Abstract:
A personal fan generally comprises a source of electrical power such as, for example a power supply unit and a fan motor supported by an interposed arm. Where the fan motor has one or more blades that propel air towards the user. A battery housing that supports a cup or mug situated above it that serve as a beverage holder or holds snacks. The battery housing attached to an on and off switch that interrupts the fan&#39;s operation. The handle on the mug that may serve as a battery compartment and may stabilize the fan motor situated on the opposite side.

Description:
[0001]    This application is based on Provisional Patent Application 61/575,775 filed on Aug. 29, 2011 the priority is as follows: 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Personal fans for use at sporting events and the like have been widely implemented. In at least one form, such fans have been integrated with drink holders and/or cups or mugs. Unfortunately, such implementations have failed to consider the safety of the user. To this end, it is a specific object of the present invention to improve over the personal fans in the prior art by providing a personal fan having a safe distant, strategically placed fan for the purpose of preventing eye or other injuries while the user enjoys the drink from the cup or mug to which the personal fan is permanently attached. My previous invention, U.S. Pat. No. 6,454,539 is based on the same principle of providing comfort and safety with the difference being the affixed fan on the mug. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    In accordance with the foregoing objects, the present invention—a personal fan—generally comprises a source of electrical power such as, for example a power supply unit and a fan motor with one or more blades dependently supported by an interposed arm that is part of the battery compartment. Present invention further comprises a switch or switches for providing novel functionality to the cup/mug situated above it which may serve as a beverage holder. The motor housing which may take on any form including sporting balls, tires, and any other object, has a gear that allows the tilting of the fan to provide an airflow towards the user. The compartment above the battery compartment allows for a radio; or may be used as a reservoir for water which will allow the user to use a mist for cooling down. The trigger that allows for the dispensing of the water mist is situated alongside the battery compartment. Finally, may other features, objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the relevant arts, especially in light of the foregoing discussions and the following drawings, exemplary detailed description and appended claims. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         [0004]    Although the scope of the present invention is much broader than any particular embodiment, a detailed description of the preferred embodiment follows together with illustrative figures, wherein like reference numerals refer to like components, and wherein: 
           [0005]      FIG. 1  shows a first preferred embodiment of the coaster personal fan of the present invention; 
           [0006]      FIG. 2  shows a perspective view of the first preferred embodiment of the coaster personal fan of the present invention; 
           [0007]      FIG. 3  shows a second preferred embodiment of the personal fan of the present invention; 
           [0008]      FIG. 4  show, in a partially cut away view, additional details of the coaster personal fan of  FIG. 1 , 
           [0009]      FIG. 5  shows a top view of the first preferred embodiment of the coaster personal fan of  FIG. 1 , 
           [0010]      FIG. 6  shows a second preferred embodiment of the coaster personal fan of the present invention; 
           [0011]      FIG. 7  shows a button view of the first preferred embodiment of the coaster personal fan of  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0012]      FIG. 8  shows a third preferred embodiment of the coaster personal fan of the present invention; 
           [0013]      FIG. 9  shows a fourth preferred embodiment of the coaster personal fan of the present invention; 
           [0014]      FIG. 10  shows a coaster personal fan assembly of the coaster personal fan of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0015]    Although those of ordinary skill in the art will readily recognize many alternative embodiments, especially in light of the illustrations provided herein, this detailed description is exemplary of the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the scope of which is limited only by the claims appended hereto. 
         [0016]    Referring now to the figures, and  FIG. 1  in particular, the preferred embodiment of the present invention—a personal fan  10 —is shown to generally comprise a source of electrical power such as, for example a power supply unit  11  and a fan motor  21  with one or more blades  23  dependently supported by an interposed arm  16  also shown is the adaptability of the beverage holding party cup  33  in the cup  29  to hold a beverage holding party cup  33 . As particularly shown in the embodiment of  FIG. 10 , the attachable threaded mug  34  may screw onto the cup  29  through the cup threads  36  onto the threaded mug threads  35 . 
         [0017]    As particularly shown in the embodiment of  FIG. 7 , the power supply unit  11  is preferably adapted to house one or more conventional batteries  12  within a conventional battery compartment  13 . As also shown in the various figures, the power supply unit  11  is preferably provided with an on-off switch  15 . Additionally, those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize the substantially equivalent substitutions that may be made for conventional batteries such as, for example, solar cells. As shown in the embodiment of  FIG. 7  a substantially water-tight access door  14  is provided over the battery compartment  13  for preventing the ingress of fluids to the battery compartment  13 . In this manner, the operator may make use of the personal fan  10  without fear of spilling liquids from within the cup  29  or mug  27  into the electrical components of the power supply unit  11 . As also shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  5 ,  8  and  10  the power supply unit  11  is supplied with a push button switch  20 . 
         [0018]    In an alternative embodiment of the present invention an insulated sleeve  26  may be provided for removable affixation over cup  29  or mug  27  or may be provided integral with a cup  29  or mug  27 . In this alternative embodiment, the cup  29  or mug  27  may be easily 
         [0019]    provided with an integral handle  28 , as shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  8 , and  10 , that may also comprise an internal battery compartment. In this case, the power supply unit  11  may be integrated within the handle  28  of the personal fan  10 . A push button switch  20  may also be located on the handle  28 . As particularly shown in the embodiment of  FIGS. 2 and 5 , the ribs  32  within the cup  25  are provided for the secure holding of beverage cans  30  using an insulated sleeve  26  as shown in  FIGS. 3 and 9 . 
         [0020]    As shown in the various figures, the fan motor  21  is preferably housed in a motor housing  24  dependently supported upon the interposed arm  16  as shown in  FIG. 6 , the spherical motor housing  24  may be modified to represent a golf ball, baseball or any similarly shaped sport ball. In  FIG. 4 , the interposed arm  16  incorporates two pieces, whereby a first piece has a motor housing with the teeth of a gear that are designed to insert and hold on to the second piece of the interposed arm in one end and the other end of the hollow shaft  18  thereby preventing disconnection. As shown in the various figures, one or more blades  23  are operably provided with the fan motor  21  through a prop spinner  22 , which may be removable for compact storage of the personal fan  10 . Likewise, the blades  23  may be affixed to the prop spinner  22 . in the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the motor casing  19  affixed to the interposed arm  16 , is attached to the power supply unit  11  through a pivotal attachment  17 . In this manner, the blades  23  of the personal fan  10  may be easily directed as desired by the operator as shown in  FIGS. 3 and 9 . The motor casing  19  attached to the interposed arm  16  also preferably comprises a hollow shaft  18  thereafter in order to conveniently an inconspicuously contain the necessary wiring between the power supply  11  and fan motor  21 . As will be recognized by those of ordinary skill in the art, the motor housing  19  may also be in spherical form  24  or formed in various other sports ball shapes such as a baseball, basketball, tennis, golf, billiards, volleyball, as shown in particularly in  FIG. 6 . The motor casing  19  may also be formed in various other shapes such as a tire, football, shoe, helmet and is without limits in forms. Because it is envisioned that the present invention may find wide spread applicability in the advertisement of refreshment beverages, those of ordinary skill in the art will also recognize that the motor casing  19  and/or the power supply unit  11  may be shaped and provided with ornamentation reflective of a particular beverage product such as, for example, a beverage can  30   
         [0021]    For operation of the present invention, with the distant placement of the fan motor  21 , the user may freely drink from the cup  29  or mug  27  without fear of impact from the blades  23 . Additionally, in the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the blades  23  comprise a foam, flexible rubber or other polymeric material as a further safety feature. As will be recognized by those of ordinary skill in the art, a light or diodes may also be activated at the time the fan  10  is operating. 
         [0022]    While those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that many materials of construction may be utilized for the implementation of the present invention, it is preferable that a light weight and inexpensive material be utilized in order that the personal fan  10  may be distributed as widely as possible. To this end, a plastics or like material is preferred. It is also preferred that all electrical components of the present invention be housed in a substantially fluid impervious manner, thereby preventing damage to the personal fan  10  or battery compartment  13  consequently extending its useful product life. As a result weatherproof and/or water-tight switches should be used where possible. While the foregoing description is exemplary of the preferred embodiment of the present invention, those of ordinary skill in the relevant arts will recognize the many variations, alterations, modifications, substitutions and the like as are readily possible, especially in light of this description, the accompanying drawings and claims drawn thereto. For example, the adjustable arm  31  may be telescopically extendable in order for use with a wide variety of cup or mug sizes. The arm may also be made of thick wire that is pliable and can be hollow and maintain the necessary wiring from the power supply to the fan motor. Likewise, the personal fan  10  may be implemented with an additional switch for reversing the operation of the fan motor  31 , which is especially desirable when used in close proximity to the person. The cup or mug may take different designs and may have an adaptable lid for keeping pollutants out of their cups or mugs or for sipping. In any case, because the scope of the present invention is much broader than any particular embodiment, the foregoing detailed description should not be construed as a limitation of the scope of the present invention, which is limited only by the claims appended hereto.