US20050265848A1

US20050265848A1 - Ceiling fan mounting structure

Info

Publication number: US20050265848A1
Application number: US10/852,185
Authority: US
Inventors: Min Tseng
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2004-05-25
Filing date: 2004-05-25
Publication date: 2005-12-01

Abstract

A ceiling fan mounting structure is constructed to include a holder base affixed to a fan motor, the holder base having equiangularly spaced retaining blocks and holding an electric plug electrically connected to the fan motor, a barrel coupled to the holder base, the barrel having longitudinal sliding grooves for guiding the retaining blocks into the inside of the barrel and retaining grooves respectively extended sideways from the longitudinal sliding grooves for engaging the retaining blocks upon a rotary motion of the barrel relative to the holder base, an electric socket supported on a spring inside the barrel for receiving the electric plug, a hollow suspension rod connected to the barrel, and a lock member for locking the barrel to the holder base.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a ceiling fan and more particularly, to a ceiling fan mounting structure, which facilitates the connection of power supply to the fan motor and, supports the fan motor stably.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 7 shows a ceiling fan mounting structure according to the prior art. According to this design, the fan motor mounting structure comprises a holder base 6 affixed to a fan motor 62, a hollow suspension rod 7 adapted to suspend the holder base 6 from the ceiling, a connecting tube 71 threaded onto the threaded bottom end of the hollow suspension rod 7, and tie screws 72 mounted in the connecting tube 71 and threaded into respective screw holes 61 of the holder base 6 to affix the connecting tube 71 to the holder base 6. The installation procedure of this design of ceiling fan mounting structure is complicated. During installation, the user must attach the connecting tube 71 to the holder base 6, and then drive the tie screws 72 into the respective screw holes 61 one after another. If the tie screws 72 are not properly fastened tight, the ceiling fan will vibrate during running of the fan motor 62. Severe vibration of the ceiling fan during running of the fan motor 62 may cause the fan motor 62 to fall to the ground. Further, during installation, the power cord 63 of the fan motor 62 must be inserted through the connecting tube 71 and the hollow suspension tube 7 and then connected to power supply. Because the power cord 63 has a certain length, it must be turned back and arranged in a received status after insertion through the hollow suspension tube 7 before delivery of the ceiling fan mounting structure. If the received power cord 63 is received inside the hollow suspension rod 7, the received power cord 63 may be forced to rub against the inside wall of the hollow suspension rod 7, thereby causing damage to the insulator of the power cord 63. A damage of the insulator of the power cord 63 may result in a short circuit. This complicated design of ceiling fan mounting structure is out of favor of consumers who like DIY (Do-It-Yourself).

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances in view. It is the main object of the present invention to provide a ceiling fan mounting structure, which eliminates the aforesaid drawbacks.
According to one aspect of the present invention, the ceiling fan mounting structure comprises a holder base affixed to a fan motor, a barrel coupled to the holder base, a hollow suspension rod connected to the barrel, and a lock member adapted to lock the barrel to said holder base. The holder base comprises a plurality of retaining blocks and an electric plug. The electric plug comprises a plurality of contact pins electrically connected to the fan motor through a power cord and protruding over one side of the holder base opposite to the fan motor. The barrel holds an electric socket on the inside, comprising a front side connectable to the holder base, a rear side connectable to the hollow suspension rod, a plurality of longitudinal sliding grooves extended to the front side and adapted to guide the retaining blocks of the holder base into the inside of the barrel, and a plurality of retaining grooves respectively extended sideways from the longitudinal sliding grooves and adapted to accommodate the retaining blocks of the holder base upon a rotary motion of the barrel relative to the holder base after insertion of the retaining blocks into the longitudinal sliding grooves. The electric socket is axially movably mounted inside the barrel, comprising a stop flange extended around the periphery thereof, a plurality of contact holes adapted to receive the contact pins of the electric plug, and a power cord extended from the contact holes and inserted through the hollow suspension rod for connection to power supply. The lock member is a tubular member axially movably mounted on the barrel and connectable to the holder base to hold down the barrel in an engagement position where the retaining grooves are kept in engagement with the retaining blocks.
According to another aspect of the present invention, the retaining blocks of the holder base are conical blocks; the retaining grooves of the barrel are conical grooves fitting the retaining blocks. After installation, the gravity weight of the fan motor imparts a downward pressure to the conical retaining blocks relative to the conical retaining grooves, enhancing the engagement between the conical retaining blocks and the retaining grooves. Therefore, the ceiling fan does not vibrate during operation of the fan motor.
According to still another aspect of the present invention, the lock member prohibits displacement of the barrel relative to the holder base, thereby holding down the engagement between the conical retaining blocks and the retaining grooves.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a ceiling fan mounting structure according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the present invention before connection of the electric socket to the electric plug.
FIG. 3 is a schematic drawing showing the relative position between the retaining blocks of the holder base and the longitudinal sliding grooves and retaining grooves of the barrel according to the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the present invention after connection of the electric socket to the electric plug.
FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the present invention showing the holder base affixed to the fan motor.
FIG. 6 is a sectional view of an alternate form of the present invention.
FIG. 7 is a sectional view of a ceiling fan mounting structure according to the prior art.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIGS. 1-5, a ceiling fan mounting structure is shown comprising a holder base 1 affixed to the fan motor, referenced by 5, a barrel 2 coupled to the holder base 1, a hollow suspension rod 3 connected to the barrel 2, and a lock member 4 adapted to lock the barrel 2 to the holder base 1.
The holder base 1 comprises a bottom plate 11 fixedly fastened to the top of the fan motor 5 with screws, a stepped hollow upright shaft 12 perpendicularly upwardly extended from the top side of the bottom plate 11 at the center, a plurality, for example, three conical retaining blocks 13 equiangularly spaced around the periphery of the relatively smaller diameter of the upper half of the stepped hollow upright shaft 12 and in flush with the topmost edge of the stepped hollow upright shaft 12, an outer thread 15 extended around the periphery of the relatively greater diameter of the lower half of the stepped hollow upright shaft 12, and an electric plug 14 mounted inside the stepped hollow upright shaft 12 and electrically connected to the power cord 52 of the motor 5. The electric plug 14 comprises three contract pins 141 and two locating pins 142 upwardly projecting from the top side. The locating pins 142 have different diameters.
The barrel 2 comprises an inner thread 21 extended around the inside wall thereof at the rear side for the connection of the suspension rod 3, a plurality of, for example, three retaining grooves 22 and three longitudinal sliding grooves 23 alternatively equiangularly spaced around the inside wall at the front for the connection of the holder base 1, and a stop flange 27 extended around the periphery of the front side. The retaining grooves 22 fit the retaining blocks 13 of the holder base 1. The retaining blocks 13 of the holder base 1 are respectively inserted through the longitudinal sliding grooves 23 and then forced into engagement with the retaining grooves 22 upon a rotary motion of the holder base 1 relative to the barrel 2 (see FIG. 3).
Further, an electric socket 24 is axially movably mounted inside the barrel 2, having three contact holes 242 and two locating holes 243 in one side, namely, the front connection side 241 thereof for receiving the three contract pins 141 and two locating pins 142 of the electric plug 14 respectively, and a stop flange 245 extended around the periphery of the rear side thereof. A power cord 244 is extended from the contact pins 131 and inserted through the hollow suspension rod 3 for connection to power supply. A stop plate 26 is mounted inside the barrel 2 and adapted to stop the electric socket 24 inside the barrel 2, having a center through hole 261. The diameter of the center through hole 261 is slightly greater than the outer diameter of the electric socket 24 but smaller than the diameter of the stop flange 245. After insertion of the electric socket 24 through the center through hole 261 of the stop plate 26, the stop flange 245 is stopped against the stop plate 26. A spring 25 is provided to impart a downward pressure to the electric socket 24 against the stop plate 26, thereby holding the electric socket 24 in such a position that the front connection side 241 protrudes over the front side of the barrel 2 for the connection of the electric plug 14.
The hollow suspension rod 32 has a threaded neck 31 disposed at one end for threading into the inner thread 21 of the barrel 2. Alternatively, a connector 32 may be threaded onto the threaded neck 31 of the hollow suspension rod 32 for fastening the hollow suspension rod 32 to the barrel 2. The connector 32 has a threaded neck 321 for threading into the inner thread 21 of the barrel 2.
The lock member 4 according to this embodiment is a chuck sleeved onto the barrel 2 and adapted to lock the barrel 2 to the holder base 1, having an inner thread 41 for threading onto the outer thread 15 of the holder base 1 and an inside stop flange 42 for stopping against the stop flange 27 of the barrel 2.
The installation of the present invention is outlined hereinafter with reference to FIGS. 2-5 again. The power cord 244 of the electric socket 24 is inserted through the hollow suspension rod 3 and connected to power supply, and then the lock member 4 is lifted from the barrel 2, and then the electric socket 24 is connected to the electric plug 14 to force the contact pins 141 and locating pins 142 into the contact holes 242 and locating holes 243 respectively. At the same time, the stepped hollow upright shaft 12 is inserted into the barrel 2 to force the retaining blocks 13 into the respective longitudinal sliding grooves 23. Thereafter, the barrel 2 is rotated with the hollow suspension rod 3 relative to the holder base 1 to force the retaining blocks 13 into engagement with the respective retaining grooves 22. At final, the lock member 4 is threaded onto the outer thread 15 of the holder base 1 to lock the barrel 2 to the holder base 1, as shown in FIG. 5. Because the power cord 52 of the motor 5 is connected to the electric plug 14 and the power cord 244 of the electric socket 24 is connected to power supply, connecting the electric socket 24 to the electric plug 14 achieves electric connection of the motor 5 to power supply. Because the two locating pins 142 of the electric plug 14 have different diameters, and the two locating holes 243 of the electric socket 24 fit the locating pins 142 respectively, the electric socket 24 can be quickly connected to the electric plug 14 in the correct direction.
Further, by means of the retaining blocks 13 at the holder base 1 and the longitudinal sliding grooves 23 and retaining grooves 22, the barrel 2 can be easily and quickly connected to the holder base 1 simply through a rotary motion without the use of screws. Because the retaining blocks 13 are conical blocks and the retaining grooves 22 are conical grooves fitting the retaining blocks 13, the downward pressure of the gravity weight of the motor 5 enhances the tightness of the engagement between the retaining blocks 13 and the retaining grooves 22, preventing vibration of the hollow suspension rod 3 during operation of the motor 5.
Further, after connection of the lock member 4 to the holder base 1, the front side of the lock member 4 is stopped at the bottom plate 11 of the holder base 1, and the inside stop flange 42 of the lock member 4 is stopped against the stop flange 27 of the barrel 2 to prohibit displacement of the barrel 2 relative to the holder base 1, and therefore the retaining blocks 13 of the holder base 1 are held in positive engagement with the retaining grooves 22 of the barrel 2.
FIG. 6 shows an alternate form of the present invention. According to this alternate form, the barrel 2 has an outer thread 28; the lock member 4 is threaded onto the outer thread 28 of the barrel 2. During installation, the lock member 4 is rotated forwards and threaded onto the holder base 1 and stopped against the bottom plate 11 of the holder base 1 to hold down the barrel 2 on the holder base 1, keeping the retaining blocks 13 in positive engagement with the retaining grooves 22 of the barrel 2.
A prototype of ceiling fan mounting structure has been constructed with the features of FIGS. 1-6. The ceiling fan mounting structure functions smoothly to provide all of the features discussed earlier.
Although a particular embodiment of the invention has been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited except as by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A ceiling fan mounting structure comprising a holder base affixed to a fan motor, a barrel coupled to said holder base, a hollow suspension rod connected to said barrel, and a lock member adapted to lock said barrel to said holder base, wherein

said holder base comprises a plurality of retaining blocks and an electric plug, said electric plug comprising a plurality of contact pins electrically connected to said fan motor through a power cord and protruding over one side of said holder base opposite to said fan motor;

said barrel holds an electric socket on the inside, comprising a front side connectable to said holder base, a rear side connectable to said hollow suspension rod, a plurality of longitudinal sliding grooves extended to said front side and adapted to guide the retaining blocks of said holder base into the inside of said barrel, and a plurality of retaining grooves respectively extended sideways from said longitudinal sliding grooves and adapted to accommodate the retaining blocks of said holder base upon a rotary motion of said barrel relative to said holder base after insertion of said retaining blocks into said longitudinal sliding grooves, said electric socket being axially movably mounted inside said barrel, said electric socket comprising a stop flange extended around the periphery thereof, a plurality of contact holes adapted to receive the contact pins of said electric plug, and a power cord extended from said contact holes and inserted through said hollow suspension rod for connection to power supply;

said lock member is a tubular member axially movably mounted on said barrel and connectable to said holder base to hold down said barrel in an engagement position where said retaining grooves are kept in engagement with said retaining blocks.

2. The ceiling fan mounting structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein said holder base comprises a bottom plate affixed to a top side of said fan motor, a hollow shaft upwardly perpendicularly extended from said bottom plate; said retaining blocks are equiangularly situated at the periphery of said hollow shaft remote from said bottom plate.

3. The ceiling fan mounting structure as claimed in claim 2, wherein said retaining blocks are conical blocks; said retaining grooves are conical grooves fitting said retaining blocks.

4. The ceiling fan mounting structure as claimed in claim 2, wherein said electric plug is mounted inside said hollow shaft, comprising two locating pins, said locating pins having different diameters; said electric socket comprises two locating holes adapted to receive said locating pins upon insertion of said contact pins into said contact holes.

5. The ceiling fan mounting structure as claimed in claim 2, wherein said hollow shaft of said holder base comprises an outer thread; said barrel comprises a stop flange extended around the periphery of the front side thereof; said barrel comprises an inner thread for threading onto the outer thread of said hollow shaft of said holder base, and an inside stop flange for stopping against the stop flange of said barrel upon stoppage of said lock member at the bottom plate of said holder base.

6. The ceiling fan mounting structure as claimed in claim 2, wherein said barrel comprises an outer thread; said lock member comprises an inner thread threaded onto the outer thread of said barrel.

7. The ceiling fan mounting structure as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a stop plate mounted inside said barrel, said stop plate having a center through hole for the passing of said electric socket, the diameter of said center through hole of said stop plate being smaller than the diameter of the stop flange of said electric socket; and spring member mounted inside said hollow suspension rod and stopped against said electric socket inside said barrel to force the stop flange of said electric socket against said stop plate.

8. The ceiling fan mounting structure as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a connector threaded onto one end of said hollow suspension rod and adapted to connect said hollow suspension rod to said barrel, said connector comprising an outer thread threaded into an inner thread in said barrel.