Abstract:
Devices, apparatus, brackets, systems and methods for mounting a remote control receiver off-axis and to the side of motor mount bracket inside a ceiling mounted hugger and low profile fan housing.

Description:
FIELD OF INVENTION 
     This invention relates to remote controls, and in particular to devices, apparatus, brackets and methods for mounting a remote control receiver off-axis and below the motor mount bracket inside a ceiling mounted hugger fan housing. 
     BACKGROUND AND PRIOR ART 
     Remote controls are often used in ceiling fans hanging from down rods with canopies attached to ceilings, wherein a handheld remote control activates a remote receiver in side of the fan which turns the fan on and off. The open cavity of the canopy can have enough room for the receiver to be inside. See for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,430,277 to Whitaker and U.S. Pat. No. 5,613,832 to Su. 
     However, hugger type low-profile fans have motor housings generally attached directly to a ceiling without a down rod, and have little room to mount a remote receiver inside the housing. In view of the limited space it is difficult to install remote control receivers inside of the hugger type low-profile fan housings. Additionally, there is a danger of the remote receiver and/or the loose wires attached to the receivers can fall into the moving motor which can damage the motor and be dangerous to those underneath the ceiling mounted fan. 
     Additionally, if the wires and remote receivers are not firmly secured, the receiver and wires can rattle causing undesirable noise and vibration. 
       FIG. 1A  is a top perspective view of a prior art hugger ceiling fan  10  with motor inside the shroud housing  15  and prior art elongated hanger bracket  20  and motor  25  hanging inside of the housing.  FIG. 1  B is a side interior view of the prior art housing  15  of  FIG. 1A  showing the bracket along the top of the upper open end of the housing  15 . 
     Attempts have been made over the years to try and mount remote receivers in the housings, but are difficult to use. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,015,274 to Bias et al. describes a low profile ceiling fan having a remote control receiver. However, the remote receivers are generally required to have apertures (holes) through upper and/or lower portions of the receiver housings in order to be mounted. Forming holes into an existing receiver would not be desirable since it can damage the receiver. 
     Another embodiment in this reference shows the remote receiver mounted on top of the motor mount bracket which would not be desirable since the motor bracket is intended to be substantially flush mounted. As such, there is little or no room on the top of the bracket. 
     Another embodiment shows the remote receiver directly mounted underneath the bracket. Similarly, this would also not be desirable since it would be difficult to attach when the top of the receiver is not accessible. 
     Another embodiment generally requires the receiver to be slid into a pocket type opening under the end of the bracket, which may be difficult to insert into. Also, the pocket may not be a secure fit and could result in the remote receiver moving about causing undesirable noise and vibration. 
     Thus, the need exists for solutions to the above problems in the prior art. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A primary objective of the invention is to provide devices, apparatus, brackets, systems and methods for mounting a remote receiver off-axis and to the side of a motor mount bracket inside a ceiling mounted hugger fan housing. 
     A secondary objective of the invention is to provide devices, apparatus, brackets, systems and methods for mounting a remote receiver inside a ceiling mounted hugger fan housing without forming apertures in the remote receiver. 
     A third objective of the invention is to provide devices, apparatus, brackets, systems and methods for mounting a remote receiver inside a ceiling mounted hugger fan housing without mounting the receiver on top of a motor mount bracket. 
     A fourth objective of the invention is to provide devices, apparatus, brackets, systems and methods for mounting a remote receiver inside a ceiling mounted hugger fan housing without mounting the receiver to the bottom of a motor mount bracket. 
     A fifth objective of the invention is to provide devices, apparatus, brackets, systems and methods for mounting after market remote receivers inside existing ceiling mounted hugger fan housings. 
     A sixth objective of the invention is to provide devices, apparatus, brackets, systems and methods for mounting a remote control receiver inside a ceiling mounted hugger fan housing on a ledge off a motor mounting bracket, wherein the ledge has openings for allowing heat ventilation therethrough. 
     A seventh objective of the invention is to provide devices, apparatus, brackets, systems and methods for mounting a remote receiver inside a ceiling mounted hugger fan housing on a ledge off a motor mounting bracket, and openings for safely passing wires, eliminating the wires falling into the motor. 
     A mounting system for mounting remote control receivers in low profile ceiling fan housings, comprising a ceiling fan housing having an upper open end and a lower open end having a diameter smaller than the diameter of the upper open end, an elongated generally rectangular mounting bracket having a left side and a right side, and a first end and a second end, the first end attached to a first upper rim portion of the upper open end of the housing, and the second end attached to a second upper rim portion of the upper open end of the housing opposite to the first upper rim portion of the housing, a motor mounted to a mid portion of the elongated bracket between the first end and the second end hanging underneath the mounting bracket; a side shelf extending sideways from one of the left side or the right side of the elongated bracket; and a remote control receiver mounted on the side shelf. 
     The side shelf can have an L shape with a vertical leg attached to one of the left side and the right side of the elongated bracket, with a horizontal leg spaced below and extending sideways from the elongated bracket. 
     The system can include a strap having one end hingedly attached to one of the sides of the elongated bracket, and having an opposite end that attaches to the shelf, the strap for mounting the remote receiver to the shelf. The strap can be a metal strap. The strap can be a zip tie. 
     The shelf can have side holes for allowing wires to safely pass therethrough. The shelf can include holes in the support surface for heat ventilation adjacent to the remote receiver. 
     The shelf can be attached to one side of the elongated bracket by weld. The shelf can be attached to one side of the elongated bracket by a fastener. The elongated bracket and the shelf can be formed from one piece. 
     An embodiment of a ceiling fan, can include a ceiling fan housing having an upper open end and a lower open end having a diameter smaller than the diameter of the upper open end, an elongated generally rectangular mounting bracket having a left side and a right side, and a first end and a second end, the first end attached to a first upper rim portion of the upper open end of the housing, and the second end attached to a second upper rim portion of the upper open end of the housing opposite to the first upper rim portion of the housing, a motor mounted to a mid portion of the elongated bracket between the first end and the second end hanging underneath the mounting bracket substantially inside of the housing, a side shelf extending sideways from one of the left side or the right side of the elongated bracket, a remote control receiver mounted on the side shelf, and a plurality of ceiling fan blades mounted to a lower portion of the motor below the lower open end of the housing. 
     The side shelf can have an L shape with a vertical leg attached to one of the left side and the right side of the elongated bracket, with a horizontal leg spaced below and extending sideways from the elongated bracket. 
     The fan can include a strap having one end hingedly attached to one of the sides of the elongated bracket, and having an opposite end that attaches to the shelf, the strap for mounting the remote receiver to the shelf. The strap can be a metal strap. The strap can be a zip tie. 
     The shelf can include side holes for allowing wires to safely pass therethrough. The shelf can include holes in the support surface for heat ventilation adjacent to the remote receiver. 
     The shelf can be attached to one side of the elongated bracket by weld. The shelf can be attached to one side of the elongated bracket by a fastener. 
     The elongated bracket and the shelf can be formed from one piece. 
     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 
         FIG. 1A  is a top perspective view of a prior art hugger ceiling fan motor housing with prior art hanger bracket. 
         FIG. 1  B is a side interior view of the prior art housing of  FIG. 1A . 
         FIG. 2  is a top perspective partial cut-away view inside of a hugger ceiling fan motor housing with hanger bracket and novel remote ready shelf attached. 
         FIG. 3  is a bottom perspective view of the hugger ceiling fan motor housing with hanger bracket and novel remote read shelf attached of  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 4  is another top perspective partial cut-away view of the hugger ceiling fan motor housing of  FIG. 2  showing exploded view of the novel shelf installation. 
         FIG. 5  is another top perspective view of the ceiling fan motor housing of  FIG. 4  with exploded view of the shelf and remote control receiver before installation. 
         FIG. 6  is a top perspective view of the fan motor housing of  FIG. 5  with shelf attached to hanger bracket and remote receiver installed with tie down brace. 
         FIG. 7  is a bottom perspective view of  FIG. 6  showing the receiver control wires routing through the wire egress hole in the shelf. 
         FIG. 8  is a top perspective view of the receiver secured to the shelf with plastic zip lock ties instead of the tie down brace. 
         FIG. 9  is a bottom perspective view of  FIG. 8  showing zip lock ties routing through the wire egress holes in the shelf to facilitate securing the receiver to the shelf. 
         FIG. 10  is a bottom perspective view of the remote ready shelf of  FIGS. 2-8 . 
         FIG. 11  is a top perspective view of the shelf of  FIG. 10 . 
         FIG. 12  is a left side view of the shelf of  FIG. 10  along arrow  12 X 
         FIG. 13  is a top view of the shelf of  FIG. 10  along arrow  13 X. 
         FIG. 14  is a right side view of the shelf of  FIG. 10  along arrow  14 X. 
         FIG. 15  is a bottom view of the shelf of  FIG. 11  along arrow  15 X. 
         FIG. 16  is a rear view of the shelf of  FIG. 10  along arrow  16 X. 
         FIG. 17  is a front view of the shelf of  FIG. 11  along arrow  17 X. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     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. 
     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. 
     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. 
     A list of components will now be described.
       10  Ceiling fan (prior art).     15  Fan motor shroud housing (prior art).     18 . Motor     20  Hanger bracket/elongated generally rectangular mounting bracket (prior art)     23  side holes in the hanger bracket     25  Ceiling fan with remote ready shelf installed.     30  Remote ready shelf     31  flat side edges     32  Vertical leg     33  holes in vertical leg     34  inwardly angled sides     35  flat side edge     36  horizontal leg     38  convex curved edge     40  Shelf mounting screws.     50  Tie down brace/strap.     52  inner bent end     56  outer bent end     57  fastening hole     60  Tie down brace mounting screw.     70  Tie down brace retaining tab.     80  Slot in remote ready shelf retains tab of tie down brace.     85  fastening hole     90  Wire egress hole in remote ready shelf.     100  Ceiling fan remote receiver.     110  Plastic zip tie used as alternative to tie down brace to secure remote receiver to shelf.     120  Control wires from receiver to and from motor  18       130  Slots in shelf for zip tie installation     135  large slots in shelf for heat ventilation   

       FIG. 2  is a top perspective partial cut-away view  25  inside of a hugger ceiling fan motor housing  15  with the hanger bracket  20  and novel remote ready shelf  30  attached.  FIG. 3  is a bottom perspective view  25  of the hugger ceiling fan motor housing  15  of  FIG. 2  with hanger bracket  20  and novel remote read shelf  30  attached.  FIG. 4  is another top perspective partial cut-away view  25  of the hugger ceiling fan motor housing  15  of  FIG. 2  showing exploded view of shelf  130  installation. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1-4 , the novel shelf  130  can have an L shape with a vertical leg  32  having holes  33  therethrough, and a horizontal leg  36 . Fasteners  40 , such as but not limited to screws, and bolts can attach vertical leg  32  through holes  33  into threaded openings in side holes  23  in the hanger bracket  20 . 
       FIG. 5  is another top perspective view of the ceiling fan motor housing  15  of  FIG. 4  with exploded view of the shelf  39  and remote control receiver  100  before installation.  FIG. 6  is a top perspective view of the fan motor housing  15  of  FIG. 5  with shelf  30  attached to hanger bracket  20  and remote receiver  100  installed with tie down brace  50 .  FIG. 7  is a bottom perspective view of  FIG. 6  showing the receiver control wires  120  routing through the wire egress hole  90  in the shelf  30 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 4-7 , the outwardly angled tie down brace retaining tab  70  off of the inner bent portion  52  of the tie down brace  50  can be inserted into a slot  80  in the vertical leg  32  of the shelf  30 , with the opposite free end in a raised position. Next the generally flat bottom of the remote control receiver  100  can be placed on the upper surface horizontal leg  36  of the shelf  30  abutting the vertical leg  32 . Next the opposite bent free end  56  of the brace  50  can be rotated downward where the tab  70  hinges inside slot  80 . The installer can attach a fastener  60 , such as a screw or bolt into hole  57  of tie down brace  50  and into threaded opening  85  in horizontal leg  36  of the shelf  30  which secures the receiver  100  to the shelf  30 . 
     Wiring  120  on the side of the receiver  100  can be oriented to pass directly through wire egress hole(s)  90  helping secure the wires  120  so that they do not flap or are in danger of falling into motor  18  below. If the receiver  100  is mounted with wires on opposite side, the wires  120  can be easily wrapped over and/or under the receiver  100  and horizontal leg  36  and still be manipulated to pass into egress holes  90 . Large holes  135  and/or slots  130  in horizontal leg  36  can be useful for allowing heat ventilation from the receiver  100  to pass there through so as to reduce and eliminate heating up of the receiver  100   
       FIG. 8  is a top perspective view of the receiver  100  secured to the shelf  30  with plastic zip lock ties  110  running through slots  130  instead of the tie down brace  50 .  FIG. 9  is a bottom perspective view of  FIG. 8  showing zip lock ties  110  routing through the wire egress holes  90  in the shelf to facilitate securing the receiver to the shelf. The invention can use as few as one zip tie  110  running across a mid portion of the receiver  100 , or two ties in parallel, or three ties  110  at least two of which cross over one another. 
       FIG. 10  is a bottom perspective view of the remote ready shelf  30  of  FIGS. 2-8 .  FIG. 11  is a top perspective view of the shelf  30  of  FIG. 10 .  FIG. 12  is a left side view of the shelf  30  of  FIG. 10  along arrow  12 X  FIG. 13  is a top view of the shelf  30  of  FIG. 10  along arrow  13 X.  FIG. 14  is a right side view of the shelf  30  of  FIG. 10  along arrow  14 X.  FIG. 15  is a bottom view of the shelf  30  of  FIG. 11  along arrow  15 X.  FIG. 16  is a rear view of the shelf  30  of  FIG. 10  along arrow  16 X.  FIG. 17  is a front view of the shelf  30  of  FIG. 11  along arrow  17 X. 
     The shelf can have a generally L shaped configuration with a vertical leg  32  attached to a left side or a right side of the bracket  20  so that the horizontal leg  36  extends sideways from the main longitudinal axis of the bracket  20 . The horizontal leg  36  is preferably below the bracket  20  so that the top of the mounted receiver is either flush with or below the top surface of the bracket  20 . The shelf  30  is preferably being positioned into dead space to one side of the bracket. The novel shelf allows for using the existing dead space inside of a fan housing, and does not raise the top of the remote receiver to be above the existing bracket inside of the housing. The location of the shelf makes it easy for attaching the remote receiver to the shelf. 
     The vertical leg  32  can include a generally flat plate surface with flat side edges  31  and inwardly angled side edges  34  which meet with an outwardly extending flat side edge  35 . 
     The horizontal leg  36  can include a generally flat rectangular plate surface with an outwardly extending convex curved edge  38 . The horizontal leg  36  can have a larger plate surface than the vertical leg  32 . 
     The bracket  20  and shelf  30  can be formed from metal, such as but limited to galvanized metal, aluminum, and the like. 
     While the shelf and the bracket are shown as two parts which can use fasteners, such as but not limited to screws and bolts for attaching each part to one another, the shelf and bracket can be formed from one piece of material. 
     The invention can use an existing remote receiver that exists in the marketplace, where the remote receiver does not need to be modified by putting holes or separate cases about the receiver. 
     The invention can be manufactured with the remote receiver already installed on the shelf before the ceiling fan is shipped from the manufacturer. 
     Alternatively, the remote receiver can be installed separately by the ceiling fan installer as an after-market installation, where the remote receiver and the transmitter can be sold in a package to be installed by the end user installer. In this version, the shelf can be pre-installed during manufacture. 
     Also, the remote receiver and the transmitter and the shelf can be sold separately in a package for installation by the ceiling fan installer. 
     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.