Fan blade covers

Fan blade covers which are particularly useful for covering ceiling fan blades. The covers are easily removed and cleaned providing a safe means for cleaning ceiling fan blades. The covers are provided in numerous colors and decorative patterns allowing the selection of covers which match a room decor. The covers also comprise a balancing arrangement for the fan which includes a pocket positioned on the upper surface of the cover and a dispensing arrangement for dispensing and distributing deodorant throughout a room which includes a vented pocket for receiving a deodorant canister while the vented pocket and canister includes a visual deodorant depletion indicator.

TECHNICAL FIELD 
The present invention relates to devices and methods for fan blades and 
more particularly to devices and methods for covering fan blades that 
allow the fan blades to be decorated to match a room decor, provides a 
protective washable cover which is easily removed and installed, provides 
a means for easily attaching fan blade balance weights and also includes a 
means for dispensing and distributing room deodorant. 
BACKGROUND ART 
Fans and particularly, ceiling fans collect a large amount of dust on their 
blades and become soiled rapidly as a result of their constant use and 
rotation. Effective cleaning of fan blades is extremely difficult since 
very small dust particles become imbedded in the microscopic pores of the 
fan blade material. Additionally, the difficulty of cleaning ceiling fan 
blades is compounded since the fans are usually out of reach and the job 
must be done while dangerously standing on a step ladder or chair. 
Another problem associated with ceiling fans is the difficulty of changing 
the fan's color, such as when a room is redecorated or painted. Usually 
the only option is to change the ceiling fan, purchase new blades, or 
disassemble the fan and paint the blades separately. 
Still another problem associated with ceiling fans is the difficulty of 
properly balancing the fan blades so that the fan rotates smoothly at all 
speeds. Balancing problems can be exacerbated from weight added by 
painting the ceiling fan blades, clip on deodorant canisters or by adding 
decorative blade covers. 
The present invention solves these problems while also allowing the ceiling 
fan blades to be employed as room deodorant dispensers and distributors. 
Deodorant dispensers for rooms are usually cryptically designed to 
disguise them as common everyday household items such as a toilet paper 
holder, night light, decorative table top item, and so on. Seeing a room 
deodorizer is undesirable. Furthermore, these devices are not particularly 
effective for distributing room deodorant throughout an entire room. A 
rotating ceiling fan makes an ideal room deodorant dispenser and 
distributor. Room deodorizers attached to ceiling fans have been patented 
by Murcin et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,022,819. The Murcin device attaches an 
air freshener packet to an existing ceiling fan blade by use of spring 
loaded U shaped clips. Although, this device extremely useful it is not, 
and cannot, be incorporated as part of a decorative fan blade cover as the 
present invention and the Murcin device, can cause the fan to become 
unbalanced. 
Prior devices have been patented which provide covers for ceiling fan 
blades including Prucha et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,832,572 which claims an 
elongated sleeve with an elastic closure at an opened end securing the 
sleeve on the fan blade. Prucha is an extremely useful fan blade cover, 
however it cannot provide the multiple uses, such as balancing the fan, 
and dispensing and distributing room deodorant, as the present invention. 
Other prior devices relating to ceiling fan blades include a fan blade 
patented by Junkin, U.S. Pat. No. 5,110,261 comprising a rigid frame 
covered by a flexible weather resistant cover. McKnight, U.S. Pat. No. 
4,753,573 discloses an elongated strip of porous filtering material 
attached to the top or bottom surfaces of a fan blade. Burt, U.S. Pat. No. 
4,889,543 discloses an air filtering system to be interconnected to 
adjacent blades of a fan by fastening means. Although these devices solve 
particular problems associated with fans or provide added benefits for 
fans, the prior devices do not and cannot be adapted to include a fan 
blade cover which allows the fan blades to be decorated to match a room 
decor, easily removed for cleaning, while also providing a means for 
balancing the fan and a means for dispensing and distributing room 
deodorant. 
GENERAL SUMMARY DISCUSSION OF INVENTION 
It is thus an object of the invention to provide a Fan Blade Cover that 
provides a protective, durable, easily removed and cleaned cover that 
allows ceiling fan blades to be cleaned while also providing a means for 
allowing the ceiling fan blade's color or pattern to be changed to match a 
room's decor. 
It is a further object of the invention to provide a Fan Blade Cover that 
includes a means for balancing the fan, wherein the means includes a 
pocket formed on the top surface of the cover near the end of the fan 
blade which allows weights to be added or deleted from the fan blade as 
needed to effectively balance the fan. 
It is a still further object of the invention to provide a Fan Blade Cover 
that provides a means for dispensing and distributing room deodorant 
wherein the means includes a vented deodorant pocket mounted on the bottom 
side of the blade cover for receiving a rechargeable deodorant canister, 
while the deodorant pocket and canister includes a visible deodorant 
depletion indicator, the positioning of the vented deodorant pocket allows 
air to waft through the pocket vents as the fan rotates thus distributing 
deodorant throughout the room. 
Accordingly, Fan Blade Covers are provided which allows the cover to be 
easily removed and cleaned while the cover is also supplied in a number of 
colors and decorative patterns allowing the fan color to be changed to 
match the room decor as desired, the covers also provide a means for 
balancing the fan so that the fan rotates smoothly at all speeds wherein 
the balancing means includes a weight pocket positioned on the upper 
surface of the blade for receiving multiple weights, the cover also 
includes a means for dispensing and distributing deodorant wherein a 
vented deodorant canister pocket is provided on the bottom surface of the 
cover, while the deodorant pocket and canister also includes a visible 
deodorant depletion indicator, allowing the user to determine at a glance 
if the deodorant canister is empty.

EXEMPLARY MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION 
It can be seen from the preceding description that the covers are made from 
durable washable material and are produced in a variety of colors, 
patterns and styles. The covers are constructed to resemble an elongated 
sleeve with one open end and the other end closed and shaped to resemble 
the end of a fan blade. The open end of the cover sleeve includes a means 
for securing the cover once the cover has been slipped over the fan blade. 
The covers are easily removed and installed which provides a safe means 
for cleaning ceiling fan blades since the usual method of cleaning fan 
blades requires a person to dangerously stand on a step ladder or chair. 
The material used to construct the covers should be machine washable and 
durable to withstand numerous machine washings. The covers include a means 
for balancing the fan by adding or deleting weights from a pocket 
positioned on the upper surface of the cover. The balancing means allows 
the fan to be balanced after attaching the covers which may be necessary 
since the covers add weight to the fan blades. The covers also include a 
means for dispensing and distributing deodorant throughout a room, wherein 
a vented pocket is positioned on the bottom surface of the cover which 
receives a deodorant canister, so that as the fan rotates moving air wafts 
through the vented pockets distributing scented air throughout the room. 
When the deodorant in the canister is depleted a visual deodorant 
depletion indicator alerts the user to add more scent to the canister. 
FIG. 1 illustrates a typical ceiling fan 10 with four fan blades 12 and the 
positioning of the fan blade cover 20 over one of the fan blades while the 
fan balancing means 30 is positioned on the upper surface of the cover and 
the deodorant dispensing and distributing means 40 is positioned on the 
bottom surface of the cover 20. 
The cover 20 is constructed to resemble a sleeve with a closed end 21 and 
an opened end 22 for slipping over the fan blade. The material used to 
construct the cover is preferable a washable fabric such as 
SPANDEX.sub..TM. which slips over the fan blade tightly. Other fabrics 
can also be used, such as cotton, nylon, and other synthetics, however the 
fabric used preferably does not shrink in normal machine washing and 
further is durable and has good dye retention. The fabric used may also 
include numerous colors, patterns and designs if desired so that covers 
can be chosen to match the room decor. The closed end of the cover 21 is 
secured by stitching while the open end 22 edges are also stitched to 
prevent fraying. The open end 22 also includes a means for securing the 
covers 20 on the fan blades. The securing means preferably includes two 
elongated fabric tabs 23 which extend from the cover bottom surface 24 and 
once the cover 20 is installed over a fan blade 12 the tabs wrap around 
the fan blade post end 13 and secure to the cover top surface 25 by use of 
VELCRO.sub..TM.. The cover open end 22 includes an indented section 26 
which allows the cover 20 to be pulled up to the fan blade shaft 14. There 
may be other tab securing means other than VELCRO.sub..TM. such as 
buttons and snaps. The securing means is not seen on the typical ceiling 
fan since the tabs 23 are attached on the top surface 25 of the cover 20 
and the top surface 25 faces the ceiling of the room where the fan is 
installed. 
As illustrated in FIG. 3 the fan balancing means 30 includes a pocket 31 
attached to the top surface 25 of the cover and formed as an integral part 
of the cover material. The pocket 31 includes an upper flap 32 and a lower 
flap 33 forming a space for receiving balancing weights 34. The flaps are 
preferably secured using VELCRO.sub..TM. 35, while other securing means 
may be employed such as snaps and buttons. The flaps 32 and 33 are 
orientated to form an opening for entering the pocket in a direction which 
does not allow the weights 34 to exit the pocket 31 when the fan is 
rotating and forcing the weights to sling to the end of the fan blade. 
Additionally, the dimensions of the pocket 31 allow a multiplicity of 
weights to be placed in the pocket. The weights 34 used are preferably 
flat lead weights and may be formed to fit within the pocket 31 or may be 
cut to reduce weight added in a given pocket. The fan is balanced after 
all the covers 20 have been placed on all the fan blades, and further 
after the deodorant means 40 is also installed and loaded with deodorant. 
Balancing is accomplished by adding or deleting weights on each fan blade 
as needed. 
The deodorant dispensing and distributing means 40 includes a vented pocket 
41 which is positioned on the bottom surface of the cover 24 and is 
constructed of preferably meshed material with numerous pores 45 which is 
sewed directly onto the cover 20. The vented pocket 41 is also equipped 
with a VELCRO.sub..TM. sealed flap 42 for sealing the vented pocket 41 
after a deodorant canister 44 has been installed in the pocket 41. The 
deodorant canister 44 is a low profile oval plastic container with an 
interior reservoir 46 for storing scent. The interior is filled with 
absorbent material 47 which absorbs liquid scent and prevents the liquid 
scent from leaking from the canister inadvertently. The canister 44 is 
filled with liquid scent through filling aperture 48 which is located on 
the top of the canister 44. The liquid scent is wicked from the canister 
44 through wick 49 which is in communication with the interior absorbent 
material 47 and while the other end of the wick is exposed to air which 
travels through the mesh material as the fan rotates. The wick 49 is 
preferably composed of felt material and may also be foam, spun cotton, or 
other material known to be highly absorbent. The absorbent material must 
also be inert to the liquid scent used. The canister 44 includes visual 
depletion indicators 50 which are visible from the bottom side 51 of the 
canister 44. There may be one or more visual depletion indicators. The 
depletion indicators change color or tint as the canister contents are 
depleted alerting the user of the fan and the covers that the deodorant 
should replenished. Liquid scent of any type may be used as long as the 
scent does not deteriorate the absorbent material. 
It is noted that the embodiment of the Fan Blade Covers described herein in 
detail for exemplary purposes is of course subject to many different 
variations in structure, design, application and methodology. Because many 
varying and different embodiments may be made within the scope of the 
inventive concept(s) herein taught, and because many modifications may be 
made in the embodiment herein detailed in accordance with the descriptive 
requirements of the law, it is to be understood that the details herein 
are to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.