Abstract:
A fan blade assembly and method according to which a mounting arm is provided and at least one clamping member extends from the arm. A blade has a portion engaging the arm, and a through opening for receiving the clamping member. The clamping member is movable to a clamping position to clamp the blade to the arm.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a ceiling fan assembly and a method for assembling same, and, more particularly, to such an assembly and method in which the fan blades can be attached to mounting arms for the fan motor relatively easily and quickly using a minimum number of parts. 
     Rotating fans that are mounted to the ceilings of homes and businesses are very popular. These types of fans consist of an electric motor mounted to the ceiling and a plurality of angularly-spaced blades. Each blade is mounted to a corresponding mounting arm and the arms are mounted to the casing of the motor. Rotation of the motor casing causes corresponding rotation of the arms, and therefore the blades. 
     However, it is difficult and time-consuming to mount the blades to the arms since a relatively large number of fasteners, or the like, are normally used to attach each blade to its corresponding arm. Since there are usually five blades and arms, the labor costs involved in assembling and mounting the complete fan assembly constitute a high percentage of the overall cost of the assembly. This difficulty in assembly is compounded when the blades have to be mounted to arms that are already attached to the motor casing mounted to the ceiling since it is difficult to make the connections between the blades and their arms in an elevated position. 
     Therefore, what is needed is a fan assembly and a method of assembling same in which the fan blades can be easily and quickly attached to the arms, and the arms can be easily and quickly attached to the rotor end casing of the fan motor, without the use of numerous fasteners, or the like, and even when the end casing is mounted to the ceiling. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An embodiment of the present invention, accordingly, is directed to a ceiling fan assembly and method for assembling same according to which a mounting arm is provided and at least one clamping member extends from the arm. A blade has a portion engaging the arm and a through opening for receiving the clamping member. The clamping member is movable to and from a clamping position to clamp the blade to the arm. 
     Several advantages result from this arrangement. For example, the use of a multitude of fasteners, such as nuts, bolts and screws, to connect each blade to its corresponding arm are eliminated. Thus, the fan assembly can be assembled and mounted relatively easily and quickly thus reducing labor costs. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is an isometric view of the fan assembly of an embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is an enlarged, partial, exploded, isometric view depicting the mounting of a fan blade of the assembly of FIG. 1 to its corresponding arm. 
     FIG. 3 is a partial sectional view of the blade and arm of FIG. 2 shown in an assembled condition. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     FIG. 1 of the drawings depicts the fan assembly of an embodiment of the present invention which assembly is referred to, in general, by the reference numeral  10  and which includes a housing  12  connected to a ceiling of a building by a mounting rod  14 . It is understood that the mounting rod  14  is connected to the ceiling in any known manner, and that electrical conductors extend from an electrical box (not shown) mounted to the ceiling, through the rod, and into the interior of the housing  12 . A conventional electrical motor is provided in the housing  12  that includes a stator (not shown) and a rotor that includes an end casing  16  that protrudes downwardly, as viewed in FIG. 1, through an opening in the lower surface of the housing. 
     Five mounting arms, one of which is shown by the reference numeral  20 , are mounted to the end casing  16 . This mounting can be in any conventional manner, or in the manners disclosed in patent applications Ser. Nos. 097,623, 196,798, 243,253, or 334,976. These applications are assigned to the assignee of the present invention and their respective disclosures are incorporated by reference. 
     Five elongated blades, one of which is shown by the reference numeral  22 , are respectively mounted to the arms, including the arm  20 . The manner in which the blades  22  are attached to the arms  20  will be described in detail. 
     Referring to FIG. 2, the arm  20  includes an intermediate portion  20   a  that extends between a relatively wide blade-receiving portion  20   b  and a mounting flange (FIG. 1) that connects to the end casing  16  in any conventional manner or in the manners disclosed in the above applications. The blade-receiving portion  20   b  is tapered in shape and is formed integrally with the intermediate portion  20   a.    
     A post  24  and three guide pins  26   a,    26   b,  and  26   c  all extend from the upper surface of the arm portion  20   b  and are preferably formed integrally therewith. The post  24  has two parallel grooves  24   a,  one of which is shown, formed in diametrically opposite walls thereof for reasons to be explained. 
     A clamping member  28  is pivotally mounted to the upper end portion of the post  24 . To this end, a shaft  30  extends through a bore formed through the post  24  and each end of the shaft protrudes from the corresponding outer surfaces of the post. Two flanges  28   a,  one of which is shown, extend from the lower portions of the respective side walls of the clamping member  28  and each flange has a through opening for receiving the corresponding end portion of the shaft  30 . 
     The lower surface of an end portion of the blade  22  extends over the upper surface of the arm portion  20   b  as viewed in FIG.  2 . Three openings  22   b,   22   c,  and  22   d  are formed though the latter blade portion for receiving the guide pins  26   a,    26   b,  and  26   c,  respectively. Also, an enlarged opening  22   a  extends through the latter portion of the blade  22  for receiving the post  24  and the clamping member  28 , with a portion of the post  24 , including the grooves  24   a,  extending above the upper surface of the blade. 
     A locking plate  34  extends over the upper surface of the blade  22  and has a through opening  34   a  through which the clamping member  28  and the post  24  extend. The opening  34   a  has a relatively wide portion and a relatively narrow portion having a width substantially corresponding to the width of that portion of the post  24  in which the grooves  24   a  are formed, for reasons to be described. 
     To mount the blade  22  on the upper surface of the arm  20  the blade is lowered from its position of FIG. 2 with the openings  22   b,    22   c,  and  22   d  aligned with their corresponding guide pins  26   a,    26   b,  and  26   c,  and with the clamping member  28  in alignment with the blade opening  22   a.  When the lower surface of the blade  22  engages the upper surface of the arm  20 , the locking plate  34  is placed over the upper surface of the blade with the clamping member  28  and the post  24  extending through the relatively wide portion of its opening  34   a.  The plate  34  is then slid in a direction towards the end of the blade  22  shown in FIG. 2 until the relatively narrow portion of its opening  34   a  extends in the grooves  24   a  of the post  24  which locks the blade to the arm  20 , as shown in FIG.  3 . The clamping member  28  is then pivoted from its upright position of FIG. 2, shown by the phantom lines in FIG. 3, to a horizontal, clamping position shown by the solid lines in FIG.  3 . The design is such that during this pivotal movement of the clamping member  28 , the ends of the flanges  28   a  engage the plate  34  and exert a downwardly directed force against the plate, and therefore the blade  22 , to clamp the plate to the blade, and the blade to the arm  20 . 
     It is understood that the other four blades are connected to their respective arms in the same manner. 
     As a result of the foregoing, each blade  22  can be connected to the arms  20  using no fasteners and only the plate  34  and clamping member  28 . Thus, the use of a large number of nuts, bolts and screws is eliminated. Since, the arms  20  can be easily and quickly be connected to the end casing  16  in the manner disclosed in the above applications, the entire fan assembly  10  can be installed relatively easily and quickly thus considerably reducing the labor costs. 
     It is understood that variations may be made in the foregoing without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, the number of arms  20 , blades  22 , and guide pins  26  can be varied within the scope of the invention. Further, the spatial references, such as “upper”, “lower”, “downwardly”, etc., are for the purpose of illustration only and do not limit the spacial orientation or location of the structure described. 
     It is understood that other modifications, changes and substitutions are intended in the foregoing disclosure and in some instances some features of the invention will be employed without a corresponding use of other features. Accordingly, it is appropriate that the appended claims be construed broadly and in a manner consistent with the scope of the invention.