a pin (26) to the axle of the electric motor for head oscillating, (27) a rod with one end being rotatably fixed to the tip of the crank (25) via a washer (28) and the other end rotatably fixed to the tip of the arm (20), (30) a time switch, (31) a knob for setting its time, and said (12), (18), (20)-(30) are stored in the interior of the control case (13).

As a result, the main body (32) of electric fan is constructed of the head part (6) and said parts (7)-(31).

(33) is a support post, and (34) a tube body forming a main part of the support post (33), and the upper part of the support post (33) is connected to the bottom part of the control box (13) by a screw (35) for preventing its coming off, the lowest part of the support post (33) is connected to a base (37) by a tube fixing screw (36). The base (37) is constructed of a bottom plate (38) and an ornamental plate (39) covering the upper surface (40) is a cord through which electric power is supplied to the electric motors (22) and (5) for head oscillation and for blades coming through the bottom plate (38) and tube body (34).

In the electric fan comprising as above, on electric power being supplied to, the electric motor for blades (5) makes blades (4) rotate and send air through a front guard (1).

On the other hand when electric power is supplied to the electric motor for head oscillation, the crank (25) rotates and makes the rod (27) reciprocate and this reciprocal movement is transmitted to the arm (20).

For this reason, the arm (20) makes swaying movements around the center of the axis and makes the support body (7) swaying movement via the spindle (12) connected to the arm (20) and the neckpiece (9). Thus the head portion (6) oscillates.

Furthermore, the double head oscillating device conventionally known is also installed at the joint location between the lower part of the control box (13) and the tube body (34).

Details will be omitted here.

Next, referring to Fig 1 and Fig S Fig 16, the depression and elevation angle adjustment portion will be explained.

Referring to Fig 1 and Fig 5-Fig 9, (45) is a screw to connect the lower part of the support body (7) to the back of the neckpiece (9), and further the support body (7) is in its both lower sides connected to the neckpiece (9) by a screw (46) inserted through a groove (9a) provided in the neckpiece (9).

An annular cavity (9b) opened in one side is provided at the lower part of the neckpiece (9) and an axis tube (9d) with a hole (9c) piercing the neckpiece (9) is formed in the central area and guiding protrusions (9e) projecting in a radiation form on the periphery of the axis tube are placed. (9f) is an elongated hole made in the area above the upmost guiding protrusion (9e) and perforates the upper part of the annular cavity (9b) and (99) are a plurality (3 pieces in the drawing) of bosses formed along the marginal part of the opening of said cavity (9b) and protruding to the direction of the center of the cavity (9b), and (9h) is a hole perforating the neckpiece (9) in the lower location of the cavity (9b) and (47) indicates adjustment plates with side walls (47d) in U-shaped figure and in parallel to each other, with a spindle (12) fixed on the bottom and having an arc-shaped cutaway formed on each wall in the both upper marginal parts and having with a hole (47b) in the central area of one side and holes (47c) to be mentioned later in the lower areas of both sides and the lower part of the neckpiece (9) inserted thereinto.

(48) is a spring stopping plate placed at the opening of the annular cavity (9b) of the neckpiece (9), with a hole (48a) through which the axis tube (9d) is formed in the central area, an arc-like elongated hole which corresponds to the cutaway (47a) of the adjustment plate (47) and faces the arc-like elongated hole (9f) of the neckpiece (9), and matching dents (48c) which correspond to the matching bosses (9g) are formed along the marginal part.

The spring stopping plate (48) is stopped in its movement by having the matching dents (48c) and the matching bosses (9g) matched, the neckpiece (9) is incorporated to the spring stopping plate (48) and held to the adjustment plate (47) by a bolt (49) and a nut (50).

(51) is a twisted spring housed in the cavity (9b) of the neckpiece (9) and supported by the outer surface of the guiding protrusions (9e), one end (51a) of which being bent in 90 degrees toward the axis and going through the elongated hole (48b) of the spring stopping plate (48), the other end (51b) being bent in 90 degrees to the axis direction similarly, extending outwardly to the cutaway (47a) of the adjustment plate (47) through the elongated hole (9f) of the neckpiece (9). (52) is balls matching from inside to one of the plural holes bored in the both lower sides of the adjustment plates and arranged on a circular arc around the center of the bolt (49), and inserted to one of (9h) in the lower part of the neckpiece (9) and the one at the side of a hole (47b) is inserted through the hole (47b) during assembling the fan. (53) is a pushing spring housed in the hole (9h) and pushing both outwardly the balls (52) and (52), and (54) is a screw to fasten a neckpiece (11) to the adjustment plate (47).

That is, in case of operating with a head piece (6) moved forward or backward, the neckpiece (9) turns at the center of the bolt (49) and is given a certain recovering force by the twisted spring (51), making an depression and elevation movement.

Now, a working principle is explained in the Fig. 10.

Both ends (51a), (51b) press each edge of the cutaway (47a) in the standard postion as shown in Fig 10 (a). In the case of elevation movement, one of the ends (51a) of the twisted spring (51) moves to the direction shown by the arrow mark, A as shown Fig 10(b) and the other end (51b) is supported by the cutaway (47a). In the case of the depression movement, the other end (51b) of the twisted spring (51) moves to the direction contracting the diameter and creating the recovering forces in the same direction by the flexture of the spring as explained in Fig 10.

Next, in the operation of the head part (6), that is, neckpiece (9) in the neutral position, both ends (51a) and (51b) of the twisted spring (51) each are to press the edge of the cutaway (47a) of the adjustment plate (47) as shown in Fig 11 and Fig 12.

In the operation of the head part (6) moved upward, one end (51a) of the twisted spring (51) is pressed by the edge'of the elongated hole (48b) of the spring stopping plate (48) and turns. The other end (51b) presses the end of the cutaway (47a) of the adjustment plate (47) as shown in Fig. 14. Further in the case of the head part (6) moved to the depressed direction, the other end (51b) of the twisted spring (51) turns by the pressing of the end of the elongated hole (9f) of the neckpiece (9) as shown in Fig 16.

The one end (51a) presses the edge of the cutaway of the adjustment plate (47) as shown in Fig 15. Thus operated, the twisted spring creates a recovering force in the same direction by its flexure. During this operation, the pressing spring (53) is pressing the ball (52), the balls (52) are fitting to the holes (47c), adjusting the position of the neckpiece (9) namely, the head part (6), and enable to set the depression or elevation movement at an appropriate location.

As explained above, according to this invention, this invention has an effect to provide a constant, even depression and elevation movement by holding the neckpiece with the adjustment plate with an arc-like cutaway formed in its upper margin, providing a cavity and an arc-like elongation hole corresponding to the cutaway in said neckpiece, housing a twisted spring in said cavity, having both ends extend through said elongated holes, having the neckpiece press the edges of said cutaway in the neutral position, having one of the ends press the edge of said elongated hole in the case of the neckpiece moved, and having the twisted spring work in the same direction both in the depression and elevation movements.

Claims (1)

1) A depression and elevation angle adjustment device for electric fan comprising a neckpiece supporting a head part of an electric fan; an adjustment plate provided on a base of the electric fan holding the neckpiece movable freely in the depression and elevation adjustments; and a twisted spring housed in said neckpiece, and characterized in having both ends of said twisted spring work always to the direction of contracting the diameter regardless of the movement forward or backward of the depression and elevation angle adjustment of said neckpiece.

2) A depression and elevation angle adjustment device for electric fan as claimed in claim 1 in which the neckpiece has an annular cavity to house a coiled twisted spring, a spring stopping plate placed at the opening part of the cavity, arc-like elongated holes provided in both sides of the cavity and spring stopping plates to enable the ends protrude outward by bending toward the direction of the axis of said twisted spring through the elongated holes and fitting to the cutaways provided at the corresponding places in both walls of the adjusting plates.

3) A depression and elevation angle adjusting device for electric fan as claimed in claim 1 in which the neckpiece and the adjustment plates are held at an adjusted position in the depression and elevation angle by fitting both balls being pushed outward with a pushing spring inserted in the interior of the neckpiece to one of plural holes provided on the adjustment plates.

4) A depression and elevation angle adjustment device for an electric fan having a head part, the device comprising a neckpiece for supporting the head part, and a helical spring housed in the neckpiece to absorb forces imposed by the weight of the head part, the device being operable so that the ends of the spring always move to contract the spring diameter regardless of depression or elevation adjustment of the neckpiece, 5) An electric fan provided with a depression and elevation angle adjustment advice as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 4,

6) A depression and elevation angle adjustment device, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 to 16 of the accompanying drawings.

7) An electric fan, provided with a depression and elevation angle adjustment device, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 to 16 of the accompanying drawings.