Patent Publication Number: US-2004057831-A1

Title: Ceiling fan

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001] 1. Field of the Invention  
       [0002] The present invention relates generally to ceiling fans, and more particularly to a ceiling fan which rotating stability is enhanced.  
       [0003] 2. Description of the Related Art  
       [0004] As shown in FIG. 1, a conventional ceiling fan  1  is composed of a connecting rod assembly  2 , a motor (not shown) mounted at a bottom end of the connecting rod assembly  2 , a housing  3 , five vanes  5 , and five vane brackets  4 . Each of the vane brackets  4  is secured to a lower end of the housing  3  at an end thereof, connected with each of the vanes  5  at the other end thereof, and has a curved elongated linking portion  6  at a middle portion thereof. From the above structure, the ceiling fan  1  is provided with a very scattered mass at its rotation circle. While the ceiling fan  1  is in rotation, an air eddy will be generated to cause irregular swing of the ceiling fan  1 . If the ceiling fan  1  is rotated in more speed, more irregular swing will be incurred, thereby causing potential risk of harm to the users.  
       [0005] In addition, the vane brackets  4  are made of metal and large-sized so as to cost a lot in production. Although the assembly of the connecting rod  2  or the vane bracket  4  is reinforced, the ceiling fan  1  is still not stable in rotation, especially in high speed, to be unsafe for the users. Moreover, the model design of the conventional ceiling fan  1  needs to be improved.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0006] The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a ceiling fan which rotation stability is effectively enhanced.  
       [0007] Another objective of the present invention is to provide a ceiling fan which production cost is reduced.  
       [0008] Still another objective of the present invention is to provide a ceiling fan which model design is well enhanced.  
       [0009] The foregoing objectives of the present invention are attained by the ceiling fan which is composed of a connecting rod assembly, a motor, a housing, a cover shell, and a vane assembly. The connecting rod assembly includes a fixing seat secured to a ceiling and a connecting rod suspended beneath the fixing seat. The motor is mounted beneath the connecting rod. The housing which encases the motor is rotatable by the motor and includes a circular convex portion at a bottom side thereof. The cover shell is semi-spherical and includes a top opening at a top side thereof and a bottom opening at a bottom side thereof for the convex portion of the housing inserted through to enable the cover shell to rotate along with the housing synchronously. The vane assembly is connected with the cover shell and includes a plurality of vanes and vane brackets. Each of the vane brackets has an arm portion at an end thereof connected with the cover shell and kept away from the housing, and a head portion at the other end thereof connected with each of the vanes. Accordingly, the improved ceiling fan is provided with a preferably centralized mass at its rotation circle to enhance the rotation stability and the whole model design. 
     
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
     [0010]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a prior art;  
     [0011]FIG. 2 is a partial exploded view of a first preferred embodiment of the present invention;  
     [0012]FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the first preferred embodiment of the present invention;  
     [0013]FIG. 4 is an exploded view of a second preferred embodiment of the present invention; and  
     [0014]FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the second preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
     [0015] Referring to FIGS.  2 - 3 , an improved ceiling fan  10  of the present invention is composed of a connecting rod assembly  20 , a motor  30 , a housing  40 , a cover shell  50 , and a vane assembly  60 .  
     [0016] The connecting rod assembly  20  includes a fixing seat  21  securely mounted to a ceiling  11  and a longitudinal connecting rod  22  having a top end securely mounted to and positioned beneath the fixing seat  21 .  
     [0017] The motor  30  is mounted to and positioned beneath the connecting rod  22 .  
     [0018] The housing  40  includes an upper housing member  41  and a lower housing member  42 . The upper and lower housing members  41  and  42 , which are substantially semi-spherical, each include a circular opening facing to the other and having the same diameter and a convex portions  43  ( 44 ) protruded from a top side of the upper housing member  41  (a bottom side of the lower housing member  42 ). The upper and lower housing members  41  and  42  correspond to each other to encase the motor  30  and can be driven to rotate by the motor  30  with respect to the connecting rod assembly  20 .  
     [0019] The cover shell  50  is substantially semi-spherical, sectionally stepped, and fixedly mounted beneath the housing  40 . The cover shell  50  includes a top opening facing upwards at a top side thereof, a bottom opening  52  at a bottom side  51  thereof for the convex portion  44  of the lower housing member  42  inserted through, wherein the top opening is larger than the bottom opening  52  in diameter, a plurality of through holes  53  for bolts  54  inserted through to enable the housing  40  threadedly connected with the cover shell  50  and to further enable the cover shell  50  to rotate along with the housing  40  synchronously, and an annular underside  55  positioned at an outer periphery thereof. A gap  56  is formed between the annular underside  55  and the outer periphery of the cover shell  50 .  
     [0020] The vane assembly  60  is disposed on a periphery of the cover shell  50  and is made of five vanes  61  and five vane brackets  62 . Each of the vanes  61  is an elongated wooden plate and includes a connecting portion  611  at an end thereof for connecting each of the vane brackets  62  and an arched portion at the other end thereof. Each of the vane brackets  62  is integrally made of metal casting and includes an arm portion  63  at an end thereof, a head portion  65  at the other end thereof, and a neck portion  64  at a middle section thereof, wherein the arm portion  63  has two tapped holes  66  for bolts  67  inserted through to enable the arm portion  63  to be threadedly connected with the annular underside  55  of the cover shell  50 . The head portion  63  and the connecting portion  611  respectively have corresponding tapped holes  68  for bolts  69  inserted through to enable the vane bracket  62  to threadedly connect the vanes  61 . The neck portion  64  is an elongated shaft for connecting the head portion  65  and the arm portion  63  and has a length ranged between 1 cm and 2 cm.  
     [0021] In operation, by means of the cover shell  50 , the gap  56 , and the neck portion  64 , the ceiling fan  10  is provided with a preferably centralized mass at its rotation circle to be rotated preferably stably. The vane brackets  62  are made of metal, such that the production cost can be effectively reduced by the neck portion  64  having shorter length than the linking portion of the prior art. In addition, the cover shell  50  can be well designed for its appearance to increase the marketing advantage of the present invention. Moreover, the ceiling fan further includes a junction box  70  at a bottom thereof, which has a receiving space for receiving a variety of wires. The junction box is a prior art so as not to be described in detail for the structure and the connection.  
     [0022] Referring to FIGS.  4 - 5 , the ceiling fan  10 A of a second preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a connecting rod assembly  20 A, a motor  30 A, a housing  40 A, a cover shell  50 A, and a vane assembly  60 A.  
     [0023] The connecting rod assembly  20 A includes a fixing seat  21 A securely mounted to the ceiling  11  and a connecting rod  22 A securely mounted to and positioned beneath the fixing seat  21 A.  
     [0024] The motor  30 A is mounted to and positioned beneath the connecting rod  22 A.  
     [0025] The housing  40 A, which has an opening facing downwards, is positioned above and covers the motor  30 A and is driven to rotate by the motor  30 A.  
     [0026] The cover shell  50 A, which is substantially semi-spherical and sectionally stepped, includes an opening facing upwards and larger than the opening of the housing  40 A in diameter to receive and connect the housing  40 A, thereby enabling the cover shell  50 A to rotate synchronously along with the housing  40 A. The motor  30  A is mounted between the housing  40 A and the cover shell  50 A. The cover shell  50 A includes a convex portion  44 A protruded downwards from a bottom thereof, a through hole running through the center of the convex portion  44 A for connecting a junction box  70 A, and an annular underside  55 A at an outer periphery thereof. The annular underside  55 A is distant from an outer periphery of the housing  40 A with a gap  56 A.  
     [0027] The vane assembly  60 A connected to the cover shell  50 A includes a plurality of vanes  61 A and vane brackets  62 A. Each of the vane brackets  62 A has an arm portion  63 A at an end thereof away from the housing  40 A for connecting the cover shell  50 A, and a head portion  65 A at the other end thereof for connecting each of the vanes  61 A.  
     [0028] In conclusion, the present invention provides the improved ceiling fan, which rotation stability is effectively enhanced and which production cost is reduced.