Abstract:
Systems, devices, apparatus and methods for easily attaching and detaching blades to flywheels/rotors on motors by inserting tab portions of the root ends of the blades into sockets on the flywheel/rotor. Inserting the root end of the blades into the slots causes raised ridges to slide into and snapably lock into grooves, which automatically locks the blades to the flywheel/rotor on the ceiling fan. Bending or pulling or pushing a free end of a sheath separates the ridge from the groove which allows the root ends of the blades to be released and easily pulled out from the sockets. Another embodiment has two free ends which can be pinched or pushed together with a hinge portion between, that also separates ridges from grooves, and allows the blades to be pulled from the flywheel.

Description:
[0001]    This application is a Continuation of PCT/US2015/02208 filed Mar. 23, 2015, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/971,740 filed Mar. 28, 2014. The entire disclosure of each of the applications listed in this paragraph are incorporated herein by specific reference thereto. 
     
    
     FIELD OF INVENTION 
       [0002]    This invention relates to ceiling fans, and in particular to systems, devices, apparatus and methods for attaching and detaching blades to flywheels/rotors on motors by inserting root ends of blades into sockets/slots on a flywheel/rotor and snapably locking the blades in place by bendable catches that lock into grooves on the root ends of the blades, and allowing the blades to be removed by pulling up a tab or tabs to unlock the catches. 
       BACKGROUND AND PRIOR ART 
       [0003]    Ceiling fans primarily have blades that are attached to the motor housing brackets by multiple screws and the like. Screwing the blades onto a ceiling mounted motor is not only difficult to accomplish, but results in most ceiling fans in the market place having visible screws that are unsightly. Furthermore, the underside locations of the fastener screws detract from the appearance of the ceiling fan itself. Another problem is from the ceiling fans having to run under continuous vibration conditions where the screws can loosen causing the blades to be accidentally released and result in damages to surrounding property and people in the vicinity. 
         [0004]    Furthermore, ceiling fan blades need to be cleaned to remove dirt and dust buildup. Current techniques have relied on manually holding brushes to the blades themselves which inherently tires the muscles in the cleaner&#39;s neck, shoulders, arms and hands. This messy cleaning with brushes causes the dirt to fall on both the cleaner and furniture and flooring below the fan. 
         [0005]    Thus, the need exists for a solution to the above problems with the prior art. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    A primary objective of the present invention is to provide systems, devices, apparatus and methods for attaching and detaching blades to flywheels/rotors on ceiling fan motors by inserting root ends of blades into sockets/slots on a flywheel/rotor, and locking the blades in place by bendable catches. 
         [0007]    A secondary objective of the present invention is to provide systems, devices, apparatus and methods for attaching and detaching blades to flywheels/rotors on ceiling fan motors by an installer without using fasteners, such as screws during installation. 
         [0008]    A third objective of the present invention is to provide systems, devices, apparatus and methods for snapaby attaching blades to flywheels/rotors on ceiling fans. 
         [0009]    A fourth objective of the present invention is to provide systems, devices, apparatus and methods for consistently attaching blades in correct orientations to flywheels/rotors on ceiling fans. 
         [0010]    A fifth objective of the present invention is to provide to systems, devices, apparatus and methods for detaching blades from flywheels/rotors on ceiling fan motors by bending or pulling or pushing up a tab or pinching tabs to allow the blades to be released and freely removed. 
         [0011]    An embodiment of the ceiling fan with locking flywheel blade(s) can include a ceiling fan motor having a rotatable flywheel, a plurality of slots through outer side edges of the flywheel, a plurality of fan blades having root ends, and catch members adjacent to each of the slots for allowing the root ends of the blades to be automatically locked to the rotatable flywheel by inserting the root ends of the blades through the sockets of the rotatable flywheel. 
         [0012]    The catch members can include sheaths attached adjacent to each of the slots, wherein the root ends of the blades become locked to the sheaths when the root ends of the blades are inserted into each of the slots, and locked in place by the catch members. 
         [0013]    The root ends of each blade can include a groove for catching into a raised ridge on an inner surface of each sheath. 
         [0014]    The root ends of each blade can include a raised ridge for catching into a groove on an inner surface of each sheath. 
         [0015]    Each sheath can include a fixed edge and a free end, wherein bending the free end removes the raised ridge from the groove, and allows the blade to be released and freely pulled out from the slot, where the free end can be a tab. 
         [0016]    Each sheath can include a fixed edge and a free end, wherein bending the free end removes the raised ridge from the groove, and allows the blade to be released and freely pulled out from the slot, where the free end can be a tab. 
         [0017]    Each sheath is fixably attached to the flywheel during manufacturing of the ceiling fan, by one or more screw fasteners. 
         [0018]    The root end of the blade and the sheath can include a longitudinal groove that is slidable into a longitudinal ridge which prevents installers from installing the blades upside down. 
         [0019]    Each sheath can include a first free end and a second free end separated by one another by a hinge portion, wherein pinching and bending the first free end and the second free end together separates the raised ridge from the groove, and allows the blade to be released and freely pulled out from the slot. 
         [0020]    Each sheath can include a first free end and a second free end separated by one another by a hinge portion, wherein pinching and bending the first free end and the second free end together separates the raised ridge from the groove, and allows the blade to be released and freely pulled out from the slot. 
         [0021]    A method of assembling blades to a ceiling fan, can include the steps of providing a ceiling fan motor with a rotatable flywheel, providing a plurality of slots through outer side edges of the flywheel, inserting root ends of the blades into the slots, and snapably locking the blades to the flywheel by snapping catch members into grooves. 
         [0022]    The locking step can includes the steps of providing a groove on each root end of the blades, providing a raised ridge on an inner surface of the sheaths, and snapably locking the raised ridge into each groove after pushing the root ends of the blades through the slots. 
         [0023]    The locking step can include the steps of providing a groove on an inner surface of each sheath, providing a raised ridge on each root end of the blades, and snapably locking the raised ridge into each groove after pushing the root ends of the blades through the slots. 
         [0024]    The method can include the step of releasing the blades from the slots by bending a free end portion of the sheaths which removes the raised ridge from the groove, and allows the blades to be freely pulled out from the slots. 
         [0025]    The method can further include the step of preventing the blades from being installed upside down by a sliding a longitudinal ridge into a longitudinal groove. 
         [0026]    The method can further include the step of releasing the blades from the slots by pinching the first free end and the second free end together on opposite sides of a hinge portion, which separates the raised ridge from the groove, and allows the blades to be released and freely pulled out from the slots. 
         [0027]    Further objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of the presently preferred embodiments which are illustrated schematically in the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
         [0028]      FIG. 1A  is an exploded view of a blade with sheath and flywheel that attaches to rotor on ceiling fan motor. 
           [0029]      FIG. 1B  is a cross-sectional view of the blade, root end, sheath and flywheel of  FIG. 1A . 
           [0030]      FIG. 2  shows the sheath fastened by screw type fasteners to the flywheel of  FIGS. 1A-1B  with blade ready to be installed. 
           [0031]      FIG. 3A  is an assembled view of the root end of the blade slid into the slot on the outside of the flywheel and locked in place by the sheath of  FIG. 2 . 
           [0032]      FIG. 3B  is a cross-sectional view of the assembled blade in the slot of the flywheel being held in place by the sheath. 
           [0033]      FIG. 4A  is an upper front perspective view of another sheath embodiment. 
           [0034]      FIG. 4B  is a lower front perspective view of the sheath of  FIG. 4A . 
           [0035]      FIG. 4C  is an upper rear perspective view of the sheath of  FIG. 4A . 
           [0036]      FIG. 4D  is a lower rear perspective view of the sheath of  FIG. 4A . 
           [0037]      FIG. 5A  is a front view of the sheath of  FIG. 4A . 
           [0038]      FIG. 5B  is a rear view of the sheath of  FIG. 5A . 
           [0039]      FIG. 5C  is a left side view of the sheath of  FIG. 5A . 
           [0040]      FIG. 5D  is a right side view of the sheath of  FIG. 5A . 
           [0041]      FIG. 5E  is a top view of the sheath of  FIG. 5A . 
           [0042]      FIG. 5F  is a bottom view of the sheath of  FIG. 5A . 
           [0043]      FIG. 6A  is an exploded view of a blade with sheath of  FIGS. 4A-5F  and flywheel that attaches to rotor on ceiling fan motor. 
           [0044]      FIG. 6B  is a cross-sectional view of the blade, root end, sheath and flywheel of  FIG. 6A . 
           [0045]      FIG. 7  shows the sheath fastened by screw type fasteners to the flywheel of  FIGS. 6A-6B  with blade ready to be installed. 
           [0046]      FIG. 8A  is an assembled view of the root end of the blade slid into the slot on the outside of the flywheel and locked in place by the sheath of  FIG. 7 . 
           [0047]      FIG. 8B  is a cross-sectional view of the assembled blade in the slot of the flywheel being held in place by the sheath, shown in  FIG. 8A  along arrows  8 B. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0048]    Before explaining the disclosed embodiments of the present invention in detail it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its applications to the details of the particular arrangements shown since the invention is capable of other embodiments. Also, the terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation. 
         [0049]    In the Summary above and in the Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments and in the accompanying drawings, reference is made to particular features (including method steps) of the invention. It is to be understood that the disclosure of the invention in this specification includes all possible combinations of such particular features. For example, where a particular feature is disclosed in the context of a particular aspect or embodiment of the invention, that feature can also be used, to the extent possible, in combination with and/or in the context of other particular aspects and embodiments of the invention, and in the invention generally. 
         [0050]    In this section, some embodiments of the invention will be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which preferred embodiments of the invention are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout, and prime notation is used to indicate similar elements in alternative embodiments. 
         [0051]    A list of components is described below.
         1 . blade and flywheel attachment embodiment     10 . blade     12 . root end of blade     14 . grooves on root end     16 . longitudinal groove on root end     20 . sheath with fastener edges     21 . fastener(s)/screws     22 . lower fastening edge     24 . upper fastening edge     25 . upper horizontal groove (hinge portion)     26 . pull tab     27 . sheath member     28 . raised triangle shaped ridges underneath     30 . flywheel     32 . narrow slot(slit) in outer side of flywheel     34 . sloped/inclined surface     36 . lower ledge     38 . upper ledge     40 . rotor on ceiling fan motor     100 . Second embodiment blade and flywheel attachment embodiment     110 . second embodiment blade     112 . root end of blade     114 . grooves on root end     116 . longitudinal groove on root end     120 . second embodiment sheath with fastener edges     121 . fastener(s)/screws     122 . first fastening surface     124 . second fastening surface     125 . upper horizontal groove (hinge portion)     126 A. Front pull tab     126 B Rear pull tab     127 . sheath member       
 
         [0084]      128 A. Front underneath raised triangle shaped ridge 
         [0085]      128 B Front underneath raised triangle shaped ridge 
         [0086]      129  longitudinal alignment ridge for longitudinal groove  116   
         [0087]      130 . flywheel 
         [0088]      132 . narrow slot(slit) in outer side of flywheel 
         [0089]      134 . sloped/inclined surface 
         [0090]      136 . lower fastening surface 
         [0091]      138 . upper fastening ledge 
         [0092]      140 . rotor on ceiling fan motor 
       First Embodiment 
       [0093]      FIG. 1A  is an exploded view  1  of a blade  10  with sheath  20  and flywheel  30  that attaches to rotor  40  on ceiling fan motor.  FIG. 1B  is a cross-sectional view of the blade  10  with root end  12  having horizontal triangular shaped groove(s)  14  in an upper surface and longitudinal groove  16  perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the blade  10 , sheath  20  and flywheel  30  with slide slot(slit)  32  and sloped/inclined surface  34  of  FIG. 1A . 
         [0094]    Lower fastening edge  22  of sheath  20  attaches to lower ledge  36  on the flywheel  30  with a fastener  21 , and upper fastening edge  24  of sheath  20  attached to upper ledge  38  with another fastener  21 . The attached sheath  20  on the flywheel  30  forms a channel between sheath member  27  and sloped/inclined surface  34  of the flywheel  30 . 
         [0095]      FIG. 2  shows the sheath  20  fastened by screw type fasteners  21  to the flywheel  30  of  FIG. 1  with root end  12  of blade  10  ready to be installed by being inserted in the direction of arrow I into slot  32  (shown in  FIG. 1A . The outer end of the root end  12  of the blade  10  can push the triangular ridges  28  upward until they snap in place into grooves  14  on the root end  12  of the blade  10 . The sheath  20  can be pre-attached at the factory before being shipped out, so that installers (and/or customers) onsite only need to insert the root end  12  of the blades  10  into the slots (slits)  31  on the outer sides of the flywheels  30  attached to the rotors of the ceiling fan motor. Here, no fasteners need to be used onsite to assemble or disassemble the blades from the ceiling fan motor. 
         [0096]      FIG. 3A  is an assembled view of the root end  12  of the blade  10  slid into the slot  31  on the outside of the flywheel  30  and locked in place by the lower facing raised triangle shaped ridges underneath sheath member  27  of  FIG. 2 . 
         [0097]      FIG. 3B  is a cross-sectional view of the assembled root end  12  of the blade  10  in the slot  31  of the flywheel  30  being held in place by the sheath  20 . The horizontal grooves  14  can line up with the ridges  28  in the sheath securing and locking the blade so that the blade  10  cannot be pulled out from the flywheel. The stepped triangle shaped grooves  14  in the root end  12  of the blade are locked in place by mateably attached to the raised triangle ridges  28  under the sheath member  27 . The embodiment also allows for a single vertical groove  16  in the root end  12  of the blade  10  that can mate with a longitudinal ridge under the sheath  20  for aligning the root end  12  into the slot  32  of the flywheel  30  and preventing the installer from installing the blade(s)  10  upside down. 
         [0098]    To be removed the tab  26  is pulled upward (where the groove  25  allows for a living hinge bend) allowing the raised ridges  28  to lift out of the groove(s)  14  so that the blade  10  can be pulled in the direction of arrow P from flywheel  30 . 
         [0099]    The novel sheath can be made from molded plastic, and the like, as a single part piece or more than part attached together. 
         [0100]    While the embodiment shows a longitudinal groove on the root end of the blade that slidable into a mating longitudinal ridge in the sheath to help align the blades in position within the slot/socket on the flywheel, the longitudinal ridge can be on the root end of the blades and the longitudinal groove can be inside of the sheath. 
         [0101]    Although the embodiment shows the downwardly protruding triangular ridges underneath the sheath and the grooves on the root end of the blades, the invention can work with the grooves under the sheath member with the triangular ridges on the root ends of the blades. 
       Second Embodiment 
       [0102]      FIG. 4A  is an upper front perspective view of another sheath embodiment  120 .  FIG. 4B  is a lower front perspective view of the sheath  120  of  FIG. 4A .  FIG. 4C  is an upper rear perspective view of the sheath  120  of  FIG. 4A .  FIG. 4D  is a lower rear perspective view of the sheath  120  of  FIG. 4A . 
         [0103]      FIG. 5A  is a front view of the sheath  120  of  FIG. 4A .  FIG. 5B  is a rear view of the sheath  120  of  FIG. 5A .  FIG. 5C  is a left side view of the sheath  120  of  FIG. 5A .  FIG. 5D  is a right side view of the sheath  120  of  FIG. 5A .  FIG. 5E  is a top view of the sheath  120  of  FIG. 5A .  FIG. 5F  is a bottom view of the sheath  120  of  FIG. 5A . 
         [0104]    Referring to  FIGS. 4A-5F , sheath  120  can include a first fastening surface  122  on one side, and a second fastening surface  124  at an opposite end of the main sheath member  127 . On top of the sheath can be a bendable upwardly protruding front pull tab  126 A separated by a hinge groove  125  in the sheath member  17  from a bendable upwardly protruding rear pull tab  126 B. Below the front pull tab  126 A can be a downwardly protruding front triangle ridge  128 A, and below the rear pull tab  126 B can be a downwardly protruding rear triangle ridge  128 B. Groove  125  forms a living hinge that allows a temporary fold along the groove  125  during the blade installation, and the blade release which will be described below. A longitudinal alignment ridge  129  is underneath the rear of the sheath  120 . 
         [0105]      FIG. 6A  is an exploded view of a blade  110  with sheath  120  of  FIGS. 4A-5F  and flywheel  130  that attaches to rotor  140  on ceiling fan motor.  FIG. 6B  is a cross-sectional view of the blade  110  with root end  112 , sheath  120  and flywheel  130  of  FIG. 6A . 
         [0106]      FIG. 7  shows the sheath  120  fastened by screw type fasteners  121  to the flywheel  130  of  FIGS. 6A-6B  with blade  110  ready to be installed. 
         [0107]      FIG. 8A  is an assembled view of the root end  112  of the blade  110  after being slid into the slot/slit  132  on the outside of the flywheel  130  and locked in place by the bendable downwardly protruding triangular ridges  128 A,  128 B (shown in  FIG. 6B ) under sheath  120  of  FIG. 7 .  FIG. 8B  is a cross-sectional view of  FIG. 8B  along arrows  8 B, showing the assembled blade  110  in the slot  132  of the flywheel  130  being held in place by the sheath  120 . 
         [0108]    Referring to  FIGS. 4A-7 , to install the sheath  120 , the installer can position first fastening end  122  to fastening surface  136  on the flywheel  130 , and position second fastening end  124  to the other fastening surface  138 , and use the fasteners  121 , such as screws to screwably attach the sheath  120  in place. This installation can be done at the factory, or be part of a kit to be attached by the ceiling fan installer. 
         [0109]    To attach the blade(s)  110  in place with the flywheel  30 , reference is made to  FIGS. 4A-8B . Before hanging the ceiling fan, the installer can position the root end  112  of each blade  110 , separately, to be inserted in the direction of arrow I, into the side slot/slit  132  on the flywheel  130  that is attached to a rotor  140  on a ceiling fan motor. The longitudinal ridge  129  under the sheath member  127  passes into the longitudinal groove  116  on the root end  112  of the blade  110  to align the root end  112  of the blade  110  into the side slit/slot  132  on the flywheel  130 . The longitudinal groove  116  and longitudinal ridge  129  further prevents the installer from installing the blade(s)  110  upside down. The exterior end of the root end  112  of the blade  110  pushes up the angled sides of downwardly extending triangular ridges  128 A,  128 B under the main sheath member  127  until the triangular ridges snap in place into the pair of parallel grooves  114  on the root end of the blade  110 , locking the blade  110  in place, by the catch caused by the triangular ridges snapped into grooves  114 . Each of the other blades can be similarly locked in place to the flywheel  130  in a similar manner by using similar bendable catches. 
         [0110]    To remove the blade  110 , the installer can pinch together the upwardly protruding pull tabs  126 A,  126 B toward each other in the direction of arrows P 1 , P 2 , shown in  FIGS. 5C-5D , and also shown in  FIG. 8B , which causes the triangular ridges  128 A,  128 B to lift up in the direction of arrows L 1 , L 2 , relative to the hinge groove  125  pulling the ridges  128 A,  128 B out of the parallel grooves  114 . This allows the installer to use one of their second hands to grab onto the blade and to pull the blade  110  outward from the flywheel  120  in the opposite direction to arrow I. 
         [0111]    Each of the other blades of the ceiling fan can be removed from the flywheel of the ceiling fan accomplished in a similar manner, by releasing the other bendable catches. 
         [0112]    Although the preferred embodiment shows the groove(s) on the root ends of the blades and the raised ridge inside of the sheaths, the groove(s) can be inside of the sheaths and the ridge portion on the root ends of the blades. 
         [0113]    While the embodiment shows a longitudinal groove on the root end of the blade that slidable into a mating longitudinal ridge in the sheath to help align the blades in position within the slot/socket on the flywheel, the longitudinal ridge can be on the root end of the blades and the longitudinal groove can be inside of the sheath. 
         [0114]    While the invention has been described, disclosed, illustrated and shown in various terms of certain embodiments or modifications which it has presumed in practice, the scope of the invention is not intended to be, nor should it be deemed to be, limited thereby and such other modifications or embodiments as may be suggested by the teachings herein are particularly reserved especially as they fall within the breadth and scope of the claims here appended.